The vampire and the assassin

Chapter 5

I waited until Lucian was in front and then got out of the car. As I got out, my legs gave way. I managed to grab onto the car door to save myself from falling onto the driveway, and after a moment or two, I pulled myself upright and followed after Lucian. I glanced up at the vampires, who seemed to be watching Lucian. One of them glanced my way and seemed to have a look of sadness in his eyes.

Why was a vampire looking at me like it was sad? Was it even possible that vampires could actually feel sorry for or sad for a human? I'd always thought of them as monsters who wanted blood and were clever and manipulative to get what they wanted any way they could. I didn't want to think about it any longer, but the only thought that seemed to stick in my mind was that they knew what lay ahead for me inside the fancy mansion house.

As I passed the vampires at the door, I kept my head bowed. I didn't want to look them in the eye, as I was worried that they'd see the real reason I was here, and I certainly didn't want them to see me as weak or anything. Then again, I was only a human, as Lucian had kept reminding me, so I was weak compared to them, but much weaker than I'd normally be thanks to Lucian.

"Hurry up and keep up with me." Lucian snapped at me with a short temper. I hurried a little, so I was right behind him. I didn't allow myself to look around as much as I wanted to, as I knew I'd only get distracted, and that would make Lucian angry with me again. Not only that, but I knew what I'd come here to do, and I knew I had to follow Lucian and stay with him until I was handed over. That was if Lucian's brother would take me. After all, even Lucian had admitted that his brother, Xander, I think his name was, was suspicious of him, and he had every right to be. I quickly pushed that fear and worry down, as I couldn't dwell on it right at that moment.

A door was opened to our left as we got down a hallway, and Lucian went through the door, and I followed a couple of steps behind. I stole a quick glance up to see Lucian walking forward towards a man, or what would have looked like a normal man if I hadn't known already, sitting on a chair at the bottom of the room. I could feel the eyes of the male vampire watching me closely, and I really didn't like the feeling; it was almost as if I felt like I was his next meal. When I looked up, I noticed that next to him stood a woman. I quickly lowered my head to look at the marble floor under my feet. I didn't know what I was to do, so I simply remained where I was, which was a few steps behind Lucian and waited for my moment to be summoned by either Lucian or the man.

"Xander, my dear brother. How have you been?" I could hear the false air of care in Lucian's voice as if he were trying to make conversation with his brother.

"Drop the niceties, Lucian; it doesn't fit your character." I heard a bored tone answer back. I quickly bit my lip to stop myself from laughing at Xander's comment. He certainly did know his brother well, and if that was the case, fear was beginning to bubble in my chest about how this plan would not work in the slightest. My life was now in this vampire's hands, whether I would be allowed to live or not.

"Xander, I came to simply visit my big brother tonight."

"And you just happened to decide tonight to bring one of your girls?" Xander asked with no amusement in his voice. "Poor girl, if she has to go anywhere with you. I know I would certainly refuse to go with you."

I could only imagine what Lucian's face was like at that comment. I really wanted to lift my head up and look at his brother and tell him that he was my new vampire hero for telling Lucian the truth and for seeing through him, but I knew I couldn't. I hoped that I could at least, at some point, tell Xander this before I killed him.

"She is actually a gift for you. I thought I would try and..." Lucian broke off as if he were trying to find the right word to explain what he was trying to do. My mind instantly finished off the sentence with, I thought I would try and fix things by bringing you an assassin to kill you, so I could get whatever it is out of your death. "Fix the distance between us." Lucian finished. I shook my head a little and just hoped that neither of them had seen the movement.

"Why would I need a gift from you, and why would I need a servant from you? I have my own happy servants in this house. If I know you, you've probably done something to her, or she's on her deathbed or something. I won't put anything past you these days." At his comment, I couldn't help but feel slightly offended by it, but I also couldn't argue with him either, as I did look a mess.

"No, no, she's a wedding gift to you." I could hear how Lucian was trying to be charming to win his brother over; however, I had a feeling it certainly wasn't working, and Xander wasn't buying his nice act in the slightest. I glanced up quickly, as I could feel his eyes on me again. I'd never felt nervous around anyone, but I certainly did around Xander. I assumed it was because he was the one who had my fate in his hands right now. I saw the way something seemed to light up in his eyes as I looked up at him for a brief moment. I didn't want to give myself false hopes, so I quickly lowered my head.

"Then you should go home with her since my wedding is five weeks away today." Xander's voice held a bit of defense to the tone I picked up from listening, almost as if he hadn't wanted to speak about the wedding, and most of all, not to his little brother.

"Xander, I am really trying here, my big brother, please. Even if you accept the woman and then let her go once I've left," I could hear the pleading in his voice. I thought begging and pleading were beneath Lucian, as he really didn't come across as being that type of person in the slightest.

"Fine," Xander muttered, as if he were only giving in to shut Lucian up so that he'd go away faster. However, I want to make sure the girl has no silver in her blood."

"Rosetta." Lucian snapped at me. I took this as my queue to move next to Lucian. He snatched my hand and made a small cut on my palm, and he seemed to make it hurt as much as he could, so that I knew that even though I was about to become Xander's, I was still his. "Go forward to your new master." I heard the undertone of the silent reminder that I still had to do my job.

I took a few steps forward towards Xander and kept my head low. I couldn't help myself as my eyes looked up for a brief moment again to look at Xander. As I did, I saw that his face was full of distrust towards his brother this time, but there was still something else in his eyes that I couldn't put my finger on that I'd seen a few moments before. I lowered my gaze quickly and offered my hand to

Xander. The woman seemed to lean over and whisper to Xander, then quickly take her place again. It was quiet and brief, and obviously what she'd said wasn't meant for human ears.

Xander put his hand under mine, and as our hands touched, an electric current seemed to flow up my arm. I wanted nothing more than to pull back my arm, but I knew I couldn't. I couldn't be disrespectful to Xander. I had to play this little game if I wanted to live.

"May I?" Xander's tone was light toward me. I felt myself frown as I kept my head down. May he what? I was his now; he wanted to know if I had any silver in me, yet he was asking, may I to me. At that moment, I couldn't stop myself from looking up at him. I lifted my head a little and was met by the most beautiful sage-green-colored eyes that my heart missed a beat, and I was pretty sure as he looked at me I noticed a tiny smirk as if he'd enjoyed hearing my heart miss a beat for a moment. I quickly forced my eyes back down again, as I knew that my cheeks had probably gone a rosey colour against my pale complexion from the way I had been living for however long.

"Will you answer him?" Lucian barked in anger, as if he couldn't stand to watch the moment drag out any longer.

"DO NOT BARK ORDERS AT ANYONE IN MY HOUSE, LUCIAN MORTIMER," Xander shouted as he looked at Lucian. I glanced up again to see rage sweeping across his face at the way Lucian had spoken to me. "In my house, we certainly do things differently than in yours. For one, we do not demand respect nor take what we want."

When Xander shouted, I honestly wanted to pull away from him, as he scared me a lot. The power that seemed to flow from him when he was angry—I knew I certainly didn't want to be on the receiving end of that. Yet if he finds out what you are planning, you will be on the receiving end of it. I bit my lip to stop my brain from saying anything else that wasn't going to be helpful at the moment, and I lowered my eyes again.

"Rosetta, wasn't it?" I heard his calm voice speaking to me again. "I did not mean to scare you; I am sorry if I did. I would like it if you answered me: may I taste your blood?" This time, I lifted my head fully to look him in the eyes. At that moment, my head seemed to begin to wonder: Was this all an act to annoy Lucian and belittle him in front of me, and then once he left, Xander would be just as cruel as Lucian? I had no idea. Lucian had seemed reluctant to tell me anything about Xander; had this niceness about Xander been the exact reason why, or was this niceness all but a show? I had no idea, but I knew I'd soon find out.

I lowered my head again. "Yes, yes, you may," I whispered quickly. I knew he'd hear my answer because he was a vampire, and the thing about vampires was that they had fantastic hearing. Once I'd called Lucian a name, thinking he'd left the torture cottage, but it turned out he was on his way out when he very quickly ran up the stairs and taught me a lesson for muttering under my breath about him.

"Thank you." Xander retorted softly. I felt his cold breath on my hand, and then his tongue flickered across the cut on my hand. I bit my lip and forced myself to keep breathing, as between the electric current racing up my arm and his tongue across my dirty hand, I couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on.

"I told you I did nothing to her," Lucian told Xander in a childish manner. I could now see why these two struggled to get along with each other. Had this been the reason Lucian wanted Xander dead? Surely not; that on its own was a far too childish reason, but then again, these two were vampires after all, and I wouldn't put anything past a vampire.

"Nothing like that, no, but you've broken this poor human woman in many other ways. I can tell by the way she is." His comment made me frown again. Xander was actually fighting in my corner again. Just what was going on? I didn't dare speak or even look up at that point.

Xander's breath was no longer on my hand, but my mind still raced a little in chaos. Then his hand left mine, and I pulled my hand back to my chest. Just what had happened and what was going on? Vampires weren't supposed to be like humans, asking if it was okay to taste their blood or even fighting in a human's corner; vampires were creatures who just took. Lucian had just simply taken, yet Xander...

"Rosetta, I would like it if you would go with my housekeeper, Glenda; she will help you bathe as you look like you can barely keep yourself standing up. She'll then get you some clean clothes and take you to your new room in the servant's house. If you have any problems while in that house, Glenda will look after you."

I felt a hand on my back, touching me lightly, as I did my best not to wince from where a bruise or something was that the woman had just touched. I simply nodded to Xander to show I understood, and just like that, I was in Xander's home. I had a feeling it wasn't going to be as simple as just being given a new home and a new start in life. I knew I'd probably have to prove myself to Xander more than the others, but that worked on two levels. If I proved to Xander that I wasn't what he thought I was, it also meant that when the time did come, he certainly wouldn't see it coming. This was all coming together much too easily.