Perhaps Jordan was lucky that Juliette was too wrapped up in the strangeness of this domestic outing to really put it to test just what she could get away with in terms of public affectionate spectacles. On exiting the car and linking her hands with his, filtrations were pushed to the back of her mind in favor of delighted amusement of just how strange of a pair they made. Though they looked as average as anyone else in their beach attire and salted hair, they were still a wealthy shipping heiress and a secret vampire king.
Surely they’d both been in a grocery store before? Juliette, of course, couldn’t remember the last time she did her own shopping but was fairly confident that it wouldn’t be any more difficult than filling a basket and handing over a credit card. Yet, there was a certain amount of delight in imagining ancient vampires wandering isles of fluorescent lighting trying to obtain non-food related essentials.
A well-kempt vampire needed to wash all that blood out their clothes, after all.
With a cheeky sort of grin now semi-permanently affixed to her face, Juliette at least attempted to temper those amusing thoughts, lest she cackle like a loon through-out the whole store.
“Alright then, husband-to-be, what does one make for his date the evening before a night full of debauchery? Should I ask if garlic is off the table?”
The brisk welcoming of a air conditioned greeting through that of the mechanical doors, it was the greeting of very familiar and unpleasant smells alike. Particularly the aromatic ones belonged to those sorts that were either drenched with sweat and had no mind to towel down before entering the establishment. Leaving him to momentarily pucker at the nose. Forcing the effort to smooth away the motion so he may offer attention once more to the ever surprising minx that proved time and time again, she was hardly too jaded as first impressions implied.
Now quipping in similar jesting about him being the husband-to-be whilst seeking playful education on what he would make to assure the night as she stated, full of debauchery, was to pan out.
It was the little nugget of a garlic comment that had him narrowing eyes upon her. Taking hand that had been knitted into his own as a rope. Keeping fingers interlocked to reach forward and twine her own arm around her body. Pulling her closer that hips were nestled in walking tandem together, so he might lean close enough to smear lips in quiet suggestion. “If you are to keep up then we best make sure you have plenty of protein then, and keep the smell of something deeply unpleasant from ruining your appeal.” With a squeeze and a fleeting press of lips across cheek, she was soon released. “If I am going to treat you right, then it might as well be a proper steak. I was debating doing a creamy steak fettuccine, that way it has plenty of carbs and protein to assure you won’t be feeling too tired… at the start.”
“I see,” she mused aloud, not missing a beat in this dinnertime conversation. “I suppose to be doubly sure there will be no ruining of appetites, I best have a proper bath as well. Else your own dinner might be over salted.”
Juliette was experiencing her own sort of sensory disorientation as they passed through the doors into the grocery store proper. Unflattering fluorescent lighting, the scent of fresh baked bread co-mingling with heavily perfumed cleaning products. It was an odd moment to suddenly realize she might actually be out of touch with normal human life, finding herself with such an overwhelming dread that somehow anyone could take one look at her at just know you don’t belong here. An unsettling fear, considering she could walk into any board room, warehouse, or hell, even through a farmer’s market as if she owned everything. A little domestic shopping in a box building wasn’t any different.
She was quick to assess, though, not once letting those inner thoughts sneak into her expression. A quick scan around, making notes of isles and signage – finding a carry basket from their readily available stack and plucking it up to claim for their excursion. Perhaps the way she held tight to his hand was a subconscious thing, but it was classically Juliette when she took control of the entire situation by choosing their direction and pulling him along.
“Now I’m starting to feel spoiled.” Suggesting that her idea of dunking herself down in a wash to avoid the over saturation of salt was something for him. Not to say when it came to such meals, that he was hard pressed over the measure of seasonings one bore.
For now the means of thoughts were narrowed. The collection of plastic false wicker basket in hand and the other currently being pressed between the slender digits of another. Daring a side peek at the usually business dame as they were being made to go a direction. Which he might have been sporting a particular quirk of a simper due to this. For someone who was having the meal made for, it seemed she was leading this charge. Wondering when and where she might pause to turn to look at him. To quizzically ask just what it was they were needing for her selected dinner.
Granted when it seemed they were about to bypass the means of produce, he gave that tender digit a lightened shake. “Do you know where you are going, or what we are grabbing, dove?”
Juliette immediately paused, and while it did just that moment click in her head how nonsensical it was to drag him around the store, she was also quick of wit. To peer him up and down with a brown-eyed stare, slight faeish twist of her lips and make a scoff.
“I haven’t a clue of where I’m going. Luckily, I trust my fiancé to take over in such rare situations,” she commented, accepting the necessary switch of who would lead who. Not without remembering too, that Jordan did seem to very much enjoy the planning and presentation of events. And it would seem even for something as simple as a dinner. She may have very well discovered one of Jordan’s languages of expression.
A whisper of a smile crossed her features as she squeezed his hand, gesturing softly with a shoulder for him to continue the browsing. Only for that smile to grow even wider with the new questions she had at her disposal.
“Is cooking another skill you’ve picked up out of boredom?” she asked curiously. “To even make a modern plate as well. Seems like a frustrating talent to have for something you can’t enjoy yourself.”
That split moment was worth a thousand words. Doing absolutely nothing to stop the rise of lips at the blunt statement. She had no idea but she expected him to stop her should they need too. Almost regretting doing so because he might have wanted to witness the confusion to why their basket was devoid of anything due to him not stopping her. But that would prolong things and their jaunt here was only temporary.
For this one, she got the win. “Suppose you are right.” The motion of shoulder was certainly enough of an encouragement for him to squeeze that of slender palm and release. To browse over with the vegetables aligned in their bins for vision to scrape upon them. Searching for what would be next felt to see if it was suitable for meal time attendance.
And a question purchasing on tender lips. Drawing a quickened flick of eyes at her. Contemplating the pairing of verbal wonderment that in turn earned a lazy shrug. “No actually. It was not one of those things I picked up out of ennui. My mother cooked. I spent plenty of time in the kitchen alongside her.” As one may expect from his original timeline. The female did practically everything in the house but he was an oddity that found it interesting. “I continue it because it has connections to a familial past. Even if I can’t enjoy it, which is the piss off.” Jordan furrowed his brow then, holding that of an yellow onion as a hostage. Glaring at it as though it were the culprit for such things.
“It is quite the kill-joy to be able to eat and taste nothing.”
She was aware of him learning his original skill from his mother due to prior conversation, but it was an interesting new fact that he continued to do so as a means to stay connected. To even now still, after centuries of evolved cooking to a point where it certainly no longer resembled the humble kitchens of of ancient greecian households. Jordan genuinely loved his parents, and despite all of the time passed that still was a big part of him.
“I cannot say I understand the feeling. My family hasn’t inspired much of anything I want to hold onto or remember,” she admitted with some regret. Her mother’s entire personality and lifestyle was based on impressing others in her social circle, while should the seven sins ever need poster face, her father was the epitomy of gluttony. There was nothing there for Juliette to even relate to, and lord knows how pathetically she had tried!
“Hmn, that may be untrue,” she murmured after a moment, realizing perhaps there was a single thing. “I suppose I grasped onto the business for a piece of something. The Byron family never did seem to care much about blood or family, but they did pour everything into their legacy.”
Perhaps there was humour in this. That as someone who lived far longer than anyone ought too, there was still a need to keep ties to his roots. A past that was so long ago that plenty parts of his memory were blurred or completely missing. Save for things as mundane as merely cooking. Or it was a grip he had so tight in refusal to let go that it was one of the few tethers that assured he still had a shred of humanity even amongst the monstrous acceptance of his current being.
Just that he replied to give her the answer and gave up attempting to treat the onion itself as if it were the culprit for the loss of taste. Binding it in the little plastic bags and into the basket. Offering her a sliver of eye from corner when she expressed a lack of understanding to the feeling he gave. Which they both knew she had nothing particularly grand within her own family that stroked that need to keep tethers.
Or rather, had. It seemed she located a small glimpse though he found it worth a airy chuckle. “I don’t know if pouring yourself into your business is something you want to give credence to your family for. I don’t think I can recall your father’s effort being as strong.” A side step indicated movement for him to continue that means of locating parts to the meal. “Not to say your ability to pour yourself like a cup of milk into the business itself is bad, but rather the efforts of your parentage from my knowledge hasn’t been as strong to invoke similar passions.”
Following his subtle lead, but taking interest in browsing the produce incase she spotted something that might, Juliette gave a small laugh.
“Is that your subtle way of saying I seem to have sprung out of the supernatural ether, devoid of my family’s habits and dna?” If only! If it weren’t for the obvious genetic signs for which she mirrored her mother and even her father, Juliette would’ve loved to entertain the idea she was a stolen child. It could’ve made perfect sense with the dying Byron bloodline, that in desperation they’d snatch up some poor baby to pretend all was well.
Alas, much to her chagrin and horror, she was indeed their blood born and bred. Sure to be the last walking breathing Byron, even if she did decide to take on her vampire husband’s name.
“You treat Myra and Felix like family, but I’ve noticed that familiarity doesn’t quite reach out to your vampire underlings,” she commented, leaving it open ended for him to answer as he wanted without asking him anything too specific. Pausing long enough to point quickly at a bag of Bing cherries to be added to their basket of treats.
“I would but we both know that is only wishful thinking.” He offered in swift reply smirking all the while as she filled in suggestion that may or may not have been inferred. “What I am not so subtly saying is you’re drive for work is not influenced by them. I’ve seen them each, you don’t copy their behaviours in such a way. If you had, the business would have tanked far sooner.” And he wasn’t about to guess just what sort of things her father might have done to keep his spending habits as lofty as they had been. Or were.
They moved. Eyes scouting along searching for things that would do well to pair with the creation of mealtime. Pausing and moving intermitted till she spoke.
Causing him to pause and consider her rather lengthily.
Making the comment roll in his thoughts instead of hastily replying without consideration. “There’s a strict difference in why that is. The pawns are just that. Pawns. Tools that are useful so long as you don’t give them anything too complex that may require them to take off their shoes to count to fifteen.” Lids slightly thinned at his not so shy insult. Watching in turn as she deposited the ruby fruit into the held bin. Brows knitted and unraveling in swift succession. “They are expendable. Myra and Felix, are not. They’ve… earned my loyalty. My compassion. And in turn, they know the truth about myself without affirming the things many others would gleefully point out in delighted malice.”
The man lingered in his paused state, “Family can be picked rather than born into. And those I find… are worth more attention and sacrifice for. Something that is given in reply even to well – those of unsavoury fairytales.” Now it was his turn, “Should I not treat them as kin? In your mind, what is it you think of such things?”
“Hmn, that is a good question,” she responded first, giving herself the the delay of time to first consider his reply and what it meant in the bigger scheme of things. Something that had always been a habit – to over analyze the opinions and beliefs of those she conversed with – making quick judgements and placing them into their appropriate categories of just how close or far within reach she’d keep them.
Yet now, this was quite the different context to dinner parties and social gatherings, or even forced meals with her family. In this context, Jordan’s opinions actually mattered, which meant sharing her own thoughts actually mattered. Not just stating her opinion as facts everyone had to adhere to and obey without question, or face the consequences of her finger pointing them towards the door.
What a frightening thing, when they’d already had quite the fight because their communication skills on such personal aspects weren’t exactly great! Finding herself a bit flustered with the entire process of trying to be open, but strongly determined to battle her way through it and try regardless, Juliette responded.
“Honestly, I find that I’ve locked myself in this impenetrable tower where the entire thought of family is an impossible concept. Well, excluding Hannah, but she is more like this wild animal that somehow squeezed in through the cracks and refused to leave.”
Her brow furrowing, something else in his reply had caught her concern. Causing her to open her mouth to jump on it, only to pause for a moment so she could phrase it just right.
“I asked, though, because you treat your lost humanity – and thus your human companions – with reverence and respect. But this vampire part of you is met with nothing but contempt. You talk about the covens as cultivated monsters, and even these parts of you as if it somehow makes you worse. Something terrible. But it is part of you. You have this beautiful ambition of bringing things together and I wonder if you’ve not been getting in your own way because you can’t see that you are more – that they can be more.”
“I- this is such a ridiculous place to be having conversations,” she cut off with a flustered whisper. “How do average people even get through the day without feeling theatrical.”
Well in the meantime as she chewed upon said good question, one could think and meander the lines of the grocery store seemingly easy enough. Lending him time to eye any particular item necessary while sufficiently lending Juliette the time to push her thoughts through the mental grinder.
Till they were amongst the cool spread of butcher alley. Lending visual attention across the internal cases of the better cuts of meat that were arranged in fancy invitation. To bode silently to the consumer that their best choice was here rather than the weighed and pre-packaged bits of meat that lined the adjacent coolers. Momentarily flickering gaze upwards to be grateful there were no curious lingering ears of butchers or patron’s close enough by to hear their oddity of conversation.
Nodding idly to express he may have already understood her reasoning of said impenetrable tower that housed the nonsense of what family was and wasn’t. Save for her rabid romance novelist of a friend. That one had squeezed in with no desire to leave now that she had made herself plenty comfortable. Not to mention this was probably a good thing for Juliette. In various ways that needed no depth of concentrative expression.
Just there seemed to be more to this. Lending his undivided attention down then with the dawning awareness to keep an ear out for footsteps that would intrude upon such a topic. Heeding her vocalizing before he was lightly smirking. A humourless appearance that was neither here nor there. A little empty perhaps if anything. “I would think you could take that same comment and place it before yourself with the same inflection.” He added with that tail end. That she too was likely getting in her own way. But she was right, this was hardly the place for such things.
“Are you saying a grocery store is not the place for existential conversations without letting it spiral into dramatic flares?” He glanced about for a lengthy look, “Then where else would you think to having them?” Cheekily smirking for added effect, attention thankfully deviated. To look at the approach of singular man dressed in long green coat and various health related items before pointing to the cut of choice. Avoiding putting fingers on the glass. Soundlessly addressing what he wanted so the butcher could grab and take it to be packaged in the back corner of allotted area. “We shouldn’t be too much longer. A couple pieces more and then we’ll be out of this den of foods.”
Juliette squinted at him and pursed her mouth, at his light smirk and empty expression that came along with his deflection. Because that’s exactly what it was; she’d touched on something quite true and now he was turning it back to her. She couldn’t even be mad about it, for she’d given him the perfect excuse to dance away from it in her own discomfort with the public domestic setting.
So she let him get away with it, giving him a flickering up and down look with her eyes as they continued in their shopping. Silently letting him know it was a conversation they’d continue later in private.
“If I have to say it out loud, I feel out of place and exposed. If I weren’t so amused with you, one whom I can so much easier imagine standing on a hill snarling at villagers down below, doing simple domestic shopping, I might have scurried outside to hide in the car.”
One couldn’t properly reject the swift rise of lips when she suggested her imagination could see him perched on a hill. Baring teeth and snarling like a wicked beast at those in which sought to come to kill the monster with likely pitchforks and torches. A regular ol’ Hollywood styled mob. “Let’s not talk about my past, love.” Offering the quirk of lips to suggest it was just a pastime he did. Casually harassing the threadbare civilians of some rustic Edwardian village out in the middle of buttfuck nowhere.
Merely taking the prepared protein once the man appeared back to do so. Promptly depositing it alongside the other collected bits so they might properly finalize this excursion of domestic shopping. No stranger than anyone else. Even if one felt as though they were out of place!
Making the remaining trip swift. Bags collected in hand so they could easily leave the place of artificial air. Into the heat of the day once more so he might repeat the glimpse at the offending source like a habitual cat! Only tempering his own fleeing into the vehicle to gather passenger side door for the affianced. Guiding purchased goods to the boot of car and self once more the rodeo star of this metallic beast. Thrummed to life and their next destination to be that of one hotel.
Having little need to call ahead to reserve the very spot that had been deemed too lush for everyday souls, it might as well have been permanently loaned to that of name. Merely missing a parking space denoted with the scrawl of Harrow in its equal permanence!
Rather than expressively dawdle in the ways of gawping up at the skyscrapping building as some might, he sought swiftly to escort fair brunette forward. Within the spiralling slow doors. Pardoning himself without lending her a chance to snag the baggage of food stuffs so he might speak to front host. Taking barely three or so minutes before returning with at least offering the plastic carded key to fingers not his own. “To the elevator on the left, the top floor then. And if you are feeling a need for refreshment, a call to the front desk will ready whatever drink you want at that time, dove. Otherwise,” Jordan shuffled the plastic bag for emphasis, “Shall we?”
Being a creature that surely has spent at least a third of her life in hotel suites, there was nothing about the building or lush lobby that lent itself to impressing her. An expensive hotel was the same as any other. The only thing of note for her was how it was placed a reasonable distance between both the Rosendrey building and Jordan’s home, making it quite the convenient midway point between the two spaces should Jordan need to escape somewhere.
With a meal, no less. The small, wicked smile on her face was riddle with all sorts of thoughts, none of which she decided to voice. She had no care for whom Jordan chose to wine and dine on before she was in the picture, only that he felt he needed a space that was permanently his rather than booking spaces at his leisure. After he had put such a fuss about her living in a hotel!
Twirling the key card in her fingers, it was a jaunty walk to the elevator, with a fleeting wonder if he’d told the desk clerk this was his fiancé he was escorting up and not just another temporary dame. They were up to no good anyway on this free-for-all date of theirs, there was a bit of fun in pretending to be a secret lover. At least to whomever might be spying on the infamous Jordan Harrow.
On stepping into the elevator she turned on a heel to lean against the balance railing.
“Are you always so polite and accommodating for your dinner dates, Jordan?”
The door closed and she found the chance to tease at him. Sliding a eye upon her with slow consideration. Merely feeling the hum of the mechanical devices tugging their lavish steel box up into the sky. Giving baggage a shake once more. Before mouth gave a cockeyed grin, fang and all. “Surely you don’t need me to answer that, do you? I think you can guess from the things you know of me know that the answer is already readily available.”
One would find it humorous how much wining and dining a date took out of him. It was hardly as scintillating as actual hunting could be! Listening to the blithering nonsense of whomever was the trophy that particular night. If he was truly unfortunate, he’d spent plenty of his time wondering if he wanted to tear out the entirety of their throat. Not to fed but just so the bellowing sow would shut the hell up!
A slow down and a popping merry little ding of doors curtain drawing themselves back into their channels, the step out was only gifted with a narrow hallway of few doors. Selected suites for those rich and famous. Or scummy and clueless, which ever fit their fancy.
Pointing at the door that would open with the key within delicate digits, Jordan exhaled somewhat dramatically. “You may find it amusing Juliette, but I am legitimately trying for this date. I am as you said polite and accommodating because I want to be. I might be a bit of an asshole at times but this here, is genuinely wanting to see you enjoy the date you’ve arranged.”
“I am not your enemy, even when I tease,” she reminded him with a pointed look at his dramatic sigh. Still she held that nearly wicked smile, all the way down the hall until she stopped at the door. Turning back around to hold the keycard behind her back, and reaching up to snag the collar of his shirt to tug without any real force downwards so he could be nose to nose with her.
“I am enjoying this date very much,” Juliette explained with all earnest sincerity, as it seemed he needed to hear it rather than later when it was all over. And if she had learned anything important, it was that he needed his efforts acknowledged. “Maybe it is a day without direction, but someone cooking for me is very special. At least to me. An effort that won’t go unappreciated.”
“That said, it’s best you kiss me now. I have no idea how many long and focused hours it takes to make a fettuccini and one kiss will have to carry me through the perilous waiting.”
“You may not be my enemy but that doesn’t cease the smallest whispers of one’s mind that still frets that perhaps when you speak in such ways, you are implying larger topics.” They had expressed a need to be better at communication. Something he was surprisingly good at in the wrong ways. Not in relational behaviours but business. Which this was no longer that!
As difficult or rather irritating it could be to house even the most miniscule of bothered natters of a mental minefield, it seemed best to express it verbally. To avoid another explosive feud.
Falling the easy motion of tugged collar as to lessen that vertical difference. Gifted momentarily of frank clarification of what she felt to this peculiar outing. Heeding it wisely to take it as it was while she went further to say that his efforts were not unappreciated.
Rings flickered in an studious motion. Likely feeling the series of comments for anything that might have been a barb with no success. Easing a bit of the building suggested niggling of thoughts. Yet it would seem that her intention now was to fetch a press of lips before he tilted chin just out of reach. Eyeing instead. Thinking once more. Listening to the plastic rustling as he sought a light shake to break free of her looped hold. Not to go far but merely to reply to the asking in a better way.
Perhaps.
One kiss to last, please.
“I feel your friend is rubbing off on you for the romantic sentiments.” Baring palm unhindered by groceries to seek and discover placement upon ivory column. Lightly bidding her to follow his non-verbal asking, drooping bag to rest upon floor so the hand itself could rise. To slide itself up above that of feminine crown to door frame. Stepping in with the ask of her coming towards to collide lips together, tipping forms back to rest themselves upon the closed portal. Intending to make the said one kiss far more personal than a mere pecking!
Starving lungs of air. Demanding break to pant quietly with the action before making an obvious flicker of blue downwards, “Lucky for you, I am starting to enjoy those romantic sentiments. Please, open the door, dove.”
Bless Myra’s studious advice. The girl was worth her weight in gold and wisdom! Juliette would never take time spent and little moments for granted ever again. Mayhaps she had a weakness to physicality and romantic sentiments, that she could be so easily swayed by breathless kiss. But it all felt perfectly worth it to have the attention of those deep blue eyes and murmured words.
“As you wish,” she responded, all traces of teasing gone and left with a soft note of tender compliance. As tempted as she was to linger there and tap finger to hers to demand seconds, or even thirds, Juliette shifted off the door to gently turn under the shadow of his form to swipe the keycard. At the faint beep, she pushed the door open and held it aloft for him to gather the grocery bag and enter himself.
To say her knees were weak would be an overstatement, but there was a lightness in her head and a flush to her cheeks. Even as she swiped her thumb against tingling bottom lip – a habit of fixing lipstick even if she wore none now – she’d completely forgotten what she’d been teasing him about in the first place!
Had she asked for another? They’d likely be skimping over dinner for her! To instead be insisted upon the actions of salacious wanting and then meal time. Luckily –for them each- she did not ask and he did not insist. Following the movement of her being to take to parting that door with the magical card as a new age Moses. To gather the procured foodstuffs once more so he too would slip inside. Leaving the door to slow itself to closing properly behind.
Taking a stealing look to the way fingers were pressing upon the plush of lower lip. Seemingly a little more satisfied now with what had transpired than getting all angsty. Raising attention to the bathing of large windows cascading light across the living room space. Adorned in modern colours of blacks and grays to be accented with the honey-gold’s and whites to make the space seem like it was more of an apartment than expensive suite.
Placing bags upon that of the kitchen island top; sunglasses that had been still neatly roosted upon skull took their placement to the countertop. Aligned with keys and wallet alike, so he might glimpse about the kitchen arrangement. Familiar with it a little –not that he made a habit of cooking here for other guests. Taking to smoothing out sleeve so it could be pinched and rolled to cuff towards elbow. “Browse at your leisure, perhaps even take a look over the balcony to plot just how you’d throw someone of distaste over it’s edge.”
“Have you thrown someone from a balcony before, Jordan?” she asked, suspected he must’ve at least once but a bit unsure if she wanted to know the reasoning or context!
Juliette set her own beach bag next to one of the plush chairs and slipped off her shoes to leave abandoned beside it. Opting for casual comfort as she curiously perused the giant windows with silent approval. Not being a creature of the night, she could appreciate the amount of natural light it bathed the suite… though it did crook a smile to her lips to realize that her fiancé likely more enjoyed the city skyline at night. Actually, she would most enjoy a quiet balcony with city lights, shining moon, and tiny speckle of stars as well!
Taking the time to open up the balcony door and step out onto the private patio, Juliette moved right to the railing and fearlessly leaned over to peer down at the streets below. Being closer to the sun and without proper shade made it a bit more humid, but there was also a stronger unbroken breeze. Proving that late evenings would indeed be far more comfortable.
Satisfied with the look, she returned inside to gently close the glass door behind her.
“There are too many people on the street below. I’d hate to accidentally crush pedestrians with offensive person. I think we’ll stick with dungeons and throwing people into the sea.”
The clatter of crockery chimed as he begun to pull out the required tools for the means of preparation, leaving the other to wander the framed glass box –at least on the living room side- to her curiosity. There would be no need for him to do the same since the obvious he’d been here plenty of times. Aligning counter with retrieved items and putting the ones she had selected not for meal time into that of the fridge.
Offering a quick look across the band of shoulder at the query. Considering it with more length than probably necessary. Although it was done because of him looking into his thoughts. Rifling around in the memories of eon’s hold before shrugging a bit too nonchalantly. “I wouldn’t have put it past myself.” Deciding that the vague agreement that it could have happened was on point. Than saying he hadn’t.
He was old in the ways of vampire’s after all. No longer a fresh fanged little bastard that bit first and threw people casually off building sides like they were confetti.
The efforts of concentration was subverted back to that of the original task at hand. Organizing the kitchen with the means of stations. Prep, cook and wash. Making the range warm with a pot of water for the pasta to eventually cook to al dente while steak itself would be lightly pounded to open pours. So one could rub the salt and pepper into its flesh to allow the means of cooking it in pan to sear into itself. Rather than just being burnt off.
Allowing his mind to play dull in a sense. Growing to instead focus on smells and sounds present by own hands rather than venturing too far outwards. Save for when it came to the returning presence of eventual nightborne queen to return amongst the shrouded box of glass and furniture. Pulling rings up to consider her and the comment that casually fell out of her mouth.
“Ever considerate you are, Juliette. Thinking of the pedestrians first.” Jordan smirked at her, rounding to the frying pan on a low heat to press the steak into. Listening to the crackle of oil strike in heated frenzy before glancing once more. “An ever benevolent queen to be sure.”
Juliette took up residence nearby, leaning elbows on the counter and chin in hand as she watched how easily at home he was in a kitchen, and not even for the first time. How lucky for him, that there was at least this sort of space Juliette no interest of getting her hands into. He’d never have to worry about her taking over or bossing around his cooking!
As for other things, that slow curl of a satisfied smile crept it’s way across her face. A telling hint that he’d brought something back full circle that she had promised to resume.
“Benevolent queen indeed.” Now that they were tucked away safely in a private space without the ears of spying mortals, she could touch on the things he so cleverly dodged before. “Since I am to stay away from your covens as long as possible, which I will gladly do for your peace of mind, that makes me the queen of only one vampire. One I am quite invested in seeing happy and more than just a King of Monsters.”
“Of course, not something to see done in a day,” she admitted, her smile widening. “But I suppose it’s my nature to daydream ambitious futures. What do you think you might do with a queen and all of the possibilities in the world?”
With the low simmer crackling at the skin of the beef within its pan, he turned more of his direction to that of the pasta. Assuring the water was at a good bubbling point to dip the dried pasta within. Keeping focus fixated between the two simultaneously going items. Knowing the white sauce would be easily enough to start half way through to assure the flavor of the fettuccine was obtained.
It gave him a moment to heed her voice over that of shoulder. The repeated phrase given back. Just with extra topped on.
Appreciative in every letter of the word itself that she was not about to demand that she be involved with the chaos that was the split coven. There were plenty of days he hardly wanted to be implicated. But that was by his own choice that he had been. Knowing that had he not dethroned the former king, he could have just remained as he was. Or he could have continued the path of removal but never took the seat. Just the very thought of that filled him with a dread. No leader in that placement would have only brought forth an event of utter bedlam! “How unfortunate it is for you that you have one subject thus far whom has proven to be quite the feisty scamp when his mood strikes.” Suggesting he was too much of a handful when he doubted that sincerely!
Yet if he thought that such conversation could once more be waylaid to sit like a wall flower of one’s mental cage, she thought differently.
Reaching to turn the steak over to render the fat from its side before allowing it to rest on the unmarked face. Frowning a little at her asking of just what did he think she ought to do when that crown rested on her mortal apex.
“Control.” Jordan suggested. A strange word to start with. “Just as I might be helping your company with that of Rosendrey’s assets and foothold, I would look for the same in you when it comes to the bastards of the blood. The split coven is something that is broken. Obviously and I; even in my most ambitious desires, cannot repair it. Nor do I think I want too. I need balance for them. For myself.” Jordan turned then three quarters of the way to assess the fair dame. “Vampires are a thing of this world. Regardless if anyone wants to believe it, but there is a way to assure the control of them. As to bring balance as formerly mention just I as one of the bloodsuckers, cannot offer stability solely. I need fresh eyes. Fresh opinions and well…” The man considered her softly, “Someone whom is able to curb that very nature that is King of Monsters. Without them fearing the repercussions because they themselves are equal and I will not want to crush them.” Brows furrowed, “If that makes any sense.”
Juliette had not expected the immediate candor, but she was delighted to receive it – her brow furrowing as she mulled over his words carefully and with true thoughtful consideration. As it was quite serious – not just a fanciful realm of nightmares and fairytales – but of actual people, even despite the fangs. In the folly of youth or simply the need for escape he’d taken on something he’d not been prepared for and Juliette was honestly surprised at how well he actually did manage to hold onto it for this long.
He didn’t lack the ability to be a successful King, as he was gathering them all up and trying to collect even more still! He simply didn’t know what to do with a world full of vampires once he’d corralled them!
“What if I don’t wish to curb your nature?” she asked genuinely, curiously. “Your nature has gotten you this far, there is something you are doing right even if it’s not where you want it just yet. It could be balance you need, but I think some direction would do you better. No one wants to be controlled, but everyone wants to accomplish something. So we inspire them to work towards something real. A true court and culture beyond just sating thirst and starting feuds.”
A strange sort of amused grin crossed her features then, as she shifted from her leaning to take perch on the countertop for a more comfortable spot of meal spying.
“You have even already started in acquiring a queen, though I doubt you needed me at all. I’ll have to be satisfied with my single vampire subject until you’re ready to unleash me onto yours.”
Consideration rolled about within his skull like rogue marbles. Back and forth even as she asked him a question he might have thought was folly. Had he not been able to recognize that her interest was authentic. Yet he did not have a ready reply to give her on whether or not she ought to re-work that idea. That his nature was or was not meant to be corrected.
Perspective was a good thing after all but he felt as though you lost a lot of that when you lived for eternity. Such a word became meaningless while the rest such as arrogance and partisanship seemed to rise quickly instead. Emboldening one’s thoughts to think of themselves and select others. Something he was certainly not absolved of. But it seemed important that he not shotgun fire an immediate reply off. Thinking about it with due care rather than spit-firing a childish nuh uh!
Moreover, she offered him exactly one thing he was asking for.
Insight. Someone else’s view of the matter in which she suggested his idea of balance was potential but direction appeared to be far more likely. Pointing out something in a spade that made him smirk wryly. After all, he expressed fiercely time and time again that he was not to be controlled.
Devious woman.
Taking that very mention to broaden it to express that perhaps the little mongrels he had a loathing for instead needed that same thing. Direction to accomplish something. Rather than trying to slake their thirst whilst being the chocolate covered bastards with bastard filling!
Stirring the pasta to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pot, tongs worked no sooner to turn the steak over once more. Setting new spices to be crowned upon its surface and pan to sear into it. Oil popping lightly as not to spit but to announce it was certainly hot, mixing with the blood and rendered fat to assure it was cooking evenly.
“Don’t say that.” Mouth opened even before he could even stop it. Pointing a singular eye at her with the suggestion that she doubted he needed her at all. “Had I felt that truly, I wouldn’t have enacted a age old contract. It may not have been done for the benefit of anything mutual at the time but I have reason for you. Then as a vessel for getting across the ocean for domination of a sort. But now, it is more than that.” Jordan dared a moment to pull a couple breaths down so he was assured that his words weren’t spluttered out in a hasty gambit. But truthful. “Mayhaps I might not have needed you as a queen then, Juliette but now it is the case. As a partner, as a confidante, and potentially as more as we develop proper habits of good relationship wants.”
Checking the various items, a lid went onto the pot and the heat on the pan was lowered to simmer. “You are invaluable in many ways. Some I have yet to discover and that may be the very reason why I do not wish to unleash you onto the groupings of the split coven. Because I am yet to be greedy. And I require the diligence of a ardent woman to assure that even at my worst, you are able to handle them at their best.”
Juliette could be sure through scent alone that dinner would be divine, and by now with such tempting smells in the air she realized just famished she truly was. Patience was a virtue in this instance, as she wouldn’t dare rush her studious chef.
“Proper habits of good relationship wants,” she repeated his words with a soft laugh, kicking her feet gently back and forth from her little perch on the counter. “As an ideal betrothal should go.” It was, in fact, a good thing, even if the businessy way he said it left her with a sad little twinge of something Juliette wished would just go away and stop trying to slither into the back of her mind trying to sour what had been a truly lovely day. By all accounts, he had nothing but glowing words for her, things that did make her feel something special to him.
Yet there was that tiny voice. Mean and hissing. That she might be in love with him, but he was not, and could not ever be in love with her.
What did she need of love anyway, when they still could be something so worthwhile without it. What more did she even need than this? A day she didn’t have to fight, or claw, or screech just to be heard. Where her voice, council and companionship was genuinely appreciated. This was enough and she had to get out of her own way just as much as he needed to get out of his.
“You can be sure I’ll handle them at their worst as well.” she rejoined, stretching her arms above her head a moment to be sure those previous unwanted darker thoughts didn’t make their way into her shoulders, so that she might remain loose and relaxed. “Though at this rate they’ll have built up quite a bit of myth and legend surrounding me. I hope the gossip about your mysterious new bride is at least interesting?”
“We both know this did not go as we intended.” Arching a brow at her no sooner, the man shook his shoulder imitating a laugh without the full guffawing. “Had it been the ideal betrothal I wanted originally, you’d be naïve, genteel and unaware of any dark things I did. But such is not the case and I don’t think I would care for it as I may have once believed.” Now it was his turn, “I’m pleased with how this has turned. Surprised but pleased no less.”
Had she been bold enough to ask him or even loudly imply her dark little mutterings, he might have had something to say back.
For now all they could do was talk about everything else. Turning his smirk up a little higher at the suggestion that she in turn she would be able to handle the little leeches antics at their most deplorable as well. A thing he didn’t even have to contend as he did believe she would be able too.
After all, their king was the worst of them and she was handling him better than a lion tamer.
Now it was time to start creating that of the white sauce. Pulling skillet to replace the place of the pot of pasta water. To allow it to remain cooking without the pressing heat, where he could in turn take that of the heavy cream and butter to begin the final bits of dinner creation. “Interesting enough that they are probing around like nosy dogs. Or rather one had.” Jordan verbally scowled at the mention of Emery. How she was the first to sniff and the first to be swatted! “But from the grapevine, you are the entire gossip. Who is the woman bold enough to temper with the cranky sire? I am sure they are weaving impressive threads of tales that could rival human history! I am sure if you asked, Dominic would be thrilled to divulge all the juicy bits he has heard.”
Juliette laughed outright, knowing immediately the exact one he thought of and caused him to pull such a face. Emery Hart was likely still out there applying a balm to her scorched ego. If meeting Juliette face to face hadn’t been enough, she was certain by now some blabbering fool with piqued ears at the Iron Dog had spilled to the woman every single scathing word that Juliette uttered about her.
She was certain too that Jordan didn’t know the full extent of that exchange or Dominic would’ve been strung up by his toes – too busy to regale her of wild tales about her own budding reputation.
“I may have him come serve me tea on the regular, just to hear these stories. Give him a few spun tales of my own to makes things spicy. Let them think I am casting spells to the moon and breeding creatures in our cellars.”
Leaning forward with a good grip on the counter’s edge, she attempted to peer around him to see the progress of this dinner, glad to know having these conversations with her weren’t the least bit distracting, else she would have to practice her skills of eating a burned meal and pretending it was dandy.
By no means was he omniscient. Not even with the split coven. Certainly he knew a lot because there were always those who were willing to share, but wisely not everyone wanted to give up every dollar of thought. Seeing as one could never be too sure whether it would win then favour or a first class ticket to the king’s famed villainous side. Even Dominic would be part of such a understanding. Avoiding revealing too much if it meant his own arse was going to be in a sling.
“I have a feeling he would gladly serve you tea of both degrees if it meant he could also have some gossip to take back. True or false, anything to keep those mouths flapping.” It wasn’t a bad idea either. Distract the coven with bullshit and truths of various degrees to see how far or twisted such things went.
A supernatural turn of the telephone game.
Items were being added to the sauce. Coming together faster and faster to make sure the taste of it was not too garlic-y or salty either. Not that he would really know due that lack of taste when it came to food, but he had to rely on knowledge. And smell. Seeing as that hadn’t been rudely taken from him. Although he may have wished for it to be the case!
As if he could feel her eyes prying, “Three minutes.” Jordan applied a time, “Then you can eat and I will shower to remove sand and salt so you won’t have to entertain my jealous stare.”
“It may turn out afternoon tea with the vampire queen becomes the thing they scramble for. My mother’s social customs might actually be useful,” she murmured in response. At first it had just been for the lark of it, but the further Juliette gave it some consideration – there was something viable there! Those that were simply curious could have that sated, and those that were attempting espionage.. well. She’d have them clocked.
“I will have to do do some research into different ancient courts. See what might be useful for the very modern vampire empire.” she decided. At least the topic was greatly interesting! Juliette could have an entire binder or two within a few weeks, if she didn’t get completely wrapped up in the wedding and her blessed work. Sooner if she convinced Jordan their honeymoon could be a tour of the world’s greatest libraries.
Juliette grinned that mischievous fae smile again, leaning back on her counter perch and gently tapping her heels together.
“Hmn, no need to be too jealous, I think. You’ll be fresh out of the shower just in time for dessert. What will we call it? Cherise Juliette?”
A daring look at her was enough to merely guess that the cogs in her head were suddenly leaping to life at the prospect of tea. Chugging along at a speed he didn’t know nor did he really think he needed to know! Merely observing in silence before smirking a little at her suggestion of ancient courts. “If you need to know what era those of your eventual interest for said parties come from, I am sure I can defer to that.”
There weren’t a lot of them that were particularly old. Not like Emery was. Or Augustus and well himself. There were a few others that were close but they were still a good fifty to a hundred years difference. Having made short work of those former loyalists to the previous crown. If they did not adapt, they did not survive.
However if she was truly interested in developing such a thing, he was curious to see it come to fruition. Much akin to this meal that was being given a time limit of bare hundred and twenty seconds. Offering a soft displeasure at how he would not sit with her to watch her eat. Not only was that somewhat creepy to his own thoughts, but he wanted her to enjoy it and he wanted to get every bit of sand off himself! Less he accidentally exfoliate himself to rashing! Yet she was full of quips. Tugging a chuckle out of him rather easily, “Now you’re making me think whether I am to just simply take you by the mouthful or at least expend the time to delight us both into rhapsody. Rather than just one.” Tapping the whisk to check the consistency of the sauce, it was suitable.
Flip of knobs to dull the burn of the range top, a plate was promptly retrieved from the nearby cupboard. Set down so it could hold the arrangement of steak first. Turning to drain the water from the pasta so he could give it a bare rinse with a shake. Making sure any sticky starch that remained was not to do so. Making the effort to give it a due length of time to dry with the motion of air being tossed over before the sauce would be placed into the pasta pot. Stirring to effectively coat everything in a saucy mix so a manageable portion could be pulled out to rest upon plate. Sharing heat from the finalized meal to where he turned with plate in hand. Motioning rather that it was best for her to come off her counter perch for a proper sit at the table. Scooping fork and knife in passing to bring.
Once set down, he made a vague point at the singular device on the wall that could call down to the front desk for that previously mentioned drink she wanted. Leaving it to her to decide what would be best!
“Well then, you will have quite a bit to think about while in the shower,” she responded, easily sliding off the counter without ceremony to follow his lead over to the table. Instead of sitting immediately, she took his suggestion to pluck up the room service menu conveniently nestled near the room’s landline phone and scanned over the options for prepared drinks.
As she picked up the receiver, before setting it to her ear, she held it aloft, casting Jordan the briefest and most innocent of expressions.
“Oh, and perhaps consider the pros and cons of giving me a bath. Very thorough consideration.”
Pros and cons, she said. Well he was likely to be stricken with avarice to express that he had more pros rather than cons. None of them being particularly favourable to anything saintly either! Certainly sending the sort of detailed thoughts into the recesses of thoughts that at least didn’t make for him to linger within the vest able of pouring water.
Granted there was other attached reasons that added to his desire not to remain sequestered within the spot either.
It wouldn’t have been a stretch of truth to express that his own hunger was looking to be satisfied. Knowing it had been some time since he had at least had something red on tongue that was fresh rather than bottled like some sickly wine.
To emerge from the confinements of the bathroom with at least half of himself dressed. Not looking to be all flashy in the literal sense of the word!
As soon as Jordan disappeared with a look on his face that suggested he was about to have the fastest shower in history, Juliette made quick work of ordered up drinks. Simple iced tea for something refreshing and a good bourbon that Jordan might appreciate. It seemed the hotel was used to working quick when it came to Mister Harrow’s requests, as she wasn’t left waiting for long.
The meal itself was everything she’d expected – simple and satisfying in all of the best ways. Juliette had retrieved her phone from her bag to check on things, scrolling through emails and messages between bites. There were a couple messages from Hannah about enjoying her new personal bodyguard and the book signing. She’d polished off her plate in record time, partially because she had been awake since the crack of dawn running errands and preparing for this very date and she was starving. But mostly? Jordan’s interest was infectious.
Dishes were rinse and set aside to dry, and Juliette was busy setting up a selection of softly playing music by the time Jordan wandered out barely dressed. There was a flicker of her eyes head to toe and the faintest quirk at the corner of her mouth, but she made no vocal comment about it. Instead keeping her focus on adding a few more songs to the playlist.
“Have you decided what to do with me?” she asked casually, finding it a great deal of fun with it. To let someone else take the reigns without her micromanaging and dictating every single little moment. There was a thrill in anticipation and not knowing what was next.
Scruffing of the towel came to a slow halt. Venturing gaze outwards to locate the other soul within the stretch of reserved quarters to rest momentarily upon her being. Considering it mutely with an extensive up and down as the motion of what she was doing didn’t particularly set into his thoughts. Not that it mattered really. So long as she wasn’t suddenly elbow deep in business work that was supposed to be shoved off to the side for their spontaneous outing orchestrated by her talented hands.
Mulling over the words instead about her ever so informal asking of what he had decided.
Had he decided?
Maybe.
Rather taking said cotton sponge to be discarded back the way the bathroom door had hung to flop wherever the hell it decided landed, so he might instead meander his way towards the one of casual scrolling. “That entirely depends.” Being vague for a purpose. Sliding oneself behind the other. Intermingling palms to carve along the pathway of slope of waist to hip. Holding still at the purchase of cloth under fingers in their crumpling tension. Insisting a slight step of herself to form back into that of his front. Laying an affection flirtation of lip across the shell of ear, tracing nose tip to follow the line. “On whether or not you want to be tired first or rustle the arrangement of bedding now then succumb to the fatigue later.”
“I see,” she murmured, content to lean against him finding the faint scent of soap a pleasant contrast with the sea salt still clinging to her own messy dark hair. “A choice between the full display of a predator’s slow seduction and chase, or commit to an evening of lazy languishing.”
Both sounded perfectly fine to her, though one surely more tempting than the other. Juliette confirmed her playlist and set aside the little remote. Turning slowly in his arms to face him, she rest the backs of her hands against his chest and glanced up to examine his face. There was a sort of intense look in his expression, something that made her want to abandon the entire pretense of being led about – to shove him backwards towards the couch and show him there was more than one hunter in this room!
But there was an anxiousness that lingered too, reminding her this was so much more than just a fun romp of sexual intentions. She lift a finger to tap gently against his mouth and chin.
“It feels intimate and a little frightening,” she voiced her thoughts out loud instead of harboring them to herself. “To put my life quite literally in your hands. But I don’t need to be primed and distracted before you are allowed to sneak in your bites. You’ve had a lifetime of hiding what you do. So now, don’t.”
“Besides,” she brightened with that wide cheshire cat smile. “I doubt I will be so tired that I can’t still enjoy an evening of personal attentions. No special performances or services exchanged necessary. I am here to stay.”
Humming at the twist about she offered while playing with the suggestion of being in the choice of a predator’s gauntlet or just lazily allowing things to progress. It was a better way of putting it he supposed but it was the next part that did well to assure he didn’t just default to one or the other. Feeling the swivel so they could be face to face. The equality that came next. To hear her express it was both something of potential enjoyment while expressing she had nerves rattling about as well.
That there wasn’t a face of guard being pushed up that later it might come back that this encounter had imprinted a bad mark on her thoughts! That what happened proved to be too much.
It couldn’t be easy for her to even show a moment of vulnerability. He knew he had a hell of a time doing the exact same thing. To lend someone the understanding that there was a soft discomfort at not having the control! Let alone as she said, her life in his hands!
Still, there was a wide brimming full of impish mischief no sooner. Stroking that impression that he might not feel that need still to try and play that same song and dance to keep her distracted.
Forming grasp to knit across the slip of back instead. Taking a step behind himself to play the game of wandering towards chamber rather than recklessly flopping onto couch where sun might eventually reach –that sure as hell wouldn’t be enjoyable. Using those same exact seconds to dip towards. Dallying lips flutter across the presence of cupid’s bow. Straying a palm down and another up to grip simultaneously at posterior. To slip fingers along the line of spine, “Then I hope you don’t mind,” Another step back. And another, dulling tone to a heated whisper. Speaking upon the petals of fullness as if that would punctuate his point, “I’m absolutely starving for you.” Nipping lightly as not to draw any blood from pretty lips.
Scrolling the blending rings across comely features. Blue giving way to red as though they were attempting to mimic lunar eclipse. Lightly peppering kisses across the fullness to chin with each backwards lead as grasp alike sought to cinch the fair fabric into wrinkled knots between knuckles. Leading along till the bed box knocked against the back of legs. Warranting a pause in time where straying mouth could lay open presses upon ivory column. Feeling the jumping pulse calling eagerly. Practically feeling the maddening shrieks behind mind’s doors bidding him to lunge. As if a moment too long and she would flee like a mouse. Save he would hardly call Juliette a rodent. Far too fierce to be deemed as such. Lioness maybe if it weren’t so paltry of a way to describe her. Perhaps she was the better one to call a dragon?
And yet, brows furrowed against another. Pausing with fanning breath heating across the bare of throat. A struggle all in itself! Pressing once more the lingering of mouth across that pillar, toying with himself! Teasing all the while with the fiendish wanting grew to make jaw ache with its prolonged wait! Flicking sights up under lids as though to glean a look upon her would offer a question that was not being asked!
Only to be shoved aside. “Just… don’t scream.” Jordan hissed the words. Unsure if that was for his benefit or hers. Parting lips wide with a knowledge that if he hesitated a second more, he was going to push away. Treating the moment like a desperate diver into the ocean. Clamping down the sharpened points to drive through the crisp of skin and to drive up the well of thickened red with a demonic glee!
It was as if she’d told him he could open a Christmas present early! How easy it was to be pulled across the suite in his arms, swept along in that fervent energy and excitement. Delighted to see that shift in him, also too the minute curl of fear that she’d gotten into something dangerous she couldn’t come back from.
He too for a moment even seemed hesitant, in the way he paused and released a breath. At least there, in that one action Juliette knew he had no intent to actually harm her. Even when his declared hissed warning for her not scream sent her brows furrowing and her mouth opening, ready to ask a startled what?! only for it to die before escaping her lips.
Juliette didn’t scream – not that it warranted one! A soft gasping squeak did slip out, just from being unprepared, unready, and caught by surprise despite knowing full well what was happening. He body fully tensed, as it did hurt, though not in the ways she was expecting and certainly not as badly as he made it sound in the split second of don’t scream. She’d been bitten before plenty enough in the heat of lascivious passion, bruising and painful in a dull sort of way. This was sharp and somehow not as bad, perhaps because it wasn’t some feral gnawing by blunted incisors and a careless lover.
Letting out a slow breath, she allowed herself to relax, a gentle voiceless signal that she was fine and not about to tear away from him in a shriek of terror and go fleeing from the room. She tugged one arm out from between them to curl it around his waist and up his back. Grasping fingers at his shoulder to hold herself steady should her knees feel weak. Truthfully, there was a weakening feeling but not from what he assumed!
By whatever deity someone wanted to believe in, it was a damn good thing he was not a noisy eater! Treating her neck as if it were a far too quickly melting popsicle that needed to be slurped at less it drip onto the floor! Protesting with slurps and muffled grunts like a feasting toddler. However, that wouldn’t be to say he was entirely so stoic that he might as well have been poking at some gruel with disinterest. There was earnest grip and a low indicating humming sound that seemed to arise up at the adjustment of her form.
Nearly feeling as though he might get food protective as a feral cat with the first movement. Momentarily worried that she might seek to escape only to find he was hardly going to let that happen. Yet relieved when her being was being truthful past whatever painful event this was for herself. He too could recall the discomfort –putting it lightly- with being used like a meat styled pincushion! It was hardly pleasant but he was only finding time and time again that Juliette was true to every word she gave.
He’d be lying to say that wasn’t a deliriously delicious thought that struck him right through the thumping heart.
Dragging tongue across the slip of red that thought to escape the slow tugging pulls of lifesize loach. He knew she was dangerous in her own ways. Just he had never thought it would be in this sort of way. Knowing he had not encountered a willing offer of neck in his plenty of years! Nor did he suspect he would again.
It would be effortless to just simply let everything in his being give in. To forsake the means that he must be attentive to how much he took. Knowing that without stone still logic, it would be so easy just to give into gluttony. Give into the tempting red that drew every cardinal delight from his being! Merely fed till the end of a fragile life. Just because he was king, did not mean he was invulnerable to such things. If anything, he might be worse! Forcing a behaviour that went against their greedy instincts as predators. Just drink to whatever contentment then to have lack of remorse for the kill after.
His very thoughts encouraged it.
Loud as a percussion drum banging in either ear. Just to feast till he was content and she was part of the underworld. An easy thing to do with each gleeful stain of vitals making their way down to hungry gullet.
Save, he had no desire to see her rendered to the dead. Rather and this was simply an obvious thing to him, he wanted her alive. Fresh faced, impish and entertaining their delectably devilish whims of both business and pleasure alike. Forcing whatever monstrous bellow to take whatever he wanted, to lower. Not to silence, not even he could control that desire but to hush.
He felt her grasp. Felt the pressure of her being knotted up in his grasp. The thumping pulse of beating chest doing well to echo nearby as to remind each gulp that he sought not her death but companionship. As odd as it sounded. And how remarkable this was to have her willingly giving over something so necessary to one that could just as easily end it.
Her life in his hands.
The sharpened prongs removed with a stiff swallow. The mental feud announcing loudly that he hardly wished to stop but was demanded too. Not about to take a fill as she might as well become anemic this very second! Baring bloody teeth a moment and soothed to lick over the wound like a beast trying to nurture the spots to start closing. Tending greedily with every intention to chase every drip drop till it stopped bleeding. Not about to waste a single bead of it! Not particularly sure how long this took as time tended to lose all reasoning during a feeding.
It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. He just hoped it wasn’t the latter for obvious reasons.
Lifting chin somewhat to blatantly streak thumb across corners of mouth. Caring not for the tending of tongue greedily still refusing to let one sample miss his attention. Nor did he really want to be blood crusted on tooth or lip! Eventually rubbing thumb print across the placement of mere indents of where he had bitten. A perk of being king after all, leaving no obvious trace behind. Otherwise the women he took from before would have plenty to talk about!
Swallowing roughly a time or two more, an attentive press of kiss rested against the pale of flesh. “If I wasn’t… already charmed by you… now is worse.” A taste like that would be hard to forget. Smirking into her, “You may just… have made me your thrall.”
Juliette was still standing on her own feet and by her own will, though as he shifted she shifted as well, curling her arm up tighter around him and her second around his waist in an effort to keep herself grounded. She couldn’t be sure of how long it’d been or how much blood he’d taken, as it wasn’t so terrible to have her counting the minutes. The world floated a bit on air, more so than if she’d have donated blood at the hospital, yet not so much that she felt ill or as if she’d faint. Just a pleasant floating akin to having a few glasses of wine without the other dizzying effects.
“Imagine the courtly gossip,” she murmured softly, not meaning it to be a whisper but finding she didn’t mind. “To have thralled the very vampire king that’s plagued them for centuries. What a scary thing I must be.”
Pleasing too to know that he was enthralled, even if it was born out of blood-fed elation from quite possibly the easiest bite of dinner he’d ever gotten. Juliette was simply glad she was still alive and that her trust hadn’t been misplaced. That she hasn’t given herself literal body and soul over to someone that could easily forget everything they’d been working towards at the first taste of something irresistible, then replace her dead corpse with someone new.
Juliette finally pulled back, dangerously loose maybe in the way she wavered, but searching his face all the same to make sure there were no signs of him planning a dine and dash.
“I believe I was promised devilish bedtime activities after dinner?”
He wouldn’t know either. It wasn’t a conscious decision to be conscious of what and how much he took from her. Only that he stopped before she fell limp. A choice that was not easy to do when his very being felt almost betrayed at the action of ceasing the effort of eating a perfectly delectable meal before him! All that mattered now was to be sure that she wasn’t about to flop over with eyes rolling into the back of her head! Feeling how her grasp cinched tighter to be pressed and held close. Bidding him silently to strengthen his own hold to avoid any unceremonious falling.
Acknowledging in breath that it wasn’t difficult to make him a fiend. One taste and he could fathom the strike of furious gnawing in his skull. Scratching wants and reminding nigglings upon brain that affirmed that she had a appetizing source of fresh blood that could make him turn into an addict. A risk a vampire took at times. Some people tasted better than others! Some were nothing to think about again while others might as well been a living form of cocaine. One taste and you were feeling those effects for days. Weeks or longer.
And he found himself enraptured with that very sensation. Unsure if it was because she was willing? Or because she knew him and trusted his actions to keep her safe. Or if it was something deeper that had yet to be unlocked by his scrounging fingers.
Just that she found the airy sound of commentary to make it a tease. “I think they would fear you and be captivated in the same moment.” One who could brought the very beast of their king to knees would be worth a second and third look. From uncertainty and from innate curiosity.
Yet, he felt her shifting. Drawing back where he may have promptly closed that gap at the way her body moved. Watching her with the reddening rims cut thin by felid inspired slices. Concern present even amongst the suggestion she brought.
He heard the saying before and felt it applied here. “You are certainly a special type of woman, peristéri.” And he, liked every second of it.
Twisting frames with grasp moving to capture her form. Not about to let her sink away to topple over in an act of stubbornness but rather intending to guide their unified bodies to that of the made mattress itself. To ease her firstly upon the neat top-sheet and to accompany next. Seemingly almost tortured at the idea of being separated. Using the weight of form to press apart knees to cradle at his sides. Taking a page from her book when it came to looping finger through tie or shirt collar; to curl itself about the hem of her own with no pardon to tug and fell inwards. Bracing a nipping kiss across exposed sternum. “Let me know if it’s too much, Juliette.”
“Too much is never really enough,” she answered breezily, and a truer statement had never been spoken, for all she wanted was more of this. Lazy languid evenings of endless kissing and gentle touches, to have at her leisure. Where she did love the spicy passions and frenzied chaos of falling into bed and clothes being lost somewhere in the fray, there was something – as he said – very special about this soft sort of intimacy. As if they’d broken past some sort of barrier and landed somewhere new.
No matter how simple and relaxing it would’ve been to just lie back and let him lay his attentions on her, it was too far out of her nature to just be a still and motionless participant. Though where usually she might grab and guide, like some sort of sexual stage director, instead she matched his softness with her own. Giving a gentle stroke of her fingers through coal tendrils of hair, now mostly dry. To have those same fingers to curl softly around ear with a brush of her thumb gliding down strong neck and curve of shoulder. There wasn’t a single mark of sunlines on his skin, and she doubted her own had escaped such a fate!
“You know what I mean.” He wasn’t referencing that she wasn’t going to be spoiled with attention but if the action itself was more than she was comfortable with right now. There was hardly anything wrong with saying that she needed to breath after being feasted upon. Granted, he wasn’t exactly saying that they ought to cease either! Finding the actions of gradual dedication as simple as adorning affections upon fair form, were inviting.
Living further into the motives that things like this were not normal for him. To bring her here and not treat her as a quick fuck and a quick bite!
It was a zinging sensation to take things slow. To build the heat and the want and the rush of being more than two banging banshees with a fixation of just grabbing that carnal rush!
Paving grasp to anoint itself along the plain of thighs to give slow slipping slides to move the fabric to feel skin. Following the orchestrated movements of her own grasp making itself familiar with crown. To neck and shoulder, tingling flesh to pepper with zealous bumps. Giving her personal Braille to feel along. Dragging belly to belly. Mouth to carve a deliberate path upon clavicle. Certainly feeling the chasing zips sparking along veins.
Certainly ready to start expanding well rewarded attentions upon the fiery sorted woman.
Till he was pausing with a grating rise of annoyance tumbling in a near growl from lips. “Is that your phone ringing?”
There was a gentle laughter when he huffed at her breezy response. How unique and strangely different to have someone who actually gave concern about her well being. Someone who fretted over her safety around wild fangs, and fussed over her being potentially overwhelmed. When had anyone ever bothered to care if she were simply okay!
His growling nearly sent her to giggling, and Juliette had to pause and tilt her head to strain and listen. His ears no doubt sensitive to any little sound, but in the moment her own thumping heart and his exploratory fingers had been too much of a distraction to hear much of anything else.
It was true, though. Mixed in with the faint melody of music.
“It’s your phone ringing,” Juliette muttered with confidence, promptly not giving two cares about it and resuming her intent of wrapping arms around him. True that her phone was laying in wait on the dining table, but the ringtone was very distinctly his. Which meant she was more than happy to pretend it wasn’t ringing at all.
“Ignore it, you’re in a very important meeting.” The meeting, of course, being a meeting of her mouth to his in a kiss that promised to be a long and drawn out affair.
If she needed that affirmation to know that while he was prone to being a bit indifferent at times, he was not without concern! To press it upon her as soft hints that he thought more of her than just a business partner. That there was truth and authenticity to such actions, he’d likely express it a lot more! Just not particularly right now with the dance of lips and tips alike. Preferring to feather dust the unhurried notes of fondness across the plain of canvas that was being viewed. To feel at, to surrender an ardent want in time save for the way his ears picked up a tune that had no business even interrupting!
Vocally blaming it on her cellular device because surely it wouldn’t have been his own! Anyone important knew that it was off-limits at this time and whomever would be dumb enough to do so, surely had a death wish.
Yet, they clearly did. Stopping his due care upon her to blink once or twice. Listening a little more dutifully to the ringing while her arms wrapped around him. Insisting their presence. Drawing him up to rush the flats of torso’s together as being loomed over. He might have agreed with her about how this was a very very important meeting. But a mouth was eagerly busied with another. Tugging a low sultry influenced groan to suggest his own delight with this time of meeting.
Save, the phone wasn’t ceasing! Growing to properly move over mere annoyance to pure anger. Lightly pulling away from her, “For fuck sakes—” Mumbling the phrase against the addictive petals, Jordan pulled away. Kneeling between to turn. Summoning the damn thing to hand by the talents given. So he might sink the vermillion coloured glare at the screen that did little to cease when the name present was seen. Baring fang and all with an impolite stab to the phone, “This had better be g—”
“Rogues!” Myra barked causing him to stop talking immediately. Brows knitted up in evident concern. Melded against his frustration at being interrupted, “Felix is in the midst of them! Hannah and I are trying to get to the intersection of uh… 3rd Ave and… and—” He could hear the sound of vehicles through the receiver. Shuffling foot back across the bedspread so he could place the bare of sole upon the floor. “Fuck, it’s like two miles away from your place!”
Lips curled. Fingers rose to pinch the bridge of his nose. “How many?” Of course, why couldn’t this night just end in a uninterrupted success! Something had to go tits up.
“Don’t kn—” Suddenly her voice faded. A scream from what he could tell sounded.
“Myra? Myra!” Jaw clenched –better than squeezing the phone to break- turning his gaze upon the woman. “We have to go, now. Felix, Myra and Hannah are in trouble.”
As much as Juliette loved to see Jordan’s vicious ire directed at things that were not her, but rather about him being busy with her and not appreciating the interruptions, she was just as quick to pause in concern when it appeared the problem on the other end of the call was actually something serious.
Worse yet to have it confirmed not only was it serious, but it involved Hannah. To a degree so great that it was bad enough to call Jordan directly to get him involved! A mix of concern, fury, and concern again flickered across her features in a manner of seconds.
Juliette didn’t need further explanation at that point. Immediately scooting to edge of bed and rising to her feet – mind already racing through different possibilities and levels of severity of action depending on what exactly they’d be walking into.
She’d gotten as far as the doorframe when her vision went black – thankfully not so severe that she’d fainted – but enough that Juliette needed to catch the frame to reorient herself. The sudden rush of alarmed adrenaline mixed with sultry passions and an unknown amount of blood loss had caught up to her in her careless speedy movement.
Once she’d taken a breath and her vision had returned to normal, she’d proceeded forward to fetch her bag with every intention of making good use of her handgun if needed. Perhaps it’d been bought to threaten David if need arose, but Juliette had no issue with popping off a few shots into any vampire that dared try their luck. Hopefully Jordan was too busy having to fetch his shirt to notice her faltering.
He was truly grateful that she wasn’t in the mood to play the what is happening game. If she had, she’d have limited information. Just that they were being attacked by rogue units in the shape of vampires. Undetermined at this point if they were ones that were made outside of his knowledge or those who were in cahoots with attempting to rise up somewhere they shouldn’t. He wouldn’t know right now. Not until he did some digging that would sure to come up bloody! One way or another.
All he could do was appreciate her for being quick to move. Sending a soft apologetic look that this was hardly the way he intended their date to end.
It wasn’t even in the top ten things he thought could happen, but here it was!
There was the bonus to him being gifted with arts of telekinesis, it certainly made grabbing what he needed very easy. Summoning the parts to himself rather than going to them! Finding his thoughts were already making those hasty assumptions that had no viable answer to cool their jets. And unfortunately for her, he was a little more aware to the means of pulling flying objects of his own through the air to notice her sudden pause. “Juliette?” Voice raising filled with the soft worry that she might be over exerting herself too soon. Pulling arms through the shirt once more so he could turn and approach her being.
Making a gentle reach to cup fingers across the span of shoulder blades, addressing gaze over herself. Surprising perhaps even ones of unnatural hues could hold the means of worry. Granted he had no remedy for her faltering. Merely denoting a gentle press to that of temple. Squeezing grasp upon her, “I know we must hasten but do not push so quickly. Less you want me to bridal carry you out of this room.” His attempt at humour was lackluster. Even he could hear its terrible attempt!
A turning glance had him looking about to see if there was anything else here he needed. Not overly worried if something was forgotten, they had made the reservation for the night. And it tended to be his domain so if something was left, it could be gathered later.
So he would make the vehicle keys take a dramatic flight instead. Summoning them to catch in unoccupied palm. “I don’t know what they are dealing with. Just that it might get very… bloody. I need to rely on you for Myra and Hannah. It sounds as though they are separated from Felix. Will that be acceptable?” Asking rather than telling, he did direct the key held hand outwards to suggest they had better start leaving now.
Her wit was quick and the temptation to declare she would not show up to battle being carried by her fiancé was a strong one. Tempered only by the fact she refused to punish him even in jest over showing concern for her. Let him fuss over as he needed, it would honestly make them both feel better regardless if she needed it or not.
“I will handle Myra and Hannah,” she affirmed with confidence. “Though, should they need me to do the driving things might get dodgey.” Her own attempt at a joke, something to distract herself from the worry over Felix being separated from the two girls. Juliette was certain Myra could handle herself well enough in a fray – but the more capable guardians surrounded Hannah, the better! And where was Dominic admidst all this nonsense?
The soft chime of her own phone went off, sending Juliette immediately to the table to snatch it up and answer it on speaker so that Jordan might have necessary information as well.
“Han-“
“I can’t believe you gave me a GRENADE!”
That screeched sentence through the phone a least filled Juliette with a large enough rush of relief that Hannah was still in one piece. Giving Jordan a silent look that they now had vocal connection to the ladies, Juliette snatched up her bag and promptly followed Jordan out of the hotel suite.
“Bear spray,” she corrected quickly. “Hannah, where-“
“Don’t you dare try to tell me he’s not in the mafia – They’re on some kind of bath salts bender and oh my god I think they SHOT Felix and-“
“Are you somewhere safe?” Juliette interjected firmly.
“We made it to the intersection with the cameras – Myra BODIED that stupid freaky jerk – but I don’t know-“
Well! Praises to Myra, traffic lights and cameras. Now there was just hope that Jordan liked driving his fancy cars recklessly fast.
“Thank you.” It was easily something he truly did appreciate knowing that she would be a fine coverage for the two humans. Myra he knew could handle herself usually! However if Felix was out doing his thing and she was calling him, it meant they were overwhelmed. Not just calling to complain that there was some little idiot ragamuffins trotting around like beasts! It was trouble and he could only hope there was a vague understanding not to be seen but he doubted it. Highly.
Yet he still chuckled at her joke. “At that moment if you need too, it’s just bumper cars.” Everyone out of the way.
Right now they just needed to go!
Even as her own phone went off as they passed through the door, he had to offer a raised brow at the shouting claim of a grenade. Glancing at Juliette as if that was about to be enough information to express just what the hell was being referenced. Which thankfully as they promptly reached the elevator, it was. “Bear spray.” Repeating the words softly against his breath –being equally relieved that as the doors parted there was no one within- only for him to insist her entrance first.
So he might just catch that suggestion that Hannah believed him to be in the mafia. “I think they are a little more organized.” Jordan mumbled. They couldn’t be like the movies surely, but the whole reference to bath salts was going to need some clarification. Stabbing the buttons on the panel like that was going to make the ride down any faster.
Grateful that Juliette was trying to get her friend on the other line wrangled. Listening astutely to the mention of where they were. At an intersection where they would be using camera’s for red light speeders.
Two miles from the homestead. 3rd ave, “I know where they are.” He spoke with a strength of confidence, “Keep her on the line.” He continued before making a frowning look as he was making a helpless attempt to try and put lenses back to blue. Which was apparently not about to happen. They had better just trot quickly out of the hotel, that was for damn sure. Winking one eye shut in vain hopes as fingers fruitlessly combed hair back.
They were released from the metal box, he made a opening for hand to take her own. To insist their hasty departure to outside for the car. Already making the lights flicker in its parking spot as he was trying to assess the best way to get their quickly. “How many can she see there? And… is there witnesses?”
Juliette had taken his hand, grateful for that contact even if it was just a fleeting moment before release as they reached his car.
“I can hear you, Jordan! If you don’t show up here with thirty of your mafia thugs I-“
There was a bit of shuffling and hissing. What sounded a bit like Myra fussing, to which Juliette prayed was indeed just Myra. It went by in a blink – the rushing across the parking lot to Juliette buckling herself into the passengers seat. Her head rushing with the adrenaline and dizziness, but doing her best to keep a grip on herself.
If her own heart was pounding this hard and she was this terrified, Juliette couldn’t imagine what it must be like for Hannah who didn’t have a true mean bone in her body. Who couldn’t sleep after horror movies. A woman that’d watch serial murder documentaries and then have to use a night light! Either the girl had an immense amount of faith in Myra and Felix as protectors, or she was a great deal tougher than Juliette had ever realized!
“I can’t see anything, Myra is trying to smother me behind a mailbox,” whispered Hannah, who must’ve been instructed to hide as best one could. “I don’t hear anymore guns?”
“Just do as Myra tells you, we’ll be there in a moment.”
“That sex better be so good,” hissed Hannah with the most accusatory whisper Juliette had ever heard in her life. “This is awful, I hate it!”
If looks could travel through phones, she would likely be slapped with one hell of a glare. At the whole show up with mafia thugs. He’d overlook that comment only because of the whole ordeal being glaringly traumatic! Needing to focus on the means of getting into the car rather than having a conversation on the street side about what was going on.
Leaving the moment to the two women so he could overhear. Trying to rattle through his own thoughts with a means of no organization. Only a pure want to start tossing bodies left, right and centre. Likely with a loss of heads if it meant assuring these rebels discovered just what not to do. Nor how to attract his attention!
The movement of the car itself was a relief. Not a good one but one no less. Pulling upon pavement with the intention of putting more speed onto the asphalt than was legal while keeping an ear on their conversation. “She’s lucky Myra isn’t trying to sit on her like a mother hen.” Jordan exhaled. Grateful that Myra was proving to be protective but wouldn’t at all be surprised to show up to see the spunky woman sitting on top of Hannah with her hands scooped over the other’s head. Attempting to shield her from the very situation. “Gunshots.” He repeated. Filtering that one through the mental grinder. Not to say they as a vampire pack wouldn’t have access to such things, but he found it curious that they did at all.
It had to be in the name of distraction. If the news got wind of this then it would be played off as a gun fight rather than supernatural bloodsuckers.
If that was the case, this was orchestrated. Planned out for various details that he had to only guess upon without further evidence. All he could do now was hope that there was one little bastard left alive so he could get the honour of crumpling their very existence in his own hands.
And, yet. Leave it to Hannah to be whispering something into the receiver about sex. “Even in a moment like this, that’s what she’s thinking about!” Call him a man of disbelief! A porno romance writer in the hail of terror was still able to make comments referencing sex! He wasn’t sure if he ought to be impressed or utterly horrified. Deciding on neither with the motion of their rushing speed moving along the ways.
Taking paths and avenues alike that he knew would at least cut the time of arrival down by minutes. Simply hoping their luck held fast not to be caught like some teenage late rider by a police officer.
It was only in their favour that the night was stretching and the movement of traffic wasn’t their hindrance. Making the jaunt through city streets as though the car itself had wings! Focusing attention outwards of the windshield as they came riding quickly up the street where his gaze was promptly greeted by the sight of a familiar truck being hammered through the intersection by another. Crumpled into paper balls by vague expression as they were promptly pulled over to the side with the means of hazards being flipped on. Putting the passenger side towards the sidewalk side as to avoid Juliette having to step out into traffic –thankfully devoid. Likely because of gunshots.
A daring glance was made to her, “Find those two.” A irritated tone was freckling voice. Not aimed at her but the overall situation, “I’ll handle the rest. Be careful. Let Myra do what she needs to but keep yourselves safe.” Giving her a lingering stare before making the whipping move out of car to go trotting towards the crumpled scene of the cars.
With blood plenty saturating the air, it wouldn’t be hard to find Felix.
Juliette would’ve preferred they sped down the street to find Hannah directly, but instinctively understood there were bigger issues at hand than protecting the life of one woman. Just by the looks of the wreckage alone, a larger plan was at play here. Having a group of vampires willing to so publicly make this grand of a spectacle was an incredibly dangerous thing for a coven of people trying to keep their entire existence a secret. Not to mention the collateral damages that could be had in the crossfire.
As Jordan made his slow trek out to investigate, Juliette retrieved the small handgun from her bag and double-checked that it was properly loaded with a soft click. While she was no marksman by any means, she’d been to enough social meetings full of machismo men that thought shooting at flying discs was jolly fun. One had to learn how to shoot if they didn’t want to get left out of conversations and banished to the decks where wives drank mimosas and gossiped nonsense.
The small sheathed knife she’d shown off to Jordan came next, being clipped comfortably inside the bust of her swimsuit out of sight. Then she made swift work of twisting her long beach waves up with a long metal pin – sturdy and pointy enough to serve as it’s own weapon.
“Juliette? Holy shit please don’t stop talking-“
“I’m here. But I need to concentrate. Shush a minute.”
Juliette finally climbed out of the car with gun and phone in hand, using the phone’s flashlight app to give her some guidance and that wrist to brace the aimed gun in her other hand. At her best, she would’ve taken off running down the street with her senses quick and her aim flawless. As it were now, with her head just a bit foggy and her body a touch on the swaying side, Juliette needed to take it careful. If she passed out in the middle of the sidewalk, what good would that do any of them!
Or if she shot some hapless person by mistake as well. Thus as Juliette made her way down the sidewalk street looking for the intersection where the girls were waiting, she was wary and watchful of every dark corner and alley bend she passed.
It was instinctive at this point to whirl around. Eyes zipping here, there… everywhere! Attempting to make use of the stupid little mailbox as cover for the novelist while she was doing her best to keep in contact with Juliette. Surprisingly she had heard very little in the way of angry snarls that would have suggested Jordan was liable to spawn into a group of bats or something even more dramatic, as if he could!
That for the last few minutes, they had seemingly been removed from being choice targets. Guessing it had to do with the light and the evident camera’s looking at the place of void traffic. Wisely people had cleared out of here. Unwisely, she was expecting the sound of sirens to start making their approach. Something they themselves would have to become scarce for. Which posed the question of, how would they wipe this existence from the camera’s that might be saving their asses right now.
Suppose that was going to be a chore for either Eden or Baldwin to deal with. Her and Felix had done more than enough!
Whirling around bringing hands up into balled fists ready to sock the next person square in the eyeball should they come too close, relief welled up into her very being. Watching the swimsuit wearing brunette trucking woman approaching. Not what she would consider a heroic outfit to come in with but at this point, did it matter? Scurrying a few steps back so she might fanatically tap Hannah on the shoulder, Myra gave a loud exhale. Almost tempted to throw her arms out to the side for added flare. “Where’s the big boss man?” She asked as if expecting an answer.
Not sure if this could be considered a unknown gift of suggestion when there appeared to be a soul unceremoniously thrown quite literally across the distance. Slamming into the concrete with a sickening crack. Wriggling around with a useless attempt to get the wind back in their lungs, “Oh… found him.” Myra sighed scruffing her fingers harshly through green top. The punctuation of a started shriek made a comical attempt before the person was being thrown again by forces unseen. “Hmm… he’s mad.”
Juliette was filled with great relief to come upon Myra and Hannah, unharmed and in one piece. Though by Myra’s curious expression Juliette had to glance downwards at herself. In their mad dash to come to the rescue, she hadn’t exactly straightened herself up right and proper! The emerald wrap dress was more like a glorified robe leaving her slinky swimsuit for the world to see.
She might have laughed if the yelping throes of Jordan’s first catch hadn’t made both she and Hannah jump.
“I’d say he’s furious. As am I! Things were going quite well,” she explained. Before she’d dive further into that, however, more important things needed to be handled! “Take my phone,” Juliette muttered, handing it to Myra who was currently without. Then with a quick snap of her fingers she got Hannah looking at her instead of trying to crane her neck to peer into the dark and see things she for certain didn’t need to see.
“Stop snapping at me, I’m freaking out, I’m not drunk!” Hannah huffed back, having finally jumped up to her feet. If she noticed anything about Juliette, she certainly didn’t have a word to say about it – up until she realized there was a gun in her hand. Then she was all wide eyes and getting ready to pitch what would surely be a glorious tantrum.
“No, no, we need to get to the car. Myra is going to be our get away driver. I need you to walk fast and not look at anything. Honestly, closing your eyes would be best.”
“Back to the scene of the crime are you KIDDING ME?”
There wasn’t any time for arguments, Juliette was already grasping Hannah’s hand to tug her back the way they came. Hannah muttering under her breath about already seeing a dead body, but otherwise being too much in a shock to really protest.
“Wait, is Felix okay!” Hannah finally blurted out.
Hands went up. Holding their surrender at the expression that Juliette was also not in the giddiest of moods. “This wasn’t planned if you are thinking that. At least not from our end.” She was not going down toting that sort of flag. That her and Felix planned this outrageous sort of night for Hannah simply for some action. This was completely not their gig! And even if it was, she would be right stupid to think of something this insane. Especially since the whole fact that the very king was now present somewhere in the dark where light didn’t breathe, flinging people as if they were mere darts!
She could only imagine that he might be actually snorting out gouts of fire! Lucky they weren’t able to hear whatever slurry of imaginative cursing was happening from such a mouth. Almost sad she was missing that but not really.
There was teasing Jordan to make him annoyed and then there was just a death wish. Which was this.
Thank god Juliette was able to at least seem more put together. As much as a woman carrying a handgun could. As if that little notable object had missed her gaze, just trying not to stare at it for reasons all on her own. Turning to watch around them. Lurking in a tense state that expected some yahoo to come flying out like a poorly designed horror extra from Scooby Doo, before Juliette was making the call.
They were to get the fuck outta dodge, “Fine by me.” This was too much excitement! Although, she didn’t resist a grin. “Don’t worry girl, I’m be a dandy driver.” Offering some finger guns like that would sell the piece. Shortly shaking head at Hannah’s reasonable disbelief of returning to said crime spot. Which she would normally agree but right now there was nothing to be said. Merely covering ground as quickly as they could before the girl was asking the question that was resting in her own thoughts.
And frowning, “We don’t know yet. Leave it to Jordan. Just get in the car and we’ll get back to the manor. Boy am I glad Elisa isn’t on schedule tonight.”
“So we’re just going to leave him here!” complained Hannah, to her credit was still keeping her voice down as to not draw attention to the lot of them. Squeezing Juliette’s hand and shaking her arm when the woman didn’t immediately reply fast enough.
“Jordan will find him, we need to not make ourselves tempting targets,” Juliette explained. There wasn’t time for her to sus out the entire point of this little attack. She sure wasn’t going to debate about it out in the middle of the street! If fanged gangsters were now scattering due to Jordan’s arrival, soon enough local police were going to show up. This was not something Juliette was prepared to talk over with the cops!
On making it back to the wreckage, Juliette had a second chance to scan the carnage. Not a dead body in sight, though there was blood splattered across the tar and all over the front of Felix’s truck. It made her already dizzy head a little queasy. For all of her own toughness, this looked like a terrifying hot mess for Hannah to have been in the middle of.
Hannah too seemed to pick up this unusual, bodyless scene, her features scrunching up in confusion and slight mild relief that a dead Felix wasn’t lying slumped over against one of the vehicles. Juliette gestured for Myra to hurry up for driver’s side, as she ushered Hannah quickly into the back seat. It didn’t take any shoving or prodding to get her in there, but the girl refused to let go of her arm! Forcing Juliette to climb into the back seat with her. Not an ideal position, but the faster they got home the better!
“We’re going straight back to the house, okay? Myra, where exactly is Dominic? He’s supposed to be with you both!”
It wasn’t like they were actually leaving him here. Jordan was here and in the mood that guy was proving to be in, Felix would be safe. So long as he wasn’t bleeding out in an alley way somewhere! But, she wasn’t going to think like that. Or say that! Not when things were already so absolutely chaotic.
Nodding readily along to Juliette’s telling of not looking like temping targets. They didn’t need to be on anyone’s dinner menu. So it was up to her to fill her rump into the fancy car driver’s seat. Mentally berating the man’s long ass giraffe legs that made the pedals seem like they were three miles away from being reached as the two climbed into the back seat. Needing no added narrator on her part to what was happening. Although, she was going to enjoy getting to drive this metal hunk. Considering Jordan never let her.
She’d call that a silver lining right now.
“Not planning on making any stops at Dunkin’ Donuts if that’s what you’re asking.” Glancing through the rearview at Juliette and Hannah, the thrum of the car was almost worth a giggle. Curbing her stupid excitement at the most inopportune time to put this puppy into gear. And dragging out the moment so she could form a secondary reply to the second question. “He was going to meet us down at the club. Felix was guna play driver one more time just because I guess. I don’t really know, they do their own thing.” Eyes danced around through the intersection only to pause at the view of someone attempting to run along the shadows. Only to disappear like the very darkness around them devoured them, only missing the generic Wilhelm scream to accompany it all as she decided to turn right. Maybe taking a bit of a longer way back was not a bad idea. Just to avoid anyone waiting for them.
“I’ll reach out to him after we get to safety. It should only be a few minutes. The manor is at least safe.”
“I could use a coffee,” muttered Juliette under her breath with quite the grim expression. Thank goodness Jordan had made her dinner. With as much adrenaline was running through her depleted veins, she might’ve been throwing up right about now. She’d already caught a flickered of Myra’s wild grinning in the rearview mirror, so Jordan’s car was in enough danger already.
“I can’t BELIEVE you’re thinking about coffee right now!” shrieked Hannah, who seemed to feel safe enough to finally raise her voice and conduct her arms like flailing batons. “They were going KIDNAP ME AND MYRA to ransom us off to your MAFIA DON fiancé! Torture us in some skeezy illegal fetish house that smells like fish and sex and guns!”
Speaking of guns, Juliette had already set the safety back on hers and stashed it quickly in the floorboards before Hannah’s arm slinging turned intro frantic slapping. None of them needed to get shot by accident!
“He’s not mafia, Hannah’s that’s-“
“NOT MAFIA? Not Mafia? Oh okay, Mizz Juliette Denise Byron of a well established shipping company so perfectly located on the docks where plenty of illegal goods could be smuggled by some weird man that dug up an ancient contract for a convenient and legal way of getting his hands on your company without the government finding out! What IS he then?!”
That was such a mouthful Juliette was honestly surprised Hannah managed to ramble it out in a single breath. This also felt like such a needless conversation to be having when they could settle it all when things were less in the line of danger and Hannah was a little calmer. But it seemed getting Hannah to calm down was a higher priority than she realized.
“Alright, alright,” Juliette acquiesced, which gratefully gave the girl enough assurance to stop swinging her arms around. “You’re correct about the betrothal contract and the company. He had need of it and a marriage was the most direct and fastest track to get it. Not because he is some mafia criminal, but because he is a King-“
“Oh, don’t try and spin a tale for me NOW, this is serious!”
“I am serious, Hannah. With complete honesty. A real and true King! This marriage has dug up all sorts of dissidents and malcontents, that are near literally foaming at the mouth looking for opportunities to knock Jordan off the throne.”
“…so it’s not just his fake weird vampire fetish BDSM persona?”
“For certain he is not pretending to be a vampire king for kink and pleasure.” After all, it was one hundred percent completely true. Every single word Juliette uttered. There was no pretending to be a vampire, and he certainly wasn’t a king of kink! She even shot Myra a glance via the rearview mirror to make sure the other girl understood how this story was to play out.
They needed to keep Hannah as far out of this vampiric world as possible.
“I thought you were just bullshitting me about actually knowing royals,” marveled Hannah. She visibly wilted in the backseat, accepting the truths of what Juliette explained – after all it made perfect sense! It was all but confirmed even in the way people kept interacting with Jordan and Juliette both. “Oh but Felix,” she straightened back up again, giving Juliette a pained, earnest look. “He spent all day being bored to tears keeping watch over me, only to get shot!”
“He did his job perfectly and I am sure Jordan will bring him home. Or to the hospital if he’s hurt. I promise you, Hannah! He’ll be fine! We just need to get home ourselves, where it is safe, and then if Jordan hasn’t found those rowdy bastards and killed them, you can sure as hell bet I will.”
They could make a bit ol’ ass pot of coffee back at the house. Where it was safe and sound. For reasons she didn’t really understand even after working with the tall, dark and cranky sire for so many years. Just something kept out those vampires that weren’t welcome or given the man’s approval. Surely it had to do with otherworldly magic that was beyond her mental capabilities. Or she just didn’t care enough. So long as it worked then that was all that mattered.
Yet it seemed that Hannah may need decaf with how suddenly quick she was to make her acts behave as though they themselves were living noodles! Declaring loudly some insane thought of how there was the mafia attached to Jordan and they were about to be kidnapped to be sold off to a fetish house. Earning a quick disbelieving look in that mirror at the two of them. Sure that Hannah hadn’t been knocked around head first into every solid thing during their crash, but maybe it might be a good idea to have her checked out. Because a tale like that, made a territory war of vampires seem like an absolute cake walk!
She could listen. Grateful that driving didn’t need her ears to be as focused as her eyes. Sure that if it did, she would have killed them all. How could she focus such things when Hannah was proving to be the fantasy writer in tongue alone. Dredging up a mouthful of commentary that could have gone to college students for grading!
Wondering how Juliette was going to handle this. Surprised no sooner that she was managing to do so with such a level of control that it was pure envy to listen too. Giving some information but not all of it. Oh she was going to have to applaud Juliette later because if she could give the chef’s kiss right now, she would.
Catching the look in the mirror that was responded with a subtle nod. If they wanted to keep Hannah unaware, they really needed to hope her fascination now with Augustus would die off too. Maybe they could find a distraction that was just as handsome to dangle in front of her like a ball of yarn. “Felix will be okay. Jordan wouldn’t let him die even if he was on death’s door. Likely to tell death to go fuck themselves.” Brows arched trying to seem comical but truly she believed the man would actually shoo away the vision of grim. To watch with a displeased expression of a turned nose. Although to hear the mention of death in another term, she highly doubted there would be anyone left after this. All the more reason she had better reach out to the other two human councilor’s that worked for Jordan to start working to play clean up.
Teeth grazed the soft inner flesh of lip as she thought. Wondering mentally who would be better to talk too finding no immediate answer to arrive. Rather the house itself would come faster into view. With iron gates opening upon remote to allow the vehicle to glide down the familiar stone pathway. Pulling the car up as close to the front walk that was feasibly allowed so she might stop. Tugging keys out with so the door could open to allow the other two out of the backseat. “I’m going to make a few calls but take the keys to open the door. I’ve got to play a bit of back and forth with a few more of Jordan’s contacts to make sure the King doesn’t get himself into trouble.” Myra spoke mostly to that of Juliette. “I’ll try to get tabs open with Felix to see where he is too. It might be a long night.”
“Thank you,” Juliette uttered in a breath to Myra, with such intense sincerity that it may have felt like a coded promise. If the girl hadn’t already sealed herself as this intelligent valuable source of wisdom, tonight she’d went above and beyond to keep Hannah safe amidst unexpected chaos.
“Let’s go, duck, into the house,” she then urged Hannah into movement. Juliette made sure to reclaimed her gun and her beach bag as they excited the car, then led the way up to the house and inside with a tight grip on Hannah’s hand. Unsure of what to expect from the redheaded woman on how she was going to react to everything. Even with all of Juliette’s experiences, she’d never been in a shoot out and seen someone shot before. She’d never seen that much blood and mayhem. It unsettled her and she wasn’t even the soft sort of gentle person Hannah was!
“Gods, my skin is crawling I need to get out of this dress,” Hannah grunted in the foyer, releasing Juliette’s hand to quickly take on the stairs. Juliette made an effort to keep up, finding herself winded more than halfway up and needing to take it slower. Her friend slowed her own pace, not seeming to make note of it, but then she was still talking and trying to process the evening. Running her fingers through her now wild looking red curls.
“That one guy was dead I am so sure of it, but there wasn’t even a single body there – that’s so weird, isn’t it?” she posed the question out loud.
“Conspiracy is a true thing. One does not leave evidences behind,” explained Juliette in a rush of breath. Once she made it to the stop of the stairs Hannah gave her an eye and down look, and Juliette just knew those little wheels were turning in her brain. Honestly, she was glad that Hannah wasn’t the sort to take everything at face value. To just accept the words everyone gave her – but in this instance her intelligence was quite frustrating!
“Where exactly is Jordan the king of?” she asked point blank.
Juliette laughed, causing the other girl to huff and continue leading the way to her bedroom.
“There is no country or land of ownership – at least, not that I am aware of. He is King of a people.”
“Ah. Kind of like the Romani in Europe.”
Juliette hummed her agreement, trailing after Hannah into the girl’s bedroom. She knew little about Romani culture, but the comparison was likely a good one. The vampire covens could easily be akin to the traveling tribes. She took a seat on the edge of Hannah’s bed, while the other woman struggled out of her clothes in search of something else to wear.
After a beat and now in her favorite oversized t-shirt, Hannah plopped on the bed in front of Juliette, squinting her eyes in an accusatory examining gaze.
“You look exhausted,” she stated bluntly, to which Juliette only smiled in mysterious agreement. Hannah scoffed. “Are you sure you’re up for all of this? Like, this is potential assassination levels of danger here. If there’s a bunch of whackos out there trying to coup a king, you’re going to be collateral damage.”
“You were the collateral damage today,” Juliette responded with a grimace. “And I am so sorry for that. I honestly, truly thought David was going to be the only concern for you. Truthfully, I don’t believe Jordan expected it either. If you want to go back home to Paris, I’ll-“
“Oh my god,” Hannah blurted in with frustration. “I’m going to need therapy for months, yeah, but I’m not going to just abandon you because a bunch of psychos are out there. Just answer my question! Do you really want this?”
Juliette paused a moment, searching Hannah’s face for the lie or the twist. Finding even with the streaks of red in her eyes and that watery look that she was about to burst into tears at any second, there was a great deal more steadfast strength in there than she’d given Hannah credit for. That soft smile returned and Juliette nodded.
“He is inspiring. Somehow. Maybe your nonsense of destiny is contagious, but he’s opened up the world for me and I want to conquer it and give it back to him with a neat little bow. I do want this, I’ve never really wanted anything more.”
Sentimentality was indeed Hannah’s greatest weakness and with such an admission she couldn’t help but give a shaky, wistful sigh. Much to Juliette’s chagrin, she found herself half tackled into a tight hug, having to gentle pat Hannah’s back until she finally set Juliette free.
“I want to be that much in love, but damn, you can keep the drama of Kings and scoundrels. I’m never going to scoff at your boring list of boring potential love interests for me ever again. I’ll take the boring!”
“Even Prince Pudding Skull?”
“Ugh, no royals! Not even Prince Pudding Skull!”
Juliette laughed, sliding herself off Hannah’s bed. “You should try to get some sleep, this was a shock.”
“I can’t,” huffed Hannah. “At least, not until I get word about Felix and know he’s not dead somewhere. I’ll go downstairs and menace Myra when she comes back inside. They really were the most badass people I have ever seen, through the whole thing. I need to thank Felix and bake him some cupcakes or something.”
Juliette found she was far too tired to discourage Hannah from menacing Myra, the kitchen, or anyone else! But with the girl seeming to be calm enough and not in need of comforting company, Juliette escaped off to her own bedroom. Immediately finding her way into the shower to wash off all the sand and salt that still clung to her body. Finding that it didn’t help her feeling any more awake or less anxious, but it gave her something to keep her busy.
On exiting the shower she changed into a simple nightgown, only because she knew getting fully dressed and leaving the house to rampage her way through the streets wouldn’t be viable. Yet. As she paced the bedroom floor in front of the unlit fireplace, she was running the night’s events, all the causes, effects, and consequences through her mind. Her instinct always whispered and hissed about vengeance, and that was not the right move here. In fact, she suspected rash reactions were exactly what the stunt was meant to provoke. Either from Jordan or herself. To unsettle and distract the king, or to scare her off and away, she couldn’t be sure.
What she did know, was that a meeting with Augustus Steele was now tomorrow’s top priority. For unless there was a scout lurking outside of Jordan’s manor domain watching their every coming and going, the only place that would have seen Hannah and found themselves inspired to use her, would be those at the Iron Dog Pub during their visit. It would be the best place for Juliette to make sure her intentions were heard by listening ears.
By the time the front door opened to bring the man of the hour inside, she was on her second cup of coffee. Having put out the four one one to that of Baldwin. Not that the elder gentleman was particularly thrilled to be talking about the bloody chaos that had erupted like damn mount Vesuvius! Mumbling a series of unintelligible curses through the phone that she could only guess what was being said before he gave her a list of things that would need to be completed.
Naturally first and foremost was Felix. To assure that no one had decided to take his neck in unholy matrimony to turn him into one of the leeches of the damn. Then of course to assign him to one of the medical professionals that had been deemed safe to deal with by the four of them a long time ago. Following along to the nitty gritty of other details that were pretty much self explanatory to her.
They’d have to start digging into who constructed this attack and for why. Obviously. While leaving the semantics of dislodging any information about the whole scene from any media sources as quickly as possible. Guessing that was likely why Baldwin was mad because that was work he hated doing. As did they all!
To hear that door was a signal for her to stand up. Glimpsing out the kitchen archway to see just whom had wandered in and with both a sense of tension and relief, she caught the man’s glaring eye. A burning ring of crimson as he made a unceremonious smearing of hand over an obvious blood splatter that christened from brow to sternum. And his gaze narrowed at her. He was here alone so that must have meant Felix was okay otherwise surely Jordan wouldn’t have come back!
Lips parted and she found him holding the opposite hand up. A signal for silence. “Eden is taking care of it.” He muttered only so he could look at the palm that was being looked upon with its redden source. Just that he gave a slight turn of finger to indicate pointing to that of the study. Managing to remove shoes without lofting them across the foyer so he could wander that way firstly. Causing her to turn back in the kitchen and decide to pour a third cup so she might be able to dull his manic senses a bit. Figuring it was his intention not to storm upstairs after Juliette because he looked a right god damn mess. A murder-y sort of mess and after Hannah had been busy nattering her ear off till she said it was best the girl tried to get some shut eye, this was probably smart…er?
“You think she won’t come find you?” Myra mumbled to herself suspected there was hardly a reason why Juliette would be any different than Hannah. While they may have retired, she doubted either of them would be comfortably sleeping in their respective beds! Still, she made a quick move over to the study being careful not to slip any of the black gold onto the floor before sliding into the known room. “So… who?” He shot her a look then that spoke volumes. Momentarily putting her to pause with dull blinking.
Baring fangs literally at her, “Not. Now.” Hissed as its own sentence, Jordan slapped open a drawer to retrieve an old handkerchief to make use of it to blot away the collection of bloody samples. “Is Juliette and Hannah alright?”
“As fine as they can be I suppose. Though your future wifey is great at tales, I must say I am impressed with how she came up with a feasible telling to cover up this.” A brow arched proving he was not so sure that could be done. “She’s good, very good.”
“I consider myself lucky in more ways than one.” He exhaled with a new fold in the cloth, “You can take one of the other rooms here to rest in, Myra. I’d rather you stay close because I don’t know what the hell else is waiting. All I know is we will be pulling in Zephyr come the afternoon tomorrow. Seems his name was on many of those fuckers lips tonight. And I hope… they squeal like a beaten whore back to Emery…”