Chapter Twenty-four
The clock on the nightstand showed that it was way after noon. But no one nearby cared at all how much of the day was over.
Waking from a sound, peaceful sleep for the second time that day, Alison's eyes opened slowly.
Knowing this time exactly where she was, she turned in Rafe's arms, sighing with contentment as she snuggled in close. She knew by the sound of his breathing that he was awake too.
"Are you still hungry?" she asked, her voice sleepy.
Running his hand down the length of her hair, Rafe answered, "For you? Always."
Blushing a bit, Alison punched his arm lightly. She leaned her chin on her hand, gazing up at him, love shining in her eyes.
"Rafe, c'mon. Be serious for a second."
His hand moved to her cheek. As he did every time he looked at her, he knew for sure. There is nothing in heaven or earth more beautiful.
Rafe's eyes narrowed as he answered, "I'm completely serious. Do you want me to prove it?"
Alison sighed again. It was amazing what he could do, just by looking at her.
"Yes. No. Maybe."
"C'mon, Alison." he teased, "Which one is it?" His hand traveled up and down her back as he spoke.
She chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to concentrate. "How 'bout, ummm? Later." she finally answered, giggling.
"Nope. That's not one of the choices." He said, pulling her face closer to his.
"Well, that's the one I choose. Because, as much as I do love you - I'm sorry, but I'm starving." Kissing him quickly, she jumped out of the bed.
Within seconds, she picked Rafe's shirt up off the floor, and pulled it back on.
Rafe leaned up against the pillows, linking his hands behind his head as he watched her. Disappointment could be clearly heard in his voice. "Why'd you have to go and do that?"
"Because I can't cook if I'm not wearing anything, Rafe!" she turned and looked at him from the kitchen with a smile. She began to roll up the sleeves so she could get to work.
"I bet you could." He said, quite seriously. "Have you ever tried?"
"No." she admitted, laughing. "But I'm not starting today, so forget it."
"You're no fun."
She waved a mixing spoon at him and warned. "I am too! Take that back!"
"Oh yeah? Why? What are you going to do if I don't?"
"Keep teasing me and you'll see. Could be that I'll add a secret ingredient to your "breakfast". You won't know till it hits you." She stirred the pancake batter slowly with a devilish grin.
"Oooo. I'm scared."
"Yeah. Well. Don't say I didn't warn you."
*********
Hard as he tried, he was unable to convince her to come back to bed. So, giving up for the time being, Rafe went off to take a shower. Now dressed in jeans, his hair was still damp, his feet bare as he walked back out into the room. Pulling a t-shirt over his head, he turned and saw Alison - just where he'd left her - standing by the stove, a fresh stack of pancakes steaming on a platter next to the griddle.
She had pulled her hair up in a knot again, the shirt of his that she still wore nearly reached her knees. Suits her so well she can keep it, he decided. Unable to resist, Rafe came up behind her, circling his arms around her waist. He pulled her close and kissed the nape of her neck, feeling her shiver as he did.
"Almost ready?" he asked, his lips moving to her ear.
Alison leaned back against him and sighed. She could stay like this forever, except the truth was, at the moment, she was really, really, really hungry.
She fixed a plate for him and turned slowly in his arms. She balanced it carefully, keeping it safely away from Rafe as she spoke. Her voice gently scolded him. "Here you go. Just so you know, I decided to be nice. No secret ingredients today. I'm letting you off with a warning."
He kissed her nose and he took the plate from her, moving to sit down at the table.
"Whew. Thank goodness. I was worried." He said somewhat sarcastically as he picked up one of the pitchers of syrup on the table and began to pour.
"Oh yeah, wise guy? OK. Well. Notice there's 2 kinds of syrup on the table. If I were you I'd be very careful which one I'd pick." She said, grinning.
"You're evil." He said as he looked at her suspiciously, his fork stopping inches away from his mouth.
Alison pulled out the other chair and moved to sit across from him, still smiling brightly. "I beg your pardon, Rafe Kovich, I'm not at all evil. There are a million people in this world more evil than me." With her own fork poised in her hand, she began to count on her fingers. "For instance, there's Frank, Livvie, Caleb, Joshua."
Before she even knew what she was saying the words were out, permeating the air with dread.
Rafe saw her expression change in an instant. Moments before she had been so happy, happier than he'd seen her in the longest time. She'd just been laughing, the sound filling their apartment with joy, music to his ears. In just a few seconds it had vanished. He was reminded again that they'd never be safe, never be truly happy again until he could get rid of all the evil on her list, and then some. He looked on sadly as her eyes filled with tears, her head bowed to stare at her plate. Alison knew her appetite was gone completely as she suddenly dropped her fork on the floor with a clang.
He pushed away from the table and moved to kneel beside her chair. Taking her hands in his, he began to kiss them gently.
"Alison."
Alison shook her head back and forth, not believing for a second it had been possible. "I forgot. I really did. I was so happy just being with you - that - I can't even believe it. I completely forgot."
"Shhh. I'm sorry. I was the one who reminded you. I'm so sorry. Alison, it's going to be OK." He caught one of her teardrops on the back of his hand. Each tear she shed made him more and more angry. He needed to do something, quickly.
"This is so hard Rafe. Really. I mean, it is so hard to keep fighting. Just when I think we're done, something else gets thrown at us."
"I know. I know. I'm sorry. We'll get through this, it will be over soon."
She started to shake, clearly sobbing now, nearly uncontrollably. He moved his hands to frame her face, but she would not raise her eyes to meet his gaze. Her breath was ragged, her face now filled with sorrow. They would pay for even daring to hurt her like this, making her so scared she couldn't truly enjoy her life for a mere moment.
If it is the last thing I do, he vowed to himself, she will never need to cry like this again.
"Can you promise me that? Please, please - Rafe? Promise me." she pleaded.
Lifting her chin, he whispered against her lips, wincing slightly as he tasted the salt of her tears there. "I promise. It will. I promise."
**************
They now had a plan.
Back at his old apartment, Caleb paced and waited. Olivia was right. He had just needed to focus. He could remember. He had been a vampire far longer than he'd been mortal. He still knew what made vampires tick.
Truth be told, though, he'd rarely seen one as twisted as Joshua.
Olivia now held the power he'd lost. He needed her to get the confidence to use what she possessed. She can be too impulsive, too self absorbed at times to see clearly.
But, he thought, smiling, she was never boring, that's for sure.
With the ring, Joshua would have access to an abundance of knowledge. He would never create a potion without some sort of antidote. They'd get it from him and finally be free.
"Olivia. Are you ready?"
"Yes. Caleb.are you sure?"
"Trust me. It will work. I'll be watching you the whole time."
"The antidote is only the first thing we need, Caleb. We need the ring back too."
"Patience, my love. Please. One thing at a time."
Caleb instructed her as to how best to gain Joshua's trust, how to make him believe she would be faithful to his cause. It killed him that she needed to do this alone, that he couldn't take care of it himself.
He was doing his best, but truthfully, he felt more than a bit helpless. He needed to think like a vampire, but had none of the perks, none of the powers to fight effectively. Was this the best plan? Was there another way?
He was second guessing himself. He'd never done that before. He didn't much like it.
He looked deep into her eyes. "You'll be careful?" It was more of a command than a request.
"Yes.of course."
"You now have such power, Olivia. Use it. Use it to save us. Use it to make him pay for what he's done."
She looked at Caleb, all the love she felt for him now mixed with fury.
"I will. Trust me, I will. He won't know what hit him."
The clock on the nightstand showed that it was way after noon. But no one nearby cared at all how much of the day was over.
Waking from a sound, peaceful sleep for the second time that day, Alison's eyes opened slowly.
Knowing this time exactly where she was, she turned in Rafe's arms, sighing with contentment as she snuggled in close. She knew by the sound of his breathing that he was awake too.
"Are you still hungry?" she asked, her voice sleepy.
Running his hand down the length of her hair, Rafe answered, "For you? Always."
Blushing a bit, Alison punched his arm lightly. She leaned her chin on her hand, gazing up at him, love shining in her eyes.
"Rafe, c'mon. Be serious for a second."
His hand moved to her cheek. As he did every time he looked at her, he knew for sure. There is nothing in heaven or earth more beautiful.
Rafe's eyes narrowed as he answered, "I'm completely serious. Do you want me to prove it?"
Alison sighed again. It was amazing what he could do, just by looking at her.
"Yes. No. Maybe."
"C'mon, Alison." he teased, "Which one is it?" His hand traveled up and down her back as he spoke.
She chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to concentrate. "How 'bout, ummm? Later." she finally answered, giggling.
"Nope. That's not one of the choices." He said, pulling her face closer to his.
"Well, that's the one I choose. Because, as much as I do love you - I'm sorry, but I'm starving." Kissing him quickly, she jumped out of the bed.
Within seconds, she picked Rafe's shirt up off the floor, and pulled it back on.
Rafe leaned up against the pillows, linking his hands behind his head as he watched her. Disappointment could be clearly heard in his voice. "Why'd you have to go and do that?"
"Because I can't cook if I'm not wearing anything, Rafe!" she turned and looked at him from the kitchen with a smile. She began to roll up the sleeves so she could get to work.
"I bet you could." He said, quite seriously. "Have you ever tried?"
"No." she admitted, laughing. "But I'm not starting today, so forget it."
"You're no fun."
She waved a mixing spoon at him and warned. "I am too! Take that back!"
"Oh yeah? Why? What are you going to do if I don't?"
"Keep teasing me and you'll see. Could be that I'll add a secret ingredient to your "breakfast". You won't know till it hits you." She stirred the pancake batter slowly with a devilish grin.
"Oooo. I'm scared."
"Yeah. Well. Don't say I didn't warn you."
*********
Hard as he tried, he was unable to convince her to come back to bed. So, giving up for the time being, Rafe went off to take a shower. Now dressed in jeans, his hair was still damp, his feet bare as he walked back out into the room. Pulling a t-shirt over his head, he turned and saw Alison - just where he'd left her - standing by the stove, a fresh stack of pancakes steaming on a platter next to the griddle.
She had pulled her hair up in a knot again, the shirt of his that she still wore nearly reached her knees. Suits her so well she can keep it, he decided. Unable to resist, Rafe came up behind her, circling his arms around her waist. He pulled her close and kissed the nape of her neck, feeling her shiver as he did.
"Almost ready?" he asked, his lips moving to her ear.
Alison leaned back against him and sighed. She could stay like this forever, except the truth was, at the moment, she was really, really, really hungry.
She fixed a plate for him and turned slowly in his arms. She balanced it carefully, keeping it safely away from Rafe as she spoke. Her voice gently scolded him. "Here you go. Just so you know, I decided to be nice. No secret ingredients today. I'm letting you off with a warning."
He kissed her nose and he took the plate from her, moving to sit down at the table.
"Whew. Thank goodness. I was worried." He said somewhat sarcastically as he picked up one of the pitchers of syrup on the table and began to pour.
"Oh yeah, wise guy? OK. Well. Notice there's 2 kinds of syrup on the table. If I were you I'd be very careful which one I'd pick." She said, grinning.
"You're evil." He said as he looked at her suspiciously, his fork stopping inches away from his mouth.
Alison pulled out the other chair and moved to sit across from him, still smiling brightly. "I beg your pardon, Rafe Kovich, I'm not at all evil. There are a million people in this world more evil than me." With her own fork poised in her hand, she began to count on her fingers. "For instance, there's Frank, Livvie, Caleb, Joshua."
Before she even knew what she was saying the words were out, permeating the air with dread.
Rafe saw her expression change in an instant. Moments before she had been so happy, happier than he'd seen her in the longest time. She'd just been laughing, the sound filling their apartment with joy, music to his ears. In just a few seconds it had vanished. He was reminded again that they'd never be safe, never be truly happy again until he could get rid of all the evil on her list, and then some. He looked on sadly as her eyes filled with tears, her head bowed to stare at her plate. Alison knew her appetite was gone completely as she suddenly dropped her fork on the floor with a clang.
He pushed away from the table and moved to kneel beside her chair. Taking her hands in his, he began to kiss them gently.
"Alison."
Alison shook her head back and forth, not believing for a second it had been possible. "I forgot. I really did. I was so happy just being with you - that - I can't even believe it. I completely forgot."
"Shhh. I'm sorry. I was the one who reminded you. I'm so sorry. Alison, it's going to be OK." He caught one of her teardrops on the back of his hand. Each tear she shed made him more and more angry. He needed to do something, quickly.
"This is so hard Rafe. Really. I mean, it is so hard to keep fighting. Just when I think we're done, something else gets thrown at us."
"I know. I know. I'm sorry. We'll get through this, it will be over soon."
She started to shake, clearly sobbing now, nearly uncontrollably. He moved his hands to frame her face, but she would not raise her eyes to meet his gaze. Her breath was ragged, her face now filled with sorrow. They would pay for even daring to hurt her like this, making her so scared she couldn't truly enjoy her life for a mere moment.
If it is the last thing I do, he vowed to himself, she will never need to cry like this again.
"Can you promise me that? Please, please - Rafe? Promise me." she pleaded.
Lifting her chin, he whispered against her lips, wincing slightly as he tasted the salt of her tears there. "I promise. It will. I promise."
**************
They now had a plan.
Back at his old apartment, Caleb paced and waited. Olivia was right. He had just needed to focus. He could remember. He had been a vampire far longer than he'd been mortal. He still knew what made vampires tick.
Truth be told, though, he'd rarely seen one as twisted as Joshua.
Olivia now held the power he'd lost. He needed her to get the confidence to use what she possessed. She can be too impulsive, too self absorbed at times to see clearly.
But, he thought, smiling, she was never boring, that's for sure.
With the ring, Joshua would have access to an abundance of knowledge. He would never create a potion without some sort of antidote. They'd get it from him and finally be free.
"Olivia. Are you ready?"
"Yes. Caleb.are you sure?"
"Trust me. It will work. I'll be watching you the whole time."
"The antidote is only the first thing we need, Caleb. We need the ring back too."
"Patience, my love. Please. One thing at a time."
Caleb instructed her as to how best to gain Joshua's trust, how to make him believe she would be faithful to his cause. It killed him that she needed to do this alone, that he couldn't take care of it himself.
He was doing his best, but truthfully, he felt more than a bit helpless. He needed to think like a vampire, but had none of the perks, none of the powers to fight effectively. Was this the best plan? Was there another way?
He was second guessing himself. He'd never done that before. He didn't much like it.
He looked deep into her eyes. "You'll be careful?" It was more of a command than a request.
"Yes.of course."
"You now have such power, Olivia. Use it. Use it to save us. Use it to make him pay for what he's done."
She looked at Caleb, all the love she felt for him now mixed with fury.
"I will. Trust me, I will. He won't know what hit him."