Page 23 of Of Fate & Forbidden Desire

“That's mental,” I murmured, taking in the underground car park we'd turned into. It looked like any other but there was a small booth, manned by two men, who scrambled to push past each other in their haste to get to Dina's car as it slowed to a stop.

“Adrina, you're back.” The blonde haired man asked, his lips tipping up in a smirk as she left the car.

“Mikalous, you still down here?” Dina quipped back at him, her tone more of a growl than what I was used to, making him lose the smirk, “I'd have thought by now you would have earned your spot back amongst the hunters by now.” She glared at the man as I shrunk back into my seat.

“As grumpy as usual I see,” the second man mused, his gaze moving past Dina and locking onto myself, “and you've brought a snack.”

His words drew my attention to him as he leaned further around Dina's body and I noticed the small white points resting on his bottom lip, as his eyes flashed from a murky green to bright red.

“Touch her and I'll happily send you to your maker, Thomas,” Dina growled, moving her body to block my view of the men and theirs of me.

“Jeez,touchy much,” Thomas said, to which Dina didn't answer, before I heard the clink of metal on metal and she turned to face me.

“Come on Charleene, let's get you settled.” Her tone softened slightly, less of a growl to her words, as she addressed me. Unable to do anything but nod, I unclipped my seatbelt, and with fear pooling in my gut, pushed open my car door. “Don't you dare scratch my paintwork.” Dina growled at Thomas and Mikalous, pinning them both with a glare as I tentatively moved around the car and stood at her back.

Grabbing my hand in hers, she tugged me away from the two vampires, who stared after us wearing very different expressions. Thomas watched us with a calculating look in his eyes that I didn't like, while Mikalous looked at us with confusion, before a wide pillar blocked my view of them.

“Pay them no notice, they’re working down here in the car park as a punishment.” Dina explained, making me wonder what they'd done to be punished for.

Dina tugged me towards a metal lift, her steps brisk before she jabbed the 'G’ button and enclosed us in the small silver box. The mirror on the back wall showed me a stranger looking back at me. My eyes were shadowed, my blonde hair frizzy and my clothes rumpled. I looked nothing like my usual self and that bothered me as we stepped out into a bright, gleaming foyer. People milled about, some going to the long desk, with shining gold panelling and black lettering that announced it as ‘reception.’ While others either lounged on the comfy looking seating or left out the revolving front door.

It reminded me of the pictures I'd seen of posh hotels that I'd never had the money to afford to stay in. Dropping Dina's hand I spun around slowly on the spot, gazing at everything in turn. A grand chandelier hung from the scalloped ceiling. Sunlight streamed in through the floor to ceiling plate glass windows, hitting the jewels in the chandelier and making rainbows dance upon the white and silver veined marble floor.

My mouth hit the floor as I watched bell-hops push gold framed trolleys with luggage to and from the four lifts that were along the wall next to reception. Eachperson pushing them were dressed the same in smart black uniforms with silver thread depicting a logo, which I guessed belonged to the hotel.

“Are you coming?” Dina’s amused tone broke into my appreciation of the beautiful building around us and I noticed she'd continued walking towards the large desk.

“What? Are we staying here?” I whispered. Flabbergasted that I was standing in such a fine place let alone going to be staying here.

“Yes, this is the only hotel here.” Dina responded and from the crease between her brows she didn't understand my awe.

“But it's too grand a place for me.” I said, drawing next to her and glancing around again. When I looked at her again she was watching me with a mixture of confusion and concern.

"It's a hotel Charleene, how can it be too grand for you to stay in?” she asked.

“Look at this place,” I said in response, waving my hand at the lavish decoration around us, “it has a god-damn chandelier, then there's me.” I finished in a self-conscious hiss.

“There's nothing wrong with you, you're beautiful and just as deserving as anyone to stay in nice places.” Dina stated, cupping my cheek in her hand. My breaths stalled for a moment at her honest tone, and my brain struggled with the word beautiful being applied to me.

“But I'm nobody special,” I whispered, fixing my gaze on the marble floor beneath my feet.

A soft finger gently tipped my face up and Dina's dark brown eyes met my own. They searched them for something before they crinkled at the edges, “One day you'll see yourself as others do and when you do, you're going to surprise yourself.” Her kind words brought tears to my eyes but I refused to let them spill.

“Thanks but you don't need to lie, I know who…” My words trailed off as I realised that statement was no longer true. I didn't know myself did I? Trying to smile back at her and obviously not succeeding by Dina's increased frown, Isucked my feelings down and shoved them as deep as I could, “Come on then, show me more of this fancy pants hotel.”

Dina scrutinised my face for a minute or two more before taking my hand again and leading me to the reception desk and the blonde haired woman behind it.

“Do you have a reservation?” she sneered, giving me the once over and obviously finding me lacking in some way. Her forest green eyes then flicked to Dina beside me and they widened before she got herself under control.

“I don't need one,” Dina retorted, making the woman's face turn chalk white.

“No, of course not. Let me check if your usual suite is available.” The woman—Deliha, her name tag proclaimed— stumbled over her own words in her haste to get them out.

Dina didn't acknowledge her with a response, instead turning towards myself, “I'll get you settled, then I need to check in with the Coven.” I glanced around warily as she spoke about the Coven so openly. Noticing my unease, she smiled, “it's ok everyone in here is a Super.”

My heart rate slowed a little as I understood that no one was going to shriek or run away. “Ok,” I mumbled, still shaken by the receptionist's appraisal.

Deliha had us checked in quickly, as though her haste would make up for her previous blunder, and then we were, well Dina was striding, meanwhile I was more waddling quickly, towards the bank of lifts.

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