Lilly's Torment(17)

"Are you certain that you want to give this to me?" She put the blade  back into the leather even as she pulled it closer to her body. "It's  such a treasure. You are very sure that you want to give it to me?  Because I want it, I really do, but only if you are very, very sure that  this is what you want to do with it."

Nodding, he cupped her face. "Yes. I want you to have this blade. It's  very special to me, just as you are, and you would honor me and those  that gifted it to me by accepting it." Artaxias leaned in to kiss her  gently. "Besides, I doubt I could pry it from your clutch even if I  wanted." He smiled and chuckled.

She grinned and nodded. "You are likely right." Tilting her head up, she  brushed her lips to his. "I think that I might have very, very strong  feelings for you already, Ax. Not only because of this, but because of  everything." He was in her heart. She had no idea how that had happened,  but he was. He was there in her heart and, god help her, she wanted him  to stay. Forever.

Smiling, he pressed another kiss to her lips before drawing back. "I  want to show you one more thing before we go upstairs. You can show off  your gift to Gavriel and make him completely jealous. He's always  coveted the blade you now hold and will likely attempt to bribe you  intensely."

"Sucks to be him, then, because this is mine. Given to me by one of the men that I love, so tough poop on his side."

He led her to the opposite side of the room and tapped his fingers to  the keypad. A moment later, he opened the doors and reached inside. "I  will warn you, this case, when active, has lasers that run through it  just behind the glass. Not the sort that set off an alarm either," he  warned. Turning, he held up a blade, easily two feet in length. "This is  the very first blade I ever was gifted with. It was the blade I earned  when I completed my training." He drew it free of the sheath and held it  flat along his arm so she could see it clearly.

"Oh. My. Gawd," she whispered and put her new blade in her back pocket  so that she could step forward with both hands and touch the blade  lovingly. "This looks ancient," she whispered as she touched the silvery  shine to the blade, the words again ones she couldn't read, but she  traced them with her fingers. "It looks deadly sharp. Do you still bring  it out and clean it, practice with it? Does it sing as it slices  through the air?" she asked excitedly.

"It's the only blade I ever practice with, and yes, it sings when I'm  moving just right. But one has to be in the groove, as you would say.  Mind, body, and spirit aligned perfectly with the blade. Depending on my  mood, it takes a bit of time to get synchronized just right." He  flipped the blade and offered it to her. "Try it. It's heavy, so be  careful. It will take off your leg before you even realize you've  moved."

"Are you sure?" Even as the question fell from her lips, she reached for  the hilt of the blade with both hands. "Okay, let's see if I can lift  this bad boy." She wasn't weak, by any means, but holy hell was this  sword heavy! "Christ, how in the hell were you ever able to handle this  thing? I'm no weakling, but son of a bitch, this is heavy."                       
       
           



       

Chuckling, he shrugged. "It's not all that hard when you have Vhampire  strength." He took the blade from her one-handed, the show off, and  swung it around his side furthest from her. With a deft move, he slipped  it back into its sheath. "I only feel the weight after a long and  rigorous workout. But as a youth, when I earned it, the weight was a  reminder of the heavy burden that was placed on my shoulders and mine  alone. I would be responsible for choosing who would die and have to  carry that with me through the ages."

She nodded. "I like that," she whispered softly. "A great deal. I like  the fact that you had such an honest upbringing. It is true. Anyone who  has to wield a sword or weapon is one that carries a great burden  because of the possibilities between life and death involved with it."

Shrugging, he put the blade away in the case and locked it. He tapped a  couple buttons on the pad and then turned toward her. "My life was what  it was. I don't see it as an honest upbringing as you said, but it was  the way I was raised. It's how all Vhampires are raised in our realm."

"You didn't have softness or someone to care for you then, but you do  now. You have me in your life, Ax, and here is where I stay. I care for  you. Far too fast, I know, but I do. I feel it in my heart of hearts  that you are someone to me and I fully intend on making your life one  filled with happiness. Dammit."

He cocked a brow at that and smiled slightly. "Tsk tsk, Lilly. Such  language," he was teasing her. Taking her hand, he laced his fingers  through hers. Pulling her toward the door, he led her back up the  stairs. "I am glad you're here, little mate. But I am not a project to  be worked on."

"No, you are my mate to be loved," she shot back just as quickly. "Just  let me love you, Ax. I think that you will find it good for you, and I  know I will find it good for me. Just let us be together, please?"

"Of course," he said. Stopping, he drew her in closer to him and held  her tight. "I just wanted to ensure you knew that I don't need to be  fixed. Yes, my life wasn't ideal, yes, I regret much of it, but it's in  the past and it will stay there. This is the now, and all I want to  worry about is you, us, and our mating."

"And that's all I want to worry about as well. I just want to be happy  with you, with Gavriel. I just want to find peace. I never dreamed I  would find love, let alone love squared, but it seems it found me, huh?"

Nodding, he leaned in and kissed her lightly. "Come, dinner should be  about ready to eat. It's nothing fancy but should be filling." He let  her loose and moved to a Crock-Pot on the counter. Lifting the lid, the  scent of spices and cooked meat filled the air. "I made a quick batch of  chili. I figured it would be a good meal, not exactly elegant, but  hearty."

"Oh that sounds like heaven to me." She inhaled the scents and nearly  drooled. "God that smells so very, very good. And you just ‘tossed' it  together, did you?" she asked with a laugh. "You are too funny,  Artaxias. You know that?"

He frowned at her. "I did just throw it together," he said with a shrug.  "There's only a dozen ingredients that I put into the pot to cook  slowly. Took me about ten minutes and then I left it alone. It really  wasn't much effort, but I figured you'd need something healthy to eat."

"It just amazes me. I couldn't put something like this together if I had  a month of Sundays in trying," she admitted. "Weapons I can make like  whoa, but sometimes making a meal escapes me totally, and that is a  sucky thing to admit to but it's the truth."

"Food is easy to do. It's a lot like making a weapon. You need to know  your ingredients, how they mix and meld. Then how does heat affect them,  and when is too hot, too much? If you can make a sandwich, you can  cook. With guidance," he added, reaching around her and then passing her  a bowl. "Scoop up what you want, I have some garlic toast warming in  the oven to go with it. Gavriel!" he called out, "If you want to eat,  get your ass in here."

"Well I will be spending a great deal of time under your guidance?  Because I want to learn. I want to learn how to make such amazing  things." Taking a bowl, she dipped some out and because she was  impatient, grabbed a large piece of meat with her fingers and popped it  into her mouth. "Oh. So. Freaking. Good."

"Spoons were created for a reason, you know," he said, holding one out to her. "Go and sit while I grab the bread."

Gavriel came jogging into the room. "Hell yeah, chili! I love his  chili," he said, moving to the crock pot. Grabbing a dish, he bumped her  hip lightly. "Did you want some milk with it, or a beer?" he asked,  scooping out his own before going to the fridge.

"Milk please. That works best for chili." She took the spoon and took a  bite. "Oh God this is so good." It was like heaven on her tongue. Like  angels dancing on her tongue. "The spice is not too strong, not too  weak, it's brilliantly balanced." Taking her seat, she ate as she sat,  loving every bite she took.                       
       
           



       

"Here you go." Gavriel set a tall glass of milk in front of her.  Throwing a leg over a chair, he plopped down with his chili and beer. "I  don't know how he does it, but he doesn't measure a damned thing  either. I've watched him and he just tosses in the meat, the various  bits, and slaps a lid on. Two hours later, he gives it a stir and then  pretty much ignores it. I have no idea what's in it beyond meat,  tomatoes, and spices, and I could never recreate it, but it's damned  good."