Blood Betrayal

Chapter Twenty-One

Finally rid of his father until the sun set again Zion was free to spend time with Ghanny. With only a few hours before his brothers would be looking for him, he went directly to the spare room.

The moment he entered she turned to him and excitedly pointed to the TV screen. Laid out over the bed on her stomach propped up on her elbows with sparkling eyes and an exuberant expression she was positively stunning.

"What is that? They seem very instant that I need it," she chirped.

Reluctantly looking away from her he caught the tail end of an advertisement for Coke. Her sweet enthusiasm for something so simple was highly endearing.

"Oh, that'll rot your fangs." The small joke deflated all that endearing exuberance. He mentally kicked himself. "If you're interested I'm sure we have a lot of junk food. It's way better than tea and cookies."

Crinkling her nose she pouted. Even that was fetching. "Junk food? That sounds horrible."

"Ah-ha, you'd think that but it's actually the tastiest food people ever made. Just hold on a second I'll show you what I mean."

Liam and Nick were usually both in charge of buying food. It made for an eclectic mix of delicious sugary snacks and cardboard tasting garbage that was filled with nutrients.

He brought her an assortment of things from chips to pop tarts. And a can of Coke, he had to assure her that he was joking about it rotting her fangs before she would take it. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously when he cracked the can open. Her face puckered adorably when she tasted it.

Gently placing the can back on the table in front of her she frowned at him. "You actually drink this? Is it supposed to be so... fuzzy? If I drink any more I'm going to sneeze."

Having to bite his lip so he didn't laugh hysterically he nodded. "Fizzy, which is really the main point. Well, that and all the sugar and caffeine."

Tapping at the can with a finger she licked at her lip.

"I think I prefer tea." Her voice came in a hushed whisper as she played with the aluminium her eyes drifted down to watch her own fingers fidget over the can.

"Thats okay. But not getting diabetes is one of the perks of being immortal. I can make tea right now if you want."

"Not really..." Her eyes rolled to his. "You are really quite terrible at it."

After a beat, her lips quirked up into a sly grin.

She was teasing him, teasing he could deal with. He felt a smile tug at his own lips as he pressed a hand into his chest as if grabbing his heart.

"Gasp!" he said twisting his face into an over-exaggerated look of shock. "She asks a coffee drinker to make tea and isn't happy with the results."

His act elicited another smile from her.

"I didn't think it took so much skill."

She giggled and again it was a warm and tinkling sound that washed over his skin like a shiver. No, actually it was the excited goosebumps raising over his skin that tingled.

"Hey, I have drink-making skills, you want something that takes skill like a coffee or a cocktail I'm your man. Sticking leaves in hot water isn't a skill."

Her lips pursed as the twinkle of amusement lit up her face. "You mean that it isn't a skill you possess. After tasting whatever it is that you gave me I assure you that it is indeed a skill."

Despite the hit to his ego the silly grin on his face just wouldn't fade. It almost felt like the kind of mutual light ribbing that people engaged in when flirting.