We sat in Kai's room the next morning watching him play. Luc sat against the wall close to the door. He was distant.
Kai screamed and crashed into the wall with his face.
Luc saw and winced. "Indra..." He called. I turned to him.
"He does it all the time." I said.
"And you let him?"
"I said he plays roughly."
Luc shrugged and looked at a toy dog stuffy. He picked it up and stared into its beaded eyes.
Kai ran and fell onto me happily. He hugged me tightly and sat in my lap. I looked at him and kissed the top of his head, smiling.
"It's time to eat. Do you want my blood?" I asked.
"I'd love some." Luc answered.
I chuckled, "I was asking Kai. But you can have some too, after him."
"Oh." Luc said nothing else.
I cut open my wrist and Kai latched on. He soon sighed, happy, satistfied. I turned my head and jumped. Luc was at my side.
"Sorry." He muttered.
I crossed my free arm over my body for him to bite.
"Thank you." He opened his mouth and his fangs grew out. He bit me and sucked from my arm. I resisted the urge to moan. Love it when he bites me.
He didn't take much... Why?
Luc sat back and touched his right side. He got up and walked out. Odd.
I turned to Kai and rubbed my nose against his, "I'll be back." I picked him up and placed him in his crib. Kai pouted. I pat his head and walked out.
When I entered our bedroom, Luc was sitting on the bed on his knees. The room was dark. He breathed heavily, shirtless, and slouched over.
"Luc?" I went over and sat on my knees beside him. I put my hand on his scarred back. His breath continued to hitch. "What is it?"
"I...I can feel every kick." He breathed. He held the right side of his chest. His bones cracked and creaked, pushing in.
"Ah- hah!" He cried out, shuddering.
"Breathe. Just breathe through it." I stroked his back. "I'm here."
He put his hand to his forehead and huffed. His bones stopped cracking and creaking. He trembled.
"What can I do?" I leaned forward.
He moved his hand and turned his head to me. He touched my cheek and pulled me forward, soon kissing me.
We parted and touched foreheads, his breath touched my lips and shuddered.
"Thank you."
After noon we sat in the kitchen. I fed Kai and watched Luc. He leaned against the counter with a far away glance.
"We should go back to Romania." He said.
"Why?" I asked.
"I just..." He held his elbow and looked away. "I don't want to be near them. They threw me away."
"And wouldn't you like for Kai to see his home?" He asked.
"Well yes, but I don't think you should run away. I think you should open your clinic and work. When you're ready, of course." I answered. "Don't you want to give it a shot?"
Luc looked at me. "Okay." He breathed.
"For now, let's love on Kai. He hasn't seen us in a while." I rubbed my cheek against his. He laughed and stood up on my lap. He held my cheeks and smiled. I smiled and put my forehead against his.
