Forever Alone... Or Not

Chapter 19

POV: Michael

"Sit still," Bethany ordered. She was too close. Her hands were on my face, fingers pressing against my nose. I could feel strands of her hair against my forehead. Her potent perfume invaded my nostrils. It was a complex mixture of fruit, spice, and tea leaves. At first, it was like a warm cup of apple cider, then it got stronger with mixes of cinnamon tea but minty too. She smiled at me, to keep the mood light, but all I could focus on was her teeth. I expected fangs on each side of her smile, but she must have them retracted or something. Still, they were there, and the thought of them made my blood run cold. "Breath in." She ordered again. "Breath out." With my exhale, she abruptly pushed hard against my nose. A pop echoed in my ears. "Very good." And she finally vacated my personal space.

The woman walked with a bounce towards Sariha who was focused on writing something. She wrapped her arms around her waist from behind and placed a kiss on her cheek. My best friend smiled with a slight flush, I just flinched. Nicco tried to pretend not to notice, focusing on mixing some strange-looking liquids. He hunched over the wooden desk against the wall next to the bathroom. Those brooding eyes of brown, nearly black, glanced at me then immediately turned back to his work.

"All right, I think this should do it." He turned around. In his hand was a bottle-shaped much like the Geosphere at Epcot. The liquid was semi-transparent and I could see the little vortex that was created with Nicco's swishing. "This should be able to mask the scent of your blood. A few sprits and you should be covered." A silver perfume cap was screwed onto its top. "Here."

The vampire, considerate of my fear, placed it in arms reach. He retracted back a few feet but continued to gaze at me. He wanted me to try it out. I looked at him inquisitively, to which he returned. I inched my arm forward, our gaze never breaking. It was just a bottle of perfume. He made it. He touched it. It was nothing sinister, quite the opposite. It was made to protect me. I broke his stare, grabbed the bottle, and quickly sprayed it on my wrist. It smelled identical to the stuff I used in the bathroom. I still couldn't pinpoint its scent, but it was delectable. Seemingly satisfied with my reaction the vampire made his way back to the desk.

"Do I have to wear that too?" Sariha whispered to her blood bond.

"If you want. Micheal's blood is potent, rare AB negative blood. My family can control their urges, but others may not. We're just taking precaution." Then the woman placed another kiss on her brown cheek.

"You two should probably rest for a bit. The meeting begins at midnight and lasts well into the morning." He rose from his seat again, tried to smile, then let out a sigh. "You'll need your energy." He looked defeated. "I'll keep watch." His long legs carried him to the door. It clicked lightly as he closed it.

"Welp-" Sariha stretched and yawned. "Guess it's nap time." Her words were elongated with the remainder of her yawn. "Cuddle time?" She extended her arms, in an air hug, welcoming.

"I don't know, is Bethany okay with it?" I didn't mean for it to sound so rude, so I gave a smirk.

"Go ahead, I don't mind, I trust you guys. I have to do a couple errands anyway. Sleep well." The Spanish woman kissed her lover then left. She turned off the lights as she left. Thankfully, there were still rays of sun that shone through the windows. Darkness wouldn't bear well with me currently.

"Ah, this bed is so comfy." A deep guttural groan vibrated in her throat. She shuffled in the sheets, seemingly trying to bury herself into the soft warmth. She was so cute and funny, she could always bring a smile to my face. Suddenly her arms were snaked onto my waist. Her slim fingers dug into the soft parts of my stomach. I flew back with a laugh.

"Ha-Ha Stop!" I continued to laugh even after she stopped tickling me. Like children, our laughter decreased in volume as we drifted in and out of sleep. Her arms were around my waist, mine were around hers. We fell asleep like that. Like home.