He looked like an angel standing there, not at all like a vampire. His long, blonde hair, his lean, muscular body, his piercing blue eyes. And, of course, how he could stand there, completely naked, arms folded in front of him as he gazed out of the window, the sunlight caressing his features. I was glad that one myth was false, that he wasn’t relegated to a life of darkness – of living in the night.
It wasn’t a complete surprise. I knew that the vampires on earth were not affected by the sunlight either. But looking at him right then? I grew an appreciation for it that was not lost on my consciousness.
Pulling my hair up, I made my way over to him and leaned into his back. I placed my hands on his arms and my chin on the back of his shoulder, kissing him softly.
He reached back, pulling me to him more. “Good morning, little one. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, actually.” I relaxed into him. But I could tell he was all but calm. “What’s wrong, my king? You seem like something is troubling you.”
He moved fast. In a blink, I was pulled around in front of him, and his arms were around me. “Do you feel safe here, Auri?”
I’d long given up on correcting him on my name. Auri was his thing. That and little one. I smiled up at him. “More and more every day. Why?”
He moved his gaze from me to back out the window. “After yesterday, I worry that you feel we all are out to attack you. I fear you are afraid for your life and that is why you stay by my side.”
Shocked by his words, I reached up and placed my hand to his cheek. My heart broke as his eyes closed at my touch. “Kane… last night in the bathroom was…”
He stopped me. “Not just that, Auri. The man in the tavern and Mika in the hallway. I will protect you even if you do not love me as I love you. I need you to know that.”
There was a lump in my throat that threatened my ability to speak, let alone breathe. “The man in the tavern was trying to warn me from a danger that did not apply to me. And Mika…” My mind replayed the brief fight I’d had with her. I hadn’t even let myself think about what had happened. And I sure wasn’t ready to unpack that scene right then. “Either way, I do not fear you or my safety as long as you are near.”
“But that is my fear.” He took a step back. “If it is for your safety only that you stay with me, I do now want you to think that you must be romantically close to me to have my protection.”
“Do you not want me close? Have you changed your mind after last night?” For a moment, my chest felt heavy, as if something pressed down on me, crushing me.
He closed the gap between us again, his hands slid to either side of my face, tilting my head up to look at him. “I want you even more. But I want you to be here, with me, in this way because you want to be. Not because you feel it’s the only way to feel safe.”
“I want to be here with you like this.” I placed my hands on his. “I was worried that your loyalties would lie with Mika, and you would not want me here knowing how badly she wants me gone.”
“Mika is being dealt with. I assure you of that.” His words were pointed.
“Dealt with? How? And how are you? I know you care about her.” My hands slide up his arms and back down to his hands.
He rests his head on mine. “She is unruly. Like a feral faxori. I care for her like a little sister.” He pulled back to look me in the eye. “I do not care for her romantically, despite her having those feelings for me. I have yet to sentence her, but she is being held. Guards are in and out of her room until I arrive. I will be banishing her until she proves that she can accept that she and I will never be as well as prove herself to not be a threat to you.” He ran his hand over my hair, smoothing out the stray strands flying about, resting his head back on mine.
“Kane?”
“Auri?”
“What is a faxori?”
He laughed. “It is the common animal version of the animal god, Faxorum.”
“Ahhh…” I leaned into him.
He held me close. “I could get used to this.”
I smiled. “I said I wasn’t leaving.”
“Yes. But…” he trailed off before continuing. “I mean for longer than until the portals are working again.”
My eyes found his. "Play your cards right, and you'll get to feel me pressed against you for the rest of my life. Well, until I'm all old and ugly and you don't want me anymore."
Sorrow clouded his beautiful, blue eyes. "I could make you forever if you allowed me."
My eyes found the floor beneath us. "But I'll grow old and die one day. So, just as you've pointed out, I'm but a drop in the bucket of time for you." I bit my lip. "But I want to make the most of the time I do have if I can."
He pressed a finger to my chin, lifting my face. "I mean, I can turn you." He kissed me again. “I don't want to
