Her Monster's Wraith

Chocolate and snow

Kaz and Inej were strolling through the Barrel streets, pockets full of kruge to spend on anything.  Inej was closer to his side, their fingers intertwined.  The night was cold, and Kaz could see his breath as he exhaled.  Inej was humming and he looked down at her.

"Taking music lessons from Nina?" he joked.  Inej looked up at him.  It was Nina's favorite song.

"No, most definitely not," she laughed.  She rested hr head on his shoulder and as they turned a corner a woman yelled at them from her stand,

"Rooms!  I have a tent you two could rent!"  Kaz rolled his eyes, and he felt Inej shudder, shaking her shoulders.  Kaz glared at the woman, and she shrunk back, quieting.  Suddenly Inej perked up.

"What is that amazing smell?" she asked, and Kaz sniffed.

"Oh.  That.  A vendor has been selling something called chocolate from the Wandering Isle, it's disgusting," he responded.  Inej looked a little down at his description and he sighed,

"We can go get some if you want."  Inej smiled and they made their way through the small crowd, finding the chocolate vendor.  He was a pale man with long blonde locks, and silver eyes.  He wore a brown robe.

"Chocolate?" he asked Inej, taking her hand and offering her a large chunk of the brown candy.  Inej looked at it.

"What smelled so good earlier?" she questioned.  The man giggled gleefully.

"My ma's chocolate drink recipe.  It's covered right now, would you like some, beautiful?"  Kaz looked at the vendor, the way his silver eyes twitched and rolled around. Inej nodded vigorously.  He turned back to his cart, which was laden with rounds with chocolate, sticks of chocolate, chocolate syrups, and a large tin pot of the drink.  Also, a few large stacks of white paper cups.  The cart was old and broken down with an orange awning.

"Twenty kruge, madam," he giggled.  Inej frowned.

"For a small cup of melted chocolate and milk?"

"It's very good," he insisted, the cup under her nose.  Inej's eyelids fluttered.

"Oh, that smells good."  Kaz reached forwards around Inej and deposited twenty kruge in the man's pocket.

"Very kind, very, ver kind," cackled the man, giving Inej the cup of warm melted chocolate and milk.  He hurried her away and they walked to the edge of the docks, at Fifth Harbor.  They sat down, and Inej leaned against his side, head on his shoulder.  She sipped at the drink, and the moan that escaped her mouth made Kaz wish he was the chocolate.  He blushed for no reason, luckily Inej didn't notice.

"This is amazing Kaz!  How could you not like it?"  She chugged it down, even though it was still steaming, and set the cup on the ground.  Kaz wiped her chin with his thumb, catching a trail of the warm chocolate.  She smiled and said,

"Where to next?"

"We have to be at Wylan's in fifteen minutes," Kaz confirmed, checking his watch.  Inej jumped up, and he followed stiffly, groaning as his knee popped loudly.

"Kaz!  That's the other side of town!" she huffed.  He nodded.

"True.  So we'd better start on our way."  They walked back through the streets hurriedly, and after a few minutes snowflakes started to fall.  Kaz sighed, he'd be even colder now.  Inej sneezed and he looked over at her.  Her teeth were chattering.  He pulled her over towards a shop.  She persisted that they had to go, but he didn't listen.  He quickly purchased her a black jacket, and placed it around her shoulders.  She pulled it tight around herself, despite her former protests.  They walked even quicker once they were back outside, and after forty fie minutes they got to the Van Eck mansion gates.  Kaz expertly picked the lock of the gate and they walked up the drive.

Inej looked up after him as they walked and he said,

"What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking about it, I have to leave in three days," she whispered as they got up to the door, and Kaz knocked, looking down at her, smiling at her wind-blown snow covered hair and the bright color to her dark cheeks.  He pushed her against the wall by the door, leaning his forehead against hers.

"I'll just have to give you a reason to stay longer," he breathed, and Inej smiled,

"And what kind of reasons would those be?"  He dipped his head and kissed below her jaw, just as the door opened.  Someone whistled and Kaz jerked his head up.  Jesper stood in the doorway, eyes wide, his mouth in an O shape.  Kaz pulled away from Inej, and said,

"Evening Jes."  Jesper nodded, turning and mutely leading them inside.  Inej closed the door behind her.  They stomped their feet to get the snow off and then took them off, discarding their scarves and coats on the coat hanger.  Jesper looked over his shoulder at them and scolded,

"You're late."  Kaz rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Jesper, we're aware of that."  Soon they were in the living room.  The fire was roaring, and Nina and Wylan were chilling in chairs by it.

"Hello Kaz, Inej," Wylan greeted.

"Inej!" yelped Nina, jumping up and rushing over to hug her friend.

"Hello."  Wylan was looking deep into the fire.

"It's a cold evening, come warm yourself by the fire."

"I think they kept each other warm Wy," smirked Jes.  Wylan blushed, looking up at his friend and lover.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Kaz was–"

"Making sure I knew I was going to be missed," Inej cut in.  Nina laughed, and Kaz was the only one who heard the slight coldness in it.

"Kaz, you weren't, by chance, showing any affection, were you?" smiled Nina.  Kaz looked at them angrily.

"You're lucky we even came, you sorry skivs," he growled.

"Is that so?  What would you two have been doing instead?" laughed Jesper.  Nina put an arm around Inej's shoulders and whispered something to her that made her smile slightly.

"Definitely not what you and Wylan do every night," retorted Inej smoothly.  Wylan was gaping at them all and blushing almost as red as blood.

"Everyone!  I will not have this sort of talk in my living room!" he shouted.  Jesper shrugged.

"I guess we'll have to move to the bedroom then."  Wylan blanched and said to try and distract everyone,

"Would anyone like some food?"  Everyone got up and went into the kitchen, leaving Kaz alone.

"Come on!" summoned Inej.

"Be there in a moment, Wraith!"  She looked at him quizzically but left him.  A large grin broke out on his face.  He'd missed everyone more than they knew.

Hey guys!  So, I know this story is just starting and it's horrible, I don't know if it's going to get much better.  I kind of just want to follow Kaz and Inej's growing relationship after CK.  But I'm trying!  Please pardon any mistake and please, please, please comment!

–MOJ