Thank you everyone who has followed this story! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've written this next chapter, but life has a nasty habit of interfering with life. Weird, right? I'm not going to give any spoilers, but this chapter will probably make you cry, as it did me even as I wrote it. Some pretty good reveals in this one with a mystery to boot! Want more? You know what to do.
Now for the legal crap:
While based on actual events, the following story is a work of fiction borne from the authors imagination. Any names of actual people, either living or dead, or places, either real or imaginary, is entirely coincidental, and if used is used for the sole purpose of context. This story contains graphic imagery including but not limited to: consensual sex between two female characters, among others; rape; physical, emotional, and psychological abuse; physical torture; blood and gore; murder of men, women, and children (be advised: for historical accuracy); and foul language. If anything on that list offends you, then I have no idea why you've read five chapters already. But please, do us all a favor and leave immediately.
Thank you all for your patience! Now sit back, curl up with your favorite person, and enjoy part six of Embrace Of The Enemy.
~ CHARLIE'S PERSPECTIVE ~
Nadia didn't speak the who ride there. Once we told the boys -- and Amber -- that we were headed out a brief argument erupted, led by none other than Sven of course. They wanted us to stay and help get the house back in order, but my trump card was Nadia and what the smell of the "kill room" did to her. She didn't have to say a word, the look on her face said plenty. They got back t work as we loaded up the car and headed out. Not only did she not say anything, but it seemed she was making a conscious effort to not even look my way, even at the red lights.
I could tell that we were heading into the ritzy part of downtown. My smile grew with every business we passed -- especially the Audi/Lamborghini dealership. I read somewhere that Audi owns the Lamborghini name... I never would have guessed that. And speaking of which, I spotted a couple of Gallardos pull into the same driveway we did. Talk about feeling out of place. And cheap. The car in front of us cost more to insure than what my parents paid for their house. To make it even better, a Bentley Continental pulled in behind us. I looked away from the sneer of the uniformed valet. But when I looked up, I was in for quite a surprise.
Nadia certainly wasn't lying. This hotel's front door looked like it cost more than my parent's whole house. And I'm sure as hell glad that the doorman opened it for us. It was made from a large single piece of redwood, carved so intricately I wondered how the artisan had tat much control over his hands, and it looked like it weighed a ton. He gave Nadia and I a nice smile and curt tip of his hat as we entered, arm-in-arm as always. She flashed him one of her famous smiles as the bellhop followed us with our bags. I smiled too of coarse, but I got the feeling he wasn't looking at me. Weird.
We walked over one of the nicest carpets I've ever seen in my life, which covered the polished black marble floor. At certain spots I could see it reflecting the angelic painting and iron-and-crystal chandelier. The whole room was filled with fine leather chairs and couches situated in strategic places around ebony and walnut tables. Anyone sitting in any chair could see about two-thirds of the entire lobby. The red velvet carpet blended nicely with a vampire's taste. The theme started looking a little familiar.
People -- rich people -- went about whatever business brought them here. Men in taylor-fitted designer suits sat at the lobby bar off to the right drinking what smelled like a very expensive Brandy. And the cigars they were smoking probably cost about the same. One guy was nose-deep in the Wall Street Journal. He was sitting so still I almost didn't notice him. A few bellhops pushed empty dollies from back out to the valet area. A couple, obviously newlyweds, stood at the reception counter. A brief smile came and went from Nadia's face when she looked their way.
"You okay?" I asked when her smile fell.
"Yeah," she breathed, looking down. I chanced a glance their way. By the time I turned back to my vampire she replaced her crestfallen expression to one of eagerness. I would have cocked an eyebrow if I knew how.
"This is quite a place." I looked at our expensive surroundings once again. Nadia led us behind the happy couple where we waited. "How many times have you been here?"
She didn't look at me. "Enough."
"That's not an answer."
"Yes it is. It's just not the one you wanted to hear." She still didn't look at me, but my eyes were burning holes through the side of her head. A few heartbeats passed, and I swear I heard hers speed up for a second. "You're wanting to know how many other people I've come here with, aren't you?"
I smiled. "Well, duh."
"If you really must know, a night here was the last gift I gave Marianna before she left me," Nadia said looking down again. The pain was clear in her voice. I swallowed back the small bit of jealousy in my throat. Marianna chose to leave; I chose to stay. "This place has always been special to me. It was one of the few places that Father Darien and I left untainted. He had his room, I had mine. It was like he refused to touch me once we got passed the elevator."
I lightly put a hand to her cheek and turned her face towards mine. She still refused to meet my eye. "So what's got you so down?"
"Ah, Miss Nadia!" the receptionist announced, cutting off any answer she might have had. Nadia grinned at me, then we stepped up to the counter. I didn't even notice the couple had left already. "Such a pleasure to see you again. You've been away so long we were beginning to think you forgot about us."
"Now Janice, how could I ever forget about you?" Nadia said, plastering on that front that I could always see right through. "You do still have my reservation, don't you?"
Janice beamed. The computer monitor amplified her very toothy smile, which wasn't bad if I do say so myself. And neither was that pixie haircut. It fit her face very well. "Of course, but it's not your usual room. You reserved the -"
"Yes," Nadia said quickly, cutting her off. I couldn't help but notice the odd sparkle in her eye. "Janice, if you would be so kind as to have Jacob send our reserved meal up to the room right away. We are famished."
Famished? I thought, mentally cocking an eyebrow. And what the hell is up with Nadia having everything reserved?
"Of course, Lady Nadia." Janice presented her with the keycards to the room. "Enjoy your stay."
"I always do."
And then we were off to the elevators. When I moved to press the call button, Nadia grabbed my wrist. She pulled me down the row to a pair of stand-alone doors. She swiped her card and the light turned on. I almost laughed. "Nadia, what's going on here?"
"What?" she asked innocently, staring at the DOWN arrow.
"What do you mean, 'what'? What is so special about today that every where we've gone has something reserved by you?" The bell dinged. The doors opened to reveal the most luxurious elevator car I'd ever seen. Solid walnut walls, real gold trimmings, a carpet so plush it nearly knocked me off balance, and a soft glow of light were not all that it came with -- it only had two buttons, one for up, one for down. "Nadia? What room did you reserve?" I asked before my gaping mouth said anything stupid.
"My favorite."
That was all she said. She pressed the button for UP, and up we went indeed. Everything I was going to grill her on flew out the window as soon as our ascent began. From the outside this hotel didn't look like it would take a solid twenty seconds to climb in an elevator. We weren't going that fast either, it was almost as though it was designed as an extra sitting space that detaches from the room. That was when I noticed the small bench tucked against the left side. And of course, no sooner had my butt hit the velvety cushion that we started slowing down.
When the door opened I couldn't stop my gasp. This room looked like something out of a mansion. I'd seen pictures of Manhattan townhouses and condos before, but I never thought I'd ever stand in one. Opulence was an understatement. We stepped out into what I guessed to be the living room, complete with furnishings that resembled what I saw when my family visited the Biltmore Estate some years ago. There was even a fire already alight in the fireplace, directly below a huge flatscreen TV.
Nadia escorted me past a very formal dining area, which already was set up with two complete place settings, and into a cavern of a bedroom. I couldn't help it, I ran in and jumped right onto that overtly huge bed. My best guess was a double-queen. I could never guess what it was made from, but I felt myself falling asleep the moment I landed. There was another smaller fireplace on the interior wall. Near the curtain of the exterior window was a small nook designed for a couple to enjoy breakfast without any travel.
I pulled my head up at the sound of a a light buzzing noise. Nadia stood by the coffee table in front of the fireplace holding a remote. The curtain opened. Through the window-wall I could see the city skyline, well above most of the buildings. I don't even recall getting up, but the next thing I remember I was walking towards it. There was a veranda wrapping around to the front rooms, which I assumed also had an access point.
"I take it you approve," Nadia said right into my ear. Her arms wrapped around my stomach, and I leaned into her embrace, I would have jumped if I hadn't heard her approach. Gotta love that dhampir hearing.
"Oh hell yes I approve," I answered without thinking. "This is beautiful, Nadia. Too much, actually."
"Too much? But you haven't even seen the bathroom yet." I could hear a sliver of panic in her tone.
"Is the tub Olympic sized?"
Nadia let out a nervous giggle. "Almost. It's a full spa-theropy bath. It has an oversized jacuzzi tub and an attached sauna. Two massage tables slide out from one of the walls." I felt a tear slip down my cheek. I wiped it away just as quickly. "Why are you crying?"
"I am not," I said, trying not to sound like a whine. I let the air hang between us for a minute. "Are you going to answer me now? What is so special about today that made you go through all this trouble?" I could have sworn I heard a ding, but ignored it hoping I would finally get a real answer. Instead, Nadia let me go and left he room. She was gone before I could fully turn around. Damn vamp speed. "Nadia!"
I gave chase. She wasn't going to get off that easily. This was the most romantic night I've ever had, which meant that it was doomed to fail, but I didn't think it would hurt my Nadia like this. Adriel already did a superb job of fucking it up for me. And after what happened at the house I could understand why she would be on edge, but this wasn't Nadia's typical little-girl-lost routine. No, something was cutting her deep, and damn it she was going to tell me what even if I had to...
My thoughts died as soon as I exited the bedroom corridor. Standing beside the table was a chef, a warming cart, and Nadia. Down on one knee. I think my heart stopped. My hands came to my face on their own. Rose pedals were scattered all over the dining area. Two candles were lit on the table, two glasses of champagne now accompanied the place settings. And now that my head was getting muddled again, the smell of fish was again fading into the background.
Nadia was kneeling just a few feet in front of me with tears streaming down her face. Damn it, now I was going to cry. "Charlene Candice Coventry," she began with a shaky breath. I slowly approached her not knowing what else to do. "Would you... I w-would be honored if..." Nadia never stammers, or stutters She sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes. So did I. And then I saw it. The small velvet box she tried to hide. Nadia took a deep breath and opened the box. Inside was a ring fit for a princess. "Will you marry me?"
I almost fainted. I don't know why I couldn't just say it. My brain stopped working, my throat dried up. In less time than it took her to say those four words my body decided to shut down. I couldn't breathe. I felt myself pale. Oh god... The most beautiful woman in the world, the girl of my dreams, just proposed to me and THIS was my answer? You're an idiot, Charlie, I said over and over as my body fell to the floor. Stupid, stupid, idiot. Just say yes, you moron. You love this woman more than anything. All you have to do is say one little word, one-fourth of the effort she used. C'mon Charlene, snap out of it. What is wrong with you?
"Come back to me, Charlene," I heard Nadia say with a strained voice. "Please. I need you. Come back to me." She patted my cheek as she rocked. Only then did I realized that my head was in her lap.
"I'm here, Nadia." I don't know how I got that out. I was still having a hard time getting air into my lungs. Even I could here the strain with my inhales.
"Here. Drink something." Nadia put a glass to my lips. I sipped down whatever was in it, and just as quickly wanted to spit it out. There was on;y one thing in the world that tasted this bad. "Don't you dare. Swallow it."
I did, hating every second of it. I drank the whole damn glass worth. I'm sure my face was scrunched up; I'm sure I looked comical to the chef who had been watching this whole episode play out. "Is she okay?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
"Yes, Jacob, she's fine. This happens sometimes when she gets overloaded." Overloaded? Good one Nadia. "Just give her a minute or two and she'll be enjoying that wonderful dish you prepared for us."
I felt him take a step back. I coughed a little and rolled out of Nadia's lap. "I'm sorry," I whispered meaning it. "I'm sorry, Nadia." I wasn't going to start crying again.
"It wasn't your fault, Charlene." She started rubbing my back. "You had a panic attack."
"I ruined everything. Our wonderful date, that beautiful song you played, and now I even managed to fuck up your proposal." I was not going to cry, damn it. "I don't know what happened but it wasn't a panic attack. I felt something inside of me crawling, worming its way through me until it sucked the air right out of my lungs. I couldn't even think. Then the next thing I know I'm yelling at myself in your voice, and then I wake up cradled on you like too many times before."
"You didn't ruin anything," she answered, the crack in her voice betraying her confidence. "I shouldn't have waited this long. I shouldn't have overwhelmed you with all of this. I put too much pressure on myself to make it perfect, to show you what I can provide for you and what you mean to me." I flopped onto my butt and looked at her. I pulled her into my shoulder, our foreheads touching.
"How many times do I have to say it? You don't have to dote on me to prove your love. I feel like an asshole half the time for not returning the favor. Even with the money I managed to get, something like this would never have crossed my mind, let alone trying to pay for it." I could hear Jacob wanting to laugh, but holding back. He seemed a little too familiar with this scene for my liking. Both of us took a few steadying breaths. "So this is why you've been so secretive. This is why you would give me even more vague answers than usual."
"Yes," she breathed. I could smell the tears welling in her eyes. "I've been alive for a long time Charlene. I've done many things, many horrible things that I can't even confess to my own soul --" Jacob shot her a look -- "but this is a first for me. I've never proposed to anyone before. You have no idea how scary this was for me. I was so afraid you would say no, that I would frighten you off since we haven't been together for very long. I was so scared you would leave me like all of my previous Watchers."
I could feel Jacob's curiosity growing, and that made me uneasy. We stood up holding each steady. I turned to him and said, "You have no idea what we're talking about, do you?" He only shook his head, his eyes bouncing between us. "Yeah, we get that look a lot." He grunted, then looked away. The ring box was sitting on the table as though Nadia threw it there when I passed out. I picked it up and handed it to her. She was shocked, almost aghast. I opened it and took the ring out. I placed it in her hand, then held my left out to her, fanned open. "Yes, Nadia. I want to marry you." She slid it onto my finger, sized perfectly of course.
Nadia beamed. She pulled me into her and held me tight. Her face somehow got buried in the nape of my non-scarred shoulder. I could hear her crying. She refused to let me go. I started crying with her. How could I not? It felt amazing to feel herself open up like this. Nadia is the most guarded person I've ever known. The only time her stoic-ness changed was when she around either me, or Father Darien, and it took her a long time to admit why, so for her to express herself emotionally said more about how comfortable I made her feel than anything she could ever say with words.
Her crying was turning into something more. With every breath she took, what came out was more forceful. "It's okay, Nadia," I said, not knowing what else to do.
I felt her nod her head against my shoulder. "It is," she managed to get out. "I know it is, but..." The cry came out anew. I looked over to Jacob for help, but he looked just as lost as I felt. He even shrugged his hands. "I can't stop..."
"It's okay, sweetie. Just let it out. You've got me forever. Let it out."
Nadia began to sober after a few more seconds. "You smell so good, Charlene."
"Not here, Nadia," I said as forcefully as I could. She started to nuzzle me in her usual way. "I said not here." It wasn't as though I didn't want her to bite me, or bang me for that matter, but I'd rather not have an audience. I managed to push her away. Her eyes were fully black, even some of the whites were tinted. I bravely leaned in and kissed her. "I said yes, now let's sit down and enjoy this amazing smelling -" I was cut off by Jacob's pain-filled whine. "Burnt dinner." I glanced up at him and he gave me an exasperated, sorrowful look. "I'm so sorry Jacob." I fell into my chair with Nadia sitting catty-corner to me.
"It's okay," he said in a rich accent that sounded a lot like Nadia's, but different. "This is a special day. I'll return with something for you two."
I smiled. "Thank you."
He put the lid back on the cart and backed into a small service elevator behind the table I didn't notice earlier. That left just me and Nadia alone in the room. Just me, and my fiance. My fiance. I was going to be someone's bride. Someone's wife. The whole idea made me want to start crying all over again. I'd been so caught up with life and failing at it that the very notion of marriage rarely entered into my brain. Even still, never once did I ever think that one day a vampire would ask me to mary her.
I stared at my hand, idly playing with my ring. I didn't even want to think about how much she paid for it; I wanted to think that by wearing it that I felt like some kind of princess among the vampire world. The center stone, all three carats if I had to guess, was in fact a red princess cut diamond surrounded by what looked like a gazillion black onyx stones.
"It's a rare natural red diamond," Nadia said as if reading my thoughts. She grabbed my hand to play with it herself. It almost felt as though she guessed at my size. "It weighs just shy of five carats, and the surrounding stones are black diamonds totaling nearly two carats themselves. I designed it myself."
"Good gracious," I breathed. My jewelry skills suddenly looked suckish.
Nadia smiled, like she always does when she's trying to be humble and show off at the same time. "It's design is a hybrid of Princess Diana's and Queen Elizabeth's rings, as I've always like them. The base metal is a special alloy of gold, platinum, palladium, and rhodium."
I shot her a look. "I don't know what that means, but it sounds expensive."
She nodded. "I got a free Rolex in the deal." I just stared at her like she'd lost her mind. "I'm kidding, but they did offer me one." Uh-huh. Funny, Nadia.
"How could you afford all of this?" Did I just blurt that out? Damn it!
Nadia just smiled. Good. "I told you already that I have investments. Any Wall Street newbie would jizz in his pants if he saw my portfolio."
Now it was my turn to be shocked. I looked at my ring and had to fight the urge to scream. I guess I just figured out who those "friends" of hers really were. "What are you saying, Nadia? Just how rich are you?"
She looked down, her tone dropped with it. "Very."
"Wha-" I couldn't get my head to stop spinning. So many things started running through my head. My heart was racing. I had to take a lot of deep breaths to get a hold of myself. Some might have called it "labor breathing". When I finally looked back at her, she was still looking down unable to meet my eye. "Why haven't you told me any of this?"
She looked up with tears in her eyes. "I'm not proud of how I acquired it, Charlene. Back in Odessa I prostituted myself in order to get money for food I didn't need." That was a shocker. "It's disgusting what grown men will do when they 'own' you for an hour, especially if you're only a child. But I kept saving, and saving, and saving. Father Ioseph, one of Father Darien's closet brothers in the Order kept telling me that I was preparing for my future. I kept telling myself that I would use it to help myself, then to help others. But the opportunity never arose. That was until I booked passage to the United States. By then I had more money than I ever dreamed possible. All of my luggage was filled with cash. Eventually Father Darien set up several accounts in my name and the investments grew from there."
Again I was struck dumb. My heart bled for her. No wonder she cried so hard when I said yes. I pulled her in to me and held her there. Her entire childhood was a never-ending nightmare; first the vampire virus began taking over her body at the age of five when she witnessed a man get beat to death, then she almost kills her father when it fully manifested, then her mother -- and fist Watcher -- died and scattered her family to the wind, and now this? No. I was going to love her more than enough to make up for it.
"I'm so sorry, Nadia," I said after a minute. "You should have told me all of this sooner."
"I couldn't."
"Shh. This is a happy day. And damn it, it's going to stay that way." I heard her sniffle a couple of times before nodding. We separated but she still held my left hand. "However, you have piqued my curiosity. Exactly how much money am I marrying into?"
She smiled at the "M" word. "If I remember reading my last statement a week ago, then somewhere in the mid-nines."
I laughed. I couldn't help it. "You're worth over nine million dollars?"
Nadia smiled and played with my ring. "No, Charlene. Nine figures."
This time, I knew why I passed out.
Thank you all for reading! Please feel free to send in your comments, questions, concerns, and critiques! I look forward to hearing from you!