Chapter 41: Chapter 40- Mia

Camelia groaned as she came out of a deep slumber, lifting her pounding head.  She struggled to sit upright, her half-lidded eyes desperately trying to focus on her surroundings.  Her cramped muscles screamed in protest as she moved propped against a what felt like a leather seat from the feel of the material under her fingertips.  Her thoughts were muzzy and she closed her eyes briefly to try to regain clarity.

She opened her eyes catching a sound of slight movement.  Camelia blinked several times in order to clear her disoriented vision.

Sitting crossed leg, a large grin stretched across his face sat Nathan Diam himself, holding a glass of wine saluting her silently.  He was dressed in a white blazer and matching pants, the color straining against his reddish skin.  His dark salt and pepper hair was clean cut.  He looked the same as he did in the pictures she saw of him months ago.

Oddly enough she wasn't afraid, at least not at that moment.

She groaned in relief when the bonds were removed from her hands by another who approached her.  She attempt to make an effort to stand, but she couldn't move.  Hands seized hold of her and roughly lifted into a sitting position.

A instant bout of nausea swamped her.

"I'm so pleased to see you can join me, Camelia.  How was your nap?" Nathan's greeting sounded almost caressing, holding no hint of a threat.

Camelia frowned at him.

Oddly, he made her feel like they were old acquaintances as she stared at him apprehensively. People who acted calm and casual ultimately had dangerous, hidden agendas.

Nathan shrugs, a devilish twinkle appearing in his eyes.

"It's my birthday today." He continues. "Do you know what I've wished for the last twenty-five years?" He pauses as if expecting her to answer, but Camelia could not form a response, her breathing shallow and quick. Inwardly, she was quaking in fear the more she listened to him speak. "No? Well, allow me to enlighten you...It's revenge and now I have it in the palm of my hands."

"Go to hell."  She slurred, trying to blink the haze from her eyes and fighting to stand straight.

"Where are your manners?  I would think Julien and Annie had more class than that..."  He uncrossed his legs and directs his attention to the one holding her by the arm. "Get me a Turkish coffee, would you? I need something to keep me awake." Nathan looks to Camelia again. "We are a long way from home, little one. Not even Julien himself will be able to find you...would you like a drink before we begin?" He smiles, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "You look like you could use it."

Finally, she able to scan her surroundings, blinking rapidly. The first thing she made out was she was not on land but on a plane.

This is bad...so, so bad. She thought. There was no way she would be able to plot for a way to escape trapped on a plane. The moment the realization hit her, the fear, stark and ugly, struck her with a strangling force.

He turns his attention back to the guard. "See that our guest has use of the restroom, give her something to drink, and bring her back here."  He orders dismissively.

After Camelia was half dragged, half hauled, she was allowed to relieve herself in the small and tight confines of the restroom.  While washing her hands she stares at her reflection in the mirror.  A pale face reflected back–her hair a tumbling mess behind and over her shoulders.  Her clothing wrinkled, her cardigan hanging off one shoulder and torn on the side.

She took a moment to reflect. It was reckless of her–she should never have left without notifying someone.  But she had to go.  Sammy's life depended on it.  She could only pray he was alive.

There was a strong chance she would never see any member of her family again. Even more so Stefan, picturing him standing tall, hard, strong and incredibly angry.  She could recall the smell of him, the feel of him; almost feel his lips against her.  Her heart grieved for him. He would suffer over her disappearance after trying to protect her from the fate he tried preventing. But she had hope he would find her somehow, someway.

He was resilient.

He had to be.

Tears misted her eyes but she held them back as she snatched some paper towels to dry her hands and instantly stiffened. The engagement ring Stefan gave her was missing from her ring finger.  Dismay filled her as her shoulders slumped in shame.  It was all there was left of him and that too and just like her freedom was taken away.

A loud banging on the door startled her. Jumping back instinctively she pressed her body as far away from the door as possible and froze.  It sounded like a bomb exploding.  Her heart raced uncontrollably fast, panting deep breaths fighting back the tears burning her eyes and placed her hands on either side of the wall to keep herself from tumbling to the floor.

"Come out, now!"  A voice bellowed.

The thunderous banging returned.

Camelia straightened.  Reluctantly, with trembling fingers she unlocked the door coming face to face with the dark suited guard standing in the doorway with his hands fisted at his sides and  absolute hatred etched on his features.

Aside from his tan skin and Raven black hair, the man was dressed in a black suit, white shirt and tie. A pair of dark glasses shaded his heavy gaze and aggressive features. This was the man who roughly handled her and half dragged her from earlier.

The stranger grasped her by the elbow and barked a order at a red haired stewardess passing by. "Get her something to drink."

The humiliated stewardess anxiously fiddled with her apron, darting her gaze from the guard to hers. Camelia could not offer her any consolation of any sort, she was not in an any better situation than her.

"What would you like to drink, Miss?" The girl asks nervously.

"Water...please." Camelia responds in a detached hoarse tone.

She would never give up her moral upbringing and act as though she didn't have any manners. If Nathan Diam parents raised him like hers did, perhaps he wouldn't have turned out to be such a monster. The girl was obviously afraid and innocent in all this and didn't deserve her contempt.

The red head comes back with a bottled water, her hands shaking with eyes downcast. Camelia murmurs a quick thank you and eagerly unclasps the cap and drinks several gulps before she quenches some of her thirst. Breathing heavily to catch her breath she notices the muscle twitch in the guards jaw as if he were exercising the last of his patience.

"The boss wants to talk to you. Move it." He says, with chin up, chest out, and shoulders back; a stance of a soldier.

Camelia stubbornly held her ground and refused to move even when he turned his head, his penetrating eyes burning holes through his dark glasses. Camelia glared defiantly back, disliking him for his rude behavior and barbaric handling of her. New energy pounded through her veins.

It was something she couldn't control. Her defensive walls went up automatically.  She didn't care, knowing she might be in bigger trouble, but she intensely hated being ordered and controlled.

"I'm not done yet. Wait." She snaps. Her voice sounded fearless, lifting her eyebrow in challenge.

The bottle is knocked out of her hand as he roughly seizes her bicep so strong her muscle ache. Roughly he pulls her face to face, chest to chest and rips off his glasses giving her his most menacing and intimidating stare.

"Well, now you are." He sneered. Again, he aggressively jostles her body like a rag doll as if that would make her listen. "Now move it."

Camelia only stares at his ebony eyes. They were mean–dangerous. It was easy enough to spot the capability this man would stoop to dirty his hands. She shook her head, her hatred for him  evident in her twisted features.

"Go to hell you, son of a bîtch."

Before he could respond, she spit in his face and watched the shock transform his features.  Camelia straightens away with a hateful glare, noticing his furious eyes blaze.  He lifts the back of his hand ready to strike her when a voice stops him.

"I need her unharmed, Tony, she'll be of no value to me if she's marked.  It's not good for business."  Nathan's calmly remarked. "Take her back to her seat."

Tony grabbed hold of her nearly twisting her arm, shoving her ahead of him and pushing her against the seat.  Her head hit the back of the cushioned rest as she tried to catch her breath.

Nathan strides casually and seats himself once again.

"Feisty little one, aren't you?  Just like your mother, I shouldn't be surprised."  He notes, stroking his wide jaw with a small smile.  "Unfortunately where you're going that sort of behavior will not be tolerated.  But with time you will learn or you'll die."

"Where are you taking me?"  She demanded ignoring his revealing threat.

"You'll find out soon enough.  However, this will be my last and only warning.  I don't play nice.  It's best if you cooperate before I change my mind and kill you myself."

"You monster!"  She shouted straining against the seat, hands grasping the rests on either side of her thighs. "What are going to do with me?"  She demands angrily with flushed cheeks.

"Are you pure, little one?"  He asks ignoring her question.

Camelia was taken aback.  Pure?

"What the hell does that mean?"  She questioned.

He made a tsk, tsk sound.  "Mind your tongue, young lady.  What I'm asking is are you a virgin?"

Camelia gasped, looked away and pales.

The worst type of scenarios running through her mind.  Was he planning on raping her?  Instead of answering she avoids eye contact and sat back in her seat as far from him as possible, still able to see him from the corner of her eye.

"If you don't answer me I will need to arrange for a physician to do so and I can imagine it would not be too pleasant for a virgin's first time."  He remarked with a raised eyebrow tilting his head to study her impassively.

Camelia stiffened and instinctively crossed her legs tightly.  Slanting her gaze back to his amused face she showed him her full hatred with her eyes.   She remained immobile, disgusted by the cutely of his words.

He was nothing but a monster.  Inhuman.

"Why?" She whispers, a chill spiraling down her spine.

"Are you or aren't you?" He demands leaning in his seat, his stance intimidating. "I don't have time for schoolgirl games."

Her throat clenched shut with humiliation.  "I don't intend to tell you."  She declares bravely.

"Tony." Nathan calls his guard back. "Hold her."

Nathan stands up and shrugs off his suite jacket, laid it on the seat next to him, rolls his shirt sleeves, and stared at Camelia curiously as his board shadow loomed over her.   She shrinks back against her seat as much as she could as Tony held her still. She watches on with a wide-eyed, panic stricken expression as he removed a small, leather covered blade out of his pocket and slides the knife out of its sheath.

Oh my god, he was going to do it himself!

Camelia jerked as he reached for her.  She cringes, turns her face, with just enough time to glance and see the blade come towards her.  She seals her eyes shut and prays.

Her hair was yanked viscously.  She opened her eyes and shifted her head, her eyes coming in contact with his hands.

He cut a lock of her hair.

Tony releases her and waits for his employers instructions.

Nathan sits back down, eyes on the thick strand. He inhales deeply as though he found her tiresome. "You are making this very difficult. Rest assured, my taste doesn't run toward pampered little rich girls.  I like real women.  Women with experience.  For example, women like your mother." His suggested innuendo made Camelia want to vomit. "I will admit a secret to you, no other woman has captured my attention and held it, she's quite a woman. I bet she's experienced enough to satisfy my desires. She could have been mine had it not been for, Julien."

He was saying all those disgusting things while he skimmed the blade over his thighs, making sensual circles. Camelia found the sight beyond sick and his words even sicker. She shudders at the thought of him with her mother.

"She's too much woman for the likes of you!" She sneered.

He continues as if he never heard her, keeping his eyes on the sharp blade, lifting it to his eye level. "I had thought of taking your mother from your father but what's crueler than taking their daughter?"  He says more to himself than to her.  "I found a better solution by taking what Annie and Julien cherish the most as payback. That way, I'd hurt them both for what they did to me!"

Camelia glowered at him. "You're sick!"

"This will go easier for you if you just answer me. My friend is not a man to behave graciously in the face of disappointment." She saw the rage blaze as his cruel eyes bore into hers. "Now tell me and stop playing games or I'll show you what a knife can really do!"

What he asked her was reprehensible–repulsive. She couldn't believe his audacity. She was no fool, and knew the rules changed significantly since being kidnapped. But why did he want to know that particular personal information about her?

Camelia swallowed the bile that rushed into the back of her throat. It was such an affront to her pride, sacrificing her principles, but her previous anger returned to fear and skyrocketing at a fast rate. If she didn't answer him he may kill her. If she did, it may buy her time to find a escape of some kind.

"Yes, I'm pure."  She admitted.

Nathan, carelessly drops the knife on his coat and claps once. His evil smile returns.

"Excellent." Nathan steals a glance at his watch. "We'll be there in four hours. I still need to make some phone calls and make sure everything is ready for your arrival. Tony!"

"Wait! I've answered all your questions! Where is Sammy?  Is he okay?"

Nathan only smirks.

"I swear, if you've done something to him or harmed him I'm going–"

Nathan cocked an eyebrow and turns his head, signaling Tony with a nod cutting off her sentence.  Camelia looked between the two of them as Tony strides to the back of the plane.

"Let me tell you a little a more about myself, sweet Mia." A shiver ran through her at his use of her nickname. "My time, my money and my family are not be fücked with.  Ever wonder how I evaded those tiresome dogs searching for me?  Ever wonder how I knew where you were at all times?"

Camelia looks at him as if he sprouted two heads.

A unexpected figure passed her and she watched on as Nathan opened his arms in welcome. Her eyes met a pair of slender legs in a very short and very pink provocative mini-dress. The girl sat on Nathan's lap with a delighted giggle and wrapped her arms around his neck.

The vibrant blonde of her hair shields her face.

The woman bent her head and kissed Nathan sensually on the mouth. The two separated and stared at each other for a long time before the girl turned around to fully face Camelia.

Camelia felt her stomach flip and her heart nearly stopped beating. For a second she thought her eyes were deceiving her.

Sitting there was none other than her cousin.

Gloriana.

"Hey, cuz, surprised to see me?" Glory giggles again.

There was a long pause. Both of them laugh loudly at her shocked and horrified expression.

"Cat got your tongue, my dear?" Nathan mocks with a hearty laugh, squeezing Gloriana tightly against him.

"Gloriana?" She finally breathed. "W-what's going on here?" Camelia shook her head. "I don't understand any of this. This can't be real." She says to herself rubbing her eyes.

"Eventually, I managed to mess up your entire life."  Gloriana's smug expression turned into hatred.  "Miss goody-goody two-shoes always gets what she wants! Little helpless Camelia who always stood in the shadows yet always seemed to grasp attention wherever she goes. I've hated you for the longest time!"

"You did this to me? But how...why?"

Camelia face transformed into a emotionless mask, her entire body a block of ice as her hands were clenched in anger and frustration at her sides.

"Remember the day you and your bodyguard went to the mall?"

Camelia could only nod.

"It was too easy to distract him thanks to Giselle, a fellow model friend of mine. I knew you were fed up, take the bait and try to escape. It led you right to Jason! Wasn't it a brilliant idea?"

For a long moment she stared at the two of them, vividly remembering the day at the mall when Jason almost captured her....and Stefan aka Kent found her instead. Camelia silently thank God for never revealing Kent's true identity to her cousin. It was one of the smartest things she'd ever done. Withholding Stefan's secret from the rest of the family came as a Godsend.  She silently thanked her parents for their genius thinking.

The night of Stefan's proposal, they all unanimously decided to keep the engagement a secret until the whole ordeal of Kivanç and Gloriana's so called marriage simmered down. Thankfully her Aunt Cici and her husband were not in attendance, too occupied with Gloriana and her impeding marriage.  They planned on surprising the rest of the family with a small engagement party afterward.

Gloriana and Nathan would have found a way to harm Stefan because of her had they learned about them.

"Not to mention the night I called you. Thanks to my fiancée here..." Nathan adds, sending Gloriana a knowing nod. "I knew your cell number, how many guards were stationed outside and the security codes to the house."

"I orchestrated a car accident which helped stall your personal guard from reaching you in time. It aided my people to enter the premises. Unfortunately he found a detour which I did not expect and eventually shot one of my men. Clever bastard, that one."

She recalled the night he called her for the first time knowing she was home alone while Gloriana's parents and hers were away at the function together...

The waiter delivering her mother the special letter at the auction. Gloriana was there.

The undercover team in charge of searching for Nathan would come up empty-handed every time.

It was impossible to find out those specific details without inside help.  All the attacks couldn't have been achieved if it weren't for Gloriana. She always had the ability to meddle her nose into anything to suit her needs. Gloriana leaked information to her lover while she manipulated them all.

The only thing Camelia learned from all this was her cousin was full of more insecurities and doubts than the average person.  Someone that would stoop that low was dangerous especially when Camelia never gave Gloriana a reason to hate her. She always treated her like a sister and not her cousin.

It made her blood boil just thinking about it all. She misplaced her trust, the carefully planned life she'd imagined was all gone thanks to her cousin and there was no going back.

She had reached her limit, her heart pounding. "You helped this monster terrorize me for nearly a year? You destroyed my life because...because you're jealous? You crazy bitch!" Camelia seethed ready to move and strangle her cousin had it not been for Tony struggling to hold her down.  "What about the baby? Was that all a lie?"

Gloriana laughed.

"Oh there's a baby all right.  It's just not Kivanç's, it's Nate's.  Kivanç was a good fück but not as good as my baby daddy here."  Gloriana kisses Nathan's cheek tenderly as he places his hand on her abdomen.  "That poor Turk was innocent in all this."

**Flashback**

Gloriana woke up the next morning, smiled and stretched out like a satisfied feline. Kivanç's arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her tightly. Gloriana flipped to her side and stroked his thick blonde hair. He moans deeply in his sleep and gathers her closer but never awakens.

Gloriana scoots from under his arm and replaces her body with a pillow. She finds one of his shirts and puts it on and tiptoes out of his room and finds her bag where she placed it. She takes out prescription medication and opens the lid. Tapping the orange bottle, a capsule lands in her palm. Capping the lid she strides directly towards the kitchen and rummages through his fridge until she finds a bottle of orange juice to dilute the drug in.

Closing the fridge door with her hip she opens cabinet after cabinet until she found a glass cup and pours the juice. Then she opens the capsule and dumps the drug in the drink, stirring it with her finger.

With a smile she goes back into Kivanç's bedroom crosses to the side he was sleeping on, placing the cup of juice on the nightstand. Unbuttoning the dress shirt she borrowed, she lays back in bed naked, pulling the sheets over her and began stroking his hard back with her fingers.

***This scene contains mature content not intended for younger audiences. You must be 18 years and older in order to view the full product on "The Pleasures Of The Flesh". You must follow me first than download the story in order to view it.***

**End of flashback**

Camelia's cheeks blazed red with fury, the thought of Gloriana capable of such cruelty was beyond anything she could ever imagine.

"You slept with Kivanç to get back at me?  Who the hell would let someone they love sleep with another person?  Don't you realize this bastard is only using you and once he's done he's going to kill you, baby or not!"

Gloriana laughed and rolled her eyes.  "I love him and he loves me.  Nate and I have a flexible relationship.  In fact, we've known one another for years now before he knew you and I were related.  You're not that important, sweetheart, so don't flatter yourself!

"You cheap slut!"  Camelia yelled enraged, holding on to her anger.  "I will never, never understand your specific kind of crazy.  Who the hell have you become?"

"That's enough!"  Nathan intervenes.

Her greatest accomplishment in life most times was keeping her mouth shut.  They were inspiring the worst side of her and her mouth was having trouble cooperating.  But there's a big difference between talking to insane people and simply talking the truth.  They were both out of their minds and Camelia was sure they'd do anything, anything to her without an ounce of regret.

And for once she did not care.  Fighting herself for control of her emotions and her voice was the least of her concerns.

"I'm craving chicken wings, all of a sudden." Gloriana says, rubbing her flat belly acting as if Camelia never insulted her.  "Do you know how long it's been since I had some? And maybe some jalapeño poppers, French fries and...a slice of cheesecake."

She's a psychopath, Camelia thinks. She still couldn't believe it. Her cousin set her up. Her cousin helped the enemy, No, her cousin is the enemy.

"Sweetie, there's no way you'll be able to eat all that." Nathan laughed.

Camelia wanted to vomit. "You're both sick."  She stated with distaste.

"Honey." Gloriana whines playfully, caressing the curly chest hairs peeking from Nathan's shirt. "Can you...?" She nudges her head in Camelia's direction.

The blue in Camelia's eyes looked like shards of ice.  With the way her cousin was shifting uncomfortably on Nathan's thighs feeling the burn of her stare, she was sure Gloriana felt the pure impact of their weight.

"I feel very sorry for you Glory, because I have a feeling your fate is going to be much worse than mine. If I was granted one wish–it wouldn't be my rescue.  I wish for you a fate much worse than death."

Lightening strikes outside the plane.

It captures Camelia's attention to the window on her left.  It flashes in her eyes.  Heavy rain begins beating across the glass as more strikes occur in the distance.  Goosebumps rise on her arms and her entire body shivers involuntarily.

Nathan sighs as if he were dealing with a unruly child.  "You leave me no choice in the matter."  He signals Tony with beckoning fingers.

"Yes, sir."  Tony stands erect with hands folded.

"See that our guest has a comfortable rest."

Tony nods.

Camelia redirects her attention and watches on in confusion.  She had a vague idea she wasn't going to like what was going to happen next.

"Tony. Now." Nathan instructs.

Camelia didn't have a chance to react, unaware of Tony standing directly behind her seat. He coiled his arm over her chest, held her head tightly in a hold and in the next instant stuck a needle in her neck. He releases her quickly as she places a hand over the stinging sensation.

Panic filled her, confusion and horror swirled through her.

"Have a nice life little one..whatever will be left of it of course."

Nathan's voice echoed in her ears as she swayed, blinking to clear her vision but whatever they pierced into her neck was quickly running through her blood. Her head spun as she tried to regain control of her body but it was quickly turning into a pile of stiff cement.

Gloriana blows her a farewell kiss as her heavy lids close forcefully.

The last thought before her vision began blurring and the darkness encompassed her was of Stefan.

_____________________________________________________________

I bet most of you are speechless...

How many of you were shocked to find Gloriana the real traitor in all this mess?  Unexpected?  Turns out Kivanç was all innocent, after all.

And so the real chaos begins.....

Stay tuned for the continuation of this roller coaster of deceit.

Please vote your support, leave me a comment of your thoughts and please tell others of this story.

Thank you,

-Shaz