her up and making her screech with laughter. “Everyone here is so boring!”
“The feeling is mutual, Cooper,” James said, dryly. “Where are the others?”
“Around,” Cooper answered, with a typical teenage shrug. Only 16 at the time of his death, his mannerism and appearance still resembled a cocky high schooler..
“Always so helpful,” James reached for Carmen’s bag. “I’m going to get Carmen settled. Please don’t burn the house down while my back is turned.”
“Hey, if the bed is rockin, I won’t come knocking,” Cooper winked at them and went on his way out the door, off to cause whatever mischief he could think of. James flustered at that, shaking his head, while Carmen found it amusing.
They made their way up the stairs, to the second floor of the sprawling mansion. On the landing, James paused, turning to her.
“Did you want your own, Carmen, or…?”
It was a common, if not awkward question. Just as often as not, she would opt for her own room when she stayed in between contracts. But today, she was in a good mood, and shrugged.
“If you want. I don’t mind either way.”
“Well, you can always move if you need some space, “ he decided and put her suitcase down in the master bedroom, the one they often shared. Carmen turned to him, leaning in.
“You haven’t properly greeted me yet.”
“Mmm,” James always managed to pretend like everything was upright and proper between them. He was a gentleman until the end, and it usually took a bottle of wine and some seduction for her to get the wild night she wanted. This time, he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ears. “We could save that for tonight.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it,” she leaned in to kiss him, delicately, her senses tingling as she did. She had been with many men, and he was still the best kisser that she knew, perhaps because he was always so into it himself.
As she unpacked, they chatted idly, until she finally brought up the topic she had been thinking of.
“We really should sign those papers while I’m here. Who knows when I’m going to see you again. Can you get some fake ID made so we can get them processed?”
“I can look into it,” he gave her a half pained smile. “Such effort . Perhaps this is why they warn people not to take marriage lightly these days.”
“Because divorce is so much work?” she smirked, putting the last of her clothing away in the drawer. “I plan to go see Donovan tomorrow for awhile. I assume you’ve already telepathically planned a whole feast in my honour?”
“Whatever your heart desires,” James replied. “I can take care of my business another day.”
“I’d settle for pizza and wine,” she answered as they headed back down the stairs. “And a stupid movie. I’m boring tonight, apparently.”
“Luckily,” he muttered in her ear, “You’re just as beautiful either way.”
Pizza and wine was exactly what they did, to her delight. Some vampires chose not to eat, existing simply on blood. The Elders, however, lived a very human life, and ate food as often as they drank blood. In a blood craving, food could quell it for awhile, and wine even more so. With Carmen’s Shield powers in effect, the food seemed even more delicious than usual, and the wine even more potent. She was used to knowing her tolerance, it didn’t change. But the boys seemed a bit worse for wear when they settled in the screening room to fight over Netflix. It amused her that Netflix had such a strong marketing campaign that even age-old vampires paid the monthly fee.
James was settled comfortably into an arm chair, with what was his sixth glass of wine, watching the chaos with a bemused expression. He had loosened his tie, and gave Carmen a look of desire as she stretched on the floor, joining the argument of what movie to watch.
“I’m the guest, I should choose!” she declared.
“You’re not a guest if you’re living here for a month,” Nathaniel
“The feeling is mutual, Cooper,” James said, dryly. “Where are the others?”
“Around,” Cooper answered, with a typical teenage shrug. Only 16 at the time of his death, his mannerism and appearance still resembled a cocky high schooler..
“Always so helpful,” James reached for Carmen’s bag. “I’m going to get Carmen settled. Please don’t burn the house down while my back is turned.”
“Hey, if the bed is rockin, I won’t come knocking,” Cooper winked at them and went on his way out the door, off to cause whatever mischief he could think of. James flustered at that, shaking his head, while Carmen found it amusing.
They made their way up the stairs, to the second floor of the sprawling mansion. On the landing, James paused, turning to her.
“Did you want your own, Carmen, or…?”
It was a common, if not awkward question. Just as often as not, she would opt for her own room when she stayed in between contracts. But today, she was in a good mood, and shrugged.
“If you want. I don’t mind either way.”
“Well, you can always move if you need some space, “ he decided and put her suitcase down in the master bedroom, the one they often shared. Carmen turned to him, leaning in.
“You haven’t properly greeted me yet.”
“Mmm,” James always managed to pretend like everything was upright and proper between them. He was a gentleman until the end, and it usually took a bottle of wine and some seduction for her to get the wild night she wanted. This time, he reached out to tuck her hair behind her ears. “We could save that for tonight.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it,” she leaned in to kiss him, delicately, her senses tingling as she did. She had been with many men, and he was still the best kisser that she knew, perhaps because he was always so into it himself.
As she unpacked, they chatted idly, until she finally brought up the topic she had been thinking of.
“We really should sign those papers while I’m here. Who knows when I’m going to see you again. Can you get some fake ID made so we can get them processed?”
“I can look into it,” he gave her a half pained smile. “Such effort . Perhaps this is why they warn people not to take marriage lightly these days.”
“Because divorce is so much work?” she smirked, putting the last of her clothing away in the drawer. “I plan to go see Donovan tomorrow for awhile. I assume you’ve already telepathically planned a whole feast in my honour?”
“Whatever your heart desires,” James replied. “I can take care of my business another day.”
“I’d settle for pizza and wine,” she answered as they headed back down the stairs. “And a stupid movie. I’m boring tonight, apparently.”
“Luckily,” he muttered in her ear, “You’re just as beautiful either way.”
Pizza and wine was exactly what they did, to her delight. Some vampires chose not to eat, existing simply on blood. The Elders, however, lived a very human life, and ate food as often as they drank blood. In a blood craving, food could quell it for awhile, and wine even more so. With Carmen’s Shield powers in effect, the food seemed even more delicious than usual, and the wine even more potent. She was used to knowing her tolerance, it didn’t change. But the boys seemed a bit worse for wear when they settled in the screening room to fight over Netflix. It amused her that Netflix had such a strong marketing campaign that even age-old vampires paid the monthly fee.
James was settled comfortably into an arm chair, with what was his sixth glass of wine, watching the chaos with a bemused expression. He had loosened his tie, and gave Carmen a look of desire as she stretched on the floor, joining the argument of what movie to watch.
“I’m the guest, I should choose!” she declared.
“You’re not a guest if you’re living here for a month,” Nathaniel
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