Rory

“That’s the last one,” Doc said and stretched. Boxes and furniture littered the compact living room of Rory and Byron’s new home, a once vacant shack within the Witches Grotto of Alma.

“We really appreciate all your help.” Byron dropped onto the couch and let out a long breath. “I’d offer you guy’s a beer, but I haven’t seen one of those in a few hundred years.”

“Might be able to help with that, mate,” Sven said in a low, conspiratorial tone. “But you didn’t get it from me. Be right back.”

Rory wrapped her arms around Byron’s neck. “Small sips first of any beverage from Sven, yeah?” She kissed the top of his head and nuzzled it with her nose. “Figure I’ll check on Nadine in the kitchen. Do you guys need anything?”

Both men shook their heads. Byron kissed her softly on the cheek and rubbed her hand with his thumb.

She forced herself to pull away from his affection and headed into the kitchen where Nadine was busying herself with cooking. “Look at all this food! You didn’t have to do all this by yourself.” But people actually enjoyed what Nadine cooked. The same couldn’t be said for the atrocities Rory called food.

“You’re busy with the move and I’m happy to help.”

“Well, what can I do to help then? Seriously, if I unpack another box right now, I might scream.”

Nadine swatted Rory’s hand away before she could snatch a piece of roasted venison. “You can keep me company.”

Rory pouted in mocked annoyance.

“You and Byron had a rough start. Let us do what we can so you can get on to the fun stuff.” She smiled her most devious grin.

“Oh, we’ll be doing that,” Rory said and felt her face redden.

“It’s good for the soul and not a bad workout either.” Nadine winked at her. “I’m glad things worked out for you.”

“Thanks. It feels good to take some time to rest after everything that happened.”

“And you’re still helping Doc at the clinic?”

“Yeah. I asked Byron if he needed my help with the vampires. But after Trevor, they’re not too keen on my being around for negotiations.”

Nadine laughed. “Understandable.”

“Oi, look who I found.” Sven’s voice boomed through the house.

Doc and Byron called in unison. “Billie!”

The aforementioned guest squealed in delight. “I’m so glad we’re all together! And Mr. Sven is letting me sleep on his couch, did I mention that?”

“Aww, Billie, you weren’t supposed to mention I was kind enough to let you crash at my flat, mate. Our secret and all,” Sven said, loud and clear, so his voice carried to the kitchen.

“But, Mr. Sven, you said to say it loud enough for Nadine to hear and it’ll make her think you-”

Sven cut him off with an elbow. “Fuckin’ hell, Billie.”

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“Spare room at my house is open now, you’re welcome to it.” Nadine said and Billie squealed in delight again.

“Is dinner ready yet? I’m starved,” Doc said and patted his stomach.

“Who’d’ve thought,” Sven said as he passed everyone a bottle of his homebrewed lager. “A man the size of a small bus is hungry after an hour without food.”

“Hey, where’s Holga? I still need to thank her for giving us Lena’s house,” Rory said once they were all seated.

“She’ll drop by later in the week. Said something about too many people per square foot of space. It’s Holga.” Sven shrugged.

They ate and laughed. Sang songs and cheered. Broke bread and threw it at each other. It was everything Rory had expected a family meal would be.

As the night grew late, and their eyes became heavy, one by one they departed. Nadine nudged a passed-out Sven awake, and they shut the door behind them.

Finally alone. Rory felt calm enter her. The only man who needed to exist in her world lit a fire in the hearth. She watched him go about the mundane task and marveled at how much had changed. Not just for her, but for him as well. A month prior, in her timeline at least, she was about to have possibly the most horrific experience of her life. For him, a month prior meant he’d been doing vampire things, whatever that may be.

Did they rush things a little, well, maybe? But it felt right, and Rory wanted to start their lives before something else horrible happened. As usual, Byron went along with her harebrained ideas. Maybe I should apologize for that at some point. Or thank him at least.

Byron turned and caught her watching. He smiled and brushed his warm lips on her forehead. “I have something to show you.” He searched through boxes until he found what he was looking for. The wind-up generator turned and music poured through the speakers.

Her heart leaped in her chest and goosebumps formed on her flesh as he pulled her into his arms. He kissed her as their bodies moved in unison. His hands drifted over the curves of her body, from her breasts to lower back to bottom. “You don’t know how badly I wanted to feel you all those nights.”

“You weren’t the only one who felt that way,” she said and nipped his neck. Dizzy from drink, she buried her head in his chest and breathed in his warm musk. Their mouths found each other’s again, and she savored his taste. She wanted each sense burned into her memory. In their world, tomorrow lost its promise, but no matter what happened, no matter where she found herself, she would always have this one night. “I love you,” she said. The words poured more from her soul than her mouth.

“I love you too,” he said and kissed her. Slowly, he undressed her, tasted her, felt her. At times he lingered, either watching or feeling, as if he was locking in his own memories of her.

His warm tongue traced her navel and continued lower.

She cried out; her fingers coiled into his hair to hold him.

“The good people of Alma will think I’m killing you,” he said.

“Let them,” she said breathlessly and forced his head back between her thighs. Her release came in rolling tides, quaking with each ebb and flow.

His mouth found hers again, and she tasted herself in the kiss. A low moan left his lips.

Hungry for him, she pulled off his shirt and kissed the golden down on his chest.

In a hasty movement he kicked his pants off. “I need you,” he said. His hardness pushed against her and she opened for him.

Beside them the fire crackled, and the music played as he took her and she took him. Their flesh became one. Her toes curled and vision tunneled as their worlds collided, shook and exploded.

Byron rolled on his back, put an arm behind his head and pulled her to him. “That made everything worth it,” he said, tracing delicate circles on her arm.

A contented noise left her lips, and she put her head against his chest. Her skin glistened with sweat and shivered with aftershocks. She ran a finger down his side and over his stomach, listening to his heart race at her touch.

“Hey,” he said and jumped. “That tickled.”

“Sorry.” She kissed his chest and goosebumps formed on his flesh. “Do you regret it? Losing the whole immortality thing.”

“Honestly? A little. There’re some things I’ll miss, but it’s worth it.”

“Oh, yeah? What will you miss?”

“The senses. Sometimes I could smell you in the other room and I knew you were safe.” He grew quiet, and she peeked up at him to see him smiling up at the ceiling. “But I don’t have to rely on that anymore.” He held her closer, wrapping his other arm around her. “Instead of smelling you in the other room, I can hold you in the same bed.”

She held a hand to his face and guided his mouth to hers. Their kiss deepened, reigniting the fires inside them.

That night they danced and made love until sleep took them both. Rory’s last thought, as they both lay naked beside the fire, was the man at table five had changed her life, but not in a way she could have ever expected. And that was fine by her.

Book 1 End