Chapter 10- You're mine
"So, Des, this is Micheala. Mike, this is Desiree Westlake", Mary introduced us. Micheala was beautiful, as any vampire would be; she had caramel blonde hair and green eyes, a petite figure and a pretty voice. She extended her hand to shake mine.
"Hello, Arsenio's fiancé, I presume", she smiled warmly. I heard Alex try to muffle a chuckle. Mary also bit her lip and looked away.
"Oh, no that was just a…no…I'm not getting married to Arsenio", I mumbled.
"Why not? I think you're a terrific couple", she smiled teasingly. Arsenio looked at her sharply, mortified. I blushed, looking down at my shoes.
"No, we're not…..a….anyway, how are you, Mike?", Arsenio said.
"I'm good, Arsenio. I was just in the neighborhood and Ken called so I decided to stop by. So what's else have you found out since last night?", Micheala 'Mike' asked us. She sounded very professional.
"Nothing yet but we want to clear out why exactly Mary and Alex are here", Arsenio said coldly. "Does Alice know you're here guys?", he asked.
"No, we came when she was out", Mary answered hesitantly. Arsenio immediately glanced at 'Mike' who nodded. I remembered her special talent of telling right from wrong. Must be pretty handy.
"So…", Arsenio prompted Mary.
"Look, we wanted to come from the moment we knew you were gone. But Alice never let us go. But you know how it would turn out if Alice succeeded, like when she destroyed father's trust in you last time. So, we want to be on your team", Mary finished. Micheala nodded again.
"Okay, so we've got a good team, let's get to work", Ken cried enthusiastically getting up. Micheala put out a hand to stop him.
"Wait, Ken, it would look really suspicious with a group of 6 American teenagers with enough cash to live in 5 star hotels running around Beijing", I said seriously. Everyone sighed, looking worried.
"She's right. So what do we do?", Arsenio asked.
"I think Mary and I should leave right now to talk to Mr. Miyagi again. You guys should get rooms here and lay low for today, okay? Once we get back, we'll talk", Micheala said and Mary got up to leave with her.
"Why Mary? She just got here. Maybe I should go", I offered.
"No Mary can sense emotions. So she can tell if Miyagi is hiding something. And I'll know if what he's saying is the truth", Micheala explained and the two left. The rest of us went upstairs to chill in the nothingness for the rest of the day. Alex, Mary and Micheala had booked two more suites in the same floor so it was going to be a lot more comfortable for us.
Alex and Ken got one and Mary and Micheala got the other. Which mean Arsenio and I had to be together. It was a little weird but he didn't seem to mind. The question was…did I mind?
We all met up in Mary's suite for some discussion.
"What if our parents go out of Beijing? Do we follow?", Alex asked.
"I think we should. Well some of us, anyway. You and Mary shouldn't. And we can't ask Micheala to follow us, it wouldn't be fair. So Ken, Des and I will take care of it", Arsenio affirmed. Alex scowled, got us and left the room. I jumped up and followed him into the bedroom where he sat to sulk.
"Alex, I think Alice would be hurt that all of us left her and came to China and that we're together here", I said kindly.
"Well, who cares? It's all Alice's fault. Our parents being gone", he snapped.
"Why in the world would you say that?", I demanded, having had enough of riddles. Arsenio, Mary, Ken; no one told me anything properly. And I had a right to know.
"Well, Alice ruined Arsenio and Ken's lives when they were younger and they got back at her. But she wasn't satisfied. She never stopped. She made him destroy his life with his own hands. It still resurfaces sometimes, when the…..", I was so enthralled in what he was saying that I didn't notice Arsenio marching into the room and stopping him.
"Alex, that's enough!", Arsenio commanded. Alex stood up, glaring at him.
"Why? Why don't you want to face what happened? I won't be stopped. Desiree deserves to know!", Alex shouted, close to tears. I was so stunned that I just gaped at them.
"I get to decide what she knows and what she doesn't, okay? Only I get to decide what she needs to hear!", Arsenio snarled in fury.
"I have to disagree. I am not a child; I need to hear the truth. And I am not property, that you have unanimous claim over!", I shouted, the moment getting very heated.
"You don't get to hear it", he said, getting up in my face.
"I say I do!", I breathed.
"No, you don't have a say in the matter at all".
"I am not your property", I screamed.
"Yes you're mine. And I know what's best for you. I know you'll be safer not knowing, okay?", he yelled. It wasn't that I quit the argument because I realized the over-agonizing truth of his words; it was because he called me his.
I was silenced and I sat down wearily. Arsenio smiled, proud that he got me back down. Ken seemed to blend into the background. Alex stormed out and went into his suite. Ken reluctantly followed Alex. I stood up to leave, my eyes filling up mysteriously.
"Des….", Arsenio began but I ran out before he finished. I could hear that he was right behind me but I never stopped. I sat on the couch in our suite. I felt distant. Dazed.
"Des, I'm sorry", he mumbled. I looked up at his handsome face, twisted in a mask of worry and concern.
"You called me yours" I stated simply, unthinkingly. He looked down, embarrassed. "Am I yours?", I asked, barely audibly.
"Are you mine?", he asked genuinely.
"I don't know, you tell me", my tone was suddenly challenging.
"Am I yours?", he asked testily. I just glared at him. Then, I sighed and nodded. The next thing I knew, Arsenio pulled me up from my seated position and kissed me, long and deep.
Time seems to freeze at first, letting you savor the moment that you've waited for. And then, time cruelly makes time fly, making you forget how many minutes have passed while you were in paradise.
I finally pulled back, craving oxygen. The two of us backed away, breathing hard and heavy. I looked at him, wondering if he'd run away like last time. Praying that he wouldn't.
"I'm waiting for your reaction", I stated, gazing at him, surprised by the slight tension.
"How do you think I'd react?", Arsenio asked, humoring me. I just shrugged and was taken completely off guard when he held me, spun me around and dropped me low, almost touching the floor. But he held on, a wicked smile on his face.
"What are you….", I began but I was cut off by his loving kiss. I tried not to laugh; I mean, this was just so sweet. He straightened and I pressed closer to him, still kissing.
When I opened my eyes, I realized we'd backed against the wall. He pulled back and began to laugh and the musical sound was so infectious that I joined, unable to resist even if I wanted to. And we laughed together, hugging. Ken came in, taking in our sideways embrace and hysterics. Alex followed, looking apologetic.
We desperately tried to stop laughing and finally calmed down after 5 minutes. We dropped our embrace and sat up properly.
"What's so funny?", Alex asked.
"No…don't. We don't want to know", Ken sighed and sat down with us. "Micheala and Mary are on the way here. They just wanted to freshen up a bit", he said. With her usual impeachable timing, Micheala waltzed in with Mary, smiling hugely.
"Excellent news, Miyagi told us that the parents are well and safe and he was not lying or hiding the truth. And we also know that they're out of Beijing", Micheala announced.
"Wow! That's great", and many other comments were being made. But nothing seemed that very interesting anymore. I tried to keep my eyes off Arsenio. And calm my excited pulse.
"But its not like you didn't have any excitement down here, right?", Micheala suggested, eyeing me.
"Nope not really", Arsenio answered and I looked at him. Both of us looked away, biting our lips, to hold in the giggles.
"What?", Mary demanded and everyone turned to gauge our reactions and expressions.
"Nothing" we said.
"So where are they, if they aren't in China?", I asked.
"We believe that they are somewhere in South Europe", Micheala said.
"Oh great, lets check out tomorrow. Alex, Mary go back home on the next flight out of here. Micheala, thank you so much but we can take it from here. Ken, Desiree go pack right now", Arsenio switched into official mode.
"Not so fast, big boy. I'm going with you", Micheala said authoritatively. "I'm an invaluable asset. Please", she added pleadingly.
"Yeah and we're going too, Arsenio. You can't leave us", Mary said. Arsenio knew how much they wanted to come so he allowed it, provided that he was the boss. And a big flurry of packing and cleaning began. We all bought clothes and supplies and busied ourselves with leaving. I never really got a moment alone with Arsenio. Which was good because I could think things out. But I had no visible success with that.
"Hey, where exactly are we going?", I asked as Arsenio came into the room with Micheala.
"Our plane is to Milan, Italy. We have to meet the coven leaders there and go according to what they say", he answered, not looking at me.
"So how exactly do we have enough finances if you don't want to withdraw from your bank accounts", I asked.
"We all have off shore accounts that can't be tracked. Your parents have made them for you too; you just don't know it", Arsenio smirked at me.
"Yeah, and I think we have to share two suites tonight. It attracts less attention. Desiree, you can move in with us and the boys can move in with Arsenio", Micheala said. I nodded, the pit of my stomach sinking.
It terrified me, to think I'd have to be away from Arsenio when I slept. It was like he kept my nightmares away. Like he repelled them.
I told this to Arsenio and he got a look in his eyes like he knew why that was happening. But he didn't say anything.
After all the packing was done, the vampires went to the 'hospital'. Which didn't mean that they were sick, but that they were thirsty. They needed a blood bank. I preferred to stay at home. I moved into my new room for the girls and fell asleep, waiting. It was really late when they came and they didn't really rouse me.
"I am so sorry Desiree. But I can't let you go with them", the man told me. I tired to stop the tears from pouring but it was useless.
"Please, please let me go with them. My parents, my friends, Arsenio, they're all I've got!", I sobbed. But the cold man shook his head. "Please", I begged, holding onto his arm. He pulled away roughly and yelled in rage.
"It's your fault", he shouted and pointed his gun at Arsenio.
BANG!
"It's your fault he's dead".
I screamed till my lungs gave out. I tried to focus on the room that was becoming clearer in my vision but I couldn't. Nothing was coherent. Why? Why couldn't I get a single night's sleep without waking everyone else?
I began to sob. Once I started, it was uncontrollable and painful. I gasped for all I was worth but couldn't seem to get enough air. I broke out in cold sweat. I could faintly sense the others around me, trying to calm me but it was useless. My shoulders heaved and I cried my eyes out.
Now Arsenio was dead and it was all my fault. My fault.
"Call Arsenio, now! Go!", I heard. But I knew he wouldn't come. How could he come? He was dead.
Arsenio's point of view-
"Arsenio?", I heard Mary's voice at the door. I was already awake and I knew she had another nightmare. I pulled the door open and commanded Mary to get Micheala out of the room. Desiree didn't need anyone else in the room. And I dashed inside. I saw her sitting on the bed, crying with such sorrow, fear and pain. And I knew she believed that I was dead. She always did, when she woke up.
"Hey, Des? I'm here. I'm alright, see? I'm fine", I sat down and pulled her into my arms. She sobbed against my chest.
"I killed Arsenio!", she half screamed. I realized she was still delirious and not completely lucid. I managed to calm her down and I sat down, ready to stay all night with her because she needed me. But Desiree, being Desiree as tenacious and egotistic as she is, didn't let me.
"Go, I'll be fine", she told me. I got up and left with Alex and Ken.
Within an hour, Desiree's heart was hammering again and I could hear her chanting my name softly as she ground her teeth. There were footsteps approaching the door but I flew out before Mary could knock. Ken and Mary hurried behind me.
I saw Desiree in worse shape than ever. I shushed her soothingly, stroking her hair, her back and pelting kisses on the top of her head. But she kept crying into my chest. It hurt me almost physically, to see her heart wrenching sobs, knowing that she was crying for the guilt that I was dead and it was her fault, when clearly I wasn't.
She settled for crying a little more softly and less violently though her pain couldn't have possibly eased.
"Is this why you have to be with her at night?", Ken asked me. I looked up at him and nodded gravely.
"Why doesn't she have the dreams when you're with her?", he asked.
"I am not sure. She claims that I 'numb' out the dreams. That she can't sleep without me", I said carefully, implying something.
"You think it has to do with your green eyes thing?", Ken guessed. I smiled darkly at his 'green eyes thing'.
"Yes, Ken that's what I think it is. It doesn't work with anyone else. Just me. So it has to mean something", I said, "Right, Micheala?".
"Yes, Arsenio. You're right. It is true that your…..situation helps numb out the nightmares. But I want to know why in both the dreams she's had, she thinks you're dead and it's her fault", Micheala asked.
"I don't know. She even used to get that she was responsible for her parents' death. Micheala? Could this be the work of outside forces?", I asked, praying for it not to be.
"Yes, Arsenio, it is. I think its witch craft or something", Micheala said tiredly. I sighed.
"Okay, Mary, Micheala go sleep in my room. I'll stay here with Desiree. She might wake up again and I need you guys to get some rest, okay?", I told them. I wasn't too sure if she would wake but I wanted to be prepared. Reluctantly Mary and Micheala went and Ken went to bed in the other room, where Alex was still asleep.
"Arsenio?", Desiree whispered.
"Yes?", I said.
"I want to take a shower. May I?", she asked weakly as I helped her stand up and led her to the bathroom. When she was done showering she came out and barely had the strength to stand up, let alone walk up to the bed. I scooped her up in my arms and laid her down, gently pulling the covers over and making her comfortable.
"Arsenio?", she said again.
"What is it, Dessy?", I said lovingly. I couldn't help it, she looked so vulnerable.
"I am so sorry. You need to go to the other room and sleep", she told me.
"Des, I woke up when I was in another suite for you, what good will the room do?", I said teasingly. She giggled.
"But I am sorry. If you want to drop me home so I won't bother you on this trip, I won't object", she sighed. I knew how badly she wanted to come and it was killing her to make the choice but she was leaving it up to me.
"No way, I need you on this one. That is, if you still want to come", I offered. But I wasn't prepared to hear an answer that was so grudgingly honest and touching.
"I'd rather die than be away from you", she told me, her eyes closed.
"Desiree, I love you".
Just like that, I dropped the bombshell. I just blurted it out without considering. But I never regretted saying it. It was the truth.
I did love her. And I would protect her, forever.
"Huh, I am exhausted. I didn't get much sleep last night", Desiree told me as the plane took off. We were next to each other and beside me, I had Micheala. We had Alex, Mary and Ken across the aisle.
"I know. I didn't get much sleep, either", I laughed.
"Hey, I am so sorry. I don't know what to…..", she began to apologize.
"Shh. We can do this later. Right now you need to have a little siesta", I ordered. Desiree gave me a disapproving look.
"Yes, Mom!", she rolled her eyes and leaned against the window, obviously not a comfy position to sleep. I sighed at her pride; she could ask me, could she? I tugged her onto my shoulder and she smiled gratefully. As her breathing grew more regular, I kissed her forehead.
"You really love her, don't you?", Micheala asked me but it was more like a statement because she already knew the answer.
"The question is…..does she?", Micheala mused aloud. I rolled my eyes.
Almost an hour after Desiree had fallen asleep, she began to talk. At first, it was just restless mumbling but she became clearer progressively.
"Listen to her sleep-talk. Sometimes it's really funny", I encouraged Micheala. Ken, Mary and Alex leaned so they could hear too but they had super vamp hearing.
"Arsenio..", Desiree mumbled and sighed. All eyes on me.
"Arsenio, I love you", she said. A feeling coursed through me as I looked at Desiree, with disbelieving ears. She loved me? I could have sworn it was the more amazing feeling ever. But then I became aware of the stares.
And I blushed hard. Gosh, it was great to hear Desiree say that. But it should have been private. They all turned away, to give me time to digest this, I presume.
But they were all hysterical. Micheala spoke to me, "You're right, Arsenio. Sometimes, Desiree's sleep-talk isn't just funny; it's hilarious", and looked away before the cackles could explode.
A\N So they're finally together! Tell me what you think, please!
Love you all!