61. Chapter Sixty-One
Chapter Sixty-One
Beau Drewitt
There’s A Lot For Elowen To Learn
Ican’t sleep. It’s nearing midnight and I think we are thinking the same thing.
But Elowen lets me stay, and that feels like a mercy I definitely didn’t earn but will spend the rest of my undead life repaying.
Ideas and theories pick at me, but I refuse to talk to Elowen about them with Imani listening in.
I don’t want her to feel forced either way.
But… what if there is a way for her to stay?
What if I use my one allowed change for her?
We could spend the rest of our un-dead lives together then.
I just don’t know when or how to talk to her about it.
I know she’s still dealing with the idea mentally anyways.
My identity sort of got dropped on her like a bomb-shell, but life insisted it had bigger and worse things for her to worry over like… dying, for instance.
Imani still runs the house like a quiet general.
She moves things closer to Elowen, offers to adjust pillows on the couch for her, and goes so far as to anticipate needs before Elowen can speak up.
She takes her role as caretaker very seriously, but I’m here to help, not free-load.
She does occasionally flick her eyes at the stainless steel cup on the table and back to me.
She wants to involve me in certain ways, like water duty for Elowen.
That matters more than she probably knows.
After Imani runs around the house like a chicken with her head cut off, she finally sits down.
Elowen slightly adjusts, the best she can, as she lays back onto me on the couch. I brush my fingers through her hair slowly, carefully, my fingers dragging through familiar strands like I’m memorizing her all over again. She closes her eyes when I do it. “That feels nice,” she murmurs.
I swallow. “Yeah?”
She nods. “You could put me to sleep doing this.” I laugh under my breath and continue to pamper her, loving her in ways that are physical and intimate.
Ways that show I’m still attracted to her on every level.
Elowen insists we put on some reality show that none of us are actually watching.
Something loud and ridiculous. People yelling about love like it’s something you can choose rather than fall into accidentally.
Elowen laughs at the worst moments, the kind of laugh that scrapes the grief right off of my chest for half a second.
I hold her against me, her back to my chest, my arms wrapped around her frame.
I adjust when she shifts. I learn quickly where she needs support and where she doesn’t.
She lets me learn how to care for her in this new way.
That’s the thing that keeps undoing me. She’s letting me in, when she was so adamant just this evening that she shouldn’t.
I wish there were words better than a gracious thank you that could show how grateful I am that she’s changed her mind.
That’s what makes me think that she might let me change her.
That maybe, just maybe, she’d consider spending eternity with me.
I could give her the world. I just won’t be able to do that if she leaves me behind on this wretched planet.
Kai shows up with a knock and two grocery bags like he’s decided we are all eating whether we want to or not.
“Well,” he says when he sees Imani open the door.
“This is not how I pictured tonight, but I’m here now so you’re stuck with me.
” I can feel Imani roll her eyes from here.
Kai drops the grocery bags on the counter before rounding the couch to sit in front of Elowen.
Elowen smiles at him, and Kai, for once in his life, looks sad. “Hi, Kai. Long time, no see.” She says, still resting back on me.
“Yeah,” he says softer. “I know.” After Imani puts the groceries away, she pulls Kai out of his seat and takes her spot back on the couch. He sits on the floor next to Genie, back against the couch, close enough to matter and still be involved.
“So, how were things in the speakeasy? The first night in a while that we locked up and left a sign. I can imagine people caught you leaving and said something?” I gesture to Kai.
“Yeah, it was Thomas. I told him that you’re busy with some personal matters and that I was going to come be with you. I let him in and served him a drink or two. He pulled out a fifty and went on his merry way.” I laugh because honestly, that’s a lot better than I was expecting.
“I’m sorry. Did you say speakeasy?” Elowen cocks her head upwards towards me.
At this moment, I realize maybe there’s a lot more that Elowen doesn’t know.
Imani leans forward to grab the TV remote off the table and turns down the volume, as it seems we are all in the swing of conversation again, unlike earlier.
“Yeah. It’s under the bookstore. Crimson & Quill has a cellar underneath.
After Kai found out that I’m a vampire, we devised a plan to make it into a home for the supernatural.
Somewhere for people like me to have a home.
” The words vampire and supernatural roll off my tongue now.
I don’t second guess anything that I say anymore and nobody seems shocked or put-off by it either.
Genie jumps back onto the couch, deciding Kai isn’t giving him enough attention, so it’s Imani’s turn to pet him.
He bustles himself under her arm and she groans, but allows him space to cuddle up to her.
The night drags on. Kai decides he can’t wait any longer to eat and grabs Imani and heads toward the kitchen. I know that they’ve talked more than he’s been telling me. She wouldn’t have just let him guide her away otherwise.
Elowen, still leaning back on me, licks her lips and swallows. “Want some water?” I ask.
“Yeah, thank you.” I lean forward and bring the straw to her lips.
What happens when she starts to lose her speech?
I’ll have to be here so I can read her mind.
It’s actually a blessing in disguise that I can, that way there’s a fail-safe in place for her to communicate with us.
She takes a drink and I place the cup back on the table.
“Beau, you realize I’m actually dying right?
” I don’t return to combing my fingers through her hair.
Instead I lean my head around and pull her chin to look at me.
“Elowen Briar, I still have time with you. I want every moment between now and then to be treasured. I’m not going to pretend I’m not scared, but also I just have… something on my mind.”
“Like what?”
“I’m going to give you time to absorb your diagnosis first before I offer. We have time to discuss all of that later. Maybe tomorrow?” Elowen doesn’t push. Mostly because she’s exhausted. I can see it all over her face. “I’ll feed you some food and then carry you to bed. How’s that?”
”You can go back home, if you want. I know they said it’ll progress fast, but I don't think I’m dying tonight.” I lean down and peck her lips before she can continue.
“If you want me to leave, tell me to get out. If you’re trying to be selfless and think of me like I need the rest or I need to be up for work tomorrow, you’re severely mistaken.
My only concern in this world is you. It doesn’t matter if I never open that bookstore or speakeasy again.
Kai will still receive a paycheck. I can do as I please, and most importantly, I can be here with you until you kick me out.
” She smiles and doesn’t fight me on it.
Just in case she is considering kicking me out, I look into her mind.
"You left the last time I wanted you to stay.” Elowen thinks to herself.
“I needed a blood bag…” That makes Elowen scoff at me, but she returns to watching television.
“He’s going to run when it gets worse. He’s going to be so disgusted with me by the end of this. Even if by some miracle I survive, he’ll never see me the same. I’m not surviving this. Maybe I’ll get lucky and pass in my sleep before my condition progresses.”
“Elowen Briar. Stop. Thinking. Like. That. Please.” I beg of her.
I sit her up on the couch where she can rest against the back and then stand up from the couch.
I lean down and place both of her arms in her lap before lacing my left arm under her neck and my right arm in the bend of her knee.
Deciding that we need to have a more private conversation, I pick her up to carry her back to the master bedroom and proceed to kick the door shut behind us.
I lay her on the bed and crawl over her.
“How many times do I need to tell you that I love you? Huh? How many times? What do I need to do to show you that I want you still? I’m not going anywhere unless you fucking make me. ”
Elowen’s eyes widen and she smiles, but glances back down at her hands.
I can’t even touch you. “Mi tesoro, I want you. I don’t care about my pleasure.
My desires lie in your happiness. Now, do I need to strip you down and fuck the doubt out of you again?
Or would you prefer for me to lace that pretty pussy with my tongue and let your orgasm do it for me? ”
“Beau Drewitt! Lower your voice!” Her face turns bright red, thinking Kai and Imani are able to hear me from the kitchen.
“Good thing the only thing the people outside of this room can hear is a white noise machine that you suddenly have.” I wink. “Plus, the door is locked. Now, do you want to orgasm, Elowen Briar?”
“I’m just embarrassed.” She frowns at me.
“What if I told you I have an idea that could fix all of this? What if there’s a way for you to stay with me?” I lean in and kiss her neck, nipping her neck, but not piercing the skin. “I’ll love you no matter what, but I just want to offer…” I lick up her neck and nibble the edge of her ear.
“Enough talking. Use that pretty mouth on me instead.” Elowen moans and shocks me from the inside out. I immediately follow her command.
“Fuck, mi tesoro. Yes ma’am.” She shivers as I unbutton her blouse, allowing it to fall open to reveal her black bra.
I kiss along the edge of the cup where her chest spills out of them.
Following suit, I undo her jeans and slide them down her legs, revealing a pastel pink pair of panties underneath.
I lick along her waist, pulling the fabric between my teeth, shredding them with my fangs.
I look up to see her tilting her head to watch me.
I pull a pillow from behind her and prop it underneath her head to give her a better viewing point.
“Feet flat against the bed, knees up and apart. Spread them for me like the good girl you are.” She follows my command now.
I lace my tongue into her dripping wet pussy and savor the taste of her in my mouth.
My mouth is relentless against her, licking and sucking at her clit until I start to hear her toes curl against the comforter on the bed.
“Let me finish. Please, Beau. Let me finish.”
“Come undone for me, beautiful. Let go of every worry and concern. Come for me.” I growl. Elowen’s body bucks against my mouth as she finishes. I lap up every ounce of slick that pours out of her, savoring her bliss. As she comes down, her breath starts to even out.
“Oh my god, that was amazing. I feel like my whole body is at peace.” I smile at her admission.
“Do you want me to help you to the bathroom?” I ask her.
She glances at me, dazed. “You’ll have to help me clean up. You know I can’t…”
“I know. You have a gown or something around here, yes? I’ll of course help you clean up.
I told you once, but I’ll tell you again.
I always clean up after I eat.” Elowen blushes and throws me a soft smile.
I open one of her drawers, digging for a dress or gown to slip onto her.
I finally find a black long sleeve gown with small white lace along the shoulders.
“That was my Grandma’s.” She smiles. I help her sit up and slide the blouse off her shoulder, slipping the gown over her head.
“Perfect. I’m sure she’d be excited to hear that your boyfriend made you orgasm then put you in her gown.”
“Boyfriend?” Elowen’s eyes widen. I realize I did in fact just call myself her boyfriend.
“Uh. Yeah.” She likes the sound of that.
“Hmm. Interesting. I like it.”
“I know. I read your mind.” I pick her up off the bed, smoothing the gown around her as I carry her back out of the bedroom.