The Vampire's Reluctant Bride

The Vampire's Reluctant Bride: chapter-6

Chapter-6

Amelia stared at her left hand, horrified.  The diamond encrusted ring gleamed unashamedly on her finger.

“I thought I had said-”

“I know what you said, Cariño.” He cut her off.

He had asked her...but when it didn’t suit him, he had chosen to enforce his will. She pulled up her knees against her chest, striving to control the sobs which threatened to escape her lips. She bent her head, refusing to let him see the tears; but a persistent finger under her chin forced her to meet his patient gaze.

“Smile, Mia...it is not what you think.”

Confusion filled her chocolate eyes, “Not what I think?”

He smiled, “No, I refuse to stoop low enough to compel a woman to marry me against her wishes. Think of this ring as an exercise in security... to ensure that there is no repeat of today’s incidents. “

“This is a magic ring?”

Lucius raised a questioning eyebrow, urging her to explain- “How can a ring...this ring, protect me?”

“It’s a mark-”

“One is more than enough for me, thank you very much.” She interrupted, trying to slip it off.

He covered her hand with his own, stopping her, “What did you mean- ‘one is more than enough’?”

Amelia frowned at him as he thwarted her efforts to remove the ring, and then sighed as she reached down to fold the right cuff of her jeans till the Celtic knots came into view.

“May I?” Lucius pulled her right leg on his lap, gently tracing the lines of the knot with the back of his index finger- his touch lighter than a butterfly’s wings.

“This,” he outlined another link in the knot; “is a symbol of a promise made, Mia. The ring signifies a promise kept.”

“Please don’t misunderstand- I get it;” she nodded, “but my point is – why do I have to be a freaking notice board; maintaining a tally of promises made, kept or broken!”

Lucius could not stop the grin which spread across his face at her words-  he had known of her temper; of course, but he had never realized how entertaining it could be, watching her speak her mind so fearlessly.

With an effort he schooled his expression, “I already broke tradition for you, Cariño...besides, you are not the only one to bear a mark.” He extended his right hand.

Looking carefully, she saw a ring of Celtic knots identical to her own, circling his wrist; only, rather than black, his were a pale white which gleamed against the bronze of his skin.

“ My skin does not take the colour,” he explained briefly, “The marks are supposed to be identical- both in design as well as in position... but I guessed that it would not go down well with you.” Something about the memory made him smile.

“Andre knew of my mark and yet-” She paused, she didn’t want him blaming himself for his brother’s actions, but she felt compelled to point out the truth.

“Mia, I think that you should know that Andre’s actions; while unfortunate showed remarkable restraint on his part. Considering, how tempting you smell; I doubt many other vampires would exercise any kind of restraint.”

Her head shot up, “Vampires?”

She knew, of course, that vampires existed, but the idea that she was facing one had never crossed her mind.

Lucius just looked at her, withholding comment; although a tiny smile played around the corners of his lips.

She gulped, “You are a vampire?”

With an amused smile, he nodded, “Just for the sake of curiosity, what explanation had you come up with to explain my age-less appearance?”

“I- uh…I didn’t.”

 Suddenly a lot of things fell into place- such as how he had carried her so effortlessly… Or so swiftly... She furiously tried to remember what she knew about vampires- not a lot, as it turned out; apart from the fact that they were creatures of mercurial temperament….And that they fed on blood.