Good Morning, Little Ones!

Thank you to Mel, Jill, and Dani!

.: 40 :.

"Fuck, I'm starving."

Edward smirks at me and I roll my eyes at him. The oatmeal has been thoroughly burned, and I have to toss the entire pot in the garbage. I feel bad about the damage we are doing to the cottage, and I make a mental note to figure out where we are so I can send them a check when I get back to my life.

My fingers falter on the sink as I think about real life. A few weeks ago, all I wanted was to get back to it, but now?

I glance at Edward, who I have banished out of the kitchen. He's sitting on a barstool at the high countertop next to the kitchen. He's still naked, but thankfully, all I can see of him is chest up. Even that's distracting enough.

"Where are we?" I ask, turning back to the sink to fill the new pot with water.

"I'm not sure," Edward says quietly. "I drove us to the nearest place I could find when I pulled you out of the water."

My fingers slip on the pot and I look at him again. "You drove us?"

Somehow, I hadn't thought about how we got here. Edward nods, looking a little amused.

"I didn't have much choice," he says slowly. His eyes are tight, and I lick my lips, looking back down at the pot.

"Thank you," I whisper, unable to look at him. It's easier, when we're having sex, to be near him. When it's sex, it's just us and the divine space we're creating between us. When I'm not distracted by that, I start to feel the burden of everything not being said.

My mind flickers once again to my dream, and I fight my shudder. I don't know if I'm ready to tell Edward what I know. I'm still holding out hope that there is some other answer out there for him.

"When you were sent on this quest," I say slowly, putting the pot of water on the stove. I look up at him to see his eyes focused on me. "Did you…" I pause, not sure how to phrase my question. "Did you expect to find some sort of artifact or was it just a lost ceremony?"

Edward leans forward on the counter. "The tales we were told were of something imbued with the power," he says. "But I don't know how much stock to put into those tales."

I stare at him. "So you just went into this blind?"

Edward stares back at me. "What is it?"

I blink and look down at the pot. "Nothing," I say quickly. "I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to be doing. So far we've just wandered around, getting ourselves into one scrape after another." I pause and reach up to my neck. I don't remember all that happened under the water, and I'm not sure what the point of going there has been other than to put our lives at risk.

You need to know.

The words echo in my mind, and for a moment, I can feel spindly fingers wrapped around my throat. I swallow hard, chasing the horrible feeling away as I force myself to focus on the stove top again.

Edward's body is suddenly pressed against my back, his hands snaking down over mine. I can't concentrate when he's touching me, and for a moment, I crave that. I lean back into him, and his head drops to my shoulder, trailing soft kisses along the edge of his shirt.

"In the time we've spent together," Edward says softly. "You've gotten deeper into the path of this witch than I thought possible," he murmurs. "You're forgetting that I expected to get as far as you have in a year, if we were lucky. It's only been a few months."

I look up at that.

"What happens if I can't figure out an answer in a year?" I ask, my voice hollow. Edward gazes down at me, his arms still around me. I try to ignore the comfort of being wrapped up in him brings me.

He sighs. "I'll honor our agreement," he murmurs. "You'll be returned home and I'll continue on without you."

I hate how torn I am to hear this, and I turn back to the stove, reaching for the dry oats. I tip them into the boiling water and cover them, lowering the flame.

Edward squeezes me softly.

"What troubles you?"

I turn in his arms. It's so fucking distracting that he's naked. I want to devour him and forget this conversation altogether.

"Nothing," I tell him, grateful that if he can't lie, I at least still can. He frowns, but I reach out to his hips, gripping his warm skin. My thumbs sink into the V that traces down, and his eyes darken.

"You're hungry," he reminds me.

I lick my lips.

"Yes, absolutely famished." My voice is husky as I look up at him through my lashes.

He grunts.

"Little One." His voice is a warning and I look up at him as innocently as I can while my hands snake lower and lower. A breath hisses out between his lips as I take him in my hands.

My palms stroke him, my fingers squeezing gently as I run the length of him. His hands slam flat on the counter behind me, his forehead falling against mine.

"Maybe we can stay here," I whisper, tilting my head to press an open-mouthed kiss to his chest. "Just a little longer." I press another kiss to his chest, and I feel him shudder as I run my fingers over the tip of him.

I start to lead a trail down his chest, kissing and sucking his skin as I continue to work him with my hands. He thrusts into my hands, unable to fight against the pleasure.

I'm about to drop to my knees and take him into my mouth, when a sharp whistle breaks through our heavy breathing. Edward pulls away from me, hoisting me up and turning me around to the stove. I flip the flame off and I feel Edward leave the room. I let out a shaky breath as I focus on the food. My stomach is screaming for nutrition, and as much as I'd like, I know I can't sustain off Edward alone. I ladle the oatmeal into two bowls, and when I turn back around, Edward is back on the barstool. I slide the bowls across the counter to him with the honey and some spoons. I grab my mug of tea and move around the counter to sit next to him. He's wearing pants now, much to my relief and disappointment. I climb up on my barstool and grab the bowl. Edward looks over at me, giving me a small smile before digging into his own meal.