The Chronicles Of A Belikov: Memoirs Series Book II

by maymay330

Book II to the Memoirs Series. As classes wrap up and summer is creeping in, Rose, Alana, Lissa and the rest of the VA gang are faced with a whole new load of problems that has them spending their time at Court. A war is unfolding in theMoroi world and everyone is on the brink of having to choose a side. Follow the crew as they are faced with death, danger and unexpected

11. Chapter 10: Welcome To Court

p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1cdc41607a3b8efc85454ec328a8f101"Chapter 10: Welcome to Court/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="150e21f67844f500984f7f489119b1a4""Don't worry, little dhampir. You might be surrounded by clouds, but you'll always be like sunshine to me."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="90969cd1265a9e711447c6780d27fb8e"-Richelle Mead (Shadow Kiss)/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3a9b57104807687605e2d55f2412ee75"Lissa POV/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5b98c460742d5e4e697669a6b4193bcf"Spirit was having a field day with my emotions as I sat in the lukewarm bath after the long and exhausting plane ride to Court./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="aeb9846dbceeb365251c13f93838d89b"And as I sat and the bubbles began to fade, I let spirit take over. I let the dark and horrid thoughts fill my head and devour any positivity that was left in me. Because it had been days since I had had a decent conversation with another living, breathing sole. Christian and Rose had all but abandoned me. I knew it was spirit feasting and not the entire truth but in that moment, I felt a sense of relief in thinking that instead of my own secrecy pushing them away that they had chosen to stay away instead./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d89180431189eac67137fe17e0e36b55"And just when the thoughts become nearly unbearable, I pulled back and fought off spirit. The water was freezing now as I sat up and yanked the plug to release the water./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="277f0558abf0de00f5048279b6026b43"Just a few hours at Court, and Christian was no where and I was very aware it would be another lonely night without Christian in my bed, rubbing my back and loving me in a way I knew only he could./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4d05fd224fe210ef7f88fa719f11980a"I was at a dead end on what more to do to reconcile with Christian. My husband was livid with me and I couldn't recall another time when he had stopped talking to me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="88ec0290e35bfa63f743811af599e485"And Rose. The woman who had given up everything to be by my side and now she was finally choosing herself. I knew that really wasn't it and I was to blame for the distrust that had formed between us, but I also knew that her anger towards me had created a bridge between her and Dimitri. And I was happy that she was finally finding her own happiness./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="75c9379343ed4622d732cc0e1341691e"But all I wanted more then anything was to have my husband and my best friend back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bcb5c6db8b12d5411368534ada1c3207"Long minutes passed after the water drained and I sat there contemplating just what to do with my sad pathetic life when a knock sounded from the door beyond the suite. I was tempted to ignore it but I also was craving any social contact I could get and I knew if I didn't pull myself out of this cold bare bathtub and carry on, I would drown in spirit./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f14ad240d7ac7814978bde4a86c0c80f"After a bit of a struggle with my swollen stomach, I stood on wobbly legs and retrieved the plush warm blush rose that was hanging on a hook by the sink and tied it firmly around myself. I was silently pleased that it wrapped around me and the growing life inside me perfectly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="539b49aab56e4653f00f51e02654c0b0"The knock came again as I quickly wobbled into the main room and headed straight for the door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8296005c93776c3d2b66661676d58655"Adrian Ivashkov was dashing in a grey suit and his hair done. But then again, it was very unlike Adrian to not be in prime form./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ef0572cc85bcd0ff6eaa2c6af32103dc""Cousin." Adrian said giving me a small smile as he took in the plush robe, I was wrapped in./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="43c18db9ef8843fdc3946482d3618c3b"My heart fell a little after seeing Adrian. Because if I was being honest, I was wishing someone else had knocked on my door. But after being ignored by both parties in question on the flight here I knew that was wishful thinking./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="42753fad339868573133b12fba564c1d"Adrian gave me a pitying look which I hated but he didn't pry./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c616a745364f169499237c1e0fe44baa""My aunt has requested your presence tonight for dinner. I was gifted with the task of escorting you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8056636e7976a83db28bb4edca7105b7"I remained silent and turned towards my room leaving the door open so Adrian could enter. It was just my luck on the one night where spirit was plaguing me the worst and I was expected to have dinner with the Queen./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bc9a5e0f254bfd5769411c2f2f6698ac"The door clicked shut and Adrian sighed, "I take it no one informed you about dinner tonight."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c30f8101f153baafba0509e7658cca6f"I laughed and turned towards my half open suitcase sifting through the clothes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e99ba6916765204ecda5d32cb86a2f8e""You're take is correct. I had plans tonight to drown myself in ice cream and sad romance movies."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="584e9d3fd76a56d9bc792b0109c3c608"Adrian shifted and sat in the armchair as I finally pulled a light green floral summer dress from the suitcase. It was about the only thing that fit me at this point. I had planned to do some shopping here at Court but with everything going on I just didn't see how I was going to manage that./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="20a43b831e6cb83ee665add5cdb4b4d7""I'll try and talk to Rose and see what I can do. She can't stay mad forever."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="445546b40388a6b7999feff9e9246de4"I turned to look at Adrian, "Since when do you know what happened?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fe9288405b8f6431d68465a3f593c148"Adrian chuckled, "I got a very unhappy text from Rose a few days ago demanding to know if I had known. I pled the fifth by the way. I didn't want to be on the end of that volcano."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a8bfadd986db17dd9f94aec010a6f8a3""I should have listened to you and told them sooner but how do you just bring it casually in conversation? Plus, you know how Rose and Christian get. They mean well but they become suffocating when they become protective."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4a0ce890fb23c3e179dd0ada5fff2679""That's built into Rose's DNA to be overbearing and protective when it comes to you Lissa." Adrian reasoned./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c2aa58c2b9644394023b0da87bb91c1c"I nodded, pulling a pair of white flats from my bag and hoping my feet weren't swollen tonight because there were about the only shoes, I had packed that were decent enough for a dinner with the Queen. Because heels were a no go right now./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c1995a321cda1428376a8b9b966569fd""Either way, she should know that I need her right now." I said, gathering my clothes and heading towards the walk-in closet to get dressed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="73c503bacc4e5b761c83e83fe1acf1b2"Adrian called from beyond the door, "I'll talk to Rose. But I'm not sure how far that conversation will go since we aren't really on great terms recently."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="79a85d3e2314195d33644822889f8a1b"Once I was dressed and squeezed into the flats, I exited the closet brushing my damp hair./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e988018664a25a75f503e078323ae811""What do you mean not on great terms? I saw the hug she gave you after she got off the plane."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="943ad86267893a04fcc93a91f2d1ebcb"Adrian shrugged and pulled out a pack of clove cigarettes from his pocket. But he didn't pull one out and just settled with playing with the box./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f6780ac01eb1ee59d2d27dcb2db4e616""Rose and Dimitr are having sex." Adrian said grimacing as he said it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e59db2392dd95baa9686c9608608f9d6"Leave it to Adrian to find a way to chase spirit away and make me giggle./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="81e04e6004eaac4dcd717513720338c5""Well, I think that thing happens when you're a couple." I said stifling my laughter as I rearranged my hair into a fish braid./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d49953b5edf0bc648c89568fd498eb15"Adrian groaned smacking his forehead, "That's not what I mean. I mean they are having unprotected sex. Which means they both are being careless and could possibly end up with another miracle baby if they don't watch it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b6a54a0874d92b5ab7ceff59381ea441"I shrugged turning towards the mirror to apply a bit of makeup./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="037b35419f86839e59e392c77a99aa38""And what's so bad about that? Rose is finally happy. It's her life."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="667cee62e2fbaf1e16a5793ab3c120f1"Adrian sighed again, "Because its dangerous Lissa. Rose could die if she gets pregnant again. You weren't there the first time around. You don't understand."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bf5cfa2ff01af7ea740c2b3d9e2bfb65"Spirit's anger seemed to kick in as I whipped around, " I beg to differ I wasn't around. I was there for the whole thing. I know she had a tough pregnancy but..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7ea5dcd855bee90b52951ccdb16e85f6"Adrian stood, pocketing the cigarettes again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b71b19305a7833b7515a8bdbf1f4a3ff""No Lissa. I know you were there, but you didn't see how bad it got. Rose protected you from most of it even then when she was barely functioning. It got so bad, that she was sure she was going to die Lissa. I had to go over my aunt's head to contact the Alchemists. You know how they are. But Rose did pull through and once it was clear her and Alana would be okay, I let my contacts with them fall away. Until Rose asked me just a few weeks ago to contact them again."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3b385e8784b291c89f7cd7b420c344d5"I cringed. I had heard about the organized group of humans who had helped keep dhampir and moroi existence a secret for years but I didn't know much. All I knew was that things had to have been pretty bad for Adrian to seek their help./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5f15403df8c37f23e6635df71f562b1f"Adrian sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "I'm just worried that Rose won't be so lucky this time if she lets Belikov knock her up again."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7bc9b6f2ffab50481f8564153f29f42c"A bitter undertone laced his words, and I cocked my head to the side giving Adrian a quizzical look. His eyes seemed laced with his own demons from spirit and opening and evaluating his aura showed bitter traces of green./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dcd6f84e3b08854819e0d262c296543d""Are you...are you jealous of Rose and Dimitri?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9f7b57c281b1e62553911c111e404acb"Adrians cheeks flushed, and he looked away, "I'm not jealous. I came to terms years ago that Rose would never love me the way I love her. And I accepted that. I was content with being a friend and an uncle for Alana. But I can't deny that sometimes I regret not having fought a bit harder to make her fall in love with me. Especially when I see how she looks at Dimitr."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f3d4c5201f59e163185fccd63a3bf5be"I gave Adrian a firm tug on his shoulder so he would look at me, "That, cousin, is jealousy."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d949b52b33fd8c7d83cff284de958f23"Adrian huffed and looked at the wall, "I'm not jealous. I'm just...well...bitter I guess."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="130577b9a7c23d5dcb913490dd275547"Adrian's aura changed to a deep maroon color, and I knew he was trying to suppress his emotions. But it really wasn't my place to pry into his feelings. Adrian would never admit that even after years of coming to terms that Rose and him would never be, he still loved her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5487a2a2067e06d5945324c088a488c7""Have you thought about dating? When's the last time you even went out with another woman?" I asked giving him a nudge./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3f1c1963294a4892b7e3564292860848"He chuckled, "I don't date Lissa. And most of the woman who enter my bed know this."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fbe065ff068c6cdec193edacb6443fb2"I shrugged again, "Well have you thought of maybe trying?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="816f0d97dd5f5f1997be1ac0b587d47e"This time Adrian erupted into laughter./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="589b3072e21cde6e85dad16e0eda507d""No Lissa I haven't. Who wants to date a washed up borderline alcoholic health teacher."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6acd0d91204fb0cc6fa8c4b37411eb9e""Well maybe you should give it a try."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ca3fac5d1914408096cf9d108dcb4f5d"Adrian headed to the door, opening it wide and giving me a look, "The day I turn to dating is the day I quit drinking. Possible but unlikely."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b0e4353773007d724d527e5657a26e7d"Then he opened the door leading the way for me to walk ahead of him as we both headed to the royal quarters with thoughts swarming around both of us./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="08188222b7b0e5fc7252d8b71f7ceb3f"Eric POV/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="557d14a616492e3c7236d03d410903e5""You should have seen the look on her face when I told Bianca I was not her boyfriend." Marko crowed as he ordered another round of beers from the bartender./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8ac177be4b0e63138f5ee15638bffda0"I had to wrack my brain to figure out who the hell Bianca was before I finally realized she had to have been the blond Marko had been seeing off and on the last few days. But to be fair, I hadn't been coming out much with Marko to Sophie's little club recently. But tonight, my nerves were on high alert after having been caught kissing Alana and I was praying that the reason I was still alive, and breathing was because Ivashkov hadn't informed Rose Hathaway and Dimitr Belikov about the little encounter./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3761c1c3236dd9c9292439ac3a07dedf""You hear me?" Marko asked passing me a beer as the bartender returned./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b6b4f1da24a7c3a969f72808f200eea1"But before I could answer, a tiny arm wrapped around my shoulders and pinched my cheek./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3344802bf1a67cd2089602fd6c2941ea""Of course, Lover Boy heard you isn't that right Eric baby?" Sophie cooed as she gave me a smile her piercing grey eyes teasing as her brunette hair flowed around her face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e40102ad567e53e686a2080c1cd25d4c""Hey Sophie. "I said wiggling out of her arms, but the movement only caused her to laugh. I knew she meant no harm in it. This was just how Sophie was./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d1d3ecbb4e15de1f8592d8381ec74a06"She leaned, the smell of jasmine clinging to her as she whispered in my ear, "I see you aren't so stuck in those clouds anymore, are you?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="115d5ba5791542278df3f560eac8ab00"But her question didn't warrant an answer as she turned towards the bar and snapped her finger at the bartender who rushed off behind the doors on the other side of the bar and came back with a nice cold bottle of Russian vodka./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4b80d27dad31b442854deab284de9e82""For you lover boy. I recall you mentioned how Russian vodka had nothing on the states. So, I imported a few bottles. This one's on the house."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1d895331e2b6fa0433e7521bb861cfa3"She placed the bottle in front of me and gave me a pat on the cheek before leaning in and whispering in my ear again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6e458db2fd66faa33b2727782e6359e3""Maybe you and Alana can celebrate once you two come to your senses and become a couple."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3ed842c2ec7f1ed78a5608c17eddd317"I felt my mouth go dry as Sophie smirked again, sauntering off./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="044b56a04ced3f5470e0d6ef17b73ab3"Marko gave a low whistle, "So is Sophie the mystery woman in your life Pavel? That why you won't take any of the girls that drool over you home?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5d612e3ac30fbb59930b2e16ca1aa7b2"I shook my head taking a gulp of my beer, "They do not drool."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a009df80e41fa154942def07be2a9456"Marko laughed and gave me a pat on the back, "You are blind if you don't notice. You must have it real bad. Most of the girls in here only talk to me in hopes of getting close to you. Not that I'm complaining."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e5a3af8f34b74a14282769c58d6c6ff4"I sighed not bothering to answer. Marko was a dog of a man, but I knew in another life I probably would have been the same. I probably was as I recalled my days as a teen with Eliza by my side./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="18c5962528abae2b54885008f408c8bb"I polished off the beer and grabbed the ice-cold vodka bottle, making a mental note to repay Sophie the next time I saw her. I knew importing Russian vodka was not cheap, no matter the type of business Sophie ran it had to have cost a fortune./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fc77b1e18cac52edfbe1a5ab42fb0a90""I'll catch you later Marko." I said waving at his as I tossed a few dollars on the bar for the beer./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="802401799e12a026c3eb1761bcbb1fbe"But Marko was already talking to a small brunette and didn't seem to notice./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ff2712766a38c2bd9fdf60175587a3d4"The walk across Court I felt all my guardian senses on high alert. But deep down I knew I would already be a dead man if Ivashkov had spilled the beans./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2a7e15180f755c120ec52973ed6f491a"The short walk to the guardian quarters was quick as I made my way back to my private room and paused as I noticed a shadowed figure siting in front of my door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="63474ad584d017e0b6cf536db35375ac"Alana sat with a black hoodie over her head in front of my door and as I realized it was her panic began to seep into me. She could not be seen out here./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9059cf8ebb3acb5774527a20793e7c5d"I quickly fumbled with my door key and rushed her inside my small room and shut the door before locking it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6fa81cda46db15d21308b7f617f41e62""What are you doing here?" I whisper shouted at her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="64f6151821a5e35eabe4baec952abff4"Alana flicked on the light and gave me a patronizing look as she shed the hood of her sweater and shook out her dark hair./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3e00408a24711e6cd6294d56441ef612""Hi nice to see you. Oh, I'm doing great how about you?" She said gazing around my room and plopping on the foot of the bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="606ef79d8b616beb6c4028dd72dd8ad8"I ran a hand through my hair and sighed, "You know what I meant. You can't just show up here out of the blue. If someone had seen you, we both would have been in a lot of trouble."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b9c45b1647451a5a6177b7615803afa2"Alana rolled her eyes, "What happened to us not making this summer awkward between us Boss?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="79cc205d377dfaa7f7a9c41a88d4b592"This time it was me who rolled my eyes as I set the bottle of vodka and my keys on the dresser by the door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="79decaa0271b08501431bae3225dc93a""You know I don't mean I'm not happy to see you. We just have to be more careful."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1c718687a959cb71f861705b8bf59e69"Alana sighed and stood coming up to me and wrapping her arms around my waist, "I know Boss."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8abf6f99c021f6a42c0c87ae4ec7f611"Then she kissed me, and all my worrying melted away. Kissing Alana was like a drug. My brain didn't function right when her lips and skin touched mine. My thoughts became clouded, and my blood felt as if it was going to erupt. Kissing Alana was like my own personal slice of heaven./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="747878bf96b6a46501bdfeaba633ed08"Reluctantly, I broke the kiss and wrapped my own arms around her waist./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d9964484e5f3878772f1e0ffe016b5f4""I will say I'm glad it was you at my door and not one of your parents waiting to take me out. But knowing them they probably would have been a little stealthier if they had planned to finish me off."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3f770eccbf6431b203707825d5de04c4"Alana giggled and wound her hands through my hair, "Adrian isn't going to tell them."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0116f981a2354bc688837db20ef69dea"I sighed relieved and brushed strand of her hair behind her ear, "Still we need to be more careful. Just one year." I said placing a small kiss on her nose./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="38a25beec4f82de2fe10edd01806dd58"She smiled and tightened her grip around me, "Just one year."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f3070c3ec9cfd9f024a78f4aaaae2c22"Her eyes landed on the bottle vodka behind me, and she smirked releasing me and grabbing the bottle./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2ecb59edb213abd3db96a3dc8fc25254""Planning a party?" She asked, pulling the stopper from the bottle, and taking a whiff before her eyes widened, "Wow, this is some serious stuff."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ae3edf2ac6f035b1ea8cd429b86f5718"I laughed and attempted to take the bottle from her, but she was quick and already taking a large gulp./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fe38ee2facdff49d00de1f4abcf503db"She grimaced and swallowed before allowing me to take the bottle from her and put the stopper back./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="69bde5947803cfedd39fe504cd7ef28a""Imported from Russia. Sophie ordered it for me. Apparently, she was offended by my comments that Russian vodka has nothing on American vodka."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f2d7545d0d92e26e731155529b5bd297"Alana giggled and grimaced, "Well I can see why. Are you trying to burn your insides up?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7da8f6e77d86c3ae719a6c4c4bfe70ba""It was actually a gift for the both of us."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dd3fc454a75718b343afd26c7120be11"Alana gave me a questioning look before grabbing two glasses from the small kitchen area and returning to grab the bottle and poured two healthy glasses of the cold vodka./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="85346f30d72363fbfa28daf2719880b6""In that case let's enjoy it together."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="681237f2f0b5d6b961bb87ac7981c653"I grimaced, "That's a bad idea Alana."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="35662cc6deea9cb36ef7d009d2fa13ac"She rolled her eyes and returned the edge of the bed, the glass in her hand./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="df7b20eb7978fd1a98c57ee69f56ccf9"'How so?" She asked crossing her legs on the mattress./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="050dfa197586bde5991d085bcc695e9a""It's bad enough I have a student in my room. Now you want me to corrupt you with alcohol?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="84db4c96accc59ff7828cdad5744d19d"Alana grimaced, "Can we not do the whole student teacher thing tonight?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2a738c3c9dd34f53b7f980da47acb231"I gave her a look meeting her dark brown eyes and the pleading in them and I knew she was right. I needed to not have that looming over us if I was serious about trying to make this work. Which I was./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="38a13b15f38bdd23490cbb9719d4171a""Okay." I said gripping my own glass and heading towards the bed to sit next to her holding the glass out in offering./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f4138b13c9e801c8944d582403e99465""Cheers." She said, clinking her glass with mine before downing half the glass in one gulp with a grimace. I followed suit polishing off the same amount as she had enjoying the sting and burn as the vodka went down. I really needed to thank Sophie. Nothing could beat the nice slow burn of a potent Russian vodka. It was like I was at home./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ec503aefd0a54971776ec82ad30df243""Besides boss, I think I'm going to quite like letting you corrupt me in many ways." Alana said after she recovered from the burn of the alcohol./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f44e4b45940427b0e7d71cee92f23e37"Then she burst into laughter at what I could only assume was a shocked and hungry look that graced my face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6b3b7bd43ef1c7eb4d47dc633eafd051"And as I took her in, I knew she was right. Because I had a feeling, I wasn't a strong enough man to deny Alana anything./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a80e05bc1e87832ebb8c6e26bfc5d31e"And the next time things became intense between us, I knew it would take every ounce of willpower in me to not have her in every way possible. Because I was a goner for Alana Hathaway, and I had feeling she knew it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="42499ff143eb6a1b59ea65ec2bf45c1c"Dimitri POV/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bf38de0519229ad5d8c1237ad71ae74f"I was pretty sure Rose was determined to make up sixteen years of neither one of us having sex./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e14196934a0d6fc5527fdce3813804d0"Because we had only been at Court a few hours and we already had had each other on nearly every surface of our shared room. She had only agreed to pause so we could enjoy a quick meal that had been delivered after I had made a few calls./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b1c3aae758d0826c1ccf43cb0a625a23"I wasn't complaining about it though. I just knew though that Rose was using sex as an excuse to not deal with her problems. The first being Lissa. The second being that we really needed to have a conversation about the negative pregnancy test I had found. Not just that but the fact that any attempt I had had to try and use some sort of protection and Rose would laugh it off. But I knew we were both being careless and immature. But a small part of me really didn't feel sorry. Because as much as I loved Alana and loved that I had her in my life, I also craved all the moments I had missed in her life./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9aa0e87af94ab54b33af816bed24c90a"Not to mention that the fortune tellers reading had let us both a bit on edge, not that Rose had admitted but I could read her well and I knew that is had left her reeling./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3eccee93546a1e5bb3720d3fcb03daf5"Rose groaned over her steak and potatoes, and I chuckled as I noticed her vegetables had been strategically pushed aside to one half of her plate./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="82042a3c335c804f7091f484cdb58351""This is amazing. Remind me to let you order for us all the time." She groaned again as she licked her fork and I smiled to myself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bf84d3b2c0f9e97c98301d95bb2a9289""So does this mean you are ready to talk?" I asked, stabbing my fork into her vegetables and eating them myself./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="aff394083f40237bee25120d63ec31c1"She didn't pause in her eating but gave me sideways/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="387effd28332a7f4ac93d8a37e041033"glare, "About?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1d6f9cc4bf38536f20616fd5cdfb0202"I shrugged, "We could start with when you plan to start talking to Lissa again..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4235d5672c2f05cad628224657aa476f"Rose placed her fork down on her plate and gave me another glare, "I don't want to talk about Lissa again for the millionth time."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c6e42f16c02485b80e6341feab898364""Okay." I said, putting my own fork down and taking a deep breath, "What about the negative pregnancy test I found then?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0ab27bedb07f51bb0042566b7d05e2f9"Rose's irritation seemed to seep away as her eyes widened and she looked at me panicked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f6dc7696a2fdf2f774c2ba8b788ca71f""I wasn't aware you knew about that."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cd32aae284cd0a5009643ca6c8baf3cf"I shrugged and took a sip of the red wine, "I was waiting for you to bring it up but I'm pretty sure you had plans to never bring it up."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dc777a190db54e818a65e243a8f12774""Well, it was negative so there isn't much to talk about."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0d94c3b93c8e76dd27e0b0b7c74211bf""But when you take another one there's a high possibility that it could be positive since you refuse to use any type of protection."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6f1da4e9a9c3f896d6a667c6e9352474""And?" She asked pulling at the edge of my shirt she was wearing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b81a50080fa564e045cfb185031c042e""And is that something you want?" I asked, trying to get somewhere./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5d8ffa432b61fbed1f85332a77196bce"Rose looked at my sheepishly, "Would it really be so bad to want to have another child with you Dimitri?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="044402e42486e7191e5227d9c0ffd0a8"I smiled and took in the beautiful woman in front of me. Her soft bronze skin and her luscious hair. I was one lucky man. And there was no denying that I too wanted to experience fatherhood right./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ae0b8355555b47c3f124c5a54c1f690e""No, not it's not Roza. I'd love to have another child with you. But that means doing it right. No secrets. No walking away. All in. Forever."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9d66341382056abcb92fb559988cead0"Rose smiled and took my hand, "I'm yours Comrade, always have been and always will be."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e8ee7e95e032055de5a15a7c457fc354""Then marry me Roza." I said, pulling her towards me and smiling as she obliged and straddled my lap./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6beafd49d2631174b80e7de05134b525"Rosa giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck, "Marry you?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="304238f0ed131254c3b737c5e11c24a5"I leaned in, my forehead pressing against hers as I tried hard to be a gentleman and not glance down at the bare flesh of her legs as she wrapped them around me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5bceaedfa121588c8d520498d38e943f""Yes, Rosemarie Hathaway. Marry me. Marry me and be mine forever."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="644a436a23e130c89dcfe123285e8387"Rose's cheeks flushed and I smirked as she seemed flustered. It was pure talent to surprise Rose Hathaway./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ff92b401f64c0770fc3cbcb13a1d74ae""I'm already your forever. But if marrying you means you'll never leave me again then yes Dimitri. Yes, I will marry you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d558ed7924d8cb77d35b3310334b7e7c"Then she leaned in and kissed me, our dinner completely forgotten./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="97baff125d625c251b62e9208912a8ec"But I broke away from the kiss with all the willpower I had, "I will never leave you again Roza. Never. The only thing that will ever take me away from you and Alana again is death itself. And I don't have plans to die anytime soon."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="20a313f66cac04c530772af8fe544cd3"Then I pulled her back down onto the bed and kissed her, devoured the years of pain, and hurt that laid between us. I knew would spend the rest of eternity kissing that pain away as penance./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="25226f4a2065adab23fdc32c6baa8a03"But I found I quite liked the prospect of that. Because after years of loving this magnificent woman. Years of pining and years of dreaming of her she was finally going to be mine in every way possible. Forever./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="50cf785f7925c94a6ea24ea24c333da4"Adrian POV/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a447a0d39a4c2207cb4c4093a8dce208"Lissa's words were plaguing me the entire walk to the royal dining room. I was not jealous. I couldn't be. I was just worried./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="717a01d26b37f3bf258983779923ab49"But I knew I would be playing over all those thoughts later tonight./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2b2963dbf0224b403a2fd6a90927557f"As we approached the dining room chatter came from the open doors and I briefly nodded at the guardians on duty as I followed Lissa inside./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f9adbf42eeb00869ae4e6fdeb5da9245""Ah, finally dear nephew. I was thinking you and Vasilisa had forgotten about your dear old aunt."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="75a607e040f9821f8e94c0bac809be96"Queen Tatiana sat at the head of the table, her greying hair gleaming beneath her jeweled crown and her fangs were on display instead of hidden like most Moroi did./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="faadde4eddd0d0ab4800753f6bc5b0b0"But my eyes weren't on my aunt as I quickly found my seat at the right side of her. No my gaze was plastered to the young blond woman sitting at the left side of her, her brown eyes wide as if she was out of element./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a0ed58b5bdbde8cefad5462badbdc13f"Which she was considering she was human. And not just human from the looks of the gold swirling tattoo on her cheek./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ddbb071080de920cce3bbe9a127a0998"No, this woman was an alchemist. And I knew she was not merely sitting at the Queen of the vampire worlds table just because. No, my aunt had her sitting here for a reason I could only guess was because she knew I had been contacting the alchemists again. And I vaguely remembered her mentioning that an alchemist had been scheduled to come to Court./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="38f189b0d3fde633a510b4ed9fe6890c""Never auntie. Just running a tad late. Lissa hadn't received an invite."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9c5a5a7b8e1f4eccb5141a2ff7345163"My aunt clicked her tongue looking around as Lissa arranged herself in a chair./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2af3cc8291c18dd9bd1e53be3cc73c3b""I could have sworn I had a guardian send her a message. But I've been quite busy this afternoon entertaining our new guest at Court that it may have slipped my mind."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6358b09841cbc048b41241c762af5b44"She waved her hand and a guardian appeared with a bottle of wine and began pouring glasses. I noticed however that the guardian skipped over our company and Lissa./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="13eb09a43a459870739186dabb43b8b0""And who may our guest be?" I asked, tentatively taking in the human sitting across from me. Her blond hair was straight and styled to frame her face and she was wearing a grey pant suit that resembled the one I was wearing. A thin chain hung from her neck and was hidden behind her white shirt collar./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b93bf6a2d5b0d9023efaf910660d3170""This would be Miss Sage. She will be joining us this summer at Court. And once classes begin will be overseeing the academy for a bit."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f18cde8ab1647c835855a6045511750f"Miss Sage straightened a bit as my aunt spoke about her as if she wasn't even present./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e92a4e80dc0c58e0d066296e0a1738c2""The academy?" Lissa asked, taking her own sip of water and thanking the guardian who refilled her glass./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5ed93ba5b5fcdf86fb81f4127b6b3ad4""Yes Vasilisa. Apparently, Miss Sage had a case she is working on which calls for her to be at the academy for a bit. They wouldn't elaborate and I didn't feel in the mood to ask considering."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1fb5fd2b56af3f133c0fc4e77ab3801f"Lissa nodded and glanced at Miss Sage./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cce9ffe7b7981c50ca57c1e6492f4829""Well, you are welcome at the academy Miss Sage." Lissa said extending her hand. But Miss Sage only glanced at her hand and nodded her head in acknowledgment./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="953bd39d2d59a91ed953ff6a3a90fa86"Lissa awkwardly put her hand down and we both shared a look. I wasn't surprised though. The alchemists hated our kind./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="eab380d1317ec2973774d7d57c0ee4be""Do you have another name, or should I continue to call you Miss Sage?" I asked, just as the first round of food started being distributed by the kitchen staff./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="115cd105209b34b861cea18eecf3ae1b"The human woman's bottom lip trembled but she quickly seemed to brush it off as she spoke, "Sydney. My name is Sydney."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ca57e403509c23a5f33d90c3f2f48fbd"I smiled and met her eyes, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Sydney. I'm Adrian."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="39011649d0a8872724709d0a601fac9f""I know who you are Mr. Ivashkov." She said coldly and glanced down at the plate that was put in front of her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0c6ae8791f584510f60f37c64a4c7ea0"We all began eating the Cesar salad that was placed in front of us. All of us except Sydney./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="774babd61cf19276188912e1c9671927""I doubt the kitchen staff poisoned it." I said pointing my fork at her untouched plate./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5529274abd82b8462573b0c07114f43f"Lissa kicked me under the table, and I smirked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="178d0f0db156598d32c2639aa728ade6""Now Adrian. Be nice." My aunt chastised as Sydney's cheeks blanched./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1c417fd1b45581a8e820c85e60a13651""Or were you expecting us to have plasters of organs and glasses filled with blood?" I asked, as her eyes widened./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1e5c70b88d869d78c8d6d9b87e3c1bb7""Enough Adrian dear." My aunt said in a firm no messing around tone. And I knew I'd better not cross her again when she used that tone. She was queen after all./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4727564d996905a41e920d1cb747f1a0"The rest of dinner was filled with little conversation. My aunt questioned Lissa on her pregnancy and little things around the academy./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d1c267f6c4347206cd948d00af908068"But I wasn't really paying attention to my aunt and Lissa. No, I was intrigued by the human in front of me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="14ce1410da97ffe43555b1ebb22425dd"I had seen a human before. I mean there wasn't much difference between them and us, except well the fangs and skin and whatnot. And sure, I had been in the human world countless times over the years. But I had never sat and ate a meal with a human before. Correction. Sat and ate in front of one since Sydney had not touched a single thing on the table./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e80251c8e6e5c47e1242a117c01386d1"Once desert was served and the pecan pie was gone, my aunt addressed me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="bd850d05165861f8c31a18ca15b5745a""Adrian dear. Could you please escort Miss Sage to the guardian's quarters please. She has her room assignment but I'm guessing its best you show her, so she doesn't get lost."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f83ec183bf82b8e95a5c18ebcf629c26"Then without another word my aunt stood and exited the room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c19412aa30d42fb87ef81f54e5b4a5b9"Lissa stood and looked like she was about to pass out from all the food she has consumed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="74e2ed5307b9d085e0a6525b4e2515de""I'm going to head back to my room. I'll catch you later Adrian. It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sage."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4c9293b117802b671dbd99969831a527"Then Lissa wobbled out of the room, and I nodded at a guardian who took the cue to walk with her back to her room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="671d3a5847f92a78f422dd725e586d33"I picked up my glass of wine and polished it off as I stood and took in Sydney./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="67ae309e202be97a2d6efdce0fa67b1f""Do you really plan to not eat a single thing while you stay here?" I asked she stood and grabbed a small suitcase that was tucked underneath the table that I hadn't noticed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a0322de0491a58ff85ad946a33d59953"She clutched the handle for dear life as she followed me out of the dining room and down the corridors./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2cc721334277f05a7e2313b34e32a422""I have a few energy bars in my bag." She finally muttered as her eyes took in everything we passed as if she was mapping it all in her head in case she had to flee./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="26b30b40f0a498d4266db96170998aea"I chuckled, "I don't know much about humans but from what I do know they require food and water just as much as we do."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9d82792f9f70c5aa008766645049b967"Sydney swallowed seeming at a lose of words and I was finding myself not wanting to part from her quite yet. Maybe Lissa was right. I really needed to get laid, as crude at that sounded. Because here I was desperate to make an impression on the quirky and timid human alchemist./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9df0b3dd110ad5bb11c2cf5ae6926993""Your assumption would be correct." Sydney confirmed as we turned a corner./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d3448aed2eb39181a8e0d7e9175b779c"I stopped walking which must have taken her by surprise as she collided with my back and hurriedly backed away as if the small contact had electrocuted her. I suppressed the urge to laugh and gave her a small smile./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="165be1ca7c124d71a9f1bef96b16fbba""If I took you to the kitchens and you were able to prepare your own meal, would you eat then?" I asked as she brushed her pant suit down as if the small contact had caused it to become wrinkled./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="381b54aaf29e864999ef4f8385b470ef"She pursed her lips before giving a quick nod of her head. I turned and started heading towards the royal kitchens./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="28e649b74be5ce66c170f619987de507"The kitchen staff was long gone, having cleaned, and put away any leftover food already. Every stainless-steel appliance was pristine and cleaned to perfection. Sydney took in the kitchen with wide eyes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="533f8f2d50633bebff9b9d3a06f4f7ee""Help yourself." I said, leaning against the wall and watching her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="746ded83e4bcad8db6a6c2cf0284fbab"About ten minutes later, she had found herself an apple, an orange and had prepared herself a small peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I didn't question her as she found a container and packed it away before standing there and looking at me as if she wasn't sure what to do next./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1fb2e258136c0960427129957f7bd3b2""That's all?" I asked and she nodded quickly as I pushed off the wall and grabbed a few bottles of water from the fridge./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="63bb2d0a8cd3e64f635694cd926d4205"The rest of the walk to the guardian quarters was silent./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="18d2441e800ff6204d43da94c8914dcd""Here we are." I said, glancing at the number on the key she held gripped in her hand./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="492d471271bcc730e95f3dd52ebbff54"She quickly moved to unlock the door, juggling her sandwich, fruit and suitcase. I nudged the door with my foot and placed the bottles of water on the end table next to the door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3fc8cb77687d7e5debaa1b9b0e29724f""Have a good night, Miss Sage." I said, turning to leave and close the door behind me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ed1f95ec00981b77054ddd6e593d2619""Sydney." She said quickly as she placed her loot on the bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fe273cd95cf17e7638396a5cda684cb1"I smirked over my shoulder and gave her one last look over./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a6498ac9b339f90f2c783b8b230c3a74""Good night, Sydney. Welcome to Court." I said, grabbing the door handle./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ffaa441b6ce773f8c62df7601ef6abcf"She nodded and quickly rushed to close the door after me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c8ce8d42e2d68301e88ed07f5a5d161a"And I was left wondering just how Sydney Sage was going to survive being at Court./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="39a876be6f1e63aac318d68a5a783ae7"Alana POV/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f0cfc83b971b995067cd899e2f47c66f"I was truly drunk./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1c060b88537055fed5b1f580a8acf59c"Like beyond drunk. I wasn't sure I had ever drunk this much and as I gazed at the now empty bottle between Eric and I a round of hiccups took over./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ebaec9e07e8f1907bca8a5d3c918ff44"Russian vodka should not have been legal. Because I was pretty sure my insides had been burned away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="74d131f9c97f530907ad466aeec7213e"But then again, I wasn't sure if that was due to the alcohol, or the endless kisses Eric and I had shared this evening./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="da9862174b8f38dc6085f2549fd15f3d"Eric shuffled the playing cards, dealing out our hands again and smirking as he showed he had blackjack. Again./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2e6ebd8c537fd9f1c6b39b652f1266cf""No fair." I said, huffing and tossing the cards on the discard pile./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="091c86ccf41fa801a67b40afa923c56c"Eric laughed, "Blackjack just isn't your game."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="11c6080176f6dab68d54197c18e94c8f"We had been playing for hours between kissing and drinking and Eric had kicked me ass every single time. I would never be able to go to a casino at this rate./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2713612011fa67043397d51dfe8cc90b""You're just too good that's all." I said, hiccupping again and climbing into his lap. His lips brushed against my hair and I sighed, relishing the feeling of his hands on me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="854a97e95c900f5290a5e84e23fb1394""Have you been corrupted enough now Alana?" Eric whispered in my ear, sending a wave of chills through me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cad7abeb36cb977708175cbc35e4911f""Not yet." I said, turning in his arms and pulling him down over me as my back hit the mattress and kissing him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6ab90cd9b2a0c0d5546bbf29734d4ab2"My hands trailed down his chest and gripped the edge of his shirt, as I tugged gently. My intention was clear, and Eric groaned and pulled away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ebd60ebde0e9b743204364fdf0c23a22""You're drunk Alana." He mumbled, brushing my hair away from my face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="81ac453d39cccb2e79a3d47f52e348c1""So?" I said, tugging again. But Eric didn't budge and the alcohol in my system had left my limbs feeling weak./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="61238c3c1a4e6011ba66cab170fc7eae"Eric smiled as he gently gripped my wrists and yanked them off his shirt, "So, you aren't thinking clearly."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="986d17ea3030cfd5a47b0660ea04ae1a"I pouted as he tried to move away but I wrapped my legs around his waist keeping him in place./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6ce77a46911f32969014df567af741e7""I know what I want Eric." I said, biting my lip and gazing up as him./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d94db4ca24aa8dfd360220d2bbd00086"He smiled, "I don't doubt you do. But I'm afraid I can't give you what you want when you can barely see straight."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="427a3c02960976bc5be5670efc109473"I pouted again, "I can see perfectly fine."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9493775aacad21e7414108e537da9211"Eric chuckled leaning down and kissing my nose before he leaned down and nipped at my ear before he whispered, "I'm noy denying you Alana. But I won't have you like this."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="89ea50fd930a9c672f69f5e1a41d88a5"Then he nipped my ear again and trailed kisses down my neck before he sat up and gathered the playing cards and the empty bottle./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="02546ab81cf37f80484385deebc3b4b5"My blood felt as if it was on fire. If Eric's goal was to make me forget about the pining need in me to experience all my firsts with then he had greatly failed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7116a6134b9e2234dfcd0b6f734ab1b5"He turned towards the dresser and placed the empty bottle in the trash as he dug around in his dresser drawer./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3e0573a490ff1bdfbc2093d0c39fda07"I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or my own will, but I slowly found myself shedding my shirt off before Eric turned back around and looked at me stunned./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="37f0f643a44571d272afb6af9b55e697""Alana..." Eric said trying to look away as I kneeled there on his bed in nothing but my jeans and bra./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ccc9edcbd653954b8ddc8c176ff967f7""I told you I know what I want. "I said, wondering where this wave of confidence was coming from but realizing I didn't care really. I wanted Eric. In every way possible./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fa6da5e85fad0cb1c7c8b32006ca253f"There was an awkward period of silence and then like a wave crashing against a cliff, my confidence slipped, and my cheeks reddened./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="05d4b8ad9742fab2a6345b8b16e99cca""Am I...do you not like it?" I asked, hating how my voice was small./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0734ba5883ed736c75778134ba0bb97f"Eric finally looked at me, "You are perfect Alana. But I don't think you are thinking rationally."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e6be197d5c1415da8603cca568dc0904"I swallowed feeling my confidence from the alcohol wear off a bit more, "You don't want me?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a18d3bbc29a0fa68f927bdc43d71b256"Eric shook his head quickly, "Of course I want you, Alana. But sex isn't all I want from you. Especially not like this."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a08f754c721edea3be627f06e78f9719"Then he approached, pulling a black shirt from his back and slowly moved the fabric over my head./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2274141ea2648af72e38a40a7c91862c""Come on. Let's get some sleep." He said as he slowly pulled me down on the bed next to him and wrapped his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest and sighed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4005fd2a433db7f72a7fbf7a37e26575""I just made a complete fool of myself, didn't I?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6e3906c58a775222ddcca50b7c85e29e"Eric chuckled and kissed the top of my head, "No Alana. You didn't."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2ef97f16f78f08728f940606684ee3c0"But as I laid there in this man's arms, I couldn't help but feel that I had just made myself look like an idiot. And this nagging in the back of head couldn't let me forget that Eric had just denied me. And I couldn't figure out if it was a blessing or a dodged bullet./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="99dec368db7964eeec808130ef41e9c5"But my brain wouldn't let me ponder anymore on the topic, as sleep found me, and I drifted off./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6c4a363aa8fddebcf0ffc7ad9fce4c1c"Lissa POV/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7e9af874335bad5cd72a7ac9ab6b1b40"I quickly kicked off the flats as I entered my room and thanked the guardian that had followed me and shut the door./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b244e3387150ab4610dc0766afb1f94f"I was exhausted and my feet were killing me after the short walk back to my room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="590ce5777f792a00a98622d235db75b6"I fumbled on the wall looking for the light switch, mentally chastising myself for not having left the light on when I had left./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6fcf89f867163e2360e969f28ab66921"Finally, I found the switch and the room was enveloped in light, I nearly screamed when I saw someone sleeping in my bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0dfc54e038b49a9dcf1320ca04353167"But after a few blinks, I was shocked to see Christian curled up in the bed, fast asleep./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b9750bd332ddc9e4878350bd4e4907f6"My palms were itching to rush to him and grab him and apologize for everything. To drown in the warmth and security his embrace would provide. But instead, I found myself peeling the dress from dinner off and grabbing the robe I had left on the hook earlier./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="58b9465ae920a2f2f151b35eb085e876"Then I turned off the light and edged towards the empty side of the bed./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0b4b259181a1855a1468808db2a79472"Christian stirred a bit as I settled down next to him, not touching but content to have him nearby./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="422e82ee64f0b875c939b2f259df8b2c""Lis..." He grumbled, reaching out as his hand gently landed on my swollen stomach. A wave of strong alcohol washed over me and I tried not to cringe away from the smell./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e00c608c74f64b0e8cf01376aa7ab43a"Christian was drunk, that much was apparent./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="66149d559adb80b8482e9894e60b78bd""I'm here." I said, placing my hand over his and gently squeezing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="fa924e84de7cc8c5b32a7ded61134511"Christian stirred a bit more, slowly edging a bit closer./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="32cfe97cf2137ed4a503a9dd7433a134""I can't lose you." He slurred a bit and my heart clenched./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="94efef0c69c36f29c892ebbee2cd995d""You won't." I said, drawing small circles across the back of his hand./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2eefc7c4fd7e7f6d324b45115aaa9a97"Because he wouldn't. Death could come for me all it wanted. But I was Lissa Dragomir, and I wasn't going to go so easily./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="26478db11a74b3c8675f463fee30cba7" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p