Opulent (The Opalescent Collection Book 1) (29 page)

M
y head filled with colors as what one would find on a painter’s pallet. Pete had appeared before me, looking down with a smile. Black circles lined just under his eyes, showing how tired he was, but other than that, he seemed calm.

“Hello Chenille.” He gave me another warm smile as my hands clutched the bedspread. When I didn’t answer, the smile faded. I was too afraid to speak.

“Are you mad at me?” His eyebrows raised, his face becoming even softer.

“N…no,” I stammered.

“What’s wrong then?”

              He gave me a half-smile, but there were no large obscure fangs showing themselves beside his other teeth. I drew in a breath, placing a hand to his chest before he could say another word. I could detect a slight fluttering at the side of his neck. His heart was beating. It did not make sense. He was an immortal…and so was I. Wasn’t I?

“Chenille?” He talked without a traceable edge in his voice I was used to hearing when he was mad. In fact he wasn’t mad…he wasn’t even immortal.

“I’m ok.” I reassured him, looking the other way.

              He sat up and leapt onto the floor. His head turned up to the moon in an odd way and looked back to me.

“I know what’s wrong.” He looked back through the window again at Earth’s moon. Funny, it looked so close, closer than it ever appeared from Catastrophe.

“You are afraid.”

              I could tell he could sense it. He knew all along that I was afraid of what he would do to me.

“You are afraid of being in the dark…alone.”

“What?”

“Yeah, you know, all of those rumors of
monsters
. You don’t really believe all that stuff do you?”

“I do. Do you?”

              He gave me a glance of uncertainty and then shrugged his shoulders. “I never met one of them so there is no proof, but I can’t be sure. No one can be trusted, you know?”

“Yeah. I know.”

              Something strange was going on. I had this conversation before with him. I had it a long time ago before I was a vampire and before I knew he was one. He seemed like a mortal to me now. I felt like a mortal. It was as if I had this conversation not so long ago though. At most, it seemed like only a couple of weeks or a couple of days.

              That was ridiculous. Surely, this conversation had happened already. It wasn’t happening
now
. It was becoming so clear now, just like a flashback.

              He gave me a smile. “You can’t let your fears get the best of you. You have to move on and face them. Whether you want to or not, someone is going to make you face them.”

“What are you suggesting? I go out into the darkness?”

“I can help you face your fears. Come with me.”

              He put out a hand and though my mind was telling my hand to remain on the covers, it lifted and I watched it grasp his as though I didn’t have a say.                    

“Come on.” He was leading me through my house, without light to guide us.

              Beneath the stars there was nothing for me to allege other than he was taking me to the backyard where that old willow tree was. It was far away so screams couldn’t be heard.

“Sit here for me.” I did as he told me. The trunk of the willow tree was rough against my back.

“How are you going to help me get over my fears?”

“Oh, right.” His voice faded. “Stay there for now.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m giving you a little test. If you pass, you know you can stand up against your fears.”

“And if I don’t?”

“You never know what will happen.” He said darkly.    

“So you’re just going to leave me?”

“Just for a little while. And when I come back we can go back inside.”

“You promise you’ll come back?”

“I
always
come back. Don’t I?”

“You do.”

“What do have to worry about then?”

“Where are you going to go? You’re just going to leave me here until dawn?”

“No, just a little while.”

“Why can’t you stay with me? Or at least watch me from a distance where I can see you?”

“That defeats the purpose,
doesn’t it
?”

“No. You can’t make me stay here.”

              Slowly he began to back up.

“You wouldn’t leave me here,” I protested.

“Then come to me if you decide to change your mind, but don’t be too quick to decide.”        

              He said no more and walked away toward the house, the way he had come. In the back of my mind, I knew he was not trying to help me. This had happened already. He was not going to come back.

              As much as I wanted to get up, to follow him, it was not possible. I was obedient, obedient in the sense that I would stay until he returned, risking my own fear of what could be lurking then what I already
knew
what was lurking. I could not dare to anger him.

              I found a comfortable place against the tree and just looked up at the moon until I felt tired. I should have gotten up and gone inside. I would be warm underneath the covers, warm and protected in my own safe little room. If I had never left, if only I never met him, I would probably be safe in my room. I’d rather be safe and alone than accompanied with fear, accompanied by
him
.          

              The occasional hoot of an owl that nested in the old willow was all I heard. The sound of his voice did not triumph with return and alleviate my fears. I didn’t hear anything at all. My eyes felt unbearably heavy until I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t stay awake even if I wanted to. Even though I was perfectly fine a minute ago, I felt so tired, like I hadn’t slept in weeks.

              I watched his shadow, a black spot on the ground, now a distance away, getting smaller and smaller. The farther he went, the more tired I became. It was only until I couldn’t see his shadow anymore, when a dark cloud had drifted lazily over the moon to block its light, and I was out cold.                 

              My head swelled again with all of these thoughts. It was all my imagination, just my imagination.                 

I
t was the day - the day of Sebastian’s ball. I was ready. Versailles was with me. Her mane and tail streamed behind her, decorated with pastel colored ribbons. I walked inside the palace and waited patiently for Sebastian. It was not even that I looked forward to seeing him, I just found this as a special escape, a perfect excuse, and this would prove that I would not, under any circumstance, be told what to do.

              People were flocking by the hundreds into the palace and still I saw no familiar faces. Once the space around the wealthy and me narrowed, there was silence, a call for everyone’s attention, and a man appeared at the top of the staircase. He began to talk and at once, I found myself growing bored. The old man chanted on and on about something I could care less about, when suddenly the palace doors opened.

“Here comes my son and his wife,” the man boasted.

              My heart skipped a beat but then I sighed at the sight of William and Catherine. “And my other son.” His voice dropped in disappointment, only to a harsh grumble of words that spelled regret on his forehead.

              Sebastian walked in alone, which I found unsurprising. He was glancing over the crowd of people as he walked before us all, following behind his brother. He stood beside his father, silent and disrespected by him, moved his eyes, slowly scanning below as his brother gave out a grand speech. I was listening, but his words didn’t sink in or make any sense. I was still watching Sebastian who now stood with a slight smile on his face. I looked around, following his glance to who he could be looking at, who he was smiling at. And then I smiled back - it was me.

              How pathetic was I?
Running
from a maniac, I could clearly not outrun. I must be out of my mind to have come here.  Although, this was not the first time I ran away. What would he do
this
time? Would Sebastian be going too far? I did not love him, but I needed to get away, to feel loved even by some immortal rather than a hated king. I
needed
this.

              The people now departed, for William’s speech had ended. Sebastian had disappeared from his place at the top of the stairs and rushed to meet me, but surprisingly, Catherine got to me first.

“Annabel, I am so glad you came. I was so disappointed when you had left in such a hurry the last time we spoke.” She said in an Irish brogue.

“Yes I know. I had an emergency and I needed to return home.”

“It sure was lucky that
Sebastian
got that letter to you.” She rolled her eyes. “The poor boy’s been mad trying to find out if you’d come or not. Lucky you did. He’s been waiting for you.”

              My eyebrows narrowed. “Waiting for what?”

              She gathered my hand in hers and gave it a gentle pat.

“I will explain, but first let’s go to the dining hall. William must be looking for me.”

              I glanced back to see Sebastian standing alone and confused, still waiting for me.

“Come now Catherine, must you keep our guests waiting?” William chimed as we entered.

“My apologies.”

“We may all enjoy our meal now. Everyone sit.”

“You sit next to
me
Annabel.” Catherine said quickly and patted the open seat beside her.

              She shook her head, stared at Sebastian who sat down beside his brother. They made a toast, but I could see he wasn’t speaking after that. He paid no regards to his father who sat at the head of the table, only a few seats away from him.

              Catherine rolled her eyes to me, tossed her red curls over her shoulder. “As I was saying earlier,” she began, “the boy’s been going crazy since you left.”

“I hardly know him, what could he be so crazed about?”

“Oh, no don’t even joke about it!” Her face became filled with concern. “I have been woken by him yelling in his sleep, all the way from down the hall.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“He calls for
you
, Annabel.”

“What do you mean?”

“He has yelled words of regret, and lies. He said he had dreams of you coming back to poison him. He has told me he is
drawn
to you.” She laughed quietly and lowered her voice. “So I went to listen to him speak in his sleep. I needed to know he was not losing his mind. I listened with the door open just enough for me to hear. Do you know what he said? He said he loves you Annabel. He said he loves Annabel, the vampire.” She looked at me, swallowed hard, fear building in her eyes as she waited for a response.

“He is mistaken and so are you.”

“It isn’t true then?”

“Why, are you suspecting it
is
?”

“I…I don’t know…vampires hardly ever come to the North…because many werewolves live here.”

              My jaw tightened, but I managed a smile. “I am not. Why would a vampire come here, to the North?”

“Yes…my apologies Annabel.” She glanced down at her plate and to me again. “Please, if you will excuse me.”

              She got up and began to walk away. She looked back uneasily as though I told her I
was
a vampire. A waiter served me food and I could only look at it. The aroma made my head swell, but my appetite was not present.

“Annabel.” I looked up all too quickly. “You came back.”

              I did not respond, but simply pretended I had not heard.

“You’re not hungry?”

              I shook my head.

“Still no appetite?” Sebastian gave a slight chuckle. “That’s no surprise.”

              I held my fist beneath the table, angry at my own thoughts that flooded into my head.

“I didn’t think you’d come.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

              He was quiet for several seconds only to catch sight of Catherine returning. “I’ll see you later?”

              He slipped a piece of paper into my hand casually and walked off.

“Did I miss anything?”

“No, nothing at all.”

              I fumbled with the small piece of paper and tried to read it while I distracted Catherine with casual conversation.

             
Meet me outside near the pool. Follow my scent.

              I looked up at him and scowled at his words. The second course came around and a servant replaced my plate. Sebastian got up just as dessert ended and sauntered away. After a long time, as not to seem suspicious, I left as well. I did follow his scent outside and looked around in the darkness. I couldn’t find him. A cold drizzle was beginning to fall as I turned my attention to the illuminated pool. There was light coming through a sliding glass door that led to a distant room in the palace. Sebastian was in the room with his mother and father. By the looks of it, I could see they were arguing. I could hear their shouts, even from behind the thick door.

“She isn’t even a princess,” I heard his mother say.

“You can’t marry her.” His father concluded.

              Sebastian angrily protested and turned, followed his parent’s glare to see me standing in front of the glass door. He rushed forward and I ran as fast as I could, overwhelmed by everything. He wanted to
marry
me. No wonder he was talking in his sleep. This was too much. He
loved
me? I didn’t understand. We barely knew each other.

              The cold drizzle continued to fall. I ran quickly around the perimeter of the pool, but I could feel his presence behind me and stopped. He wrapped his arms around me from behind. My throat was tight as I cried with agony.

“It’s going to be ok,” he said.

              He didn’t get it. He thought I was just disappointed I could not marry him and that I loved him, but this was not the case. I would have to run away somewhere else now. I would have to run or be caught by the Eternal Mate I hated and suffer for what I had done.

“No, no it’s not.”

“I can fix this.”

“You aren’t good enough for her.”

              I didn’t look up since I wasn’t surprised. I knew it was
him
.

“Come here Chenille.”

“Chenille? I thought your name was Annabel.”

              Pete laughed. “Yes, come along
Annabel
.”

“She is staying here. I am going to marry her.”

“No you are not. She is happy with me, isn’t that right?” There was a long pause. “Isn’t that right,” he repeated.

“It seems she isn’t so happy after all.”

“What do you know? She is just confused as usual.” He put out a hand to me. “Now come, you know you are making the wrong choice.”

              I could tell he was about to launch out in full attack if I didn’t come and so did Sebastian. He loosened his grip easily, not wanting to fight. I felt him grab my wrist and gave it a tug to let my own judgment decide to go with simplicity or by force. I didn’t move, feeling safe in the immortal’s care.

“Who is it going to be?” It was a trick question.

              I could feel Sebastian pulling me back now, wanting to fight. “Vampire,” he breathed.

              I knew what he was thinking and I held my breath. If they fought and he got hurt, his power would rise, just as Prusaious warned.

“Don’t even waste your time with me.” Pete growled.

              I was sure Sebastian was smiling behind me. He wanted to mess with him so bad. He wanted Pete to bite him.                              

              I slipped away from Sebastian and stood quietly where I felt the outstretched hand grab me and prevent me from escaping.

“I’m sorry Sebastian. He would destroy you…and I couldn’t let that happen.”

“He can’t destroy me. He’s not more powerful than me.” He tried to egg him on, but Pete simply did not care. He had what he wanted. There was no longer a reason to fight, not that Pete would waste his time anyway.

              I felt his arm wrap around me, locking my own decision into place. “You don’t know what you have cost me…my own dragon for this nonsense? No, I won’t have this anymore.” He looked up as if he said the same to Sebastian.                 

“I have a surprise for you Chenille, a surprise I have promised. You remember it, don’t you?” He said it close to my ear as though embedding the words into my head.

“Don’t open your eyes until I say.”

              The noise around me began to fade, even Sebastian’s plea, and one noise more horrible than the last began to fill my mind. I opened my eyes without warning. My family was there, every single member. “You can open your eyes.”

              They had all taken their wolf shape, the fur on their backs all raised like a bunch of rabid animals. My father stood on his hind legs.

“I like your Eternal Mate. We think alike.”

“How is that?” My voice trembled with defeat as my eyes turned up to look at Pete’s face.

“We see you as a traitor in our eyes. We see you as a disappointment to our species.”

“You are all insane!”

“Oh is it us? Are
we
the insane ones?”

              I looked up at Pete long and hard, my lips pressed together angrily. “How long have you been working with them?”

“Only for a little while.”

“You liar! Traitor!”

“You regret meeting me now?”

“I’ve regretted it from the start.”

“Surprise, surprise.” He held something to my chest, though I didn’t dare look down. I already knew what it was. He wasn’t kidding, at least, I was sure he wasn’t.

              Creatures began to gather around. Taj’, Pearl, Prusaious, and Calvin were the only few I could spot out, but I knew there were more there I would probably recognize. They all stood behind the barrier of werewolves, awaiting the
fall of the Queen
.

“Goodbye Chenille.”

“You wouldn’t…you can’t.”

“Yes I can. I can do anything my heart desires.”

“And you want
this
?”

“Yes. I want this.”

“Then let it be.”

              I raised my voice so the creatures could hear and held onto Pete’s hand before my chest. I could feel it shaking ever so slightly. I knew there was something in him, something that wanted me to live. His conscious, whatever was good of it, was telling him otherwise to what he was deciding. I had a chance, but knowing him, it was very slim, so I held my head high and kept my importune pleas in my mind.

“You do what you want that is good for you. You know what choice to make. So let it be.” I looked up at my Eternal Mate and then back to the creatures. “Long live the King.”