The Bourbon Diaries ✢ The Vampire Diaries FanFiction ✢ TVD FanFic ✢ TVDU FanFic

Chapter Forty-Three - Cristian Balescu

Present day

Border of NC and VA

Cristian didn't know what was pissing him off more: the fact that Stef hadn't retaliated---which would have warranted Gideon removing her vampirism---or that Gideon was now fiercely reprimanding him in front of the Coven and an audience of low-life witches. His bellowing was loud enough that even his pathetic stepsister and traitor of an ex-stepmother came out of the meeting room to witness it. Perhaps he should consider his stepsister a traitor too, given that she was now gripping her mother's hand in concern. He might have to consider toying with Ava's feelings for him if he was going to keep her on his side. Despite being a brat, she was still a talented witch.

Cristian kept his distance from Gideon. Being spoken down to like this, he wasn't sure if he was going to allow Gideon his powers back anytime soon. He didn't appreciate being humiliated.

So who would have imagined that the person to save him from further embarrassment was going to be Raid Vaziri?

"Cristian!" Raid stormed, jabbing a finger towards the center of the clearing. "You and me! Duel! Right now!"

Cristian smirked as he tracked Raid's position, stopping exactly where he indicated he would. He was actually serious about this. Maybe he could understand what Stef saw in Raid after all---the guy was fucking hilarious.

As Gideon stepped towards Raid, trying to settle him, Cristian spotted Stef in his peripheral vision, turning in to the tabled area, flanked by her friends. There was a rip in her bodice where the wood panel had penetrated her, blood darkening her already-red dress, but she moved easily, in a way that suggested she'd already healed. She didn't remove her eyes from Cristian, glowering sternly, her top lip slightly curled. He knew that expression as one he often had himself: she was craving vengeance. He felt oddly proud of her.

Cristian had to admit, the moment he'd seen the wood protruding through Stef's chest was the first time he'd ever felt regret in his life. True regret anyway; not the selfish kind he felt whenever he'd landed himself in trouble. Tormenting her was fun. Hurting her was fun. But that split second between thinking she had been staked in the heart and realizing it had just missed? That kind of pain would have haunted him forever.

He didn't understand what had happened. She was matching him, force against force, when she'd just dropped her magic unexpectedly. He didn't mean to hit her with so much power. If he'd gradually worn her down, the impact wouldn't have been so bad. That's all he ever wanted: to wear her down, to submit to him, to stop fucking disappointing him, to stop making the wrong decisions all the time---to love him unconditionally the way she used to. He may have done some shit things to her in the past---and likely will again in the future---but it was all for her own good. He'd always been in control, always had limits to the punishments he inflicted on her, but it angered him to think her giving up was an option. He didn't want a broken, traumatized mess for a future wife. He wanted someone he could crush while they begged for more.

So, yes, he was proud that she was already back for more. As a couple they would be phenomenal. Her displays of magic? The fear she struck in him and others? Frankly, it turned him on. She would never kill him---if she'd wanted that, she would have done it already---so there was still a love for him that the prophecy and disease of vampirism wasn't letting her feel. One day he would cure her of both. In the meantime, he had to be more careful. He didn't want her dead.

The regret burned within him. He couldn't have her believing he tried to kill her. Fuck his pride---Gideon had already obliterated it anyway---he needed her to know it was a mistake. He started walking towards her.

A flash of blinding light whipped in front of him. A thundering crash, loud enough for anyone to believe the building had been struck by lightning, halted Cristian to the spot. Shelves and bottles shattered behind the bar, alcohol dripping onto the floor. Everyone was silent. Cristian turned his head towards Raid, who held his palm out in the direction of the damage.