08 A Date, Sort of

Desiree

I snuck back to my room and lay on my bed. Under normal circumstances, I should be happy, but I was in a big mess. Adam kissed me. He showed me some affection on the night he was officially engaged to a bitch. How will I survive this? I opened Alice's Journal to read more. I needed to know what happened to her.

I browsed through the pages and settled on one closer to the beginning.

"I met Donovan at the moon park today. I do not know how this mate thing works, but I knew I had to reject him because he is a Blood. He did not take the rejection well, and he has refused to accept. I am very worried because this could get me in trouble. Apart from the mate bond, I like him, but my Moon status forbids me from it. I have to let go. A lot of people are beginning to suspect. I do not want to get in trouble, but as things are, I might, and as much as Donovan claims to care, he will not protect me when the time comes. I wish I could run away, but my father told me that the witch wars have scorched the earth, and this is the best place to be right now."

I put down the book, unable to continue reading, and I began to fear for my life. I decided I would ask for a demotion or transfer in the morning. I could not allow myself to be used and discarded like Alice.

Rob came to visit the next day. I saw it coming because pay-day was yesterday. I stood outside the greater gate to receive him and he looked very angry.

"Why will you spend all your earnings Desiree? Don't you care about your mother's welfare?" he asked me and I smiled.

"My mother's welfare is your duty, not mine," I responded and he was mad.

"I am not a fool or a slave, Rob. You thought you could sign me up to work so you can collect my wages? If you want money, work for it. I do not owe you or my mother anything," I said to him and he slapped me.

"You ungrateful little bitch," he said and I began to laugh. I could taste blood in my mouth, but his frustration was satisfying.

"I will not see you again Rob. Find someone else to dupe. My birthday is in three months, Rob the clock is ticking," I said and walked away from him. I was so happy and my spirit was lifted. His anger was so satisfying that I couldn't stop laughing.

I served Adam's food, maintaining my distance, and I did not relax around him as I did before.

"Are you mad about last night?" he asked me through the mind link, and I shook my head. He looked at me and smiled.

"I want to be demoted, your highness," I quickly requested, and he looked at me in shock.

"Is it because of last night?" he asked me, and I shook my head. I was so nervous I wanted to vomit.

"I cannot demote you. Destiny has tied my hands there. I do not intend to throw the moon goddess's gift away without a fight. " he said to me, and I did not understand his rambles. I did not understand what he was talking about.

"I have asked them to renovate the lower service quarters. It will be ready in two weeks. You will be given a beautiful room there, so you do not have to live among the Bloods." he said and stepped to me.

"There are things that even I cannot explain, Desiree, but I won't let go without a fight," he said to me and went to sit on the table. "Let us eat," he ordered, and I served the food, and we ate.

He gave me the rest of the day off and made me promise to show him around the moon territory. I was reluctant, but I had no choice. I agreed, and we decided to meet at the park.

Adam waited for me at the park. I was surprised to see that he had arrived at the park before me. I joined him, and we began to walk.

"I must commend your grandfather for keeping the ash away", he said as we walked, I did not know how to feel about his words, but I kept it to myself.

"The witch wars claimed my mother's life, and I think that was why my father became desperate to move us to safety. It is sad, that for us to be safe, others had to suffer," he said, and we stopped at an alley. I wondered why we stopped there, but when Adam pinned me to the wall I did not need to guess again.

"Your scent is divine, Desiree," he said, taking in my scent and whispering to my ears without touching me. "I do not understand why the Bloods and Moons cannot live as one. I will change that in my time for your sake.' he promised me, and I was scared because he was too close for comfort.

"Please let me kiss you," he pleaded, and I was confused. Honestly, the guy was hot, what every woman would want. Under normal circumstances, it would be hell yeah from me. But this wasn't a normal circumstance, and I needed to stay alive.

"I do not want trouble, your highness. You are engaged, and I am a moon." I said to him, and his eyes flashed jet black.

"I do not care about that, Desiree," he said in a deeper, hard voice. It was his wolf, and I became scared.

"My life.." I tried to protest.

"Kiss me, Desiree, so I can regain my sanity," he ordered with jet black eyes, and I leaned in for a kiss. He grabbed me and kissed me passionately, and for a minute, I almost forgot myself. It felt so right that I began to melt in his arms. This was a bad situation.

I finally broke the kiss panting, and Adam smiled broadly and pulled me close.

"We were made for each other, Desiree. Let us be together. I do not know if I will be able to control myself any longer." He confessed, and tears of fear began to roll down my cheeks.

"You are going to get me killed, your highness," was all I could manage, and he kissed me passionately.

"Give me time. I will try to find a way for us to be together," he said, and I shook my head.

"I do not want to be with you," I protested. "I just want to work and earn money, so I can take care of my dying mother. I don't..." I said, and he held me and frowned.

"Dying mother?" he asked, and I nodded and began to cry.

"Yes, yes your highness. My mother has cancer caused by the ash, and she is dying," I confessed.

"What about medical treatments available. A lot of people have been able to beat the ash cancer,' he said, and I laughed, wiping away my tears.

"A lot of Bloods, your highness," I corrected him, "A lot of Bloods have been able to beat cancer because they get all the best medical care. Moons can't afford them, and even if they could, our physicians don't have the best types of equipment for that." I said, and he shook his head.

"You mean the moon hospital is ill-equipped?" he asked me, and I laughed.

"Go see for yourself, your highness. My people are dying." I said to him, and he bowed his head.

"My father has delegated a lot of responsibilities to me in the moon territory. I was reluctant to take them up, but I will. I will make sure the engineers build good medical devices for the Moon hospital. Meanwhile, I will have a specialist attend to your mother," he said, and I didn't know how to feel about it.

"Don't worry Desiree, it will not be traced to you. I will convince my father why we have to keep her alive, so she doesn't die with the magic of the Moon," He explained.

"It won't work. The gift skipped my mother, it should have come with her wolf,' I told him, and he smiled.

"My father doesn't know that part, and I do not think it is wise you tell anyone," he warned me, and I beamed at him.

"Good to see you smile, genuinely, Desiree and please call me Adam," he said, and I shook my head.

"When we are alone, call me Adam. I will love to hear you call my name," he said.

I showed him a couple of places, and we returned to the packhouse separately.

I stayed up all night with butterflies in my stomach. A part of me wanted him, but the other part advised me against it. I did not want to get in trouble, but he was so charming and so sweet. I couldn't help it. My heartbeat was different for the first time, and I knew I was in trouble.