New Kingdom: European Court Ch. 05

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MicKay
MicKay
639 Followers

"I apologize for my rudeness," Alena said walking across the room. "It's been a stressful day. You were not intruding. My sister and I were discussing her uneasiness with this place. Maybe I allowed myself to get a little spooked."

"You get spooked?" Emma asked. "That seems weird considering you are a ...."

"Monster?" Iona offered.

"No. To tell the truth, I consider the men from the club last night and those men in the maze today to be my idea of vampires but you all seem so ..."

"Civilized," Alena finished.

"Yes. I feel like a peon in the midst of royalty."

"Well, the guys can be a bit stiff, especially Alena's man," Iona said with a wink at her sister. "And then the arrogance rubs off on my mate and I have to work extra hard to find the man underneath the business suit. But in the end, it's worth the effort."

"I think my sister is trying to tell you that the men have great responsibilities on their shoulders. And while they can judge each other, we try to be understanding and encouraging to them. But we," Alena said motioning between her sister and herself, "are quite common."

"Yep," Iona agreed. "A little more than a year ago, I was a human party girl who was looking for a good time and stumbled into this life."

"And I was the tormented older sister desperately looking for my wayward sibling. By a strange coincidence, Gabriel, who I had met eight years earlier, found me to announce that my sister was now with the American king."

Before the conversation could continue, they were interrupted by the entrance of Joshua and Abigail. As the children approached Emma, she kneeled to their level and smiled at them.

"Joshua, I owe you my life. Thank you for being so brave and strong," she said with a smile. "And Abby, I don't know what to say except thank you for the Barbie."

Before she could move, the two children walked into her arms embracing her in their small but strong arms. Emma hesitated for a moment and then tightened her arms around them. Never hugging a child before, she was nervous about her grip on their smaller bodies. Then she reminded herself that she was hardly embracing normal children.

"Are we friends, Emma?" asked Abigail.

"We certainly are."

"Good," added Joshua. "We have one more surprise for you."

Holding the children's hands, Emma was escorted to the dining table and instructed to sit between the children while the other women sat across the table from them. Servants walked in carrying various covered trays to each of the dinner guests. When the silver cover was removed from Emma's plate she gasped in surprise.

"Oh, Joshua!" Emma exclaimed. "Do I have you to thank for the menu?"

"I just mentioned it to my mother who spoke to the cook" the boy answered with a blush.

"We did have to take a guess at how you would like your steak cooked," Alena added. "I hope medium well is acceptable. When I was human, I couldn't stand the sight of pink so well done was the only way for me."

"Of course when I cooked," Iona said, "I made everything blackened."

"I believe charred is the correct word," Alena mumbled and laughed at the look on her sister's face.

"I didn't know you could eat," Emma said.

"We don't need to," Iona answered. "Not like we used to and certainly not like you and the children need to eat but we do enjoy those sinful delights that we had to avoid as humans."

"Carbs," Alena explained reaching for the bread.

"And dessert," Iona added. "But I'll wait until you've finished the entrée."

"Does it taste the same?"

"Better!" the sisters said in unison.

"It's like those other pleasures in life," Iona explained with a grin. "Only now, we have these new bodies that can experience life the way it was meant to be."

"You seem perfect."

"Maybe in flesh," Alena said reaching to assist the children with their food. "Our bodies are definitely more durable and although we have certain abilities with our minds, we still have our memories which become our limitations."

"Oh this is heaven," Emma murmured tasting the feast before her. "How does your memory limit you?"

"Fear," Alena said sitting back when she was finished cutting the steaks. Watching the children eat, she smile sadly and then said to Emma, "In my human life, I lost everyone that I love. Gabriel and I were forced to separate for eight years with no hope of reconciling."

"You two didn't have each other?" Emma asked waving her fork between the sisters.

"Unfortunately," Iona explained, "I was the rebel and had disappeared for some time leaving Alena alone. When she saw me again, I had already changed but I was not exactly myself. Another story for another day."

"Do you have fears, Iona?"

"Not until we arrived here."

"The castle?"

"The city, or country, I don't know," Iona said dropping her head. "It's like a nightmare that scared you so much but you can't remember any details only the fear."

After a few minutes of silence, Emma asked, "Do you mind if I ask questions?"

"Please do," Alena said with a smile. "It's really the only way you can understand us."

"You said that you have certain abilities with your minds. What does that mean?"

"Alena and I can communicate in an odd way," Iona explained. "The seven brothers, who make up the Third Creation, can communicate with each other and read just about everyone else. Mates can communicate with each other silently but I can show Alena what I see and she can talk to me telepathically."

"And you, Emma," Alena said staring at the young woman across the table, "have a unique gift too."

"Honestly, I just try to stay under the radar."

"Of course, we all try to do that at some time in our lives but you actually manage it."

"Lately, it doesn't seem to be working."

As the servants entered the room, the conversation changed from serious topics to compliments on the dessert selections and teasing each other on who could eat the most sweets.

"Uncle," Emma said after eating less than half of her tiramisu. "Can I be changed so I don't have to throw this away?"

"The change takes most people a few days, Emma. Except for Mommy, who took less than a few hours or longer than a week," said Emma between bites of ice cream. "It depends on who tells the story."

At Emma's questioning glance, Alena explained the delay in her change and Iona offered an abbreviated version of her dual change. When the group had eaten as much as they could tolerate, they walked together from the dining room to the library where the men were waiting.

"Emma," Antony said pulling her into him arms, "Before my brothers begin drilling you again, let's walk out to the garden."

"That would be good," she said with a smile. "Dinner was delicious but I could use some exercise."

As they passed through the balcony doors, Antony wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her under a rose cover trellis. Even in the moonlight, the flowers glowed in perfection creating a surreal atmosphere.

"Dance with me," he whispered pulling her close

"I ... can't ..."

"Please," he whispered against her ear.

"There's no music," she argued weakly.

"Emma," he said leaning his forehead against hers, "Listen."

Closing her eyes, she could hear the distant sounds of the percussion start softly soon joined by the soulful strings of a guitar. As the melody moved through her, Emma felt her body began to sway and turn as she allowed the sounds of the tune draw her closer to a sensuous realm.

As Antony wrapped his arms around her body, Emma surrendered to the music's current and swayed against his body. Surrounded by his warmth and strength, she silently admitted that her obsession with this strange man had crossed into an emotion she had never felt for another person.

A muted voice sang in the distance echoing her thoughts as she silently confessed her feelings for this man. How could a silly crush consume her life so quickly? With vague awareness, Emma accepted that whether or not Antony reciprocated her love, his existence defined her reason for living.

"You are mine," she sang with the lyricist.

When Antony suddenly stopped moving she opened her eyes prepared to apologize but stopped when saw the intensity of his expression. Staring into his eyes, she saw the man who should be afraid of nothing but appeared to be terrified.

"I'm sorry," she stammered.

"No," Antony said shaking his head. "It's one of those moments in time."

"A moment in time?"

"When in an instant a man realizes every mistake he's made and every gift given to him. I just had one of those moments in time."

Stepping back from her, Antony looked around and then pushed in fingers through his hair in frustration. He started pacing the small path mumbling and finally stopped to look at her. Seeing her face, flawless and beautiful, frowning in confusion made him laugh.

"Emma," he said reaching for her hands. "You promised to be forgiving. It's not my past I need you to forgive but my transgressions against you."

When she remained silent, Antony continued, "Every night for the past seven days, I have visited you in your apartment. I've been ..."

"Feeding?"

"Yes. How did you guess?"

"I woke up the other night, remember?"

"Yeah. There's something else," he said closing his eyes. "I've been ... damn, this is more difficult than I had imagined."

"I think I remember that part too," she said quietly. "Is there a reason you waited until I was asleep?"

"My mistakes. I have ... had ... denied myself many things until I saw you and then I tried to explain ... no, justify what I was doing. In truth I was selfishly protecting myself."

"From what?"

"This," he answered pulling her into his arms.

When his lips touched hers, the kiss was gentle not like his previous passion filled kisses but one that warmed Emma's body and soul. She felt hope blossom in her core and spread through her limbs.

"Did it work?" she asked with a grin.

"No, fortunately for me. One of the gifts."

"So," Emma said focusing her gaze on Antony's shirt collar, "Do you think maybe we could try it sometime when I'm awake?"

When he remained silent, Emma looked up and blushed at the intensity of his gaze. Dropping her eyes quickly, she cringed when she felt his fingers at her chin lifting her face towards his. Bracing herself to see a mocking grin, she was comforted to find him nodding while he searched her eyes.

"Any questions?" he asked.

"Can we avoid vampire tricks?"

"No vampire tricks," he promised leading her back to the house.

As the approached the stairs, laughter could be heard through the library windows. Looking at the light and silhouettes in the house, Emma stopped and shook her head.

"It's ok. No pressure," he said stroking his fingers over her face.

"No," she said quickly. "I just don't want to, uh, walk past ... everybody. I mean, I know they will know but I don't want to parade in front of them. Especially the children."

"Right," Antony said and led her away from the stairs. "Then I will insist on one last vampire trick."

Confused, Emma allowed Antony to lift her in his arms. She buried her face against his chest when she felt the wind rushing against her and held her breath when, with an effortless leap, Antony propelled them into the air. When he lowered her legs, Emma continued clutching to his jacket until she felt her feet touch the floor. Looking around the room, she groaned and buried her face back into his chest.

"Emma?" he whispered against her ear. "Are you ok?"

"Yes," she mumbled against his chest and they looked up with bright eyes and a smile. "That was fun!"

"Stick with me and your life will be a life time pass at an amusement park," he said with a chuckle.

"Not tonight," she said.

"Not tonight."

Cradling her face in one of his hands, Antony kissed Emma slowly savoring the taste of her mouth. As she pressed her body closer to his, she gasped a little when she felt the rigid length of his arousal through their clothes. As the passion surged through her body, she moved her hips against his smiling when he groaned against her mouth.

With a new sense of courage, Emma placed her hand against his chest feeling the odd steady beat of his heart so unlike hers. Splaying her fingers wide, she descended over his ribcage and across his flat abdomen pausing when she reached his belt. Turning her hand over, she stroke the soft leather with the backs of her fingers then slowly traced one finger down his hardening body restrained behind his pants. When she wrapped her fingers around as much as she could, she smiled when he leaned his head back and breathed in deeply. She looked up to see his expression.

What she saw was terrifying.

His eyes were glaring and his jaw was clinched. Quickly removing her hand from his body, Emma tried to step out of his hold but his arms were like steel bands holding her tight. She watched as he turned his head to the side as though listening to someone else.

"Antony?" she asked with a shaky voice. "What's wrong?"

Then Emma heard the door behind them open. Leaning to the side and stretching her neck, she was not able to see around his massive chest.

"Antony, someone is in here," she said to his stone expression. "Who is in here?" Emma called out to the intruder.

"It's only me," a woman's voice said from behind Antony's shoulders.

"Antony, let me go," Emma demanded. "Who are you?" she asked walking around Antony and stopping at the sight.

A woman, too beautiful to be human, stood at the door to Antony's bedroom. Her long black hair was the only covering on her body. Beautiful green eyes sparkled as they gazed up and down Emma's body.

"I'm Eloise," the woman answered. "Antony's mate. And you," she said as she grabbed Emma by the hair bending her head back, "must be dessert."

*

Thanks to WorldHistoryBuff for volunteering her time to edit this chapter. Thanks to bird_song for assisting with the dance scene. And special thanks to Willie for not charging for the therapy.

MicKay
MicKay
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31 Comments
AnonymousAnonymousalmost 12 years ago
I love these stories!

The New Kingdom stories are facinating. I am so glad I still have so many left to read. Thank you.

AnonymousAnonymousover 13 years ago
Ohhh shizzzzzzzz

It's about to go downnnn!!! Who doesn't love a good cat fight?? Females can get very possesive especially when another woman is thrown into the mix especially an ex that an drive them crazy lol. Hmm but a mate eh, aren't those usually for life? I shall continue to read and find the answers. Good story quite different from others out there. Gabriel just makes me cream Alena is a very lucky woman!!!

-mk

AnonymousAnonymousover 13 years ago
awwwwwww c'mon

gotta keep it comin... cryin over here lol

AnonymousAnonymousover 13 years ago
why oh why

pleeeez post soon, im dying here

willieonewillieoneover 13 years ago
Your fault!

You know there is no one to blame for us asking you to post asap since you have spoilt us rotten with quick posts since the first chapter of New Kingdom begun on 03/17/10 so don't break with tradition post soon. LOL

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