Fondness for an Ancient Warrior

Fondness for an Ancient Warrior Part 4

Caius had wanted to do something special with Illyana, besides taking her to dinner. He had come across an antique shop not far from the café he had planned to take her, and thought she might enjoy perusing the items in the shop.

Earlier, Caius had returned to the inn he had stayed previously, to find his room still unoccupied. Once he'd checked in, and after avoiding an invitation by the owner to join the family for supper, he dressed simply in a pair of black jeans, a grey t-shirt, and a black denim jacket. Feeling an anticipation he had not felt in a long while, Caius wondered how this human had managed to touch his still heart. He had loved Athenodora, but this human was nothing like his former mate. In fact, she was the complete opposite, and maybe that was what drew him to her.

Caius tucked the Volturi crest necklace he always wore into his t-shirt and left his room. He didn't want to have to explain to Illyana what it represented. The man at the front desk greeted Caius with a nod. He had hoped that perhaps his eldest daughter Stefania would catch the eye of the handsome young man who was not only charming, but seemed to have some money. Smiling, he gave the blonde man a small wave, and said, "Buonasera, Signor Volturi."

Caius replied, "Mille grazie" and exited out the front doors. Since this was his second stay there, he found the humans to be a little too friendly, but he promised himself he would not harm them.

Illyana was getting ready for her second actual date with Caius. They seemed to have finally come to a consensus, and were hopefully moving along. She still wasn't sure how far she wanted to take the relationship, but at least it was budding again. They had spent a lot of time together, even if they were not actual dates. Caius was so much fun to be with, enjoying the things she enjoyed, that sending him away was becoming unthinkable. As long as he understood her boundaries, it might work out. For some reason, he seemed agreeable with letting her set the pace.

The night was especially warm, so she decided to wear a sleeveless green cotton sun dress that fell to just above her knees. Illyana looked in the mirror, wondering if this was too suggestive, but the weather, she thought, would surely excuse her choice in clothing. At least it wasn't tight, the skirt flaring out when she turned. This was to be a more casual date, which pleased her. Having to dress up too much was tedious, and then she didn't know if she looked good enough. Caius never seemed to complain no matter what she wore. His eyes shone with approval every time he saw her.

She pulled her long black hair into a ponytail, adding dangling costume jewelry earrings. Satisfied with her appearance, Illyana went out into the living room to wait for Caius to arrive.

When she heard his car drive up, she opened the door and waited for him to step up onto the porch. Flashing Caius a bright smile, she allowed him to enter the house. She felt her heart beat increase, appreciating him looking handsome even in his casual dress. "Hello, Caius. You look very nice tonight."

Caius also approved of Illyana's dress. He leaned in and kissed her cheek, attempting to show her his respect for her boundaries. "As do you. Are you ready, or do you need more time?"

She picked up her clutch and smiled. "I'm ready. So where are we going tonight? And you do recall, it's my treat this time."

Holding up a hand, Caius replied, "I won't argue with you, Illyana, but I do have a surprise."

"And what is that?" Illyana locked the door and let Caius lead to his car by holding her elbow. As usual, his hand was ice cold, sending chills up her arm. He had opened the passenger door for her, then went to the driver side once he saw her comfortably settled.

"There's a shop down the street from the café I think you might like. They sell all sorts of antiques, including weaponry from different eras in Italy. We could check it out before dinner, if that's alright with you."