Part 4 (1/2)

I didn't want to go to Pallo, but I didn't want to stand around and watch Giovanni push me away either. He didn't say a word as I stormed out onto the balcony. My white heels clicked loudly on each stair, announcing my presence to the group below. I looked out and saw James was the only vampire in the water. That didn't surprise me a bit. Caradoc was sitting with his legs propped up-reading a book, typical, and Pallo was nowhere to be found. Neither was Malita. I'd say I was shocked, but I'd be lying.

I walked over to sit by Caradoc and felt flecks of water splas.h.i.+ng up at me. I looked down to see Mikhail treading in the deep end, smiling up at me. Caradoc let out a small grunt.

”If he gets my clothes wet, can I kill him?” Caradoc asked.

Mikhail's eyes widened. I smiled and shook my head. ”No, but if he gets your hair wet you can.”

Laughing, Mikhail dove under and swam away towards James and the two busty, blonde sisters. I waved at James and gave him a big thumbs-up for having two chicks' hands all over him. He winked and looked towards the box hedge maze. I knew he was giving me an indirect explanation of where Pallo was. I nodded to him again and sat down next to Caradoc.

”So, how've you been?”

”Just fine, thank you for asking.” His tone was so snippy that I wasn't sure it was him at first. Caradoc was an old-school vampire. He spoke when spoken to and was so full of manners that he could write a magazine column. This wasn't his norm by any means.

”Hmm... how are things going at the Park?” I wanted to get him talking. I knew Pallo's amus.e.m.e.nt park was thriving. He wasn't a risk taker when it came to his money. No, Necro's Magik World & Supernatural Theme Park was doing just fine. Pallo was rich beyond his wildest dreams, as were most master vampires, and I was positive that every detail was seen to prior to their journey here, but I wanted Caradoc to open up and this was the only way I knew to get him to talk.

”The Park is fine, Gwyneth.” He s.h.i.+fted in his seat.

”Caradoc, if I didn't know any better I'd think you were mad at me.”

He closed his book and laid it on his lap. His gaze flickered towards Giovanni's house and then back to me. ”Whatever would give you that idea?”

I smacked my leg and pointed at him. ”You missed me, you ol' stick in the mud. You missed me admit it.”

He pulled his feet down and sat up straight. He adjusted his collar several times before looking back at me. ”I suppose I was rather taken aback by the sudden end of our weekly get togethers.”

I jumped up and gave him a big hug. He and James had been stuck on babysitting duty every time that Caleb had to go out of town on business. Being a bounty hunter for the supernatural generally meant that he would be gone for several days at a time. Since my life had been threatened on more than one occasion, my father had asked Pallo and Caleb to keep an eye on me. Because Caradoc and James worked for Pallo, they had ended up coming to stay with me on a regular basis. James generally brought an armful of movies and Caradoc usually sat in the chair reading and pretending to be annoyed with us.

I hugged him tighter to me. ”I knew you were a softy,” I teased a second before Giovanni appeared behind us. He glanced down at me and smiled.

”I hate to interrupt you embarra.s.sing poor Caradoc, but would you like to walk with me? I have some things I wish to discuss with you.”

”Of course.”

Caradoc gave me a gentle squeeze before releasing me. I stood and took Giovanni's outstretched hand.

Chapter Seven.

I was happy the night wasn't as cool as it had been the night before. The breeze from earlier in the day was all but gone and the sound of nighttime filled the air. Giovanni stayed quiet until he had me a good distance from the house. I knew that vampires had amazing hearing. I was betting that omnimorpheleons did, too.

He turned to me when we reached the far end of the grounds and took both my hands in his. ”I am sorry. I did not set out to anger you. I really do just want you to follow your heart and after that, if any piece should remain that feels for me I would be a happy man. I am not foolish enough to believe seeing Pallo did not move you and I've already told you I will not try and stop that again.”

”Giovanni, what do you want me to do? I feel like you're shoving me at him and shutting yourself down from me. I thought that after all the time we've spent together, you felt something for me, too. You don't push people away that you care about.”

He pulled me close to him. ”You do if you ever want them to return to you again, Bella.”

I held tightly to him and willed him to stop trying to shut me out. I knew that I'd grown to care a great deal for him over the last several months, and I didn't want to have the door to his heart shut in my face. I stood there breathing in the scent of his cologne, letting him hold me to him.

”You know, I've spent more time with you than both Pallo and Caleb put together.”

”If time was all it took to keep you, then we would not be having this discussion right now. We would be off somewhere exotic celebrating our three-hundredth anniversary.”

He was right, d.a.m.n. It didn't matter that I'd spent only three months with Caleb and Pallo. The short time had been packed full of so much pa.s.sion and betrayal that I was still trying to get over it.

”Shall we head back now?” he asked.

”Only if we're okay.”

”Then, yes, we should head back.”

He had to slow his stride so I could keep up. His legs were longer than mine and that meant a nice leisurely pace for him was a workout for me. I let him guide me in the darkness. My night vision had grown stronger since Pallo's attempt at turning me, but it was nowhere near Giovanni's pure vampire sight. He stopped and stood very still. He turned his head towards the maze.

I listened for what he might be hearing and picked up the faint sound of a woman's cry. ”Bella ....”

”Go, I'll follow behind you.” I knew he would beat me there and didn't want to hold him up. He bent down and kissed my cheek and was suddenly gone. I turned and rushed towards the maze. Remembering Pallo was in there gave me an extra burst of speed.

I hit the opening of it and ran along with my hands out, feeling the hedges as I went. I'd been in it enough times with Giovanni to know my way around it, but I'd never attempted it while running or worried. I hit two dead ends before I caught sight of Giovanni. He turned, saw me coming at him, reached out, and grabbed me.

”Come, it's fine.” He tried to maneuver me away from whatever was around the corner. I heard another tiny cry and pushed past him. When I made it around the corner, I stopped so fast that I fell backwards. Giovanni caught me and pulled me upright.

I looked down at Malita's half-naked body and saw Pallo under her. She rolled off him and tried to cover herself with her s.h.i.+rt. Even in the dark, I could see and, thanks to my new gifts, smell the blood on her neck. She'd let him feed off her. James had told me that feeding combined with pa.s.sion was the closest thing to a high a vampire could get. Pallo's s.h.i.+rt was torn open and his pants were unb.u.t.toned. Yeah, he looked like he was buzzing. He stared up at me and his arm rose quickly to his lips. He wiped his sleeve across his mouth and shakily pushed to his feet, lacking his normal grace.

”Missed a spot,” I said dryly.

I tried to back up but Giovanni's body pressed against my back. He had tried to keep me from seeing this. Why? If he really wanted to make sure I'd come back to him, then what better way than to expose Pallo's s.e.xual rendezvous.

A small smile formed on Malita's lips as her gaze met mine. It left quickly, but I'd caught it. ”Well, isn't this embarra.s.sing.”

”Indeed,” Giovanni said from behind me, never once breaking his rea.s.suring hold on me.

Pallo did everything in his power to avoid meeting my gaze head on. Giovanni put his hands to my shoulders and I laid mine over his. It was a little show of affection, but it was enough to get Pallo's attention. He glared out from dark brown eyes. Pallo's gaze fell southward, as Giovanni leaned over me, adjusting my suit jacket. My fear of popping out had come true.

Wonderful.

When Giovanni's hand brushed over my breast Pallo snarled and flew at us. I didn't have time to think before Pallo was in my face. He snarled and I drew back into Giovanni's body.

Giovanni put his mouth to my ear. ”He will not harm you. He is just upset.” I tensed, not believing him. Pallo looked like he wanted to rip my face off. ”Bella, he is my creature, I made him, I can read his feelings and he does not wish to harm you, only to scare you.”

Pallo glared at Giovanni. ”I am not your creature anymore. I am my own master now.” His gaze slid to me. ”No, Gwyneth, I would never hurt you. Can all parties present claim the same?”

He was being petty and I'd had enough. ”Just leave, Pallo. Take your pet omnimor-whatever-the-h.e.l.l-she-is and go. I don't want you here.”

”I can see you are perfectly happy here, but I am afraid you will have to cut your visit short. Your father has asked me to bring you home, and I fully intend on doing so. You have a wedding to get ready for. So, I strongly suggest you stop f.u.c.king Giovanni and start packing.”

”What, are you mad I might be f.u.c.king Giovanni, or that I'm not f.u.c.king you?” I spit the words at him. He had said something very similar to me once before and it still hurt to think about it.