After 2000 years you would think...

FUCK ME! FOUR! My mind is racing and the nights she dreams this are the nights I have paid her visit. At least it is me and not the creature. I remain seated but I am pacing inside, the monster smiling wide at this revelation. I glare at him as he watches me back and forth, back and forth, smug fucking bastard that he is. During all this I see her searching me for something. Explanation, maybe but I had none I cared to share. I couldn’t get away from this fast enough.

“It’s something I will keep confident and look into with discretion, you have my word.” I say as I bow my head and place my right hand over my heart.

“Thanks, but I welcome a personal opinion if you have one?”

“I don’t, I will have to resort to the Queen’s library for further reference.”

She doesn’t seem satisfied with this.

“You have to understand, this type of situation is new to me also. I don’t usually….” I trail off trying to deliver this painlessly.

“Babysit.” She says with apt contempt.

“I don’t consider this babysitting, so please don’t assume that I do.” I feel like I have snapped her head off as my tone exudes harshly.

“Sorry…I, I didn’t. It’s just a defense mechanism, disregard my sarcastic hostility.” But her tone is not apologetic, it’s angry. I have angered her.

“Please, I apologize. In my line of work I am not usually protecting anyone, if anything; they are the ones who should obtain protection. I feel a little stir-crazy to be honest. I’m not used to sitting still.”

“I see. What do you do Cian?” The sound of my name on her lips is exquisite, but her tone is darkly inquisitive.

“I don’t want to frighten you away.”

“Listen, I am supposed to trust you right? Believe me when I say you can trust me with this.”

“It’s not the trust I have issue with, I have no reason not to trust you, it’s the details of what I do, that may…how can I put this? Turn your hair white.”

“Please?”

I remained silent for the time being, searching my vocabulary for the softest way to deliver the schematics of my occupation. She sits waiting patiently for me to gather myself.

“Bounty Hunting is just a fraction of what I do.” I take a deep breath, “There is a horrific condition to how I may collect my payment for each job.”

“What does that mean?”

I do not answer.

“Okay, can I guess?” She says straightening in her seat as if she were about to answer the million dollar question.

“If you wish.”

“Will you answer me truthfully?”

Reiterating what Estella had warned her about me.

“If you guess correctly, yes.” I sit up to mock her body language.

“So, what I know about Bounty Hunting is that you seek out the bail jumper, take them into your custody and return them for a bounty. The hunter gets the cash and moves on.”

“That is a decent definition of bounty hunting.” I say humorously, but she is not amused. She rolls her eyes and I can see another statement forming.

“Okay, so how are you different? The only thing I can come close to is, you don’t return the perpetrator intact. I mean it seems like a horrific condition, to just return a hand or a finger.”

I am shocked by her intelligence, but I am also internally rolling on the floor, as well as the monster. If I returned just a hand or a finger I would not last long in this business. I reveal a little of the mystery.

“Or a head.” I say smirking at her. She is staring at me dumfounded, then begins to laugh hysterically. Throwing her body into the back of the couch, her eyes are closed and her throat is contracting from the deep laughter. She regains composure opening her eyes to reveal pooling joyful tears. It’s a gloriously delightful sight; I haven’t witnessed tears of joy in a very long time. And from someone so captivating.

“You’re kidding right?” She is smiling through the words, which fades when I deny the joke. “Well I remain open minded, continue.” Her body language returns to deep interest.

“I couldn’t simply return a hand or a finger; I can snatch one of those off anyone. The condition to payment is a head or teeth, specifically the K9s or eyelets.”

“So does the “boss” test the teeth for identification like CSI?”

“Yes, we have the same technology. I prefer the head though, faster payment.” This is it, that has to send her over the edge, but it doesn’t.

“I can see that, if it were me I would go that route as well.” She smiles, her teeth perfectly straight and gleaming white, I can’t help but comment.

“You have beautiful teeth, Babet.” Oh Christ, her name. “Did you have to have years of braces?” I am genuinely interested.

“Thank you but, don’t change the subject.” She momentarily hoods her green eyes at me. “I want to know more about this and I’ve never had braces. Continue.”

“Are we not playing the guessing game anymore?” I smirk into a smile and she stares at my mouth until my lips wrap back around my teeth.

“Sorry, yours are mesmerizing.” She shakes the trance off.

“Part of the package I’m afraid.”

“So, your teeth can draw humans in?” She answers her own question but not before chastising herself. “Of course, moron….they just did it to you.” She rolls her eyes and then yawns. She stretches, arching her back, when she returns she lets out a massive sigh. She looks over at the clock on the wall, clear across the kitchen, definitely too far for any human to see.

“Oh man, I’m going to make some coffee, do you mind if we take a break?” She says getting off the couch, one bare foot hits the floor then the other. She shoves her thumbs into the back of her pants to pull them up before making her way into the kitchen. She calls to me, “I’m sorry I have nothing to offer you.” I hear snickering after a moment and I wonder if she finally realized her fop aux.

“Yeah, no problem.” I also find this amusing, her foot entering her mouth. She gets the coffee brewing saunters past the counter and leans in the heavily molded doorway between the two rooms crossing her arms under her breasts giving them a shelf to rest upon.

“It really isn’t my fault it’s a southern thing, it’s in the blood. We can’t let you leave our house without a four course dinner and sweet tea.” She laughs and I will never get enough of the sound. I was determined for it to continue.

“I’m aware, Estella has her moments. I have been fortunate to witness them a time or two. You should have seen her when Thessaly dropped off the clothes.”

“Clothes?” She drops her arms and sits back on the couch, her right foot beneath her.

“Estella had our concierge drop off some clothes for you and the kids, since yours….” I didn’t want to upset her.

“Got toasted? Yeah, luckily I still had a pair of jeans here I could fit and I borrowed one of Marcus’ shirts.” She says pulling on the fabric, which pops back to her body when she releases it. “I’m okay Cian, really. Things…happen…..Shit happens.” The laughter. Oh Christ, the laughter. “I thought those bags were hers, I didn’t touch them.”

I change the subject, “When do you expect to hear from the Fire Marshal?”

“Any day honestly and I won’t be surprised if it’s faulty wiring. Griffin made plans to update all the electrical but funds fell through and….shit happened.” She gets up to return to the kitchen, opens a cabinet and removes a white coffee mug placing it on the counter. She turns to the refrigerator, pulls the door open and after a quick search finds the creamer. Popping open the cap on the bottle, she then pours it into the mug, closes the cap and returns it to the refrigerator door. She stops after closing the door and catches me staring. “Look I know you are supposed to “watch” me,” she makes air quotes around the word, “but you’re taking it a little too seriously, don’t you think?” She finishes making her coffee.

“Job requirements and attention to detail is more than imperative in my line of work.” I say very seriously.

“But with me, you’re not in your line of work. Correct?” she sits back down, coffee cup in hand. She grips it with two hands and blows into it before taking a sip. I wish I was with her.

“Touché” I say bending my head to agree with her. “I apologize if I made you uncomfortable.”

“No worries, I’m just bustin’ your balls. Honestly I am new to all these things so I really shouldn’t have anything to say….I should just keep my mouth shut and do as I am told.”

“But it’s not your style.” I say, not looking at her, but into my massive hands.

“Exactly, not only is it not one of my personality traits to remain silent, but my kids are my most consequential concern. I can’t lose them too.” She looks away to the fireplace which is empty and black inside.

I want to take the seat beside her, take her in my arms and comfort her. Sitting across from me she looks so solitary, her knees gathered to her chest. I am like a Libra, huh, Libra…weighing the options, pros and cons. It’s seems like an eternity of silence. I fight myself and the monster inside.

I can do this, I must do this. I get to my feet, she sees this and steadies her eyes on me, I round the teak coffee table, and she lowers her feet to the floor in anticipation of my actions and watches me sit beside her. I lean back into the cushions of the overstuffed couch, turning my knees slightly in her direction. I take her hand between the two of mine and her delicate appendage disappears betwixt them.

I look into the vibrant green circles that flick back and forth searching my eyes. “You won’t. I promise.” My tone is abundantly sincere.

She is captivated, her breathing has increased and her emotions are contained, contented. But it’s different. She is not totally enraptured but comfortable.
Her words are soft and certain, “I know.” I feel the grip loosen; her defensive wall is beginning to crack, “I trust you.” As the words fall out we hear Estella’s distinctive voice and both turn our heads to it.

“Hey, where are ya’ll?!” She is yelling through the house, her heels clomping from room to room.


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