The Blood of Dragons (On Hold)

Chapter 14: Coffee First

* * * Author's Note * * *

I dedicate this chapter to one of my followers that urged me to upload an update. Thank you! It's nice to hear from you guys and I feed on your encouragement. So, keep nagging. lol

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* * * Emma's POV * * *

When we got back to the lodge Nikolasz met with his team of mated vampires and the Comtois family. Martin and I headed to the kitchen to grab something to eat before we discuss the invitation.

There was a bowl of fresh fruit and a few croissants on the counter. I gestured to the French press and Martin nodded with a yawn. It's been quite a morning. No one should be up this early without a strong cup of coffee. The kettle was already full so I set the gas to high. While the water was heating up, I proceeded to fill the bottom of the press with some ground coffee.

Martin lazily stared at the slowly illuminating lake just outside the kitchen window. He looked sleepy and harrowed. In the creeping light of dawn I observed that his blonde hair was slightly out of place and he had a look in his eyes that was only partly alert to the world around him. Then he caught me staring and smiled sweetly.

"Good morning," I said unabashedly. He was trying to contain a chuckle while his smile only grew wider.

"Good morning beautiful." He said. "Have you talked to Nicole since you've been here?"

"Yes, we talked last night." The kettle was starting to make hissing sounds and I grabbed an apple from the basket.

"How is she?" Martin asked as he looked for a ripe pear.

The kettle was just starting to whistle when I took it off the burner and replied, "She's fine. I miss her though." An empty silence filled the room. There wasn't a sound until I poured the boiling water into the French press. The smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air and seeped into my senses causing me to close my eyes and take slow greedy breaths. There is nothing better than the smell of coffee in the morning.

Clinking sounds and the feeling of him next to me brought me back. He set down the two mugs and took a bite of his pear. He's just leaning against the counter waiting for me to say something? Or just to let me know that he's there for me? Either way, I'm glad he's here. I miss my sister, but him being here was like there was a little piece of her here with me. He did share a lot of memories with her and they were good friends. He felt like he was apart of Niki's and I world.

We ate in silence in the still and brightening morning. The kitchen was overall a cheerful monochromatic design with whites and creams. Unstained wooden shelves lined the back behind glass cabinet doors. Bright and colorful sets of ceramic dishes were neatly stored by pattern and color on those shelves. Martin grabbed our mugs from the blue and white folk Polish wares set. The folk pattern was of rabbits and flowers. Cute.

I felt like the coffee steeped enough by the time we finished eating our fruit and I poured us our coffee.

"Cream or sugar?" I asked Martin.

"No. I like it black."

"Only cream for me then," I quietly said to myself. On the way to the refrigerator I threw away the core of my apple and Martin followed suit.

"Let's go to the dinning room to meet up with the others, ja." He shook his head. "I mean ja. YES." A groan escaped his throat. "Sorry. I get mixed up. Especially being back 'home.'"