Make Your Move Katherine

Quite A Mess

Oscar looked at Katherine where she still stood a minute after Eric left and said in his usual low drawl, “Be seated, dear wife,” and she hurried to the seat she had earlier vacated with her head bent. Her hair tie was around her left wrist, so her long black hair was loose and hung untidily around her stooped shoulders and back.

He was irritated with himself and it had nothing to do with how attractive she looked, at the moment. Well, maybe a bit but mostly it was the pull of his heartstrings- his emotions were a wreck, pulling him back and forth.

What was this emotional pull he was feeling towards her? Why was he saddened by her grief? Was it guilt? Guilt for he knew that he was the reason behind the woman missing her father’s last words, or his last days…even holding his hands for he might not have been able to speak, Oscar had been told when he questioned his father’s doctor about it. Just being with him at all in his coming to an end time.

Oscar figured that the man probably did not want to upset his daughter too, as he thought she had been a newlywed and did not want to taint her marriage with worrying over him- that was a possibility he had tried to convince himself with.

But still, he felt beyond terrible for even if it was true- it wasn’t- but if it was… he tried to put himself in the same position. What if Oscar had been the one in her father’s place and he had a daughter…he would want to spend time with her before he passed. He could feel it in his gut that, that was probably how the dying man felt and his chest pained.

What he did not understand was why he felt this way towards this woman he hated.

Just earlier he almost kissed her- he wanted to but she had pretended to not notice it and had moved away. He was hurt by her rejection and his fangs had protruded and now here they were. Her shriek still rung his ears.

There they were in the kitchen, actually having a conversation- a scattered one but still one. He was explaining to Katherine that he was not always a vampire. That he can walk around in sunlight just not so much directly. He also is not immortal, although his power is strong, he won't grow old like other people.

She had been curious about his age for her eyes had lit up, so he had told her he was not sure- hundreds of years perhaps he might live. He wanted to keep staring into her beautiful eyes so he talked more, liking the way her pupils dilated and shrank. He told her he did not go around feeding on just anyone, his venom could kill them. Nor did he feed of livestock. She had not asked him what then did he drink from but he answered anyway. Blood bags that are kept in Ju’s lab so no questions would be asked- actual human blood.

He told her about his mother- how beautiful she had been then his memory grew dark when he remembered how she died.

He had heard her small gasp and his eyes had focused then on her lush lips. He was suddenly in front of her, raising her chin, so he could see better. Soon it was not enough to just look- he wanted to taste but she turned her head away, releasing a strangled breath.

She had pretended to not know he was bending his head to hers and had bent her own. But he could hear her heartbeats- she was terrified. Angry he had snarled and it was then he realized his fangs were out. For half a second, he regretted not tasting her.

Why did he want to kiss her in the first place?

He had to remind himself that he was in love with Nuwa as she turned away from him but still, he was angry- even more so as a flash of his girlfriend’s image occupied his mind.

Then he was hurling insults at her- “What man do you want to touch you other than me, Katherine?”

She had given him a pitiful look but ignored him as her head hung even lower.

“Simon? Should I wait here and kill him?”

No answer, just a moused look.

“Are you forgetting what I am and what I am capable of, dear wife?”

He did not revert his fangs until he heard Eric at the door.

Sure, dinner was great. She had said that she thought he was going to kill her which he admitted he might have but then what would happen to him if he did? Would he actually die? He doubted for his mother was dead and his father lived- he recalled his father saying that he had felt a greater power emanating from his mother but it eventually went away.

And his father had remained alive and well.

That was what Ju had been tapping on. All of the prior kings had the same sensational feeling that went away too but there was a written record of a king that lived for thousands of years and that maybe he had been the last to receive the power. The Sumerian King. However, it was explained that kings back then all ruled under the same name- like how his father’s name was given to him.

His father is King Julian just as Oscar is also King Julian but their first names are used instead. Back then perhaps, it was said that the kings all used one name and of course, it was believed for it made sense to all. To the outside world anyway- for his people knew better. At least they should, for many knew of his father’s status of being a vampire. Years ago, Eric had told him when they were children that while the public might know, some just thought he was a regular king. And some thought King Drago might be in some sort of cult, for it had never been confirmed.

But Ju felt the Sumerian King rule was real.

See the people knew but some chose to not believe it and his father had been okay with it. Just as Oscar had been too- for the entire nation had seen the dragon that had attacked, years back. The international news had stated a volcano had erupted.

People who lived here were not allowed to leave permanently unless given permission by him or his father and their tattoo had to be removed. And even when they left, a pishogue was chanted and another unseen brand was inked onto them. This tattoo could only be seen by other mages and was put there to ensure the safety of his country and the secrets there.

As long as his people trusted him, Oscar was okay with his people either way.

So, Oscar was okay if he had to kill Katherine.

Except for this humming, nagging that sounded inside his head every time he thought of it. He had sensed this sudden urge to want to protect her instead, since learning her father had died. Humans were so fragile.

See, King Drago was not even a hundred years old and according to the written- unseen by the public- scribes; he is to live a few hundred more. But the king was indeed dying, so while his people had put most of their fears to rest that the former king was indeed a human, like them- Oscar lived in fear by his father’s private doctor’s words.

His father was reverting to a human again. Which meant he would be dead soon…so he somewhat could sympathize with Katherine. And that made him mad- mad that he was feeling for her.

“I was just bluffing when I said I would put your father in jail. I had men approach him but he didn’t borrow the money. I had planned on setting him up for non-payments- I’m sorry Kat.”

Maybe he would have, maybe not but he doubted for this man had nothing to do with the m******e that Kat’s parents brought to the people of Demkas. He just needed her to believe him now, that’s all. He refused to feel any sort of guilt whatsoever when his people were concerned. It was an entire nation versus her- guess who won that debate?

She looked up at him, stunned written all over her face and he nodded not necessarily approving of what he was saying but more of just shaking his head while he spoke. He wanted to hurt her- for earlier she had stated that she agreed with her death. By him.

Why?

“I’m also apologizing for using the president- your president- former, to get you. About raging the whole war against her and Armedia.”

She stared and Oscar felt ridiculous, for he never apologizes. Ever. As the son of a king, that was something he was exempted from and now he is King- but here he was saying words that were never spoken by him before. His face felt heated as did his ears but she never looked away from him. The tears had stopped at least.

“I’m sorry that you can’t come back too.”

He didn’t really but it felt good saying it. Her coming back here meant that he would lose- he’d be a failure and he’d rather her be dead than be thought of as a failure.

And there goes that buzzing sound again. Oscar blinked his eyes slowly, trying to ignore the sounds he knew he alone could hear. “We got ourselves into quite a mess, didn’t we Kat?”

Still, she gaped at him with those sad puffy, red eyes. Swollen face, from crying, messy hair, rumpled clothing and slipper-clad feet that was following Eric out, minutes back.

Calm down Julian, he told himself as he blinked slowly again, this time keeping his eyes closed a few seconds, opening them only when the noise dimmed in his head.

“Your father. It was partly your fault not fully mine. You had agreed to the contract which states no phone but I gave you calls- still- you signed it- remember?” He knew of course, she had been unaware for he did not allow her to read it. He had bullied her in fact, to prevent just that. It also stated in time to come, she would willingly go to the dragon king.

Oscar bit his lip. This was not going well. “Look, had I known it was this bad, we could have visited him. We would have been here. I know I can’t make up for that and you had to grieve alone.”

He thinks of his poor dead mother and how losing her affected his father and him- very differently. His father it seemed was not affected at all by her death and the numerous women he saw him with, sometimes still disgusted him today. But that was before his father became so weak, in a way Oscar was glad that his mother would find some sort of peace. Unlike Katherine, he would never betray her memory, and call anyone of them ‘mother’.

“It gets worst,” he warned her,” and stood up. Her eyes followed him but thankfully the fear had left her face. Why was he thankful for that? Shouldn’t he be joyous when she feared him? Like before? What was this hurt- pulling in his chest? Why did the words he was about to say hurt him?

“He’s not your real father.”