Continuing Chapter 21

     As Xation sprinted across the lawn back to the main house, he noticed Felina's car was gone, and when he went into his house Xation asked Sanantonia, one of his maids, where his sister was but he was informed that no one knew she had even left the property. This did Xation's heart good to hear, to know the little viper was not around. As he went through the hall, in the west wing, he heard shouting coming from down the hall. Lexa was yelling at Bengiman, then he heard him say to her "Yes, I know you're right! This is all my fault Lexa! If I had not gotten so drunk last night, I  would have been up bright and early fighting ready, lance in hand, but I fucked up."
     "Your the fucking security for fuck's sake!" Lexa shouted as Xation crept down the corridor for a listen, as she continued "But I suppose that only applies to members of the family, and not their house guests!"
     "I know how angry you are so just do it.., punch me in the face to take out your rage and we can move passed this." Bengiman said as he moved closer to Lexa who at 5 ft 10 in, came to Bengiman's chin "Go on punch me in the face, it will do you good, I promise."
     "Oh Bengiman..," Lexa smiled reaching up with her hand gently caressing his face saying sweetly "I do not want to ever hurt you." she exhaled and then she closed her eyes, tilting her head back giving him a tender kiss.
     Now Xation, who stood in the open door way, going unnoticed by the pair, knocked loudly upon the bedroom door saying "Well..., what is going on in here?"
     "Xation!" Bengiman said startled then he gave his friend a wink stating "I'm only trying to console her."
     "Well you let Charles see to that." Xation said growing very concerned, for the way Lexa caressed his face was as if they already had a deep intimate knowledge of one another, and the little kiss between did not seem to be the first time, but Xation had other things on his mind, though from the looks of it, it would appear as if it was Charles who was dating a whore. No matter, no time to waste so Xation gave Bengiman his instructions saying. "First off, go upstairs and have a bath. I need you dressed and ready, sharp and alert! Have our fly boys fuel up the jet. Get down to the city, find Felina, get her to her doctor and have her check herself in again." Xation paused and turned to Lexa saying "The help we have provided for Felina and her 'rage disorder' obviously was not extensive enough, but I can assure you she will never pose a threat to you, or sister, ever again."
     Here Lexa stopped in thought wondering why Xation included her in his statement, for why would Felina wish to harm her.., poor stupid Lexa had no clue about Charles and his murderous, torrid affair with the mentally unstable Felina.
     "Yes, I will take care of it." Bengiman said as he turned to exit the room.
     Xation called out to him "Oi! You have to find Serena and let her know what's occurring. She will be flying up to Texas tonight, Hays is coming back tomorrow, to take over while I take time to heal from my 'car accident'" Xation rubbed his still black and swollen left eye. "He will be taking over for me for the next seven days, while I take time to heal.., and then Lexa." Xation said turning his attention back on the distraught twin of his beloved, telling her "In just about..," Xation said looking at his watch " 29 hours, you, and me, and your sister, will be flying back to San Diego so I can meet your family and tell them about the baby." Xation said with a great look of sheer delight and cheer upon his face.
     "What?" Lexa stammered "Does that mean you are going to do the right thing?"
     "What do you mean?" Xation asked as Bengiman departed the room and set about his tasks.
     "Well.., Xation, I don't know how things are done down here in South America, but in my country when a man gets a woman pregnant, out of 'wedlock', he usually will marry her, so as not to have any little bastard children running about." Lexa said in an almost accusatory tone.
     Xation only smiled, knowing Lexa had no clue as to what he was about to do, so Xation held his hand outstretched, open to Lexa and said "I am so glad you asked me that question! Come! I have something to show you." Xation laughed as he escorted Lexa out of her room down the hall to his private office.

More Chapter 21

     Now, as this news washed over them, suddenly Lexa burst into tears, feeling dizzy, unable to stand. Charles was shocked by her reaction as he watched her collapse back down on the settee with her face buried in her hands, uncontrollably weeping saying in a pleading tone "Please, no, no." Lexa let painful tears pour forth from out of the very depths of her soul. For she realized the care-free, jet-set, lifestyle of her and her, cherished, sister would be over now forever. She was correct, for Xation had the thought at this very moment of taking Leah as his bride and loving her and caring for her and their child all the days of his life. Lexa was well aware of this too, as she saw the look in Xation's eyes, she wept openly, and bitterly, filled with the reassured knowledge that this 'Argentine bastard' had managed to steal Leah away from her. The party was over for the Hale twins! Seeing her wretched reflection in one of the mirrors on the wall, Lexa gathered up the courage of her colonial, warrior fathers and took in a deep breath, saying nothing to Xation wiping away her tears, giving him a look as if to say 'I will come for you one day and make you pay.' With this sever caustic look Lexa arose from the sofa and walked out of the gatehouse, with Bengiman following close behind, to make sure no harm came Felina's way, whom was long gone.
     "And you are sure of this?" Xation asked Charles very worried, but happy to have Lexa out of his sight "I mean we were only together for..," Xation began thinking back, counting the days since they first met on the golf course on Lanai.
     "14 days." Charles helped him along in his thought process. "Oh and Xation, it only takes one time." Charles paused then he said as Xation's physician "I suppose you did not bother with condoms."
     Xation only shook his head and said "The heat of the moment, I..,"
     "You should always protect yourself Xation. Your a man of great wealth and power, don't be like Howard Hughes." Xation only deeply sighed when Charles told him "He fucked so many prostitutes and strippers he caught Syphilis, Gonehrea of the throat etc...  He ended up burning every mattress, or couch, or table, he ever banged those sluts on, and wound up with obsessive compulsive disorder, by the end of his madness he was wearing empty Kleenex boxes for shoes."
     "Alright, I get the picture! But I don't fuck whores, strippers or sluts! My women have class and style and grace, they are always strong and healthy." Xation defended his sexual partners, for women are always a reflection of the man they bed, and men are judged by other men, on whom they let give them head. "But I see your point.., and thank you for caring about my health and well being."
     "Well, isn't that what you pay me to do?" Charles laughed then he said "Well, you can go in and see her if you like, she is probably still sleeping, but why don't you go inside?"
     Xation, faster than the words coming out the good doctor's mouth, made a bee-line for the door, slowly he pushed it open and there he beheld, in the quiet stillness of the darkened room, by the pale light coming from behind the closed drapes Xation saw Leah. She was lying perfectly still with a little cast on her dainty wrist and a large white cast around her delicate ankle, she looked like a angel who had fallen asleep in the serene peace of her heaven. Xaton dared not wake her, wanting to kiss her cheek and stroke her hair and lay his hand on her tiny belly. Many emotions overcame him as he stood beside her bed, wanting to hold her right hand, he was in shock and dazed confusion, but then a deep abiding peace filled his entire being as he stared down at this woman he had let himself fall in love with. Xation knew he loved Leah when he knew he would gladly take a bullet for her, and he now understood he was doomed, 'they may as well shoot me now,' Xation thought 'becasue I can not live without her'. Then a wonderful romantic idea struck him, carefully, slowly he backed out of the room leaving Leah sleeping,  and he genlty closed the door telling Charles "I have to go to the house and get something for my sweetheart, I will be right back!"
     
  
    

Chapter 21 continues

     "Fuck you Xation! Your sister is insane and I want her arrested!" Lexa shouted down at Xation as he sat in the living room rocking chair, trying his best to bite his tongue and not give Lexa the satisfaction of giving into her anger and rage by speaking. "Bengiman! Why won't let me call the police?"
     Bengiman strode over to Lexa and he embraced her tightly whispering down in her ear in a calm, forceful tone, telling Lexa, as she stood with her arms pinned to her side, Bengiman said "I know how upset you are right now Lexa, but I need you to calm down for five minutes, so I can clear the students and instructors out of the house and Xation's pilot and co-pilot, I can not let them hear what you are about to say." then he gave her a little tight squeeze adding "I can not let that happen, I will not let that happen, and I can not let that happen." Bengiman let out a hot breath on her neck and said "Now be a good lass, and sit your ass down and behave, or you'll have me to answer to."
     Bengiman released the angry, now silent woman, from his python-like grip and she, indeed, went and sat down opposite Xation on the settee. Bengiman did as he said, going up upstairs making the 4 riding students, 2 instructors, and the 2 aviators leave, ushering them all out of the gate house, post haste, as not to allow for any stories, or gossip, to spread about Xation and his multi-dysfunctional family. When Bengiman returned, quietly closing the front door to the gate house, Lexa stood up pacing back and forth, starting back into her tirade. "If you think I am going to let Felina get away with this, you obviously do not know who you are dealing with!" Xation sat there rocking slowly, nervously waiting, thinking about Leah, he could care less about the words Lexa was presently spewing forth out of her mouth, but spew forth her words came like poison from a viper's fangs. Neither Bengiman, nor Xation, could blame her for the hateful, litigious, things she said, however, when Lexa realized she was being ignored; which is the worse thing a man can do to the female of the species, then her rant change to a threat of violence, when she said "I tell you what I will do!" Lexa shouted, her face and chest bright red with the flush of blood and indignation "Maybe, Xation, I can get your attention.., if I march right back into that house, and run up those steps, and toss Felina down the stairs on her head, and see how she likes it!" Lexa fumed with furious anger.
     Here Lexa made a move towards the foyer and Bengiman went to restrain her, but he was interrupted on his course when Charles came down the hall, out of the examination room, with a pissed off look on his face and he said harshly, directing his comment to Lexa "Hey!" he glared over at her "Keep it down out here for God's sake! I have a woman in distress in there and I don't need her further upset by all this yelling!"
     Lexa ran over to Charles throwing her arms around his neck weeping openly, speaking through sobs, saying "Oh they won't let me call the police! Felina needs to go to jail for what she has done."
     "There, there sweetheart, come sit down her beside me." Charles, realizing Lexa did not understand how things work in this family, changed his tone of voice and spoke to her now with a comfort and deep calmness, as if he were speaking to child, Charles sat with Lexa on the settee holding her hands while Xation stopped his nervous rocking waiting to hear word about his beloved American angel. "Lexa, you must understand, first off, this is not America, we do things differently here."
     Lexa felt her stomach turn as she gave a mortified look of confusion, as she realized even Charles her lover would not help her seek the judicial power of the local authorities. "We..?" she said confused "I thought you were an American like me?"
     Charles only shook his head and said "Not anymore." then he reached out and touched her cheek trying to be loving and kind with his presence and manner of speech. "But that doesn't matter anymore." Charles said with a sigh. "Our poor Felina has not been well, for a very long time." Charles confided to a tearful, distraught Lexa. Xation and Bengiman gave Charles a sever look, but Charles was there now in the capacity as Xation's hired physician so he said to Xation openly "I will speak to Felina's psychiatrist, and try to get her to go and check in with him. I think she needs to up her dose of Remeron, or switch to something stronger.{Remeron is a powerful anti-psychotic medication, used to treat extreme depression}
     "Let me get this straight. Felina has done this before?" Lexa asked but neither Charles, Bengiman, nor Xation would look at her and so she cried out "My Christ! Has she ever killed anyone?" Lexa gasped imagining the worst.
     Then came her answer, as all three of them, Xation, Bengiman, Charles said in unison, with the name and face of Humberto embedded in their brain, they all said softly "It was, an accident."
     "God damn..! I think I am going to be sick!" Lexa said as a harsh wave of uncertain, foreign danger, swept through her bloodstream like tidal wave, then she glared over at Xation screaming, enraged "You son of a prick! You brought my sister and me here, Charles warned me how jealous Felina was of all your girlfriends, but I can not believe you exposed her to this danger!" Lexa said, not realizing just how much Felina hated her as well. "Right! Fuck this! Charles how is she? Because you need to fire up that fucking jet, Xation! And fly me and my injured sister HOME!"
     "Doctor! Tell me now all of it! Tell me! Is Leah going to be okay?" Xation implored finally opening up his mouth shouting down Lexa, whose hatred and disdain he could do without.                        
      "Leah, is in stable condition. She snapped her right ankle and broke her left wrist in 2 places." Dr. Le Mesa sighed then added "Now, how she did not end up with a broken neck, is beyond me.., and please, do not think I am exaggerating, when I say, we came extremely close to calling a coroner out to the property today." Xation, Lexa and Bengiman let this soak into their hearts and minds with this realization, and a silence overcame them. Then Charles said, looking at Xation and Bengiman, telling them in no uncertain terms "I do not know, or care, if you believe in God or Miracles, but God damn it, somebody should thank him!" Silence "Now, unfortunately I was unable to perform any x-rays on her, and had to set the bones with great care, her casts will be dry soon. I will provide her with a wheel chair to use"
     "Why did you not take any x-rays Charles? Is the machine broken? I paid a lot of money to have it installed here." Xation inquired.
     "Oh no, Xation.., the machine is fine." Charles smiled about to break the news to Xation and the rest gathered together in the room.
     "Well..?" Xation asked as Lexa and Bengiman stared waiting for Charles to reply.
     "No, it would be medically unethical to expose a pregnant woman to radiation."
     This time it was Lexa, Xation and Bengiman who all spoke at once in unison, saying "WHAT?"

Chapter 21 begins

     "Leah.., can you hear me?" Charles asked as he bent over the examination table when seeing the light flutter of her eyelids.
     Leah just barely opened her eyes as she cried out in agony from the pain of her broken wrist and ankle. "What happened?" she whispered as she gazed up at the faces of her sister, Bengiman, Charles and Xation who were all staring down at her, beside themselves with grief at the sight of Leah's suffering.
     "Felina pushed you down the stairs." Lexa blurted out giving Xation a scowl as if he had himself brought harm to her sister. "She could have killed her!" Lexa said her blood boiling with a hurricane strength rage.
     "What..?" Leah said shocked by this information "I don't remember." a panic rising in her voice.
     Here Charles cleared the room making everyone wait out in the living room so he could check on his patient and make sure she did not have any brain injuries as well. He gave her an injection of Thorzine to help aliveate the pain and help her to calm down; of which she was most apprecative. Now Dr. Charles Le Mesa determined Leah had not hit her head or concussed, but he did need to get a few x-rays of her broken bones before setting them back into place with two 'plaster of paris' casts. Going through the standard procedure he informed Leah of the radiation generated by the machine as he slipped on his lead protective smock and he asked, as you would any woman about to undergo x-rays, if there was any chance she might be pregnant. Here there came a long pause as Leah stared up at Charles with an uncertain look on her face.
      "Well..," Leah said wide-eyed.
      "Well then.., with all the time you and Xation have been spending 'together' I am not surprised." Charles said with a little wink and a smile. "Right then my friend, it is a pregnancy test for you." 
      Meanwhile back at the main house Felina had gone into her bathroom and sat on the floor of the tub as hot steaming water cascaded down over her naked, trembling body, her knees drawn up to her chest with her arms wrapped tightly around her thighs, in almost a sitting embryonic position, as her mind raced and her heart ached for she knew the devastating results her actions would take. Felina still felt the sting of the pain, hatred and contempt in Xation's eyes, and she wished now that he actually had punched her in face, she could take the physical pain, but right now the emotional grief and turmoil was a burden in her heart she could not bear. As Felina sat there in the water weeping like a wounded animal, her faithful and loyal companion, Fuego, lay on the tile floor next to the tub listening to the sound of his master's tear filled voice echo off the walls. Now, if it is possible for an animal to share in the pain and misery of a human being, anyone who looked in could see a mournful look and a tear welling up in the Alsatian's brown eyes, as if the dog were laying beside his master's open grave.
     So Felina decided it was time for her to leave the Estate for a little while, so as not to have to suffer the wrath of Xation. She rose up out of the shower, dried herself off, combed her long black hair back into a pony tail, sitting at her vanity table she put on her make-up with Fuego sitting at her feet, not wanting to leave her side. This did Felina's heart good, to know no matter how evil of a woman she had become, her dog still loved her regardless. As she took out a suitcase from the closet Fuego kept pacing back and forth afraid she was going to leave him behind, he actually at one point went and hopped into the open suitcase as she tried to put in a her robes and slippers. "Perro Loco!" Felina laughed nuzzling up to the crazy dog as he licked her face making her laugh a little. "Ay Fuego! La Vida se ha vuelto muy dificil para mi aqui. Regresarmos a la ciudad." with that Felina put on a lovely little cotton summer dress as she grabbed her purse, sunglasses, keys to her Maserati, suitcase in hand, and of course Fuego walking right at her heels. As Felina made her way out of the house she could not bring herself to look over at the other staircase, nor the spot on the tile floor in the foyer where Leah's broken body had landed. Instead Felina and her faithful, loyal companion slipped quietly out of the grand house, going unnoticed as she drove off the property without giving her brother, Xation, any knowledge of her departure, nor did she call Serena, whom had left for her design studio in Buenos Aires after breakfast, to even let her know what had happened or that one of the twins had been injured. Carlo and Aphina would not receive a phone call from Xation in Spain for a few more hours, and this was the perfect time for Felina to escape and as she sped off, down the long country lane, Felina did not realize, just then, how long it would actually be before she, and her dog, ever returned  home again.
        

End Chapter 20

     Leah bounded up the staircase; which led up to the east wing of the grand house, as she neared the top of the landing Leah looked up startled to find Felina standing there, still in Xation's bathrobe, her long black hair disheveled, her dark eyes were bloodshot from crying. "Felina?" Leah said as she stopped just two steps below Felina bringing them eye level with one another. "Are you alright?" Leah asked with concern as a nervous energy filled her body with a quick, tight tension.
     "No." Felina said her hand on the railing not letting 'that woman' pass. "I am feeling worse than ever!" she said raising her voice a little, to this most unwelcome house guest. "And that reminds me.., when are you and your.., sister leaving?" she replied with a sneer, her eyes blacker than night with a glimmer of simmering rage.

     "Excuse me?" Leah said mortified by the little woman's rudeness. "Xation, your brother, has only just invited us, we have only been here for 2 days." Leah said not wanting to speak to this irritating lady any further, but Felina would still not move out of the way. "My God! Are we that annoying? Or is it something else all together..? I wonder?" Leah said then she peered into Felina's dark eyes searching for a sign, and in one brief look; which Leah recognized and understood, it all became as clear as crystal to her. With this new understanding Leah opened up her mouth and those next words she spoke would nearly cost Leah her life. "I mean it's not like we are in competition with each other." here Felina's face grew pale, ashen grey, as her eyes widened, and the audacious truth of Leah's words was like high voltage to Felina, she could not shake the shock and she was rendered utterly speechless. Now Leah gave a disgusted little smile of surprise and she said "And there it is..," Leah said thinking how sick and twisted Felina actually was, to be in love with her own brother. "Now I see right through you! The reason you are so pissed off is because you born Xation's sister.., and not his.., lover!" Now this struck at the very core of Felina, tearing at the last little bit of sanity she had managed to hang on to. Leah stood on the staircase laughing at Felina taunting her with her words saying "Yeah, that's what I fucking thought! Nothing to say, because you know I'm right." Leah then took a step up extending her arm out nudging Felina off to the side, out of her way, and just as she passed by, Felina stared down at the floor averting her eyes from Leah's accusatory gaze. Then all the bitterness and rage overcame Felina as she reached out, like a lightning bolt, with both hands in a flash, snatching back Leah by her long golden hair. With one strong pull Felina sent Leah off balance as she tumbled back down the stairs in a crash of her body against the hard marble, Leah screamed and Felina could hear her bones snapping with a few loud cracks as she crashed down the long marble staircase whereupon Leah suddenly found herself bashed, bruised and broken by the fall. There at the bottom of the staircase Leah lay motionless, unconscious on the cold hard floor.

     Felina felt the rush of blood and excitement fill her with a strange, morbid delight as she stared down with a little smug smile on her face, however this smile was quickly wiped away when she saw Lexa running over to her half-dead sister. "What did you do to my sister? You fucking cunt!" Lexa screamed up at Felina who took a few steps down the stairs saying it was an accident. "Fuck you! I saw everything! Charles! Xation! Bengiman! Someone help!" Lexa shouted out at the top of her lungs.

     Charles and Xation came running in as two of the maids along with the chef came down the hall to see what was the matter. Bengiman stirred in his bed getting his drunk ass up to investigate. Felina watched in horror as Xation ran over to his beloved fearing for her life as he yelled at Charles to make sure she was still alive. While Charles checked her vital signs Lexa told Xation "Your fucking crazy ass sister was arguing with Leah and then she grabbed her by the back of the hair and pushed her down the stairs!"

     "Felina!" Xation cried out enraged as he flew up the stairs half-crazed.

     Felina turned and tried to run back up the rest of the steps but as she reached the landing she slipped and fell on her back just as her brother leapt upon her straddling her body with a most violent look of vengeful hatred. He was so overcome by rage he did not know whether to choke the life out of Felina or punch her in the face. So with his left hand firmly grasping her throat, Xation drew back his right hand balling it up into a fist and just as he was about to release a mighty blow Bengiman came down the hall screaming "Xation! No!" Bengiman did not know what the fuck was going on but he had never witnessed a man attacking his own sister. "What the fuck!" Bengiman said as he grabbed Xation in a bear hug, pulling him off the terrified Felina who was shaking and trembling.

     "Look what she did now!" Xation exclaimed pointing down at Leah.

     "Oh my Christ! Not again." Bengiman shook his head giving Felina a devastated look then he quickly fled Felina's side the moment he realized Leah had been badly injured by Felina's psychotic intentions. As Bengiman ran down the stairs to help Charles and check on the beautiful foreign woman, Xation got up from the floor stepping over his sister. Felina reached out and grabbed hold of his leg as she began crying a river of bitter tears.

     "Xation! Please! I am so sorry!" Felina pleaded trying to keep her brother by her side as she groveled on the floor like a starving dog.

     "Get off of me!" Xation said kicking at Felina screaming down at her humiliating her by saying "Now YOU be a good dog and FUCK OFF!" Xation turned his back on his sister then he raced down the stairs with much fear and concern for his beloved. Xation knelt down beside Leah, and it was clear she had broken her left wrist, and her right ankle was bent back at an impossible angle, but she was still breathing, however she was unresponsive and she would not open up her eyes. Felina pulled herself up and she looked down at the scene caused by the creation of the violence of her hands, she saw Lexa weeping over her sister's still body, Xation was loudly imploring and praying for the Lord to keep his sweetheart from Death's door, as Bengiman carefully picked Leah up in his arms to get her over to Gatehouse where Charles could take a few x-rays and make sure poor Leah was safe, out of harm's way and not suffering in any pain.

Chapter 20 continues

     Felina collapsed back down into her bed in a heap of bitter tears, as the words Charles said soaked into her jealous heart, Felina was completely beside herself with grief and overwhelming misery. So, all alone, with no one to show her any mercy, or pity, Felina crawled back under her covers and lay her head down to try to forget and go to sleep. She had just managed to drift off, as her tear-stained pillow began to dry, when suddenly she was awoken by the sounds of laughter and loud voices, with splashes in the pool, coming from just outside her window. Now Felina was outraged, still nursing a terrible hangover, when she bolted upright from her bed to throw open the french doors and scream down at the lot of them to shut up. However, when Felina went out on her balcony and she looked down at the pool she was stunned to see Xation looking so elated and perfectly happy, even with his black eye and bruised ribs. Felina sat down at the little table, going unnoticed, as she sat there up on the second story, staring down at the beautiful couples. For Charles was there with his whore, Lexa, whom Felina had grown to despise in such a very short time. All were laughing and chatting with one another, telling stories, drinking pitchers of ice cold Sangria. All the while Felina sat out under the noon day sun spying upon everyone, and the more she watched, and the longer she waited to leave, her jealous little heart began to seethe.
     She listened to the sound of her brother's rich and hearty laugh; which used to do her heart good to hear, but Felina had not had the pleasure of hearing such laughter from Xation, in such a very long time. She knew, in her tortured heart and soul, her brother was truly now the happiest she had seen him in an even longer amount of time. Felina had seen her brother with dozens, upon dozens, of girls by the family pool, from the time he was a teenager to now, a full grown man of 33, a captain of industry, but now sitting next to his 'green-eyed American Dream' as Xation called her, he appeared completely at ease and stress free. She had never witnessed Xation react this way to a woman and Felina felt sickened by the sweetness of their new found love and great affection for one another. The very thought of her brother being with 'that woman' made her nauseous. Unable to watch Xation and 'that woman' basking in the summer sun and the light of their love, Felina turned her attention to Charles, who was reclining on one of the lounge chairs rubbing coconut oil into his bronze skin, while Lexa swam lap after lap in the pool. He looked so good lying there, Felina thought to herself, admiring his long, lean, muscular body and rock hard abs, wearing a dark pair of sunglasses and a little pair of swim trunks, his full, moist lips were stained the color of blood from the wine. Felina gazed down upon the perfect, highly desirable body of the man she could have had forever, but Felina, out of her deep abiding love, and Unity, Loyalty, Respect and Honor for her brother Xation, she had abided by his wishes. Felina had her two weeks of fun with Charles and then she had let him go, set him free. Now with the extreme passion she, indeed, still harbored in her heart for Charles, Felina now questioned if she had done the right thing, because she still had such deep affection for Charles she called into question her own decision.
     So it was, Turmoil, Angst, Fear, Hatred and Jealously began to manifest their ugly faces in Felina's bitter heart and she could fell the caustic rage churning up inside her, just as it had early in December when she and Humberto, Serena's fiance went out riding that day. She was beginning to feel that same way again, her heart racing, palms sweating, throat and mouth dry, what felt like a nest of vipers curled and coiled up in her intestines, a sharp, stabbing pain in the middle of her black heart. Now, had Felina managed to get herself up from her chair, go back inside, lay back down and go to bed, what happened a few moments later would never have occurred. Also, if it were not for the fact that Charles happened to catch a glimpse of Felina up on her balcony eavesdropping in on them, then he would not have behaved the way he did, and had he known the affects his words would have on her fragile sanity, then Charles would have kept his fucking mouth shut! Alas, none of us can ever control the outcome of our actions, once done, it is done.
     Now Charles thought he would give Felina a little taste of her own medicine, so Charles got up from his lounge chair and went down to the deep end of the crystal blue pool, where he made a perfect swan dive off the diving board, splashing the refreshingly cold water all over Lexa, who only laughed as Charles swam up underneath her, then he grabbed her by the waist, picking her up in his arms, giving her a playful kiss as Felina sat there simmering in her intense, unexpressed anger. Then Charles went one step too far in his words, when he asked Lexa "So, what do you make of Xation and your sister Leah..?"
     Lexa glanced back at the pair as they sat out under the umbrella at the table engaged in a friendly game of chess. "Well, honestly, I don't know what to make of it, this little affair of theirs had caught me off guard, she has been acting strangely and she looks at him with such intense love.., it makes me a little uncomfortable.., I think I'm afraid Xation could steal her away from me." Lexa laughed nervously sharing the true fear of her heart.
     'Steal her away.' Lexa's words echoed through Felina's brain as she realized that Leah would steal Xation away from her and Lexa had already stolen Charles away from her bed and replaced her in his heart and mind. Every word Felina heard was like another little dagger in her back.
     Charles and Lexa swam over to the corner of the pool, closer to Felina, who hung on every word they spoke then Charles said, just loudly enough for Felina to hear. "Well.., Xation told me the other day, that he is absolutely in love with Leah.., Xation also said he knew this was the case, when he realized he would, willing, take a bullet in the head for her, just to keep her safe."
     Now these words startled Lexa, because she had never heard of anything so romantic, however, Felina's mind, and hateful nature, was filled with extremely painful desires, of a murderous nature, and these words that Charles spoke, in all truth and honesty, was like setting off a time bomb in her brain. It was at this very moment when Felina heard the voice of 'that woman' her brother had fallen in love with say "Hey, I left my mobile phone upstairs..," she said calling out to Lexa saying "I forgot to call mom and dad yesterday." she gave Xation a quick kiss as she went back in the quiet house and just as soon as Felina saw this, all her jealousy, anger and rage outweighed all her reason and logic as she quickly slipped back into her bedroom, putting on her brother's bathrobe, Felina crept out of her room to lay in wait for Leah at the top of the stairs.

Chapter 20 begins

     Bright and early the next day Xation had made it down to the breakfast table feeling much better, not as sore, the swelling in his face had come down, but the left side of his face was still all the colors of a deep bruise. Leah, Lexa, Charles and Serena all greeted one another cheerfully as they sat sharing another meal together and all were well rested and in fine spirits. However, Bengiman and Felina were notably absent, the former stayed up drinking the rest of the bottle of claret on his balcony, hidden by the blossoming desert willow trees as he spied down on Lexa and Charles who were cavorting, naked, at the edge of the pool in a slippery embrace. As for the latter, Felina had gone to bed with two full bottles of red wine and when she awoke in the morning they were, of course, empty and her head felt as though it were stuffed with cotton.
     "Shall we wait a little longer before we start?" Xation asked.
     "No, Xation. Bengiman is still sleeping and Felina is in one of her moods again." Serena informed her brother who only shook his head.
     "Well, you all go ahead and I will go and check on my sister." Xation sighed knowing full and well of his sister's jealous attitude towards his female friends. So he went up to her side of the house entering her room; which was dark and cool, all the drapes drawn tightly closed against the bright morning light of the sun. "Felina?" Xation said as he went and sat next to his sister who lay there pretending to be asleep. It was only when Xation began to playfully tickle her stomach that she came to life, pushing his hand away from her body as she lay under her silk sheets.
     "Go away." she muttered rolling over turning her back to him.
     "Felina, you need to come down stairs and have something to eat." Xation tried to persuade her to no avail.
    "I am not feeling well." she said knowing the distress she was was feeling was due to the somber mood of her dark, little heart.
     "Well, my darling sister, that is probably because you did not eat dinner last night and will have no breakfast this morning.., and two bottles of wine for supper does not a supper make." Xation laughed as he looked over at the night table.
     "Leave me alone.., little brother, now be a good dog and go away! I do not feel well, as I have said." Felina snapped at Xation, who only smiled not giving into her foul mood.
     "Very well sister, then I shall send Charles up here to check on you." he said knowing she would not like this.
     Here Felina sat up in her bed with a defiant, mischievous look in her wild eyes she said "Yes! By all means Xation, send the good doctor up to my room!"
     Xation did not like the way she acted, and reacted to his suggestion but he dutifully went back down stairs and instructed Charles to go and have a look at Felina after he finished his breakfast, but Charles got up from the table at once and went up straight away to tend to Felina and see what was ailing her.
     Now Felina, in a rush, hurried to brush her teeth, and comb out her long black hair, spraying on a bit of french perfume, before slipping naked back into her bed in anticipation. When Charles knocked upon her bedroom door she told him to come in and when he stepped into the room Felina gave Charles a sultry look and said "Lock the door."
     Charles froze for just a moment not understanding her request, so she told him to lock the door one more time, and then Charles obeyed as a strange feeling rose up in his heart and mind. Charles walked slowly across the room as he gazed at the lovely woman's naked silhouette under the pale-blue silk sheets, her long raven tresses flowing down her supple shoulders as she sat back pulling the soft sheet down a little, exposing her firm naked breast. "Felina, I thought you were not feeling well?" Charles let out a sigh as the memories of her naked flesh and sweat and those lips and the penetrating warmth from within her body. Charles stood at the foot of her bed, not daring to come any closer.
     "Come to me Charles." she said sliding the covers all the way off her body.
     "No." Charles whispered in a voice as tense as wire.
     "Then I will come to you." Felina said as she faced him going down on all fours crawling over to the end of the bed on her hands and knees.
     As she moved closer Charles closed his eyes so he could not bare witness to her soft naked skin and her round firm bottom, that he desperately wanted to spank for she was being a very naughty girl! "Felina, no! Your brother would have me killed."
     "Oh don't be so dramatic!" Felina smiled as she rose up on her knees in front of him as she put her arms around his neck and gave him a slow, deep, wet, passionate kiss, and Charles let Felina kiss him and he kissed her back with equal measure of force and pleasure.
     But his reason outweighed his amorous intentions with Xation's sister and so he stopped and took his hands pushing her gently off  saying "No Felina..," he gave a sad smile telling her "I am sorry, but we can not go back to where we were before, that door has closed. Because I have too much Unity, Loyalty, Respect and Honor for this family to give into your little whim." Charles took one step back away from the bed and he said to her as she sat down on her knees casting her gaze away from him "I know the only reason you want me now after.., a year, is because of that woman downstairs. You just can not stand to see me with someone I actually may love!" Charles said without thinking and when he realized what he had said, and the statement he was proclaiming, Charles actually felt dizzy and faint of heart, it was if he suddenly had tunnel vision, he felt like he was going blind or having a partial stroke, one of the two.
     "You.., Love her?" Felina stammered in shock, for truly in her heart she only ever thought that she would always be the one Charles truly loved in his heart of hearts, but now Felina knew, and understood, she had deceived herself with this lie and now knowing this fact she only wanted to die.
     Charles stood there, his face was as pale as a bottle of milk and he looked like someone had just told him he had an inoperable tumor. Charles could not fathom loving only one woman but the idea had begun to grow in his heart like a cancer which had quickly spread to his brain. Just for a moment Charles stood there in silence, shocked by the foul and evil Love of which he spoke. Then he knew this moment was crucial so he regained his composure and he said to Felina "Yes, I just may very well have fallen in love with Lexa, and why wouldn't I Felina? She speaks to me as if I am the only man in her world, and she fills me with kind words of adulation and adoration, she makes me feel like I am the most powerful, and precious man in the world to her. In her eyes I am a god!" Charles confessed the truth of his heart openly and honestly. Serena did not know what to say and she was envious of this Lexa, for Felina lacked this special talent when caring for a man. To make a man feel so wonderful about himself and fill his heart with such loving devotion was a rare talent indeed. A talent the majority of women are sorely lacking in these days. Charles watched as a few tears began to well up in Felina's eyes and he knew this was the moment to strike out at her heart in a cruel and vindictive manner, but he only did so, so that he could make sure to get his point across. "Oh, and one more thing, Felina. Your brother Xation has fallen head over heels in Love with Leah, I was a witness to their unfolding love affair." Charles paused to let this information soak in to the buds of her mind. "So, if you are able, I, and your brother, would greatly appreciate if you can call up from your blood the noble and regal traits of your ansestors and demonstrate all the happiness and graciousness you can find to welcome these women into our lives." Charles watched and waited for Felina's reply but no words were forth coming so he said, before he turned to leave "I will take your silence as my answer. But I can not understand why it so fucking impossible for you to be happy for anyone else, but yourself." With that Charles exited the room as he slammed the door behind him, leaving Felina feeling shell-shocked, like a bomb just went off in her room.