Author's Note: Hello everyone, here is the next installment. I received all of your emails and comments and I do appreciate all of them, they're my motivation to keep writing. I hope you enjoy this installment and haven't given up on me. Ciao Bellas
*****
It was nights like these that Analise both loved and hated. She sat on the veranda of her studio painting. The night was breezy and the warm wet south Florida air was comforting. The moon was high in the sky and Analise looked up at it often as she contemplated where her life had brought her. She missed her son. His face floated around in her consciousness. It wasn't the beaten and bruised face that had plagued her mind for the longest. It was the image a sweet bright eyed boy with the gaze of his father and the quiet observance of his mother. She wanted him back, to hold him once more.
Analise looked down at the canvas before her and saw that face smiling back. She trusted her little boy to Durante and part of her still did but with that trust came a longing ache in her heart. The painting turned into the bloody face of her twenty three year old son in her mind's eye and she looked away. This was the same veranda that she stood from to watch Durante"punish" Gian.
Every bloody wet blow wretched at her heart but she'd convinced herself that this was for the best. Now, she couldn't convince herself of that any longer. She watched as Durante, splattered with Gian's blood, stalk angrily into the house and two of his men pick up his unconscious body and dragged him away. She regretted that night for it was the last time she saw Gian.
She heard a sound from the French doors and turned to see her mate standing at the door. She smiled sullenly at his appearance. He was normally dressed to the t but she loved to see him unbuttoned with his dark wavy hair a bit mussed and in his face. He didn't look like the tyrant he was known as.
"Dulcezza" He said addressing her in Italian.
"Amore mio," She answered as he made his way towards her.
"I miss him," She said in her native tongue, an older version of the Italian language, one that only her mate understood.
Durante nodded showing a measure of empathy. He held out his hand she took it without hesitation. He pulled her up and wrapped her in his arms.
"You've trusted me," He stated softly with a reverence that showed how much he knew of her emotions.
"Dulcezza Amore, My son, the one you've given me, I've taken care of for the past three years. Yes, I've been hard on him but it was to make him strong, to turn him into a man. I've afforded him the very best and I've gotten him help. I'm so pleased to tell you that he's doing so well. He's endeavored to make both me and you proud."
"Has he?" Analise asked dejectedly. How could she be sure of anything he said."I haven't spoken to him since he left. It's hard to even believe he's still alive."
Durante pulled away to look into his mate's eyes. He gave her a small wry smile that scared Analise for a moment."Ask me, Dulcezza; ask me for anything this moment and I'll give it to you."
His smile turned from sinister to infectious as she realized what he was offering."Amore mio vida, Can I speak with him? Can I see him?"
"Yes" He said pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Tonight?" She pushed.
He chuckled, kissing her again."Unfortunately not so soon but before the year is out"
******
Stefan watched Gian pace his bedroom for a while before he made himself known.
"Took your time there, didn't you?" Gian quipped as soon as he saw Stefan.
"Don't be a dick; I'm on your side." Stefan said as he made his way to the bathroom door.
He could tell Delia was in the bathroom pacing as Gian was.
Stefan knocked,"Delia, its Stefan"
After a few seconds the door slowly opened and Delia looked out. She let out a sigh of relief as she stepped back to let him in.
"You let him in but not me?! You barely know him!" Gian shouted in frustration when he saw her.
"I know he's not a monster or crazy person!" She shot back. Gian didn't seem hurt by that statement like Stefan thought he'd be, he seemed more provoked than anything.
"He's not a monster!? Guess what honey, he-"
"Shut up, Gian. Find a seat somewhere!" Stefan shouted cutting him off before slipping into the bathroom.
"What am I going to do?" Delia asked softly when Stefan shut the door behind him,"I gave up everything for him and now..."
"Now, what?" Stefan asked taking a seat on the toilet seat to watch Delia pace. She seemed a little on edge, maybe frustrated, and a little frightened but not hysteric as Stefan suspected.
"Now he's...crazy. Is he? I mean he thinks he is a vampire or maybe he is. He has fangs, Stefan! Did you know? Of course you knew, you tried to warn me but I was so...stupid."
"You know," Stefan said speaking calmly hoping she would do the same."He's been a vampire the whole time. From the day you met him until now."
Delia paused, thinking about what he said. She didn't look convinced.
"He's the same Gian you fell in love. You still do love him."
"I-I still can't wrap my mind around this whole vampire thing, like he could kill me."
"Calm down, Ms. Melodramatic, this isn't twilight. Gian would never hurt you. He was born a vampire and is in control of whatever he does, he's not some rabid beast only concerned with bloodlust."
"But he hunts humans. He drinks their blood. By his very nature he hurts people."
"The only way he hurts people is by being a dick to everyone."
"But-"
"We are civilized we feed from bagged blood, donated blood from compensated donors. That's one of the businesses Gian's father deals in."
"We? Are you a vampire too?"
