Working on tossing back the fourth round of bourbon, Nicholas was certainly feeling ancient and worn. A good hour must have passed when he heard her call. Shadowing back upstairs, upon entering he noted the pain in her expression. He could not tell if it was physical or because she had to lower herself to ask for his help.
Her skin was thoroughly scrubbed from what he could see above the soapy water and so was her hair. Nicholas could tell by the tense hold of her shoulders that she was anxious, but tears filled her eyes and she whined pitifully, “I am too weak to lift myself out and the water is cold…and I am really tired…and hungry and…freezing.”
He almost grinned at her but he checked it, knowing it would not be appreciated. Ella was cute in her rambling dismay. Nicholas offered her a sympathetic look and made his way to the side of the tub. Grabbing three fluffy towels, he lowered to the tiled edge. After draping one over his lap, and unfolding the second and third over his shoulder, he pushed back his sleeves. Leaning down to grasp her under her arms, he lifted her onto his lap.
Nicholas was wrapping one of the towels around her body when she muttered, “If I had not been so weak, I would have pulled you in. How could you possibly tell that I needed a bath, smelling as you do?” Ella thought he seemed tired before, but he looked haggard. She had never seen him so unkempt. His clothes were wrinkled, his hair was in desperate need of a brush and scruff had grown on his cheeks. Even those gorgeous eyes of his looked more muddy than topaz.
He kept her perched on his lap as he began squeezing water from her hair with the second towel. His reply was matter-of-fact rather than defensive, “I have been a bit preoccupied keeping a certain foul-mouthed witchling alive.”
She nodded as she tucked the towel more securely around her, submitting to his ongoing efforts to dry her hair, “I highly suggest you make use of that shower over there now that this foul-mouthed witch is going to live.”
He thought her heard a smile in her voice, but in the way that he had settled her on his lap, he could not see her face directly. It was further concealed from view by the long red-tresses that now hung nearly to the curve of her waist. He fingered the strands between his thumb and forefinger, “You have let your hair grow, Princess.”
Ella only nodded in response, but he took heart that she had not railed at him over the use of his pet name. Nicholas determined that he had her hair dry enough and scooped her up in his arms. She did not protest, but she did not melt in to him like he preferred either. Taking her from the bathroom, he deposited her on the edge of the king-sized mattress. Holding up a finger as an instruction for her to wait, he strode through the door that was on the other side of the bathroom entrance. A few seconds later he returned, dark blue satin material in his hands and explanation ready, “I had ordered a number of things for you and had them delivered here…before I knew you had returned to the Realm. Anything you might need - clothes, nightgowns, shoes…”
He expected the flicker of interest he viewed in her eyes the moment he said the ‘s’ word. Smiling, he finished, “It will all be in that closet.” Nicholas dropped the sleepwear next to her and turned away, “I am going to take the shower that you so politely recommended. If you are back in bed by the time I am finished, I will get you something wonderful for dinner.” He paused at the door to the bath to add a threat, “If you are not, I will bring you toad legs and bat snouts.”
Ella had a small smile for his retreating back; he remembered her story of her mother’s threats to a finicky Witch toddler. Waiting until the door was firmly closed behind him, she shimmied out of the towel. Ella paused to clasp the ring hanging by the chain tightly in her hand. Nicholas was trying to make amends and everything in her wanted to just forget the past few months and accept that this man before her was the Cole that she loved desperately. She had witnessed Nicholas though, the night of the battle – the hardness, the wicked warlord – everything that had caused him to be crowned the Warrior of Dark. How he could so easily shift between that Warrior and the man that had tenderly held her and dried her hair moments before, the man that had confessed his love of her with words so full of heartbreak that it had brought her to tears. Cole was with her and it was as though they had never been apart. She wanted to forget they had ever been. But when would Nicholas return? And when would Nicholas leave again, leave her again? The Witch in her kept shrieking that this was another ruse by the Dark devil.
Ella was too fatigued to carry on with the mental debate so she shoved it all away. Irritably snatching the garment off the bed, she found that there was also a short robe. Upon further examination, she realized that was a very good thing because the nightgown revealed more than it hid. She made quick work of donning what was there. Though she might be having a hard time deciding exactly how she felt about Nicholas after his confession in the bath earlier, Ella was not ready yet to climb back on the pleasure train with him and this little ensemble was definitely a one way ticket.
When Nicholas exited the bath, steam rolled from the room. It drew her attention, which had been focused on a movie on the large flatscreen hanging from the wall opposite the bed. She wished she had been able to ignore him. Droplets of water lingered on his shoulders, his tawny skin glistened with moisture – he was definitely no longer scruffy. Bare down to the waist, his towel was knotted loosely there. Nicholas caught the hungry look that flashed in her eyes. No matter that Ella was not ready to own it, he still made a mental hash mark in his win column.
His hair was wet, inky dark, which only made those whiskey-colored eyes more striking. Eyeing the towel as he cut across the room to the door on the far side of the expansive master suite, her eyes tracked every step of his journey. Nicholas really was beautifully formed; ridges of muscle covered his upper torso as well as his arms. He was muscular everywhere without being overly done. His abdomen was hard and flat, his shoulders broad. She had never had the opportunity to study him in this fashion. The only time that he had actually disrobed in her presence - and then only his shirt - was that first night he came home with her. She had been far too distracted by what he was doing to her, and intoxicated too, to take the time to look him over all that well.
He was watching her watch him and when she realized it Ella tugged the comforter higher around her, a fluffy protective barrier. She had schooled her expression to one of complete indifference, raising a chuckle from him before he paused to see what she was watching. Not hiding the disgust in his tone, he muttered, “Chick flick” and disappeared into the walk-in closet.
Nicholas exited in jeans a few moments later, bare-chested still, shirt in hand. Crossing his arms over his chest, he sought to bargain, “I will make you a deal Princess.” Without turning, her eyes shifted in his direction. His voice, when he continued, was a mixture of exaggerated pain and plea, “If we can watch anything but a chick flick, I will bring you chocolate with your dinner.”
Ella did not take a second to consider before tossing the remote at him. He snatched it from the air with a laugh, “So easy.”
Her attention had been captured by his upper forearm when he moved. Interior, just below the bend of his below, a tattoo was dark against the skin. Realization dawned as her eyes shifted over the design. Ella rushed on with no small amount of curiosity and just a whisper of accusation, “You bear the markings of a Christian.”
Nicholas had determined that he was going to have to be honest with her about everything if he was to have any chance to gain her trust again, but that conclusion did not make opening up particularly easy. Flicking through the channels, he found an appropriately gruesome movie and threw the remote back on the bed. Turning to give her his full attention, he said with little emotion, “Yes, Ella, I once was one.”
That was a shock, he could tell by the expression on her face before she ever murmured, “I thought you did not believe in God.” Ella witnessed black rage flash in his eyes and then it was tucked away as quickly as it had entered.
He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly w
hile he curbed his instinctive reaction at the mention of his biggest foe. Finally he sighed with resignation and ran a hand through his hair, “There is no Darkness without the Light, Ella. I have no doubt that the Vampire were spawned in Hell, just as I have no doubt that God let them come into existence and then created your breed. Not believing in Him and refusing to cater to Him are two separate things.” His words were clipped by the end.
Nicholas thought he might have to remind her to close her mouth after he finished his rant, but rather than react heatedly to his blasphemous statement, Ella did the opposite. Pushing free of the confines of her covers, she crawled down the bed towards him. He was not about to call her attention to the fact that the belt had pulled loose from the robe and she was giving him a scandalous vision of her curves. At least the great view would offset the discomfort he would endure with the interrogation he could see building behind those pretty green eyes.
She stopped at the foot of the bed. Kneeling there, Ella waved him over impatiently with her hand. Nicholas crossed the distance to accommodate her and as soon as he was within reach she grasped his wrist and pulled his arm near for closer inspection. He loved watching her expressions and smiled in spite of the strain the situation was having on his emotions. She traced her fingertip over the design, “You bear a tattoo of the Cross. Why?”
Nicholas nodded, his voice carefully devoid of any sentiment when he explained, “Many knights in the Crusades did, Ella.”
She gave him a skeptical look even as her fingertip traced the ridge of the scar down his side, permanently fixed now. He must have been transitioned shortly after the injury for the scar to have remained because a wound of that magnitude would have been mortal to a human, “You were a knight…in the Crusades? Who turned you? When?” The tone of her voice indicated she was not readily buying his tale.
He shrugged, changing his mind. Buckling under the discomfort he was experiencing, Nicholas decided that the minute details of his history were not relevant. Stepping back, he tugged his shirt over his head, “I have been many things during the past eight centuries Ella, but when I was mortal, I was a knight.” Once he had arranged his shirt properly, he leaned down and dropped a kiss to her forehead, “I was not always the big bad wolf, Red.” Ella frowned at him; he must have heard Kat using the nickname the night of the battle. The fact that he had not always been bad was of the upmost importance to her and she did not want him brushing her off.
Tugging at the edge of her robe, he ruffled her hair before stepping back, “I suggest that you tighten that belt, else I will leave the chocolate for your consumption and I’ll have you for dessert. I have big teeth…the better to eat you with…”
He was still laughing at her gasp of outrage and accompanying blush when he shadowed away. Ella did tighten her belt and then settled herself back into the mountain of pillows. Buried under blankets, the movie on the screen was disregarded as she was lost in her thoughts. She was pondering how it would be possible for a knight from the Crusades, one of God’s very own, to evolve into the Warrior of Dark. She could not help but wonder if it meant that there was hope yet for Nicholas to make his way back to the Light.
CHAPTER 33
When Nicholas returned, having shadowed back into the room quietly, he caught her studying the ring, swinging it to and fro on the chain. Ella dropped it as though it burned her fingertips when she noted his presence. Pretending not to notice her tucking it beneath the neckline of her robe, he moved to put a bottle of water on her nightstand. Wordlessly, he dropped a bag on the far edge of the bed before he went back into his closet. Returning clad in only a pair of black shorts, Ella had already scooted across the space and begun rummaging through his offering.
She glanced up at his footsteps. His comfort in his own skin and the ease with which he carried himself was sexy. Coupled with his half-dressed state, it made her mouth dry. Ella had to forcibly drag her gaze back to the contents of the bags. Damn him…he was deliberately forcing her to remember all of the good things between them…starting with the very-hot good things.
Nicholas had a mental chuckle; his witch was so not so good at hiding her needs, whether they be for food or more nefarious delights. He needed to prove to her that not only did her attraction remain, but her love as well. Then he needed to get her to admit it to herself. Reaching down into the bag, he handed her a large container filled with pasta smothered in a rich cream sauce.
Ella had earlier noticed from the packaging that it was from the same bistro as the food he had brought her for their first dinner. She hoped that he had brought that same chocolate cake this time as well and delved deeper into the bag to investigate. Nicholas snatched it away, ignoring her objection and pulled out a second container. Motioning her back to her side of the bed, he waited until she had put away her sulk and scooted over before sitting down. Stretching his long legs out in front of him, Nicholas settled back against the pillows.
Ella eyed him warily, “We are eating here?”
Nodding, he reached over to tuck a strand of hair back from her face. The look he gave her was smoldering, “Yes Princess, don’t you remember my fondness of picnics?” Her hard swallow told him she remembered exactly how most of their picnics had ended. His next words were husky, “Picnics in bed are the best kind. Do you want me to tell you why?”
He heard her heart pick up a few beats. A blush crept into her cheeks and a second later she gave him a firm ‘no.’ Ella pointedly focused her attention back on the movie while she ate. She was having more trouble keeping her mind focused on the storyline, but at least she was able to give the appearance of being enthralled. Her quick sidelong peeks told her that Nicholas was having no issue whatsoever getting fully involved in the story.
Ella ate as much as she possibly could and slid the container away. It was amazing how much difference food made in her energy level. With the band gone and her wound rapidly healing, she felt nearly normal. She had earlier seen him tuck a smaller container near his hip on the other side. Leaning over, she poked his arm to draw his attention from the dumb horror film. When he turned to her, she questioned, “What is in that box over there?” Ella extended a finger towards the topic of her interest.
He shrugged and turned back to the movie, “Condiments.”
She repeated his answer in a disgruntled tone, but saw then that he was trying not to smile. Ella leaned on over him and made a grab at the container, but Nicholas was quicker. Taking it in his left hand, he extended it away from the bed and out of her reach. His other arm wrapped around her and pulled her down so that she had no choice but to land less than gracefully over his torso. The belt had come loose once more and no small amount of her creamy flesh was pressed against his bare skin.
She swallowed hard, watching the fascinating trek of his tongue over his lower lip. Then she recovered and affected a perfectly juvenile whine, “You promised.”
He looked like he wanted to devour her, fangs peeking from behind his upper lip even, when he whispered, “Kiss me Ella and I will let you have the chocolate.”
Ella shook her head emphatically and Nicholas witnessed a bit of panic flare in her eyes. She managed to keep her tone casual, “You are attempting to change the terms of our deal. I performed my part as instructed. Give up the chocolate, Vamp.”
His eyes went black on her. She could feel the heat of his skin through her silky gown and he growled his words, sending a sensual vibration deep through her core, “Yes, Witch you did. Do you also remember me saying that if you did not secure that robe I would be having you for dessert?” He gaze skimmed down to where the press of her curves warmed his bare chest, “It seems you failed to live up to that particular condition.”
She righted herself, eyeing him all the while, but her voice sounded breathy despite her attempts at normalcy, “I cannot be held accountable for the faulty equipment that you provided.”
He adored her spunk. Laughing, he pushed her the remainder of the way off him and surrendered the box, “Insuf
ferable brat. Fix your robe.” She cast him a victorious smile and scooted back to her side of the bed, to which he complained, “Are you not going to share?” Her response was a chocolate mouthful of ‘no.’
She gave her attention to the delightful dessert, while his returned to the screen. A short time later his concentration was interrupted when she invaded his space yet again. Half the dessert remained in the box. He flicked the button on the remote, darkening the screen, and rolled onto his side to welcome her return. Anticipating that she was about to offer to share, he wondered what strings would be attached. Smart little Ella loved to barter.
Nicholas propped his head on his hand as she spelled out her proposal. “I would be willing to give you the remainder of this dessert…if you will tell me about the Crusades and when you were transitioned.”
He had absolutely no intention of telling her the details of the torture he’d endured during and after the transition, but he was not opposed to giving her the highlights. It would also help her understand why he had turned from God and found his path with the Darks instead. Though, Nicholas had not become the warlord that he was without learning the art of negotiation as well.
Shaking his head, he declined the offer and proposed an alternative, “For the dessert, which you will share with me …” Nicholas witnessed the jump of flame in her eyes. He had pleasured her well the last time he had shared this dessert with her and he knew she was recalling just that. He hurried on with the rest before he gave in to the temptation to just toss her onto her back, “And you will remove that robe….,” She started to protest, but he shook his head at her to let her know he was not finished, “…and you will kiss me, Ella. Then you may have my story.”
It was important to her that she understood his history, incredibly important. Ella also knew that he had every intention of using her weaknesses against her. The problem was that Nicholas was acting like Cole and he was damned good at it. Despite the lingering anger and distrust that she carried in her heart, she was cognizant of the fact that this male, be it Cole or Nicholas, could seduce her with little effort. Considering all of her options, she finally conceded, “The cake and the robe, no kiss.”
Forsaken (Ancients of Light #1) Page 23
