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Chapter 2 – The Pieces


Abby needed some air to clear her head, so she went out after breakfast, leaving King to the dishes. He protested, but she had only to remind him that it was, in fact, his turn, and he relented.

"But I helped you."

"Get Zoey to help. What are kids for if not chores?"

"Hey." Zoey pouted from the couch. She'd been glued to the T.V. since breakfast and no nuclear bomb could've pulled her away, but the mention of her name could. Abby winked at her and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Zoey exclaimed, bounding to her from the couch. Abby was enveloped in an unexpected hug and received a wet kiss on the cheek.

"I'm just going shopping. I'll be back in a few hours." Abby reassured, a little taken aback.

"Okay. See ya." Zoey replied disinterestedly as she ran and jumped back on the couch. Abby looked up to see King grinning amusedly at her shock. She just wiped the look off her face and exited with a shout of "Bye!" from King. She waved.

After Blade disappeared again, and all the vampires were gone, Abby had taken to shopping to relieve stress. Instead of buying clothes for herself, she'd bought dishes. Real plates, silverware. The Nightstalkers had never had more than Pizza on napkins or paper plates and Chinese take out boxes. Now she bought rugs for the cement floors and thought briefly that they should carpet the whole damn place. It was too cold on warm feet in the morning.

A pretty potted plant caught her eye in Wal-Mart, so she shrugged and hauled it into her stuffed cart. The cash they'd commandeered from busted vampire covens came in handy. She'd always thought it was a bit like blood money, and it weighed on her conscience sometimes, but decided it was being put to good use here.

In the checkout aisle, she threw a couple candy bars for the three of them in with her things. Abby suddenly looked down at herself. She'd changed into low slung jeans and a plain black fitted tee since that morning when she wore her maroon leather jacket and other various combat gear. Then she looked around at all the other people milling about in the store and smiled.


King looked at her funny when she brought home light blue and pink rugs for the bathroom and a big maroon one for in front of the couch, where Zoey liked to lay. But then he laughed and expressed his approval as he helped her haul in the plant and other bags of food, candy and a couple good razors, since King had taken to shaving again. She wondered if it had anything to do with her comment the other day about looking like a mountain man. Not that she didn't like him with that unkempt beard. But he did look roguish and sexy with a five o'clock shadow.

Macaroni and cheese and pizza made their supper. And they ate it off white glass plates with little blue flowers around the edges. Zoey chattered about her day with King by the harbor and they all laughed and talked. They left the dishes in the sink and sank down in the couch, watching some stupid Sci-Fi movie that they didn't care enough about to change one way or the other. All that mattered was that they were there. Together.

King sat by the arm of the old, sinking couch. Zoey sat next to him, curled up with her head on Abby's lap and her feet on King's. She was asleep before too long, and without her chirping remarks and questions about the movie, the room was relatively silent.

"So what now?" King asked, and Abby looked at him, confused. "Are you ready to play house again?" His tone was slightly edgy, short and cutting. Abby drew down her brow further, a little indignation and anger. She avoided the question all together.

"I should put her to bed." She said as she gathered the sleeping girl in her arms, cooing to her when she protested with a sleepy grunt. Zoey draped her arms around Abby's neck as she carried her to her room. King was outside, pacing in the hallway when Abby exited Zoey's room after tucking her in. He was wearing baggy khaki pants and a faded dark green T shirt with Ireland written across the chest.

"What's the matter with you?" Abby asked in a whisper as she walked down the hall, upon seeing King's disturbed expression.

"With me?"

"Yes, with you! I'm staying, isn't that enough?" Abby threw herself furiously into washing the dishes to avoid throwing punches. She didn't want to kick his ass twice in one day. And although the result of their scuffle that morning hadn't been unpleasant, Abby was still easing herself into this...whateverwas happening here. Any more physical contact with King and she'd lose all inhibition completely.

"No. It's not enough. Not anymore." He replied, eyes dancing dangerously, jaw set in determination.

"What more do you want from me?" Abby looked at him, hands stilling in the dishwater. King opened his mouth, but instead of speaking, just hooked a strong hand around the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his.

Her hands were wet as they pressed firmly against his back, then up and around his neck as he lowered his hands over her body. King would admit freely that he'd often dreamt of this. Fantasized about the remote possibility of Abby giving in to him. Giving him her perfection. But this was so much better than he ever even imagined.

King lifted her a little so she could wrap her legs around his waist. He'd like it when she'd done it before in the hallway. He moved to set her on the island, his hands already on the bare skin of her back. Abby was reeling, marveling at the feel of his lips, fierce yet soft. And the unidentifiably unique taste of his kiss that she thought she'd never quite get enough of.

King was always aloof, making light of everything with constant jokes. But she was the one, the only one who made him feel such an urgent need. Her pride grew a little, but she could no longer form coherent thoughts, because King had leaned further into her, tongue sliding over hers, biting gently on her lip. She grinned, remembering how she'd done the same to him earlier that morning, only a bit more vicious. He was just teasing her.

When it seemed he couldn't get enough, King lifted her again and carried her easily down the hall. All the while Abby never ceased trailing her lips over his face, his neck, blowing deliberate little breaths over his ear. He nearly tripped when she did that and she laughed out loud when he cursed her.

They toppled heavily onto Abby's bed, because it was closer, and thankfully, further from Zoe's room, though they didn't realize that just then. Clothes were quickly discarded, and movements slowed unconsciously until King paused above her.

Abby tilted her face up to urge him on, but he just pressed a long, slow, scorching kiss to her lips.

"King." She whispered, and he kind of growled, kind of sighed and pressed his face to her neck.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

She blinked up at him, then laughed. "Where was I when you grew up?" She whispered slyly, and laughed when he narrowed his eyes at her menacingly. Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her.


Abby blinkedslowly with acontented smile. Their breathing had quieted, their heartbeats slowed. King leaned over Abby again, his cheek against her chest. Their moist skin stuck together. She felt like she'd die. There's no way anyone could be this happy and live through it. Her heart swelled, and she breathed evenly to ward off the lump in her throat and the burning behind her eyes. King looked up at her with his own cocky grin.

"Whadda you smiling about?"

Abby closed her eyes and smiled, her hands in his hair, on his arms and his back, anywhere she could touch him.

"You know what. You."

He pressed a kiss under her chin then rolled on his back with a soft moan. Abby followed, wrapping an arm and a leg over his body, head nestled perfectly in the crook of his shoulder. Her hand moved absently over his muscles, unwittingly chasing all the weariness from him.

King looked down at her, the most perfect woman in the world. God, he loved her more than he loved himself. In this most intimate moment, she was completely different. Curled up against him, she let her guard down. She was just a young woman wanting nothing more than to be loved and protected forever.

And she would be.

"I love you, Abigail." King said without hesitation, and had no doubt what her answer would be.

"I love you too, Hannibal." She whispered before placing a kiss on his chest and drifting into the most peaceful sleep she could ever remember.


The End!

I hope you enjoyed this lil fic. Please review, feel free to criticize, I know my writing is far from perfect.

luv

Austin B.