"Do you think the blue, or the black will look better on me?" Destiny knew that cocky, arrogant, annoying voice anywhere. She rolled over. "Oh come on, I know your awake," Destiny groaned loudly and rolled over onto her side. "Get your ass out of bed Destiny,"
"I wanna die," Destiny moaned.
"To late sweetie you're already dead,"
"Fuck off, When does the coven arrive?"
"They'll be here at 12, its 7,"
Destiny rolled out of bed, she shrugged into a robe Erika had laid on the nearby chair. Destiny groggily walked into her bathroom. She turned on the shower and looked around her bright bathroom. The color scheme was a light blue and gold. It reminded of Destiny of a much needed sunrise. Everything was so wrong. Why was nothing simple any more. The mirror was clouded with steam. Somehow the mirror was a reflection of what Destiny felt herself. She smirked and discarded the black robe draped loosely over her shoulders.
Destiny sighed as the hot water poured over her slim body. The water washed away all of the dirt and grim left over from her encounter with Lucian, but it couldn't wash away the raw sense of betrayal the hung like a dark cloud on her shoulders.
She was Amelia's mistake, her embarrassment. The words echoed in her troubled mind. Destiny looked down and spotted her much loved shampoo. It was comforting to see it there in the place it always was, just one thing that stayed still in her turbulent new world.
Her soft palms massaged the smooth shampoo over her rough and tangled hair. Her fingers worked slowly through the tangles. Destiny dipped her head into the steady flow of water and washed away the shampoo. Destiny reached down for her conditioner and squirted some into her open palm.
"Hurry up in there!" Erika yelled. Why wouldn't that bitch leave her alone?
"Don't get your hopes up!" Destiny screamed back. She quickly conditioned her hair and turned off the water. Destiny slipped on her fuzzy blue bathrobe and walked dignifiedly toward Erika's shouts.
"Finally,"
"Shut up and screw of!"
Erika raised an eyebrow which further angered Destiny, "Touchy, touchy,"
"Why don't you mind your own business?"
"Unfortunately it's my business now to. I'm the only vampire who isn't going to run to Marcus if I learn about your…Little fiasco with Lucian,"
"You're still loyal to Craven,"
"He was in power at the time," Erika said with a shrug.
"Whore,"
If the comment bothered Erika she did not show it. "I do what I have to. Give,"
Destiny reached the tip of her fuse, "GIVE YOU A BREAK! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S GOT YOUR ASS A MILE IN MY LIFE AND NOT IN YOUR OWN! I'M SURE YOUR LIFE IS SO FUCKING HARD. I MEAN IT MUST BE CHALLENGING TO BE THE HOUSEHOLD WHORE, STRUTTING AROUDN SLEEPING WITH THE FIRST VAMPIRE WHO LOOKS LIKE HE MIGHT BE IN AN ELDERS FAVOR!"
"And your life is so hard isn't it! You think just because you had some werewolf bite you that you still can't go back to your life! You can't be Destiny anymore because you're a half-breed. Well I'm sure that you must feel so confused inside! Well cut the drama crap."
Destiny fell silent, anger burned in her eyes.
"Now, Marcus wants you to be at the meeting tonight,"
"Tell him I don't want to go,"
"He demands it,"
Destiny gave a slight growl but said nothing. It was common knowledge for vampires. No one refused an elder's demands, ever.
"Now, I think we need to work on your lovely hair," said Erika. Destiny sat down in front of her mirror and sullenly glowered at her reflection. She froze when she saw what the mirror showed her.
"What happened to me?!"
Her red brown locks were blazing red. Her normally redish brown eyes were a bright chocolate brown with licks of amber fire.
"After you were bitten we brought you back here. You were rushed into critical condition. During the time you were feeding, you hair started to turn red. We think it's because your body was trying to remind itself that you're still a vampire. The werewolf gene was an invasion to your body. As for your eyes, your body's not totally vampire either, the amber part is very traditional for a werewolf."
Destiny starred back at her reflection. The person in the mirror was totally alien to her. "I hate this,"
"You don't choose what happens in life, you juts choose how you take what happens," Said Erika.
"Cut the metaphor crap, why does Marcus want me to be there anyway?" asked Destiny. Erika ran the brush through her hair and explained:
"The coven coming is ruled by a female, her son, Raphael he's looking for a bride,"
"And Marcus wants to create an alliance through marriage," Destiny finished.
"You're catching on to politics quickly," Erika remarked dryly. "Marcus wants you for his bride."
This shocked Destiny. "What about you? Or Felice?"
"Raphael is a warrior he wants a girl who won't just sit around at home. His mother says he wants…" She paused, "...A challenge,"
Destiny glowered at the mirror, "And I'm the challenge,"
Erika smiled at Destiny pickle sour expression and decided her hair was done. "Now I think someone needs a dress,"
"Can't I go in my robe?" Destiny joked weakly. Erika gave her a look and searched her closet.
Erika emerged from her closet with two dresses. One was white silk, with a high neck and long sleeves that fell to the floor. Both sleeves had slits that came up to her shoulder. There were also splits on the skirt that came up to mid thigh with little opals set at the end of the split.
"Wow," said Destiny.
"Here's your other option," Erika said holding up a different dress. This one was deep blue silk, on one thigh there was a split to mid thigh, at the top of the split was a sapphire. The neckline was very low, but it enticed Destiny. There were two curves, they looked just like waves, which came into little points then curved down into a small v.
"The blue one," said Destiny. Erika handed Destiny the dress as she headed for the bathroom to change. She came out ten minutes later looking fabulous in the dress. Destiny grinned ear to ear as she model walked over to her vanity.
"My, my feeling rather conceded aren't we?" Erika joking said as she made up destiny's face. Half an hour later Destiny's face was made up to Erika's liking. Her soft lips were accented with a tinted pink gloss, there was a hint of blush on her cheeks, her eye lashed were long and dark, and every time she blinked there was a flutter of deep blue shimmer.
"Hmmm," Erika said, "Something's not right," Destiny groaned. Erika brushed back her bangs so they were pulled back accenting her face and giving her a widows peak. "Shit" Erika yelled. She ran to the door of the room and slammed it shut, and then poked her head in, "Don't you move an inch!"
"Destiny tried to get a book with out moving, but she failed and ended getting up grabbing it, and quickly sitting back down again.
An hour later Erika rushed into the room in a silver sleeveless dress. She had a diamond chocker fastened around her neck and her hair fell down her back in soft curls.
Erika rushed in and shoved something in her lap. Destiny saw it was a little box. "What this," She asked.
"I don't know," Erika said as she walked over to her closet, "Julian told me to give it to you,"
Destiny opened the little box and inside was a necklace. On a leather thong was a star pendent with a sapphire gem in the middle. Rows of tiny amber diamonds bloomed out form the six corners of the gem. Destiny delicately fingered the pendent and fought to keep control of her emotions. She fastened it around her neck and found it rested a little lover then her collar bone. "Damn you Julian," she whispered, "You're to damn good to me,"
Erika came back form the closet holding a shiny piece of jewelry. "Here put these on," Said Erika shoving a bracelet in her hand. There was a gold part that fastened around her wrist; the rest came down in a jeweled triangle down to her middle finger where it was fastened with a ring. Destiny stood up ready to leave when Erika yelled, "Shoes, shoes you forgot your shoes!"
Destiny sighed slipped on the shoes that Erika had laid out for her. They were Blue with a jeweled net that came over the top of her foot. "I'll kill myself in these!" Destin whined.
"Well you'd better not," Said Erika supporting her. "Remember baby steps,"
They left the room and walked slowly down the hall. Destiny began to get used to the shoes and was actually staying up right. Then they came to the stairs. Destiny cringed, but gathered herself quickly and prayed that she didn't fall and look like an idiot.
She came down the stairs gracefully with no mishaps. Once she reached the bottom she shared a quick grin with Erika. It seemed that they had been late. Once she looked around she saw Julian and Marcus sitting in chairs much higher then the rest. Destiny followed Erika who sat on a couch right next to the elders.
"It is a great honor to finally see you again, Isabella," Marcus said addressing the other Elder in the room. Isabella was painfully beautiful with long silky black hair and pale blue eyes. She strode across the floor on limber legs, her clan followed her faithfully. On her left was a young man, the most handsome man Destiny had ever seen.
He has to be Raphael, She thought looking him over. He was tall, with ear length black hair and dark eyes. His face was strong and the features well defined.
"It is a great honor to be back in your presence," Isabella said, as se took her seat.
"Now down to business…." Julian began. Destin drifted of into space very quickly. After an hour of drifting in and out of consciousness Julian finally noticed her dilemma. "Isabella perhaps we can discuss some of the more important matter in private?" Julian proposed. Isabella nodded. Marcus and Julian left the room with Isabella. Dancing music came on and Erika hauled Destiny to her feet.
"Are you alright?" Erika asked. Destiny nodded unconvincingly. Erika left Destiny on the couch and came back minutes later with a diet soda. Erika popped open the soda and bit her wrist. A little bit of blood dropped into the brown water and Erika offered Destiny the soda.
"Thanks," She said weakly. Destiny drank the soda and felt a bit better.
"I told Marcus you were still recovering," said Erika.
"Excuse me," A deep voice said from above Destiny. She looked and saw Raphael standing there. He was even more handsome up close. "Lady may I offer you a dance?"
Destiny gave him one of her sly smiles, "Well… Only since you asked so nicely,"
Raphael smiled and led her onto the dance floor. "And may I ask the name of the beautiful Vampire I'm dancing with?"
"It's Destiny," She said slightly dazed, he even smells good she thought, "I take it your Raphael?"
"The one and only," Said Raphael. Out of the corner of Destiny's eye she noticed the elders re-enter. Julian saw her and winked, mostly this meant a sarcastic have fun, but in this case there was another meaning, she could tell by his worried look in his eye. Destiny took one hand from her partners shoulder and flashed him a thumbs up sign behind her back. Julian smiled and returned to his conversation with Isabella.
"So what's it like in Ireland?" Destiny asked. She mentally kicked herself for sounding so stupid. His eyes were hypnotizing.
"Well, it's beautiful," he said, Destiny nodded, stupidly, he has gorgeous eyelashes, and his voice, his voice! Destiny quickly concentrated on the tiny zit in the corner of his forehead. Ha! She though triumphantly, he's not perfect, but the zit actually looks good on him. "Long rolling hills, emerald green grass, and they make the best chocolate there,"
He even sounded seductive when he was talking about hills, grass, and chocolate. "You know the best chocolate is much lighter then dark chocolate, but lighter then milk chocolate. It looks exactly like your eyes,"
Destiny felt a blush creep up her cheeks and quickly shoved it down, "You are to kind," She let out a mental sight of relief, she had managed to sound mysterious, He obviously like her mysterious.
"No, your to beautiful," He said, bringing his face so close to hers that Destiny felt his hot breath on her face. They stopped, Destiny starred into his black as night eyes, I've seen his eyes before, she thought.
A chill crept up her spine, something in his eyes made her feel very afraid. The Vampire part of her screamed run, the Lycan part screamed kill him. Destiny stepped away from him, there was a moment of shock on his face, but was instantly replaced with confusion. Destiny turned and ran her skirts flowing behind her. Raphael smiled coldly. He shared a glance with Marcus, who just waved a hand at him dismissively.
Raphael shrugged. He would get her next time; soon she would be eating out of the palm of his hand.
Destiny sprinted up the stairs and whipped around the corner. She leaned against the wall and tried to catch her breath. Suddenly a hand reached out from the darkness and grabbed her arm. Destiny jumped and Erika emerged form the darkness. "You scared the shit outa me!"
Erika smiled coyly, "Marcus wants to meet with you in the library, now"
Destiny groaned and huffed away. She took a back stair that led strait to the library. When Destiny got there Marcus was standing in front of the fire, back facing her looking deep into flame.
"Lord Marcus?" She asked. Marcus whirled around and smiled.
"Destiny, I have been wanting to speak with you for such a long time,"
"Whatever about my lord?" Asked Destiny playing the coy little vampire.
"Firstly about the Lycan hide out, have you located it?" Said Marcus.
A huge grin plastered itself on her face, "Yes, they actually hide themselves well this time. They've made the old bell tower, on ivy street, a home of sorts. There's a huge web of tunnels that down to the sewers and connects with larger tunnels."
Marucs nodded "I had suspected they were in the sewers, like the rats they are,"
"What else did you want to speak with me about milord?"
"Ahh yes," Marcus mussed, "What do you think of Raphael?"
Destiny stiffened. There was a right and a wrong answer to this seemingly simple question. She thought a moment before answering, "He's very handsome,"
Marcus laughed. Her answer was that of a lovesick girl, exactly what she wanted him to think. "He is looking to marry,"
"Are you thinking of an alliance through marriage?" Destiny asked sweetly.
"You have once again read my mind," said Marcus. "I want you to be his wife,"
Destiny faked a shocked look, "Why me, sir?"
"Raphael is interested in exotics," Marcus said. His eyes traveled over her body and smiled coldly. "I think you count as exotic,"
Inside Destiny seethed.