Chapter 5. Birthday

PROSE MODE

"...Seth, really? I said it was okay, I really do have a guitar."

Melody pinched herself, yes she loved the guitar but she had to be a bit of a brusque to slowly extinguish the joy bubbling up inside of her, it was too expensive.

"I'm guessing you've got the packages by now."

Seth leaned back in his car, he had just pulled up in a nearby driveway to answer the call, the car still twenty feet from the castle's parking lot.

Running a hand through his hair, his yawn proved that he was visibly exhausted. Shopping for the twins had drained him.

"Yes I did, thank you so much, I really didn't want you to buy that for me, I feel like returning it."

Melody stated still processing if she was actually serious or not. I mean it is a pretty awesome guitar.

"Hey, Don't. I bought it because I wanted you to be happy, you look like you wanted it, don't take it the wrong way okay?"

Melody glanced at the shiny speaker, she needed a new one at least she'll need it for her project to have that flare she's been looking for.

"This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me, thank you."

Seth's smile slipped up a notch. His mission was accomplished.

"You're welcome. So how about making our relationship official?"

***

SETH'S POV

So like, the hall was divided in half.

One side salmon pink, and the other side powder blue. I'd been glued to my phone screen for a while now. I was chatting with Melody because the two celebrants were fashionably late. Again. They're late every year.

"Did they like their presents or you haven't given it to them yet?"

"Oh, I have. I hope they like it. Are you sure you can't make it? The party will be damn boring without you."

Like seriously other than the fact that my mom could summon me from any location I'd decide to run off to if I planned to skip to party, I wouldn't even be here!

"Sorry babe, but the dean isn't done yet and it looks like it's gonna take about an hour more".

I groaned.

"C'mon put that phone away," It was my mum's voice, I looked up.

"But—",

"No buts. Put it away right now."

"But they're not even here yet."

She didn't budge. I turned to the see-through doors on my left, the limo had already arrived.

***

PROSE MODE.

Kika was up in a tree, spying on Luke in a nearby building. She followed his movements with her binoculars meticulously.

He was talking on the phone inside the flower shop while the florist arranged a nice bouquet for him, he purchased it and stepped out.

Buzz buzz

Kika fanned her hand passed the sound revolving around her left ear by reflex, she didn't want to lose her target, not today. The bee probably didn't get the memo, next it perched on the lens of the binoculars.

"Shoo, Shoo bee shoo, do I look like nectar to you?"

She wasn't afraid of bugs but they irritated her. She shook it off and continued target watching but he wasn't in the flower shop or around its vicinity.

"Damnit, don't tell me I missed him, no not again!"

She was about to get down to get a wider range of surveillance but...

buzz buzz buzzzzzz

Her head tipped behind her, now facing a swarm of bees, she flinched.

"So you brought the rest of your buddies along, huh?"

Her eyes quickly darted at the sizable distance between the ground and her position on the firm branch, she moved as far as she could then missed a step and plummeted to the ground with a large THUD!

"Ouch, my bum! that hurt badly."

She looked up, the bees didn't come after her, they were probably pleased she got hurt either way.

"Hmph!"

She stood up and dusted herself. She searched around for her binoculars, it was nowhere in sight, did she leave them up there? No, it was still in her hands when she lost her balance.

"Are you looking for this?"

Luke asked. Kika flinched, she dragged in a breath, ready to decline, but the masculine and all–too–appealing–scent of fresh air and freshly laundered cotton filled her lungs. And did strange things to her vocal cords. All she could manage was a squeak.

She tried to grab the binoculars and make a run for it. Luke sensed it, quickly moving it out of her reach.

"Oh hey, Luke."

"Were you spying on me again?"

Luke hissed, why'd he bother to ask when he was holding the evidence of the truth?

"Of course, I wasn't. I just happened to be passing by."

Kika dared to grin.

"But you just fell out of that tree."

All her made-up excuses evaporated, so he knew all along. But how? She thought she was getting the hang of this stealth thing.

"Still gonna deny it?"

"Fine, I was spying on you."

She sighed, raking her right hand through the brown curls that spread out from the back of her head and reaching down to the end of her spine like a thick forest of climbers. 

She was getting sick of them, she planned to cut it later.

"Kika, why are you always spying on me?"

He tossed the binoculars into her hands, his disgust evident in his voice and facial expressions.

"Jeez, you already know I like you, why are you acting so naive now?"

Kika avoided his question.

"Just stop stalking me, I rejected you over two months ago. Give it up already."

He frowned. Was she so desperate? He made it pretty clear to her back then.

I DON'T LIKE YOU.

Kika rolled her eyeballs obviously, she wasn't listening.

"I saw you bought a bouquet, who are they for?"

"Why? So you can kill her and send her head to my mailbox?"

"Oh c'mon Luke, I'm not a bloodsucker like you, who can drain a human like a blood bank on a red moon night. I just want to know who the flowers are for."

Luke pressed out a smile and took a few steps forward cornering her between his body and the tree.

He put his hand on the tree and leaned in closer, she seemed to be enjoying their proximity right about now.

"Kika, Stop being jealous."

His breath fanned against her right cheek, she looked up to meet his gaze, His pupils had turned to slits. His other hand threatened to dig into the tree.

He looked like a real creature of the night now, staring at its prey quivering underneath, but he wasn't in the mood to use her as a blood bank today, unlike his usual routine.

He released her from his grip and walked away, he had something more important to do right now.

Immediately she was out of his grip, she held the tree to steady her balance. She was dizzy and out of breath. That bastard was using domination on her, a trait passed only to direct vampiric descendants of the royal family.

It freezes up its target-like prey that's hypnotized, weakens your powers and delays your immune and nervous system in terms of reflex, balance, and coordination.

It's how the royals keep everyone in check, but it diminishes in intensity the farther away you are from the King's lineage.

She scoffed.

"I thought he was gonna kiss me."

She finally rose to her feet, parking her hands on her hips.

***

At Wovelice, a state north of the capital of Asgard was Janelle city.

At the Hatchanova residence was Melanie. She located the coffeemaker in the kitchen and brewed a fresh pot.

Moving to the stone patio at the back of the kitchen, she shouldered open the weathered screen door and stepped outside, a steaming mug of coffee in one hand and her phone in the other.

She was chatting with Quil and Tessa on their private group chat when it had become a conference video call on her way down the stairs.

"So are your parents still, you know, fighting?"

Quil was the most likely out of the three of them to be worried about Melanie, he'd stayed over at her house the summer of the 7th grade, and his parents were both on business trips. But not even in the face of a visitor did Mr. Hatchanova not fail to hit his wife, repeatedly even.

"Their relationship has been rocky lately."

Melanie winced internally, she hated these kinds of questions but she'd known Quil way too long to think he was doing it just to spite her. He was genuinely worried about her.

"How about your mom? how is she?"

More like the object used to cushion her stepfather's wrath, asking if she had any bruises or recent scars.

But Tessa was checking out a new shade of nail polish, her mind wasn't even fully on the video call.

"She's managing."

As if on cue, the front door snapped shut behind her Mom who had just returned from grocery shopping.

"Gotta go guys, my mum's here."

One, She didn't want her Mum to know she'd been lying to her friends about her well-being. Two, She wanted to end the call, since it deviated from the group project they initially made it for to a very sensitive issue to her.

"Hey, Mum let me help you with that."

She helped her sort the groceries at the kitchen counter.

"Thanks, dear."

Melanie had already started stocking the fridge.

"Melanie dear, I'll be back in a few minutes I forgot to get something on my way back."

"Okay, see you later Mum."

Melanie finished up and put the bag in the recycle bin.

She started doing the dishes.

"I hate when the kitchenware isn't dishwasher safe."

She grunted while washing some antique champagne flute. Meadow, her little sister, ran into the kitchen, she'd been looking for her upstairs.

"Melanie, I need you to come do my homework now!"

Melanie scoffed, who does this little brat think she is?

"Are you seriously ordering me around? don't you know how to ask for something? where are your manners?"

Melanie glared not sparing her a second glance and continued washing the dishes.

"You WILL help me!"

"And if I don't?"

Meadow frowned. She slapped the tumbler out of Melanie's hand and it shattered against the floor cabinet, splattering all over the tiles.

"Look what you've done Meadow!"

She growled and bent down to pick up the shards. She was getting sick of the child, she was just seven and already such a menace.

But her stepfather would do worse to her than break one tumbler if she dared to lay a finger on the little delinquent.

"Who's breaking the glasses in there!?"

Melanie flinched on hearing her Father's piercing voice.

Meadow smiled.

"You're in trouble Melanie."

"No, I'm not this was your doing."

"We'll see about that."

Meadow grabbed a shard and injured her forearm with it.

"Meadow, what are you doing?"

She hated the sight of blood, which was not so common for a gargoyle. She reached to grab the shard but it was too late.

As soon as Fabian Hatchanova appeared in the doorway, Meadow ran to his embrace.

"Daddy, look what Melanie did to me!"

It was very easy for Meadow to start the fake waterworks display. Melanie gasped, why that little...

"No Dad, it wasn't me. She's the one who—"

"Are you trying to tell me that she purposely cut herself? Do you think I'm stupid?"

Melanie tried to retort but she soon found herself sprawled on the floor, with her lower lip bleeding.

He had slapped her.

***

Seth checked his wristwatch once more, it was 4 pm and Melody still hadn't shown up.

"Are you waiting for someone?"

Tiger's innocent question was a counterbalance to the gleam in his eyes. He sipped out of his champagne glass.

"Melody's meant to be here by now. I hope she makes it."

Seth sighed, Tiger's eyes caught a cute girl over by the chocolate fountain.

"later dude, I wanna go talk to the hottie over there."

Seth remained glued to his phone screen, in case a call or text from Melody came through.

Seth was offered a slice of ice cream cake by the waitress holding a tray of them, He politely rejected it.

An arm held out a glass of champagne to him, he looked up, it was Melody.

He smiled and pulled her in for a hug. Queen Josie was standing with King Killian in another part of the room talking to some guests.

"Honey, check out Seth."

She said and Killian's head bobbed in the direction she was looking at, Seth had just leaned in and kissed Melody.

"Whoa, Seth had a girlfriend and he didn't even tell us."

Killian smiled as he looked back at Josie, who had straightened her composure at the arrival of another kingdom's monarch.

"We'll confront him later, my father's arrived."

Josie said pulling Killian in the opposite direction.

"I got your sisters some gifts too."

Melody grinned holding up a shopping bag with wrapped gifts inside, she dropped it at the gift table and returned to Seth's embrace.

"Sorry, I arrived a lot later than I said I would."

He wrapped his arm around her middle.

"I'm just glad you made it."