Dark Beauty

I was happy to be home yet hopelessly nervous at the same time. There were some factors for that after all. One: My fiancé/boyfriend/lifemate was meeting my family in all his old-world elegance and egotistical glory. Two: My mother and brothers didn't know about the fiancé part of that title. Three: My lifemate wasn't the only Carpathian male in town (Julian!). Four: I had to plan a wedding and soon or else my lifemate was going to go crazy and hurt someone (I really did feel bad for the guy…but…my point of view please). Five: I had to get my mother to agree with this rushed wedding (now there is a horror moment). Six: I had to hunt down my adopted brother and explain the situation before someone else told him. Seven: I'm really only one human. This was going to be an exhausting week and a half. Oh yes, a week and a half is how long I have to plan the wedding. KILL ME NOW!

I was happy to see no bruises or any blood on my brothers when they came back in the house with Andreas. I knew Andreas wouldn't intentionally hurt them but he might forget to downplay all of his strength if they attacked them and I really didn't want that hanging over my head. Andreas and my family were going to have to live with each other for the rest of their lives because I wasn't going to lose my family. I refused!

My mom seemed pleased by the lack of physical injury too because I saw her visibly relax when my brothers came in and tried to start playing our Wii. "No," my mother ordered crisply. My brothers looked back at her in dismay. "It's a school night. You two know better. Besides, we have guests. Be good and socialize." One of the reasons I missed being home. "How was your trip back?" My mom asked turning back to me with a smile.

"It went well. I slept through the whole flight pretty much. It's amazing how much finals takes out of you." Finals was only part of the reason, but my mother didn't need to know that I had been staying up most nights talking to three Carpathians in my dorm room and then sleeping most of the day. I didn't think that one would go over too well with her. "So how long are you on call for tonight mama?"

"Only until eleven," my mother said with a sigh. That meant we only had a few hours together before my mom had to go to work. After that, Andreas and the others would have to leave. Only Andreas would come back of course. I couldn't be separated from him nor him from me. Mom didn't know that. She didn't need to know that. It would be too hard to explain.

"How did you all meet?" My mom asked. My brothers leaned forward almost eagerly. They wanted to know more about this boy stealing their sister. They still had to give their consent after all. And I would let them. It would make them feel appreciated.

Luckily we had rehearsed this story. One day I might be able to tell my family the truth (not the whole truth, of course, heads would roll if that was the case), but not that day. The story was that I had met Desari at the local Wal-Mart (they had bought a house in York so the story had some plausibility). We became almost instant friends. I then met Julian found him "charming". (You can tell who made up that part of the story). Julian and Desari started inviting me to dinner a few nights a week. One day, Desari decided to set me up on a date with her cousin Andreas who was visiting her. For him, it was love at first sight. For me, it took a little convincing. (In a way that was true too. In another way, it was for my mother's benefit. Especially when the part about the rushed wedding comes up.)

What seemed most amazing to me was that my family bought it without any compulsion. It was also a comfort. I didn't want them to be tricked like that. It would have broken my heart and I would have been very upset with a certain Carpathian male. "Did you attend East Hill with Layla, Andreas?" my mother asked. I love my mother. Most parents are concerned with such questions as: Have you slept with my daughter? or What do you do for a living? My mother is concerned about his spiritual life. I love you mom!

"Yes I did have the opportunity to attend a few services with Layla," Andreas said with a smile. He had been a complete gentleman so far. He hadn't even put his arm around me, but he was holding my hand. My mother, and brothers apparently, had found that acceptable. "Unfortunately, there were some days when I was out of town on business or traveling."

It had been amazing how much truth we had been able to incorporate into this tale. Andreas really had managed to attend church service with me. We just didn't mention it was Wednesday night service because Andreas had this sun problem. That was going to be a fun one to hide form mom. My mother seemed pleased with Andreas's answer though. That might have been why she continued on that line of questioning for one more question. "Are you baptized?"

I hadn't thought of that. Of course it wouldn't have occurred to me. The only reason I was able to keep from giving anything away was Andrea's quick, smooth, and honest reply. "Yes, I was baptized when I was eighteen." While my family and friends continued talking, I burrowed into my lifemate's mind and found the memory. He had been baptized on his eighteenth birthday somewhere in the middle of Romania. Apparently Carpathians really did believe in a higher power, or at least some did. I was just lucky enough to have a lifemate who was one of those.

"Layla told us that you are a nurse, Ms. Cook and that you earned your degree while raising her and your sons. That is quite impressive. I can't imagine trying anything like that." Desari said with her beautiful voice and smile. My brothers were pleasantly mesmerized.

My mother blushed in pleasure at the compliment. "Yes I did. I work at the hospital. I have to work tonight. This is the last of my seven days on though."

I mentally did a victory dance. I loved it when my mother got time off of work. How I was going to maneuver everything was a different matter I could deal with later. "You work seven days in a row?" Julian was trying to keep the outrage and indignation from his voice. He was upset by this. I could in a way see why, but I also knew very well that my mother loved her work.

"Yes," my mother said in a matter-of-fact voice. "The first six days are twelve hour shifts and the last one is usually an eight. I was going to be picking up another four hours tonight, but they put me on call instead."

In fact, my mother was actually delightfully pleasant right now for being on her seventh day. She was usually very grouchy due to sleep deprivation, work, and odd hours of sleep. I liked cheerful mommy. "You should not have to work so hard. You are a very amazing woman," Andreas said gently. I thought it was very sweet. So did my mother. My brothers were suspicious.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nathaniel demanded with a glare.

Andreas and Julian turned on my brothers with stern, lecturing looks on their faces. "Women are the world's most precious gifts besides children. They should be treated with care and love. They should be protected and watched over. Their happiness should be second only to their safety." My brothers were now being imprinted with the Carpathian Male Value System. They weren't even being compelled. They were attentively hanging onto every word of their own free accord. I wasn't sure if I wanted to be proud of disgusted. I was leaning towards proud really.

"Women can take care of themselves," my mother said pointedly. "I've been doing it for years."

"But you should not have to," Andreas countered. "I respect and admire you very much for what you do. If you enjoy what it is you do, you should have the opportunity to continue it. But you should not be forced to work because the idiot males of society cannot see your true worth."

It was a swoon line. That was about the point where most women fell in love. Luckily I had claimed him before the beginning of time. Thank God for ultimate dibs!

"Thank you Andreas," my mother whispered. "You're a good man. I know you treat my daughter right." Those words were the most precious words that Andreas and I had ever heard. Maybe things could work out after all.