Chapter Fifteen

Sweetness

Even though no light filled the room, the scene was easy to see. Two bodies together on an enormous four poster bed, embracing. The larger form cradling the smaller in seeming protection. Juliet turned over, putting her back to Mika, slowly she remembered what had transpired the night before, and she smiled. Suddenly her whole world felt shifted and in a good way this time. She ran her fingers along the muscles of Mika's arm, securely wrapped around her. This man was hers, she thought, and no amount of bad dreams or horribly tragic past would change that. Quietly she slipped out of her lover's embrace and out the bedroom door. She was still naked, and it felt so foreign to meander her halls that way, so much so that she found herself tiptoeing past portraits of Lord Highland, a blush on her cheeks.

Once insider her bedroom, Juliet began changing for work. As she soaked in her bathtub she let her thoughts drift to the night before, more specifically Mika's reaction to her confession of love. The intensity with which he had held her gaze, full of so much raw emotion… Juliet shivered, letting her body sink deeper into the grand tub. Sighing contently, she drifted off into her fantasy.

One long soak and four pruney fingers later, Juliet was getting dressed in front of her bathroom mirror, when a low rumble from behind her brought her attention up from her stockings. In the mirror she saw Mika standing in the doorway, his large, and naked, frame pressed against it. He stretched sensually and watched as she rolled up her stockings.

"Sleep well?" she asked, gaze lowering back to her stockings, embarrassed by his nudity, she smiled widely.

Mika snorted. "I'll be honest," he said, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her still crouching frame. "I didn't think you'd be so accepting of this."

Juliet turned in his arms, standing to her full, and somewhat miniscule in comparison, height. She rolled her eyes. "Mika ver Leth, you cannot be serious." She threw her arms around his neck and met his dark eyes. "I've wanted this for so long… I'm surprised you never noticed." Tenderly she pressed her lips to his and kissed him with expert sensuality. He groaned when she pulled away.

"You've got natural talent in the arts of seduction." He sighed, pulling her back to him and inhaling her scent, and that of her arousal, which, coupled with the memory of the previous night, aroused him in turn. He trailed his fingers down her back, sneaking them under her camisole and savoring the feel of her flesh.

"Mika-" she hissed, grabbing his hands and forcing them off of her with a girlish laugh. "I have to work."

He narrowed his eyes. "I believe 'have to' is the wrong phrase." Slowly he allowed her to break free of his embrace, she smirked the entire time.

"Have to keep busy somehow." She replied, picking up her blouse off of the bathroom floor and slipping into it, causing the Vampire to sigh in disappointment. Juliet glanced at him as she stepped into her skirt. "Don't be so sad handsome." She winked. "You can have me all night, if that's what you want." Before he could respond she swept past him and out into her room, fetching her shoes from the rack by the door.

Mika followed her out the door, into the hall and down the stairs. In the parlor she stopped to start the fire, tossing some tinder into the hearth and lighting it with a match. She was so self-sufficient, not even realizing he could've lit the fire himself while she was out. Mika noted how she straightened objects as she walked past them, even making a note to smooth down the rug, and check the supply of wood by the fire. He could practically hear her thoughts on how she was running low and she needed to cut more soon. She wasn't used to having a man around her home, and as much as he had stayed in the manor with her, he had never truly acted as 'head of the house'. Perhaps he would change that. As she headed for the atrium and the hall's main doors she stopped and looked back at him, once again noticing his pure nakedness. She blushed immediately, her former confidence pushed aside for a bit of girlish staring.

"Ah- will you be here when I return?" Juliet stuttered, dragging her gaze up from Mika's waist. The Vampire caught her wrist and pulled her to him, embracing her slight frame.

"There is no place else I would rather be." He sighed into her hair placing a small kiss on her forehead that caused her heart to jump.

As Juliet walked out the door and into the night she prayed that every day with Mika ver Leth as her man would be as wonderful as this one.

As soon as she walked into the bar Jens was upon her, he motioned her to follow him to the back office of the bar. His green eyes held the stern look of an employer, not a friend, and never a good sign. "Kathy came through not too long ago," he began, Juliet sighed loudly.

"Jens, we had a falling out, it's none of your-"

"I understand that," he interrupted her. "And believe me when I say it's about time, that woman was little to no good for you, and all you two ever did was argue about nonsense. I'm not upset about that." He shook his head and Juliet stared at him. Jens had never expressed any sort of dislike for Kathy before; in fact he'd always treated her a bit better than he treated Juliet. She questioned him about it.

"Well she was still a paying customer." He mumbled. Juliet narrowed her eyes slightly. In all her years she had never once seen Jens charge Kathy for her drinks.

'What he probably meant was, 'She was still a pretty girl'.' she thought sardonically.

"But that's not the point." He said. His intense gaze once again fixated on her. "This man you met, she says he's dangerous. Apparently she's worried for you."

Juliet held his gaze; Kathy's words rang though her head, how she had known what Mika was, but she knew not to listen to Kathy. She had always been a little eccentric; perhaps she'd done a bit of research and uncovered the truth behind Vampires, much the same way Juliet had. But Desmond Tiny worried her. He'd been appearing in Juliet's dreams, which seemed a lot more like visions as of late, along with a horribly tall man and that ferocious lady…

"Jens, I appreciate your concern, but after all I've seen Kathy go through, I think I know a good man from a bad one. I'll be fine." She smiled at him and felt his grip lessen on her hand. "Besides, I'm a bar maid. I can take care of myself!"

The older man visibly softened. "Juliet, I care about you a lot." He squeezed her hand. "As long as you're safe and happy, this old man can die easy." He let go of her hand and let out a contented sigh.

"Oh hush Jens, you're not an old man, and you're definitely not going to die any time soon." Juliet laughed. "If anyone will die it's me, according to Kathy." They both laughed.

Jens cleared his throat. "Alright then," he clapped. "Juliet the bar needs to be cleaned before the pre-dinner drinkers show up, get on that please. Also I need you to restock the lower shelves in the back. You have the keys to the shed…" he trailed off, walking out of the back room, leaving Juliet to her own devices, namely the thoughts of a certain raven-haired Vampire who sat calmly on her couch reading, waiting for her to come home.