Tall, Dark and Arrogant

Chapter 5 - The Debt

*EDITED VERSION AS OF 5TH JANUARY*

Dedicated to @DroppedJem - you rock! :3

Chapter 5~ The debt

I woke up to hear a few whispers and mumbled curses as I winced and slowly opened my eyes. I was in my own room lying on my bed which was surrounded in pre-dawn darkness. Wincing again as a sharp pain rushed to my side, I stopped in my struggle to move.

A strong arm rushed to my side and held me in place. Not that I was planning on moving anyway. 'What the...' All too soon I was enveloped in a crushing hug and only relaxed when I smelt the familiar fragrance of my mother's citrus shampoo.

'Indigo, my baby...' She whispered softly as she stroked my hair and rocked me back and forth. The arm that had held me in place was now gone.

'Mom?'

She pulled away to look at me sadly and managed a shaky smile before pulling me towards her again. 'I'm so glad you're ok.' She whispered again.

'Uh-huh.' I patted her back feeling confused, until memories of that night came rushing back to me. Someone had saved us... I suddenly sat up, ignoring my ribs screaming loudly in protest. 'Stacey!'

My mother stroked my forehead and gently shushed me. 'Stacey's fine, she's already been treated and had only a few bruises, that's all.'

I winced again as my side and ribs ached like hell. I wished I could say the same for me. Stacey had definitely been the lucky one.

Looking up guiltily, I saw my father and brother looking down at me, worry etched into their handsome faces. Shit. I tried to pull my face away from my mother's shoulder long enough to speak. 'I'm sorry guys,' Roland just shook his head at me whilst my father's facial expression shifted between worry and anger. Finally he settled on the latter.

'Indiana, please move away from her.' My father said as he gently pulled his wife by the shoulder. She eventually released her grip.

Everyone in the room went silent.

'What were you thinking going out on your own?' He asked it tonelessly but I knew better. It was no secret that my father was always at his most angry once his voice was void of any emotion. His face looked as blank as a slate.

I gulped, heart pounding. 'I was with Stacey...' I began, but trailed off when I saw him shaking his head impatiently.

'That's not an answer.' His voice was steel clipped and I knew that he was close to snapping. 'Indigo!' He boomed so loudly that everyone jumped and I shied away from him as best as I could. My mother placed a reassuring hand on his arm and whispered to him softly.

'Bruce... this isn't helping, honey.' She stroked his arm gently.

The room was uncomfortably silent once again as my father took a moment to regain his composure and take a deep breath in. When he opened his eyes they were blank and he barely looked at me as he said, 'You're grounded for two months. You're not to leave the house, and if you do all of your privileges will be taken from you permanently.'

I gawped, unable to think of a single thing to say before nodding weakly. He said nothing and then abruptly left, leaving my brother and eventually my mother to follow.

When I thought everyone had gone I took a deep breath in and rested my swollen head against the pillow. I was about to go to sleep again when I heard a small cough. Looking up, my face drained of colour as none other than Carlos himself stood in front of me.

He rubbed his neck awkwardly as he spoke. 'I'm sorry, uh, my father couldn't be here, he had to leave for some urgent business just a few hours ago.'

I didn't say anything and simply glared at him. He looked distinctly more uncomfortable as my eyes pierced into his. 'What are you doing here?' I asked, barely concealing my impatience. I swear he actually cringed as I asked the question.

'I, uh, was asked to stay behind to talk to you.'

Instantly, my eyes narrowed suspiciously. 'Why?'

He looked uncomfortable.

'Carlos.' I snapped.

Sighing heavily, he took his hand away from his neck. 'It was me,' he said simply. I blinked at him in confusion. 'I saved you.'

The air seemed to leave my lungs.

That night I'd seen someone at the bar... someone who'd looked a lot like Carlos; I'd hoped had been him all along. 'You followed me!' I accused him before widening my eyes. 'Oh no.' And with that, I dropped my head back against the pillow in defeat and stared silently at the ceiling.

It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Us vampires had a rule - one that our kind (in particular those of the higher classes) - always stuck to. When one of us saved another we owed them something in return and would always be in debt to that person until we'd paid it back.

That person could ask for anything within reason as long as it was sensible - we even had court specialists who dealt with disputes between the one in debt and the one who'd saved them. As I was royalty, it was a sworn honour to obey the one we owed at all costs otherwise our family name would be disgraced for many years afterwards.

Never once had our family name been disgraced in this way.

Calmly, I breathed in through the nose and out through the mouth as I struggled to stop myself from seeing red. The seriousness of the situation was just shown by the fact that for once even Carlos wasn't smirking as he eyed me warily, looking more uncomfortable than ever. I would've laughed if I hadn't been so screwed.

It was official - I was in debt to Carlos Orlando.

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

The silence seemed to stretch on forever.

For once I was envious of the fact that Stacey was a human and wasn't in such debt. 'What do you want?' I asked him weakly. I couldn't even stand to look at him.

Carlos wasn't the most decent of people I'll admit, and if he wanted to he could even ask me to be partially intimate with him, although thankfully I didn't think my father would let such a thing happen. When he didn't answer I looked at him carefully.

'What do you want?' I asked again, louder this time.

He hung his head. 'I don't know.' The sight of him looking so helpless made my heart reach out to him but I quickly brushed it aside. I was in debt to him; the last thing I needed was to feel pity.

Staring at him coldly, I willed him to give me an answer so that I could mentally prepare myself for whatever it was he wanted from me. When he finally looked up my heart gave a painful squeeze.

He looked carefully at the floor before speaking. 'I would like you never to mention what you saw between Eva and I, and for you to keep any future incidences between myself and her to yourself should you ever find out.'

My mouth almost hung open. Was that it? 'Is that all you want?' I asked to clarify. He gave a small nod. Giving my eyes a tight squeeze, I managed to just about stop them from watering. 'What do you want me to tell my parents?' I breathed out.

He smiled but it held no humour. 'Tell them I said that I didn't want anything, and that I swore on my honour.' Before I could respond he quickly walked away leaving the room in utter silence.

For the first time ever I felt my heart restrict until I could barely breathe and my chest seemed to collapse into itself as I let out a quiet sob.

So much for having self-restraint.

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