PAPA - Ain't It So
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I couldn't hide my grimace as the familiar group of vampires glared at Christian.
Three long minutes we'd been standing here awaiting... Well, someone to say anything.
Not even Michael said anything, sitting on the couch like a sulking teenager whilst I stood beside Christian like a kind of protective shield. I had a feeling if I moved, it wouldn't stop some of the angrier looking vampires - Cal, Nate and Nicholas - from trying to... Contain him.
"Why is it so quiet down here?" My eyes darted to Amy descending the stairs with her hand firmly on her lower back. "Oh," She caught my gaze and then flickered them to Christian. "Oh! I forgot he was coming."
I pleaded with my stare for her to do something, anything. And thank God she read me right.
She approached him with an outstretched hand and smiled. "I'm Amy."
Christian slid his hand into Amy's with a smile of his own. "A pleasure."
"I apologise for them." I watched Amy's hand squeeze his with a warm smile and I almost died with relief. "They can be a stubborn bunch. John's my other half, Jonathan." He grimaced slightly at the use of his full name and stepped toward us. "Can you introduce everyone and stop being an idiot, please."
He cleared his throat and gestured Christian toward the kitchen where the witches were currently talking about our new arrival. I watched the three of them walk, Amy waddling, into the kitchen and listened to the brief introductions. I sat on the arm of the couch beside Michael and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm fine." I answered his unasked question. "I know you've been worrying and I already told you, you have nothing to worry about."
"Until that woman is gone I've got everything to worry about."
They returned, with Kate in tow, and John introduced Christian to the rest of them leaving Celia and Ethan for last. Celia smiled, obviously intrigued to be meeting such an old vampire and shifted Jonas to her other arm to shake his hand. Ethan stuck to his wife closer than necessary, his hawk like eyes glaring a hole into the older vampire when Christian asked, "Is this your son?"
"Yeah," Celia answered. "Have you ever seen a dhamir before?"
"Never in my years. Not personally at least. I've heard many stories of a vampire being born to a human." Christian turned his inquiring eyes to Amy. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ask you about it. Both of you."
"I don't mind." Amy spoke first.
"Neither do I." Celia nodded.
The look on both men's faces as they watched the mothers' of their children stroll past everyone and up to the study almost made me laugh. Almost. I stepped in front of John already seeing the perusal in his eyes. "They'll be fine, John trust me."
"I do trust you. It's him I don't trust."
"They'll be fine," I repeated. And Kate sent me a nod obviously confirming my thoughts. "Okay? Okay."
Micah exited the kitchen with Sam beside him; they looked satisfied with who they met and by the looks they sent the rest of them it looked like Christian fit the bill just fine.
For now, we didn't have to worry about Christian Beaumont.
**
As I changed from my dress into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt an hour later, I could hear the loud giggles from little Jonas as Christian entertained him. To say Christian was smitten by the half-vampire half-human baby would be an absolute understatement. I'd watched Celia place her baby into his arms and smugly smiled at the grumbling men when Christian treated the baby as if he were expensive china.
Cal and Nate, Pamela and Nick and the witches had left half hour ago obviously after making sure that we were all okay to be alone with him and I'd given them my best, 'seriously?' look.
Michael still had yet to speak to him but I bet my best pair of heels that he won't.
"So much for, 'we'll have plenty of time later.'" I heard behind me.
I turned my head as I buttoned and zipped my jeans. "We didn't consider the fact he'd come today."
"It's starting all over again now. Nice five week vacation, hm?"
"You're angry he's here I get that," I said as I pulled on my jacket. "But the sooner we get this all done the better. It's only a matter of time now."
Michael stepped around me. "And what if Florence finds out he's here?"
"She won't." I assured. "I have to get him back now."
Before I could leave the room, he grabbed my wrist. "I want you to be careful of him, no matter how much you think you trust him, he's still the vampire that fed from you twice."
"I can take care of myself."
The slight sneer within his eyes caused me to rip my arm from his grip and scowl. "You have so much confidence in me, thank you so much Mike. I'll be sure to consider your opinion the next time I let him sink his teeth into my neck."
"Hold on a damn minute-"
"Think I've heard enough. See you later. Maybe."
His hand pressed firmly against the door before I could make a move to open it. "I didn't mean it like that."
"I can read you like a book, I'm not blind. Either you don't trust him or you don't trust me and from that little sneer I think it's quite clear which one you chose. Open the door."
His nostrils flared, that tell tail sign that he was losing his own temper. I'd lost mine ages ago. "I'm not letting you out."
"What're you going to do, restrain me? Tie me to the bed? Open the God damn door Michael."
The tension thickened within the air as he stared down at me, his gaze darkening from dangerous to desire and then mixture of them both within a flicker of a second. "No."
I blanched for a second now unsure of what to do. I could go through the bathroom but how tedious is that? "You're pissing me off."
"That's something we both can agree on."
He remained staring at me. His eyes flickered to my mouth and I blurted out, "Don't even think about kissing me."
"I wasn't."
"Then open the door."
For another moment he remained stock still but finally he slid his hand off the door and took a step back. Without another comment, I stormed out of the room and through to the living room. I wasn't stupid, they all heard. Even Amy had heard. Her apologetic smile was enough to tell me that. Christian stood with Jonas in his arms and handed him back to Celia saying his thank you. "Thank you again, John for inviting me in."
"It's okay." He stood. "We'll be seeing you tomorrow morning. Pamela and I will be at Ana's to talk."
"Lovely. Amy, Ethan. It was a pleasure." He sent them his dazzling smile and without turning from the group he said, "And Michael, it was nice seeing you too."
There was a small grunt behind me but I ignored him as I led Christian out to my car. It was almost six-thirty now, and I was fully aware the sun was thankfully still peeking over the horizon. The hell was Michael thinking? How dare he anyway? Did he really think I couldn't look after myself. I admit, I'm sometimes impulsive.
Alright, too impulsive. I don't think about what could happen to me. Hell, I'm far from an over thinker, in fact. If I thought about my eighteen year old self she was probably more cautious than who I was today. Volunteering to go to a bar and seduce a nine hundred year old vampire?
I snorted.
Okay, taking care of myself is questionable. But Mike shouldn't have sneered.
"Just to make a bad situation better," He spoke halfway to Ana's house. "You can look after yourself."
I sighed but didn't reply.
"And Michael knows you can."
"And how do you know that?" I took the bait.
"Has he ever stopped you from doing something? Out of all the crazy things you've done, including volunteering to flirt with someone like me, has he ever really tried to stop you?"
"He's tried."
"Think, if Michael really didn't want you to do something, he'd make sure you couldn't."
Many times he's said, 'I can't stop you.' We both may be stubborn but knowing him, if he really didn't want me to do something he probably would have stopped me.
I parked without another word on the subject, my thoughts wrecking havoc on Christian's input. I couldn't just forgive Mike that easy. I couldn't.
"Have a good night, Evie." He sent me a smile before exiting my car and making his way up Ana's drive.
I didn't know how long I was sitting there for but I knew the sun had gone down a while ago. I didn't go straight back to John's but instead went over to the next street to Kate and Sam's. She let me in without a word, pulling up her pyjama shorts as she swayed into the living room.
I followed her in and smiled at the layout of ice-creams, sauces and what looked like cookie dough.
"I was expecting you, obviously."
**
"It's not even a big deal." I said around a mouthful of cookie dough. "This is all so unnecessary."
"Well, you didn't complain much before the second tub of Haagen Dazs."
"I'm just angry eating."
"Clearly." Katherine chuckled and I laughed with her only to sober up and sigh. "Evie, as much as it pains me to say these words, Christian's right. Mike knows you can take care of yourself, we both know he's being a dick head."
I dropped the bowl onto the table and frowned. "You should have seen his eyes."
"I did. In my vision. And now I'll tell you what he meant: he does trust you. He knows you can look after yourself. He wasn't sneering at you entirely. He was sneering at himself. Belittling the way he so easily let's you get in harms way every fortnight."
"Are you speaking for him or are you making up shit on his behalf."
"I'm speaking what could be said. You'll forgive him soon enough."
"When?"
Kate crossed one leg over the other with her all knowing smile. "I tell you and I change the future. What I said will help speed the process along."
"I'm not forgiving him tonight." I vowed to both myself and her. "I'm not weak."
"Which is one reason why you can take care of yourself, young Evangeline. Now off you go home, it's almost midnight; we've been eating, watching movies and gossiping like teenagers for hours. John and Amy are sleeping."
"And where's Michael?" I asked as I stretched.
"He's around,"
"Not giving anything away are you?"
She stood with me and started toward the door. "Nope. I'll let this play out the way it should."
"A true witch aren't you? But speaking of play out, anything going on with you and Micah yet?"
A frustrated look passed over her strong features and I couldn't help my smile. "No, Evie."
"Trouble in paradise?"
"Nothing's happening."
"You don't know that." I winked. "Still got plenty of time to let something happen there."
"Get out."
"Okay! Thank you for this Kate. I'll see you in class tomorrow." I laughed.
"You're welcome' sweetie."
Kate hadn't mentioned anything about bumping into Florence or any younger vampires so I didn't rush through the quiet streets of Vancouver. It was different seeing it this quiet. That many humans had been turned since Florence had returned.
I tread quietly through John's house half hour later. I was absolutely exhausted. To think, I had a practise exam today. It was the least of my worries when it should be at the top of my list. My finals were next week. Less than a week. I should be spending every minute of every day studying but I'm not. I'm not because of all of this.
I poured myself a glass of water before making my way down the hallway to the spare bedroom. I paused at the closed door. Did I want him to be there? I didn't want to talk to him now, I'm too tired to hold my own... whatever own I had to hold.
After psyching myself up and gaining enough courage to open the door I frowned at Michael sleeping above the covers in only his black boxers. He was in such a position that suggested he'd fought sleep long enough before succumbing. His head lulled to the side, his hand hanging off the edge of the bed, the lamp still on.
I put my glass on top of the books on my side of the bed and swiftly put on a t-shirt and a pair of old track pants. I tried my hardest not to wake him, he was a deep sleeper anyway. He hadn't moved when I'd switched off the light. He didn't even flinch when I manoeuvred the cover from underneath his legs.
But as soon as I slipped into bed and lay my head onto the pillow that smelt just like him, I felt the bed shift. Michael made no attempt to touch me, or speak but I knew he was awake.
"We'll wait until morning." I murmured. "I'm too tired to talk, Michael."
Silence followed but I waited until he answered. "I'll speak and you can reply in the morning. I wasn't... Criticising you, Evie. I worry a bit too much. When you said you can take care of yourself I just kept thinking, 'I let you out into those situations where you have to take care of yourself.' I hate myself for so easily letting you get in harms way practically every fortnight."
There's Kate's words.
"I know you can take care of yourself, Dimples," I bit my lip at my damn nickname. "And I wasn't trying to belittle you. It was... The wrong thought at the wrong time."
See now I wanted to talk, wanting to share my views. But I really was too tired.
"Goodnight Evie. We'll speak tomorrow." And be turned onto his side probably with his back to me and sighed.
I exhaled a sharp sigh of my own before closing my eyes. I'll have my say in the morning. I mean there wasn't much to say apart from the fact I was impulsive and I couldn't blame him from wanting to say no. Starting tomorrow I'll consider his opinion on a dangerous situation.
...After I go with Christian to release Florence. And even then, I'm only considering it.
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An update yaaaay!
Missed you guys :P don't forget to drop a comment
**How'd you reckon Florence will handle seeing lovely Christian again because that chapter is NEXT WOO.