“Ok, you ready?” I ask her as we take the elegant stairs.
“Now you’re here, I’m ready for anything.” She says as she takes my hand, with a wonderful smile playing on her beautiful face.
The ballroom is heaving with people, as we walk through the doors, near enough every man and woman stop to watch us enter.
Richard strolls up to Dallah and kisses her cheek; she pulls her head away from him, which ruffles his feathers to be snubbed by his intended in front of his people. He then turns to me with a weak smile.
“You both look wonderful.”
“Uh, yeah. Cheers” I say then regret when Dallah hisses at me.
“Dallah, come with me and wear a smile, we are to be bonded not executed!” Richard barks at her.
“Same thing!” She says through her gritted teeth.
Theo approaches us smiling, which helps break the tension.
“Angel, wow you look gorgeous, come on.” Theo tells me, holding out his hand for me to take. I smile my thanks to him before looking to Dallah.
“Dallah this is Theo, Theo this is Dallah, oh, Princess Dallah.” I wink at her, bringing a smile to her lovely face.
“Pleasure to meet you Princess.” Theo say’s to her with a stunning smile.
“And you Theo.” She smiles back at him.
Richard’s gaze lands on us in turn as we speak; he looks so confused, so out of place, that it warms me to see. What he doesn’t know is that Dallah and I bounce off each other, so he is in for trouble now that we are together, strong, smart and will try to make his life hell. Sisters reunited, ready to take on the world if we have to.
We head to the table at the top of the room. Looking down at the number of people here is amazing, there must be hundreds of people, and they all came to celebrate Richards’s birthday! It must be the free alcohol and blood that they came for!
“Do you want another drink?” Theo asks.
“Yes, please, no blood!” I tell him and receive a belly laugh.
I can’t keep my eyes off of Dallah, she looks so miserable sitting at Richard’s side. She catches my gaze and gives me a real smile, Richard looks at her smiling and follows her gaze, landing on me, he frowns before rolling his eyes.
“You look happy angel?”
“I am,” I tell him with a grin, squeezing his hand gently.
“You two are close?”
“Like sisters,” I tell him with pride.
When the celebrations get into full swing, Dallah and Richard go to greet the quests, while Theo and I sit at the table chatting and drinking.
“Theo, who is your friend?” A beautiful slender woman asks, while stepping up to us.
“Karen this is Zara, Zara Karen.” He introduces us reluctantly.
Please don’t be another Mary, that’s all I need!
“Hello Karen.” I say politely, standing and offering my hand.
“I don’t touch humans,” She says rudely scrunching up her face. “So this is the one Dallah has befriended?” She asks Theo in
Disbelief.
“If your gunna be like that, fuck off!” He growls at her.
She looks at him open mouthed as a frown appears on her face, then Theo holds the side of his head as if in pain. A Witch! I thought she was a Vampire with the whole Goth looking make-up and wearing a dress styled from the Victorian era. Theo’s face flushes red with anger while trying to fight the pain.
While she is concentrating on him, I pull back my hand in a fist and hit her in the face, and with my new Charmer strength, she falls to the floor 3 foot away. Damn, why couldn’t I have done that last night?
Theo grabs me and twists me behind his back, growling in anger as the Witch gets up on her feet with a snarl.
“You will pay for that dog!” She spits out, and then lifts her hands to her sides while speaking magic. However, she doesn’t finish, Dallah holds her up by the neck, and her feet dangle inches of the floor.
“How dare you Karen!” Dallah screams in her face with power.
“They were being rude to me, he knows I am royalty!” She squeals at Dallah, sounding frightened.
Dallah throws her to the floor, and we all watch her skid along the marble floor, Dallah then walks to follow her where she slides to a stop.
“Do not look at Zara, touch her, speak to her, ever again! If I find you have then I will banish you from the Coven. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?” Dallah screams at her full of rage.
The girl Karen scurry’s away from Dallah, who is now joined by Richard, whom finds the whole scene hilarious.
“Are you ok?” I ask Theo taking his hand.
“Yeah angel, I’m fine.” He tells me kissing my forehead, and smiling down at me.
“Zara, are you ok, come here.” Dallah pulls me by the hand to stand in front of her while her eyes scan me for injuries.
“I’m ok, it was Theo she was messing with, I just hit her.” I tell her simply.
“I love you Zara.” She tells me with a healthy laugh.
“Theo let’s leave the woman, there are things I need to discus.” Richard tells Theo, while looking to and from Dallah and me with a look of displeasure. We watch them go before Dallah turns to me with a sad smile.
“This party is so boring, where’s the DJ and shots,” I say to her with a wicked grin.
She takes me by that hand, and stops at one of the servers holding a tray of wine and champagne.
“Get me a bottle of Vodka and two shot glasses, dim the lights, and get a DJ.”
“Yes Princess.” The girl replies flustered.
“Damn I want to be a Princess.” I say jokingly as I’m yanked to the closest table.
We do shot after shot of vodka, when the lights go dim and the music changes to an R&B track.
“That’s us!” She says as she pulls me up to my feet.
We were only sitting down for 30 minutes, how did they get a DJ in so quickly? I won’t bother asking, I haven’t had fun and let loose for such a long time, I will just enjoy myself tonight, as tomorrow we will put our heads together and come up with a solid plan to get Dallah out of this mess.
Soon the floor is full of people drinking and dancing, and just having fun when I hear a familiar voice enter my head.
‘Little one, do not react to me, act as though you have never met me, tell Dallah also, and then block your mind.”
Parrise! I stop and hold my chest, hoping to stop my heart from beating its way out.
“Parrise is here, pretend you don’t know him.” I tell Dallah as she looks at me with shock and worry.
“Where is he?” She asks.
I don’t answer her straight away as I concentrate on building a wall in my mind. In addition, I need to calm my heart from tearing away from my chest.
“I don’t know!” I tell her in a panic, why did I have to build a wall? Why do I have to act as though I don’t know him?
“It will be fine sweetie, stay strong,” She tells me gently, but in her eyes, I see the same look I have, shock!
“Dallah, Zara. I would like you to meet Parrise and his men,” Richard tells us as he stands to our side, followed by Parrise and four scary looking men behind him.
“Parrise, it’s nice to meet you.” Dallah addresses him like a professional.
Everyone then looks at me, waiting for me to speak.
Lifting my head to catch his gaze, my breath hitches and my knees weaken. It has only been 3 days since I last saw him, Nevertheless, he still makes me blush from his utter beauty. As I try to fight the urge to wrap myself around him, I fight it off the need to do so, and replace it with a weak smile.
“Hello Parrise.” I say to him smiling.
He looks stunning as usual in a suit, with his dirty blood shoulder length hair brushed back. The man I love stands in front of me, and I can do nothing. I can’t believe he is here, and that Richard has no idea that Parrise and I know each other, as Parrise was there the night Richard came for me.
“Parrise has finally decide
d to stand at my side, we will welcome him and his men into the Palace tonight.” Richard tells Dallah.
“Of course, you are very welcome Parrise,” Dallah tells him with an elegant smile, fooling everyone.
“Thank you Princess.” He tells her coolly, with a nod of his head.
Locking eyes with Parrise, I see the love he has for me, and the need for me to stay calm. How can I do this? This man has been with me through everything, I want so desperately to wrap my arms around him and feel safe and loved.
“Zara? Do you want to get a drink?” Theo asks me as he steps in front of me, bringing me back to reality.
“No, I’m ok here.” I tell him, and then look to Dallah for help. I don’t want to move away from Parrise.
“Why don’t we all sit and have a drink.” Dallah says looking at Parrise and Richard.
“Perfect,” Richard tells Dallah mockingly, the wanker.
We all sit down at a table towards the back of the hall; Theo is to my right, Dallah to my left and Parrise across the table from me.
“Was this your idea, the music and lighting?” Richard asks Dallah in irritation.
“Yes it was, is that a problem?” She replies with attitude.
Richard rolls his eyes at her, and begins small talk with Parrise. I can’t take my eyes off Parrise while he talks, which I think Dallah notices as she bangs her thigh against mine for the third time. Shit! I have spilt my drink over the table. Dallah snorts a laugh at me, while Richard’s eyes bore into me.
“Zara can I have a word?” Richard asks me with a vile sneer.
“No!” Dallah replies before I can.
“It’s fine.” I sigh, as I stand on shaky legs, happy to take a breather, even if it is to speak with Richard.
Richard leads me across the room with his hand in the small of my back before he stops abruptly and faces me.
“What is with you, can you stop being a whore for one night!” He shouts at me with rage.
“Excuse me! What the fuck have I done?”
“Staring at Parrise the whole fucking night!” He shouts at me making me flinch.
“Why does that bother you?” I ask him with a frown.
“He is an important ally; I can’t have someone like you fucking that up!”
“Shut up Richard, you sound jealous! Are you?” I question back with a smirk when I see him struggle to get his reply out.
“You little bitch; I will make you pay for that!”
Just before I can reply, Parrise stands beside me, looking at Richard.
“I’m sure that isn’t necessary, is it little one?”
He says to me with a weak smile, anger showing on his handsome face.
“No it isn’t,” I tell him and then look to Richard with disgust.
“Take my advice here Parrise, this one fights back, but I suppose she has other uses,” Richard tells Parrise with a smirk and a wink.
Parrise goes stiff beside me, so I look at him with my eyes silently pleading for him to let it go.
“Thanks for the warning,” Parrise replies with a fake smile showing his fangs.
“Ok let’s get back, Dallah will be freaking out, not having her little Zara at her side.” Richard says sarcastically.
“I wish to have a word with Zara; we will be back in a moment.” Parrise tells him with a shady expression.
Richard glares at me, as if in a warning before turning and strutting away.
“Love, I have missed you,” He tells me when Richard has reached the table across the room.
Looking into my eyes, he smiles and says. “I desperately want to take you in my arms and kiss those beautiful lips, and lose myself in your unique sent, but as hard as it is you must act as though you don’t know me. Yours and Dallah safety is paramount my sweet, as even I cannot fight them all, but I will if I have to.”
“I’m sorry Parrise, I’m sorry for everything.” I tell him through shaky breaths.
“Love, never be sorry for anything. Come on,” He tells me while leading me back to the table.
I take my seat next to Dallah again; she slips her hand under the table and holds onto my hand in a comforting manner.
We sit for a good hour while Richard speaks to Parrise about how happy he is that he changed his mind in uniting with him.
“Do you want to dance?” I ask looking at Parrise. Everyone at the table looks at me with a frown, then to Parrise for his answer.
“Ah where have you been hiding this one, she is wonderful.” Parrise tells Richard with a smile. Richard’s expression is priceless as Parrise stands with his hand out to me to take.
“Come little one.” He tells me with a wicked grin.
I try not to jump out of my seat too eagerly as his hand envelopes mine and then leads me to the middle of the dance floor. He takes me in his loving arms as we start to sway along with the music.
“Why are you here?”
“To look out for you until we can get Dallah away.”
“You did this for me and Dallah?”
“Little one, I love you dearly, as I do Dallah, she helped me when I needed her to.”
I hold on to him tightly as he bends his face to whisper in my ear.
“Has he hurt you?”
“No.” I lie, whispering back, while checking the wall in my mind.
“I need you to be mine Zara?”
I pull back slightly to look him in the eye. I have told him that I can’t give him what he wants, and the thought of going through heartbreak like I did with Sallack’s betrayal is the something I never want again.
“I love you Parrise, but it’s too soon for me. Sallack still haunts my dreams.” I tell him regrettably.
He pulls me tightly to him in one quick motion, taking my breath away, his eyes focusing on my lips with hunger. I have loved Parrise from the first moment I laid eyes on him, and him with me, he feels like home, the smell of his aftershave that will stay with me for life, and the way he crushes me against him when we have ever kissed, as if he needs more. Nevertheless, I can't give him what he wants, not here, not now, and he knows this.
“Careful, were supposed to be strangers.” I remind him before we get carried away. He releases me gently with a sad sigh.
“Sorry love, with you in my arms looking at me the way you do, the whole world disappears, leaving only us.”
“It’s ok. Besides all the while we’ve been up here Richard and Dallah have been too busy fighting to notice us.” Parrise nods in agreement and safely changes the subject.
“Have you visited the Brothers’ yet? And Den?” He asks.
“I went to Den last night, and promised him that I would come back every night. I haven’t gone to the other Brothers’ yet.”
“You need to reassure them all that you are well, tell them I am with you now; they will feel better for it.”
“Yeah, I’m not sure about that, Den will be pissed off as will all the Brothers’ if they know that you are here with us, while they’re made to wait at home for Dallah and me to return.”
“Yes, you are right, maybe keep it to yourself. Angus will be joining us as of tomorrow evening.”
I look up at him with shock. My lovely Angus is coming here! The thought excites me and scares me slightly. Angus knows what Richard puts me through and luckily, he is the only one that does. Nevertheless, I don’t know how he will react to seeing Richard. To me, I see Angus as a best friend, a man that is caring, gentle, and seriously sexy, but to others he is frightening beyond words, a man never to be messed with. I connected my heart to Angus’s when he died after a battle with the Brothers’, a gift I was not aware of being blessed with, to bring back a life that had been taken. Thankfully, Angus and Parrise have forgiven the Brothers’ for their actions that night, as they could see it was breaking my heart, we are all a family now.
“He will be on his best behaviour, he promised. He knows it is important that we keep this from Richard.” He tells me seeing the worry playing on my face.
�
��Ok. Where will you be staying, and who are those men you are with?”
“I will be staying here in the palace. The men that join me are old acquaintances; they will also be staying here. The men don’t know of us Zara; it needs to stay this way. When Angus arrives, act how you did tonight, I know it will be hard as you are connected, but you have to try love. I have to be a different man around Richard, the man I was before you woke me from my darkness,” He tells me regrettably, as if afraid I will think him cold-hearted and monstrous.
“You do what you have to Parrise, I trust you. We have to go back, Dallah looks on edge.” I tell him, and pull him to walk with me.
I’m still unable to feel Dallah through our connection, which is strange, and a little unnerving.
We spend the rest of the night making small talk to Richard and the men that Parrise has with him. Dallah and I head off to bed after receiving kisses to the hand from Parrise.
We enter her room and snuggle into bed together; I turn to Dallah with a smile,
“I have an Idea, I don’t know if it will work but it’s worth a try. I will enter your dream, then try to take you to Den, then if that works we could get to Julian and the Brothers’?”
She looks at me with a mesmerising grin,
“That would be amazing; I have not stopped thinking about Julian since arriving here. Do you think it’s possible?” Dallah say’s full of excitement.
Dallah and Julian have always had eyes for one another, but Dallah never let anything happen between them, or told Julian she feels this way, as she knew one day she would be bonded to Richard. Nevertheless, She wants Julian, loves him, and I think she should follow her heart not her head.
“I know, it won’t hurt to try. Come on let’s get to sleep, its gunna be a busy night!” I tell her excitedly. Knowing how important this is to Dallah, I will put everything I have into succeeding. After all, the kind Stranger telling me about Dallah needing my help, and telling me that what I need will be there, inside of me, I just need to be able to release the power.
Dallah and I fall asleep with smiles on our faces, hand in hand, as sisters.
Blue Moon Page 5