Back at Antun’s house, I tried not to wince as Antun cleaned the wound on my temple. “It’s been healing long enough it won’t need stiches, but it might scar,” he warned.
“I don’t really care about scars at the moment,” I replied, glancing at Michael already asleep in the couch-bed. His leg would take probably a few days to heal, and Antun gave him some medication he had on hand “for emergencies.” Minutes later, he was sound asleep, despite trying to stay awake to hear how everything went.
Antun glanced back at him, then at me. “He’ll be alright, Drew.” He looked disconcertedly into my eyes, “I’m more worried about you.” He stood straight from where he’d been bending over to examine my head. Walking over to another chair, he sat down, leaning forward on his knees. “You were stuck with a man who called himself The Inquisitor. You were subjected to his questioning, probably in some effort to see whether or not you fit in his box for what a vampire should be.”
The door to the guest room opened, and Syla stepped out. Seeing Drew and Antun talking, she asked, “May I join? I’m too wound up to be able to go to sleep just yet.”
I nodded. “Can we move this to the kitchen though so we don’t wake Michael?”
Antun gave me a tired grin, “Love, I gave him an anesthetic dose of ketamine. He’s not waking up for anything. But sure, we can do that.”
As we entered the kitchen, Syla turned on the light and asked, “Tea?”
“Tea,” I agreed as Antun nodded.
I said nothing as she prepared the kettle and leaves, the infuser soon dangling in the pot to steep. They both looked at me with their own levels of concern, but I didn’t know what to say. Razvan’s last question kept rolling around in my head – if there is nothing special about you, why do so many people keep rearranging their lives around yours?
I didn’t know. There really wasn’t anything special about me besides the fact that I’d never be reincarnated anymore because of Nikola. I had no idea why he had kidnapped me of all people in the first place. Was it because of my proximity to Michael? Had he been watching us that closely? Or was there some reason he’d chosen me that I still didn’t understand?
I looked up as if I could see through the ceiling at Michael. He’s not even resting on a proper mattress, all because he put my safety first.
The timer dinged and Syla checked the tea, bobbing the infuser up and down in the kettle. And Syla, she faced Nikola’s wrath for me before. She’d told me that when I’d run away that first time, he’d beat her unconscious.
Syla poured three mugs, passing one each to Antun and I, keeping the last one for herself.
And Antun, pulling all of those resources in order to not only help Michael and I understand vampirism, but in order to solve these cases. And that’s on top of letting us stay in his home practically rent free.
So many people who keep rearranging their lives around mine. Why?
I hadn’t realized that Antun and Syla were both staring at me until Syla cleared her throat. We all stared at each other for an awkward moment.
“Well, either you’ll tell us or you won’t, but we may as well sit down,” Syla sighed.
I didn’t know what to tell them. I felt guilty as hell for disrupting everyone’s lives so completely. And at the same time, I was confused as to why they’d even do that. But I couldn’t tell them that, never. They’d try to tell me otherwise, and that simply wasn’t true.
“I’m not ready to talk about it just yet,” I finally said a minute after Syla’s comment. “He didn’t hurt me though. Scared the shit out of me, yes. Taunted? Definitely, but besides him knocking me out in the alley…” I guess that would count as hurting me, wouldn’t it…
As if he’d heard my thoughts, Antun gave a very sassy, “Mm hmm,” to my silence.
I sighed, “Look, guys, I’m okay. A little banged up but all’s well that ends well and all that shit.” I chugged the last of my tea, wanting to get some space from my friends and their concern. I don’t want people being concerned over me, I want people’s lives to continue on as they normally would.
“I’m a bit tired now that the adrenaline is wearing off. I think I’m going to head to bed now.” I stood and took my mug to the kitchen sink, walking back past Antun and Syla on my way to the stairs. They kept looking at me. “I’m fine,” I repeated. “Goodnight.”
I went upstairs. Michael snored softly, his leg propped on a pillow, splinted more properly to let the joint heal in the correct position. I removed the ice packs from around his knee, no longer cold, setting them on the end table. I was not changing clothes; I was too tired. I crawled under the covers still in my jeans, scooting up to Michael’s side. His arm was between us, and I hugged onto it, wanting the reassurance of his body to help settle mine.
Before I could sit up to turn off the lamp, I had already fallen asleep, clutching onto Michael.
❖ 🩸 ❖
I woke to a grunting sound next to me. Michael was trying to sit up, his leg still in significant pain. He saw my sleepy eyes blinking open and his own eyes softened. “Hey,” he said in that sleep-graveled voice that always makes me melt.
“Hi,” I replied as I sat up facing him. “How is your leg?”
“Ow,” he said. At my rolling eyes he went on, “What? You’ve used ‘ow’ as a descriptor before. Why can’t I?”
“Fine,” I relented. “But can you give me anything more than ‘ow?’”
“How about,” he cleared his throat and sang, “My leg is on fire!” in the same style as a similarly titled Alicia Keys song.
I smiled at his nonsense, and he grinned back at me. “Did you sleep okay?” he asked.
I nodded, and he opened his arm up to the side, inviting me in. I snuggled up to his side, and he hugged me tightly back. He kissed the top of my head before resting his cheek on it. “Oh Drew,” he murmured.
I looked up at him as he held me. “Hmm?”
“I am never letting you out of my sight ever again.”
I laughed. “Sure you will, you can’t follow me into the ladies’ room at work after all.”
With a mocking frown, he pouted, “Fine, besides that.”
I couldn’t help but grin at his pretending.
“But in all seriousness, Drew. You have a penchant for getting kidnapped lately it seems. We’ve got to keep better tabs on you. I’m getting those trackers for every pair of shoes you own, do you hear me?”
“That’ll be spendy,” I groused.
“No worrying about that, Antun will help, I’m sure. And I know if Syla had her own funds she’d be pitching in too,” Michael insisted.
I couldn’t help the frown in my brow, but Michael caught it immediately. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t get it.” I paused for a moment to try to gather my thoughts. “You have lived with me ever since Nikola kidnapped me the first time. Syla was willing to share her bed with me when we first moved in here. Antun, I mean,” I gestured to the house around us, “need I say anything? I just don’t get why you all do it is all.”
Michael froze in place for a moment, so still I pulled back. “Is that what you’ve been thinking?” He looked stricken. “Have I not said it enough?” At my confused look, he sighed exasperatedly and gave me a quick but powerful kiss. Pulling back, he whispered, “I love you. I don’t know when I fell, all I know is that I did.” He kissed my brow. “I think no matter what, I’ll love you.”
“But why?” I asked.
“Because I want to. Because I choose to. And I will keep choosing you, for as long as you’ll let me.”
I was speechless. Michael dove in with a hot kiss, searing my lips and my soul with the fervor of his love. My fingers found his hair, tangling into the strands. I pulled him as close to me as I dared, not wanting to move his injured leg.
His tongue sought entrance and I let him in. He explored the cavern of my mouth, twining his tongue with mine as I moaned. He growled and pulled back, making me whimper at the loss of contact, only for him to begin nuzzling my neck with his nose and trailing tiny kisses starting from that soft spot beneath my ear.
His hands roamed over my body, exploring every inch that he could touch. His hand skirted up the underside of my shirt on my back and he stiffened. Then, he let his hand touch more of my skin, his hand sliding up my back.
I was melting. I could bask in what he was giving me forever. I thought my heart was going to explode, I loved this man so much.
“I love you, too,” I gasped out.
Michael halted, his face pulling back so his eyes could see mine. I knew what he wanted, what he needed.
“I love you, Michael Anderson.”
He looked down at my mouth in wonder as he came closer once more. I closed the distance between us, but this kiss wasn’t full of heat. No, these were slow, luxurious kisses. Ones full of promises. Of us. Of forever. And I reveled in this man, this love that I had never before experienced in my life.
I heard a clearing throat coming from behind the couch and I froze. Slowly turning my head to the noise, I saw Dani – Dani – holding her head up with a couple of ice packs at her neck. “I didn’t mean to be a bother,” her voice was scratchy with morning disuse. “But do you know if Antun has a neck brace or something?”
Dani’s… alive?
I carefully got off the couch, my eyes never leaving Dani. I scanned her from head to toe as I approached her slowly.
“I’m really here,” Dani said, reading the shock on my face and knowing that it was a close thing.
I rushed forward but gave a tentative hug, not wanting to injure her further. She let one arm down and hugged me back. “I know I hardly know you but I’m just so happy you’re alive!” I cried, the tears coming unbidden.
“Well, close enough.” I pulled away and she winked at me. I couldn’t help but smile back at her before hugging her again.
“Is everything alright?” Syla asked as she came up the stairs. “Antun says he doesn’t have a neck brace yet but that he will shortly. Don’t bother protesting,” she directed at Dani who had opened her mouth. “He’s already ordered it and it’ll be delivered in a few hours.”
Dani smiled gratefully, “Thanks, Syla. I think in the meantime I’m going to lay down. Holding a head up gets heavy after a while.”
Syla nodded, then asked Michael, “How’s the knee?”
“It hurts like a mother trucker but at least it’s going the right way now,” he answered.
She lifted her brows in agreement, “Indeed, I can only imagine how it looked before and I don’t particularly want to.” Having nothing else to say, she turned and went back down the stairs.
That left Michael and I alone again. “I meant it,” he said, making me look up at him, “when I said it’s a choice. And I will always pick you.” His eyelids lowered as his eyes went to my lips, right before he leaned in to kiss me again.
I didn’t understand why, but maybe I didn’t need to. Maybe I just needed to accept that, for whatever reason, Michael and the others cared about me. Maybe that could be enough. It was enough. Their love sustained me during my captivity, and would continue to support me, no matter what. I closed my eyes and kissed Michael back.
