Sienna

It’s been a week since Luca left the house that night.  I hadn’t heard from him, and Avalon hadn’t seen him when she visited the main house.  I wasn't expecting to hear from him since I realized that we never exchanged numbers.  It is probably a good thing we didn’t.  Avalon told me he had to fly to Sicily for an emergency meeting with the royal family.  I believe her, but I still think something or someone else exists.  Either way, I have gone on with my life.  School is going well.  It was hard for me to concentrate the first few days he was gone, but it has been much more manageable these last three days.  His parents might not care that his beloved is a human, but when the royal family heard that he was human, they freaked out.  I am sure that was who called him that night.  They probably wanted to stop him from making a huge mistake and making me his beloved.  I have to admit thinking this hurts, but it is true.  They probably don’t want their pure bloodlines contaminated with human blood.

“You know that Luca wouldn’t want you out this late at night by yourself.”  A voice says.

I look up, and there stands Viktor.  I am surprised to see him here.  I figured he and the other guy would have gone with Luca to Sicily.  I roll my eyes at him and return to the book I was reading.  I have a test in one of my classes tomorrow and need to study.  I hear him sit down across from me, but I don’t bother looking up.  I have seen him here for the last three days since I came to the cafe after my classes were finished.  Not sure why he is staying here.  

“Is there something I can help you with?”  I ask.

“Luca asked me to keep an eye on you while he was away.”  Viktor answers.

“You don’t need to do that.  I can more than take care of myself.  I have been taking care of myself for years now and I sure as fuck don’t need a baby sitter.”  I comment.

I watch as a look of shock drifts across his face.  I don’t think he was expecting me to swear.  They don’t know me very well.  They might know Dad in the business world, but he has a mouth like a sailor when he is at home.  I take after him and admit that I can make a trucker blush.   Gwen yells at both of us for our swearing, but it has done no good; we still swear.  I choose to ignore Viktor, hoping he will go away.  He doesn’t, and I am not sure why.

“You don’t need to stay here.  I can tell you are bored.  I am almost done studying and will be going home soon.”  I tell him.

“I will walk you home.  Luca will kill me if something happens to you.”  Viktor replies.

I shake my head and finish reading what I need to.  Viktor stands up and walks outside to answer his phone.  The cafe is loud tonight.  It looks like there are several groups of students here studying.  I hurry and pack up all my stuff.  I put on my hoodie and place it over my head since it is lightly sprinkling this evening.   I take a quick glance and see Viktor still on his phone.  I make my getaway and head toward the house.  There are several groups out and about tonight.  I shouldn’t be surprised since it is Friday night, and numerous parties are probably happening.  I laugh to myself when I hear Viktor let out what I am guessing is a swear word in Sicilian.  I can feel him looking around for me, but he can't find me since I have my hair in a bun and my hood up.  I slip into a dark enclave and watch as he passes me.  I slip out of my hiding spot and quickly walk to the house.  

“Where are you going?”  I asked.

“We were invited to the football team's party.  It is at the team's house.  You were invited to come if you wanted.”  Lainey answers.

“Oh, well, you three have fun,”  I say.

“Come on, Sienna; you have only gone to one party with us.  You need to get out and socialize more.  Come with us, please.”  Whitney states.

I stand there a minute and then let out a sigh.  I told them I would come.  I know most of the football team.  They have either gotten tattoos or have come with one of the other guys when they have had me tattoo them.  A few are in some of my classes, and I have no problem with them.  I do tell the girls that I am not drinking.  Avalon says that they already knew that.  I hurry to my room to change.  I don’t bother dressing up since it is just the football team.  I am sure a few of the campus sluts will be there.  They hate how the guys treat me as one of them.  I know they have spread rumors in the past that I have slept with most of the football team, but the guys quickly shot down that rumor.  As we walk to the football team's house, Avalon locks up the house.  Only a few members live in the house, but most of the team seems always to end up there.  I notice Avalon looking around, but I choose to ignore it.  

“It’s about time the four of you showed up,”  Kirk says.

“I am surprised you were able to drag Sienna over here,”  Paul adds.

“The both of you can fuck off.  It has been a long week, and I need to relax and be around people I can be comfortable with.  Besides, these three told me I need to socialize more.”  I snark.

I hear Kirk gasp when I tell them to fuck off.  Paul laughs at me and hands me a bottle of water.  They all know that I don’t drink.  I don’t like the taste of alcohol or how it makes me feel.  I am also afraid that I might do something, and they would realize I can move much faster than they can.  I let out a squeal when I see Andre.  He is in a few of my classes, and we have become great friends.  I was angry when I discovered he was Luca’s younger brother, but I was no longer.  

“At least your not mad at me anymore,”  Andre says.

“I should have seen it.  The two of you look alike.  Although you have blue eyes and not his golden ones.”  I say.

“Yeah, he got his eyes from mom’s side of the family.  Grandmother had the same colour eyes.  Everything else we got from dad.”  Andre replies. 

We stand there and talk while the other three head deeper into the house.  I notice a few of the pack guys are also there.  Everyone gets along for the most part.  The ones that tend to cause trouble are actually the humans who think they are bigger and more brutal than the others.  I have to admit that I am having a good time.  I really needed this to get my mind off Luca. 

“Luca will be home tomorrow,”  Andre says.

“Ok,”  I reply.

“You don’t seem that excited to see him again.”  Andre comments.

“Considering I haven’t heard from him this whole week, why should I be excited?  I know he is your brother, and I know that everyone thinks we are something, but he has made it clear this week that whatever he thought we were, we are not.  Before he left, I tried to tell him that I was not the girl he wanted as his beloved or queen.  I am just a human and nothing special.  After being in a different country, I am guessing that he realized I was right and moved one, which is fine.”  I point out.

“Sienna there is no way that my brother has moved on; when a vampire finds his or her beloved, that person becomes the centre of their world.  I have no idea why he hasn’t tried to get a hold of you.  I know he has your number.”  Andre responds.

“There is no way he has my number.  I never gave it to him, and he never asked me for it.”  I point out.

“He asked your father for your number.”  Andre states.

Of course, he asked Dad for my number.  I am not mad at Dad for giving out my number.  Dad is still trying to convince me that I should try this.  Part of me wants to, but now I am not sure.  If he really has my number and hasn’t tried to contact me all week, I don’t see the point in giving this a chance.  He obviously doesn’t want to.  I smile at Andre, and we start talking about something else.  I really don’t want to discuss my non-existent relationship with his brother with him.  The party starts winding down around 3 am.  Whitney, Lainey, Avalon, and I start walking home.  They have been drinking, but it takes a shit ton of alcohol to get a shifter or vampire drunk.  I can tell that both Whitney and Lainey are buzzed but not even close to being drunk.  Andre walks with us since his apartment is on the way.  He and two other guys share an apartment.  One of his roommates is a human, and the other is a werebear.  Both guys are super cool; I have hung out with them.  We tell Andre bye as he continues; we unlock the house and go inside.

I slide into the booth at my usual table and pull out my tablet.  I open my email and start going through it.  Several clients have emailed me pictures of ideas for their next tattoos.  I respond to each of them, letting them know that I will draw something up and send it back to them, asking if they want this.  I also responded to the guy that had set up my art show.  It was supposed to be this weekend, but something happened at the venue, and we had to reschedule it.  The owner or manager of the venue was very apologetic and felt terrible that he had to reschedule last minute, but it was nothing he could have prevented, and I let him know that I was not mad.  It had something to do with a broken pipe or wiring within the building.  Either way, it was just one of those things.  

“More studying?”  Viktor asks.

“No, this is work related.”  I respond.

I had no idea when he arrived or sat down across from me.  He is irritated with me, probably because I gave him the slip the other night.  I am sure Andre told him he saw me at the party.  I really don’t care.  I am an adult and can do whatever I want.  I feel my phone vibrate in the pocket of my hoodie.  I fish it out and check to see who it is.  There is a text from Dad. 

(Hey princess, I need you to meet me at this address.  There are a couple of people I want you to meet.-Dad)

(Ok, when?-Me)

(Tomorrow at 10 am.  Dress nice and be on time.-Dad)

(Ok, I will be.-Me)

Dad texts me the address.  I have seen this address before but am unsure when and where.  I look up and see that Viktor is gone.  I let out a sigh.  I am not sure why he was here.  I feel bad for ignoring him, but I need him to realize that nothing is happening between Luca and me.  I check my texts and voicemails, but there is nothing from Luca again.  I wasn’t expecting there to be, so I am not disappointed.  I get back to work.

Oh, I will let Dad have it when I see him.  The address he gave me looked familiar because it was the mansion where Luca and his family lived.  I almost turn my car around and head home, but the damn gate opens before I can do that.  I slowly drive up to the front of the house and part beside Dad’s car.  I am highly annoyed with him right now.  I am wearing a pair of black pants and a long-sleeved shirt.  We might not get snow here in Miami, but it still gets chilly here in winter.  I stand before the door but don’t knock.  I am just about to turn around and walk back to my car when the damn thing opens, and there stands Viktor with a massive smile.  I roll my eyes and walk inside.  I follow Viktor into a vast room where Dad and Gwen are standing.  I give Gwen a hug and glare at Dad.  

“Don’t glare at me.  I knew if I told you where I wanted you to meet me and who lived here, you wouldn’t come.”  Dad points out.

“You are right. I wouldn’t have come.  I don’t understand why I am here now.”  I hiss.

“You are here because we wanted to meet our son’s beloved.”  A man says.

I turn around, and there stands Andre, who I am guessing is his parents, the king and queen.  I bow to them, but Dad pulls me up.  I look at him, and he is smiling at me. 

“You are certainly beautiful.  I can see why my son is so smitten with you.”  The man says.

“Sorry, I want to apologize.  My name is Marissa, and this is my husband, Desmond.  You should have introduced yourself first.”  Marissa tells her husband.

I stand there, not knowing what to say.  I get fidgety when Marissa keeps looking at me like she is studying me.  I am not sure what to make of her.

“I am sorry to disappoint you, but your son and I are not together, and we won’t be together in the future,”  I state.

“Sienna.”  Dad hisses.

“Dad, stop.  It has been over a week since I saw Luca or talked to him.  He has not tried to contact me in any way since he left town.  I understand that he went away on business, but I know you gave him my number, which he has not used, so there is nothing going on between us.  I told you that I told him that he deserved someone better to be his queen and I am taking the fact that he hasn’t spoken with me that he realized that I was right.”  I explain.

The room is quiet.  I am sure the king and queen aren’t sure what to say.  The queen tells me there must be something wrong, which is why Luca hasn’t called me.  I tell her I am not upset and understand that he has more important things to worry about than some plain human girl.

“Sweetheart, you are more than just a plain human girl.  I can tell you right now that you are special, but I can’t put my finger on it.  William, we will be discussing this more.  I know my son, and I know that he is not going to give you up.  I am not sure why he hasn’t spoken with you, but there has to be a good reason.”  Desmond explains.

I am ready to tell them I don’t care when Viktor walks in.  He looks upset, and I can tell something terrible has happened.  I have had pain deep in my chest for the last day, and honestly, I thought I had a heart attack, but it was not.  I rub my chest again to try and make the pain go away.

“What is wrong, Viktor?”  Marissa asks.

“I just received a call from Rico.  Luca is in the hospital.  He was flown back late last night after being attacked at the airport.  They were attacked by hunters.”  Viktor explains.

It feels as if my heart is being ripped out.  I can hear someone yelling, but they sound so far away.  I try to look at who is yelling, but everything is blurry.  It feels as if I am falling as my world goes black.