A Dance of War

by Ellie R. Hunter

  She’s in my dreams every night, and she’s there when I wake in the morning. Images aren’t enough, though. They don’t give me the rush I feel seeing her with my own eyes or holding her against me. They only tide me over until I can get to the real thing.

  She appears from between the trees, shading herself with a white lace parasol that matches her white and yellow summer dress. Her hair is braided on either side of her head, no doubt to keep her cool in this unbearable heat.

  It’s a shame I won’t be able to run my fingers through her soft locks today, but there’s so much more of her I can feast upon.

  When she’s closer, I get to my feet, standing just where the shade ends, and grab her parasol. Closing it, I lay it against the old well. Her giggle as I reach for her hand and pull her against me is like music to my ears, the urge to kiss her overwhelming.

  It’s been two days and ten hours since I last saw her. Way too long for my liking. She tastes of freshly squeezed oranges, and I savour every inch of her.

  Pulling away, she grins up at me. “Hey, you.”

  “Hey.” Clearing my throat, I steal one more kiss.

  “I’ve missed you,” she whispers, her lips plump, drawing me back to her.

  “I’ve missed you too,” I tell her, speaking the truth.

  Resting her head against my chest, I wrap my arms around her, keeping her as close as I can.

  “Father Luke…”

  Jerking her head back, she presses her finger to my lips.

  “No. No prophecy, and no family wars—not today. I just want to be with you.”

  I was going to tell her that Father Luke sent word to me that he’ll marry us on our birthday, but if she just wants today to be about us, I’ll happily oblige.

  Breaking away from her, I pick up the blanket and cooler I brought with me in one hand while holding her hand in the other. Across the grass is an enormous old oak tree offering plenty of shade.

  Laying the blanket on the grass, Mila slips her sandals off and lifts her dress to sit, tucking the fabric around her knees.

  Opening the cooler, I reach in and pluck out two bottles of water. She gratefully accepts hers, and I watch her throat as she swallows down two large gulps.

  Sitting beside her, I forget about the water and lean in to kiss her neck. I already know she’s ticklish between her ear and shoulder, and I smile against her warm skin. She smells like summer.

  “Cut it out, Raphe,” she giggles.

  Pulling away, I opt for a water so I have something to do as she lays down, closing her eyes.

  “You think laying down doesn’t give me a thousand more ideas of what I want to do to you?”

  Keeping her eyes closed, she stretches her hand out and pats the space next to her.

  “Lay with me.”

  Whatever she wants.

  Chucking the water bottle into the cooler, I kick off my boots and make myself comfortable. Lacing her fingers through mine, I bring it up and rest on my chest.

  “Since I met you, I haven’t felt so alone,” she admits, and my heart misses a beat.

  Shifting onto my side, I rest my head in the palm of my free hand, smiling down at her.

  “You’ll never be alone, my Mila.”

  It’s a promise I’ll never break if it’s the last thing I do.

  “What have you been doing since we last met?”

  My smile fades.

  “My father is growing impatient with me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I’m not showing enough enthusiasm in becoming his shadow, or wanting to learn everything I can about the family from him.”

  “I’m glad you’re not. I wish you could have a father like mine, and then you wouldn’t have to dodge him. My father acts like I don’t even exist, except for when he wants to parade me around like a prized cow in front of who he deems worthy suiters. Which is pointless, by the way, seeing as his plan is for me to marry the mayor.”

  A rush of jealously threatens to drown me when I think of her standing before men wanting to marry her and take her to their beds. We have just over a year to get through, and it’ll be my ring she’ll wear for the rest of her life, and it will be my bed she sleeps in every single night.

  As if she can hear my thoughts, she asks, “Where will we live when we’re married?”

  All I’ve been doing since I first spoke to her in front of the fallen angel is plan, so I answer without hesitation.

  “I’m going to buy us a house on the outskirts of the city where we can see the mountains from our bedroom window and the city from the front.”

  “Our families aren’t going to be happy at all. It’s going to be messy for a long time, I think.”

  “Hey, I thought we weren’t speaking of our families today?” I remind her.

  “I guess there’s no getting away from them.”

  “I have a plan if our marriage doesn’t unite our families, but I don’t know how you’d feel about it.”

  She leans up on her elbows, knitting her brows together.

  “How will you know unless you tell me?”

  “The part of me that believes in the prophecy accepts that our plan will work. But in the cold light of day, when reality sets in, it tells me the only obstacles that would stand in our way would be our fathers. The Marocchi’s and Camarco’s will always be powerful in Vita whether there’s peace or not. Regardless of the war, we’re too rich and powerful not to be. There will always be a need for a head of each family.”

  “You’re talking in circles again. Tell me what you don’t want me to hear.”

  “It’s a possibility we’d have to kill our fathers and take their places, setting our own paths.”

  When she sits up, I’m quick to join her. “You’d be able to do that? Kill your father?” she asks, the words clogging in her throat.

  Not only is it something I know I can do, it’s something I’ve fantasised about doing often. “Yes. How would you feel if we had to end your father’s life?”

  “I wouldn’t cry at his grave, if that’s what you want to hear, but I don’t want to pull the trigger myself.”

  Sliding my hand around the back of her neck, I make sure she’s focused on me.

  “I would never put that responsibility on you.”

  Her eyes seek something from mine, stares intently at me for far too long.

  “You’ve known we’d have to kill them all along, didn’t you?”

  “I’ll never lie to you, Mila. Yes, I did. Our mothers would come to learn to harbour peace for our sakes. The men who work for our fathers would learn to work for us and follow our lead. It’ll all take time, but it will all fall into place. And Mila, the best part about it is, we’ll be together.”

  When her lips stretch into a wide grin, relief surges through me. She’s not running away or upset at the prospect of having to kill her father. Skimming her fingers along my jawline, and I push her down onto her back and slip between her legs, making sure to keep my weight off of her.

  She’s like a fragile flower beneath me, but you only have to look in her eyes to know she’s much stronger than she looks.

  Weaving her fingers into my hair, she pulls me down and kisses me hungrily. Our tongues start to dance, and I grind my hips against her, needing some relief from the erection she’s brought on.

  She moans into my mouth, giving me undeniable thoughts of what I want to do with her, and then hating myself because I know I won’t follow through under an old oak tree on her father’s land. When I take her, I want it to be special for her. I may not follow every rule set out for me, but I’m not going to break her rules. There are going to be times in the near future when she’ll question her actions under the watchful eye of the Lord. But living in Vita, there are certain acts that will always be forgiven, though taking her virginity before our wedding night is not one of them.

  “I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you. It makes me feel so needy and greedy.”

  “Trust me, you’re not a
lone. This is killing me,” I groan into her neck, struggling to catch my breath.

  “Have you felt this before, with another girl?”

  Looking down at her, her determination to know overrides her shyness, and I’m glad I won’t have to lie to her.

  “Never. I’ve felt things, being a guy and all, but this hunger I have for you is new to me.”

  Hearing this makes her happy. She raises her hips and presses against me.

  “How is it we both want peace for thousands of people, but you make me want to sin?”

  Laughing, I roll onto my side and bring her with me, placing her firmly against my chest.

  “Once we’re married, it won’t be a sin. I won’t let anything get in our way of being together.”

  I hate wearing tuxedos. The collar is always too stiff and tight, making me feel like I’m suffocating. Tugging at the bow tie, my mother rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

  “Leave it be, Raphael.”

  “It’s too tight,” I moan, tugging at it one last time.

  My father plucks a cigar from his jacket pocket and proceeds to clip the end and light it up. My mother looks beautiful in her silver sequined dress, and now she’s going to reek of cigar smoke.

  “Listen to your mother. Anything less than perfection is unacceptable,” my father grunts, puffing on the thick brown stick.

  When he fills the limo with white smoke, I push the button to open the window halfway.

  The breeze helps as I watch the streets pass us by on our way across town to the mayor’s mansion.

  “Where were you today, son?” he questions. “I had Lucian looking everywhere for you.”

  Lucian is his right-hand man whose body will be falling alongside my father’s when I pull the trigger. I didn’t tell Mila about Lucian, because I figured the talk about our fathers having to die was more than enough.

  “I was around, so he couldn’t have been looking very hard. What did you want?”

  He puffs on his cigar and grins. “I wanted to go through what’s expected of you tonight.”

  I find it difficult not to roll my eyes, or sigh, or do anything that will give away that I’m already bored with the impending conversation.

  “While these dinners are ridiculous—and a total waste of our time—we, as Marocchi’s, still have to hold ourselves above everyone else, which isn’t hard to do. It won’t be long before you’re at my side as my oldest son.”

  I’ve heard all this before. He should save his breath; he’s going to need to savour every last one. In a matter of months, he won’t be breathing ever again.

  “He knows how to conduct himself, Stefano.”

  Father’s lazy gaze sharpens in my mother’s direction, causing her to curl into herself.

  “Hush,” he growls. “When I need your input, I’ll ask for it.”

  I dig my fingertips into my thighs.

  One day.

  One day I’m going to enjoy killing him. I’m going to enjoy watching the life drain from his eyes and hope I never forget the moment. He’s become too cocky, having not been targeted by the Camarco’s all these years.

  He’ll never see my bullet coming.

  I told Mila I’d never lie to her, and that’s true. But what she doesn’t know is, there’s a part of me that will enjoy ending our fathers’ lives. It wasn’t until last year I realised I would have to kill them. And since that realisation, my excitement for the job has grown each day.

  “It wouldn’t surprise me if they bring their spawn with them tonight. Alessandro is looking for suitors, and I want to know who he’s got his eye on.”

  The jealousy returns, but I let it settle, knowing it’ll be me she marries. I can’t wait for the day the city sees us hand in hand, as husband and wife.

  My father rests his gaze on me and says, “I want you to keep your eyes open tonight. I’m betting he’ll want to marry her off to the mayor, and I want it confirmed, son.”

  “What if it is?” I ask, just out of curiosity.

  “Then we’ll have to re-evaluate. We can’t let a union as strong as that develop. Imagine Alessandro ruling the city with the mayor as his son-in-law. It wouldn’t be good for us. It would be nearly as worse as you marrying her.”

  He snorts and goes back to puffing on his cigar.

  “It would ruin Alessandro’s plans if I did marry her. Could you imagine what carnage would follow if I took her as my wife?” I snort, trying to let on that I’m joking. I want to see his reaction as he tries to imagine his son married to the Camarco girl.

  His nostrils flare, and the corner of his mouth curls up in disgust.

  “It’s not worth thinking about. I wouldn’t let you marry her even to get one over on our enemy. You won’t be tainted with Camarco pussy. Our bloodline won’t be disrespected by mixing with enemy blood.”

  He’s never been so wrong. But I sit there, staring at him, making out that I’m listening and agreeing to every word he spews out.

  My heart has already been tainted in a good way by Mila. And one day, not only will she be at my side, as my equal, she’ll bear my children, and together, we’ll bring forth a new bloodline to reign over Vita.

  “Besides, I have your future wife already lined up for you. You’ll be married the week after your birthday.”

  Before the peace ball, I would’ve vehemently refused to take a wife of my father’s choosing. But having the knowledge I do now, I keep my cool façade and tip my head.

  “Who?”

  “Anthony Dupree’s daughter, Annalise. Alessandro isn’t the only one who can make moves to unify a stronger connection to Vita.”

  The Dupree’s own the bank, so I should’ve seen this coming. My father only cares for money, and the power that comes with it.

  “I’ve seen the girl, very pretty and willing. She’s already agreed to the union.”

  “When exactly were you going to tell me?”

  “Today. You’ll meet her shortly. I want her falling in love with you by the end of the night, you hear me?”

  This changes things. I might be looking forward to killing two tyrants, but the idea of tricking a girl into falling in love to keep him happy doesn’t sit well with me.

  I’ll have to play along to some extent. I just hope Alessandro doesn’t bring Mila tonight. I couldn’t bear for her to see something that isn’t real.

  The car comes to a stop outside the mayor’s mansion, and just as I go to open the door, he repeats, “Tell me you understand, Raphael, because you’re going to soon learn you don’t always get to make decisions with your heart.”

  I won’t lie to Mila, but I sure as hell don’t mind lying to my father.

  “I understand.”

  Throwing open the door, I straighten out my tux jacket as I wait for my mother to climb out. Holding my arm out, my father nods from the other side of the car. Appearances are always deceptive, but all so important to him. He’ll like people seeing how devoted I am to my mother, which saves him from having to put on an act of wanting to be close to her. Honestly, I don’t know why she stays with him.

  My father leads us inside where waiters are handing out glasses of champagne to the guests just arriving. I don’t particularly care for the stuff. It’s too pompous and gives me a killer headache the next morning. Still, I carry my glass around as not to look out of place, and freeze when I see Mila standing with her parents, talking with the mayor. I’ve come to learn her smiles, and the one she’s offering now is too tight in the corners.

  As if she can sense me in the room, her eyes roam over the guests until they land on me, and her lips relax.

  This time next year, she’ll be with me, and her smile will be genuine.

  “Son, I’d like to introduce Annalise Dupree.”

  My father’s haughty voice breaks the moment with Mila. Her smile slips when her eyes cut to the girl being pushed closer to me, and my mother slips her arm from mine and goes to stand beside my father.

  I turn my attention to Annalise, noti
ng that my father was right. She is beautiful, and willing. Holding her hand out, I do as expected and lift it to my mouth and press my lips to her lace gloved hand. Only she’s not even in the same universe when it comes to Mila’s beauty.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Annalise.”

  “It’s nice to meet you too.”

  I don’t know what to say next, and I sense my father’s agitation building beside me.

  “I’m sure you would both like some time to get to know one another. What do you say, Anthony, shall we leave them to get acquainted?” my father says loudly, making sure he’s heard by everyone in the room.

  “Actually, if you wouldn’t mind, I need to use the restroom first. Would you mind staying with Annalise until I return?” I ask my mother, who smiles warmly.

  “Of course.”

  My father doesn’t get the chance to argue with me because I don’t hang around. The Marocchi’s and the Camarco’s stay as far apart as they can at these events, but I brazenly walk past Mila and her parents on my way to the bathroom. Her father is too busy schmoozing the mayor to notice me, but Mila tracks my every move.

  When I dart my eyes toward the archway on my way out of the room, Mila gives a slight nod, and I sigh in relief.

  There’s only the wait staff lingering around, and they’re not paid enough to interest themselves in me as I hover near the bathroom door. She doesn’t keep me waiting long. When she’s close enough, I reach out and take her hand, pulling her into the bathroom before kicking the door closed behind me.

  Backing her up against the wall, I press my lips to hers before a single word can be spoken.

  I need everything from her, but her touch is enough. She kisses me back, and I’m careful not to ruin her hair or rumple her dress, reminding myself she has to return to her father in the same state she left in.

  “Who’s that girl?” she questions, breaking the kiss.

  “Annalise Dupree. My father has arranged for us to be married a week after my birthday, which he just sprung on me during the drive here. He wants her to fall in love with me before the night’s over.”

  Her fingers dig into my chest like talons, and I find myself falling deeper in love with her over her jealousy.