Hematophagous

Chapter 30: In Black

His countenance did not change for a second. She kept her characteristic face a few centimeters from me, his hand slid down my abdomen as if trying to make a trip of no return. His breath hit mine, thus becoming an endless storm that would scare any sailor in rough water.

My gaze remained fixed on her, afraid that, with some movement, the scene would turn into a bath full of blood. But what could happen? She herself had admitted, minutes ago, that she hadn't wasted her time on me. So why was my heart racing so fast that it seemed like it would jump out at any second?

-How does someone like you take down two vampires as sadistic as they are?- Her recent question hit my chest like a reminder bullet.

Your question could give me two kinds of information. The first was that they already knew each other from something, from some place, from some past time, from whatever, but they knew each other. And the second one managed to lead me to a question; what kind of relationship did they have?

Logically, they knew each other, but Hilaria's comment, from a few hours ago, indicated that they knew each other in a very out-of-vampire-hunter way.

"- She won't open her mouth even if you force her to. She's always been... quiet about that kind of thing.

- Quiet?

- You could say so, yes."

The three of them knew each other from something... from something intimate and she wouldn't stop to find a why or a how.

-Well?- He arched an eyebrow in search of an answer. -Why?- I held his hand on my abdomen before it continued to go down further.

- I don't think you'll be able to understand it.

-Surprise me.- His lips, a few millimeters away, brushed against mine. -Or you don't even know why.- He smiled sideways and laughed out loud that managed to fill the entire room. -You don't know.-

-I won't fall for your stupid games, Arcadia.- Her eyes turned black. -I'd better go.- I tried to move but her figure prevented me.

- I thought we were having fun.-he faced me.

- Do you think that a foam bath and various questions amuse me? You're very wrong.-I assured her.-Now, move away.-Instantly she let out another laugh.

-Do you want me to get up?- he asked, unable to stop laughing. -Really?- He bit his lower lip, making it impossible for me to look down at that area. -Are you sure?-

- I want you to move away.-I corrected him.

-Is that what you really want?- I didn't answer, but I let go of the hand that prevented him from touching me. -Okay, whatever you want.- And without further ado, he returned to the other wall of the bathtub as if nothing had happened.

- Thank you. It hasn't been that hard, has it?-I reached for a towel before getting out of the heated water.

Surprising as it seemed to me, Arcadia slid her gaze from the tub to the window.

- You should have more fun, Maia Rossi.-he pronounced still with his eyes fixed on the city.-Don't think that I have forgotten my question.

-Why do you want to know?- I asked, starting to put on my clothes.

-Because I want to know how you feel- he declared and for the first time I could feel how his voice didn't sound as stiff as usual.

-Be with someone?- I asked confused.

- No, I want to know how it feels to like someone. Someone who is not good, nor will they be, no matter how much they promise you.

-Why do you seem to know each other?- I played my card up my sleeve.