Blue

Part#14

“How many babies – correction – how many immortal babies have you raised?” he

challenges her with a logical question to force her out of the fright and fight response.

Waiting for her response, Declyn steps away to the kids and narrows his eyes at

them, muttering “Little traitors” under his breath while mopping up blood from their faces.

“I-i-immortal?”

“Yes, I told you in the kitchen. I told you I can’t relate to them on some levels, but

now? I am their provider and I understand their needs far better than you ever will. Those

snacks we caught? They were healthy, and I did scrape the fur around the feeding wounds

off,” he counters, wondering to himself why he bothers to defend his actions to her. He does

not have to, after all. Yet, he feels the need to make sure she trusts his judgement with this.

“It is barbaric, Declyn. I – this – is not something I’m used to. Even if they are

immortal, it is just barbaric,” Blue stammers.

“This is the reality of our race. Whatever they taught you at that coven is obviously

lacking,” Declan’s patience threatens to fail. His disappointment manifests in frustration at

her lack of acceptance.

Why it is all this important to me? I’m arguing with the girl for her approval!

“They are not mortal, I do not intend to coddle them like you’ve been indulged.”

Blue’s face turns blood red, then ghostly pale. Declyn grinds his teeth when she

pushes her chin out and speaks to him in a deadly calm voice of her own too.

“And they’re not savages. Do not turn them into a version of yourself.”

He watches her mouth, her eyes, the small tick just next to the dimple in her cheek.

The pulse in her neck drives blood through her body. His lips part, the tip of his tongue

pushes between them and he tastes her scent deliberately.

She tastes of fear, and anger. She tastes of promises and challenges. I’m not young of mind, or age, but

this is new territory and that in and of itself, is exciting and dangerous … She is prey and by the gods I’m a

hunter not giving up on this catch!

He knows for a fact she means every word, and he also knows she expects dire

consequences to follow for defying him in this way. She pushes at his boundaries and forces

him on his back foot where it comes to these children.

“Don’t forget this savage can, and will, drain you if you ever come at me like that

again,” he threatens for the sheer rush of emotions bursting from her. The shock and anger

in her eyes alone claws at his heart to beat again.

“Don’t forget I am used to being treated like a meal, my Lord,” she spars with him,

fuming “and just because I know my place, does not mean I will allow you to abuse yours.”

Declyn steps closer to Blue. She cringes but resistance tenses her muscles. There is

nowhere to go with the wall at her back. Declyn stretches himself to full, towering height

over her then lowers his face slowly. His mouth reaches her ear and he whispers, “They’re

sleeping, stop shouting.”

He stands upright, sticks both hands in his pockets and walks out of the door with

the last word. At least, it would have been, if his keen hearing didn’t pick up the soft,

grumbling from just inside the room.

“You two are in so much trouble when you wake up. Look at the mess of you. You’re

going to get me killed for no good reason by that Beastly man. You just had to go and be

little vampires, didn’t you? Why couldn’t you wait just a little longer?”

Declyn chuckles, and where he normally rushes in a blur between places he

traverses, he slows his steps considerably to listen in on the conversation Blue has with

herself. She is fearfully fearless, and it earns his respect and admiration. She is also innately

aware of her status as a blood source, and it is something which weighs on her mind

constantly. He does not like that part and now regrets having used it against her, even if it

had the desired effect.

“Make that list, I’m leaving in ten minutes. And Blue? If you call me ‘my Lord’ again,

I’ll put you over my knee,” he calls after her just to wind her up a tad more. The string of

words from her under her breath nearly chokes him with laughter and he can’t help himself,

he takes one more jab at her.

“May I remind you, sound travels; I don’t think that Saint would appreciate you

calling on her for what you have in mind.”

The silence in the room deafens him and when the door slams hard, it cracks him up

further while he bounces down the stairs at a humanized speed, happy with himself.