Read Awakened (A Fairy Tales Novel) Online
Authors: Melanie Walker
Ashess spoke, "because this engagement is not a good thing, it’s gonna end bad Belle."
"You picked that up?"
Ash nodded and then looked over at Bri another shudder racking her body. "Jesus tonight I am getting no breaks am I?"
Bri came to a halt at the ghost from her past standing before her and couldn’t help but agree with Ash and the nice little hint that came from that statement. It looked like Fangs and Bri would not be reconciling tonight, not a shot if Ash could feel the pain already.
Maybe it was a clue or it could have been the amazingly beautiful woman at his side.
*
Fangs actually second guessed his big entrance when he saw Ash and Bri talking quietly in the corner, their posture a little too stiff to be casual. He knew then something was up but what he had no clue, he was out of the loop these days. He wanted to hang a fang in his own artery for giving a shit. This was about making
her
suffer for walking out on him with no god damn inkling as to why. He was completely aware that he was seconds from chicking out and asking her to talk feelings, so he dropped the cry baby shit and reached for the flask inside of his coat.
Aaah, there it was, the moment she noticed he was behind her. Fuck him but perhaps it was fun to play with a victim. He would never hurt Bri in the physical sense, and if she was capable of tears he would probably offer to buy her the moon and stars to stop her from crying. But the look she was giving was solid gold payment. She was either terrified or struck so completely stupid by his appearance that she was frozen.
Best go have a chat.
He walked towards her and wanted to smile at the deer in the headlights she was giving him. He knew Bri and this wasn’t fear, she had no reason to fear him... silly girl... this was her clueless on what to say. Rack the score one for one because neither did he. Instead of stopping he moved on by with nothing more than a nod and a smile showing the sharp and pearly whites as he passed. He made it to the bar when his…
date
for all intents and purposes came to stand beside him.
"Listen love, I have some unfinished business to wrap. Why not run along and dance or mingle and give me a few minutes." It was a request though his voice had that tone that always meant business. Little miss double D's smiled and obliged but not before leaning in and kissing him square on the mouth.
Perfect.
Bri walked over slowly and stood beside him saying nothing before reaching inside of his coat and pulling out his flask. "Do you mind? Winter made the party apple themed and I am so not looking for a hangover."
Cavalier. Absolutely caviler and he had no trouble admitting then and there he still wanted her. He could take her now, sate both their hungers because oh yeah she wanted him, he could smell it on her and she damn well knew it. But he didn’t want the trouble, the wondering. Hell, he could handle many things but being played for a fool was not one.
It was then and there he realized that all the emotional shit he had been feeling was not hearts and roses and love songs. He was pissed the fuck off. He took the flask before it hit her lips and smiled. "I don’t share unless I know who I am sharing with and I do not know you!" His tone was icy and displaced and she looked at him with those amethyst eyes.
"I thought we were friends." The rise in her heartbeat said all he needed to know. She was acting like an innocent and ready to run like a thief.
He shook his head no. "My friends don’t disappear for over seven months without word." He leaned in until he spoke directly into her ear, his long hair dropping lightly on her bare shoulder. "At least not while I am still inside of them."
His senses picked up a lot of things but from Bri he knew that bringing the truth of their past out like he did he brought with it the obsession of the two of them together. Knew what it was the instant he said it. "Tell me pretty girl, where did you go that night?"
"I didn’t know we were married Fangs or I'd have called."
He snorted. "I doubt I’d have answered." She flinched like he slapped her. "What was the point right?" He walked away before she could answer and wanted to thank the Lord above because Winter fell right in front of him.
"Do not pick a fight with her." She all but pouted. He could feel the anger coming off her in waves but it was why he adored the young Contaca Soul. She didn’t have a mean bone in her body. Not against him anyways.
"Made a point to her that’s all I swear it." He smiled and Winter smiled back before hugging him.
"It's been a while Fangs how are you?" She asked when she stepped back from the hug.
"Eternity since seeing you love." Bri walked past him and headed up the stairs and he lost train of thought as she passed because she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. He wanted to strike himself for thinking that. It didn’t matter that she wanted him in bed again, but what mattered was that she didn’t want him.
"She had a long day today so lay off. I understand you’re upset but lay off." Maybe Winter did have a mean bone in her body where Fangs was concerned, a small one, but a mean one none the less. Didn’t matter though, he wouldn’t fight against Winter.
"I bet. It’s a hard day at the office when a Casper comes calling."
"The man she killed was one of the worst Fangs. He had killed twelve others prior to the one that found her today. Trust me, her calling isn’t a cake walk." He didn’t want to admit it but she was right. The darker the deed the harder Bri felt it. She was the most unique human he had ever met, perhaps it was the reason he fell so hard for her.
"Listen Winter...I didn’t come to fight. I came to see you and wish you yet another happy birthday. I don’t know why you bother but maybe it’s in the spirit." He kissed her on the cheek and made small talk, small being the diamond on her finger and the very public proposal that took place just seconds before he arrived. He found his way to the date he sent off in a hurry. He wanted out of here, of the confines of this party and the fact she was only a floor away from him.
He was wound tight and needed to feed before he bothered with the altercation that was bound to come from his next meeting with Bri. He had expected anything from her but what he got. She had been so wound tight he felt her emotions clearer than ever before. She had never been an open book he could read. He had to dig for pieces and scraps of what went on in her head. It had always intrigued him until tonight. Tonight she was willing to lay it out on the table in hopes he would come running.
He wanted to, but he was scared he would end up hurting her with the shit storming through his head. When he motioned for his date to come, like a lap dog she did and they made their way to the door.
"Leaving so soon?" Bri asked from the staircase behind him. He spun and was almost face to face with her as she descended the final three stairs.
"Dinner date." He replied in clipped tones. He was seething, wanting nothing more right now than to unravel the connection between them, snap it in half and walk away because he wasn’t a toy she could play with. Like all things he too could break.
Bri looked over his shoulder and seemed unfazed by his comment. "She looks yummy." Her tone was unemotional as she leaned into the rail.
Snap
"Sorry, need something?"
"I guess to say goodbye. Unless of course you’re coming back?" Was she playing him?
"For what purpose? I came to tell a friend best wishes and
nothing
else."
That grabbed her attention because that perfect smile was gone and in its place was a cold hard stare. "A phone call would have done the trick. Considering how important it is for you to keep in touch with your
friends
." She took a step toward him.
"Well sure, but see Winter knows why I am leaving, busy night ahead of me." He took two steps to counter her one and they stood toe to toe. "See I'm not disappearing on her without reason. I have manners you see, when I care for someone."
Bri laughed but there was no humor in the sound. "Have fun, hope dinner is great." She turned to walk away when he caught her arm.
"I’m sure she will taste fine." He whispered so only Bri would hear.
"Hope she knows what she is getting herself into."
He stepped back and looked Briar dead in the eye and spoke in a blatant matter of fact tone that chilled even himself. "She knows, has known for the last seven months. That’s the thing about mistakes Bri, you just didn’t know you were mine."
*
She slapped him along the side of his face but he didn’t flinch. "I... hate...you." Her voice cracked when she spoke those words
. It killed her to say them. She had to leave for the sake of her pride and gather her be Brings, determined that when she came back down she would not let what they had end on these terms. Now she wanted him gone. She looked at his date who was eyeing her like the plague. "Your dinners getting cold."
"She won’t be running away I assure you, that was your roll." The music had been turned down to a silent hum but neither one of them noticed the crowed that had formed around them.
Bri laughed and spoke without a moment’s hesitation. "Tell her she's your life Fangs and see what she does then." She clapped a hand over her mouth at the realization she spoke aloud. The look Fangs gave her was crushing. Those were words he thought and never spoke aloud.
He raised an eyebrow at her, seeing the mistake in her eyes and knowing she was right at the same time. “I never said that to you Briar.”
“Your right, I misspoke.” She said it as simply as she could work to keep her voice from betraying her. “Run along Fangs.”
“Quick to let me go aren’t you Pretty Girl?” That seductive voice said wrapping around her like a blanket of heat and passion. “Miss guided words or the truth is pointless at this juncture. You
were
my life”- He didn’t finish when her head flashed up and she stared at him, shock and passion and anger rushing through her veins. She hated him the most in that moment for what he made her feel.
“What?” Bri asked, her voice thick with….hope? Damit!
“
Were
, you
were
my life. You barely exist at this point Bri.”
The room spun at the tone of his voice as he spoke through gritted teeth. Anyone who knew Fangs as well as Bri knew that it was not anger that fueled his cruel words. It was pain, pain because she had rejected him and walked away. Same as he was doing now. Tears spilled from the corners of her eyes and she was too struck by his words to hide them.