30. Redd
Ihated to admit it, but I was having more fun than I had had in months. Or possibly ever.
From the delicious drinks, to the life-changing food, to the effervescent laugh of the gorgeous vampire sitting next to me, this night was going to be a permanent fixture in my memories. I knew I would think back on this bright moment with fondness no matter where the fates took me in the future.
These were the things I would remember when I went back home to Sunhaven. The thought of returning home usually didn’t stir up much emotion for me, but right now, it made me feel strangely… melancholy. That was a problem.
I tried to focus on staying in the moment and appreciating the day for what it was.
By the time we were on our third goblets of cider and second bowls of stew, I was feeling loose, uninhibited, and uncharacteristically happy.
I didn’t want to ruin the mood by telling Fiella that I was returning home tomorrow.
Her face was flushed, her eyes were bright, and she was smiling more than I had ever seen her smile. She was positively radiant. I had a hard time pulling my eyes away from her.
I wondered if she would even notice my absence when I left–we were hardly even friends. We were just two vampires working together to fix her shop.
The thought made my smile droop. I couldn’t get Fiella off my mind, but I couldn’t stay here.
This town wasn’t my home, even if I was growing to tolerate it.
I slapped a handful of silvers onto the table, sending my praises to Ginger. I would have written the faun a sonnet if I was a musical folk. Her culinary creations were divine. Absolutely Gods blessed.
“Thank you for the best meal of my life, Ginger, but we must be going.” I called out. “If I have one more cider, I might never leave. You’ll have to let me live behind the bar forever.” I held my goblet over my head and let the final few drips fall into my mouth, savoring them like nectar.
“See! I told you her food was magical!” Fiella called out. “Ginny, looks like we’ve got another regular.” She winked at the faun, and then winked at me. She looked so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but smile.
Her words didn’t even register past the warmth in my chest. I wouldn’t get the chance to become a regular customer.
We donned our cloaks and headed out into the night.
“So,” Fiella asked as we stepped up to the entry of her cottage. “Was that the absolute best meal that has ever graced your tongue or what? And the absolute best company too, I bet.”
I simply smiled. My thoughts were bubbling and churning.
I couldn’t fathom the idea of never kissing her, of never giving in to the urge to taste her lips with mine. If I was leaving tomorrow, this would be my only chance. I wasn’t sure if I would be coming back.
Feeling emboldened by the buzz in my system and the rosy-cheeked smiles Fiella was showering me with, I decided fuck it. I grabbed her lovely chin, tilted her face up toward mine, and slowly, giving her plenty of time to pull away if she decided to, I lowered my mouth to hers. Delicate as a feather. Our lips brushed, barely a shadow of a touch. A shiver traveled down my spine.
Her gorgeous lips were even softer than I imagined they would be. She froze for a moment, and I almost decided to pull away and pretend the whole thing never happened, but then she reacted.
Fiella practically melted in my arms. She tasted like blueberries and something that was distinctly her, and I couldn’t get enough. She pressed her lips harder against mine and threw her arms around my neck. I couldn’t hold back the groan that slipped out of my mouth, the sound low enough to sound like a growl.
I moved my grip from her chin to cradle the back of her head, and my other hand slipped to wrap around the small of her back, gently pulling her body into mine.
My blood was thrumming in my veins. I had never felt so alive. Fiella tightened her grip around my neck and tentatively opened her mouth, a question and an invitation.
Gods, this woman is going to be the death of me. I stroked my tongue against hers and she let out the sexiest rasp of breath I had ever heard. That sound was definitely going to be on repeat in my dreams.
I didn’t even care that we were standing outside of her cottage and that it was freezing outside. I wanted this woman with every fiber of my being.
I nipped at her bottom lip with my fangs, not hard enough to draw blood but hard enough to sting a little, and Fiella let out a quiet laugh, a noticeable shiver moving down her spine.
“Tease,” she rasped out against my mouth.
“What, would you like me to bite you again, Fiella?” I murmured back.
She groaned quietly in response, her nails digging into my skin and pulling me impossibly closer. “I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t deny it, either.”
I scraped my fangs against her lip again, drawing the tiniest drop of blood, her delicious essence bursting on my tongue. This time, her moan couldn’t be stifled, and I felt her knees weaken beneath her.
“You like that, don’t you, little vampire?” I asked, unable to resist teasing her a bit.
She licked at my fang, surprising me and sending a shockwave of desire through my body. My heart was thrumming like a drum, my blood leaving my brain and heading to more insistent body parts instead.
“Yes.” She responded. She moved her hands down to my cloak, slipping them inside and tucking her body closer to mine, shoving the extra fabric out of the way.
I sent a silent thanks to the Old Gods, if any of them were lingering close enough to hear me. If I was struck dead at this exact moment with Fiella’s lips on mine and her hands pulling me closer, I would die a happy man.