Muffins - Loki & Ylva alternate universe stories

Love with a bite V

Loki helps Ylva in her coat, the garment smelling like her in all the good ways. The sliver of skin that is visible between her scarf and the wide collar of her dress when he shrugs the coat over her shoulders is inviting him to touch it; to run his fingers along her shoulders, her collarbones, her throat... He doesn't, though. He is having a wonderful time tonight and this mortal girl is the cause of that. It has been a long time since he last befriended a human, yet it is so easy with her. There is a part of him that longs to touch her, to taste her, to bite her, though he pushes it down everytime that part rears its head. He would like to see her again, to spend time with her and getting a taste of her blood will have to take a backseat to that. She is not a snack and he also doesn't want her to be just a fling; there are others who can fill those needs if necessary.

The bookstore is almost closing and everybody seems to want to get out at once, a throng of people pushing in between him and Ylva. Loki patiently buttons up his coat, waiting for Ylva to join him again. She is wedged in between two book cabinets, some woman with alarmingly red hair at her side. Loki only notices the woman is being pushy when he catches her last words, about him wanting to get a taste of the girl. Clearly, Ylva isn't having it and she immediately starts of in the direction of the exit.

Outside, the encounter with the red-haired woman still isn't sitting right with the girl with the fierce Norwegian name and it pains Loki to see her carefree mood from before is gone. For that alone he is of a mind to go after the foul-mouthed witch and teach her a lesson. But that would mean he had to leave Ylva and he doesn't want to do that yet; the night is still young. So, Loki does something he hasn't done in a long, long time: he asks the girl out.

Ylva's reaction is not what he had expected and he immediately prays he will run into the poisonous red-haired woman soon, so he can rip her to shreds for this. It hurts to see the fear in Ylva's eyes and the way she cowers away from him, especially because she didn't really seem to care about him being a vampire earlier.

Loki doesn't really know how to fix this, yet he desperately wants to. Her rejection and fear cut him more deeply than expected; he has just met the girl! Yet he hears himself embarrassingly fumble for words, explaining to the girl how he only wanted to enjoy her company a little longer.

Relief washes over him when the fear disappears from her eyes. They stand across from each other a little awkwardly before they both start to laugh at the same time. "I'm sorry," she says again, stifling a giggle. "That was stupid."

Loki politely offers her his arm to walk with him. "It's okay, I am a blood-sucking vampire after all."

Ylva links her hand in the crook of his elbow and falls into step with him on their way to the crosswalk. "Is that an indirect way of saying you do want to drink my blood?" Her tone is playful, yet he knows she wants a honest answer to that question.

The dark prince stops to wait for the go sign and turns a little to look at the young woman at his side. "There is a difference between wanting something and actually doing it. And I can promise you I will not do anything unless you want me to."

There are at least twenty people waiting to cross the street, yet it feels like they are completely alone; the world around them has faded away to nothing more than a blurred whisper. Her blue eyes hold him prisoner until she slowly nods her head. "Fair enough."

The girl and the vampire don't speak again until they have settled down in a small booth in the café, which turns out to be some sort of old-fashioned diner. Not old enough to be retro, not new enough to be hip. Loki doesn't care as long as the music isn't too loud and the coffee is decent. "Do vampires drink coffee?" Ylva asks with badly hidden surprise when Loki orders the drink.