Payment

King

Note: Rewritten but not triple checked for spelling and grammatical errors. If you see any feel free to comment.

"Vera, can I ask you a question?" I hummed as I helped her peel the potatoes. Dominik had asked for some time to talk to Amaria alone, something that made me a little uneasy but I wanted to trust him. After everything that's happened, how couldn't I.

"Yes, what is it?" She flashed a smile my way, her hand working fast as she re-chopped the vegetables I had botched earlier.

"Is everyone here wolves?" I asked, placing my peeled potato into a large glass bowl and grabbing a new, ready to be skinned one. Sliding the knife under the skin, I listen closely, waiting for an answer. I was curious about the wolves, unlike the vampires. Maybe, it's because of Dominik's kindness that I feel more comfortable with knowledge of his kind. He still hasn't shown me proof, but I believed him anyway. There was so much evidence showing that he wasn't human, so why should I doubt someone who has never done me wrong. I mean, if vampires exist then why can't man shifting into wolves? It also begs to question why he doesn't age. I still hadn't gotten the courage to ask him about that.

"Everyone who works here, yes." She chuckled softly. "Including me. Are you afraid?"

"No, that's not why I asked." I sighed. "I'm just curious, that's all."

"Has Dominik explained to you exactly who he is?" She asked, taking my bowl of skinned potatoes. I watched her hands move as she grabbed one and cut it into cubes. There was no hesitation in her work and no flaw.

"No, not yet." Placing my half peeled potato on the table, I looked to the ceiling and took a deep breath. It was hot in here due to the ovens and the heat didn't help my slightly aching shoulder. The fabric of my dress rubbing against my sore, stitched wound causing it to throb in pain. I guess the effect of Dominik could only last for so long before it began to wear off. It wasn't unbearable. It was nothing I couldn't handle. It was more of a discomfort than a pain, really. "I kind of have a guess, though."

"And what would that be?" I jumped at the deep mans voice in place of Vera's. Looking behind me, I found Dominik walking in, a charming smile on his face.

He seemed happy, sort of. It was hard to tell but something told me there was a thorn in his side, something he didn't want to face. I couldn't see him trying to hide his emotions from me, but that's not to say he wouldn't suppress them for his own sake. I didn't comment of the secondary expression laying underneath. Instead, I shot him a smile back.

"King?" I asked spinning around on the stool.

"How did you know?" He came to stand right before me. Looking up at him closer, I knew that something was off. He was smiling but his eyes held a certain frustration.

"Something Giovanni had said a while back. There was also this painting I saw at the ball." Breaking eye contact, I looked down at my hands, suddenly remembering the folded up canvas somewhere in the dress I had been wearing. Could something have happened with it? I made a mental note to ask Vera about it later. "Did everything go well with-"

I heard him take a deep breath, before a warm hand reached out to pet my head gently. "She's gone. I kind of went overboard, though. I lost my temper, which I really shouldn't have."

"Did you yell at her?" I didn't like this awkward feeling swelling in the pit of my stomach. For some reason I felt shy, like it was strange for me to ask such things. But it wasn't. Though, it felt wrong, I had to come to terms with the fact that I now had a right to ask what I wanted. Gaining some of my confidence back I looked up at him. He looked calmer, his eyes losing their tension.

"Yeah." He chuckled, his shoulders lowering as he began to ease up.

"She's still going to Eliza's funeral, right?" I asked, knowing the answer already. Amaria didn't seem like the kind of person to give up so easily. Until her excuse to be here was up, I didn't think for a moment that this was the last time we are going to see her.

"Unfortunately, yes. There's nothing I can do about that. It's out of respect for both Loraza and Eliza that I can't forbid her to go." He huffed, his hand sliding to the side of my face, his thumb outlining my cheek bone. The pain in my shoulder was barely noticeable, just his touch made it fade to almost nothing.

"It's okay." I didn't like the fact that I'd have to see her again but it really didn't matter. I wasn't going to give up Dominik and I have to trust that he won't choose her. She may have a nasty bite but once her excuse is up, I won't have to see her again. "Can I ask a favor?"

"Anything." He smiled kneeling down before me.

"Can we go to Felix's funeral?" I asked. I wanted to reach out and run my fingers through his thick, black hair but I had potato juice all over my fingers. So instead, I simply watched him as he placed his head in my lap and sighed, hugging my legs and closing his tires eyes.

An image of Felix's childish smile flashed through my head as I remembered how he had attempted to help me. I remembered the little amount of time we had spent together and it squeezed my heart.

"Is Felix that coach boy that was killed?"

"Yes." I wanted to pay my respects to his family. After all, it is my fault he was dead. If it hadn't been for me, he would still be alive and Ana wouldn't have killed anyone. Eliza and Felix, it was all my fault. They should be here right now. I felt a dark blanket cover my heart as I thought about it.

"If that's what you want to do, then yes. I'll find out where and when his funeral will be." His eyes opened to study my face as if he sensed that something was bothering me. Before he could ask, I answered.

"I'm fine." I shook my head slowly, forcing a smile. Accepting that I didn't want to talk about it, he closed eyes again and stroked my calfs.