On The Run With A Vampire

26. Raven

“…and it was just tomato juice!” Blaine erupts into another round of loud laughter, and I can’t help but join in. His energy is seriously infectious. “Honestly, you’d think he’d cotton on to it after the fifth time in a row, but Luc has always been overly trusting like that.”

We’re sitting at my slightly dented kitchen table, swapping stories about Lucien. Or, rather, Blaine has spent the last twenty minutes gleefully telling me about the many, many pranks he’s played on Lucien over the years, and I’ve just been happily nodding along.

We’re currently on his ‘ swapping Lucien’s blood packs with tomato juice ’ era, which was preceded by ‘ let me tell you about the time I successfully convinced Lucien that Mother and I had turned into bats for a weekend .’

Hilarious.

I like Blaine. He’s easy to talk to and get along with, and it’s clear, even with his seemingly endless list of stories about torturing Lucien, that he loves his brother a lot.

“I’m sorry about all of this,” I say once his latest bout of laughter has subsided a little. “You must’ve been so worried.”

Blaine’s grin falters ever so slightly. “It’s not your fault. And I’ve been worried ever since Lucien up and left a few years back. In a way, all this mess has finally given us an answer to how he’s doing out here.” He gives me a pointed look. “And it looks like he’s doing well.”

My cheeks start to warm. “Yeah? You think?”

Blaine nods. “Luc left because he was searching for something. I don’t think he would’ve gone through all of this if he hadn’t found it.”

“What about you?” I ask, suddenly desperate to push the conversation in a different direction. “Are you happy where you are? Do you ever get the itch to leave?”

Blaine frowns. I’ve known the man for all of half an hour, but I can already tell the expression doesn’t suit him at all. “Someone has to look after Mother.”

“I get the impression your mother can look after herself.”

That gets a soft laugh out of him. “True. She absolutely can. Maybe,” he says with a shrug. “Maybe one day.”

“Blaine, dear?” Deirdre suddenly calls.

We both look up as Lucien and Deirdre enter the kitchen. Blaine’s grin returns in full force, and he stands up and pulls Lucien into a spine-snapping hug. “You’re not alone, Luc, remember that,” he says as he pulls back. “We’re family, even if we are on opposite sides of the country these days. You can always come to us for help.”

Lucien nods and matches Blaine’s grin. It’s beautiful. “I will.”

Blaine’s grin suddenly turns sly. “Seriously, man. I can’t believe I had to learn about your girlfriend from the news.”

If it were possible for Lucien to go red, I think he’d resemble a tomato right now. “That is—We are not—I mean, of course I would like?—”

“We’ll make sure to keep you informed directly from now on,” I laugh, cutting Lucien off before he short-circuits.

“Splendid,” Deirdre says with a soft smile. “Now, we’d love to stay and chat, but this was only intended to be a quick visit to check on Lucien. I imagine, after everything that’s gone on, having three vampires in the same city might be pushing it a little much.”

“No, of course not. You should—Oh.” The implication dawns on me. “You’re right. Maybe we should wait for things to die down a little.”

“Exactly,” she says. “Perhaps you and Lucien can visit the estate sometime soon.”

“I’d love that.”

Deirdre and Blaine say their farewells—both of them pull me into tight hugs and make Lucien promise to respond more promptly to their messages from now on—and then it’s just the two of us again.

The kitchen suddenly feels somehow both bigger and more intimate now.

Lucien turns to me with a soft smile, and my heart flutters slightly. He takes a step closer, closing the gap between us, and gently brushes a curl away from my face.

Without a word, he leans in, and our lips meet in the kind of kiss that feels like time itself is holding its breath. I’d give anything for a million more of these kisses.

When we finally part, he rests his forehead against mine. “What now?”

Before I can respond, my phone violently buzzes on the table. I glance down just in time to watch a flurry of messages come flooding in.

Daphne

RAVEN

ARE YOU ALIVE???

the police are saying it’s all a mistake which is just DUH but

PLS MESSAGE ME BACK

also, are you still with the hot blond guy?

who IS he?????

Mum

Raven? Are you OK?

We’ve just seen the news and they’re saying it’s all a huge misunderstanding.

Thank God.

Please, please, please let us know you’re safe.

Please.

“I know it’s early days,” I say with a wry grin. “But considering I’ve just met your family… Maybe it’s time you meet mine…?”

THE END