by Nicole Grane
Chapter 23: Surprise!
I woke the next morning with a killer headache. I could already feel the bump on my head: Just another monumental moment to add to my summer of agony.
Marcus had slept next to me last night—with some persuasion. He’d felt so guilty for what had happened before dinner that he had his “wine” alone on the balcony. He decided not to drink around me for the time being. Considering the thought of blood now made me ill, I didn’t object.
I looked out my window into the morning. The weather looked crisp. The sky was overcast, and dark, foreboding clouds hung low.
I was feeling a little keyed up. I hadn’t been for a run since I’d left home several days ago. All signs of my “illness” had left me. I was more than ready to leave the confines of my room.
I went to the closet and put on the sweat pants and shirt I had on last night before I decided to change into an outfit that would compliment Marcus's tuxedo. I added a sweatshirt and headed downstairs.
“Going out Miss?” Sarah caught me at the door.
“Good Morning, Sarah. Yes. I thought I’d go for a run before breakfast. Have you seen Mr. Marcus?”
“He had a few phone calls to make this morning. I suspect he’s still in the library,” she added cheerfully.
“You seem rather happy this morning . . . does Mr. Richard have anything to do with that?” I asked playfully. “Uh huh.” I winked at Sarah’s blushing face before I shut the door behind me.
I ran softly across the immaculate lawn. The grass was thick; I felt as though I were running on pillows, each step sinking into the next.
I decided to run to the little pond I saw last night while we were flying. I knew it wasn’t that far past the horse stables. I found the trailhead directly behind them and started down it. I checked my watch. I’d been running about ten minutes . . . I had to be getting close.
The sun flashed through the unfamiliar trees ahead, casting shadows on the ground. I looked around nervously. I remembered the last time I’d been running through the forest—Brian had attacked me. I shook away the memory. This is different. Brian is more than an ocean away. There was no danger of him finding me here.
I stopped suddenly. My mouth hung open in awe. The pond was more like a small lake. Flowering lily pads were everywhere. Toads were croaking their song, while birds chirped in the trees overhead. A small rowboat rested on the bank, waiting for someone to climb aboard. This was a place from a storybook, a place to whisper.
I noticed a large flat rock resting near the pond’s edge. I walked over to it and sat. Taking in my new world, I drew my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I took in a deep relaxing breath—a hint of musk traveled on the breeze. My eyes grew wide!
“You look absolutely beautiful, my dear.” A voice spoke from behind me.
I swallowed loudly. A pair of hands now rested on my shoulders. My back stiffened. I didn’t look behind me. I knew whom the hands belonged to. I recognized his scent. “Damen.”
“Hello Phoebe. How are you enjoying your trip to England?” he asked casually.
“Well, it isn’t without its bumps,” I said dryly.
“I see. That is quite a nasty bump you have.”
“It’s not that big!” I snapped, shrugging away from him. I touched the tender spot on my head. “What do you want Damen?”
“I was just wondering if you were ready to end this charade with Marcus.” He was walking around me now, circling me like a hawk, ready to swoop down on its prey.
“Exactly what charade is that?” I made no effort to conceal my annoyance.
“You must realize by now that the two of you can never be together. I expect that’s why you’re here alone instead of with him now.
“That is none of your business,” I stood up and faced him squarely with my hands on my hips. I was going to stand my ground.
“Easy!” he laughed. “It’s just an observation . . . although; you can’t deny that I seemed to have hit a nerve.”
I glowered at him. “Is there any point to this little meeting, other than to thoroughly annoy me?” I grumped.
“Yes, although that is a bonus. You really are a delight,” he mused, ignoring the lethal expression affixed to my face—he leaned in closer, his warm breath blowing across my ear. “You always were.”
I jerked away from him.
He laughed, circling me once again. “As I said, I’ve come to see if you were ready for me to take you now?”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I looked at him in disbelief.
“It’s beautiful.” He reached out and took my hand in his. “It’s just what you should have.” His voice was low, almost melancholy.
“Damen I . . . I don’t understand you.” I looked at him curiously. “You seem to care for me in one breath, and in the next . . . you insult me. Scare me. You even tried to have me killed!” I took my hand back.
He looked confused. “If I tried, you’d be dead.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “The other night, a pack of werewolves chased me on horseback. They attacked Marcus in the yard!”
“Yet . . . Marcus lives.” His voice was condescending.
“Yes, Marcus lives. Thank God!”
“Humph. God had nothing to do with it. Neither did I.”
“Like I’d believe you; just . . . go.”
His eyes flickered to my hands. He was watching me nervously twist my ring back and forth. I could see the anger rising in his face. His eyes looked more yellow than blue now. I stepped back a little.
“No! Not this time,” he growled coldly. He grabbed me around the waist and pulled my body to him. My breath caught on impact.
I could feel his heart pounding against my chest. I turned my head slightly, trying to put some distance between his face and mine. I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. His arm was firm around the small of my back.
“He’s a vampire, you’re a . . . it will never work!” he thundered.
“We work just fine,” I struggled, pushing against his chest—I wasn’t going anywhere.
He yanked my wrist abruptly, bringing it to his face, his yellow eyes staring right into mine. “What happened to your hand?” he snarled.
“Me!” I breathed heavily. “Apparently I can’t pick up a sword correctly.” I glowered at him, yanking it away.
He grabbed my jaw, holding it firmly, demanding my attention.
“Damen you’re hurting me.” I tried to pry his fingers away.
“Do you realize that he could kill you?”
“You could as well,” I reminded him sharply.
“I can control myself,” he spoke through gritted teeth, still squeezing my face with his hand.
“Yeah? You’re doing a real good job of it now,” I winced, still unable to break free.
His eyes narrowed. He released my face, only to grip my neck between his hands. The action so fast, I couldn’t have prevented it. He brushed his thumb across my lips—I trembled.
“I could kiss you without having the urge to bite you.” He pressed his face against my cheek, inhaling deeply. I was frozen where I stood, afraid to move. His heart was beating louder than mine, drowning out all other sounds around us. “I can hold you close, without hesitation.” His jaw tightened against mine.
My breathing became erratic. I felt as though I were going to pass out. Beads of sweat were forming all over my body.
“I could make love to you . . .” Despite my protests, his mouth took mine. He held me to him, kissing me passionately. His soft lips moved over mine eagerly. They didn’t require any participation on my part. Under other circumstances, in another life perhaps . . . it would have knocked my socks off. As it was . . .
I pushed at him again and again. He finally released my lips, but not his hold.
“Damen, you can’t do that.” I gasped, trying to catch my breath. “I don’t love you.”
“That wasn’t always the case,” he implied, a da
rk tone to his voice.
“What does that mean?”
He smiled flatly. “It means that I have a problem to remove; one that will free you.”
My heart stopped. “Damen, if you hurt Marcus in any way, I’ll kill you myself!”
His smile frightened me. “That’s my girl.” His mouth claimed mine again. His kiss was heady, wanton, and taking me completely by surprise. I almost forgot who was kissing me for a moment—almost.
I pushed off his body as hard as I could, trying to free myself. He released his hold on me, sending me tumbling backward into the freezing pond with a loud splash.
“YOU JERK!” I screamed, as soon as I surfaced. “It’s bad enough you keep forcing yourself on me, do you have to throw me in a f-freezing, cold, p-pond as well?” I stammered while smashing the water with my fists.
“Let me help you,” Damen laughed, his smile touching his eyes. All signs of aggression were gone. He extended his hand to me.
“Are you kidding? Get away from me!” I splashed the water in his direction, missing him completely.
“Phoebe, be reasonable, you know it was an accident,” he chuckled.
I looked at him loathingly. If I could spit fire I would have.
“Phoebe please, come out of the water, you’ll catch your death.” His laughter was subsiding.
“I mean it, Damen. Stay away from me.” With considerable effort, I got out of the pond by myself and stormed past him—water dripping from my clothes. My running shoes were water logged now, squeaking with every step. “I just bought these shoes!” I whined.
“I’ll replace them. And anything else you need. Marcus isn’t the only one with money,” he smirked.
“I’m not with him because of his money,” I growled, stomping off in a rage.
“Phoebe . . .” he called after me. “Phoebe, wait!” His voice was sharp. He caught me by the elbow and spun me around. “Enough of this! I’m not leaving here without you.”
I glared at him defiantly.
“Knowing he’s in your bed at night, that he could kill you at any moment . . . It should be me with you. Not him!”
I kicked his shin, causing a loud cracking sound.
“Ow!” He grabbed his leg, releasing my arm.
I turned and ran as fast as I could. I didn’t look back. I was freezing, soaked from head to toe, and being pursued like some animal. I could feel Damen close behind me. I forced myself to run faster.
“Phoebe!”
I couldn’t look. My heart was pounding in my throat; if I could only make it through the trees . . .
“Phoebe, wait!” Damen growled.
I came rushing onto the lawn, running uncontrollably toward the castle. My legs burned beneath me. I panted loudly, wheezing as I took in each breath.
“Marcus!”
I pushed myself to run harder.
“MARCUS!”
Marcus came bursting out the doors and across the lawn at a tremendous speed. I could see the look of fear in his eyes as I came crashing into his body—a soaking wet sponge of pond water.
“He’s here!” I cried into his shirt.
He held my face in between his hands. His eyes looked wildly into mine. “Who?”
“Damen . . .” I gasped, trying to catch my breath. “He’s right behind me. He threw me in the pond!”
It took Marcus an instant to process what I’d said. He scooped me up in his arms, his eyes darting back and forth, surveying the forest before he rushed me inside.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing him closer. I inhaled deeply, feeling safer with each passing moment.
“It’s alright, Darling. You’re safe now.” With what sounded like considerable effort, he kept his voice calm and even. His face was tight, and a muscle ticked below his jaw.
“Let’s get you into a warm bath. It isn’t good for you to get so chilled, especially after being so sick.” He set me down on a chair, and wrapped a towel around me before he went over to the tub to turn on the water. “It should be ready in a few minutes,” he said, kneeling down beside me. His hand held my cheek for a moment. His eyes, still so worried were growing darker. “Would you like to explain why you were out there in the first place?” His tone was a little crisper than before. He’d seen that I was all right. Now he wanted answers.
“I went for a jog,” I explained, trying to brush it off like it was no big deal.
“A jog?” His face tightened. “You went for a jog through the forest . . . a forest where werewolves had chased you not two days ago . . . a day after you’d had a fever that nearly killed you?” He was shouting now.
I leaned back in my chair, trying to put some distance between us.
“Well?” he demanded.
“I felt better.”
“You—” Marcus was so mad he couldn’t even form the words.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think.” I took my shoes off and chucked them onto the floor. “I just wanted to get out for a bit. I didn’t think Damen would be there—waiting.” I kept my eyes downcast.
I felt Marcus's fingers on my chin, lifting it up. I met his stare. He looked beyond mad, but he also looked thankful . . . thankful we were still together. I felt the same way.
“I’ve got you all wet.” I reached out and touched his drenched shirt.
“It’s only water.” He smiled flatly—his expression was unreadable.
I grabbed another towel off the counter and started wiping my face and lips vigorously.
“He . . . kissed you?” I could hear Marcus gritting his teeth. How had he known?
I peeked out from behind the towel. “It was awful. He wanted me to leave with him. He kept saying he loved me, and he was in control now. That I didn’t have to worry about him hurting me—unlike you.” I rolled my eyes through the tears that had begun to form. I threw the towel across the room. “Why must I always be attacked every time I go for a run?”
I added some bubbles to the water, removed my wet clothing, and stepped in. I relaxed the moment my body hit the warm water. The smell of rose water filled the air. I leaned back and closed my eyes for a moment, letting the tub fill around me. I could feel the bubbles climbing up my shoulder to the base of my neck. I reached out to turn the water off—Marcus beat me to it.
“Thanks,” I sunk back into the water.
“You’re beautiful,” he said as he rested his chin on the side of the tub. His face was still tense.
“Sure.” I pulled a weed out of my hair. “You know . . . if the rest of my life is going to be fraught with disaster like this, you may want to reconsider!” I held up my left hand and wiggled my ring finger.
He put his fingers in the water and began swirling the bubbles around them. An odd expression overtook his face. “I wouldn’t trade you for anything.” His tone was melancholy.
“Marcus?”
“I can’t have the grounds unsafe for you.” His eyes were blacker than any night I could have imagined. I could see the wheels turning in his head now. I had my hands on the edge of the tub ready to jump up.
“If you could have heard yourself screaming . . .” He closed his eyes, as if reliving the memory.
“Marcus. Don’t do this,” I begged. I knew his mind.
“I swore to protect you.” A low growl came from within him.
“Marcus, I’m fine. He didn’t really hurt me. He just scared me; that’s all.”
“That’s not true, now is it?” He held my chin, tilting it a little to the side. His fingers gently pressing into where Damen’s had when he’d held my face. I winced, feeling the bruises I’d have; or apparently did have.
“I will kill him for that.” His tone was calm, which made it more deadly.
He leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “I love nothing more in this world than you.” He moved quicker than I’d ever seen. He was out my balcony doors before I could even get up.
“Marcus!” I screamed after him, tears already streaming down
my face. I jumped out of the tub, grabbed my robe, and ran out of my room dripping water as I went.
“Richard!” I ran down the main stairs and out the front doors. “Richard!”
Richard came running up behind me.
“Miss Rose.” He looked alarmed at the sight of me.
“You have to help him. He’s gone after Damen!” I pointed toward the forest.
“Damen is here?” Richard jumped into action, shielding me from view.
“Please Richard, hurry.”
“Come, Miss.” He pulled me back toward the house.
“No, he needs help!” I tried to wiggle out of his grasp.
“You need to get back inside Miss. Mr. Marcus would kill me personally if I left you exposed like this . . . especially like this,” he muttered under his breath as he pulled me back indoors. He ushered me to my room in record time, looking over his shoulder as we went. He was probably hoping Sarah wouldn’t come around a corner and find him with me less than half dressed.
“Aren’t you going to help him?” I yelled in disbelief. I couldn’t believe we were even arguing about this. Richard should be out there, already helping Marcus. Not held up in the castle babysitting me.
“I am helping him Miss. I’m supposed to protect you when he’s not at home. If I leave the castle to help him, and you’re harmed . . . I’ll be the one needing protection.
I scoffed.
“Try not to worry Miss. I’m sure he’ll be fine.” He smiled sympathetically before he shut my door, leaving me alone with my imagination to torture me.
I stood there, looking around the room. I couldn’t just wait here, doing nothing. If Richard wasn’t going to help Marcus, I was.
I got dressed quickly and started for the door. I reached for the handle and stopped. I debated for half a second, ran to the fireplace, and grabbed my sword off the wall—I wasn’t going unarmed.