Page 42 of The Sins That Bleed

Falling

RAI

I wake up to Valeska sleeping against my chest, and I can’t help the smile that breaks free. I watch her sleep for a little while, soaking her presence in.

I’d nearly let those three words slip past my lips last night, more than once, and she noticed, stopping me from finishing the words every time.

She’s not ready, and if I’m being honest with myself, I shouldn’t be either since I don’t know that much about her.

But just because it doesn’t make sense, doesn’t make it any less true.

I’ll take her on a date, we’ll walk through the park and talk about anything and everything, she’ll tell me what she likes to do for fun, her favourite season, and all the places she’s visited.

What haunts her, scares her, and makes her nervous, and I’ll do the same until there is nothing but love between us.

I never realised how much I was missing until I found her.

“I think I’ve fallen in love,” I whisper to her sleeping form and watching for any signs she might have heard me.

We lay like that for a while longer, me watching her sleep and holding her close to me as though she’ll slip through my fingers like smoke. It’s still dark in the room,since the heavy curtains block out most of the morning light, but a thin sliver that found a gap carves it’s path along the floor.

Valeska stirs in my arms, and I know my time studying her is up. She squeezes me a little tighter, her lips finding my neck as she places a soft kiss right on my pulse and I hum in appreciation.

I could spend a lifetime in this bed with her, making her come undone by my hands, by my words, and she do the same to me, but before I can even think about getting us started on that path, she’s already pulling away from me.

“Good morning, ma reine.” I keep my voice low, not wanting to scare her away.

“Morning, mon ame.” She’s sat up and looking down at me as she calls me that—I love the sound of it coming out of her mouth.

I want to pull her back down to me, forget about everything else going on for a little while longer, but I can sense the distance she is trying to put between us as she wraps herself in the cover.

I don’t understand, after everything we shared between our bodies last night, I thought this would be the start of something.

“Do—” I clear my throat, struggling to get the words out. This is not how I thought this morning would go. “Do you regret last night? I’m sorry if I pushed things too far.”

I sit up, careful to keep the covers over me so I don’t expose myself to her and make this conversation even more difficult with my morning wood in her face. Our eyes are locked on each other and I watch so many emotions flicker over her face, most of them sad, and it breaks my heart.

“No, I will never regret you, mon ame, for as long as I exist in this world. I only wish I’d met you before,” she places a hand on top of one of mine, resting on my leg, “before I became who, no, what I am. You don’t deserve to be dragged into hell with me.

You’re good, everything that is right in this world, and I will only taint you. ”

My heart clenches at her words. I don’t want to be good if it means I can’t have her.

“Why do you say these things about yourself? So you’ve kept a few things like being a vampire a secret, but that doesn’t matter to me because I want you. There’s nothing you can say to me that will push me away, not anymore. Please don’t push me away again, Valeska.”

Her emotions wage a war across her face and tears build in her eyes that threaten to spill over. I don’t understand why she’s doing this to us.

“We don’t have to have this figured out, we can get to know each other and once we’ve shared the worst parts of ourselves, we can decide then who is not good for who. I can’t stand to be apart from you, don’t you feel the same?” I argue.

A tear slips free, and I watch as it tracks down her face. I use my free hand to swipe it away before tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.

“Of course, I do but you don’t know what you’re asking of me, Rai. You will not want me once you see me for who I really am. I refuse to hurt you.”

Fuck, I can’t stand this.

I pull her to me, the need to comfort her too strong to ignore. “Let me decide for myself. Tell me everything there is to know about you and I promise you, if it does change my mind, then I’ll be honest with you and we can walk away from whatever this is between us.”

She lets me wrap her in my arms. I kiss the top of her head before suggesting I make us breakfast in bed. We spend the morning in our own little bubble, and it’s not lost on me that she never said she’d tell me everything.

Valeska left me before lunch, needing to go and take care of an issue with one of her businesses, and I’ve spent the time trying to relax—and failing. I need to be doing something, cleaning, working, or working out. I shoot off a text to Nico asking if he’d like to join me.

We’ve used the fully equipped gym on the top floor since moving in, and it’s always empty. I wonder if working out even does anything for a vampire, or if you stay the same as the day you were turned.

If that’s the case, then I better keep my ass in shape.

I nearly drop my phone at the thought. I shouldn’t want that at all since it goes against nature itself, but when I think about it, it feels right. I laugh to myself. Ever since I met Valeska it’s been a wild ride, so this is no different.

Nico agrees to meet me, and we put ourselves through a punishing workout for over an hour. It’s helped scratch the itch of not doing anything, but as we head back to our suites, I can sense it flaring again.

“Why don’t you get showered and then come to mine? I’ll get some food made up and we can watch those new movies that came out that we never got to see. I’ll invite the girls and see if they want to join us.” I wouldn’t put it past Nico to have sensed the twitchy energy coming from me.

“Sounds perfect, I’ll be there.” I squeeze him on his shoulder and we part ways.

I shave, shower, and dress in record time, heading to his suite and meeting Valeska and Sunny at the door. Sunny gives me a small smile, but Valeska openly stares at me, eyes skimming my freshly shaved face and giving me a smirk.

She’s thinking about sitting on it and riding it last night. I know she is, because it’s exactly why I shaved the rest of my beard to stubble so the moustache stood out. I will continue to remind her of how good we are together, and in the bedroom is only the start.

Nico swings open the door and invites us in.

I gesture for the ladies to go in first, and I’d be a liar if I said it wasn’t to check Valeska’s ass out, her slim frame highlighted by the fitted knit dress she’s wearing, the wine colouring matching her sharp nails.

I want to peel it from her skin and enjoy what’s underneath.

A sharp smack on the back of my head has me snapping my attention to Nico and I glare. The fucker laughs at me and wags his finger in a ‘no’ gesture, telling me off again for checking Valeska out.

I flip him off and head into the main room, the aroma of pie and accompanying vegetables wafts over to me, making my stomach rumble. Both vampires look over at me with a raised eyebrow and I blush.

“Did you eat lunch today?” Nico asks from behind me.

“Yes, but this smells delicious and my body agrees. After our workout I could eat a horse.”

He beams at me. “Well, in that case, everyone take a seat at the table and I’ll bring your plates over, including you, mon rayon de soleil.” Nico points at Sunny, who closes her mouth after she was about to offer her help.

We eat dinner, and I ask if Sunny and Valeska like eating since they only need blood to be sustained. They share that they can, but it does nothing for their bodies, although they enjoy the nostalgia of when they could enjoy food. Plus, it helps them look human when they’re out in the world.

Nico and I tell them about some of the stupid things we’ve done in our lives, and the conversation flows easily. The whole thing feels awfully domestic and normal —it’s making me nervous as I wait for the other shoe to drop.

After clearing up, we all settle on the sofa to watch a movie. Nico has gone all out with snacks, drinks, and blankets to make the place cosy. He even managed to find some fairy lights to decorate with.

We watch an action movie first, and then a horror since the girls love them. Nico spends the whole time practically weeping on Sunny’s shoulder to avoid seeing anything that will give him nightmares.

Part of me thinks Sunny suggested it on purpose as an excuse to spend time with him. I only think that because I should have done the same. It’s pathetic the lengths I will go to if it will make Valeska spend time with me.

We’re discussing which film to put on next when Valeska’s phone rings, I hadn’t even noticed she’d bought it. She answers with a curt hello and listens to the person on the other end of the phone. Her eyes cut to me and she ends the call without a goodbye.

“Alaric Vonbarro placed a hit on your boss. My team went to his lake house, but they were too late. Your boss and his wife are dead, and you and Nico are next on his list.”