Rickey looked down at me stroking my hair away from my face.
"So. . . basically what I heard is you're my goddess in more than one way. . ." he said quietly as he leaned in to kiss my neck.
I felt a grin pull at my mouth almost holding in a laugh. He could really be a cheeseball sometimes.
"Makes sense to me. . . I mean other than the whole control thing" he nipped the nape of my neck and I felt my cheeks flush.
"You think maybe next time you want to be all over her you wanna get her to the bedroom first"
Jason's voice startled me and I quickly buried my face in Rickey's shoulder.
"You're finally back" I muttered.
Rickey sighed kissing my head.
"Do you need to just creep like that. . ." he mumbled before he swore under his breath.
I heard Jason rustle his keys in his hand.
"I couldn't help but overhear you telling the story, and I'm sorry as much as I love you- you sugar coat some of it."
I rolled my eyes.
Rickey looked at me and raised an eyebrow looking almost dissapointed.
"The other reason she has the title of the Queen of Crimson is because she can slaughter anything without a slice of regret about 99% of the time, I wish I were kidding but trust me I've been there for most of it- the other is because well she can withstand anything, blood is everything for her that is true, she can lose organs, as you know I'm sure, limbs whatever."
Jason said it all so coldy, like he didn't even know me. Which kind of hurt if I were to be honest, I didn't have a clean record, and I wasn't a saint, but I didn't think I was a monster. . . It made me shiver.
People were intimidated by me and I didn't want that to be Rickey. . .
"So she was saying you've been hunted since day one- obviously it's not a secret of where you are. . . so how are you alive? Why didn't you just stay hidden?"
Jason let out a chuckle.
My stomach twisted when he did and I frowned.
I didn't like this topic if I were to be honest, but I could understand why he wanted to know.
"Honestly I ask myself that question almost every day now"
"Do I have to worry?" Rickey asked.
Suddenly everyone's face turned serious.
"I don't have the answer to that, and I doubt she would but never have your guard down with him near."
I was happy he took the lead in the conversation rather than me.
"Listen you can be a hardass all you want, but take it from me- it's not the same, I lay next to one every night in bed" Jason looked over to me and I winced.
Was he upset with me today?
"You love you, you know that but if you think I'm dumb enough to not be able to understand that you gave me this life and I'm sure you also have the power to take it, trust e it hurts me to say it out loud or even think it, but wouldn't it be just as hurtful if you think that lowly of me to assume otherwise."
My mouth opened, but I didn't know what to say so I shut it.
"Why don't you share the bond?"
Rickey distracted the situation probably realizing how tense I was in his lap.
"Because I refuse to let herself be split like that, I don't fully knows the ways it'd work like that but I what I do know is that if one half dies it takes a toll on the living one and being that I know my death is inevitable I won't do that to her."
Jason spoke calmly now.
"I didn't mean to dampen your night, let alone your mood, but trust me after a few centuries, death and complications stop bothering you" Jason shrugged.
"No, not at all"
Rickey tried to give a small smile.
"Anyways, I'm home so come find me when you two are leaving. . . or whatever"
Jason started to turn around, but then he stopped and faced Rickey again.
"I need to have a word with you for a minute- Luna I don't know where you umm- want to wait for-uh us?"
"I didn't break one of your damn rules Jason" Rickey rolled his eyes after I finally picked my head up.
"It's not about that- won't take long"
"I'll keep her company!" Alexander blurted round the corner and his eyes widened as he saw how I was against Rickey.
"Whoops"
Alexander was very clearly somewhat drunk, which was beyond surprising to say the least.
I let out a laugh.
"Alexander are you drunk?"
He quickly shook his head.
"Just a little tipsy. . . maybe. . . no I'm drunk m 'lady I cannot lie, though don't worry we're all back safe and sound"
His cheeks were bright red as if he were a kid who was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
I wasn't mad by any means, it was nice that he actually let himself go.
Jason raised his eyebrow towards Rickey and he nodded in response and looked back down at me.
"I'll be back love."
He placed a firm kiss on my lips tugging my bottom lip as he broke it.
In flash and a slight breeze I was off his lap and they were gone.
Alexander awkwardly stepped out of the way and he made his way down the few steps.
"Sorry. . ." he grumbled before he plopped down on the couch.
He smelled like scotch and some type of animal blood I couldn't quiet make out.
I looked at him puzzled. I never understood why he always felt so bad to do anything slightly for himself, like for some reason he was to be punished for it. Which was never the case.
"You don't need to apologize, your job tonight if you recall was to have fun! And you did."
I smiled as I sat up straight.
"Well, I meant somewhat for that- also the whole interrupting thing. . . though it wasn't me- we came in and talked to Joshua and he told us about Rickey's whole question thing"
Was Rickey now being interrogated or something? Was Jason upset? Was Joshua?
"The panic in your eyes tells me you think he's in trouble- no I don't think so. . . Jason was blabbering about him all night I'm sure he had this planned way ahead"
"Did he say something bad?. . ." I was hesitant to ask considering I thought things were going so well.
"Oh no, he was just going on and on about how well it was going, how you were both nervous about how scheduling everything would be and things like that how things even seem easier in some ways."
Alexander leaned his head onto the back of the couch groaning.
"You sure you're okay?"
He nodded.
"Oh yeah, just been a long while honestly it's the other conversations I'm hearing from everyone in the house" he chuckled.
Speaking of conversations. . . Could I maybe eavesdrop on Jason's conversation thoughts? Was that intruding, maybe a little, but.
Alexander got quiet closing his eyes as he rested his head and I watched him for a moment before closing mine and focusing my thoughts on Jason.
Surprisingly easy I had managed to hear his thoughts as he spoke.
"When did you get here anyway?" Jason asked.
"Just before you got home actually"
Luna stop eavesdropping, it's rude.
I was quickly then blocked out by Jason and sighed.
"Jerk. . ." I huffed.
"Were you poking around in his head?" Alexander chuckled.
"Tried to anyway. . ."
"Unlike you to be so nosey, besides it's probably something unrelated to you needing to know?"
His eyes fluttered open and he stretched.
"Aren't I supposed to know everything?"
"Well you know, maybe something he doesn't want things to be weird between the three of you" he shrugged.
"Whatever that means" I rolled my eyes.
"It's primarily about the living wills sort of thing. . I'm not getting too into it but he was just talking about he didn't know when was a good time to bring it up to either of you really"
"We really do need to start figuring out how serious everything should be. . . I mean it's serious but in terms of laws, protection, being out in the open sort of thing" I admitted.
I mean we had been together just enough amount of time I felt more comfortable at least bringing him to the public. The rest was not needed or necessary at the time but that would probably make things alone a whole lot easier.
"I agree, we can discuss it this week, we already have security handled at least you know? Biggest concern I'd say." Alexander shrugged.
I nodded.
I heard Jason and Rickey chuckle from outside of the room as they walked in.
"So I heard you had a lot of fun trying to keep everyone away from this one tonight" Rickey said as he walked back into the room down the few steps.
Alexander groaned rubbing his forehead.
"The girls surround him, especially when Luna's not around- and I don't even mean vampires just in general, who do you think did all the extra shots?"
I giggled covering my mouth trying to be quiet and Alexander scolded me and Jason shrugged following Rickey with a grin.
"What can I say? I share the joy."
They both walked over to the couch and Alexander quickly moved himself to the edge of the couch and Rickey and Jason sat on either side of me, Jason pulling me into his lap as my legs laid across Rickey.
"I won't lie, I never thought I'd see the day of when either of you would have another love interest" Alexander chuckled looking at the three of us.
Rickey looked the most confused.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Oh nothing bad, they just don't go out as much as they used to obviously and it's not like either of them actively look or anything, I mean if you recall how you two met it wasn't normal circumstances"
Rickey looked up as if he were thinking back to the events.
"Guess you're right, but it's not bad is it?"
Alexander shook his head.
"I don't think so anyway, everyone deserves to be happy"
Jason put his arm around my waist as he leaned into his hand as it rested on the arm of the couch.
"We're old okay and bored of going out most of the time. . . fun the first few centuries but god"
I snickered to myself and Rickey rolled his eyes.
"So do all the old ones do what you guys do?" Rickey asked as he put his arms across my legs.
"Some, there's two that are higher up like them- they're younger by three hundred years, but they go out a bit more- obviously there's a fair amount of old vampires it's not that, but we just don't keep tabs on them unless they're trouble."
"So what do those two do then? It's so weird to me that there's actually a structure hidden inside the human world like this. . . a lot to get used to in that sense"
"They take care of areas like Europe and Asia, so if things need locally tended to it's faster, but of course they still usually have to be brought up to us first."
I liked when Jason did these sort of talks, he explained it so much better and just was good at talking to people about it- whereas for me it all still felt so strange somehow.
"We don't see them much, Eric and Cassie maybe stop in once or twice a year- they didn't even attend the ball this year like normal though-"
"Actually about that, they mentioned flying in this month" Alexander interrupted.
"When were you going to tell us this?" I looked over at him raising my eyebrow.
He held up a hand.
"I didn't have a solid date, I wasn't going to bother you with it."
I shrugged, that was fair he knew we hated being bothered with things we couldn't plan for.
"I guess I know where I won't be. . ." Rickey grumbled.
"You should be here."
Jason spoke up.
We all turned our heads to look at Jason, who had a small smile on his face.
"What? we can't keep him away for forever and. . . well what harm will it do? It's not like we're introducing him to Zadicus"
He had a point, Eric and Cassie were just older, they weren't stronger or superior in that sense so they weren't really much of a threat.
"I will admit, I think the risk is low for anything being bad about their meeting" Alexander added.
I wasn't sure, I didn't want him in the shadows by any means, but part of me was nervous because I didn't know if it'd be too much on him. I didn't want to lose him selfishly I will admit.
"How do you feel?. . ." I asked reaching for Rickey's hand.
He was quiet for a moment watching my face before grabbing my hand.
"Doesn't bother me at all, I don't really care what they think if I were being honest."
He paused kissing my hand.
"Really only give a shit about you and Jason in that sense. No offense to Jason but he even has his limits."
I felt Jason's chest rumble as he chuckled.
"I can agree with you on that"
"Well, if you all are good then do you mind if I go to my room?" Alexander asked.
I shook my head.
"Go lay down, you should have been in bed already we'll bother Joshua if we need anything."
Jason let out another small chuckle.
Alexander didn't give a chance at taking back the offer and he was gone within the blink of an eye.
"So did you guys have fun on your little outing?" I nudged my elbow into Jason tilting my head back to look at him and he looked down at me smiling.
"Mhm, a ton actually"
"Where is Jarred at?" Rickey asked.
He was right, I'm surprised he didn't barge in too.
"He went home with some girl"
Jason shrugged.
Rickey looked like he was gritting his teeth and trying not to say something.
"What is it?" I sat up more in Jason's lap adjusting myself.
"It's nothing."
"Looks like someone wants to call the kettle black" Jason tried to suppress his chuckle.
Rickey glared over my shoulder.
"Shut up"
"What? You know I'm-"
"I'm not fucking around with Luna it's different."
Well this is a little awkward. . . I could feel the emotion in the room shift and it made me uneasy as I was still sitting between and somewhat on both of them.
"Not what I meant. . . good to know though I guess" Jason mumbled.
"Just fucking drop it" Rickey quipped.
It was hard for me to know how to react and what to do. In a way it was odd to me he was being so defensive, but being that they knew more about each other in that sense I could understand if there may have been some hidden malice assumptions. Whether or not that was true I was unsure. The choice was made pretty quickly for me as Rickey moved my feet off of him and he stood up rummaging in his pockets.
"Rickey?" Jason's arm unwrapped from around me so I could stand up.
"Going out for a smoke."
He responded quickly as he found his smoke and headed towards the sliding doors that led outside.
I sighed once he stepped out into the rain and I looked at Jason frowning.
"Did you really make that joke?"
He made a confused look before his eyes softened as if wanting to apologize.
"What? I didn't know he'd react like that- I was only being honest"
I shook my head.
"He knows I didn't read it."
"Oh. . ."
"Yeah so it's just your joke with him."
He sighed.
"Fuck I thought you would have read it by now"
I shook my head.
"I don't intend to either."
He bit down on his lip thinking a moment before he spoke.
"Luna I do think-"
"What? You want me to have the same stupid opinion? He treats me well, and isn't that all we wanted?"
"I mean yes- but I think it's important to know, you can't hide everything you know? Your history is public knowledge that's not fair."
"Knowledge he didn't even really know till tonight" I reminded him.
He looked down rubbing his hand on his face.
"You know what I mean. . ."
"Can we pretend for just a moment that we're normal? This would be a normal relationship?"
"I mean I guess, but unfortunately that's not the reality. . ."
I followed Rickey out to the patio and cracked the door open.
"Can I join you?. . ." I asked quietly.
He was looking at his phone as he took another drag of his cigarette before nodding.
I stepped outside shutting the door behind me.
"Can we talk?"
"What about?" he leaned on the railing the water dripping onto his clothes from the roof.
"What upset you?"
I guess I wasn't even really too sure, I just wanted him to not be upset.
He sighed.
"Look, I'm well aware of my history I don't need to be reminded of it when I didn't do fucking shit wrong."
"No one said you were. . ."
Which was true and that's why I was so confused. I wasn't worried about it, and I don't think Jason was either but for some reason he thought he was being accused. Or at least that's what he made it seem like.
"It's just the fact that it's used against me for shit, yes I know that's how most people know Jarred and I, but it's different now."
He shook his head bringing the cigarette to his lips, I looked up at him letting him continue.
"Jason read the file. . . I knew that since day one, but you haven't and I guess it sort of pisses me off because it makes me feel weird, you can read it I don't care"
"I just. . . I want this to be as normal as it can be, is that bad?"
He flicked his cigarette and stepped closer to me pulling me into his arms.
"No. . . I want that to."
It was nothing but the sound of the rain for a few moments as I stood there. My face buried in his chest the smell of smoke filling my nose mixing in with the smell of the rain.
"I'm sorry for bringing it up like that"
I lifted my head just enough so I could see Jason in the doorway somewhat frowning.
Rickey's hand lifted up my chin to look back up at him.
"It's fine."
Was all Rickey responded before bringing his lips to mine.
It was as if he were trying to erase everything around us with the kiss our mouths moved together as his finger gently rubbed my jawline before taking my lip between his teeth giving it a light tug before pulling his face away.
"You really have no sense of PDA do you?" Jason scoffed.
Rickey rolled his eyes as his eyes stayed looking into mine.
"What can I say? Some habits are hard to break."
My bottom lip still tingled from his light pull, I could tell he almost broke the skin which made me lick my bottom lip thinking about the taste of blood.
Fuck, drinking something fresh had been forever. . . I missed that taste that feel.
It was dark out but I could make out the dark inky and spotted red flecks that were appearing in Rickey's eyes.
"We should get you inside love, don't want you all cold and wet from the rain."
Rickey smiled before hoisting me up and over his shoulder and I laughed as I hit his shoulder as he carried me in through the door.
"Rickey! put me down!"
"I won't drop you come on now"
He chuckled.
"And if he does I'll catch you and beat his ass" Jason quipped.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
