Blood on Their Wings

Chapter 3

Oliver headed through the kitchen. Kind and polite smiles were thrown his way. He did his best to return them as he made his way into the restaurant. The members of staff didn't seem bothered about the guy who was fired. Apparently, he barely did anything useful from the start.

Oliver looked around and found his family sitting in a booth. If Oliver remembered correctly, it was the same booth that he and Vinny had their first date. Well, not the same one exactly, but it was in the same place.

Ignoring the stares, he weaved between the tables. The public raised an excited fuss and took pictures of him. Oliver was completely used to the attention and connected his eyes with Vinny's deep brown ones, who watched him tensely.

"Is John not coming?" Duke asked when Oliver arrived.

"No," Oliver said and sat next to his soulmate. "It's his annual blood day tomorrow."

Everyone then understood. John still found it hard to control himself. They say humans who were turned, never really make peace with drinking blood.

"Not to worry," Madison smiled. "This is yours." She handed Oliver a glass of water.

Vinny casually put his arm on the back of the booth, so it rested behind his soulmate. He moved his face close so he could whisper. "I love you." He kissed his cheek and felt Oliver grin against him.

"I... Love, you, too," Oliver said in-between kisses.

Their affection was something Duke and Madison had become used to, though Madison never quite got over how warm it made her heart. Madison tried not to fuss over them anymore because the public did that to an annoying extent.

Vinny pulled away and wrapped his arms around his soulmate.

"You're so adorable!" Oliver yelled, making people turn their heads.

"Oliver," Vinny said deeply, clenching his jaw to stop himself from smiling.

"Are you ready to order food?" A waitress asked politely, stopping Vinny's stare before it began.

"What would you like to eat?" Vinny asked, subconsciously rubbing Oliver's shoulder with his fingers.

Oliver felt a word-forming. They looked at each other, and the decision was made.

"Pizza," they questioned in unison. For some reason, the public loved when they did that. As the woman took Duke and Madison's orders, Vinny sank further into Oliver.

"Can't you think of your own words?" he muttered.

Oliver scoffed. "Can't you just be quiet?"

"No." Vinny stared at the face he knew so well. He looked into the eyes he had seen for so long and the smile he had embedded into his most profound memories. "Olive." Oliver groaned. "I told you it would catch on." Vinny connected his fingers, trapping his soulmate against him.

"I thought it would last literally about a year, not a million."

Vinny frowned. "You might be exaggerating there."

"Pfft, I'm not. Two thousand and a bit years, It's close."

"Mmm, no. No, it's not," Vinny said with a growing smile. "...Olive."

Oliver glared, but to Vinny, he looked incredibly cute.

"Olive."

"Oh my god. You're so annoying," he chuckled.

"Don't be silly," Vinny said with a straight face, knowing fine well he was annoying.

Oliver's hands darted to Vinny's stomach to tickle him. Vinny jumped and quickly pushed himself into Duke. Duke frowned when he almost inhaled Vinny's hair.