Thank you. THANK YOU SO MUCH once again to all those reading this story! I hope you enjoy this chapter! *wink wink*
More notes at the end...
Disclaimer: I don't own Underworld nor any of its beautiful characters.
Chapter 10 - Fathers and A Whipped Angel
Three years ago
When David arrives at the Nordic Coven, it was Lena who greeted him. Her normally kept hair was unbraided, messy, and it reminded him so much of how she had looked when they had fought Marius's lycan horde alongside each other. It wasn't just her appearance, the air smelled of the dead. He had smelled it in the breeze on the way here – rendering it useless of him to bring men from the Eastern Coven. The battle was over and won. Tonight was a repeat of a bloodshed that this frozen coven could, again, have done without. And David felt so sorry.
"Are you okay, Lena? Where are they?" He asks with urgency, silently worrying more about Eve than Selene or anyone else for that matter.
She was just a child.
Not mine, a voice in his head reminds him. But as good as, he counters under his breath.
And Selene, the Elders help her, was a warrior – not a mother. And the incident tonight was more proof that she wasn't fit to be her daughter's sole protector.
"I'm alright, David. Thank you." Lena touches his arm, pulling him away from his thoughts, and gives him a sad smile. "And so are Selene and Eve. Eve is sleeping in my bedchamber. I suggest we let her rest for now."
David agrees. "Alright. What about Selene?"
They were in the highest tower. David understands how Selene has wanted solace – she seems to seek it more often these past few days. But he wondered why she didn't go to the undercroft, where the Nordic vampires usually stay to have the peace and quiet they wanted. It was also where she was cocooned to gain the powers no other immortal has ever had, powers only she possessed. He would have wanted to see her fight again. It was such a sight to behold, the great Death Dealer in combat. It was one of the very first things he had admired about her. One couldn't see her in a finer form than she would be when holding a gun. And that is why he's more than confident that she would be one of mind with him when he presents his proposal.
"I'm tired of fighting, David." Selene says without looking at him. Not even a shrug in his direction. She currently stood by the window, leaning against it with arms crossed, staring out into the dark sky that always surrounds the coven's castle.
He clenches his fist but remains calm when he tries to reason with her. "Selene, if you just reconsider–"
"I have." This time she turns her head and looks at him in the eye. "This is not the way, David. You know that."
"Then you're no different to my coward of a father."
"David." He's got her full attention now. "Stop it." She reaches forward to touch his arm and he yanks it away. "Your father knew there was nothing to be gained in–"
"What if they have Michael?"
Both stopped and stared at each other. Deep ragged breaths and eyes full of emotion, his was of controlled rage and hers…there were tears threatening to fall down from her eyes and...
David aches for her then. He aches to hold her and shield her away from all the pain that she felt, all the hurt she's had to endure all because of a man she wasn't supposed to love. If she would just let him, he could be everything she would ever need, a friend, a guardian. A father to Eve. And yet she longed for another. One who wasn't even there, not anymore.
"Michael is dead."
David was taken aback. It was the first time he had ever heard her say it since she told him of Marius's blood memories. Had she finally accepted the truth of Michael's demise?
"Is he?" He challenged. His heart was racing now.
"I've made my peace…I'm trying to make peace with it."
Selene has just confessed something profound and meaningful to him.
She was letting him go. She was finally letting go of Michael.
"You should let go too." She adds on, now turning her back on him again.
What little happiness he was allowed to have she shattered all too soon, as he fully understands what she was telling him.
She wasn't going to fight the Sundals.
"What has happened to you? Where is the ruthless warrior I know? The one who will kill for everyone she loves? Your daughter–"
"Is here!" Selene whirls back around and now she lets the tears fall. "Eve is here." Her voice trembles and she looks a hundred years older as she pleads with him. "She's here, David...and finally can live a life she deserves. And I'm not going to lose her by starting a war that's long been won over."
"If you believe she is safe now – you're wrong. What happened earlier was just the beginning. Those were from the new forces the humans have just gathered and formed, Selene. They're not through with us just yet."
"Then what would you have me do?"
Let me in, he wills her desperately. Let me handle this, fight this war for you.
"I just saw my daughter kill almost half a hundred men," she continues. "The child of Michael, who, if you had known him, would rather die himself than watch his only child slaughter anyone! He'd have protected her…Would have done everything to keep her away from all of that. He would have stopped Eve from becoming me."
"But he's not here to do that."
He knows he has just made the biggest mistake of his life in saying that. He was losing her. He was losing her even before he can have her.
"I could not believe you right now." She says very quietly, disbelief and anger in her now very blue eyes.
He doesn't stop her when she leaves.
And he lets the cold consume him.
The Present
He could not believe the woman in front of him.
Selene was seated opposite Michael, in another armchair that was much closer to the fireplace than the one he was on. She was talking to him nonstop for a couple of minutes now. Saying things and words he's yet to try to piece out together later as his mind grasps the…absolute craziness of everything that has happened in the last half hour.
She kissed me.
And I kissed her back!
We kissed.
And was about to do more than just kiss...
These four exact thoughts were on a loop inside Michael's mush of a brain right now. And one party of that glorious kissing session was now talking and acting like she didn't just devour the other party – who was barely two feet away from her – not less than five minutes ago.
It was killing him.
I hope she doesn't notice I'm not taking a single word she was saying. He used this chance to really look at her. Her face was still flushed but her hair really wasn't all that messed up – he can't say the same about his.
He runs a hand through his hair and prays she wouldn't notice. Yep, she was a grabber alright.
He examines her mouth as he tidies up his messy curls. Her lips were still a bit swollen.
Michael gulps and stops his wandering eyes and lets it stay on her mouth.
He wants to kiss her again.
What will happen if I just...lean over and…? Will she let me–
"…Michael."
He starts. "I'm sorry. I–What?"
"Have you…Did you even listen to anything I've just said?"
He tries to look apologetic and fails. Rubbing his face with both hands, he lets out a heavy sigh and tries to explain himself. "I...Sorry. I'm really distracted right now and a bit...concussed."
He wasn't lying about that. His head was throbbing. The pain was minimal but he felt it all the same and his body ached all over. He's just realized he hasn't slept for over twenty hours now – and he smelled like shit. He was a soldier but he's just about exhausted his strength – physical and mental – what with coming here, trying to fight David – only to end up getting himself beaten up to the ground – and of course, that kiss...
His head was reeling…Literally.
"I think I need to lie down."
Michael got Selene incredibly worried with that statement.
She stands up quickly and walks over to him. Gently laying the back of her hand on his forehead, she bends down, cradling his face with the other hand and looks at him straight in the eyes. The striking deep blue-green beauty of it was almost enough to have her thoughts careening off again into the blissful abyss where she only associates with Michael.
Almost.
One of them needs to function and with him clearly about to pass out any time now, she needs to have just even an ounce of self respect. She takes a deep breath.
His eyes seemed dazed when she examines them, unfocused. And the flush of his face was fading. He was looking paler and paler by the minute.
"Selene…I–" He whispers to her.
She ignores the tingling sensation in her stomach from the way he says her name and continues fussing over him by now moving her hand down on his neck. It was warmer than normal.
What's happened to you, Michael?
Before she can ask him, his eyes finally roll back to his eyelids and his head sways unconscious and sags into her chest.
He's fainted.
Eve was surprised to find Varga outside her mother's room.
"Hey." She greets him.
"Hullo, princess." He says in return, giving her his usual disarming smile and Eve can't help but blush. The Eastern Coven wasn't perfect – she preferred the frozen walls of the Nordic – but it certainly did not lack of attractive and amusing men.
"Is fath–the Sundal soldier with mother inside?"
Varga doesn't miss her slip of the tongue. "Yes, your father and mother are in there." He leans in and wiggles his eyebrows at her then whispers intriguingly: "Snogging."
"What?!" Eve was so shocked that she forgets to pretend not to know what snogging means. "I mean..."
But he just smirks at her. "Relax. I'm not your mother." He leans on the wall beside the door with his arms crossed and motions for her to do the same.
They were snogging.
Wow.
I knew it.
I knew it!
She felt so giddy with excitement that she jumps in place and tackles Varga with a hug.
He indulges her for a bit and even twirls her around once. But when he puts her down, he gets serious again. "Are you nervous, Eve?" He asks, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I...Yeah, a little bit." She admits, feeling like a child again.
"But are you happy?"
Smiling widely at him, she nods. "Incredibly so."
"Good. Because that's the only thing that matters."
They were quiet for a while, then Varga does something he's never done before. He kisses her forehead.
Eve was deeply touched.
"You're a wonderful kid," he continues. "You're your mother's entire world, d'you know that?"
"Really?" Eve did know that but having Selene as your mother...Well, let's just say no one can ever tell with Selene.
"Of course you are. And now you'll be your father's too." He moves away from her and leans on the wall again. "Once he wakes up."
What?
"Wakes up? Why? What happened?"
Selene was watching Michael sleep.
They were in her bedchambers, the largest area of her private quarters. And he was on her bed, sleeping soundlessly.
Even when asleep he was an angel.
It's the first time she's allowed to watch him like this, vulnerable and untainted with troubles – troubles only she had inflicted on him – not since that time he had saved her from drowning. Not even the one time they made love ages ago was she able to mark him with her eyes. He was gone by the time she had woken up.
She would have watched him then, if given the chance. And why not? Michael is achingly beautiful, the kind of beautiful that makes one wonder what expected consequence or burden he's had to endure in return for having such almost perfect features.
I believe I'm that burden.
He gently stirs, cutting off Selene's thoughts. He was moaning something but doesn't wake.
She tentatively moves closer to her bed.
He looks so human, she observes, was never fit to be anything but human...There never was a place for you in the only world I know, Michael. I'm so sorry for ever ruining your life.
She takes another step again, her thighs were touching the mattress now, and then...she smells it.
Michael...smelled. And not a good one at that.
Selene scrunches her nose and was about to call Varga again to change Michael's clothes when a thought occurs to her.
He'll see him naked.
Maybe she should just – No!
I'll see him naked.
She smacks a hand on her forehead. Do not be a foolish maiden, Selene. You're not even that anymore.
And you've seen everything there is to see.
But that was ages ago. And he's a soldier now.
She sighs and braves her way to him again and undos the first button of Michael's Sundal uniform. She lets out a breath she's unaware she's been holding, also exhaling the foulness of him from her nose when she does.
Quite the turn-off.
She knelt on the bed now and goes to work, a scowl plastered on her face. The stink of him was beginning to spread to the sheets – her precious sheets – but that was why she was changing his clothes right, Selene? She was a woman who likes things uncomplicated and there is nothing more simple than undressing an unconscious man. And so undress him she did.
When she was done unbuttoning his top her fingers linger on the buckle of his belt and she finds herself at a crossroads.
She realizes then that she wasn't brave enough.
No way was she going to do anything anywhere near that.
Not right now at least, Selene thinks guiltily, biting her lower lip with one fang.
Moving on from his untouched belt, she goes back to the now exposed torso and pointedly ignores the perfection of it, tanned and toned to the last bit of muscle.
She scowls again.
Pulling one shoulder and upper arm, she flips him over to lie on his stomach so she can fully get rid of the thick uniform he's wearing.
And that's when she sees it. A lot of it.
There were deep slashes on his back, wide open burns. Blood from the long slits stained the tattered back of his shirt and now her sheets.
She touches one of them lightly. There were extracts of silver nitrate left on the burned skin. Whip gashes of it.
David's weapon of choice.
Selene's jaw tightens and she physically restrains herself from throwing something within arm's reach. She stands up and storms her way out of her quarters instead.
In her fury she forgets one important detail, possibly the most important detail from her accidental discovery of Michael's wounds.
The blood from them were not dried blood and the cuts were not healing.
Guest - David is in love with Selene? : I'd like to think he is.
shannai8: Hope you enjoyed this one! :)
Spring: Hello! Hope you loved this one too. Hehe. Sorry for the no show of the Sundals. They'll certainly appear in the next chapters!
Juliana Guest: I'm so sorry I didn't have them trading stories…yet. Also, I hope I at least succeeded in showing that yes, it was definitely because she wanted to protect Eve that she didn't rush to fight off the new enemies – hence failing to rescue Michael from becoming what he is now. :(
AmericanWildDog: Haha. I don't hate David but I don't like him that much either. I just think he's too self righteous for his own good. He's not a baddie though, not fully. Everyone has their own dark sides. And LOL, yes. We were all Eve in that one, and probably in the next couple of chapters, we will still be Eve… :P We'll see what I can do about the blood memories. But where's the fun in that? ;)
Guest - Everyday I come here... and check if there's another chapter kkkkk : I got this review when I was working in the office and had to keep from laughing out loud. I certainly hope you were happy and satisfied with this chapter! *wink wink*
To everyone: I am so sorry Eve and Michael haven't had the chance to meet yet. Believe me when I say I really did plan for them to do so in this chapter but alas…My muse was really just too stubborn to not follow the intended plot. In the next, they surely, SURELY WILL. I promise. - Jill