by Danae Ayusso
In a blur of movement I couldn’t follow, suddenly he was on top of me, which was a feat in itself since we were in a stupid coffin, and his hand was around my throat.
“Next time punch, it will hurt you less,” he snarled in my face.
Why I bother, I don’t know.
“Took you long enough to finally man up,” I sneered when he lowered his face down to mine. “Finish what your annoying brother started so I can get off this ride.”
A look washed across his face, causing his features to soften some. “Why do you long to die?” he asked, irritated.
“Because you refuse to let me live!” I shouted in his face. “What is the purpose of simply going through the motions if I am being forced into the shadows, forced to hide, and forced to only exist in order to amuse you?! I am done living like that. I am done simply existing. While you were trying to kill yourself with the other Italian you let into your church-turned-prison, I discovered there is more to this existence than you have let on. Your annoying brother did, attempted to start, what you were too scared to do. And in the process, he inadvertently gave me a glimpse into a world I was… A world I was always supposed to be in, but was denied just as I’ve been denied everything else in my life. I will no longer be denied, Andrei… Ew, are you seriously aroused right now?” I complained, making a face.
A new look filled his face, one I was accustomed to getting from Luka, not Andrei, and it amused me for a passing moment, and his hold on my neck lessened and he cupped my cheek instead. Tenderly he wiped away the tear that rolled down my cheek from my tantrum with this thumb. “Please do not cry. The arousal is completely unintentional.”
“Uh huh,” I scoffed. “Move that before I knee you in it,” I warned.
He slid down me some so he wasn’t stabbing me with his anything but subtle erection.
“Thank you,” I said, and he nodded. “If I’m supposed to be yours,” I started, trying to maintain a strong front of independence, “and I can deny you, and will continue to do so, then step up and be a man about it and educate me so I don’t inadvertently kill you. That’s what Luka, of all people, was trying to do before he ran his mouth, violated my personal space, and Connor whooped him real good before robbing him.”
Andrei groaned. “You met Mercy?”
I nodded. “How do you think Alder got here? I didn’t know who else to call.”
He rolled his eyes.
“Andrei, what do you remember?” I asked, just realizing he didn’t know what happened or what could have happened to him.
Of course he wasn’t going to tell me.
“The ignorance you’re trying to keep me in would have killed you if it weren’t for my brother,” I told him. “I told you this already, but apparently you didn’t listen as usual. The blood in the fridge was compromised.”
His eyes widened.
“There was silver in it, flecks of it, and it would have killed you or me if it were ingested as they were anticipating it to be,” I explained. “Being around so many hematologists while they tried to save my brother, I know way more about blood than I should, more than they thought I did, and it saved both of us. I didn’t know what to do, I found you unresponsive in your closet so I called Alder; he had given me his business card if I ever needed anything, like a to-go order… Praise the Goddess, you don’t even want to get me started on how delicious his grilled rice balls are. I can’t believe Connor didn’t have to roll me home!”
Andrei’s surprise turned to slight amusement. “You are ridiculously easily distracted by food,” he informed me.
I nodded. “I was starving and it was delicious, not Italian or a double cheeseburger like I was craving, but it was delicious for being vegan. Back to what you don’t really want to talk about because we both know you view it as a weakness of yours.”
He rolled his eyes.
“The only person in this new world I could call, I did. Alder said to try blood, but he didn’t know for certain if it’d work or not. I found the kitchen, was greatly disappointed in its lack of a renovation, and discovered the fridge unit was open and the blood was contaminated, all of the bags I checked were, so I asked him for help. Since he isn’t blood reliant, I asked him to call the one other person I knew in this new world you’ve thrown me into but refuse to let me be in.”
“Repeating that over and over will not change my mind on the matter,” he warned and I rolled my eyes. “And that is why the Child of the Moon is here,” he surmised, just realizing something.
“A little gratitude would be nice. Alder knew who he was, thankfully, and said I owe him now because of something I’m not in the know of, but if it wasn’t for Tybalt being a Child of the Moon and having a crown or whatever, you would be dead right now… Wait, Tybalt is still here?!” I asked in a panic.
Andrei made a face. “Yes. The annoyingly persistent creature refused to leave until you tell him to. Last time, I was able to deny his entry, this time I could not. Regardless of what they think they know of you or what you think you are, the pup is willing to risk the unimaginable.”
Wait, did he just confirm what Connor said I was?!
“No, I did not,” he said in a clipped tone, the tone he uses when he slipped up and I knew it. “When the sun is down you can check on your guest. Keep this revelation of the tampering of blood to yourself until I can look into it further. To use blood-”
I covered his mouth with my hand.
“I know; war will follow,” I finished for him. “You should really be glad I’m not just another pretty face that doesn’t want to suck on bags of blood, and instead knows a little bit about blood and what it should look like when bagged.”
Andrei nodded, though I knew wasn’t nodding his agreement.
“Because I am not,” he mumbled from behind my hand, so I made a mocking face.
“Honestly, Andrei, I’m not sure if I should feel honored that they chose me as the means to assassinate you or if I should be insulted that they thought so little of me.”
He chuckled, pulling my hand from his mouth then kissed it. “Honored for I am not that easy to kill, Solnyshka.”
Smug, thy name is Andrei Rasputin Belova–Revnik.
A smile filled his face. “I have been called far, far worse.”
Of course you have.
Andrei refused to let me into my room until it passed his inspection.
It wasn’t hard to figure out what his problem was.
It wasn’t my safety or the risk of a Night Hag lying in wait for me.
No.
The biggest threat in the church, in his opinion, was the softly snoring, should-be male model, stretched out on my bed.
Don’t you dare touch him, I silently warned when Andrei got too close to my bed for my liking. I mean it.
He looked over his shoulder and glared at me so I glared back.
I mean it, Andrei. I already had a father, I don’t need another.
His eyes widened before he shivered, making a face then headed towards me. ‘I will be in the next room and will hear and see everything,’ he sternly warned.
Creepy much?!
A smile consumed his face, a teeth baring smile that I knew I’d only get when he was being exceptionally mean, before it fell and turned into a scowl again.
‘Put something on before he gets up. Do not give me a reason to start a war with the Children of the Moon,’ he sternly warned before heading from my room.
I swear that vampire was going to be the death of me and my patience, but one problem at a time.
Tybalt was stretched out on my bed on his side, hugging one of my pillows, softly purring in his sleep. His sneakers were on the floor next to the bed, his jacket neatly folded up on one of the chairs by the fireplace with his hat on top.
He was beautiful.
Even with his dark hair disheveled, slight dark circles blemishing under his eyes, he was still one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen…
And it made me paranoid about why he wa
s waiting for me to wake up or even cared.
I wasn’t beautiful, it took a lot of effort to look slightly pretty, and never had a member of the opposite sex looked at me as if I was a woman and not just an amusing, freckle-face little kid that was a beacon for trouble.
“He’s just a genuinely nice guy that wants to make sure I’m all right before he heads home,” I whispered to myself before heading to the closet to put something more than underwear and a thin tank top on.
The closet was filled with beautiful dresses, neatly folded jeans, shirts and sweaters. The shoe collection alone made me tear up; vintage heels and flats, sneakers and a couple of pairs of slippers. Each drawer was filled with clothes, more clothes than I’ve had in the accumulative of my life, I’m sure, and each item was beautiful. If Andrei was the one that picked them, then I was starting to question his heterosexuality-
‘Shut up. I am not gay, I merely have taste.’
I rolled my eyes. Stay out of my head!
‘Nyte.’
Ugh! You are so annoying.
I quickly dressed in a pair of joggers and a long sleeve, overly long thermal that had thumbholes; I love shirts with thumbholes and somehow the annoying vampire squatting in my head knew it.
There were countless questions that I really needed to ask and answers that I should be demanding, and now that Andrei was conscious he would be giving me those answers-
‘No, he would not.’
Since he was going to be like that, I would be like that.
I hurried from the closet then jumped up on the bed, on the other side of Tybalt, startling him awake, then stretched out.
“Good morning, Sunshine,” I beamed with a smile.
‘Grounded.’
Bite me… No don’t, not again. Ew.
Tybalt looked over his shoulder and a smile filled his face. “You feeling better?” he asked, rolling to his back so he could look at me.
I nodded then shrugged. “I don’t remember what happened other than telling Ammuttadori to leave.”
His beautiful metallic blue eyes widened and he sat up, turning to face me. “It was Ammuttadori?”
“You’ve heard of him?” I asked, surprised.
For some reason, he laughed. “Of course. The Queen is Italian, and with it comes Italian pride thus it’s caused me to learn much about what goes bump in the Italian night!” he exclaimed with a thick, ridiculous Italian accent that made me laugh. “If it was Ammuttadori, he was a long, long way from home,” he said, turning serious.
That was putting it mildly.
“No more talk about the ghouls that Andrei attracts,” I said, folding my legs in front of me and he mirrored my position. “If it’s testament to the types of creatures he shared his bed with, I really don’t want to think about it.”
Tybalt chuckled.
‘Grounded!’
Oh shut it, Nosey.
“Thank you for coming, for helping to save us,” I said. “I know Andrei won’t thank you, but I will over and over, even if you get tired of hearing it I’ll keep saying thank you because that’s just how I am.”
Tybalt blushed with a smile. “Honestly, Shawn of Forgotten Park Cemetery, I actually like that about you. I’m sorry I wasn’t faster, and I’m sorry that I…” he shook his head.
There really wasn’t anything for him to apologize for.
“I’m sorry I didn’t give you my number when we first met,” he said.
There was no way he just said that.
No way one of the hottest guys I’ve ever seen just said he was sorry for not giving me his number when we met?!?! When he was naked and we were hanging out in a cemetery with wolves and shifters?!
“Will you say something?” he asked, embarrassed.
I put my finger up. “One moment,” I said. “If you’ll excuse me for just a second,” I said then slid off the bed and hurried from the room and ducked around the corner.
In the hallway I jumped up and down with excitement, trying to keep from squealing at the top of my lungs. Like a spaz, I did a little dance and spun around, running in place in excitement, shook my flat booty, and danced a little more then jumped back, startled.
Andrei was standing there, looking at me with a look on his face that silently conveyed to remind him again why he was bothering with such a spaz?
I blushed.
He shook his head and headed back into his room, leaving his door open.
After smoothing my hair and clothing down, I composed myself and returned to my room where Tybalt sat on my bed, waiting for me, his attention on the doorway.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
I nodded. “Better than you could imagine. Can I get your number now?” I sheepishly asked.
A smile filled his face. “I already put it in your phone while I waited for you to recover. I hope that wasn’t too bold.”
Quickly I shook my head.
Again, he chuckled.
“Good. Usually I’m not so bold,” he promised. “But I couldn’t fathom the thought of you needing me in the future and not being able to reach me.”
I sat next him on the bed and looked at my hands. “Is that the only reason?” I asked, my voice meek.
Tybalt ran his hand through his hair, separating the dark curls with his fingers. “No, but it was the least creepy,” he admitted. “I’d like to see you again, not when your life is in danger or you need my help. I want to take you out to get a drink or see a movie. Something completely normal… This world is normal, it’s a lot like the world you’re used to but with noticeable differences,” he said, seemingly realizing I was about to ask if that was something they did in this new world of darkness and immortals. “Would that be okay with you?”
“I’m not much of a drinker,” I admitted. “But I’d love to go out sometime… Get out of my head!” I yelled, startling him.
‘I did not say anything.’
“No, but I clearly heard your mental scoff of disgust!” I yelled, irritated.
Tybalt chuckled, shaking his head. “The things you do to that terrifying creature,” he mused.
That’s the least offensive way of saying it.
“Tonight?” I asked, smiling wide.
He nodded. “If you like. There’s a new… Oh, tonight won’t work,” he said, making a face. “It’s the Queen’s day and if I don’t make an appearance I’ll never hear the end of it.”
The clearing of a throat from the doorway stole our attention.
Andrei stood there in a suit with an overcoat slung over his arm.
The look he was giving me hinted he wanted my undivided attention.
I sulked across the room and stood in front of him. “Yes?” I asked, annoyed.
His dark eyes moved over my face many times. “I have to see to the matter that brought your company to our door,” he said, trying to keep the snarl tugging at his top lip from revealing his fangs, speaking to me while completely ignoring the werewolf watching us from the bed. “It would be prudent if you stayed within the protection of our home. If you require nourishment I can arrange for that. Security is already in place. I would prefer if your present company left in a timely manner out of respect for the crown denoted on our door.” He cocked an eyebrow, looking to Tybalt.
Tybalt nodded. “Of course. Your gracious generosity has been more than a pup like me deserves,” he said with a nod.
Lovely; another pushover that won’t fight for me.
“But know that the next time evil targets you,” Tybalt continued, his tone darkening considerably as he got to his feet, “in your own home even, your protected palace, I will make sure that I simply throw my hands up since it is not my crown denoted on your door instead of dropping everything in order to save your spoiled, suck head prince ass, especially when you cannot even say thank you without a snarl. Did you even thank Shawn for saving your life?” he demanded, protectively pulling me behind him so he and Andrei were face-to-face. “If it wouldn’t have been for her, you would be dead
. If the contaminated blood wouldn’t have killed you, the Night Hag would have. Don’t think for a moment that I don’t know what she is and what you did. I will not let you take her, I will not let you hurt her, and I will not let you keep her hostage in this stone prison simply because you’re too scared that the rest of the world will see her, too!”
My eyes were wide and mouth had fallen open.
No one had ever spoken like that for me aside from my brother, but never did Giovanni start to turn me on like Tybalt was.
Andrei shivered. “That is disgusting.”
I glared at him.
“Stay out of a trouble, Solnyshka, as asinine as that request is with you,” he said, looking around Tybalt to me. “If your puppy gets you killed or if you are injured when in his care, I will kill him and eradicate his entire bloodline, regardless of how many wars will ensue because of it. Do you understand? Is the risk of war and unimaginable bloodshed all at your expense truly worth going out for?” he scathingly asked, and my face dropped.
Of course the rude vampire made his point, and it was one that my conscience wouldn’t argue with.
He didn’t wait for me to respond, both of us knowing I wouldn’t risk Tybalt or the blood of his entire family just so I could defy Andrei since he told me not to do something, as usual, and he turned and headed down the hall.
When the front doors slamming shut echoed throughout the church, I jumped, startled, and a tear rolled down my cheek.
The threat wasn’t lost on me.
Tybalt softly growled under his breath, slamming my door shut in irritation.
When he turned around, his face dropped.
“Please don’t cry,” he pleaded, hurrying over to me.
For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why I was so emotional all of a sudden!
“I should apologize for Andrei’s behavior,” I said, wiping my eyes on the back of my hand.
He shook his head. “Shawn, you are not his master, maker, queen or mother,” he reminded me. “You have nothing to apologize for, especially when it’s he that should be apologizing. You did nothing wrong.”
I wiped my nose on my sleeve. “But he threatened genocide of your bloodline and war,” I stammered.