Roses Wither: Into the Darkness
Forty

Chase

“Why was I only sent one of my daughter’s rapists?” Nico asked through the line, his voice bringing an eerie foreboding, “Where are the others?”

“They’re taken care of.” I sneered at the fact he was still alive as I drove my car back to my home from my day of searching for Azazel. I would replace him, and when I did, he was done. “He was the last one. Rosa sent him to you.”

“And she sent him to me because?” There was hint of curiosity in his voice.

“She wanted you to punish him.” I ground out, hitting the gas of GTA Spano a little too hard.

“She didn’t trust you to do it?” He mused.

“She does not know my reputation.” I snarled, speeding the car up as my anger rose.

“She didn’t see it in your mind?”

“For some reason, she did not even get the tidbits of my past that you and Marcus received during the changes.” By the time I realized my speed, I was doing 190.

“Speeding?”

“How did you know?” I cocked a brow, as if he could see me.

“I can hear the engine.” He stated pointedly, “You are letting your anger get to you.”

“Did you cut his dangly off yet?” I asked with a growl, trying to get back to subject at hand, while I slowed my car.

“Don’t be foolish,” He snapped, “It was the first thing I did. He hangs naked, skinless and dickless in my courtyard. Now, where is my daughter?”

“She’s not ready.” I told him.

Rosa needed this time to herself, so I brought her back to my home in Italy to give us both what we needed. She was safer here, surrounded by my guard who knew how to deal with Azazel, rather than going back to Romania.

Matthias kept me posted throughout the day. I knew that she had bathed several times today, but the count was an improvement from our arrival 2 days ago.

Seeing her pain, I wanted to bring those assholes back and kill them again. I wanted to make every one of them suffer, because seeing her like she was now, in the state that she was in, was debilitating.

“She needs time, Nico.” I repeated.

“What does she think happened to you when you fell to the decapitation?”

At his question, I swallowed hard.

“She hasn’t said much,” I whispered, "Let alone about that."

“Then, bring her home.” It wasn’t a suggestion, not from a Dracule, “She will be safe here and you can hunt Azazel and kill him.”

“No.”

“Perhaps I should make the trip there.”

“Come around my clutch and you will become fully reacquainted with The Five, but this time you won’t have your little witch to weaken us. You are not the only one in protective mode, old friend.”

“You’re getting awfully bold, Guard. Don’t forget, I could have let you die with your brothers centuries ago.”

“And don’t forget that you relieved me from my post and duty to you. I am now King and you can request my hand, but I follow my Queen’s order and she seems to want to stay here, where it is quiet.”

A slew of Romanian cuss words came to my ear before the phone went dead. He must have crushed it. Damn things were so breakable.

When I arrived home Matthias walked to my side as I continued toward the stairs.

“She seemed upset when she awoke this morning and you weren’t here,” He spoke quietly, “I told her you would return shortly, that was hours ago. She has since cried continuously and bathed twice, according to Emie.”

“I stopped to a couple boutiques for her.” I held up the bags in my hand.

“Have you explained what happened yet?”

“No. Where is she now?” I ascended to the top of the staircase.

“Your room,” He tipped his head toward my bedroom door, “You need to tell her, Chase. Emie thinks that has to do with the state she is in now. She does not want to be away from you.”

I ignored him, gave him a nod and continued to the end of the hall.

Unlike Nico’s castle, my home here was made up of only 12 bedrooms and it wasn’t made of dark trimmings and furnishings. It was light and allowed the sun to shine through the many windows.

It was my haven, with sky blues, pale yellows and white marble trimmings. I preferred the lighter to the dark and, unlike Nico, I didn’t fear retribution or attack, so windows were numerous.

Everything in the house was silent. It had been since our arrival. Not a soul was seen in the master’s quarters aside from Matthias, Emilia and myself.

I walked into my room with a knock, not waiting for the response that I knew wouldn’t come.

“Rosa?”

I left the bags on the mussed bed, that had been that way since we arrived, but not in a way I would have hoped, and turned the corner to my on-suite.

She sat on the edge of the tub, looking out the window to the lake below in nothing but her towel. Her hair was a short, curly mess, which I had always loved, but the sadness and despair that radiated from her killed me.

“I’m back.” I crouched next to her. Her eyes met mine for a moment, but there was no registration at first. This was why she wasn’t ready to return home.

We had shared my bed and had not been separated since her freedom, until this morning. The girl had been through a lot recently and she was barely holding it together. I wanted nothing more than to pull her close and take on everything for her. If I could have traded places with her, would have in an instant.

The worst part of all of this was that he was still out there. Azazel was hunting her in particular, to get to me and I didn’t know why.

If this had been in the olden days, I would go hunting him. Even if it took me years, I would hunt him, track him down and kill him, but now I had Rosa, and she seemed to need me.

“You left me.” Her voice was soft and sounded so defeated.

She was right. This was the first time I had left her side since I had pulled her out of there, but I hadn’t left her alone. I left Matthias and Emilia to keep an eye on her. The rest of the guard was hanging around too, since we didn’t have to worry about Azazel intruding on my home on the lake.

“I had to check on a few things, but I brought you some clothes to wear.” I pointed to the bedroom where I left the bags, “That way you don’t have to wear my things anymore.”

“I like wearing your clothes.” She hugged herself, pulling her towel tighter, "They comfort me."

“I like you wearing my things.” I gave her a light smile, “It comforts me too. If you want to keep wearing them, I won’t stop you. I just assumed that you might want something that fits.”

“Thank you.” She swiped at a loose tear that had rolled down her cheek.

“Have you eaten today, my love?”

She didn’t answer, she just examined her hands.

“I keep telling myself I did the right thing, but I know I didn’t.” She began to cry, “I did horrible things and now I’m paying for it.”

“What do you mean, that you are paying for it?” My brow furrowed.

“The nightmares.” She spoke in a shaky voice. This was the most she’d said in days, “I hear their thoughts and mental screaming, as I... I killed... I killed...”

“They were the worst of our species.” I placed my hand under her chin, forcing her to look at me, “Why do you think they had such high security and advanced weaponry? I believe Azazel is a demon. One who can cover his essence. There was more than crimes against you going on there.”

“I just feel so...” Her body began to quake, “My wolf is gone, my vampire is gone now too. I can’t even feel our connection anymore. I-I just... I can’t breathe... I can’t... I can’t do this...”

“Rosa, what do you mean your wolf and vampire are gone?” I tried to search those tearful, cloud colored eyes, “I can feel them enveloping you, protecting you. The hum is all around me.”

“I can’t hear.” She let a sob slip past her lips and more came as she began to shake uncontrollably, “They l-left me b-because I-I killed you. Y-you left me t-too and it was me. I-I killed you.”

She was sobbing and shaking so hard that I couldn’t help but pull her to me.

“No.” I whispered, “You could never kill me, my love. I will never leave you. Ever. You cannot hurt me.” I kissed the top of her head.

“I don’t feel them at all.” She played with her hands, rubbing them together as though she was scrubbing them clean, “I’ve always felt both, but now they aren’t there. Its because I murdered them and their mate and bound and they can’t forgive me.”

“That is not true, they both rose and fought and they’re tired, they need time to heal too, my love.”

“I’ve lost everyone because of this...” She leaned into me as she cried, and I welcomed her as I wound my arms around her.

I held her close as she sobbed and spoke unintelligibly. She clutched at my shirt, as though I was her life preserver, and she’d drown without me and. For the first time 15 days, I felt like I was helping her. Truly helping her.

“I can’t connect to anyone," She sobbed, "I have nothing left.”

I sighed and, without thinking, I brought my lips to the top of her dampened head of curls again, giving her the softest of kisses.

“You still have me.” I whispered.

I had never comforted anyone before. I was a soldier, not a lover. I was hard and ruthless, not soft... But her... Rosa... She made me soft. She made me feel. She made me hurt for her.

Once she was calm I pulled her to an arm’s length and looked into those tortured, beautiful eyes once again.

“Rosa, why don’t you get dressed and come downstairs. I will make you something to eat myself and sit with you. You cannot starve yourself.” I spoke softer than I ever had before.

Sure, I was good at playing it cool, but this was different. Rosa was broken and she needed reassurance. She needed to know that she had done nothing wrong.

When she gave a final sniffle and a nod, I left her to herself so she could get dressed. Hopefully she would follow my direction. Her vampire wasn’t the only thing they had starved in Azazel’s grasp.

Azazel... How did one replace a demon that can’t be traced? This would be so complicated, but I needed to replace him. He was a threat that I didn't need looming over me.

On my way down to the kitchen I dialed Nico’s land line.

“Are you bringing my daughter home?” He asked as a greeting.

“I want a piece of that vampire she sent you.” I ground out, “I need to question him.”

“Then come over and tend to your prize.” He sneered.

“Keep him alive until I fix things with Rosa.”