Bella Vita (44 page)

I slipped the card into the bodice of my
dress.

“
I suppose we should make
our rounds now.” I suggested to Dom.

“
Indeed.” He held out his
arm to me and I accepted.

Somewhere inside, I knew
that even though things would be hard at times, I
really
would always have
Dominic.

Once all the people left for the night, the
house was filled with a heavy silence. I knew about wedding nights
but I was uncertain how everything went about. Dom took my hand and
led me up the stairs, slowly, as if waiting for me to bolt for the
door. I realized I must have looked like a skittish horse. I tried
to straighten myself out of the defensive stance I had taken. We
walked slowly down the hall to his room. He lifted me up over the
threshold.

“
Um, what are you doing?” I
squealed like a little girl.

“
Well, until we move into
the palace, it's traditional to carry the bride over the
threshold.” His smile was warm and deliciously alluring.

“
Sometimes, I don't know
what to make of you, Dominic DeDominico.” I kissed him gently as he
kicked the door shut behind us.

I thought we would be engulfed in darkness,
but the entire room was filled with candles, and rose petals. I
could see where some treats had been set for us.

“
This is so beautiful.” I
cooed at him and kissed him again, more deeply.

“
I'm glad it pleases you.”
He kissed me with more passion.

He set me down on the bed and stood looking
at me. I stood, and hugged him closer. His scent clouded my
mind.

“
May I?” He gestured to the
zipper hidden amongst the attached train- always being a
gentleman.

“
As it pleases.” I
returned, trying to sound more regal.

His hands slowly trailed down my back,
tugging the zipper down but surrounding it with gently caresses. He
slipped the straps from my shoulders and loosened my bodice until
it all fell to the floor in a soft puddle around my feet. He kissed
my shoulder as he unfastened the underskirts, letting them follow
their brethren to the floor. This left me standing in my black lace
bra and panties, black satin garters, fishnet stockings, and my
black heels. He helped me step out of the pile of clothes at my
feet.

“
Truly the most magnificent
image I've ever seen.” He led me to a full length antique silver
mirror.

In the reflection I saw someone I didn't
even recognize. The woman before me was confident, sexy, and from
her eyes you could see how much she loved the man before her.
Dominic seemed transformed as well, his face was lit with adoration
as he held this woman in front of the mirror for her to observe the
beautiful woman that he saw before him.

I turned away from my reflection. I only
needed to see him now. My lips met his in a “thank you” as I slowly
slid the jacket from him and tossed it on a wingback chair in the
corner. I trailed my lips from the corner of his mouth, down his
jaw bone, and followed down his neck. As his bowtie and shirt came
to block my advancement, I tugged on the tie, undoing it and
dropping it to the floor with my arm extended. I wrapped my arms
around his neck, bringing his mouth to mine- drawing a deep,
sensuous kiss from him. As I filled my mouth with the sweetness of
his lips and tongue, my fingers danced nimbly down his shirt. Soon
I was able to slid his shirt from his shoulders- it too dropped on
the floor in a heap.

He inched us closer to the bed. I fell on
top of it as he pushed me gently backwards. The thick padding of
the bed, enveloped me. He toed off his shoes as he followed me down
onto the fluffy bedding. I rolled over him and straddled him as I
took deeper and deeper kisses from him. My fangs gleamed in the
candle light and I watched as his descended as well. My heart began
to race and desire to taste him and feel him coursed through me
like lightning.

I sunk my teeth into the tender area where
his neck connected to his shoulder. My teeth sank in further when
his bite mirrored mine. I drank his blood slowly, savoring each
pull. Desire took me deeper into the night as I pulled off his belt
and undid his pants. As he drank from me, he managed to slid my
beautiful lace bra onto the floor with a subtle thud. He pulled
gently at my panties. I felt the material give slightly under his
hand.

Suddenly he was lying on
top of me and I heard the
sscchhhhh
of my lace tearing away from my body. I blinked
up at him in surprise, but I was on fire the second he touched me.
My mind and body wheeled with pleasure. I pulled back from my bite
and pulled his blood-covered lips to mine.

I gasped aloud when we finally took it the
next step, but then the world seemed to flow into an epic place of
bliss.

Chapter
ten

It wasn't days after the wedding that the
first attack came. A newborn was torn to bits and burnt in the wee
small hours of the morning on a public street. The scene gave us no
answers. Dom wouldn't let me go to see if I would be able to sense
any traces of what really happened.

Instead, that day we were moved to the
palace with high alert guards. My dedication to our people was
doubled the second they put us in the ivory tower. We wouldn't be
taking the official office for a week, but the moment I was in the
palace, I was the figurehead of my people and they wouldn't be sent
out to be slaughtered.

“
Dominic, we can't just sit
by and let this go.” I pleaded with him once again to let me to the
scene before all the traces would disappear.

“
Emma, you're to be their
queen. You will not be sacrificed over one death.” He
countered.

“
No death is acceptable!” I
boomed, the room stopped all the activity.

Dom's face was pinched and he clearly was
not used to me in an authoritative role.

“
I will not be a queen of
any kind if I'm
forced
to sit on the sidelines!” I thundered.

“
We don't know the reason
for this attack, it may be the wolves, it may be hunters.
Please
, Emma,
mia
bella
, for me... stay home. Perhaps there
is another that would be able to sense these traces you speak of?”
He was looking for anything that might protect me.

“
My annoyance with you has
no bounds.” As soon as the words were out, Dom's face relaxed just
a bit, as he knew he had won me over.

“
There are only two people
that might be able to help with this, Bettina and Charles from my
class. Betty would be the best choice, but Charlie might be able to
get insight through his artwork if he were at the scene. Other than
that, I know no one else that has the right ability.” I felt like I
was letting someone down.

“
It will be done, Milady.”
Dom bowed to me and left the room, I heard him on his phone as he
walked out of the room.

I stood and began to pace
like a caged wolf.
This will not
do!
My face was contorted with my
frustration when Grandpa came in.

Child, what is the
matter?
His brow was arched.

Dominic will not let me
help!
My mind wailed.

That is because you're more
valuable than a common tracker.
He walked
over to the velvet bench that was in front of the large window
which opened out onto a patio- I was currently forbidden to go out
on.

I'm far more skilled than a
tracker at this sort of thing, and you know it.
I knew why he had said it, but it still hurt that he would
take Dom's side in this.

I'm not taking a side. It
is a simple truth that most of the vampires that will be under your
rule, would put down their lives willingly, if they thought it
would save you. Do you want people to be jumping in front of the
train for you because you put yourself in the situation that caused
the train to head for you?
His eyes
sparkled with wisdom

“
No. I would never want to
endanger people. I just want to... help.” I sat down in
frustration.

“
Sweetheart, you can't save
them all. We had many more deaths before you. Perhaps you should
talk to Michael and see if there is anything happening on the wolf
side that might help us.” I knew that Grandpa would be my council
as I needed guidance through my reign as the vampire
Queen.

“
That is a brilliant idea,
thank you.” I kissed his cheek and then let the connection take me
to Mike.

Mike?
I knew that something was stirring around him.

Em? Are you okay?
Worry and concern colored every word.

Yes. What is
happening?
I had a feeling that they had
been attacked as well.

We've had several attacks.
They look like vampire, but they smell wrong. Something tells me
that is why you're asking about this.
Mike
was not going to be caught unaware.

Well, we've had attacks
that are similar. They seem to point back to the wolves- well, I
have to assume that they do. I'm not allowed at the scene.
I tried to hide my disappointment.

I can't believe they're
keeping you from the scene! You might be able to see something!
This is crazy! Why would my people try to frame your people?
His words huffed at me.

Come on, you know why.
Someone is trying to get us to fight against each other. They
obviously don't know about our connection yet. Hmm, this person or
persons isn't afraid to kill to try and continue our feuding. We
need to protect our people.
My mind was
going a million miles a minute.

Calm down, Em. We don't
know for sure. It could just be some sort of fanatic targeting both
sides of the fence. We will have to watch and wait, but I still
think you should be able to go to the sight.
Mike's voice was final.

Why are you being so
collected about this?
I knew my voice was
shouting at him.

Because, it's only through
being calm that I can try and keep a clear mind... if I allow the
worry to enter than I'm useless to my people because I'll be trying
to protect you.
His words were filled with
anger, I could feel him grinding his jaw.

I
don't
need to be protected.
I huffed at him.

It doesn't change the fact
that you've already been attacked once because of our connection, I
want to be able to protect you from any further attacks... even if
it's not my place.
The last of his words
were nothing more than a whisper.

It's no one's place. I can
fend for my own damn self. I appreciate the thought, but Mike, we
need to be on the same page here. It's true that I don't want
anything to happen to you, but I also don't want anything to happen
to the vampires- especially if it coulda been prevented.
My frustration was clouding my words and I knew I
had stung him slightly.

Well-spoken from the
vampire Queen.
I felt the sarcasm drip
from his words.

Very mature. Are you
okay?
My concern for him intensified as I
felt his emotions roll through me, he had learned to shield some of
himself from me- or spelled it away- and suddenly it was crashing
into me.

Is
this
what you want to know,
Emma?
His anger fed the fuel and more
rolled into me.

Mike... I didn't know.
I...
I knew I had hurt him with my
wedding, especially since it was on his birthday, but I had little
choice.

We all have choices, Emma.
You didn't even wish me a happy birthday on that blessed
day.
He sneered.

Michael O'Shanold! You stop
being so damn ugly inside or I'm going to beat you, so help me. I'm
sorry I didn't wish you a happy birthday. I didn't forget it, the
day was just... busy. I didn't want to send you something that I
knew would never make up for my lack of appearance or even the pain
I knew I would cause. Forgive me or hate me, we're bound for all
eternity- whether you like it or not.
I
wasn't sure if I had made the best choice in words- but it was a
start.

We might be bound, but that
doesn't mean that we get to cause each other pain. Emma, I know
your damn wedding day was busy, and I know you had to go through
with it. But it doesn't stop the pain any more than if I had a gash
and you poured alcohol into it.
His words
were harsh.

Yes, well, I'm sure that
I'll experience the same not too far from here. But you have to
remember that I was bound to you first. No one, not Dom or whatever
all powerful beings may or may not exist can even take that. You
were my first... in all ways. So stop being a dick.
I was getting tired of him being a jerk about
things he knew were coming.

You're right. I'm sorry.
Forgive me, Em?
His voice cooled and was
sprinkled with sorrow.

There's nothing to forgive.
I love you now and always. No matter what.
I cooed to him.