"Mikaela, wake up!"
I groaned, jolting awake. "Uh uh," I snapped, eyes still shut. "I'm laying down some more rules, this can't keep happening."
"Get up, come on!" I heard Kai say, shaking me.
"What for?" I sighed.
"We have a flight to catch."
I sat up immediately. "Wait, what?"
"Pack your bags," he said with a grin. "I'm taking you away for the weekend. This town is getting boring."
"Seriously?" I gasped with delight.
"Yes," he chuckled, then raised a brow. "Unless you'd rather sleep in bed all day?"
"No!" I yelled, throwing the duvet off my body. "I'm up!"
"Good girl," Kai teased, wheeling a suitcase towards me.
"Where are we going?" I asked excitedly, grabbing the suitcase and dropping it onto the bed, already open. "What kind of stuff do I need to pack? Like summer clothes or layers and layers of wool?"
"Miami," was all he said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching me amusedly.
"Miami?" I squealed. "Shut. Up!" I rushed over to my wardrobe, searching through my clothes on the hangers. "Okay so I'll need a bikini and some shorts and crop tops. Oh, and a cute summer dress and some sandals and sunglasses and-"
"Wow, and I thought I talked a lot," Kai commented, throwing his head back with laughter.
"You do," I shot back, then started packing clothes into the case. "Oh my God, this is going to be so fun!" I paused briefly, turning to look at Kai. "Wait, why Miami?"
"I've never been there," he replied easily with a shrug.
I shook my head in disbelief. "So you're telling me you've been here all these years and you've never been to Miami?"
"That's exactly what I'm telling you."
"So I'm taking your Miami virginity?" I asked, feeling almost proud.
Kai smirked. "I mean, sure, if that's what you're planning..."
I scrunched up my face, realising what I'd said. "Ew, no, I didn't mean it like that."
"Sure thing," he said with a chuckle.
I pulled out the black slip dress from the wardrobe, eyeing it thoughtfully. Was this trip the 'another time' I'd been waiting for to wear it?
"Ooh, that's a pretty dress," Kai commented with a grin.
Yes. This trip was exactly the time to wear it.
Packing the dress into the suitcase, I tried to hide the blush creeping across my face. I grabbed the only pair of heels I owned in this Prison World, a pair of open-toed black Stilettos and placed them to the side, ready to pack.
"Put these in the 'yes' pile," I heard Kai say with a giggle.
Turning to find him searching through my underwear drawer and holding up a thong made of black lace, my heart leapt out of my throat. Flashing to his side in an instant, I snatched them from him with a sigh.
"Shouldn't you be packing your own things?" I snapped.
"Already done," he replied easily with a smile. "The sooner we get your case packed, the sooner we can leave."
"Well be helpful elsewhere," I sighed. "Can you get the toiletries from my bathroom please?"
He tutted but did as he was told, walking away to let me pack my underwear in peace. It took us only another twenty minutes to get everything packed, both have showers and be ready to leave.
Our suitcases were in the trunk of the car, the cooler box full of blood bags in the footwell of the backseat. Kai got in the driver's seat whilst I jumped into the passenger's.
"Ready?" he asked as he revved the car, eager to drive away from the Lockwood Mansion.
"Get us the hell out of here," I replied with a grin. Kai returned it then pulled out of the driveway.
Music blasted from the speakers, the warm breeze from the open windows filling me with a happiness I hadn't truly felt in a long time. Being half werewolf meant I didn't have to wear a daylight ring to enjoy the sun, and it was the main thing I was grateful to my sire for.
"So what do you think Klaus will say when you eventually get back home?" Kai asked suddenly, as if reading my thoughts.
"Oh," I began awkwardly. "Um, I haven't really thought about it, if I'm being honest."
"Do you think he'll be angry? Or happy to see you again?" he pushed on. Why did he care so much about how Klaus felt?
I blinked. "Uh, both, I guess?"
Kai nodded slowly. "So, if he, like, found out about us, do you think he would try to kill me?"
My jaw dropped. "Kai, where has this come from?"
He shrugged. "I'm just thinking out loud. 'Cause I'll have enough people after my head without needing to add the Original Hybrid to that list."
I scoffed. "Well, first off, there is no 'us' so there isn't anything he needs to know about." Kai side-eyed me but said nothing. "Secondly, how do you know we're even getting out of here?"
"I made a promise to you, didn't I?" he replied. "And I think you and I both know that we're not going to just go our separate ways when we get back. You couldn't even survive a week without me," he teased.
I rolled my eyes, turning my head to look out of the window to hide the redness of my face. "That's because I was completely alone," I muttered. "I'll have plenty of people to distract me in the real world."
"So if I just disappeared from your life, you would be completely fine because you have your friends, family and master?" he shot back.
No. "Yes."
"Oookay," he said sarcastically, elongating the word.
"Look, can we talk about something else?" I sighed. "I was actually feeling pretty good until we started talking about Klaus Mikaelson."
Kai reached out to grab my jaw, turning me to look at him. Noticing the sadness in my eyes, he gulped. "Okay," he said softly, letting go. "Let's talk about something else."
I gave him a grateful smile. "What's the first thing we're going to do when we get to Miami?"
Kai tilted his head in thought. "Well, we can go to an abandoned restaurant?" he offered. "I mean, I'll be the chef but at least the environment will be different."
I chuckled. "Sounds perfect." An idea popped into my head. "Ooh, can we go to the beach?"
He laughed, patting my leg. "You thought we'd be going to Miami and forgetting to hit the beach? Come on, Mikaela, you're smarter than that," he teased.
Ignoring his quip, my mood had returned to normal, all thoughts of what could possibly happen when we got home leaving my mind. All I could think about was how much fun this trip was going to be.
We made general chit-chat the rest of the journey to the airport, any silences between us filled with music from the radio. As usual, there was never any awkwardness with Kai. He had this way of always making me feel comfortable in his presence.
Although Kai had already piloted two flights that I had been on, it didn't stopped the anxious nausea stirring in the pit of my stomach as we approached the airport. Noticing my slight change in character, Kai held my hand as we headed towards a small plane, our luggage trailing behind us. I didn't need to say anything, he already understood.
"You can take a nap if you like?" he offered as he set up the controls.
Knowing we'd already missed the sunrise, I had no reason to stay awake, so took his advice, slipping into a shallow slumber whilst we ascended. The moment Kai woke me up, I felt like I'd had my eyes closed for all of five minutes, the flight having lasted around two hours long.
"We're here," he said gently, coaxing me awake.
I almost jumped out of my seat with excitement, rushing to grab my bags and get the hell off this death trap. Chuckling at my reaction, Kai followed me off the plane, carrying his things.
He hot-wired the nearest car - which happened to be a convertible with the roof already down - and we hopped in, throwing our luggage into the trunk. I grabbed a blood-bag out of the cooler box and drained it dry.
"What's that like?" Kai asked as we took off, sunshine reflecting off his Aviator sunglasses. "That constant unquenchable thirst?"
I scrunched up my nose. "It's not great, but all the other amazing things that this lifestyle offers makes the thirst worth it."
"Is it worse for you?" he questioned softly. "You know, being a Ripper?"
The dull ache in my gums got stronger the more we spoke. "I guess so," I murmured. "When the..." I took a deep breath. "Ripper takes over, well... I'm not me any more. I can't stop, all I can think about is blood."
"And me being here, next to you?" he continued. "Does that make things harder?"
I shrugged, making a face of unease. "Not usually," I admitted. "But talking about it is making me think about it." I gulped, feeling the two sets of fangs grow from my aching gums. "And you smell really good-"
"Woah, Mikaela, hey-"
It wasn't until his voice pulled me out of my trance that I realised I'd been leaning closer and closer to his throat with each word. I blinked, swiftly sitting back in my seat, horrified.
"Kai, I'm so sorry, I-"
"It's okay. I'm tasty, I get it," he teased with a smile.
I appreciated him trying to make light of the situation as he usually did, but I felt awful. How had I let myself lose control that easily? And with Kai? Someone I never wanted to hurt ever again.
Leaning my head back against the head-rest, I slouched lower in my seat, letting the wind whip my hair around me. I hoped the hundreds of different smells flowing through the air would distract me from the scent of Kai's blood.
If I had never taken a sip, if Kai had never forced me to drink from him, I don't think I would struggle around him in the way that I did.
But the problem was that I had taken a sip. I'd tasted Kai's blood and knew how sweet it was, how it filled me with a warm feeling - an almost magical one, if you will.
And from someone who had the ability to use magic, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that I craved his blood more than anyone else's ever before.
Just like, I realised, the way I craved him more than anyone else.
In a cruel twist of fate, maybe that's what made all the difference.
We finally arrived outside a luxurious hotel over-looking the sea, and in that moment I wondered if I'd died on the flight over and gone to Heaven. It was beautiful, perfect, and I hadn't even stepped foot inside the building yet.
"Did you have any idea which hotel to stay at or did you just pick the first one you came to?" I asked in astonishment as we unpacked our luggage from the car.
"Well, I knew I wanted to be by the ocean, and this hotel looked nice. So I picked this one," Kai replied simply.
I had never met someone so easy-going. Kai always did the first thing that came to his mind and rolled with it, to hell with the consequences.
As we stepped through the main doors, white marble spread from floor to ceiling as far as the eyes could see. Chandeliers hung over black leather sofas and glass windows looked out onto golden sand, the blue waves rolling gently at the shore.
Heaven. Definitely in Heaven.
Kai led me to the empty reception desk then jumped over the top with ease. Scanning what looked like a floor plan on the wall, he searched for a room in particular. Once he found it, he let out an "Aha," then rummaged through the stack of drawers.
Suddenly, he held up a key card between his index and middle fingers, flashing me a grin. "Let's go."
We dragged our luggage into the elevator, and I watched with interest as Kai pressed the button for the top floor. The doors slid closed and for a split second, fantasies of making out with him whizzed around my brain.
I blinked, snapping myself out of it.
Kai shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly uncomfortable with being stood in the same spot for too long.
"Did you know this is my first time in a hotel since being in the Prison World?" he said aloud.
I frowned. "Seriously? You had the best hotels all around the globe to try out and you never did?"
Kai shrugged. "This world felt big and empty enough as it was when I was alone. I didn't think stepping into a grand hotel would make me feel any better."
"How come you decided today was the day you'd change that?"
Kai turned to me with a soft smile. "I'm not lonely anymore."
I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face as the words left his lips. It filled me with joy to know that I could make him feel safe in the same way he continued to make me.
Finally, the elevator opened and we stepped into the hallway consisting of only one door. Kai scanned the key card and the little red light flashed green.
As I walked into the room, a gasp escaped my lips. "The penthouse suite?" I squeaked. "Kai, are you serious?"
Kai chuckled as I dropped my things and ran to the large balcony, throwing open the sliding glass doors. There was a hot tub and white outdoor sofas with a giant coffee table low to the ground. On the other side of the balcony, two sun loungers lay facing the glowing ball in the sky. Everything looked out onto the ocean.
"This is amazing," I breathed.
"You like it?" Kai's voice called from the kitchen area.
"Like it? I love it!" I said as I hurried back inside. Gazing around the giant room in awe, I took in my surroundings.
Floor to ceiling windows panned across three of the four walls, the open-plan room was filled with fairly modern and luxurious decor for 1994. Leather sofas and a king size bed. A door that led to what I could guarantee would be a glorious en-suite bathroom.
"Unpack and then we're going straight out," Kai said suddenly.
I turned to look at him in surprise. "Already? Where are we going?"
"You wanted to go to the beach, right?" he replied with a smirk.
"Oh my God, yes!" I yelled with delight. Whizzing around the room, I quickly unpacked my suitcase and placed the blood bags from the cooler box into the refrigerator. Grabbing the white bikini and overall shorts, I got changed in the bathroom - which was, as I expected, beautiful - and hurried back out to find Kai had barely taken two steps.
"If there's one thing I'm jealous of," he began, "it's that super-speed."
"Come on," I nagged. "We don't have all day."
Kai snorted. "Uh, yeah, we kind of do. But whatever, I'll be as fast as I can." As he trudged off to get changed, I heard him mutter under his breath, "Not all of us are Goddamn Quicksilver."
Thankfully, only a few minutes later, he reappeared from the bathroom, dressed in only a pair of navy swim shorts.
"You couldn't put a T-shirt on?" I croaked.
Kai shrugged with a smile. "It's not like anyone else is going to see me. The beach is only a couple of steps away from the hotel."
Nodding, I gulped, unable to reply. He knew exactly what he was doing.
We made our way back out of the hotel room and into the elevator. Once on the ground floor, Kai led me to the doors at the back of the grand entrance.
He was right. It really was only a few steps to the beach. In no time at all, my feet were touching warm sand.
Whilst waiting for Kai to get dressed, I'd packed a bag filled with beach towels, drinks and snacks. Carrying it over my shoulder, I followed him to a pair of loungers halfway to the shore.
We sat down and I placed the towels in front of us, emptying the contents of the bag onto the material. "I grabbed us a few essentials, I hope that's okay?" I said, handing him a bottle of beer.
Taking it from me willingly, he gave me a grateful smile. "Thanks," he said. Glancing down at my hands, he frowned. "How come you don't wear a daylight ring?"
I shrugged. "Hybrids aren't affected by the sun the same way regular vamps are. I'm not really sure why, I guess it's something to do with our werewolf heritage."
"You really got all the perks from both species, huh?" he chuckled, leaning back against the sun lounger.
I scoffed. "Yeah, and the constant thirst for blood. Oh, and there's that pesky werewolf aggression."
"Sounds like perks to me," he teased.
I laughed sarcastically. "You would say that, sociopath."
"Everything's heightened, right? Like your emotions and personality?" he wondered aloud.
I nodded in agreement.
"What do you think I would be like? As a vamp?"
Nibbling my lower lip, I hesitated in answering. I didn't want to offend him. "Well, you'd find everything funnier," I said eventually.
"Do you think I'd go on a killing spree?" he wondered, ignoring my joke.
I sighed. "I don't know, Kai. The thought of you becoming a vampire scares me a little, I'm not going to lie." I ran my hands through my hair, slightly frustrated that we were having this conversation again. "It doesn't matter anyways because you're not going to be one. You have other more important plans for the future, and being a blood-thirsty monster shouldn't be on the list."
"I don't need fangs for that," he shot back, staring up at the sky.
"Give yourself a break, Kai," I said softly. "You've made mistakes but if you spend time trying to make up for them, people will see the amazing person you really are."
"Even though I want to kill my father?" he chuckled, turning to face me.
I smirked. "That makes two of us. No one could blame you for that."
Kai threw me a gentle smile but said nothing else, looking back towards the sun again, letting the rays wash over his gorgeously tanned skin.
He looked so good right now, it was taking everything in me not to salivate. He knew he looked good, and that was the worst part. Kai had a hold over me that was obvious to the both of us.
Deciding to play him at his own game, I stood up and unclipped the straps of my overalls and stepped out of them, standing in just the bikini. As I sat back down, Kai didn't even look in my direction, and a pang of hurt shot through my chest. Was I not sexy enough for him?
I laid back against the lounger and heaved a deep sigh, partly from relaxation, partly from the need to have his attention on me, if only for a few seconds. Whatever the reason, it worked.
Kai glanced over at me briefly, lowering his sunglasses to look me over. Then he turned back to face the sky.
"You look good, Mikaela, but you know you don't need my validation," he commented nonchalantly.
I smirked. He was right, I didn't need his validation. But that doesn't mean it didn't feel good to hear it.
"Thank you," was all I replied.
We both lay there for a while in silence, relaxing under the sun, content enough to just listen to the waves rolling onto the shore. Being in The Prison World, the beach sounded a little different to the real world. No groups of teenagers playing volleyball; no children crying because they dropped their ice cream; no surfers riding the waves; no birds squawking in the sky. It was very quiet, but peaceful.
Had I been back home, I would've brought a book with me and my earphones to listen to music. But that not being possible here, I was happy for shirtless Kai to be my main source of entertainment.
He eventually sat up and moved himself to sit on the slightly damp sand. I watched with amusement as he took his finger and drew a giant letter 'K'. My heart began to flutter as he continued to write in the sand, moving on to draw an '&' sign and finally the letter 'M'. He encased the whole inscription in the shape of a heart.
"Doesn't your name technically begin with an M too?" I questioned with a chuckle.
"I'd rather not be reminded of that," he said with a tut.
After another hour or two of relaxing, sunbathing and conversation, we finally decided to move on to the next event that Kai had planned for us. Picking up our stuff, he led me across the beach hand-in-hand, heading towards the harbor. We eventually stopped in front of a small yacht.
He helped me onto the boat then made his way into the cockpit, starting up the yacht as if it was nothing.
"Another one of your secret talents?" I asked, raising my brow from where I sat on one of the sofas on the deck.
Kai threw me a wink over his shoulder then began to steer the boat out of the harbor. "I can assure you, I have many secret talents you have yet to discover."
I blushed at the flirty tone to his words, turning my attention to the shimmering waves surrounding us, letting the ocean breeze blow the curls away from my face.
"You don't get sea sick, do you?" he teased. "I mean, after the drama of flying, I'm not sure I can handle it on a boat too."
I rolled my eyes. "No," I tutted. "I actually love the ocean." I smiled softly to myself. "I don't get to see if very often, but when I do... I can't help but feel at peace."
"I know exactly what you mean," Kai replied. "The ocean is the closest I'll ever get to Heaven," he added quietly.
His words echoed in my mind for a few minutes. Heaven. Was that real? If it was, I highly doubted I was headed there. I would either be stuck on The Other Side for eternity, or damned to reside in the fiery pits of Hell forever.
Once far enough away from the docks, Kai switched off the engine and let the yacht float on the waves gently. He searched the mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of champagne, holding it up victoriously. Coming out to meet me under the sun, he popped open the cork and poured the bubbly liquid into two flute glasses, handing one to me as he sat down next to me.
"So," he began with a smile, taking a sip of his drink. "How are you finding Miami so far?"
"Amazing," I gushed. "I will always love my home, but this is a nice break."
"Maybe one day we can experience it for real," he offered.
I gulped, nervous grin spreading across my face. "Yeah," I whispered. "Maybe one day."
"We'll get out of here, Mikaela," Kai said, resting his hand on top of mine comfortingly. "Even if I've got to force the location of the ascendant out of the Bennett witch."
"Kai," I warned him.
"What?" he chuckled. "I'm not going to torture her, not if I don't have to. But a little threat here and there can't hurt, right?"
"Hm," I grumbled, not fully trusting him.
Kai threw his head back with a laugh then took another sip of champagne. "What do you want for dinner tonight at the restaurant?" he asked suddenly. "I heard that the chef is looking forward to cook for you."
"Well I'm looking forward to eating whatever he cooks for me - which I'm hoping is some sort of steak, medium to well-done..." I drifted off, looking at him meaningfully over the rim of my glass.
"I'll be sure to let him know," he teased with a grin.
Once our drinks were finished, we climbed onto the front of the boat, laying down under the afternoon sun.
"I could stay here forever," I sighed, inhaling the sea air deeply.
"Me too," Kai said next to me. "But we've got too much to get back to."
I nodded in agreement. "I know. I just don't think I'm ready for all of that yet, you know? It all just sounds so exhausting."
Kai turned onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow as he looked down at me. "It will be worth it. We'll both get everything we want and no one will be able to take it from us again."
I nibbled my lower lip in thought, holding back the overwhelming emotion I could sense building up in my throat. "I'm so sick of being the black sheep of the family," I admitted. "Tyler can do no wrong in my mother's eyes. But me? Different story." I sat up angrily. "She blames me for being sired to Klaus. She doesn't see the fact that I was turned against my will. I didn't ask for this, you know? I didn't ask to become a monster."
Kai bobbed his head in understanding. "I know exactly how you feel. It's not easy for people like us, Mikaela. People who always need to live up to impossible expectations, thrown into situations that weren't our fault." He lifted my chin up to meet my gaze. "I get it."
I rested my forehead against his. "I'm glad I have you by my side, Kai," I breathed. "It's comforting to know that when I go home at least someone will have my back." He smiled and I returned it. "Same goes for you, by the way. You know I'll stand by you," I added.
His thumb stroked my cheek. "You're the only person I need."
Butterflies swarmed in my stomach and before giving me a chance to calm down, his lips met mine. I moaned softly into his mouth as his hands raked themselves through my hair. It had been a while since we'd kissed and God, how I had missed it. I was so addicted to him and there was nothing I could do about it.
He pulled away slowly, a small smile playing about his lips. "I'll miss this."
"Miss what?" I wondered aloud.
"Kissing you," he whispered in my ear before pressing his lips to my jaw. "Touching you with no one else around."
I let out a shaky breath. "Yeah," I agreed. "It's going to suck."
"We'll just have to make the most of it whilst we're alone," he chuckled lowly, then swiped a stroke of his tongue up the skin of my throat, forcing a moan out of me.
"Kai," I breathed.
He pulled away, much to my frustration, and reached for my hand. "Come on, let's head back to shore. It's nearly time for dinner."
I nodded, letting him help me back onto the main deck of the yacht. I relaxed against the seats as we made our way back into the harbor. We stepped off the boat back on the dock and strolled in the direction of our hotel, neither of us in any rush for this amazing day to end.
Halfway across the beach, Kai stepped in front of me as my head nearly collided with his back. He put his arms behind him and waited, squatting down.
"Uh, what are you doing?"
"Giving you a piggyback ride," was all he said, glancing at me over his shoulder.
"Um, no, thanks. I'll pass," I said, about to step around him.
"Come on, Mickie. Live a little!" he laughed.
I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Fine, whatever. Weirdo." I hopped onto his back and he caught me, holding onto my thighs with his hands. The coldness of the rings on his fingers sent goosebumps along my skin. He carried me like that the whole way across the beach and up to our hotel room, both of us giggling like idiots.
Once back in the room, we began to get ready for dinner. I jumped in the shower, scrubbing the salt from the sea air out of my curls. I stepped out of the glass walk-in shower cubicle and wrapped a towel around me, before brushing my teeth, drying my hair and putting some make-up on.
"Bathroom's free," I said as I entered the main room.
"Thanks," Kai said, getting up from one of the sofas and breezing past me with a smile.
I scanned the outfit options for a moment or two before my gaze stopped on the black slip dress.
It had to be this, right? Now had to be the right time.
Pulling it over my body, I looked in the full-length mirror on the wall near the bed, smoothing down the material as I twisted back and forth, checking my reflection. It was made out of silk; shiny and beautiful. The straps were thin and crossed at the back. It hugged my curves in all the right places. It was perfect.
I stepped into my black Stilettos and waited for Kai to exit the bathroom. I only had to be patient for a few minutes before he appeared, towel wrapped around his waist, water trickling down his bare chest as he dried his damp hair with another towel.
He didn't even need to try to look hot - he just always was.
"That shower is amazing," he commented with a grin, jabbing a thumb back in the direction of the en-suite. "Do they have those in the future? Because if so I need to get one."
I chuckled. "The showers are even better in the future," I replied.
"Great! Are they expensive because I'm going to be real low on cash-" His words cut off as he took in my appearance for the first time. "Wow, Mikaela, you look..."
"Is it too much?" I asked as I stood up, starting to panic.
"No, it's perfect! You look beautiful," Kai gushed, making his way over to me. His hands landed on my hips and he pulled me closer, lust clouding his blue eyes. "How am I supposed to concentrate on cooking tonight when you look like this?"
"With great difficulty, I expect," I teased, unable to stop myself from fluttering my lashes a little.
"You know it," he admitted with a wink. He sighed longingly, finally dropping his hands. "I guess I'd better get dressed."
"Yes please. I'm so hungry."
"My pretty Hybrid, always such a big appetite," he commented with a chuckle.
I winked. "You know it," I replied, throwing his own words back at him. "Now hurry up."
"Yes Ma'am," he grinned, saluting me before walking over to his closet and pulling out his outfit of choice. This happened to be a white button up shirt and black pants combo.
Without warning, he dropped his towel with his back to me. I gasped, spinning around and hiding my eyes.
"Kai! Seriously? Give a girl some warning!"
"It's just my ass," he replied easily.
"You're an ass!" I snapped, slightly embarrassed.
Kai laughed, saying nothing else. Eventually, he told me it was safe to look.
At first, I was unsure whether to trust him, keeping my hands over my eyes. I squinted one open, peeking through my fingers to make sure he wasn't naked anymore.
"If it was possible for me to die from a heart attack, you would be the reason why," I muttered.
"Don't act like you didn't love it," Kai teased, smirking at me. He knew the truth, I didn't need to deny it. Truthfully, I'd thought about Kai naked more times than I liked to admit.
"Are you ready? Can we go?" I asked impatiently, trying to move the topic away from Kai without clothes.
"Finishing touches," he said simply, grabbing a bottle of cologne and spritzing himself with it. He dipped his fingers into some hair gel and ran it through his hair, styling it in the way I loved.
He washed his hands under the kitchen tap then dried them with a towel. Turning to me with a grin, he said, "I'm ready."
"Great! Let's go!"
I hurried towards the front door, eager to get out of the room and away from the bed. Kai's scent was overwhelming and he looked way too good. He was tempting me - it was almost unbearable. I tried to focus on what the food would taste like as we made our way out of the hotel.
Kai held my hand as we walked, and for someone who was as clumsy as me, I walked quite well in these gorgeous heels, my thick Hybrid skin meaning I didn't have to deal with blisters.
We finally entered a luxurious, abandoned restaurant. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, similar to our hotel. Velvet booths were scattered around the room under dimly lit spotlights.
"Table for two!" Kai called out. When there was no reply, he sighed. "Wow, the service in here sucks."
I suppressed a laugh, trying not to give him the satisfaction of knowing I found his joke funny. "Where should we sit?"
"Right in front of the kitchen," Kai replied, pointing to the table. "Where I can keep my eyes on you."
He slipped a hand around my waist and led me to the table of choice. Pulling out my chair for me, he gestured for me to sit down, smile playing on his lips.
"Why, thank you," I teased with a grin, sliding into the seat.
He winked before grabbing a bottle of wine from behind the bar. He brought it over to the table, pouring a glass for each of us. "I'm going to begin with our starters. Do you have anything in mind?"
I shrugged. "Surprise me. I know it'll be good no matter what."
Kai flashed me a smug smile then turned on his heel, heading towards the kitchen. I sipped my wine, watching him over the rim of my glass as he got to work. His sleeves were rolled up to just above his elbows, and of course, he looked like a damn professional, barely breaking a sweat.
"How are you doing over there? Not bored yet?" he called after a while.
"I'm good. Seeing you hard at work is all the entertainment I need," I commented with a smirk.
"Watch and learn, my Padawan," he grinned.
I snorted. "Nerd," I said under my breath as I coughed.
"Heard that," Kai shouted with a laugh.
A few minutes later, he appeared from the kitchen, bringing two plates over to our table. On both plates were cocktail glasses filled with salad and seasoned shrimp in a seafood sauce.
"How's that?" he asked as he sat down opposite me, excited grin spread across his face.
"Looks amazing," I commented, eager to dig in. I grabbed a fork and looked up at him from under my lashes. "Am I allowed to start eating?"
Kai chuckled, leaning his elbows on the table and interlocking his fingers, watching me with amusement. "Of course. I know better than to starve you."
I smirked then dug in, too hungry to wait any longer. Kai followed suit just after.
"I will never get over how good your cooking is," I sighed, words almost coming out as a moan. It was delicious, as always.
"When we get back to the real world, maybe I'll have to sneak over some meals to you when no one's around," he replied, smiling down at his plate.
I grinned. "That sounds like a great idea." Then I frowned, pausing. "You're not going to live too far away, are you?" I wondered aloud.
Kai shook his head. "I need to stay local. If my family are situated near Mystic Falls, that's where I will need to be. Travelling takes too much time."
"Okay, that's good," I replied, unable to stop my smile from returning.
"Is it?" Kai said, raising a brow suspiciously.
I blushed. "I mean, yeah, you can't have your plans ruined by spending too much time driving around."
"Hm," was all he said.
We finished our starters in no time, and Kai was eager to get on with the next course. He picked up our empty plates. "Steak cooked medium to well-done coming right up," he said, then left the table.
I giggled as he walked away, watching him prepping in the kitchen once again.
Kai had really treated me today. He'd made me feel incredibly special and given me memories that I would keep with me forever. This trip away had been exactly what I needed. And of course, Kai always knew me better than I knew myself.
"Main course incoming," I heard him say as he walked over to our booth. He placed the plates onto the table, then sat back in his chair.
On each plate was a giant steak, cooked to perfection, with buttered potatoes and seasoned vegetables, and a small pot of peppercorn sauce on the side.
"Wow," was all I managed to get out.
"Does it look good?"
"Good? It looks incredible!" I squeaked. "You really should become a chef."
"I'm not one for working," he admitted, pulling his plate closer to him. "Unless it's being coven leader, I'm not really interested."
I scoffed. "So how are you planning on paying for accommodation? For food?"
"I was thinking I could just bunk with you for a while?" he offered innocently.
I couldn't help it. A laugh escaped my lips. "I'm sure my Mom would love having a sociopath under her roof."
"What she doesn't know won't hurt her?" Kai chuckled, taking a piece of steak off his fork with his teeth.
I sighed. "Kai, you need to take some responsibility. You have all these plans but you don't actually have any idea what you're going to do once you get out." I sounded harsh but I was just worried about him. I didn't want him living on the streets.
Kai shrugged, eyes focused on his plate. "I'll figure something out."
"I can give you some money to get you started but after that you'll need to step up," I warned.
"I don't need hand-outs," he grumbled.
I rolled my eyes. "It's not a hand-out. It's a friend helping a friend." I leaned over, interlocking his fingers with mine. "I'm just looking out for you, Kai."
His gaze finally met mine, his features softening. "I know. Thank you. Don't worry about me though, honestly. I'm very resourceful."
I eyed him suspiciously. "That usually means you'll do whatever it takes to get your own way."
"You call it getting my own way. I call it resourceful. It's just a matter of opinion, really," he teased.
I tutted. "Kai," I warned, pulling my hand away. "I'm choosing to trust you to come back with me and not hurt innocent people. If you're not going to keep your word, I'll make sure you're stuck here forever. I don't want to be held accountable for letting a psycho loose in Mystic Falls."
Kai flinched a little, placing his cutlery down on his plate. "Supernatural creatures use their gifts and abilities to help them in life every single day. Your best friend Bonnie uses her powers all of the time, doesn't she? Even when it goes against nature."
I frowned. "Yes, but-"
"Then don't judge me on what I choose to do with mine. I'm not going to to hurt anyone that doesn't deserve it, Mikaela. I just need to cheat a little here and there to get me up to speed with everyone else." He gulped. "I'm starting life from scratch, you really think it's going to be easy for me?"
I looked down at my plate, guilt eating away at me. "I'm sorry, Kai. I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just worried."
Kai sighed. "I get it. I'm untrustworthy. I'm a liar. I'm temperamental. But at least give me a chance to prove that there's more to me than what everyone thinks."
Suddenly my appetite vanished. "You don't need to prove it to me, Kai. I trust you. I just had a moment of weakness, alright? I overthink things."
Kai reached out for my hand again. "I lost my temper, Mikaela, it's a touchy subject. Please don't be upset. I don't want to ruin what's been a good day."
"No it's my fault, I know what you've been through yet I continue to question you." The tears were only seconds from overflowing.
"No, Mickie, please don't cry into your steak. It won't be as nice if it's sodden," he joked.
I chuckled softly, finally meeting his gaze. "I'm sorry."
"You don't need to apologise. It's over, put it behind us," Kai said with a grin. Just like that, he was back to normal.
Nodding in agreement, I picked up my cutlery and began to eat again. Kai was right. I didn't want to ruin what had been an amazing day and an amazing meal. He deserved better than that.
Kai topped up our drinks then took our empty plates back to the kitchen. "Got room for dessert?" he called.
I shook my head. "Not right now," I admitted. "I feel like I'm going to burst."
He laughed. "Okay. I'll bring the cake back to the hotel with us, then."
"Sounds good," I offered with a smile.
We knocked back our drinks then finally left the restaurant, Kai carrying a chocolate cake in one hand and holding my waist with the other.
"Truthfully," he whispered in my ear as we entered our hotel room, "I had other plans for dessert anyways."
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Author's Note
I'm so sorry for delayed update, guys! It's been a super busy and weird few weeks.
I've been dealing with some personal and health issues, along with being really overwhelmed with work. Unfortunately it's meant I've had no motivation or even time to write!
But I'm back and hopefully can update much more regularly now that I'm back on track!
The next chapter should make up for the delay, so be prepared. Things get a little spicy 😏
Thank you so much for reading!