Where She Belongs

City of Angels

She extends her hand to me and I hesitantly shake it as she seems to lean closer. Is she staring at my neck?

"Mark and all. Well, how about that! Chloe will be so happy for you!" She gives a little laugh as I subconsciously touch Aiden's bite mark and who the hell is Chloe? "Don't worry, I'm a bit like you guys. Got a bit of everything in my family tree or so Charlie tells me, but it does give me the ability to snoop on your little vampire world and traditions. He'll be here soon Aiden, nice meeting you!"

She heads down the bar to serve the wolf we displaced and Aiden tries to hide his smirk.

"What?" I take a big gulp of my drink, wondering just how many women are really going to be thrilled for Aiden.

"If he wasn't on his way, I'd put this off until the morning and take you home right now." He pulls my chair closer. This time he kisses me, and I put my hands on the back of his neck, sliding one up to let my fingers play in his hair.

It feels, just for a minute, that we've entered another world. That LA and Charlies Bar is in another universe, not across the country and we can afford the luxury to just exist in this moment. My troubles were left at home. I'm nothing thinking of David or Antonino or the safety of my family. There isn't the stress of working out what to tell Hannah and the tiny worry Gwen will accidentally spill to her parents that I'm not pack at all. I'm not a wolf and I never will be with my vampire side being stronger.

There is something lighter about Aiden here too. He seems, happier. Free almost. I liked how he felt now. It was like breathing in the smell of coffee, refreshing, awakening and it could make your mouth water with the need to have a taste. I bit his lip and for a second it didn't matter that we were sitting in a crowded bar, surrounded by who knows what because I wanted more than a taste now.

"Slow down love." He whispers softly, and like waking up from a deep sleep the world breaks back in to that little bubble we had just created. "Later. Promise."

This time, the kiss is short and sweet. Before I can complain Charlie is coming out of the door Fiona had gone through before and as he spots us, he frowns before approaching.

"I warn you-" Charlie growled at Aiden who held his hands up in surrender.

"We come in peace." He bravely mocks.

"How are those obstacles little hybrid?" Charlie switches from clearly the person Aiden knows, to the one I do and his hard set mouth curves slightly at the edges in a subtle, hint of a smile.

"What obstacles?" I shrug.

"I'll be right back." Aiden squeezes my hand and moves off before I can stop him.

Turning in my chair I lose sight of him, and Charlie chuckles behind me.

"What's so funny?"

"He still leaves you in my bar. Things never change."

"They do, things aren't like that for us anymore. We overcame our obstacles."

Charlie nods. "True. I see that, but little hybrid, that was not all I was talking about. I think you have still yet to discover nothing worth fighting for is ever easy."

"Is that what's coming now?"

"Perhaps. I'm sure time will tell. How about another? It's on the house." He pours me another drink. "How is your sire? I see you take after him in so many ways, yet not completely."

"The vampire thing? Is it really becoming that obvious now?" I sigh.

"Only to some, but not to all. It's easy to hide who you are when you don't actually know who that is. Sometimes it's better that way. Let others think what they will." He pauses for a moment before looking down the bar. "Look at my precious Fiona for example. She keeps the glamour in place in fear of what's within. Does she know what that may truly be? No, yet it keeps her hiding still."