"LARA!" a worried voice called. Reality cracked across her head as Bryce's voice registered in her mind. She found herself pressed up against Raziel, her arms about his neck. His claws had slipped around her waist, holding her against him. As if just becoming aware of what he was doing, he released her as she pulled away. Lara walked to the stairs and stepped down them, shoving the kiss back into her mind. It was okay when she had to remind herself it was a fling. It was okay when she just wanted to kiss him once, to remember what it felt like. But it was definitely not okay for her to begin to desire him as much as she did. Just the nearness of his body reminded her of traveling through Nosgoth when she had kept pace behind him. It was all right to dream of him; it was not all right to act on it. She was of British aristocracy, and was not supposed to be acting like a teenager with a crush.
"Up here, Bryce," she assured him. Bryce looked up.
"Thank God. I was afraid they'd taken you with them."
Lara simply shook her head and walked down to her study. Raziel followed behind her and took a seat, watching her. He wasn't sure quite what was going on between the two of them anymore. He had thought perhaps she hadn't cared about that night nearly five years ago, but the way she acted and looked at him and assured him that there was something there. He had then wondered if there was someone else, but she hadn't stated anything to the effect of. And when they kissed . . .
He shook his head slightly. Kain was right. There was something there, but she seemed . . . hesitant. Not so much unsure of herself, but more like she wanted to give in, that she was going to, and then something would remind her of a nagging thought and she'd pull away. Raziel's eyes narrowed. He wanted to know what it was so that he could end the impediment.
Lara sat down and sighed. "What do we do now? We have no idea where he's taken it to and once we figure . . ." Lara paused, valiantly trying to keep her face straight as she continued, "out where it is, chances are we . . ." a smirk slid through, "won't be powerful enough to get in."
Raziel raised an eyebrow, wondering what had gotten into her, when he suddenly became aware of an object hitting him in the back of the head repeatedly. He turned and looked down as a tennis ball smacked him lightly in the forehead. It didn't phase him. His eyebrows knit together when he saw Rose sitting behind him, holding it.
"Ball!"
"Was this what was amusing you?" he inquired to Lara.
"She was throwing a ping pong ball at you earlier, but it took the tennis ball for you to notice."
"Am I the first to graduate to tennis ball?"
"No." She shook her head. "There was one other."
"And that was?" When she didn't answer, he supplied, "You, eh?"
He twisted, caught Rose before she could throw it again, and dragged her into his lap, growling, "Come here you." Rose squealed in joy, squirming around to playfully try to get away. He wrestled with her a few minutes, surprised at her strength. She was arguably stronger than a human, and if her muscle structure grew as she did, she could eventually be theoretically stronger than a vampire at adulthood. Lara watched the two of them, a slight smile on her face and caught herself thinking, Now this is how it should be. She quickly suppressed the thought.
After a while, Rose tired out and snuggled into a ball on his lap, falling asleep almost instantly. Raziel addressed Lara's question while running a claw over Rose's hair gently.
"You are undoubtedly correct on that, so I believe we may have to call in for some help on this."
"And to who are we going to go to?"
Raziel smirked maliciously. "Are you up for a trip to Nosgoth, Lara?"
