The vampire and the assassin

Chapter 20

We wandered aimlessly around the shops, laughing and joking about everything and anything. We'd also stopped for something to eat and stopped again for coffee, and that time I'd treated everyone to coffee, with help, of course. It had been fun and just what I needed to get away from my life. As we'd wondered from shop to shop, I'd picked up some new clothes, and all three of my friends had input into my choice of clothes. But as soon as the night began, it was too quick to come to an end.

"Come on, Rosa, we need to head back before Glenda gets mad at us." Claire called as we passed an old antique shop. I stopped for a moment, looking into the window, as I spotted something in it.

"Give me two minutes, and I'll be there." I told her as I went in quickly, pleased that it had been one of the shops that had been open, and I bought the small red dragon ornament. After I paid for it, I slipped it into my pocket and headed back to the girls. By the time I got back, they had loaded up the boot with all the bags and were just getting in.

I got in behind Mara, who was in the front seat this time, and we headed back in high spirits. It had been such an amazing night spending time as an actual human, that it felt like all the bad that had happened to me was easy to forget, and it felt like I'd finally found somewhere I'd belonged.

"So did you get what you wanted?" Sarah asked.

"Yep." I smiled at her softly. She looked at me questioningly, but I just looked out the window. It wasn't a gift for her; it was a gift for Xander to apologise for breaking whatever it was. I had no clue why I'd wanted to buy the little gift, but it just felt right. A light sigh left me as the girls all chattered, and I just enjoyed the freedom of that night. It felt amazing to be free.

When we arrived back, Sarah took my bags up for me, as she'd refused to let me carry anything. As we got back to the house, I spotted Dorian, and that was when I cursed myself out mentally. Dorian had offered to spend some time with me, for whatever reason. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, watching me intently as I couldn't help but blush. Surely he'd understand, right?

"What does he want?" Claire asked a little on edge.

"I forgot he said he was going to keep me company." I admitted with a small sigh of defeat.

"Vampire company or girls who want to go shopping company..." Maya laughed quietly. "I know what I would pick. Just be careful around him, Rosa."

"Thanks." I muttered as I shifted my weight from side to side, torn between what I should do.

"You should go and see what he wants and not keep him waiting any longer." Sarah's tone had been tense; had she not known what she had about Dorian, I'm guessing that tone might have been a little jealous. I told the girls I'd catch up with them in a few and went to Dorian.

"I'm so sorry," I muttered.

"So you should be." Dorian retorted. "I was told you ran off before sunrise. It looks like you've all had fun shopping, so I'll let you off." He grinned. How are you feeling?"

"Sore." I told him as I let out a breath I'd not known I'd been holding. "You're not angry, are you?"

"I can't be if it meant you've finally got clothes of your own. That was my plan for tonight, but they beat me to it." Dorian gestured towards the main house. "Want to go for a walk instead?"

"I'm getting a little tired." I admitted to him. "And the pain is starting to get bad now as I haven't had my pain medicine today."

"Just a little one around the gardens, then I'll take you back. You can tell me about what you all got up to."

"Why are you so interested?" I asked slightly confused.

"Vampire best friend here." He declared with a grin. "So I need to know what you've bought."

"If I go with you and tell you, can I then go back and eat and go to bed?" I asked.

"Promise." Dorian offered me his arm again, so I took it as he began to lead us slowly towards the main house. "What did you end up buying then?" He asked as he looked sideways at me.

I told him about the clothes I'd bought for myself at the shops and about a new jacket I'd bought too, which Sarah and Mara had talked me into getting for the cold weather that was coming.

"So you got some winter clothes?" Dorian asked, concerned about me.

"Mmhmm, but I also got a couple of tops that I can easily get on at the minute with my shoulder hurting." I confessed as we got close to the house Dorian led us around the side.

"Did you eat?"

"Yep, we had something to eat and went to a little cafe and had coffee together. It's been really nice and fun." I admitted to him, which made him laugh.

"It has to be better than being with Lucian." Dorian muttered. "I mean, he..." Dorian broke off, shaking his head a little as if he was going to say something, but then changed his mind. "So you're starting to enjoy life here?" We'd walked around into a garden that had lamps on a path.

"I am. It's nice to feel like I've found somewhere I belong." I told him honestly as we stopped.

"Don't tell Xander I've brought you here to his garden." Dorian grinned.

"I don't want to cause any more trouble, Dorian."

"He's not here tonight." Dorian laughed. "He said he was giving everyone the next couple of nights off as he's away for tonight and tomorrow. Well, he comes back tomorrow."

"It's nothing bad, is it?" I couldn't help but worry that I'd caused some type of trouble for him after last night.

"No..." Dorian laughed softly. "He's gone to see a friend, and he's taken his ladyship with him too, so we're under the watchful eye of Marie at the moment. That's another reason why he's given all the humans a couple of days off, because he doesn't want to cause any trouble for her."

"Oh." I muttered as we walked around and looked at the gardens. It was amazing with the number of statues that were in the garden, along with the stone benches. "It's beautiful out here. I bet in the summer it looks stunning."

"It's actually pretty impressive all year round. I mean, when it's snowing, it is very beautiful." Dorian laughed as he gestured for me to sit on a bench. I guessed it was because I'd become slower and slower as we'd walked around the grounds. "Hopefully, when it snows, I can show you it. I mean, if you decide to stay."

"Why do you say that?" I asked, looking at Dorian a little on edge.

"You just seem like the type who knows what she wants in life." He let out a sigh.

"I guess at the moment, I'm a little lost." I let out a small sigh as well. "I don't want to cause any trouble for Lord Xander; he's been more than nice to me." In a few weeks or so, I am going to cause him the biggest trouble of his life by ending it.

"Xander is nice to everyone." Dorian told me quietly. "Xander treats everyone with the respect they deserve unless they prove him otherwise." He laughed quietly. Dorian pointed up to a balcony. "Xander's room, shall we trash it?" He grinned.

"No." I told him simply as I shook my head. "So childish." I couldn't help but laugh.

"But a funny idea, though."

"A little," I confessed.

"So, if you could get up there and into his room, what would you do?" He asked looking at me.

"Why would I want to go up there?" I was confused by Dorian's question and where it was going. Was it some type of test they'd set up for me? Then again, I could always use the opportunity to figure out where to hide, ready to kill him...

"I was just wondering what you'd do." Dorian cut into my thoughts.

"Hmmm, I'd leave a letter that said sorry for whatever I broke last night." I confessed, as I had honestly felt guilty about it.

"Want to go do it?" Dorian had a grin on his face, as if he were up to something much darker than he'd admitted to.

"It's fine." I told him simply. "I want to head back now, as I'm really tired." I couldn't afford to take the bait right now if it was a trap. I had to get invited inside his room by Xander; I couldn't simply go barging into his room just to take a stupid letter that said sorry.

"What are you going to do tomorrow?" He asked.

"I'm going to try and go for a little run. I need to exercise my body properly again." I looked at Dorian, waiting for a comment, but he never said anything except nodded at me.

"Then make sure you take it easy tomorrow too. You don't want to push yourself too much and upset Xander." He looked back at Xander's room and frowned a little, as if something was bothering him. "Let's get you back." Dorian got up and helped me up, and then we headed back to the house with no conversation as we were both wrapped up in our own thoughts. My main thought that I was lost in was what Dorian had been up to when he asked if I wanted to put an apology letter to Xander in his room. Something felt off, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

We eventually made it back to the servant's house, where we said goodbyes. I walked in still in a mass of confusion. I'd figure out what that had been about, but not tonight. I really was getting tired from shopping and from having a moment to enjoy myself.

I'd got back into the house, had something to eat with the girls, and then headed up to bed. I'd talked myself into getting a shower to try and help with the pain in my shoulder and in my body. I'll admit that after I had the shower, I did feel a little better; the water had helped my muscles, and the painkillers certainly did their job too. I'd gone to bed feeling light that night, and I don't even remember waking to any type of pain during the night. I guessed it was because of how exhausted I'd been from my day, but I hadn't minded in the slightest as it was the one day I'd remember for as long as I was breathing.