"Why do none of you warn me that blood highs have consequences?" I moaned as I vomited out the door of the car for the third time on our way home.
"Why did you get cheeky and decide to drink that wine?" Rory asked. I groaned.
"Don't remind me, you, you.. cad." I moaned as more of the strange watery liquid poured from my stomach. Rory had ended up sneaking a bottle of wine into the celebration after the humans had started to trickle out, crying out that we needed to toast to the 'Nurse's' incarceration (sort of). I ended up helping him drain the bottle.
"Don't blame me." Rory snickered. "Nobody made you drink it."
"Carys are you alright?" Alexandre approached the car from outside.
"Watch it! Wine vomit. It's gross." I called, holding the sides of the car. I heard Cornelius' chuckle.
"I'm glad you refused me my little tests when you were pregnant. You really can't hold your human liquids, can you?" Cornelius asked. More of the disgusting liquid poured forth and I gasped.
"Nooo." I moaned. "Next time, keep the human crap away from me." I was sweating and shaking. Rory helped pull me back into the car.
"Thanks Rory." I panted. "I'm kinda beat now." I said softly. Without prompting, he pulled my head into his lap.
"Get some sleep Sunshine." Rory murmured. Alexandre looked in at us.
"You going to be ok?" Alexandre asked with concern. I groaned.
"As long as I don't lose my kidneys with the rest of my organs out there." I joked weakly and Antony snorted. Alexandre leaned in the vehicle and I gripped his hand.
"I'll be fine. Just gonna rest." I mumbled, already slipping under.
"And what if you have nightmares?" Alexandre asked.
"Too weak-Rory can take care of me." I responded, eyes already closed.
Alexandre's strong arms and scent woke me. He was carrying me, and I snuggled into his chest.
"Mmm, my favorite person." I murmured. Alexandre squeezed me tighter for a moment.
"Your daughter is already in the nursery asleep." Alexandre said softly. I jerked and he hissed. "Calm yourself Carys, unless you wish to fall." Alexandre scolded lightly.
"We're home already?" I asked incredulously. Alexandre hummed.
"Wow that was fast." I remarked, stretching, patting Alexandre's chest so he'd put me down.
"It really wasn't." Alexandre chuckled as he set me down.
"How'd the gates look? The cops? The media?" I asked, rubbing my stomach. I realized I was starved. I guess that would figure after puking my guts out.
"Just a few media stragglers left-the rest are of course after the bigger story where the 'Nurse' ends up, etc." Alexandre waved a hand. "Where are you going?" He suddenly asked.
"Hungry. Vomited it all up." I offered simply, prowling towards the kitchen.
"Carys, there I nothing left-I took what we had with us and put the next delivery on hold until we got back. I'll have to call them in first thing in the morning and have it delivered." Alexandre called calmly.
"Damn." I paused in the foyer. Should I go for a little hunt? Was it safe enough for that yet? I chewed my lower lip indecisively. I hadn't gone for a hunt in so long, I was actually desperate to do so. Run full speed until I got into town, prowl around until I picked up the scent of a human I liked, follow that trail until I hunted them down, and then, the sweet seduction or sneak attack. And after all that to be on your way again, the taste of sweet blood lingering on your lips, your blood singing on the run home. Unless you were really hungry and needed more than one victim, in which case, the hunt continued. I was salivating and my vampire side was practically purring.
"Carys?" Alexandre was in front of me, holding my arms, a look of concern on his face.
"I need to hunt Alexandre. I need out of this house, out of all buildings and away from walls for a while-I just.. need out." I told him. His expression flashed through worry and understanding.
"We'll have to be very careful. Just because the number of people watching us has decreased, doesn't mean we can afford to get sloppy." Alexandre murmured. I nodded eagerly, I could feel my body priming itself, saliva still pooling in my mouth. "Let me tell Cornelius where we're headed. Do you want to change or anything? If so, do it now." He instructed.
"You're coming with me?" I whispered, awed.
"Of course." Alexandre said with a little shrug, leaning in to kiss me, and then he was gone. My head spun and I examined my clothes, sneakers, jeans-hmm, probably should change into a tee, no use having a button or two ripped off my shirt.
I was bouncing by the front door by the time Alexandre returned. He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and chuckled, then grabbed my hand.
"Hold on tightly, I'm going to run us out of here very swiftly. We're headed towards the abandoned camping area and then towards town. I know it's the long way around, but-"
"It's safer." I finished for him and he gave me a half-smile and nodded. Alexandre took several very deep breaths-oxygen loading I thought, and then we were out the door and racing through the grass towards the gravel road that marked the beginnings of the way to the campgrounds. I suppressed a squeal that was somewhere between delight and terror. I had never moved this fast. My feet barely touched the ground as Alexandre raced us along. Instead, it was like I got one step in for every three of his, my own body hovering along the ground and floating like a kite trying to take to the sky. This was incredible and I let out a little yelp when we reached the campgrounds and Alexandre turned at the gate and caught me, allowing me to crash into him to slow my momentum. He stepped backwards and braced himself, but we still skidded to a stop into the metal bar across the road with a breathless laugh. He had me wrapped in his arms, cradled against his chest, and my arms were curled up, trapped between us as I looked up at him. I was struck again by the love in his eyes as he looked down at me and gently brushed my lips with his.
"Are you alright?" He asked softly.
"Yes! Oh my God-that was terrifying! And so much freakin fun!" I gasped out, our faces were inches apart and I watched as Alexandre's lips quirked up slightly and he leaned in again to kiss me. It was gentle at first, but became so heated, I started to worry about losing clothing, so I pulled back with regret, panting.
"Food first?" I asked softly and Alexandre chuckled, grabbing my hand again as we darted over the metal bar blocking the entrance and up the seldom used trail into the woods.
We had been running for a few silent minutes, my body reveling in the sensations of just letting its muscles DO again, when I caught the scent and pulled Alexandre to a halt.
"Hikers?" I hissed.
"No, smell the remnants of smoke-they've camped out here." Alexandre responded. I closed my eyes and let their scents wash over me.
"I don't smell any serious illness. Somebody has allergy or sinus problems." I murmured. As if to prove my point a faint sneeze rang out.
"How did you notice that?" Alexandre looked at me with a mixture of pride and awe.
"It's disgusting-but one of them spat on the ground a way up, mucus." I answered with a slight blush. "I can smell it from here, it smells slightly of infection." I blushed again. "I used to have a lot of sinus and allergy problems." Alexandre prowled towards me.
"Health issues aside, that blood flushed look of yours is driving me wild, love." Alexandre's lips found mine, his hands locked around my upper arms. I melted into the kiss, sliding my own hands up his chest before pushing back slightly.
"After, remember?" I panted. I swore one of us was going to end up naked on the forest floor at this rate. Maybe both. Alexandre growled and nipped my bottom lip.
"Your presence is intoxicating Carys. Even I feel as though a burden has been lifted from my shoulders with your killer out of our way. Don't make me wait too much longer, or I may have to just ignore the dinner first request." Alexandre nipped playfully at my lip again. I bit it in turn. I knew what he meant. I suddenly felt lighter, freer. I wanted to do all the things I'd denied myself. I wanted to enjoy my new life. I wanted..
"Can we just feed from the campers then? That way we don't have to wait much longer?" I looked at Alexandre from under my lashes and he growled again, the air was suddenly heavily infused with pheromones, enough to make my body ache. Alexandre's nostrils flared and his fingers tightened on my arms. I could feel his need pressing against my waist. He gave a short, jerky nod.
"Let's go." He said in a hoarse whisper and we fled through the trees towards the source of the smell of human and campfire.