Tip Toeing Through the Tulips
Two Weeks Later
Demetri flipped through the pages of the history of vampires trying to ignore Jordan’s glare.
"Why did you do it?” Jordan growled.
"Because she pissed me off.”
Jordan scoffed. "Spare me! You went above and beyond to turn her.”
Demetri grinned, "I wasn’t going to turn her Jordan, I was going to kill her.”
Jordan blew steam from his nose and folded his arms to his chest. "But you didn’t…why not? We both know you don’t stop yourself, which is why we had the agreement in the first place. You don’t touch anyone in my or Sterling’s pack, we don’t touch anyone in your clan.”
Demetri slammed the book to the table, "SHE’S NOT APART OF YOUR PACK! SHE’S APART OF MY CLAN!”
Seeing his rage, Jordan immediately caught on, "You know, when I made it in my mind that I was going to scare Morgan, I tried to convince myself that it was because she’d angered me. It wasn’t true though, of course, I didn’t know she was my Luna, but deep down, I’d fallen for her way before that night.”
Demetri rolled his eyes, "You werewolves always were ones to wear your hearts on your sleeves.”
Jordan smirked, "And you vampires always were ones to be electrically pulled to your beloveds.” He watched Demetri’s eyes widen. Leaning back in the chair, Jordan crossed one leg over the other. "When did you realize hmm? If I had to guess, it was the moment you first saw her.”
"She’s not my beloved.”
Standing, Jordan shook his head, "Keep telling yourself that Demetri, maybe one day it’ll ring true.”
Irritated by his chat with Jordan, Demetri stalked around his castle.
Where in the hell is that incessant woman?!
He honestly had no clue why he was mad and somehow that managed to make him angrier. Finding Alexus in the protected greenhouse his eyes filled with rage. "What the hell are you doing?”
'Pruning the tulips. They needed it.”
"Then Mavier should be doing his job not you.” He screamed loudly. "MAVIER! MAVIER!”
Alexus finally turned and face him. Standing she dusted off her gloves, "I gave him the day off.” Seeing his eyes redden she took a step back.
"What made you even THINK you had the authority to give anyone the day off?!”
Wide eyed, she stared down to her shoes and muttered, "I-I was just trying-“
"TRYING TO WHAT?!” His high voice made her jump.
Hands balled to her sides; she took a deep breath. "You’re such a fucking bully.”
Demetri stared at her in disbelief, "What did you just say?”
Looking up, he saw her eyes just as red as his. "You heard me! YOU’RE A BULLY! Do you even know what today is?! Did you even know it was Mavier’s sixtieth birthday?” She pointed to the flowers. "Did you know he can hardly bend down to do this! So I got up EXTRA early to do all the stuff he’s been struggling to do even though when he saw me he begged me not to.” Demetri pursed his lips. "Mavier has been your familiar for YEARS and you don’t even know it’s his birthday! I had to force him to relax ON HIS BIRTHDAY!” Her lip quivering in anger, she slammed the pruning sheers in his hands. "Prune your own damn tulips since apparently, I can’t even do that without pissing you off.” As he watched her walk away, he heard Mavier.
"Sir…I didn’t leave. I was just in the kitchen. Ms. Alexus made me a cake for my birthday. I promise I’ll clean everything up right after I finish with the tulips.”
Watching Mavir’s slow shuffle towards him, Demetri realized once again she’d managed to make him feel like a complete asshole. He huffed under his breath, "Mavier, arrange for additional help to start tomorrow.”
Mavier’s eyes widened, "D-do I have to leave sir?”
Demetri shook his head no, "I need you to oversee the new staff in a supervisory role. Please prepare a list of all of the things you do around the castle and distribute the tasks as you see fit."
Mavier smiled small. "Thank you sir.”
Nodding Demetri walked around him and paused, "Do it tomorrow, take the rest of the day off. I’ll finish the tulips myself…and Happy Birthday.”
Demetri ran his fingers through his hair, Alexus was doing his head in. She was driving him nuts, changing things in his home and he didn’t like it. He also didn’t necessarily hate it, but he refused to admit that part. Preparing to walk up the steps, he saw the door to the castle open and her walk unprotected out to the sun. He raced through the door, the sun searing his unprotected flesh.
"ALEXUS!” He screamed grabbing her in his arms.
"LET ME GO!” She screamed. He held on tighter the pain of the bright rays tearing into him. Moving as fast as he could, he carried her back inside. Releasing her, he saw her glare at him, "WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?”
"ARE YOU CRAZY?! WHY WOULD YOU GO OUTSIDE WITHOUT ANY PROTECTION!” He was in pain and he was furious, how could she have been so stupid? Looking her over, he realized she didn’t have any scorched skin.
"I’ve been working on something that would allow vampires to spend more time outside during the day. It’s not perfected to allow all day protection, but I’m close. I needed to test it out.”
Demetri inhaled sharply, trying his best to cool his rage, but her nonchalant nature about what just transpired was pissing him off. And because Demetri knew how to do nothing else, he allowed his rage to take over. "THAT WAS DANGEROUS ALEXUS! WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU?! YOU COULD HAVE FUCKING DIED!”
She sneered irritated, "Like you’d care if I did.”
"OF COURSE I WOULD CARE IF YOU DIED! I CARE IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO YOU!”
The words hung in the air and Alexus stared at him. Her lips parted. "What?” She saw his jaw twitch, but he remained silent. She looked down and seen his burnt arms and hands. "Oh..my God…” He was hurt, and it was all her fault. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at him and saw his blue eyes soften. "You got hurt because of me, then I made you mad.”
"Little One, I’m fine. It will heal in no time. You did more damage with the armoire than this.” She knew he was trying to make her laugh, but she couldn’t stop looking at the burns. She heard him whisper, "I-I'm not mad...I was frightened that's all."
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she placed her head into the crook. Her voice small, "You sure? I don’t like that you’re hurt.” She felt his body stiffen under her touch but then his arms wrapped around her.
"I promise, I’m okay.” He said finally. Lifting her head to look at him, he breathed in deep. "I’m sorry...for our fight. Thank you for helping Mavier.”
She smirked, "You’re getting pretty good at apologizing.”
He rolled his eyes, "Only because you keep making an ass out of me.” She laughed, and his eyes gleamed hearing it. Wiping one of her tears away, he felt the electricity pulse gently through him again. Alexus caressed his face, and then she leaned down and kissed him. He stilled again, and she was sure like before, he would pull away. Instead, hands in her hair, he pulled her closer. The kiss lasted for less than a minute, but it left Demetri confused about what he felt. He cleared his throat regained his posture. "Would you be able to make enough of this for the clan?” She nodded, and without another word he left to invite someone over he could ask about what just happened.