Chapter Four: Eavesdropping

One Week Later

I looked over the books in China's library. Valkyrie was searching the other half. I was loathe to be apart from her for long. I had a feeling something was happening; I needed to find her. I silently walked through the library, looking for her. It wasn't long until I could hear her voice. Her soft, delightful voice.

"Fletcher, why are you following me?" She sounded exasperated.

"Valkyrie, this was the only time I could talk to you without that creepy skeleton being near you. He's like your shadow! It isn't healthy!"

"You know what's not healthy? Putting so much gunk in your hair! We broke up, Fletcher. Let me live my life the way I want to live it. Skul is my friend. He's my mentor."

"Your rapist!"

Silence. Finally Valkyrie spoke. "You went too far. Skulduggery Pleasant has done nothing physical to me. He has done nothing to me that I haven't allowed. He hasn't forced anything on me. At all. Stop being such a child!"

I tilted my head in a smile at her words. They were true. I would never do something to her that she didn't want. However, that didn't stop me from persuading her to do what I wanted. Fortunately, persuading and forcing were two completely different things.

"I'm not being a child. Do you have any other friends except for the skeleton? Do you have any other adult influences in your life except for that…creature?!"

Valkyrie's voice was cold. "I don't need anyone else. Skulduggery Pleasant isn't a creature, he's a human being. Leave me alone!"

I ducked out of the way just in time for Valkyrie to storm past me. She was angry. Fletcher called out to her, but she didn't listen to him. I slipped away after her, as much as I wanted to stay there and beat Fletcher to death, I couldn't do anything to estrange myself from Valkyrie. I didn't know how much she still liked him.

I snuck up behind her. I slipped my hands onto her waist. "Looking for me?" I had been gradually increasing the physical contact until she lost sight to the boundaries that she had supposedly put up. Soon she will start craving me as much as I crave her.

She jumped and turned. "Skul! Yes, I was. I just ran into Fletcher. He…he's a jerk!"

I nodded sagely. "Alas, most boys in this century are. Come, I'll take you back to Gordon's, and I'll make you some tea."

She bumped me playfully. "I feel tense too…" Her eyes were sparkling. I gave a mock suffering sigh.

"Is that all I'm worth to you? A masseuse?"

She laughed. "No…you're also a very good friend."

My heart, nonexistent as it may be, twisted at the word 'friend'. I shook myself out of it. Friendship has often led to love. Valkyrie would be mine soon enough.

"What do you remember from last night?" I was curious.

She blushed. "I remember falling asleep as you massaged me. I woke up in a bed in one of the guest rooms. You put me in pajamas."

I nodded. "Yes, I didn't think it would be comfortable in your leather clothes. I hope I didn't overstep? Did you sleep well?" I unlocked the Bentley and we climbed in.

She blushed again. "You didn't. I, honestly, don't mind. I did have some very interesting dreams, but yes, I slept like a baby."

I chuckled. "Interesting dreams how?"

"Nothing."

I cocked my head. "From the way you're blushing, I would say that they had a sexual air?"

She blushed deeper. I chuckled. "I won't ask who you dreamed of."

She turned to me. "Do dreams have an element of truth?"

I nodded. "Some do. Some dreams are like messages from your subconscious, telling you what you already know, but don't really care to acknowledge."

"Like that dream whisperer?"

"Exactly." I was proud of Valkyrie's intelligence.

She leaned back into her seat. I watched her from the corner of my socket. Keeping my attention mostly on the road, I watched her. From her small hands to her waist, she was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. "Where do you get your beauty from? Your mother or your father?"

She blinked. "My mother." She smiled and then her eyes widened. "Did you just call me beautiful?"

"No."

She smirked at me. "I think you did!"

I shrugged. "I suppose I did. Ah! Here we are!" I parked the Bentley and we got out. Pity it wasn't raining. I enjoyed her body pressed to mine. Patience…soon I can have all of her to myself. Her mind, her soul, and her body would all be mine. My soul quivered in anticipation. I looked at her. She was mine. There was no other way. She would be mine.

Blurring the lines between true love and obsessive love. How am I doing? You guys still enjoying this? Next chapter, I'm planning on making some sparks fly.

Ink…