I stepped out of the steam filled bathroom and used a towel to wring all of the water out of my hair. With the other towel wrapped around my body, I walked into my room and found Deiseh sitting comfortably on the edge of my bed. He held a light smile on his lips but it was his eyes that captured me the most. They were drowning with admiration—much more than I had ever seen them.
He got his feet and said, “I bought you something.”
Surely enough a white box rested peacefully on the end of the bed. Deiseh walked to me, kissed my forehead then left the room. I wanted him to stay. I wanted to talk to him because I had missed him all day.
I slowly opened the box, unsure of what lay inside. I lifted the white dress into view and could not find any words to express how astonished I was. Deiseh had given me a present—something I’d never received from a ‘boyfriend’ before.
Could I even name him that?
I slipped into the gift and labeled it a salsa dress. It went well with the pair of white slip-ons I’d bought a long time ago but never truly wore. I left my brown hair down and walked to the living room where Deiseh sat patiently waiting with Winola and Tom.
He slowly got his feet at the sight of me, letting his jaw drop. I watched him swallow hard while his eyes followed the contours of my body. Deiseh was a little breathless and that made me feel confident.
“I knew it would look perfect on you.”
Tom and Winola both turned around to look. It made me want to run back upstairs and slip on a pair of blue jeans and t-shirt. I hardly ever wore anything as flashy and beautiful as this.
Why was I wearing this again?
Deiseh crossed the room to me and slipped his arms around my waist. “You are so beautiful,” he muttered before kissing my lips very gently and ended it far too soon.
“Thank you,” I replied.
He felt lost—dazed—for a moment then said, “Dawn and Casey are waiting outside.” He took hold of my hands and held them with fearful softness. “Shall we go?”
“Where are we going again?”
He gave a smirk. “Zach’s meeting about the rebellion is tonight.”
“Oh.” I forgot all about that.
“Be careful,” mocked Tom. “Wouldn’t want you to come home with fangs.”
I gave him a glower before following Deiseh outside where Casey sat in the back waiting with Dawn. Casey wore a pair of faded blue jeans with a white t-shirt beneath a black vest. His hair was combed and tamed for once. Dawn wore a long and slimming tan shirt with a pair of black dress pants.
“Aida.”
I turned to Deiseh. His lavender eyes held me until I was wildly lost in them. I couldn’t pull myself away until he placed a hand on the small of my back. Feeling weaker than ever compared to Deiseh, he leaned down and kissed my lips.
“I just want you to know,” he muttered with nervousness, “that I will protect you tonight, no matter what.”
“I know you will.” I smiled because something swelled inside of me that I didn’t understand. I followed him like a mindless drone to the passenger door and let him open it for me. I watched him close my door and move to the driver’s side. My mind hardly had any focus at all.
We took a back road which made me uneasy especially with the top of the car down. I tried not to think about all the Demons that could possibly swoop down and pluck me away from my Vampire companions. Then again, they would rescue me. At least, I should like to think they would rescue me.
There was one point during the drive that I thought I saw something in the trees. I screamed, practically jumped into Deiseh’s lap and nearly had him drive us off the road in a near by ditch. It’s a good think he had superb driving skills or else we would have been dead.
It happened to be an owl.
Dawn and Casey laughed about it while Deiseh glowered at me in his lap. I slid back into my seat and gave hesitant laughs. He smirked, chuckled lightly then turned on the radio which made me notice that strange digital clock. 8:46:12.
Did Vampires really need to know the seconds too?
We pulled into the VS parking lot and watched the crowd of other Vampires slip away from the shadows towards the coven’s light. I watched Deiseh appear beside my door like liquid ink. Vampires were frightening creatures yet I was too intrigued by them to be afraid.
He helped me out of the vehicle and once I was steady on my feet William walked out of the shadows with Star and Moon trailing behind him. Jake had already found himself a seat on the sidewalk with another person leaning against the trunk of a tree behind him.
Star gave a nod.
“You will keep the Shifters out here,” said Deiseh who was taking charge of the situation. It was when he said “Shifters” that I realized there were others in the forest. Their presences were uncountable but I knew there were a lot.
“Just keep us informed, Deiseh.” Night Star’s expression was stern. “I demand that from you.”
“I know.” Deiseh was calm when he placed his hand on my back which shocked me at first because I wasn’t really paying much attention. I had dazed off during my search through the forest.
“Aida?” William gave a light smile. “How was your drive home?”
Deiseh looked at William as I spun around to him. I narrowed my eyes, knowing that if any fox dared to sit in the headlights of a car it was William the Fox Demon. “Stay away from my house.”
His smile widened.
“What?” Deiseh looked at me then turned his attention back to William. A snarl was rolling itself around Deiseh’s throat. Jake gave a loud thunderous bark that left my knees trembling.
“Enough,” hissed Jake. “Know your place, William.”
William looked me in the eye. “A Demon trailed you from work. The kind that likes to eat up Angels when they’re not protected. I had to follow you. I sat in front of your car to keep you from going home and leading the Demon to your little brother. Happy?”
I lowered my eyes—stunned. I memorized everyone’s breathing. Deiseh wasn’t breathing at all when he usually was. Perhaps he was just as shocked as I was. It wasn’t truly shocked about the Demon. Mostly just surprised that William had only stalked me to keep a Demon from killing me.
“Thank you,” I whispered which broke the silence of the night.
William huffed, turning away from me and walking back into the shadows of the forest. I felt horrible for the way I treated him but he did try to rape me on our first meeting.
Deiseh took hold of my hand and laced his fingers with mine.
“Good luck,” Moon said with her wide, beaming smile.
I smiled back because there was no way someone could not smile at Moon.
The four of us entered the coven building. Deiseh led me over to a table. I was relieved to be sitting in a chair again. Deiseh was tense and I wasn’t the only one to notice it. Casey trailed away from us towards the front of the coven.
“I’ll take a look around.” Dawn nodded to Deiseh then followed after Casey.
Dragon walked across the room to our table. He pressed his lips thin and stiffly spoke, “Where is Winola? You took off with her and I haven’t seen her since.”
I glowered at him in hatred. “She doesn’t have to report to you.”
“Yes,” Dragon replied, “She does.”
My hands tightened into a fist subconsciously. “Winola is a human being and can do whatever she wants to do.”
Dragon sneered while leaning closer to me.
Deiseh gave a warning growl.
“Winola is mine,” Dragon whispered. “For as long as I’ve taken her under Marks, Winola will be mine. Tell Winola that I’m ordering her to return to my house before sunset tomorrow.”
I jumped to my feet. “I don’t care what you say.”
“Marks?” asked Deiseh.
Dragon gave a devilish laugh. “She agreed to it.” He mocked when saying, “I followed the rules one hundred percent, your majesty.”
“What are Marks?” I asked.
Deiseh shook his head. “I’ll return Winola to you.”
“What?”
“Silence,” Deiseh hissed which stopped my heart dead. “This doesn’t concern you, Aida. Winola must return to Dragon whether you like it or not. What she did has its consequences and now she must be accountable for them.”
I could not believe this. Anger boiled inside of me until I was storming away from them. Winola wasn’t an object or an animal. She was alive. She deserved to be treated fairly. Was I the only one who understood that?
Vampires. I cursed them mentally then cursed myself.
I ran out of the building and into the cold winter air that felt hotter than the Sahara desert. Moon stepped out of the forest shadows and innocently said, “Well?”
“Well what?” I snapped then dropped my head into my hands. “I’m sorry, Moon.” Anger and guilt controlled me until I was running away from the building and the pack of Shifters that waited impatiently in the gathering of trees. The parking lot blurred past me until I was walking in the snow along the highway.
The woods were quiet tonight. Bits of snow sprinkled down but they most likely weren’t going to stick. In the morning the snow from tonight would be melted and brown dead grass would be what remained. Moonlight was all the light on the back road. Stars were distant and covered in gray wispy clouds.
Constantly the word “Marks” nipped at the back of my mind. I didn’t understand completely what it meant but I knew it took away Winola’s freedom somehow. There was no way in hell I would give her over to Dragon. Deiseh would have to kill me first.
My ears picked up on the crunch of snow beneath small padded feet. The energy wasn’t human which frightened me at first. I reached out further towards the energy until I knew this presence. It was the same energy as the fox or in other words: William.
I stopped walking and turned to the forest. The trees were barren of all leaves which gave me a clear view of the small red fox. I gave a slight laugh and motioned him to me like I would do any dog—a clap and a whistle.
The red fox trotted over but only made it halfway. The headlights of a vehicle scared him away. Before I could think of calling him back William had vanished from my sight. The car was getting closer which would have scared me but William would have never left if I were in any danger.
It had to be someone I knew.
I walked again, heading home as I planned.
“Aida!” The car pulled to a stop. “Aida get in the car!” I heard the car door slam as I walked further away from him.
“I’d rather walk.”
Why does every supernatural being love to follow me? Wonder if Dragon’s out here watching all of this. I’m sure he’d find it amusing.
“Then I’ll walk with you,” stated Deiseh.
Persistent, isn’t he? “I’d rather walk alone,” I bitterly clarified.
“The hell you won’t!” Deiseh came up and snatched my arm from behind. The next thing I know, we’re in the car with the heater full blast. I grumbled under my breath and rolled down the window. The last thing I needed was heat.
I’d rather be at home with a good cup of hot tea—not in the mood for cappuccino which in other words: I was pissed and everyone who wanted to live should stay out of my way.
“Let me explain,” he said gently.
I didn’t reply.
He stopped the car and put it in park along side the road. Deiseh starred into the center of his steering wheel in hopes it would give him answers to this puzzling riddle of ours. Who knew a Vampire being frightened and confused could be so humorous?
“Dragon and Winola…” He looked out his window because the steering wheel failed to help him. “Winola willingly agreed to be Marked by Dragon. That means Dragon has full control over her and no one can do anything about it. Only Dragon can break the contract.”
I refused to look at him.
“Aida,” he whispered, shifting in his seat to face me. “Honestly, I can’t do anything about this. She’s Marked.”
“You would simply let it remain that way?” I hissed, finally looking at him with all the hatred that had coiled itself inside of me. “If you do nothing about this then you are just as hideous as Dragon.”
I attempted to open the car door but Deiseh snatched hold of my hand and forced it into my lap. We stared at each other, waiting for someone to say the first harsh words.
“I can do nothing,” said Deiseh as calmly as he could.
“Then I will,” I muttered. “Anyone who touches Winola without her permission will die at my hands.” I didn’t know how I was going to take on Vampires but I’d find a way. Someone had to keep that poor girl safe.
Deiseh smirked.
I narrowed my eyes, still deeply upset.
“Brilliant,” he said. “If you anyone tries to harm you then I will be forced to kill them. Thus, in a way, the rules would no longer apply.”
I sighed. “Thank you.”
“Aida.” His hand moved to my seatbelt and unlocked it. I gave a concerned look to him then out the window. I searched for anything that might have been out there hunting us while Deiseh unlocked his own seatbelt. Before I could say or do anything Deiseh was on top of me with the seat pushed back as far as it could do.
“Deiseh?”
He smiled just before kissing my lips. He lifted the dress with his cold hands falling gently on my waist as the rest of his body forced me against the seat. He kissed desperately down my neck and onto my shoulder. Cold icy hands slip down into my undergarments. I gasped at the touch, raveling my fingers into his hair.
Someone tapped against the window which pulled our attention to Casey and the apologetic Dawn. Deiseh lifted off of me and stepped out of the car. Just as soon as he left Deiseh was back in the driver’s seat and turning the engine on.
“We have to get back to Vampire Saga. Zach is demanding war.”
Vampire nations declaring war on each other always sounds fun.