“I’m not sure if I want to now,” he teased, “you have a very comfortable bannister.”
She walked over and grabbed him by the shirt, yanking him up. “Get in here before I change my mind,” she laughed.
Reykon grinned and grabbed his jacket, slipping inside with her.
Lucidia
She heard the bathroom door open but didn’t bring her head up for a few moments. When she did wipe the water away and open her eyes, she saw a familiar figure, standing stark naked with a silver tray of chocolate covered strawberries.
“Lucidia,” he said with a broad smile. “I’m glad you’re back.”
She felt the irritation seeping back in. “What are you doing here?”
“Master Darian sent me up as a thank-you gift.”
Of course he did. She ignored him and dunked her head under the burning hot shower again.
“He has it in his mind that you quite enjoy my visits,” Todd announced in a proud voice.
She had enjoyed him, twice before, making him a rare return-visit to Lucidia’s room. Darian seemed to always zero in on her interests, ready to heap on another helping. It was a game he played with a lot of his subjects.
Todd used to be a horse trainer, or something like that, before one of Darian’s vampires had found him and convinced him to become a slave – yes people did that willingly, and no, Lucidia couldn’t fathom the reason why. But Todd had wanted to serve, and serve he had. He’d been in the house for a couple of years now and had become quite a commodity between the vampires, which had gone to his head a bit. Still, he was cute, and playful. It was a craving she got every once in a while, for the shiny, golden curls and the bright eyes, and the way he seemed like a puppy dog. But right now, she wasn’t feeling it.
“I’ll take the strawberries. Leave them on the table.”
“Will you take the strawberries if I feed them to you?” he pressed with a grin.
Lucidia sighed and turned off the shower, stepping out and running a towel over her body. She wasn’t all the way dry, but it would do. She gave her short-cut black hair a quick rub with the towel, knowing it would dry in about five minutes. She felt Todd’s eyes, running over her muscular form, his gaze hanging on certain areas more than others. Tonight, it gave her a measure of satisfaction, riling him up knowing she’d send him away all the same.
She walked past him, out of the bathroom, and grabbed her t-shirt robe from the closet door. She tied it quickly and then crossed her arms, staring at Todd, who now stood next to her bed.
“You’re still here?” she said brusquely.
“Where did you want these, again?” he asked with fake confusion.
“Table.”
“Here?” he asked, raising an amused eyebrow and setting the tray on top of her ornate black comforter.
She walked over, a sweet expression on her face, and closed the distance between them. On her tiptoes, she wound her fingers through his hair, bringing him down to her level. Her lips were touching his ear when she whispered, “Hey Todd?”
“Yes?” he grinned.
“You try me one more time, and I’m gonna knock your lights out.”
Todd feigned disappointment and grabbed the tray, setting it on the table. “No fun at all.”
She smirked at him and watched as he closed both doors and left her in solitude. She waited a few moments before walking over to the table and popping a couple strawberries in her mouth, slipping her robe off, and getting into bed.
A moment later, she rang the bell that sat on her nightstand. A human servant poked her head in. Maria, Marnie? Lucidia wasn’t sure.
“Yes, ma’am?” the girl asked in a timid voice.
“Take the strawberries back to the commons and split them amongst yourselves.”
She nodded, walking in quickly and taking the tray. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“And turn off the lights!” Lucidia called after her.
The girl’s hand slipped back into the room and flipped the switch, leaving Lucidia in peace, quiet, and darkness, just how she preferred it.
Robin
She dimmed the lights and turned to Reykon, who was now relaxing on her couch, eyes trailing over the pictures that covered her walls. Most of them were landscapes, but she had a few that featured family, college friends, and pets. She poured two glasses of red wine and brought them over, plopping down on the IKEA couch next to him.
“These are really good,” he said, still looking at the wall.
She handed him a glass. “Thanks. I like them too. That’s why I took ‘em.”
“You took these?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Wow,” he said, clinking glasses with her and taking a sip. “An artist.”
“It’s my job. I do family portraits and business photos and pretty much anything people will pay me for.”
“Anything?” he asked with a surprised expression.
“Not that,” she insisted with a giggle.
“Good. I was beginning to think you were a miscreant.”
“I probably am,” she admitted, taking another sip. “I let a stranger into my apartment because he gave me a ride in his fancy car. My mother would not be proud.”
“I’m sure she’d be happy to know that she raised such a headstrong woman.”
Robin had been staring at him for the whole time he’d been looking at the pictures. He looked even better in the soft lamp light, his harsher features softening, his dark hair tousled just a bit. Though, for her aim, she planned on tousling it more. She set her glass down and crawled on top of him, crushing her lips against his in a kiss that lasted so long she felt her lungs cramping to breathe. “Let’s stop talking about my mother,” she whispered, a second before kissing him again.
Robin could feel his smile against her lips. She wasn’t sure when, but they began moving, walking in tandem, back to her bedroom. She pulled him, and then he hoisted her up, her long legs linking behind his back as she gripped his hair, his arm. Then, they were in the bedroom, and she felt
