Dark Attraction

Chapter eleven - That new relationship feeling

I slept late. A deep, solid sleep, totally dreamless and I woke up from it feeling rested and content right through my body. It wasn't a sensation I was used to, waking up like that.

Gage wasn't in bed with me, but I wasn't really sure I'd expected him to be. He was a vampire, right? He had things to be doing. Does he even sleep?

I yawned and stretched. A delicious, full body stretch that went from the tips of my fingers, grazing the headboard, to my toes, and every muscle seemed to enjoy it.

When was the last time I'd slept so soundly and so well? I had no idea, maybe never?

Sitting up, slowly, sighing happily, I took a drink out of the water bottle Gage had left beside the bed, took another drink, and then got up to have a shower.

He left me a drink, he cares! He let me stay! He wants to make something of this!

The happiness I felt at remembering these points, I felt like I was about to take wing or bubble out with laughter for no reason. I hummed instead, singing one of the old Red Hot Chili Peppers songs I liked to listen to when driving to the beach.

I took my time in the shower, enjoying the caress of the warm water and the gentle sting on my ass. Gage had left finger-shaped bruises on my thighs, and I admired them, stroking my own fingers over them reverentially.

When I was towelling myself dry I examined myself in the mirror. The bruises were good and purple on my legs, but there was no trace of any mark on my throat. Nothing at all, not even a hickey. I touched my neck, sure that it was exactly where he'd bitten me, but there was nothing. It was a little disappointing to be honest, I wanted evidence. But I guessed it was his way of protecting himself, what he was. It wouldn't do to be found out by the world at large.

For a moment I met my own eyes in the mirror, wondering why it had hardly bothered me at all that he was a vampire. It should have, I know it should have. It was like I was inviting an apex predator into my life and letting myself be eaten alive...

But I trusted Gage. I knew in my heart, if not my very soul, that he wouldn't hurt me. I didn't know why I felt that way, but I did. I trusted him the way I'd trust my parents or my sister. I knew Gage would look after me. That he wanted the best for me.

Were soulmates a thing? Fate? Had I met him because we were meant to be together in some indelible way?

I sighed, smiling and shaking my head at myself. What was even the point of asking questions like that? It wasn't like there was any way to get an answer. No god was going to come down from on high and say 'yes, this is your soulmate', no magical mark was going to show on my skin like in those stories I used to read. Nope. All I knew for sure was how I felt, and I trusted him. And I wanted him, and I liked him. I wanted to know more about him and have him know more about me.

I went back into the bedroom. My clothes from yesterday were gone, but laid out over a chair were a pair of black sweatpants and a T-shirt. The pants fit all right but the shirt was a bit on the tight side. I expected Gage wouldn't mind that.

I looked around for my phone but couldn't see it anywhere, so I went out into the main apartment. Gage was in the kitchen, cooking what smelled like bacon.

"Oh, honey," I said. "You didn't have to cook for me."

Gage glanced over his shoulder and flashed me a grin. "Yeah, I do, you need more food than before and you're in my place, so I'll do the cooking."

I wrapped my arms around him from behind and rested my chin on his shoulder. He had a massive frying pan full of eggs, mushrooms, bacon and hashbrowns. It smelled utterly divine, and my stomach rumbled, telling me just how hungry I was.