Synching With the Devil's Son

Chapter 6

Lucien's P.O.V.

Bella's reaction to my outright refusal to sleep outside has me smiling inside. She is almost too easy of a mark. She's too polite to tell me to stick it where the sun doesn't shine, too nice to point out my very obvious lack of social graces, and too self-deprecating to stand up for herself. I climb into the tent, dragging the inflatable mat, pillow and blanket with me, and start making my bed. I notice Bella's stuff laid neatly around the interior of the small space. She obviously wasn't expecting me to thwart her plans on having the tent to herself because her toiletries are spread neatly against the tent wall where I'm setting up. I grab them and toss them unceremoniously onto her sleeping bag. A bottle of pills ricochets off to the side, and I reach for them. "Well well, what do we have here?" I murmur quietly. I read the label. Lexapro...hmm...that's for anxiety, nothing with any hallucinogenic properties. Boring, just like Bella. I collect the rest of her stuff laid out against my side of the tent and toss them haphazardly onto her side. Then I exit the tent to investigate what the delicious aroma is coming from the campfire.

As I walk toward the group of kids I've agreed to spend the weekend with, I can hear Bella appealing to Trish. "PLEASE help me, I'm begging you!"

"Don't worry, Bella, he's not going to do anything with all of us here," Trish tells her, and I know they are talking about me. 'Interesting,' I think to myself, turning towards the men and pretending I cannot hear the girls conversation. I nod my head when Jeff asks if I brought swim trunks, and notice Bella furtively glancing my way to see if I'm listening to her. When I give her no indication I've acknowledged her presence, I hear her say, "That's not fair and you know it! I have a hard enough time sleeping at night when I'm by myself, let alone with Lucien of all people!"

I hear Trish sigh, and then say, "Ok, look. Can you try to deal with it tonight? I'll ask Ryan to sleep with Lucien tomorrow, okay? Everyone is exhausted and will probably sleep like the dead tonight anyway."

I can see Bella wringing her hands together nervously. Is it because she's concerned I'll be able to charm her out of her pajamas? The thought makes me smile inwardly. I hear her concede, "Okay, fine," and then turns away to get the plates and garbage bags out, mumbling something incoherently.

I open the Vodka and Kahlua I brought for the evening festivities, find some milk, and begin to make everyone White Russians. As I'm handing them out, I see Bella watching me with a calculated gaze. I hand her a cup and sit down next to her, enjoying her discomfort. "I'm pretty beat and am looking forward to going to bed soon, are we good?" I ask her conversationally, trying not to smirk with the knowledge of her displeasure.

I have to stifle a laugh when she glares at me. I actually do laugh when she picks up her drink and downs it in five gulps, handing the cup back to me. I raise my eyebrows at her, and don't move to take the empty cup from her hand.

"Fine," she growls, getting up to make herself another drink. Her intent is clear, she wants to get plastered and pass out so she doesn't have to deal with me. 'Go ahead,' I think to myself. 'You are not safe from my plans if you are passed out or stone cold sober.' I watch her, a smile tugging at the side of my mouth, as she downs the drink she made herself and begins to make another. All too soon, Trish announces that dinner is ready.

The food is surprisingly good, beef stew in a rich broth with potatoes, onions and carrots. Everyone is relaxed and making the most of the alcohol I brought. After dinner a case of beer gets passed around while I get my rolling papers. I work on a couple of joints and pass one to Liz and the other to Bella. I fully expect Bella to scoff and give it to Jeff sitting next to her, but she takes a large draw and holds it in, exhaling when she has to breathe again. I smile slightly as I roll a joint for myself, light it, and sit back down next to her. In about fifteen minutes, Bella starts having a hard time sitting up straight as everything she's consumed and inhaled course through her body. I hear Trish, Ryan, Scarlet and Daniel bid us goodnight as soon as the fire's warmth is unable to reach us in the dropping temperature. I can tell it won't be long before everyone is headed to their beds for the night. Things are about to get interesting, and I find myself looking forward to Bella's reaction when I climb into the confines of our tent with her.