“How about never, fucker?” Fiona snaps at him, making me laugh. She hates him, and I cannot help but be amused.
“We’re bonded, you have to let me.”
“You need to learn the fucking rules, pal. No means no. In human and in your crazy fucked up vampire world. So back off. We’ll find you a consort later; you’re not gonna starve, and the grown-ups need to sort some shit out here.” Fiona schools him, and I fear I’m next.
She looks at me, narrowing her eyes. “You know what, Roman? You got me into a big pile of shit here, and it’s not okay.”
“I know it seems bad Fiona, but we can still have the life we want, together.”
“With your college-age son on the loose, fucking everything in sight, trying to feed on me? How’s this supposed to work exactly? Where do we live? Do all three of us shack up together?” Her arms are crossed, and her questions are serious. I’ve not considered any of them.
“I don’t know, Fiona, but we can make this work. That is if you want to.” I meet her eyes, searching for answers in them. “If you want us to leave you alone, I will keep him away from you, and you can lead your life as vampire free as you choose it to be.”
“You’re not getting off that easy, Roman.”
“This is not easy for me Fiona, I promise you. Please tell me how to make this right,” I beg of her.
“There is no making this right. But there is moving forward. And that’s what we’re going to do. I love you, Roman. That hasn’t changed. Fuck them. One thing is for damn sure. I’m going to decide how things go now.”
32
Fiona
Six Months Later…
When I first met Roman, I wanted nothing to do with him. Sure, he’s hot, sexy, has that come fuck me smoldering look down pat, coupled with the bad boy image … of a vampire. Did I forget to mention the added pleasure of permanent stubble that drives me absolutely wild? Sill, the fact remained, he’s a walking, talking, breathin
g zombie without the rotten corpse. And yet, I love him, despite everything that’s happened.
Today, we’re cutting the ribbon on Roman’s new casino. Well, actually, it’s mine, but to keep the civility in our relationship, I let Roman pretend it’s all his. Besides, his business sense far surpasses mine, which I suppose is a testament to his five hundred and thirty-three years of traipsing around the world, watching countries flourish, going through a depression, rising from the ashes and battling numerous wars.
To celebrate Roman’s birthday, I took him to the traveling history museum where we stayed for hours, thanks to Selene, who offered to babysit Nic for us. Roman covered each era in great detail, telling me stories about the people he’s met, what he did and how he served multiple countries as a soldier. I never knew my vampire was so well rounded. Mostly, I thought he sat around drinking blood and staring at the wall. It was refreshing to learn he played such an instrumental part in defining the world. I could listen to him every day, talk about the things he’s experienced, how the world has changed and how some of the transformations aren’t for the best.
After what Roman refers to as a “little” misunderstanding, I took a step back from our relationship, which is very hard to do when Roman and I are in love, and Nicolai and I are bonded. It’s awkward, hard to explain and I’ve been tempted many times to change my relationship status on Facebook to “It’s complicated.” When I’m out and about, I’m often flanked by two vampires. The stares I receive are uncomfortable, and my relationship with Leslie no longer exists. One vampire was hard enough for her to take, throw in Nic who has no filter and no sense of personal space and Leslie bailed. Can’t say I blame her. Lana, on the other hand, likes Nicolai and he loves me.
Roman and Nicolai fight, constantly. Daily, in fact. Nicolai wants to feed on me, and I refuse. I don’t care if I’m breaking some Covenant or not. The law I follow says I don’t have to do it, and I won’t. Mostly out of vindictiveness. Although, I’m not sure who I’m spiting because to see Nicolai in pain does hurt my feelings. It’s not his fault, my-couldn’t-check-his-temper vampire went off the rails and tried to kill him. All of this could’ve been avoided if Roman wasn’t so damn stubborn and refusing to accept my help. I remind him of this all the time.
Nic also wants other… things, which as his bonded mate, I suppose he has a right to request, but no. I’m not, nor will I ever be, intimate with him. This is where I don’t feel sorry for him and start to resent Roman. Again, avoidable, yet I had to ask Roman to install doubled plated steel doors, which I had blessed by the same priest my father used, at my apartment to keep Roman’s “son” away. I don’t trust Nicolai, at least not yet. He still has some growing up to do.
Who knew a newbie vamp would be so adolescent? One too many times, I’ve yelled the words, “you’re grounded” because of some idiotic thing Nic has done. We’re talking really childish act, like walking in the garden display at the Bellagio, climbing to the top of the Luxor and jumping off the Stratosphere. I get that ordinary people don’t do these sort of things, and this is probably some vampire thrill seeking activity to test his immortality, but enough is enough. Nicolai doesn’t listen to Roman, only me, which means when he’s doing something he’s not supposed to, I get a call to come pick him up. Talk about getting the raw end of the deal, which again, I blame Roman for.
He’s tried to make it up to me with offers of trips around the world (we couldn’t because Nic attempted to join the mile high club as soon as we stepped onto the plane). Roman bought me the most exquisite jewels, designer clothes before they hit the rack, and offered a brand new house. I almost took him up on the home. That was until he said he and Nic would live there as well.
One big happy family.
No.
My father stands to my right and Roman to my left, both of them holding the red ribbon in place so I can make the cut. There are news crews here as well as reporters from various newspapers. My project… I mean Roman’s, has become a human-interest story, bringing a multitude of human service agencies to his door. At my suggestion, Roman opened an office, hired a vampire secretary (at my urging) and started another company helping the people of Nevada with finding temporary housing, jobs and helping with some expenses, such as clothing and transportation, so people can get back on their feet.
When my father found out my deceit, he was livid and told me I was no longer a part of his family. I called his bluff and anonymously contacted the news about the project and how the Gaming Commissioner was refusing to grant the license. My dad knew I had done it and called a meeting where I laid it all out for him. He would give Roman and me, because yes, I wasn’t going to give up on the project, the license needed to open the casino, and he would accept Roman as my boyfriend. The latter he balked at, threw his hands up in the air, and said over his dead body, which Nicolai took as an open invitation to kill him.
I can admit, I let Nicolai stalk my father for about thirty seconds before I told him to stop. In hindsight, I know it wasn’t nice, but my father really needed to be taken down a notch. When he finally calmed down, I handed him the file I had compiled over the years. Details of his shady transactions, from as far back to when I was a teenager, placed in date order for his perusal. My demand was simple; accept Roman and subsequently Nicolai, as part of my life. That was it, nothing more.
The enormously large scissors are hard to squeeze, but I do it, slicing through the ribbon that has served as a makeshift barrier from the main door of the casino. The reporters descend on Roman and me, firing questions at us from all angles. “It’s easy math,” Roman tells the crowd. “We own the building outright, and after expenses are paid, the revenue will be used to continue funding the Roman Weston Home for Indigent Humans.” I smile at the name of our company. It was actually Roman’s idea to add my last name. I think he did it because he knows it gets on my father’s nerves, but considering the Sisters strip humans of their identities and give them new names, except Nicolai, which makes me shudder just to think about, Roman never had last name and doesn't remember his human one.
Nicolai is standing against the wall, waiting to join us. As soon as I start toward the casino, he takes his regular position on my right side. I feel sorry for him, I do, and wish there were something I do could to break our bond so he could be free. I’ve gone as far as to seek out a high witch priestess, hoping she can break the spell, curse or whatever it is tying him and me together.
“You look very beautiful today, Fiona.”