Page 126 of Life and Death

“You left?” I asked.

She opened her eyes and smiled, putting one of her hands up to keep mine against her face. “I could hardly leave in the clothes I came in—what would the neighbors think? In any case, I was only gone for a few minutes and you were very deeply asleep at that point, so I know I didn’t miss anything.”

I groaned. “What did I say?”

Her eyes got a little wider, her face more vulnerable. “You said you loved me,” she whispered.

“You already knew that.”

“It was different, hearing the words.”

I stared into her eyes. “I love you,” I said.

She leaned down and rested her forehead carefully against mine. “You are my life now.”

We sat like that for a long time, until finally my stomach grumbled. She sat up, laughing.

“Humanity issooverrated,” I complained.

“Should we begin with breakfast?”

I threw my free hand over my jugular, my eyes wild.

She flinched; then her eyes narrowed and she scowled at me.

I laughed. “Come on, you know that was funny.”

She was still frowning. “I disagree. Shall I rephrase? Breakfast time for the human?”

“Okay. I need another human minute first, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.”

“Stay.”

She smiled.

I brushed my teeth twice again, then rushed through my shower. I ripped through my wet hair with a comb, trying to make it lie flat. It ignored me pretty thoroughly. And then I hit a wall. I’d forgotten to bring clothes with me.

I hesitated for a minute, but I was too impatient to panic long. Therewas no help for it. I tucked the towel securely around my waist and then marched into the hall with my face blazing red. Even better—the patch of red on my chest was exposed, too. I stuck my head around the edge of the doorframe.

“Um . . .”

She was still in the rocking chair. She laughed at my expression.

“Shall we meet in the kitchen, then?”

“Yes, please.”

She was past me in a rush of cool air, down the stairs before a second had passed. I was barely able to follow the motion—she was just a streak of pale color, then nothing.

“Thanks,” I called after her, then hurried to my dresser.

I knew I should probably put some thought into what I wore, but I was in a hurry to get downstairs. I did think to grab a pullover, so she wouldn’t worry about me getting cold.

I raked my fingers through my hair to calm it again, then ran down the stairs.

She was leaning against the counter, looking very at home.