Everyone’s eyes seem to be on me, including Mary’s who’s seem to sparkle with pleasure, sporting a smug smile on her face feeling confident that she’s won this round. I can’t wait to wipe the floor with that bitches face, let’s see her smile then.
Turning away from the table, standing alone my thoughts escape me in a whisper.
"I tried, there is only so much you can do before I break, you broke me. I give up."
"Zara you can’t..."
"I can, I have," I reply to Dallah before transporting away from them.
Looking around the dim, dirty room, I try to work out how I came to be here, I was thinking of my house.
Then, as soon as I wonder how I got here, out walks Lucifer in his human form, looking like the fallen angel he is.
"That was easy," he speaks with a smile.
"I suppose," I nod agreeing with him.
"You're not angry with me?"
"No," I reply standing tall.
"Because he is the one who cannot find you within his own heart?"
I say nothing, just looking on at him hiding my emotions; I don't want him to revel in my misery.
"So I did you a favour, no need to thank me. Now, I need to speak with you about the Vampire king," he says stepping up to me, "he is asking for a deal, he offers me much. The thing is, even though I am the Lord of the underworld, I still need people like you, otherwise there would be only battles and wars to look forward too, but you provide a whole new entertainment altogether!"
Placing a finger under my chin and lifting my face to his, he breaths on my face and whispers into my ear.
"He wants your father."
Biting my tongue to stop the tears from falling, my hands shake and my heart pounds as I speak to him,
"What do you want?"
I cannot lose my father when I have just found him and him me. My father is a good man, no matter what others may say.
"Nothing, yet," he smirks.
"Fine. I'm free to go then?" I ask with fake courage.
"Yes...after you tell me what you plan to do about the girl?"
"Mary?"
He nods his head and raises a brow.
"I will kill her."
"I'm starting to like you, you remind me of a younger me," he almost sings.
Staring at him with raised brows, wanting him to finish so that I can go.
"You can go Zara, I'll be seeing you soon," he says mischievously and turns on his heal ready to flap him wings.
"How soon?" I call to him.
"20, 50, even a thousand years, be seeing you little Charmer."
Chapter 13
Back at my father’s house, sitting by the blazing fire place, I watch the flames twist and spit, mesmerised by their beauty.
After coming back from my nightmare meeting with Lucifer, I sat for hours looking at my book; I never really had time to just flick through. It also took my mind off of Ruk and Mary, but more importantly Demitri's need to slay my father. At this point in time, my powers are no match to his, I know that now. However one day I WILL succeed in revenge of my own. Just like Ruk, I will do anything in my power for the sake of my father’s life.
I'm glad, but confused that Lucifer would let me in on Demitri's plans, but will be anxious about what he wants from me in return, I truly hope I do not see him for a thousand years, but I seriously doubt it.
"Still crying?" Richard asks heartlessly.
"Go away Richard," I sigh.
"I can't, made a promise to Eric," he drops down into the seat beside me, "So, you are really giving up on him?"
"Yes, I have nothing left to offer him," I tell him whilst keeping my gaze on the fire.
Sitting for a good hour in complete silence, Albert enters the room with a cheerful smile.
Plastering a sweet smile on my face, I turn to him and say,
"Hey Albert, you ok?"
"Oh very well thank you. Dinner is ready if you would like to follow me," he tells us warmly.
"Dinner?"
"Come on," he laughs before walking down the large hallway and into the ballroom.
Richard and I fall in line behind him, and when I see the table set with stunning silverware and a joint of beef sitting steaming in the centre of the table I look to him with a grin.
"Wow, it looks...and smells amazing, you didn't have to do this, but I'm glad you did," I smile to him, making him noticeably happy.
"I shall leave you. Enjoy!" He calls over his shoulder as he turns to leave Richard and me alone.
"Wait, you're not joining us," I ask sadly.
"No, no, I have jobs coming out my ears."
"Well eat with us, and then I can help you?"
Stopping in his tracks he turns and looks at me sadly, making me frown.
"How I have waited for this, to see you safe at your father’s side. You are quiet a woman Zara, quiet a woman."
He then disappears.
Looking to Richard, he has sat himself at the table, and has a knife ready to carve the meat. Sighing, I take a seat at the table and pour the wine into our glasses whilst Richard places slices of meat on our plates.
Snorting a laugh to myself, he looks at me with a grin.
"What?"
"I never thought I'd be sitting having dinner with you, at my father’s house," I shrug my shoulders, before spooning potatoes and green beans onto my plate.
"Yes strange. I always thought I'd have you tied up in my dungeon," he snorts.
"Uh you are such a pig!"
"Yes I am, but at least you know where you are with me."
"Valid point," I tip my wine glass to him before taking a gulp.
Sitting down, and starting on the lovely food prepared for us, Richard speaks,
"What are we doing tomorrow?"
"I don't want to think about it."
"Fine," he states and gets back to his meal.
"I'm going to bed," I tell him after our meal.
"Is that an invite?" He wiggles his eyebrows.
"Um...no. Good night Richard," I say with an eye roll and step up from the table, and head out of the room.
"Good night Zara," he says quietly, almost as if he wishes for me not to hear him.
Ignoring him, I head up the stairs and to my bedroom, relieved to finally be alone.
Tossing and turning until the early hours of the morning, I sit up with a start when I hear a faint sound of yelling through the corridor.
Removing the sheets from my legs, I get up from my warm bed and slip into my dressing gown.
Opening the door cautiously, I look from left to right to see if anyone is there. Then comes the screams of pain, instantly I recognise it to be Richard.
No one can get in here, so why does it sound as though his life is being taken from him in the worst way imaginable.
Running to where the screaming is coming from, I burst through a door, but the room is empty.
Rushing out, the screams sound as if they are from behind me; with great speed and courage I smash open the door and rush into Richard's room.
But what I see is a vision I will never again forget. My heart swells for him and my eyes tear. He is lying in the foetal position on the bed, his arms wrapped around his legs. As his scream rips from his chest, I jump back a step.
Taking a deep breath, I walk over to him gently, lean over him and shake him gently by the shoulder.
"Richard?"
My shaking him only makes him shiver more. Never have I seen such a sorrowful sight, and if he knew I saw him like this he would be pissed, but that is tough, because I can't leave the room with him in such a state.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I slowly reach my hand towards him, but stop.
How can I care, after all we have done to each other? Nevertheless, I will not leave him like this.
Placing my hand on his cheek, I gently run my thump up and down his cheek.
"It's a dream Richard, wake up," I tell him calmly, over and over again I call to him, but he is stuck
deep inside his nightmare.
Placing my other hand on his cheek, I bend down closer to him, and call to him, my warm breath caressing his cold cheeks.
Slowly but surely, his eyes crack open, and his breathing shaky.
"What are you doing?" He croaks.
"You were dreaming." I tell him carefully whilst watching the change in his body language.
"Yeah? So why are you holding me?"
Dropping my hands from his face in embarrassment, I lace my fingers together on my lap.
"What were the dreams about?" I ask on a whisper.
"I don't remember. Oh I see, is this you coming on to me?" He asks cockily before laying on his back with his hands behind his head.
"I'll leave you then," I tell him as I get up from the bed.
Just as I go to leave, his hand comes out to take my wrist.
"I don't need you to help me."
Looking down at him, I smile weakly before answering him.
"Of course."
"Stay with me tonight?" he asks gently.
"No." I sigh.
"Please," he asks in such desperation that I have to turn to face him. Even though the light is poor, I can see the anxiety in his eyes.
"Why?" I ask watching him closely.
"Just go!" he says harshly and closes his eyes, but through the still night, I can hear his breathing still hard from fear.
"Richard, speak to me?"
"Go away Zara, before I break my promise," he threatens.
"Oh that is the least of my worries," I answer with a snort.
Walking around the bed, I lay myself down, and face his still body.
"What are you doing?" He asks sounding thrown off.
"Being the friend you need."
"I need no friend."
"Alright, then I want to lay here because it's a dream I have wished for."
"Well in that case, sweet dreams," he laughs, and to my astonishment, it sounds real.
Richard has no one, and for a good reason, but I was born to care for these blackened hearts, and Richard is a man with a black heart. He thinks I don't know that he craves a friendship like the one the Brothers’, Dallah and I share; I could see it in his eyes when we were at the bar. He wants someone to trust, and even if he hasn’t realised it himself, I have.
He may be arrogant, sarcastic and selfish, but he doesn't pretend to be anything else, and in some messed up way, I’m starting to like him for it.
Closing my eyes, I fall asleep, just sleeping, no nightmares, no dreams what so ever, well needed rest.
Cracking an eye open to the bright morning sunlight, I wish I could just lie here all day, and just be alone.
Feeling Richard’s morning erection firm against my butt I jump out of bed in shock.
Richard! Last night! I had completely forgotten that I wasn't in my bed until I felt his hardness.
Standing at the end of the bed, I gaze down at his sleeping form.
Laying there with his hair all dishevelled, giving the appearance of someone much younger and harmless then sadly I notice the scars covering his back, large slash marks. They appear to be old as they are not very noticeable, they are not horrid, the person, or people who inflicted them upon him are horrid.
Not wanting him to know I was looking at him, I tighten my gown and slip out of his room quickly and quietly.
Walking down the huge corridor, I jump out of my skin when Richard appears before me, wearing a t-shirt and underwear.
"Morning," I say a little nervously.
"Umm, why were you creeping out of my bed?" He asks with a raised brow.
Stepping around him I answer, "Well, obviously I woke up, I'm hardly going to lay in bed all day, with you," I laugh jokingly.
"No, good idea, we can sleep together when this mess has cleared," he says believing himself wholly.
Stepping up to him, he surprises me by stepping back two paces, so that his back is against the wall, is he scared of me?
Following his steps, I stand close to him, feeling his breath on my face, I speak truthfully.
"That won't happen Richard, but I think we should try to get on for these few days,"
"Get it on?" he snorts.
"Don't be a dick. That's all I offer you."
"Then keep it, I only want your body, not someone to gossip with," he replies sarcastically.
"Good god, you are so arrogant. I’m going to shower, I'll see you down stairs," I turn before rolling my eyes.
"Do not mention last night to anyone," he tells me, his voice full of authority.
"I wouldn't. Look I get you're the evil Prince, or whatever, but you don't have to remind me at every chance you get, okay?"
"You are far too emotional Zara."
"I was born to care; you should know that by now," I tell him finished with a shrug before making my way back to my room.
Transporting ourselves to the Brothers’ house, we are met you funny looks and raised brows.
As its Ruk and Mary’s fake mating ceremony tomorrow we are spending the day together, all of us!
"Who's this?" Theo asks looking at Richard suspiciously.
Wow! Theo has known Richard for Many years, you could even call them friends, or were friends, until Theo gave me his friendship, which Richard didn’t take kindly to at all.
"Guys, this is my...uh...friend, Richard?" I tell them in a questioning manner, receiving puzzled looks.
"We're sleeping together," he says with a smirk.
Snapping my head in his direction, I look upon him with murder in my eyes, before smiling weakly to the brothers.
"We aren't, he just loves to joke," I tell them.
"Where did you meet a Warlock?" Theo asks in an unbelieving tone.
How is it Theo knows he is a Warlock, but Ruk didn’t?
"He is a friend of my father’s; he doesn't get out much, so hope you don't mind him being here?" I ask looking mainly at Ruk.
"Fine by me," Ruk answers then looks away from me in disgust.
The brothers shrug their shoulders and nod their heads, not really caring.
"What's the plan?" Mary asks sounding bored.
"Paint balling, lunch, go-carting, then back here for a drink?" Sallack says with a hint if excitement.
"No way! What the hell, that's not fun!" Mary screeches like a child.
This is my idea of a nightmare, not the activities, I mean spending the day with the man who completely fucked up my life, and the woman whom I hate more than my nightmare I call my life!
"What you wanna do baby?" Ruk asks her and laces his arm around her shoulder.
My god! This is cruel, my already broken heart being stomped on. Why did I think I could do this?
This morning, I really thought I could give this one last shot, but I can't, looking at Ruk makes me feel sick, all I can see is him with her. Even though he has no choice in it, I still feel cheated.
"I feel sick, I think I'm gunna give this a miss," I tell them all.
"You do look a little green," states Mickey.
"Um, green eyed monster," Mary spits viciously.
"Don't you fucking dare!!!" I reply feeling like I could rip her heart out on the spot.
"Why don't I take you home?" Angus asks, cutting in as he laces an arm around my waist lovingly, to draw me away from the situation.
"What the fuck is going on with you lot?" Mickey asks looking at us all in turn.
"Nothing man, leave it!" Den speaks harshly, knowing that questions are too hard to answer.
"What got into you?" Mickey replies standoffish.
"Just drop it. She aint the problem here!" He growls looking directly at Ruk and Mary.
"How is it our fault she is jealous?" Mary asks with a grin.
"Ruk man, sort it out," Den tells him pointing at Mary.
"What has she done?" Ruk speaks surprisingly calmly, as if he really hasn't noticed her real personality coming out.
"You know, when I was ten years old I fell from a tree bumped my h
ead hard and subsequently lost my memory," Richard States.
"So?" Den asks thrown off by his comment.
"Well, I was hit in the face pretty hard, and it came back," he shrugs, and before I can stop him, Angus has hit Ruk so hard in the face that he fly’s several feet in the air and comes to a crash landing on his back, growling viciously whilst holding the back of his head in pain.
"Richard!" I hiss at him when he starts to laugh aloud, "You are such a prick!"
"Well I was getting bored. Here we go!" He says with excitement.
Looking back towards Ruk, he is now in his wolf form, heckles raised and ready for war.
"Angus!!!" I yell with everything I have.
As I watch Ruk in slow motion, as I do every one of them. Time slows to a snail’s pace for just a moment, giving me time to push Angus to the floor. The slow motion movements suddenly speed up and I'm lying on the floor with Ruk's wolf on me, snapping his canines in my face.
Faster than any other man, Richard throws Ruk's wolf of off me and pulls me to me feet, only I cannot stand. Without knowing it, Ruk has bitten me savagely, covering my chest and belly. Weary with blood loss, my vision goes blurry and my legs lose the will to stand as the cruelness of my reality hits me and everything goes black.
Sitting up in bed, I have bandages covering my upper body, and searing pain in my stomach. Looking around the room, I'm not surprised when I see Dallah, Sallack, Den, Angus and Richard.
"Fuck! What happened?" I ask in a sigh, not really wanting to know, but needing to.
When I somehow made time move slowly, that time soon caught up with me, leaving me with no memory of them few precious seconds.
"After Angus hit Ruk, he went feral, wanted to kill Angus, just as he got near, you appeared in his place," Dallah wipes her tear away, "then Angus was on the floor, and suddenly you were under Ruk and he was tearing into you. How did...?" She loses the will to speak, so Angus carries on, "how did you make time move like that? Why did you do that sweet!?" He asks with sorrow, but also anger.
Forsaken (book 3) (The Charmer series) Page 14