guys good?"
I nodded, looking out the window
at the building. It had been completely engulfed in fire and was
quickly burning to the ground. We had disabled the fire alarm and
it was far enough away from other buildings that hours would pass
before anyone called the fire department, if they ever did. We
would be settled comfortably back in the vampire sanctuary beneath
the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore by then, all evidence of our
involvement reduced to mere ashes. As the vehicle began to move, I
settled into the seat, trying not to think too much about what had
just happened. The gentle rocking of the SUV soothed me and I dozed
as we made the trek back to our home.
The rocking motion changed ever so
slightly and I started awake. My sudden twitching nearly had me
falling to the ground and I had to wrap my arms tightly around
Felipe's neck to steady myself. We were back at the enclave and he
was lifting me from the SUV. I'd slept the entire way home. He set
me down and slipped an arm around my waist.
"You ok?" His gentle smile was
infectious and I felt the corners of my lips reaching
skyward.
"I didn't think I'd sleep that
hard.”
“You haven't been sleeping well
lately. You needed the rest.”
I nodded, resting my head on his
chest. “When's the debriefing?" Debriefings were a requirement
after any action taken by those trained at the
sanctuary.
"In an hour. We have time to get
cleaned up."
I nodded, my brain still slightly
fuzzy from the unexpected sleep. Felipe left me at the door to my
room—my deceased husband's room—and headed to get himself
straightened up. I shut the door behind me and walked to the bed.
Taking off my combat boots, the boots I'd bought during my first
couple days here, I settled onto the bed, sinking into the
mattress. I needed a shower badly, but for a few minutes, I just
wanted to relax and forget about everything that had just happened.
My eyes wandered to my nightstand—the black digital clock that
Annie had gotten me, a lamp that wasn't switched on, and Steven's
journal. It'd been more six months since I lost Steven, but every
now and then, the pain seemed as fresh as the first time I opened
my eyes without him. I brushed my fingers over the leather. The
journal held a ton of information, and Steven's last words to
me.
I sighed, leaning back on the bed.
Steven was my love, my life. He'd been the first one who I knew
really, truly cared about me. Losing him hurt, and it was hard for
me to move on. Felipe wasn't Steven, but he was special in his own
right. Since the first time I met him, we had a connection. I was
thankful much of our time was taken up with training and
information sessions. I still wasn't ready to focus on our
relationship and figure out where I wanted it to go, or didn't want
it to go. He was being patient with me, more patient than almost
anyone else would be, but I knew that wouldn't last long, and I
also knew I didn't want to lose him.
Groaning, I rolled to a sitting
position. The physical aches I'd experienced my first weeks of
intense training were not there, but my soul cried out nonetheless.
Taking a life is never easy. It never should be easy. Felipe said
it would get easier, but I knew what he meant was that dealing with
it would get easier. I would find a way to lock it down and bury it
deep like he had. But for now, my only solution was a nice, hot
shower. I picked out some clean clothes—a black t-shirt and a pair
of jeans, my usual attire—and trudged to the shower.
I could hear the water running in
the bathroom next door and a small smile crept across my lips,
thinking of Felipe's perfectly toned muscles glistening beneath the
soap. I laughed at myself and turned on the shower. Shedding my
grimy, sweaty, blood-stained clothing, I stepped into the warmth,
letting it wash over me and heal the mental hurts of the day. I
spent much longer than I should have getting clean and I was still
getting ready when Felipe knocked on my door.
"Come in."
I
I nodded, looking out the window
at the building. It had been completely engulfed in fire and was
quickly burning to the ground. We had disabled the fire alarm and
it was far enough away from other buildings that hours would pass
before anyone called the fire department, if they ever did. We
would be settled comfortably back in the vampire sanctuary beneath
the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore by then, all evidence of our
involvement reduced to mere ashes. As the vehicle began to move, I
settled into the seat, trying not to think too much about what had
just happened. The gentle rocking of the SUV soothed me and I dozed
as we made the trek back to our home.
The rocking motion changed ever so
slightly and I started awake. My sudden twitching nearly had me
falling to the ground and I had to wrap my arms tightly around
Felipe's neck to steady myself. We were back at the enclave and he
was lifting me from the SUV. I'd slept the entire way home. He set
me down and slipped an arm around my waist.
"You ok?" His gentle smile was
infectious and I felt the corners of my lips reaching
skyward.
"I didn't think I'd sleep that
hard.”
“You haven't been sleeping well
lately. You needed the rest.”
I nodded, resting my head on his
chest. “When's the debriefing?" Debriefings were a requirement
after any action taken by those trained at the
sanctuary.
"In an hour. We have time to get
cleaned up."
I nodded, my brain still slightly
fuzzy from the unexpected sleep. Felipe left me at the door to my
room—my deceased husband's room—and headed to get himself
straightened up. I shut the door behind me and walked to the bed.
Taking off my combat boots, the boots I'd bought during my first
couple days here, I settled onto the bed, sinking into the
mattress. I needed a shower badly, but for a few minutes, I just
wanted to relax and forget about everything that had just happened.
My eyes wandered to my nightstand—the black digital clock that
Annie had gotten me, a lamp that wasn't switched on, and Steven's
journal. It'd been more six months since I lost Steven, but every
now and then, the pain seemed as fresh as the first time I opened
my eyes without him. I brushed my fingers over the leather. The
journal held a ton of information, and Steven's last words to
me.
I sighed, leaning back on the bed.
Steven was my love, my life. He'd been the first one who I knew
really, truly cared about me. Losing him hurt, and it was hard for
me to move on. Felipe wasn't Steven, but he was special in his own
right. Since the first time I met him, we had a connection. I was
thankful much of our time was taken up with training and
information sessions. I still wasn't ready to focus on our
relationship and figure out where I wanted it to go, or didn't want
it to go. He was being patient with me, more patient than almost
anyone else would be, but I knew that wouldn't last long, and I
also knew I didn't want to lose him.
Groaning, I rolled to a sitting
position. The physical aches I'd experienced my first weeks of
intense training were not there, but my soul cried out nonetheless.
Taking a life is never easy. It never should be easy. Felipe said
it would get easier, but I knew what he meant was that dealing with
it would get easier. I would find a way to lock it down and bury it
deep like he had. But for now, my only solution was a nice, hot
shower. I picked out some clean clothes—a black t-shirt and a pair
of jeans, my usual attire—and trudged to the shower.
I could hear the water running in
the bathroom next door and a small smile crept across my lips,
thinking of Felipe's perfectly toned muscles glistening beneath the
soap. I laughed at myself and turned on the shower. Shedding my
grimy, sweaty, blood-stained clothing, I stepped into the warmth,
letting it wash over me and heal the mental hurts of the day. I
spent much longer than I should have getting clean and I was still
getting ready when Felipe knocked on my door.
"Come in."
I
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