A Sucky Crepsley Love Story

Chapter 7: Road Trips & Teasing & Meddling. OH MY!

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Finally came the day the four of them (Mr. Larten Crepsley, Ms. Leona Wolf, Mr. Darren Shan, and Mr. Steve Leonard) to depart and Leona almost bounced on her feet as she waited for her friend to awake, but obviously he wasn’t going to wake naturally on his own so she yanked his ear and made him wake up with a howl of pain.

“You sleepy, old ass. Awaken or be carried like a babe,” she growled.

He glared at her. “Oh? I am not fazed. In fact, please, carry me. I will feel like a king!”

Leona shook her head and shoved him away from herself. “I guess I will be taking our apprentices and leaving.”

“Just go f-,” Steve stopped when he got a glare from Leona.

“I dare you to finish that sentence, boy,” she growled.

“I told you cussing would get you in trouble one day,” Darren muttered.

Larten shook his head and got changed and he walked over to the boys and turned them around before leaning on the wall and watching them carefully. “You may go on ahead, Leona. I will watch these two for you.”

“You act as if they will never see a woman naked, Larten,” she scoffed before she quickly changed.

“I know they will, but I do not want them to lust after someone they cannot have,” he said, scratching his scar as she put on her shoes, the last thing that needed to be put on.

“Even if I get big, strong, and handsome, I can’t have her?” Steve challenged.

“Of course not,” Larten scoffed. “She may love children, but she will never mate with one, especially when she has watched them grow... I remember the last time a child fell for her.”

Leona scowled. “The boy was too confident... he deserved what he got.”

“What’d she do to him?” Darren asked.

“She beat him within an inch of his life,” he said simply. “After that I killed him. He almost forced himself on her, but he forgot her skills and that I was quite protective.”

“Is she your girlfriend?” Steve asked.

Larten shook his head. “No, but she is my best friend.”

She threw her arms around his back from behind and was on her toes to put her head on his shoulder. “I do not know, Larten. Perhaps the children are right? Even Hibernius and Evra agreed.”

“It is not my choice,” he said.

She kissed his cheek and danced around him to the entrance, leaving Mr. Crepsley blushing and the assistants snickering, earning them both flicks in the ears by the redheaded vampire. Soon they departed, boys on backs as they flit. After a few hours they settled down for rest and Leona used her apprentice as a pillow for a while before shifted to Darren and finally going to Larten. He smiled with his eyes, but to the boys he was glaring at her with annoyance.

“Larten! Did you know your eyes turn sapphire in a certain light?” Leona asked after observing him.

“That is good to know. Anything else that you would like to point out?”

“Yes, you are a foul tempered ass that I would not mind beating the shit out of,” she smiled.

He smirked. “Oh? But being it is amusing watching those around me get frustrated.”

Leona smirked before turning to the half-vampires. “Alright. Now for your first lesson. I am sure the both of you know that a vampire in a rush is a dead vampire. Correct?”

“Yes, ma’am,” both said.

Larten played with her hair. “Now another lesson you must learn is that vampires, half and not, need blood to survive,” he explained. “Though we do have laws. We do not kill when we drink unless asked by the person to preserve their memories for as long as we live. Do you understand thus far?”

“Yes, sir,” they replied.

As they continued with the lesson Leona’s eyes drooped more and more and she had to be gently shaken to realize it was her turn to question. Soon enough Larten let her sleep and gave a small, gentle smile as he gazed at her. He’d always had a soft spot for her, even more so than his former mate Arra Sails, but of course there was still that soft spot. The boys watched them and Steve elbowed Darren and gestured to the vampires.

“How long do you think it’ll take them to get together?” Steve whispered.

“Well, they’ve known each other most likely for decades and haven’t made a move... without us, a few years, with us... a few months at most,” Darren whispered back.

Steve grinned. “We gonna get them together?” he asked.

“Definitely.”

The two shook hands and watched their mentors for a while longer: Larten smiling down at Leona while she slept.

Larten finally picked up Leona and held her bridal style in his arms. “We must move, but for now we will pace ourselves.”

The three males walked with the unconscious woman in Larten’s strong arms. After walking in silence for a while Steve moved forward with a sly grin.

“How long have you known Leona?”

“For quite a while,” Mr. Crepsley said, eyeing the boy.

“So... she’s smart, beautiful, and has a great personality. Why haven’t you made your move yet?”

Mr. Crepsley frowned. “Is it really that obvious?”

“Yeah. Even blind Darren can see it,” Steve said, gesturing to his friend.

“Hey!” Darren shouted.

Steve waved it off. “Anyway, it’s obvious she likes you too.”

The vampire shrugged. “It is her choice and it always has been.”

“But she must think it’s your choice.”

“I have made it clear that if anything is to happen it will happen on her terms.”

“And yet you two flirt so much you’re choking the people around you with it,” Darren pointed out.

“Thank you!’ Steve exclaimed.

Mr. Crepsley looked down at his old friend. He’d never admitted that every time she was near his heart fluttered and his will turned weaker than with anyone else, and that he found himself staring at her when there was nothing to do and the urge to mess with her was greater than it had been with any girl when he was a child. He thought he’d gotten past that childish stage, but she brought it out and he fell into it so easily. She was a truly remarkable woman and he wouldn’t ever want to leave her side.

“I do not wish to discuss this anymore,” Mr. Crepsley says.

Both boys fall into silence and fall behind. They’re disappointed their plan didn’t work like they’d planned, but they could see he was cracking. They saw how he was staring. She stirred and buried her face in Mr. Crepsley’s chest with a sigh before she settled again. The boys could see it clear as day, but they didn’t seem to. Leona had played earlier when she kissed Mr. Crepsley’s cheek and they all knew it, but her attraction to the redhead couldn’t be hidden. Even Steve, who had a crush on the woman, could see that the two were perfect for one another. If only they could make those two see what they saw as well.

After another half hour they settled for the day in an abandoned church and Mr. Crepsley had Leona curled on his chest as he laid himself down on a pew near the front of the church. Darren and Steve slept on two pews a few back from their mentors.