"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked once again making Ian sigh.
"Do you need anything?" Jack spoke from across the bed. They had decided to keep Ian company after lunch, as he was still confined to his bed by Darlia's orders.
Ian leaned up in the bed with a faint smile, the duvet sliding off to reveal his bandaged torso. "Willow, I'm fine"
"I'm so sorry, I-" Willow began to apologize, but Ian gently cut her off, his tone warm as he leaned back against his headboard, the intricate carvings adding an elegant touch to the room. "I told you, no apology," he gestured towards the door. "And now, go, I have a meeting with Min-Jin about something I want him to do." As he said it, one of the younger chief's opened the door and stuck his dark-haired head in.
Jack waved for Willow to follow, and she smiled at Min-Jin as they walked past one another. Jack turned to Willow as he closed the door, and she noticed his eyes was darker.
"What are you up to today?"
"Wanting to borrow the book about CrÃdose witches, you?" She questioned a the headed down the corridor.
Jack shrugged, stopping in front of his door.
"I had a job, but Darlia said she has given it to Marek. So I'm gonna play some games, wanna join?"
It took everything in her to shake her head.
"Another time, I really wanna get that book before Fahima get back," She took a step back with a cocky smile. "But don't worry, you will get that rematch."
Before he could come back with some smart remark, she began heading down the hallway to the stairs.
She had completely forgotten about the computer in the library until yesterday when she had returned the werewolf chronicle after her talk with Jack on the roof. She wanted to see if she could check her mom's social media to see how they were doing. Nodding at James hurrying past with his hands full of flowers for Ian's room, she opened the door to the library and headed down. Peeking in, she scanned around to make sure nobody else was in there before jogging towards the fiction section. Sneaking down the rows between the bookshelves, she sighed in relief upon seeing the computer and quickly sat down in the grey armchair and got it turned on. "Please, please, please," she whispered to herself as she clicked on the internet icon. Her joy quickly faltered. "Come on!" she hissed in irritation upon realizing the computer was childproof and couldn't access any social media.
"It won't work," she spun around in the seat, seeing Vadim stand there looking at her. "I already tried."
"I guess I could have told myself they would do this," Willow sighed, leaning back in the chair. "What are you doing here, thought you didn't read?" She closed down the computer.
"I don't, but I promised Valentina I would be looking for you," she turned her head to look at him with a cocked brow. He waved for her to follow as he turned around. "Team building exercise in the kitchen for us two and our reapers, Ian's idea." He groaned at the last part.
"Why only us?" Willow frowned, walking after him.
"Cause we are the newest," he mumbled, rolling his eyes, he put his hands in his pockets as they headed for the kitchen. Oh, that's right, today he usually plays with the guy's Willow thought upon seeing his scowling face.
In the kitchen was Jack, Valentina and the BustyrÃa named Min-jun waiting for them around the large kitchen table.
"Welcome, please walk to your reaper," Min-jun smiled waving for them to come over, wiping his pale hands in the apron. Vadim gave Willow a look before hurrying over to Valentina. Willow walked over to Jack, who was nibbling on a red pepper slice and looking at the vegetables in front of them. He handed her a yellow apron."We are going to make easy Szechuan chicken for the companions today, Willow and Jack, I would like you to do the vegetables and Vadim and Valentina please prepare the chicken."
Willow couldn't help but notice that Jack's black apron had 'Kiss the Chef' written on it as he fumbled with tying it behind his back.
"Let me help," she leaned in close, her hands reaching around him to tie the apron. Her face ended up pressed into his chest for a moment before she pulled back.
He cleared his throat, scratching his neck before turning to the vegetables, his cheeks slightly flushed. "Thank you."
"Anytime," she mumbled, mentally kicking herself for not just helping him tie it normally. She reached for a large onion and began peeling it as he started on the red pepper. "So, team building?" She noted.
"Yeah," he shrugged, putting the pepper seeds in the trash. "Ian's idea."
"So I was told," she started to slice into the onion, feeling her eyes sting. She rubbed her eyes in her green blouse, looking over at Valentina giving Vadim the ingredients to make the marinade for the chicken. Sniffling, she rubbed her eyes until she felt Jack push her with his hip.
" let me," he said softly, pushing her aside.
"You sure?" She looked at the 6 onions left.
"A perk of being a reaper is this doesn't bother me," he took the knife from her and began slicing with ease.
"A thing I do envy," she chuckled, reaching for a bell pepper.
"Slice them Willow," Min-Jun said, already having gone through the dry red chilies and begun on the rice. Nodding, she did as he said, wondering back to the computer. Was all of them like that, or did a reaper maybe have a computer that could go on social media? She wondered as she listened with half an ear to Vadim and Valentina's small talk.
A few hours after dinner, Willow woke up with a grunt, startled by the feeling of the panda plushie in her arms being snatched from her embrace.
"Move."
Groggy, she looked at Jack as he scooted into her bed, his breathing shivering. He cuddled closer to her, much like he had done many times before, taking the place of the plushie. Blinking rapidly, she checked the clock on her nightstand, which read 4.
"You okay?" She yawned, looking into his dark eyes as he shivered against her.
"You had a nightmare." he mumbled, putting his arms around her and pulling her into his chest. She could tell it was more of an excuse, as he didn't want to appear weak by admitting it was him. Sleepily, she rubbed his tense back, waiting for him to relax. Slowly, she felt his muscles under her fingers ease up, and he breathed out, nuzzling into her hair.
"Is Ian out again?" She mumbled against his chest, guessing that's why he had come, while trying to ignore the hunger in the back of her head. Ian had gotten the clear yesterday to do minor jobs.
He jerked back with a frown, sitting up.
"Why? You wanted him to sneak into your bed instead?" He said with a shivering breath as he looked down at her, now fully awake.
She raised a brow in confusion until it hit her. Ian probably hadn't told him that he had informed her about his night terrors.
A soft snort escaped her as she shook her head slightly, under his intense gaze. Yawning, she sat up, pulling the duvet closer around her as she focused her eyes on him after rubbing them intensely.
"I don't think Ian would come sneaking into my bed," she mumbled, blinking slowly before tilting her head slightly. "Especially as hungry as you are."
He leaned back as she leaned forward.
"I don't need to eat, I came here cause you had a nightmare." he grunted, his dark eyes already focusing on her neck. "But if you're offering..." his words trailed off.
"You already woke me up, might as well do it now than later." She leaned forward.
She couldn't help it, she moved her body without thinking when he looked at her like that, his eyes dark and glossy and his breath raspy. The feeling of hunger tingled in the back of her mind as she leaned closer, anticipation building in her body as he reached for her. The look in his eyes sought her approval as his fingers caressed her neck, his thump sliding under the ribbon. Boundaries, fears she once had off the feeling she knew would succumb her was almost nonexistent anymore, making her wonder if she would ever be able to live without it again, even if she wanted to as she leaned into his touch.
"I told you it would become a kink." he chuckled hoarsely, as he leaned closer. She rolled her eyes seconds before his fangs pierced the soft skin on her neck.