In this life

Chapter 18

I stood at the kitchen sink looking out the window, the sun was shining and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.
"Do you have any plans today or tomorrow?" I asked as I was washing up from breakfast, hoping we could spend the time together.
"Nope. You?" Daniel replied, picking up the teatowel to help.
"Nope"
"Good. Shall we do something?"
"Yep. Inside or ...outside?"
"Whichever you'd prefer"
"Well.... It seems a shame to waste a nice sunny day being indoors, but..." I hesitated
"But, you're worried I might turn to dust" he said as he held up to his hands to his face, made a hissing noise and pretended to melt, collapsing onto me slightly.
I laughed "well, yeah, kinda"
"I told you it's fine" he stood back up and smiled at me "you've seen to many films! What would you like to do?"
"Nothing specific" I shrugged
"Well I need to go home and get a change of clothes, so come with me and we can decide from there?"
"Ok" I agreed, attacking my frying pan with a scourer "So... How does this whole vampire thing work then?"
"In what way?"
"You said I've seen too many movies.... So what's the truth? For instance, daylight won't actually make you disintegrate.... Are you immortal?"
"I don't age no, but not immortal exactly"
"What does that mean?"
"Well a good old fashioned steak to the heart would finish me off, as would burning in a fire, decapitation.... but if I fell from a thirty story building I'd be able to get back up and just brush it off"
"Oh, ok.... So how do you manage to not age without anyone noticing?"
"I don't usually stay in one place for too long, five years maximum I suppose, longer if I can, sometimes less"
"Has anyone ever noticed?"
"Once or twice"
"And how have you dealt with that?"
He's expression changed ever so subtlety and he hesitated in answering. I flicked bubbles at him from my fingers. "Don't do that! Just tell me"
"Don't do what?" He wiped his face on the towel.
"I'm pretty sure telling me you're a vampire and that I'm the reincarnation of your deceased fiancé, was the hard part" I nudged him with my hip to show I was playing, even though I was serious, "So everything else is just, I don't know, practicalities?"
"Fair point" He sighed "Ok, I...can control people... Make them do things, say things...think things...." I couldn't work out his expression.
"So when they've questioned you you've sort of hypnotised them into not realising you haven't aged?"
He nodded.
"Have you ever... Controlled my mind...?" I thought I knew the answer already, but wanted to be sure.
"I knew you'd think that, that's why I didn't want to tell you. And no" he smiled, his eyes were honest and reassuring "...but I could" he winked and looked back at the towel as he finished drying the plates.
"Prove it" I challenged him.
He raised his eyebrows and tightened his lips contemplating taking me up on my challenge.
He turned to me, with a mischievous smile, narrowing his eyes and looked directly into mine, I loved it when he did that, he was sexy and mysterious. I think he was talking to me but I wasn't listening. He was unbelievably gorgeous and I wanted him. I needed his body on mine right here on the kitchen floor. I shook my hands so that the washing up bubbles fell off and reached to undo his belt and unzip his trousers, I was just about to get on my knees in front of him when he stopped me, held my wrists and took a step backwards away from me.
He looked like a naughty school boy, trying to hold back his smile by biting his lip.
Suddenly I realised he'd made me do that. Made me feel that. Made me want him.
"Oh my god!" My jaw dropped "What the actual f-"
He slid his lip out from the grip of his teeth and a huge grin emerged on his face. He lent forward and kissed my forehead, still holding my wrists.
-"how did you?"
"Rosie!" He laughed, releasing me from his grip "you're insatiable, honestly! I'm not just a piece of meat y'know!" He buckled his belt back up.
"That's crazy!" I laughed. I shook my head in disbelief.
He giggled to himself and he dried up the frying pan and placed it in the cupboard.
"You're amazing!" I told him, still standing on the spot looking at him in awe.
"Thanks" He dried his hands and put his arms around my waist. "I just wish it was always this much fun" he gave me a kiss and smiled. His words told me he was happy, but there was something about his tone that let me know he had been through some very bad things. I put my hands around his shoulders and stroked the back of his head. I couldn't help but look at him sympathetically.
"So where are we going to live in five years time?" I tried to lighten the mood. He raised an eyebrow questioning what I meant.
"Well, if you think for a second you're leaving me to go and be eternally beautiful somewhere else, then you can think again!"
"Ok" He lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist "but eventually I'm going to have to start telling people you're my nan" he joked.
"Yep!" I giggled "And you will have to tell me you still love my dropping boobs and flabby bottom and that, actually, wrinkles suit me and maybe you could help pluck my old lady chin hair... and when I take my teeth out"- He kissed my mouth to stop me talking
"Don't fuckin' ruin it" he spoke onto my lips, I giggled and he kissed me properly.