The Complicated Life And Times Of Winry Butler (First Life)

First Half: The Nate Files

I sat on the couch kissing Nate. It felt...right. Like it was the thing to do, That I was made for this. To be with him, that is. We stayed like that until someone entered in the door. I pulled back from him so fast he almost fell forward.

He gave a low groan, which made a little smile appear on my face. We both gazed at the person who had, ahem, interrupted us. It was Nate’s father. He had a satisfied smile on his face.

“So I take it that you two like each other now?” I looked away from him and stared in to the fire. I knew that the blush on my face had deepened. His father chuckled and stepped into the room. “It has been decided that you two will marry in six months. No arguments and from what I saw before, I expect none.”

Out of the corner if my eye I saw an unreadable expression on his face. My own face was scrunched up in embarrassment. His father chuckled again.

“Well, I think that you should go to your new bedchamber tonight you must be tir–”

“‘Bedchamber? As in one?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“Like you’re not thinking you want to,” scoffed Nate. I didn’t respond. He only said that because I hurt his manly pride. Apparently, he took my silence as embarrassment because he chuckled. Nate stood up and I followed suit, following him to our new room. That we would be sharing. Goody.

As we walked back out into the main hall from the study I had been expecting to hear the loud noises coming from the ballroom. I was surprised when I didn’t. I had forgotten they had left. The silence pressed on all sides, weighing down the air. I missed the fact that there had been witnesses before. I mean, I was alone with Nate in a study for a few minutes and he kissed me. Can you imagine what would have happened if, no, when I would be alone in a single room, sharing the same bed, for hours?!

I followed him through the front hall, up the grand marble stairs, and down a hallway. I stared at all of the paintings that lined the stone walls. Nate automatically made no noise in the hallway and my heels were silenced by the carpet that lined the hall.

I was staring at a particular painting of someone standing on top of the castle when I bumped into something solid. I stumbled backwards, but caught myself before I fell. I heard Nate chuckle and I looked up. I had bumped into his chest as he leaned on the doorway. A smirk plastered on his face. I stuck my tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes before opening the door and letting me enter first.

Well, at least he has some manners...

A closed door to my left probably led to the en suite bathroom and double French doors across from the room entrance led to the balcony. Nate waited for me to fully enter the room before coming in himself and closing the door behind him.

I almost jumped at the little ‘click!’ when he locked the door. I could feel my heartbeat quickening. I was alone in a room with the Vampire Prince.

I tried to keep my gaze away from the bed in the middle of the wall to my right, but my eyes were drawn to it. Even though it was the biggest bed money could buy, it still seemed...small. Nate was intimidating and it scared me how easily I gave in to him earlier. I shivered at the thought and walked over to the closet on the far side of the bed.

I walked into the closet and set out on a hunt for the frumpiest looking nightgown I could find. Only problem? They were all made out of silk. You can’t look frumpy in silk. No matter who you are. Silk. Isn’t. Frumpy.

Pouting, I picked out an emerald green nightgown that reached my knees. It was the longest one out of all of them. Conservative much?

I walked back into the bedroom fiddling with the material of the dress. If I pulled it down, it revealed too much cleavage. If I pulled it up, it showed too much of my legs. I was in a pickle, constantly fidgeting with the cloth.

A sigh of relief escaped me as I looked at the bed and saw that Nate was fast asleep, facing away from me. It made me a little less awkward to stand in front of him and watch him scrutinize me. I slipped under the warm, soft covers and faced the French doors, our backs facing each other.

I was engaged. Surprisingly, I wasn’t fighting it. That thought mulled over in my mind as I drifted to sleep.

I woke up, but didn’t open my eyes. I had the strangest dream that I had gone to a ball and became the Vampire Prince’s fiancee. Weird, right? I snuggled against my pillow and sighed.

Why was my pillow moving? I opened one eye and glanced down. Since when have my sheets been a pale peach color?

Realization dawned on me and I sat upright.

“So you finally woke up, huh?”

It was like one of those horror stories you hear about when the girl slowly turns around to see–

A hot vampire prince who was watching me with amusement. I let out a frustrated groan and threw my head into my hands. What had I gotten myself into?