After Hours (VAMPIRES PART 1)

Chapter 32

JENNIE

One Thousand Years Ago

It will be no surprise to you that I fell for Jisoo. Fell hard and fast. She quickly became my entire world and the prospect of marrying one of Mother's favoured men filled my dreams with nightmares.

We've been meeting for some months now. I spent much of the summer evading Mother's parties and balls and engagements with various lords and suitors, but autumn is establishing itself and the crisp chill of winter is in the morning air.

Today is one of those rare autumn days when the sun decided to show itself in a waning attempt at warmth. So I decided to organise a get-together and sent a note forward to Jisoo to meet me for a late picnic.

I trundle to the apothecary street where Jisoo's store resides. She agreed to meet me for a late lunch. She's closing the shop early so that we can spend the afternoon together in our favourite spot by the river.

I open the shop door, the bell tinkling, just as she's closing the register and writing in her accounts book.

"I won't be a moment," she says.

She's wearing a dress today, it takes me by surprise. I've never seen her in anything but men's trousers.

"Oh, gosh," I say, my mouth falling open at the sight of her. The way the dress curves around her bosoms and shapes her bottom. It's cut just above her knees so that a little thigh is on show.

I swallow hard trying to draw my eyes up to her face but finding myself rather preoccupied with her waist.

"Hi," she says grinning, clearly aware that I'm rather flustered. I press my fingers to my cheeks, the heat spilling into my hand.

I fan myself trying to calm down, but I'm unable.

"Do you need to sit?" Jisoo asks.

"No, it's just. You... I, umm..."

She laughs, "What on earth has come over you? Shall I get you a tonic?"

"No, for goodness' sake, Jisoo, it's you."

"Me?" she says, her face falling.

"Oh gods, I'm making a mess of this. It's just that you look rather fetching and I wasn't expecting it, and I was rather taken aback by how... by how... well, how beautiful you look. That's all."

She beams. And I swear on the witch-gods, the universe comes to an abrupt stop. My vision narrows to only include her gloriously blue eyes, the pale crystal water and dark pupils. I lose myself in her gaze, the way her smile radiates warmth.

"I wore it for you," she says.

"You did?" I gasp, more heat flooding me.

"I did." She smiles. "It felt like an important day."

I'm not sure what she means by that, but I'm delighted she dressed the way she did, I can't pull my eyes away from her. In fact, I'm drawn to her ample cleavage and would rather like to see what she looks like without the dress on, but that's probably not appropriate.

We have kissed, on more than one occasion actually, but that's as far as it's gone. Though, she has educated me on the ways of her love-making and how it's different, and I'm quite thrilled at the idea, but we've yet to have an opportunity to try anything more than a surreptitious kiss.

She hurries around the counter, putting jars of herbs and ointment away, then she grabs her coat and the shop keys and locks the door behind us.

We walk to our favourite spot, taking us out of the city and far away from anyone who would know us, to the safety of the river and the fields and the knowledge that we're at least three miles from anyone who could cause us a problem.