Truce and Lies

Grant: on matters of trust

The day was tense. We all waited for the phone to ring again and it didn't. The studio was awash with smells, Aidan had eaten all sorts of tacos and Pat busied herself with her cherry vanilla potpourri for her website. I just sat on the couch and tried not to be restless. I would need blood soon, but wasn't sure how to ask. They knew Aidan was a werewolf and I didn't want them realizing that he would allow them to walk outside. I didn't trust them quite that much.

As soon as night fell, Pat checked the phone obsessively but it didn't ring. Each text seemed to worry the other two vampires more and more. Aidan slept on and off, our schedule had been flipped in the last couple of days, but at least he had eaten. I ran my fingers through his hair as he slept, tracing his cheekbone, his nose, his stubbly jawline with my cold fingers.  Aidan didn't look lupine like this. He looked like a regular guy that could have had a regular life. I had learned a lot about Aidan's past in the last couple days, and I wished that he had gotten to have that normal life.

Hours passed. Mike got a text and suddenly grabbed a hoodie from the coat rack and pulled it on, ready to go out.

"Where you headed?" Pat questioned.

"Out," he grumbled. "I just want to see what's out there; I have a bad feeling about this. No way Stefa just leaves the council meeting with ramifications especially if Juan is dead. I just want to see if there is...more activity about. Those texts from Lin aren't making me feel any better."

"You're not going alone," Pat scoffed, setting her jars down. "Not today. We'll leave the little ones; they aren't going anywhere. Give me a moment."

She glared at me. "I will order you to stay if I need to. I'd rather not."

"We'll be good," Aidan yawned. "Will you leave that flip phone here? So you can contact us?"

Mike frowned, as if contemplating if we would get into trouble with a phone.

"Don't call anyone," he told us, but tossed the flip phone onto the couch. "Don't do anything. We have enough trouble in this city. Got that?"

"Yes sir," I said.

Pat got a coat and hat and joined Mike at the door. They both gave us a meaningful look and then locked the door behind them.

Aidan stretched and sat up next to me.

"How are you doing?" he asked. "You haven't eaten since yesterday."

"Fine," I replied. "Wishing that we brought that cooler, but I'm okay for now."

"Why did they leave so suddenly?" Aidan questioned. "Did I miss something?"

"Mike got a text. He didn't say, but suddenly had to go."

"They seem to nice," he mused. "Not just because they feed me, but because they give me a lot of hope."

"Oh?"

"This will be us someday," Aidan explained. "We'll be old and be interested in arts and crafts. I would make magnificent potpourri. You can take up knitting. We'll be ridiculous."

"You have one thing right," I remarked. "We'll be ridiculous."

Aidan leaned over to kiss me, cradling my face in his warm hands and pushing me back into the couch. My fangs lengthened and vision focused; I was hungrier than I thought. Aidan's heartbeat grew louder in my ears. I could feel his pulse underneath my fingertips. I could sink my teeth into his neck and drain him, I thought. Then I wouldn't feel this gnawing hunger at my temples.

"Aidan," I breathed between kisses. "Aidan, stop."

Either he didn't hear me or didn't care, but I pushed against him futilely, losing my fight to my vampire nature.