The Housekeeper (Ruby Rose/Terra Juana fanfic)

EPILOGUE 4 (TERRA POV)

Are you sure about this?" Marcus asks bewildered while we walk around the semicircular apses of San Giacomo dall'Orio church and we stop near the tall bell tower made of brick. "Isn't it too soon? I don't understand this, Ruby gave you a week to persuade her that it was a good idea to trust you and you've done... Nothing. You've stayed away from her for four days watching her from afar quietly but you haven't talked to her..."

"My mate needed some time to get her head together," I answer rolling my eyes. "I need her with a clear mind, I can't reveal my true nature while her mind is a whirlwind of confused thoughts. Ruby has had time to think about my proposal, to miss me, to realize that she loves me and couldn't handle being apart from me, to understand that she's changed too and is not the meek daughter that will submit to the authority of her father anymore... Maybe she doesn't know how to get out of this situation yet but understands she has a problem and will only solve it being brave. Running away from me or ignoring me won't change a thing for her... But she's very stubborn, I'm pretty sure she won't be easy to persuade."

"And is this why you have set a date with her in a church?"

"It's far away from her family palazzo and no one will disturb us but her servants won't find weird that she wants to pray alone, in the privacy of an empty church... and I'll be able to show her that I'm not a monster or a demon." Marcus nods and chuckles.

"A bolt of lightning might strike you or the ground will shake under your feet when you get in the building, according to some fanatic monks, so be careful..."

"Dad, please," I can't help smiling while shaking my head. "Those jokes were funny centuries ago when I was a young vampire and you pretended to step carefully on the floor every time we visited a cathedral but I learnt the lesson: the devil has nothing to do with our gift. Now I have to explain that to Ruby... a girl who was educated in a convent... It'll be difficult."

"Don't forget she's your mate and also feels attracted to you, she can't help it."

"What if she rejects me?" I ask worried.

"You'll have to work harder to convince her to accept you... You cannot live without her, Terra, and I really mean it. Let's go, it's almost time. Good luck, my daughter."

I take a deep breath before sneaking into the building through the sacristy door, Aren and my father will make sure that the monks living in a nearby monastery won't disturb us and I'll keep Ruby's servants waiting at the door. I wonder if she was surprised when she found my note on her pillow in her bed last night, maybe she thinks I bribed a maid to put it there... Well, she'll understand today that no lock can stop me and keep me away from her. The church is empty and paintings on the walls are really colourful because it was built a few years ago, I walk across the nave under the arches and decide to get closer to the altar and its golden cross, leaning my hip on the white marble table. That's not very respectful but this will show her my true nature is not an offence to God.

"If so, why doesn't He kill us all instead of being allowed to exist?" I grumble to myself.

"Sorry, what?" Ruby whispers staring at me puzzled and I blink surprised when I realize that I was lost in my thought and haven't heard her coming. I take a look over her shoulder at the door to check her servants are still outside while my mate fidgets on her feet awkwardly. Her dress is simple made of dark burgundy silk but without embellishments and she covers her head with a delicate veil while her eyes wander all over my body casually leaned on the altar, frowning.

"You shouldn't do that."

"I'm a vampire," I cut her off and she remains silent for a few seconds, her mind is blank, I know it because I'm inside her head to stop her from having a nervous breakdown if everything goes wrong.