AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Valerie:Ok?
Thane:Means that if I need to come back, it won't cause problems. Brother said it's about time I started thinking about settling down. How's my truck?
Valerie:LOL! Oh, I see. That's what you missed!
Thane:Safe to miss that. Seriously, I can be there in a day, if you're up for that. Got two weeks of vacation and a big idea. I want to do this thing.
Valerie:Tell me when to pick you up. Should warn you that my apartment is a bit sparse.
Thane:At least buy a nice bed. Can't have you throwing your back out on your next romp, right?
Valerie:The next one?
Thane:Just tell me you aren't hungry. Girl has to take care of herself, babe. Making your own meals is a part of that.
She stared at the message for too long trying to figure out what the hell was going on between them. They were supposed to be enemies, but weren't. They were pretending to be a couple, but weren't. It didn't matter. He'd just said he was ok with her draining her lovers for energy. No matter how she looked at that, it didn't make any sense.
As an inquisitor, he should despise the demonic temptation of Satan, or something. As a man, he should be seething with jealousy - orsomething.The only answer which made sense was that his only interest was in bringing down the Church that had killed his mother.
Thane:Still with me?
She could handle a partner. A friend would be nice too, but it always got complicated when she didn't age. Then again, he didn't expect her to. He knew exactly what she was, and it sounded like he was fine with it.
Valerie:Yeah. Sorry. There's a little place down the street where I can get a snack on the cheap. I'm doing ok and have some friends in the new complex.
Thane:Gonna introduce me when I get there?
Valerie:Kinda have to. Pretty sure they won't all like you, though. When are you showing up?
Thane:If you're up for it, there's an open flight tomorrow night. Would arrive around 9pm. Bring my truck when you pick me up. ;)
Valerie:Can do, if you bring those silver toys.
This time, he was the one that paused. She stared at the blinking cursor, wondering if he'd had to log out, but it showed he was still online. Then a line of dots indicated he was typing. It paused, then started again.
Thane:Might take a bit of work, with TSA. If I can't, I have something almost as good. Just booked the flight. Will land at 9:23 tomorrow night. I'm still at work until tomorrow morning, then I need to pack. How long do I get to stay?
Valerie:How long can you afford to stay?
Thane:My "boss" just offered me two weeks off, and I'm sure I could get more. Seriously. How long is cool with you?
Valerie:Six hundred and twenty-one years. Sounds like a good number, right?
Thane:Yeah. You still ok?
Valerie:Ok is a good word. It's quiet. You know how I feel about that.
Thane:Turn on the radio. If you don't have one, then buy one! Babe, I gotta run, but I'll be there in just over twenty-four hours. If you don't have a bed, we'll buy one.
Valerie:Ok. I'll pick something up. You can tell me if it's any good when you get here.
Thane:Promise. I'm smiling Val. Thought you weren't going to talk to me again. See ya in a few.
His icon turned grey before she could reply, so she read his last line again. That was when she realized he wasn't the only one. She was smiling for no good reason. A damned inquisitor. Mei would've loved this. She would be encouraging Dahlia to enjoy this while it lasted. Hell, Mei had been the one pushing for this the hardest, and now it was happening.
No matter how many centuries passed her by, Dahlia's mind was still as human as the day she'd died. After too many years in the abyss, isolation was a paranoia that all eidolon understood. That was why they tended to thrive in busy cities. New York was always a favorite, with the hustle and bustle of city life. New Orleans and L.A. were popular, too. Any place people tended to never sleep. It made it easier to blend in, easier to feed, and a lot louder than the hell they were all trying to avoid.
The east side of Des Moines fit the bill nicely. They were in the poorer part of town, which meant the vagaries of eidolon life wouldn't draw attention. It also prevented anyone from noticing an increase in the crime rate. She wondered how much Thane was going to hate her idea of a nice little place to blend in.
