Sarah gets up from the couch with a curse. The toddler in her arms is wiggling and fussing but whoever is at the door isn't going away any time soon it seems.
"Hang on!," she snaps as she makes her way to the front door and whoever is knocking, "I'm coming, Jesus Christ!"
Sarah throws open the door and stares at the very handsome man standing on the other side. He raises his brow at the site of the tired mother and her screaming kid and asks, "Is Anna-Louise home?"
Sarah just grunts and turns her body back into the house to shout up the stairs to her sister.
The man looks uncomfortable but he holds his ground and continues to wait patiently on the porch. Sarah looks him up and down, "You that Caius guy Ann is seeing?"
He shakes his head, "No, I'm a friend of Caius'. I'm simply making a delivery."
Ann choses that moment to come stumbling down the stairs. Her hair is in a disarray and she's got an oversized t-shirt and gym shorts on. Not exactly a beauty queen, but Demetri thinks Caius would still swoon if he saw her.
Ann grumbles when she sees Demetri, "What are you doing here?"
He holds the box in his hands out to her, "This is for you. Caius will be here to pick you up at 4 p.m."
With that he promptly leaves, deciding that even a moment longer having to listen to that kid scream is too much.
Ann watches him leave before she makes her way back into the house, staring in confusion at the big box she's just been given. Her and Sarah go to the living room and start opening it up.
The inside contents are securely wrapped in tissue paper and there's a beautiful card placed neatly on top.
'Please wear this for our date tonight.'
- Caius
Ann starts tearing into the package and is surprised by the contents. Inside is a beautiful blush pink dress that has Sarah gasping in awe.
"Oh my god!" She says while looking over Ann's shoulder, "You gotta marry this guy!"
Ann huffs and continues to go though the package. Caius apparently spared no expense as it's filled with all the necessities needed for a glamorous look. Everything from lingerie to makeup and even a pair of pretty silver heels. Ann kind of wants to just light the package on fire she's so flustered. She's never even gotten a flower from anyone before and this gift is too much she thinks.
How can she compete when all she has to her name is a few trophies and a job at Walmart?
Sarah looks uncharacteristically serious as she takes in Ann's troubled expression, "Quit it."
Ann's face pinches into one of confusion and Sarah continues to scold her, "You're doing that thing again! You're being all mean to yourself for no reason."
Ann purses her lips and runs her fingers over the delicate material of the dress, "What if he decides I'm not enough for him?"
Sarah scoffs, "Well, Dad's got a gun, that problem will solve itself."
Ann never went to prom or anything so it's a strange, exciting experience to put the dress on. She's never felt so pretty in her life and she can't stop spinning around in her room to make the dress flare out. Is this what other girls feel like she wonders?
True to Demetri's word, Caius arrives at exactly 4 p.m. Ann feels so nervous for some reason but the giddy feeling the dress has given her is still fluttering strong in her belly.
Caius is dressed in a pristine suit with a bow tie that matches Ann's dress. He smiles when he sees her and whispers into her ear that he's never seen a more beautiful woman. The way he says it makes Ann actually believe it.
He won't tell her where they're going, but he does ask her if she's ever visited Chicago before.
"No, why?" At the question Caius' face breaks out into a suspiciously pleased grin.
Surely they're not going to drive all the way to Chicago? Does Caius not know basic US geography? The man didn't even realize he was buying an enema kit, Ann muses, perhaps he doesn't.
Caius takes her to the local airstrip where some farmers keep their planes. Parked on the runway is a gorgeous private jet that Demetri is standing near with a smirk.
"No fucking way," Ann breathes out in disbelief as Caius helps her out of the car, "You own a fucking plane?"
Caius just shrugs and if Ann thought the outside was amazing, she sure as hell wasn't ready for the inside. Luxurious would be a too-simple word to describe the inside of this plane. Lush leather couches and mahogany coffee tables fill the space. There's even a fully stocked bar with crystal glassware off to the side.
She takes a seat close to a window and stares out as the plane prepares for takeoff. Caius takes a seat next to her and throws his arm over the back of the couch, letting his fingers dangle over and twirl her hair between them.
"I feel like I'm in a fairytale," she tells Caius with her cheeks red from excitement.
He chuckles and gives a chaste kiss to one of her rosy cheeks and looks out the window with her.
The trip to Chicago isn't too long, only a little over an hour and Ann eagerly has her face plastered to the window the entire time.
"I've never flown before," she defensively tells Caius when she catches him watching her with an amused expression. He just leans closer to her and points out various sites as they fly.
Unbeknownst to Ann (she's so distracted by the sites), Demetri decides to give his other masters a chance to see their mate. He films a quick video of her and Caius and sends it to them.
Demetri hasn't found his mate yet but seeing how utterly happy Ann makes Caius, makes him want to find his mate. Caius has always been cold and violent and angry. It's an incredibly strange experience for Demetri to see him so openly content and in love. Demetri wonders what it will be like for himself when he finds his mate.
…
Thousands of miles away in Volterra, Aro and Marcus simply can't stop watching and rewatching the video that Demetri sends them.
"Look at her," Aro sighs dreamily, "She's perfect."
"Yes," Marcus agrees, "Caius worried for no reason."
"Surely this means that she will be brought here soon, yes?" Aro asks, looking to his brother, "We need to meet her and bond with her as well, yet."
Marcus thinks it will not be that easy but he doesn't voice this out loud, instead he just hums and nods and hopes that their mate finds her way to them soon.
…
Chicago is the most incredible thing Ann has ever seen. The pilot takes them out over the lake before heading to the airport so that they can see the skyline. Caius is far more content to watch Ann than the skyline.
The night has been meticulously planned out down to the very minute (thanks to Demetri) and so as soon as they land, a sleek black Maserati is waiting for them. Demetri takes a second, much less conspicuous car to follow behind them in.
Ann spends the whole ride going back and forth from messing with the car's various features to staring up at the looming skyscrapers.
Several reservations have been made throughout the night. Their first stop is a rooftop bar high above the city that makes Ann let out a nervous laugh when she sees how high up they are. Next, Caius takes her out for dinner at the most extravagant restaurant in the city. Ann is drunk enough from the previous establishment that she shyly agrees to dance with Caius to the soft music of the quartet playing on the stage. He kisses her when the song finishes and pours all his feelings into it so that Ann is left near breathless by the end.
As the night begins winding down, Caius and Ann leave for the final place. Being rich has its perks and one of those is the ability to get access to the Art Institute after hours to tour the galleries.
Caius wishes the night could last forever and apparently so does Ann because she drags out their visit in the museum as long as possible. It's incredibly late by the time they leave and Caius decides to see if it is possible to make the night last longer.
"It's quite late," he states as they wait for the valet to bring them their car, "I would not be opposed to booking a room for the night if you are not keen on traveling."
Ann looks up at him and despite how dark it is, even with the street lights, she takes in his features. After what seems like forever and long enough that Caius is about to backpedal, Ann speaks up, "I would like that."
Caius about wonders if he's imagined her agreeing but he just nods and once the car arrives, he texts Demetri to tell him to find a hotel suite for the night.
Demetri nearly replies with suggestive emojis but decides he prefers his head attached to his shoulders.