The Knight of Slaughtaverty

Chapter 15 - Spilling the Tea

A bath sounds like a lovely idea.

Someone has gone to the trouble of wiping my face and feet and cleaning my hair of spiders and cobwebs, but I'm musty and feel grimy. After gathering some clothes, closing the bathroom door behind me, and taking care of my most urgent need, I decide to take a quick shower instead, as I'm in a hurry to speak to Liam and don't think I will be able to relax in a bath right now.

The water is glorious, every warm drop caressing my skin in ways that cause my nerve endings to hum in joy. I don't think I've ever experienced a shower quite as vigorous as this one. It's as if my soul is getting a rinse right along with my body.

Closing my eyes, I give myself over to the sensations cascading over me and through me, and memories of Alaric's tenderness last night suddenly flood my mind uninvited, overwhelming me with emotions that I'm not even entirely sure are my own.

I remember his silky lips sliding over mine, trailing tender kisses down my chin to my neck, his fingers feather-light against my cheek and tangling in my hair. I gasp as I vividly experience the momentary sharp pain when his teeth sank into the side of my throat, followed immediately by ecstasy bubbling like fountains through my veins.

Wait! What?! He didn't bite me!

Startled, my heart beating a mile a minute, I snap my eyes open and hurry to finish cleaning myself and leave the crazy shower that is making me fantasize about things I know didn't happen. Besides, I've never been into S&M!

I don't want people biting me!

Wrapped in a towel, I stumble to the mirror above the basin to examine my neck, but the glass is cloudy with steam, and it takes a few wipes to clear it enough to see myself properly. As expected, there are no marks on my neck, not even a scratch. He didn't bite me... he kissed me! I was so sleepy, I fell asleep while he was kissing me... not very flattering for him, I'm sure...

"There was no pain or bubbling ecstasy! I would've noticed!"

Frowning, I lean forward, inspecting my shoulder and I do not see any nail marks on my skin, not even after giving the mirror another wipe to get rid of any lingering moisture. I'm looking at the right shoulder; the other one is also injury-free.

It's not just that the marks have healed and faded; they are gone as if they never existed at all. My skin is smooth and clear!

In fact, looking at the hand touching my neck and shoulder, feeling for damage, I can see that the tiny scar I had on the back of my right hand, leftover from an entanglement with a rose bush when I was a child, has faded almost completely too.

"What the fuuudge?!"

Is it the food they're feeding me here, the clean air, the water? Is this the island of perpetual youth or something? Well, no... there's Leopold...

I'm not wearing my glasses. It is possible that I simply cannot see the small scar clearly right now, so I run the fingers of my left hand over it and am startled to find that I can barely feel the tiny ridge that was there, very sharp and clear the last time I rubbed cream on my hands and body.

That would be yesterday!

After pulling on the knitted sweater and slacks I brought into the bathroom with me, I brush my teeth and leave to find Liam patiently looking out the windows where a light rain is drizzling outside. He'd opened the heavy red and black drapes, letting in what light he could, driving away at least some of the oppressive shadows.

When I cross to the windows and sit at the table, I find that there is an extra place setting with a covered dish for Liam.

"Why do people think Saoirse killed a little baby?" I ask him, lifting the glass of tomato juice I've been craving since the last time I had it. Sipping it, I delight in the savoury tang and slightly spicy aftertaste once I get past the minty toothpaste clash.