Blood Ties (NaNoWriMo 2015)

Twenty-One

A week later and I had a new normal. I'd wake up around seven PM every night, eat some breakfast which was still brought to me via Ife as the kitchenette in my room was not yet done. Then a quick shower, throw on an outfit and some minimal make-up (which I'd found time to fill out a request for, one that had been passed and granted quickly) and I was down in Damon's office helping out however he needed me to in planning for the Cruor Luna.

I'd learned a fair bit about him in that time. He typed fast, had a good sense of humor, cracking jokes with other coven leaders on the phone as he confirmed their arrival at Cruor Luna. Damon also leaned back on his chair often as he worked and I made a point of telling him it would only be a matter of time before he fell over. He'd shrugged off my warning, but the following day I had been proved right when he tumbled backwards into a filing cabinet. He gotten up, rather flustered (or I thought he was) and said "Please not a word." I also learned he was easy to work with, he never wasted time and I never had to outright say things I needed to do my various jobs, he seemed to see them and address the needs right away. I appreciated that very much and was glad I had such an sensible boss.

This day was going very much like the rest. I'd just finished closing the deal on a centerpieces when Damon set down a carton of Chinese takeout in front of me. I looked up at him from my desk (technically it was a card table) and regarded him curiously.  This was a little out of the norm, we ate of course, but he never picked up things like this for me before. "Lunch," he told me. "We need to eat."

"You're going to eat Chinese?" I asked as I opened the paper carton and watched as team tantalizing rose from the orange chicken, sautéed veggies and rice that laid inside. I pulled apart the wooden chopsticks with a snap and began to eat.

"No," Damon held up an IV bag of dark red liquid that could only be one thing: blood.

I swallowed, my throat expanded painfully at the too-large bite. I tried not to grimace but I clearly did not do a very good job as Damon regarded me thoughtfully.

"Sorry, if you want I can take this somewhere else, I didn't think how weird that might be to you."

"No, no," I waved my hand trying to be nonchalant. "It's fine," I took a sip from my water bottle, trying to clear away the lump in my throat. "Go on, you need to eat and we need to work, we'll get more done if we're both still here."

"Really, Ember if it bugs you it's not a huge issue for me to eat out in the hall."

"It's fine," I insisted. "Please just eat."

Damon shrugged and pulled his chair out from behind his desk and placed it on the other end of my card table. He grabbed a glass from a drawer in his desk, ripped open the IV package and squeezed the crimson contents  into it. He tossed the empty bag into the trash and smiled at me, fangs peaking out from behind his full lips-yet another charming feature I'd only noticed recently.

"If you don't mind," he said, taking a sip from his cup. "I'd like to visit for a while, if I have to look at another to-do list I might go crazy."

"Just need a break huh?" I said, digging around in my takeout for a green bean. "Brain is a little fried?"

Damon shrugged. "Something like that." He took another drink from his glass. "So, how are you doing? Well here I mean, finding ways to pass the time?"

"This," I gestured to the mess of papers and phone numbers on my table. "Has kept me fairly busy."

Damon shook his head, black hair falling into his eyes. He huffed and brushed it away. "Not this," he said. "This is a pain in the ass and I think we will both be happy when it's over and done with. I meant hobbies, things you actually enjoy doing, things that are fun."