::CHAPTER 14::

{Third Person POV}

Loki was lounging in the living room after having finished his latest UV Tech prototype. Confident that it would work, he was taking a rare moment to himself. Relaxing was not what he did. He worked and supervised work but never allowed himself to relax.

Now that he had this moment, he had no idea what to do with himself. He was Loki Cortada; Master of the Cortada estates and CEO and founder of NextGEN Corporation. There was never time for himself.

Flipping through the channels on the SmartVision screen, he was completely bored. What was the point in watching shows where life was played out in the same plots that had already been done over the years? Never mind that the SV screen showed it in such advanced 3D that it was partially holographic without the need for special 3D glasses. He had seen it all by this point. Turning off the SV, he sighed.

“Ana?” he turned to the door where the girl was just about to sneak past. He’d heard her footfalls before he’d seen her. The split-second reaction on her face practically swore, but her fingers signed a pleasant greeting. “Come. I need to talk to you,” he said. It wouldn’t do to point out what he noticed because then he’d have to deal with it. He didn’t feel like handing out punishment today. So he pretended he hadn’t see annoyance on her face.

“Yes, Master Loki?” she signed manners now intact. A scowl slipped onto his face at her purposely distancing herself with that prim use of his title.

“Sit,” he pointed to a chair and she took the offered seat, “Am I Master Loki now?”

“You were always Master Loki, sir.” More distance still. He did not like that.

“Not to you. Never to you. Only ‘sir’ or ‘Loki’. You have never called me Master before.”

“I apologize, sir,” she bowed her head. She acted like the others under his care and that irritated him more than anything else. Unlike the others, they had a bond and she did not get to reduce that bond to sheer servitude.

“Stop it, Ana. Now,” his hazel eyes flashed in withheld anger that he would never act on, “You’ve been putting space between us ever since that morning.”

He didn’t have to specify which morning. She knew exactly which one and her mind refused to let her forget. That morning in question, they had both crossed a line and made a mistake that could not be undone.

She had since had dreams about that morning more times than she would dare admit to him. Had woken up sweaty and warm despite the air conditioning with her skin tingling in ways that weren’t exactly familiar to her. She was no virgin but it had certainly been a while. A fact she was becoming hyper aware of during her body’s nightly reactions to the memory of her Master and, in an odd sense, friend.

“What do you want me to do, Loki?” She saw his expression defrost a fraction at the use of his name. That innocent question laid out so softly calmed him in unexpected ways.

“Go back to the way it was before. Don’t avoid me like the black plague. I understand if you don’t forgive me yet, but this distancing thing you keep doing needs to stop.”

“Forgive you? Why would I need to?”

“You know why,” his eyes narrowed, “What almost happened between us was a breach of trust like nothing else. There isn’t anything I can do to change that. I can never right that wrong, but your scorn is bad enough without you avoiding me also.”

“Loki…” it was signed with a pitying look that offered a sort of gentling he didn’t feel he deserved. It was akin to a hug between best friends, or the brush of lips against the forehead or perhaps the tucking of hair behind the curve of one ear.

“Don’t pet me,” he frowned noticing the need to soothe rising up in her.

“Too bad. That’s what I do.”

Rising to her feet to crossed the room and came to sit in the chair beside his. She deliberately stepped into the boundary of his personal space. It was not an act most would have the courage to do. She didn’t assume the right to touch him, though he could tell that she wanted to. Ana was far too smart to reach out without permission. That’s not to say she wasn’t doing some covert asking with that change in seating.

“No. You let me feed from you, trusting me with your very life. I took that moment – that trust – and nearly hurt you in the worst way.”

“You were under the influence as much as I was. I can’t blame you. Besides I’m sure there are worse ways for you to hurt me.”

“It was rape,” his voice lashed out as hard and violent as a stone whip, “I was a split second away from raping you, Ana. How can you not realize that? I forced your body to turn on your mind and made you need me in a way you ordinarily never would have. I would have raped you and you would have welcomed it again and again until it was over.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat at the image he painted. It didn’t sound pleasant in the least. She had avoided him because she was embarrassed about what had happened. She didn’t think to worry about where the high of a feeding had almost taken them. It had seemed obvious that neither of them was to blame. It happened. Control was lost and mistakes made.

“True, but look at you. If it were on purpose you would not be beating yourself up over it this much. You feel bad and I forgive you. End of it.”

“But—.”

“End of it. Quit punishing yourself,” she signed, “Please.”

He heard the request for permission lace into her plea. She wanted to overstep yet another boundary and come completely into his personal space. She was asking for the right to touch. With a nod he allowed it. It seemed a small price to pay for an offence that should have been traumatic for most other people. If this is the solace she wanted he would grant it this one time.

She rose up and sat on his chair handle, moving in to slip her arm around his shoulder and pull him near. Pure care and companionship in the movement. This human was caring for him in her own mortal way. It was odd but he let her. He didn’t feel her coddling was necessary but it was apparent that she did. The flutter of hair brushed against his cheek and, in an entirely unconscious movement, he leaned into the embrace further. There was something distinctly human in the exchange.

It was hard to feel guilty when the person you almost hurt was hurting at the idea of your guilt.

Loki raised his face to see if hers held the same wariness that it had in the days prior. It was wiped clean of it. Her fingers ran along the bristle-short shadow of hair on his head. Gentling him. He couldn’t help but think it pointless but he did not push her hand off even as he looked away. It had been a while since she had treated him more than something to dodge.

With a single finger to his jaw line, she turned his face to hers. Cool hazel rose to meet spring green. “Forgive yourself,” she signed in spite of the sliver of intimate space between them, “I want that more than your anger, self pity or guilt.”

Most people would need an official dismissal to leave his presence but Ana simply got up and left, effectively returning their relationship to the way it was before. He smiled despite himself. He might not admit it, but their friendship meant something to him and the thought that it might not have been repaired had bothered him. His sudden lightness was a surprise.

Ana lay on her bed trying to ignore what her body was forcing her to see. No matter how much in awe of Alejo she was, making up with Loki had her heart racing and palms sweating like some love stricken highschooler. Touching him again so long after the morning where they’d been a hair’s breadth away from having sex had tempted her with the most dangerous ideas. Ideas spawned from nights filled with her clutching her sheets after dreams that left her hollow and wanting each time.

She’d turned his face only to get his attention, but that had incited a split-second urge to press a kiss to his lips. That thought had come out of nowhere. She thanked the heavens that she hadn’t acted on it. There was stupid and then there was suicidal.

Protocol stated that she had to ask permission to simply touch him. She might have gotten away with regulation breaking more times than most, but to touch him on that level without further permission would call for a penalty she was not sure she’d survive.

For all of his carefulness when it came to her, she didn’t make the mistake of thinking he wouldn’t dole out punishment if he needed to. He was the biological son of an Ancient and the brother of Alejo.

By law she was his. Her injury or demise would raise no alarms legally. He could do with her as he saw fit and they were both aware of that.

The knots hadn’t yet untangled in her stomach and that, more than anything, was the frightening thing. A fleeting moment of lust could be forgotten. He was Loki Cortada after all. What was not to lust after? A crush was healthy. This, whatever it was, was more prolonged. The heat in her cheeks and twisting of her insides spoke of something truly dangerous to the relationship she’d just patched up.

Ria walked in suddenly. Ana took in her sister’s thin, cotton drawstring pants and tank top combo. Her skin was slick with sweat and her hair was in a loose bun that was so messy it was more of a cross between a bun and a ponytail “You aren’t dressed for the dinner yet,” Ana signed. That much was clear. Ria fanned away the comment as one would a pesky mosquito.

Ana was already in her blue, form fitting dress that brushed her ankles and featured short sleeves and buttoned at the base of her throat. The cut of the outfit allowed a bare amount of cleavage to show. She’d even done her hair and everything already. The dinner was in a little over an hour and Ria didn’t have a thing ready.

“I was doing yoga in the garden and lost track of time,” she said in the hurried voice of someone who knew they were late, “Gah! I need help.”

“With what?” Ana asked.

“I don’t know what to wear,” she groaned, “I kept putting it off and now I don’t know what to do.”

“Ria! You didn’t buy anything for tonight? We’ve known about this dinner for two weeks. Why didn’t you go into the town and get something from one of the stores?”

“You know how much I hate shopping,” she pouted going all little-sister on her, “It’s so boring. And they never have my size.”

Ana did know that. Ria was very thin with a generous chest for her size. The combination was not very common among modern humans and resulted in near impossible shopping experiences. Because of that, Ria couldn’t borrow tops or dresses from her sister making that solution moot.

“Hello, ladies,” Alejo nodded as he was walking up the stairs which incidentally was directly in front of Ana’s room. With his biologically altered hearing, it was unlikely that he’d missed much of their conversation. They’d forgotten the door open. Something they hardly ever did.

“Hi, Master Alejo,” Ana signed. Ria remained silent as she dug around in the vanity table’s drawer. Her back was to Alejo but he didn’t seem fazed. In fact, his reflection appeared mildly entertained by her. He knew that she would have to answer at some point.

She also was aware of it. Mentally and emotionally preparing herself to face the one man who she disliked more than Loki, she turned to him. Those cold blooded eyes were locked on her; the souls of restless ghosts lingered in them. They were so unfeeling that they made her think ‘reptilian’. Ice blue cut with shards of glass-sharp silver. Eyes that would seem more natural on a wolf or cat.

Most humans and some immortals emanated some sort of live warmth but not him. Emotionally he was empty. When he wanted, he could pretend. But most other times, he was a living chill. A chill that seemed to be staying far too long in the house. Repressing the urge to shudder, she mentally made the sign of the cross against the darkness in him before replying, “Hello, sir.” She would not call this man Master. He was not hers.

Vampires had sole control over the so-called ‘self destructive’ humans who had destroyed the earth countless times in the past. Still she could not hand that subtle sliver of power over to him. He would never be her Master.

It was true that the world had perished under human rule. It had ‘ended’ so many times that the immortals could no longer risk it ending in the truest sense. There immortality was only valid in relation to time. They had long lives but they could be killed and to survive a death by the very earth was a fear they all had. It was no longer entertaining to watch humans try to rule. They needed guidance.

The vampires had decided that allowing humans to rule was like giving toddlers responsibility over things they had no business trying to control and over time, that became clear to the humans also. They were simply too young to comprehend what was needed to rule.

They were infants compared to the ancientness of the earth. How could you control something so old when you yourself are so young that you’ve only truly known responsibility for perhaps twenty-five of your fifty years? And then to be brazen enough to believe yourself able to also rule other beings as young or younger than yourself. Beings looking to you for answers you could not possibly have.

The human leaders had been ousted from power and immortals took their place, effectively changing the social  and power structure of the world.

There was once a time where vampires sat back in the shadows and watched the humans attempt to rule their own lives. It was entertainment to watch them try and fail each time they elected a leader. The power went to their heads and eventually the new leader was as bad as the last and if they weren’t they had to be removed before time made them that bad. The vampires saw them the way adults looked at small children; toddling around trying to do things on their own, looking entirely precious as they fell on diapered behinds. Except humans never lived long enough to learn to stand on their own.

Ria understood it all. She agreed with it all. But nothing would make her look up to this man. Not him and not his brother. Loki and Alejo perverted the human-immortal trust. In general, humans were highly regarded and protected; from themselves and others. No one would dare drain a human, but it appeared that Alejo did so regularly and Loki found it amusing that he did. Both were depraved and it sickened her. How Ana could be so attached to them was beyond her.

 But he was the rightful ruler now and there was protocol. She bowed her head, resenting the movement before she did it. “I apologize for the lapse in the response,” she said, “I was searching for something for the dinner tonight.” He smiled. It seemed genuine but it was edged with a coldness that made her think otherwise.

“I could not have helped overhearing your conversation,” he said. She didn’t begrudge him that. They had left the door open. “And I believe I may be able to help. I can have clothes here in a half an hour,” he continued.

“I highly doubt you could find a dress at this last minute to accommodate this sized waistline and this sized chest,” she said. His eyes dropped to both parts of her body and she immediately crossed her arms. There was something violating about the coolness of his gaze. As if he was studying something to be tested on later.

“Clothes can be adjusted. I can have you speak with the woman if you like,” he said. She was not trying to be bratty but she could not accept the offer. To accept this felt like she would owe him later. Alejo Veracci was not a man who you wanted to be in debt to. He didn’t understand the concept of ‘no’ and appeared to find a sort of sick entertainment in pushing her buttons. There was not a doubt in her mind that he was aware of how much she disliked him. She hid it but he was a perceptive bastard. He knew. So she had no problem saying, “Thank you, but no thank you. Your generosity is too much.” Still polite, still keeping her distance.

The tension in the room stifled in a silent way. No one refused him and Ria was doing so over and over. He had hurt many for that offense and though she didn’t know him, she was aware of that much. There was a long pause as he held her gaze. A lesser woman would have turned away and shivered but she grit her teeth against the brutality his natural chill. The tension broke a second later even as it grew. He laughed. A long, happy laugh. A happy laugh was not what she wanted to hear from a rumored psychopath.

“Ria, Ria, Ria,” he shook his head amusement and annoyance laced into the name. She wished he would never call her name again. He proceeded to call another name into the voice dialing on his cell.

“You really don’t have to,” she forced out through clenched teeth. The Veracci/Cortada bothers really had issues with respecting human wishes.

“But I insist,” he said and those three words closed the argument.

“Thank you,” she said and knew that if she wasn’t a good Christian she would exchange ‘thank’ for a considerably dirtier, four letter word. It was as if he knew what she was thinking because he smiled again.

“Darla, darling,” he said radiating a sudden warmth, “Yes of course. We should do lunch soon. I have a problem and I don’t trust anyone but you to solve it. Yes, yes. Fashion emergency as you would call it. Who else would I call?”

Ria looked at the way he suddenly oozed charm and sensuality. He had thoroughly sexed this woman before. That was without a doubt. It was clear that she had warmed his bed and would do it again if he allowed it. For a moment she could understand how her sister had been caught in his trap. When he wanted to be, he could be one manipulative son of a you-know-what.

Her attention returned to him when she heard her measurements being called out. It was precise down to her hip size. She threw a look at her sister. There was no way he should know those figures. Ana looked just as shocked. She offered a shrug but didn’t dare sign anything in front of him. He might not be directly looking at them but they would be stupid to think he wasn’t aware of everything going on around him.

He was calling the address where to drop it off and giving specific instructions to the woman on the other end of the call. He paused. “What color?” he asked and pulled the cell from his ear to look at her, daring her to refuse him. She frowned.

She decided that if he wanted to irritate her, she would let him try. She was getting a dress free of charge out of it and she most definitely was not going to let him put her in debt to him. If he wanted to be a bastard, she’d let him spend his money.

“Black…and green.” He seemed surprised that she’d answered but relayed her answer anyways.

“Long or short?”

“Medium.”

“Above knees or below?”

“Below.”

“With or without sleeves?”

“Without. Halter cut…embellished. Green on black. Cinched waist with a bow tying at the back…embellished. Black on green,” she said with an inner smile, “Pleated, slightly kicked out skirt. Green beneath black.”

“You’re suddenly very accommodating,” he said.

“I live to please the Master,” was her reply. It had a distinct layer of sarcasm hidden in politeness. He caught it.

“Indeed,” he smiled relaying every piece of information into the cell but never taking his eyes off her. It was a message: Challenge accepted and won.

She smiled and flashed him two thumbs up but oh how she wished she could have chosen another, considerably longer, finger. “You should probably go get ready. She’s going to be here with the dress in a less than an hour,” he said looking pretty smug for a man with such a lack in everyday emotion. It also worked as a dismissal. She didn’t complain. It saved her the indignity of having to ask his permission to leave.

Ria left the room and went to the main bathroom on that floor. Alejo knew that what he did irritated the headstrong girl but he had his reasons. Everything he’d done had been done in front of Ana. His ‘generosity’ would not go unnoticed because immortals did not splurge on humans if the human was not in his care or his bed. It was a bonus to get to see the child riled up and unable to do anything about it.

Ana looked across at him. “That was a nice thing you did,” she signed. He gave a shrug as though it was nothing. She supposed that with his money it really was nothing. “It’s what friends do for friends. Help out their family,” he said with a modesty that seemed at home on him.

“How did your class like having me come in?” he asked.

“They loved it,” she beamed remembering the swarm of kids badgering her all through lunch, “A real celebrity at school. It was great.”

“I’m glad I could do it for you,” he said making it clear that his visit had nothing to do with the other students.

“Thank you.”

“I would do it a hundred times over if it were possible,” he gave a small, perfect bow. A very old world movement but one that the immortals seemed reluctant to let die. She blushed at the show of utmost respect that she’d seen exchanged between Loki and visiting blueblood very few times. It was not normal for an immortal to bow to a human.

Ana met his pale sapphire eyes and couldn’t help but wonder what it was that made him tick. He was a complex man that made her human instincts scream ‘get away’. It was an inbuilt survival instinct but she kept ignoring it. He was no one that any woman would be able to leash. As contained as he appeared there was some wildness in him. It was alluring. She could never fall in love with a man like this, but she could be fascinated by him.

He scared her in the deepest part of her mind. He also made her curious. She would befriend him but more than friendship could not be in the equation. She could not date someone she was terrified of.

Ria muttered dark words under her breath as she scrubbed her body clean. She was covered in the sweet smelling soap she’d gotten at the flea market on sale the month before. It was baby pink and smelled like flowers and something else pretty. She undid the tangles from her hair and washed all the soap from her body.

It wasn’t often that she got to pamper herself, so she relished the moment. Rubbing her skin dry she went over to her vanity table and adjusted the vents before pressing the button on the side. Warm air blew her hair dry. The vents moved even as she turned her head for it.

She highly doubted that the woman Alejo had called would really be here in less than an hour so she took her cool time putting on her underwear and styling her hair. She shot her reflection a wink. Her curls gave her that cute look that made her appear years younger. And at eighteen that was pretty young.

She went on to put on a little eye shadow in black and two shades of green. The light, but dramatic makeup highlighted the blue of her eyes better than anything could. She used a little mascara over the orange paleness of her lashes. She looked at her clock. It would be time to leave in a little while.

Ria didn’t want to miss the dinner but a snide part of her was happy that Alejo was proven wrong. Humoring his arrogance, she grabbed a bottle of Glam Poison nail polish and went ahead with her pampering. If she couldn’t go to the dinner, she would definitely be going out. She looked too good to stay home.

Lounging in a chair, she looked at her faintly glittering, green nails. It wasn’t long after when a knock came at the door. She knew that it could be one of few people; Ana who was her sister, Kyle who had seen her half naked too often for it to matter or one of the vampire brothers who were both too ingrained into their century to look at a semi-nude woman that way.

Thought in mind, she opened her door and came face to face with Alejo and another woman. Alejo’s eyes never left her face but the woman’s eyes roved down her body and back up. “A little young for you, don’t you think?” she asked in an accent that Ria could not place. Alejo gave her a chuckle and a smooching kiss on the cheek. “It’s a gift from the heart, Darla darling. She’s human,” he said and that appeared to have been a reminder of sorts. Darla seemed to accept this answer better than denial.

Ria took in the foreign woman. She was exotic. Her eyes were the violet of some of the natives living in the remote, high altitude areas in northern Kashmir. The rare color was made ever more vivid with her immortality. Her hair was pin straight and invited the urge to touch in its dark sleekness. Her skin was a rich brown with an undertone of beaten gold stretched over a slender and yet curvy body. Her high cheekbones were European but the tilting of her eyes was Asian to an extent. Gorgeous was the understatement of the year. Pair her natural beauty with her outfit and most human men would fall to their knees.

Her six foot seven height was ideal for a model and she was dressed to kill in designer everything. Without a doubt, someone had accused this woman of being a goddess before. Ana felt suddenly inferior. Almost anyone would.

“You are adorable,” Darla beamed and twirled a lock of Ria’s hair, “High school?”

“College. I graduated early.”

“Adorable and smart,” she said, “Come try this on quickly so I can make the adjustments.”

“What if I don’t like the dress?” Ria asked not sure why she was still being bratty after so long. She supposed watching that ‘I told you so’ look on Alejo’s face would annoy anyone.

“Trust me. I am Darla Cardington. No one dislikes my work. Now get into the dress.”

Ria was beginning to realize that pushiness was a common vampire trait. And she’d thought her own Master was bad. These people took it to the next level.

She undid the belted snaps on the garment casing and gasped when it opened. She hadn’t even been aware that she was thinking of this dress until she saw it. She’d seen it weeks ago in Ritz eMagazine on her DataPod. It was a dress from Darlington Designs and she was sure she’d never be able to afford it. No way in hell Alejo was taking this away now.

She ran her fingers over silk and satin, the glittering thread added a subtle glamorousness to it. Darla didn’t have to tell her to put it on a third time. Ria was scrambling into it uncaring of how she looked next to the elegantly beautiful Darlington Designs CEO. She just got a free dress from DD. To hell with manners and etiquette. She imagined that if, some decades ago, an eighteen year old girl was presented with a pair of heels by Christian Louboutin himself it would be the same reaction.

Alejo, apparently trying to add insult to injury, zipped up the back for her murmuring, “You’re welcomed.” At this point he could have said ‘In yo face bitch’ and she wouldn’t have cared. Turning around the skirt kicked out more and spun. “It’s perfect. No alterations needed,” Darla clapped, “You look good sweetheart.”

Next to Darla she looked good but if she was next to the other human girls at the dinner she would be extraordinary. Masters from all over would be gathering to wine and dine for their annual dinner and they would take their most favored of their live-in humans. Ria’s Master had requested her and she was anxious to see him again. He spoilt her rotten compared to his treatment of the others. It was a lot like Loki and Ana.

The three left the room and Ana froze when she saw the dress. She went on and on about it. Ria was glad she had someone to share her excitement with. She wasn’t friends with any other girls at the mansion, Alejo would implode with all that suppressed arrogance if he heard and Darla was almost worse.

The arrogant man had disappeared into his room while they went downstairs to get into the group of attendees. Everyone was excited over the dress and Kyle, who was not invited, had a lot to say about it. Loki suddenly seemed happy to be leaving the boy behind.

Darla came up to Ria and used a few jeweled pins to put up her hair. When she was satisfied, she told her to enjoy the dress and kissed her cheeks before waltzing out in a flourish that was natural to only her. Ria decided that she liked Darla.

When it was time Loki ushered his attendees into the sleek, vintage Forenzino luxury vehicles and they all piled inside. Loki and Ana sat on one end of the car while Ria, Alejo and a stranger introduced as Caroline sat on the other end. Caroline had been invited as Alejo’s date for the night. Ria was shocked that Loki had not invited a date too. It wouldn’t be difficult for him to find one.

Alejo’s date was seriously pretty even by immortal standards. Caroline, like Darla, had that rare amount of pigmentation that was usually lost with vampirism. She had the smooth complexion of a pale, imported milk chocolate that you tend to get when only one parent was Caucasian. The bronzed undertone gave it a look that no human would ever have. Her hair was very Latina; its length, the waves, the full, shiny blackness. Her full, ruby stained lips smirked up at Alejo and her dark eyes said ‘come hither’ without intending to.

Caroline’s elaborate gown covered a pair of strappy heels that managed to rival the pair Darla had presented to Ria.

Ria couldn’t help but notice that Alejo had a flair for attracting insanely beautiful women. It made her wonder what he wanted with her sister. Ana was no troll under the bridge but she was no Darla or Caroline either. Both women wanted into his pants and Ria had the suspicion that Caroline had been there before.

Why leave them for an imperfect, human girl? It didn’t make sense.

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Oh well what do you guys think of this one with the smidge of romance-ish moments in it? What do you think of Loki/Ana more importantly?

I'm uploading earlier than usual. Shocker I know lol. This chapter was just flowing so yeah. The next chapter is going to be in 3rd person again (heads up). I really prefer to write in 3rd person for this story because so many people take part in the plot but then I need Alejo's mind in 1st person. 

Vote Comment Fan Like and whatever else WP's adding on account of it changing as often as FB.