The next morning I wake up to Aurora dismissing the nurse when she came in stating she would be taking care of me. That whole day she hovered over me asking me incessantly if I was comfortable or needed anything, this continued for days. It was nice seeing this side of her, Aurora began opening up to me over the days teaching me to speak Tamil and sharing bits of her past with me. I felt special in a way, having her confide in me about her past, from what I've gathered it wasn't a good one.
Aurora had an older brother who died, her father was a welsh farmer who died in the war, and her mother was Sri Lankan. Her father had gone off to war and left her brother and her in charge, having to get jobs at the age of 12. She provided for the family by fishing while her brother was a musician. The way she spoke about it made me think there was more to the story but I wasn't going to push her. I was glad she felt comfortable enough to even consider telling me. I just gained her trust, I wasn't about to throw it away.
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Five days later I'm sitting in a chair watching Aurora tie my shoelaces with nimble fingers. Her black hair fell in a cascade around her, the sun hitting it giving it a bluish tint. "Rory, I'll be fine. It's just a walk around the mall, no stairs or anything that will hurt me." I tell her for hopefully the last time.
With her lips pressed in a hard line, she cast her ruby eyes up to me, tugging on my laces she stands hands on her hips.
Gods that's hot.
"Ellie likes to push your boundaries." She grumbles.
I laugh"That's why you like her." I hold out my hand and after a minute of glaring at me, she relents and helps me to my feet. Gingerly I tuck a loose strand of black hair back into her ponytail. "I need to get out," I beg.
Closing her eyes Aurora frowns. "Fine only if you let me pick you up after."
Hugging her tightly "Thank you so much." I say.
White teeth flash against her red lips "You actually thought I could stop you from going out?"
"True," I admit.
We make our way out of the bedroom and down the halls to the front door. Aurora tells me she has business out of town but she will text me when back in town. She has been helping put together a campaign to rally both sides for at least a talk of peace. I will need the support when I become Countess Van Byrne of London. Outside in the driveway, I can see Lang's beat up car parked. Honestly, Lang your father is a general in the army, just have him buy you a new 'Stang or something.
"Father says that the Keepers won't even talk to me unless I have officially agreed to the proposal, something about how they are sexist pigs." My father's words, not mine.
I can feel Aurora tense under my hand slightly. "So you need to marry the boy to make any progress with your Lords?" She mutters it more to her herself than me.
My mood dampens at that, with the way Aurora made me feel it was getting harder to go along with my deal with Finnick and the marriage in general. She made me feel crazy and safe all at the same time, yet I had no idea how she felt. I had no clue what to think, the games she likes to play or when she looks me at me like a meal had me spinning. We stop at the front door Aurora meeting my blue eyes with a distant look, it threw me off just a bit. Great, we are back to the mercurial vampire mood swings.
"See you later?" I ask hopeful the topic didn't change her mind.
I only get a stiff nod before Aurora practically shoves me out the door making it impossible for me to say anything else. Pushing my disappointment aside I turn to my friends with a smile and limp down the stairs. I could feel her eyes on me the whole way, the tingle crawling up my neck from her stare. Ellie jumps out of her seat to help me into the car, Lang passed out in the passenger seat. She gives me a wet smooch on the forehead before hopping back into the driver seat, turning to me with a wicked grin.
"Ready to have some fun?" Ellie asks
I laugh trying to get in a positive mind frame as she drives away from the manor. "Dying for some."
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"Guys, I need to sit down for a minute." I groan coming to a full halt.
Ellie agrees with me and we go find a table a the food court, Lang offers to order for us. I exhale deeply as the weight is taken off my feet. My stomach growled with all the smells surrounding me. Ellie bumps my leg under the table to get my attention.
"You ok babes?"
Putting a smile on my face I reply. "Yeah, just tired." I stretch a far as I can without causing my ribs to ache, I was almost healed up but my body still felt like shit. "This is nice though, I miss hanging with you guys."
My best friend pouts. "Well, we'd be doing all sorts of fun things if you weren't doing stupid things like fighting hungry ghouls."
I roll my eyes and laugh. "I'll try to keep that down to a minimum, the pain isn't worth the attention."
Ellie's grey eyes flash remembering something, she leans forward with narrow eyes. "Speaking of attention...."
"I don't like that look you're giving me." I tell her skeptically.
Lang comes back with two trays; 2 burgers and chicken tenders for me. Ellie pops a fry into her mouth. "You shouldn't, it's interrogation time."
That only makes me worry but Lang perks up. "Oh yes! I've been waiting for this."
I look between the two of them suddenly suspicious. "What did I do?"
Ellie grin devilishly, "More like who have you done?"
"Huh?" I was totally confused but both of them looked at me with wide juicy detail hungry eyes.
With a look of exasperation shared between my two best friends Ellie exclaims. "Aurora! What's going on between you and that gorgeous vamp?"
I can feel my face growing hot as they continue to stare at me, I was sweating under the pressure already.
The thought of having them to talk to about my odd relationship with my sire warms my heart. I still stutter in surprise and embarrassment while they look at me expectantly. Ellie drops her burger onto her plate with a noise of impatience and rolls her eyes.
"C'mon! She's like your damn shadow, everywhere you move there she is right by your side." Her grey eyes search mine. "You just spent a month with her now she's living with you AND you spent an entire week with her nursing you back to health in your bedroom. You expect us to believe nothing's happened between you and that goddess?" She enunciates.
"She is appealing- for a woman." Lang agrees.
Blushing I look down and play with my food. "Well, I won't say nothing hasn't happened ....but she knows I'm engaged." I hide the bitterness in my voice.
Raising a brow Ellie scoots closer. "So something has happened?"
Thoughts of Aurora go through my mind: her kissing me, teasing me, taking care of me when I wasn't well, and lastly, holding me close as I fall asleep. Gods, what was I thinking? I had huge feelings for her. Lang's hands rest over mine his dark eye kind. "You know damn well we aren't going to judge you, Lizabeth, so give me the deets."
Ellie nods "Yes, yes, exactly right- NOW SPILL THE DAMN TEA."
I laugh hard at that. "Ok, fine. You guys win." They nearly fall out of their seats with excitement. I bite my lip and take a deep breath through the nose, saying this aloud made my heart beat fast. "I'll just start with what I know you guys really want to hear. We've kissed, twice...it was really nice. Sometimes she seems extremely guarded but can be so sweet and soft when you get her to open up. I'm pretty sure Intense is her last name with how she act-though I'm not sure if that's just our sire bond. That whole damned thing is...strong like her hold over me is..." I shake my head just thinking about it. "Aurora has this weird thing about not showing her emotions like a freaking brick wall but she's really funny when she wants to be and-" I bite my tongue to keep from verbally vomiting everything. I was about o say something I wasn't sure was appropriate to say aloud to them.
"AND?!" Ellie practically yells. Both of my closest friends had been leaning forward as I spewed details, in rapture with what I was saying.
I twist my hands in my lap my face bright red from the attention and my thoughts. Carefully I word a sentence together that will allow me to confess but not offer much detail. "And she has been sleeping in my bed-she's very touchy."
Lang laughs and Ellie shakes me squealing with delight. "Naked? Please tell me naked?"
"What? No! Ellie we haven't gotten that far, and probably never will." I grumble the last bit.
My best friend whines "What? Whyyy?"
I give her a look and Lang informs her once again that I am engaged to be married. She drops the topic when she sees how upset I look and throws herself into a conversation with Lang. I dig into my food silently my chest feeling lighter now that I could tell someone about this. Yet heavier at the same time when I think of not being able to have her.
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Around 2 in the afternoon I get a text from my sire:
Rory: Finished with my errands when can I pick you up?
I shoot back a quick text before hurry after my friends. "Hey guys I'm beat can we call it a day?"
"Sure, we still on for Saturday night?" Ellie asks coming up to me.
I pull her into a hug. "Absolutely, it's a plan Stan."
She laughs and hurries off with Lang waving goodbye. I go to find a bench to sit on when I hear someone call out my name. Turning around I feel my shoulders tense up when I see who is jogging toward me. Blonde hair flopping and bright teal eyes greet me.
"Hey," he breathes out coming to stop in front of me, he wore jeans and a long sleeve.
"Hey, it's been a while," I say to him and look around for a bench.
When I find one he follows me sitting down next to me. "I'm sorry I haven't come to check up on you, I figured you needed rest."
"Yeah, I was pretty banged up but I'm fine now, how are you holding up?"
Finnick rubs the back of his neck with a large hand looking embarrassed. "I barely got scratched, I just got tossed around."
"I would've called but I was being held prisoner," I tell him.
Finnick chuckles dryly. "That's fine, I'd rather see you be healthy."
A silence falls on us thick and uncomfortable, both of us looking anywhere but at each other. It was suddenly too awkward around him, having spent so much time growing close to Aurora. I haven't given him a second thought, not when I'm with her.
Clearing his throat loudly Finnick looks over at me with a somber expression. "There's something I have been wanting to do and I'd like to try it- with your permission."
When I meet his eyes shivers run up my spine, his gaze was deep and full of something unreadable, the same look he had the first time we met. He leans forward on one hand closing the distance we had left. I felt glued there by fear or nervousness I'm not sure.
"Can I kiss you, Lizabeth?" He smells like a campfire. His warm hand cupping my face.
My heart quickens and I can feel my hands go clammy but I nod; the slightest tilt of my head. Not wasting time Finnick crushing his lips on mine hard, his lips were hot and tasted like chocolate. When I don't move to end the kiss he takes it as encouragement to deepen the kiss. Finnick's kiss is rough and hard, him taking control of it. It was nothing like Aurora's.
Like a bucket of ice water pouring over me Aurora's name is enough for me to shove against his chest with all my force.
I gasp for air and Finnick looks at me with a startled expression that quickly turns to guilt. "I'm sorry-" he began.
I cut him off with a hand still catching my breath. "It's ok, I just wasn't expecting...that." I say lamely. When I calm down I look at him and smile. "Listen, I'm hanging with my friends down at Push n Pull Saturday, how about you join us? We can catch up."
He smiles. "I'd like that."
A roar of an engine cuts off any more conversation, I whip my head around to see a female in leather pulling up on a loud sexy looking motorcycle cycle. Aurora. I breathe out in relief before turning back to Finnick to say goodbye. He smiles back and walks away. I quickly turn back to Aurora wiping my lips and walking toward her. My heart skipping a beat when she removes her helmet and black hair cascading out onto her tight leather jacket. Her longs legs on display and my eyes roam. Gods, I'm in trouble.