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Ark Mansion
September
Cianne jerked to a sitting position on the bed as her chest visibly rose and fell. Her body was wet with perspiration and she could hear every breath she took as she fought for clarity. The imagery was so real to her that she couldn’t tell if it was a nightmare or reality.
I’m falling apart, she thought as she wiped her hair from her forehead.
“Are you alright?”
Whodai’s deep seductive tone sent a shiver through Cianne. “I’m fine,” she sighed. Conscious of his presence now, Cianne pulled up the neckline of her damp night-shirt but it did little to hide her breasts through the thin cotton. She pulled up her sheet. “Do you ever sleep?”
“Another nightmare about Tristan?” Whodai asked. He got up from the chair then strolled across the room toward her.
Cianne saw the worry on Whodai’s face and felt the weight of her guilt again. She reached out and took his hand, pulled the sheets back and attempted to tug him down beside her as she scooted over to give him room to slide in next to her. “If you’re going to stay in here all night, like you have all week,” she said rolling her eyes, “you may as well sleep in the bed and not that uncomfortable chair.”
Whodai eased his hand free before he returned the sheets the way they were then lay on top of them.
Cianne tucked her hands under her head as she lay facing Whodai. She yawned and her eyes felt heavy. She opened and closed them a few times but tried to mentally shake herself awake. When she noticed Whodai was focused intently on her she said softly, “I don’t mean to be such a pain.”
“You’re not a pain. You’re my friend,” Whodai told her, matching her tone. He reached out and peeled a long strand of damp hair from her face, letting it fall to her shoulder.
“Best friends,” Cianne said as she yawned. She mumbled a few words, with the intent to talk through the night.
***
WHODAI watched as Cianne fought to stay awake. His gaze traveled over her coal arched brows and long lashes that emitted shadows over her rose-tinted cheeks. Her nose was perfectly centered and her lips were full, pouty, a peach tint that promised the taste of heaven. The smooth skin of her neck led to her average sized breasts that were pushed together, creating a tantalizing cleavage.
He groaned a curse and shifted his body.
Being this close to Cianne, watching over her this past week was too much for any man to bear. He wanted a taste. He deserved that at least.
A test then, he told himself.
She was sleepy and stressed, that made for low defenses. If it didn’t work, he’d play it off. The fact that she was exhausted...she would believe anything right now.
With his mind made up, Whodai decided he did want to taste Cianne. He inched closer to her and spoke. “Cianne, you want me to kiss you goodnight.”
Cianne didn’t move immediately, like most who heard the tune of a Wheddler; the command hung in the air for a few seconds. He figured it was the recipient’s brain trying to fight for control. When she blinked and her eyes opened, with that aware yet hazy glow, he knew the order had been received.
She moved forward and placed her lips on his mouth.
Whodai cupped the back of Cianne’s head with his hand and rejoiced when she opened her mouth for him. Lost in a moment of heated passion, he inched closer and moved his other hand down her back to rest on her hip.
Dare I try for more... The thought instantly died when Cianne broke away.
Whodai moved back and peered at her confused face. He quickly kissed Cianne on her forehead, though her swollen lips called to him. “Goodnight, Cianne.”
Cianne, still appearing confused, smiled. “Thank you for putting up with me, Whodai. Goodnight.” She lowered her head back on her pillow then closed her eyes.
Whodai sighed with relief as he watched Cianne sleep like he did every night since arriving at Ark Mansion. Only tonight, he lay beside her with the realization of two things. His Wheedling worked on her for the first time. He tried so many times before and only succeeded in giving her a headache.
His second realization–he didn’t just want Cianne to be his wife. He wanted Cianne to love him of her own free will.
***
ZETA arrived at Ark Mansion shortly after eight am. She hadn’t seen Cianne or the twins in more than thirty days. She missed them but she wasn’t too comfortable with Cianne knowing how she felt about Tristan. Add on that she knew he was alive and safe, and her guilty conscience was eating at her. Keeping Tristan hidden was keeping him safe but Zeta wasn’t sure she could hold on to the information once in front of her friend.
Damn Caleb for involving me in all this.
Instead of going to the house, she headed for the Guard headquarters which was a separate building just beyond the main gate.
“Zeta,” Kim exclaimed as Zeta walked into the eating area “We were so worried about you.” Kim jumped to her feet and pulled Zeta into a bear hug.
Not yet comfortable with Kim or the way she liked to hug, Zeta tried to back up, but being a Protector, Kim was quick. American born, Kim was in her mid-twenties, had a round face, long plaits on either side of her head, and a pierced left brow. Everyone called her Southern Belle because of her drawl, warm hugs, and unbeknownst to her...the big breasts she sported around.
When Cassius assigned Kim and the two other Protectors to the young Royals after Vivian’s death, Zeta was upset about not being offered the job. She felt that she was best qualified, and due to her relationship with Cianne and Tristan, the lateral move would have been seamless. Cassius apparently thought otherwise.
Maybe Cassius bypassed her because of her feelings for Tristan.
“Uh, why were you worried?” Zeta inquired as Kim released her.
“Oh gosh, you don’t know do you, sugar?” Kim grabbed Zeta by the hands and pulled her over to the small table. “So much has happened since you’ve been away. About a week after you left, someone broke into the house in Arizona. Felix, the one from Trinidad who was assigned along with me and Jacobi, he was killed. It was a freaky kill too. That’s why we moved the family to Ark Mansion. It’s more of a fortress than a cozy house...ya know.”
That’s why they moved?
“Who killed him?” Zeta asked.
“Honestly, no one really knows,” Kim said. “But I saw Whodai shortly after it happened and he looked downright shaken.”
“Really?” Zeta asked. Whodai shaken. Zeta would have paid to see that.
“Yup, but things have been just as crazy here. The alarms are being tripped at least three times a week but Cassius feels this is the best place to protect the Royals.” Kim looked up as she put her finger to her chin, then said, “But things have sort of calmed down a bit.”
“Where is Cassius now?” Zeta needed to know what she could do to help.
Kim shrugged. “Last I heard, he was investigating a lead on Caleb. No one really knows where he is or when he’s coming back. Whodai is in charge.” Kim quickly interpreted the look on Zeta’s face. “I know right, but he hasn’t been all that bad. He basically lets us do our jobs without imposing his all-mighty will.”
Zeta raised both brows, “Really?”
“I suppose all the time he’s spending with our Soahn has softened him a bit. They’re inseparable you know.” Kim smiled. She was about to say something else but stood up and lowered her head instead.
Zeta automatically did the same when she looked over her shoulder and saw Whodai standing inside the doorway.
“Kim, don’t you have some place to be?” Whodai said.
How long has he been standing there? Should it irritate me that I didn’t hear him open the door or enter the room? Yes, it should, Zeta decided.
She watched as Kim hurried out of the room without looking back.
“Excuse me,” Zeta said to Whodai as she attempted to slide by him to exit the room.
“Just a moment,” Whodai said, blocking her way.
The door was slightly open but Zeta still knocked. When she heard Cianne’s voice telling her to come in, she almost turned to leave. But she didn’t. Instead, she stepped into the brightly lit room and noted that all the curtains were pulled back to let in the natural light.
Soahn Vivian once told her that was what the room was designed for, exposure to natural light.
“Just sit it here please,” Cianne said in her soft tone.
Zeta walked over to the seating area that faced a large sliding door and looked over the balcony to a large grassy field. The high back chair hid most of Cianne’s body except for the hand she extended to motion to the table beside her. Zeta walked around the quaint seating area for two and gazed at her friend.
Cianne, clearly not expecting her, dropped her cell phone. Zeta quickly caught it before it hit the floor.
“Zeta!” Cianne screamed out with joy.
Zeta stiffened as Cianne jumped up and hugged her tightly, her guilt chastising her very existence. “How have you been?” Zeta asked. She held Cianne just as tightly. The embrace lasted so long that Zeta wondered if she was afraid to let go and actually face her friend, knowing what she knew.
“I’m well,” Cianne muttered.
When they separated, Cianne’s smile seemed to be pasted on, suggesting she wasn’t well at all, but Zeta said nothing.
“We’ve missed you, the children and I. Sit, tell me about your vacation.”
Zeta followed suit and sat after Cianne did. She glanced at the cell phone she caught before handing it back to Cianne. On the screen was a picture of Tristan. He was smiling of course.
I’m not a true friend.
Zeta couldn’t look at Cianne. She instead looked out the window into the clear sky as she took a deep breath. She had to be careful of what she thought and said. Being away from Cianne for even a few days, one could miss knowing about any newly developed or enhanced abilities.
When she turned back to Cianne she managed a smile, “I’d rather hear about what’s been going on with you and the children. Is Nadia walking yet?”
“She is,” Cianne said with real excitement.
Cianne began sharing all the cute little things the twins did over the past month. As Zeta listened she couldn’t help but notice how tired her friend looked. Cianne’s hair was loose, but it had a ponytail dent from frequent use of hair ties. Her skin looked pale and the skin under her eyes was darkened. Plus, she kept looking around the room every few minutes.
Zeta felt saddened by all of this. If Cianne knew the truth about Tristan, then... No, she couldn’t tell. Vivian trusted Caleb and so would she. She had to believe in the plan.
With her mindset reinforced, Zeta said, “I’ve missed them so much. I’d like to see them before I leave.”
A worried look appeared on Cianne’s face. “You’re already planning to leave?”
“I’ve been reassigned. I leave tonight.” It wasn’t a full out lie. She was reassigned but the Royal she now guarded gave her leave. They currently resided in a Safe Zone.
“No,” Cianne whined, “you must stay with us. I’ll talk to Cassius.”
“Please don’t.” Zeta shook her head. “I want to go.” It was clear to Zeta that Whodai didn’t want her around because he wouldn’t have had her assigned to a family moving to a safe zone. She would go but she would find out why he wanted her gone.
Cianne eyes glossed over as she looked away. “Oh, ok.”
A long silence followed before Zeta spoke again. “Are you getting enough sleep, Cianne?” Zeta touched her hand.
Cianne scrunched her nose up then shook her head. She was on the brink of tears when Zeta revealed she wanted to leave. With the recent question, Cianne couldn’t seem to hold them in any longer.
“It was his birthday you know, the third of this month.”
It had been over thirty days since Zeta last saw Tristan as well. She was still upset about the stunt he pulled on her. But now, now she understood why he did it. She cursed herself for not remembering. She slipped from the chair and kneeled in front of Cianne, then pulled her friend into her arms.
“I didn’t even remember. My damn cell phone reminder kept going off...and yeah.” Cianne sighed as she eased out of Zeta’s hold. She placed her phone on the table between them. “I don’t sleep too well these days. I’m afraid to close my eyes because when I do...I see him.”
“Don’t you want to see him again, even if it’s in a dream?” Zeta asked softly.
“It’s not like you think.” Cianne wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “They’re not dreams, they’re nightmares. In every one, Tristan is hurting me. Either he’s stabbing, drowning, shooting, or smothering me. Whatever the device, I always end up dying in his arms.”
Zeta was initially speechless. All she did was look at Cianne for a few minutes, until it soaked in. “Have you told anyone about these nightmares?”
“Only you,” Cianne said then sniffled. “We’re forever connected you and I. We’ve loved and lost him together,” she whimpered.
Zeta sat back on her heels. It was a bad idea, her coming here.
“Do you think he,” Cianne hiccupped, “forgives me?”
Zeta eyes grew wide. “Who?”
Cianne didn’t say his name. “If he’s dead like they all say, do you think the dead can forgive...or am I fucked?”
Zeta was about to respond but she heard a knock on the door. Cianne wiped her eyes with her nightshirt sleeve and jumped to her feet just as the door opened. She pointed to the table.
“Is there anything else I can get you ma’am?” the maid asked as she placed what looked like a smoothie on the table.
Cianne shook her head no.
The maid, someone Zeta didn’t know, looked her way. “You ma’am?”
“No thank you.” Zeta watched the maid walk out of the room. When she turned back to answer Cianne’s question, Cianne was already closing the bathroom door a few feet away.
Zeta sat in a daze inside the bright room, the sun beaming on her as if demanding something of her. She hadn’t decided if she was going to keep Caleb’s secret when she arrived, and now after speaking to Cianne, things were even more confusing. Telling Cianne that Tristan still lived may get him killed in the end. Not telling may result in Cianne’s insanity.
When the bathroom door slowly opened, Zeta turned around. Cianne stood in the doorway with a large pair of scissors in her hand.
“Cianne,” Zeta yelled, getting to her feet. “What have you done?”
