Friday, March 4, 2011
Ky lies beside me, happily spent from our lovemaking - for the moment.
"Ky... I don't quite know how to say this. You and I are so different... I'm from the Bright Court, where it's considered crass to come straight to the point, and you are of the Wyldfae, who feel it's stupid to beat around the bush."
"You're beating around the bush," she points out helpfully.
I sigh. "I suppose I am." I turn on my side so I can meet her eyes. "Ky - I think I could love you."
She starts to speak, but I lay a finger across her lips. "No... let me finish, or I'll never get it said." She subsides, meeting my eyes steadily. "Ky... there are a lot of things I love about you, but I can sum up most of them up by saying that you're free; you belong to no one but yourself - and I don't want to change that." Her face is unreadable, but I continue. "When we were hunting Morgan and Keon was raw from Cassie's murder, you gave him the comfort of your arms and your body, expecting nothing in return. I think that's amazing." I search her eyes, looking for - what? I'm not sure myself. "When I learned that Conal was dead - murdered, because of me - Nick and Raina offered me the same kind of comfort.
I don't want to change you, Ky. I wouldn't if I could. I would like to offer you a place in this household..." I grin sheepishly. "I almost said 'family', but that sounds kind of incestuous, doesn't it? I know Raina would welcome you, and Nick - well, he comes off as a hardass, but he's a good man underneath, and he'd welcome you, too."
"I can't live here all the time, I'd go crazy."
"I know that; I accept that. You do what you have to do, lover; you go where you need to go whenever you need to go there. You take whatever lovers you like whenever the urge strikes you. You don't have to account to me - or anyone else - for anything you do. That's not what this offer is about. I want you to be a part of my life, and I want you to know that you'll always have a place here - if you want it.
You don't have to decide right now. Think about it. If you can't decide before you go back to the Unformed Plane, just let me know you're still deciding. I'm not going to push you into anything" - I grin - "as if I could, anyway."
She grins suddenly, then smiles more tenderly and her fingers glide along the angle of my jaw. "I think I could love you, too," she says softly. "But I can't stay here all the time - and really, what about Nick? I get the feeling he doesn't like me."
"Get some clothes on" - I grin - "not too many - and let's go beard the vampire in his lair."
Ky slips into her jeans and one of my shirts; I settle for a pair of pants and we head to the room Nick chose for him and Raina. We knock and wait, and after a moment Nick calls, "Come in."
Nick is sitting up in bed, covered with a sheet below the waist, while Raina is draped in the sheet sufficient to preserve the decencies - but still exposing one leg to the thigh, and just a hint of cleavage. She smiles as we enter.
"Looks like someone is overdressed."
"Behave," Nick admonishes her, whereupon Raina just smiles and stretches, putting the sheet to the test. Ky watches with interest as more cleavage emerges, but Nick brings us back to the point of our visit. "What can we do for you tonight?"
Raina gives us a smoky look and K'thyri grins broadly. "I've asked Ky to live with us here in the Lodge - when she's here in the human realm, that is."
Raina claps her hands gleefully, which causes some interesting movement on her upper torso. "That's great! When are you moving in, Ky?"
I smile and mouth, told you. "Well… she hasn't decided yet."
"What's to decide? You love her, she loves you." She grins at our dumbfounded looks. "What, you thought it was a secret? Dream on."
"Raina. Let them talk."
She sticks her tongue out at him, but then falls silent and listens.
"Nick," she begins, "I don't want to do anything to mess up what you have already. If there's anyone here who doesn't want me - I'd rather not be the cause of problems later."
Nick pores over that for a moment in silence; then it's as if someone turns a light on, and he grins. A moment later, he's actually chuckling.
"What?," he says between guffaws. "You thought I didn't want you here?"
"You're not easy to read," Ky says defensively. "I didn't - don't - know what you're thinking. So I have to ask you, straight out - is this plan of Gareth's all right with you?"
Nick manages to regain control of his face, but his lips still twitch from time to time. After a moment, he meets Ky's eyes, his expression grave. "On one condition," he says.
Ky faces him squarely. "And that is?"
"That you come over here, right now, and give me a hug. Welcome to the Lodge, Ky. You're just what Sobersides here needs - a breath of fresh air, someone he can have fun with."
"Hey!" Raina elbows him in the side. For answer he kisses her till she has to breathe. By the time he lets her go, K'thyri is there with a rib-cracking hug for him.
Well… it would crack his ribs if he were human….
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