Chapter Six - Rosa
Tears rolled down Rosa's face as she placed her hand on the spot where her baby was kicking. It had been months since she left Angelus. He insisted that she live in the house that he had built for her and filled it with servants and guards. She wouldn’t have agreed, only he showed her the threatening letters they were receiving, and she was too frightened to try to make it on her own again. Angelus stopped by often, but he never demanded she return, never tried to force or manipulate her–never even asked her to come back to him.
If I asked to come back, would he let me?
If it wasn't for him, she'd be back in that women's shelter, struggling to feed herself while earning her education. If Angelus had been anything like her stepfather, she would be back there already. He wouldn't be taking care of her while asking nothing in return. Now she was too afraid to be accepted back into the palace and his arms, knowing if their places had been reversed she might not give in.
Rosa rolled onto her side, wiping her eyes. The violence of Freya's punishment had terrified her, but the more she learned about that Vampire woman, the more she came to agree with Angelus' actions. She had even told him that. In response, he told her that she was right in that he took to violence too quickly, and he was working on a new legal system with a greater emphasis on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
"This is ridiculous," Rosa muttered, swinging out of bed. "I can't just lay here crying like a broken-hearted waif."
The baby kicked some more as Rosa crossed the room, to where her cell phone was plugged in. Her morning sickness had eased significantly now that she was in her final trimester–only six weeks left. She was having a girl. Angelus wanted to name her Helena, after his sister.
She hesitated a little before phoning Angelus. She knew she had been stubborn these past months, but she hadn't completely cut him out of her life, and it wasn't like her actions were completely unjustified. Apologizing for being afraid of the violence he meted out as punishment wasn't something she was going to do. Neither would she apologize for leaving. Even if her fears were unfounded, she was putting her health and safety first.
If Mama had done that, then maybe Michael wouldn't have killed her.
It didn't matter that the coroner's report said suicide. Even if–and this was an 'if' Rosa didn't believe in–her mother had actually taken her own life, Michael was responsible for it. The most frustrating and terrifying thing was that he would never be held accountable for it.
She let out a breath, phoning Angelus. He answered at once.
"Rosa, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I…" A lump formed in her throat. "I made a mistake by thinking that you were like my stepfather. I'm sorry for thinking the worst of you."
"I understand why you did," Angelus replied softly. "What else were you supposed to think?"
"Maybe I should have listened to you instead of jumping to conclusions."
"There was a woman nailed to a post outside your window. No, you made the right choice."
Angelus' soothing assurances made her tears start all over again. She rested a hand on her round belly. It was now or never. "Can I come back? I know I broke the contract—"
"I don't need a contract. I want you to come home, Rosa. I love you."
Rosa pressed a hand over her mouth to stop herself from gasping. Love? Nobody had ever loved her before. Not like this, at least. Her heart swelled with joy, but it left her hands cold with fear. What if he was only saying that to get her back? It was ridiculous, she knew. She was already coming back. He didn't have to lie to her about it.
Yet, after seeing the way Michael had manipulated her mother with similar declarations, she didn't have much trust in love. This applied especially to the love she knew she felt for Angelus.
"Rosa?"
"I want to come home, too," she said. "But I'm afraid…"
"I promise, I will give you all the time you need, my love. Just please come home."
"I'm the one who phoned and asked if I could come back," she pointed out. "You don't need to make any assurances."
Angelus laughed softly. "That's true. I'll have someone drive you back tonight if that's okay."
"It is. I… I look forward to seeing you again."
"I do, too… I love you."
Rosa hung up. She wiped her tears and smiled as she rubbed her stomach. "We're going home, Helena."
She was soon off, driven by a single car and a lone guard. Angelus must have found the people threatening her and taken care of it. The guards around the house had dwindled lately, familiar faces replaced by unfamiliar ones. If the threat wasn't over, at least it was diminished.
Rosa played with her dark hair as they drove through the streets, not paying attention to her surroundings. Soon she would be back at the Vampire palace with her Vampire King. What would she tell him?
It wasn't until they stopped in a dark, deserted area of the city that Rosa realized that they hadn't been heading to the palace. There were no other cars on the street. Her heart started thumping as her Vampire guard got out of the car, walked to her door and yanked her out.
"What are you doing?" she cried in alarm, struggling uselessly against his grip. He dragged her into the light of the headlights.
"Rosa?"
Her heart stopped. Bile climbed up her throat and Rosa couldn't move, frozen to the spot as a man stepped into the light. His pale features were illuminated harshly, a familiar cruel smile spreading over his face. His crisp blue uniform clung to his muscled body, silver badge flashing.
Michael Jones strode forward, looking at her as if it were Christmas. "Well, if it isn't my wayward stepdaughter. Allowing yourself to be impregnated by the Vampire King, are you? How far the mighty have fallen."
Rosa swallowed dryly. Whatever this beast had in store for her, she wasn't going to cower before him. She leveled her chin, trying to look braver than she felt. "Michael. So you're a part of the group wanting to overthrow the Vampires?"
"Something like that." Michael remained smiling.
"And you." Rosa yanked her arm free from the Vampire's grip. "He wants to kill Vampires and you bring me to him? Why?"
"Humans can't destroy our race," the Vampire replied arrogantly. "But they might be able to topple the Angel King."
"Angelus?" Rosa gasped. "This is about killing Angelus? Why?"
"For Freya." The Vampire turned on his heel and marched away, not looking back.
Rosa backed away from Michael, her arms clasped protectively around her belly. The shock of seeing her stepfather ate away at her determination to be strong until she trembled with fear. Whatever he wanted, she couldn't let him hurt her baby! She had to find some way to delay or deter him from harming her.
What did he want from her?
"Are you going to kill me?" she blurted.
"Not if I don't have to. The child is, what, seven months along?" Michael's eyes were locked on her belly.
Rosa stepped back from him. "Close enough. What are you going to do?"
"Kill you and cut the child out of you if need be. Seven months is viable, but I would prefer a natural birth."
He didn't want to hurt her baby. Rosa's shoulders sagged in relief. She almost started crying. If he wasn't going to kill the baby, then why all of this? "So, you want to use my child for ransom? Angelus loves me. You don't have to kill me."
"Vampires are incapable of love," Michael grabbed her arm. "Come along or I'll shoot you between the eyes."
Trembling, Rosa walked forward. What else could she do? Michael had all the power right now. She swallowed and met his cold eyes as they headed for a nearby building. "What are you going to do to me?"
"You'll see, Rosa." Michael smiled. "You'll see."
Rosa's arms tightened around her middle. Angelus will find me. He loves me. He loves me, she repeated to herself. He won't let anything happen to me or our baby.
The door swung shut behind them, locking Rosa in a place she didn't know with a man who had haunted her dreams for two years. Angelus, please find me!