The Night Falls

Vapor Thoughts

Connor walked into the bathroom attached to his room, He draped a towel over the rack and looked into the full length mirror at his scars and tattoos. Without turning around he smiled. "Kora, what's up?"

Kora blushed, she had never seen Connor's body before. He was ridiculously fit, even with the scar tissue and tattoos that covered much of his upper body. "Couldn't sleep." She shrugged. "I heard you get in and thought we could talk."

"Sure." Connor said with a smile, he turned and leaned against the counter. "What's on your mind?"

"So you've been with Damon for how long?" Kora asked, leaning against the door frame.

"Four years." Connor said he shrugged. "Nearly five actually. He's a good mentor, he knows more magic than your old covens elders put together."

"Except maybe Hank and Gaius." Kora shrugged.

"Damon's father taught them both at one time." Connor said, turning to the sink and put his rings on the counter. "Damon Monroe knows over 350 out of 500 forms of magic. Ellicott knows 6, and Gaius 104 that we know of. In New Orleans, Damon is the strongest of our kind."

Kora simply nodded and stepped forward, she looked down and noticed a symbol tattooed on Connor's right forearm. "What's that?" She asked, tracing it slowly with her fingertips.

"It's a mix of the mark of Corres and the symbols of the Monroe and Alexandre houses." Connor said, taking Kora's hand away in his. "Why the sudden interest in my tattoos?"

"I just haven't seen them all at once." Kora said, blushing brighter. "You have a lot more than I expected."

"Each one is a symbol, a reminder for myself." He chuckled, blushing lightly. "Like this one here is Phonera Estradi, the phoenix, it's the symbol for protection from magic." He led her hand to the tattoo of the symbol Phonera Estradi tattooed on his right shoulder. Then he moved her hand to another tattoo in the center of his chest. "This is Maviksi, the ram, it's a Morrian symbol for care and brotherhood. And it's pair here." He moved her hand to the symbol on his collarbone. "This is Kasiel the fox, it means truth and justice."

"How did you learn all of this?" Kora asked, a little short of breath.

"When Damon is out of town, I go to the archives and spend hours reading about different cultures." Connor said with a smile. He led her hand to the tattoo on his left side, pulling her closer to him. "This one here is LeRoth Farast, the dragon. It is a symbol of love and fire."

"Where's it from?" Kora asked, looking up at Connor's eyes.

"The Drasie dragon temple in southern Missouri." Connor said slowly. "I went there with Damon a few years ago. I've been studying their language for a few years now." She leaned closer to him and kissed her softly. He went to pull back from the kiss but Kora placed her hands on his neck, pulling him back for another kiss, this one was more tender and it lasted a little longer. Connor pulled back and sighed. "We shouldn't do this. You've been through a lot today. It would be wrong for me to take advantage of you like that."

"Connor." Kora sighed, looking up into his eyes again. "I don't care. I want this. I want you!"

"Kora, it should wait.' Connor said slowly, as if trying to convince himself. "For a day when you have seen less violence."

"Just fucking kiss me." Kora sighed before hissing Connor again, her hands slowly tracing his tattoos as they kissed. He pulled her shirt off and kissed her neck. She pushed him against the counter and turned on the water to the standing shower.

"Kora, what the hell?" Connor laughed as the water splashed out of the shower. He pulled his phone and wallet from his pants and threw them onto the counter so they wouldn't get wet.

"You talk too much." Kora laughed as she pulled off her pants, leaving Connor's eyes wide at the sight of her legs. She blushed and began to undo his belt.

"Kora, we really shouldn't" Connor sighed, grabbing her wrists.

"Connor, just stop talking and let it happen." Kora said before kissing him and pushing him towards the shower. She pulled his belt off and undid the button of his jeans. Connor slid off his jeans and pulled Kora into a deeper kiss.

Connor opened his eyes as the water ran down from his hair over his face. He was alone still in the shower. He chuckled to himself and shook his head. He heard a knock on the door as he turned the water off. "Give me a minute!" He called before wrapping a towel around his waist. He wiped his hair back as he opened the door to see Kora standing there.

"Oh.. Hey." Kora said blushing when she saw him, she looked him up and down. "I can come back."

"No worries." Connor chuckled. "What's up?" He asked before tossing his wallet and phone from the counter onto the bed.

"I was just wondering if you could recommend something to do, I can't sleep." Kora said looking down.

Connor smiled and walked over to his bookcase. "I have just the thing." He tossed her a small book that categorized all of the Fey in the region. "I find it interesting, but it could put you to sleep. If you don't want to read, I can find you some music."

"Is that what you do to relax?" Kora asked, leaning against the wall.

"I tend to go break a couple of punching bags and exhaust myself." Connor shrugged. "I don't see that helping you though. You're more of a music and books type of girl."

"You're thinking of Norah." Kora said with a small smile. "I could use something to take my rage out on."

Connor smiled. "I have to pick up a few more bags downtown tomorrow. Try reading tonight."

"Ughh. Fine." Kora said and laughed. "What time is breakfast?"

"Damon gets up around seven. So around eight or nine we eat." Connor said with a smile. "I should probably get dressed."

"Oh, yeah." Kora said, blushing brighter. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Kora." Connor smiled as Kora walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Connor then picked up his phone and keys from the bed and put them in their places on his bedside table. He tossed his towel into the hamper and pulled on a pair of boxers. He laid himself down onto the covers of his bed and picked up his journal and a pen.

Connor would write until his eyelids were heavy and his hand sore, then he put the pen in the journal and placed the journal on the nightstand. He drifted off into an uneasy sleep.