A/A: Blame work and now school for the delay! lol. TEEE HEE. I am SO sorry if I made any one wait too long! You know, this whole arc is taking a lot longer to write than I had orginally plan!
Every thing just keeps on getting more complicated! And now that I am back at school, it looks like this process will be getting slower! LOL. I have decided that to post as much as I have that I am satisified with. Trust me, I have tons of word documents filled with partailly finished scenes. At first, I was going to post when I had finished every scene until the time Alison . . . well when some thing happens to her . . . and now as I am seeing how long it is taking me to finish that chapter, I have decided just to post what I have until this point. So as of now, I can't tell you when the Rali chapters will be because right now I don't even know (even though it is already written- lol- some times I plan so ahead).
problem is where I am working onnoware the scenes when Alison is in a coma . . . but some things are going to happen . . . and before that happens, I NEED Caleb and Livvie to be GONE! GONE! I know I am going to miss writing them but right now I want to focus on Rali fluff but that can't happen when Rafe and Caleb coexist in the same town! It might even be a welcome relief so I can focus on the Rali fluff . . . which you Rali-lovers better treasure because next arc . . . woah. Let's just say it won't be a happy time. And of course that is when Caleb comes back because let's face it . . . I love drama . . . and well, Caleb . . . he brings drama wherever he goes. Especially for Rali! LOL.
Oh and Gracie, if you are reading, you might need a few more buckets (if you know what I mean) when Julia gets to town. Just a little warning.
Calivia lovers- just a few more chapters- I actually think you'll like the way they leave.
Seduction Chapter 21
The seatbelt light blinked off throughout the cabin. Julia exhaled slowly, her gaze drifting down to her hands clenched over the armrest. With a loud sigh, she pried her white-knuckled fingers one by one off of the soft navy cushions. She flexed her fingers slowly, restoring the blood circulation to her limbs and outer extremities.
A noisy cart moved down the aisle as the pleasantly plump stewardess distributed light refreshments for the long journey ahead to the passengers.
Shaking her head no at the cheerful young woman, Julia smiled. She twisted her head to look out the window as the cart wheeled away, its tires squeaking noisily as it rolled and circled the cabin.
With a longing sigh, Julia watched as the coast of Romania eventually gave away to wide waters. She did it. She actually did it. For the first time in her life, she was up in the clouds . . . flying with the birds . . . flying away from the only home she has ever known.
All in all, not bad for her first flight. The takeoff was slightly rocky but not unbearable.
Not bad at all. It could have been worse, she reasoned to herself. She only prayed that the rest of her journey and the plane's landing were as smooth as its takeoff.
Nervously, Julia shifted in her seat, slowly breathing in and out. As long as she could focus on her breathing, every thing will be fine. To ease her increasing tension, she allowed her gaze to drift around the cabin and survey the other passengers seated around her. From what she could see, they were mostly middle-aged balding businessmen with leather briefcases and laptop computers.
Now settled more comfortably in her seat, she released the seatbelt around her waist. Dipping her hand into her coat pocket, she fingered the last of what remained of her gear . . . a wooden stake. Unfortunately, for her, the rest of her slayer arsenal had been confiscated by airport security earlier at the terminal. Julia shook her head agitatedly. The damn Americans and their terror alert.
With a disappointed sigh, she leaned forward in her seat and reached out for the black duffel bag she had secured earlier underneath the seat in front of her. Jerking the zipper open, she removed the American newspaper and magazine she had bought prior to take-off at the newsstand.
A large, grainy photograph of a popular American rock star graced the front cover of Amped magazine. At first glimpse, she thought it must have been some sort of a mistake . . . or at the very least a hallucination. She reread the headline: STEPHEN CLAY EXPERIENCE BITES AND WE LOVE IT.
The message was clear . . . right there in black and white, but she still couldn't believe it. No. She shook her head. No. It couldn't be. It couldn't be him . . .
Her gaze shifted to the singer's face . . .
But yet there he was . . . in living color for all the world to see. Caleb Morley. Alive . . . figuratively speaking (of course) . . . the son of a bitch.
She scoured the front page and its subsequent articles, searching for the one name that would make every thing . . . this whole trip worthwhile. She silently laughed to herself as she scanned the text, wondering why she even bothered to buy the literature since her ability to read English was strictly limited to a few common catch phrases . . . vampire, vampire, vampire, and did she mention vampire?
On the other hand, mastering the spoken word was a whole another story . . . her English may not be perfect . . . but it would certainly get her by.
Yet, she supposed she could always try and see if she could glean some bits and pieces of information from the articles. After all, what could it hurt to try?
But as her eyes scanned the second page, she grew increasingly agitated. From what little she could understand of the article, she surmised that the vampire has had a pretty good life in that God forsaken little New York town. She couldn't believe her eyes . . . the vicious, cruel, unbelievably arrogant son of a bitch . . . was a singing sensation in the US.
Why hadn't she heard of this sooner? The United States may be half a world away . . . but there are some things you couldn't possibly miss . . . and this was one of them. Yet to be totally honest, this break down in communication was understandable . . .
Her hometown of Mulderstan consisted mostly of a small close knit band of families. And for the most part, the denizens of this small village were isolated from "civilization" . . . their closest neighbors days away by foot.
The often harsh and unpredictable weather made travel outside their community virtually impossible . . . and perilous. And it wasn't uncommon for the village to go months without news from the outside world.
In fact, many of the villagers, especially the elders, have never dared to step outside of their sanctuary in fear of what lied in the forest. The stories of the ghastly creatures and monstrosities who lured their unfortunate victims into their domain with a false sense of security, by promising their help and a way back to the village, only to be drained of blood were legendary.
In truth, many of the people who have dared to go into the forest were never to be seen again. Only a trained fighter could withstand the danger lying within the forest.
But of course there were also the heroic tales of brave souls who dedicated their lives to destroying the evil that hid in the forest. And Rafe was one of those brave souls. Unfortunately, many of these same men have long since perished in what seemed to be an unending war between good and evil. But in her heart, Julia instinctively knew Rafe wouldn't meet their same end. He was a hero . . . the bravest man she has ever known. And despite the incredible odds against him, she knew that he would triumph over the evil that always seemed to shadow his and her respective families.
Speaking of which . . . Julia furrowed her brow in contemplation. She couldn't wait to see him again . . . she'd missed him so much.
Fifteen years ago, Rafe ventured out of their village . . . in hot pursuit of a dangerous monster . . . which led her to the bigger question still at issue. Why was Caleb still standing? Where was Rafe? And why hasn't Rafe taken Caleb down yet? There must be some explanation . . . Rafe would never ever let a vampire . . . especially Caleb Morley . . . "live."
A shadow fell over her as someone dumped a pile of newspaper clippings into her lap. Julia looked up to see a fair-haired man slip into the seat beside her. Groaning, she rolled her eyes skyward. Oh, God. Just what she needed. "What are you doing here, Samuel?" She demanded, raising an eyebrow questioningly at the man.
Samuel smirked, reaching up, he playfully tugged on a lock of her hair. "If you are going to go up against Caleb Morley . . . at the very least . . . you should do your research first." He scolded with a smile, wagging a finger at her. "The way you are going about this, one would think you haven't had a day of training in your life. Use your head, girl." He tapped her temple teasingly, chastising the slayer. "You just don't pick up and leave whenever it suits your fancy. You plan . . . you coordinate . . . you don't just fly by the seat of your pants." He tapped the glossy magazine cover. "Especially with this guy." He emphasized. "You're not equipped to fight someone like him."
Julia bristled indignantly, the corners of her mouth tipping downward in a frown . . . First off, where does HE get off saying she was not equipped to defeat a vampire . . . that was what she was born to do! Secondly . . . "I am NOT interested in fighting Caleb Morley." She told him.
Samuel laughed and reached over to sort through the newspaper clippings he had dropped across her lap earlier. "Oh, really? Tell me a fairytale that I do believe." He joked, his hand brushing by her knee. Leaning forward across the arm rest, he peered into her face curiously.
Julia shrugged, evenly meeting his stare. "It's the truth." She insisted as a look of disbelief crossed her friend's face.
Samuel narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I don't believe you. Come on, Jules." He pleaded, an earnest look leaping to his eyes. "DO you really expect me to believe that you have forgiven the Morleys' for their part in Sarah's death?" He asked, pausing to read over a Parisian news article.
Julia's lips twitched angrily. How dare he? How dare he use her dead sister's memory against her like that? He had no right. Absolutely no right to use her twin's death as a bargaining tool to dissuade her from her journey. No. No. Let him try. She was not about to let him succeed. She needed to do this. She needed to find HIM and finish it once and for all. "You are right about one thing. The Morleys ARE responsible for my sister's death . . . and eventually they will pay for what they did." She conceded with a grimace. "But- BUT the truth is . . . Caleb is NOT the reason why I am going to Port Charles."
Samuel sighed heavily. "Then what is?" He asked, removing an interesting article from his stack.
"Who." Julia corrected.
Samuel blinked. He looked up into her face. "Excuse me?" He stuttered, a look of bewilderment crossing his face.
Julia hesitated before speaking, swallowing roughly. Should she tell him? Could she trust him with such information? "Who. A person is my reason." She explained, choosing her words carefully.
Samuel knitted his eyebrows together in concern. This didn't sound good . . . not at all. "Ok, then who is your reason?" He asked.
"Rafe." She answered quietly, lowering her head, refusing to quite meet his eyes.
Samuel silently stared at her in shock. The name was like a slap in the face. All words seem to fail him. He opened his mouth to speak but dumbly closed it when he realized he was at a loss of what to say.
Rafe. Samuel hung his head sullenly. Of course. Why didn't he think of that? No wonder she was nosing around for information on Caleb in the village. Wherever Caleb is, Rafe was sure to be there.
Slowly, he took a deep breath and gathered his wits about him. "Oh. Then I guess you'll be interested in this article." He managed to choke out, lifting his hand numbly to hand her the paper.
Julia took the paper into her hands, gasping. "Oh my God. There he is." She breathed quietly, her eyes widening. A big smile stretched across her lips. "There he is." She repeated, ecstatically. With a broad grin, she focused on the image of the man she searched for.
Crossing her legs in what she hoped was an alluring pose, Elizabeth idly studied her brightly-colored fingernails. Her lips twitched with the hint of a smile as she watched Caleb out of the corner of her eye. Caleb stretched his arms across the back of the sofa. "I bet you're pretty pleased with yourself." He commented, almost causally, straining to keep his tone deceptively light. He flicked a piece of imaginary lint off of his shirt.
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed into suspicious slits, his casual attitude tweaking at her annoyance. "I don't know what you are talking about." She responded wryly, eyeing him with a sideway glance.
Caleb kept his gaze steady, straight ahead as Elizabeth tried to sneak quick peeks at his face. He watched as a second team of paramedics rushed an accident victim into radiology, catching a glimpse of Livvie as the door swung shut behind the paramedics.
Caleb closed his eyes, remembering the way she had looked curled up against the main hall's step. The pain tore into him like claws.
Inhaling sharply, he ran a hand through his hair, struggling against the wave of emotions threatening to engulf him. She was so present in his thoughts that he felt as if she were there with him. He could feel the softness of her skin under his palm and the silkiness of her dark hair as he ran his fingers through it. He smelled her familiar sensual scent, a mixture of roses and wildflowers.
He remembered the first time he'd kissed her. The sensations.
He could almost feel her soft skin against his, almost taste her sweetness . . . The brush of her hair against his cheek. The curve of her lips, the sweet taste of them. The warmth of her eyes. The shock of dizzy sweetness when his mouth met hers. And the way she responded . . . As if she were reaching down to the core of him, a core he'd almost forgotten. Frightened, he'd felt his defenses tear away. All his secrets, all his resistance, and all the tricks he used to keep other people at arm's length. Olivia had ripped through them all, exposing his vulnerability. Exposing his soul . . . a part of him he never wanted revealed. It's true . . . there had been plenty of women in his life but none of them had ever succeeded in penetrating his heart before. He then realized with a start that without Olivia he would always be half himself, only half alive. Her love had healed him.
Elizabeth exhaled noisily, jarring him from his memories. She folded her arms across her chest, watching him . . . obviously waiting impatiently for a reply.
Caleb shook his head, willing himself to focus. He fought back a fresh wave of fury, balling his hands into fists. Focus, he told himself. Concentrate on the task at hand . . . handling Elizabeth was a delicate matter . . . a job that required not only a clear head but lots of patience as well. He sighed, realizing the importance of remaining aloof, dispassionate. Otherwise, he won't be getting any thing out of her.
Elizabeth cleared her throat pointedly, tapping her fingers against her arms.
Caleb glanced at her, his eyes flashing in annoyance. What he would give right now to be able to-He paused, pursing his lips slightly. That wouldn't do. Calmly and delicately, he reminded himself. He took in a deep cleansing breath before continuing. "Teaming up with Andrei to destroy my wife- I didn't think you had it in you." He went on, shaking his head, his demeanor a bit condescending.
Elizabeth's smile faded. "There is a lot you don't know about me . . ." She retorted, her irritation rearing its ugly head, clawing its way to the surface. She paused, glancing up at the clock hanging from a nail on the opposite wall.
This was not the time for hysterics . . . there was time for that later, she instructed herself. Right now, vengeance was hers. Idly, she picked up a magazine from the side table to calm her fluttering hands. She drew in a deep breath before continuing. "Not that you bothered to find out." She commented, her tone becoming accusatory as she thumbed through the magazine's glossy pages.
Caleb tilted his head, "appearing" to give her accusation some thought. "Should I have cared?" He asked dryly, his mouth lifting up into a smug grin, unconsciously sliding his finger across his wedding ring.
Elizabeth bristled indignantly. Her temper flared as she watched him toy with the gold band on the fourth finger of his left hand. She inhaled noisily, rolling up the magazine in her hands. How dare he ask her such a question? What kind of question was that any way? She stared at him in disbelief, opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. OF COURSE he should have cared! They were married! They exchanged vows for God's sake! Didn't that count for anything? Noooo . . . of course not because she NEVER mattered. She could see that now.
No longer "blinded" by the man she once "loved," for the first time she could see their relationship clearly for what it truly was. A sham. A ruse. He never . . . not even once . . . CARED to learn more about her than what was necessary to manipulate her own weaknesses against her. In fact, he NEVER even loved her! He USED her. Used her to hurt her son-in-law and daughter. AND not only that, but he used her as a vehicle to punish his ex-lover/first wife for her betrayal.
She could only grit her teeth. God, she should have known it was "her" the very first time she heard him say "her" name. Olivia.
Elizabeth's frown deepened, squeezing the magazine in her hands a little bit more than necessary. She was just a stop along the way . . . a toy . . . just some random accessory to be used and then disposed of without a second thought. Her grip tightened around the rolled up magazine. She hung her head slowly, her fingernails denting the magazine's glossy covers. She should have known. Despite all they have shared or might have shared, she would ALWAYS come second. Even after they were married, he couldn't get that nasty, little witch . . . that-that CHILD . . . out of his head . . . and out of his blood. And she hated Livvie for that. HATED, DESPISED, ABHORRED the girl with a passion that transcended all else.
She couldn't hate Caleb. She tried. Boy, did she try. She REALLY did . . . but she couldn't. She still cared for him. Deeply. She could never forget him . . . or stop "loving" him. At that thought, she immediately hardened. Her facial features twisted into a grimace. But she would never give him the satisfaction of knowing that. After all, she did have her pride . . . and ultimately he was the one who broke things off with her . . . for his stupid obsession.
She exhaled noisily, her jaw tightening as she remembered the whole sordid mess which ultimately ended with Livvie in Caleb's bed. She scowled. God, what was it about her that tied him to her forever . . . why does she hold so much power over him? How does she do that? How does she control him like that? Why? And why Livvie? Why couldn't it be HER! Not Livvie. HER. Not Livvie. Not Livvie. That stupid, manipulative little bitch.
Caleb tilted his head to the side again, eying his "ex-wife." She had fallen silent, obviously stewing. His words must have hit some nerve. He could feel the intense hatred she held for his wife radiating off of her body. Caleb studied her angry expression. Her silence was disconcerting to him. Smiling slightly, he watched as a range of emotions cross her face. Go on, he urged mentally. Remember. Remember.
Flashback – Surrender at the loft
Caleb poured himself a snifter of brandy. He returned the glass tumbler to its original place on the bar. "Olivia and I were bound to each other through the centuries, before we ever even met, each searching for the other with the same needs and desires, gaping holes that can only be filled by the other." He explained, lifting his glass and swirling its contents before looking over his shoulder at her.
Elizabeth sniffled loudly, swiping at her face. Her lips trembled as she hugged her coat around her body, consoling herself. "But if you loved her so much, why did you marry me?" She asked pitifully, swallowing.
Caleb sipped his drink. "I did it to try to forget, as she tried to forget me." He replied candidly, lowering the glass from his mouth.
Elizabeth lowered her brow, her face crumpling as tears coursed down her cheeks. "But it didn't work. I wasn't enough." She choked out, swallowing roughly.
Caleb shook his head. Turning around to face her, he placed his glass on top of the bar. "This isn't about you, Elizabeth. No one else will do, either. There's no use fighting it and I don't want to." He admitted, leaning against the bar.
Elizabeth reached out and in a desperate move, she grasped his shoulders, drawing him to her. "No, but you didn't even give me a chance. Stephen, we could've made each other so happy. We could be so happy together." She insisted, lowering her face to his shoulder. She clung to him like a starfish to a barnacle.
Caleb pried Elizabeth's hands off of his shoulders. Placing his hands against her shoulders, he gently pushed her back. "It's over, Elizabeth."
End of flashback
The utter finality of his last words rung loudly in her head then as it did now.
Elizabeth scowled darkly. He threw all that they had and all they could have shared because of her. That stupid little bitch, Livvie.
Second Flashback (earlier in Seduction)
The dim light from the solitary bulb hanging directly overhead created an eerie glow around the room, reflecting off of the faces of the jail's lone occupant and his two visitors.
Elizabeth held her head up high, haughtily posed with her hands over her hips, glaring out into the jail cell. Caleb stood locked up behind the heavy bars, his hands entwined with the hands of a petite brunette. Lifting one hand, Caleb reached up between the spaces of the bars and lovingly stroked his wife's hair back as she faced Elizabeth.
Livvie tilted her head back, meeting her husband's gaze. His fingertips brushed the dark hair from her neck, his eyes burning into hers. Mesmerized, she could only stare up at him, her brown eyes wide and large, reminding Elizabeth of a small child looking to an adult for guidance. Elizabeth sneered at the sight, disgusted beyond belief.
Caleb nodded softly, encouragingly. Returning her gaze to Elizabeth's sneering face, Livvie swallowed, moistening her lips nervously. Her voice grew stronger with each additional word, finding the strength to continue on in Caleb's touch. "The truth is you've never been able to please any man . . . let alone Caleb." She clutched at Caleb's hands, clasping them tightly, her fingers interlacing with his. "I am the one who gives Caleb what he needs. I am the only one who can satisfy him. You could never come close."
Caleb pressed his lips to Livvie's temple, feeling her hair against his lips as he spoke. "That's right, sweetheart." He rested his cheek against the top of her head, still caressing her hair. "Because what kind of love do we have?" He coaxed as she turned her head, her gaze locking onto his, his voice as caressing as the fingertips that touched her throat.
"The only kind that lasts." Livvie stared into his eyes, reciting (apparently) from memory, responding to Caleb's prompt. Her voice softened, becoming almost dreamlike.
Elizabeth chuckled. "Yet, he married me. It must be so exhausting being you . . . the denial must be heart-wrenching." She snarled, folding her arms across her chest. Her voice seemed to break the spell.
Livvie's eyes widened, the dreaminess fading away. Caleb's grip tightened on her shoulder, reminding Livvie of what needed to be done.
Livvie bit her lip, hiding her insecurities behind a smug smile. "Really? Who did he leave with, Elizabeth? Who does he make love to every night? Me. Not you."
End of flashback
Elizabeth's eyes blazed. Her cheeks burned at the memory. She only prayed that the little bitch would get what was coming to her and die. She slapped the magazine down against the table. "I was your wife . . . And you treated me no better than the gum underneath your shoe." She grumbled petulantly.
Caleb shrugged, crossing his legs. "Not in this reality." He answered with an indifferent sniff, running his finger over his wedding band again.
Elizabeth's eyes flared. "Changing reality DOESN'T magically erase the way YOU treated me. Whether in this reality or not, it DID happen!" She snarled hotly, her eyes dancing back and forth, searching his blue eyes for any clue . . . any sign to what he was thinking. Nothing. Not even a flicker. As usual, his face remained expressionless.
For a moment, Caleb said nothing. He simply studied her. Despite her impeccable clothing, a Christian Dior suit, she seemed quite disheveled. Her blond hair fell in stringy waves about her heavily made-up face. Pursing her cherry red lips, her chest rose and fell rapidly, her cheeks rosy with color. Her long, red nails were flawed and chipped and her dull eyes danced back and forth anxiously.
Finally, he spoke, looking up into her eyes. "You're right." He paused, looking away almost bashfully. I didn't deserve you then or now." He conceded quietly, his voice softening.
Elizabeth's mouth dropped open. Stunned, she looked around the room wildly as if expecting someone from the cast and crew of the MTV show PUNKED to leap out from behind one of the chairs and sofas and yell "You have been punked." When nothing of that sort happened, her eyes narrowed. "Now?" She breathed, a note of hope in her voice, her eyes trained upon her ex-husband.
With an air of caution, she slowly lifted her hand, touching his face lightly. When he didn't pull away, Elizabeth was privately pleased. He met her eyes evenly, almost compassionately. Her pulse quickened as her skin hummed from excitement.
Caleb lowered his eyes, looking away for a minute before speaking. He swallowed roughly. "You are a special woman, Elizabeth." He acknowledged with a slight smile. He hung his head solemnly. "I-I just wanted Olivia so much . . . so bad-I was blinded by my need for her . . . that I didn't see her for who she really is." He lifted his head, meeting her gaze again. "So much that I never really looked at you. I couldn't recognize what I had lost until now."
Elizabeth stared blankly at him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was like a dream come true! Finally! Elizabeth's entire face lit up. A smile crept across her face, cheek to cheek. "Oh! I knew it! I knew it!" She exclaimed happily, throwing her arms around him and casting aside all her nagging doubts and that annoying little voice in her head that screamed at her "Danger! Danger!"
She hugged him tightly. She couldn't believe her luck. Her plan actually worked. It worked. Caleb loved her. He wanted her. Ok, so a few seconds ago she was ready to acknowledge that Caleb never loved her . . . but now . . . it was different. Different! Because he never gave them a chance before . . . but this time . . . this time they could make it work! She was sure of it! Her mind whirled, already making plans for the two of them . . . plans that included a second stab at marriage and romantic getaway to a tropical island.
Caleb drew in a deep breath, slowly disentangling himself from Elizabeth's tight embrace. He looked at her thoughtfully. "Olivia-"
Elizabeth reached out and seized his hands, bringing them to her lips. "Livvie." She corrected, her eyes lighting up. She wondered whether boarding schools accept children under the age of two.
Caleb nodded, resisting the urge to cringe as he spoke the nickname. "I loved Livvie-" He repeated sadly, "We were supposed to be together for eternity. But she betrayed me. And I'll never let that happen again." He drew his mouth into a tight line, pausing to look up at her. He reached a hand out to touch her cheek. "But you—you would never betray me, would you?"
Elizabeth leaned forward close to him, reaching out hesitantly to rest her own hand over his at her cheek. "No, never. Never ever." She swore, his touch sending a little chill down her spine. "Livvie- she's a child . . . she doesn't understand you the way I do." She squeezed his hands. "She's so easily manipulated. She's only a liability to you." She smirked, waving one hand in the air for emphasis. "I mean look how easy it was for us to convince her she'll lose you if you knew about Andrei's plan . . . or for Alison to plant those little items in the villa so she'll think you betrayed her?" She continued on, excitedly.
So excitedly, that she didn't notice the dark flicker in his eyes. He lowered his head to cover up the look. "It didn't matter that she didn't know she a part of Andrei's plan until quite recently . . . but she believed us nonetheless." A giggle escaped from Elizabeth's lips. She tugged at Caleb's hands playfully, trying to get him to look at her. "Don't you see? She's like a puppy." She trailed off with a smug smile. "Easy to lead, to guide. You should know that more than anyone, the way she follows you around . . . but she'll trust any one else before she trusts you. And you deserve so much better than that." She finished with a smirk.
Caleb bit his lip, his jaw tightening. "You?"
Elizabeth laughed again. "Yes, me!" She gazed beseechingly at him. "Listen, we can forget all the past . . . and just concentrate on us. Ok? Just us. Forget about Livvie, your children, Alison- we're the only ones that matter. Just you and me? We'll take the jet and live in paradise?" She stared at him hopefully, pleadingly.
Caleb swallowed as she brought his hands to her lips. "So Olivia never knew?" He pulled his hand away roughly.
She smiled, bubbling from happiness. "No. God no. You should have seen the look on her face when Ryan let that little piece of information slip. She was devastated. I could only imagine the guilt-" She smiled, remembering the pained expression across her rival's face.
She started to smile when she saw his expression fall, darken. Caleb lifted his head, his eyes glowing fiery red. The look in his eyes had her mouth drying up. The sensuousness there twisting and freezing, becoming cruel and bitterly hard.
Elizabeth growled, realizing what happened. She snapped and began raining blows against his chest. "Wait- you bastard! Your tricked me! I can't believe-" She rose to leave.
Caleb caught her wrists, his expression darkening, and yanked her down to the sofa. "Oh, no. No. We're not done. Not yet. Not by a long shot. You came close to costing me the most important thing in my life -- Olivia. You see, I love her more than I love my life. For that you're going to pay. I'm going to make you pay." He declared, his voice hardening.
Elizabeth's face flushed with fury. "She deserved it! She ruined my life!" Her sulky jerk back irritated him enough to tighten his grip and curl his fingers around her other arm.
Caleb's eyes narrowed, darkening until they burned like fire. "You are going to tell me everything that I want to know."
Elizabeth's eyes blazed. "Like hell I will." She exclaimed. "You are never going to change, are you?" She didn't even wait for an answer to continue on. "You just are going to keep using people, including Livvie, till the sun's last dying ray, aren't you?" She demanded, her face crinkling in rage.
Caleb clenched his jaw, feeling himself fill with a blind rage. "You don't know anything about her, and you sure as hell don't know anything about me." He snapped, releasing her arms and balling his hands into fists.
Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest. "Oh, yeah? What I know is that she betrayed you. She betrayed you, Caleb. She looked you right in the eye and she lied. LIED." She emphasized, her hands fluttering animatedly around her.
Caleb glowered at her, the depth of Livvie's deception hitting him all over again. He could feel the muscles clench in his jaw.
Elizabeth jabbed a red pointed nail into his chest. "She has been lying to you for years. And I know that's something you will never be able to let go—never." She promised with an evil glint in her eyes. "And sooner or later or later, you will destroy her just like everything else you touch because as cruel as you are to your enemies . . . the pain you inflict on the people who love you . . . it's a fate worse than death. You can be viciously cruel to your enemies but you are deadly to the very people you claim to love . . . especially when you think they have wronged you some how. So go on. Go ahead. Play house with that little puppy of yours, you are more than welcomed to it. Hope you have fun as long as that lasts . . . because it won't. Because eternity is a very long time to be with one person so we'll see. We'll see how long that lasts."
Preview for next chapter and Chapter 23:
Chapter 22
Clara gasped, her hand flying to her throat. "Where's my son? Where's Andrei?"
The maid lowered her head meekly. "I am sorry, madam. But no one has seen him since Mistress Olivia's arrival." She whispered with a furtive glace at Maria who nodded encouragingly.
Roderick furrowed his brow. "And Caleb?"
The maid whimpered at his sinister tone. "Master Caleb came for his wife, sir. He-he left- the young mistress was injured." She hesitated for a brief moment. "With the slayers in tow."
Clara swooned, collapsing in a chair as a gaggle of maids flurried around her, bringing her smelling salts and fanning her with handkerchiefs.
Roderick clenched his fists. "Find Andrei! I don't care how, just do it! Don't leave any stone unturned until you find him!"
Karen paused, tears welling up in her eyes. "I am sorry, Rafe. But her heart stopped."
