The Blood Contract

Chapter 23: Safe and Sound

"What....?" Gem croaked out. "Obviously you let me go." Why was he asking her this question? He was on Luke's side. The obvious thing would be to release her so that she could hyperventilate in a corner and vomit from the sight she had just witnessed.

"That wouldn't be fun." A glint of a sly smile appeared on Decker's face. "How about you offer me the life of your goblin friend to the Devil in exchange for your release?"

"Over your undead body," Gem spat out. Elizabeth was her dearest friend and she would never sacrifice her for her own selfish gains. 

"You really want maggots digesting you?"  Decker's eyes flickered to the still and unrecognisable body of Pierre Monet, after being mutilated by the worms. "I suppose if that's your idea of fun, you are welcome to it but that's too boring for me."

"Look here. If you let me go, I will always be grateful to you," she replied.

"Grateful?" Decker laughed evilly. "Why would I want people to be grateful to me? I want people to grovel at my feet and beg me for mercy."

"That's what you want me to do?" Gem looked at him with disgust. "Well, I'm happy to inform you that you can just go fuck yourself."

"Tsk, tsk. Such anger." Decker cocked his head to the side. "I wonder what my brother sees in you."

"Maybe he appreciates candidness and honor unlike you."

"You, like my brother, are filled with a ton of shit," he drawled. "Now, give me your soul or I will make maggots crawl out of your mouth."

"DECKER GARON! IF YOU LAY A FUCKING FINGER ON GEM I WILL PERSONALLY SEE YOU TO YOUR DEATH!" A female voice suddenly screamed.

"Oh fuck." Decker's gaze flickered to the petite vampire rushing towards his direction.

"Kalia," Gem breathed with relief. 

"Gem, are you alright?" Kalia scanned her and smiled. "You look fine. My brother was going ballistic trying to find you."

"Decker?" Gem asked, a little confused.

"Not this irritating one." Kalia scowled. "I meant Luke. He almost tore the whole palace apart after you disappeared from the ballroom. Did Decker kidnap you?" She glared at her brother.

"Don't amuse yourself, Kalia. I was busy helping the Devil when this little half-breed intruded," Decker said lazily. "If you hadn't come in, I would have gotten her to sell her soul. You ruined everything little witch."

"You should stop consorting with the Devil," Kalia muttered. "Just because he created our kind doesn't mean a shit." And then she turned to Gem, "Now Gem, my brother wants a word with you. Immediately." There was an undercurrent to her voice and it made Gem realize that she needed to get to Luke at once.

"Alright, let's go." Gem was relieved that she didn't have to spend a second longer with the prince of darkness.

"And you, Prince Decker," Kalia added sarcastically to her not-so-favorite brother. "Thanks for being a slacker and not helping us in the battle despite your so-called execution skills." 

And with a flourish, both of them left.

*****************

When Gem and Kalia arrived outside of Luke's office, as Kalia was just about to open the door, Gem placed a hand on Kalia's shoulder.

"Wait."

Kalia gave her a puzzled look and Gem looked away. "I...I'm not ready to see him."

"You need to see him right now, Gem." For the first time, Kalia looked serious. "He needs you. Right now."

"But why? All he needs to know is that I'm safe and all I need to know is that he's safe."

"Oh really," Kalia said skeptically. "Fine then, let's go. I need to check on the bodies in the morgue anyway." The lithe vampire start to head before before Gem grabbed the princess' arm.

"Okay, fine. Let's go," she muttered. Kalia smirked and they pushed open the doors.

"Brother, Gem's here," Kalia announced melodiously.

Gem looked at the tall, muscular figure and her heart lifted in relief. He was safe. That was all that mattered. The moment she walked through, Luke's gaze was instantly focused on her. His face had a few cuts but other than that, he didn't look like he just walked out of a palace invasion.

"I will leave both of you alone," Kalia says happily before disappearing.

Gem barely noticed Kalia's departure as her eyes remained fixed on the dark lord. Why was she looking at him so differently now? Before the invasion, he was just that nice host. A little on the irritating side but still a charming vampire. After the invasion, her heart almost died in pain at the thought that he could be dead. 

Why did she care about him so much?

"Gem," he said in his low voice. There was so much meaning in that one word.

"Luke," she answered in a strained voice.

She didn't step back as Luke Garon walked towards her.

"I'm glad you're alive," he said.

"Same. I'm surprised that I'm alive but Pierre Monet's dead."

"I've heard." He ran his hand through his hair. "The handiwork of my good old sadistic brother. He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"No, except he tried to get me to exchange my soul to the Devil."

"He's a bastard as always," Luke snorted and looked down at her before his expression became serious. "So Gem."

"Yea?" She looked up at him and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Her paranoid nature still got the better of her.

"What say we kiss right now?"

"Excuse me?" Gem stared at the handsome vampire almost disbelievingly. "What did you say?"

"I want to kiss you. Right now," he said quietly. "I'm not demanding it but I'm not unassertive about it either."

"Look, Luke," Gem struggled to find her voice. "Just because we're both relieved to see each other alive doesn't mean we are going to kiss. That only happens in the movies, not in a normal person's real-life."

"Who says we're normal?" Luke Garon grinned and then stared at her.. "I'm just glad you're not dead. I would have torn out the person who killed you inside out." His face turned angry. 

"Someone has anger issues," she muttered.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," she coughed. "I think I'd better go now."

"No wa-" He grabbed her arm just as the door flew open.

"What on earth?" He glared at the door with an annoyed expression.

A servant stood there and bowed. "Master, someone requests to see you."

"Who?" He glanced at Gem. "Whoever it is, delay the appointment. I need to settle something."

"But sir....I don't think you would want to do that," the servant added nervously.

"Why?"

"It's Portia Garon, sir. The Mistress is back," the servant announced.