Blood Ties (NaNoWriMo 2015)

Fifty-One

I'd heard the words, but they still weren't having full impact. "What?"

Damon said it again, this time his voice was more confident. There was no way I'd misheard him."I love you."

"What?"

I heard Damon laugh again, but it was nervous. "Do you have trouble understanding English?"

"No," I said, heart hammering and the butterflies in my stomach turned wild. "I just, don't understand how you can say that."

"Do you think you're unlovable or something? Because if so, you are very wrong." He held me closer, nuzzling me. "You're easy to love Ember Hawthorn."

"Not that," I knew I wasn't everyone cup of tea, but I was loved and like anyone else I deserved love. "Just, how can you say that after this long? It's been what two months since we met? How can you say you love me after such a short time?"

"As someone who's know various types of love throughout the last century," Damon said, brushing my hair from my face. "Love does not have time limits. It starts somewhere, you become aware of it and then from there it starts to change."

"Change how?" I asked, still unable to believe what I was hearing. It was all so impossible. Damon, a man who'd been around for one hundred years, a vampire, the reason I was here with a beating heart. He was telling me he was in love with me.

Damon shrugged."Grows stronger, weakens, adds some other kind to it. Ember," he said. "You don't have to say it back, not until your ready, if you ever are. It's okay." Another heartbeat passed. "Do you want me to get Doc?"

"Please," I said, throat tight. "I think he's going to want to take care of his patient now that she's awake."

"Okay," Damon kissed my cheek. "Stay put."

I felt Damon leave me again, his words still ringing in my head. I love you. He'd just told me he loved me and I had no idea how to respond to it. God I was lame.

I heard voices, Damon and Doc's and before I even had a chance to utter "hello" the portly doctor was at my beside, light flipped on and black bag on the floor. "Hello my dear Miss Hawthorn," he said, gold tooth flashing. "How are you feeling this afternoon?"

***

After Doc made sure I was back in proper working order and reminding me to eat my vegetables and making no less than two puns regarding vampirism, my favorite being "You got hit with priestess magic huh? My doesn't that bite."  I was cleared to go and be part of the world of the living (and the second joke "or undead in this case!")

"Thanks Doc," I said, getting up and holding out my hand to shake his.

He grabbed my hand, grip firm and smiled. "No thanks needed darling, just doing my job." Doc close his house-call bag and held in half a second, went from standing in front of me, to at the door.

"Wow," I whistled. "You're fast."

"We all are my dear," he said, holding open the door."I just like showing off a little more than most."

"And why is that?" I asked, walking towards him so I wouldn't have to shout across the room.

"Because I look as old as hell and I am old as hell," he said, pushing his glasses up into place. "I like reminding people I can still kick some ass."

"Who's 'people'? You have plans to kick my ass?"

"Oh no," Doc chuckled. "Not yours, just a few of the people that are here, I don't care for some of them."

My blood turned cold and I heard Damon's voice echoing in my head. "I think there's a traitor in this room". Keeping my voice casual I asked, "Anyone I might know?"