by Anna Santos
“Do you want some help?” Aria offered.
“No, sweetie. Go to the ballroom and enjoy the party. I can take care of this. Eat something and have fun with Philippe,” Camille suggested, grabbing Aria’s arm and walking with her to the entrance of the ballroom.
After greeting Jacob, I followed them.
Five minutes later, we were still in front of the door, staring at the ballroom. Camille wasn’t kidding when she said that the angels dressed eccentrically for parties like this one. Upstairs was all new to me, except for the glamorous people and the ostentatious parties. Everyone who was anyone was here, vampires included. Of course, the angels outnumbered the rest of the supernatural beings. There were also a lot of single men talking in groups about the opportunity they had to woo the princess and be chosen as her mate. Many were talking about how beautiful she was. I wouldn’t know because I had never seen her before, and I didn’t care. I was there to keep company and dance with Aria.
There was an orchestra playing some melodies, but few were dancing. People were talking, drinking, and eating. I had refused several appetizers and had grabbed two glasses with what seemed to be ice tea. I didn’t want Aria to get drunk on champagne. She wasn’t used to drinking alcohol.
“Are you okay?” I asked Aria.
She had been quiet, looking around as if to take in the decorations, the amount of noise, and the people. I scouted the area, searching for exits to the balcony and other locations.
Aria replied, “Yes, I’m amazed how big this ballroom is.”
“Are you feeling anxious?”
“About what?”
“About seeing Cedric.”
“No, I’m nervous. I don’t usually like big parties, and I’m not a great company.”
“It’s okay,” I said.
She relaxed as I took a sip of my tea. It didn’t taste good at all.
“What do you like to do, then?” I asked. It was a great opportunity to learn more about her, even if we were in Cedric’s palace.
“I like dancing but not when there are so many people staring at us. I like reading and playing the violin. I also like sightseeing and chatting, but there’s too much noise at parties like this.”
I nodded as I looked around.
“I hope I’m not boring you,” she added.
“You aren’t.” I leaned forward and put a finger under her chin. “Don’t be nervous.”
I slowly brought her closer to me. It was fascinating how much I loved to see her cheeks turn red due to our closeness. I wanted her to feel comfortable around me and tell me everything that was on her pretty mind. Yet I wanted, even more, to lean down and taste her strawberry lips.
“We should dance,” I suggested close to her ear. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I brought her closer to my chest. Her breath was heavy. I knew a lot of ways to make her relax, none of those doable at that moment.
We were suddenly interrupted.
“I can’t believe you did this to me, Mom!” It was a girl’s voice. She was next to us with her dress bumping against my legs. “I wanted Taylor. No one cares about the other singer you wanted to hire! You will ruin my party! The orchestra is bad enough. No one is dancing.”
“Honey, Taylor wasn’t available.”
“I’m sorry, may we enter?” the girl asked me since we were standing in front of the door.
I looked at her and moved Aria away.
The girl’s attention focused on my mate. “Aria, is that you? I’m so glad you were able to come to my party!”
Aria’s eyes moved in the direction of the high-pitched tone of the brunette in a white princess dress.
“Your dress is so pretty! Mom, look how pretty it is!”
“Hello, Charlotte. Happy birthday,” Aria said, smiling timidly at the girl.
“Hello, Jezebel,” I greet the Queen who looked at me for the first time after taking her eyes off of Aria.
We were old acquaintances without weird or sexual stories. We met at one of her parties in London. The London Angelic Regents were more tolerant about vampires.
“Fancy seeing you here, King Philippe! I didn’t know you would attend my daughter’s party. I can’t believe Cedric invited you. He’s so strict about not inviting vampires to his parties,” she said as she theatrically moved her hands.
Smirking, I replied, “I guess he made an exception for me.”
“It seems he shouldn’t have,” the Queen said, staring back at Aria. “You are Cedric’s mate, are you not?” the Queen asked Aria.
“Not anymore,” I informed her because Aria had tensed against me. “She’s my date.” I could have said that she was my soul-mate, my girlfriend, and my future wife. I could have said that she was the air that I breathed, but I had no right to say those things without her permission.
“Oh!” The Queen widened her eyes as she flung her hand to her chest. “This must be awkward for you,” she said, sarcasm filling her eyes and smile.
“Mom,” Charlotte said in a warning tone. “Leave other people’s lives alone.”
“I’m only curious. When did this happen? He didn’t tell me that he had broken up with the human,” the Queen spoke more to herself than to us.
“The human broke up with him,” Aria said with narrowed eyes.
“That’s great, dear. Philippe is a charming man, too. I’m sure you will both be very happy…for a week,” she added with an evil smile. Grabbing her daughter’s arm, she ignored us completely. “Charlotte, we need to talk about the singer.”
“Have you seen Camille?” Charlotte asked Aria, ignoring her mom.
“She went to the kitchen,” Aria said.
“You should be looking for Cedric and not Camille,” Charlotte’s mom said in a cranky voice. Then, she stared back at me. “You were always such a tease, Philippe. I can’t believe you’ve stolen Cedric’s girlfriend.”
“I didn’t steal anything,” I said with a straight face and cold eyes. I wasn’t enjoying her speech nor her attempts to disturb Aria. “Aria is…”
“I’m Philippe’s soul-mate. And I do not appreciate your rudeness,” Aria cut me off before I could say something to put that woman in her place.
I smiled widely as Jezebel’s face became pale. She mumbled the ‘soul-mate’ word to herself. I hadn’t appreciated her rude behavior. Aria wasn’t a one-night stand. She was my better half.
“You make a cute couple,” Charlotte said with a beaming smile. “Your dress is stunning, and I hope you’ll be happy together, even if you won’t be one of us anymore.”
The princess didn’t seem to be faking her words. Her mom was looking at her with her mouth agape.
“We need to leave now. I have to take care of the singer that is going to perform tonight. I hope to see you later.” Charlotte grabbed her mom’s arm and left for the corridor. I could hear the Queen rambling about how her daughter only had this opportunity to steal Cedric’s attention now that he didn’t have a soul-mate anymore. I looked down at Aria in adoration. I didn’t know if she was aware or not, but she had claimed me as hers.
“I shouldn’t have come here,” she muttered. “Who does she think she is, calling me human?”
“All angels are a bit stuck-up like that. I’m a worthless vampire to them,” I said, so she would calm down and forget about it.
“Charlotte was nice. She wasn’t nice the last time we met.”
“Anyone who isn’t nice to you is a total idiot.”
“You don’t have the best reputation. One week…is that the longest you’ve stayed with someone before?”
I pursed my lips. She stepped back to put space between the two of us. “What was I thinking…”
“Come on, Aria,” I begged. I didn’t want to hear her say things that would break my heart. “I was not in love with them.”
She was glaring at me with folded arms. Making me lust for her pretty neck and gorgeous lips while sweating like a teenager in love. Narrowing her eyes, she seemed to be trying to figure out if I
was worth the trouble. Everything was going fine until that woman poisoned our happiness.
“I love you,” I whispered, reaching for her arms. My hands brought her closer. “Please don’t let her ruin our night.”
Sighing, her shoulders sagged. “We should go out for some fresh air. I saw an exit to the balcony behind us.” She grabbed my hand and led me outside.
I wasn’t expecting that and followed her anyway. Leaving that crowded room seemed like a good idea.
The coldness of the night hit us, and my attention was captured by the sight of a huge full moon in front of us.
“The view is amazing,” Aria said, stopping to look at the moon.
Looking around, I saw a few benches scattered around the balcony. Other couples were sitting down, whispering and smiling at each other. It was a huge balcony, and there were small candles dispersed all around, making everything seem more romantic. It was a good place to make her forget about my sordid past.
“Let’s sit here and talk without interruptions,” I suggested, showing her the two armchairs to our left, further away from the other couples. There was less light there and a lot more privacy. I wanted to have all of her attention.
I helped Aria sit. Her dress was difficult to handle because of the fluffy tulle skirt.
“Are you mad at me?” I asked when we both remained silenced, looking at the moon.
“I don’t know. Did you have anything with Charlotte’s mother?”
“No, of course not.”
“So where did you meet her?”
“Are you jealous?” I asked, turning toward her. She had to be as she diverted her eyes quickly. “We have a diplomatic relationship, nothing more and nothing else. She’s the Queen of the Angels in London. I’ve attended a few of their parties. It’s been a while since I went to London, though.”
Her eyes were still staring elsewhere.
“Baby,” I called, touching her face with the tips of my fingers. “Are you going to be mad at me for something I did before I met you?”
“I do not know,” she replied in a sad voice. “I’m aware how stupid it is. Trust me, the last thing I need is for you to prove that Cedric’s right.”
“What do you mean?”
“You are smart, you don’t need me to explain it to you. Let’s not waste time and words. Just don’t make me regret trusting you.”
The idea of Cedric badmouthing me rattled me. “Cedric knows nothing about me. You are my soul-mate, Aria. I’m not going to ruin everything. Look into my eyes and tell me if you don’t believe my words.”
“I’m scared.” Her brown eyes shimmered with sadness. My heart clenched at the sight of her gloomy expression. “I’m scared of letting you in and you breaking my heart to pieces.”
“Aria, it isn’t love if you don’t feel scared of being hurt and of hurting the one you love. Do you understand how vulnerable I am for saying that I love you?”
She nodded and pursed her lips, holding her hands in mine.
“Do you care if I love you or not?”
“Of course, I care,” she declared. Breathing deep, she moved uncomfortably in the armchair. “It shouldn’t be so hard.”
“What?”
“Explaining to you how I feel. But it’s difficult for me to say it.”
My breath was stuck in my lungs. Her words made me anxious. I wanted to know what she wanted to tell me. Maybe I was putting my hopes high, but I was hoping that she felt the same way I did.
“Why is this so hard?” It seemed to be a rhetorical question.
“Take your time. I want you to trust me and relax,” I said, putting my hands on her face and making her look at me.
She covered my face with her own hands. Her face hovered in front of mine, our lips almost touching. “Philippe, you are my soul-mate and I…love…you,” she said with small pauses between her words. I thought I was hallucinating. “There isn’t anything more important to me than you right now. I’ve tried to lie to myself, I did. You were a jerk, but you are my jerk. And you better not break my heart because I’ve just given up this palace, my wings, and my place in Heaven to be with you.”
The way she said that last sentence made me smile. It wasn’t that I was happy that she had given up her wings or that she was facing the possibility of ending up in Hell because of me. It was not that. It was because of the confidence in her voice and the way she was claiming me as hers.
“Aria, you are the most amazing thing.”
She kissed me. Her lips met mine, and I closed my eyes. Hugging her to me, I deepened the kiss. I loved the way she kissed me, more lips at the beginning than tongue.
At that moment, I had a burning sensation in the pit of my stomach stirring up my lust and need for her. It was the sweetest kiss. She didn’t rush and didn’t make it seem as if time was running out or that she would run from me. Instead, time seemed to stand still. If the world ended, we wouldn’t have even noticed. We were too caught up in our own moment of bliss.
Aria broke the kiss, resting her left cheek against mine. She was recovering her breath with her hands clasped to my jacket.
“Why does everything seem less complicated when I’m with you?” she questioned. “You make me feel nervous, hot, and cold. Yet when I’m with you, everything falls into place. The world seems to make sense as if…everything has a purpose just because you exist. You make me experience things I thought weren’t possible… I always end up telling you what I don’t want to and sharing more than I intended to. How do you do that?”
“We are mates, Aria. Our bond makes us feel like we can share anything. I feel like I can voice even my darkest secrets and my most painful memories to you. Spending time with you and being with you heals me. At the same time, I feel that I’m poisonous to you, that I don’t deserve you.”
“Last time you felt like that, you rejected me. So please don’t feel like that. I’m already having too many flashbacks of the party where we first met.”
I didn’t have time to tell her how sorry I was.
Aria leaned back and cupped my face. “I know that you regret it. I know. I’m not going to keep blaming you for rejecting me. I forgive you. I’m probably a fool for that. But what sort of soul-mate would I be if I saw you suffer and didn’t do anything to heal you or save you from your demons?”
“I have a lot of darkness inside of me and a lot of sins to account for.”
“That doesn’t make me love you any less. You are much more than that.”
“Does that mean that you accept me back?” I probed.
“Yes. We can be a couple, date, and stay together forever. But only if you are serious about letting me go back home and pursue my dreams.”
“Aria, all I want is for you to be happy. I’ll be with you no matter where you want to live or what you want to do with your life.”
“Philippe, will you love me even when I go back to being human and my hair is no longer red?”
Her doubts were adorable. “Of course, I will. You don’t need to feel insecure about yourself. I love you, pixie angel.”
She smiled, leaning her forehead against mine.
I felt happier than ever before. “We should get back to the party and have fun. What do you say?”
“Not yet,” she whispered, caressing my neck with the tips of her fingers. “Not just yet.” Closing her eyes, she searched for my lips. “The party can wait a bit longer.” She scattered small kisses on my lips and cheeks.
I let her have her way, replying to her soft lips and caressing her face with all the care in the world.
Josephine was right. Having a mate was the best thing in the world. I had never felt so understood and complete my whole existence. Love before Aria wasn’t love. It may have been an obsession, infatuation, but it wasn’t love.
Chapter THIRTEEN
JOSEPHINE
The night had fallen, displaying the full moon in all its glory. The bright silver circle in the sky was enticing and fascinating, whispering tales of love, m
yths of sacred identities, and melodies of sweet dismay and sorrow for brokenhearted lovers or recent ones.
For Josephine, the full moon represented a decision that she had to make. She had been sure for many centuries about what she had to do. That night, she was tormented by the first glimpse of regret and fear. Yet, she couldn’t let her whims cloud the decisions she had made. She wouldn’t let her body succumb to the desire and make her change her mind about what she had to do at dawn.
The chilly breeze brushed her skin, sending goose bumps along her body and making her hair float back and mingle with silver threads of rays and floral perfume. She had dressed herself for the second time that night. The first time, it didn’t last long because Cedric undid her hair and undressed her with hunger and need. They didn’t seem to get enough of each other. Thus, the delay in getting to the party that was already blooming outside.
From the balcony, Josephine could hear people laughing and the music swirling in waves down the cliffs surrounding the palace. She was aware that their getaway was on a decreasing deadline, and they would be swallowed by the crowd downstairs. The fantasy was over, and it was time to get back to reality.
“What are you doing? You shouldn’t be outside,” Cedric said, appearing behind her. He put his hands on her arms and spoke sweetly in her ear.
Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the bubbling sensation in her stomach and the short happiness that lit her face with a smile.
“It’s not like I can catch a cold,” she said, moving her neck to let his lips leave a trail of kisses behind. “People are waiting for you,” she reminded him before he would convince her that they could delay their arrival to the party for a bit longer.
The prince was a rather attentive lover. Her rationality jumped in when his hands dropped to her waist and embraced her, nudging her to turn around.
Jo opened her eyes and grabbed his hands, preventing him from moving. “Cedric, we really need to go downstairs.”
“And I wish we didn’t need to,” he breathed, nibbling on her shoulder.