20. Amy
Chapter 20
Amy
I felt like I was waking up from the dead all over again, only in a much more pleasant way. This bed was the most comfortable one I’d ever slept in, and as I rolled and stretched, I felt so much lighter.
My tears had all run out, and the heavy weight of worthlessness no longer sat like a boulder on my chest. But a flutter of anxiety filled me when I remembered what else happened last night.
Novak carrying me, holding me. Kissing me.
I brought my knees toward my stomach, suddenly self-conscious and worried. How pathetic must I have looked to him?
“Sleep well?”
I startled, flipping over to find Novak in bed next to me. He sat against the headboard, dressed in slacks and a fresh shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His legs stretched out long in front of him, crossed at the ankles. A leather folio was open in his lap and a pen rested in his hand. Scribbled notes and what looked like scientific equations covered the spread of papers in front of him.
In short, he looked relaxed but scholarly, and absolutely delicious.
“Uh, yeah.” I was self-conscious of my hair, my face, the day-old clothes I’d slept in—basically everything. “I see you managed to find a shirt.”
Novak grinned and capped his pen. “I searched far and wide to no avail. So I resorted to hand-sewing an old curtain to make do.”
“Wow.” I gave him a once-over, nodding approvingly. “You are quite skilled with a needle and thread.”
“I’d say it’s a necessary skill during times of massive shirt famines.”
The longer this conversation went on, the harder it became to not laugh. “You know, if the situation is that dire, I’m sure your staff wouldn’t mind if you just went without for a while.”
Novak’s grin wobbled with restrained laughter. “Walking around the house with no shirt? After all the trouble I went through to make this?”
“Just something to keep in mind if I mess up that one with snot and tears. Your sacrifice would be appreciated.”
“By just my household staff?”
“No… ”
He leaned in closer, ruby eyes bright. “By who else, then?”
His gaze was so intense and I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I hid my face in a pillow and burst into laughter. When I felt Novak’s weight slide closer and his hand rested on my waist, it wasn’t shock that quieted me, but an elated sense of relief.
He hadn’t lied, hadn’t touched or kissed me last night out of pity or selfishness. He was still here, as he said he would be.
“It sounds like you’re feeling better, akra.” His voice was every bit as warm and comforting as the bed.
I sighed into the pillow, my breath warming the soft fabric. “In some ways, yes.”
“But not in others?”
Moving the pillow slightly, I peeked at him with one eye. “I’m a little embarrassed about last night.”
Novak’s brow pinched with a frown. “You have no reason to be. I wish I could have done more to ease you.”
“What? No.” I let the pillow fall away. “Last night, you did more for me than anyone else ever has. Even Tavia.”
A smile curled his mouth. “Tavia not much for cuddling and forehead kisses?”
I let out a small laugh. “Well, our relationship was never like that. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a good listener and we could talk for hours, but when I’m upset she always wants to… do something about it.”
“You mean retaliate against those who hurt you.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I appreciate a friend who isn’t afraid to throw punches or yell at a man twice her size. But that wasn’t always what I needed, you know?”
“I won’t lie, the thought crossed my mind,” Novak mused. “I was worried about you, and I wanted to find out who hurt you and make them pay for it.” His voice went low, lips curling to expose his fangs. “But you needed me to stay, and that was more important than making some humans piss themselves in fear.”
“Hey, I never said anything about humans being the reason.”
Novak slid lower to lie next to me, then propped himself up on an elbow. “I stepped out for a bit earlier tonight, and ended up running into Tavia and Cyan.”
“You did?” I sat up higher. “Oh God, was Cyan an asshole? He’s like that, sometimes.”
“No. They were both pleasant company actually.” Novak looked at me in a way that made my cheeks heat. “He told me what happened in Sapien. And Tavia deduced who they were based on descriptions. Tom Harrison and Robin?”
I hid my face behind the pillow again. “Great. Now I’m even more embarrassed.”
Novak stole the pillow and threw it off the bed. “Those humans should be embarrassed. Not you.” With no barrier between us now and his gaze locked on me, vulnerability crept up my spine like a ghostly chill.
“I meant everything I said last night.” Novak made no move to touch me again, but his words were like a caress. “You’re important to me. I find you breathtakingly beautiful, and… ” he paused as if wrestling with himself. “I like having you in my home. Especially in my bed.”
My eyes widened. “This is your ?—”
I looked around the room for the first time ever. This was definitely not the guest room I’d stayed in before. The bed was much bigger, as was the room itself. A massive fireplace took over the far wall, with two armchairs and a coffee table in front of it. The windows reached from floor to ceiling, showing a starry night sky and a waning half moon.
“Are you okay with being in here?” Novak asked in response to my jaw-dropped gaping.
“Yeah! I mean, of course. It’s just, I thought your guest room was luxurious, but this feels… resplendent.”
“You haven’t even seen the four heads in the shower.”
“Four shower heads?!”
“That’s not even the best part.” He grinned. “There’s a bench built into the wall.”
I stared at him. “A bench is the best part?”
“Yes! So you can sit down.” He quirked an eyebrow. “A hot shower is supposed to be relaxing. Who wants to be on their feet the whole time? The shower bench is a genius invention.”
I shook my head, laughing. “If you say so.”
Novak’s smile softened. “If you’re feeling up for it, I thought we could go out tonight.”
“Out? Out where?”
“Just into the Cap for a drink or meal. Get some fresh air. Spend some time together outside of these walls.”
“Like a… ” I wasn’t even sure if I had the guts to say the word. “A date?”
His grin widened and my heart fluttered. “Yes, exactly.”
“I’d love to, but I don’t have anything clean to wear.” I was still in the clothes I’d worn to Sapien.
“We can shop for clothes first, if you’d like. Rack up a bill on Blood ‘til Dawn’s account, or,” he paused, voice lowering, “let me take care of everything.”
“You don’t mean that.” I tried to laugh it off but Novak looked dead serious.
“I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t mean it. You can keep sets of clothes here if you want. I have plenty of closet space.”
“Why?” I demanded.
“Massive shirt shortage, remember?”
My laugh was a mix of nerves and genuine amusement. “No, I mean why would you offer to buy me clothes?”
His gaze heated. “Is it so hard to believe that I like you and want to see you taken care of?”
I swallowed. “I mean, a little.”
He let out a frustrated little growl as he leaned in closer, stroking his knuckles against my cheek. “It should be a fucking crime that so many people in your life caused you to feel that way. If I can’t punish those humans, then I’ll make you see your worth for as long as you let me.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “You should be cherished, akra. A few changes of clothes is just a drop in the bucket.”
I was too choked up to respond. Novak dropped another kiss on my brow before backing away.
“Go ahead and shower. I’m going to take care of a few things in my office. Come get me when you’re ready.”
“Beef tataki.” The vampire waiter at Carnassian’s placed the dish in front of me. “And the kitfo for you, sir.” He set Novak’s food down and stepped back. “Can I get you anything else?”
“This is great, thank you.”
“Enjoy, folks.”
As the waiter left, I hurried to remove my chopsticks from their paper wrapping. We’d gone clothes shopping for two hours before eating and I was starving.
“Be honest,” I said. “Is Jo going to be upset that you’re cheating on her with restaurant food?”
Novak laughed, setting a napkin in his lap. “I think she’ll understand that I’m taking you out on a date.” He extended his hand across the table. “Let me see that.”
“This?” I held up the paper wrapper that my chopsticks had been in and he nodded. When I handed it over, he started folding it on the table’s surface.
“Plus, as talented a chef as she is, she can’t always whip up authentic Ethiopian food when I’m craving it.” His attention was steadfast on his paper-folding project as he spoke.
“You actually crave food?”
“I crave tastes and textures. There are more foodie vampires than you might believe.”
“I believe it.” I picked up a piece of barely-seared beef with my chopsticks and chewed. The meat melted in my mouth, dancing in all kinds of flavors that I had never perceived as a human before. Rich, savory, balanced with a burst of citrus. I could get used to this.
Novak finished folding up my paper wrapper and placed it next to my plate. “There you go, akra.”
“What’s this?” I picked up the folded paper, which now looked like a small boat with an indent in the middle.
“You can rest your chopsticks on it.”
“Oh.” Words were lost on me. It was such a small but thoughtful gesture. “Thank you.”
Novak had just taken a bite of his food and smiled slowly as he chewed, the muscles in his jaw flexing in a way that shouldn’t have been sexy. But then again, I found his forearms and rolled-up sleeves sexy so maybe jaw muscles weren’t too far off.
“How’s your food?” I asked when I remembered how to speak.
“Good. Do you want to try it?” Novak pushed his plate toward me. “Rip off a piece of that bread, scoop it up, and dip it in the sauce.”
I took a bit from his plate and he tried a bit from mine. We talked about food and flavors we liked and didn’t like, ribbing each other about our differences in tastes as we enjoyed our meal. It was… easy and light. Fun. Another moment with Novak I wanted to soak up forever and never see the end of.
“How’s your research going?” I paused in my eating, resting my chopsticks on the little stand he made for me.
Novak chewed slowly, the muscles in his jaw working hypnotically before his throat bobbed with a swallow. “I think it’s coming to an end, to be honest.”
“Really? Is that good or bad?” I couldn’t tell from his reaction. He didn’t seem happy about it, more resigned.
“It’s not a cure. So in that sense, it’s a failure.” He took a long swallow of his wine. “But I was able to isolate the cause of the disease, a virus, and the antibodies. From that, I can make a vaccine to help prevent future cases. But as far as the damage that’s already done?” He shrugged and lifted his hands in a giving up motion. “There’s no undoing it, from what I can see. Maybe in another fifty years, with more discoveries and advanced technology, it will be possible. At this point though, I think I’ve done all I can do with the tools at my disposal.”
My jaw hung open. “Novak, that’s incredible! You’ve discovered the source and can save lives. I can’t believe you sound so disappointed. You’ve done more work on this illness than anyone else has.”
His look was sheepish, like he was taking too much credit despite doing all the work. “I fell short of what I originally set out to do, so it doesn’t exactly feel like a victory.”
“There’s a saying humans have.” I picked up my chopsticks, digging into my food once again. “Shoot for the moon. If you miss, you’ll still land among the stars.”
Novak’s mouth lifted at one corner. “Which means?”
“It’s a way of saying even if you don’t hit your original target, you can still accomplish great things. You made a discovery that will help people! That’s amazing and you should celebrate that.”
“Thank you. But your saying doesn’t make sense because the nearest star is still ninety-seven million miles away from the moon.”
“Oh, you get what I’m saying, Mister Scientist. Don’t make me throw my cute little chopstick rest at you, I quite like it.”
His laugh was warm and throaty, a dangerous combination with the teasing and affection in his ruby eyes.
“Seriously, though. That’s an amazing accomplishment and you should be proud. I’m proud.” I picked up my wine glass and held it out toward him. “To your brilliant mind and your discoveries.”
Novak stared at my wine glass for a long moment before silently picking up his own. For once, the highly intelligent vampire with a clever mouth seemed to be at a loss for words. I got the sense that he didn’t often hear that someone was proud of him, and I intended to correct that.
“Thank you, akra,” he murmured, touching his drink gently to mine. “That is… lovely of you to say.”
“My pleasure.” It truly was. I sipped my drink, enjoying the sight of him speechless and flustered across the table.
“Enough about me. Tell me about your life as a human.” Novak’s foot gently curled around my calf under the table.
I brushed off the request with a laugh. “There’s not much to tell.”
“Nonsense.” He tapped the toe of his shoe against my leg. “What did you do? What were your interests?”
“I mean, I tried to be useful in whatever ways I could.” I shrugged. “Tending the animals, cooking community meals, making quilts in the winter. I’d help Tavia with her alcohol projects sometimes, even though all the specifics went way over my head.”
“You’re a caretaker.” Novak’s voice was warm with affection, his hand finding my knee under the table. “You look after people.”
“I guess. I did a lot of reading in my spare time. Trashy romance novels, mostly.”
His smile turned into a full-on grin. “My mother loved those books. I still have her collection in the downstairs library.”
“You do?” I perked up.
“Would you like to see them?” He removed his hand from my knee and placed it palm up on the table, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“How is that even a question? Yes!” I placed my hand in his and reveled in the warmth of his fingers curling over mine.
“Let me pay this bill then and let’s get out of here.” Novak waved down the waiter and made a signing motion. The waiter nodded on his way to the kitchen with a stack of empty dishes.
“Thank you for the meal and the new clothes.” My thumb rubbed over the veins in Novak’s wrist. “You really didn’t have to.”
“I know, akra.” He held my hand between both of his and kissed my fingers. “But I wanted to.”
I had never felt so content before. My belly was full. I had multiple shopping bags full of new clothes at my side, and a gorgeous man who seemed genuinely into me holding my hand.
Even Novak’s hands and wrists were beautiful, long fingered with prominent veins under his skin. Veins with such delicious blood…
Heat rushed through me at the thought of his blood, and I felt my canines lengthen in my mouth. I wasn’t even hungry, but it was the taste of him that I wanted. His skin and the heady, strong pulse underneath. I wanted him in my senses, in me. And not just in the sense of feeding.
He’d never taken my blood before, never asked for it. I was beginning to figure out that Novak was too selfless to ask for anything that would benefit himself. At the very least, he would make sure all my needs were met first.
As we held hands, waiting on the check, I saw his pupils dilate when looking at my wrists. I noticed the points of his own fangs poking past his top lip. He tried to be subtle about adjusting his pants, but I noticed that too.
“Novak.” My fangs were on full display as I smiled and for once, I didn’t care.
“Akra.”
My touch ventured higher than his wrist, stroking the long, corded muscle in his forearm. “Would you like my blood?”
He hissed in a sharp breath, then muttered something under his breath before saying, “I would love nothing more.” He grabbed my hand and placed a kiss on my wrist. “When we get home.”
I squirmed in my seat, biting my lip to hold back my wildly excited grin. The waiter could not come back soon enough.