Fate Unchanged (Quinah & Norminah)

Chapter Fourteen

~

NORMANI

The drive home was thought-provoking. Normani knew the dangers of just following her husband and daughter, let alone the brunette he was now dating. But she honestly couldn't help herself. As much as she changed in the year and a half she's been a vampire, there was still a small part of her humanity left that longed to just be somewhat close to the life she used to have. She was told what would happen if Daemon or any of his little puppy dogs caught wind of her sneaking away from territory lines to watch them. And she's had a few close calls in the past, but she could never seem to let go completely. Luckily, she found good people in her circle that understood, them having gone through the same thing when Daemon came into their lives.

She pulled into the parking garage that belonged to a giant loft complex. Once she locked her car door, she made her way up to her apartment, not knowing that Daemon's "bottom bitch", who also happened to be her roommate, was waiting for her on the living room couch. Normani subtly rolled her eyes at the sight of the older woman's tatted arms folded across her chest, her dark eyes looking at the ebony expectantly. Normani let out a sigh before taking off her jacket and throwing her keys in the nearby trinket tray.

"Before you even ask," she said, "yes, I went to see her. Yes, I told her everything, and no, no one saw me."

"Was your little suicide trip worth it?" the other woman asked.

"Actually," the ebony said, plopping herself down next to the older woman, "it was. A lot more than I thought it would."

The tatted woman turned her body so she that was facing Normani.

"Explain," she demanded.

"She seems to have a plan that could give me an out..."

The tatted woman stared daggers into Normani like she was out of her mind.

"Are you crazy?" she asked. "Mani, we've been through this. There is no out with Daemon unless someone kills him. And the man's been untouchable for centuries."

"Kehlani," Normani said, "how long have you been under Daemon?"

"About three-hundred years," the woman, now known as Kehlani, said. "Three-hundred and twenty to be exact."

"Right," Normani said, "and in those three-hundred and twenty years, how many times have you been presented with an opportunity to be free from him?"

"None at all," Kehlani answered, "but can you understand why? Normani, you've only been working for Daemon for a little over a year. You're still a baby. You have no idea what he's really capable of."

"But you do. Which is why I need you to help me."

"Normani..."

"Think of everything he's taken from you, Lani. Your livelihood, your family...your fiancé."

The tatted woman's entire body froze at the mention of her beloved fiancé. She did her very best to protect her from the harm that threatened the future of their marriage. But in doing so, Kehlani got caught in the crosshairs and died right in front of the woman. But Daemon saw it all. Normani remembered the tatted woman telling her how Daemon bit her to bring her back to life. Though she was a pure blood, the bite of another worked to revive those who died. He saved her life, and in return, she had to do his dirty work hundreds of years later. She remembered making a vow to her fiancé that she wouldn't give up on them. She still hadn't, but she spent so long playing by Daemon's rules that she was losing faith in ever seeing her again. Kehlani looked away from Normani.