I smiled politely when I saw James standing outside the café. The Blue Brew was more than just a café, it was a designer coffee house that was sleek and minimalist, almost like it was created by the same design team that had been through my mother's apartment. James had smiled for about a second until he saw the great lumbering man behind me.
“Err, hey.”
“Hi, uh he's my protection.”
“Oh good. Glad you're still being mindful of that.”
I nodded suddenly feeling awkward. James scratched his fingers through his dirty blonde hair, a playful smirk whipping across his face. I hadn't noticed it before but James was incredibly good looking. God damn it, this was wrong. I should bail on this right now.
“Shall we?”
He held the door open for me, waiting for me to enter. The shadow drew closer to me, almost like he was trying to remind me that I had to lift my feet to walk.
“Sure.” I mumbled and walked into the shop.
Lonna was sitting at the table behind me, he had his bottled water and his gaze was everywhere in front of us. We were situated against the wall, he had picked the spot. From his vantage point, he could see the entire shop, the entry to the kitchen and the toilets. He had scoped the exits and all of the staff and patrons. And he had given James the evil eye, telling him that he was going to keep one of them trained on him. Lonna told James that if he dared to even think about harming me, he would show him what it would be like to feel every single bone in his body break. Understandably, James was just a little concerned and told Lonna that there would be no issues, he meant no harm.
It was awkward at first and it wasn't because we had someone so close to us that might just be listening. I couldn't stop that little whisper inside my head that this wasn't lunch, this was a date. It taunted me, telling me that I was only lying to myself if I believed any different and that I was cheating on William. It didn't care that he had broken the claim or hadn't talked to me in two days, all it cared about was the fact that I was having lunch with another man. One that was good looking, he was pleasant company and clearly had an interest in me. I had ordered what I thought would be a Caesar salad though what I got when it arrived was something that might satisfy a mouse. I was starving and the few bits of lettuce that were artfully arranged on the plate with a sprinkle of bacon chips were not sufficient. I ran my finger over the bread crumb that was done in a swipe over the plate, tasting where they had located the Parmesan cheese. There were dollops of liquids on the other side of the lettuce and all I could think of when I looked at it was that it looked more like a piece of art than a meal. I looked up at James who was looking at his plate a little forlorn, his gaze met mine and we both burst out laughing.
“Is this the craziest thing you've ever seen?”
I nodded with a laugh. He had selected steak and chips and what came out was a round piece of the meat that looked like it had been cut with a circle cookie cutter, the chips weren't chips. They were bits of potato that must have been mashed and piped into a lattice formation and then deep fried. Another bit of art.
“I think I'm going to be more hungry when I've finished this.”
As I laughed I realised that this was the happiest I had been since meeting my parents. James had an amazing smile, one that made my heart skip a beat. He would always give one freely as we sat and ate our pathetic meals, every time I looked up, I would catch his gaze. It dawned on me as I was treated to another beaming smile that he was ready for this weeks ago. Surely he would know that things shouldn't move too fast if someone is rebounding? Then again, he might be the kind of guy that only dates rebounding women.
Lunch was pleasant, I walked out of the café hungry but grateful that I came. James rubbed his stomach with a cheeky grin, one that made me feel really odd. He was complaining that he was still hungry but smiling at me in a way that made my stomach flutter. And even though I had Lonna to ensure that I made it home safe, James insisted that he walked with me to the front doors of the building. I had an easy escape from this nightmare that was turning into a lust fest. James had to go back to work, he was on his lunch break and I also had the lumbering protection that was almost like a father figure and chaperone all rolled into one. We were at the doors, Lonna was maintaining his constant sentry duties and trying to give us some kind of privacy. Bastard, why can't he be hovering and giving his evil eye to James and help a poor girl out? We are going to have to have words. If he is going to be my permanent protection, he needs to know how to read my mind. James was still smiling though it was becoming increasingly awkward as we made, no sorry, strained to make the small talk that would end our pleasant time together. Then my worst nightmare pulled up alongside the kerb, Lonna stepped to the door and opened it for my parents.
“Darling, how was lunch?” My mother wandered over.
“Minuscule.” I muttered.
James nodded with a chuckle. My mother raised her eyebrows at me as my father walked over to us. Crap, I hate introductions. It is always so awkward.
“James my parents, you've met my mother already, Alvarie.”
Clearly Porter had told him to be mindful of his manners and the fact that my father was royalty. Even though my mother wasn't a royal, she was so far up in the world of fae life, it was expected that the same greetings and manners be extended to her as well. He bowed slightly which was understandable considering we were on the street, no one wanted to be pointing out my parents like that.
“And my father Hemoi.”
“Hello.” He bowed slightly again.
He smiled back at him with his pleasant hello and then the awkwardness hit an all-time high.
“Uh, I should get going. Porter will being watching the clock for sure.”
My mother nodded with a smug smile as she watched him look at me and then to his watch.
“Would you like to join us for dinner tonight?”
I wasn't about to start complaining about my parents, I loved them to bits but they seriously had to learn to keep their mouths shut. James stuttered out that he'd love to as I stared at my mother. Clearly she needed the lessons on appropriate behaviour for mothers and their daughters who are trying to politely refuse the advances of a potential love interest.
“Great.” She grinned as she ignored my scowl. “We eat at seven.”
“Sure, okay. See you then.”
He smiled at me, one that could light a fire in my body and if he kept going, I knew that I would be in trouble soon.
“Bye.”
Bright blue eyes stared back at me, the smile broadened and showed off his far too perfect teeth. All I could do was stare at him, the sound of the thunderous beating of my frantic heart was booming through my head, reminding me that I was getting in far too deep. My mother shifted her stance, breaking my stare. Her smug grin hadn't died off, she was watching me with quiet glee.
“Bye James.”
Total hell, I was in serious trouble. To make matters worse, he turned to walk down the street and put his hands in the pockets of his jeans. It stretched the material tight over his backside, showing off how good he had it. When he turned the corner I snapped my head to my mother who was grinning like she had won some bet. She probably had.
They moved to the front doors of the building as I looked at Lonna. He shrugged at me, knowing that I was looking for some kind of back up. Nothing found with him, after all, he was on the payroll and my father was the one that kept him employed. So there was no siding with poor little Eliria.
“Are you crazy?” I hissed at her as we entered the lobby.
My father chuckled as he pressed the button for the elevator.
“No, I am not crazy. I see what is before me and deal with the situation as best as I can. You are young Eliria, you need to get some life experience. If you are meant to be with William then that is fine but in the meantime you can live your life and not sit around wallowing in pity for the things that happened. It was beyond your control and there isn't anything that you ca
n do about it. He needs to remember you or there won't be anything and until that happens you will be doing what my darling? What if it takes him a year to relent and get into the memory pool?”
The doors to the elevator opened and as we stepped in, I thought about William. He had been in this same predicament not so long ago. Forty years had passed as he waited for Carmella to return and after all that time, it didn't happen. In fact, it would have been another ten years before she returned and even then it wouldn't be to the life that William had envisaged.
Chapter Sixty-nine
I had spent the afternoon looking out across the city skyline, reading a book and having a secondary attack from the bayalan flower. Willa had been in while I was out and had sprayed it around the room when she cleaned it. Clearly my parents hadn't told her about my reaction or maybe she was trying to desensitise me to it. Either way it wasn't good. I wondered if they were doing it in preparation for leaving for their world. My mother wafted into the room and took a sneering sniff, figuring that I'd upended my lunch and ordered me into a relaxing bath. Good old lavender, no rising stomach contents to be found. But it wasn't relaxing, not in the slightest. I fell asleep and dreamed of William. You know, one of those kind of dreams that come with a parental warning. All it did was add to my depression, my mind was reminding me that I loved him and I could never forget him. My mother humming from the walk in robe roused me, I opened my eyes to the sun setting on the horizon, marred by the tall buildings. I found her going through the dresses in a good mood, still humming as she assessed several dresses. She turned slightly and looked at me, smiling softly.
“Dry off darling, Willa will help you get ready.”
I turned and saw the older woman behind me with her sweet smile. She was yet to actually say something to me but I figured that had something to do with protocols. Willa was about my height, maybe a little shorter than me. She would have once had a flowing mane of thick black hair, now it had dulled slightly to a soft dark grey. Like my father she was well tanned only she seemed to have more of a glowing bronze tinge to her skin. And like my father again, she had odd eyes. They were a hazel colouring but it seemed that the word didn't do it justice. Flecks of gold were around the outer edge, they seemed to darken when she smiled.
Willa gestured to the chair where she had been setting up her little work station. All sorts of hair tools were waiting to be unleashed upon me. There was no choice for this night, I knew my mother was up to no good and she was trying to get away with it by getting the poor unsuspecting maid to do it all. Or at least, I thought she was unsuspecting. It was likely that these two mother hens had been clucking about me while I was in the bath. My mother loved me, she wanted the best for me and I knew that she only had good intentions. She might say that William will find his way to me but she was determined that I would enjoy my life in the meantime.
James had already arrived by the time Willa had finished fussing over me. Whatever had been discussed between her and my mother about me and how I would dress for tonight had resulted in this stuffed duck walking out like she was extremely uncomfortable. The dress was floor length but it was incredibly revealing and I was worried that the straps for the halter neck would come loose or the material that held what little cleavage I had, would give way. My hair had been pulled up into a modest French twist and even though shoes had been set out for me, I went barefoot. It wasn't as if anyone would know, the dress covered my feet. When I walked out of my room, I could hear my father and James talking. The smell of dinner roused my weak stomach from its hiding place. It smelled familiar, a scent that took me back a few weeks. Willa was grinning a smile that was wide as she brought out a platter with a hulking piece of meat on it. She proudly showed off her efforts, clearly she wasn't used to the meat of this world. My mother was a few steps behind her, dressed in a long floral dress that was exquisite on her. For once, my mother actually looked feminine and not almost feminine. She smiled at me and cleared her throat, alerting the men to my presence. My father stood and smiled appreciatively at me, taking my mother's hand and walking into the dining room. James had stood to his feet, staring at me. He had changed into a suit, looking incredible. The dark blue shirt suited him, the black of the suit darkened it further. He had made an effort which was great but I was worried. I knew exactly what he wanted.
“I found a corkscrew, James.” My mother announced.
I turned to see my mother standing at the doorway, James walked over to her and passed a bottle of wine.s
“James brought a bottle of red, isn't that great?” She smiled at me.
“Yeah, sure.” I said softly as I followed them into the room.
The table was decked out, glittering glass and silverware in the light of the faux industrial lights hanging above the table. A large bunch of roses were nestled in a round vase in the centre of the table. They were blooms of red and pink and instantly it reminded me of the flowers that William had left for me. Willa was serving dinner, an array of vegetables that were appropriate to the roast beef that was resting on the platter beside her. Maybe I was wrong about Willa not knowing anything about the food from this world, it was obvious she knew something and I was a little relieved to know that I wouldn't find any chocolate chips among the roasted vegetables. My father was wrangling the corkscrew into the wine bottle as Willa put a plate of food out for me. I could feel the colour drain from me as I looked at the table. Roast beef with all the trimmings and a glass of wine that my father placed beside my plate. He placed one out for James who was still standing behind his chair, waiting for me to approach.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” My father grinned.
His tone was so haunting, his eyes darkening as he turned to me. “Eat up before your food goes cold.”
It was like he was channelling William, his cold tones and direct statements. I looked at my father, he smiled softly at me and I knew it was just coincidence but I couldn't get past it. My eyes darted to James, his face filled with worry as he looked back at me.
“I can't.” I whispered sadly. “I'm sorry.”
I turned and fled the room for the sanctuary of my bedroom. When I found myself in a morose state and thinking about William, I somehow managed to end up at the windows, staring out. Did he miss me as much as I missed him? Or was he off cavorting around the countryside living the life of a free man? It killed me to think that he didn't care about me, that he didn't want to know what I was doing or how I was. He was permanently on my mind and I wondered if it was like that for him, did he ever think of me? The sun had fully set and now the moon had risen, shining a silvery blue across the land. My room lights were off, there was something comforting about the darkness and the light of the moon that I knew had a lot to do with William. I found ease with this time of the night, even though it was dark and it could hold so many terrible things, there was something so idyllic about the night. I loved looking at the beauty of the sleeping land, everything was peaceful and quiet. People had gone home, soon they would be in bed and the world would soften to a whisper.
“Eliria?” James spoke softly at the doorway. “Can I come in?”
“Sure.”
I wiped the tears and turned slightly to him.
“Did I do something wrong? Do you want me to go?”
More tears escaped as I shook my head. He walked over cautiously, stopping in front of me by the window. “I don't want to mislead you James. I love William and I fear that you are going to get hurt if this keeps going.”
“I understand, I do. But I think that you are worth the risk.”
I shook my head again, wiping the tears away. “You are going to get hurt, I cannot give you what you seek.”
“You look to the vampire for love, the same vampire that turned you away after bedding you for weeks on end. He was using you Eliria, you were nothing more than a moment of entertainment for him and he saw the opportunity to end it without repercussion from your mother. Because what would she have done if h
e ended it without the excuse of memory loss?”
I shrugged at him, though I knew what my mother could do to William. What she would do to him though, that was a difficult thing to pick. She had protocols and etiquette to adhere to.
“I'm not here to make you decide, I'm not going to sway your decision either way. I am just telling you what I saw from an outsider's point of view. I think you are wasting your life pining for someone who doesn't want you.”
I folded my arm over my body, feeling the cold of the night lower over me. Wiping the tears away, I looked up at James. He smiled sympathetically at me.
“I'm an expert in the field of it, didn't you know?” He gestured between the two of us. “All these weeks thinking about you and look at me, at this. Love sucks, doesn't it?”
I nodded, agreeing emphatically.
“It was the highlight of my day walking into that hospital, I hoped that you would wake when it was my shift. At the end of the shift if you hadn't woken I'd be upset. Don't freak out but I talked to you when you were under.” He took my hand into his. “I held your hands and asked you to wake up, telling you that life is worth living, no matter how bad you might think it is.”
His head lowered slightly as he took a deep breath, the light of the moon shone over him. The silvery light was stunning on him, giving him a darker presence, making him incredibly gorgeous.
“Don't get mad at me but I kissed you.”
His eyes raised to mine, the blue glistened bright. “Just a soft kiss. You looked so beautiful, so perfect. I'm not the kind of guy that goes and does things like that but I couldn't resist you. You are so tempting.”
Deadly Beasts (The Curse of the Rose Book 1) Page 44
