Sotus Black

CH 40 - Interrupted

"It is?"

"You can beat an alien with a stick." He sounds logical. "You can't fight a ghost. I'm never letting Bas come here again."

"It could be a ghost." I tell P'Arthit once Godt is gone. "It took my coffee."

+++

Doors close, voices move further away and everything falls silent. A soft light shimmers in the kitchen. Words drifting through the room, a gentle laughter fills the air. The light fades and everything is still, only a word left to linger in the wind, Soon.

~~~~~~~~~~

Arthit POV

"Come-on White Feather." Tutah cheered. "Win for daddy!"

"What's he doing?"

"Making bets on horses."

"Why?"

"Arthit smiled." Prem tells him. "Miracles can happen."

I ignore the others, sipping my drink as I remember breakfast. He didn't see me move, I got rid of his cup before he could drink it, my blood was still heady for him. It was hard to keep up with him some nights, and I was a vampire.

"Where is Bright?"

"Taking Rome to the hospital." Tutah answers. "Something about a duck."

"You look happy these days Arthit." Knott takes a seat near me, while Prem and Tutah watch the race. "It suits you."

"He...made breakfast." I can't help smile, wanting to tell my oldest friend. "I look forward to them, the mornings."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Humans...don't understand, Beloved's." I ask tentatively, voicing my worry. "How do I tell him, he's mine?"

I knew what he was meant to be but his life, this life, he was a human.

"Talk to him Arthit." Knott pats my shoulder. "I have a feeling his heart already knows."

Knotts words were simple, always reassuring when I needed a friend. I thought of what to say on my way home, finding the right words was never easy for me. Especially when it came to Kongpob.

It was already dark; the sun had set but the moment I stepped into the back garden it twinkled in the night. String lights wrapped around the wooden railing or draped over the trees that grew nearby.

The table and chair were gone, a blanket replaced them on the grass. Scattered with different sized cushions, a bottle cooling in a bucket of ice, a tray with glasses next to it. Another small tray, filled with plates of ripe strawberries. Familiar arms circle my waist, a soft kiss is placed on my temple.

"This is really nice." Kongpob smiles. "What's the occasion?"

"Occasion?"

"For this?" He waves his hand around the garden. "You...didn't do this?"

"No, I thought..."

We both look inside when music starts playing, I follow Kongpob to the living room where it is. Under the old gramophone is a box labelled, Invitations and Venues. There is a note, he sighs reading it. I've taken your keys, and I'm turning your room at the house into a gym. Stay with Artith! Forever!

We hurry back outside when we hear a cork pop, Kongpob pours me a glass before drinking straight from the bottle. He closes his eyes, counts to 10 then turns to look at me.

"I'm sorry about my mother." He tells me. "She means well, but is insane."

What more could I add, he was right.

"What keys?" I ask.

"My apartment." He won't look at me. "It's ready and...I can move back anytime."

It was? Why wasn't he looking at me? Did he not want to stay here? I know Wayo said Pha didn't at first, needed time. Did Kongpob want the same?

"This is all happening too fast." He says softly. "Isn't it?"

Was he asking?

"Do you think so?"

"People normally date." He says softly. "Get to know each other and plan. My mother's jumped into the mix, with venues and invitations."

"We can...slow it down..." It hurt to say the words.

"I knew it was overwhelming you."

"Me?" I look up.

"Yes. You are always so quiet when mother is here. I knew you didn't want to..."

"Isn't it you? You keep telling her to calm down."

"I didn't want to frighten you." He stops. "Marriage, forever, it's a lot to take in."

"I'm a vampire, finding your Beloved and forever, is our dream." I ask hesitantly. "Isn't it scary for you?"

He makes me look at him.

"Before you, yes. Since the first time I saw you, I kept hoping to see you again." He kisses the side of my mouth. "A forever without you, is much scarier."

"Stay here, with me."

"Be ready to pick an invitation." Kongpob sighs. "She will never stop till we do."

I smile when he pulls me into his arms, following him as our bodies sway to the tune coming from inside. The song finishes, there is a click and it plays again. I listen to his soft voice as he sings the words, just for me.

Quand il me prend dans ses bras,
Il me parle tout bas,
Je vois la vie en rose.
Il me dit des mots d'amour,
Des mots de tous les jours,
Et ça me fait quelque chose.
Il est entré dans mon cœur,
Une part de bonheur
Dont je connais la cause.
C'est lui pour moi,
Moi pour lui dans la vie,
Il me l'a dit, l'a juré pour la vie.
Et dès que je l'aperçois,
Alors je sens en moi
Mon cœur qui bat.

When he takes me in his arms
And speaks softly to me,
I see life in rosy hues.
He tells me words of love,
Words of every day,
And in them I become something.
He has entered my heart,
A part of happiness
Whereof I understand the reason.
It's he for me and I for him, throughout life,
He has told me, he has sworn to me, for life.
And from the things that I sense,
Now I can feel within me
My heart that beats.

(La Vie en Rose - Sabrina, staring Audry Hepburn)

We both stop when something falls, turning to the treelines. Even without my eyes turning I can see who it is. I need to fire the vampires working for me.

"Mother?"

"You can see me?" Mini asks standing with help from her husband.

"Of course, I can." Kongpob looks tired. "Why are you here?"

"I'm live streaming your date to the girls."

"You...what?"

"Kong." His father sighs. "Answer when I call you, or read my warnings."

"Em said he wouldn't know we were here." Mini looks annoyed. "He said it's the same spell ninjas used."

"He said hear us, dear." Kong's father explains. "He didn't say invisible."

"How did you get a key?" Kong demands.

"I borrowed it from Poppy..."

"She doesn't know it yet..." Kong's father finishes.

"Why don't you ever sing to me in French?"

"You forbid me." Kong's father protests. "Something about ruining your favourite songs."

"I will find a way to make her leave the country." Kongpob's hold on my hand tightens. "Please don't run away."