The Revealing of Andre, Chapter 14

Queen Sophie-Anne was lounging in her opulent “sun room” after enjoying her recent mani/pedi .  She smirked as she congratulated herself on acquiring the sweet little manicurist – the girl was talented in several different ways and tasted slightly spicy.

She stretched, then huffed as she eyeballed her sun room with a critical eye.  She wondered what the hell she’d been thinking when she commissioned the fiasco, and had to admit that while the gold trim and white marble did look nice together, the horrid murals had to go.  The large heated pool could stay, of course, but, really, sun and clouds and a light blue sky?  What had she been thinking?

With a flutter of her hands she waved her attendants away as she rose.  Just as she donned her robe, she felt the most baffling explosion of mixed of emotions, of all things, from her dearest Andre.  There was no marked fear, but…shock?  Confusion?  Dread?  Anger?  Fury?

What the hell was going on with her first-turned?  A few minutes later everything seemed to calm down some.

Andre!

I apologize if I disturbed you.  Do not worry yourself.

Tell me or I will worry, my Child.  What is going on?

…

Andre?  Do I need to come down there?

No, no, my Queen.  Everything is … fine.

Andre…I have never felt that sort of a disturbingly convoluted mess from you before, and you are still entirely too unsettled.  Why?

Emma.

Ahh, I see.  No, actually, I don’t.  Explain.

I was going to…we were…but…fuck!

Well THAT tells me a lot. 

Whatever the fuck was going on with Andre was affecting her, too, and she was damn tired of it.

A few minutes later she and her guards appeared at Andre’s door and, without exchanging a word, he allowed her into his apartment.

The Queen inhaled deeply and scented…nothing.

Sure, she detected Emma’s delicious scent, and those of a were and some sort of human food, and if she wasn’t mistaken she also detected Emma’s beloved coffee, but…

Fuck.  No wonder her first-turned was so…pissy.  He apparently had an epic case of blue balls.  The thought astounded her – he and Emma had seemed on a direct course to Happy Hoo-ha Land.

Why have you not fucked her yet?

The look he gave her was something half-way between a pit bull about to attack (it was really sad that they had such a horrible reputation because could look so deliciously evil even when they’re absolutely the sweetest dogs ever…unless they had a reason to attack) and a child who had just lost its best friend.

What’s going on, my Child?

I was…but…then…fuck. He shrugged his shoulders in a bad attempt at nonchalance.  Nothing.  He raked his hands through his hair in frustration.

Sophie-Anne just waited as he paced in the living area of his apartment.  She knew he’d tell her what was going on in his own time.  She could easily have commanded him to start speaking that instant, but really, not only was he her first-turned Child, but he was her friend, as well.  A friend whose emotions were affecting her own to an irritating degree at the moment, but still…

Andre looked over at his Maker and was torn between not wanting her to know of his failure in controlling Emma, and wanting her advice on how TO deal with Emma.

He finally flopped down on the sofa and invited his Maker to sit with him.

Although he couldn’t hear any sounds coming from Emma’s room, he still didn’t want to risk her over hearing anything, so he continued the silent communications.

I was going to fucking bond with her, but then she got pissed off, and now she’s in there and I’m not. 

Sophie-Anne quirked an eyebrow at his jerky hand movements.  She couldn’t remember a time when her dear Andre was in such a quandary.

So break down the door and do what nature intended, Andre.  You know how to deal with pets even if you’ve never actively kept one. 

If she’s not calmed down by when I rise tonight, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

You’re giving her a chance to “calm down”?  Andre, what’s gotten into you?

I can’t just force her…  He slid guilty eyes away from his Maker.  Of course he could force her…he just didn’t want to.

Sophie-Anne gasped…then gasped again.  Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and she stared at Andre in delighted amazement.

“You care for her!”  She accused out loud.

The glare Andre sent her had made grown weres cry.  She simply laughed in delight, then gave him a stern look.

Don’t you give me that look, my Child.  I happen to know that weird emotion thing you’re feeling.  You DO care for her, and I’m glad.

He raised his head in shock.  You’re glad?  You want me to feel this way?  On purpose?  I hate it!  It makes no sense!

Of course you do…right now.  You’ll get used to it, though.

But I don’t want to!  His mental shout was full of irritation as he rose to pace again.  Why would you want me to endure this?  YOU don’t lo…care about anyone that way, and certainly not a mere human!  It’s not in our nature, Master.  We aren’t supposed to… feel …this way.

The Queen shook her head sadly as she pondered his words.  She would readily forgive his somewhat disrespectful demeanor simply because she knew he’d never “endured” something such as this before, and was facing a painfully confusing life lesson.  Although she hadn’t meant to interfere in his situation with Emma, she could tell that something had to be done.  His scattered emotions were driving her insane!

Whether we like it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not, emotions are tied with instincts for being the most vampiric quality of all.  Now, I love (and she emphasized the word he’d sincerely hoped she’d missed) my progeny, but you’re right – I don’t love anyone else at the moment, but I could if I wanted to.  At some point in the future, I very well might choose to care about someone in that way, but at least I’ll know what that feeling is and how to either contain it or let it flow.  The having of emotions is not the problem.  What counts is how you choose to handle them.

She paused to allow her Child a moment to digest her words, and at his vaguely interested look, she continued.

Andre, I cannot fathom what all has passed between you and Emma, but I can definitely tell that you have a soft spot for the human, and that she seems to have that same thing for you.  Now, what is the problem?  Why are you not with her instead of flashing your fury all over the place?

He ran his hands through his hair, his agitation completely obvious.

I decided to bond with her for her protection.  It was all going so well up until I was explaining the effects of taking my blood and…fuck.  She figured out that I could have healed her ankle the other night and she’s pissed as all hell that I didn’t.

Sophie-Anne hid her smirk as she pondered his words.  Explaining?  Her Andre was taking the time to explain something to a human?  She never thought she’d live to see the day…

Hurt.

Hurt?

Sophie-Anne sighed.  She’s hurt that you chose not to heal her.  She undoubtedly feels that you didn’t care enough about her pain to stop it, and perhaps even feels like you wanted her to suffer. 

In his irritation, Andre replied verbally.  “Of course I didn’t want her to suffer or be in pain, but…,” he paused to lower his voice from its almost-shouting volume.  “Of course I didn’t heal her then.  For one thing, the blood is sacred, but mainly…  If I had, she could have left my apartment at any time during the day and fucking BeauChamps would have gotten to her so damn easily.”

“But if you heal her now, the same threat still applies.”  She was glad to see that he was calming down some, and thinking more rationally.

She truly loved her first-turned, but he did have so much to learn about women.  He was indeed scarily proficient in war, but with women?  Not so much.

“Yes, but at least we would have the first phase of the bond completed and I would be able to feel if she were in danger and I would be able to find her.   It would be so easy to find Rasul if he’d had even a first-level bond with someone.  Plus, I was hoping…” he trailed off as he pondered the hopes he now felt were lost.  With a snort he continued, “Without the bond, a healing would have made her feel better, which would have tempted her to leave my secure area, and her life would have been in danger.  No, it was much better to have her here, protected and tended, than healed but risk her taking off so foolishly.”

“Well why didn’t you just say so?”

Both vampires jumped and turned at the sound of Emma’s voice.  Both were shocked that they hadn’t heard her open the door and approach them, but they were both elated that she’d chosen to join the conversation…one much more than the other.

Andre blurred over to Emma and stood glaring down at her even as he raised a hand to cup her elbow resting on her crutch.

“So, you have decided to join us after all.”

Emma caressed his hard, handsome face with her gaze, then grinned.  “Of course.  You’re where the coffee is.”  She winked as she tightened her robe and turned to greet the Queen.

“Good evening, Sophie-Anne.  I hope everything is ok?”

The Queen couldn’t help but notice how Andre’s entire demeanor had changed with Emma in the room, and she was glad.  True, it was somewhat funny, but mostly she felt a bit tearful.  Her Child was growing up, as it were.

“I’m fine,” she began, then leered playfully at Emma, “but I would be even better if you were to…” She trailed off at Andre’s unintentional growl.  “Oh, pooh, Andre.   I promised I would share.”  The look on his face told her in no uncertain terms that he did not find her jesting funny.  Too bad – she thought his reactions were hilarious.  “Well, if you’re going to be like that, then I’ll have to go round up the twins again.”  She rose and gracefully made her way over to Emma.  To everyone’s shock including her own, she very gently, if briefly, hugged the human, then left.

Emma turned her surprised gaze back to Andre who was once again glaring at her warily.

“What?”

“You…so you are no longer angry?”

“No, I’m still angry, but I realized that I can’t give you a chance to make it up to me if you’re not around.”  She grinned full blast at him.

Andre cursed her damn dimples…again.

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*Comments and reviews are heartily encouraged!  Also:  I love me some Sophie-Anne!*

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