Page 21 of Tryst or Treat (Season’s Readings #3)

B elladonna blushed sweetly, and Vlad obsessed over how this woman was pure sin one minute and an angel the next. He loved how she could be absolutely filthy, literally pushing him against the table so she could have her way with him, yet she was also excited about dinner with her family, Halloween decorations, candy, and cats. She was sweet, intelligent, and ungodly sexy, and he longed to say those three words so badly that his chest hurt.

“Um…” Belladonna darted to where he kept the liquor. “You can let my parents in. Dinner is almost ready.” She smiled at Bartholomew as she poured herself a shot and knocked it back. Vlad had to agree with her need for liquid courage until she swished the alcohol around her mouth. Their gazes met, and she burst into laughter as she swallowed, pouring more whiskey into the glass before rejoining him.

“Can’t kiss my mother with that mouth,” she said with a shrug as she handed him the shot, and Vlad threw his head back in a deep laugh. Lord, how he wanted to confess those three damned words now.

A masculine voice cleared his throat, and Vlad turned to find Bartholomew leading Rowena and her husband Magnus into the dining room. Belladonna’s parents gawked at him, clearly shocked to hear the angel of death laughing, and when their eyes dipped to where his tattooed hand rested on his wife’s back, their gawking increased. Belladonna was standing with her chest pressed against his, smiling at his laughter as she offered him the whiskey. The moment was honest, their happiness too genuine to be staged, and it was obviously not the scene Rowena had been expecting.

“Mom! Dad!” Belladonna shrieked, racing for her parents, and the sight of her throwing herself into Rowena’s arms reminded Vlad how young his wife was. She looked so sweet and youthful as the coven leader held her close, and he was sick of how often he felt like an asshole. He shouldn’t have imprisoned her in this home without outside contact.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Belladonna said, and Vlad downed the whiskey before joining them, thankful his wife had the foresight to both relax him and give him courage. He realized their interaction was more than just relaxation as he stepped beside her and met his enemy’s gaze. Even though she’d been on her knees and sexy as hell, it had been an incredibly intimate and profound moment for him, and those three words lingered ever-present in his subconscious. It made hating Rowena difficult when her daughter had wormed her way beneath his tattooed skin.

“Rowena. Magnus.” Vlad extended his inked hand to his in-laws, and the couple stiffly accepted his greeting. “I realize tomorrow is Halloween, so thank you for taking the time to join Belladonna and me for dinner.”

“Thanks for inviting us,” Rowena said uncomfortably. “ Your home is lovely. The decorations are perfect. I didn’t expect you to celebrate so enthusiastically.”

“That, I’m afraid, was all my wife,” Vlad said, resting his tattooed hand on Belladonna’s lower back, and again, her mother gawked at their intimacy.

“I refuse to live in a house that doesn’t decorate or accept trick-or-treaters or drink pumpkin-spiced lattes,” Belladonna said. “I may have gone overboard, though. I decorated almost every room.”

“I’m afraid to check my credit card bill.” Vlad smirked, and Belladonna rolled her eyes, shoving him playfully off her as she grabbed her mom’s hand.

“Come help me get the food out of the oven,” she said as she dragged the bewildered woman into the kitchen, leaving him with her dad. Magnus was a powerful witch, and even though his wife was the coven leader, the man was a reckoning force. Vlad was suddenly thankful for the wards as they stared uncomfortably at each other. What the hell was he supposed to talk about with the husband of his enemy and the father of the woman he constantly fantasized about?

“Can I get you a drink?” he asked.

“Please,” Magnus blurted too quickly, and Vlad heaved a sigh of relief as he strode to the bar. They hadn’t killed each other yet, which was an incredible feat, but the air was so thick with tension that his fangs ached.

“Broomstick was first and then came Fang,” Belladonna said as she and her mother returned, arms ladened with steaming trays of food.

“Fang is nasty, so watch your hands,” Vlad interrupted, which earned him a scowl from his wife.

“He just doesn’t like grumpy old vampires,” she shot back. “I’m sure he’ll love you, Mom.”

“That feral cat?” Rowena asked, watching as the horde of black cats sauntered into the room as if summoned .

“He is not feral!” Bella scooped him up. “He’s rough around the edges, but I love him.”

“Like me,” Vlad said without thinking, and the witches fell silent as they stared at him. For a long and awkward moment, he had the urge to kick everyone out of his house to appease his humiliation, but then his wife walked toward him, the mean cat still clutched in her arms.

“Exactly like you,” she whispered, but Fang hissed with such violence that he broke the spell of his wife’s confession.

“Right,” Belladonna laughed, putting the angry animal down. “Then came Jinx, followed by Cauldron, and Batty showed up today. I think he and Cauldron were abused, but they’re safe with me.”

“I didn’t know vampires kept cats,” Rowena said.

“We don’t,” Vlad answered. “They just keep showing up, and suddenly my credit card statement has all sorts of cat supplies on it.” He shrugged as he extended his hand to the table, signaling they should sit. “Just when I think she’s done collecting strays, another one pops up, so now I’m resolved to constantly trip on animals with ridiculous names for the rest of my life.”

“That’s…” Rowena paused as if she wasn’t sure what to make of Vlad’s unexpected friendliness. “It’s a sign of a powerful witch, you know?” She looked at her daughter. “Black cats sense a witch’s magic, and the more that flock to her, especially around Halloween, the more power that witch has. The night you were born, twenty black cats showed up in our yard.”

“I didn’t know that,” Belladonna said.

“It’s why we always kept you hidden,” her mother said. “It was a sign you would be the heir to the coven. That you might one day surpass my power.”

“But this house is warded,” Magnus said. “How are the cats finding her? ”

“I don’t know.” Rowena glanced at Vlad with a horrified expression as she put the puzzle pieces together. When vampires fed off their mates, it strengthened their bond, but when a witch found their soulmate, it heightened their magic. If Belladonna’s mate was a vampire, how powerful would her magic swell, especially if they shared blood?

“Bella?” She pinned her daughter with an alarmed expression. “Have you?—”

“Hi, Dad,” a male voice interrupted, silencing the gathering, and ice ran through Vlad’s veins as Gabriel strode into the room and locked eyes with his shocked wife.

Anxiety flooded Belladonna’s chest as Gabriel’s eyes locked with hers. They purposely hadn’t invited him to this dinner. Not because they wished to exclude him, but with his sudden hostility, Vlad felt it was safer to host his enemy for the first time with as little confrontation as possible. The last thing either of them wanted was Gabriel insulting her and causing Rowena to declare war.

“What are you doing here?” Vlad asked, his voice ice and razors.

“Eating dinner with my dad and my stepmom, of course,” Gabriel said as he plopped down into an empty chair and started shoveling food onto a plate. “Wow, this smells good. I didn’t know the witch could cook.”

“Gabriel…” Vlad warned.

“What?” His son played dumb. “It was a compliment. Right, Bella? I didn’t know you could cook, but I guess you were holding out on me. Saving all the good things for my dad.”

“I would have cooked for you if you’d asked,” Belladonna said, hating how small she felt beneath his words. Even when she and Vlad verbally sparred, he never made her feel inadequate, but Gabriel made her want to wither and retreat. “You never wanted to stay over. You never came to my house. Infatuation blinded me around you, but let’s face it. We moved too fast. I don’t think we truly understood what we were getting into. You never even slept over during our six months together.”

“I bet you sleep with dear ole dad all the time though, don’t you?” Gabriel sneered.

“Watch your mouth when you talk to my wife.” Vlad’s tattooed fist pressed down on the table so hard that Belladonna feared the inked skull would shatter the wood. She longed to reach out and place her palm on her husband’s hand to calm him, but the looks on her parents and Gabriel’s faces warned her not to move.

“You can be angry all you like with me, but you keep my wife’s name out of your mouth. Do you understand?” Vlad continued. “I won’t tolerate her being slandered in my house.”

“Why, Dad?” Gabriel leaned back disrespectfully and shoved chicken into his mouth. “Why do you get so mad when I talk about her? She’s just a witch. Rowena’s daughter, no less. She was engaged to me first, and do you know she used to beg me to sleep with her, but I couldn’t degrade myself by sticking my—ufff.” He grunted as Vlad grabbed him by the chest, hoisted him out of the chair, and pinned him against the wall.

“I told you to watch your mouth,” he roared.

“Vlad!” Belladonna jumped up, distraught that dinner had been ruined because of her relationships. She understood Gabriel was hurt, but there was something off about his temper. She’d been ready to run away with him, willing to anger the angel of death to escape with him, but he’d rejected her. He’d made it clear he never truly cared, so she didn’t understand why he was trying to ruin her marriage.

“I warned you,” Vlad ignored her shouts. “You don’t talk about my wife like that. You are my son, and I love you, but I’ve killed vampires for less.”

“What, you going to kill your own kid over some witch?” Gabriel asked.

“No!” Belladonna shouted. “No, he’s not killing anyone. Vlad, please let him go. Please, can we just eat?” She started to cry, and anger boiled over in her chest. She didn’t want to cry. Not over Gabriel. He’d had his chance to fight for her, and he’d thrown it out the window. He hadn’t even tried, yet Vlad had proved time and again that he would kill for her, that he would welcome his enemy into his home for her. Gabriel wasn’t her mate. He couldn’t be. Not when her soul was screaming Vlad was.

“Can we eat in peace?” Vlad asked his son. “Belladonna put a lot of effort into this meal, and she’s far more gracious than I am. She wants to enjoy dinner with her parents, so can you sit down and shut up? Can you act like an adult and discuss your grievances with me instead of insulting the woman who didn’t have a choice?”

“Why do you care so much about her?” Gabriel asked, staring at Belladonna with malice. “What’s so special about that witch that has you acting insane? You aren’t the man I knew.”

“Gabriel,” Vlad growled.

“You can’t really think she’s…” Gabriel laughed with disgust. “What the hell happened to my father?”

Vlad’s expression darkened, and for a terrifying moment, Belladonna feared he would rip his son’s head from his body, but then he surprised everyone by pulling the vampire into his arms .

“I’m sorry,” he said as he hugged his son. “I’m so sorry for what I did. When you’ve lived as long as I have, you forget sometimes what it means to have emotions. My reign is dominated by violence, so in my need to make her my wife, I didn’t think. I love you, Gabriel. I have since the day you were born, and I will until I die. So, forgive your father. Put me out of my misery and stop talking about my wife with disrespect.”

The room fell silent, and Belladonna’s heart broke as she watched the scene. This violent vampire that was her husband was evolving before her eyes, and while he’d royally screwed up their wedding and his relationship with his son, she couldn’t help but care for him.

“Come on, Gabriel. Forgive your father,” Vlad pushed.

“Whatever, you can have her.” Gabriel half hugged his dad, and Belladonna gave a small sigh of relief. It was a start.

“It doesn’t matter,” he continued, and her relief died in her chest. “It’s all the same in the end.”

The rest of the meal passed with excruciating discomfort, and when her parents finally stood to leave, Belladonna felt an overwhelming sense of relief.

“I love you, Mom.” She hugged her mother tight, counting down the seconds until she could curl up in bed. This wasn’t how she’d expected the evening to go. When she woke up that morning, she’d pictured a nice if not slightly awkward meal where the two houses made real steps toward peace. With how delicious Vlad looked in that all-black suit, she’d fantasized about him taking her to bed for the first time after their successful dinner party. It was partially why she’d shoved him against the table earlier and fallen to her knees. Her actions were to help him relax, but most of her motivation came from her unquenchable thirst for her husband. She was beginning to understand why he’d barged into that church and pushed his signet ring onto her finger. She didn’t belong to Gabriel. She never had, and she never would.

But now? Now she longed to curl into a ball and pretend the world didn’t exist.

“Say the word, and we’ll get you out of this house,” Rowena whispered in her daughter’s ear. “I don’t care what it takes. If you need me, I will rescue you.”

“That would break the treaty,” Belladonna said.

“I don’t care. You are my daughter. You always have and always will come first.”

“I appreciate it, Mom, but I’m fine.”

“Fine isn’t good enough,” Magnus said. “I’m worried you aren’t safe in this house.”

“Actually, I might be the safest I’ve ever been here.” Belladonna glanced over her shoulder at her husband, who was talking to his son again. She hoped they could work it out and forgive one another because, while she would always be pissed about how Vlad married her, she’d come to terms with the realization that she didn’t regret it. Marrying him had been the right choice. She sensed it in her bones, in her suddenly volatile magic.

“Don’t worry about me.” She embraced her father. “I… I think I’m in lo… I’m okay,” she stumbled on her words, unsure how to confess her true feelings after that disaster.

“Well, the offer still stands,” Rowena said. “One word, and I’ll come for you.”

“This is why I have the best mother ever.” She hugged her mom again. “Vlad’s personal laptop is basically mine now, hence all the ridiculous credit card charges, so I’ll video chat you soon. Maybe we can try another less disastrous dinner party.”

“Maybe we should do lunch next time instead,” Rowena said. “We’ll host since the wards make me nervous. If something were to go wrong…. It’s why I hate you living here. I feel horrible, like I’ve abandoned my only child to this monster.”

“He isn’t a monster,” Belladonna said.

“Don’t be fooled by that handsome face,” her mother reprimanded. “That man is the worst breed of danger to walk this earth.”

“Well…” She glanced at Vlad again, and this time, their eyes met. She read the apology in his gaze. The hurt, the frustration, the affection. “He isn’t a monster to me.”

Vlad crept into his dark bedroom, the outline of his sleeping wife and all her cats just visible in the moonlight. He’d offered to clean up the kitchen after Gabriel, Rowena, and Magnus left. It was the least he could do after he’d screwed everything up. He only hoped he could mend his relationship with his son. He hadn’t set out to steal his fiancé, but no vampire, not even one as strong as him, could fight fate.

Belladonna’s soft breathing told him she was asleep, and while she’d stayed in his room every night over the past week, their opposite schedules ensured they never shared the mattress. He wasn’t sure how she would react to sleeping beside him, but his entire body screamed for her. After the evening they had, he needed to hold her in his arms, to assure her that his son’s cruel words were not his own.

Vlad stripped down to his black boxer briefs and climbed under the sheets, sliding Broomstick and Batty out of the way. Fang eyed him warily, but Vlad was smart enough to leave the little demon where he lay. Thankfully, the cat let him get into the bed without drawing blood, and Vlad wrapped his wife in his arms. She wore one of his tee shirts, and he was once again struck with awe at how perfectly precious she was, protected by his clothes and surrounded by fluffy cats.

“I’m sorry about tonight,” he whispered into her hair as he pulled her to his chest. She was fast asleep and couldn’t hear his apology, which was why the words came easier. Vlad wasn’t a man who apologized… ever, yet he’d done so twice in the same evening.

“I wanted this to be an enjoyable night for you,” he continued, his broad hand gripping her belly as he dragged her further against his chest, his heart swelling at how perfectly she fit against him. “I always want you to have nice things because I… I lo…”

He couldn’t say it. Even with her asleep, he struggled to voice the words. He’d never said them to any woman, and the reality that he’d finally found his other half terrified him. If he admitted the truth, everything changed. And not just for him, not just for his marriage, but for every vampire and witch that walked the earth.