MARCH 2528
"She needs a friend, Gabriel," my wife argues with me. "Dani needs socialization, and she can't spend her whole life indoors or with one of us."
Yesterday the boy showed up at our home again, and Claire was the one to open the door. Now her bleeding heart has been roused, and she's convinced that Kale and Danielle should play together.
"He is not a normal child. You're putting her at risk with this stupid idea," I tell her, glad that Danielle is at the other end of the hall and fast asleep.
"Nothing is going to happen. She'll be right across the street—or fine, Kale can come over here. And even if she were somehow to get hurt, she heals the same as you and me. She can't die! I don't see why you're being so irrational," Claire tells me. I still haven't told her about the boy's budding hunger. If she knew, I think she might be concerned about what that means for Dani. Not to mention what it means for me. If I can find a way to take his hunger from him…
"You don't know everything, Claire. If something were to happen, we would have to leave this place, and I know you don't want that. Danielle doesn't want that."
"No, what she wants is to play with someone her own age."
"He's not her own age; he's three years older than she is," I correct her. She rolls her eyes at my differentiation.
"Yes, and I can see how that's such a big difference," she says sarcastically. "After all, it's so much better for her to spend all her time with two people who are hundreds of years older than she is. Three years is not bad, especially when children are scarce. Let her have a chance to meet someone new."
I grit my teeth, trying to stay level-headed. A red haze blurs my eyes and I feel a growing need to cause someone harm. My fists ball up.
"Claire," I grind out, "Let it go. I'm not in the mood to discuss this with you." I wave her over as I speak, gripping her upper arms. "Do you understand me?" Her bones creak under the pressure and she glares up at me.
"You can't use your new hair-trigger temper to get what you want. I'm not letting this go," she says.
"Then you're going to get hurt," I warn her.
"Do it," she counters. "Hurt me, but I want Kale here before it's too late for him to come over." I growl as she taunts, "What's the matter, think I can't take it? Or would you rather just admit that I'm right?"
A flick of fingers has her knife in hand, and she starts mechanically cutting herself. Her eyes are steady on my face, narrowing with every wound I give her. I guess it was too optimistic to think that the carpet would remain spotless for very long.
My bloodlust is being translated to something else entirely as I watch her shiver and twitch. My wife, the hopeless masochist. It would be sick if I weren't her perfect counterpart. I let her drop the knife and compel her to leave her clothing on the bloody carpet before laying herself out on the bed.
I take up the knife and sit between her legs, tracing shallow cuts onto her stomach and thighs. She is quivering by the time I let the knife go, remove my own clothes, and release her. My teeth tear at her skin, the violence inside me dissipating with every temporary mark I leave on her. She pants beneath me, giving me my own scratches and bites, tit for tat.
She has the incredible gall to hiss at me, "Give me what I want, unless you'd rather screw a puppet."
I chuckle and reach between her legs, making her gasp and arch up. "That's not what I meant. Invite him over for Dani."
How the hell can she think about that right now? I growl and rut into her, but I can feel her distancing herself.
"God damn it, Claire," I groan. "Fine!" She relaxes immediately, and we resume what we started. I can hear the relief in her thoughts.
Thank God. I don't think I could've lasted. I feel magnanimous now as I make her shudder and cry out, arching against me until I empty myself inside her. I doubt I could have lasted either. We lie there panting and when Claire can breathe again, she nuzzles into my chest.
"Thank you, Gabriel." God, the way she says my name. It's beautiful. I rest my head atop hers until she moves to get up.
True to her word, she dresses and sends Danielle across the street to invite Kale over. He follows her back, chatting amicably. He nods and listens as she speaks, and I tense at the way he watches her. I get dressed and head downstairs.
Danielle's dragging Kale through every room, showing off our new house. Kale pauses when he sees me.
"Hello, Mr. Gray," he greets me. If I had to name his attitude, it would be wary—but confident. As though he were sizing me up and comparing me to himself. It's unsettling, coming from such a young boy. He seems just a little too eager to see me, when he should be running.
I grunt a reply and subtly watch him interact with my daughter. I still don't know what to think of him, but I'll be damned if I leave him alone with Danielle.
A/N: Thank you for all the comments and support! We love to hear from you. Reviews make our day and keep us motivated. -- Mel and Chuck
