Chapter 7

Dario’s pov

When Magnus spoke about my Marie like that, saying how he would like her and so on. I was about to rip his head off when she beat me to it.
I was relieved she did, because if it was me I don’t think I would have been able to control my temper so well.

I loved watching her with her hand around his neck growling at him, whilst he tried his best to free himself.
But she was so zoned in on punishing him that she didn’t seem to notice.

And when she bit me…
It took all of my strength not to rip her clothes off and take her right there, Magnus watching or not.
I didn’t care, but I didn’t want to embarrass her like that.

I love how strong she is and how she never takes crap from anyone.

I don’t know what happened last night when we first entered the house and Tim got knocked out after go at her, but I will make sure to ask her.

Now here, we were sat back in my chair behind my desk, Marie was sat on my lap trying to work out how I was so fast.

It was so cute when she squeaked. I couldn’t help but smile as I buried my nose in her hair taking in her sweet scent.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” I asked sitting back trying to look as stern as possible when I noticed Magnus was back in his chair and watching us both as if trying to work something out.

‘Ha, good luck with that,’ I thought to myself.

Yes, he was old and powerful and a lifelong friend and normally a really good guy.

But he has never been very good at working things out or figuring out puzzles.

He looked at me once more and smiled.

“I had a lot of questions to ask you which your parents wanted to know.
But I think a few of them have been answered, but I have many new ones now,” He said vaguely.

“Is being vague one of the requirements to be in your little vampire gang or are you just born like that?” Marie says in a bored tone.
I roll my eyes and tell him to get on with it.

He didn’t seem to know how to react, which was a new thing for him.
He is normally one of the most confident people I knew.

“A message was sent to ‘The Royal Cabinet’ last night by a man who said you were bring back humans to the house and exposing our secret to her so she could tell the world.

“The man also said he was attacked by her and she somehow knocked him out. He is demanding she be given to him so he can drain her.”

I growl and shake with anger at hearing this, immediately know the man he was talking about was Tim.

“If you or anyone touches my beloved I will rip each and every one off your throats out and then feed your remains to the wolves,” I growl feeling my vampire side come out.

Magnus smiled happily, “I thought that might be the case. Your parents and everyone will be so pleased to hear you have finally found her.” He seemed to be quickly warming to Marie, but she just seemed confused by his sudden mood change, but didn’t say anything.

“And as for the man in question, we will tell him to back off and he will do nothing to her. As your mate she is now an official part of ‘The Cabinet’ and touching her would be seen as treason,” He explains.

“Good,” I feel my mood to lighten. “But I will speak to Tim and tell him,” I tell him letting him know.

“Alright, I think that would be a good idea,” He said and looked to Marie. “And, Marie, I would like to tell you I am truly sorry for treating you like that and I shouldn’t of jumped the gun and even if you were a human I should never of treated you that you. I would please beg your forgiveness,” He stood up and got down on his knees in front of us.

She looks at me surprised, I had a similar look.

‘You should forgive him. He was an idiot, but I have never seen him like this before so that most mean something right?’ I tell her through our link, which I still have to explain to her later.

Turning back to him she sighed, “I forgive you, but remember my earlier warning,” She told him.

He looked up from the ground.
“Really?” He asked lowly.

“Yes. Now get your butt off that floor,” She orders him. He jumps up and smiles.

“Yes, ma’am. Just don’t hit me again,” He said, but continued to smile.

**
Marie’s pov

“I like that she intimidates you,” Dario smirk.

Magnus looked between us but didn’t say anything at first.

He had a look as if he wanted to ask something but wasn’t sure.

“Yes? What do you want to ask?” Dario asks while I didn’t really care what the man wanted as long as he didn’t annoy me.

“Hmm, well… Can I ask your beloved a question?” He asks Dario permission.

But I cut in before Dario has a chance to answer, “My name is Marie and if you want to ask me anything I would appreciate if you ask me no one else,” I glare at him annoyed at being talked about as if I wasn’t here or something.

“Yes, whatever she tells you if fine,” Dario simply agrees with me and moves his face deeper into my neck to smell me.

I am in a half daze when Magnus speaks again. Only half listening to him and the rest of me trying to work out why Dario is smelling me so much.

“I am sorry, Ma’am…” I cut him off “It’s MARIE!” I tell him, but then turn my full attention to Dario.

“What are you doing?” I ask him curiously.

“Smelling you,” He says it as if it is the most normal thing.

“Oookkaayyy,” I draw out the word, still none the wiser and turn again to the other man in the room.

Magnus is watching Dario, his eyes full of amusement even though he tries to hide it by not smiling.

“I’ll ask him later,” I say to no one.
“So what did you want to ask?” I am now fully listening to Magnus.

He rubs the back of his neck and looks unsure but still asks. ” I know that most women or at least I have heard that most human woman are funny about their age…” He rambles on for a while, “But I was just wondering how old are you?” He sounded nervous.

“Is that how old should I be if I was human or how old I was when I turned and stopped aging?” I clarify.

“Well, both…You see you look a lot younger than normal vampires and I can tell you have already stopped aging by the way you act in yourself,” He answers.

“Clarify, please? Younger?” I ask confused.

“Born and made vampires are all the same in the aspect that they both continue to age until they reach a certain age.

“For men it is in early thirties and women late twenties to early thirties. Yes, the aging does slow down a lot in both after the age of twenty, but it never stops until they reach their set age which is never older then mid thirties,” He explains.

“So you are how old?” I ask him.

“I stopped aging at thirty three but was born to my vampire parents more than a thousand years ago,” He smiles at my surprised expression.

“Well, I am guessing you are not that old. But don’t worry most vampires in this house are only a few hundred or less. So you will be fine,” He tells me.

“And the youngest?” I asked.

“Well, in this house…” He thinks for a second. “I believe is one hundred and that is the man who made the complaint I believe. As for the vampire community I believe that person is in there forties. You see vampires don’t like to change humans unless they have to and as for births. Not all vampires are capable of having babies and the ones that are, are only capable with their beloved. But it is still never easy. So pregnancies don’t happen very often. But we are not a dying race,” He explains more.

“That’s… Interesting,” I say unsure how to answer.

“So how old are you?” I turn to Dario and ask.

He looks up from my neck and smiles, “I am more than six hundred but stopped aging at thirty one,” He smiles kissing my nose.

“So back to my first question…” Magnus asks again.

“I stopped aging at twenty one, when I turned and that was ten years ago. So I guess I’m thirty one,” I kiss Dario back on the cheek and turn to Magnus.

He had a surprised expression whilst Dario wore a smile. “So I get to have not only the most beautiful, unique vampire woman. But also the youngest.” I roll my eyes.

“This will have to be looked into” Magnus rambles looking off to the side but pauses before looking back to us. “Your parents and several members of the cabinet will be arriving tomorrow. So please make arrangement for rooms for them,” He states nonchalantly.

“I will have it done straight away,” Dario says and pauses as did Magnus before, but then smiles and nods. “It is being done as we speak.”

He see my confused expression and begins to brush my hair with his hands.

“We have much to teach, Marie. She is not only young, but also has never spent any time or known any vampires until now,” He tells his friend.

I tell Magnus my whole story as I did Dario earlier and wait for his reaction.

“Well, I have honestly no idea. But I am sure if anyone will know it will be your parents,” He tells us.

“That is what I thought too. So will you be staying too?” Dario asks him.

“Yes, as the others are coming …” He trails off.

“Your normal room has been prepared. I have to go with Marie to her old apartment to pick her stuff but we will speak to the others of the house after that,” Dario says the whole time still playing with my hair in a caring way.

“Would you like me to help you?” Magnus asked and quickly added. “I know we didn’t get off to a great start but I would like to start over. Your life mate and I are good friends and I hope we can be too. I am sorry again for before,” He sounded honest.

“Alright. But don’t annoy me!” I tell him, trying my best to be nice for Dario’s sake.

“Thank you,” Dario whispers into my ear as if hearing me.