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She stayed quiet for a while, then broke the silence, “Are you still mad at me?”
“It took my anger down a few notches when I finally felt you, felt your regret, that you were missing me. A few more when you said you love me.”
“What did you feel?”
She could see he was sort of chewing his cheek. He shook his head and leaned farther over the railing.
He eyed her darkly, “Let’s not. I can’t be alone with you here and if I start talking I won’t care who’s around. My self-control is questionable at the moment.”
Her belly dipped.
She sighed, “I have to pee. How’s that for breaking the spell? Be right back.” She turned on her heel to walk away, thinking that if he bit her she wouldn’t have to ask about how he felt. She’d feel how he felt.
He caught her hand, tension in his eyes, “I’m coming.”
“We’re on a boat. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Still coming.”
“Fine, whatever,” she shrugged. He followed her to a restroom and made her wait outside while he checked it.
“Clear,” he said and motioned for her to go in.
Was that really necessary? Could there really be someone waiting in the bathroom to ‘get’ her?
She shook her head. She had to think the same way he was. Normalcy bias was a dangerous thing. Her gut instinct of rolling her eyes at anal over-cautious behaviour had to end. Now. Otherwise she’d become one of those distressed damsels in the movies who were too stupid to live because she’d walk into a dark room even when she knew there was a killer loose.
When she came out he said, “Let’s go to the cafeteria and get you something to eat. I’m not afraid you’re going for a swim, Kyla, I just need to make sure you’re safe, that we aren’t being followed.” He took her hand.
“I know. Sorry. When did you last… uh…feed?”
Maybe withdrawals were adding to his paranoia, making it worse.
“Yesterday.”
“Yesterday?” That came out as an accusation.
He squeezed her hand reassuringly, “Blood drive in Vancouver before I came to the island. No human contact. I wouldn’t come to you on empty. It took the edge off, at least.”
“Oh.”
“A little,” he added.
Kyla winced.
“I’ll wait until we get to Adrian’s before I feed from you. Don’t offer me your throat again. We’ll take blood from you carefully and I’ll take it from a test tube while you’re safely tucked away. Then we’ll see what happens.”
“You know this Adrian?”
“No. But my Grandfather trusted him. He has an excellent reputation. He’s a doctor. He’s an elder.”
“You trust your grandfather?” As soon as she said it she tensed, thinking it might be a mistake to say such a thing.
“Good question. Just another thing on my growing list of things to figure out.”
She was relieved that he understood her concern. She could tell he felt her same concerns by his reaction. He’d never met his grandfather but yet lived in his grandfather’s world, trying to walk in the footsteps of a man that lived a lifestyle that Tristan now questioned. It was perplexing; perplexing indeed.
“Do you have other family?” she asked.
“My mother,” he answered, looking uncomfortable.
“Where---” she started to get ready to ask questions but he cut her off.
“Not now, okay? Not now.”
She met his gaze and his eyes had pain in them. He shook his head slowly, looking at her like he was imploring her to drop it.
She dropped it.
~~~They ate a light breakfast of fruit cups and bagels in the cafeteria side by side and then she curled her feet under herself and put her head on his shoulder and yawned.
“Close your eyes for a bit, baby,” he said and she nuzzled in and closed her eyes, absorbing the mingled smell of his leather jacket and the smell of him.
“You smell so delicious,” she whispered.
“Not as delicious as you,” he whispered back and kissed her forehead.
She drifted off, wishing that this was the start of a great adventure, not a quest to find a way for them to be together without him killing her, without someone else killing her. The way he’d blurted all that information on deck was abrupt and startling, to say the least. How much worse could it get? She knew that was a very dangerous question.
~~~When she woke up he was staring out the window, looking deep in thought. He had his arm protectively around her. She reached up and started rubbing his chin.
He flashed a smile at her, “I need to shave,” he scratched at his cheek, “It’s driving me crazy.”
“You look so rugged and sexy.”
“Oh yeah?” he raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah. Mm. Yummy.” She curled in closer and wrapped her arms around his middle and gave him a squeeze, “How far?”
He kissed the top of her head, “We’re pretty much there. Look.”
Kyla sat up and stretched, “I slept for a while, I guess.” She looked out the window and could see that land was close.
