I tensed slightly, hoping it wasn't more friends for this guy, and made the decision to dispose of him quickly, just in case. I put a finger on my cheek, stepping within range to throttle the guy, when behind him a blur of movement caught my eye.
Alexandre raced into the room, roaring with rage. He jumped on the guy from behind, nails ripping at the man's throat. Blood exploded across the room as Alexandre nearly ripped the guy's head off. He grabbed me and raced several feet away, panting and desperately checking me for signs of injury through all the blood I was now covered in.
"Are you ok? Please Carys, speak to me, did he hurt you?" Alexandre pleaded with me. I licked my fingers clean.
"I'm fine." I replied and then burst into tears. Alexandre held me against him and rushed me from the room. He got me cleaned up and changed, checking me carefully again for wounds, and once satisfied that I was unharmed, asked me if I would be ok for a few moments alone. I nodded and he left the room. When he returned, he was also clean and he sat on the bed next to me and pulled me into his lap.
"Who was that?" I asked, my voice trembling. Alexandre tensed.
"I can't be certain, but I think it was an associate of my criminal friends. Probably here to send me a little message about talking to cops." His voice came out a low, steady growl.
"The ones who blew up your car?" I asked incredulously.
"Same ones." He replied.
"You know, I was going to kill that bastard. I don't know why I'm crying. I think it was just so..." My voice hitched.
"Carys, an unknown person walked into your home, your safe space, and violated your feeling of security.. Powerful vampire woman or not-that is extremely upsetting." He kissed away the tears on my cheeks and I nodded as fresh ones fell.
"Will they be back?" I asked with trepidation.
"Well, maybe, but I've called a friend to help me return their errand boy to them. That may help keep them at bay for a bit." He snarled angrily. I flinched and looked at him, and then a small giggle escaped me.
"Oh my God, that would have scared me so much before." I said. Alexandre looked at me.
"And now?" He asked.
"Now, I just feel...safe." I replied and closed my eyes, leaning my head against his chest. Alexandre held me tighter.
I stuck by Alexandre's side the rest of the afternoon. I still had an unsettled feeling I couldn't quite shake, and being close to Alexandre helped keep me calm. Proving once again that money can buy you almost anything, he had a cleanup crew come in to clean the bloodied mess. He passed it off as an accidental blood spill from a ruptured blood bag. I don't think anybody bought it, but they were well paid, so they did their jobs quietly and left. I found myself avoiding even looking at the library as much as possible, but the smell of blood had made me hungry, so I passed through the foyer towards the kitchen, eyes averted. Alexandre was already there.
"You too huh?" He asked with a wry laugh, extending a cup in my direction. I took it gratefully and gulped a mouthful, then took a more careful sip. Alexandre had moved to the table and was seated silently drinking from his cup while looking at something on his phone. I swished another mouthful in my mouth.
"Does this...taste funny to you?" I asked Alexandre, extending the cup. He took a cautious sip.
"No, tastes fine. Why?" He asked, handing it back distractedly. I sat down at the table with a thump.
"Hmmm, tastes weird to me." I responded and glared at the blood. Alexandre looked at me curiously.
"Maybe try another bag." He suggested, eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Yeah, maybe. Why is this funny to you?" I scowled.
"Because of your reactions of course, so grumpy." Alexandre teased. I stomped to the biohazard fridge and pulled another bag from it, prepping a new mug.
"Well?" Alexandre prompted.
"Better, but still... I don't know.. salty? Maybe?" I replied.
"Americans are very salty I'm afraid. High sodium diets of rich fatty foods." He sighed, staring at his own cup.
"Ok, this conversation just got weird." I griped and sat back down at the table. Alexandre chuckled.
"We should visit Europe some day. You'll see what I mean." He sighed wistfully.
"And now we're heading into Twilight Zone creepy." I commented and Alexandre guffawed. He stood to lean across the table and kiss me chastely.
"I do so love you Carys." He smiled, then his nostrils flared again and I saw his eyes widen. He covered the look quickly.
"What was the look for?" I demanded. He kissed me on the forehead.
"You're getting entirely too observant." He responded, and then dumped the rest of his mug down the drain, rinsed it and swiftly left the room. I sat contemplating the mugs in front of me, sipping at the most recent one before deciding it was just too funny tasting to bear, and followed Alexandre's lead, dumping the remains and rinsing the cups. I avoided looking at the library as I passed and followed Alexandre's scent to his study.
"No I understand that there haven't been any documented cases that you have found to be legitimate. What I'm saying is try harder. Look some more. Somebody, somewhere out there has to know something." Alexandre saw me enter and smiled slightly. "Look I have to go. Call me with updates. Goodbye." He hung up the phone and held out a hand to me. I took it and he pulled me into his lap. He placed a notebook on the desk and started punching numbers into the computer from it, arms around my waist. He went on like that for a while, and then bustled around his office like the world was on fire, always sneaking peeks at me.
"Ok, what the heck is going on?" I demanded.
"Hmm?" He asked, playing innocent.
"Don't try that act with me boy, You may be old, but I wasn't born yesterday." I grouched.
"I think you might have mixed a metaphor or two..." He began.
"Spill it." I spat.
"It's nothing really Carys. I'm having an old contact look into some information for us. How are you feeling today?" He fussed, placing a hand on my forehead.
"Don't try to distract me." I warned but he chuckled and leaned down to kiss me gently.
"Why would I ever do that?" He smiled against my lips. I hung around in his office until I started to yawn crazily, and then he insisted I go to bed.
"I'm going to be a while yet, don't wait up." He said with a kiss and ushered me off to the bedroom. I was too tired to argue, so I lazily changed in his, well our, closet, choosing a pair of his flannel pajamas, even though there were plenty of my own options simply because they were comfy and surrounded me with his smell. I crawled under the blanket and only woke once when I heard Alexandre chuckling at my clothing choice.
"You have your own pajamas you know." He said, kissing me.
"Yours'r'better." I mumbled and he laughed lightly, wrapping his warm arms around me and drawing me close. "Love you." I whispered. I heard Alexandre stop breathing for a beat.
"Eternally." He replied, kissing the back of my neck.