The Brownstone
Bobbie sighed for what felt like the thousandth time in just a few days. Stefan Cassadine. Alive and asleep in her guest bedroom. Hugging herself, she couldn't help but smile, it felt good knowing that he was alive, if only Nikolas...
Bobbie's smile faded as she remembered Nikolas. No leads from the police and nothing from his Mother. Bobbie remembered how odd Laura and Luke had behaved before his disappearance. As Stefan stirred, Bobbie put the thought aside.
"Barbara?" Stefan's voice was panicked as he awoke, still unaware of his surroundings.
"Hi, I'm here," Bobbie reassured as she rubbed his forearm gently. "Remember now? You were presumed dead and now you're recovering in my guest bedroom?"
After a moment, Stefan composed himself, "of course Barbara, thank you."
Stefan's eyes shifted and he drew in his breath, as if ready to speak, but exhaled, unsure.
Bobbie leaned forward, "go ahead, tell me what's on your mind," she prodded gently.
"I-I feel I should explain myself to you, for how much you have done for me," Stefan began, his voice nervous and tentative.
Bobbie nodded and smiled, "I'll just listen if you need me to."
Stefan drew in his breath again, "Barbara, what have you been told about the island and Laura's stay there?"
"Stefan," Bobbie said, gently, "you don't need formalities with me, just say what you want to say."
Stefan nodded, feeling a little nervous before he took a deep breath. "Nikolas," Stefan started, his voice growing emotional already, "Nikolas is not my nephew, he is my son."
Bobbie gasped and drew back, "what?"
Stefan nodded severly, "Laura and I-" he started before Bobbie lept from his bedside.
"You and Laura?" she said, hardly believing the words as they came out of her mouth.
Stefan sat up, then winced immediately as he tender ribs violently opposed, "Barbara, please let me explain everything."
Despite her shock and disbelief, Bobbie slowly sat down again, allowing Stefan to take her hands in his.
"I was more or less a prisoner. A prisoner of my home, of my place in the family. Even though my Mother was a horrid creature, I still watched with envy as my older brother Stavros, recieved all the attention and love. Insanity. It was insane on that island, so suffocating and unbearable and yet, I couldn't leave it, somehow I felt my reasons for staying would come to light. And they did. In the form of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen."
"Laura," Bobbie whispered.
Stefan nodded, "I was instantly consumed by her. She was beautiful but something more precious illuminated her, from within. Her spirit, her love of life and how she valiantly defied Helena and Stavros, despite the punishments she recieved. She would cry, but only in private and I could not help but be drawn to her. She was the single light in a world of darkness.
We became friends very quickly and after some time, became strong allies, sharing our deepest secrets. Stavros was instantly jealous and I was restricted to seeing her only at family functions and meals. But we found a way around that too. We were each other's life preservers, we clung to each other for survival more than anything."
Stefan's voice became far away, as if entranced, "I wasn't there when Helena told her of Luke's death, but the servants tell me she refused to show emotion in front of Helena's smug face. She waited almost four days before collapsing near a cliff on the edge of the island. That is where I found her. She was ready, so prepared to die and I couldn't let her do that. I could heal her, I truly believed I could mend her broken heart. I begged and pleaded and after what seemed like an eternity, she came away from the cliff and wept in my arms for hours. I took her pain and grief, she was consumed by it, crying out several times for him.
After, she slept peacefully, as I rocked her, watching the sun go down, feeling the Aegean sea winds, it was my first experience with happiness. The next day, she agreed to marry Stavros, so long that she could have more privileges and time alone."
Stefan stopped, suddenly embarassed by his release of emotions but Bobbie wouldn't allow it to end there.
"Finish the story, I have to hear everything."
"The wedding was lavish and beautiful, but all I could see was her. Putting on a face, smiling timidly at everyone, looking every few minutes to make sure I was there. Her face relaxed every time she saw me. Helena supervised carefully and enjoyed watching me become pained as Stavros took her upstairs to the Master bedroom. I'll never forget the look on her face, so sad and lonely. She never spoke of her nights with Stavros, she simply pushed them out of her head and forced a smile. We became even closer after that."
His voice growing soft, Stefan continued, "Stavros and Helena left for the mainland, on a business trip for two weeks in London. We were alone. For three days we didn't speak, we barely looked at each other at meal times, perhaps sensing what was approaching. Finally, one dusk evening, I was in the abandoned Rose Garden, reading when she came in. She was startled, she had expected no one to be there.
*~*
Stefan sucked in his breath, as Laura took a step back, "I apologize, I didn't know you were here."
"No, please, stay," Stefan insisted, as he held his hand out to her. Laura smiled, still unsure but took it gently as he pulled her inside the overgrown garden. It was a discovery she had made in her first few weeks on the island. Completely hidden from view, with various exits to avoid detection, it was her sanctuary of beautifully scented flowers. She especially adored the Ivy roof covering, with patches of daisies scattered around it. She would come and read here, protected from the hot sun, blustering winds or pouring rain.
Stefan pulled her close and observed the book, "what are you reading?"
Laura laughed gently, "Stavros is trying to teach me Greek, but he becomes far too impatient when I don't pick it up very quickly. I'd like to learn the language though, it's very beautiful."
Stefan wrapped his arms around her, "not as beautiful as you," he whispered hoarsely, running his hand through her golden hair. He breathed her in deeply, closing his eyes, his desire growing.
"Stefan, we can't," Laura protested feebly, trying not too hard to push him away, but instead feeling her knees weaken as his breath tickled her ear.
"No one will see us, no one will ever know," he murmured, pulling her back into his arms as he began to plant gentle kisses along the nape of her neck. Laura tilted her head back, allowing a soft groan to escape from her. She raked her hand through his hair and bit her lip as he became more feverish. Feeling her buckle, Stefan gently picked her up and lay her down against the soft grass near the daisies. Sitting down next to her, he leaned over, placing his hand on her abdomen.
"Are you ready?" he asked, wanting to be sure she wanted this as much as he did. Laura looked up at his nervous face and nodded before stroking his cheek gently, before resting it behind his neck.
"I want you Stefan."
*~*
"Those two weeks were bliss, uninterrupted and content filled happy days."
Stefan's eyes flashed as the sadness crept into his voice, "then Mother and Stavros returned and we had to return to secrecy. Secret glances, long stares and walking within inches of each other, so close I could reach out and touch her, but I couldn't. A few weeks later she told me of her pregnancy. I prayed."
Stefan's eyes shone with tears, as his pride and joy at the memory consumed him, "I prayed so long for Nikolas to be mine, I willed it so hard and for so long, I thought I would explode. I cared for her, hanging on the doctor's every word to ensure a healthy and relaxed pregnancy. Nikolas came and he was everything I'd imagined. Beautiful, intelligent, strong. We were a family for awhile, the three of us."
Stefan turned his head from Bobbie, "then she heard he was alive and she pleaded for me to understand, to watch after Nikolas. I believed that she would return, or perhaps I wanted to believe that Nikolas would make her want to return. Stavros soon followed her, the last I saw of him was promising Mother not to return without her, but when he did return it was his body, in a casket. I cried for days after his death, but I don't think I cried for him. Perhaps knowing, deep in my heart she would not return, not even for Nikolas. I was both broken and relieved by that. She was not coming back, but she would not take Nikolas from me. I could go on for him, for our son.
Helena ordered Lesley's death, but I knew I could never harm anything so precious to her. I took steps to ensure that Lesley would disappear, but would not be killed. I protected Nikolas from Helena, resorting to tactics that should have made her proud, but only infuriated her. She hated me, with every ounce of her. Alexis was at my side, supporting me, but I truly felt I was never strong enough to kill my Mother. I still can't, she is my Mother after all."
"You had Alexis, no one else could help you?" Bobbie asked softly, not wanting to judge his situation at the time, but trying to understand, considering all the things she had been told by Luke. Bobbie paused for a moment to examine that thought. Everything Luke had told her. It was odd in how Laura never said anything about the island. It was always Luke, spewing the rage at Laura's captivity but never Laura herself. Laura simply clenched her hands together and turned her head. Bobbie had always assumed that the life, if one could call it that, was simply to horrid to put into words, but perhaps it was something else altogether.
"Was she happy, on the island?"
Stefan sighed, but shook his head, " She was a prisoner, she hated Stavros and Helena. All she could do was live each day. She never thought about finding someone who was just like her. Her happiness was with those she loved, her freedom, her choices and, even Luke Was she happy? How can someone be happy when they are being held against their will? I like to think that with me, and later Nikolas, she found calmness. Inner peace."
"But you never left the island, not for good at least. You had Nikolas to protect, so you gave up yourself to save him. You sacrificed everything you were and had for him, for you son," Bobbie admired, still smarting from the thought of Nikolas and Stefan being Father and son. Laura and Stefan. Bobbie couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy run through her. Ashamed, she turned her attention back to Stefan.
"You're not like them, you're not filled with hate, and greed and revenge like Helena is."
Stefan tilted his head thoughtfully, "I have Nikolas." His face fell again, "or thought I did."
Bobbie stood and paced the room before swiveling in her spot to face Stefan, "okay, I need to know what you haven't told me. Starting with you dying and then phoning me to come and help you."
Stefan nodded slowly, "just before Nikolas disappeared, I recieved a note, plain white paper, no signature or return address to the envelope. I later found that Laura recieved an exact copy. It had the words 'it is known' scrawled in Greek on it.
Bobbie frowned, clearly confused, "It is known?"
"She knew about Nikolas being our son," Stefan explained as he carefully sat up, resting against the headboard. "I recieved my note first, I called Laura just as she recieved hers. Naturally, we panicked and I rushed over to talk things over with her. Luke arrived moments after myself."
Bobbie cringed, "how bad was it?"
"Well, we shouted some and Laura began to weep and she blurted it out. Luke was furious and he began throwing things and ranting about. I had to calm him down." Sighing, Stefan examined his hands carefully. "I struck him."
Bobbie's mouth dropped open, "you HIT Luke?"
Stefan nodded, a trace of a grin appearing on his face, "twice."
"TWICE??!"
*~*
Luke hit the floor with a loud thud. Stefan stood above him, his fists still clenched, his eyes ablaze with anger. For a moment, Luke almost rose a third time before deciding against it. It hadn't worked the first two times, why would it work now?
Rubbing the left side of his jaw, Luke simply pulled himself onto the couch and silently glared at Stefan.
Stefan seethed, his anger, frustration and great fear bubbling just underneath his seemingly calm exterior, "are you prepared to discuss this properly?"
Luke waved his hand in the air gallantly, "talk away, Vlad!"
Laura sat tentively next to Luke, her nerves completely raw as she spoke, her voice shaking with fear, "Luke, Helena knows that Nikolas is Stefan's son and now she has told us this. She will come after him and anyone close to him."
"Why should I care about the Prince's well being?," Luke stated, his indifference clearly laid out.
"Yes, god forbid you care about anything but your hurt pride Spencer," Stefan spat, "you know--."
"STOP! STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!!" Laura screamed before turning to Luke.
"Dammit Luke! You are my husband and I love you but I will not let you disrespect my son or any of our children anymore!" she roared, the rage in her voice catching both men off guard as they flinched back.
"I have done a LOT of lying and I have made some HORRIBLE decisions and choices but enough! I will not endanger any of my children's lives or well being for either of you. Now if you two aren't finished marking your territory and bustling around feeling sorry for yourselves then fine! I don't need this garbage, I will take Helena on my own because God knows I'm not going to let that viper near any of my children! If you want to help then GROW THE HELL UP! I'll be in the kitchen!"
And with that, Laura stormed from the room, shoving the door with such a heave it slammed into the refrigerator before swinging back into the living room. Both men stood as silence came over the house.
"Wow," Stefan said, completely stunned at her outburst, he'd never seen Laura this enraged before.
"Tell me about it," Luke murmured.
*~*
"So what happened?," Bobbie asked, completely rapt with Stefan's storytelling.
"We argued some more, but we eventually hammered out an agreement. We told Alexis the truth, and we informed Jason Morgan, against my wishes, of the impending dangers. Security was put out for Lesley and your daughter Caroline. Your son Lucas and his Father are also carefully monitored with security. LesleyLu was to be within five feet of either her brothers or Laura and Luke and the Browstone, Wyndemere and the Spencer Home were under heavy security. Luke shut his club down temporarily and we were about to inform Lucky and Nikolas when he vanished."
"Back up, you were putting MY children under guard and NO ONE thought to inform me?" Bobbie demanded angrily as she stood near the windowsill.
"Barbara, we agreed that it was best if you weren't aware," Stefan explained, or attempted to.
"WE agreed? Funny I don't remember being consulted about the welfare of my children!" Bobbie raged further, growing angrier by the second. "I should have been told about everything, not only my children's safety! Dammit Stefan, how could you risk my children like that, the people I love like that and not tell me?!" Stopping her rant, Bobbie eyed Stefan furiously, sending a chill down his back, "WE? You, and Luke, my brother?"
Stefan, fearing an even more heated outburst, simply nodded and Bobbie smiled bitterly, nodding as if she knew already, "of course Luke would be involved in decieving me-"
"Barbara," Stefan said firmly, "your brother and I made the choice to contain the situation for the time being, in order to keep things under wraps until everyone concerned or might be concerned would be under security. We fully intended on telling you once we could but until then, it wasn't safe."
"Bull, that is such a load of crap, I mean, what am I? Some sort of waif who can't take it? I've been through a lot of garbage in my life and I'll be damned if I let a couple of neanderthals start deciding I can't cut the rough stuff!" Bobbie blasted.
Had Bobbie continued her rant at that point, Stefan's razor sharp hearing may not have caught the sound of a door slam from below. "Be still!" he whispered intensely and Bobbie clamped her mouth shut as silence fell over them.
"Bobbie?!! Baby sister where are you?!" came Luke's bellowing voice from below and with that all too familiar bellowing, Bobbie and Stefan locked gazes, too shocked to move at first.
"Do you want him to know?" Bobbie whispered loudly.
Stefan bit his lower lip, if Jason Morgan knew, Luke Spencer would have to know eventually, that the situation had dramatically changed. He nodded, reluctantly and Bobbie nodded slowly back.
"Up here Luke, is anyone with you?" she called.
"Anyone with me, what kind of question is that Barbara Jean?" Luke questioned as he thumped up the staircase, two steps at a time.
"In the guest bedroom," Bobbie said, her voice weak with nervous anticipation.
"Honey, what are you doing in here?" Luke wondered as he opened the slightly ajar door. It took him a moment to register the man reclining on the bed before him. Luke started to speak several times before stopping at each one.
"What the hell is going on here?" he finally asked, his eyes never leaving Stefan's partially nude body as it rested on his sister's guest bed in her house.
"Umm, well, Stefan is not really dead Luke," Bobbie finally responded, her voice still carrying the nervous pitch to it as she clung her hands together, unsure of what to do.
"Uh-huh, I gathered that part already, but umm, how is this possible?," Luke asked, his stare boring holes into Stefan.
"Well, uh, before his car fell down the embankment and exploded, Stefan jumped from the car and saved himself. He called me from his cell phone and I picked him up and brought him here. That about sums it up."
Luke nodded once slowly, as if digesting the information carefully, "the magic of technology," he commented lightly as he finally blinked a few times and turned his head to face Bobbie.
"Well," he finally decided, "looks like we have ourselves a situation."
Part II
Dara leaned back against the seat of the taxi as it moved down the streets of San Fransisco. Opening her window, Dara felt the warm sea breeze flow through and she breathed it in deeply. She closed her eyes for a moment and felt the warm sun against her skin as she heard various noises from the passing street and with a smile, she relaxed.
Home.
It had been six long years since her move to Port Charles, and Dara sat up slightly, startled at the length of time. She hadn't even visited during the holidays, putting up a wall of excuses for her family, usually blaming her absence on work. It was hard but the memories of the past were far too strong for her to want to go back, even to visit her parents, until now.
It only took a brief moment for Dara to remember why she had abruptly taken D.A. Schultz's job offer, despite the fact that the Phoenix and Seattle offers had been much more substantial ones and closer to home.
But no, she had fled to the cold winters of New York State, where she knew no one and no one knew her. And why? Not problems with her family or friends for that matter. Her decision had puzzled them, considering the family they had on her Father's side in Seattle but they had let it slide, not knowing the real reason.
Dara shivered and rubbed her arms as goose bumps sprung up and she quickly rolled the window back up.
Him.
His face flashed through her mind, the pain on his face when, with a somber face, she told him she was moving across the country. Away from him. The way he had pulled her close, his cologne washing over her like a tidal wave, nearly causing her knees to buckle and how he'd pleaded with her to stay.
He was the reason.
His face, his breath on her skin, his scent, his voice, his smile, his eyes. Everything about him had driven her wild and like a terrified animal, she had fled it instead of clutching it to her and never letting go.
Of course, the reasons, the hundreds of reasons for leaving him were there in her mind, ready to assault her if he crept into her mind, the way he'd make her laugh, the way he'd make her smile, the way he made her think and the way he'd make her feel. One look from him rocked her to the core of her very being.
She was too young, she had a new career to think about, she wasn't ready for love, this wasn't love...
Dara closed her eyes, trying to forget him and yet with each passing second felt like she was getting closer to him, she could feel it, getting stronger and stronger.
"We're here!"
Dara startled as the taxi driver turned in his seat.
"Miss? We're here, at the hospital."
Dara rubbed her eyes, before offering a smile, "right, sorry."
Grabbing her two bags, Dara quickly paid the driver before heading towards the new hospital. A vague memory of her Mother telling her about the construction of a newer facility ran through her head as she entered the double doors and headed to the receptionist.
"Can I help you?" the female receptionist asked, clearly indifferent as Dara leaned on the counter.
"Adair Jensen?"
The receptionist typed the name in, "Room 306 in Wing C."
Dara turned and bit her lip, "I'm not really familiar with the hospital, where would that be?"
The receptionist sighed heavily, "you take THAT elevator near the gift shop, go to the third floor, when you get off you'll hang a left and it should be on the left side, past the nurses station."
Dara nodded and headed towards the elevator, and within a few minutes she found herself on the third floor, at the nurses station. With her nerves running rampant she approached a petite blonde.
"Excuse me, where could I find Adair Jensen's room?"
The blond nurse smiled, "your his daughter right?"
Dara nodded and the nurse continued, "he hasn't stopped talking about his attorney daughter, so we've been expecting you. It's the fifth door on the left."
Gripping her suitcase, Dara headed down the white hallway, sparsely decorated with watercolor paintings of the ocean and meadows. Reaching room 306, she knocked gently and within a few seconds the door was swung open.
"Dara! Baby girl come here!" Faye Jensen cried as she threw her arms around Dara's shoulders and squeezed her tightly.
"Mama," Dara whispered as she clutched her Mother, feeling overwhelmed as tears sprung to her eyes.
"Let me look at you," Faye said, pulling back and holding Dara firmly by her shoulders and giving Dara a look over. "You look beautiful as usual and I love your hair!"
Dara beamed as she looked at her Mother. Same radiant smile, a few more wrinkles but still as vibrant as ever.
"Dara?"
Dara looked passed her Mother to where her Father lay in his bed. "Oh Papa,"she said sympathetically as she carefully leaned over and hugged him warmly. He looked thinner and more pale, but that was probably from the recent trauma his body had suffered. Still, it alarmed Dara to see her Father like this.
She took a seat on the edge of his bed and examined him carefully, "I got here as soon as I heard the message, how are you?"
Before Adair had the chance to respond, Faye responded, "he'll be fine if he stops acting like he's twenty years old all the time. I go to the market and come home to him up on the roof doing what?! Christmas lights on the second floor eavesdrops! Damn near had a heart attack myself!" Faye scolded loudly as Adair winked at Dara. Turning her head, Dara couldn't help but smile at the antics her parents were still at after all these years.
"Don't you worry, this ticker is strong," Adair said confidently to Faye as he thumped his chest. Faye rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms.
"He never listens to the doctor. I keep telling him he can't be running around on the basketball courts with the neighborhood children. He comes home wheezing and sweating up a storm, ready to keel over at any moment. Tell me this is a wake up call Adair!"
"Yes, yes," Adair soothed waving his hand to Faye as she walked around the bed to Dara.
"I"m sorry sweet, you must be exhausted, why don't you take the car home and freshen up?" Faye turned for her purse as Dara stood up.
"No, no, I can stay here with Dad, Mama why don't you go home and rest for a bit?" Dara patted her Mother's hand gently as Faye shook her head firmly.
"No, your Father is being discharged tonight, I must stay with him."
Dara pursed her lips, "well, how about I get some food ready at home then?"
Adair's eyes lit up, "will you make that chicken casserole I love?" and Dara nodded, her eyes sparkling as she leaned over to give him another hug.
"Thank you for coming home sweet, we missed you!" Adair whispered as she hugged him tightly.
"Me to Papa, me too."
***********************************
Home of Venus Ardanowski
"So, when did the Professor say he'd have the remaining entries in the journal translated?" Jax asked as he gathered his coat from its resting position at the back of the chesterfield. Exhausted after pouring over the already translated entries in Irenie's journal, Jax and V had returned to V's place for a snack before Jax had to take a flight to Germany for business.
"Tonight, tomorrow morning at the latest he told me, I think I'll just go over the stuff again tonight. I mean, maybe there's something here that might be able to help the Cassadines out, especially after the past month," V said, remembering the news reports over Nikolas's disappearance and Stefan Cassadine's sudden death.
Jax chuckled, "all of a sudden you've become devoted to this family V, why is that?"
V shrugged as she shoved her hands into her snug jeans, "I guess after reading my grandmother's entries, I feel a little bit like family with them, I'm not sure why really."
Jax laughed gently, "you're a giving person by nature V, you want to help others, I should know that feeling by now."
V's heart soared as Jax gave her a warm smile before opening her door. "I'll be sure to call you the second I get back all right?" Jax asked and V quickly nodded.
"Have a safe trip!" she waved before shutting the door behind him. Leaning against the door, the room fell silent as V chewed her lower lip as she watched the sheets of paper that sat scattered on her kitchen table. Something was bothering her, it wasn't so much about learning the Cassadine secrets, it was more so about the sole Cassadine she'd never heard of before, the one who seemed to be more of an outsider than anything.
Petros.
V wandered over to the kitchen table and began to rummage through the papers, looking for the one sheet that had caught her eye before. Finding it quickly, she settled into her seat as she read.
*~*
April 4th
'It is hard to believe that tomorrow the wedding will happen. I have not been able to keep up with my journal work, the staff has been overworked for weeks now by Helena, she has controlled every aspect of the planning. It is hard for me to admit that Helena has not become what we'd hoped for. Mikkos seems completely smitten with her and allows her all kinds of freedoms concerning family matters.
Ivan is still unable to leave the island and has lost much weight since Ekaterina's death. He has become a ghost in every way and only allows Alexei's Father to tend to his care. Rumors are swirling that Ekaterina's death may not have been a natural death since it has come to light of Helena's great jealousy over Ekaterina. Ivan has not spoken of his beloved since her funeral.
Mikkos has unofficially taken control of the family but has relinquished less pressing family business to the Cassadines families in Belgium and Germany. The real mystery about him has come in the form of a grand laboratory built on the mainland, near the University. Mikkos visits there three times a week and is very secretive about his studies, no one on the staff seems to know what he is doing with his spare time. He's certainly keeping his distance from Helena.
*~*
Helena brushed her long silky hair slowly and carefully before turning her head slightly, to get a better look through the mirror. Satisfied, she place the brush down and picked up her bottle of perfume and placed small dabs on her wrists and neck before placing the bottle back on the vanity table. Helena smiled in the mirror, it seemed only natural that she take Ekaterina's vanity table after her death, it was far too elegant to hand off to a woman from the staff. Helena delicately ran her finger along the edge of the table. Yes, she thought, things were finally falling into its proper place.
Glancing at the clock by her bed, Helena frowned as she to a quick look outside her window. Dusk had come and gone and now the winds and fierce rain had arrived and once again, Mikkos had yet to thump noisily down the hallway to his room. Putting on a white silk robe to match her revealing nightgown, Helena eased her door open and peeked outside. The hallway was still and Helena's frown deepened as she silently made her way down to the main hallway when all of a sudden she heard a crash.
Rushing to the noise, she entered the conservatory to find Mikkos wet and huddling on the stone floor with various members of the staff hovering around him anxiously.
"What on earth is going on here?" she demanded.
George eyed Helena with contempt but managed to conceal it when he stood to speak, "Master Mikkos's boat nearly capsized in the rough waters. The guards managed to rescue him but he was in the frigid waters for some time Miss Helena."
Helena glanced at Mikkos's still shaking body and scowled. "All right, take him up to my room and change him into some dry clothes. Then I want this mess cleaned up before Father Cassadine sees it. Now!" she ordered. George gave a quick nod to the others as he and Alexei pulled Mikkos up and headed towards the hallway with him. Helena observed the clean up for a few moments before heading to the kitchen. Helping herself to white wine and a basket of fruit, she made her way up the servant staircase and watched from the doorway as George and Alexei left her room and headed back down the hallway.
Helena entered her room and locked the door behind her, placing the wine and fruit on her reading chair. The fire which George must have started, was now established and warming the room while at the same time, giving it a red tinge from the glow. Helena watched Mikkos rest, before feeling his forehead gently. He was cool and his breathing was normal, Helena gave an approving nod before grabbing the fruit and wine off the chair and rounding the bed. Carefully, she undid the knot in her robe and looked herself over once more in the mirror before slowly mounting the high bed and crawling towards Mikkos. He was dressed in his long black pyjama bottoms and his matching long sleeved top remained unbuttoned. Helena, careful to not make Mikkos stir, gently tugged the shirt open to reveal Mikkos's well built chest. Helena sighed, somewhat annoyed that she would have to wait until after the wedding until she could explore it. It bothered her greatly that they had not yet consummated their relationship, although they had almost on several occasions. Since Helena's first attempt at killing Ekaterina, Mikkos had felt it was improper to become intimate, especially after his Mother's death until after the wedding. Although his desire was obvious hard to resist, he was unwavering in his decision.
Helena's attention returned to Mikkos after hearing him stir. His eyes fluttered open, before blinking a few times, focusing on the ceiling. Taking a few deep breaths to clear his head, he suddenly became aware that he was not alone. Turning his head, he nearly gasped at the sight before him. Helena's beauty had always hypnotized him but not like this. She stared at him carefully as his eyes roved her appreciatively. Helena gave a small smile as she watched Mikkos's eyes move down her body.
"You shouldn't have gone to your laboratory tonight Mikkos, the waters were rough and frigid and you could have died had the guards not rescued you,"Helena informed him.
Mikkos sat up and grabbed a grape from the fruit basket he noticed sitting beside Helena. "I realize what the conditions of the waters was, but I simply had to go to the mainland."
Helena arched her brow, suddenly interested, "what are you doing over that's so important? You've been neglecting the arrangements for our wedding and family members have already arrived and yet, you are never here to greet them."
Mikkos grabbed the bottle of wine and expertly opened it,"have you heard the whisperings about Mother's death? Some say she did not die from her disease, some say she was poisoned."
Mikkos took a swig of the wine while watching Helena's reaction carefully. Although she recovered quickly, Mikkos noted the change in her face as he gulped down a second swig. Helena grabbed a plump strawberry from the basket and bit into it, her mind racing. What was he getting at? Did he know?
"That's what I've been doing," Mikkos explained,"trying to figure that out. Before she was burried, I had her fluids tested for medication and after a few days, the reports came back and everything seemed to be in order except for traces of a drug, unidentifiable at the time. So my lab workers and I worked extensively searching out the answers. Tonight, we finally got the results we had been seeking. Do you know what they were?" he baited, his voice light.
Helena sat frozen in her spot as she dreaded his answer, "no Mikkos, I don't." Her fingers clutched the bedspread in anticipation.
"It was a toxin, normally used in the slaughter of large animals such as elephants, to subdue them until hunters are able to safetly kill them without causing bodily harm to themselves. It paralyzes them, rendering them powerless. A small dosage would no doubt kill a person, it is odorless, tasteless and untraceable, if administered properly. It passes itself off as symptoms related to severe heart attacks and kills the person within a few minutes. A formidable and reliable weapon." Mikkos watched Helena as he explained the results of the testing to her. Her face remained controlled but behind her eyes, she couldn't mask the fear.
"Upon further seeking, we found the poison had been ordered by a firm in London months ago. You were in London last Christmas were you not?"
Not waiting for her answer, Mikkos continued,"it leads me to believe that the Cassadine home is once again consumed with a suspicious death."
Helena's eyes hardened as she waited for his accusation. Even though she was prepared, she still gasped when Mikkos's hand reached behind her head and grabbed her hair and jerked her towards him, just inches from his face. Mikkos studied her face carefully, "did you do it Helena? Did you poison my Mother?" he asked, in a calm voice.
Helena breathed steadily, through her nostrils as her mouth refused to open at first. Finally she licked her lips and nodded.
"Yes." The statement was clear, her voice was cold and unfeeling as she confirmed Mikkos's suspicions. Mikkos waited paused before leaning towards her and possessively kissed her lips. Helena was stunned by his reaction but carefully decided to comply as she ripened the kiss, opening her mouth and seeking out his tongue with hers. Mikkos released his tight grip on her hair and broke the kiss suddenly. He raised himself on his keens, holding her jaw firmly with his fingers before shoving her back, so she fell onto the pillows below her. Placing his own frame over hers, Mikkos's eyes penetrated hers as he gently pushed her hair from her face.
"You have betrayed my family Helena, but I have chosen to forgive you for your crime. You will however not go unpunished," he said, his voice a low growl.
Although half terrified and half surprised, Helena was completely arroused by Mikkos's commanding nature. "What is my punishment, my Prince?" she asked seductively.
"You will bow to me, tonight and every night after," Mikkos replied, knowing full well this pleased her as much as it did him. He traced the outline of her jaw with his index finger gently before letting it trail down her throat and across her collarbone, causing her to suck in her breath, shivering at his sensitive touch.
"I am yours my Prince,"she said as she took his hand and placed it over her breast and Mikkos's eyes shone with gratification.
"Now and forever."