Cat

If I blushed any harder I was going to start bleeding out of my pores. Here I was, getting caught by my best friend and her fiancé on top of a man that they think I just met. And Denise thinks I'm trying to stake him. I scrambled to my feet, my ankle getting tangled with Bones' leg and making me tip to the side. Bones reached out with all his vampire speed to catch me, moving in a blur to lift me up and set me on the floor. Denise rushed over to us, still under the impression that she had interrupted a fight rather than a moment of passion. "I know he's a vampire, but Randy says he's not a threat. Please, just listen to me and don't stake him!" I looked at Randy openmouthed.

"You know about vampires?" I asked Randy at exactly the same time as Bones asked Denise the same thing. "Yes" they both answered at the same time. It was funny to a certain extent, but I couldn't decide if I was happy or not they had interrupted us. On one hand, being alone with him felt so right. It felt more right than I had felt at any time in 4 years. On the other hand, it would be selfish to try to keep him, and if I had kept kissing him I don't know if I could have ever let go.

I needed to think. I picked up the nearest box (wet cardboard, yuck) and started carrying it into the house.

Bones

Bollox, we had come so close! I'd had her in my arms, kissing her, in the near dark. Ironically, the weight of her hands on my chest had lifted the weight on my heart. Just a couple more minutes and….bugger. I needed to stop thinking about that or I wouldn't be able to remember my own name, let alone figure out how to convince her to let me back into her life. I had seen the momentary doubt in her eyes. She wanted me, her scent had told me that, but she was still hesitant. But at least I knew she still loved me. I would have been willing to die to find that out, a few minutes loading boxes and furniture was really a small price to pay.

In no time we had the truck cleared out. I wanted to go to Kitten's home, or bring her to mine, but she said she had to go to the dress fitting with Denise. I think she wanted some time to think on her own. I'd give her that, but I was not going to lose her again. Before she and Denise left I beckoned her into a small bathroom under the stairs. I wanted to smell her as much as I could before she left, and I wanted her close to me.

"Promise me you aren't going to run again."

"Bones, I…"

"Promise me! I've spent 4 years searching for you and I won't lose you again. You don't need to protect me. I'm a bloody Master vampire and I can take care of myself. I'm not scared of a team of humans, even if you did train them. There is only one thing I'm scared of in the world, and that is losing you."

Kitten closed her eyes. "I've missed you so much too. But I can't just fall back into bed with you. If I sleep with you, I won't be able to think." I grinned at that. "So I think we should take it slow." Less grinning. I ached for her so much my teeth hurt, but there was no way I was going to bollox things up when I was so close. I had waited for 4 years to see her again. I could wait for a little more until she welcomed me with open arms, and open, well, you know.

"Whatever you need Kitten. But I want to see you again. Soon."

She nodded. "I want to see you too. I usually finish up work around 7:30 unless we have a mission. Those come up unexpectedly pretty often, but let's make a tentative plan for 8:30 tomorrow."

"I'll pick you up then. Dress nicely, I want to take you someplace fancy. It's been so long since I've see you dolled up." We traded numbers and she gave me her address. I kissed her hand as she left, resisting the urge to give her a lick between her fingers to remind her of what I could do with my tongue. There would be time for that later, and I wanted to make sure she didn't run. As she left the house I pulled out my phone and called to make a reservation.