by Abella Ward
Of course it was the woman's fault. Rosa could have laughed. Were her supposed crimes even true, or was he just looking for a way to justify himself? Rosa crossed her arms and glared at him. "Do you really believe that?"
"If you want, I will imprison her instead of leaving her in the courtyard."
"Why didn't you just imprison her to begin with? Why nail her to a post? I know you're Roman and they liked their crucifixions, but this is the twenty-first century!"
Angelus' brow furrowed. "I wasn't a Roman. I was a slave."
"You told me. You were a gladiator. But just because you had a violent life then doesn’t mean you have to lead a violent life now."
"My goal is to reduce violence as much as I can. Freya–well, she has attempted to overthrow me many times. She… she has done horrible, horrible things, including forcing humans to worship her as if she were the Norse goddess she's named for. It's Vampires like her that kill and terrorize humans and make it so difficult for humans and Vampires to exist in peace. I just want to find a way to make her listen so that I don't have to kill her."
Rosa swallowed hard. She wanted what he was saying to be true so badly. But could she really just believe and forgive him so readily? He nailed a woman to a post today–what would tomorrow bring? Looking away, she flipped through a few pages of the contract she had signed.
"This says I can break out of the agreement anytime I wish," she mumbled.
"Yes." Angelus' voice was just a whisper. "You can. But please don't. Please. I haven't enjoyed spending time with anyone like I have with you. It's not just about the sex. It's you. I love the way your eyes light up when we're talking about history and the way you ask so many questions, unashamed of your curiosity."
Rosa clamped her lower lip between her teeth. His eyes were so earnest and sincere, the plea in his voice so raw. How could she not believe him? He reached to touch her face, but she drew back. She had to have more than his love for her to go back to him, didn't she? Michael always said he loved her mother. Maybe he even believed it himself.
Angelus withdrew. "Why are you afraid of me?"
"I… I can't live with casual violence," Rosa whispered. "I just can't."
"I would never hurt you."
"Unless I did something to deserve it, you mean."
Angelus' brow furrowed. He was silent for a long, long time. Eventually, he swallowed hard and hesitantly touched her hand. "What happened, Rosa? What made you so afraid?"
She couldn’t help herself. Tears began pouring down her face, and she blurted out everything about her stepfather. Angelus' eyes widened as she spoke, and when she finished he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. Rosa clung to him, a great sense of relief washing over her. She had never told anybody this before. It felt so good to be in his arms…
"Oh, Rosa… There is no excuse for what that man did to your mother. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. I would never do the same. There could never be a reason for hurting somebody like that. I'm sorry that what I did reminded you of him. I'm so, so very sorry."
It was exactly what she wanted to hear.
Without thinking, she lifted her face and kissed him fiercely. Angelus' eyes widened further, but at that moment Rosa didn't want to talk anymore. She didn't want to be afraid of her stepfather or what might happen between her and her Vampire King in the future. All she wanted was this moment–this feeling of being safe in his arms. It wouldn't last, she knew, and so she would take advantage of it for as long as she could.
Not breaking the kiss, Rosa grabbed the front of Angelus' shirt, ripping it open. Buttons flew off, peppering her skin. Angelus made a surprised noise, then moaned into her mouth. He grabbed her hips, flipping her onto her back and following her down, attacking her neck and collar with fierce kisses. Heat swirled in Rosa. Her movements took on their own frenzy, tearing at his clothing.
"I want you inside of me," she growled, palming him through his pants. She grinned when she felt the effect she had on him.
"We should talk," Angelus grunted.
"No. Enough talking. I want you inside of me right now."
There was a tearing noise, and the chill air had goosebumps rising on her arms and stomach. Angelus held her hips tightly, keeping her in place, and met her eyes. He let out a pent-up breath as he eased her pants down to her knees.
"Are you sure you want to move this quickly?"
"Yes." Rosa rolled her hips upwards. "Take me now."
"I haven't prepared you yet."
"I don't care."
"I do." Angelus pressed her hips down into the bed and slid down until his breath was on her thighs.
Rosa groaned, both yearning for and dreading what he had planned. She knew he would blind her with pleasure, making her beg for release. When he finally gave her what she wanted, it would feel so good that she would think she was dying. She dug her fingers into his hair, struggling to stay still as he started. It didn't take long before she was tugging at his hair, desperate for him to be inside her.
Angelus caged her body with his, thrusting inside her with one smooth motion. Rosa's back arched to him and she screamed his name as blood rushed in her ears. She clung to him as he cast her adrift on a stormy sea, eyes locked on one another, bodies tangled and writhing. Rosa pulled him closer, crushing her mouth against his as her core tightened, flaming hotter and hotter until she thought she might burst into flame.
Both their movements were desperate, knowing they only had this moment together… knowing that when it stopped they would have to face a reality that they didn't want to acknowledge.
***
When dawn came, Rosa was utterly spent. Her body was so exhausted that she could hardly keep her eyes open while she and Angelus showered together. She loved the way he held her so tenderly, whispering such beautiful things into her ear. But the night was over, and with it, the fantasy ended. She needed to face facts again.
She could not fully go back to him while his first reaction to a woman's crime was to publicly humiliate her and nail her to a post in the courtyard for everybody to see.
"Will you put Freya in jail instead of… where she is now?" she asked as she dressed.
"If that is what you want. I suppose that if I have her flogged it would have the same effect…"
Rosa turned away. Did she expect him to change just because she told him about her history?
Angelus brushed his fingers against the back of her neck. "I was thinking that when we get back to the palace, we can watch a fascinating documentary on the terra cotta warriors—"
"No."
Angelus was silent for a long moment.
Battling her own anxiety, Rosa turned back to him and raised her chin. "I'm not going back with you."
"Why?" The King's jaw worked. "We just made love all night. How can you—?"
"I told you, I can't live with violence again. If you are flogging others, how long will it take before I do something that you disapprove of and—"
"I would never—"
"Never?" Rosa shook her head. "You see violence as a necessary evil. I just see it as evil. No, I'm not going back with you until you can solve your problems without violence or the threat of it. As of this moment, I am withdrawing from the contract. I will not be your mistress any longer."
Angelus stared at her. "Rosa, it's not safe for you to do this."
She felt her spine stiffen. "You’re threatening me even after everything that I just said?"
"What? No! There are people out there that are threatening you. I only want to protect you."
"That's what my stepfather told my mother." Rosa grabbed her pants and headed out of the bathroom. Her hands trembled with rage. I will not be manipulated into going back to him. "Goodbye, Angelus. We're done."
Chapter Six - Rosa
Tears rolled down Rosa's face as she placed her hand on the spot where her baby was kicking. It had been months since she left Angelus. He insisted that she live in the house that he had built for her
and filled it with servants and guards. She wouldn’t have agreed, only he showed her the threatening letters they were receiving, and she was too frightened to try to make it on her own again. Angelus stopped by often, but he never demanded she return, never tried to force or manipulate her–never even asked her to come back to him.
If I asked to come back, would he let me?
If it wasn't for him, she'd be back in that women's shelter, struggling to feed herself while earning her education. If Angelus had been anything like her stepfather, she would be back there already. He wouldn't be taking care of her while asking nothing in return. Now she was too afraid to be accepted back into the palace and his arms, knowing if their places had been reversed she might not give in.
Rosa rolled onto her side, wiping her eyes. The violence of Freya's punishment had terrified her, but the more she learned about that Vampire woman, the more she came to agree with Angelus' actions. She had even told him that. In response, he told her that she was right in that he took to violence too quickly, and he was working on a new legal system with a greater emphasis on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
"This is ridiculous," Rosa muttered, swinging out of bed. "I can't just lay here crying like a broken-hearted waif."
The baby kicked some more as Rosa crossed the room, to where her cell phone was plugged in. Her morning sickness had eased significantly now that she was in her final trimester–only six weeks left. She was having a girl. Angelus wanted to name her Helena, after his sister.
She hesitated a little before phoning Angelus. She knew she had been stubborn these past months, but she hadn't completely cut him out of her life, and it wasn't like her actions were completely unjustified. Apologizing for being afraid of the violence he meted out as punishment wasn't something she was going to do. Neither would she apologize for leaving. Even if her fears were unfounded, she was putting her health and safety first.
If Mama had done that, then maybe Michael wouldn't have killed her.
It didn't matter that the coroner's report said suicide. Even if–and this was an 'if' Rosa didn't believe in–her mother had actually taken her own life, Michael was responsible for it. The most frustrating and terrifying thing was that he would never be held accountable for it.
She let out a breath, phoning Angelus. He answered at once.
"Rosa, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I…" A lump formed in her throat. "I made a mistake by thinking that you were like my stepfather. I'm sorry for thinking the worst of you."
"I understand why you did," Angelus replied softly. "What else were you supposed to think?"
"Maybe I should have listened to you instead of jumping to conclusions."
"There was a woman nailed to a post outside your window. No, you made the right choice."
Angelus' soothing assurances made her tears start all over again. She rested a hand on her round belly. It was now or never. "Can I come back? I know I broke the contract—"
"I don't need a contract. I want you to come home, Rosa. I love you."
Rosa pressed a hand over her mouth to stop herself from gasping. Love? Nobody had ever loved her before. Not like this, at least. Her heart swelled with joy, but it left her hands cold with fear. What if he was only saying that to get her back? It was ridiculous, she knew. She was already coming back. He didn't have to lie to her about it.
Yet, after seeing the way Michael had manipulated her mother with similar declarations, she didn't have much trust in love. This applied especially to the love she knew she felt for Angelus.
"Rosa?"
"I want to come home, too," she said. "But I'm afraid…"
"I promise, I will give you all the time you need, my love. Just please come home."
"I'm the one who phoned and asked if I could come back," she pointed out. "You don't need to make any assurances."
Angelus laughed softly. "That's true. I'll have someone drive you back tonight if that's okay."
"It is. I… I look forward to seeing you again."
"I do, too… I love you."
Rosa hung up. She wiped her tears and smiled as she rubbed her stomach. "We're going home, Helena."
She was soon off, driven by a single car and a lone guard. Angelus must have found the people threatening her and taken care of it. The guards around the house had dwindled lately, familiar faces replaced by unfamiliar ones. If the threat wasn't over, at least it was diminished.
Rosa played with her dark hair as they drove through the streets, not paying attention to her surroundings. Soon she would be back at the Vampire palace with her Vampire King. What would she tell him?
It wasn't until they stopped in a dark, deserted area of the city that Rosa realized that they hadn't been heading to the palace. There were no other cars on the street. Her heart started thumping as her Vampire guard got out of the car, walked to her door and yanked her out.
"What are you doing?" she cried in alarm, struggling uselessly against his grip. He dragged her into the light of the headlights.
"Rosa?"
Her heart stopped. Bile climbed up her throat and Rosa couldn't move, frozen to the spot as a man stepped into the light. His pale features were illuminated harshly, a familiar cruel smile spreading over his face. His crisp blue uniform clung to his muscled body, silver badge flashing.
Michael Jones strode forward, looking at her as if it were Christmas. "Well, if it isn't my wayward stepdaughter. Allowing yourself to be impregnated by the Vampire King, are you? How far the mighty have fallen."
Rosa swallowed dryly. Whatever this beast had in store for her, she wasn't going to cower before him. She leveled her chin, trying to look braver than she felt. "Michael. So you're a part of the group wanting to overthrow the Vampires?"
"Something like that." Michael remained smiling.
"And you." Rosa yanked her arm free from the Vampire's grip. "He wants to kill Vampires and you bring me to him? Why?"
"Humans can't destroy our race," the Vampire replied arrogantly. "But they might be able to topple the Angel King."
"Angelus?" Rosa gasped. "This is about killing Angelus? Why?"
"For Freya." The Vampire turned on his heel and marched away, not looking back.
Rosa backed away from Michael, her arms clasped protectively around her belly. The shock of seeing her stepfather ate away at her determination to be strong until she trembled with fear. Whatever he wanted, she couldn't let him hurt her baby! She had to find some way to delay or deter him from harming her.
What did he want from her?
"Are you going to kill me?" she blurted.
"Not if I don't have to. The child is, what, seven months along?" Michael's eyes were locked on her belly.
Rosa stepped back from him. "Close enough. What are you going to do?"
"Kill you and cut the child out of you if need be. Seven months is viable, but I would prefer a natural birth."
He didn't want to hurt her baby. Rosa's shoulders sagged in relief. She almost started crying. If he wasn't going to kill the baby, then why all of this? "So, you want to use my child for ransom? Angelus loves me. You don't have to kill me."
"Vampires are incapable of love," Michael grabbed her arm. "Come along or I'll shoot you between the eyes."
Trembling, Rosa walked forward. What else could she do? Michael had all the power right now. She swallowed and met his cold eyes as they headed for a nearby building. "What are you going to do to me?"
"You'll see, Rosa." Michael smiled. "You'll see."
Rosa's arms tightened around her middle. Angelus will find me. He loves me. He loves me, she repeated to herself. He won't let anything happen to me or our baby.
The door swung shut behind them, locking Rosa in a place she didn't know with a man who had haunted her dreams for two years. Angelus, please find me!
Chapter Seven - Angelus
"They should be here by now."
Angelus paced back and forth on the porch leading to his palace. At any other time, he would
have admired the polished granite, the tile mosaic of the sun rising up the steps, the statues that held the balcony over his head. Now, in the dark of the night with no sign of his lover or the Vampires that he had ordered to bring her back, it all seemed too much. Unimportant, as if his designs for the palace had somehow distracted him from Rosa.
Beside him, Lucilia held her cell phone to her ear again, chewing her lower lip. Her small, delicate fang had torn open the lip, and Angelus cupped her face in his hand, brushing his thumb against the drop of black blood that appeared. Lucilia winced and stopped chewing.
"None of them are answering."
A lone car pulled through the gates. Angelus tensed further. There should have been at least half a dozen vehicles in the convoy. He was taking no chances with Rosa's safety. The threats had only increased in the past months since she had chosen to live elsewhere.
When the car came to a stop, only one Vampire got out. He moved with languid motions, strolling to open the truck. The scent of death hit Angelus' nose. Rage overwhelmed him. The thought of Rosa injured or worse drove him out his mind. He charged forward, his vision turning red. He heard a shout from Lucilia but ignored her.
He was on the Vampire in a second. The smell of death was stronger, and Angelus pounded his fist into the Vampire's face and chest. His knuckles cracked and a loud screech filled the air. The Vampire he attacked never had a chance to fight back. It was only because Rosa's living scent clung to the creature that he survived the onslaught.
Angelus growled, grasping the Vampire by the collar. "Where is she?"
The Vampire was barely conscious, but his eyes managed to focus on the King's own. "Our lady Freya will rise again."
Freya? What did she have to do with any of this? Angelus stepped back, his chest heaving as he panted. Morgan was beside him now, dragging the traitor to his feet. The Vampire began laughing. Angelus resisted the urge to throttle him.
"Take him to a cell and bring Freya to me," Angelus said, dragging a hand through his hair. "I swear, if my Rosa is not returned to me unharmed, Freya will lose her head."
