Page 15 of Princess
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~Nadira~
“You are goingto have to speak to me eventually, imp!” Teague said, standing next to Nadira as she sat at the kitchen table. She had been minding her own business, drinking a glass of her favorite blood type, AB positive, when Teague came into the kitchen, pleading for her to speaktohim.
“No, I don’t,” she responded, not looking up from her book. It had been a week since the night she snuck out to her date withCooper.
“Ha!” He grabbed the chair next to her and sat down on it backwards. “You justspoke!”
“You could have spoken up for me,” she started. He opened his mouth to speak but she held up her hand. “But no, you go right along with the other brothers, intimidatingmymate!”
“He’s not your mate, Naddy,” he said, using her childhoodnickname.
“How would you know? When a person meets their mate, they know. It hits them here.” She slammed her open palm on her chest above her heart. “Have you found your mate? Do you know how it feels to look at a person for the first time and just feel a connection? Like finally two halves are moving together. Feeling almost complete?” His face filled with regret. He tried to say something, but no words passed. He closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair. “You guys took that from me!” She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes beforetheyfell.
“Naddy, I’m sorry…” hetrailedoff.
“I’m not,” Nicu said, interrupting from the kitchen entrance. He glared at Teague, nodding for him to leave. Teague looked to her first; she looked back down at her book, dismissing him. He sighed as he lefttheroom.
“He’s not your mate, Nadira,” Nicu continued, sitting down at the table across from her. She continued to ignore him, refusing to look up at him. “I know you’re not really reading the book. Look at me, Naddy.” She rolled her eyes as he too, used her childhood nickname. She sat back in her chair as she looked at her eldestsibling.
She wished that her parents were here so that she could speak to her mother. The king had business in Paris and the queen naturally went with him.For support, the queen claimed, but everyone knew the shopping in Paris drew her to travel withtheking.
“Nicu, just let it be. You got what you wanted,” she sighed as she closed her book, setting it on thetable.
“Seeing you sad and moping around the house is not what I wanted. I’m trying to protect you,” he said, massaging histemples.
“From my mate?” She could feel her eyebrows almost reach her hairline. “Why would I need protectionfrommy—”
“Enough!” Nicu roared, slamming his hand down on the table. “The human is not good enough to be your mate. You need a strong vampire to mate with! Our line cannot be polluted by a human’sblood!”
“Our line? I have nothing to do with our line! That is between you, Toma, Adrian, and Teague. Your children will carry on the family name, not mine!” She stood up suddenly, yelling. She was so much smaller than her older brother was. Even her standing in front of him, they were still eye level. His eyes narrowed on her, locking on her, causing a shiver to slide down her spine. She knew she went too far.She was talking to Nicu. No one yelled at him, except the king, and Nadira was definitely nottheking.
“Sit down, Nadira,” his voice remained low and calm. She knew better than to test him. She quickly sat back down in her chair. “You are the vampire princess and you matter to this family. Your children may not carry our last name, but they will still carry Olaru blood and will be just as important as if their last name was Olaru.” He looked away for a second before turning his eyes back toNadira.
“Why do you hate humans so much?” she askedquietly.
“You know that the Dark Shadows’ mission is to hunt down the rogue vampires, protect our people and that of humans, even though they do not know of ourexistence.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” shepointedout.
“A human male cannot protect you as you should be,” he said, crossing his arms across his massivechest.
“From what? When have I ever beenthreatened?”
“The current threat is being handled. You do not need to worry. You are not to leave this house without an escort again.” He stood, walking towards thekitchendoor.
“What are you talking about? I deserve to know!” she followed, yelling at his back. He paused atthedoor.
“We are handling it,” he answered without looking at her and stalked out thekitchen.
That answer was not good enough for her. She ran through the house looking for her brother Adrian. She knew that she had him wrapped around her little finger and he would tell her what she wanted to know. She knew that she was lucky to have four older brothers who loved her, but they could be smothering at times. She held a special relationship with eachofthem.
With Teague, they were two years apart and had always been thick as thieves. As children, they were always getting into trouble together. He understood her like no one else could as if they had a special sibling bond. When she wanted to learn more than self-defense, he was there to teach her to master the art of combat andweaponry.
Toma, twelve years older than her, still looked at her as if she was still that little girl that would run to him for protection. She never had to worry when she was scared or afraid; she knew that Toma would keep her safe. When Nadira was eight years old, a nasty thunderstorm woke her up in the middle of the night. She didn’t run to their parents’ room for safety, but to Toma’s room. She would knock two times, pause, then knock two more times, then enter his room. He wouldn’t say a word, but pull back the covers so that she could huddle in the bed with him to wait out thestorm.
Adrian, seventeen years her senior, was wrapped around her finger so tight, that she could pretty much make him tell or do anything she wanted. There were no secrets between the two of them. Adrian was who she was most comfortable speaking with about any matter. When she was younger, he would provide her with cover stories when she would sneak out to hang out with herfriends.
