Back to the City

After pizza we rode around town and talked more. Alex never did answer my question about shaving. I didn’t really want to, but I also didn’t like being part of the in crowd. It bugged me. But we didn’t talk anymore about Garrett. We just talked. About everything else but the important things. Which was the most important things to talk about ironically. Getting to know Alex was good, and fun, and on the road he talked more than sitting next to me on the couch.

Which was where we ended up – back in the main house watching TV – rather Alex watched TV and I curled up next to him. We discussed when we should go back to the city. Alex didn’t think I should be on the road for another few days. We weren’t in a hurry so I had agreed. Another few days with Alex’s family.

The TV wasn’t very loud I didn’t really know what was on, I was reading a book I found on the shelf that looked interesting. It was on wicca magic. Alex had given me a strange look when I laid down with my head in his lap with the book. “You interested in magic?” He smirked.

I laughed. “Well duh!” I smiled at him happily with the book resting on my chest. “Call it research. Always good to know things.”

“Do you only read things to learn?” Alex asked.

I shook my head but pulled the book up so I could flip to the beginning. “I read some things for fun. Mia likes to buy me fashion and girlie magazines to read. And I like urban fantasy and end of the world type stories.”

Alex laughed. “You like to read about magic, vampires and zombies in the real world.”

I lowered the book. “Yes. I like to see how stupid it is or how close they come to the truth.”

“Anything come close?”

“Yeah. Several vampires have written autobiographies that pass as some great fiction. But if you go back in Venatori records it’s all true.”

“How far back do your records go?”

“As far back as there was written language.”

“Seriously? And you can read it all?”

I shrugged. “I can read it if I chose to I suppose. There are translations of translations going back generations in the archives. There are some Venatori who can still read the really old scribbling of mad men.”

“Mad men?” Alex laughed. “Are you a mad man?”

“Some would think so.” I said and snuggled closer to Alex. His hand draped across my chest rubbing small circles with his fingers. I was at home. We were off in our own little worlds together. So perfect.

I read about wiccan spell craft. It was oddly familiar. I’m not sure why it was, I’d never actually seen any wiccan magic before. It wasn’t something most city folks practised. There were more paths than natural magic users – the concrete and metal and the pollution tended to make wiccans stay away. Though there was a coven there. I’d have to look into their culture a little more.

The front door opened and Kish and Karma walked in chatting loudly. But their voices dropped mid sentence when they saw us sitting together in our own little worlds. I didn’t look away from the book. Alex on the other hand snarked, “What?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you show any public displays of affection Z, not even to your mother,” Kish said.

Alex snorted. “This is all him. It’s his fault.”

I lowered the book and smiled up at Alex. “Do I need to back off?”

“Not at all pretty boy.” He gave me that rare genuine smile and leaned down and pressed a kiss to my lips. I resisted the urge to put my hand in his hair and make the kiss deeper and longer, Alex hummed against my lips before he sat up. “He is a touchy feely sort of guy. I need to take care of him.”

I grinned happily as I went back to my book.

“I’d never in a million years pegged you as a romantic Alex,” Kay said as she headed for the kitchen. “I see all the food is gone.”

“Ah, yeah. Sorry about that,” I said sitting up. “Fighting the nightmare off kinda drained me.”

“You ate dinner tonight.” Kish frowned.

“And he ate two whole pizza pies, and two orders of garlic knots.”

“Where does it put it all?”

Alex shrugged. “He doesn’t eat like that normally.”

“Killing with my power takes a toll on my physically. It was murder and the balance had to be restored. It takes a lot of energy to kill someone.”

“Something, you mean,” Kish said. “It was a monster.”

“And to some Alex, you and Kay are monsters. I’m a monster to people. Different is what we are, monsters not likely. While I agree the nightmare is not a person, it was alive. It had free will. It could feel. I don’t regret killing it. But monster isn’t a term I like to use.” I stood up and headed for the kitchen. “I’ll make something for dinner, if you don’t mind me using your kitchen and your supplies.”

Kish was staring at me like I was an alien. She turned to Alex to ask, “Is he always like this?”

“Like what?” Alex asked.

“Pragmatic, lecturing, helpful?” She turned back to me and nodded. “By all means, Kay and I will gladly sit this one out. Help yourself. We’ll just sit right here and watch and talk about you.”

I laughed. “Fine. And I’ll answer for Alex. Yes, I’m always like that. And since you want to talk about me you won’t mind if I put in my ear buds and turn my music up loud.” I didn’t wait for an answer. Alex was smirking at me then turned to join his family in front of the TV while I learned the lay of the land in the kitchen.