The Holly and the Ivy - 8. Reality Bites

The Holly and the Ivy

Chapter Eight

Diarmad wanted to take me back to school. And so, early Sunday morning, we all piled into three identical black SUVs. It felt like an agent thriller à la James Bond and I almost made a joke - almost. But one look at their serious expressions and professionalism, and I kept my mouth shut.

Landyn and Simon drove with Diarmad and me. Ronan, Becca, and two men from the security team were in the second car. The nice old guy, who’d woken me on the bus, drove the third with three men I didn’t know. They had come in the middle of the night, after guards had caught a sniper in the woods. Nobody had told me what happened to him, even though I asked. All I’d got was ‘later’.

We only stopped for bathroom breaks, and made the trip in nearly half the time it had taken me on the way to the cabin, when I had to take the bus. I expected they would drop me off at the dorms or my parents’ house, but instead we entered the underground parking deck of a large apartment building near campus. When the car stopped, we had to wait until guards surrounded it; only then did Landyn open the door, assessing the surroundings carefully before giving us the go-ahead. Protected by his men, we hurried to a private elevator, which took us directly to the penthouse.

Diarmad didn’t give me time to look around. I could only catch a glimpse of the spacious living room, before he ushered me through the entrance hall into a small corridor. We passed a door on the left, which he said was a guest bathroom, before he opened another one and announced, “This will be yours.” Then he pointed at the far end of the hallway. “And this is mine.”

“What do you mean ‘yours’?” I turned around and faced him. “I can’t move in with you. How would I explain this to my parents?”

“That’s easy. We tell them Landyn has a place near campus, one of his flat mates had to move out, and he asked you to take the room. They know Landyn as one of your close friends and trust him. Right?”

“Well, yes, probably. But I have to stay at the dorm! I’m not allowed to live off campus yet!”

Diarmad waved his hand dismissively. “That’s already been taken care of.”

“Oh?” I had never been easy to anger, before I met Diarmad. He managed to do that in two seconds flat. “And you didn’t bother to ask me, did you? Just expected me to follow the King’s orders. Well, surprise, I’m not good at doing that.” I squeezed myself through the gap between the doorframe and him, ready to leave for the dorms.

He grabbed my arm. “I’m sorry, Noël. You’re absolutely right. Let me explain this to you? Please.”

I nodded, and he let go of me. “Protecting you adequately in the dorms is nearly impossible. We might have tried it anyway, but since we caught the sniper… If it were me, I wouldn’t let you out of the house until you decided one way or the other. And even then… I would beg you to skip the rest of the semester and start again in spring.”

What? “No!”

“I know this isn’t an option for you. But please, at least stay here, where we can protect you.”

I looked around my room. A desk, probably maple or birch, and a comfy leather chair stood in front of a floor to ceiling window overlooking the campus. “My mother will want to see my new place. She’ll never believe that story about Landyn’s flat when she visits me here. This isn’t exactly a place where normal students can afford to live.” The penthouse took up probably the whole floor of the building. My mother would have a cow. And my brothers would get jealous as hell.

“That’s not true. There are many students living on the lower floors in shared flats. We have prepared a place and can show it to your family, should they come to visit you.”

“Thought of everything, huh?”

“No. We arranged it yesterday. I own this building and knew there were several unoccupied flats left. Has your family visited you before?”

“Only when they brought me here.”

“You need protection, Noël. Now that my enemies can see how much better I am already, they will try everything to prevent the mating.”

“What happened to the sniper you caught?”

“He died before he could give us any information.”

“Just like that?”

“Noël…” I looked him in the eyes, dared him to sugarcoat things again. Finally, I got an answer. “He shot himself.”

A man was dead. Because of me. Even though he probably wanted to kill me, I was still shocked. And relieved, because he had judged himself rather than being killed by Diarmad’s men. Which again was hypocritical. I didn’t know what to say, so I looked around my new room. It was a nice room. I could see me sitting at the desk, losing myself in the view and getting nothing done. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Please, Noël. Stay.”

My parents liked Landyn. They would have never let me stay with him over Thanksgiving without arguing, if they didn’t. The sniper had brought home to me how dangerous my life had become. It would be stupid to risk it just to prove my point. He needed me to be close at heel. And I would have a chance to get to know Diarmad better. Fuck yes, and I felt better too. “Okay.”

Diarmad closed his eyes and breathed in relief. “If you could give me your keys or keycard, I’ll send someone over to get your computer, clothing, books, and whatever else you need. Do you want to make a list or should we just empty the room?”

It looked like I wouldn’t be going back to the dorm anytime soon, so I nodded, “Get everything; it's not much anyway. There’s more books and stuff at my parents’ house though, and I’m going to need some of that eventually.”

“I am so sorry for upheaving your whole life, Noël. If I had more time, I would wait. We would get to know each other slowly, take our time.”

I shrugged. It was as it was. Turning around I saw two shelves with enough space to put all my books on and then some. There was also a large wardrobe, which could probably take three times the clothing I owned, and a platform bed made of the same wood as the desk. A bed? I went over and ran my hand over the soft, bright blue blanket thrown over the footboard. "I sleep in here?"

Diarmad nodded. “I thought you might prefer to sleep in your own room. I’m feeling better and I—”

“I will be gone for most of the day. I might be able to take some online courses but still, I won’t be around as much as I have been in the last few days.” I went back to him. He looked anything but healthy. He might have felt better, and he could walk without help, but his complexion was still pallid and he had dark rings under his eyes. “I should at least be with you during the night, don’t you think?”

“Are you sure?" It almost bodily hurt me to see him this insecure.

I grabbed his forearm. "I'm sure."

After a brief moment he smiled, relieved. "Thank you Noël. This will be your study. What do you think? Or, if you need space…" Then he took my hand. "Let me show you my… our room.” We went to the door at the end of the hallway, and it was as if I’d suddenly stepped into another century.

The first thing that caught my eyes was a hand-carved, mahogany bed with red curtains tied to each of the four posters. A big fireplace with a mantelpiece of white marble dominated the opposite wall. The same red from the bed curtains could be found on some of the pillows, the bedspread, and the upholstery of two wingback chairs, which were flanking the fireplace. The room could have been taken right out of a museum, had the bed been made, and had not clothes littered the chairs and the floor.

“Wow. I’d never have thought… after I was in your cabin I would have never expected anything like this….”

Diarmad seemed a little embarrassed at my comment. “I always liked this time period best. The only concession I make to accomplishments of the modern age in this room is electricity; though you might find me using candles for illumination most of the time. Come on, I’ll show you the rest.” He opened a door, which led to a spacious dressing room, fully fitted with floor to ceiling cupboards, wardrobes and a mirror. “This room was designed with the thought of two using it eventually, so you will find the right side completely empty; enough space for your clothes.”

Looking at all this an idea came into my mind. “It’s not a coincidence that you happen to own a building near campus, huh?”

He hesitated for a moment, but then admitted, “No, I bought this building when I found out you were going to attend here. Call me overly optimistic, but I always had the feeling that it would work out between us…" He stopped abruptly, obviously thinking he had said too much, and pointed to another door. "Let me show you the bathroom.”

I stood beside a huge freestanding claw-foot bath, and my gaze wandered to the oversized shower and the double-sinks. He must have felt so much hope when he set this up, and apprehension crept up my mind. What if I can’t do this? What if I let him down?

Sliding open the French doors in the bathroom, I found a veranda with a small table and two chairs, a nice and private place to chill in summer. Summer? Whoa! Where did this come from?

“You can leave your bag here; someone will take care of it. I will go and give Ronan the keys, so he can get your belongings from your dorm room. Do you need anything from your parents’ house as well?”

I shook my head. “No thanks. There is nothing I can think of at the moment.” I played with the handles of my bag, trying to think of a polite way to say I didn’t want someone to put my stuff away. “I’m going to er…put my things away. It’s not much and I um… just grabbed everything and threw it into my bag yesterday… it’s kinda messy and um…”

“Okay.” I thought he was suppressing a smile at my rambling. “When you've finished come and find me in the living room." I think I have a little surprise for you there.” He bent down to give me a kiss on the forehead then left the room quickly.

Huh?

I unpacked the few things I had brought with me, tossed the clothes I had worn at the cabin in the hamper, and then giggled at the sight. The right half - my half - contained just two pairs of jeans, a lonely sweater and a crumpled hoodie. The little bit of underwear I had left was stowed away in one of several drawers. Shaking my head, I closed the door and made my way to the living room.

Diarmad had his back to me, phone in hand, when I came into the entrance hall. He must have heard me though, because he immediately turned and stopped me with a hand gesture, before quickly finishing his call. “Noël, that was fast.”

“I hadn’t that much to put away.”

“Allow me.” He walked around me, and put both of his hands over my eyes. “Just go right ahead until I say stop."

I did as he said, though having seen a scene like this one too many times in a movie, I wondered how clichéd we must look and was glad nobody else was around.

"Good, now turn left. Yes that’s it. Don’t open your eyes until I say so, okay?”

“Okay.”

He took his hands away. “Now open your eyes.”

I held my breath. A gleaming, black Steinway grand piano. “Oh my God!”

He slid his arms around my waist, and whispered into my ear, “Do you like my surprise?”

“You got this just for me?”

“Yes. Eleanor told me you dreamed of having a ‘Steinway’ grand piano one day.”

“Yes, that’s right but… Oh, shit! I can’t believe it!” I walked over and tentatively ran a single finger over the shiny, black surface.

“Sometimes I sit on the couch over there, imagining you playing Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 12 in F major, like you did at the house concert at your friend’s parents. I always hoped one day you would play it for me…”

“You were there? I never saw—”

“No of course not, I watched the videos your grandmother recorded for me. I still have them somewhere here…”

“You’re trying to sweeten the deal, huh?” I turned and looked at his face. I could see a flash of insecurity or even hurt, when I said this.

“I did it purely for egotistical reasons. I can hear you playing on a quality instrument and you don’t have to leave the house for your piano lessons anymore.”

“What? No, Mrs. Tonino would never agree to coming here.”

“She already did. I quote: Now that he has an adequate instrument, it won’t be a problem.”

“Wow.” I pressed down a key with one finger. A single, clear sound echoed through the room. “I am sorry, Diarmad. I have always wanted to have a Steinway grand. Thank you. What I just said…it was a joke.”

“Yes?” He trailed his fingers along my cheek until he reached my chin. Tilting my face up, he hesitated again, before tentatively brushing his lips over mine. When I didn’t protest, he became more urgent, finally flicking his tongue over my lower lip. I loved it.

He lifted his head to see if I was still okay with this and I couldn’t resist licking my lip, tasting the moisture still lingering there. He groaned, “Noël…” I looked up to see the pupils in his eyes had widened and I felt something contracting in my lower abdomen, together with a sudden warmth building up there. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulled him closer to me, and covered his mouth with mine. Fuck with who, why and when!

Next I found myself pressed against the piano. Diarmad held my head with both his hands, lapping at my lower lip, dipping his tongue deep inside my mouth and stroking its insides with his tongue. It was perfect.

“Noël—” I heard a sharp intake of breath and then Ronan stammering, “Oh! I’m sorry… I uh…”

I looked over Diarmad’s shoulder at the bodyguard and almost laughed aloud. The big guy stood in the open door, flustered and fidgeting with his keys, staring at us as if he expected his death sentence to be announced any minute. I couldn’t help but snicker. My reaction seemed to appease Diarmad and his tensed up body relaxed in my arms, while his scowl merged into a smile.

“What is it Ronan?”

“I’m sorry Sire, I just came er… Keith said you were…um… I just wanted to tell Noël I got his things and brought everything into his room, except for his clothes and toiletries, which I put in your er… the master bedroom. Keith is unpacking the bags as we speak. I hope that’s okay.”

I looked at Diarmad. When no explanation came, I asked, “Who’s Keith?”

“I haven’t had the opportunity to introduce you yet. Keith and his mate Lionel take care of the household. They live down the other hallway in their own rooms.”

“Who else lives here?”

“At the moment Landyn, Simon, Ronan and Becca are staying with us as well, at least until the situation has calmed down some.”

It was when I pictured an embarrassed Ronan telling Becca and Landyn in great detail, how he wandered into Diarmad and me kissing, that I felt a sudden urge to hide. “Oh, um I better go and uh... help Keith then.”

But no such luck. Diarmad held me back by my wrist. “This is part of Keith’s job, Noël. He would feel offended, if you interfered. You can go over later and rearrange everything to your liking, but for the moment let him be.”

“Oh. No, no I didn’t want… I just… it’s okay.” God! I would never get used to all this.

***

It turned out I had to go to school for one class only, usually accompanied by Landyn and several more or less invisible guards. The rest I could switch to online courses. Diarmad must have had his hands in there; my professors were just so accommodating, but I didn’t complain. There were people out there to kill me. A fact, not an idle threat. The sniper had been real and I could feel the security tighten around me. All this didn’t exactly inspire me to walk around outside more than absolutely necessary.

***

I had never been in Diarmad’s study before and was amazed when I found it was more like a library than an office. He was sitting at his desk when I knocked, and I had to grin, seeing the chaos on his desktop. He really was a slob. When I asked him about a book I needed, he showed me where to find it. I detected some other books I could use and when I mentioned it, he suggested I get my laptop and take the second desk he had in his room rather than going back and forth the whole day.

I started to work there regularly. Sometimes he helped me with my essays and homework and I realized how well versed he was in my line of work. When I asked him about it, he played it down saying he'd had a lot of time to get where he was now. Time. Of course. He'd lived lifetimes more than I had. Something I kept forgetting.

As always, thank you to Lisa, Val and Zombie.