Just Us

|6|

After their kitchen adventure, Vinícius decided he'd show Adalie the gardens before they went to check on Pia.

She never let go of his hand as they walked the stone path lined with some early spring flowers.

"What's a mate?" she asked finally, as they reached the pond full of fish.

He worried he would tell her something Pia didn't want her to know, but it was important for her to understand who he was and why he was taking care of them.

"My eyes are special because of my demon," he started.

"Like me," she swung her feet on the bench, before looking back at him.

"Yes, but you only have a little bit. My demon is really different because he is a part of me."

"Does he talk to you?" she asked curiously.

"Sometimes. When he feels like the people he loves are scared, he might come out. He makes me big and strong."

"Is he mean?" she sounded a bit fearful.

"Never to you, or Pia. He is a part of me, and if I love someone, he loves them too." He hoped she was understanding what he was saying. He didn't want her to be scared of him. "Demons have a special person that calls out to them. Someone they want to take care of, and love forever. That's a mate."

"That's how you found us? Your demon told you to find Pia?"

"Exactly," in simplified terms of course.

"Does your demon like me too?" she asked sadly, as if he would only want her sister.

"He likes you just as much as he likes Pia," he hoped that was reassuring. He knew they had trust to build, and it would be crazy to tell them he loved them already. It would be crazy to tell a little girl that he was already so fond of her, she was like his own sister.

She seemed satisfied as she stood up to go look at the fish. She stuck her hand in the water to "pet" one, squealing as it wiggled away. She laughed gleefully, and he loved the sound. He couldn't wait to hear Pia laugh.

"Could we take a flower up to Pia?" Adalie asked as they walked back towards the house.

"That's a great idea. What flower do you think she'd like?"

She pointed to a rose, and he cut one off for his mate. They grabbed a vase of water from the kitchen to put it in (and to check on the pie) before going up to see Pia.

She was still sound a sleep when they arrived. Vinícius had called the doctor earlier and he'd be around tomorrow. He worried greatly for the health of his mate. Adalie was a child and he knew her appetite would build quickly, but Pia, not so much.

He shook her awake gently, and she stirred with a cute hum.

"Hey, sweetheart," he whispered when he saw her brown eyes blink sleepily up at him.

"Pia!" Ada said excitedly, wrapping her arms around her sister. "You've been sleeping all day! You missed out on the best day with Vinny."

Vinny? He couldn't help but chuckle. Nobody's ever called him that.

"Hmm," Pia whispered, sitting up, and rubbing her eyes, still half asleep. "What did you do?"

"First, I took a bath, and the lady was really nice, she even gave me a rubber duck. The water was so warm, and it had bubbles. Then Vinny and I had lunch and I met the cook who said she would make an apple pie just for me!"

"A whole pie just for you?" Pia teased with a giggle. He loved the sound. He was so glad they both seemed happy. He was afraid that he had forced them to come with him, or they had just done it out of circumstance.

"It's big? I'll share with both of you. And then we went out to garden and I played with the fish. Vinny picked you out a flower." Ada made a dramatic gesture towards the vase.

"Seems like I missed out on a lot," Pia winced, grabbing her forehead. "I think I slept too long."

"Is it a headache?" Vinícius asked, reaching up to massage her temple.

"Would it be okay if I went to go explore some more?" Adaline asked.

Pia nodded at Vinícius who said, "Absolutely. Just be careful, and if you need help, just ask anyone you see. There's a big room of books that you could find, or you could go see if Sherry needs help with the pie."

Adalie was already running out the door before he could finish.