Current; Elora is 18
Elora
O
f all the days of the week, Thursdays tended to be my least favorite.
They typically meant tennis practices, which (if I was being honest) I only played for the cute outfits. Nevertheless, I grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs.
I wore a long, sleeved white top under checkered shortalls, perfect for the windy yet sunny day ahead. My wheat–colored hair hung loosely down my back, which was probably not wise given the morning’s forecasted gales. However, I was too lazy to do anything else with my waist–length locks, so down it was. A pair of white tennis shoes completed my simple school–day outfit, and I was pleased by how cute I looked as I made it to the first floor.
The first thing I saw as I turned the corner into the kitchen was Dane typing away on his laptop on the countertop. With a small smile, I greeted him, “Morning.”
Not that the concept of ‘mornings’ meant anything to vampires anyway. Still, Dane wasn’t rude enough to ignore my daybreak pleasantries and nodded my way.
“Good morning,” he replied, shutting his computer and watching me slice an apple for breakfast. “What time am I picking you up today?”
My schedule constantly changing daily, but that was only because of all my extracurriculars. I had track, soccer, debate club, and student council to worry about, along with tennis. That was before considering I was captain for debate and the senior class vice president. In other words, I was busy.
Even though I had my driver’s license, the guys insisted on driving me everywhere. They claimed it was because they had nothing better to do, but
I had my doubts. Either way, it made me feel like a burden, but I wasn’t about to argue.
Sometimes it was overwhelming to be involved with so many after- school activities. Still, with Duke gone, I needed to do something to soothe the constant emptiness he left behind. Sports and clubs helped, but even so, I missed him every day.
For the first year, he called every night just like he promised. It didn’t matter that he could only speak for a few minutes each time. As long as I heard his voice, I was happy. However, it didn’t take long for our schedules to clash. I got busy with school, and he got busy doing whatever he was doing. The last time we spoke was almost four years ago, on my fifteenth birthday.
It’d be a lie to say things returned to normal after Duke, Lucifer, and Felix left. There was always a hollowness in our home that was never entirely filled. Sometimes, I wondered if my fourteen year olds anxieties were correct, if the next time I saw them would be at my college graduation… if I’d ever see them again at all. Part of me even wondered if the mission was just their excuse to leave me for good.
We figured out our dynamics and routines pretty quickly, but Dane was no Duke. He definitely tried and didn’t do a bad job looking out for me. Even so, he was not my best friend.
That didn’t mean my days were dull. Theo and Quin constantly made me laugh, while the latter helped me pick out songs for the upcoming homecoming dance. We bonded over it while he cooked dinner, and it was definitely a highlight of my day. Eugene was my tutor, always eager to help me with my studies despite keeping to himself. My academic success was due to him, and he knew it too.
In the end, I was content. Things may not have been flawless without the other three guys here, but we were trying, and that counted for something.
Over the last two years, I’d developed an obsession with perfection, which meant my satisfaction with our imperfect situation showed progress. I blamed living with vampires for my fixation on perfection. They had no flaws, sicknesses, or blemishes, and that sort of high standard could definitely lead to an inferiority complex. So, I tried to keep up and, in turn, became the perfectionist I now was. I needed things tidy and would rearrange things until they were done right. I had a posture as straight as
Eugene’s, a gait almost as quiet as Theo’s, and a presence nearly as reserved as Quin’s. Thankfully, my passion for all things perfect got better over time. However, it was still there, even if I barely recognized it anymore.
“Um, probably around five?” I guessed while biting my bottom lip. That should have given me enough time to clean up my tennis equipment without rushing.
Dane raised an eyebrow, his gaze firm as he looked my way. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Am I?” I thought about my schedule for the day, trying to find what I’d missed. There was a quick meeting this morning for an assembly where I’d be introducing a guest speaker about drugs. After that, I had an AP Biology test. Tennis followed, then home. Unable to think of anything else, I met his look with a confused one of my own.
“You mentioned something about the chess club a few days ago,” he recalled, and I snapped my fingers in realization.
How could I forget about that? After my tennis match, I’d promised to talk with their president about funding new chess boards. Running a hand through my hair, I gave Dane a sheepish smile. “Six then?” I questioned sweetly.
He nodded, agreeing with a smirk. “Six.”
“Who needs a planner when I have you?” I joked while finishing up the rest of my morning routine. Pulling my lunch pail from the fridge and stuffing it into my backpack, I hugged Dane before leaving the room.
“Or you could take it easy and be lazy like a normal high schooler!” He called after, and I swore I could hear the smirk in his voice. I paid him no mind as I entered the living room.
Eugene and Quin were there, sitting on the couch as they watched an old movie. With my hands folded behind my back, I looked for Theo, only to find the house clown missing. It wasn’t too surprising. Sometimes they’d sneak away, and I wasn’t sure where they’d go, but something told me I didn’t want to know either.
“Is Theo here?” I asked them. “He said he’d drive me.”
“He’ll be down in a second,” Eugene answered, sparing me a quick glance before turning back towards the television. They must have spoken through their mind-link, which always irked me. I’d never liked that they could communicate telepathically.
Quin rose from his seat, looming over my short stature once he’d reached my side. He wasn’t the only one who towered above me–they all did, but what did I expect? I was only 5’3,” and if Dane was correct, I’d probably stopped growing a little over a year ago. It bothered me that my height wasn’t an even number, not to mention boring. If only I could be taller, with legs for days, or short and cute… not that I didn’t feel short. I just felt so average height-wise.
He bent down to show me a picture on his phone. It was food–some fancy-looking spaghetti with lots of greens. Instantly, I felt hungry again.
“That looks good. Are you making it for dinner?” I questioned.
“I am now,” Quin grinned. “I wasn’t sure if it looked good or like it had too much going on. Figured it would be a good idea to leave it up to the human taste buds.”
I beamed at our not-so-little personal chef, happy he wanted my input. It was shocking, given my horrible eating habits. Lucifer, having left me the key to his secret sweets closet, didn’t help. I had cookies, marshmallows, candies, and more at my disposal. Truthfully, I was only thin due to my fast metabolism, active lifestyle, and teenage youth.
The significance of Lucifer giving me access to his private sugar stash in his absence wasn’t lost on me. He’d always been more dragon than vampire when it came to junk food–hoarding it away where others couldn’t reach. I blamed his glucose-induced mania on his everlasting sweet tooth.
After he left, I opened the envelope he’d given me, and that’s where I found the key. It came accompanied by a note:
We’ll be back before you finish it all –L
I sobbed when I saw it. Lucifer wasn’t one for words; I used to think it was because he didn’t like anyone. I knew better now; he just never had much to say. When he did speak, he always said something significant, and when he gave me that note, he knew he was giving me hope.
There was still a fourth of the confectionary cabinet to go. “Just leave out the mushrooms–”
“I know,” Quin interrupted with a roll of his eyes.
“Let’s get this show on the road!” Theo announced as he ran down the stairs so fast that he was nearly invisible for a moment. “Ready to timidly tell all your peers they’re doing everything wrong all day?”
“At least I’m nice about it. Not everyone can be so loud and obnoxious,” I teased right back. He wasn’t wrong; I was shy and absolutely
hated when people didn’t do things properly.
With a hand over his heart, Theo–the ever-dramatic–continued to joke. “Ouch! If my heart wasn’t frozen, it’d break.”
Smirking, I rolled my eyes at Theo’s comment as I plopped into the passenger seat of his car. Once we started to move, I leaned my head on the window, watching the trees blur by. Much like his running, the vampire drove fast too. It was good that he did too. We lived thirty minutes from town in a secluded part of the forest, and he knew I hated being tardy.
Theo glanced my way after I let out a yawn and rested my head against the seatbelt. It didn’t disappoint him, but I could sense he wasn’t happy. “You were up way too late studying last night.”
“I have a biology test today,” I explained with a shrug. I was up until midnight taking notes and flipping through my textbook. Needless to say, I was absolutely prepared but very exhausted.
Theo kept side-eyeing me, jaw clenching as though he had something he wanted to say. It made me raise a brow, trying to provoke him into speaking, which he mirrored before relenting. “Maybe if you weren’t in twenty clubs,” he began lecturing, returning his gaze to the road, “you’d have extra time to study or, you know, have fun.”
We had the same talk every month, with him telling me to relax and me telling him I was happy the way I was. He just didn’t understand! My mind would wander when I wasn’t busy, and my abandonment issues could creep in, poisoning my brain further. I couldn’t have that. My current solution, a successful one at that, was after–school activities.
“I like being busy,” I stated, arms crossing over my chest.
Instead of replying and continuing our usual banter, Theo remained silent. His expression changed abruptly, almost like he’d realized something. His gaze bounced all over the road, but I could recognize the look in his eyes anywhere–he was using the mind-link the guys shared.
“Something wrong?” I asked, studying him as we pulled up to the school.
My words seemed to pull him out of his trance, and he looked at me, eyes narrowing before he shrugged and put the car in park. “Nothing’s wrong.”
Liar. He was clearly distracted by something, but I wasn’t going to push
it.
“Okay,” I chirped while gathering my things and leaving Theo’s luxury vehicle. “See you when I get home!”
Without waiting for his reply, I turned and entered the empty school. There were only a few of us in attendance for a meeting so early in the morning, and the bare halls were a result of that.
“These early morning meetings are going to be the death of me,” Willow groaned as she fell in step next to me with a steaming cup of coffee in her hand.
Willow was my best friend, which was a little sad, seeing as we weren’t very close. I purposefully made myself unavailable for relationships, too afraid of being left behind should I let anyone in. It was better not to let others in. To make up for my interpersonal issues, I tried to be friendly to all and had several acquaintances.
In addition to being my best (and only friend), Willow was the senior class president as well as my track teammate. Heck–with all the clubs she was in, she was practically as busy as I was.
I gave my friend a sharp look before smiling. “You’re the one who planned this.”
“Look,” Willow began, rolling her hazel eyes as she spoke. I’d never not be jealous of the contrast between their light shade and the deep tone of her skin. She could have been a model with features like those. “Scheduling a meeting and actually showing up are two different mindsets.”
My friend sipped at her coffee before speaking to me again. Her speech was dull, clearly bored with what she was asking. “We’re picking a person to lecture everyone about drugs today, right?”
Nodding, I couldn’t help except shrug as I thought more about the issue at hand. “I’m sure half the school will skip the assembly anyways,” I reasoned. “I wouldn’t stress too much about who we choose.” A guest speaker probably wouldn’t persuade the minds of those that smoked weed, but the school board wanted to try. Our job was to make their wishes a reality.
A laugh bubbled from Willow’s glossed lips before relaxing into a sigh. “We essentially have to choose someone who has done way too many drugs in their life and now goes around traumatizing kids about how horrible their life was before sobriety.”
Willow paused, taking a breather before continuing. “Or the exact opposite–we have to find someone who has never touched drugs or alcohol
and loves talking about how awesome their life is because of it.”
“Bingo,” I affirmed with a smirk before playfully bumping my friend’s shoulder. She rolled her eyes in reply while we continued our trek through the desolate high school halls.
 |
“Thank you so much, Elora. We’ve been trying to get funding for two years, but no one cares about the chess team anymore,” the chess club president, a scrawny junior named Simon, ranted while reaching for my hand.
With widened eyes, I scooted away from Simon’s touch. “Well, I said I’d try. I can’t promise anything,” I stated as clearly as possible.
It was nothing against the chess club, but my day had been arduous. After so much back and forth, I was over it. They’d even made me late to meet up with Dane, which only irked me further.
“Even trying means a lot–especially when you’re the one trying,” Simon replied with a brace–filled grin. The way he was awkwardly eyeing me gave me the creeps. “After all, no one says no to Elora Carmine.”
Pressing my lips together, I tried not to physically cringe. I wasn’t in the mood to be flirted with, not when I was tardy to pick up, and definitely not by some unappealing science nerd. Take a hint.
“Well, I better get going,” I said with the most forced smile a girl could muster.
“Bye, Elora!” Simon called after me as I turned to leave. “Don’t be a stranger!”
I had barely reached the doorway before I heard one of his pals speak. “Dude, she was totally into you.”
Ew.
After quickly stopping at my locker to retrieve my things, I jogged toward the empty parking lot. I probably looked ridiculous with the weight of my backpack weighing me down. Luckily, the only ones here were teachers, a few clubs, me… and Dane.
His car was near the back, all shrouded by shadows, and still the nicest one in the lot. I bee-lined for it, giving the guy an apologetic smile. Placing my things in the car, I tried my best to rectify my belated arrival. “Sorry, I’m late. I got caught up with the chess team.”
“I heard,” Dane responded with a nod and sly smirk. “Apparently, they think you’re totally into them.”
“No way,” I rejected with a slight grimace and blush. Honestly, the entire notion was so absurd I couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s probably the first time some of them have spoken to a girl.”
Dane shook his head and began to pull away from the school. “So, how was your test?”
“I think I did well, but a lot of people finished before I did,” I admitted as my hands fiddled with one another. Why had I taken so long? It wasn’t like I didn’t know the material, yet I still felt insecure about my lagging.
“Blame Eugene,” Dane directed, albeit absentmindedly. “He’s always had you triple-check your work.”
I’d always been grateful for Eugene’s help when it came to schoolwork. He was my study buddy, my tutor. Whenever I had a question, he was eager to help me solve it. He was brilliant; they all were. “I do second guess everything,” I agreed.
Silence followed, and I glanced at Dane only to see him staring ahead. He looked like he was biting his tongue, ready to speak, but he remained silent. It reminded me of Theo’s odd expression earlier in the day.
“Penny for your thoughts?” I questioned before biting my bottom lip.
The quiet was deafening as it continued on. Curiosity raced through my veins while Dane peered at me. It seemed like he was studying for a moment before he sighed. “Their missions are over,” he relented. “They’re coming home.”
Now, it was my turn to be speechless. I stared at him, mouth agape as my mind reeled. They were coming home? After five years–and four without promised correspondence–they were coming back.
With my eyes on the road, I felt my thoughts jumble and race. I knew the day of their return would eventually come, but I’d always expected to be happy about it. Now, I just felt very anxious. My mind continued to cloud, and I was almost sure I’d faint.
Did Duke miss me as much as I missed him? Did his chest ache at our distance? Will Felix be proud of me when he learns of my
accomplishments? I’d made varsity in tennis my sophomore year and was on the path to being valedictorian. I’d hoped they’d be impressed by all I’d achieved.
How would their return affect things at home? We’d developed a routine, one I’d become accustomed to. Would that change?
Could I handle seeing Duke again? I was still so mad and sad when I thought of his absence over the last five years. He should have been here; I stood by that. Honestly, just calling or texting me would have sufficed, but he chose to desert me in every possible way.
That wasn’t to say I didn’t love him anymore, but our relationship had definitely taken a hit. His return wouldn’t fill the gap caused by our separation.
“When?” I whispered, not looking away from the road.
“Lucifer’s going to be here in time for dinner tonight,” Dane answered gently, knowing this would be a touchy subject for me. As a matter of fact, none of them had mentioned the missing three around me unless they absolutely had to. “Felix and Duke might take a few more days.”
Only a few days? Lucifer’s returning tonight? I thought it would’ve been at least a month before they’d tied up loose ends and made their way back. Perhaps they’d already done that; maybe this was all planned on their part.
Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was almost seven. Quin was probably already in the kitchen making dinner. That meant Lucifer was almost home–if he wasn’t already there.
Dane reached over and held my hand, rubbing his thumb over my palm. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
My heart hammered, and I felt the growing urge to lie to the vampire. I wanted to tell him I was happy they were coming home and that I was looking forward to it. While those statements weren’t entirely false, I was too nervous to feel any sort of anticipation.
Unsure how to answer, I looked to Dane and forced a soft smile. “That Quin is making pasta, and Lucifer hates pasta.”
“He does hate pasta,” Dane replied with a chuckle. I was just glad he didn’t press me for an honest answer, instead choosing to play along with my (incredibly smooth) subject change. “Though I think he’ll be too focused on being home to even notice, don’t you think?”
I nodded, secretly hoping they were all too distracted by being back to pay me any mind. Maybe then they wouldn’t notice all my faults. “Let’s hope so,” I agreed in a whisper.
We pulled into our long driveway moments later, and my gaze immediately drifted to Lucifer’s car. He was parking–he was actually here! My eyes widened, and my previous anxiety was replaced with excitement. Despite my inner turbulence, I had to admit that I missed him.
Eugene, Theo, and Quin walked out of the house just as Lucifer opened his car door. They were like his little welcoming committee, flocking around him as he left his vehicle. Aside from a new haircut, he looked the exact same way he had five years prior–not that I was surprised. The guys didn’t age.
My eyes traced him, noting his black jeans and button-up. His fingers and neck were decorated in silver jewelry. He’d always been a dark soul with hair, clothes, eyes, and personality to match. It only emphasized how unchanged he was while I felt like a whole new person in comparison.
As per usual, he didn’t smile. The man was ever–stoic even when greeting his best friends after years apart. Again, I wasn’t shocked. My gaze drifted to his lips as they spoke silent salutations, only regaining focus when Dane parked the car.
Only once Dane left the car did my nerves flare again. I’d never felt this way before: both excited and apprehensive simultaneously. My body buzzed like never before–not even before extensive tests or championship games. I did my best to calm myself, breathing deeply as I grabbed my bags and left the vehicle.
Lucifer’s eyes met mine the moment I stepped out of the automobile. His gaze seemed intrigued and perplexed with something I didn’t quite recognize brewing in their crimson depths. I had to guess it was because he hadn’t seen me in so long. That didn’t change the somewhat pleasant burn I felt as his eyes continued to follow me.
Dane got to him first, giving his friend a swift handshake and an even quicker ‘hello.’ Not that Lucifer seemed to notice; he seemed distracted even though his eyes were no longer on me. They were on Theo instead, his lips moving quickly and just as quietly as before.
Theo smirked, patting Lucifer on the shoulder before mouthing a reply. He then turned and walked back into the house, chuckling at something
he’d said. Knowing Theo, it was something ridiculous, but it made me happy that Lucifer was falling back into our fold so seamlessly.’
Setting my bags down, I couldn’t help except immediately throw my arms around Lucifer’s giant frame. I squeezed as tight as I could, a smile on my lips while his scent left me nostalgic. When I finally stepped back, I was practically beaming, my grin nearly as bright as the midday sun. “Welcome home!”
He hesitated before wrapping his arms around my shoulders. While it wasn’t much, it was definitely better than the pat on the head he’d given me five years prior.
Pulling away from his half-hearted embrace, I grinned even wider. “We’ve missed you, Lucifer. Well, obviously not Quin,” I joked. “He’s making pasta on the night you return, but the rest of us? Definitely missed you.”
Eugene took it upon himself to grab my bags from me, and my shoulders silently thanked him for the relief. Though he lifted them effortlessly, I saw his eyes widen. “These bags weigh more than you do. What do you have in them?”
“Books?” I replied with a sheepish shrug.
“You have a library in your house,” he retorted, turning back towards the front door. “What the hell could you possibly bring home from high school?”
With a roll of my eyes, I looked back to Lucifer just in time to see his gaze snap back to mine. I knew it had been a long time since I’d seen the guy, but he definitely seemed out of it. Maybe he needed some candy… I gasped and grabbed his hand, instantly remembering the sugary stash he’d left me.
“C’mon,” I urged, pulling the red-eyed gargantuan into the house.
The vampire didn’t utter a single word as he followed–not a question nor an objection. He allowed me to drag him through the foyer, up the stairs, and down several hallways until we reached his bedroom door. My body warmed with the joy of his return, and I nearly bounced with excitement as I opened the door.
I led us both through the threshold, letting go of Lucifer’s hand as he peered around his room. He was probably making sure everything was how he’d left it, and he would’ve been right if he didn’t count the stash of goodies now at my side. In my defense, I did have his permission.
“Come here,” I called him over, waving my hand to get his attention. In a second, he was next to me, looking as confused as ever. “So, Theo tried to get in like ten times. Obviously, if he really wanted to get in without a key, he could, but I think he knew you’d beat him if he broke the door.”
“Smart guy,” Lucifer interrupted my rambling with a nod. I’d missed his quiet voice.
I smiled. I missed his quiet voice.
Getting down on my knees, I couldn’t help but notice the way Lucifer’s eyes narrowed. His gaze flickered between the door and me, though he was probably just making sure no one else could see where I’d hidden his key. “So, I wore this around my neck for a long time, but I kept having to take it off for sports. Then I lost it for a week,” I rushed out, silently hoping he’d ignore that last part. Bending down until I was on all fours, I reached under the cupboard and pulled out an old key. “So instead, I used a little reverse psychology and hid the key somewhere Theo wouldn’t think to look.”
There was relief in Lucifer’s eyes once I stood, though I wasn’t sure why, and pushed the key into its hole. With a turn and a click, the door was opened, revealing a shelf that was still chock-full of delicious sweets.
“Ta-da!” I giggled but calmed as I tried to gauge his reaction.
Lucifer glanced in the cabinet for a split second before his gaze fell on me again. It was a piercing sort of stare, the kind that left one vulnerable and bare–as though he suddenly knew every little thing about me without having uttered a single word.
It was a good thing he couldn’t actually read my mind, or else he’d see the attraction brewing within. I honestly hadn’t remembered Lucifer being so enticing. Granted, I knew all the guys were objectively attractive, but fourteen–year–old me must have been blind. Now, I could admit it: Lucifer was handsome, a perfect blend of tall, dark, and formidable.
No! I couldn’t think of him that way! He was Lucifer, and I blushed, embarrassed that my mind had even gone there.
“Anyways,” I spoke after clearing my throat in an attempt to rid myself of those potentially sinful thoughts. “Now that you’re back, I’m no longer responsible for your sweets stash.”
With that said, I held out the key for him to take, which he did almost immediately. His eyes were on mine the entire time, even as he shoved the item into his pocket, and I couldn’t help how my skin buzzed under his gaze. Once more, I felt exposed and powerless. My teeth pressed gently into
my bottom lip, my hands folded behind my back as I bounced lightly on my heels.
I knew the guys returning would require adjustment, but I’d never imagined this kind of reaction. Since when was I like this around any of my guys? I was being ridiculous! It was just Lucifer.
“Theo didn’t have a problem trying to steal the key from me,” I said, doing my best to break the imagined tension, “but unless he has a death wish, I think it’s safest with you.”
Our eye contact broke when Lucifer stepped forward and closed the cabinet, his movement slow and calculated. Even as he locked it, he seemed on edge–like he was waiting for someone to jump out of the dark and ambush him.
Once the key was returned, I had no other reason to be in Lucifer’s room, so I turned on my heel. I didn’t even reach the doorway before his voice caught my attention.
“Elora,” he called, his tone calming and musical in its own unique way. I turned around only to find Lucifer much closer than anticipated. It made me flinch. My breath caught in my throat as he bent down until his face was near mine. Every nerve in my body was alive, and my mind was blank while my heart hammered within my chest.
He smirked as he watched my eyes widen, tilting his head as he finally continued whatever he was going to say. “I’ll make you a copy.”
As quickly as he’d neared, he’d also left, brushing past me as he did so. I was a confused wreck in his wake, dazed by definition and asking myself so many questions. What the heck was that? Not that I wasn’t thrilled he was giving me a key to his most prized, but my reaction to his proximity was concerning. What was going on with me?
Snapping out of my frozen state, I regained my composure. I made my way toward the kitchen, making sure to close Lucifer’s door behind me.
My feet hadn’t even made it past the threshold before Quin was calling out to me. “I have my playlist ready.”
“Me too!” I beamed as I made my way to him. “A girl at school recommended a few songs.” I pulled out my phone, connecting it to the Bluetooth speaker Quin got specifically for our listening parties. I’d hoped that even after our playlist for the dance was complete, we could still keep music as our shared ‘thing.’
Quin was all over the place: stirring, chopping, scooping, and spicing. It was commonplace in our household, part of our aforementioned routine, for him to be busy and me to be idling. Like usual, I jumped onto the countertop, sitting out of his way.
“Okay,” I began, ocean eyes on my phone. “First on our list is an indie song by a new artist. I’m thinking maybe a slow song, but not a long slow- dancing song, you know?”
The song played, and Quin lightly bobbed his head to it. “It’s like coffee shop music, hard pass,” he rejected once it was over.
“Fair enough,” I responded with a shrug. “Your turn.”
“Hmm,” Quin hummed, taking a break from whatever he was doing to grab my phone and type in a song title. “It’s a throwback, but since we’re picking a slow song tonight, I think it’ll work.”
As soon as he pressed play, I was gasping and singing along. How else was I supposed to react to the dulcet tones of The Everly Brothers? ‘All I Have to Do Is Dream’ was a favorite of mine, a classic played throughout my childhood by the same vampire who was playing it now. It’d been years since I’d last heard it, though.
The hairs on the back of my neck tingled, and somehow I knew I was being watched. Looking at the dining table on the other side of the room, I found Lucifer, Theo, and Eugene’s eyes were all on me.
Weirdos. I cheesed at them, the gesture exaggerated and playful, and Theo responded with a chuckle.
“Open,” Quin ordered, pulling my attention back to him. He held a spoon to my lips, and I opened my mouth without another thought, tasting the sauce he’d slaved over. “Good?”
I nodded enthusiastically. “Really good, the song too, it’s going on the list,” I decided.
Quin bowed playfully, enjoying the moment. I let him have it; it wasn’t every day his choice made it to our playlist.
His suggestion turned out to be the only one to make the setlist that night. Not that I minded–I was hungry, and Quin had finished cooking. Quin came and lifted me off the counter by my waist. “Go sit down,” he shooed me once my feet were on the ground.
“Rude,” I mumbled, but did what I was told and walked toward the dining room.
A yawn escaped me as I sat beside Eugene and Dane. It was probably due to a lack of sleep and a long day, but I liked to think the guys’ business conversation didn’t help. Thankfully, I had a good distraction in the form of Quin and his delicious culinary concoctions. He liked to say he had a bad sense of taste, but I thought he had a gift. And I was happy to eat the fruits of said gift.
“You don’t have another test tomorrow, do you?” Theo asked, giving me a knowing look.
“No,” I replied, shaking my head. “Thank goodness. I don’t think I’d be able to function tomorrow if I didn’t sleep well.”
Dane glanced in my direction while twirling his noodles around his fork. “You do look tired. You’re racing against that other school tomorrow, aren’t you?”
“Uh–huh,” I responded distractedly between bites.
“That’s all, though, right?” He asked with furrowed brows. “No meetings or club activities? Just the track meet?”
“You probably know better than I do.” I shrugged. “Are you coming to watch?”
Eugene raised his brows, gaining my attention. “Have we ever missed a game, a debate, a match, or a meet of any kind?”
He was right. They’d always been supportive, and I couldn’t deny it. “Just asking,” I defended with my hands up in surrender. I then looked to Lucifer, who was already looking my way. “You’ll come too, right?”
He nodded, just like I hoped he would.
 |
My night ended how they typically did: with a shower. Once I was clean and dry, I dressed in my cotton pajama shorts and tank top before braiding my hair. It was my bedtime routine, and it was perfect.
Another part of said routine was filling a water bottle before bed. Ever since I was young, I’d always had something to drink within reach during the night hours. Theo called me a ‘midnight drinker,’ but I called myself quenched.
I made my way down the stairs. Theo, Eugene, Dane, and Quin were all lounging in the sitting room, either working on laptops or watching some ancient movie they’d already seen a million times over.
I hadn’t expected to see Lucifer standing against the counter with a sugary pastry in his hand, but I wasn’t surprised by the sight. Without socks covering my feet, my footfall was noisy–soft little pats of skin against linoleum as I made my way to the fridge. He watched my every move with a calculated gaze, and I once more felt the tension from earlier race through my veins. His intimidating stare made me aware of every little action I made.
Once I’d opened the fridge and grabbed some water, I turned to meet his eyes head-on. My loud mind couldn’t stand the silence; if I didn’t say anything, my mind would run amok.
“Did you have sweets where you were?” I questioned. Lucifer wouldn’t be Lucifer if he wasn’t constantly indulging himself in his gluttony for all
things sweet.
There was a long pause where I feared he wouldn’t respond, making my question seem awkward. I couldn’t understand why he kept looking at me. The last time I saw him, he wanted nothing to do with me. Now that he was back, I felt his eyes everywhere I went.
Finally, he looked down at the danish, breaking off a small flakey piece, and ate it. His thumb was covered in cream cheese frosting from the sacchariferous treat, and I couldn’t look away when he brought the finger to his lips.
When he sucked the icing off, I was sure my brain shut down. All he did was clean his thumb–I’d done the same thing a million times with Cheetos. He made it look… Well, I wasn’t sure how it made me feel, but it was in my best interest that he never did that again.
“Infrequently.” His answer came out in that low, raspy tone of his.
My memory seemed to be a casualty of the edgy atmosphere, for I couldn’t remember whatever it was that I asked. Instead, I played it off with a gentle ‘oh.’
A bead of cold water dripped down my palm, calling me back to reality and reminding me of why I’d come down in the first place. Honestly, I was grateful for the condensation for giving me back my wits.
Taking a deep breath, I flashed the vampire a small smile. “Goodnight, Lucifer.”
His red eyes, as they had all day, followed me as I left the room. I passed the others, offering them bright smiles before bounding up the stairs. “Goodnight!”
They all returned my smiles, mumbling their own versions of ‘goodnight,’ ‘sweet dreams,’ and ‘see you in the morning.’
As I flopped onto the mattress, the weight of sleep began to pull me under. My thoughts drifted back to the day, reflecting on how Lucifer’s return had gone much smoother than I’d expected. Of course, he was the easiest of the three. Things would be very different in a few days when Felix and Duke came back.
