Page 52 of The Awakening
Nino reappears from the hallway. He looks marvelous in a kind of sage-green modern suit that perfectly complements his warm skin tone and personality. “I’m catching the train back home. We’ll trade off and Haruka will be here tomorrow. Did he tell you?”
“He did,” Junichi says, staring at me.
“Jun, are you staying?” Nino asks.
“Am I?” Junichi reiterates, his gaze like a laser beam on my face.
I’m not sure if he wants to or if I’m burdening him. This all feels tricky because I know very well how Jun feels about ranked vampires. He’s told me about them, and even a little about Ren—his purebred source that he practically loathes. Now, he’s sayingI’mone. I don’t believe it, but I imagine him running away from me, screaming with his arms flailing, the first chance he gets.
I’m not selfish. I know how to be alone and how to take care of myself, but… it’s been a hard week and I’m not too keen on being left alone so soon. Not right now.
“Yes, please.”
“Good.” Junichi grins. “He still needs some convincing.”
Nino smiles. “Sure he does. It’s not like we just told him he’s a quarter German. He’s an entirely differentspecies—like he was happily grazing around as a horse and now he’s a lion and needs to eat meat. It’s a big change.”
“You hear that, Jae?” Junichi smiles. “You’re alionnow. King of the jungle. Top of the food chain.”
I roll my eyes. I don’t feel very lion-like. I feel like an awkward human whose anxiety is being heightened by two vampires, and the fact that I’ve no-showed for work for several days… I feel like an unemployed doctor.
“Take care of yourself tonight, Jae,” Nino says. “See you both later.”
“Thank you, Nino,” I reiterate. “For everything, really. And I’m so sorry.”
“I’m your realm leader, and your friend. I’m happy to help you.” He nods at Jun, who in turn waves, before walking through the front door and shutting it behind him.
My realm leader? How awkward. I lean with my elbows on the table, rubbing my palms against my face. God help me.
“Are you ready to feed again?”
“No.I’m not drinking your blood, Jun. No offense, alright? I’d like a second opinion.”
“You already have.”
“Have what?”
“Drunk my blood, Jae. You already did.”
I drop my hands. “Well I’m not doing it again. Not until I see ahumandoctor.” Getting up from the table, I move toward my sofa because I’m getting sick of him staring at me like the cat who got the cream. Like he’s unequivocally right andI’mloony.
I plop down and continue rubbing my face. My hands and skin are still so damn chapped. Psoriasis? Shingles? I’m creeping closer to forty, and weird shit starts happening around now. Maybe tomorrow I’ll want a lover half my age or a sports car I can’t afford. Good God. I need to go to work tomorrow—mypatients. What the hell has been happening with them? Can I work like this? I run my fingers up and through my hair, and it feels too long. I need a trim. Will I have time before my shift? Impossible. “Bloody hell.”
I collapse back into the sofa and take deep breaths. My world is literally falling apart, and I feel like complete shit. I lift my head and open my eyes because I can feel and smell Junichi directly in front of me, kneeling. I don’t mean for it to, but my question comes out as a whine. “Whatnow?”
He doesn’t speak, but wraps his long fingers at the backs of my knees and pulls. The action makes me slide closer to him but further down into the bend of the sofa so that I’m slouching. I amnotin the mood for this. He pulls my arms, urging me upright so that he’s beneath me as he rests on his knees between my thighs. When I’m sitting straight, he holds my cheek with the palm of his large hand as he stares up and into my face.
“Kiss me?”
I should not be kissing right now. Or even thinking about kissing. But he’s looking at me with his obsidian eyes and full lips. And I always want him, don’t I? He pulls me down toward his mouth and I let him. The moment we connect, I exhale. I love his mouth—so warm, clean and talented. Slow and rhythmic, like he’s dancing with it, leading me and pulling me into him. He licks deeper and I meet his effort, gently twisting our tongues together. Tasting each other.
He pulls away slightly, pressing his forehead into mine as he whispers, “Sunshine, you need to feed. You’ll feel better.”
“It sounds mental.”
“It isn’t.” He lifts his head just a little and sucks his bottom lip into his mouth. I’m confused at first, but then I see that he’s biting the inside of his lip and I draw back, gasping.
“Jun—”
