A/N: Last chapter's title was a song by Imagine Dragons. Their songs are often used in my Body Pump classes, so I associate them with good vibes. Plus, I really like their lyrics.
It's such a delight to see some of you are still very involved! Thank you for reading and for leaving your reviews and sharing your thoughts on the story. It makes my writers' heart swell
This update took a little longer. My apartment is being renovated and I didn't get a chance to work on the story sooner. Aside from that, I have an exam coming up for a certification I need for my job (which my boss sprung on me last minute). I had to spend long hours studying for it and I only have 3 weeks left until the actual exam. Fingers crossed!
It is my plan to complete this story by Christmas. So hold on to your hats…
Chapter 10: Too lost in you
Callie was the first to wake up. It took her a few seconds to sort through all the delicious memories of last night that flooded her brain before she actually joined the land of the living. A big, satisfied smile seemed permanently plastered on her face. She felt fantastic. Well rested, relaxed, and strangely at peace. She turned to look at the woman next to her, the sight immediately softening the look in her eyes. Arizona looked nothing other than angelic as she slept. Her hair was slightly tousled, her hands neatly folded beneath her cheek and her soft, pink lips slightly parted. The sight made Callie's heart swell.
Yesterday, they had argued. Again. Their situation was pretty volatile, but somehow they had still managed to fix it. Well, more like patch it up until it would explode again. It was kind of crazy how the whole Arizona thing was evolving. She had been fascinated with Arizona from the moment she had laid eyes on her and that fascination had turned into some sort of infatuation. And that had turned into the hottest sex she had ever had. But it was more than that. For some reason, she had felt safe enough to open up to Arizona. And the blonde had been the only person in the world to truly understand her. It felt like Arizona saw her for who she actually was and that drew her to the blonde like bees to honey.
Even though Arizona was quite reticent, she had opened up to Callie. And listening to her and being allowed to keep her secrets was something that Callie valued greatly. As she stared at Arizona unabashedly, taking in the sight of her, she could not resist pushing a strand of unruly hair behind the other woman's ear. She soft strand in her fingers and the barely there contact with Arizona's skin made her heart flutter.
Was she falling for her? Callie shook her head. If she had to ask herself that question, she probably was not there yet.
Callie Torres did not fall for people. She did not let anyone close enough for that to happen. After some nagging from the little voice in her head, she was prepared to admit she had let Arizona come closer than anyone ever before. But that did not mean she had fallen for her. That was crazy. It was too soon to even tell. They had slept together twice. Ok, well, three times if she counted that strange but delicious first time in Arizona's hallway. She had only known Arizona for a couple of weeks. It was too soon to tell.
She leaned up on her elbow and rested her head on her hand as she continued staring at Arizona. Could she fall for her? Probably. Would that be a bad idea? Absolutely. But that only made it even more interesting, to be honest. There was something about Arizona that she could not quite grasp. The more she learned about the other woman, the more she seemed to want her. And the more people told her it was wrong, the more Callie seemed to want her. It was not even out of spite. It was because she felt that there was still so much more to discover. So many more amazing little facts about Arizona were still a mystery to her and she wanted to figure them all out. She wanted to learn what made Arizona Robbins tick, which spots on her body made her cry out for mercy. Callie wanted to know what Arizona liked and where she liked to be touched and kissed. But most of all, she wanted to get to know her, the essence of her.
As her thoughts swayed from last night to the present and back, she shook her head and she chuckled. Who was she kidding? Her father's 'it looks good on you, kid' echoed in her head. He had seen it on her. Callie now realized it was not just the power she was radiating that her dad had picked up on, something that seemed to come with having sex with Arizona. He had seen that Arizona had a different effect on her. He had noticed even before she had. Annoying.
Her free hand came up to Arizona's face and she gently ghosted the back of her fingers against the blonde's cheek. As beautiful as she looked while sleeping, Callie felt it was time for the other woman to wake up. And it was time to go home.
At first, Arizona's face twitched slightly. "Wake up, sleepyhead," Callie spoke softly before leaning in and gently brushing her lips against Arizona's.
Arizona's eyes fluttered open and as soon as she saw Callie, her lips curled into a smile. "Hey," she croaked out.
"Good morning." Callie's hand cupped Arizona's cheek, her thumb rubbing lightly over the soft skin. "How did you sleep?"
Arizona did not reply. Instead, she leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to Callie's before burying herself into the crook of Callie's neck.
Callie sighed contently and pulled Arizona closer. "Yeah, me too," she murmured into the blonde's hair, inhaling deeply to get more of the other woman's unique scent. Staying the night and cuddling in the morning? Bad.
###
Arizona had not seen April since the night she had shown up in the hospital, wounded. Usually, they would see each other more often, but Arizona had gotten caught up in work. They had exchanged messages frequently and Arizona had called April, but it was not until today they had managed to schedule a face-to-face moment.
She felt her friend's arrival before she saw her, so Arizona already walked to the front door. April neatly parked her red VW Beetle in front of the house and greeted Arizona with a bright smile. Her eyes sparkled as she walked up to the front door. "Hey, stranger." April stood in front of Arizona for a moment before sidling up to her and wrapping her arms around her friend. "How have you been?"
Arizona let herself sink into the warmth of April's hug and closed her eyes for a short moment. "Good," she said automatically. "Busy with work."
Her friend tsked and shook her head. "You know you're gonna have to tell me more than that." April stepped inside, took off her coat, and followed Arizona into the living room where she plopped down on the sofa with a sigh. "Now," she said while turning towards Arizona, who had sat next to her, "how have you been?"
"Can I get you something to drink first?"
April smirked as her eyes met Arizona's. "That depends on what you're about to tell me."
Arizona chuckled and shook her head. "There is nothing to tell, really."
"That's BS, you never disappear on me and I see that look on your face. Something is different."
"I'll make us some tea," Arizona said, trying to create some extra time for herself to think about what exactly she was going to tell April. She could hardly tell her friend that she was dating a half-vampire. Was what they were doing even dating? She wanted it to be, that was for sure, but with all the controversy around it, it was not very wise to do so.
Before April could protest, Arizona had gotten up and moved into the kitchen to make them some tea. When she returned with the two mugs, April took one and put it on the side table next to her. "Alright, now spill."
Arizona chuckled. "I thought I was the cop here."
"What's going on, Arizona?' This time April's tone was more worried and her look got a little more serious. She narrowed her eyes as she carefully inspected her friend next to her as if trying to read her mind. "Oh my Goodness!" The redhead's eyes went wide and she clapped her hands together in excitement. "You met someone, didn't you?"
Arizona wanted to roll her eyes and deny April's statement, but instead of that happening, her lips curled into a shy smile and her cheeks started blushing slightly.
"Oooh, I'm right, aren't I? Tell me all about her. Where did you meet her? How long has this been going on? Are you officially dating?" After firing all her questions, April took a careful sip of her tea, her eyes not leaving Arizona's.
She was a very private person and even though April was her best friend, she was not a fan of being interrogated like this. But once the initial annoyance faded, Arizona found herself wanting to talk about Callie. That was new. "She is magnificent," Arizona's voice sounded a little dreamy.
"Oooooh, Arizona, this sounds so wonderful. Tell me everything." April scooted closer and put her hand on Arizona's arm.
"I met her while I was on a case," she started. Arizona figured she could give April the full story without giving her too many details. "She fascinated me from the beginning, but I never thought she would be interested in me. For some reason, we kept running into each other. She's a lawyer and that…well, it complicates things."
"Oooh, a little intrigue."
This time, Arizona's eyes did roll. "She's intriguing and for some reason, we just seem to get each other." She knew exactly what that reason was, but April did not need to know that. "We've ended up on different sides a couple of times now and….well, it has caused some arguments."
"What do you mean by on different sides?"
"On different sides of the law." She held up her hand to stop April from speaking. She had seen the woman's eyes grow wider and shook her head. "She's not a criminal, but she represents someone I arrested, which caused an awkward situation. But it's not only that. She's so different. Our lives are so different."
"Ah. Okay," there was a short pause and April seemed to be contemplating her next words. "So she's not…..like us?"
Arizona shook her head.
"Does she know about you?"
Her lips pressed together. She did not want to answer the question, but she surely was not going to lie either. For a moment, she did not know how to deal with it. To give herself a little more time, she took a long sip from her tea.
April seemed to know about Arizona's inner turmoil and sipped her tea quietly as she waited for an answer.
Arizona was seriously conflicted right now. She wanted to talk about Callie. In fact, she needed to talk about her. She needed a sounding board to figure out what she was feeling right now. It was unfair to betray Callie's trust, she would never do that. But, God, she wanted to talk to April.
"Oh my God," April said all of a sudden. "Have you used your powers on her without her knowing?"
Arizona's head shot up and she looked at April in disbelief. "Of course not," she said, her brows knitting together into a frown. "I don't even have any powers to use on anyone," she added with an exasperated sigh.
When Arizona did not deny her earlier statement, April's eyes went even wider. "You…she…did she?…Do you?"
There was a look of utter confusion on Arizona's face and she was trying to find words. "I…I'm not sure what you mean."
"Did you tell a human about you? About us?" April asked.
Well, that was a question Arizona could answer easily. "Of course not," she said, her voice slightly harsher than she had intended. "I would never do that."
"Sorry..." April paused and bit her lip. "I'm sorry, I'm getting carried away. I just…I'm happy for you, I really am, but also a little weary."
Arizona sighed. She would have loved to ask April if they could just talk about it without taking into account they were angels and her new lover was not. But, of course, it would worry April.
After drinking another sip of her tea, April put her mug back on the coffee table and rolled her shoulders. "Okay, let's do this again," she said with a smile. She shook her head and made a funny noise as if she was rewinding herself and flashed Arizona a surprised look. "Oh my Gosh, Arizona, you've met someone? Tell me all about her!"
Once again, Arizona's face broke into a big smile and her cheeks flushed slightly. She knew this was why April was her best friend. The woman could read her like an open book and she knew precisely what Arizona needed. "Thank you," she said softly before she started talking about Callie. The more she spoke, the more her face lit up. The more she told, the more she realized she needed to speak about Callie.
April sat quietly and listened to everything Arizona had to tell her and when the blonde stopped to take a breather, April's face turned soft. "Wow," she said in a dreamy tone of voice.
Arizona felt wetness on her cheek and she wiped away a stray tear. The past weeks had been such a roller coaster and she had not had one second to let everything sink in. It felt so cathartic to just talk about it now.
April was a pure angel and being around her was just like being wrapped up in a warm blanket of hugs. She was a petite woman, with big eyes and a bright, innocent smile, and could effortlessly make people around her feel at ease. That and the fact she could actually heal people made her a very good doctor. Like most angels, April had gone the traditional route and had opted for a profession in service of the people.
"Oh honey," April scooted closer and wrapped Arizona into a hug.
"Sorry." Arizona's voice was muffled because she had her head buried into April's shoulder.
"Don't be silly. I'm glad you are trusting me with this."
She let out a deep sigh before leaning back and looking at April. "It's….it's difficult. It feels like I'm doing something illicit and like….." she paused, playing some of the very unfortunate events of the past few weeks through her mind. "It feels like the Universe is trying to tell me not to do it. But on the other hand….God, she makes me feel so good, so….alive."
April's face broke into an even bigger smile. "You've fallen for her," she said in an amused tone.
Not wanting to cry anymore, Arizona pushed her tongue against the inside of her cheek as she composed herself. "I…"
Her silence was met with a soft chuckle. "No need to hide from me, my friend."
Next to being able to heal people, April's power was the ability to get people to tell her the truth. She was the angel version of a lie detector and as useful as it was to April, it could be very annoying to Arizona sometimes.
"I'm getting there," she admitted in a quiet tone of voice.
April chuckled lightly. "That's an understatement, but I'll take it." She gently ran her hand over Arizona's upper arm. "So, I can see you are clearly conflicted. What are you going to do?"
"You tell me," Arizona said with a huff. It was meant to sound exasperated, but there was a slight glint in her eye giving away that she was toying with April.
"Look, Arizona, I know you. You don't do stupid things or dive in head first without thinking about it. So I know you're not taking this lightly. You deserve all the happiness in the world and, let me tell you, you are beaming. Why don't you give it some time? See where it goes? It's not like you have to sell your soul to the devil or something."
Arizona's eyes widened slightly at April's last words. Her friend might have been joking, but she was so close to the truth it was uncanny.
April did not seem to notice though and continued speaking. "Just be careful and keep checking in with yourself. One of the two feelings will grow and soon enough you'll find out which one."
It was such a relief that April was not hammering on the fact that Callie was not an angel. Or that this whole thing was a bad idea. She needed someone who could just see this whole situation for what it was. Two people who liked each other and were exploring their options.
"I know you'll be careful, so I won't have to tell you that," April said simply. "But you know what, it's been such a long time since I've seen you like this. Why don't you…I don't know, indulge a little? Just….have you told your grandmother?"
Arizona soaked up April's words, the last ones sinking into the pit of her stomach like an anvil. She looked up at her friend, her eyes questioning.
"Arizona….it's impossible to ignore her on this. If this becomes serious you'll have to get her permission to inform….oh Gosh, you haven't even told me her name!"
"Callie," Arizona said, her stomach twitching in excitement at the feel of the woman's name rolling off her tongue.
"Callie…that's pretty. Right…so you'll have to get your grandmother's permission to inform Callie about our….nature. It's a big responsibility, for you and for her. You have to figure out if it'll be worth it and if you think she can handle it."
If only April knew. Should she tell her? No. She was finally getting the support she wanted and telling her friend about Callie's true nature would surely not keep her on her side. No matter how wrong it felt, she could not tell April right now.
And then it dawned on Arizona that she was once again breaking a rule because of Callie. Shit.
###
Callie had been working almost non-stop this week, for some reason all her clients needed her attendance to discuss new issues. Next to that, it felt like a million and one other things kept her away from the office. Today was the first day of the week she actually had time to sit in her office and work. She did not have any appointments planned for this afternoon and it was the most welcome thing yet this week. Her desk was filled with paperwork and she was staring at her tablet, comparing some data with what was on her computer screen.
All week long, she had constantly felt as if Arizona was close. Her instincts were on high alert and more than once she had felt like the blonde could round the corner at any second. Ever since last Sunday, which was spent mostly in bed with Arizona, Callie had been walking on air, feeling incredibly powerful. She had by now figured out it was more than just the afterglow of good sex. It was something else. Something Arizona shared with her. It had been difficult to suppress her powers and she had unwillingly read more auras this week than she had in years. The feeling was fading a little, but it was still distracting.
A soft knock on the open door to her office startled her out of her concentration. Cristina stood in the doorway, her arms crossed in front of her chest.
"Yes, Cristina?" She did not look up from her work, not wanting the distraction of seeing her assistant's aura right now. She knew it would be there.
"Have you eaten yet?"
The question made Callie look at the white gold watch on her wrist. Shit. 2 PM already? Where had the time gone?
"I'll take that as a no. What can I get you? Quinoa salad?"
Cristina was a life-saver. From the first day they had worked together, Callie had realized the woman knew how to handle her better than any assistant that had worked for her before. "Yes, please. Thank you." Without another look, she went back to work.
After Cristina had brought in Callie's lunch, she hovered. Callie took a big bite from her salad before looking up at her assistant, raising an eyebrow.
The raised eyebrow might work on clients and opponents, but it never left Cristina unsettled. She flashed Callie a sly grin. "I just wanted to remind you of your appointment tonight," she said, her tone of voice sounding way too amused. "You promised to accompany your father to the opening of the Hammersmith gallery."
Callie groaned. She had indeed promised but had forgotten all about it.
"I've called George, he'll be here later this afternoon with some dress options for you." Cristina was obviously enjoying this sick torture, her eyes twinkling as she spoke.
She took another bite of her salad and groaned again. George was the man who always made sure her father was dressed to the nines. It was typical for her father to send George to her as well to make sure their outfits matched.
Cristina chuckled before quickly regaining her composure. "I thought I'd let you know so you can mentally prepare," she said with a smile.
"Thank you," Callie said. "And stop gloating. Karma is a bitch, you know?"
"So am I." The reply was firm, but the twinkle in Cristina's eyes gave away she was enjoying their banter. "Your father will send a car to your house at 7.30….."
Usually, Cristina would deliver the message and walk out of the door, but for some reason, she was still hovering in Callie's office. She pursed her lips and eyed Callie before speaking up again. "Callie?"
Callie looked up, her confused eyes locking with Cristina's. "Yes?"
"Is there any reason why your father's assistant asked me to confirm the car would just be picking up one person?"
A slight blush crept up Callie's cheeks, but it quickly faded as she regained her composure. "You would have known if there was a plus one," Callie said calmly.
Admitting to herself she was starting to have feelings for Arizona was one thing, making it official was a whole different story. She was not ready for that yet. She doubted she would ever be ready for something like that. She was certainly not ready to entertain the thought of having a girlfriend, let alone of that girlfriend being Arizona. They were getting to know each other, that was all there was.
"Sooooo…" Cristina's words trailed off while she looked at Callie expectantly.
"There is no plus one," Callie replied simply.
"Ooookay." It was obvious from Cristina's tone of voice she did not fully believe Callie. She left the office and crossed the hall into her own office.
Callie mentally chastised herself. She was distracted and that was not a good thing. There was no way she was going to let Arizona get any more power over her than she already had. She should be drowning in her work, not in her lust for Arizona. She shook her head, as if to shake the thoughts out of her mind, and went back to work.
The day had flown by once Callie had managed to focus on her work again. George had come to the office and she had picked a beautiful one-shouldered black dress with mesh stripes. She knew her father would probably be wearing a black tailored suit, as usual, so a tasteful black dress would complement his outfit.
Ever since she turned eighteen, she had accompanied her father to all sorts of events. In the beginning, it had been exciting, especially since she got to pick pretty clothes and her make-up and hair would be done by a professional. She had loved the glitz and glamour, but as she got older the excitement was more for the thing that actually mattered. She loved that it was a thing she did with her father. The dressing up was sometimes a pain in the butt, but she would always make time for him.
James, her father's driver, announced his arrival with a text message. Callie quickly made her way downstairs and checked herself in the mirror one more time before slipping into her coat. The tall, impressive man greeted her with a bright smile and a polite nod as he held the car door open for her. Her father was already in the car and she slid in to greet him with a peck on the cheek.
"Hi, daddy."
"Mija, it's so good to see you. How are you doing?" As soon as he saw his daughter, Carlos' face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"I'm good, daddy. How are you?"
As soon as Callie was settled in, James closed the door and walked around the car to drive them to the gallery opening. Carlos grabbed onto Callie's hand and gently squeezed. "I'm doing great. I'm glad you are coming with me tonight."
Callie's heart fluttered a little and she flashed her father a bright smile. "Of course."
"You look radiant."
A grin appeared on Callie's lips. For a few seconds, a lot of thoughts ran through her mind. Should she tell him about Arizona? That things were difficult, but she felt she was falling for her? No. Certainly not. Should she tell her father that she was slightly worried because she had not been able to control her powers this week? No. Also not. Well, maybe she should. Maybe her father could help her. But on the other hand, maybe it was just a fluke. Maybe being confused about her feelings for Arizona messed with her ability to control her powers. It could just be that simple and she would worry her father for no reason.
"Thank you, daddy," she replied with a smile.
Her father did not let go of her hand and even though she would normally have found that awkward, right now it was perfect. Without knowing it, her father was giving her the support she needed. His warm touch, the big hand enveloping her smaller one made her feel safe. Her father had her back, always. And she knew that without him having to say it to her.
They just sat there in silence for a while. Callie stared out of the tinted window at the street lights and the building passing. Maybe it was because her father was around, or maybe she had somehow managed it on her own, but her powers were under control again. There were no auras, no hairs standing up at the back of her neck, no feeling of Arizona being near. It was the most relaxed she had felt all week.
"Mija, are you sure you are okay?" Carlos asked while gently squeezing Callie's hand again. "I can feel you worrying."
She turned her head to face her father and flashed him a smile. It was a nice smile, but it did not reach her eyes. Hiding her emotions from her father was futile, but she did not feel like dampening the mood with her inner turmoil tonight. "I have a lot on my plate. But I'm fine, daddy, honestly," she reassured him.
Carlos just nodded, accepting her answer. "Have you heard that Oscar Miller has taken over Miller Industries? His father left him all his shares, which gives him the majority."
Callie could not help but suppress an eye roll. That creep seemed to pop up everywhere all of a sudden.
Her father chuckled and finally let go of Callie's hand with a shake of his head. "I thought I'd tell you now so you can get your eye rolling out of the way." He seemed thoroughly amused by Callie's reaction.
"Is he gonna be there tonight?"
"That's highly likely," her father responded. "Henry is known for funding a lot of Seattle-based artists. Unless Oscar is too busy with other things, he will probably be there tonight."
She was extremely thankful her father had told her this. Even though she could see her father's amusement, there was something else in his look. Something that gave Callie an unsettling feeling in her stomach. "You look worried."
Carlos pressed his lips together and was quiet for a moment before he responded. "I'm keeping an eye on that young man," he started. "But I have the feeling he is up to no good."
Was this the moment for her to tell her father what she knew? There was not much she could tell him yet, but maybe she should.
"I…ah.." Callie's face contorted as she stopped after her first word.
"What did you do, Calliope?" Her father's tone had changed from warm and fatherly to serious and authoritative. The kind of tone that made Callie cringe, even if she had not done anything wrong.
"I resent that," she replied after she was done cringing. She had not done anything wrong, there was no reason for her father to chastise her like she was a little girl. "I didn't do anything wrong. I just….might have picked up some things."
Callie was treated to the Torres trademark raise of an eyebrow from her father. Seeing him do it made her realize it was something she did too. It was her way of making people spill their guts. And by the way she felt right now, on the receiving end of it, it seemed pretty efficient.
"I heard that Oscar is secretly trying to build up something," she said, waving her hand in the air as if it was nothing. "He has a few servants and ah…"
Carlos' eyebrow seemed to rise even further.
"He might be involved with some things that have happened in the city…"
Before she could continue, her father's brows furrowed and he interrupted her. "What? Why haven't you told me this before."
"Because I don't have the facts," Callie replied simply. She was starting to get annoyed because it felt like her father did not trust her. "I didn't want to come to you without the full story. I know someone close to Oscar and she's feeding me information. We just don't have anything conclusive yet."
"Are you insane?"
This time it was Callie who raised the Torres eyebrow. And this time it was not to get her father to spill his guts, it was because she could not believe her ears. "Are you kidding me? I'm not twelve anymore. Gathering evidence to strengthen my case is literally my job. I know exactly what I'm doing."
"Stop the car, James." Carlos' voice boomed through the car. James obeyed and closed the partition to give them some privacy.
Carlos turned towards Callie and just stared at her for a moment. "This is not some spy movie, Calliope, and you are not Nancy Drew. What the hell were you thinking? You abdicated because you did not want anything to do with the vampire world. Why on earth are you meddling in it now? If you're looking for trouble, there are easier ways to find it." Carlos pinched the bridge of his nose. "God, I thought we were finally entering calmer waters."
"Excuse me? I'm not meddling…." She paused and took a breath to try and let the building anger dissipate. Callie rolled her eyes before facing her father. "Look, I heard that Oscar was up to some shady stuff. I just didn't want to worry you based on just some rumors. I am not meddling at all, I'm staying as far away from Oscar as I possibly can."
"I appreciate the sentiment, Calliope, but please just stay out of it. I'm glad you told me, I'll have my men look into it. And what did you say about things happening in the city?"
Callie looked at the partition before looking back at her father. "The string of murders," she said quietly. "The ME thinks the perpetrator is suffering from Renfield's Syndrome."
"Renfield's? How do you….." Carlos paused and pursed his lips. "Nevermind."
Callie could actually see the moment things connected in her father's head and her lips curled into a smug smile. "You're not the only Torres in this city, daddy." Her voice sounded sugary sweet, but her message was far from that.
Carlos chuckled and shook his head. "At least I never have to wonder if you are actually mine," he said with a wink. "But seriously though, what on earth is going on?"
"I think Oscar is letting people hunt again."
After she spoke, the silence in the car was so palpable it was almost deafening.
"He…what?" Even though he spoke in a hushed tone, Carlos' voice was still impressive.
"This is exactly the reaction I was trying to avoid by getting you more accurate information," she stated matter-of-factly. "I'm not sure of any of this and as long as I don't have proof, they are just rumors."
"You are not responsible for getting proof, Calliope. As I said, you are not Nancy Drew. Leave the detective work to Ms. Robbins and the other business to me. Stay out of all this."
With his sheer power and authority, he made Callie look him in the eye. She could feel his energy and had no choice but to obey. Callie's eyes met her father's, dark and menacing.
"I'm serious, Calliope. Even if you don't get yourself killed, there'll be hell to pay if I find out you are sticking your nose in any kind of other business than your own." His words were spoken in such a tone and with such a surge of energy coming her way, that Callie knew she would prefer death over any kind of hell there was to pay towards her father. Not knowing what to say, she just nodded in understanding.
Carlos swayed his head from left to right, cracking his neck as he did so. He just literally shook off all the excess energy and the atmosphere in the car went back to normal. He pressed on the button to lower the partition and motioned for James to continue driving.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Calliope. I'll take over from here." He spoke calmly, his voice back to being more gentle. Callie knew better than to try and defy her father over this, but that did not mean she had to like it.
Her father might have calmed down, but Callie was only getting angrier and angrier. Yes, she had abdicated and she was not supposed to mingle in vampire business, but she was still half-vampire and whatever Oscar was doing was bad for the whole vampire community. That included her. Her father seemed to forget that Callie was not a little girl anymore. She was not powerless. She had her own contacts and her own affluence in the real world. With hard work she had climbed the ladder herself, separate from her father and his empire. And right now it felt like he was dismissing that with the flick of a finger.
It was quiet in the car and as Callie's mind conjured up angering thoughts at lightning speed, her seething anger quickly rose to a boiling point. She was trying her hardest to calm herself, which resulted in her nostrils flaring slightly while she tried to take deep breaths.
When her father ordered James to continue driving, Callie let out a soft growl. She was not done with this conversation.
"Is there something you wanted to say?" Her father asked, his voice cutting through the silence in the car.
She thought about the question for a moment. Was her father extending an olive branch here? Was she meant to speak up?
"Calliope, I can hear you stewing from over here," Carlos said. His voice sounded cold and distant, nothing at all like the father Callie knew. He was worried. "Please, speak your mind."
"It's nothing." She heard herself speak and almost flinched at her own words.
Carlos turned towards his daughter and his features softened. "You can talk to me, Calliope."
"I'm frustrated," Callie admitted. She was not going to tell her father everything, she felt he did not deserve that. No matter how much she needed to talk to someone.
"So am I," her father admitted with a sigh. "The Miller family has always been a pain in the ass. I had hoped banishing their patriarch would settle things. I've been too soft."
"You have," Callie replied simply. She was so angry, she wanted to hurt her father. "I told you Oscar was a slimy bastard."
"Yes, you did." Her father had never been a man of many words and she had appreciated that in him. But right now, she wanted to shake him and make him talk to her.
"You never listen to me," she said in a venomous tone of voice. "I'm not a little girl anymore, I can help you. Even without stepping so much as one foot into your business. I have contacts, people I trust. They also helped me while you were away."
Carlos sighed and looked at his daughter. "You are not some mob boss, Calliope. Your mother would have my head if she knew I'd let you do things like that. She would have wanted you to have a good and happy life. She would have wanted you to have a career and to meet someone you love. I would not be honoring her memory if I didn't at least try to keep you on that path."
Callie chuckled and shook her head at her father's first words. But when he continued talking, unaffected by her sarcastic reaction, she stilled and her eyes softened.
Her father was a mighty man. He owned a Fortune 500 company and ruled a community. And next to that, he was solely responsible for her, his daughter. He had always done that with such grace, that Callie never really realized how difficult it must have been. When she was little he had always made time for her. He had dressed up in princess dresses and attended countless of her imaginary tea parties, probably all the while making business deals and putting out fires.
The silence in the car was almost palpable. "I know you're not a child anymore," her father spoke quietly, almost sounding sad. "But you will always be my baby. I will always protect you. I will always be there to keep you out of trouble."
Rationally, Callie knew her father was trying to mend fences, to reach out to her. But her anger made her less rational. Her anger made it sound like he was an overbearing father who did not trust his daughter to make the right decisions. "I can keep myself out of trouble just fine." She sighed and forced her anger to subside, imagining it leaving her body through her feet. "I just feel like sometimes you forget I'm not some socialite damsel in distress. I'm a managing partner at one of the biggest law firms in the city. It's been sixteen years since I made my choice and in all that time, I did not get into trouble once…" she paused and her eyes momentarily shot daggers at her smirking father. "Alright," she continued with a slight smirk. "I did not get into serious trouble once."
Carlos chuckled and flashed his daughter a warm smile. "I know that, Mija. You have done exceptionally well for yourself, I see that. But no matter what, you will always be my baby."
"I'm having trouble controlling my instincts," Callie suddenly blurted out. "All week I've been seeing auras, I constantly feel incredibly vigilant and my emotions hit me harder than usual." The words just came out and she was not even sure what she was saying or what she was asking. It had been something that had worried her all week and for some reason, it all came out now.
"You're in love," Carlos said matter-of-factly. He smiled brightly and his eyes twinkled playfully.
"What?...No." Callie's brows furrowed and her face scrunched up as if she just smelled something funny.
Carlos chuckled and shook his head. "You know, you are just as stubborn as your mother."
Callie crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her heart was beating so fast all of a sudden and she felt a slight blush creep up her cheeks. "You're not helping, daddy."
"There is nothing wrong with being in love, Calliope. I know you take pride in being the strong, independent woman that you are, but there is no harm in needing someone around. It's perfectly normal."
"I'm not in love." As soon as she heard herself say the words, they sounded foreign. It had been on her mind all week, but she was still not ready to admit it.
"After I had just met your mother, my teeth would come out every time I went to see her. The first time we kissed, I almost accidentally bit her…" He paused for a moment and gazed into the distance. His face had turned soft and he was obviously reliving a precious memory.
Callie allowed her father the memory and carefully watched his face. It was endearing to see how much her father loved her mother. It really was the stuff of fairytales. Maybe it was also part of the reason why she refused to fall in love. She had seen what the loss could do to a person and that was something she would not wish upon her worst enemy.
The thought of giving Arizona the power of something so fundamental in her life as her happiness did not sound alluring. But on the other hand, giving Arizona the chance to control her, albeit in the bedroom, had felt so incredibly liberating. The contradictory thoughts were driving her crazy, they had been all week.
"Resistance is futile," Carlos said quietly. "I have never seen you like this, Calliope. Stop fighting it and enjoy the feeling. The sooner you do, the sooner you will regain control, I promise." He slowly turned his head and looked at his daughter. "I have yet to meet a suitor that is good enough for you, but I'm willing to give Ms. Robbins a chance. If I can do that, you can, too."
All the while her father spoke, the blush on Callie's cheek seemed to spread. Her cheeks felt hot and her heart seemed to be trying to pound out of her chest right now. "I…."
Carlos gently took hold of Callie's hand and squeezed it. "Your stubbornness should never outweigh loneliness, Calliope. You are so fearless, what's stopping you from taking this chance?"
She raised her eyebrow at her father. His words caused a warmth to spread all over her body, all the anger long forgotten. It was endearing how much her father loved her and how caring he was. But was he really telling her to go for it? Had he not been the one telling her to be careful?
"I…I can't read her," Callie said with a huff. "When we are together, it just feels right, you know? But one minute I'm convinced she is into me and the next she backs away and I feel like she thinks I'm not worth it. It's giving me emotional whiplash."
Her father laughed. "You know," he started, looking at Callie with a bright smile on his face. "I think you might have found the only person in the world who is actually more stubborn than you."
Callie playfully slapped her father's arm. It had not been easy to open up. She would rather talk to him when she already had all the answers. She always had all the answers. But apparently, Arizona was a puzzle she could simply not figure out.
Carlos chuckled. "I can't tell you what to decide, but maybe it'll help if you talk to her. She might feel the same way, but you won't know until you talk to her."
Just when she was about to tell her father that she hated it when he was right, the car stopped. James got out and quickly rounded the car to hold the door open for her. Callie's eyes met his as she scooted over to get out of the car and by the look on his face, she could see that he had heard quite a lot of the conversation. He looked almost sympathetic. He had probably seen his fair share of people getting scolded by her father, so he knew it was not fun.
"Thank you, James," she said as he held onto her hand, helping her out of the car. She did not need the help, but she accepted it anyway.
Carlos also got out of the car and rested his hand on the small of Callie's back to lead her toward the entrance of the gallery. "See, it's not that hard to accept a helping hand," he murmured under his breath, loud enough for Callie to hear.
She turned towards her father and sent him a mock scowl. "Play nice, daddy."
Like the well-oiled machine they were, Callie and her father mingled with the crowd and made sure to speak to all of their business contacts. It was exhausting, but Callie thrived on it. She had even managed to have a serious conversation with a potential client she had her eye on for a while. If she could haul this woman in, it could bring the company considerable business.
"I'll give you my card, just in case," Callie said as she fished in her clutch to get her business card. "Just give me a call and I will personally help you out. It'd be my pleasure."
Charlotte Perry was the owner of a big cosmetics company that was having a lot of trouble with activists harassing her because of alleged animal testing. Her good name had been damaged and Callie knew she could be just the person to help this woman fix her reputation.
"I'd like that, Ms. Torres, us ladies need to stick together." Charlotte was a beautiful and attractive woman. She had long, wavy auburn hair and the greyest of grey eyes. She was tall and slightly curvy and had an impeccable dress sense.
"Please, call me Callie." She put her hand on Charlotte's arm and flashed her a warm smile. Yup, hook, line, and sinker. Callie was quite sure this woman would call her for an appointment in the near future.
Charlotte flashed Callie a bright smile and winked. "Callie," she repeated as if testing the feel of the name on her lips. "Is that short for anything?"
"It is, but only my father uses that name," Callie replied. "I prefer Callie."
Their conversation had started out as purely business, but Charlotte and Callie had quite a lot in common. Soon they ventured into more personal subjects and Charlotte told Callie about her cheating ex-husband, who was not making the divorce any easier by trying to get more money from her.
Just as Charlotte was about to continue venting about her good-for-nothing ex, the hairs on the back of Callie's neck stood up. And as she looked behind her to see what had triggered her instincts, she had to force herself to not roll her eyes. It was Oscar.
"Wow, it must be my lucky night," he said with a sleazy smile. "Two of the most eligible bachelorettes of the city. Can I get you ladies something to drink?"
"Mr. Miller, I'm having a serious conversation here, could you move along, please?" Charlotte's voice was cold and businesslike.
Oscar cringed and Callie wondered if she had just actually seen him shrink a few inches. It sure looked like it.
"My apologies, Charlotte," he said. "I didn't realize…..business never stops, huh?" He obviously tried to salvage the situation, but it did not seem to be working.
"Ms. Perry," Charlotte corrected him.
Callie's eyes almost popped out of her head. Charlotte was known as an ice queen business woman and Callie had always wondered why, because she only knew the woman to be pleasant. But now she was seeing it. And secretly, she loved that it was Oscar on the receiving end.
"Ladies," he held up his glass in the air and nodded toward them before he walked off.
"Sleazebag," Callie murmured under her breath before turning back to Charlotte, who was looking at her with a shit-eating grin on her face.
"I knew I liked you," Charlotte said, winking at her again.
Callie flashed Charlotte a bright smile and held up her glass to toast with the other woman. "Cheers."
The evening went by fast and before she knew it, her father joined her to let her know they would be leaving soon. Never be the first to arrive and never be the last to leave, it was something her father had instilled in her.
"I just have to say goodbye to a few people, I will meet you outside," Callie said. She put her empty glass on the bar and motioned toward the group of people she had been talking with.
"Alright."
Callie quickly went back to say goodbye and followed her father outside. She had lost sight of him and as she walked past the emergency exit near the cloakroom, she was suddenly pulled aside. The emergency exit door opened and she was being pulled through it, into the alley next to the gallery.
The figure was strong and taller than her and pulled her close against their chest. "I don't appreciate you treating me that way," Oscar hissed into her ear, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She had been scared of what was happening, but hearing that it was Oscar oddly also made her settle. He was never going to hurt her.
She had had such a nice night and she was not going to let this asshole ruin it. He had taken her by surprise, which had given him the upper hand. But she was going to show him just how strong she was. She turned to face him and took a deep breath, preparing to give him a piece of her mind.
Instead of words coming out, Callie felt her teeth showing and a soft growl escaped her throat. The adrenaline caused by the surprise had fueled her anger and apparently also her instincts.
"Well, well, Miss Torres," Oscar said with an amused look. "If I didn't know any better, I'd cower in fear." His tone was teasing and the glint in his eyes gave away he was enjoying this situation. His face quickly changed though and his voice turned stern. "I don't appreciate being threatened, I should call the cops on you. I'm sure that Detective who saved your father would love to hear alllll about this."
At the mention of Arizona, blood started rushing through Callie's veins. Her nostrils started flaring and she could no longer control her instincts. No matter how hard she tried, she could not get herself to calm down enough to regain her composure. And she was dangerously close to not caring about composure anymore.
"Ooooh, what are you going to do, huh? Bite me?"
Just as she was about to lunge forward to do whatever she was going to do to Oscar, a booming voice sounded from behind them. "Calliope, control yourself."
Her father's tone was low and stern and she could feel it deep in her bones. The tone was icy enough to immediately jerk her back to reality. She could still feel her blood raging through her veins, but she had sobered enough to kick-start her brain into gear again. Callie took a few deep breaths to steady herself, her hands balled into fists so tightly that her nails were digging into her own skin.
"You better real her in, Mr. Torres, she is completely out of control," Oscar's tone was serious, but he looked at Callie with a nasty smirk. "This isn't the first time your daughter has threatened me and I do not take kindly to it."
Carlos' hand came to rest on Callie's shoulder, calming her down further. "See me in my office tomorrow morning," he said to Oscar.
The smug look in Oscar's eyes faded slightly as he shifted his attention from Callie to Carlos. "I'll see if I can pencil you in," he said coyly. As if he was going to ignore an order by Carlos Torres.
Callie rolled her eyes and was about to speak up, but she felt her father's hand squeeze her shoulder tightly, almost painfully. "Leave...," he said sternly. "Now."
Oscar nodded and fixed his gaze on the street before leaving the alley.
Once they were alone, Carlos walked around Callie to stand in front of her. He put his hands on her arms firmly and forced her to look at him. "Control yourself, Calliope," he said.
This whole situation was surreal. Even in her teenage years she had always been able to keep some semblance of control over her instincts. The fact that Oscar managed to affect her so much that she completely swerved out of her usual lane was daunting. What the hell was going on?
"Calliope?" Her father's tone had gone from stern to a softer range and was now filled with worry.
She blinked a few times and as her eyes met her father's, she could feel her teeth retract. She blew out a soft sigh once she felt she was in control again.
"What were you thinking?" Carlos' brows furrowed as he stared deep into Callie's eyes. "You can't…Calliope, Jesus….get a grip on yourself."
"He…" The sound of her own voice sounded foreign to her as if the words were spoken by someone else. "He was taunting me."
"So? That should not have caused you to lose control like that. If I hadn't been around….Calliope, you could have seriously gotten yourself in trouble. What is wrong with you?"
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. Callie could feel tears welling up in her eyes. She had not felt this small in a very long time and it was humiliating.
"That's not good enough," Carlos said sternly. "This cannot happen again, ever."
Callie took another deep breath and let it out slowly, trying anything she could to calm her raging heart down. She needed the blood to stop rushing through her veins and the adrenaline to die down. She needed her ears to stop ringing. "He…He just pulled me into the alley out of nowhere, ambushed me…I…"
"I taught you better than this," Carlos said quietly. From the tone of his voice, it was evident his anger was dying down, but Callie knew this was far from over. "Get a grip on yourself, now," his last word was a quiet growl that immediately made the hairs on the back of Callie's neck stand to attention.
She closed her eyes and took another deep, shaky breath, forcing herself to steady herself better. When she slowly opened her eyes again, she looked straight into her father's eyes and nodded. She was back.
Carlos squinted his eyes before letting go of Callie's arms. He nodded towards the exit of the alley, where people were coming out of the gallery. "Let's go home." Once they made their way back onto the street, Carlos's hand settled on Callie's lower back, guiding her toward where James had the car ready for them.
He opened the door and motioned for Callie to get into the car. Once he had followed and closed the door behind them, he ordered James to drive and closed the partition again. "You need to stay out of the public eye as long as you cannot control yourself," he said sternly. "If I see you out this coming week, I will personally come to get you."
She looked up at her father in protest, but the look in his eye told her that he did not tolerate any kind of backtalk right now. Dammit, she was not a little girl anymore. What woman in her thirties got grounded like that? It was pathetic. But still, she did not dare defy her father, not when he was like this.
"But…"
"No buts, Calliope, this is serious. You cannot lose composure in public. I will not tolerate it." Even though his voice was stern, Callie could hear the undertone of worry in his words. And it worried her too. If it really were her feelings for Arizona that caused her to lose control of her instincts, she had no way to deny she even had them. And she was not ready to admit it. She simply was not.