Hold Me Down - Mansionair

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With my resolve drawn up and signed, I easily pushed it right to the back of my mind and sat with Katherine whilst the men sat by bar with very serious masks plastered across their faces. Every time I'd tried to listen in on their conversation, Kate smacked me across the head saying, 'you better be listening to me.'

"Stop staring at him."

"I'm staring at all of them. What do you think they're talking about?"

"Let them be," She rolled her eyes. "I know this is your first time being more than five feet away from Christian after four long days but I always thought the objective had been to escape his presence instead of monopolising it."

I ripped off a piece of bread and popped it into my mouth. "This has nothing to do with him and more about the topic of conversation, Katherine."

"Alright. By the way, I only watched what I needed to watch so whatever happened in between here and Al Mazar I'm eager to find out."

Although I kept my gaze firmly on Callum's lips moving, a blush betrayed my nonchalant shrug. "Don't ask me please. I don't want to talk about anything, we're not teenagers."

"No we're not teenagers but we are full grown women who are entitled to gossip."

"And I'm not in the mood, Kate there's not much to say."

I was met with silence and I turned from Joe to Kate watching me with a calculating glare.

"What?" I sighed.

"None of that just friend's bull crap you spouted yesterday?"

"Not today"

As we both ate, thankfully in silence, I managed to grab bits and pieces of the conversation. Christian was giving Joe the third degree, unsurprisingly. But Joe took everything in stride just as he always did.

"What are the plans for today?" I asked directing my attention back to Kate.

"That I know of, you're safe for the rest of the day. Have a wander around. I have to talk to Christian about something."

"Why do I have to wander off?"

"That of course is none of your business, Chels. I need to speak with him alone and I haven't had the opportunity to do so. Things need to happen and fast. Things are getting sketchy in my head and we all need a strategy. And no, you can't be present; I'm sorry about that."

Christian glanced over and I instantly turned away. "If things are sketchy, how do you know I'm safe?"

"Don't doubt me just yet." She scowled but it was accompanied with a smile. "Go enjoy your last official day of freedom because who knows what happens after tonight. Sneak out though. Christian will be sure to follow you unless you do it right. Jump out a window or something."

"Can I... bring Joe?"

"Sure, take Joe. Just not Christian."

"Fine. Thanks mom."

Katherine smirked sarcastically. "You're welcome darling."

**

Sneaking out was easier said than done and I didn't expect any different. Kate had grabbed Cal and Christian's attention easily by pointing them in the direction of the larger bar with a fifty year old bottle of whiskey at the end of the hotel. On our way there through the lobby, I lingered at the end of the pack taking Katherine's over the top laugh as my cue to grab the back of Joe's shirt and drag him outside and into a cab.

All he did was laugh and say, "That Christian, he will follow."

"Probably." I said glancing out the back window. Christian ran outside of the hotel and spun around trying to locate me. "If he can find me."

Into town, Joe and I were catching up on the last year pushing all of the present day's problems away for the time being and enjoying each other's company. Of course, there was only so much I could enjoy when I was constantly looking to every alley, to everybody that stood just that little bit closer than necessary and to every buzz cut male I could spot.

"You're fine." Joe reassured giving me a smile as we settled on a small table outside of an independent cafe. "You have very loyal friends."

"Yeah, they're great aren't they?"

"I'd like to know more about this Christian though. He's very protective of you from what I've observed."

"That's just the way he's always been." I dismissed easily. "He turned me, he thinks it's his duty to protect me."

"Katherine told me he hasn't... is the word release?"

I exhaled a sharp breath and moved my gaze to my cappuccino cup. "Yeah, he hasn't released me."

"And that bothers you?"

"Only if he commands me. But that isn't often." I lied.

And Joe knew me well enough to know I was lying. He raised his brow and remained silent clearly waiting for me to elaborate further.

"It bothers me more so that I have a tie to him that only he can cut. I mean, it probably bothered me more a few days ago. There are stereotypes for us, what vampires call protégé's and I didn't want to fit into any of them. Maybe telling you, an outsider to the situation, doesn't bother me as much as me telling Katherine. Spending four whole days in each other's company was... intense."

He nodded.

"He means well, Joe. He's such a good guy and I feel bad I didn't see it before because I was selfish and I blamed him for everything."

"And you don't blame him anymore."

"...I don't know."

Joe fell into silence and I glanced around the hustling crowd almost expecting Christian to turn up and speak his own peace into the conversation. It's been known to happen.

"You like him." Joe stated after a solid minute of silence.

"Like I said, he's a good guy. What's not to like?"

I could see him ready to question me further but his phone started ringing. "I'm surprised Kate let you keep your phone."

"Your enemy doesn't know me, she promised I was fine. It's my mother. Give me a few minutes, kokhana."

I smiled at the word sweetheart spoken in Ukrainian and watched him stand up rapidly speaking in his language. Joe disappeared down the street and I contemplated the things I'd said to him about Christian. What happens after this? Kate had even said who knows what happens after tomorrow. What will happen after we meet up with his sister and Nate in Dubai? Will I go home? Will he come with us or go off on his own to sort out this mess? And would he be annoyed that I'd probably want to go with and kick his brother's ass for even mentioning me to the stupid Steinsson's?

Off on my own tangent, I just about noticed the chair across me scrape against the concrete. I smiled already prepared to see Christian sitting opposite me, except it wasn't Christian. And Katherine had sworn I was safe especially if I had Joe with me.

Dante's dark eyes slithered over my face along my neck and further down as he sat opposite me; his beefy arms leaning against the table as he shuffled himself closer.

"Move and I'll shoot you." He smirked picking up one of Joe's uneaten cookies.

I glanced at the holster peeking from beneath his bomber jacket and clenched my jaw. "I could kill you faster than you could pull that gun out." I reminded him.

"That's not you though, is it Chelsea? Killing me? A human, in front of so many other humans?"

"So this is it now? You take me, Feisal tells Christian and he does what you've been asking him to do?"

"Actually," He casually shrugged a shoulder and grinned maliciously as if he had the upper hand. To be honest, he probably did. I didn't know who else was here, I didn't know whether someone had grabbed Joe and taken him or even if everyone else was okay at the hotel. "Feisal doesn't know I am here. And I was lucky enough to be passing by when you stepped out of that cab an hour ago with that man whoever he may be."

"I don't believe you."

"And you have no reason to. But wouldn't you have thought Feisal would be here doing the convincing rather than me?" Dante whipped out a rectangular packet from his pocket along with a lighter and placed a cigarette between his lips. "Feisal returned to Cairo for the day to meet Caesar and Henrik he has no clue you are here in Arish."

At the mention of the twins' names, a shiver ran up my spine. The Steinsson's were clearly getting restless if they were sending two of their own here to find us.

"I assume Christian has told you of them? I only guessed as the colour disappeared from your face."

"What do you want?" I gritted out.

He took a long drag and smiled. "I like you Chelsea, you're brave. And also very valuable, I can tell by the way Christian protects you. Someone like you in the hierarchy we live in is called a golden ticket. Everybody wants one, girl. I envy you almost." Another puff and exhale. "Do you even know how much trouble Christian's gotten you into? The extent in which this runs? The amount of trouble that man got into before you were born was too much even for him to cover up. I bet Christian didn't even tell you why he got mixed up with the Steinsson's."

I kept my mouth firmly shut as he took two more drags and outted it.

"I didn't think he'd tell you. You've heard of The Kray twins?"

"You mean that film Tom Hardy-"

"Not the damn film, the real twins. Christian knew them very well. He helped them do a number of things in the sixties after he started working in their nightclub. Helped with robberies, escapes, murder, arson and so on. He was photographed with them too much not to be connected with the famous murders and gangsters. So when the twins were sent to prison for life the question was asked: Who is this good looking fellow featured with the twins everywhere they went?"

Dante chuckled. "I'll give the man credit, he hung around with the right and the wrong crowds but those two took the cake. Christian couldn't escape the convictions or the police searches this time no matter where he went. So Andreas found him; Andreas was always fond of Christian and he sent Henrik and his daughter to do his bidding. They said you'll be okay with the government if you owe us a favour. And Christian didn't have any reason to say no."

"They made it worse than it was." I defended. "Christian said it himself, the situation was worse than it should have been and it was because of Andreas."

Dante once again shrugged a shoulder. "Andreas got his favour and Christian got off the most wanted list. Win-win."

I'd heard enough. Christian had said don't ask what happened so I didn't. Knowing now didn't change anything, he is who he is today not who he was in the past. "What. Do you want?" I iterated.

"Like I said, Chelsea I like you and you saved my life from your maker so I'm going do the same for you. I'm going to do you a kindness, give you a deal if you will. Come with me to Iceland. Meet Andreas, see what we have to propose. Maybe you can convince Christian to join you. If you come willingly nobody has to get hurt, nobody has to force anyone to do anything."

"No."

"You wouldn't even consider it? Don't you care about Christian's life? Your friend's?"

Without even thinking I pulled my hand back and slapped him. And not just any slap. A vampire bitch slap. So of course, the strength of it whipped his head right to the side with a sharp grunt; he lifted his head completely disoriented. A few people that passed whispered and slowed but most of them scurried past quickly when I scowled at them.

"Take your deal and shove it up your ass." I stood.

He joined me, a glower shining bright on his face as a bruise already started to form along his cheek. He wiped his mouth, blood smudging the side of his palm. "Think about it Chelsea. You have my word I won't say a thing to Feisal if you do the right thing. Take my card and call me when you've changed your mind. Whether it's a week from now or tomorrow.  Compel me if you wish, but it doesn't last long on me. It was a gift given to me by Andreas. "

Rounding the table I made him look directly at me and said, "Stay here until the compulsion wears off. Forget we had this conversation."

Tying my hair up, I walked away from him and made my way down the road where Joe had disappeared. And when I found him leaning again the wall still speaking to his mother, I sent him the most convincing smile of my life and told him we should be getting back to the hotel. Kate was right. I was safe but what was she looking for? Dante or Feisal? Joe smiled down at me as he rolled his eyes at his mother clearly chatting a hole into his ear.

Meanwhile in my back pocket, Dante's card was more or less burning a hole in my jeans.

**

"So he knows where we are right now?"

I shook my head. "I'm not sure. He said he saw me get out the cab with Joe earlier, I don't know if he knew we were here."

Callum and Kate were sat opposite me whilst Christian was out in the city probably trying to track down Dante but he was probably long gone by now. It took me a good hour before I could muster up any courage to tell them what happened. Of course, Christian was none too happy to hear Dante had told me about the Kray's and he didn't speak a word between me explaining and him storming out of the room with a storm brewing across his face.

Joe was upset with himself for leaving me but how were we to know we'd been followed around?

"Then what do we do now?" Joe asked. "What happens?"

Katherine bolted up from her seat. "We managed to get your passports when we met Christian's contact. We have to move on to Dubai to meet Jackie and Nate. I'll check flights right now."

I opened my mouth but Kate was out the door in seconds. She was guilty about what happened. She said it herself, her visions were sketchy so I couldn't even blame her for this.

"You okay, Chelsea?" Cal asked.

"I'm fine. I think I'm going to take a nap though, I'll meet you guys for dinner this evening."

Both of them nodded and slipped out of the room. It was barely four in the afternoon and I felt like I'd been up for twenty-four hours. It didn't help that I slept quite terribly last night trying my hardest not to curl into Christian's side. And on top of that my mind has been persistently on the go since last week anyway.

How did Evie do it? Constantly looking left and right just waiting for someone to attack? I had to give her credit for the years she'd had to deal with Florence. Speaking of which, I needed to conference call her and Amy soon. They may think I'm off doing my own thing but I've never gone this long without speaking to one or the other.

I closed the curtains, looked in the drawer for shorts and curled myself around a pillow. I glanced at my jeans on the floor, the corner of Dante's business card peeked out of the back pocket. I don't know why I didn't tell them about the card. Maybe an irrational part of me thought that going to meet Andreas would – be stupid, dumb, thoughtless, rash, and impulsive – somehow solve the problem.

Closing my eyes, I willed my being to sleep. I don't know how long I slept for, maybe a minute or an hour because when I opened my eyes again it was still slightly daylight. And when I felt the bed dip it wasn't like any of the other times Christian had joined me in bed. He didn't sit against the headboard or lie on top of the covers. He slid in behind me, pulled me away from my pillow companion and into the warmth of his chest.

His fingers skimmed over and across my cheek moving my hair so he could breathe the softest of kisses behind my ear.

"I entertained the idea." I admitted. Christian and I had remained honest with one another the past week and I didn't see why I should lie now. "Meeting Andreas and stopping this chase."

"I knew you would." He murmured gliding his arm around my waist.

"You expected the worst of me then?"

"I expected you to do the human thing in a situation where you know things could get worse. And I'm glad you didn't."

Swallowing away the guilt, I grabbed his hand from my waist and easily slipped my fingers through his. "I'm sorry."

"For what exactly should you be sorry for?" He asked incredulously.

"For blaming you for a lot of things. For almost doing the human thing."

"Don't be stupid, Chelsea."

"I hope this isn't too... weird." I said lifting our hands.

But instead he rewrapped them around my waist. "Not by a long shot, Kitten."

Should being like this, wrapped around him, be so easy? Going from one extreme to the other; screaming at one another one second, wanting to pull each other's clothes off in the next and then cuddling in another.

"Also," I murmured. "The Kray twins? Really?"

"Look, I'm not proud of those years and I'll never get them back but there is only so much one can do after so many years. I didn't want anybody to know which is why I told you not to ask."

"Are you in the movie?" I joked.

His chuckle vibrated against my back. "No. The Steinsson's are good at their job. No trace of me with the Kray's at all."

"I'm just trying to imagine who'd play you... maybe-"

His teeth nipped at the back of my ear and I jolted. "Don't even insult me with the actors of today, none of them will ever look as good as me, sweetheart."

I smirked and closed my eyes. "Maybe a twenty-first century James Dean with dark hair."

As I started to drift off he grunted happily and said, "Attagirl."

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QUICK NOTE: I know a lot of your are wanting an update and I know I haven't updated lately but it's because I am a second year at university and I have deadlines and projects to be concentrating on so you'll have to bear with me. Thanks for understanding guys