Have you ever felt the love and protection of three vampires? Zoey hasn't, she didn't even think it could've been anything other than fiction.
Nikolaus, Jett, and Wyatt could surely keep Zoey out of harms way, right? Especially since Nikolaus is an...
Jett looks at me with something warm in his eyes. Possibly pity.
To be honest, I'm petrified. I'm a wolf in sheep's clothing, quite literally.
A nice long crack crawls up my heart, slowly splitting it open to let all it's contents spill out into my chest. My whole life has been a lie. I'm not who I thought I was, I'm much, much worse.
The world around me stops, my hearing cuts out as I fall into the sad lull of the darkest space in my mind.
The moment of Poppy being shot plays over and over in my head and all I can think is how it's my fault. It's me. It's who I am.
"Maybe she needs some food?" Wyatt says in the form of a question as my hearing falls back to reality.
I hear a smack right before my brain connects back with this realm to see Wyatt rubbing the back of his head while giving Jett the stink eye.
"Brina said-" Nik freezes at the doorway, watching the sight before him, "what the hell is going on?"
"Zoey went into one of her deep thought things and Wyatt suggested food." Jett points the blame.
My eyes water from my earlier thoughts, now I'm the cause of Wyatt getting smacked. I just can't win.
"You made her cry!" Wyatt complains in a childlike manner.
"Shut the fuck up, both of you." Nik states, laying his hand on my shoulder, "let's take a break, love." He says in a hushed tone.
My legs still feel stiff, almost as if I need an oil can to loosen me up. My bones crack as I stand up, but Nik grabs my hand to help lead me out the door and up to my room.
"Whatever happens, everything will be okay, you will be okay." He reassures as he pulls back my covers for me to crawl under.
Once my legs hit the clean sheets that smell faintly like cinnamon from the new detergent Wyatt bought because he thought it smelled just like Cinnamon Rolls; my muscles finally begin to relax.
The spot on the bed next to me dips with warm arms pulling me into a muscular body.
"We are going to keep you safe, love." He mumbles.
"I'm more worried about Poppy." I admit, hoping she will wake up.
His thumb slowly caresses the skin on my upper arm, "Brina said she will be here tomorrow afternoon to see if she can get her awake. I'm happy you knew what she was shot with. That helps a lot, love."
I smile knowing that I helped Brina help Poppy.
Nik rubs his fingertips against my clothed back until I fall asleep.
When I wake up to the sun almost blinding me, Nik is still cuddling with me with his eye closed.
Is he asleep?
He looks so gentle, a gruff kind of handsome but an old-school kind of gruff. His black hair still perfectly in place with some kind of extraordinary strength pomade, the clear skin on his sharpened jawline, and even the little cupids bow on his top lip. It all screams sex appeal.
My finger traces the length of his perfectly straight nose. His skin is velvet under my fingers.
Simultaneously, Nik's eyes snap open as my hand is snatched away and I'm on my back with him above me.
"I've been waiting ages for you to wake up." He complains before planting small kisses all over my face.
I can't help but giggle at the feeling of his lips repeatedly pecking my skin.
"Is Poppy awake yet?" I ask once he stops.
His eyes soften, giving me my answer without saying a word.
"Want to go see her?" He offers, which I happily take.
As soon as I lift the blankets off of me, the cold morning air hits me like jumping into a freezing cold pool after being inside a hot tub.
"I'll go make you breakfast." Nik trails off the path to Poppy's room after I nod.
When I walk in, Poppy is exactly where I left her. In the bed with the blankets covering her, although a little part of the blanket slid off sometime throughout the night to which I quickly fix so she isn't cold.
I don't think vampires can even get cold. But just in case, I cover her anyways.
My eyes examine her chest, trying to catch it rise and fall to show me that she's breathing. Her chest doesn't move more than a centimeter, but I catch it.
Electricity shocks my stomach, making my arms and legs shaky. My eyes begin to leak tears before I realize that I just need one of the guys. Specifically Nik in this moment. I don't understand why, but it's an overwhelming need. Like a pregnant woman with peanut butter pickles.
I quickly use my shaky finger to wipe the few tears off my face, say goodbye to Poppy, then go downstairs to meet Nik in the kitchen. I hear Wyatt and Jett playing a video game somewhere up here but I can't tell which room it's coming from.
Ignoring the pestering want to say hi to them to fulfill the need to just be with Nik.
"Brina will be here around three, she said a winter storm is supposed to come so after breakfast, I'm going to send one of the other guys out to get you a space heater for your room so you're extra cozy." Nik says as I enter the room with a smile.
The sad, crappy feeling in me dies down the moment I get closer to him.
As he flips a golden pancake on the skillet, I wrap my arms around his free arm and hug it close to my body as my head leans against it.
"Someone is cuddly today." He jokes.
"I just miss you." I state, squeezing his arm.
He chuckles, "I'm right here, love."
I watch him cook and make the perfect golden pancakes with cut up fruit, butter, and a little bit of syrup.
With two fluffy pancakes on the plate, he hands it to me with the price of a kiss, to which I happily give him.
"Since we are going to be waiting for a while..." I trail remembering the annual gathering and my responsibilities, "tell me what happens after you mark me." I inquire as I take my first bite.
It tastes like pure heaven, this man can make pancakes!
His lips quirk into a smirk, "having fantasies, love?" He teases.
Ha ha, very funny. But yes.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Thank you all for reading! Please remember to vote, comment, and follow!
