A Legacy of the Damned: Daughter of Astaroth

Chapter 43 - The Wrong Woman

The fingers underneath my chin hold my face up. Her face is aloof and severe and her dark green eyes are sharp with intelligence as she surveys my every feature. I feel as though she's drilling a hole inside my head, seeing right through me and I don't like it. I want her to stop touching me and leave. But I hold my tongue while I keep my eyes on her, watching her watching me.

I'm sitting beside Tata Bijou in the sitting area in Sacha's suite. The cool breeze is blowing in from the open balcony doors.

The woman is stylish and regal looking, not the typical warm and sweet grandmotherly type at all. Her dark, chin-length hair is sprinkled with grey. She's wearing a long tan skirt with flats, and an ivory and red floral printed top. A red silk scarf is knotted at her throat. She could be anywhere from sixty to seventy-seven.

Her eyes keep assessing me and the silence is unnerving but I refuse to drop my gaze. Inside, I'm bracing myself for harsh, judgemental words like the ones Antoine was peppering Sacha with about me.

"Astaroth's chosen offspring. One of his princesses," she murmurs, turning my face this way and that as though she's inspecting a piece of antique for value or a thoroughbred racehorse for purchase. I half expect her to open my mouth and inspect all my teeth next. "Never thought I'd see one up close, nor did I ever think that one would end up with my Sacha." Then she lets go of my chin and casually pours us tea from a silver pot, adding, "At least your children will be beautiful."

Uhhh...what? I try to come up with something to say but I've got nothing. My brow creases in confusion.

She makes a gesture as if ordering me to eat before she picks up her own tea to daintily sip it.

On the coffee table in front of us is a big plate filled with a selection of pastries- chouquettes, brasillé, et gibassier, slices of baguette slathered with preserves, and a bowl of fresh-cut fruit in yogurt.

I sit quietly, chewing on a tartine while watching the lady beside me with wary eyes. She confounds me. I don't know what to think of her.

"It shouldn't have come as a surprise, my great-nephew has always loved danger," she continues. "He's such a defiant boy and you're the kind of girl mothers warn their sons about. So, naturally, he's drawn to you...and like all of our men, he's cursed." She shakes her head. "The heart wants what it wants."

This is the second time today that I heard the word, "curse". Why did she say that he's cursed? What does that mean?

I didn't want to talk to her in the beginning and I was hoping that she'd leave soon but now my curiosity is piqued. "What do you mean he's cursed? He looked just fine to me."

An amusement flicker on her face, but it's quickly replaced by her usual cool assessment. If I wasn't watching her very closely, I would have missed it. If I didn't know better, it looked to me as though she's pleased with my question or my interest to know more about Sacha. But I always want to know more about Sacha.

"Oh, physically, he's fine, my Sacha. But all Gauthier men are cursed," she announces. "They are cursed to fall in love only once in their lifetime. Once their heart chose "the one", there's no going back and there's no one else for them. Unfortunately, some of them fell for the wrong women."

"The wrong women...a woman like me, Astaroth's daughter." I nod. "You want me to go."

"No, child," she says, leaning forward to look me in the eye. "I'm not telling you to go, nor am I telling you to stay.

"What I'm telling you is that my great nephew's heart is set on you and no one else. No other man will love you more or will be as loyal. He will do everything in his power to protect you. I'm saying that unless you're willing to do the same and unless he's what you want, you should let him go.

"Others might have a problem because you're Astaroth's daughter. But in the end, that doesn't really matter. What really matters is where your heart and loyalty truly lie. This is about you having one foot on our side while another still firmly planted in Astaroth's. You're still a wild card and that won't do.

"You're either fully in or you're out. You're either Astaroth's or you're ours. It's either you're being totally honest with him or you let him be. Anything less and you're going to hurt my Sacha very badly. You have to make up your mind and fast."

*****

Half an hour after Tata Bijou left, I'm still sitting on the sofa, thinking and that's where Sacha finds me when he gets back.

"Hello, princess," he says, folding his tall figure right next to me. His arms are instantly reaching out for me. "I'm sorry I had to leave you by yourself. How are you feeling?" he asks, gathering me close, burying his face in my neck, inhaling deeply.

I close my eyes, enjoying our closeness, wishing it would last forever.

"I'm fine," I reply, studying his handsome face when he pulls back to look at me. His hands are warm on my waist. If he's stressed, none of it is showing in his expression.

"Really?" Now he's studying me. "I heard that Gaby brought you breakfast." He pauses before he adds, "I also heard that Tata Bijou came."

"Yeah, I had breakfast," I say, nodding. "And your great aunt stopped by. She's...umm...blunt."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. I don't mind blunt," I tell him. Maybe I needed it.

"Tell you what, let me make it up to you. Let me take you out. Tonight," he says, dragging his thumb down my face and across my lips. A smile is now forming on his own firm sexy lips. "I've never taken you out on a proper date. You deserve to be wined and dined." He takes out his phone. "I'll make us a reservation."

"Sacha." I cover the screen of his phone and he looks up expectantly. "I appreciate that you want to take me out. I truly do, but I think we should talk."

"Okay..."

I move out of his arms to slide and sit about a foot away from him and his eyes narrow. His warm expression suddenly turns cool and wary.

"I heard about the curse and I heard you said that you loved me."

His eyebrow rises. "You did?" His body becomes taut and his piercing hazel eyes grow warier.

I nod. "I did. But Sacha, you couldn't have loved me."

"Why not?"

I swallow hard, dreading what I'm about to tell him. "Because you don't know the real me," I say, tearing my gaze away from him.

"Princess," he sighs. His voice softens. "I already know that you're no angel." He tries to reach for me again but I quickly scramble to get to my feet.

"Your father was right. I killed my nanny Freyja," I blurt out.

He's silent for a whole minute after my outburst before he says, "I know...Astaroth must have made you do it."

"No." I shake my head. "No one made me do it. I did it all by myself. I picked up the gun, aimed it at her head and pulled the trigger." I blink, staring at the bright sky outside, trying to get rid of the last vivid memory of Freyja.

More silence meets my confession and I inhale and exhale slowly and deeply keeping my eyes away from him.

"You were only seven," he says finally. His voice is hoarse as though it hasn't been used in a long time. "She must have done something to deserve it."

Again, I shake my head. A tear is rolling down my cheek. Freyja was perfect. She did nothing but loved me.

"Tell me what happened. Tell me exactly what happened, sweetheart."

I close my eyes and more tears spill down my face. How could he call me sweetheart after my ugly confession?

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Hello dearies!

So, my next update is going to be on Tuesday evening (est). If you want to read 4 chapters ahead, go to:

https://Inkitt.app.link/RA_NicoleRidd3y

Have a great weekend and pls stay safe!

XOXOXO

Nicole♥