Chapter 3Astonishing Liaisons
Despite my shivering, as Sinjin held me, I swore I felt a beat. Placing my hand on his chest, I felt his heart. "Your heart …is beating."
As he carried me to his study, from his expression he became upset. "That was a spell I performed." In his study, he looked at the fireplace a moment and a fire lit. "Sorry about the pool but I like it cold." Though he wrapped me in a blanket his butler brought, I longed for him to hold me again.
Since he didn't want to discuss his beating heart, I dropped the subject. "Why?" Covertly, I examined his athletic form, well what I could see above his swimming trunks.
"I have a difficult time waking up and a cold swim helps me feel refreshed and ready for the evening."
"But why that cold," I asked. "It's very uncomfortable."
"A long time ago, back when I was a child, I had a difficult time getting up in the morning. The servants would splash water on me as a last resort which happened all too frequently. One day my elder brothers decided to help, so they carried me to our lake and threw me in which was fine in summer." Proudly, he smiled, "When wintertime approached, I acclimated myself to cold water. During the first cold snap, when they threw me in, I held my breath and swam underwater as far as I could while everyone looked for me near shore." Chuckling a moment, he remembered. "I didn't come back until my brothers had been spanked thoroughly." He seemed lost in thought. "Funny, I don't think of my mortal days anymore; almost as if they never happened. Unfortunately, the more pleasant mortal feelings and memories fade over the centuries."
Thoughtfully, he looked at me and lightly caressed my cheek. "Dearest Natasha, hang on to them. They are the most precious things you have. No one realizes that until they're gone."
Moments later we both turned towards the pool area where I heard my cell phone ring in the distance with a ringtone reserved for Alex. "Alex is calling." I took the call. According to Alex, they won but were still cleaning up and then he wished to speak to Sinjin. Afterwards, Sinjin acted indifferently towards me for the rest of the evening.
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After that evening, Sinjin only communicated through notes left on the small table next to the pool. Following his swim each evening, he heated the pool for my use. The second note amused me.
Natasha,
Please have your ward refrain from watching me as I swim.
Sinjin
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Several evenings later when I could no longer stand Sinjin's indifference, I joined him in his study for an intellectual conversation on industrialization. To add to my knowledge, he imparted new insights on the past before I was born while I added some modern insights on technology that he didn't understand. "Tomorrow, will you tell me about the fairy glamour that you thwarted to save Alex?"
"Very well," he muttered half-heartedly.
The following evening, when I finished my swim, Sinjin had left a book on the table next to the pool with a note. Many apologies but I must do some work in my private lab. Please enjoy.
After my practice the next evening, we discussed fairies quite extensively before Sinjin dismissed me. He seemed to follow a hot then cold pattern. Afterwards, I spent several evenings avoiding him since he seemed upset. Sadly, I missed our discussions.
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To keep Pipat from getting too bored, I let him stay in London and enjoy the nightlife until we could go back to New York. Besides, three's a crowd. Soon I grew antsy so I approached Sinjin in his study where he relaxed in his very old style burgundy smoking jacket. "Sinjin, sorry to disturb you but can I have a moment of your time."
"Of course, are you enjoying your stay?" he asked in an unexpectedly pleasant manner.
"It's been wonderful. However, I think my stay is an unnecessary disruption to your home. Surely, Alex exaggerated the danger that remains since we won."
"The danger is more in a form of terrorist attacks not an all out war."
"Even still, I've only been turned four months ago and I'm not famous aside from the ballet world. Since I'm not a likely target, I don't need to impose on you." Looking at him, I couldn't tell if he was sad, angry or both. "Plus, I get the impression that sometimes you enjoy my company then you don't."
"I don't know your danger level. As for a reason, your death would be very demoralizing to more than just Alex," he explained. "Further, you're not an imposition." He stood next to me and caressed my cheek. "I thoroughly enjoy your company but I have certain obligations that I must keep."
"I'm so glad." I hugged him tightly hoping he would get the hint. "Thanks for letting me stay."
Like a statue, he stood, refusing to return the hug. "I have work I have to do."
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Every other day, Alex called to see how everything was going. After our discussions, Sinjin would give me a new book to read each night on my way to the pool. If he weren't such a gentleman, I would have suspected he just wanted to look at me wearing a swimsuit. As a treat, I wore a crochet bikini one evening. Though I loved our discussions and felt so comfortable in his presence, he still teetered between an almost affectionate air and an aloof one.
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One Saturday night, wearing a little black mini, I marched to his study. "I would like a tour of Ipswich."
"Everything but the pubs are closed at this hour." Casually, he continued to read his paper. "Why doesn't your ward entertain you, here?"
"I sent him to London so he could have some fun. Now, I want to go out."
"No," he replied. "By the way, since you haven't a clue as to how to clean, kindly let the maid know that she may go into your room. Just let her know what she's not allowed to touch."
"So you've been peeping in my room."
"One couldn't help but notice the mess that has started to invade the hall."
"Stuffy meddling codger," I muttered, slamming his study door behind me. "This is not the end of this."
That stuffy codger can't beat me. Batting my eyelashes at one of his wards who just happened to be a male mechanic in the extensive garage, I eyed the key rack. "Sinjin said I could borrow one of the cars so I could run into town. It has to be an automatic …and fast… and hot."
"Tell me which you would like." The older gentleman walked with me pointing to different cars.
Then I spotted a sleek red sports car, unlike anything I've seen in New York. "That one."
"The Maserati Bora, excellent choice." He handed me the keys.
For a minute, I sat in the car studying it since I've only driven three times in my life. As a New Yorker, I never needed to learn. Seatbelt, ignition, brake….oh in gear. "Tell Sinjin, hugs." I knew better than to hit the gas in the garage and barely touched it driving out the gates. Then I felt like I'd taken off in a jet. I wonder where the headlights are. Windshields, ah…here's the switch, oops twist in the road. Damn, how do I get to Ipswich? Oh well, I'll just see where the road takes me. Wait a sec…I see city lights. I'll follow them. This road seems so familiar.
Thirty minutes later after I tested the Maserati's speed limitations, somehow I ended up in London, at least the outskirts of it amongst several small shopping areas. I knew this because I read a sign on the road. From the delapidation of the buildings and some of the worn cars driving around, I knew it wasn't the best area but I was a vampire so I could take care of myself. I pulled into a closed grocery store's parking lot. Immediately, I called Pipat. "Pipat, I stole a car and I'm somewhere in London now. I'm lost."
"Oh my gosh!" he screamed.
"Don't worry about the stolen part. The car belongs to Sinjin. I just want to party." As I spoke on the phone, I heard the steady thump of loud club music both through the earpiece and outside. "Never mind, I found a club."
"Be careful Natasha. Toodles!"
Once I locked the car doors, I clicked the alarm and followed the loud metal blended music. Down the street, I found a rather plain brick warehouse with rather rough looking folks going in and out so I went in. "What's the cover?"
The bald tattooed bouncer looked me up and down. "For you, it's free."
Smoke and neon lights filled the club decorated with various biker memorabilia. A long bar circled out from one of the corners. Small tables took up a quarter of the building near the entrance, followed by a dance floor to a stage in the back. Looking at the rough crowd of leather, tattoos and piercings, I normally would be frightened but since I was a vampire, I had no worries. The thick cloud of cigarette smoke didn't bother me either. A few of the men were good-looking in a bad boy way. One of the cute ones came over. "Wanna dance?"
"Absolutely," I replied leading him to the dance floor.
An hour later my dance partner grew tired. "Wanna have a drink?"
"Sure, I'm quite thirsty. I'll be back there so we can have some privacy." And, I need to feed. In a more private area behind the stage, I waited.
So, I waited and waited. My date never returned from the bar but a very mean looking rather large biker did. "Come here, baby."
"I think you should leave."
"You should be a little nicer." He pulled a knife. "I never had someone as pretty as you."
"Since you put it that way, if you show me yours, I'll show you mine." Standing only a few feet in front of me, he knew I couldn't escape nor could my screams be heard. "If you put the knife away, I'll do things to you that you never thought possible." The moment he put the knife away, I leaped and sunk my fangs in his throat. I fed to the point where he passed out. Whipping out my makeup kit, I made him look quite pretty. "I told you that I'd do things to you that you never thought possible."
When I went back into the main part of the club, the music stopped. The bouncer hurled through the air smashing a table as he landed. The commotion of a walking hell moved through the crowd causing a few more burly bikers to fly in the air. An inhuman voice rang through the crowd. "Everyone stay where you are!" An irate gothic golden haired god stood amongst the crowd shaking with fury. "Forget these events!" I ran towards the back of the club. "Sleep!"
Since I was a vampire, the only way Sinjin's commands could affect me would be if he was more powerful than me which he was and he had to look me directly in the eye which I made sure didn't happen. Bursting through the fire exit, I ran towards the car. Once I reached it, I fumbled with the keys.
A slight breeze in the scent of musky clove blew near while a shadow fell across me. "Give me the keys," a noble voice commanded.
Fearing his wrath, I decided to give him a choice: the car or me. I tossed the keys in the air and bolted. Before I could even take two steps, Sinjin grabbed me with one arm while he held the keys in his other hand. "I won't apologize."
"Neither will I," he replied. Averting his eyes, out of politeness so he wouldn't command me, he stated, "Get in the car, please."
"What are you going to do to me?"
"Take you home for now," he whispered. "Tomorrow I'm taking you to Russia."
"You're going to leave me …in Siberia …to freeze to death… because I borrowed your car."
"You silly child, I'm taking you on a historic tour of Moscow and Saint Petersburg." He pressed his forehead against mine. "I knew you were getting antsy and I need a trip somewhere."
"I should steal your car more often." I looked up to see that his expression softened.
"Let's discuss this on our way home. I'm very angry still" Sinjin opened the door for me. "Or would you like to drive?"
"No thanks," I replied sitting in the passenger's side. Once he got inside, I continued. "Besides that was only the fourth time I've driven in my life." Sinjin looked at me with his mouth open. "Plus, you wouldn't believe all the idiots who drive on the wrong side of the road here."
Then he started the car and zoomed towards home. "You almost had me there, Natasha," he replied with a laugh.
"Yeah, I was only kidding about the wrong side of the road thing."
Sinjin glanced at me slightly confused. "But what about the inexperience, you were kidding about that, weren't you?"
"No," I replied unable to contain my laughter.
"You have no real driving experience! Not only do you steal one of my cars but take a classic high performance sports car! You didn't even know where you were going, did you?"
"No, biker bars aren't my first choice of places to party." Since Sinjin had been describe as reserved but now was having a temper tantrum, I couldn't help but laugh harder.
"Do you plan anything or is everything you do just on a whim?" He just about strangled the steering wheel.
'What's wrong with being impulsive? Don't tell me you plan everything." When he didn't reply, I laughed harder. "You do!"
After thirty minutes of driving, they pulled up to Luculenta Manor. "Natasha, did you feed at the club?" Thinking about what happened, I figured I would be in deep trouble so I chose to remain silent. Once Sinjin parked the car, he slammed the door on his way out. Even more uncharacteristically, he didn't open my door for me.
Feeling a little dizzy, I trudged to my room so I could change into something more comfortable. I knew I was wrong so I did the only thing I could. I lightly tapped on Sinjin's study door. "Sinjin, please let me in. I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted," he said behind me.
"Are you still mad at me?" The pouty lip, batting my eyelashes thing worked in the past, I hoped it did now.
"Yes, I am. You could have been hurt. Young vampires aren't strong enough to take on crowds and even very strong or armed mortals." Cupping my chin, he tilted my chin so he could look directly in my eyes. "I think you fed from someone under the influence."
"No wonder everything was funny and I feel dizzy." Wanting to be held against a strapping chest, I swayed a little.
"You need to lay down."
Sinjin picked me up so I cuddled against him. "Are you still taking me to Russia?"
"Yes," he replied. "What made you think I changed my mind?"
"You were so mad at me when we got back."
"Someone didn't treat you properly and it upset me." Sinjin laid me down in a lover like fashion so much so that I hoped he would follow through. "Natasha, we will have fun. I promise. Goodnight."
"Sinjin, will you stay …for a little while? I don't feel so well."
"That would be very unwise. Goodnight Natasha."
Despite my inebriated state, my thoughts about Sinjin were clear. During our time together, I found him intelligent, interesting, reserved and attractive. Though we were opposites in temperament, we got along and I thought he was the most fascinating man I even met. I had fallen for him, completely.
