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“Maybe he has changed.” Louis
Edward was keeping pace with his beloved and trying not to frighten him, but still, the little man seemed to pick up on his presence and began to run. Unfortunately, he's not a good runner and ended up hurting himself. Edward decided it was probably better to introduce himself. He was impressed with the young man's speed but not with his coordination.
Cooper, such a sweet name for the little man, was what he'd expected of a water mage. Auburn hair, striking green eyes, and a slight build. What he hadn't expected was the go-it-alone attitude of this one. Water mages, as a rule, did not travel alone due to their vulnerability and the fact they often sought after for their blood's rejuvenating properties. Water mages nearly died out a few decades back, so this one should not be traveling alone.
When Cooper went headlong into the tree, he knew it was time. Edward approached and laid his hand on Cooper's shoulder, gently presenting himself to the skittish little mage. But not gently enough, apparently, because he was presently trying to jump up and run again, but the injury to his head had him dizzy and falling. The poor guy was about to turn himself inside out.
"Easy, I'm not going to hurt you. Stop struggling, or you're going to hurt yourself." He backed off just a half step and removed his hand from Cooper's shoulder.
“Why are you following me?” He snapped at him but then must have thought better of the harshness and softened his attack. “Do I know you?”
“No, you don’t know me, but I know you, Cooper.” Edward offered and took a seat on a downed log next to where Cooper was half lying and half sitting. “You escaped from one of Master Louis DuCane’s cells in the basement of the Coven Manor house.”
"It's more like a Coven Palace," Cooper spoke up and sounded less agitated as he lay down on the grass and covered his eyes with his right arm.
"Louis does prefer the opulence of such a grand, sprawling country home. I suppose it does resemble a palace in some respects." Edward offered and then added. "Myself, I prefer a castle of old world stone. A fortified masterpiece of defense and beauty."
“Do you live in a castle?”
“I do.”
“Are you going to take me back to Coven DuCane?”
“No.”
"Do you work for Norman?" He asked and moved his arm to squint up at where Edward was seated. He had no idea who this Norman was he spoke of, but the minute he said his name, his heart began to beat faster, and fear entered the air.
“I don’t work for anyone.” He told him and then asked. “Why do you fear this man named Norman.”
"He and his goons are the reason I'm here in Michigan. Never should have gotten off the highway and should have kept going north. DuCane's men spotted me immediately. I was only in town a couple of hours before I was thrown into an SUV and carted off to the Palace. It's been a real shit show of the day, and all I was looking for was a little peace and quiet and to hide out for a while." Cooper rambled for a few minutes, and Edward carefully picked through the information given to understand his beloved's situation.
"You don't have to worry about DuCane he isn't going to pursue you," Edward informed, and Cooper moved to sit up; it was the first time that he trained those gorgeous green eyes on Edward, and the moment was electric. "He was going to release you and found you missing." The expression on Cooper's face told him that he wasn't completely buying what he was saying.
“Then why are you here? Why did you follow me?”
Edward was about to try and explain without going into the very serious subject of Fated bonds when Cooper suddenly seemed to become spooked. They were positioned not far from a narrow branch of the river through which Cooper had originally escaped. He reached over and touched a shallow puddle of water next to him and disappeared.
Edward followed him with relative ease, for the mage was not highly skilled in the art of water magic, but he had the basics under control. His movement was cumbersome and not defined, but he knew enough to allow him to escape most pursuers but not his beloved. Edward stayed a few seconds behind him as he made his way through the mist toward town. He stepped out of the mist at the Greyson Hotel and walked up the bank to the back of the hotel but stopped when he heard someone behind him.
Cooper was rightfully shocked to see Edward standing behind him when he turned back toward the river. "How did you do that?" He burst and took a couple of steps back. It was quite late, so there was no one outside, but Edward was still worried about being seen from the hotel.
"Which room is yours," Edward asked. Cooper didn't question how he knew he had a room at the hotel and simply gave him the number. Edward spirited them both to the room in a blink of an eye. Cooper lost his balance when they arrived in the room and fell backward onto the bed but quickly recovered himself. "Our business is private." Edward gave an explanation.
"Do we have a business?" Cooper questioned with a confused expression. He was starting to come to the conclusion that his little mage was indeed clueless.
Edward walked over to him very close and stared down at his upturned face. To his credit, he did not run or back further away. He held his ground. "My name is Edward." He began and slowly reached out to touch the tips of his fingers to Cooper's cheek, just a fleeting touch, but it felt so familiar, and he wanted more but pulled back for fear of disturbing the young man.
Cooper kept his eyes on Edward's hand as he pulled it away and unexpectedly reached out and took it in his clasping hands and holding for a few seconds before releasing him. "You have a strange energy. It's powerful and all over the place. You aren't constrained in any way. Your power is extraordinary." He still did not step away, which was pleasing. "You're a vampire, an old soul. I can feel vibes that radiate through the centuries, much like I felt when Master DuCane touched my wrist. But there is a different depth to you. It goes to a place of shadows."
“I wasn’t aware that water mages were also sensitives. How is it that you can read me?" Edward was impressed at his accuracy and his bravery in sharing these findings.
"I'm not sure, it doesn't always work, and I've never read anyone as clearly as I see you." Cooper was mystified, but Edward understood.
"You and I are connected. Cooper Fate sent me to you." Edward decided to start edging toward the truth. "I was at Coven DuCane this afternoon, and I felt something there. I went home and couldn't get the feeling out of my head. I was compelled to return and find the source of this compulsion. I followed the path, and it led me to the basement cells to one cell in particular, and it was empty." Edward took a half step closer, bringing him within a few inches of Cooper, who was still looking at him, deciding whether or not to trust.
"The water mage who had been occupying it had escaped on a drop of water that had leaked from the wall. I followed him and found him in the woods running scared. All I wanted to do was help him, but he was afraid of me." Edward bent and rubbed his cheek against the soft auburn curls of Cooper's hair and drank in the lovely aroma. "You smell like evening rain, so fresh and relaxing, so good."
"I'm not afraid of you now, you are a dark, mysterious stranger, but I don't feel afraid." Cooper leaned forward and breathed deeply, taking in Edward's aroma. "You smell like cotton candy. I smelled it in the woods and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. It was you."
