I walk toward Aurora with a big grin; Finnick already out of my head once I lay eyes on her. I could feel myself drooling over her long legs, how good she looked on top of the beast of a bike. Her grin was breathtaking, a sharp-toothed grin with maroon eyes sparkling in the setting sun. When I got close enough I could feel the deep rumble of the engine, sending vibrations all through me. Swinging those long legs over the bike she lets the bike idle the noise softened so I can hear her.
Gesturing to her bike that she leaned against with raised eyebrows I say "I was not expecting this, no complaints though, just surprised."
Aurora lets out a real belly laugh that catches me off guard my heart skipping a beat at the lovely sound. "I've never been one for cars or carriages, too big and slow; a good horse or bike can make a tight squeeze and go faster." She hands me her helmet before getting back on her bike. "Did you have fun today?"
Slipping the helmet onto my head I'm caught up in her scent, I take a deep breath of it before replying. "Yeah, it was good to get out of the house."
With a nod she turns the engine over again, the roar making me jump but I quickly get on thankful she can't see my blush as I wrap my arms around her waist. Aurora hits the gas jerking us forward and we speed down the street like a bat out of hell. I let out a squeal of exhilaration as the wind brings tears to my eyes. Aurora drives like a crazy person, fast and wild, and I fucking love it. That feeling of freedom I'm always chasing comes freely here, everything a blur. I could see the outline of the manor over her shoulder not surprised how fast we got here with her driving. Maybe I could convince her to take me on more rides later on.
Pulling up to the driveway Aurora kills the engine and waits for me to climb off before doing the same. I hand her back the helmet with what I'm sure looked like a crazy grin. She laughs lightly as she fixes my windswept hair and I try not to blush at the gentle action. Falling into step behind her as we walk up to my bedroom. It's been 3 weeks and Aurora still hasn't slept in her own room, we had found it the next morning we arrive; right across the hall from mine. I wasn't going to complain but it did bring the earlier conversation with Lang and Ellie to my mind and I blush deeply.
Opening the bedroom door I'm surprised by what I see on my bed, a folded cotton blanket on top of a wicker basket full of what I can assume is food. I turn back to my sire with a quizzical look, she was leaned up against the door watching me.
"What's all this?" I ask her.
With a shrug, she walks over to the bed and lifts the lid open to show the contents to me. It was filled with wine, cheeses, bread, and fruits. "Care to join me in the meadow?"
A shy smile plays on my lips. "To do what exactly?"
My sire's grin is innocent looking yet her eyes were dark and flirtatious. "To watch the sunset of course."
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The breeze is warm and gentle against my skin as I settle on to the blanket Aurora laid out. Looking out over the forest surrounding the manor I see the sun setting, casting a pink-orangish hue on the sky. It was nice to feel the sun, the fresh smell of wood and flowers coming with the wind. I twist the enchanted ring my sire gave me as she plants herself down beside me, legs crossed under her. She pulls out two glasses and the wine bottle, tugging hard on the cork.
"Civappu caram āḥp ḥpēṭ paṟṟiya kataiyai nīṅkaḷ kēḷvippaṭṭirukkiṟīrkaḷā?" She asks in Tamil as she poured a generous amount of wine into the glasses.
I take the glass she offers, the clear liquid sloshing as I do. "The Red String of Fate? Isn't that about two lovers being tied to each other, like destiny or something?" I could understand what she said to me but couldn't speak it quiet as well.
"Something like that," Aurora hums sipping from her glass, her red lipstick perfect, no smudges on her glass or lips. How does she do that? "It's supposed to symbolize the unity of two souls, intertwined always, drawn to each other like magnets. They aren't always necessarily lovers, sometimes it's a platonic relationship." Her intense red eyes find my blue ones. "I believe that you and I are tied to each other. I think I was destined to find you in that alley, to save you."
Holding her gaze I lose my words, the depths of her eyes displaying all types of thoughts yet I couldn't decipher any of them. The heat of a blush creeps up my neck as I repeat her words in my mind. They sounded so intimate, so close to what could be misunderstood as a confession of love. I rip my eyes away from her and drink from my glass, staring at the sunset, my eyes beginning to burn. The burn helped me fight the urge to kiss her. I gulp down some more wine and pick off some grapes from the food she brought.
"Well, I suppose it was Fate, " I pitch my voice to be light. "It was written and prophesied before my grandparents were even a thought."
Aurora scoffs "I was around even before that."
That only makes me wonder how long she has even around. I gather the muster to ask her. "How old are you exactly Aurora?"
She raises a perfect arched brow, amusement in her eyes. "Don't you know it's rude to ask a lady her age?"
I laugh and lightly shove her, leaning back on an elbow I eye her. "It's only fair I think-if you want to go that route; you've kissed me 3 times without my permission. I'd call that rude."
Raising my glass to my lips I pause halfway at the sudden somber look on her face. The wind kicks up blowing her hair in her face. I stay silent sipping my wine as I look out to the sunset waiting to see if she will respond.
"I'm 600 years old." She says quietly and I resist the urge to spit out my wine.
600 years old?! Holy Hotpocket, she's old enough to be my ancestor. And here you sit Izzy, crushing on her hard. I needed to get a grip.
Hiding my surprise I watch her carefully through my hair, her eyes were distant thinking back on a faraway memory. A ghost of a smile plays on her lips as she stares out past the meadow.
"Back then it was still peaceful, the war only just beginning to reach other lands. My father had enlisted, my mother begged him not to. All he would say to her was; 'it was time to show those monsters who is stronger.' Days later he left with the rest of the soldiers, marching to their deaths." Her voice is small and far away. "He would send letters every week with some coin from the king, but one day the letters stopped, and when it was time for the soldiers to come home my father was not among them. My family mourned him, only for him to burst in the door wounded and bleeding all over. He told us he had gotten separated from his garrison, lost in the woods for a week. A vampire had attacked him, leaving him for dead."
When Aurora pauses I keep quiet, not wanting her to stop, this felt like a privilege, for her to share her past with me. I was incredibly curious about my sire's past but wished to find out by her own volition. The wind blew her hair in her face but she doesn't move it, she just stares out at the sun. I gulp down the rest of my wine as I wait for her to speak again.
"It was only a few hours later after we let him in, did my father go mad with hunger. My mother's screams woke me up, I rushed to her bedroom only to find a bloody scene." Aurora's voice wavers only slightly. I want to reach out and hold her hand, support her but I don't move."My brother lay on the floor looking broken and not breathing. And my mother was almost dead, my father draining her dry."
Aurora drains her glass and refills both our glasses, I watch her hands shake as she does. I have to push away the need in me to hold her, the look in her eyes was so vulnerable.
"Fighting off a crazed freshly turned vamp is hard enough with the proper training but as a weak female human? The chances are you aren't walking away alive. To this day I'm still not sure how I fought him off or how I am alive. I woke up in a room of blood and corpses, my blood boiling."
Burgundy eyes find mine and I fight back tears. "Thank you for sharing that with me," I say in a hoarse voice. "It sounds like you've been through hell."
My sire laughs and leans against me. "I won't lie and say it wasn't. After I turned I was taken in by an odd couple, a warlock and witch. They helped me learn about myself and raised me as is I was their own. They are my family and always will be. It's not such a bad life, it can fun with the right distractions." Her smile small but warm, thinking back fondly now.
Trying not to focus on what her smell was doing to me I smile. "Distractions? Like what?"
Aurora doesn't answer me at first but reaches down and picks up a grape and brings it to my lips. I blush red but open my mouth for her to feed me. I close my eyes as she pops it into my mouth and I chew the sweet fruit. Her fingers brush over my lips when she lowers her hand. Aurora presses her thumb to my bottom lip and keeps it there. Opening my eyes I look over at the goddess sitting so very close any and all words are lost on my tongue. Her eyes are no longer sad and distant, that intense look was back her ruby eyes shining with playfulness. It punches me full force in the stomach, Gods why did she have to be so gorgeous. A provocative smirk plays on her lips. "Like you pet, you interested me right from the start. I'd call you a rather nice distraction."
Aurora leans over and places a firm kiss on my lips. I melt into it, needing to feel her badly, the very touch from her burning my blood. When a moan escapes my throat the other woman jerks back cursing in a different language. Aurora pulls herself to her feet, leaving me reeling. She paces back in forth muttering under her breath and I realize she mad. Angry even, running her hands through her black hair as she shoots a deadly glare my way.
"I can't keep doing this," Even though she's looking at me when she said this I get the feeling she was talking to herself.
Before I can say anything Aurora storms off back to the manor while I watch her figure retreat and I'm left shaky and confused.