Once I finished getting ready I set out to find Maximus. He said he would see me, but hadn't mentioned where he wanted to meet. I could just wait in my room, but I had the urge to move around and staying still would only drive me insane.
Rolling into the hallway, I remembered Maximus's words about someone always being around to hear if I needed something. I had no idea where he was, but maybe someone on the staff might. Clearing my throat, it took me three tries to get it out. "Hello?"
Before I could count to three, a masculine figure blurred into perspective in front of me. He watched me with pleasant curiosity, "How may I help you?" Thankfully he didn't seem irritated, or I might have just wheeled back into my room from nerves.
"I was wondering if you knew where Maximus is?" I tried to keep my nerves down, but me asking something to a strange man I'd never met was a two hit knock out for my anxiety. The fact that I was asking about my new boyfriend just added extra tension.
Thankfully, the stranger only smiled as if he couldn't scent my nerves from a mile away. "He is in the gym running the other guards through a last minute training demonstration before you two leave. Would you like me to take you to him?"
I nodded, happy to not have to ask anyone else. The man turned, after a glance to make sure I was still following, and led the way. It was painfully silent as we walked, but I had no idea what to say or if I should even say anything. When we stopped outside of a door that must have been the gym, I thanked him politely before making my way inside.
The sight that met me took my breath away. I had kind of seen Maximus fight the other day in the clearing, but this was a whole new level. He met his adversary blow for blow, the moves too quick for my eyes to keep up with. In the next instant, he had the other man pinned beneath him without looking like it took any effort on his part.
After he stood, he gestured for the next guard in line to face their opponent. I watched in fascination as they fought, although they didn't have as much skill as Maximus, they were still a blur to me.
My admiration disappeared when one of the men picked his adversary up and threw him directly at me. I had approximately a second and a half to panic at the form of the airborne vampire heading straight for me before a painful collision knocked the air out of my lungs. And knocked me clear out of my chair.
Dimly I hoped that my chair hadn't broken, it would delay our departure if we had to get it fixed, but most of my attention was on the male now crouched over me and staring down in shock. His eyes were lit up green and his mouth was open in an O of surprise.
Icy terror plunged down my spine at the hulking figure of vampire hovered over me, apparently too shocked at my presence to move. His hands rested on my shoulder and hip, the touch making my stomach turn with warning and my skin itch to get away from him. I tried to wiggle out from under him, but his body caged mine in place.
Memories of a different time I'd been caged in by a bigger body flashed through my mind. My throat felt bone dry as I wheezed out one panicked word through my fear frozen mind. "M-maximus!" It was barely a whisper, it shook with all of my fear and seemed to cut through air but it was heard. In the next second I felt the air shift, a different kind of chill shot up my spine as the emotions of the room changed in a heartbeat.
The man on top of me suddenly cringed, his face blanking to a paler color than I thought even vampires capable of, before he was forcibly ripped off of me. My panic stopped climbing, but it didn't recede either. The phantom feeling of hands on my hips sent my stomach into spins, the urge to find the nearest shower and scrub the skin making itself known.
I fought to keep my breathing under control as I glanced up at the tensed back of my boyfriend, who looked to be partially crouched over me. I could only see part of his face, but what I could see made the previous guard's suddenly pale expression make perfect sense.
The eyes I had previously likened to a calm, rainy day now looked similar to the sharpest of steel. His mouth was twisted into harsh snarl and he never let his gaze trail from the man who now sat completely still a few yards away from us. The guard hadn't moved from where he had been thrown, all his muscles stiff as a statue as he spoke in rapid fire Romania. His expression was frantic and it didn't take a genius to know what he was saying.
Maximus didn't seem moved by what I guessed were his apologies. His body stayed as tense as stone in his position guarding me, and I knew that I would have to speak up if I didn't want that guard to pay dearly for his unfortunate luck.
My side throbbed painfully, whether from the rough landing or the original collision I wasn't sure, but I knew now wasn't the time to think on it. I had a boyfriend to calm down before he maimed an innocent man.
Pushing past the worst of my panic, I gently tugged on his pant leg to get his attention. While nothing in his stance changed, I saw his eyes briefly flicker down to me before returning to the man. He was listening.
"It was an accident, Maximus. Nobody knew that would happen and I'm sure that he is sorry. I'm fine, but I need some help back up into my chair?" The last statement came out as more of a question as uncertainty colored my words. I had never felt like this around a person before, as if I were sitting down with a tiger primed and ready to pounce at the slightest twitch of hostility barely one foot away from me. Idly I noticed the man nodding empathetically along to my saying that he was sorry, poor man. He probably had no idea who I was when he crashed into me before I called out for Maximus. If he had, he probably would have made more of an effort to get off of me.
Thankfully, Maximus's form slowly lost its hostility. He bit out an order in Romanian that had the man dashing away from us in a blur. The other guards quickly followed not two steps behind him without a backward glance.
Once the room was empty except for the two of us, he turned around and righted my chair. He spoke as he examined it for damages. "I apologize for that display. If I had known you were there I would have called a halt to the training. Everyone who lives here knows that when we're training bodies tend to fly, but I forgot to mention it to you."
He nodded in satisfaction at my chair, which I assume meant it was damage free to his standards, before he crouched to my level. His hands hovered near me, but didn't touch. The consideration to my almost panic attack made me smile weakly at him. "I'm fine now, just shaken. I'm sure once I get back into my chair and move around a bit I'll be fine." I reached out and clasped one of his hands to reassure him and to prove that I was really okay.
That seemed to be the last reassurance he had needed. He moved slowly while giving me time to react as his arms slid under my knees and behind my back. The only thing I did was lift my arms to wrap around his neck, to make lifting me easier on him.
In one smooth motion, he had me up off the ground and securely clasped to his chest. Leaning my head against where his shoulder met his neck, I soaked in the pleasant touch. The feeling of phantom hands ebbed away as I focused on the present and on the man holding me.
I hadn't noticed before, but he had changed into a dark navy sweater and slacks. They complimented him beautifully, even more so now that his eyes had gone back to their lightly cloudy state instead of the frozen steel from before.
Maximus sighed, making no move to put me back into my chair but I wasn't complaining. It felt nice to be in his arms after the scare I'd just had. After a minute of enjoying the simple pleasure of being held, I grudgingly nudged him to put me down. "As much as I love this, we still have a plane to catch. That's why I went to find you in the first place, I wasn't sure where we were supposed to meet."
He reluctantly put be down, making sure to set me down in the center of the chair's seat before stepping back. "I was going to meet you at your room, but the guards required a demonstration. However, if you are ready we can leave now."
I didn't have a bag since we would be going to my home to retrieve anything that I couldn't leave there during my extended stay in Romania before coming back, so I was ready when he was. "I'm good to go." When I went to grab my wheels to propel me forward, a sudden sharp pain cut through my side and pulled a hiss from me. My hand clutched the injury as I belatedly remembered the pain after the guard had landed on me. I had forgotten it with all the excitement.
Immediately Maximus's attention was on me, his brow creased with concern. "Zelda, I thought you said you were fine?" His hands gently tugged mine away from the injury and prodded it, the light pressure making me wince but I bit back any noises I would've made otherwise.
"I am fine, it's only bruised a bit. It wouldn't even be a big thing if it weren't for where it is." I couldn't reach for my wheels with where it was, not without pain at least. Maximus must have come to the same conclusion, because he tapped on my shoulder to pull my attention to him before speaking.
"I could give you blood to heal it. A few drops would be more than enough and you wouldn't have to worry about straining it." I bit my lip as I considered his offer, I knew that by giving me his blood he was claiming me for all intents and purposes as his. If it had been anyone else I would refuse, but was there any real harm in being known as Maximus's? I understood that vampires used the term 'property' liberally and didn't mean anything insulting by it. If I took his blood it just meant that I would be further under his protection.
I nodded before I could talk myself out of it, it wasn't like I wanted to feel pain throughout the day anyway. Maximus reached into his coat and drew out a silver knife, making me wonder momentarily where he had hidden that since I couldn't see any loups inside the jacket. He paused before glancing at me, a sly smile curling his lips before he spoke in a dry tone.
"I'm not going to shove this through my chest so you don't need to worry." The statement confused me before I remembered the other day when I had told him to warn me the next time he cut himself. An answering smile pulled across my mouth.
"Smart ass." He knew that I didn't need that warning now and he flashed me a cheeky grin to further prove that. After swiping the blade across his palm, he held his hand out for me to take.
I did, hesitating only a second before powering through my uncertainty. I would never be used to drinking blood, whether it was his or someone else's. I slid my tongue across his palm, my face scrunching up at the sharp taste of iron, before I released his hand.
When I glanced up again I froze at the vibrant green eyes watching me. I knew that hunger, rage and lust could make their eyes light up and it didn't take a genius to figure out which one Maximus was feeling.
I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach, alerting me that I needed to change the topic immediately. Thankfully, Maximus must have sensed my discomfort, because he closed his eyes and took a breath. When he opened them again they were back to their normal grey and he wore an apologetic smile. "I can promise not to act on my lust, but that won't stop me from feeling it."
I felt my cheeks flame, but I shook my head in answer to his statement. "You should never bottle your feelings, it doesn't end well. You promised that you wouldn't try anything and I believe you. I just have to get accustomed to you...feeling like that about me." I picked my words carefully but honestly. I didn't want him to deny himself from feeling things, those were his emotions and he shouldn't have to censor them for me. I just had to get used to the knowledge that he saw me in that way.
He bent to drop a kiss on my head, the contact sending a shot of warmth straight down from where he kissed me. "Anytime you start to get overwhelmed, alert me and I will back down. No questions asked and no feelings hurt."
He straightened then, holding his arm out in invitation. "Now then, shall we go on our way?" I agreed easily, moving forward for him to settle the arm around my shoulders again as we walked. Hopefully this plane ride would be less stressful than the last one.
