CHAPTER 22
"Excuse me. Did you say sleep with the enemy?" I asked, having a little problem contemplating what Cristoforo had just said.
Roberto tried to clarify, "Not sleeping with the enemy literally Piccolina. But we thought you may be a good candidate to infiltrate their ranks to get information so that we can stay a step ahead of the bastards."
"I dont know Roberto, I honestly dont know if I could be around them, knowing what they did to my parents, without being sick." I shuddered at the thought of having to act like they were anything else but the criminals they were.
"We would never even consider sending you on a mission like this until youre fully trained to use your abilities. This is not something we even have to discuss at this time and Cristoforo should not have brought it up." Roberto said as he turned and scowled at his brother. Cristoforo smiled.
"Were still going to go after Alex arent we?" I asked worriedly.
"Looks like you might have a little competition bro." Cristoforo smirked.
Roberto sighed, "When are you going back to Italy little brother?"
"I dont know, I was going to go straight back." He leaned his long body against the wall. "But things back home arent as interesting as they are here. This could be fun to watch."
Roberto ignored him and said, "Yes were still going after Alexander. I want to get things ready but I think we should be able to leave the night after tomorrow."
"And just what am I supposed to do while all of you are off on a grand adventure?" Janel complained.
Giving her a tolerant look that a mother would give
182 a five year old I said, "This is not going to be fun you know. These Guardians are seriously evil. Its scary to hear them speak of their purpose on earth. They are more dangerous than your average run of the mill fanatical."
Janel had the sense to look abashed at her childish remark.
I tried to stifle a yawn, but Roberto caught it, "You should go to bed Cara. You will need a good nights rest for all of your training tomorrow. Let me show you what room you and Janel will share."
Cristoforo pushed himself away from the wall, "That means that I have to share a room with one of you guys?"
Juan said, "Oh no amigo, you arent bunking in my room. In my four hundred years walking this earth, I have never woken up next to a dude. Well that once in Mexico after a night of too much tequila but..."
Cristoforo headed toward the door, "I will find my own place to sleep."
Roberto warned him, "Be careful you dont end up in the morgue again."
I looked at Roberto for an explanation and he shook his head at me, "You dont want to know. Lets just say that over the years Cristoforo has been a handful."
Roberto led Janel and I upstairs to the bedroom next to his. Janel went in ahead of us and I told her, "Ill be right in okay?"
She winked, "Sure, take your time. Im going to hop in the shower so I wont hear anything going on out here."
She closed the door and I stood awkwardly in front of Roberto, suddenly feeling shy. Roberto looked uncomfortable also. "You know Piccolina, it has just occurred to me you may have been on to something with us and sex."
I at once felt hurt and he noticed and hastily said, "Its not what you think. But were both standing here
183 feeling awkward, and I think that we became intimate too soon. We dont know each other well at all do we? When this mission to rescue Alexander is over, we will do some old fashioned dating. What do you say?"
I was touched by his proposal, "Of course, it sounds wonderful. Can we take the boat out on the lake?"
Roberto hugged me tight. "Sure, we can take the boat out, and I know the perfect place for moonlight picnic."
I hugged him back and for the first time in days felt happy. Thinking about Roberto and I having a moonlight picnic under the stars, all alone, his soft touches, his passionate kisses, his hard body made me get goose bumps. Roberto noticed my mounting desire and said, "I had better go before I change my mind about you catching up with Janel. It is very difficult to deny myself your delicious body, but I can handle it." He tilted my chin back and looking deeply into my eyes he lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me softly, once and then twice and murmured against my mouth, "At least I think that I can handle it." He pulled away and ran a hand through his long hair in a frustrated gesture. With one last look of longing, turned and walked down the hall. With a big sigh of resignation, I opened the door and went inside. Janel was still in the shower and I found the packages that we had purchased tonight were sitting on the bed. Yeah! Normal clothes for a change.
I went through the bags looking for the pajamas I had picked out and blushed when I pulled out the leather mini skirt. I shoved it back in the bag and couldnt help but think about wearing it for Roberto. I found the silk pajama and laid them on the bed to wear after my shower.
Janel came out of the bathroom, looking as lovely as ever, in boy boxer shorts and a short t-shirt and looked at my pajamas laid out on the bed, "When I saw your outfit tonight I had high hopes that you had an extreme makeover
184 since I last saw you." Janel sighed. "But I can see your back to your old boring ways." She laughed.
"Oh yeah, Miss Smarty Pants, when Im through with my shower Ill show you the rest of what I bought and make you eat your words." I replied as I went into the bathroom. The shower felt wonderful and putting on the silk pajamas made me feel as if I took a step back to normalcy. When I came out of the bathroom, Janel was sitting on the bed holding a cup of steaming hot chocolate. I looked around for my cup, knowing that Janel wouldnt have dared to only get a cup for herself. She knows I love hot chocolate. I spotted another cup on the dresser next to a gift-wrapped box.
"Was this here before?" I asked her. "I didnt notice it earlier."
Janel laughed, "I did thats why I put chocolate next to it. How you could not notice what is obviously a jewelry box, I cant imagine."
I picked it up and looked at it. It was wrapped in blue paper with a silver bow on it.
Janel said impatiently, "Well open it for heavens sakes. Ive been waiting forever."
I unwrapped the box and took off the lid rather slowly, almost afraid of what I would find in it.
Inside was a beautiful necklace with a large grey stone on a silver chain.
Janel came closer, "Its beautiful...I wonder what kind of stone it is?"
Underneath the necklace was a note, in a flowing old-fashioned script that said,
My beautiful Olivia, This stone reminds me of your eyes, how they can look like the stormy sea when you are upset or the silvery moon when they burn with desire. The stone is a bloodstone and is special to my people. These stones are given to warriors to protect them and their lifeblood. Wear this and always think of me and the warrior
185 strength you hold inside.
The note was signed with a scrolling R.
Janel sighed, "That guy may be on my list for pushing you into a relationship too fast but he gets points for being romantic. I wonder why his brother is such an a*shole?"
I unclasped the necklace to put it around my neck and Janel came over to help me.
"He is a bit rough around the edges isnt he?" I said.
"Rough? Once again you are being too nice. He is rude and totally obnoxious. And he likes to cause trouble." Janel trailed off obviously referring to tonights argument I had with Roberto.
"Yeah, youre right. Plus theres something about him that makes me uncomfortable. He has a hardness about him. But its more than that. Its like the hardness goes beyond him. It goes all the way to his soul. And his soul has been separated from the rest of him and is on another plane." I stopped talking and realized I had been in a different place for a minute.
Janel was standing in front of me now and I dont remember her moving there.
Janel said a little nervously, "Wow, that was weird. You seemed like you were almost in a trance."
I laughed though it sounded a bit hollow, "Dont be silly, Im just tired. It seems that everyday brings a new twist into my life."
I hugged her, "Did I tell you how glad I am that youre here with me? Im going to need you to help me with this training stuff. I keep envisioning a boot camp or something. And you know how I cant even go to the gym more than once a week. This is so going to suck!"
"It shouldnt be too bad. Are these day guards cute?" Janel asked quite seriously. It was a motivator for her.
She could train at the gym for hours if there were
186 hot trainers working with her. If not she would lose interest in ten minutes and head for the juice bar.
"Theyre not bad. I think one of them, Mark, is an ex-navy seal." I said with a smile. Lets see her try and get Mark under her magic spell.
Janel got serious then, "Olivia do you want to talk about what happened to your parents? It may help to talk about it."
I sat on the bed and wrapped my arms around my knees, "Im not sure I want to talk about how they were, you know killed. I want to remember them the way they were, full of life and laughter. I cant remember ever seeing them mad at each other. I guess I can be glad that they went together. Neither of them would have wanted to be left without the other."
Janel sat beside me, "You know what I remember the most about your parents? The way that they looked at you. With such pride and joy and love pouring out at you. You know I never told you this but I was jealous of the way your parents loved you. It sucked having grown up in foster care. Your family is the only one I ever had. Whenever we would go to your place during spring breaks or the holidays, I would pretend that I was your sister and they were as proud of me as they were of you. And if only for a little bit I would feel loved and cared for like you."
"Oh Janel, how can you not know that they did love you like you were their own. They were so proud the day you graduated from nursing school."
Janel and I were quiet for a minute. Each lost in the thoughts of the people we had both loved and would miss. "My only regret is, I didnt get to say a proper goodbye to them. Thats something else the Guardians will pay for one day." I vowed.
Janel said, "I get a little creeped out hearing you talk about revenge and that sort of thing. It goes against everything you are."
187 "It goes against everything I was. But all of that was taken away from me when I found my parents with their throats slit. Now I just want the bastards who are responsible to pay for their sins."
Janel shook her head, "Im still sad to see my sweet little Olivia become a Rambo or something."
"Ummm, not Rambo. How about Xena, warrior princess?" I asked while striking what I thought would be a warrior pose.
Janel rolled her eyes, "How about more like a Barbie princess?"
"I am so not a Barbie princess type. That is totally you with your Jimmy Chu shoe wearing, Prada purse carrying, Channel smelling butt!" I hit her with the pillow and we both ended up falling over with laughter. We laid there for a while, thankful to have some normalcy in the wake of all that had happened.
"Well then, I guess I better get my beauty sleep." Janel said tucking herself under the covers.
"Ill be right behind you, I just want to run next door and give Roberto a quick thank you for the necklace." I said as I headed for the door.
Janel snorted, "It better be quick. Dont blame me if you cant keep up tomorrow."
It really was my intention to say thank you, give him a quick kiss and get myself to bed; my own bed. I went next door to Robertos room and knocked softly. No answer. I didnt think it was dawn yet so I turned the knob and went inside and stood frozen as I watched the naked backside of Roberto pounding into a blond woman who was on all fours in front of him.