Til Death

24. Daniel

DANIEL

Daniel was unsure what clouded his mind more, whether it was Damien's potion or the handsome witch rifling through Daniel's kitchen cupboards. The moment they stepped into the kitchen, Blake sent the kitchen staff away, promising he'd finish their work in-exchange for some privacy. No one pried or asked why. They happily said goodnight, leaving the boys alone.

With more authority than Daniel had ever seen, Blake directed Daniel to sit and do nothing. Daniel complied, hopping up on the kitchen island while Blake whispered sweet incantations to the mop, the broom, the sponges and rags so they'd get to work. The kitchen worked on its own as all the cleaning supplies bobbed and glided through the air to complete their chores. The magic pulled Daniel back to his childhood as he imagined himself in a fairytale.

Now and then, like when the rags finished drying a plate, its edges would spark incandescent light. Sometimes when the broom caught the edge of a cabinet, a small firework would whizz across the stone floor. It smelled like a crackling fire, and the light kissed his skin with warmth.

It was beautiful... but Daniel couldn't look away from Blake. Blake who furrowed his brow as he grumbled and grabbed what appeared to be nothing but random spices and oils to Daniel, but Blake used great purpose to crush it all into a mortar and pestle. Blissfully, Daniel watched from the kitchen island. Everything had changed when Blake returned.

It all reminded Daniel to never make Blake mad.

Blake must've cast over a thousand curses on his brother by now.

Unable to help himself, Daniel chuckled. Blake's glare snapped up from underneath his heavy brow. "You seem thrilled for someone who told our entire family that you sucked my blood."

Shaking his head, Daniel explained with a smile glued to his lips, "I don't care what anyone else thinks. I'm happy because you're taking care of me. It makes me wish to be babied by you forever."

Blake shut his eyes and stood straight up, taking a deep breath. "Danny."

"I love it when you say my name like that."

Daniel used a bit of his own magic and enchanted Blake's skin to stain red, a stain that flooded his ears and neck and reminded Daniel of rich wine. It just made it harder for Daniel to stop grinning, but Blake whirled around, turning away from him. Daniel's eyes lingered on the unruly curls on the back of his head, his slender neck and his curved shoulders.

"I wouldn't let anyone besides you call me Danny." Sliding off the counter, Daniel watched Blake stiffen as if reading Daniel's mind.

"You have to stop talking," Blake begged Daniel while his fingers spun over the glass, spinning the ingredients into a whirlpool until the clear liquid turned orange. Blake turned to say more, but the words caught inside his throat. Daniel stepped closer and closer, backing Blake into the counter. Behind Blake, his orange concoction continued to stir on its own.

"I won't." Daniel shook his head. "Because when I tell you this, I don't want you to question if I'm being sincere. I want you to know that when I say that I like you, you know I mean it, or when I say that I'm completely and pathetically smitten by you it's true and when I admit that when I saw you again for the first time that I thought you were the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on, you know that it comes right from my heart."

Blake swallowed nervously. He drew in his lips, his eyes flitting to Daniel's. This close, Daniel heard Blake's heart thrumming like the trill of piano keys. Daniel loved this song.

"And..." Blake murmured. Maybe only a vampire could hear it. "And earlier? When you mentioned almost kissing me, did you mean it? Would you really have kissed me?"