The vampire and the mistress

Chapter 16

I'd spent five days mostly alone in my room except for one of the staff member bringing food up for me. I say I spent that mostly alone, but the truth was, I'd spoken to Dorian most of those days as we'd spoken about what had happened and what I'd said, and he'd given me his advice. On day three, I'd got a knock on my door, and I'd opened it expecting to find someone there, but there hadn't been anyone, only a bunch of flowers on the floor with a note in them saying a simple sorry. I knew this was Xander's way of apologising, and as much as it moved me that he'd gone out of his way to do that, I was still a little upset by what had happened. On day four, Xander knocked on my door and said he was checking if I was ok. I'll admit again that I had found it hard not to let him sweep me up in his arms and just simply kiss him and tell him I forgave him and make everything better.

Today had been a strange one, as I'd actually woken up to Xander in my room, and he'd scared the life out of me as I'd been shouting and screaming in my sleep. Not that I could remember it, but I could believe it. Once he was happy that I was settled, he quickly left me alone again. I'd planned on seeing him and talking to him to see if we could figure things out between us. I wasn't sure if we could, but as long as he was willing to try, so was I.

I'd decided to wear my white dress with blue flowers, and I was in the middle of doing my hair when I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." I called as carried on doing my hair and I glanced in the mirror to spot Marie coming in.

"How are you feeling? I've only just heard about everything, or I would have been here sooner to check in on you." Marie went and stood to the side of me, watching me finish up, then I turned and looked at her.

"Feeling better than four nights ago." I laughed. "Do you have a moment? I know you're always busy, and I know you've probably come to check in on me for Xander."

"I have a spare moment, sure; why what's wrong?" Marie looked at me a little hesitantly, as if she was expecting bad news to come out of my mouth.

"I just want to say I'm sorry for what I did and how I behaved when you wouldn't tell me about the chaos."

"Oh." Marie sounded surprised as she stood there, looking at me. "Umm, thank you for the apology."

"I understand you were just trying to protect me, and I behaved like a child, and I was wrong to behave like that and to take my frustration out on you like I did, and I'm sorry for worrying you like I did."

"It's fine, Rosa; I really do appreciate the apology, though." Marie sat on the edge of my bed with a smile on her face. This had been the first time I'd seen Marie smile, and she looked beautiful as it seemed to light up her face. "Dare I ask what's brought this on?"

"I wouldn't ask if I were you." I laughed quietly. "Ummm, do you know where Xander is?" I asked.

"He's waiting for me outside in the gardens so he can catch me up on everything else that has happened while I've been away with my mate."

"Would you mind not going to him? Xander and I... I think it's time we had a little talk."

"I'm not going to ask for the full details of what I missed, and I'm certainly not going to get in the middle of whatever it is I've missed." Marie laughed. "You go and do what you have to do."

"Thank you." I went to my cupboard, took out a pair of high heels, and put them on. "Thank you, Marie, and you really are the best." I left Marie in my room, knowing she'd leave pretty quickly as I made my way down the stairs and out into the gardens.

I didn't really have a plan for what I'd say to Xander, but I just hoped my words wouldn't fail me when I needed them the most. As I walked the path, I saw him stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky. So I walked behind him.

"It is so good to have you back, Marie. How was Rosa?" His words caught me off guard. Had he really not noticed it was me who had walked up on him, or had he really been that deep in thought he'd just assumed?

"Why don't you ask me yourself?" I told him softly as he turned and looked at me. His face was his usual stone mask, with no emotions on his face whatsoever. "I'm better now, thank you. I'm sorry I worried you earlier."

"It's fine. I thought, to begin with, someone had gotten into your room and was trying to kill you."

"Nope, it must have been a bad dream." There was a silence between us both as I looked into his eyes, seeing how dark they had become since our argument. "Are you free to talk with me?"

"I'm expecting Marie, if I am honest."

"I asked Marie if I could come in her place."

"I see." He laughed quietly to himself and then gestured to the stone bench near where he was standing. "Then I am free."

I walked over and sat down. This had been the moment that I hoped my words wouldn't fail me now. "I'll start by saying I'm sorry for snapping at you. I was completely out of line for doing that." I looked down at my hands, which were resting on my lap. "But I was frustrated with you, Xander." I looked up at him for a moment, but he stood still as if he were one of the marble statues in his garden. "You made me promise you no more secrets."

"Yet you went to Cordelia."

"I don't want to fight with you, Xander." I looked up at him. "I felt like I had no other choice. You would have done the same, wouldn't you, if I had been the one keeping the secret?"

Xander let out a sigh, sat down next to me, and took my hand. "Yes, but I need to protect you. Not just from Liam, but there are others out there who were hunting for those who killed the bloodlines. I thought... if you didn't know then... You had no part in it."

"That makes it worse. What if one of those people found out I played a part in it and then they were asking me questions and I knew nothing and I was finding it out for the first time?" I could feel my hand trembling in Xander's hand. "I know you want to protect me because of how messed up my life has been and because you want me to have my happy ever after, and you love me so much that it's just there the need to protect me; trust me, I'd do the same for you, but you can't treat me like a child either. I'd give you the same respect if you gave me."

Xander nodded and looked down at our hands. "I'm sorry, Rosa; I really am." He whispered. "I thought..."

"Your heart was in the right place. You made those choices out of love for me. I'm not angry about that. I'd just rather you were honest with me about it." Xander lifted my hand, kissed it lightly, and then lowered it.

"Where do we go from here?" He asked a little hesitantly.

"I want this to work. I want to be yours forever, but I don't want you treating me like I'm a piece of china." Xander's free hand stroked my cheek as the tension seemed to roll off him, almost as if he were relieved by my words.

"You're anything but a piece of china." Xander laughed quietly and then kissed me lightly. "But it has to work the other way too. No more secrets from you." He moved his hand from my cheek to under my chin and lightly stroked the edge of my lips.

"I won't have any secrets if you're honest with me." I told him. "I went behind your back because you wouldn't tell me."

"I accept full responsibility for that." Xander laughed and then kissed me again.

"So you do realise you now have to make this up to me." I laughed as I put my hand on his cheek.

"Mmm, let me catch Marie up on things, and then I am all yours. No longer than an hour, I promise. Any plans?"

"None I can think of as of yet, but it looks like I need to feed you first, so don't keep me waiting." I grinned as he gave me one more kiss and then got up and left me in the garden alone. I watched him leave and then looked up at the stars. I had no clue if Xander would be able to hold up his end of the promise, but I had to have faith in him that he'd at least try, if only for our sake. I let out a slow sigh and then looked over as I noticed Mara was running towards me, so I got up.

"Rosa, I've been all over looking for you. Lord Xander sent me out here, as I just ran into him. We're thinking about going to the beach next week. Are you still up for it?"

"Yeah, I'll check that it's still ok with Xander." I smiled.

"Cool, right I've got to go before Glenda catches me out here talking to you. See you later."

"Bye." I waved and then sat back down on the seat as I felt a little lighter. I now had something to look forward to away from the house and in the daylight where there would be no vampires around to ruin my day.