Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry, I know it's been a LOOONG break, but I've had writer's block. And now I don't! Mostly. :D
Enjoy this chapter! It's short, but another one's coming. I already wrote it out, just gotta type it up.
Is it just me, or are they getting more OOC? O_o :D
Ack! Disclaimer! Alright, here it is. I don't own Night World. None of it. No sirree, I don't. Wah.
"Are you absolutely positive you wanna work at this place?" Ash pressed. "There are plenty of perfectly nice places in other happy, sunny parts of town."
Mary-Lynnette sighed irritably. "As, I'm sure. I don't know why, but Café Eternal somehow…calls to me. I feel like I need to work there." She looked up at her soulmate pleadingly. "Please, Ash. Let me do this."
Ash was silent for several heartbeats. Finally, he caved. "Fine. But you have to agree to my conditions."
Mary-Lynnette groaned. "Oh, Goddess, Ash. Please."
"No. If you don't agree, then I refuse to let you work there. I swear, I'll find a way to make them refuse you." Ash folded his arms across his chest and raised his eyebrows at Mary-Lynnette expectantly.
She t hrew up her hands. "Ugh! Fine. What are your conditions?"
Smirking, Ash listed, "Letting me walk you to and from work on each day that you have work, letting me check up on you randomly, agreeing to quit if I absolutely insist on it, and…What else?" He tilted his head contemplatively, like a cat. "Oh yes – and coming to me for help right when you sense something's off."
Mary-Lynnette had been about to object, but now she just rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine, whatever. Just don't expect me to happily quit right when you tell me to, or to come crying to you for help when someone says something insulting."
Suddenly, Ash was right there, gripping her arms tightly, but not enough to hurt. "Mary-Lynnette. Please. You have to take my requests seriously. I promise I won't force you to quit if I don't like your employers or co-workers or something, but please listen to me if I really start to insist. And you better tell me right away when someone insults you so I can rearrange their face." He waited, but received no response. Shaking her slightly, Ash stared desperately into Mary-Lynnette's eyes and begged, "Please. Promise me. Promise you'll listen if I think something's seriously wrong. Please!" He shook her again.
"Alright, alright!" She shoved his hands off her arms. "You can stop shaking me now, I get it. But you really don't need to be so worried, Ash. I'm a big girl I can take care of myself."
Ash ran a hand through his sandy hair and drew in a shaky breath. "Good. Good. Look, I'm sorry if I scared you. That was a little intense."
Mary-Lynnette snorted. "A little?"
"Okay, a lot. But…I know how much you want this job, but I have lots of enemies, Mary-Lynnette. Even here, in this remote town called Briar Creek. Of one of them found out about our soulmate status…" He closed his eyes in anguish. "I couldn't bear it if I lost you. I didn't come back just to lose you again. But it's okay." His eyes were open now, and full of determination. "It's okay, because I'll protect you."
"Oh, Ash." Mary-Lynnette moved forward, knotting her arms around his firm torso. Ash buried his face in her fragrant hair and she clung tightly to him.
He repeated, vowing it in his soul, "I will definitely protect you."
Yeah...Like I said, short. Sorry!
But I promise, more is on its way RIGHT NOW. :) As I'm typing this, I'm also - well, actually no, once I finish typing this, I'll start typing chapter 11, but you know what I mean.
Okay then. I'll try not to take long breaks like that again, but no promises...Good thing for you guys, I'm on a writing high right now - I'm writing on adrenaline, WHOOT!
Does that even make sense? Whatever.
Write on. Read on. That's my motto. :D
Peace, dudes!
© Copyright 2011 by The Siege :D