Closer Than This - St. Lucia

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I observed Christian's fluid motions as he shovelled the snow from his drive in a sharp stone-grey suit, boots and a puffy black Parka. 

My fingers automatically scratched at the healed scars on my neck, glad to feel it was nothing but taught skin. It was still noticeable enough, more so to a vampires eyes. It'd take a while but it'd disappear after time. 

I was nervous. Hell, I was downright frightened for Christian's life oddly enough. None of them will take to him feeding from me well. It may be an airport but something tells me Michael might not care too much.

Christian threw the shovel to the side and adjusted his well fitted suit jacket and navy tie beneath his coat. He smoothed his hand over his hair and approached me.

"Come now, I don't want to keep them waiting any longer," He offered me his hand and helped me down the steps of his cabin, opening the passenger side of his Jeep and shutting the door.

"How old are these vampires?" He asked me once we'd reached the bottom of the mountain.

I glanced at him. "Why?" 

"A simple thought of mine." 

"Michael and Nate are just over a century and my other friend Callum, is over three."

Christian nodded thoughtfully. "And how old are you again?"

"I'm surprised you've forgotten; twenty-one."

At a traffic light, he turned to me. "When do you plan on turning?"

I furrowed my brows. "Well, I promised Michael I'd graduate first."

"This year?"

"I graduate this year, yeah. But with the Florence thing everything's gone a bit upside down. Plus my friend, she's... I just have commitments."

"I'm sorry to pry, but your friend?"

I sighed. "Pregnant."

"Oh?" 

"With a dhampir."

Christian faltered slightly on the accelerator as the light turned green and I jolted forward. I turned my head with a small smile at his shocked eyes and parted lips. 

"You're nine hundred and you haven't seen a half-human half-vampire kid?"

"Well, not really no. I haven't met a human mad enough."

"My other friend, Celia, she has a baby boy. He's perfect."

"And she's still alive?"

"Her partner turned her after birth."

"And that's the same fate your friend has then. Did she have a choice?"

His questioning, at first was odd but as I watched him drive he was truly intrigued and surprised by the thought of a half and half. "She wanted to turn one day. But..."

"Not this soon." He finished. 

We remained silent for the remainder of the journey. But as we neared the airport he said, "If I do agree to this proposal, then I'd like to meet them."

"That won't be up to me, Christian."

"I understand." He nodded, abiding by the road system of an airport and parking. He rounded the car and assisted me out. "And you understand that me agreeing won't be up to you either."

"Yeah I get it." I grumbled walking ahead of him.

But his hand curled around the back of my neck with a supposedly reassuring pat. "Good. I'm sure your friends are eager, let's find them quickly. I'm only allowed to park here for half an hour."

I slyly rolled my eyes and allowed him to lead me through the airport. I glanced at my airlines check-in desk at the people awaiting their turn; they weren't there. Christian and I paused in the centre of the departure check-in areas, his hand remaining on my neck as we glanced from left to right.

"There." He suddenly said. I spun to where he was staring and spotted Callum weaving in and out of groups to get to us. Then I spotted Nate; then Michael.

Christian's hand lowered to the area connecting my neck to my shoulder and I realised he was covering his bite. I hadn't a clue what this man was planning and by now I knew he was one for the odd curve ball. 

Michael's determined gaze was solely on me and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my lips. A part of me spurred to life at the sight of him. I didn't even realise until now that a tiny me had crawled into a ball in the corner of my mind from the moment I'd woken up in Christian's cabin. And now, as they approached, I felt the tiny me lift her head from her arms and grin.

Auto-pilot kicked in and I made a step to meet him halfway but Christian's hand squeezed.

"Now, now," He murmured. "You'll have your reunion."

Mike looked ready to rip Christian's head off, his steps never faltering as he advanced closer but I quickly spluttered out, "Wait! Michael," He stopped a few feet from his nose and I pressed my palm to his chest for precaution. "Wait."

The others stopped behind Michael with wary darting eyes. Michael sized up the man in front of him.

They both were similar in build and height and if it came down to a fight if they were human it would have been even odds. But Christian had eight hundred years on him. So the odds were not in his favour. 

After a deliberating moment Michael took a step back and glared between us, handing Nate what looked to be my backpack and his. Mike's gaze softened toward me but hardened at his hand on my neck.

"Evie, introduce us." Christian said above me and I sighed.

"Christian, my friends Callum and Nathaniel." The two of them flanked Michael. If I could measure the level of testosterone it'd be through the roof. "And my boyfriend, Michael."

"A pleasure." He held out his hand. "Evie has told me quite a lot about you." 

Michael's green gaze turned black for a millisecond before he slid his large hand into Christian's. "I wish I could say the same."

"You're lucky to have this woman." 

"I am." 

"Treasure her, will you?"

Michael's jaw visibly clenched and I sighed again. "Christian."

"Okay, okay." He chuckled and released Michael's hand. 

And dropped his other hand from my neck. 

It was like a siren. All three pairs of eyes darted and stared. 

Callum was the fastest to react. He came up behind Michael and wrapped his arm around his neck and his other arm around his torso. 

I'd seen many angry vampires in the past two years. Michael included. But I hadn't ever seen him... This angry. Not even at Florence's cabin. 

His face was one of pure fury, his lips had all but disappeared as he barred his sharp teeth. His eyes black his entire face filled with black pulsing veins. I looked around the airport afraid someone would scream, say something or even attack him. 

Christian's reaction was one of amazement, he didn't move a muscle as he observed Callum pulling Michael's hood over his head and restraining him. 

"He's remarkable." He commented. "Very protective, I was expecting less especially because we're in an airport."

"Why isn't anyone looking?" I murmured.

"Tell me the last time you involved yourself in someone else's business."

Fair enough but, "What about security?"

"If they see him then they'll warn him but it appears they haven't."

Callum released Michael after another minute but kept a hand on his shoulder.

"You sick bastard," He lowered his hood but his eyes were still black. His voice was gravelly and hard; it almost hurt to listen to it.

"You must understand that she's hard to resist."

"You fed from her twice you son of a bitch. I'll fucking kill-"

Christian held up a hand which oddly enough immediately silenced him. "I think I've heard enough." 

This is it. We've screwed this up.

"I'll be taking my leave... After I speak with Evie. Alone."

"No." Michael shrugged off Callum's hand. "Leave, we don't need your help."

"Michael-" Nate finally spoke up.

His incredulous gaze turned to Nate. "You're joking, Nathaniel."

"It's okay." All of them glared at me and I smiled sheepishly. "Just one minute."

Christian nodded his head to the three men before following me over to security. The others followed but at a respectable distance.

"This is goodbye." Christian took my hand. I frowned and glanced at Michael watching from a distance. Three wasted days. Two of them spent worried for my life. And nothing. 

"I'll contact you once I've landed in Vancouver."

I jerked my head at his words. "What?"

Christian smirked. "They've impressed me. All of them. So passionate. I admire your boyfriend's bravery. Imagine a teenager wanting to fight you, Evie. It's exactly like that for me. That man would risk his entire life for you and he just proved that."

I turned my gaze onto the three of them watching our exchange and smiled at each and every one of them. Nathaniel looked ready to do something. The flash in his eyes looked as if he were about to do something incredibly stupid. So I sent him a reassuring wave and turned my attention back to Christian.

"So," he continued. "I will help you."

"When?"

"When I can get a flight. I put my number in your phone. As soon as I land I'll need you to pick me up."

"Thank-"

He squeezed my hand and released it. "Don't thank me yet, Evangeline. Have a safe flight."

And he walked away with a Christian-like mischievous smile on his face. He passed the other three vampires, patting Callum on the back without even glancing back for their reactions. Christian Beaumont strutted his way out of the airport with his hands firmly in his pockets and disappeared from sight.

My body, which had been tense for the past forty-eight hours, sagged with relief. 

And Michael caught me. 

"I've got you now." His calm voice was a contrast to his voice a moment ago. "I'll be damned if I let you do something like that again."

I lay my forehead on his shoulder and let out a small laugh. "I got the job done didn't I?"

"And in the process," Callum popped up beside us. "You'd given all of us bloody heart attacks. But on the bright side you can tick, 'getting kidnapped by a nine hundred year old vampire' off your bucket list."

**

I was spurred awake by the captain announcing that we would be landing soon. Michael's hand hadn't released mine since we'd gone through security. Earlier when we'd waited to board, I'd told them a shortened version of what had happened. They listened religiously, not once interrupting as I explained from the moment I'd woken up at his cabin to when I'd fallen asleep last night. Florence's past wasn't much of a surprise to any of them. They took everything I'd said in stride, even the fact that Christian had been an innocent bystander in all of it.

"I won't trust him until I've spoken to him myself." Michael had said. "He's shady."

"He was nice at times." I'd defended weakly.

His gaze had flickered to my neck in answer and I'd left it at that.

I lifted his hand to my mouth and grazed my lips and cheek against it. "Are you alright?"

His tender stare averted from the window to meet mine and he smiled. It was almost strained though, it didn't reach his eyes at all. So I decided I'd wait until we got home to talk. But then I realised that right now home was John's house and I knew we couldn't talk privately there.

So, after collecting our bags I told Callum and Nate to go straight to John's house and that we'd meet them there soon. Michael didn't utter a word of protest when I told the cab driver to go to our house instead of John's. It was still just about daylight so we didn't have to worry much about any vampires. 

It felt almost cold walking into our house. It hadn't been lived in, in the past few weeks. I walked ahead, switching the living room light on and dropping our bags by the couch. Finally alone. Almost. I pulled out my phone.

"Thank God you're okay," Katherine answered on the first ring. "Micah and I were stupidly worried sick."

"I know. And I need you to do me a favour. Can you not pay any attention to Mike and I for a few hours? Both you and Micah?"

"Sure. Give me a call later okay?"

"I will. How's Amy?"

"Coping. She's still heavily pregnant if that's what you're asking."

"It is, thanks. I'll speak to you later." I hung up after our goodbye's and faced him. Michael ran his hands over his face and through his hair. Now that I had a chance to really look at him it was obvious he hadn't been sleeping. Or shaving. I approached him as if approaching a wild animal... and hugged him.

We both needed it. I sure as hell did. His body relaxed under my touch and he exhaled into my neck.

"Bed or bath?" I offered leaning back.

"Straight to bed, I don't care about a bath." His hand curled around my wrist as he led us up the stairs all the while disposing of his shoes, coat and t-shirt on the way. I held back my smile as I watched him drop the fragments of clothing in our wake. Our bed was crisp, untouched since the day we'd replaced the sheets and left.

He may want to go straight to bed but I wanted fresh underwear. I'd barely shrugged off my coat by the time he collapsed backwards onto the bed in only his black boxer briefs. I still counted myself lucky whenever I looked at his beautiful body.I could just stare at him all day. I changed swiftly in my closet deciding on one of his t-shirts. His scent enveloped me and I revelled in it glad to be rid of Christian's scent.

"Evie,"

I turned from the mirror. Michael lifted his head from the bed and stared at me with his, 'come to bed' eyes. He lazily lifted his hand and gestured me over speaking in a deep husky voice, "Com'ere."

I turned the lights off, leaving the bedside lamp on and swiftly joined him laying my chin on his chest and pressing my palm to where his heart lightly beat. His arms engulfed me closer to him, his chest rising and falling evenly. For a while, I thought he'd fallen asleep. We were silent for that long. But then he started running his fingers along my arm. 

"I can't say I'm sorry about him taking me because it isn't my fault." I finally spoke.

"I know," He sighed. "I know."

"I'm okay, Mike."

"I know you are."

"Are you?"

He drummed his fingers against my arm. "I'm good."

"I haven't seen you that angry before." I sat upright and crossed my legs. 

Michael copied my position. "I'm sorry if I scared you."

"No, no. It was okay." I took his cheeks within my hands and smiled. "Christian said something to me, and before you scowl, it was something nice about you. He decided on whether to come to Vancouver based on your reaction to my neck. You would have fought a vampire nine times your age for me?"

Michael's eyes softened. "Of course I would."

"But... you would have lost."

His lips curled up into his first smile. "For you, losing is never an option."

"But..." I frowned. "You would have."

He caught me completely off guard and pecked my lips. "I'd rather die trying, Dimples." He leaned in again for a longer, passionate kiss and I released an all-female sigh of appreciation.

"You know you're kind of hot when you're angry." I teased pressing my palms to his chest to lie back down.

"Oh yeah? What's the turn on? The veins? The eyes? Their usually the window to the soul, right?"

"None of those." I pressed a trail of kisses from the top of his rib cage to his neck. "The power." I breathed.

"You're the one with the power." He groaned. His tilted his head toward me with a look of pure wonder and I returned it with a smirk. "You're truly a mystery. You somehow managed to get a vampire almost the age of a millennia to fall under your spell. How did you manage it?"

"Well, according to him and you," I straddled his hips and continued my trail along his neck and further to his collarbones. "I'm different."

"That'd be your blood."

I paused and raised a brow. "Seriously?"

"Not just your blood though Evie. Your personality matches your hair. Fiery. You're unpredictable. Which is why I absolutely adore you."

"Well, glad to know you don't just like me for my blood." 

Michael's chuckle rang through my ears as he rolled so he was settled between my legs. "If I liked you for your blood, why would I want to turn you?"

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Short but sweet chapter guys. I wanted to get an upload for Christmas!

~~ MERRY CHRISTMAS YOU VAMPIRE LOVERS. ~~

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