AN: I don't know what ti say i'm sorry i'm late for posting.

I hope you enjoy
Steffy.

Chapter 17:

When I woke up, I was sore everywhere but it was a good sore….like when you ran so long that you can barely walk.

I could feel Adrian warmth again my body, and smiled my eyes still closed, snuggling closer. Adrian tighten his hold around me and kissed my forehead.

"Morning Sage….or should I say afternoon."

"Morning" I replied, finally looking up meeting his green eyes full of love. I was not sure I wouldn't regret it in the morning but no I didn't regret it…what I regretted was not giving us a try before.

He was a vampire, I was human…everything I always learned said we were not supposed to be together but last night we fit…We were perfect for each other.

"What do you want to do today?"

"Stay in bed with you."

Adrian laughed. "I knew I was a stud but really I never thought I could sidetrack Sydney Sage from Rome architecture.

I blushed. "I….don't you want to stay here with me?" I asked mortified to realize it was most likely not as good for him than it was for me.

"Are you kidding? If it was up to me we would never leave this bed again. It all make sense."

"What does?"

"You and I….here….now."

I frowned. "What do you mean?" I asked, as my stomach growled loudly.

Adrian chuckled, "let me go and order breakfast, I'll explain to you later." He jumped out of bed completely naked and walked casually to retrieve his robe apparently very comfortable with his nakedness.

When Adrian walked into the living room, I got out of bed and stared at myself in the mirror trying to see if I was different now but except for the light glow on my face and the light in my eyes nothing changed. I was happy really happy, for the first time in my life I was doing what I wanted without caring about the consequences and what people would think,

I smiled still looking at myself. Yes disobedience suited me.

"I saw a lot of you last night but I don't think I'll ever grow tired of it." Said Adrian from behind me. I met his eyes in the mirror battling the primal urge to hide my body. Come on Sydney it's a bit late to be prude I chastised myself letting my mind wander to last night, and Adrian's lips everywhere on my body.

We continued to stare at each other that way.

"Rose was right" He said voice thick.

This had the effect of a bucket of icy water being thrown at me. I knew he loved me, but I also knew that the goddess-like Rose had been the love of his life, I was really hurt by the idea of Adrian thinking of Rose while I was standing there completely naked and vulnerable.

I broke our eyes contact. reaching for his dressing shirt on the back of the chair. It was more like a dress for me stopping just above my knees. I could smell his woodsy manly scent on it and I had to do my best not to burry my face in the collar and inhale deeply.

"I'm just going to freshen up, let me know when breakfast is here."

"You really want to do that?" He asked blocking my way out, "because to be honest, it was like you were born to wear my shirts and knowing you are not wearing anything under it is very enticing."

I forced a smile but Adrian was not fooled as he frowned.

"Sage?"

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong? What did I do?"

I shook my head. "Nothing," I dodged under his arm. "I'll see you in a minute."

"Talk to me" I heard him say before closing the door of the bathroom behind me.

I met him in the main room for breakfast 15 minutes later. Adrian was freshly showered but he didn't shave, the little stubble gave him a rough and sexy edge.

Adrian eyed me carefully as I attacked my eggs. "It's because I mentioned Rose right?"

I looked up at him. I had two choices, lie or say the truth….I hated the idea of being insecure and yet I couldn't help it. "It sure didn't help."

He sighed. "You should know by now that I love you Sydney. Rose and I….Rose and I will never be together."

"I know you won't. She and Dimitri belong together" I admitted.

I saw Adrian jaw budge and realized I said something I shouldn't have.

"You think that is the only reason? Don't you think that I might have my say in all of this? Rose could come now and tell me she wanted to be with me I would refuse."

I smiled, I knew that deep down he believed that was true. "I know you believe that."

"Ah Sage, how can someone so smart be so clueless?"

I shrugged standing straight "I have no idea, it seems you are asking me that a lot."

"You know Rose cheated on me with Dimitri…Well I guess that's irrelevant because I think I always knew that once they would leave together all idea of me will be gone but it doesn't matter." He sighed. "I was not very gracious when we broke up," he grimaced. "You know I was a spoiled brat."

"No shit"

He laughed. "And I always got what I wanted so loosing Rose? Well it was as much a blow to my ego than to my heart. Rose had told me that I didn't love her, not really anyway, and that at the end it would make sense; that I would thank her for walking away and it's true… God it's so true."

"What is?"

"I loved her, I did…saying the contrary would be an insult to her, to me and even to you but the way I feel with you now? It run deeper, it's in my veins, in my lungs…Where I let her walk away I would have fought for you and where I fought stupidly to keep her I would let you walk away if its what you want, what you need…what you deserve. I know it will sound horrible what I'm about to say but I wouldn't change a thing. All the terrible things that happened, I wouldn't change a thing. I would do it all over again…the pain, the heartaches…Because it all lead me to you, I love you Sage."

I didn't know what to answer to that I was smart but Adrian has the gift with words, he was the artist after all.

"I love you too."

"That's why we're here" He grinned, flashing his fangs and I realized that where it disgusted me before it was probably the most beautiful smile for me now.

The next few days were just like a dream, passionate nights and busy days…I had almost forgotten that reality was expecting us somewhere in this world until Adrian made it rush back to me. Adrian was being the down to earth one and it was not a side of him I really enjoyed.

"When are we going back?" He asked one night while we were eating gelati on our way back to the hotel.

"What do you mean?" He reached for my hand and intertwined our fingers. "Sage I heard your chat with the big bad alchemist. You were due back to your headquarter 10 days later."

"And?"

"It's in 3 days Sage."

I shrugged. "I'm not going back."

Adrian let out a sigh I never heard before. It seemed to be a mix of pain and resolve. "Yes you are."

I stopped dead on the spot, letting my gelato fall on the floor. I didn't think he could have hurt me more if he had punched me. I finally understood the real meaning of the saying 'Words can hurt worse and for longer than sticks and stones' "I….I…You have enough?"

"How can you say that? I…." He growled. "You are infuriating! Of course I don't want you to go back! But I don't want you to chose me like that."

"Chose you like what? I want to be with you, I love you."

"But maybe you won't have to chose…If you run away now you know there is no turning back. I looked around you guys are a lot like the Amish."

I snorted. "What do you think? I will just tell my dad I love you he would say "oh okay fine go and be happy"? You don't know my father, you don't know the situation."

"No I don't" he admitted "because you never talk to me about it."

"I will have to chose it's the way it is, And it's fine I know I want you. They won't understand that! Hell, I barely understand it myself and I'm feeling it!"

"I still think you should go tell him, give him the opportunity to make the right choice."

I looked up at him, he was so serious it.

I nodded, reaching for his hand again. "Okay we'll do that."

"We? You want me to come?"

"Do you mind?"

"No, I want him to know….to realize."

"Realize what?"

"That I'm the man for you, that human or not…my heart is yours, that nobody will work as hard as I would to become the man you deserve, that I would spend every day of my life to make sure you will never regret choosing me."

My heart was beating so fast every time he was telling me how important I was to him.

"I don't think we'll have to wait long" I said to Adrian as soon as we walking in the hall of the hotel.

David was standing by the reception….How did he find out I was there?

Adrian stood tall and squared his shoulders, resting his and on the small of my back.

"David what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to escort you." He extended an envelop toward me.

I opened the envelop, and could feel Adrian getting closer to read over my shoulder. It was an official Council Order for an audition, an audition for 'suspicion of treasons'

"Well see, we have to go anyways." I forced a smile, meeting his worried eyes. "I guess we'll be leaving Rome now."

"We'll come back" Adrian whispered. kissing my temple.

David hissed but remained silent.

"Sure," but I knew only too well what 'audition' meant….it meant 'trial without jury' Mary was taken away after an audition, taken away to never come back. I also knew who would be the judge and executioner ….Someone who will hate seeing me standing there with the man I love…Jared Sage.