21. Bistrita

Chapter 21

Bistrita

The minute I walk into the club and see Gregor's message, my jaw locks tightly. One request, that's all I asked of her. With all the rules, I expected nothing of her except to stay safe until I returned. I walk with purpose to the elevator and hit the button with more force than needed in my haste to get to the gym.

I hear every word she says, and it fuels my fury to no end. The fact that she doesn't think I will be proud of her unless she defends herself and does not allow me to protect her goes against everything that's true.

I inhale a deep breath.

She is new to dominant and submissive roles. We both knew it was going to be an adjustment.

But regardless, she has to trust what I ask her to do is in her best interest, because without that trust, there is no relationship. There is no way to keep her safe or to keep her protected from the monsters of the underworld. Yet her words ring in my mind, over and over.

Master Bistrita will be proud that I know how to protect myself and help protect others instead of sitting in that luxury suite while all my friends and vampire family are under attack.

I inhale a deep, cleansing breath. She is my future mate; nothing has changed, regardless of her behavior and actions today. She will learn that I am the one who keeps her safe and protected, not the other way around.

"Leave us," I growl to the others, who I will deal with later.

The red-haired beauty turns to me as the two vampires leave. Whatever remorse I thought would be reflected in Chara's eyes is not existent at all. Her heart beats wildly, but the challenge in her eyes tell me it isn't from remorse, from fear, or anything of the kind.

She is mad at me…

I look on with curiosity, at the mate destiny has selected for me. The one unlike anyone I've ever known, drawing me to her uniqueness in one hand and challenging me in the next. My eyes narrow at my young charge. "I asked you to stay where you were. With no clothes and in my room, if I recall. Yet here you are fighting vampires."

Chara walks to the wall and wipes her bloodied sword off on a hanging rag. She places it on the rack where it belongs, before turning to me. "I tried to be obedient, submissive. To stay in the luxury castle in the sky, protected against all the bad players while everyone else was getting slaughtered and killed. But I had information to share with you and needed to get it to you."

She's thrown out too many things to deal with them all right now. "We know about Lucas. I wanted you safe, and you blatantly disregarded my request."

Her eyes roll.

If I thought our situation would work, that the dominant and submissive power exchange would work between the two of us, it would be different. I'd put her over my knee or a spanking bench or dole out any number of punishments to keep her safe even from herself, but deep inside, I already know it won't if she does not want to accept me in that role.

No matter my feelings for the red-haired beauty, destiny got it wrong.

Chara does not trust, and without that, the entire foundation of a relationship like that will crumble. But right now, all that matters is keeping her safe, when she is bound and determined to lead a crazed Lucas right to her and has the audacity to think she can fight the rogue vampire and win.

I inhale a breath, resigning myself to the daunting task of ensuring that this time, she does exactly as I ask. And unfortunately, I cannot depend upon the impetuous young woman to do as I've asked.

I grasp her nape, and the silky strands of her hair fall over my arm. She watches me with lust-filled eyes. It takes effort to keep my focus, when all I want to do is crush her with my strength, cover her with my dominance, and protect her from everything in my world.

But doing that would give both of us false hope. I always knew she was too pure for this world, and she was never going to really trust the likes of me, a dark-souled vampire with depravity in his heart and very soul.

I lift her in my arms, transporting us to the door of the panic room. I open it with my key and lay her gently on the bed. "Goodbye, love," I tell her as I walk away, closing her in to keep her safe. I distance myself as quickly as I can, far away from the rapid beating of her heart and screaming of her voice.

As much as I try to drown it out, her aching heart is all that I hear. No matter how far away from her I get. I find the others in the VIP lounge and make myself a plate of food, settling into a quiet spot by myself to eat, but no amount of avoidance on my part will let the reality with Chara stop rattling around in my mind.

Taylen and Natalia slip into the chairs across from me. I glance up as I finish my last bite of a roast beef and Swiss sandwich, that I'm sure the witches have conjured up but tastes too exceptional to deny.

"What?" I ask, lifting a bottle of water to my lips.

Taylen's eyes narrow at me. "Gregor told me what happened."

I glance around, looking for the vampire who should know better than to speak about my business, especially when it involves Chara. "And? It's done, over, and water under the bridge."

Her eyes flash. "Not by a long shot. The two of you were made for each other. Chara is one of my dearest friends. I can hear her thoughts as clear as my own. Do you know that she planned to ask you to take her to the council and request a transition, to become one of us?"

My chest tightens. "No."

"Do you know that even though she has never believed, or even knew what fated mates were, that she believes in you? She feels you, Master Bistrita," Taylen says, holding her hand to her heart. "She is one of my dearest friends, and her heart is absolutely shattering, in a silver-lined panic room, scared and all alone, after you left her that way."

My eyes flare red. They don't know how hard it was for me to walk away or have any clue that leaving her was for her own good. An assurance that she will remain safe and protected by the security of those walls from her own foolhardiness. "Leave."

Taylen gets up and walks with purpose toward the door. Natalia lingers for a moment, leans down, and touches my shoulder. "I'm not sure what happened, but for the record, you're the only male she has ever trusted."

My eyebrow raises at Master Oradea's brave young mate. "I hardly believe that."

She smiles gently. "It's true. She was left twice by previous boyfriends. She swore off relationships; only one-night stands and flings for her, until you. You and your world, she felt you, she believed in you, and for the third time, someone is throwing her away, discarding her when it didn't suit them to put the time into her. Maybe it's not her who has the trust issues in this relationship, with all due respect," she says, shaking her head before walking away.

I take another drink of my water, and then another, watching the pair leave, observing them as they walk into the hall and toward the elevator, knowing exactly where they plan to go.