What the hell was that all about anyway?
Chapter 6
Selena shoved the comforter aside, intending to get dressed. She was ready to leave this place, though she had no idea where she was.
She glanced at the slinky nightgown she was wearing and wondered whose it was. One of Atreides’s vampiress girlfriend’s? Probably the one who got in her face at the dance club and planned to wring her neck before Atreides interceded on Selena’s behalf. She wondered if the woman knew he had loaned the gown to a huntress for the night. The woman would probably rip out his heart, or Selena’s, if she knew. And burn the gown afterward.
Glancing around the room, Selena looked for her dress. There was no sign of it or her sword, and she let out her breath in exasperation.
She heard someone coming and she scampered back under the covers and yanked the blue comforter under her chin.
Instead of Atreides returning with the tray of food, a kindly woman in her forties did. Cheerfully plump, she hurried in, her blond hair swept up on top of her head in an elegant fashion and her green eyes bright with intrigue. She greeted Selena. “I’m glad to see you sitting up, dear. Atreides wished me to bring you something to eat right away, and…” Her mouth twitched in a smile.
“He said you might be concerned about your clothes. I’m washing them. But I’ll…I’ll find something for you to throw on over my nightie. He wasn’t pleased that it was so… revealing. In a pinch late last night, I didn’t have anything else. I think he didn’t like that Jacques was watching over you last night and saw you like that.” The woman winked. “I’m Catherine. I’ve worked for Atreides since he was little. I’m his housekeeper, cook, you name it.”
A vampiress. Selena had thought the woman was a blood bond since she hadn’t shown any animosity toward her.
But then she thought back to the woman’s comments. Despite that Selena was a huntress, she thought that Atreides didn’t mind seeing her in something so revealing. Selena was as confused about the way he viewed her, and she suspected he felt the same way about her. “Thanks, Catherine. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
“He’s a Leo, you know.” Catherine set the tray up and hovered over Selena. Her eyes sparkled with effervescence. “The lion.”
“My father is a Leo. He’s bossy. But then most hunters are.”
“Right. And interfering.”
Yep. Her father wouldn’t let Selena do what she wanted to do. Being a huntress was in her blood. That was the only role she was supposed to play.
“Intolerant.” Catherine gave another winsome smile and folded her arms.
Yeah, that was her father too. He couldn’t tolerate her for seeing things differently from the League views.
“Pompous.”
That described most hunters.
“Patronizing.” Catherine glanced back at the doorway, and Selena wondered if she sensed Atreides was coming.
Selena hadn’t sensed anything, but then she was too busy scarfing down the spicy cheese omelet. “This is really good.”
“Thank you.” Catherine studied Selena again and said, “But that’s just the dark side of a Leo’s personality. He’s also extremely faithful and loving.”
Yeah, her dad was that with her mother. And if Selena had been normal, he probably would have been more loving toward her too. As it was, her sister Rosa was the light of his eye.
“And enthusiastic. Once he gets an idea in mind, he’s hell bent on seeing it through with great enthusiasm.”
Selena nodded.
“And warmhearted.”
Her father was with her mother, yes. But not with Selena.
“Oh, and generous. He’s always helping others in need.”
Selena looked up at the woman. The woman was talking about Atreides, not her father. Yes, she could see that he was like that, taking care of a huntress he wanted no part of.
“And broadminded.”
“That’s the opposite of intolerant.”
“Ah, yes, true. But at times he’s extremely broadminded and at others, extremely intolerant.” Catherine sighed deeply. “So what sign are you, dear?”
“An Aquarius.”
“Honest and loyal. Good.” Catherine glanced over her shoulder, then again faced Selena. “I’ll be right back with a T-shirt.”
Then she vanished.
The woman’s sudden disappearing act reminded her of the shapeshifting vampire who’d bitten her, making her skin crawl.
Just as Selena finished a glass of milk, Catherine was standing beside the bed again. “Here we are, dear. Are you ready to slip this on?”
Catherine’s face wavered and Selena shut her eyes to still the wave of dizziness sweeping through her brain. Selena had experienced the same thing when she’d been bitten.
“Here, I’ll take the tray.”
Selena opened her eyes, but only halfway, and she felt horribly groggy. She tried to touch the back of her head but reached only to her forehead.
“She’s not properly covered yet,” Atreides said, his voice dark and disturbing.
The room seemed to grow dim, and she heard his voice and thought he stood near, but she couldn’t see him for the lack of light. Hadn’t it been daylight? Morning?
“Help me, will you, my lord? The huntress’s arms have become like lead. It’s like dressing the rubbery arms of a babe. And I should know. I used to dress you.”
He snorted.
Selena felt her arms lifted in the air, but she couldn’t see what was happening, only felt the T-shirt slide down her arms, the soft, spring-fresh material brushing over her nose and cheeks, then slipping over her breasts. She felt warmer, but she wasn’t sure if it was the T-shirt or something else, because the warmth seemed to radiate from inside out.
“Why did you go to the club?” Atreides asked.
Selena stared at the darkness where his face should have been.
“Dear, you went to the club to…find someone?” Catherine asked, her voice softness to Atreides’s hardness.
“Twilight?” Atreides asked. “Who is your sister?”
“What’s your name, dear?” Catherine’s hand touched Selena’s and stroked softly.
Selena knew it wasn’t Atreides’s. His hands were big, strong, gripped like a vice, and there was nothing gentle about them. Compelling, sexy, yes, but not soothing.
“Selena, what’s your last name, dear?”
Selena could feel the tension in the air. She sensed her father glowered at her while her mother pitied her.
“I—I’m sorry I can’t be like what you want me to be. I—I tried. You know I did.”
Everyone was silent and she laid her head back against the pillow, craving sleep, desiring to lock away the pain of her existence. No hunter would ever take her as a mate. Not unless she could learn to be more like the rest of them. Not have a mind of her own. Hunters were family oriented. The desire to be part of a family was in their blood. Wouldn’t you know that part of her was perfectly normal?
“What can’t you be like?” her father asked.
Selena frowned. Rub it in. Make me tell you a hundred times why I can’t do it. And explain the reasoning when I don’t know myself!