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After this sexual promise of his in the shower, I got out quickly leaving him to his knowing chuckle. Then I made quick work of getting dry, dressed, and looking somewhat human again. And I achieved this by tying my hair up into a high ponytail, putting in some new contacts, that I had been able to order online, and adding a light touch of makeup, concentrating on the dark circles under my eyes...thank you, hangover.
I decided this time to forgo the usual t-shirt and shorts that he had found me wearing yesterday, opting for something a little sexier...because like I said, only human. So, today’s choice reflected on what I would have picked, had I known the love of my ‘broken hearted’ life would show up. Which was why I was naming this outfit, ‘a little late to punish him with how nice I looked’, deciding it was better late than never.
So, I snapped the pearl pop buttons together on my shirt dress that was a tight tunic style with a mandarin collar. The chest area had rows of embroidered flowers in the same pink, blush rose colour as the shirt and each was edged with white tipped petals.
The dress came to mid-thigh, so showed off a good amount of my legs and I added a belt to pull it tight at the waist, giving me what I hoped was an hourglass shape. The belt was three rows of plaited black leather that matched a pair of black leather ballet flats I slipped on my feet. But it was the pearl buttons that only started in line with my nipples that made it what I hoped was sexy, as it certainly offered an eyeful of cleavage...thank you balcony bra!
Then, once I was ready, I found Lucius sat in the living room waiting for me and he was also on the phone. He saw me the second I entered, and I found myself quietly congratulating myself on the choice of outfit. This was because the heated look in his eyes made them look as if they were burning for me. The way he took his time scanning my body and making a show of letting me know that he liked what he saw. Then, without looking away from me, told whoever was on the phone,
“I want it here by morning... make it happen.” After this he hung up, making me wonder what it was he wanted to ‘make happen’ this time. Huh, maybe it was the shopping list of chloroform, chains, and the coffin I had first been expecting.
“Come here, pretty girl,” he ordered gently, and I soon found the tip of my thumb in my mouth before I realised I was giving in to the habit. Then I ignored the twitch of humour playing at his lips and walked closer to where he sat on what was a warm yellow coloured sofa, one that matched the rest of the room’s sunset tones.
Then he rose from the seat, seeing that my response to his order wasn’t what he wanted as I left space between us. Then, before he could face me, I veered off towards the private terrace, one that was overlooking the wonderful view of the Old City of Jerusalem and what was known as the Mount of Olives. It was a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City and it was named from the olive groves that once covered its slopes.
The mountain ridge had also been used as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years and held approximately 150,000 graves, making it central as was the tradition of Jewish cemeteries. It was one of the places Yosef had taken me to and explained its history to me. This included several key events in the life of Jesus, as related in the Gospels, events that took place on the Mount of Olives and is described as the place from which Jesus ascended to Heaven. So naturally the mount has been a site of Christian worship since ancient times and seeing it now on the terrace with Lucius at my back was...well, a startling contrast of events, given his own history and the part he played. Which was why I wanted to ask him, how he felt about being back here?
It was why I wanted to hear his own story being told by his own words. I wanted to know everything about him and being here together only ended up fueling that burning desire to know and adding to what I knew was dangerous curiosity.
“Time for us to talk, little Šemšā,” he said and unfortunately, I knew what this talk would include, and it was nothing about what my mind was currently focused on. Which was why, that after Lucius had said this, I suddenly wasn’t feeling hungry. In fact, one look at the doorway that led into the bedroom and I was tempted to fake a headache, blaming it on a hangover and hoping that I could just go and hide in the bed for the rest of the day.
Of course, the second I felt a hand span the small of my back, then I knew the chances of this were slim at best. Besides, he wasn’t the only one who needed answers. But this was where my problem lay, as I wasn’t sure I was ready to relive that day, no matter what he had to say about it. But I did, however, need to know what his intentions were now. Because if he didn’t intend to take me back to my parents, then what was his plan...why had he come at all?
Well, I think one thing was obvious and that was Lucius still felt strongly for me. As clearly no-one would go as far as he had done. Not only by still trying to find me after all this time, but also in the way he kissed me. The way he had missed me. I was hurt, but I wasn’t stupid or blind enough not to see sincerity in his actions. So, to say that confused seemed to be a constant state of my mind this last twenty-four hours was naturally a huge understatement.
“Let’s just take this one step at a time, should we?” Lucius suggested, obviously feeling my anxiety and resistance. Especially seeing as I hadn’t yet taken one step towards the table.
“That sounds good,” I answered before letting him lead me onto the private terrace that had been set up for us with a large selection of food spread out on the round dining table...including cheese.
“Didn’t we have enough of this last night?” I asked on a laugh, nodding at the large platter and making him smirk.
“Ah, so you have started to remember?” he asked as once again he held out a seat for me to take.
“I haven’t forgotten it all, no,” I replied trying to will myself not to blush because of it.
“Well, you’re the one who demanded I order the English cheese board, getting very excited about cheddar if I am remembering correctly,” he informed me as he took his own seat next to mine.
“Mmm, the cranberry cheddar was yummy, oh and village oak.”
“But not the Stilton if I recall?” he laughed at the memory of my face as I scrunched up my nose, because eww.
“Oh yeah, now that was some potent stuff...Hell, we should have taken some with us in case we need to knock out the witch, she’s like a bad penny that one and bound to show up again,” I said making him scoff,
“Yes, well, unfortunately I think it’s going to take a lot more than cheese to defeat the bitch.”
“Smelly cheese, don’t forget that part.” He smirked at me before motioning to the platters and saying,
“Hence why I told them to leave that particular choice off the board.” My eyes went to where he pointed and I grinned big,
“Aww, you ordered me my cheeses again, you big romantic you!” He laughed at this and muttered,
“Easily pleased I see.” At this I picked up one of the fresh rolls and threw it at him, making him spill half his coffee on the table.
“Oh shit, I’m sorry... but seriously, can you go back to being super reflex Vamp and start catching shit again?” I complained making him grant me a look before telling me,
“Or another idea...crazy I know, but you could refrain from throwing things at me and solve both our problems.” I rolled my lips inwards trying to hold back the grin and said,
“Yeah, but Lucius, this is you we are talking about, chances are high that I will want to throw stuff at you again.” He paused, mopping up his coffee with a napkin and grinned at me.
“Then how about I create an incentive not to.”
“Not sure you have anything to bargain with, but I am open to hearing my options,” I replied before taking a bite of the apple I had plucked from the fruit bowl. He watched this with hungry eyes flashing like the burning sun before he leaned in close. Then he took hold of the arm of my chair and suddenly tugged it closer towards him. I yelped a little before he gave me his incentive,
“How about you get to keep your delicious ass without finding it over my knee, wearing a pretty shade of red in the shape of my hand...incentive enough for you?” he asked before taking hold of my wrist and taking a huge bite out of my apple, doing so with it still in my hand.
“Erm, yeah, that sounds like a good trade,” I said making him nod once before letting me go. But when I tried to shift my chair back, his hand shot out to the armrest and stopped me.
“I like you close,” was his only response to this and it was one that had my heart pounding. After which I poured myself a cup of tea, needing to do something with my hands. But I still had to clear my throat before asking him,
“How’s your coffee? Better now it’s in a cup, eh?” At which the intense moment left us, and he burst out laughing.
“It’s fine, but my palm is itching again.”
“You know you should get that looked at...I bet they have a cream that could help,” I said before taking a sip of my tea and then winking at him over the rim of my cup. He lowered the paper he had started reading, in Hebrew of course, and replied with,
“Duct tape could also help, now eat your lunch before I make enquiries on where to get some.” At this my lips twitched as I fought a smile at our banter, knowing just how much I had missed it. After this I took his advice and piled a plate up, making sure to get a good amount of that cheese I liked.
It also helped me relax more because we hadn’t just sat down and started discussing the giant anvil sized question mark hanging over our heads. This was until my belly was full and I couldn’t stand it any longer.
“So, I take it you didn’t just decided to pick Jerusalem as your next holiday destination and just happened to find me when sightseeing at the museum did you?”
“Unlike a nerdy little beauty I know, I don’t usually step off a plane and travel directly to the first museum I can find,” he told me making me tempted to ask why he did then, only I wasn’t brave enough.
“That’s a shame, there are plenty of treasures to be found at them,” I teased to which he lowered the paper, stole my gaze, and said,
“I believe I found the only treasure I was looking for, now let’s talk about the part where I am keeping her.” After this, and I swear it was a good job I hadn’t been trying to swallow food as I think I would have choked!
“Lucius I...” I stumbled on my words as I didn’t know what to say to that. But in the end, it didn’t matter as it turned out that Lucius had plenty to say about it.
“Alright, so before we get to the root of why you ran from me, I want you to first ask yourself an important question, setting aside those doubts of yours that are obviously flooding your mind.” I cleared my throat first, and forced out,
“Which is?”
“Why would I be here now if I was in love with another and why am I not trying to get you back to Afterlife if I was doing it solely for that mistaken love?” I swallowed hard and felt that weight in my chest that you do when facing difficult questions.
“If I am honest, I have been asking myself the very same thing since you showed up and told me that you’re not taking me back to Afterlife.” At this he looked pleased, making me state,
“I am not unreasonable enough not to ask myself obvious questions, despite what I saw that day.”
“What you think you saw,” he quickly corrected.
“There are very few ways to interpret what I saw and heard Lucius, you must know that?” I told him making him release a frustrated sigh.
“I get that, but you must also know that you’re not the only one who feels betrayed here.” At this I jerked back in my seat, one I shifted further away from his and said,
“You’re joking right?!”
“Do me a favour, Amelia, and just for one fucking second put yourself in my position.”
“I’d rather not,” I snapped folding my arms and looking away from him. Yet he continued on as if I hadn’t.
“Say I was the one who saw an innocent moment of comfort you accepted from a friend, only the way it looked was much more than what it was. Say I was the one to listen to a conversation between you and this friend that sounded like some forbidden love being confessed, when in fact, every single word that was said with me in your mind?”
“I think you can stop talking now,” I said hating where this was going...destination guilt trip that’s where!
“No! You are going to fucking listen to me, like you should have done the second you stepped out from behind that staircase!” he snapped getting angry, rising from his chair, and then making me do the same. So, I backed away as he started to stalk towards me.
“Every word that was said between me and Keira was about you! About the love that both you and your fucking mother spent all your time convincing me to keep quiet about, when it went against everything inside me to do so!”
“Lucius, please let’s just...” I started to say before he interrupted me as he came even closer, causing me to edge my way around the table trying to keep it between us.
“And looked what fucking happened!”
“Calm down, Lucius,” I told him as his eyes started to change, only this time it was two pools of crimson sun that were staring back at me. That’s when all that calm cool shell of his totally evaporated, and I knew it was from weeks and weeks of this building up.
“Calm down?! You think that I have had one fucking chance to calm down this whole time! Fuck sake, Amelia, the one and only time I felt anything close to fucking calm was when I saw you yesterday before having your hand in mine!” I sucked in a quick breath and said,
“What did you expect me to do, Lucius, I saw you kissing my fucking mother for Gods’ sake!” At this he roared and flipped the table between us making me scream as it smashed against the wall. I raised my hands up to prevent anything from touching me, but this wasn’t a problem as Lucius was right there in front of me.
“No! Put me down!” I demanded the second I found myself over his shoulder, hitting his back as if this would help. Then long strides later I felt myself falling the moment he bent forward, making me cry out in surprise before landing on the bed, bouncing twice as I did. After this I quickly felt my wrists being shackled by his hands before I had chance to use them to aid my escape from the bed. Then my arms were being pinned above my head and suddenly my leather belt was being tugged from my waist.
“Lucius, what are you...?”
“Silence!” he snapped as he yanked the length from under me, jerking my body. A second later and his intentions became obvious, as he wrapped it around my wrists with speed. He bound my hands and then tied me to the wooden spindles on the bed frame.
And it was only once I was unable to go anywhere, that he took a breath and sat back on his knees. I swallowed down a lump put there by both fear and lust and took in the sight of him, wisely doing as I was told by keeping quiet. He continued to take large purposeful breaths, obviously needing to ease his demon. And after making a point to look at my bound wrists, he finally spoke,
“There...”
“Now I am fucking calm.”