Opening the door, I am not surprised to find Lucian standing in front of my door. He may not be Thalia's father by blood but he is her father in every sense of the word. I figured when I sent him a text earlier that he would show up at my door sooner or later.
"Lucian, please come in. I'll get us something to drink, Thalia is in the second bedroom upstairs down the hall just past the main bedroom, she is finally asleep and the first wave of the 'Change' seems to have passed for now."
He nods and walks up the stairs towards the hallway leading to the bedrooms.
After a few minutes, he comes back down looking a bit more relieved than he had when he entered the house a few minutes ago.
"I am kind of surprised to not see Willow with you?"
"She doesn't know about Thalia's 'Change' starting or about Vlad if I were to tell her now you will not just have Thalia as a house guest but my dear wife as well."
"I think you just don't want to worry her until it is absolutely necessary, but I give you my word Lucian, Thalia will be safe and sound here you don't have to worry about her"
"If I was worried that she would not be safe with you Dario, I would not have left her sleeping upstairs. You may have a reputation as a playboy …due to no fault of your own, but only to mere circumstance. I know you're a good guy Dario, you are always respectful, especially towards females and even though I know for a fact that your feelings for Thalia are much deeper than you let on you will never treat her with disrespect, much less take advantage of her when she is in a vulnerable state."
The fact that Lucian, the most honorable vampire I have ever met apart from my Father and Brothers, was saying these words to me, touched me more than I could express in mere words. The honor he showed me by saying what he said left me speechless.
"Thanks for saying that Lucian, I just wish Thalia would see me like that."
Laughing at that Lucian just shakes his head.
"She acts a lot colder than she really is Dario. You know that better than anyone, I am sure you don't really believe that she doesn't care for you at all. Even if you did, you're not the type of vampire that will just give up easily."
"True, and I am quite, detrimental to make her my bride one day. That is if you and Willow are ok with that?"
"Willow and I will be honored, but did you forget that Lord Marcus might not like that? After all, we all know he wants Serefina to wear a crown, and sadly for you you're the only male royal left that is still single."
"HA HA HA…. please I haven't been single really since the day I laid eyes on a certain Crimson haired Dhamipre. And as for Lord Marcus and his ambitions about his evil witch of a daughter I am definitely not interested."
"Speaking of things that can cause trouble, what are we going to do about the Vlad situation?"
"Yes, that is a problem, he knows now Thalia's "Change" has started and if he knows then it won't be long before Serefina and Lord Marcus know."
Just then we both hear the sound of a sports car turning into the driveway. Smiling at how predictable my family is, I get up to let them inside it seemed to have started raining as well. The girls are the first through the door, followed by the guys.
"Where is Skye and Rose?"
"They asked us to drop them off at Thalia's house thinking it is best to let anyone that might be lurking about Thalia's whereabouts too not know exactly where she is. And we figured giving the illusion that she might be at home is better."
"Will they be safe all alone at Thalia's cottage?"
"Yes, I order Finn and Enzo to just watch the house and keep an eye on them when they go to work tomorrow, as we know some people don't care much for common vampires. But back to Thalia, how is she doing Dario?"
"She is doing better for now Logan, the first wave seems to have passed for now. But the 'Change' has started and to be honest, I don't know when the next wave will hit or how long it will take to be over the last Dhampir that went through the 'Change' did so about 200 years ago."
"Then we wing it and do what we can to keep Thalia safe. But we all know she doesn't like to be treated like someone that needs protecting. I mean she does the protecting."
"That is true Leo, ever since she was a little girl that is what she has been trained to do, protect the royal family and the people of Nosferatu."
"Then we do it without her noticing what we are doing, Danica can put her love of shopping to use and Francisca and Dominique can ask her to accompany them on all the trips they have to take around the city in the next few weeks."
"Griffin that is not a bad idea, but you are forgetting the small fact that she is supposed to protect Dario."
"O, yeah the King's orders. I forgot about that."
"But your idea might be of some use."
"What are you thinking Leo, well Thalia should be your shadow so how about we make it so that she becomes more than your shadow… say something along the lines of your consort or something like that."
"A consort, have you lost your mind? She will never go for that and I don't want a damn consort. Calling Thalia that is just wrong."
"Dario, relax I know you want her to be more than that, but maybe just for now not defining your relationship completely is a bit saver for her. I mean as a consort she is safe from others' advances but also safe from aristocratic females that want to become your betrothed as a consort can be dismissed if the royal so wishes or takes a wife."
"I hate to say this but maybe Leo has a point, Dario as a consort she will have to be by your side 24/7 even when she is not on duty. That way it won't cause any unwelcome gossip if people were to find out she is spending the night or nights at your place or vice versa."
" Do I have to be the voice of reason here, Thalia will never go for this idea. I mean yeah we all think that there is more going on between you two even if Thalia won't admit it, but still, she won't go for this."
"I have to say I agree with Danica. I know Thalia, hell I think I know her better than I know myself and she won't go for this idea."
Throughout the whole conversation, Lucian didn't say anything. Finally, with a sigh, he speaks.
"Dario and Danica are quite right. If this is just sprung on Thalia without her consent her fury will be something terrible and she does not forgive easily. But Logan and Leo do have a good point and I have to say I am not opposed to the idea. I will mean Thalia is a bit safer from Vlad though Lord Marcus and Serefina might still be a threat to her even if she becomes Dario's consort. But the more I think about it the better this crazy idea sounds."
"Lucian, Guys look I love the idea that I will finally have a reason to spend all day and night with Thalia and not have to really leave her side and the idea of finally being able to call her mine, yeah I like that a hell of a lot. But again Thalia doesn't even want to admit to herself that she might have feelings for me. What Lord Marcus did to her Mom left scars she doesn't trust men and sure as hell doesn't trust anything to do with a romantic relationship. So please tell me how the hell you think you're going to get her to be ok with this crazy plan of yours."
To my growing annoyance, they are all just staring at me each with a sadistic smile on their faces.
"We, my dear little brother, aren't going to do anything to get Thalia to go along with this plan you are."
"What!? "
"Logan is correct Dario the only person that can get Thalia to consent to this plan is you. Since you so rightfully said, she distrust anything to do with a romantic relationship. So make her want that which she fears most. Make her ok with the idea of seeing you in that light."
For the first time in my life I was speechless, how the hell was I going to do this. Hell being close to Thalia is sometimes too much to bear for my self-control. What they are suggesting sounds like some sort of sweet torture you want but don't at the same time.
" I know if there is one person that can do this Dario it is you, besides no one will be better for Thalia than you. You know her Dario as you said better than you know yourself. You can do this if anyone can break the ice around Thalia's heart and set it ablaze it is you.
" Thanks for the vote of confidence Danica, but what you're all suggesting will be close to performing a miracle."
" Then little bro let's see if it is true that you can make any and every female in a 10-mile radiance fall in love with you. Time to prove if you really are that good."
Smiling at the challenge I finally after a few moments give the answer they are clearly waiting for.
" I don't want any female or even any female. I just want one special female, a tiny crimson-haired Dhampir."
"That settles it then I will leave my daughter in your capable hands, Dario. Keep her safe. I won't be able to help keep an eye on her as your father will be quite busy the next few nights."
"I'll do my best Lucian but as you know she is a force of nature."
"That is all I have and will ever ask of you. I know you will protect her. But I have to take my leave now otherwise Willow might just let me sleep on the couch tonight for being out all night long."
With that he says goodbye and leaves a few minutes later, my family also takes their leave, and finally it is just me and Thalia left alone again. Went back upstairs after locking the doors. I head to Thalia's room as I enter it. It already smells like her. Sweet and floral-like night-blooming roses and jasmine. Her scent is intoxicating and does dangerous things to me. Taking a minute to get myself under control again I walk over to her sleeping form.
She is sleeping soundly and must be dreaming something good because there is the sweetest little smile on her lips. Looking at it even in the dark my sight is so good I can see the perfect pink shade of her lips, I suddenly find myself fighting the urge to kiss her.
Not now Darrio, this is something you have to take your time with domination and forcefulness won't work this time.
Taking a seat on the couch to the left of the bed I settle in for the rest of the night but the faint change in the light tells me dawn is almost here. Reaching over to press the button on the nightstand that controls the blinds in front of the windows I close them. Instantly the room is thrown back into darkness blocking the advancing sunrise. Closing my eyes I prepare myself for a not-so-comfortable day's sleep.
Thalia
Awakening slowly from a dream that is too shocking to put into words I slowly stretch and lie and think how thankful again I am for probably the thousands of times that Vampires can't read minds. I become aware of two first his sent mingling with mine second his slow and steady breaths. Opening my eyes slowly I find that I am alone in the bed turning to scan the room I stop robbed of my breath and my eyes found him fast asleep on the couch. He must have taken off his shirt sometime during the night because I know I was out of it last night but I do vaguely remember I'm wearing a shirt. In the still darkness of the room, the mere fact that he is shirtless seems to have become something so much more and sent my heart racing. And for the life of me, I can't seem to tear my eyes away from his shirtless sleeping form images of my dreams flood across my mind as I stare at the hard panel of muscles of his abs and torso. Shaking my head to clear it off the images. I decide to get up and see if he has anything to eat and maybe push my luck and see if I can grab a small bag of blood he has to have blood in his house.
Getting out of bed I tiptoe out of the room as quietly as I can. A few minutes later I have everything I need for a good healthy breakfast: some bacon, eggs, bread for toast, some breakfast sausages, some diced fruits and coffee, and a small bag of blood. Soon the smell of fried eggs, toast bacon, and sausages fill the house. Just as I start to look through the cupboards to find a travel cup that is not seen through to use to pour in the blood I hear him coming into the kitchen.
"Well isn't this just the perfect picture, a guy can get used to this, the smell of a proper breakfast, coffee, blood and to top it all of the sexiest sight I have ever seen in this kitchen? My very own little dhampir looks like she should rather be on the menu."
How does he do that, robbing me of all good sense with just a few words? Get it together Thalia.
" Good morning your Grace, I guess I should thank you for the compliment, breakfast is almost done, I took some of your blood I guess last night took more out of me than I thought, I was just looking for a cup that is not see-through with a lid preferable blood still is hard to drink even though I need it and it's not that it tastes bad it's just."
"The human in you still finds it kind of disturbing if you see it."
"Yes, exactly."
" Ok, I got you."
Walking over to me he stops right in front of me, trapping me in between the cupboard and his body, reaching up above my head to the very top cupboard, the one I would definitely not have been able to reach. He opens it and takes out a blue travel cup. But instead of giving it to me he reached behind me and places it on the counter behind my back.
" Before I give this to you, I have a very serious issue to discuss with you."
Leaning in till he is so close that there is almost no space between us he bends till his mouth is right next to my ear, I can feel every breath he takes and this sends desire coursing through my body forcing myself to stand absolutely still he finally starts talking again.
"From this moment on, will you ever call me Your Grace again when we are alone or not in a public setting. I will kiss you, and Thalia I am not talking about a mere peck. The kiss I gave you a few weeks ago in this very house will be considered tame to the ones I will give you if you ever call me Your Grace again except when we are somewhere public. Is that understood?"
His voice is deadly serious and sinful revealing so much more than just the words he spoke. This is not the playful flirting Dario, this is a whole new side of Dario and this Dario won't take no for an answer nor will he not make good on his threat.
"Yes, I understand….. Dario"
"Good, here is your cup, now why don't you go and take a seat, drink your blood and I will finish breakfast. O and Thalia afterward we are going to have a nice long little chat."