The Lady of the Valley

TLotV Chapter 23

23.

It was almost like they had a family moment, Derek thought, amused. Astrid brewed up a tea to help Ari sleep, then tucked her in safely in one of the guest bedrooms upstairs. A princess in a tower with two dragons below guarding her. He was feeling rather dragony.

Astrid had this whole big house to herself. Four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a big finished basement split into two more rooms like dens. Of course he had a whole duplex to himself, but he'd just bought the first house that he found that he liked. He barely lived there.

He'd never seen anyone but Ari staying here with Astrid.

Astrid came into the living room wearing a pair of boy shorts that exposed the entire length of her thick legs, and a tight t-shirt with a mandela formed of curly-scripted curse words. He had a few thoughts and smiled. She handed him a tumbler marker with "Good Vibes Only" and a trio of happy cartoon adult toys on it. Her mug declared she was "Powered by Bitch Dust".

Derek laughed. "Where do you get these?"

"Ari," Astrid answered. She sat on the desk chair and sipped her tea. "Some people stress clean, or stress bake. Ari stress crafts. I get her rejects if I like them."

"They're funny." He set his drink on the end table.

Astrid moved to the other end of the couch. "Hey, Derek, look. Thank you for taking care of Ari. She's pretty much my sister. I don't know what I'd do if...-"

He cut her off. "No problem. I don't want anything bad happening to her either. I like having her around. The world is sparklier with her here."

"Yeah, but...Look, I know you took a lot of damage. Do you need some blood?"

Derek blinked a few times. God she was so cute, sitting there, playing with the handle of her mug, wrapped in hair and profanities and awkwardness. He wanted to see a number of different expressions over her face. But he wanted to see her secure and sure first.

"Come here." He offered her a hand and she took it. He kissed her fingers, then her wrist. His fangs strained against his lips, but he refused to bite.

Instead he pulled her into his lap and traced his fingers up her throat and into her hair. It was so thick and fell in waves, a veil she hid her face behind. He tucked it back behind her ears and looked up into her eyes. No, she wasn't just a blood source.

Astrid leaned over and kissed him, shyly at first. He licked playfully at her bottom lip and she melted into him. Her hands dove beneath his shirt, looking for skin. He barely felt anything but the burning spots where she pressed against him. Astrid pulled the shirt over his head, then froze.

"Holy shit."

Derek looked down. His stomach was a mess of blue and purple radiating in splotches over his skin.

"Oh my god," Astrid said again, pulling back.

"I did get hit by a car," Derek said. Astrid stood.

"I know, but I didn't really know, know. Right?"

"I get it."

"How are you even walking?:

Derek thought for a second. "Stubbornness and immortality?"

She came back to him, brushing her fingertips across his bruises. "Are you even...functioning okay?"

The bulge in his pants told him he was. But he wasn't sure that was what she meant. "I seem to be. I'll be okay. I promise. I just need to rest."

"Rest, right." She pulled away completely. "I'm sorry. And thank you, again."

That wasn't what he meant. It pained him to think she misunderstood. She leaned in and kissed him again, firm, but not like before. Then she grabbed her mug and fled to her room.

Derek buried his face in the couch and growled. She was going to drive him utterly insane.

After a few moments he sat back up, grabbing the book he'd been reading and the brew she made him. He sighed, opened the book back up and took a sip. The taste of her blood bloomed on his tongue. Honey and spices, and the thick taste of smoking meat swirled through her blood. He moaned as he swallowed and went back for more. Ari might have gotten a sleeping potion of some kind. But she'd made him a mix of mead and her blood, before she even offered to feed him face to face.

He let the sweet taste of her slide down his throat and curl through his body like a caress. He had to be careful. It was going to be far too easy to fall in love.