Darcy gave a sarcastic smile and wiped off the excess apple juice from his face. “Oh yeah, great job. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to take a shower.”
Wendy tried hard to not laugh at his expense but a little chuckle did slip through.
“Laugh it up!” he conceded grudgingly, making Wendy burst up in laughter. Laughing felt good right now. With everything that seemed to happen so quickly, it felt nice to let loose.
“You guys are mean,” Darcy said before leaving the room with an immature pout.
Anya rolled her eyes and walked out after him. “C’mon, you big baby, let’s get you cleaned up,” she called out after him, making Wendy laugh again.
She felt Vincent squeeze her from behind in a loving gesture before facing her. “I love your laugh,” he murmured before placing a sweet kiss on her lips. It made her smile slightly at the feeling as she gazed up at him when he pulled away.
“Maybe when this is all over, I can do it more often,” Wendy said with a slightly sad smile, thinking of all the obstacles they had yet to face.
Vincent looked at her for a moment before offering her a hand. “C'mon. I'm taking you out for tonight,” he said, making her look at him with surprise but the ever growing smile on her face told him she very much liked the idea.
“Really?” she asked, almost afraid he'd take it back at the last second.
He chuckled and brushed the side of her face with his fingertips. “Yes, so go get dressed and I'll handle the rest.”
That was all she needed to hear before running to her and his room and going through her clothing options. Over the last couple of weeks, Anya has taken to buying and or ordering Wendy’s clothes, so she had quite a choice to choose from. Something flashy caught her eyes before she reached for it and grinned. It was perfect.
The dress was a navy blue but had a silver accent that shimmered with every move she made. It stopped just above her knees and flowed from the bust down. Getting undressed, she slipped it on. It was backless but it had a built in bra in the front so she didn't have to worry about that. Moving to the long mirror that was on the back of the closet door, she marveled at how it made her look. It made her look older in a sophisticated way. Moving to the dresser next to her, she picked up this blood-red lipstick Anya had let her have. After swiping on a couple coats, she then put on a light shimmering eyeshadow before she deemed herself ready. Her eyes found some red pumps, so she quickly put those on. Wendy left her hair down as it was tame and had nice waves going through it.
“All ready!” she said with a big grin as she flitted to the living room. She saw heat enter Vincent's eyes, making her swell with feminine pride.
“You look exquisite.” He took her hand and then kissed the back of it. He was all ready to go in a red button-down with black slacks that made Wendy want to rip it off him. The shirt stretched over his expansive chest and impressive back. Wendy knew from experience that any women tonight were going to be thinking lustful thoughts. He led her outside, just as the sun was setting, to a nice sleek car. Vincent, when he wasn't training Wendy, learned how to drive. He was surprisingly very good at it.
“M'lady.” He opened the door for her, making her smile to herself. Most would think he was trying to be funny but he was being serious. In his time it was customary to open a door for a woman.
“Thank you.” Her voice was soft as she enjoyed not having to strain herself for once. Vincent held her hand as they drove out of the driveway. “So why are we driving?” she asked, not minding the extra time with him.
He shrugged. “Why not?” sad his only reply.
The quiet purr of the car was the only sound but it was nice. A very welcome change to the chaos at the house. Resting her head back, she looked over his profile. He looked so carefree at the moment. It was different from his normally serious self. Of course she loved every side of him, but she found the soft smile that played at his lips a welcoming side that she hoped would stay for a while.
The moon was full tonight, casting everything in a cold glow. It took another few minutes before Vincent pulled in front of a very nice restaurant. There was a vallet there waiting and the boy opened Wendy's door and helped her out.
“Thank you,” she said with a smile that seemed to stun the young boy. She wasn't used to having the sort of charm that came with being a vampire.
“Not that this place isn't stunning, but I didn't think Vampires could eat.” Her voice was low enough for only Vincent to hear.
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head as they walked inside the grand-looking place. “Trust me,” he said with a wink.
The host greeted them with a warm smile that accentuated her elderly wrinkles. “Welcome. Just two?” she asked as she stepped out from the podium.
“Yes, but we'd like to sit somewhere darker,” Vincent informed the lady who nodded with an understanding grin.
“Right this way.”
Wendy was intrigued and allowed Vincent to take her arm like a gentleman as they followed her to a side door.
It had a spiral, intricate staircase that led down. Wendy looked up at Vincent with a raised eyebrow, to which he just gave her a secret smirk.
“Private or non?” the host asked once they stood outside two different doors.
“Private,” he answered with a nod.
The host gave Wendy a secret wink, which in turn made Wendy want to blush although she didn't quite know why.
The hostess opened the door and looking inside made Wendy gasp. It was so beautiful! A large crystal chandelier was in the middle with hundreds of twinkling lights imbedded in the ceiling, almost like stars. The color scheme in the room was red and silver but it held a very warm feeling. Off to the side was a very large and comfy-looking blood red sofa. Then in the middle held an intimate-looking table that had silver trimmings while the rest appeared to be crystal.
“Thank you. Oh and bring the very best you have,” Vincent spoke and gave the lady a generous tip. She left with a small bow and clicked the door shut behind her.
“Is there a lot of underground places for vampires?” Wendy asked with an incredulous laugh. Her laugh stuttered to a stop when she felt his lips skim her neck in the most enticing way.
“Believe me, I was as pleasantly surprised as you are. Darcy informed me that most high-end places have an underground sort of thing just for vampires.” While he talked, his lips were tracing the length of her neck, making her tilt back to give him more room. It was nice, more than nice to have this alone time with him, rather than getting interrupted in that full house.
“Ahem.”
Perhaps she thought too soon. They both turned to see a young man holding a blacked out wine bottle. He gestured to the table and held out the chair for Wendy. Vincent sat across from her with a pleasant smile, that is, until the waiter's hand lingered on her shoulders.
“Good evening. My name is Carlos and I will be your waiter for tonight. If you need anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask,” he introduced and began pouring the blood into two crystal wine glasses. The smell tickled Wendy's nose in an enticing way.
Vincent said, “Yes, I would like very much if you keep your eyes off her chest before I tear the heart out of yours. Understood?”
The young Hispanic waiter gulped and nodded jerkily.
“Sorry, Sir, it won't happen again.” He then scurried out of the room.
Wendy had to laugh at the man across from her. “You couldn't help yourself, could you?” she asked with an indulging smile while sipping on the body temperature blood.
“How could I? You are a true vision and I know I have my work cut out for me.” His compliment made her blush delicately before she stood up and then walked over to him before sitting herself on his lap. She felt him stiffen in surprise and his eyes grew hotter.
“Firefly?” he questioned with a slight upturned grin.
Her hands came up and around so they played with the nape of his neck as she tilted her head to look through her lashes.
“I'm going to enjoy every single moment we have right now since this is the first time we've been alone in too long.” She wasn't sure where this new found vixen was coming from, but she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth from this confidence.
Without waiting another second, he crashed his lips onto hers in such passion that it left her breathless. Sucking in a breath from the sheer fire that consumed them both, she let herself forget everything. Everything but Vincent. She would get back to training tomorrow, Wendy decided. Things quickly escalated like never before as his large hands worked to peel the dress off of her. She broke away breathing heavily.
“Wait, the door...” she moaned as he began to suck on her neck.
He kissed her now bare shoulder. “They know not to disturb,” he murmured before picking her up then flitting over to the large couch.
Her fingers longed to feel the hard muscle that lay below his shirt, so without asking, she ripped off his shirt and sent the buttons flying in every which way. His low growl vibrated between both of them as he hovered above her. “Careful, Love,” he warned when his eyes almost appeared to be glowing with liquid blue heat.
She dared him by lifting up and trailing her fangs down his chest lightly. His thick corded muscles contracted at the feel and he shivered slightly. Without warning her, he bent down and bit on her shoulder.
Wendy screamed, feeling euphoria course through her. Her legs wrapped around him in an attempt to get closer. Her dress was now down and scrunched at her waist, revealing her bare chest and panties. They were midnight blue and were silky to the touch. All courtesy of Anya. His eyes silently asked her if she was sure, to which she answered with a kiss.
Trailing her fingertips lightly over his bare chest, she breathed in his comforting scent. She felt like jello and sore. It was a good kind of sore though, the kind you wouldn't mind feeling all the time. That devilish thought caused a small blush and smile to cover her face. They were both lying naked with a light sheen of sweat that slicked their skin and told the world what they were finished doing. Biting her lip, she looked up at him and smiled when she saw his eyes were closed but he had a contented smile on his face. She knew he wasn't asleep since his hands were trailing erotically down her spine.
“I love you,” he murmured softly and kissed the top of her when she lay her head back down on his chest.
She grinned against his skin and kissed his chest. “I love you too.” Her brain registered how, if she were human, she knew she would feel incredibly bashful and embarrassed of lying so bare next to him, but none of those feelings were there. Only love and a feeling of bliss. A frown marred her face as her eyes looked down his sleek and hard body. “I bit you more times than I thought,” she muttered almost more to herself.
He laughed and playfully smacked her bare bum. “Likewise. I have to say you were quiet the hellcat.” That statement did cause a blush to appear, but not so prominently. She was feeling thirstier than ever.
“Why do I feel so thirsty?” she asked as her eyes sought out the blood bottle. She flitted over to it then flitted back to lay by his side. Taking a swig, she offered him a drink.
He took it with a chuckle. “We exercised quite a bit. Our body needs more blood, just like a human would need more water.” Makes sense, she thought. He brought the blanket over them that lay over the back of the couch and covered them both. “Sleep. I'll wake you in a little while. We're going to have to train when we get back.”
That statement made her yawn as she nodded tiredly. “You sleep, too,” she mumbled and snuggled closer to him. He chuckled again and agreed. After that little session, they both need rest. Good thing he paid for a day in this room.
Chapter 26
Wendy
Snow began to fall as Wendy ran to defend herself. Her breath was coming out in pants as it showed in the cold December air. Her eyes swept along the dead-looking forest for any signs of life, but found none. Feeling frustrated, she closed her eyes and listened. When she heard a twig snap, she took off to whatever made the sound. Suddenly though she was tackled from the side, making herself and her attacker fall to the ground. The ice-like ground sent shivers down her spine as she groaned and looked up to a smirking Darcy.
“Never focus on just one sound. Open yourself up to everything. Had you not been so focused on Vincent breaking that twig, you would’ve heard me coming at you.” He grabbed her hand and helped her up gracefully, as the rocky terrain crunched under her hiking boots.
Huffing and brushing herself off, she glared up at him. “You can make it just a smidge easier, you know. You move like a ghost,” Wendy said, looking down at her now snow soaked pants.
“You know that's not how it will work when there's a real fight,” Vincent spoke as he emerged from the trees.
Sighing, she nodded and gave Darcy a mischievous smile. “Again,” she conceded and let them both run away from her. Taking a deep breath, she tried to concentrate again.
After more hours of practice and failing, she was finally able to pinpoint the both of them. It took her so much time to learn to do this because she was still clinging to her human thinking rather than her newly turned vampire way of thinking. When she subconsciously let go, she then was able to detect several things at once. Like the faint crunch, a mile or so down the terrain where a rabbit ate, then the slight thrumming of a humming bird’s heart in the next clearing over. It was all so amazing! Her ears snapped to the right when she heard a foot fall onto the earth, but also heard the slight swooshing of a flitting body. Smiling to herself, she turned at the last second to dodge Darcy’s attack.
“Ow!” he cried out when she nicked him with a small amount of her ability. She grinned then turned around again before giving Vincent the same token as he tried to sneak up on her. All Vincent did was wince as he grinned at her.
“Good job. Now again.”
Her mind felt exhausted but complied. A thought occurred to her though. “How about I try my hand at the stealthy part? I hide and try to sneak up on any of you?” she offered. Vincent agreed, saying it would be good to come at it from a different angle.
Minutes later, she was deep in the woods trying to dispel her scent and any noise that could give her away. Wendy was slightly tired of training so hard lately, but she knew that her vision would surface in just three days. That being said, she wanted to be ready for whatever comes at them. Her eyebrows furrowed when she heard the stomping of feet and low arguing. Curiosity got the better of her as she flitted toward the noise. Stopping to hide just behind a few large bushes, she gasped.
“Jamie! We have been walking for hours now! I don’t think you know where you are going!” Markus growled as another branch smacked him in the face.
She smirked back at him and flipped him the bird. “I know where I’m going. The fortune teller told me and pointed on the map here.” She held up a crinkled map that had a circle drawn on it. Wendy couldn’t believe it! It didn’t make sense! They weren’t supposed to show up for another three days!
Closing her eyes, she reached out to Vincent. It was difficult since she hadn’t done it in a while. She couldn’t form words but sent her distress instead, making it clear she needed his help.
“How?” he asked quietly a second later next to her. It would have made her jump had she not expected it.
“Well, we never said that vision I had was normal. If anything, we should have expected things to not exactly happen like what I saw.” Her frustration was evident in her voice but was no louder than a breathy whisper so as not to let the two know who were still arguing thirty feet away.
“Well, this was obviously right, just not the date. Darcy is on his way with Anya in case we're dealing with more than one vampire.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder for comfort.
Moments later, Darcy and Anya were there but hid themselves by the bushes as well.
“Damn it, Jamie! We should just turn back and try something else! My man berries are freezing off!” Markus growled, but his comme
nt made Anya snort with laughter, which in turn made the duo freeze.
“You heard that?” he asked Jamie slowly and took out a wooden stake that surprised all of them.
Wendy muttered, “Well, I guess my vision was wrong in something else too.”
Jamie looked at him, shocked. “What the hell? Why do you have that?” she asked, looking around her carefully.
“I told you a vampire took my sister. I'm just showing up prepared.”
Wendy turned to Vincent with wet eyes. “Please, don't hurt him. Let me talk to him first,” she pleaded.
“If he tries to hurt you, I'm sorry but I will have to step in,” he said with such seriousness that Wendy didn't doubt him for a moment.
Nodding, she went to step out when a blur rushed past her, causing her to cry out in shock. All of them jumped out from the bushes when a male vampire had Markus by the neck, snarling with red eyes. Jamie jumped away screaming at the suddenness of it all.
“No!” Wendy snarled as a blanket of rage settled over her bones from seeing her brother in harm’s way. Without thinking, she flitted to the vampire and grabbed him by the back of his neck and flung him away with such force that the male lost his grip on Markus and hit a thick tree, causing it to snap.
“Protect them. He's mine,” Wendy growled. No one messes with her loved ones just because they were hungry.
Vincent backed off and stood guard, knowing she had to do this. He didn't want her to, but he also knew there was no stopping her, at least not without hurting her.
“What the hell is going on?!” Markus yelled, gripping his neck as it turned an angry shade of red. His eyes darted all around, landing on Vincent. “You!” He tried to get up but was a little too weak.
“Relax. Answers will be given after your sister is done. You may not want to watch this,” he advised as all eyes turned to the slowly stalking Wendy.
“Argh! I'm so thirsty!” the male cried out angrily and tried to swipe at her, but with his thirst clouding his mind, it made his moves sloppy.