52 Weeks
by Wizardtho
Chapter 10:
Walking into the study this morning after my shower with Caius, I am immediately struck by the worry and fear that Marcus tries to hide. Though he and Aro are both smiling at us, I can see that the separation from his mate is tearing Marcus up inside. I smile at them both, but go to where Marcus is sitting first. I kiss both his cheeks, then say sincerely, “I didn’t get to properly thank either of you for my crest, with the meeting happening.”
A genuine but small smile reaches his face as he pats both my hands, “You are most welcome, Sister. I take it you are pleased with the result of our combined efforts?”
I grin widely as I make my way over to Aro, who is standing near the fireplace. I kiss each of his cheeks, then offer, “Exceptionally pleased. It’s truly stunning. I have a feeling that my bracelet was what caused all of the Cullens to gasp yesterday, though you won’t hear me complain about that result one bit. They needed a strong message. I believe between my position and crest, my point was clearly made.”
Aro chuckles as Marcus gives me an approving nod and says almost to himself, “Point well made.”
I make my way back to Caius, sitting next to him on what has become our loveseat, but Marcus asks, “After the stress you have endured over the last few days, have you planned a day of relaxing to enjoy the liberties of being a Lady of the castle?”
I look at him questioningly, but it’s Aro who chides Caius, “Brother, for shame. You have not told Isabella of the spa facility?”
I chuckle in response, “He did, Aro. I only forgot because I’m not usually a primp and spoil type of person. Actually, it does sound like it would be fun to relax for the morning before my meeting with Jerran and Franco. Aro, do you know if Sulpicia is busy?”
He shakes his head, then offers, “She was reading in our sitting room when I left our suite. Hold just a second.”
He strolls to his desk, then sits in the tall-back chair while pressing a few buttons on the desk phone. I hear a ring in the room, so I know he’s put it on speakerphone. When she answers with, “Yes?” Aro looks to me expectantly.
I chuckle in response, “Good morning, Sulpicia. I’m currently with Marcus and our men in the study, but I was wondering if you’d like to spend the day with me doing girl stuff. I was thinking about taking the morning for spa-related activities before my appointment with Jerran and Franco.”
She laughs freely, then replies, “Isabella, Dear! Good morning to you as well. Of course, I’d love to spend the day with you. Give me a few minutes to call down to the spa and finish dressing. I’ll meet you in the study, then we can walk down together. Are we going for the whole package, or would you only like certain things this morning?”
I hum, checking my nails and the ends of my long hair, “Better make it the whole package…. massage, facial, mani/pedi… the works.”
Sulpicia chuckles in reply, “Perfect. Consider it done, and I’ll meet you soon.”
Aro picks up the phone to speak quickly to his mate while Caius ghosts his fingertips along my cheek. I smile up at him, but he takes a lock of my hair to tickle my collarbone with it, “You looked at your hair with a frown. Will you be cutting much from the length?”
I chuckle, knowing he loves my long hair, “Not at all; a trim and style, maybe a brightening of the color and some highlights. No more than an inch from the total length, I promise you.”
He gives me a relieved smile, then whispers in my ear, “Thank you. I can not help that I love the way it falls around us when you are above me.”
I blush, remembering how I practically attacked him before we left our suite, hiking my skirt up to straddle him before kissing him senseless.
My hair had been left loose and wavy today, so when it fell around us during that steamy kiss, he had groaned deep in his chest while burying his hands deep within the strands. That and my repeated statement of me being ruined for any other were what finally had him giving in to let me out of the suite in my current outfit… with stipulations, of course.
At Aro and Marcus chuckling because of my blush, I clear my throat needlessly before saying, “What’s on the agenda for you three today? Anything pressing?”
Marcus gives me a knowing smirk before helping me out, “No rule-breaking on the docket today, thankfully. Just a few wanting to either let us know they are in our territory, pay respects, or ask us for favors. The normal day, so far.”
At that, Sulpicia enters the room. She quickly gives Aro a kiss, then kisses both Marcus’ cheeks, which gives me time to whisper to Caius as I finger his journey tie tack, “I’ll stop by to see you between appointments if I have time. If not, come find me when you have a break?”
He nods with a smile, offering, “I will. Have a good morning, Darling.”
With a light kiss, I stand to greet Sulpicia. When I go to take both of her hands, her eyes widen. She looks from my black rose-printed bodice to my flowing red layered skirt, then my stretch lace black boots. She twirls me under her fingertips while whistling, then laughs, “Wow… you’ll have half the castle in an uproar within five minutes of us leaving this room looking as fierce as you do. I’m surprised the two of you even left your suite with how sexy you look this morning.”
A rumble barrels from deep within Caius’ chest as he points out, “It was… difficult. Remember that you are to be stuck to Jane by the hip, Isabella.”
I chuckle, then cup his cheek, saying loud enough for everyone to hear, “And you remember what I’ve already told you twice. You’ve officially ruined me for the touch of any other. It’s you I want, Caius… and you that I want to look good for. No other. Now go do kingly things, and I’ll see you soon.”
As I turn and link arms with Sulpicia, Aro halts our progress. “Sister, you are forgetting something.”
I turn with a questioning look, only to see a shiny new cell phone in the hand he’s holding out toward me. I chuckle as I take it, slipping it into my clutch purse, then say, “It’s not forgetting, Brother Dear, since you never told me you bought me one in the first place. Next time, you should remember to tell me you have something for me, so I won’t forget to take it with me. Have a good day, gentlemen.”
Sulpicia and I exit the room grinning as Aro is left speechless, both Caius and Marcus laughing uncontrollably.
When Sulpicia and I walk into the posh day spa, located on the first floor of the castle, Jane is animatedly telling Sulpicia the way Caius gave her her orders this morning. I can’t help but crack up at her display, which causes Sulpicia to join me. “Oh, no. He really said that?! Poor Isa… you’ll never be able to leave the castle, with how protective and jealous he is being.”
I smirk in reply, “A steamy kiss and saying what I repeated in the study was all it took… along with agreeing to have Jane glued to my hip. I agreed easily because honestly, I love having Jane with me.”
The small guard smiles brightly at me with a nod, but Sulpicia giggles behind her hand softly as two females walk toward us, “You already have that man wrapped around your pinky, Isabella. You should see the way he looks at you when you aren’t paying attention. It’s too cute for words.”
The two females stop in front of us, one with raven black hair while the other has brown waves, both with striking red eyes. They greet us, almost in unison, bowing their heads slightly, “Mistress, Lady Isabella. Good morning.”
We both greet them with a ‘good morning’ in reply, then Sulpicia holds her hand out to the raven-haired female before doing the same with the brown-haired one, “Isabella, Dear… meet Justine and Mina. They take care of only the royal females, so they are with us for the morning.”
I smile, “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
Justine holds her hand out to me, so I shake it as she offers, “I’ll be working with you this morning, Lady Isabella. Let’s get you both back to the private suite, then you can tell me more about what you were thinking of having done today. Mistress said the works, but that means different things to different people.”
Once we get back into the private suite, with Chelsea and Jane standing right outside the door, I sit next to Sulpicia and say, “So, Justine... tell me what you prepared for with the works comment. If there’s anything I want taken off the menu, I’ll let you know.”
She grins, then says, “With the complete package, Mistress usually starts with a specially prepared body scrub, then a massage with a custom blend oil. When that’s done, we take care of her waxing, facial, mani/pedi, haircut and color refresh, and finish with her makeup for the day.”
I nod, thinking I was planning on all but the body scrub to begin with, then say, “Explain what’s different about her body scrub and massage oil. Also, I would think you’d take care of the waxing first. I don’t know if the sensation is similar for you, being vampires, but waxing hurts like a bitch for humans while it’s being done. Of course, the sting is quick to fade, but still. Why do the relaxing scrub and massage before the painful waxing? Doesn’t it negate the end result you’re trying to achieve?”
Justine and Mina both laugh, giving Sulpicia an ‘I told you so’ look, so she looks at me, “The customization for both the scrub and massage oil are scent-based. Natural oils are mixed together that perfectly compliment my natural scent. We’ve found that by doing that, it adds to the calming quality of the treatment. The sensation is not as intense for vampires when waxing, and we don’t need the treatment often, as our hair growth is quite slow. We do still feel it, though. I did not think the difference in relaxation would be noticeable if the treatment order were switched, so I’ve always done it afterward.”
She shrugs as if that explains it all, but I shake my head, “Trust me on this, please. I promise you will never want to go back after you try it my way. My motto has always been to get the painful shit out of the way first. That way, I can truly appreciate everything else that comes.”
She nods to Mina, who claps her hands with a bright smile. “Alright. We’ll just let you both change into your robes in the waxing rooms. Lady Isabella, we didn’t know if the suite would be warm enough, so both a fuzzy robe and a silk one are available in your room.”
I nod and thank her, then follow Justine to my private room.
The suite is actually the perfect temperature, so I strip down and pull on the mid-thigh length black silk robe, tying the sash at my waist. Justine knocks before quickly poking her head in, once I’ve sat on the table. I smile, waving her in. “I just need to check how resilient your skin is, so I can make sure I didn’t set the temperature too high. Then we can get started.”
I nod, so she gently lifts my left leg before rubbing the inside of my ankle with a decent pressure. With a smile, she then does the same thing to the back of my knee and the inside of my left wrist. She lets out a relieved sigh when done, “Perfect. I could actually turn the temp up a few degrees, but we’ll err on the side of caution this time to see how it goes.”
She props the head of the table up a bit, so I settle leaning my back against it. Justine smiles slightly as she smooths the wax down for the first strip, “It’s been a while since I’ve worked with a human, but I’ve been practicing since word of your arrival. The human receptionist, Gianna, said to try waxing the fuzz off a ripe peach without damaging the skin. Once I could successfully do that 50 times in a row, I would be ready to work with you.”
I chuckle, then say to ease her worry, “My skin is a bit tougher than that of a peach, Justine, but thank you for that. Just out of curiosity, how many times did the peach fail to make it through practice?”
With a wide grin up at me as she pulls the first strip away, she offers with a smirk, “None… perfect record.”
I groan as the strip is pulled, but Justine blows her cool breath along the waxed skin, which instantly helps with the stinging sensation. I nod in appreciation, then commend her on her excellent record.
We talk easily about how long she’s been a vampire, as well as how she likes working for the Volturi. She had been struggling after the death of her maker, and in coming to the Volturi, she no longer felt alone. I could relate, since I never felt more like I belonged, than when I was in Caius’s arms.
That thought sticks with me through the rest of my body waxing until we get to my more sensitive area. I hiss and let out a small growl when the first strip is ripped away from my mound, then hear both Mina and Sulpicia giggling from the other room.
Another strip is ripped away, causing me to growl loudly as I hear more giggling, “Sulpicia, I love you, but shut the fuck up over there. If I hear you giggle at my pain one more time, I’ll order Jane to target your vagina with a healthy dose of it, just so you can feel what I’m going through! See how happy Aro is when you don’t feel up to giving him any as a result!”
Justine is trying hard to hold back a snicker, but I hear Sulpicia gasp in response, “Isabella! You would not!”
I smirk at Justine, answering confidently, “I sooo would. Try me!”
When Justine’s eyes widen as she looks toward the door, I call out Jane’s name and hear her quickly answer from outside the door, “Yes, Milady?”
Sulpicia growls, then calls out, “Isabella, you are ruthless!” so I yell back, “Just remember that for next time, Cia! No more freebies!”
Jane chuckles at what Sulpicia must have grumbled, then offers, “I’ll be at my post if you need me, Milady.”
Thankfully, the queen in the next room is quiet through the rest of my waxing, but pouting when she meets me back in the main room of the suite. She mumbles “Ruthless,” again as she strips her robe before settling face down on the massage table.
In response, I chuckle incredulously, “You were laughing at my pain, Cia! What did you expect me to do, grin and let you get away with it?”
I strip and settle on my on the table, then she winks at me. “You’re braver than me, that’s for sure. I could never go bare.”
I shrug as much as I’m able in my position, offering, “I just feel cleaner. Plus, the desire I can see in Caius’s eyes is worth it, when he’s there without anything to obstruct his path.”
I can feel Justine clipping my hair up as Sulpicia and I both grin at my last statement. When she’s done, she takes my wrist and asks, “May I take in your scent closer, Milady? To be able to customize your scrub and massage oil? It’s harder to discern the subtleties without smelling close to your skin right now. I think Master must have bathed you in his scent this morning.”
I chuckle when both Mina and Sulpicia agree with her, then nod, “Of course, I don’t mind. I’m interested to see what you come up with. No two people have told me the same thing.”
All three of them look at me curiously, so I ask, “Cia, what do you smell, other than Caius, of course?”
I hold my wrist close to her face, so she closes her eyes before inhaling. After a second, she offers curiously, “Black orchid, mahogany, pomegranate, lotus blossom.”
I hum, then hold my wrist out to Mina. She leans in to do the same as Sulpicia. “Lily, ginger, rose… and chamomile.”
Letting Justine take my wrist again, she shakes her head, then leans in. She inhales, then gasps, “It’s true! None of us smell the same thing.”
She closes her eyes, then inhales again. “Jasmine, vanilla, amber, and coconut.”
Each of them is looking at me curiously, so I offer in explanation, “Edward always said I smelled like freesia and violets. Alice, on the other hand, said I smelled like peonies and strawberries. Maybe we should just ask Caius, then go with what he smells in my scent. He’s the one who will smell it the most, other than me.”
Justine nods, so I pull my phone out of my robe pocket. I figure Aro has him on the first speed-dial location, so I quickly press the buttons before hearing the phone ring.
The first ring barely stops before Caius is asking, “Darling, are you alright?
What’s happened?”
I chuckle, “Slow down, my sexy king. I’m fine. We’re having a debate, and I just need to know what you smell in my scent. I’ll explain more as soon as I see you.”
He lets out a relieved breath, then offers, “Mandarin, honeysuckle, gardenia, and apricot, Sweetling. Are you having fun?”
I smile, then reply, “I am. Justine is preparing a whole bunch of girly treatments for me, though, so I need to go. I won’t be able to hold the phone in my hand. I’ll see you soon?”
He hums before saying, “Of course. We will be breaking soon, so I will bring a lunch tray with me. Would you like anything special?”
I shake my head, “Just tell Chef I’m having a spa morning and would like something light… nothing heavy.”
He agrees, then we say our goodbyes.
When I place my phone back in my robe pocket, Justine hums in thought, “Okay, so… mandarin, honeysuckle, gardenia, and apricot. I know just the thing.”
She quickly mixes a few different oils together, then brings the bottle to me. “Please smell this, Lady Isabella. If the scent has an aspect that’s unpleasant, let me know.”
I can’t help but hum as my eyes flutter closed at the scent presented to me. Sulpicia chuckles, but Justine seems to be relieved by my response. I assure her as I capture her gaze, “It’s perfect. I don’t even care what’s in it. I would lather myself in that scent 24/7 if I could.”
Her eyes light up in response. “I’ll take care of it while Alandro works on your hair color. He’s an artist when it comes to color mixing, and I just haven’t gotten it down yet. You’ll have a line of hair and body products in this scent delivered to your room when you exit the spa.”
I’m polished head to toe with the body scrub no more than twenty minutes later, with the four of us chatting happily the whole time. Once we are deemed scrubbed to perfection, the girls send Sulpicia and me back to our private rooms to quickly rinse off in the shower. My hair is towel dried, my body wrapped back in my robe when I walk out into the main room to find Caius walking in.
Until now, I didn’t even realize my chest had been feeling a bit heavy. I only notice now, because it feels so light seeing him here. I smile happily, then pop up on my toes to give him a kiss. He groans as he practically attacks my lips, then offers, “Isabella, your scent is quite arousing on its own, but this… My God. I want to whisk you back to our room with how incredibly sexy you smell right now.”
I can’t help but chuckle, loving his reaction. I nip his bottom lip in response, then turn only far enough to see Justine grinning. “Make it happen, Justine. I’m serious.”
Her grin gets even bigger before she nods, “Of course, Milady. It will be done.”
I climb back on the table, then Caius brings a tray over to set next to me. Lifting the lid, I see cute little finger sandwiches, as well as a few skewers of fresh fruit. There are two large expensive bottles of ice-cold water next to my food. I hum in delight, then pick up a skewer, pulling a melon ball off before popping it into my mouth.
Caius kisses my temple happily, then asks, “Please drink both bottles before your appointment ends. Aro said something about you needing plenty of water to replenish after a lengthy massage.”
I ghost my fingers along his cheek while giving him a tender smile, which causes his eyes to flutter as he cups my hand to his face. He kisses my palm when I promise, “I know… and I promise to. I’ll probably want water for most of the day. Is Chef’s extension programmed into my phone? I’ll want another tray delivered to whatever room I’m meeting Franco and Jerran in.”
He nods, then explains, “With the number of fabrics and displays, your meeting is set to be held in the throne room. With no trials or pressing matters, we are seeing our appointments in one of the adjacent conference rooms. I will be nearby, in case you would like my opinion on anything.”
I hum, thank him, then give him a kiss before pouting slightly, “You have to go already, don’t you?”
He nods unhappily, “Unfortunately, yes. The sooner I go, the sooner I will be finished doing ‘kingly things’ for the day.”
With my nod, he gives me a slow and tender kiss, then whispers, “I will see you soon, Darling. Have a good time.”
Chapter 10:
Walking into the study this morning after my shower with Caius, I am immediately struck by the worry and fear that Marcus tries to hide. Though he and Aro are both smiling at us, I can see that the separation from his mate is tearing Marcus up inside. I smile at them both, but go to where Marcus is sitting first. I kiss both his cheeks, then say sincerely, “I didn’t get to properly thank either of you for my crest, with the meeting happening.”
A genuine but small smile reaches his face as he pats both my hands, “You are most welcome, Sister. I take it you are pleased with the result of our combined efforts?”
I grin widely as I make my way over to Aro, who is standing near the fireplace. I kiss each of his cheeks, then offer, “Exceptionally pleased. It’s truly stunning. I have a feeling that my bracelet was what caused all of the Cullens to gasp yesterday, though you won’t hear me complain about that result one bit. They needed a strong message. I believe between my position and crest, my point was clearly made.”
Aro chuckles as Marcus gives me an approving nod and says almost to himself, “Point well made.”
I make my way back to Caius, sitting next to him on what has become our loveseat, but Marcus asks, “After the stress you have endured over the last few days, have you planned a day of relaxing to enjoy the liberties of being a Lady of the castle?”
I look at him questioningly, but it’s Aro who chides Caius, “Brother, for shame. You have not told Isabella of the spa facility?”
I chuckle in response, “He did, Aro. I only forgot because I’m not usually a primp and spoil type of person. Actually, it does sound like it would be fun to relax for the morning before my meeting with Jerran and Franco. Aro, do you know if Sulpicia is busy?”
He shakes his head, then offers, “She was reading in our sitting room when I left our suite. Hold just a second.”
He strolls to his desk, then sits in the tall-back chair while pressing a few buttons on the desk phone. I hear a ring in the room, so I know he’s put it on speakerphone. When she answers with, “Yes?” Aro looks to me expectantly.
I chuckle in response, “Good morning, Sulpicia. I’m currently with Marcus and our men in the study, but I was wondering if you’d like to spend the day with me doing girl stuff. I was thinking about taking the morning for spa-related activities before my appointment with Jerran and Franco.”
She laughs freely, then replies, “Isabella, Dear! Good morning to you as well. Of course, I’d love to spend the day with you. Give me a few minutes to call down to the spa and finish dressing. I’ll meet you in the study, then we can walk down together. Are we going for the whole package, or would you only like certain things this morning?”
I hum, checking my nails and the ends of my long hair, “Better make it the whole package…. massage, facial, mani/pedi… the works.”
Sulpicia chuckles in reply, “Perfect. Consider it done, and I’ll meet you soon.”
Aro picks up the phone to speak quickly to his mate while Caius ghosts his fingertips along my cheek. I smile up at him, but he takes a lock of my hair to tickle my collarbone with it, “You looked at your hair with a frown. Will you be cutting much from the length?”
I chuckle, knowing he loves my long hair, “Not at all; a trim and style, maybe a brightening of the color and some highlights. No more than an inch from the total length, I promise you.”
He gives me a relieved smile, then whispers in my ear, “Thank you. I can not help that I love the way it falls around us when you are above me.”
I blush, remembering how I practically attacked him before we left our suite, hiking my skirt up to straddle him before kissing him senseless.
My hair had been left loose and wavy today, so when it fell around us during that steamy kiss, he had groaned deep in his chest while burying his hands deep within the strands. That and my repeated statement of me being ruined for any other were what finally had him giving in to let me out of the suite in my current outfit… with stipulations, of course.
At Aro and Marcus chuckling because of my blush, I clear my throat needlessly before saying, “What’s on the agenda for you three today? Anything pressing?”
Marcus gives me a knowing smirk before helping me out, “No rule-breaking on the docket today, thankfully. Just a few wanting to either let us know they are in our territory, pay respects, or ask us for favors. The normal day, so far.”
At that, Sulpicia enters the room. She quickly gives Aro a kiss, then kisses both Marcus’ cheeks, which gives me time to whisper to Caius as I finger his journey tie tack, “I’ll stop by to see you between appointments if I have time. If not, come find me when you have a break?”
He nods with a smile, offering, “I will. Have a good morning, Darling.”
With a light kiss, I stand to greet Sulpicia. When I go to take both of her hands, her eyes widen. She looks from my black rose-printed bodice to my flowing red layered skirt, then my stretch lace black boots. She twirls me under her fingertips while whistling, then laughs, “Wow… you’ll have half the castle in an uproar within five minutes of us leaving this room looking as fierce as you do. I’m surprised the two of you even left your suite with how sexy you look this morning.”
A rumble barrels from deep within Caius’ chest as he points out, “It was… difficult. Remember that you are to be stuck to Jane by the hip, Isabella.”
I chuckle, then cup his cheek, saying loud enough for everyone to hear, “And you remember what I’ve already told you twice. You’ve officially ruined me for the touch of any other. It’s you I want, Caius… and you that I want to look good for. No other. Now go do kingly things, and I’ll see you soon.”
As I turn and link arms with Sulpicia, Aro halts our progress. “Sister, you are forgetting something.”
I turn with a questioning look, only to see a shiny new cell phone in the hand he’s holding out toward me. I chuckle as I take it, slipping it into my clutch purse, then say, “It’s not forgetting, Brother Dear, since you never told me you bought me one in the first place. Next time, you should remember to tell me you have something for me, so I won’t forget to take it with me. Have a good day, gentlemen.”
Sulpicia and I exit the room grinning as Aro is left speechless, both Caius and Marcus laughing uncontrollably.
When Sulpicia and I walk into the posh day spa, located on the first floor of the castle, Jane is animatedly telling Sulpicia the way Caius gave her her orders this morning. I can’t help but crack up at her display, which causes Sulpicia to join me. “Oh, no. He really said that?! Poor Isa… you’ll never be able to leave the castle, with how protective and jealous he is being.”
I smirk in reply, “A steamy kiss and saying what I repeated in the study was all it took… along with agreeing to have Jane glued to my hip. I agreed easily because honestly, I love having Jane with me.”
The small guard smiles brightly at me with a nod, but Sulpicia giggles behind her hand softly as two females walk toward us, “You already have that man wrapped around your pinky, Isabella. You should see the way he looks at you when you aren’t paying attention. It’s too cute for words.”
The two females stop in front of us, one with raven black hair while the other has brown waves, both with striking red eyes. They greet us, almost in unison, bowing their heads slightly, “Mistress, Lady Isabella. Good morning.”
We both greet them with a ‘good morning’ in reply, then Sulpicia holds her hand out to the raven-haired female before doing the same with the brown-haired one, “Isabella, Dear… meet Justine and Mina. They take care of only the royal females, so they are with us for the morning.”
I smile, “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.”
Justine holds her hand out to me, so I shake it as she offers, “I’ll be working with you this morning, Lady Isabella. Let’s get you both back to the private suite, then you can tell me more about what you were thinking of having done today. Mistress said the works, but that means different things to different people.”
Once we get back into the private suite, with Chelsea and Jane standing right outside the door, I sit next to Sulpicia and say, “So, Justine... tell me what you prepared for with the works comment. If there’s anything I want taken off the menu, I’ll let you know.”
She grins, then says, “With the complete package, Mistress usually starts with a specially prepared body scrub, then a massage with a custom blend oil. When that’s done, we take care of her waxing, facial, mani/pedi, haircut and color refresh, and finish with her makeup for the day.”
I nod, thinking I was planning on all but the body scrub to begin with, then say, “Explain what’s different about her body scrub and massage oil. Also, I would think you’d take care of the waxing first. I don’t know if the sensation is similar for you, being vampires, but waxing hurts like a bitch for humans while it’s being done. Of course, the sting is quick to fade, but still. Why do the relaxing scrub and massage before the painful waxing? Doesn’t it negate the end result you’re trying to achieve?”
Justine and Mina both laugh, giving Sulpicia an ‘I told you so’ look, so she looks at me, “The customization for both the scrub and massage oil are scent-based. Natural oils are mixed together that perfectly compliment my natural scent. We’ve found that by doing that, it adds to the calming quality of the treatment. The sensation is not as intense for vampires when waxing, and we don’t need the treatment often, as our hair growth is quite slow. We do still feel it, though. I did not think the difference in relaxation would be noticeable if the treatment order were switched, so I’ve always done it afterward.”
She shrugs as if that explains it all, but I shake my head, “Trust me on this, please. I promise you will never want to go back after you try it my way. My motto has always been to get the painful shit out of the way first. That way, I can truly appreciate everything else that comes.”
She nods to Mina, who claps her hands with a bright smile. “Alright. We’ll just let you both change into your robes in the waxing rooms. Lady Isabella, we didn’t know if the suite would be warm enough, so both a fuzzy robe and a silk one are available in your room.”
I nod and thank her, then follow Justine to my private room.
The suite is actually the perfect temperature, so I strip down and pull on the mid-thigh length black silk robe, tying the sash at my waist. Justine knocks before quickly poking her head in, once I’ve sat on the table. I smile, waving her in. “I just need to check how resilient your skin is, so I can make sure I didn’t set the temperature too high. Then we can get started.”
I nod, so she gently lifts my left leg before rubbing the inside of my ankle with a decent pressure. With a smile, she then does the same thing to the back of my knee and the inside of my left wrist. She lets out a relieved sigh when done, “Perfect. I could actually turn the temp up a few degrees, but we’ll err on the side of caution this time to see how it goes.”
She props the head of the table up a bit, so I settle leaning my back against it. Justine smiles slightly as she smooths the wax down for the first strip, “It’s been a while since I’ve worked with a human, but I’ve been practicing since word of your arrival. The human receptionist, Gianna, said to try waxing the fuzz off a ripe peach without damaging the skin. Once I could successfully do that 50 times in a row, I would be ready to work with you.”
I chuckle, then say to ease her worry, “My skin is a bit tougher than that of a peach, Justine, but thank you for that. Just out of curiosity, how many times did the peach fail to make it through practice?”
With a wide grin up at me as she pulls the first strip away, she offers with a smirk, “None… perfect record.”
I groan as the strip is pulled, but Justine blows her cool breath along the waxed skin, which instantly helps with the stinging sensation. I nod in appreciation, then commend her on her excellent record.
We talk easily about how long she’s been a vampire, as well as how she likes working for the Volturi. She had been struggling after the death of her maker, and in coming to the Volturi, she no longer felt alone. I could relate, since I never felt more like I belonged, than when I was in Caius’s arms.
That thought sticks with me through the rest of my body waxing until we get to my more sensitive area. I hiss and let out a small growl when the first strip is ripped away from my mound, then hear both Mina and Sulpicia giggling from the other room.
Another strip is ripped away, causing me to growl loudly as I hear more giggling, “Sulpicia, I love you, but shut the fuck up over there. If I hear you giggle at my pain one more time, I’ll order Jane to target your vagina with a healthy dose of it, just so you can feel what I’m going through! See how happy Aro is when you don’t feel up to giving him any as a result!”
Justine is trying hard to hold back a snicker, but I hear Sulpicia gasp in response, “Isabella! You would not!”
I smirk at Justine, answering confidently, “I sooo would. Try me!”
When Justine’s eyes widen as she looks toward the door, I call out Jane’s name and hear her quickly answer from outside the door, “Yes, Milady?”
Sulpicia growls, then calls out, “Isabella, you are ruthless!” so I yell back, “Just remember that for next time, Cia! No more freebies!”
Jane chuckles at what Sulpicia must have grumbled, then offers, “I’ll be at my post if you need me, Milady.”
Thankfully, the queen in the next room is quiet through the rest of my waxing, but pouting when she meets me back in the main room of the suite. She mumbles “Ruthless,” again as she strips her robe before settling face down on the massage table.
In response, I chuckle incredulously, “You were laughing at my pain, Cia! What did you expect me to do, grin and let you get away with it?”
I strip and settle on my on the table, then she winks at me. “You’re braver than me, that’s for sure. I could never go bare.”
I shrug as much as I’m able in my position, offering, “I just feel cleaner. Plus, the desire I can see in Caius’s eyes is worth it, when he’s there without anything to obstruct his path.”
I can feel Justine clipping my hair up as Sulpicia and I both grin at my last statement. When she’s done, she takes my wrist and asks, “May I take in your scent closer, Milady? To be able to customize your scrub and massage oil? It’s harder to discern the subtleties without smelling close to your skin right now. I think Master must have bathed you in his scent this morning.”
I chuckle when both Mina and Sulpicia agree with her, then nod, “Of course, I don’t mind. I’m interested to see what you come up with. No two people have told me the same thing.”
All three of them look at me curiously, so I ask, “Cia, what do you smell, other than Caius, of course?”
I hold my wrist close to her face, so she closes her eyes before inhaling. After a second, she offers curiously, “Black orchid, mahogany, pomegranate, lotus blossom.”
I hum, then hold my wrist out to Mina. She leans in to do the same as Sulpicia. “Lily, ginger, rose… and chamomile.”
Letting Justine take my wrist again, she shakes her head, then leans in. She inhales, then gasps, “It’s true! None of us smell the same thing.”
She closes her eyes, then inhales again. “Jasmine, vanilla, amber, and coconut.”
Each of them is looking at me curiously, so I offer in explanation, “Edward always said I smelled like freesia and violets. Alice, on the other hand, said I smelled like peonies and strawberries. Maybe we should just ask Caius, then go with what he smells in my scent. He’s the one who will smell it the most, other than me.”
Justine nods, so I pull my phone out of my robe pocket. I figure Aro has him on the first speed-dial location, so I quickly press the buttons before hearing the phone ring.
The first ring barely stops before Caius is asking, “Darling, are you alright?
What’s happened?”
I chuckle, “Slow down, my sexy king. I’m fine. We’re having a debate, and I just need to know what you smell in my scent. I’ll explain more as soon as I see you.”
He lets out a relieved breath, then offers, “Mandarin, honeysuckle, gardenia, and apricot, Sweetling. Are you having fun?”
I smile, then reply, “I am. Justine is preparing a whole bunch of girly treatments for me, though, so I need to go. I won’t be able to hold the phone in my hand. I’ll see you soon?”
He hums before saying, “Of course. We will be breaking soon, so I will bring a lunch tray with me. Would you like anything special?”
I shake my head, “Just tell Chef I’m having a spa morning and would like something light… nothing heavy.”
He agrees, then we say our goodbyes.
When I place my phone back in my robe pocket, Justine hums in thought, “Okay, so… mandarin, honeysuckle, gardenia, and apricot. I know just the thing.”
She quickly mixes a few different oils together, then brings the bottle to me. “Please smell this, Lady Isabella. If the scent has an aspect that’s unpleasant, let me know.”
I can’t help but hum as my eyes flutter closed at the scent presented to me. Sulpicia chuckles, but Justine seems to be relieved by my response. I assure her as I capture her gaze, “It’s perfect. I don’t even care what’s in it. I would lather myself in that scent 24/7 if I could.”
Her eyes light up in response. “I’ll take care of it while Alandro works on your hair color. He’s an artist when it comes to color mixing, and I just haven’t gotten it down yet. You’ll have a line of hair and body products in this scent delivered to your room when you exit the spa.”
I’m polished head to toe with the body scrub no more than twenty minutes later, with the four of us chatting happily the whole time. Once we are deemed scrubbed to perfection, the girls send Sulpicia and me back to our private rooms to quickly rinse off in the shower. My hair is towel dried, my body wrapped back in my robe when I walk out into the main room to find Caius walking in.
Until now, I didn’t even realize my chest had been feeling a bit heavy. I only notice now, because it feels so light seeing him here. I smile happily, then pop up on my toes to give him a kiss. He groans as he practically attacks my lips, then offers, “Isabella, your scent is quite arousing on its own, but this… My God. I want to whisk you back to our room with how incredibly sexy you smell right now.”
I can’t help but chuckle, loving his reaction. I nip his bottom lip in response, then turn only far enough to see Justine grinning. “Make it happen, Justine. I’m serious.”
Her grin gets even bigger before she nods, “Of course, Milady. It will be done.”
I climb back on the table, then Caius brings a tray over to set next to me. Lifting the lid, I see cute little finger sandwiches, as well as a few skewers of fresh fruit. There are two large expensive bottles of ice-cold water next to my food. I hum in delight, then pick up a skewer, pulling a melon ball off before popping it into my mouth.
Caius kisses my temple happily, then asks, “Please drink both bottles before your appointment ends. Aro said something about you needing plenty of water to replenish after a lengthy massage.”
I ghost my fingers along his cheek while giving him a tender smile, which causes his eyes to flutter as he cups my hand to his face. He kisses my palm when I promise, “I know… and I promise to. I’ll probably want water for most of the day. Is Chef’s extension programmed into my phone? I’ll want another tray delivered to whatever room I’m meeting Franco and Jerran in.”
He nods, then explains, “With the number of fabrics and displays, your meeting is set to be held in the throne room. With no trials or pressing matters, we are seeing our appointments in one of the adjacent conference rooms. I will be nearby, in case you would like my opinion on anything.”
I hum, thank him, then give him a kiss before pouting slightly, “You have to go already, don’t you?”
He nods unhappily, “Unfortunately, yes. The sooner I go, the sooner I will be finished doing ‘kingly things’ for the day.”
With my nod, he gives me a slow and tender kiss, then whispers, “I will see you soon, Darling. Have a good time.”
Justine
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Mina
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