The first thing I noticed was how incredibly soft the bed felt beneath me. But something was off. Had my arm fallen asleep? Why was it tingling?
I wriggled my nose. My dream clung to me, refusing to let go, as reality and fantasy blurred together. Behind my closed eyes, snowflakes continued to dance, and a fresh, cold breeze brushed against my face while I strolled through the woods under the bright sunshine. Despite the deep snow, I could still smell the resin from the fir trees. I had the distinct feeling that someone was walking beside me, but I didn't dare turn around, afraid that if I did, they would disappear. I liked their company.
I sighed, turning over and snuggling deeper into the pillow. I nestled closer to him. My arm tingled again as my cold nose burrowed into the fabric of his T-shirt.
Wait.
Stop.
Slowly, I opened my eyes. All I saw was black. Not because the room was so dark that I couldn't see anythingâit wasn't. My eyes were good in the dark. No, I saw black because I was mere inches away from a broad chest covered by a black shirt. The remnants of sleep quickly gave way to other emotions.
Disbelief, anger, comfort, desire...
I looked up at the peacefully sleeping face of the Viking.
"Eric!"
My curse came out as a whisper. It didn't occur to me to shout in the darkened room. Eric grunted disapprovingly, then pulled me closer.
I gasped in surprise.
What he did wasn't inappropriateânot exactly. Sure, he had wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer, but his fingers remained on top of the fabric, moving protectively up my back.
"Go back to sleep," he murmured, sighing softly, his eyes still closed.
I opened my mouth a few times, trying to say something, but quickly shut it again. I must have looked like a fish out of water.
How did he end up in my bed?
And how had he even gotten into my room? I had locked the door! Didn't this guy have any boundaries? Clearly not, if he was using me as a human teddy bear. I should probably extricate myself from his grip and make a scene... right?
Yet somehow, it was strangely comforting to be lying in his arms, and I found it hard to make that decision. I was still so incredibly tired. My arm tingled again, and I turned my head to investigate. My battered shoulder was burning and tingling; the painkillers must have worn off. And it was burning hot. I inhaled sharply.
Eric, still half-asleep, opened one eye and watched as I tried to find a new position for my shoulder. The blue of his eyes shone brightly, even in the darkness. Without breaking the silence, he removed his hand from my back and placed it on my shoulder, gently pushing me onto my back. His arm lay heavily across my chest, while his slender fingers served as a cooling pack. Instantly, the pain subsided, and the weight of his arm on my chest calmed me. Relieved, I closed my eyes.
"Thank you," I whispered, already drifting back to sleep. Eric's approving grunt was the only response, and as silence once again enveloped us, I slipped into slumber.
---
The next time I woke, I shot upright.
"Eric, whaâ?"
I fumbled for the bedside lamp, nearly knocking over the almost-empty fruit bowl. When I finally found the switch, I paused. I was alone in the bed. It took a moment to get my bearings. The room was unfamiliar, but memories of the past few hours and days slowly returned. I was in Dallas, not Bon Temps. I was in the house of the vampire Godric, the... holy hell, the maker of Eric.
Eric.
I quickly turned to my right, but the bed was empty. Hadn't he... wasn't he... Huh? The bed beside me looked rumpled, but honestly, my bed always looked like that when I woke up in the morning, so... Plus, I'd had much more... intense dreams about Eric before. Dreams about him and his cool, broad-shouldered, well-defined...
Shaking my head, I stopped myselfâokay, time for a cold shower. I placed a hand on my spinning head. Was I losing my mind? A twinge in my shoulder made me pause. I'd completely forgotten to be careful with it.
Wait, a twinge?
I jumped up, nearly tripping over my tangled legs as I rushed to the bathroom mirror. I'd never dislocated my left shoulder before, but I was pretty sure such an injury couldn't heal in just 24 hours. I should still be feeling it for days, if not weeks.
I stared at my reflection in disbelief. I'd never been particularly vain. But I knew I was pretty. Without wanting to sound arrogant or make a big deal of it, I knew that others found me attractive. A bit above average-pretty. I had a normal figure, blonde hair, and a fair complexion. I'd never prided myself on my looks, but I'd occasionally used them to my advantage. No one ever suspected I might do something devious. If I shoplifted something small, I could flash an innocent smile. When I scouted banks for robberies, no one could remember my face because I looked so innocent and nondescriptâa pretty girl no one really noticed.
But the person staring back at me from the mirror would be noticed. I rubbed my eyes like a character in a bad 1920s silent film, and the stranger in the mirror did the same. My hair didn't just shineâit practically glowed, as if someone had poured liquid gold over it. It fell in soft waves over my shoulders like in a hairspray commercial. The dark circles under my eyes were gone; instead, I looked refreshed and well-rested. Long, black lashes framed my gray-green eyes, and my cheeks had a rosy glow, as if I'd just applied a fresh layer of blush. My lips were full and dark red. I didn't recognize myself. Startled, I took a step back, knocking over a row of shampoo bottles on the edge of the bathtub. A knock at the door made me whip my head around.
"Miss, the guests will be arriving shortly."
I quickly hurried to the door and flung it open. A young man with dark, full hair and a matching dark beard stood before me, his brown eyes wide as saucers when he saw me, before he quickly lowered his gaze and handed me a tray. I looked down in confusion.
"Your dinner," he stammered, smiling shyly. I reached for it, more than a little confused by the whole situation. The tray held a burger with a side salad and fries.
"Thank you." I tried to grab for it, but was held back by my makeshift sling.
The man opposite me, now consciously taking me in, noticed with a start that my arm was still in a sling. "Oh, I'm so sorry! How careless of me."
He hurried past me, placing the tray on my nightstand and picking up the empty fruit bowl. Then, almost bowing, he practically ran out of the room, offering me one last smile before disappearing down the hallway.
Shaking my head, I closed the door behind him and shuffled back to the bed, letting myself fall back into the pillows. Having completely lost track of time (the room, like any good vampire's, had no windows), I looked around for my phone, only to remember that I didn't have it with me. Where the hell had I left it? In Bon Temps? In the car? At the hotel?
I'd probably have to buy a new one. Sighing, I began to eat, my eyes rolling back into the back of my head. Of course, the food was once again beyond delicious. As I ate, I mentally ran through various scenarios of how I could convince the cook to run away with me, where he would cook for me every day in my little kitchen in Bon Temps.
But after eating, I decided to face the evening and carefully spread the contents of the shopping bags across the bed. I let out a low whistle.
Holy moly.
Even before putting it on, it was clear that the dress, while tasteful, would reveal a lot of me. Like, a LOT. Although technically floor-length, a long slit on the side ensured that more than just a little of my thigh would be on display. And if the dress happened to shift, I'd be giving the audience a nice view of my underwear, though "underwear" was a generous term.
I doubted I'd feel any more exposed if I wore nothing under the dress. Somehow, the bit of lace made me feel even more vulnerable than if I were completely naked.
The underwear (probably from Victoria's Secret) contrasted against the dress, a deep forest green pastel tone that complimented the gown's dark shade. And the shoesâwell, they just looked dangerous. At least four inches high and silver.
Even without high heels, I had two left feet. I was pretty sure that under the pressure I was already feeling, I wouldn't be able to take a single step in those things.
Yep, this was going to be a terrible evening.
"Don't be a baby," I muttered to myself, and quickly stripped out of my makeshift pajamas. If it were up to me, I would have stayed in the black shirt for the rest of my life. It was so big and baggy, cozy. And it smelled good.
The dress, though tight and provocative, was, to my relief, surprisingly comfortable. The velvet and finely crafted silk around the nearly obscene neckline clung to me like a second skin, staying in place while accentuating my luscious curves.. Instead of traditional straps, the dress fastened at the nape of my neck, conveniently covering most of my sling and the bandage beneath it, concealing the vampire bite. I draped the accompanying shawl over my shoulders, which made me appear almost unscathed. Even though, for reasons I couldn't fully explain, I no longer needed the sling or the bandage, I had decided to keep them on to avoid unnecessary questions. I already had enough to explain.
Oh, damn it. I glanced at the shoes again and made a quick decision.Five minutes later, after taking a deep breath and steeling myself, I stepped out of the roomâonly to collide with someone immediately.
"Graceful as a wild boar," Eric greeted me, leaving me momentarily speechless. My usual quick wit deserted me as I took in his appearance. He looked good enough to eat, and I wisely kept my mouth shut to avoid drooling. His eyes widened slightly as he took in my outfit. "A wild boar without shoes."
"I intend to actually walk out of this party," I grumbled, to which Eric's lips curled into a wicked grin.
"Then you're not partying hard enough. No one leaves my parties able to walk." It took my brain a moment to catch the double meaning. The man had no shame. And yet, there I was, blushing on his behalf unable to stifle the small giggle. He hummed in approval.
"A little color was all the outfit needed. I have excellent taste, don't I?" he murmured. That was Eric in a nutshellâalways managing to compliment himself even when he was supposedly praising someone else. Begrudgingly, I grinned and quickly rolled my eyes to downplay my amusement. I couldn't afford to forget that we were enemies.
I cleared my throat.
"I should've known a neckline like this," I waved my free hand in front of my chest, causing Eric's gaze to drop exactly where I intended, "could only be your idea."
Eric's expression remained impassive, but his eyes gleamed.
"Oh, I have plenty of ideas," he said, letting the innuendo hang in the air as he stepped closer. Whenever he got this close, it felt like I had two hearts beating in my chestâone that wanted him closer, and one that wanted distance. With what seemed like innocent intent, he adjusted my sling, his cold fingers brushing lightly over my collarbone. I shivered.
"You looked good in my shirt and underwear too," he added nonchalantly. "So maybe it's not the packaging making you look this gorgeous."
Bam. Another bomb dropped, leaving me unsure of how to respond. His gaze lingered on me, as if I held the universe's secrets. But I had more questions than answers.
What did he mean by that?Were those really his shirt and boxers?Had he seen me wearing them?Had I not dreamed last night after all?Did that mean we had really slept in that bed together, cuddling?And was it wrong that I liked it?Would he do it again?
Before I could fully grasp what was happening, Eric had slipped his hand under the bandage and moved it aside. I swatted his hand awayâtoo late, it seemed. His eyes widened slightly.
"I knew it," he murmured, then fixed his gaze on me. "Your wound has healed."
He looked like he wanted to say more, but at that moment, Sookie came bustling around the corner and stopped in her tracks. "Oh, there you are."
She looked me up and down, her eyes widening.
"Wow, Ash, I didn't even recognize you," she chirped cheerfully, linking her arm with mine and steering me toward the stairs.
"The first guests have already arrived. I thought I'd come and get you. Probably no one's filled you in on what really happened," she babbled on. I only half-listened, my mind still replaying the conversation with Eric.
Damn. Damn, damn, damn. Damn it to hell.
I found myself time and again falling under the spell of Mr. Tall and Inappropriate, only to land myself in trouble each time. Who would have thought that someone who grew up in foster care and robbed banks could be so weak? All that intense combat training, the meticulous plans, the relentless huntâonly to lose my way at the final stretch because he managed to wrap me around his finger with a charming smile and a compliment. This was completely out of character for me.
"Ashley?" Sookie waved her hand in front of my face. "Hellooo, anyone home?" I had been scanning the room, trying to assess the situation around me. There were clearly more vampires than humans here, and many of them were eyeing me like I was their next meal. I didn't like that. But what bothered me even more was Eric's piercing gaze. He seemed cold and distant. I could barely stand to meet his eyes, and when he finally looked away and left the room, I didn't feel any more at ease. Something in his stare set off alarm bells in my head, but I couldn't quite figure out what it was.
Sookie snapped her fingers, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked her in the eye, and she frowned. "God, seriously. Get a room, you two."
Apparently, we'd already done that last night. But does it count if one person doesn't remember it? Probably not. Besides, we didn't exactly have the kind of fun that people usually associate with getting a room. A flood of images rushed into my mindâEric above me, Eric between my legs, the two of us tangled together, hair wild and tousled, breathing each other in while our bodies hummed in pent up sexual tension strong enough to light a room on fire. Her skin still burned where he'd just grazed my collarbone while my belly tingled and fluttered in a heated way. My mouth went dry. I quickly grabbed a drink from a passing waiter. Sookie covered her eyes and rubbed them.
"Ah, Ash, I didn't need to know that in such detail."
Oh right, she's a mind reader.
"Well then, stay out of my head," I snapped at her before walking away. I wasn't exactly sure why I was being so hostile toward Sookie (maybe I was still upset that she'd helped Eric instead of me at the church?), but I didn't feel like digging into that right now. What I really needed was some fresh air. I slipped out toward the entrance. Outside, I immediately felt better. A few guests passed by, so I decided to find a quieter spot a little further away.
I ended up back among the roses. Breathing deeply, I let out a sigh. A soft laugh made me turn around. Godric was sitting on a bench behind me. I relaxed.
"I see you've found my favorite spot," he greeted me as I sat down beside him.
"I needed a moment of peace," I explained, suddenly realizing how rude it had been of me to slip away from the party like that. But since the host himself was out here with me, I doubted he'd hold it against me. Godric tilted his head and studied me curiously. I recognized the gestureâEric had clearly picked it up from him.
"You're not just a pretty face, are you?" he said, his tone making it clear it was more of a statement than a question. Vampires, I'd learned, had the tendency to do that - jump right into the discussion without any preamble or smalltalk. For someone who had an infinity amount of time, they sure didn't waste any. I shifted uncomfortably and tried to give a neutral response.
"Who is, really?"
Godric's lips curved into a faint smile.
"In 2,000 years, you learn to read people." His gaze drifted into the distance, and I couldn't help but wonder just how much this young-looking man before me had seen in his long life. It was awe-inspiring, yet there was something about him that seemed... sad.
Instinctively, I placed my hand on his. He looked at me in surprise, focusing intently.
"But sometimes, they still manage to surprise you," he said, looking deep into my eyes. "Yes, you'll be good for him. Everything will turn out fine; you won't mourn forever." Then he gave my hand a gentle squeeze and stood up, leaving me frozen in place. What on earth did he mean by that?!
Godric adjusted his clothes. "But now, I must attend to my guests."
Something in the house seemed to catch his attention, and with a murmured, "before they start killing each other," he bowed and disappeared back inside. I'd bet my left hand that Sookie was getting herself into trouble again, and I grumbled to myself about how she didn't always need to be the center of attention. Yep, I definitely needed more distance. Distance and a damn dictionary to figure out all the cryptic hints these vampires kept dropping before they drove me completely insane.
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