Richelle Mead owns the VA and Bloodlines series.

Have you guys seen the latest Fiery Heart quote? About Sydney spending a lot of time on Adrian's bed?! Eeek! Totally fangirling right now :) Anyway let me know what you think of this one, or leave a prompt, whatever. I have a bunch of your prompts in the works, just got to finish some of them!

Slipping out of Amberwood without Zoe finding out wasn't the easiest task to accomplish. But even that had been easier then my current task. I'd made it all the way to Carlton's campus to see Adrian, but I couldn't seem to figure out where the art building was, despite detailed directions—courtesy of Jill. I must have walked in a circle around the whole campus. Twice!

It was all supposed to be a big surprise for Adrian. We hadn't spent much time together lately. And that was mostly my fault—or, well, Zoe's sort of. Ever since she'd shown up in Palm Springs my alone time with Adrian had been cut extremely short. So, when Ms. Terwilliger had agreed to help me sneak away for the afternoon under the pretense of working on a project for my independent study, I'd jumped on the chance. According to Jill, Adrian had just gotten out of class but was working on a project in one of the art rooms. In the art building. Which I couldn't find!

I glanced around, looking for a sign or something that would tell me which direction the art building was in. I was just about to call Jill and ask her for directions when a girl stopped in front of me.

She was tall and very pretty with long black hair. She looked the way I'd always wanted to look, but now, seeing her, I wasn't jealous of her height or her body. Not the way I would have once been. I smiled inwardly, knowing that I had Adrian to thank for that. Ever since he'd called me out on my body issues I'd been feeling a lot better about myself.

"Excuse me," the girl said, interrupting my thoughts. I was just about to tell her she should find someone else ask directions because I was lost as well, but her next words stopped me. "You wouldn't be looking for Adrian Melrose, would you?"

I stared at her stupidly for a moment before I collected myself. "Yes, I am. How did you know?"

The girl smiled, smugly. "Because you're Sydney, right? I can tell from your tattoo. He's always sketching it or painting it. I knew it had to be you the second I saw it."

"Oh. That's... um." I opened my mouth and them closed it again, at a complete loss. "Do you know where he is right now?" I finally asked. She seemed to know Adrian so I was hoping she'd seen him recently. "I was trying to surprise him, but I've never been here before. I guess I got lost."

The girl smiled kindly and gestured for me to follow her. "Sure. I'm Rowena, by the way. Rowena Clark. I take it Adrian hasn't mentioned me?" She glanced over her shoulder as I hurried to keep up with her.

"Um, no. Not really," I said honestly. "Although Adrian and I haven't had much of a chance to talk recently. Which was sort of the reason I wanted to surprise him today."

Rowena nodded like she understood. "My girlfriend moved to the east coast to go to school," she said as we rounded the corner of a building and headed for a set of glass double doors. "I haven't had a chance to really talk to her since the summer. It sucks, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," I sympathized. "I guess it does. Even though Adrian's so close, I feel like he might as well be across the country. And we've only been together a few weeks. I don't know what I'll do if this goes on for much longer."

"If what goes on?" she asked, leading me into a hallway. It was mostly empty except for a few guys standing outside one of the rooms. On further inspection the room they were standing outside of was filled with easels. Paint was splattered all over the guys pants and sneakers. I realized this was the art building. I was standing right behind it the whole time.

"If what goes on?" Rowena said again, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Oh, nothing." I shrugged. "I mean, all the work I've been doing in school. I have an independent study and my teacher expects a lot. It feels like I have no free time for myself." I hoped she'd accept that answer and let the subject drop.

Thankfully she did. But I got the feeling it was because we'd stopped in front of one of the studio rooms and not because she believed me.

"Adrian," she called, singsongy, into the room. "Gotta surprise for you."

"Oh, yeah?" I heard a familiar voice call from inside the studio. I peeked inside and saw Adrian's back while he concentrated on the canvas in front of him. No one else was in the room. "Unless it's a finished painting you're willing to let me turn in to Sampson tomorrow, I don't want it," Adrian went on without turning.

Rowena laughed. "I think you'll want this," she said, and gave me a little push into the room. Once I was inside she closed the door, smiling at me through the glass pane, before walking out of sight.

Hearing the door click shut Adrian put down his paint brush and turned around. "So what's so—oh." I smiled as he finally turned and saw me standing by the door. "She was right," he said. "I do want this surprise."

"So, Rowena," I said. "She seems nice."

"Very nice," he grinned, walking over to me. "You should watch out. She just might steal me away."

I grinned back. "Well, I'm pretty sure her girlfriend would make her give you back," I joked.

"Probably," Adrian laughed, stepping closer and putting his hands on either side of my waist. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "Not that I mind. I can't think of a better surprise than you showing up here. Especially right now, but is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling myself closer to him. "I had a chance to slip out of Amberwood and I took it. Why, what's going on?" I glanced around his shoulder at the painting he was working on. It was little more than a sketch. A sketch that looked as if he had started and then erased it a few times so far. "Having trouble?"

Adrian lowered his head so it was resting in the crook of my neck. His lips brushed the sensitive skin there, causing a shudder to run down my spine. "A little. No better time for my beautiful girlfriend-slash-muse to show up."

"Mmm," I murmured enjoying the warmth of him so close. "She mentioned that. Rowena. She said you sketch me. Or my tattoo anyway."

He sighed. "Sometimes. I'm not a huge fan of your tattoo, but it's beautiful and a part of you, so... I have a few sketches of you too. I haven't tried to really make anything of them yet though." He lifted his head from my shoulder, cocking his head to the side as he looked at me. "Do you want to help me out a little?" he asked.

"How do you mean?" I asked suspiciously.

"Come here." He smiled and took my hand, leading me to small white platform in the middle of the room. "I'm blocked. Just sit here and let me sketch you for a while. Maybe it'll help."

"What's the project you're working on right now?" I asked, sitting on the platform where he told me to. I placed my bag on the floor next to me and looked up at him.

"It's supposed to be a fantasy. Like, I don't know, something magical or..." Adrian trailed off, looking at me oddly with his head cocked to the side. He considered me for a moment longer and then smiled. "See, Sage. You really are my muse. I think you've already given me an idea."

"Good," I smiled back at him, but the smile quickly faded as he turned away from me to find some heavy black paper. "Um, Adrian? What are you doing?" I asked as I watched him take the paper to the door and cover up the small window pane into the hallway. I narrowed my eyes. "This idea of yours... It doesn't happen to involve me getting naked, does it?"

Adrian finished putting up the paper and then turned around with a smirk. "Well, I wouldn't mind if it did, but that's totally up to you now, isn't it?" He walked back over to me and reached for my hand, turning it palm up. "I just want you to sit like this. If you'd like to take your clothes off, feel free, but it's your magic I was thinking of."

I grinned and shook my head. "Isn't that cheating a little bit? You're supposed to paint a fantasy, not me using magic."

"Trust me, Sydney," he whispered, leaning down until his lips were just an inch from mine. "You are always at the center of my fantasies."

His hands skimmed down my sides—leaving a trail of electric sparks in their wake—and then slowly traced their way back up until he reached my arms. Putting me into the position he wanted he finally stepped back, leaving me wanting to chase after him, but instead I stayed still, my arms out, palms up.

Adrian went back to his easel and grabbed a new canvas. "Just close your eyes and relax, okay? If you feel up to it you can summon the flames later, but you don't have to. I can't seem to shake the image of you throwing fireballs out in the desert, anyway."

I closed my eyes, trying to relax, but smiled. "Just let me know when you want me to do the spell. I wouldn't want your fantasy picture to not be true to life."

He laughed. "No one will know it's real except me and you. To everyone else, I'll just have a really awesome imagination." He paused and I could feel his eyes on me. "And a really hot girlfriend."

It wasn't like he ever spared the compliments with me, but hearing him call me hot, while I could feel his eyes studying my face, it was too much. My cheeks heated and I fought back a smile.

It took a while for Adrian to finish his sketch. While he was working, my mind started to wander. It was all over the place, from Zoe and the Alchemists to what I wanted to do with Adrian when we were done here. The latter made me blush anew and I tried to change my train of thought.

"Alright, I'm done with the first part," Adrian finally said, backing away from the easel. "If you want to do the spell I'll work fast so you don't have to burn so much energy."

"Okay." I concentrated on the magic, the way Ms. Terwilliger taught me and felt the flame light in my hand.

"That's perfect," he said. "Also you can open your eyes." I looked up and he grinned. "I know you're dying to watch me paint you."

I scoffed. "Yeah, I'm going into withdrawal from not looking at you for the last half hour."

Adrian was studying the flames I was conjuring, but that didn't stop him from smirking. "Well, then you should get as much of me as possible while you can. You never know how long it'll be 'til the next time you see me."

I knew he was only teasing, but his words struck a cord in me and I immediately dropped my hand, letting the flame fizzle out.

"Are you okay?" Adrian asked, jumping away from the canvas and rushing over to me. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I said, and apologized for ruining his sketch.

"Don't worry about it. I know what you look like when you do magic. I'll finish it later." He pulled me close to him, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Are you hungry?"

I pulled him even closer and breathed him in. His cologne and the scent of clove drifted around me, making me feel safe. "A little," I murmured in reply. "Let's go get something and hang out for a little while. If you're sure you'll have enough time to get this painting done," I added, worrying about his grade.

"It'll be fine," Adrian promised with an amused smile. "Let's get out of here."

I nodded at let him lead me toward the door. When he stopped to grab his canvas I grabbed his hand, spinning him toward me.

"What's—" he began but I cut him off with a kiss.

We stood there for awhile, I don't know how long exactly, just kissing. Kissing like we had all the time in the world. When Adrian finally pulled back he had a dazed look in his eye. I rested my head on his chest and held him close.

"I love you," I whispered into his T-shirt. "I hate that we can't spend more time together. It's all I want."

He rubbed gentle circles on my back and laid his cheek on the top of my head. "I know. It's all I want too. But we do have today." He pulled back from me, his green eyes bright. "Let's go get something to eat, okay? And we'll spend the afternoon together. We'll talk and kiss and I'll tell you I love you a thousand times."

I snorted a laugh. "Sounds like a plan. And maybe you'll have time to paint some more of your fantasy."

He picked up the canvas in one hand and wrapped the other around me. He bent, placing a kiss on the top of my head. "Forget painting the fantasy. I'd rather spend the day living a fantasy with you."

"Lunch and talking?" I laughed. "What a fantasy!"

Adrian squeezed me to his side. He leaned down to mumble in my ear, his warm breath causing shivers to vibrate down my spine.

"To me it is." Then he straightened up, ushering me into the hall. The black paper was still up on the door. "Come on," he said. "Let's go get lunch. I'll let you decide what we get. And it can even be healthy if you want."

I rolled my eyes, but leaned closer to him. We might not be able to spend as much time together as I'd like, but Adrian was right. We did have today. And whatever adventure it brought us. Because, with Adrian, everything was always an adventure, even mundane tasks like lunch.