Blue Moon (4 page)

“Richard!” I screech again, to stop his eyes from devouring every inch of me.

“What are you? You’re not just a human?” He asks opening the door to the shower and stepping close, with his hands held on the glass, showing his pronounced muscles that f
orm on his arms and chest, but I don’t miss the hundreds of scars he has patterned all over his torso.

“I’m nothing, nobody, you should know that better than anyone.” I tell him with a frown.

We lock eyes as I step up to him, I let go of my breasts as I take the towel from his hand, and I see the change in his eyes and face, he looks hungry.

“Where is she?”

“Who?” He asks taken back.

“The healer, Dorothy.”

He steps out of my way, with a sigh.

“She is in my bedroom.”

“Thanks.”

“Why are you thanking me?” He asks in disbelief.

“For the shower, and for not hitting me today.” I tell him as I walk out of the bathroom and into his bedroom where Dorothy stands.

She walks to me with tears in her eyes as she hugs me tightly.

“Did he do this?” She asks tenderly.

“No.”

“Ok, lay down in the bed Zara, I’m going to put you to sleep while I heal you ok?”

“This isn’t my room, I....”

“It is for tonight honey,” She tells me as a tear slips down her cheek. Why is she crying for me? Why does she care? I lay back in the bed as a warm, loving joy tingles through my blood, and my eyes shut to the sound of Dorothy’s enchanting words of magic.

Chapter Four

Waking up from a wonderful sleep, I sit up in bed as the memories of last night come flashing in my mind. Theo saved me from the unthinkable; I will hold him as a friend now for proving he really does care. Then there is Richard, what got into him last night? I know there is a chance that I could charm him as a Charmer, but could it really happen so quickly, he is such a cruel man. However, last night he showed me compassion, something I thought I would never see in him.

“Angel, you ok?”

Theo enters the room, and by the smell of it, he has a cup of coffee, Yuk, I hate coffee.

“I feel
better thanks Theo, Dorothy came last night and healed me again.”

“Yeah? Good. Can I sit with you?”

“Um hum.” I mumble, patting the bed beside me.

He takes a seat; kicking off his shoes as he passes me the coffee.

“I wanted to thank you again for last night, I will never doubt you again, I’m sorry I was so harsh on you, It’s just that...”

“I know. I don’t blame you Zara. You know you’re real tough for a girl.” He jokes.

“Yeah, I know,” I say with a playful wink.

“You looking forward to seeing Dallah today?”

I turn to him with a wide grin, which he returns.

“You have no idea.” I say excitedly.

“You’re so beautiful Zara.” He tells me scanning my face.

I shy away from him, I don’t want to be looked at as beautiful, I just want my life to go back to normal. Being the Charmer means that I have one man chosen to be mine by destiny, but I don’t know who he is, or where he is. I could fall in love with all the men known as
Warriors, but they will not all be like the Brothers’ or Parrise and Angus, many may be like Richard. I can tell which men are Warriors by the attraction I feel towards them, and they will all be supernatural. Nevertheless, I don’t want to love, or to be loved.

“Where’s Richard?”

“He left a few minutes ago.”

“He was here?” I ask in shock.

“Yeah, he wanted to see you were well before he went to Dallah.”

“Why has he gone to her?” I ask panicked.

“She’s fine; I have made sure of it.” He reassures me gently.

“Oh ok...So where is she?”

“She is here, I’m not sure where exactly.”

Theo explains to me that in the Dark Coven, Richard’s close allies live here in his palace, but no family as he has lost them all in battles and wars, bar his cousin Thomas, whom I met the other night, 

They do their own thing in the day, but always eat together in the evening. He tells me that he offered his services while I was here as extra security, which I could have laughed at; I’m hardly going to fight them all.

After speaking with Theo for a few hours, Richard walks in the room.

“Zara, you look well?” He says with a fake smile.

I raise my eyebrow at him in a questioning manner.

“Ok, I’ll be outside,” Theo tells me before kissing my cheek and getting up from the bed. When the door closes, Richard walks over to me with an intense look on his face.

“I will take you to Dallah soon, but you need to understand that she stays here until we are bonded.”

“Ok, can we go now?” I ask eagerly.

“You seem to have built a friendship with Theo.” He tells me, completely throwing me off.

“Uh yeah, I guess, does that bother you?” I ask in confusion.

“No.” He says shaking his head as if to clear it.

“So can we go now?”

“Yes come on.” He tells me in annoyance.

I jump out of the bed excitedly and stand beside him with a huge smile. I can’t wait to see her; it’s been way too long.

“I’m not walking around with you in that!” He tells me.

Looking down I have on a man’s shirt that looks like a dress on me.

“Who changed me?” I ask suspiciously.

He shrugs his shoulders and walks out of the room, just leaving me standing there.

He returns soon after with a dress on his arm and a pair of shoes.

“Put this on.” He orders.

I take the dress and shoes and run to the bathroom in a hurry to get the dress on, so I can see my beautiful Dallah.

I walk back into the bedroom wearing the dress and shoes. The dress is Black, tight and very elegant, as are the shoes. My hair dries with a curl to it so I pull it over my shoulder. Unfortunately, I have no underwear at all; I hope Dallah has some spares.

“Ok all set.”

“Uhh, what... where is your...?”

“Oh my bra? It’s gone from the bathroom and it was covered in blood anyway. Can we please go?”

“You have no underwear on?” He asks with a raised brow and a ghost of a smile.

“No I do not. Can we go then?” I ask annoyed by his stupid questions. So arrogant.

He doesn’t speak; he just walks through the bedroom door, down the hallway and into the elevator.

Turning to him, I study his side profile,

He is extremely handsome and very well built, but his evil side makes him very ugly, it’s a shame.

“What Zara?” He asks with his tone laced
with irritation.

“Thank you for last night, and for dressing me
, I know it was you who changed me into the t-shirt. Before you shout, I’m not saying you’re a nice person...you did see me naked.”

His frown turns into a wicked grin, stepping towards me as I back up till I hit the wall.
He Cages me in with his hands either side of my head, his grin gone, replaced with a look of lust. I’m more afraid of him now than when he beat me, putting my hands on his chest to push him back, his heart thundering in his chest as his lips get closer to mine.

         “No Richard”! I cry out, shocking him, as he jumps back from me so fast with a stunned look on his face, as if
surprised at his own actions. The ride continues in an awkward silence until we get to the second floor. On exiting the lift, he grabs me by the arm and I don’t even care that he is pulling me along the corridor like a rag doll, because I know where he is leading me.

As we get to a secluded part of the palace, ahead of us are large oak double doors. He stops a few feet from them and faces me with a shady glare.

“Last night shouldn’t have happened, you were lucky that Theo was there, but know this, your beauty and tricks will not work on me, the only reason I don’t kill you where you stand is because of Dallah.” He tells me with unguarded anger.

             
“Fine, as we are clearing the air, you should know that I will get you back for the way I was treated. I took the abuse for one reason alone, Dallah. So you can try your shit, but it will get you nowhere. You will never break me Richard, you will be broken first.”

“You still have
the fight in you,” He tells me as a statement rather than in a question.

“I will fight you all the way,” I tell him as we stare at each other, trying to work out what the other is thinking, but he soon breaks the tension.

“Here you are then, I will see you both tonight.” He turns on his heel and walks back down the hallway with a smile on his face.

Even though he hurt me physically, he hasn’t hurt me mentally which in a stupid way, I’m grateful for, but, through it all I’m here, right outside the door that Dallah sits behind.

Turning away from him, I walk back to the doors, pushing them open I rush inside and scan the room for Dallah, my heart beating strongly and filling with joy.

She sits at a dressing table brushing her hair, her face full of sorrow.

“Hey beautiful!”

“Zara!” She screeches and rushes at me, grabbing me into a hug.

“I have missed you so much, how have you been Dallah?”

“Sweetie, what are you doing here?”

“Richard bought me here.”

“WHAT? Did he hurt you? I swear to...”

“No, I asked him to bring me here, and he did. Tell me how you have been, and then I will answer your questions ok?” I tell her, whilst taking her by the hand to sit on her enormous bed.

“I’m ok, just lonely. I have missed you all so much.” She says as tears stain her cheeks.

She tells me that she is here until she can find a way to get out of the bonding. Her idea of doing this is sending women to his room, because if he goes with another the bonding will be off. She tells me that she will not leave the room; she sits here in her own misery.

I answer her questions about the Brothers’, mainly Julian. She asks how I’m dealing with Sallack’s betrayal, so I change the subject, she can tell I don’t want or need to speak about that today or any time soon.

“So Den has given you a week before he comes here?”

“No he has given
us
a week before he comes for us, so we need to come up with something better than sending hookers to Richard’s door. God I have missed you.” I tell her with my heart swelling with pride, she has been here in misery but she still smiles.

“
Sweetie, you have no idea how happy I am to have you with me, pissed off that you put yourself in danger, but at least I can protect you here.”

We spend the next 5 hours chatting, laughing, and a little crying, on her behalf, as she begs me to tell her what exactly happened with Sallack.

I tell her that we won’t lock ourselves in her room all depressed; we will do as we please with our heads held high, oh and that I call dibs on the left side of the bed! I don’t want to be sleeping in a room that is beside Richard’s, and she is more than happy for me to stay with her, not that she would have had any other choice.

We head down to the ballroom dressed in wonderful gowns. Dallah wears a stunning royal blue floor length gown with crystals covering the thin straps. I have on a cream, floor length gown that is covered in sparkling sequins, it’s surprisingly heavy, I feel like I’m carrying my own weight. Dallah tells me that it is Richard’s birthday today, so there will be a big party full of guests, which means I should stay at her side. If she knew what I had been through already she would glue me to her side, but I will keep it from her, I don’t want to burden her with my problems.

“Ok
, you ready?” I ask her as we take the elegant stairs.

“Now you’re here, I’m ready for anything.”
She says as she takes my hand, with a wonderful smile playing on her beautiful face.

The ballroom is heaving with people, as we walk through the doors, near enough every man and woman stop to watch us enter.

Richard strolls up to Dallah and kisses her cheek; she pulls her head away from him, which ruffles his feathers to be snubbed by his intended in front of his people. He then turns to me with a weak smile.

“You both look wonderful.”

“Uh
, yeah. Cheers” I say then regret when Dallah hisses at me.

“Dallah, come with me and wear a smile, we are to be bonded not executed!” Richard barks at her.

“Same thing!” She says through her gritted teeth.

Theo approaches us smiling, which helps break the tension.

“Angel, wow you look gorgeous, come on.” Theo tells me, holding out his hand for me to take. I smile my thanks to him before looking to Dallah.

“Dallah this is Theo, Theo this is Dallah, oh, Princess Dallah.” I wink at her, bringing a smile to her lovely face.

“Pleasure to meet you Princess.” Theo say’s to her with a stunning smile.

“And you Theo.” She smiles back at him.

Richard’s gaze lands on us in turn as we speak; he looks so confused, so out of place, that it warms me to see. What he doesn’t know is that Dallah and I bounce off each other, so he is in for trouble now that we are together, strong, smart and will try to make his life hell. Sisters reunited, ready to take on the world if we have to.

We head to the table at the top of the room. Looking down at the number of people here is amazing, there must be hundreds of people, and they all
came to celebrate Richards’s birthday! It must be the free alcohol and blood that they came for!

“Do you want another drink?” Theo asks.

“
Yes, please, no blood!” I tell him and receive a belly laugh.

I can’t keep my eyes off of Dallah, she looks so miserable sitting at Richard’s side. She catches my gaze and gives me a real smile, Richard looks at her smiling and follows her gaze, landing on me, he frowns before rolling his eyes.

“You look happy angel?”

“I am,” I tell him with a grin, squeezing his hand gently.

              “You two are close?”

             
“Like sisters,” I tell him with pride.

When the celebrations get into full swing, Dallah and Richard go to greet the quests, while Theo and I sit at the table chatting and drinking.