Chapter Nine

When I arrive home, I am greeted by a very welcoming fiancée. I think he missed me. I greet him in return because I missed him much as well. I'm happy my girlfriends aren't with me anymore. They have places to go, people to see. I have Valerius to come home to and enjoy company with.

"Welcome home Sweetheart." He mutters into my ear. I smile.

"Thank you." I kiss him gently. He escorts me to the living room and we sit on the couch.

"How was your day?" He kisses my forehead gently.

"It was fun but I missed you dearly." The smile that comes across his face and the look in his eyes make me curl into him. He wraps his arms around me. "What about you?"

"The usual organizing thing. Nothing exciting."

We sit in silence for a while. It was actually quite peaceful. Nothing had to be said. It was relaxing to just sit there with gentle touches. "Sara?" I hear someone whispering my voice in my head. Part of me recognizes the voice and it completely comforts me to where I sleep. Valerius was also lightly tracing my skin and that helped relax me a lot. I could tell somehow in my sleep that he picked me up and moved me to the room and let me rest on our bed.

When I come to consciousness again he is lying peacefully beside me. I smile softly and lay on his chest as I try to remember that smooth voice. It woke him because he breathes in deeply and wraps an arm around me with a smile coming to his face. I kiss him gently on the forehead.

"I didn't mean to wake you." I speak softly. My dwelling has faded. He chuckles.

"It's perfectly okay." He opens his eyes and looks at me with a warm expression and a smile. I rest on his chest again while he gently rubs my back. This level of affection took a good three months. I'm perfectly okay with going at his pace. My cell phone goes off and ruins the perfect moment. I look at the time and the caller ID. I answer ready to chew out who just got stuck in the sun.

"Where are you?" I stand up and search for sweats and a t-shirt. I go rescue the new and retarded Dark-Hunter. He looks strangely familiar but I'm not able to place the name. Once rescued and returned, I head back and enjoy a nap before I have to get ready for the newest assignment. It's another ball another dress, the whole shebang. Ash didn't dare put me with another Dark- Hunter. Tory wouldn't let him.

Valerius and I are ready and we stage. We know that there is another couple floating around here somewhere. I'm wearing a dark emerald green Victorian era style dress. Reminds me of the dress I got with Alice and Rose. Valerius and everyone else are dressed in the same era. These annual balls are a thrill. We were asked to be the second couple because we were already attending. I enjoy the dance and then we finally run into the other couple. It's Halli and Wulf. Now, those two are more like family.

"I'm surprised that Ash was able to convince her to come." I mutter to Valerius. He chuckles and kisses me gently.

"I think it was you and Wulf." He takes a glance at them. I raise my eyebrow.

"I guess but I didn't tell her that I was going to do this." I smile at Halli as we make eye contact. Her smile is definitely something I haven't seen in a while. It makes me feel good.

"Ash told her all the details I bet." He lets me go as he knows I'm going to stand and go to my best friend. I smile at her as I walk over.

"You look gorgeous!" I exclaim as I walk over to her. She smiles.

"Thanks. You look pretty good yourself." We link arms and walk around talking for a little bit. We talk about her exciting return from retirement. Wren was turned Dark-Hunter after Maggie was killed. He found his way into Halli's back yard and now Ash is using her as Wren's squire until further notice. Halli isn't happy about it but she knows something and I don't. Before I am able to question her about it our cue come with the daimon and human victim. Halli pulls the gun stunt again. Like before, the humans run, leaving us with some very pissed off daimons. We draw our weapons and head into battle.

This battle is a little more difficult that recent ones. My favorite dress is starting to get at risk of being damaged. I use my little gift from my heritage to change my appearance. Once I'm a little more comfortable in something I can fight in I kill them just within range where I would have been able to handle in a dress. Only Halli can see that I'm not in a dress, another little gift from the long line of Dark-Hunter fathers.

Once I changed back my movements don't miss a beat. There is no change in my actions. I still get a stunned look from the boys. Wulf has seen me do this on several occasions and I always get that look from Valerius when I actually fight. I love it.

We exit and Halli is laughing alongside us. She makes my phone ring and has me stay back. I wave on Valerius. He hesitates but keeps on walking. Wulf carries on without Halli but he knows my past.

"When are you going to tell him?" Halli has the same scrutinizing stare that she did five and a half years ago. I shrug.

"When I think he can handle it." I really haven't exposed my abilities to Valerius yet. I bite my lip. "When do you think it would be best?" I stare into Halli's eyes as she shrugs and walks away. My phone vibrates again. *Now would be best* she texts me. I sigh and go to my loving fiancée.

I wait until we are home before I decide to pull my strange abilities. I go to our room and change out of the dress and let my hair loose. I wander over to the couch and sit down. "Ash, is this going to go over well?" I'm nervous as hell. "Just be straightforward about it and you should be fine." Amazingly, those words are soothing. Valerius walks in the room and wraps his arms around me. I look up at him and smile.

"Honey, if I were to tell you that I have certain abilities, what would you say?" I am honest and it shows in my eyes. He smiles.

"That I would have suspected all along." He wanders around to sit beside me. He takes me into his arms.

"Well your suspicions are correct." He wanders around and sits beside me. He takes me into his arms.

"So what are these abilities?" he sounds curious.

"Being able to read emotions, talk telepathically and conjure items." I look into his eyes. He nods.

"It all makes sense now." He smiles and squeezes me. That did go over well.