Out of the Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Thirty-Four*****

*****Warning: This chapter contains sexually explicit adult content.*****

"Wake up, darling."

"Mmm. No." I said into the pillow.

"I have sausage."

I peeked an eye at him raising my brow.

"NO. Not THAT sausage you little minx. I have breakfast." He smiled cheerily.

I slowly opened my eyes to see him sitting on the edge of the bed next to me, holding a tray filled with goodies.

"Ooo! Surprises!" I said stretching and sitting up. He put the tray over my lap. It contained sausage and eggs, a heart shaped pancake, fresh fruit and a cup of juice. There was a yellow rose in a tall tube with water as well. My favorite.

"My dear boy, to what do I owe the pleasure?" I said while taking the flower out of the vase and inhaling it deeply.

"Happy birthday, darling. Seventeen never looked so good." He kissed me on the nose.

"Oh." I said, my expression falling. "I thought I told you no celebrating. I... I just don't feel up to a big thing this year."

"Relax. I'm just bringing you breakfast. And I promise, just me and you. All day. No party. No hoopla. No hoe-down. Just us." He winked and smirked at me that signature Sallow Smirk.

"Well, in that case, I better eat up my birthday breakfast to give myself some energy then, huh?" I winked back at him.

"You ARE a saucy one this morning, aren't you?"

"I can't help it." I said chewing lightly. "Yesterday felt good. Working with my wand again. It felt... normal. I haven't felt normal in so long..."

"There's hope for you yet." He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear that I suspected had been standing straight out due to my sleeping position. "Maybe you'd like a haircut at Madam Snelling's today. Your hair is growing fast and I'm getting partial to your little pixie cut with all the pretty scarves you wear with it." He smiled.

"Well, it is at an awkward stage right now. YOUR hair is actually longer than mine... I've never had short hair before. I'm not sure how to keep up with it. I want it to grow back and I don't know if trimming it right now is a good idea... I still try to flip it behind my shoulders even though it's not there."

He laughed a little. "Well, I can tell you this, if there's anyone in the world that can wear whatever hairstyle she wants, it's you. It suits you. No matter what you do with it."

"Could you be any cheesier this morning?" I chuckled at him.

"I mean it, love. I don't want you to fret over your physical appearance. You're gorgeous no matter what and everyone knows it. I believe I had to wait in line for you, if you remember correctly."

"Oh jeez. Don't start." I threw a piece of fruit at him. He caught it in his mouth and chomped happily. Cocky bastard.

"So, what would you like to do today? Sky's the limit." He said, stealing more of my fruit.

"Sky." I said softly, looking thoughtful.

"Oh, no. No beasts. I'm not flying around on some crazed hippogriff!"

"You said 'sky's the limit'!"

"That's not what I meant! How about 'just under the sky is the limit'!"

"You can't take it back. You said..."

"I can too. It's my right as the boyfriend. To protect you from your crazy antics."