Of Fangs & Fins ✔

34. A Step Back

SR:  Sarcastic Sounds - I Don't Sleep

thirty-four.

Eryn.

An odd intimacy grew around us, with every touch meaning so much more and every glance cause us to both shyly look away. Marina was attentive, her fingers always laced with mine. She didn't leave my side, but she was quiet all day. She even let me take her for a picnic by the lake.

Was this a date? I smiled to myself.

"I haven't been on a date in centuries," I said wryly, tightening my grip on her hand as we walked across the lawn and into the woods nearby. I held onto the picnic basket and rolled up a blanket and stuck it underneath the handles.

Marina held my violin case in her free hand, requesting me to play her songs. She claimed she really wanted to hear more of it, so I agreed just this one.

The lake came into view and Marina let out a sigh of relief.

"This place is always so beautiful."

I set up the blanket over the sanded grass, making sure the cool breeze didn't blow away our stuff. Perhaps it was a little too cold for a picnic, but Marina didn't seem to mind too much.

She sat in front of me, wearing a knit dress that hugged her in all the right places. Her sun-kissed hourglass figure sent my mind spiraling into the gutter. I so wanted her to turn around to see her flared hips dip into her luscious ass. Her body was spellbinding.

Marina gazed up at me, her rapturous cerulean eyes meeting mine. They were rich in color as she studied me, a small smile on her delicate face.

"Eryn," Marina muttered, placing her hand on my knee. She shook it. "Did you hear me?"

I straightened up, extending my arms behind me and drawing my knee up.

"No, sorry. What you say?" I winced, chastising myself for daydreaming.

"What are we going to do about Lucinda? I don't know how, but I feel she had something to do with what happened here." She shivered, rubbing the sides of her arms.

I held my hand out.

"C'mere," I murmured, watching as she stared at my hand. Her lashes fluttered and she gently placed her hand in mine.

I tugged her forward and opened my legs, letting her lower back rest against my inner thighs. Marina settled her shoulders against my breasts.

I motioned toward the basket, "why don't you look in there?"

"Eryn..."

"I don't want you to worry about a woman that I've dealt with for years. She's a fickle and horrible vampire. She's insane. Luce will make a mistake and that's when we'll get her," I explained. Marina shouldn't have to worry about stuff like this.

"Did you love her?" Her melodic voice was barely above a whisper.

I squeezed her arms a bit.

"At one point I thought I did, but it was circumstantial. We were all we had for a while so we got close, but no anymore. She hurt people. Just like Arlo did as well. I know I'm not perfect, but I want to be better and I know she's my enemy." My soul was stained, diseased, a twisted thing that was withered and pulsated venom.

Marina twisted a bit to face me.

"You're a good person, Eryn."

I half-smiled. "You know you're giving me too much credit," Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pulled her closer to me. I rubbed the tip of my nose against her neck, "now please dig in."