Nadine Book 4

42. Tre's Paintings

Tye and I have our normal morning, then go to the morning room. Tre rubs his eyes.

"You are doing that painting, Tre."

"But woman."

"Don't make me call you Michael Trebnor Saxon all day."

They crack up. Even Tre laughs.

After we eat, we go to the king's office. I shove Dipak in the sitting room. He puts his eyebrows up.

"Tre doesn't know the painter sits right by that door. Let me wear the black diamonds there. They are perfect for this outfit. And no one would believe they're real anyway. We can go in. I'll keep him by the painter for a couple of hours, then I will bring them right back."

"Woman."

"PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. I want them painted too."

"Fine, but after 2 hours I'm coming through to find you."

"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU." I give him the biggest hug.

"1 necklace and 1 bracelet. That's it."

"And the ring. PLEASE."

"Only if I get a kiss."

I throw my arms around him and give him the most passionate kiss I know how to. I break it off and his eyes are dark.

"Damn babygirl. Made me forget what we were kissing for."

"The ring."

He gives me another kiss. "I love you sweetheart."

"I love you too my king." I pull him out. "Now let's get my jewelry."

He shakes his head.

Everyone is there talking when we get to his office. Dipak says something to Frode, and he leaves.

I take my seat. "What are you arguing about?"

Thora sits up. "Marcus told us yesterday that his mate rejected him."

"We knew that already."

"But we didn't know vampires could get a 2nd chance mate. Dracul told us this morning that it's possible."

"I think that's only for people who aren't of age. Like if something happened to one of my boys before I bonded with them. Ylle made it sound like they would get replaced, and I would still get a mate."

Dracul shakes his head. "It's for anyone that doesn't bond. If you refuse your mate right away and do not bond with them, you can get a 2nd chance mate. If you bond, that's it. You get 1 bond per life. If you lose your mate and survive it, you do not get a 2nd chance mate."

"BOYS."

"We're not going anywhere."

"Here forever, sweetheart."

I give Tye a dirty look and glare at him. He jumps up and hugs me. "I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention. I love you and I'll never go anywhere. I wouldn't dream of refusing anything about you."

"You have to pay attention Tye."

"I'm sorry babydoll. I'll never leave you." He kisses my head then sits down and stares at the papers in front of him.

I turn to Thora. "Why are you arguing about it?"

"Well, half of us think that's not even real. I mean you never want to reject your mate."

Daddy shakes his head. "The 2nd chance mate, is not guaranteed. You may or may not get one. So everyone is always happy for the 1st one. That is your soulmate. Most everyone wants that connection. They're not going to deny it and hope another one comes along some day."

"You're being serious daddy?"

"Yes, my princess. It does happen on occasion. A very very rare occasion. That's why most people don't hear about it."

"Well, good. I hope he does get a mate. Next time, one with eyes. He seems like a nice man. He deserves a good mate."

Everyone at the table turns to me.

"OH NO YOU DON'T. NO ONE EVEN THINK IT. I MEAN IT." Gunner loses it. "GUNNER STOP IT." He tries to hide. "I HAVE 3 MATES. I LOVE THEM AND I AM HAPPY. WE ARE NOT MOVING TO 4. AND FURTHERMORE. EVERY SINGLE MAN THAT COMES HERE, YOU GO CRAZY AND SAY HE COULD BE MY MATE. IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE A MAN. IT COULD BE A LITTLE WHEREWOLF BOY. ALL OF YOU STOP IT. JUST BECAUSE I HAVE 3 MATES DOESN'T MEAN I'M GOING TO BE EVERYONE'S MATE. STOP SAYING THAT TO ME. THEN I START THINKING IT. THEN EVERYTHING GETS WEIRD." I rub my eyes. "MOMMA! I'M TELLING MY MOMMA ON ALL OF YOU."

I run to the royal home. Then bang on the door.

"Enter."

Momma and Asa are sitting there.

"MOMMA. EVERY SINGLE TIME A MAN OR A PRINCE... EVEN THE WEREWOLF BOY... COME AROUND, EVERYONE AT THE TABLE SAYS THEY'LL BE MY MATE. THEN I START THINKING IT. THEN EVERYTHING GETS WEIRD."

"Who did they say is your mate this time, my child?"

"Marcus."

"You actually have a friendship going with that one. They are going to ruin it if they make you think about him like that." I follow them back to the king's office.

Dipak stands up and laughs. Then he puts the jewelry on me. "Any sign of trouble, you get your butt right back here." He gives me a kiss. "I love you sweetheart."

"I love you too." He kisses my head.

Tre makes us a door.

Asa shakes her head. "Tre, you should hear this too."

"Painting mom."

"Oh ok, you can go."

We laugh and go through the door. The painter is sitting there like always. He see's me and smiles. No doubt he knows our money now.

Tre takes my arm and helps me down the steps, then he kisses my hand. "You're so much more formal than Dipak and Tye."

"I had to escort you everywhere growing up. I would practice. I was scared if I messed up too badly I wouldn't get to anymore."

"They probably would have brushed you off and said s**t happens. Try again tomorrow."

"Looking back now. Yea I see that. But as a little boy, I thought it would be over." He wraps me in his arms and gives me a kiss. "I couldn't chance losing you. Not even a little chance baby."

"You have never liked risk. I bet that was horrible as a little boy. All that time spent worrying about mistakes you could make."

"But then I would get you in my arms. I'd feel you relax into my chest. It was worth it for those moments."

"We needed more of those moments, sir."

"A lot more." He kisses my head. "But it was enough. I knew you were all I ever wanted. Even when I was young, I didn't know what I would do with you." He gives me a kiss. "My mom asked me one time. What in the world are you going to do with the princess when you're older?" He kisses my head. "I told her, she loves horses, I'll keep her in the barn."

I bust out laughing. "Oh my Tre."

We laugh so hard. I stand there wiping tears off my face.

"We were very young when we found each other."

"I found you the day you were born. I think I knew then. All I wanted, even then, was to kiss you and hug you." He leads me over to some music that's playing and dances with me. "Make you smile."

"I love you so much Tre."

"I love you baby."

After a few songs, we get something to drink and then go back to dancing.

He spins me a couple of times. He throws me up and catches me once. Then he holds me out in front of him and drops me down to his lips for a kiss.

"Alright. We need to search for the painter. It's been almost 3 hours already. I want to do the paintings and then get the room today."

"I can't believe it's been 3 hours. Dipak said he was coming for the jewelry after 2."

Tre chuckles and glances around. "He's here. Over by that man painting."

I wink.

"Is he?"

"He was painting us. I didn't want to tell you because you would end up tense."

We hold hands and go over to Dipak and the painter.

"I told you 2 hours, woman."

"It feels like it's only been 15 minutes."

Dipak stands up. "He did 10. They are amazing... You and that jewelry come back with me and the paintings. I'll put the paintings in the closet. And the jewelry in the vault. Tre can go get your room. Then you come back through and collect our queen and packed stuff."

Tre nods. "Where is this place baby?"

"We went to that big hotel over there. And then they told us to go in a different direction. So we went that way. Then we found it. It is 3 stories. Pretty building."

The painter smirks. "What was the name of it?"

"I don't know."

"New plan. We go back, and I come back with Kane for a few minutes."

"Yea, that's a better plan."

Nobody is in Dipak's office.

"Guard. Summon Kane."

Dipak and Tre put the paintings in the bookshelf closet. I follow them in. I see a couple and they are beautiful. There's one where he caught me above his head, and he's pulling me down for a kiss. It's amazing. One where we are smiling. A couple dancing. He got us coming down the steps when Tre kissed my hand. One of us kissing. Another of him walking me formally. "I love them."

"Where you at?"

"Sorry Kane, we were getting the paintings in there. I need you to show me where that inn is."

"Nadine was there."

"Yea she doesn't do directions."

He makes a door and they go threw.

"I wish I would have got one lifting you up like that."

"We can always go back, sir."

He unhooks my necklace. "Maybe he will go to the ball with us. We could have a painter there. Quite a few castles do it."

I shrug my shoulders. "You can ask him. He might. Probably have to pay him a good amount. And I'm not sure if I trust him in the castle." I take the bracelet and ring off.

"Why?"

"He got exiled. I don't feel right about that. If someone seduced me, would you exile them?"

He shakes his head. "Yea, it doesn't add up, but we also don't know the whole situation. We won't let him in our castle. Only the other one. I'll ask and see what he says. It's all we can really do."

"Baby, I got the room. Let's go enjoy Paris for a few days."