The Billionaire’s Baby(47)

"The sun's not even out right now! It's all cloudy." Nia frowned, crossing her arms.

She was ready to be home, she needed to rest. Her head spun slightly, dizzy from all the commotion of the last few hours.

Ellis shook his head, "Kid, that doesn't matter. Just because it's cloudy doesn't mean that the sun's rays don't get through. I can still get burned. I'm getting burned now and we're blocked by the trees."

He pointed in urgent agitation at the pink swelling on his cheeks, thin lips still pouting childishly, "Hide me somewhere in the forest till evening, then we can go to your village, and I'll drop you off and head on my own way to find a new home without your annoying self."

Nia put her hands on her hips, arching an unsympathetic eyebrow, "You're leaving?"

"Uh, duh. Why would I stick around?"

Nia shifted her feet uncomfortably, staring at the ground before glancing up at him sheepishly, "But what about the prophecy?" She whispered, "What if you're that 'special person'?"

The vampire snorted in response and shrugged, "What do I care?"

Potatoes interrupted with an impatient meow, squirming in Ellis's arms until he reluctantly put her down, "Kid, come on, enough arguing! I need cover!"

"I'm really not feeling good and my village is right there! Just run really fast into the village. You can do that, right? Run super fast and stuff. Vampire perks?"

Ellis didn't answer, glaring even harder at the tiny girl who stamped her foot in response, "Come on!"

Potatoes, however, after wiggling her whiskers wisely and pacing for a moment, quite enjoying the feel of the breeze and faint heat of dim sun on her fur, took off into the village. Ellis glared after the cat, muttering under his breath about stupid kittens that didn't have to worry about being sunburned.

"God, Ellis, it's about to rain!" Nia interrupted in exasperation.

"So find me a place to hide!" He retorted, gazing down at the blisters that were beginning to pucker on his arms. This was not good, not good at all.

Frazzled, Nia finally gave in, grabbing his ear and hauling him off back into the forest, ignoring his cries for her to release him.

"There's a place I used to play as a kid-" Nia cut off with a shrill shriek that made Ellis wince as rain suddenly pounded mercilessly on the pair – quickly soaking them through with water.

Ellis, blinded by spraying water, red hair, and tan skin, could only follow Nia as she took off into the forest, practically dragging her taller, hunched over partner by the ear.

Before he knew what was happening he was shoved up against a cold stone wall, curled into such an awkward position that he swore his knee was tucked nearly behind his head. For several long moments he couldn't see where he was, what he was shoved up against, his arms were pinned painfully against his side, a large, rough rock shoved up against his back, arching it at an excruciating angle.

He shifted, squinting and squirming in an attempt to see, when he became suddenly aware of the very warm little body pressed against him, and the fact that his face buried in Nia's stomach. Had she been this warm earlier? Perhaps it was just the coolness of the rain that made her seem more like a furnace this afternoon.

He let his head slowly tilt backwards, listening to gentle thrumming of the rain and Nia's heart against his shoulder, until he found the green eyed gaze that he had been searching for.

Nia was as at an equally awkward angle, hands pressed against the stone at either side of his face, dangerously close to her own, scrawny legs bent and pressed against his own legs. She didn’t pay attention to his stare, looking out through the rocks at the torrent of raindrops.

Ellis glanced around momentarily, unable to move his head anymore, and realized that they were in a tiny enclave looking thing, barely wide enough to contain their bodies, a sheet of rain spilling off the roof just inches away.

"I remembered it being bigger." Nia explained sheepishly, "When I used to play hide and seek and stuff I always hid here. Used to be an altar or something."

Ellis glared up into her wide eyes, which stared back in almost exaggerated innocence, and was struck with the sharp shock of déjà vu. He was positive that he had seen those same eyes somewhere else besides on Nia's childish face, but for the life of him, he could not recall exactly where.

He turned his face away from Nia's, agitated at his failing memory, and found his face buried in the tan flesh at the base of her neck.

Caught off guard, he found himself quickly enjoying being so close to her neck, breathing in the subtle scent of lemongrass in her hair and blood rising off her skin.

Nia seemed completely unaware of the circumstances, giving a lethargic yawn and settling down against him, "Wake me up when you finally feel like getting out of here." She muttered, just a hint of bitter agitation dripping off her words.