“Yes, you are.”
“I’ll have to remember that.”
“You always do.”
Cooper kisses Belladonna. “You ready to leave once I get my chocolate syrup?”
“Yes.” Belladonna chuckles.
They get in the car to head home when Belladonna asks him to make a pit stop. The go into the club which is decorated head to toe in red and pink. Pete is on the stage singing. His heart isn’t in it. Belladonna and Cooper takes their normal spot and wait for him to notice them. He has his posse. Pete looks up and sees Belladonna and he smiles. Genuinely smiles. Pete for what she imagines is the first time of the show is showing energy. A large man standing by the stage looks up at Belladonna and then at Pete. Cooper looks at Belladonna. “Do you know who the big guy is?”
“No I’m going to assume it’s someone on their side.”
“That’s my thought too.”
“Do you think we’re going to have trouble?”
“I’m calling Criss to come.”
“Okay.”
Belladonna feels a drink being handed to her by Criss. The big guy looks at Criss and bows his head. Then goes back to paying attention to Pete. “That’s Orion”
“And that would be?”
“He is a personal bodyguard. Big muscle. He also handles task others can’t,” Cooper says.
“He is guarding Pete why?”
“Someone finds him valuable,” Criss says
“That bothers me.”
Pete starts playing “I Want You” which normally she would associate with Criss but tonight she realizes it is perfect for Pete. He keeps looking up and singing it. Orion watches the interaction carefully. Criss keeps his eyes trained on Orion just in case. Belladonna has perfected the “I’m just paying attention to the music look”. “I didn’t think you’d come tonight. I’m so glad you did.”
“I didn’t know if you wanted me to.”
“Of course I want you to.”
“You don’t talk.”
“I can’t talk, baby.”
“I understand.”
“I want to explain everything but I can’t.”
“Sing.”
Belladonna goes back to just listening to the music. Knowing that Pete has a problem and there is no way to solve it. It goes back to just music. “I want you.”
“Yes, I know the song.”
“No, I want you. You chose Sam. You would have chosen me.”
“Probably.”
“I know you would have.”
“What makes you think that.”
“Labor Day.”
“Oh yes Labor Day.”
“Do you remember that?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“You tell me.
“I have to do my next song.”
“Okay.”
“Cooper.”
“Yes Belladonna.”
“Pete is in real trouble. We need to save him.”
“How do you know?”
“He gave the phrase to save him. I need to save him.”
“Okay I’ll get the gang.”
“Thank you.”
“Criss who else is here with Orion?”
“Twelve other men.”
“Crap.”
“We can take them easy.”
“Okay.”
“The hard part is going to be getting him. Even if he wants to come it’s going to be hard for him to come.”
“Well hopefully he’ll be able to.”
Everyone arrived and they came up with a game plan to get rid of the twelve lackeys. Criss would deal with Orion as he had come up against him before. Belladonna and Cooper would deal with Pete. The show was almost over. Belladonna stood looking over at Pete. She could tell he was nervous. When the last song was announced people started going towards the exit. All of them headed downstairs like they wanted to talk to Pete. Pete seemed excited. Orion was being careful but you could tell he was being lenient since it was a holiday. When the song ended. Pete got on the microphone, “Thanks for coming out tonight. Everyone have a nice Valentine’s Day. See you next Thursday!”
Several girls instantly wanted to see Pete but he was nice as always. He said hello asked how they were then walked over to Belladonna who he hugged for the longest time. “Thank you so much for coming out tonight.”
“You’re welcome. You knew I had to come.”
“You knew I had to see you.”
“Can I get a picture of us?”
“Of course.”
“Over here.”
Orion nodded his head and Mercedes took a couple pictures.. “Send them to my phone Cedes.”
“Sent.”
“Thank you.” Laughing.
“What are you laughing about Pete.”
“I put dreams come true. With the emoji with heart eyes.”
“That’s incredibly cute.”
“That’s me.” Pete then kisses her.
At that moment everyone attacks. Cooper and Belladonna rush out of the club to the car and head to the house. Belladonna sits in the backseat with Pete. “Are you okay?”
“Yes I am. I can’t talk it isn’t safe.”
“Okay we’ll keep everything like this.”
“I can’t believe I kissed you.”
“I can.”
“Does Sam kiss better than me.”
“I’m not doing tick for tack.”
“Understood. I think I was.”
“Whatever you say.”
They get to the house. Talia lays Destiny upstairs and Belladonna follows her. Talia looks at Belladonna “You don’t know who that is do you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Belladonna, my name is Talia but I’m a protector fairy. I’m here to protect your family. That may be Pete but he has Gorpine inside of him.”
“Excuse me?”
“Yes.”
“Oh my god.”
“He wants to see how you all interact. Let him see it. He just wants a glimpse. Then he’ll leave. Don’t tell anyone. I’ll take care of the rest. I’ll take care of you. Go on now.”
Belladonna goes downstairs and the knowledge fades away. It’s there but far away. She offers to get food for Pete but he doesn’t want anything to eat. Everyone comes back. Saying they’ll discuss it on Saturday. They want to get to bed. Sam has Belladonna walk him outside. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
‘Yes, you will.”
Sam kisses her goodnight. Belladonna comes back into the house and Pete stops her. “That could have been us. Couldn’t it?”
“Pete, we chose different paths. I don’t know.”
“What if I came back over would I have a shot?”
“Pete first we would have to worry about getting you over here.”
“Would you consider it?”
“Pete let’s focus on you first.”
“You don’t want to hurt his feelings. You know you’d love me more than him. You know how things would be with us. The way they were that one night.”
“Belladonna is everything okay?” Nicole ask.
“Yeah, I’m coming right now.”
Pete grabs her arm. “I know we would be magnificent together.”
Pete then walks past her. Belladonna is shocked. They go in the other room. “Pete where do you want to sleep tonight?”
“The couch is fine.”
“Okay perfect,” Criss says.
“Well then we’ll go to bed. “Cooper says.
“Goodnight Pete,” Belladonna says.
“Goodnight Belladonna.”
Belladonna wakes up in a gothic castle. The interior is black and red. The reds are blood red and the blacks are midnight black. It's gorgeous. “Welcome.” a thirty-year-old man says. He has long black hair that goes past his waist in dreadlocks. His eyes are a vibrant silver. His skin is a satin like white. Completely reflective. He is well
built and takes pride in it. “Hello.”
“My name is Gorpine. But you can called me Elex.”
“You know my name.”
“That I do.”
“You are wanting to destroy our kind.”
“I don’t want to destroy it.”
“Do away with a great deal of it?”
“Not that either. People never seem to understand me.”
“Please explain then.”
“Take a seat I promise I only bite if you ask. Nicely.”
Belladonna takes a seat and waits to be secured to the seat but she isn’t.. Gorpine walks around the room as if he is thinking of what to say. He finally stops. Turns on his heel and looks at Belladonna. “I want both of our sides to get along. I think it would be nice if there wasn’t all this infighting. I’m getting old. I’m many many centuries old. I get tired of the same thing day in and out. The same wars have been fought. The same truces have been drawn. It continues on and on. I want something that means something. A binding agreement. Something that shows we are serious about making a life for ourselves. That’s where you come in. You probably think you know where I’m going but you’d be wrong. I don’t want you to marry me, be my mate, be binded with me, no nothing like that. I want you to live with me. Two weeks each month for the rest of your life. Nothing sexual. If it did happen there would be no children. That I can guarantee. I will sign that on the contract. You will get your friend Pete back. He will have no knowledge of kissing you or anything like that. If you’d like your children to come, they could. I would make sure they had the best care. If not I would allow you two hours everyday to see them. Just the children. Not Cooper or the other guys. I would make sure while you were here. they were completely faithful. If for some reason they, weren’t they would be brought before you as soon as the transgression happened. I would of course allow Cooper to be here for that. I understand you have dreams like this where you are transported to different places. I would not get in the way of that during your week. Should you go into labor during your week I would allow you of course to have the child and not come back for three months. I know it’s twins so it may need to be more time. We’ll see. We’ll play it by ear. What do you think of my agreement? Also when you’re away you would have a bodyguard. Orion. He wouldn’t be inside of your house or anything like that but he would be close by”
“I can stop everything if I agree to this?”
“Yes.”
“Can I talk to Cooper?”
“Yes of course.”
“Alright.”
“Also, if a week falls on holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc we will reschedule.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t want to take you away from your life.”
“You know that’s funny you saying that.”
“Yes I know.”
“Okay I’ll talk to Cooper.”
“Cooper come forward.”
Cooper comes forward looking at Belladonna like he’s going to be sick...
“I actually have a full house. Criss, Sam, Nicolae.”
They all come forward but none of them look like Cooper. He’s whole world has just shifted.
“I’ll let you all talk,” Gorpine leaves.
Cooper is right next to Belladonna. “You don’t have to do this. You do not have to do this.”
“It saves everyone. Not one death. No one hurt. Two weeks a month. Nothing sexual Cooper. We can do that. Can’t we?”
“He says you’ll be eating out of his hand in no time.”
“That’s not me.”
“I know it’s not it just scares me.”
“Cooper you’re my husband. My mate. We can do two weeks.”
“You’re right we can do two weeks.”
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
“What did you decide?” Nicolae asks
“Two weeks.”
Sam, Criss, and Nicolae all put their heads down and shake them. Gorpine comes into the room smiling. “So two weeks is the decision. I’m glad to hear it. Tomorrow I will come to your house and draw up the agreement. You can have Cathedra read it over. I won’t require a blood oath. Those are messy things. I just need a signature. Not in blood. That’s it I’m done talking. Is there anything else you need?”
“This is the first time you asked if I needed anything.”
“Why yes, it is. Is there anything my roomie needs?”
“I can have anything?”
“I did word it that way didn’t I. Yes, you can and I would have to weave things a certain way but yes you can.”
“I want Cage back.”
“It’s done. Tomorrow morning he’ll wake up in his home. He’ll know everything that has happened since he’s been gone. He’ll know what you did to get him back. Everything will be back to how it was.”
“Thanks roomie.”
“Please let's not have that catch on.”
“You started it.”
“I guess I did. So be it.”
“Okay I’m done for the night. I have to finish this. You all have a lovely evening. When Pete wakes up in the morning, he will believe he drank too much. Go with it.”
“Okay,” they all say.
“Belladonna. Stay for a moment please.”
Everyone leaves but Cooper who stands at the back of the room. “Is there anything else you want?”
“Not that I can think of.”
“Think real hard. It has to do with Cooper and you.”
“I’d like the thread binding.”
“Do it. You can do it. Do it when you wake up. It will work up. You have about three hours.”
“It will work.”
“Yes. everything you need is there.”
“This is something to actually….”
“I will never lie to you. It’s a gift. Do it.”
“Thank you.”
The next day Cooper drives Belladonna to school. “I can’t get over how much I feel you now.”
“I know isn’t it great.”
“I love you.”
“I love you.”
“I’ll see you right here when school lets out.”
“Okay see you then.”
Cooper kisses Belladonna until the car behind him honks his horn. “Okay I should let you go.”
“Yes. you should. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
Belladonna went to her first class when she sees Orion following her. “Orion, we don’t have an agreement yet.”
“I just do what the boss tells me to.”
“Can you relay that message to him?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Thank you.”
“Good morning to you, roomie.”
“Good morning to you as well.”
“I see you spotted Orion.”
“He is as big as a house and could take one down too of course I spotted him.”
“Good point.” Gorpine laughs.
“So why am I being followed?”
“Word got out about our agreement. Some are not happy about it. I don’t want anything to happen to you. I also sent a group to your home in case someone thought it would be a good idea to do something to your family. I plan to go there personally.”
“Personally? I have a feeling you don’t do that often.”
“I never do roomie so that should say something.”
“Not to eat your cereal.”
“That’s exactly it.”
“Don’t let anything happen to them.”
“Not as long as I’m alive.”
“Thank you.”
Belladonna pays attention to class the rest of the time. The rest of the day is a blur. Going to classes and talking to Cooper to make sure everything is okay. She is on break and paying attention to her history book laid out in front of her when she hears her name. She turns around and runs to who called for her. “Cage. Oh my god.”
“I should say thank you. God I love you so much. So damn much. Thank you.�
�
“Do you love me cause of what I did or for me?”
“BOTH. Both. You should know that.”
“I still have the money I’ll get it back to you.”
“Keep it, give it to the kids.”
“I have your mom’s ring.”
“Keep it, it saves me from giving it to you.”
“What are you doing today?”
“I was going to talk to Criss about teaching. See what all we were going to do and so forth.”
“Were you given that knowledge?”
“About once a week? Yes, I was. I still can’t believe you are but thank you for it. I feel like I should bake you cake or something.”
“Do you know how to bake?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then don’t bake.” Belladonna laughs.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“I need to get to my class.”
“I’ll walk you there.”
“Thanks.” Belladonna falls over.
“Belladonna are you okay?”
“No, I’m not.”
Orion runs to her side. “What’s wrong?”
“Check on Cooper and Destiny.”
Belladonna gets up with Cage’s help. Orion looks at Belladonna. “Someone took Destiny. They are chasing them right now.”.
“Well Orion we are going to chase them too. Let’s go.”
Cage, Orion, and Belladonna head towards the chase. The other men follow behind.
They finally get to an abandoned warehouse. Sam gets there at the same time. They listen outside of the open warehouse door. “Gorpine, you just had to get involved with the fairy witch. Didn’t you? I mean my god every man that comes across her wants her. Does she have a golden pussy? Is that the appeal? It must be. I mean Gorpine you don’t deal with humans. You find them to be beneath you, yet you want her near you two weeks a month. Seriously SERIOUSLY? You even offer her children to be in your home. Her children. I could see if you wanted heirs. I would completely go with the whole thing, but you told her you would make sure it didn’t happen. I will make you a deal Gorpine. I will not hurt one hair on this little girl’s hair if you put the heirs stipulation back in the agreement. If you don’t. I won’t hurt this child but I will make a blood oath that she will become mine on her eighteenth birthday. Which one is it?”
Before Axil can say another word Belladonna has taken a poison spear and shot it right through his heart. Gorpine catches Destiny. Axil’s men all shimmer out of the warehouse. Gorpine orders all his men to round up Axil’s men and kill them. Belladonna takes Destiny from Gorpine. “Thank you for catching her.”
Queen: Part One Page 26