Destruction

11. Nothing But The Truth

The dedication is because I absolutely love her book 'Vampire Bride' and she's such an amazing writer.

Zachary

The knock on the door tore my attention away from the bill that I was signing. It was a loud swift knock, causing it to sound very official, I stood up and walked around my desk, glancing at Athena's sleeping form. Concerned the loud noise would wake her, however, she just curled in on herself more and murmured something that sounded a lot like my name. I cursed myself for the cheesy grin that formed on my face as I began to hope she had.

"Zachary, we need to talk."

I sped up my pace so that I reached the door before Caleb would knock again. Effortlessly sliding the key into the door, twisting the lock and then opening the door to find a slightly disheveled Caleb.

"You look terrible mon ami."

"I know." He runs his hands through his already ruined hair. "Can I come in? I think we need to talk."

"Of course."

I rest my hand on his back as I led him into the room, his eyes widen as they take in the sleeping form of Athena laying underneath a heavy quilt that I keep in my study.

I cluck my tough to get his attention, "you showed our guests to their rooms?" I lock the door once more, sliding the key securely into my pocket.

Barely contained laughter met my ears. "Yes, although, I dare say that Sebastian would have prefered to have followed you."

Of course he would, there was no way I could stop The Enforcers from sniffing around now. They'd already met Athena, they would be as captivated with her as I was.

All the knowledge she holds that they would want to use, it was too dangerous, she wasn't fully trained as a vampire. Not even a week old, and they will want her to help them fight a war against the people she still claims as 'friends'.

"So I take it you talked." Caleb's sudden serious voice breaks through my daydream.

"Ummm, about some of it, yes."

Caleb stops in the middle of the room, catching my arm and turning me around to face him. "Some of it?" Barely contained anger is clear in his voice.

"Yes mon frère, I told her what she could handle." I rip my arm out of his grasp and continue moving to my armchair behind the desk, I throw myself down, none too gracefully and mimic Caleb by running my hands through my once model style hair.

It's been a long day.

Caleb breaths through his nose as he sits in the leather chair in front of my desk, his hands threaded together as he rests them on his bent knee "Good, so you told her about her new status?" Relief was clear in his voice.

"No, I told her she was my mate." I said, my voice slightly muffled by my hands as i rest my elbows on the desk.

"What?" The monstrous roar was accompanied by the sound of a chair hitting the floor which was followed by a loud squeal as the unmistakable sound of a door being ripped of it's frame joined the accompaniment.

Slowly I raise my head to see a very angry Caleb storming out of the room, the chair he'd once sat in laying on the ground. Athena sitting up on the sofa as her eyes follow Caleb out of the room while she muffles a yawn with the back of her hand. And my once pristine door lying on the floor, no better than timber.

Two doors destroyed in the matter of hours.

Today has been too long.

"What's wrong?" I swear angels couldn't sound sweeter, her voice was slightly husky from sleep as she rubbed her tired red eyes.

"Nothing that you should worry about." I begin to make my way around the table to settle next to her on the sofa.

The feeling of rightfulness settles over me, there is nowhere that I'd rather be that next to her. With her red eyes, that match mine perfectly, her soft midnight black curly hair, her lean frame that I held for the two nights and two days that it took for her body to complete the change.

Never had my world felt more full or perfect.

"Zachary." I turn my head so she knows that she has my full attention, "if I'm your mate?"

"There is no 'if' about it ma chère."

She seems to swallow air as she digests this piece of information. "Ok as your mate." Athena paused as she said the sentence as if trying to balance the word on her tough, trying to comprehend the meaning behind it. I couldn't deny that it made me happy to hear her say the word. "Don't you think you should be truthful with me."

I hoped she wasn't going where I think she's going."Yes."

"Then tell me, what upset Caleb so much that he decided to turn your door into kindling?"

My breath comes out as a huff, that cause Athena to smile, just a slight curl at the corners of her mouth, but it's enough to make me smile in return. "He wasn't pleased with the way I told you things."

Half lies are always better than flat out lies.

"Is it really any of his business?" She raises one eyebrow in question

Who was this woman sitting beside me, so strong and confident? It was as if she'd done a complete 180 degree spin on her personality, this was the sort of person I'd always dreamed would be my mate, not the crying winy girl she was when she first woke up.

"No, I suppose not." I mumble to myself, shaking myself out of my daydreams about my perfect mate. "But come on it's almost dawn meaning you'll collapse soon."

The mumble I was met with showed that she was already on her way to sleep.

Chuckling to myself I lifted her weightless body of my old leather sofa, keeping her wrapped in the quilt as I maneuvered my way over the shrapnel that was my door, turning of the light as I excited the room.

I couldn't help but stare down at her soft flawless face in sleep, she seemed so perfect. It didn't take a genius to know that the cheesy grin was back on my as I gazed adoringly at her,

It seemed like no time at all before I was standing outside her door, I was slightly proud to see that Philip had already gotten round to mending the door. I strolled effortlessly into her room and laid her down on the bed, slipping of the flats she'd worn while in my study and tucking her legs under the expensive quilt.

Locking the door I creept back onto her bed and laid down, promising myself that I'd leave before she wakes, so that any bridges we somehow managed to make would not be broken.

I wanted her to trust me.