If there's anyone out there still into NW, enjoy.


Chapter 5

Skylar

I stood under the water, not sure what to call how I felt. It was good, and relaxed, and almost giddy. I hadn't felt giddy in decades. And how had he done that? In 400 years I'd been with plenty of men, but not a single one of them could bring me to orgasm. Part of me wanted to go back and crawl into bed with him just to see if he could do it again. And having his mouth on me was embarrassing to even think about, but my God...it was beyond words.

I reached up and sharply turned the shower handle, changing the temperature from warm to cold and sticking my face into the water's flow. What was I thinking? He's an animal! The only reason I fell into that mess was because I was stressed and frustrated and afraid. I am stressed and frustrated and afraid. But I am not marrying him. Once this whole dragon nonsense is taken care of he's gone, and I never want to see him again.

I scrubbed myself until I couldn't smell him on me anymore, then turned the water off and got out. I wrapped myself in a towel and searched through the drawers and cabinets for a hair dryer, but there wasn't one. I grumbled to myself as I twisted a second towel around my hair and swiped angrily at the fog still on the mirror. Looking at my reflection, I hardly recognized myself. From the trail of faint red marks along my neck to the seeming glow radiating from me. I almost smashed the mirror. What was happening to me?!

Once dry, I pulled on my only change of clothes and sighed. I'd need to get more. Thankfully Florence was a free city. I slowly opened the bathroom door and looked into the bedroom. I could see the lump of him lying on the bed, and the sound of his breathing told me he'd fallen asleep. As quietly as possible I crept across the room, silently opening the door and slipping out. Maybe I could find another place to sleep.

The first door I opened looked like some sort of gym, full of exercise equipment that seemed all but abandoned, despite being well maintained. How long had he been away from here? The next door revealed a cozy looking den with comfortable furnishings around a cold hearth and walls lined with books, a sturdy desk in the corner. I wouldn't mind curling up on the couch... I closed the door and moved on to the next, finding what I could only describe as a "man cave," with a massive TV taking up most of one wall, a refrigerator, and a pool table. I sighed, realizing that was the last door in the wing. Across the landing at the top of the stairs was another set of double doors to another wing, but it was locked. Mildly frustrated, I started down the stairs to see what else there was.

"Kylow!" I cringed as Arabella ran up the stairs to grab me by the hand. "Tome on! Da twee's hewe!"

It wasn't until she'd drug me into the foyer to show me the ten foot evergreen that I realized it was already mid-December. Living in places without distinct seasons led me to lose track of time. I suddenly found myself missing the snows I knew would be blanketing the French countryside. Jumping up and down and clutching my hand the entire time, Arabella pulled me after the men carrying the large tree into the great room. Only when the men had it secured to a base and stepped away to examine the result did she let me go to fling herself into the arms of one of them.

"Oh, papà, è pehfetto!" "Oh, Daddy, it's perfect!"

"Sapevo che avresti ami, amore mio." "I knew you'd love it, Darling."

"Papà, che è Kylow." "Daddy, that's Kylow."

My face flushed and I suddenly felt the need to explain myself. "Umm... Skylar Parker." I awkwardly stuck out my hand, but he only stared at it. "You must be Marco. I...uh... I'm here with your brother. In law! Your brother-in-law. Stark. Joseph! I'm gonna shut up now." What the hell is wrong with me?! Since when am I reduced to a stuttering twit?

"Let's just hope he knows what he's doing with one of your kind." The contempt and utter hatred enraged me, but all I could do was stare, dumbstruck. Thankfully Arabella saved me by wriggling out of his arms and taking my hand again, dragging me over to where someone had brought out a box of decorations. "Where is Joseph?"

I tensed, refusing to look away from the assortment of shiny baubles Arabella was showing me. "He's sleeping upstairs. Jetlag." I listened to his footsteps and only looked up as he disappeared up the stairs. Since when am I afraid of one stupid animal?

"And dis one Nana bwought me wast yeaw fwom Austwia. Tomowwow, when we go get dis yeaws, we tan get YOU one!"

I couldn't help smiling at her child's enthusiasm. Then the foul stench of something burning reached my nose, and I jumped up, sprinting into the kitchen. Mina was slurring a string of Italian curses as she tossed a smoking bag of microwave popcorn into the sink and turned on the water.

"Is everything okay?"

She jumped, having not realized I was there, then looked at me and sighed, "Yes. No. That was the last bag. I've never been good at making this stuff." She scooped the soggy bag out of the sink and dumped it into the garbage.

''That's too bad. Are you sure there's no more?"

"Yeah. The box is empty. Ara's gonna throw a fit if she can't string the garland."

She was so excited about the holiday I couldn't imagine seeing her disappointed. "I'm sure we can find something else to use. I'll help you look." We both started rifling through the cabinets, looking for something to use for decoration.

"Wait! I think... Merda!" I turned to see Mina holding a jar of loose popping corn. "We have no way to pop it."

I took the jar from her, looking around the kitchen in thought. l spotted a rack of cooking utensils hanging over the stove and grabbed a barbecue fork. "I have an idea."


Stark

l sat upon the edge of the bed and scrubbed my hand my face, trying to grasp what Marco was yelling about. Something about vampires...

"... endangering my entire family by bringing that monster into our home! And Ara! She's entirely enamored with the beast! How can you say you love your niece if you bring those creatures around her?"

I got up, shoving past him and went to my dresser to find some clothes.

"Mio Dio! You reek, man! Please tell me you're not fucking that thing!"

Instinct took hold and I had Marco laid out with my foot at his throat before I even consciously registered what he'd said. Taking a breath I stepped back and went back to pulling my shirt over my head.

"What the fuck was that?" Marco coughed a few times and glared at me.

"Her name is Skylar, and she is my Soulmate."

Marco's eyes went wide, and he finally seemed at a loss for words. I finished buckling my belt and moved to go downstairs for something to eat. He caught up with me halfway down the hall.

"But how long have you known her, Joseph? How do you know we can trust her?"

"So far she's done nothing to make me think she's any danger to anyone."

At the top of the stairs we heard Arabella shriek. We shared a look of fear before sprinting into the great room. Arabella and Skylar sat in front of the fireplace with what looked like a pasta strainer on a barbecue fork full of popcorn. Both of them were smiling while Ara was jumping up and down excitedly. Mina stood in the kitchen door watching them, so we made our way over.

"What's going on? Why was she screaming?" Marco asked.

"l burnt all the Easy-Pop, so Skylar rigged something up to do it the old fashioned way. The first pop startled her, but now she loves it. And Skylar is great with her. She has a real knack for kids."

l stopped listening at that point and instead turned to watch the girls by the fire. Skylar had Ara blowing on the dish of popcorn to cool it, but Ara was just scattering it all over the floor. The way Skylar's face lit up while she laughed was amazing. She seemed like a whole different person. I watched as she picked up a piece of popcorn and got Ara's attention before tossing it up and catching it in her mouth. Ara squealed again and, giggling, threw up a tiny handful of popcorn trying to catch some, but only succeeding in making a mess. Laughing, Skylar scooped Ara up with one arm, popcorn in the other hand, and carried her to the couch where a bowl of cranberries were waiting to be strung with the popcorn.

Skylar didn't even have to be told to keep the needle away from Ara, immediately choosing to let her select the order and to run the pieces down the string to the button that had been tied to the end to hold it all together. By the time Mina had Ara's lunch ready I realized I'd been standing in the middle of the room, staring like an idiot for over an hour.

Once Mina had taken Ara away I watched Skylar sigh and look around the room, seemingly at a loss. Then her eyes landed on me, and she tensed.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, trying to start an easy conversation.

I watched as she took a deep, nostril flaring breath before she bit out an icy "No."

I could tell she was lying through her pointy teeth, but I didn't want to fight with her. "I meant…" I pointed over my shoulder into the kitchen, trying to maintain control.

"Oh." She looked down, chagrined, and even blushed slightly. "No… Thank you."

"Are you tired? You didn't sleep." I knew the moment it left my mouth it was the wrong choice of subject. Her face scrunched up like she'd just sucked a lemon, and she got up and stormed off.

I took about three steps after her before realizing it wouldn't do any good, so I flopped down onto the couch with a frustrated groan. I strained to hear her footsteps racing up the stairs until the couch sunk beside me. I looked over at my sister, a knowing half-smile on her face, and rolled my eyes.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Don't."

"You know, Old Powers or not, she still has to be open to it."

"But she—"

"She's under a lot of stress. I heard the two of you arguing earlier. For now just stop pushing her. Let her trust you to protect her first. The rest will come."

When Skylar still hadn't reappeared by dinner time I went looking for her. I figured there was no way she would be in the bedroom, so the first place I checked was the den. Finding the door cracked and a fire in the hearth I pushed the door open all the way. I stood silently watching her for a moment; she was curled up on the couch with my copy of Utopia, and for the moment she didn't look angry or frightened, just calm. And so incredibly beautiful. Before I could stop it I sighed. Her head whipped up and around to stare at me wide eyed.

"Dinner's ready."

"No, thank you. "

"Skylar—"

"I'm not hungry."

I growled quietly and rolled my eyes until something else occurred to me. "Arabella's asking for you." She wasn't, but that wouldn't make any difference.

She turned back to me from the book and stared for a long moment before sighing and getting up, placing the book upside down on the arm of the couch. I did a small victory dance in my head, then realized I was staring, and she was getting irritated, so I turned to head back downstairs. But I did listen behind me the whole way to make sure she was still coming. Arabella went ballistic as soon as we entered the dining room.

"Kylow! Sid by me! Sid by me!"

Ara grabbed her hand and drug her to a chair on the other side of the table. She pulled out the chair and pushed Skylar into it, then tried in vain to push it in. Sky scooted in the chair, so then Ara clambered into the next chairs, which had a boater seat strapped to it.

All through the meal Arabella chattered a mile a minute despite all four of us constantly telling her to "Stop talking and eat." Mina tried to make small talk with Skylar, but nothing at all specific.

"So where are you from?"

"France."

"Where are you working now? "

"I'm an ad-exec at Clinefeld & Hart in LA."

"That sounds exciting. So you're creative?"

"It helps to be a mind reader."

"And how did you meet Joseph?"

The silence that followed was tense and lasted far too long. Even Ara was quiet. I knew that I could've answered for her, but I wanted to know what she was willing to disclose.

"Work," she finally said, and that ended Mina's line of questioning.

When everyone was finished Marco took Ara for her bath, and Skylar, Mina, and I sat in silence for a long moment before, as if some sort of agreement was reached, we all stood up. Skylar pitched up her plate and began to reach for Ara's, but Mina stopped her.

"You're our guest, Skylar. Don't worry about that. You go rest; Joseph will help me with the dishes."

I looked over at her at that, knowing it really meant: "I want to talk to my brother alone."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

Skylar looked between the two of us, then looked at me as if for permission, so I nodded. After another few seconds she finally shrugged and left the room.

"You need to tell me exactly what is going on right now. Everything."


Skylar

I'd just made myself comfortable on the couch and picked backup my book when Arabella came running into the room.

"Kylow! Kylow!" Her dark hair fell down her back in wet waves, and she wore a frilly purple nightgown and carried a worn teddy bear.

"What? What's the matter?" I'd just set down my book and sat up straight when Marco chased her in.

"Arabella it is time for bed!" l could tell he meant, "Get away from the vampire!"

Maybe she could tell, too, because she climbed into my lap and wrapped her tiny arms around my neck. "I wan' Kylow to tug me in!"

"Arabella!"

"Come on, Bella. Listen to your dad." I tried to pull her off, but she wouldn't budge.

"No! Kylow!"

I looked to Marco, who looked ready to burst. "It's okay, really. I can put her to bed."

"... fine!" And he stormed off.

l sighed and stood up, carrying her down to her room. " Okay, Bella. Bedtime."

"Tell me a sory."

"Okay." I set her on her bed, and she crawled under the covers while I went over to the bookshelf in the corner.

"Noooooo! Tell me a new sory!"

"Oh. Okay." I went back to the bed and sat on the edge, trying to think of any fairy tales I knew that weren't already lining the shelves.

"Okay. A very long time ago, back when process fought dragons to save princesses and falling in love was instant and forever, there lived a young girl in a little village in France."