Chapter 8

She felt like she was on my fire. This man was sexy, charming, and he knew it. Bad combination to have around if she wanted to not turn in to a drool bucket. She figured he wasn't hitting on her, but rather trying to get her to let him in the band. She could see how he would be a good salesman. Every woman would want to buy from him. Every man would want to show his woman he was better than the salesman. The way she felt around him, was it a good idea to keep him coming around?

"Have you went anywhere else trying to get in to a band?"

"No. I checked out a few bands but they didn't really fit my style. I want to play to relax me. I want to play with people who aren't so serious about their band. I'm not trying to go on tour or get a record deal. I have a business to run during the day. I only venture out at night."

Dominique found that strange, but okay. Who never went out during the day? She almost asked him was he a vampire or something. She turned her head away to hide the chuckle at the thought. She looked at Melissa, but she was too busy chatting up some guy.

"Alright, Nathaniel. I'll let you audition. I have to get Post and Melissa together so we can all hear you. Can you come back next week? We always practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

"What time do you want me here on Tuesday?"

"We practice at 7 pm for a couple of hours. That way we are already here to open the club."

"Alright. I'll be here."

Dominique watched his face as she told him the time. He had an odd look on his face. The idea of him being a vampire came back to mind. She shook her head trying to clear it of that thought. How silly of her. She downed her drink and stood up.

"Well, Nathaniel, now that you have the answer you came for, I will say goodbye to you. I have some things to check on."

"Will you be busy for the rest of the night?"

"Maybe. Why do you ask?"

"Do you dance, Dominique?"

"Sometimes. Every once in awhile someone will ask me to dance. Occasionally I accept. It's usually one of my regulars. Why do you ask?"

"I did mention that I wanted to check out the local club. I didn't come in here looking for a band to audition for. I've danced with a few women. But you're the one who caught my attention. Would you be willing to save a dance for me tonight?"

"Um, sure, I guess. If you're still here, I'll find you."

"I'll be here for the rest of the night. I look forward to seeing you later," Nathaniel said, taking her hand and kissing it again.

Dominique walked away, heading to the stairs and her office. Melissa caught up to her. She was grinning from ear to ear. Dominique rolled her eyes at her and kept walking.

"Sooooo...I see you had a pretty lengthy conversation with Mr. Sexy back there. Going to see him again?" Melissa asked.

"Yes, on Tuesday. He's coming to audition for us," Dominique replied.

"Seriously? That's it? I thought he was checking you out. You didn't flirt with him even a little?"

"No, Melissa. I did tell him I may dance with him later. That's about as far as that went. He asked for a dance and I said if I wasn't busy later I would find him."

"You're going to find him later, right?"

"Probably not. He just wants to convince me to let him into the band. He wasn't flirting, Melissa. Besides, I've told you that I don't want to date.

Why are you lying to her? You are lonely. You crave the affection and another's touch. And things have gotten even worse since Tim was here. You've been dwelling on the past too much lately. You need to move on. You need to find someone to give you what you're craving. Hell, even just sex would be better than being lonely all the time. Maybe you could find someone that would help with the depression so you could get off the medication. You could be happy again.

"Dominique, I'm not going to let this go. You can either dance with that man or I can rag on you about not doing it for the rest of your life."

Dominique sighed and agreed to one dance with him. Suddenly, she felt the dizziness she always did before the dreams, visions, or whatever they were hit. She told Melissa she had to go and ran up the stairs to her office. She had no sooner closed and locked the door when it hit.

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Rose was cleaning Nathaniel's room when a maid came to fetch her. She told her she had orders to take her to her room. Rose didn't like that. She had been ordered around by Nathaniel for months now. She had tried to play the broken girl, but she never managed to actually do it. He would order her to do something and she would always say something sarcastic or be defiant. He had recently started ordering her to draw his bath and then would order her to bathe him.

He had embarrassed her, but her will remained unbroken. She cleaned his room, changed his bedding, washed his clothes and bedding, and bathed him. She cleaned out the horse stalls and took care of his horse. She had found a way to escape for a time when she stated she was going to exercise his horse. She took the horse into the woods and rode him.

The maid took her not to her room but the bath. There was a gown laid out and scented soap. Her brush laid on the small table. The bath was full. Why did she bring her here? And why was there a nightgown there along with scented soaps? Was she to bathe a woman for Nathaniel now? Was this her next punishment to break her?

"You are to bathe and then I will help dress you," the maid said.

"What? Why would you need to help dress me? And what am I to dress in?"

The maid nodded to the nightclothes and said, "Nathaniel requested this, Rose. I am only doing as requested. Now please undress and get into the bath."

Rose did not like this one bit. She did as she was told. She bathed with the scented soaps. The maid washed her hair. When it was done, she dressed her in the nightclothes. She brushed her long hair out and then braided it. Once that was done, she put a dress coat over her and walked her back to Nathaniel's room. The maid had her lay down on the bed and left.

Nathaniel ate and drank with his knights for a good portion of the night. He had done everything he could think of to break Rose. She had tried to make him believe she was broken but the gleam of fire in her eyes was something she could not hide. He wanted her but he had stopped himself many a time from taking her. Her father had told him she had never lain with a man before. He would be the only man to be with her. He had decided to keep her with him. He wanted her and tonight he would have her.

He finally excused himself from the rest of the men and staggered to his room. He had drunk too much mead. He opened the door and found his prize waiting on the bed as asked. He walked over to the bed and saw her eyes were closed. His eyes trailed down her body and he noticed her chest was heaving. She was awake and feigning sleep.