The vampire and the mistress

Chapter 4

We finished our meals, and it was pretty quiet the whole time. This was the point at which I knew that there was something massively wrong with my supposed-to-be friends. It wasn't so much Sarah, it was more something wrong with Claire. I knew I was in enough trouble when I got home with Xander and Marie, so I didn't really want to start anything with Claire, so I just left it.

When we were all finished, we paid, then left the pub and headed back to the car. The drive back was pretty quiet except for the music that Mara had put on. We got back pretty quickly, and when I got out, I thanked them for the evening and went to leave, but Sarah caught my arm as Mara and Claire headed back.

"Rosa, what's really going on with you?" She asked.

"It's complicated," I whispered to her. "That, and I don't have all night to explain it to you." I couldn't help but laugh and then look over to where Mara and Claire had gone. "What's really going on with those two?" I asked quietly. I'd hoped Sarah would be honest with me and tell me unless she honestly didn't know what was going on.

"I don't know. I mean I thought... it was because she'd been having a bad day, but this... this is something else." Sarah muttered.

"Please, just be careful," I told her. "I'll pay you back for tonight."

"Don't worry about it." Sarah grinned. "Next time it's your treat."

"Deal." I laughed quietly and hugged Sarah pleased I had at least one human friend in my life that I could count on through anything.

"I'll come and see you tomorrow night. You can start telling me what's been going on. I'll keep it a secret, you know that."

"I know. See you tomorrow." I waved goodbye to Sarah feeling a little lighter about tonight that some good came out of it. I was still turning over in my head what had been the problem between Claire and I, but I had no real clue what it was. What had I done to her to warrant her behaviour to be like that towards me? I had no clue but I had to hope that Sarah would find out and would tell me so I could try and fix whatever it was.

I shook my head and walked through the main door and shut it behind me. The foyer was silent, or it had been until I turned around to see Marie standing looking at me with her arms folded over her chest with a look that would have seriously killed me.

"Marie." I glanced up to see Xander standing looking over the balcony between us both. "Not tonight. I will deal with Rosa." As I heard that, I knew I was in a massive amount of trouble with Xander for the stunt I'd pulled. Tonight was not going to end well for me.

"Come on Rosa. You and I need to speak in private." I didn't bother to look at Marie as I walked up the stairs and walked to Xander. I so badly wanted to throw my arms around him and hold him and make this space that had been between us just vanish, to make my anger that I'd felt tonight just vanish, but I knew that wasn't possible, not when I knew a scolding from him was coming my way. We walked down the hallway towards his room, he opened it for me and stepped to the side as I went in first.

I knew Xander's room like the back of my hand. We'd spent so much time together in here that it made me feel just a little hopeful that he'd skip over the quiet and gentle scolding to holding me and telling me it would be ok. Xander came in and shut the door and came over to me and as he did I noticed the way the tension on his face seemed to fall away as he put his hand on my cheek, I turned my head into his hand and closed my eyes feeling my tension and anger slipping away too.

"I've missed you." His voice was close to my ear and I opened my eyes to find he was close to me still stroking my cheek. His lips were next to my ear as he rested his cold cheek against the side of my head.

"I've missed you too," I whispered quietly. "Please don't ever be gone that long again." He moved back and brushed his lips against mine tenderly.

"I had to." He whispered. "I have to keep you safe from Lucian." I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes at his words, I knew he'd done it for me, yet it had still hurt being away from him.

"I know," I whispered but my tears escaped as I looked into Xander's dark eyes. He wiped my tears away and kissed my forehead.

"Want to tell me what's really going on with you tonight?" Xander kissed my lips lightly.

"It's just..." I began and frowned at myself. Me throwing a temper tantrum?

"It's just what?" Xander asked softly.

"For these last six months... I've had a lot of questions on my brain." I knew there was no point in sugarcoating it as I knew he'd be the only one who would tell me what I wanted to know. "There's so much I understand now, but there's still so much I don't understand either."

"Like what?" Xander laughed quietly. I must have been making no sense to him what I was trying to say.

"All the chaos," I told him. "What happened? How did it happen? Why did it happen? I just want to understand."

Xander sighed a little and lowered his forehead against mine. "I understand now." He muttered. "Marie and Dorian wouldn't tell you anything would they?" He stroked my cheek. "Can we talk about this later? I am very tired and I want to spend time with my soul mate and I want to apologise for being away for so long."

"Xander..."

"I promise, I will explain everything I can. Just not tonight." At his words, I became a little suspicious. There was something that they were trying to keep from me and I didn't like it one bit and I had to find out what it was.

"Fine," I muttered giving in. I'd let him win tonight, not because I was going to let it drop, but because I was exhausted too and I did want to spend time with him. There'd be time to pick this fight another night.

"So why does your hair smell of smoke?" Xander nuzzled his face into my neck again. "I don't like the smell on you. Please tell me you haven't taken up smoking?"

"No." I laughed quietly. "I was out with the girls and when you rang, I had to walk past some people smoking," I answered honestly and simply.

"So why did you end up leaving your phone?"

"It fell out of my pocket. I didn't realise until I went to text you that I was safe. You know I never go anywhere without it now in case something happens."

"I know, that's what threw me when you didn't answer." Xander scooped me up in his arms and walked to the bed and put me on it. "No more running off ok?"

"Ok." I whispered back with a smile as I sat up and he sat next to me on the bed.

"You don't have any plans for tomorrow do you?" Despite Xander's eyes being so dark, there was still a sparkle of mischief in his eyes which sent my heart into a wild fluttering.

"No, why?" I asked looking at him suspiciously. "What are you up to?"

"I thought we could spend some time together and I could make it up to you." He grinned. "Which reminds me." Xander went into his inner jacket pocket and took out an envelope then handed it to me and then took off his jacket.

"What's this?" I turned the envelope over to see it had both my name and his name in beautiful calligraphy.

"Open it." I opened it to find it was an invitation to the wedding of Jake and Isabelle. "I hope you don't mind, but I've already accepted the invite and said we can go to the after-party. The wedding is in daylight hours."

"Really?" I asked feeling like I finally had something to look forward to now.

"Mmhmm." Xander retorted and took the invite. "I am sure you will get on with Isabelle." Xander leaned across and kissed me again.

"Thank you," I murmured as he pulled away.

"Perks of being my soul mate." He grinned. I moved and went and sat on Xander's lap and leaned forward and kissed him.

"There has to be some perks." I teased and then cuddled into his chest. "I suppose I should also get you fed tonight."

"There's plenty of time for that." Xander laughed and then leaned down to kiss me again deeply.

Tonight none of the trouble both of us were feeling mattered, tonight all that mattered was that Xander and I were back together, where we both belonged. Tomorrow we'd figure out our troubles together because we both knew together we were stronger.