Bloodrose

by Cassidy Raindance

  I secretly hoped that Robert would be back in our apartment when we got to my floor and that maybe Lydia would get curious and come out of her apartment but no such luck. We walked by her apartment and the music was still loud. I couldn't hear them in all the noise which means they had either passed out or were doing other things. I tried not to think of it. I looked at the floor as Sebastian walked me to my door.

  "Prussia," he said, waiting as I tried to find the key for my door, "Promise me you won't go running in the park in the middle of the night again,"

  I was surprised. We were little more than strangers. It was odd that he would ask me for a promise.

  "I suppose that's not unreasonable," I said, "A little strange, but not unreasonable,"

  "Common sense, really," said Sebastian, "But you did do it once. I would be sad to open the newspaper and find out you were murdered doing something so ridiculous,"

  "As opposed to… what?" I asked, "A car accident?"

  "Right," he said, "Perhaps don't drive for a while too then, just to be on the safe side,"

  He smiled at me after a second and I smiled back at him.

  "Thank you for walking me home," I said, "It was unnecessary but I appreciate it. It did make me feel better,"

  "It was absolutely necessary," he said, "I would like to… call on you later,"

  "I will be fine, I promise," I said. I jiggled the key in the doorknob to my apartment and realized I had picked the wrong key somehow.

  "I know," said Sebastian, "I was just hoping I could use it as an excuse to see you again,"

  "Oh," I said. I looked up at him and his eyes looked kind and hopeful.

  Sebastian licked his lips, a slight nervous tick perhaps, "As friends or maybe the promise of more than friendship in the future. You are a very beautiful woman, Prussia," he said.

  "I think coffee, perhaps," I said, "Coffee would be okay. It's the least after what you did for me tonight,"

  "No," said Sebastian.

  "Okay," I said. I thought coffee was a perfectly safe and reasonable activity.

  "Dinner," he said, "At my family home, it's a birthday party. No pressure and it's sure to be a lot of fun,"

  I thought a moment. I felt obligated in a way. He had saved me. And I started to feel guilty on top of it all. I looked towards Lydia's door and the quiet of the hall crept towards me. That sneaking anger seeped into my mind and I was reminded about why I was in the park to begin with.

  "Who is the birthday party for?" I asked.

  "My great grandmother," he said.

  Not what I would call a dangerous date activity. I thought of Robert seeing me dressed up and going out with this handsome man. I looked down the hall to Lydia's door again and back to Sebastian.

  "Yes," I said, "When is it?"

  "Tomorrow evening," I said.

  "Oh," reality sunk in as I tried to think of what I could wear last minute. I thought of all my date night dresses and felt guilty wearing a dress I had bought for Robert with another man, "That's very last minute,"

  "I can pick you up at 7," said Sebastian.

  A desire to see the jealousy run rampant across Roberts face set in. Perhaps I wouldn't even need to wear the dress out. Perhaps Robert would exchange polite words with Sebastian and champion me away, asking for my hand and putting this entire Lydia mess behind us.

  "Is it casual?" I asked.

  "It is formal," said Sebastian, he glanced down the length of me and I blushed as his eyes lingered on my curves, "I will send a dress,"

  "I'm sure I can find something to wear,” I said, "It's no problem,"

  "Indeed," he said, "I'll send something just in case. The more options the better,"

  He smiled and opened the door that had my keys dangling in the door knob.

  "Have a nice night, Prussia," said Sebastian, "No more midnight runs..."

  "Promise," I said, "Cross my heart,"

  Sebastian winked at me with a smile and then strolled down the hallway and around the corner towards the elevator. As soon as I was in my apartment and had closed the door I smacked my hand on my forehead.

  "Cross my heart? Idiot!" I said to my empty apartment.

  My heart fluttered. From the excitement over a handsome man paying attention to me and saving me from the dangers in the middle of the night or the prospect of seeing Robert with an actual streak of jealousy, I wasn’t sure. I settled on Robert's jealousy. I wasn't the cheating type, I reassured myself. But as I drifted to sleep, my thoughts continued to drift to Sebastian and his eyes standing out in the shadows, piercing me in so many ways.

  Chapter 3

  In the morning I woke up to find Robert still had not returned home. I let the fuming anger in me subside when I recalled I had a plan to put in action. I felt bubbles of excitement as I sprang out of bed.

  I had to find something to wear that didn't scream but was still mouth watering enough to lend Robert to a polite jealous rage. I hit every shop downtown by lunch and didn’t find a single thing suitable within my budget. After lunch I tackled two of the local malls and didn't find anything that made me look respectable and attractive. It was either respectable or sluttish but not a balanced combination of both.

  I ran out of options and eventually my feet screamed for mercy. I went home empty handed and decided I should have shopped my closet to begin with.

  I arrived home to find a note on the door. I pulled the note from the door and realized immediately it couldn't be from Robert. It was in a pretty envelope and had good penmanship. My name was written in a beautiful scrawl across the front of the envelope. I took an actual note card out of the envelope.

  Please teach these roses how to be beautiful. – Sebastian.

  I looked around the hallway and saw nothing but the card. I glanced down the hall at Lydia's apartment and glared at the sound of music coming from her apartment so early in the day. What a lush.

  I pushed the door of my apartment open to find my entire living room, kitchen and entry way covered in bouquet after bouquet of red roses. They were the reddest and most gorgeous roses I had ever seen. I read the card again and blushed. Robert had never done anything like this.

  I closed the front door and leaned against it, biting my lip. I felt the flutter again and this time it wasn't for Robert, clearly. I steeled myself against my emotions, pushing my hands down in front of me as if it would stop the roses and the beautiful aroma surrounding me. I tried to remember why I was doing this. Why was I dating another man, all the while with Robert, and becoming a cheating wild woman just like Lydia, the snake herself?

  I straightened myself again. I reminded myself of my purpose as I pushed through the roses and tried to make a path toward the entry table to set down my keys. I was going out with Sebastian to make Robert jealous.

  I looked around at all of the roses again and was thrilled at how wonderful this was. It was perfect. I wouldn't even have to find a dress! Robert would come home, see all the roses and want to know what was going on. Then Sebastian would show up, Robert would tell him that I'm spoken for and that he must leave immediately. Maybe he would even pop the question, ring or no ring, in the middle of this beautiful field of roses in our apartment. I snapped out of it when I found that the entry way table had been taken over by Sebastian's generosity as well.

  A large black box sat on the entry table with a giant red bow. My mouth fell open and I’m sure I gasped a little. I was nervous as to what I would actually find in the box. After a moment I ripped open the box and decided I would simply look at it and send it back to Sebastian. I couldn't encourage him. I already felt bad technically using him, sweet as he was.

  My heart stopped as I saw the black beaded empire dress in the box. The delicate beading was intricate and reflected the light beautifully off of ever facet on each gem. I was certain that they would be made of plastic but as I ran my hand over each cold stone I was convinced they were actual crystals, hand applied in painstaking detail.

  I held the dress up and h
ugged it to myself. It was perfect. It was gorgeous and elegant, everything a girl could want in a formal dress that screamed sophistication. I folded the dress and put it back into the box. I wanted to wear it but it felt wrong. I spent hours comparing everything in my closet to the dress Sebastian had sent me but not a single one came close. I didn't expect anything in my closet would.

  The clock kept time and reminded me with every tick that Robert wasn't yet home. It was the weekend and he did work all through the weekend but usually he at least stopped in to shower and eat. The music from down the hall continued to grate my nerves as I became more and more nervous the nearer I came to 7 o'clock.

  When the clock reached 5 o'clock I felt like I had waited patiently long enough. I sent Robert a text and asked him where he was. After a few exchanges I realized Robert was already at work. He said he had stayed over at a friend's house after having a few too many drinks.

  Of course he would guilt trip me. I didn’t want him to drive around drunk, did I? But of course he didn’t need to drive between our apartment and Lydia's. It was just a few quick paces and a little tap on her door. I felt the anger bubbling up in me again and all I had was my thoughts, my anger, a room full of roses and that black box.

  I stomped over to that black box at a quarter to six and lifted the dress out, letting the crystals sparkle in the living room light.

  "Two can play that game," I said.

  I stomped around getting ready. I stomped until I put my heels on and then I clicked determinedly around my kitchen, pacing. I don't know why I expected Robert to still stop in. I knew he was at work now. He wouldn't be back until nearly 3 in the morning. My anger faded into nerves as I began to watch the clock tick closer and closer to 7. I was actually going to go on this date and Robert didn’t even know to be jealous.

  Perhaps I should call the whole thing off. I fussed with my up-do and took off and reapplied my lipstick about three times. I looked at myself in the mirror.

  "You can do this Prussia," I told my reflection, "You can pluck heartstrings and get what you want. Lydia has nothing on you. You have class,"

  The knock at the door could only be Sebastian and I felt like my lunch was going to make a second appearance today. I double checked my makeup and hair one last time and shuffled to the door.

  I paused and tried to get my thoughts in order. No turning back. I was going on a date. But I was not dating Sebastian. With a great amount of regret I was about to use Sebastian to make Robert a tiny bit jealous and drive him back into my arms and away from Lydia.

  I flung open the door and took a deep breath just short of a gasp as I saw the spectacular man before me dressed in a sophisticated and well tailored suit.

  "Prussia, you look positively regal," said Sebastian, leaning in and giving me the lightest kiss on the cheek I had ever had. He lingered close to me, an intimate distance.

  I could smell what I could only imagine was his cologne though I imagine it could just have been how he smelled, divine and masculine without effort. He had a single rose and a small white box. I blushed and looked down, unable to meet his deep beautiful eyes with their full force.

  "Thank you for the roses. They are beautiful" I said, "And the dress. It's amazing,"

  "Much like you, Prussia," he murmured close to me, "I see you taught the roses well,"

  I blushed again but this time I tried my best to keep eye contact.

  "You are," I said, looking at how his hair fell in soft waves around his face, “such a smooth talker," I tried to gain a bit of my composure.

  "And you are sweeter than any," he said, "A real angel on earth,"

  Sebastian held out the small white box out to me. My throat thumped with my quickened pulse. I had known this man less than 24 hours and with every lavish gift it seemed that this was the crescendo. Could it really be that a complete stranger would sooner ask me to marry him than my own Robert? Could I even still call him mine if that were true?

  I reached out for the box not wanting to see what I knew it held but needing to know if a stranger would sooner ask me to marry him than my long time boyfriend. I opened the white box with a slow and steady hand and as the cover slid off of it I breathed out a sigh of delight and relief.

  "You like it?" asked Sebastian, "I know women can be so very particular about this sort of thing but I thought perhaps you would entertain the idea?"

  I took the delicate little bottle out of the box and looked closely at it.

  "What is it?" I asked.

  "It's what every angel needs," said Sebastian, that smooth voice working me over with every syllable, "your very own Halo,"

  Sure enough the bottle said "Halo" with a crest of lions and the word "VECNY" below it.

  "It's such a tiny little bottle," I said, "I love little things but I've never seen a bottle this small."

  "Perfume," he said, "I thought it would compliment you perfectly,"

  "It smells divine," I mumbled.

  "Allow me," said Sebastian.

  He took the small bottle and dabbed a few drops on his large fingers. He pressed his fingers against my pulse points. He started at my wrists, standing close to me. His touch worked up into the inside crease of my elbow, then up to my neck where he rubbed the scent at my jumping pulse.

  The trail of fragrance rose up between the two of us as his hand caressed my throat. But my brain fought back the chemistry as I realized with every stroke that we were standing in the hall and if Robert saw us I would have no explanation. If Lydia saw us, Robert would hear the worst possible version and I would lose him forever. I looked away from his mesmerizing gaze and looked down as best I could with the little room there was between the two of us.

  "Have I done something wrong?" he asked. He took a step away from me then, genuine concern on his face, "I just thought...the way you looked at me, I thought,"

  "I'm stunned," I said, smiling and letting a laugh out, "You are amazing, handsome, kind...I'm in awe,"

  He smiled and it was his turn to look away with rose colored cheeks.

  "I supposed we should go if we want to arrive in a timely manner," he said, offering his arm.

  His demeanor was all gentile and perfect behavior. I smiled and closed the apartment door. I took his arm and smiled at him. We both looked down the hall and prepared to go. That split second we were both looking at Lydia's door and I wanted so much for her to open it and see us, see me with another man so she could run and tell Robert and give him a taste of his own medicine.

  But with each step closer to her apartment, and the elevator, it became clear she wouldn't be opening the door. I had to settle for the satisfaction that Robert would find the roses when he got home. That thought put a smile on my face all the way to the party. Petty as it was, I was excited for Robert to do the chasing for once.

  Chapter 4

  "You brought a human to a family gathering?" Lydia pointed her finger and stabbed it into my pressed shirt and tie over and over. I had never thought I would have to hold her at bay with the Queen nearby.

  "Lydia, what are you doing here?" I grabbed her arm and tried to hurry her toward the nearest exit, the front door.

  "Oh no, you're not brushing me off just like that," said Lydia, wiggling her arm away from me, "How dare you? How dare you parade a human in my absence, in front of everyone?"

  Her voice carried even when she was calm and it wouldn't be long until Prussia saw Lydia and her fit. Not ideal, that's for sure. I had to get her out of there.

  "You can't be here, Lydia," I said, "Lower your voice," I urged her.

  "I can go where ever I want and do what I damn well please," she practically spit the words in my face, "Perhaps I need to teach this girl a thing or two about the order of things,"

  Lydia tried to push past me to where the other guests and Prussia were mingling completely unaware. I renewed my grip on her elbow as delicately but as forcefully as I could.

  "No," I said, whipping her around to face me and grabbing both of her arms. I pu
lled her face close to mine, "You can't go wherever you damn well please, not in this house, not anywhere near this house. They will kill you…for good this time. And I'll never see you again. How could you come here over something so stupid?"

  "She wouldn't," said Lydia. Her eyes practically had fumes coming out of them. They were slit something like cat eyes but a much more menacing eye followed me.

  "You know she would," I said, "And if you go after Prussia, you'll seal your fate. And you know she'll have me be the one to seal it,"

  I tried to let the gravity of my words sink in. Her eyes looked back at me for a moment, the sadness and a bit of confusion flooding them. I watched as she fought the emotion sweeping across her face. She settled back on anger again and fought against my grip harder.

  "You would let her, you would," she yelled at me, "She can't, banished or not, not for a human. Humans are fair game and you and she both knows it,"