Rare Blood

Chapter Thirty-Six

Faye was out cold moments after her head hit the pillow but sleep was the furthest thing from Cyrus’ mind.  Even with her curled into him he found it impossible to shake his unease.  He began second guessing leaving Richards body behind though it seemed like the only option at the time.  He found himself wondering if it would have been wiser to have disposed of it.  He knew as soon as word got back to the others they would know Cyrus knew Richard betrayed him.  He would not have killed him otherwise but then again neither position would really be strengthened by the knowledge.  They were out a cohort and he had more curiosities to address like how Dmitri got involved and what happened to Hector.  Then there was the matter of the hard drive he needed to dissect and the phone numbers he needed to track.  But, what had him really anxious was thinking about Faye’s reaction to it all.  He couldn’t imagine how she was going to respond when she woke clearheaded and they revisited the incidents from the night before or what it was going to do to her when she had that damn manila folder in her hands.  He had been so sure it was the right thing only hours before but, right then, he was filled with doubt.       

 It was just after daybreak when Cyrus reached his breaking point.  His thoughts had began to drown him; he needed to do something, take some kind of action.  He kissed Faye and slipped from the bed without disturbing her.  He paused on his way to the bathroom and looked out the big window, there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  It would have been a nice day to take Faye out exploring he thought then chased it away exhaling heavily running his hands through his hair.  “Who am I kidding,” he mumbled continuing on into the bathroom.  He would be lucky if Faye forgave him for the bomb he was going to hand her. 

He took a quick shower and by the time he was out and dressed in his usual jeans and a tee he could hear Elsie moving around.  He found her in the kitchen taping her fingertips on the countertop and bobbing her head to some tune in her head while she waited for a pot of coffee to brew.  “Hey,” she said sparing him a glance before looking back to the coffee pot like it wouldn’t fill if she wasn’t watching.  “Hey,” Cyrus replied then inhaled deeply catching a rather strong whiff of wolf.  “How was your trip,” she asked. 

“Eventful, and your evening?”

“Eventful,” she replied amused.

He noted the two empty wine bottles on the counter and said, “So you got Faye drunk and shifted in my kitchen?”

She looked at him sharply, narrowing her baby blues into slits and she corrected, “She got herself drunk.”

“Fair enough, but was this before or after you showed her your other side,” he asked uncertain if he needed to be angry. 

Both of Elsie’s hands went straight to her hips and she said defensively, “Before you give me any shit about it, I’ll have you know she thought it was really cool, she thinks I’m neat.” 

“Neat,” he questioned.

“Yes, she was fascinated and since we’re asking questions… why is there a towel in that bathroom with your blood on it?”

He shrugged.

“Well, whatever happened, you’ve obviously recovered.”

“Yes, and you’re certain Faye has as well?”

“Faye has what,” she questioned.

“Recovered from your display.  She fainted the first time I showed her my fangs.”

Elsie gave a little snort of a laugh and said, “There was no fainting and I assure you the only thing she needs to recover from is the wine.  If I didn’t have the metabolism I do, I know I’d be hurtin’ about now.”

“You shouldn’t have let her drink so much,” he chided like she were a teen he hired to babysit who gave his kid too much chocolate.

“Cyrus, I can tell you from experience that no one likes to be told what to do.  You’re not her daddy.  Lewis does that shit to me all the time and I hate it.  She’s grown; she can do what she wants.”

“Is that what you two talked about last night,” he asked.

“Do you wanna’ tell me what happened to you last night?”

“Not particularly.”