Page 31 of Dragon Slayer

But she didn’t think he would tell her.

~*~

It was a tiny apartment, but the bathtub was deep. Sometimes, Mia even took advantage of that fact.

Her mother, steadfast in her daily support, always kind, even when Mia grew frustrated to the point of tears with her own traitorous body, had an old sorority sister who lived in Denver. Only ten minutes from Mia’s place, in fact. So tonight, feeling tired, and sore, but mostly stable, Mia had shooed her mother out the door, insisting she go spend time catching up with an old friend. “You shouldn’t have to play nursemaid all the time.”

“Oh, honey.” Kate had touched her cheek, eyes glazing over, briefly. “I don’t think of it like that at all.”

But she’d gone, and Mia was grateful to have a few hours alone.

Well…mostly alone.

She’d called for Val, feeling a little stupid for it, while she stood in her kitchen. Had called a few times, and then waited. When he didn’t show, she decided not to sit around moping after him. She poured herself a glass of wine, and went to run a bath full of lavender-scented salts.

It proved to be an excellent idea, once she was totally submerged, sinking down until her chin touched the surface of the warm water. The heat immediately went to work on her stress-knotted muscles, and the towel she’d folded to put behind her head gave her just enough support to allow her neck to relax.

She’d just closed her eyes when she heard, “This is a terrible idea, really.”

She sat upright with a gasp, water slopping over the edge of the tub, and reached instinctively to cover her breasts. Val sat on the edge of the counter, ankles hooked together, kicking lightly back and forth. There was no sound of his boot heels rapping the cabinet face, though, of course. He wore his red velvet; she suspected he knew it was her favorite of his usual outfits. And he held one hand clapped over his eyes.

She breathed out, and let some of her sudden tension ebb. “Are you…?”

“I haven’t seen anything, I assure you. I’m merely concerned for your wellbeing.”

“Right.”

“For instance.” He tilted his head, and she had the sense he could see right through his hand. Considering said hand, like the entire rest of him, was nothing but a mental projection, there was a good chance that was true. “What if you should have another of those awful seizures, here alone, and slip down into the water and drown? Bathtubs can be dangerous, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” She snorted, and settled back against her towel again, letting her hand slide back into the water. Truth told, she wouldn’t mind terribly if hedidlook; with her brain tumor back, there was no sense wasting time lying to herself: if he were here now in the flesh, she’d grab him by the hand and pull him down into the water with her. It warmed her even more than the water to have him here with her now; she wanted him with her all the time, really. “But I’m okay right now, and this is heavenly.”

She realized her mistake the moment the words left her mouth.

“Oh, shit, Val, I didn’t mean–”

He grinned, sad but sincere, beneath his hand. “It’s alright, darling. Monster I may be, but I want you to enjoy heavenly things, whether I’m able to or not.” His voice softened a fraction, full of impossible gentleness – heavy with something like grief. She saw his throat move as he swallowed. “You deserve it.”

She felt a lump form in her own throat to know that he cared. He was a centuries-old vampire who visited her through impossible psychic powers, but he was real, and he cared about her, and she could cry because of it. She sniffed, and blinked a few times.

Val cracked his fingers, and peeked through with one blue eye. “Please don’t cry.”

She sniffed again, harder and shook her head. “I’m not, I’m not. It’s fine. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. You havenothingto apologize for.” Then he pressed his fingers shut again.

God, he was precious.

“Val, you don’t have to keep covering your eyes.”

He lifted his chin, voice going prim. “I believe you’re naked, are you not?”

“Do you know anyone who takes a bath with clothes on?”

One fine brow arched into view above his hand.

“I don’t mind if you don’t. Honestly.”

Slowly, he lowered his hand to his lap. And smirked. “Darling, I assure you: I’m hardly the blushing virgin.”

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