Consumed » Kai Parker

Fifty One

Thunderous claps crash through my eardrums, startling me awake.

The sky outside Kai's spacious bedroom is darkened by gray clouds, occasional bolts of lightening illuminating the entire room in spades before we're plunged back into dimness.

The view only brings further dread, considering it's the beginning of another day in which I have to return to the exhausting routine of classes and Kai has to travel to Portland. Throw in the fact that it's Valentine's Day, meaning couples would be surrounding me all day with the stinging reminder that I wouldn't get to see my own boyfriend until later tonight, and I'm not exactly feeling too inclined to face the day.

Sighing quietly, I try to place the nagging thoughts into the ever-growing pile of things to worry about at a much later time and glance at the time on the digital clock. It's only seven thirty, giving me two and a half hours until I have to be at Whitmore.

Rolling over slowly with Kai's arm slightly sliding off my waist in the process, I smile at the mind-easing sight of the witch still seemingly stuck in a slumber. But the smile is abruptly wiped from my face when I discover the distress etched into his scrunched features.

His eyes are screwed tightly shut, with a force that wrinkles his forehead. The sharp muscle of his jaw is clenched, the bone protruding against the skin of his cheek so prominently that I fear it's painful. Sweat glistens on the surface of his tan skin, like it's an extremely physically taxing effort to fight off whatever torture he's found himself face to face with; even worse, it's a battle he may be losing.

"Kai," I whisper with heightening concern, hurriedly throwing the covers down to the end of the mattress.

Scrambling up to sit on my knees beside his heaving torso, I take hold of his bare shoulders and shake gently. Low, gritting noises tumble through his vocal cords, sending a flurry of nerves off in my stomach.

"Kai," I say louder. His eyes abruptly shoot open, flitting over the room wildly like he's surveying an environment that's entirely foreign, and a hand flashes up in a lightening quick movement to grip one of my wrists.

Gasping slightly in surprise, I wait for him to meet my gaze, not daring to move an inch in case I startle him further. Piercing blue eyes finally land on my face, recognition soon washing over his momentarily delirious expression, and he exhales slowly.

"Charlie," Kai lets out gravelly, his breathing adapting a steady pace once more. Realizing he's still holding my wrist, he loosens his fingers gently and murmurs an apology. I move my hands off his shoulders, placing them in my lap instead, and study him with a worry that I try not to let reflect in my expression too much.

"Bad dream?" I question, the undercurrent of urgency behind my curiosity peeking through.

He throws an arm over his face tiredly, leaving only the lower half of his features visible. "Something like that."

"Tell me about it," I insist.

"I can only really remember pieces. It's all already fading away."

"Well, tell me what you remember, then."

His mouth curves into a crooked smile. "I don't really like to waste my time dissecting meaningless images my brain conjured up while I was unconscious. There's enough we have to worry about without adding dreams to the list, don't you agree?"

I frown. "You don't have to brush everything off like it's nothing, Kai."

"And you should start realizing that some things just are nothing. Not every little event needs to be picked apart by your overworked brain."

I scoff lightly at the accusation, more annoyed at how accurate Kai's analyses are when it comes to my hard-to-kick habit of stressing. On the spectrum of thinking, I'm on the far end where every single experience and emotion twists itself into a bigger beast than it has to be, gnawing away at my sense of well-being.

Kai is on the opposite end of that hypothetical scale, generally going through life without allowing any individual thought or what-if scenario to gain so much presence in his mind that it may potentially nag at him. Sometimes, though, he thwarts worrying thoughts to the point of harmful and willful ignorance, putting himself at risk. There's some things worth mulling and stressing over, especially in the complicated existence that we both live, and I continue to wish Kai would take time to realize that rather than approaching most situations in his nonchalant manner.

The two of us are living in opposite extremes in that respect; if only we can find our happy medium. Things aren't always so simple.

Lifting his arm from his face, his eyes sweep to the side to scan my expression and his smile brightens. A deep chuckle emits from his throat. "Hit a nerve?"

I roll my eyes. "No. You're just...too much."

"You've done a pretty good job of handling me so far."

I purse my lips, recognizing the innuendo as his eyebrows slightly raise. "Kai. Can you just admit that sometimes, you're too casual about situations that could end up being harmful to you?"

He tilts his head. "Are you trying to tell me one bad dream is gonna harm me?"

"I'm trying to tell you that you don't have to bury everything under your oh-everything's-fine mask. You make me talk to you whenever you know something's bothering me, so why can't I do the same for you?"

"You can," he replies matter-of-factly, "when something is actually bothering me. And this case doesn't make the cut."

I glare at him, irritated by his stubbornness, and he laughs, wrapping a hand around my bare thigh.

"On second thought, there is one thing you can do to make me feel better after my super scary nightmare." He waggles his eyebrows dramatically, a lazy smile lingering on his plump lips.

"What's that?" I ask warily.

"Lay down with me for a while," he says in a low husk, sliding his hand down slowly from the crook of my elbow to lace our fingers together.

Chewing on my lip, I eye the clock. "I have to get ready in a few–"

"You don't start class 'till eleven on Tuesday's," he says. "And it's not even eight. We've got time."

My eyebrows draw in. "How'd you know that?"

He smiles, stroking his thumb over my knuckles. "I pay attention."

Unable to suppress a smile, I internally debate whether to accept his tempting request or dash into the bathroom before his blue eyes and lopsided smiles break me down farther. It is only seven forty and the pattering of the rain against the window is making Kai's arms look more comfortable by the second.

"You should eat something first."

"Plenty of time for that later."

"But you're looking sort of pale–"

"Charlie," he sighs, his lower lip jutting in a slight pout. "Please come here."

I laugh at his increasing impatience and the childlike quality of his plead. "Okay. For ten minutes, and then it's breakfast time."

"Mm, twenty," he mumbles satisfactorily, as I lower myself back down to the mattress and nestle close to his body warmth.

"Fifteen."

Amusement shines in his gaze as he studies me through half-drooped lids. "Thirty it is."

Shaking my head at his playful defiance, I press a lingering kiss to the corner of his mouth causing the ends to turn up. He closes his eyes, resting his forehead against mine while unhurriedly running his palm over the side of my thigh and hip. The rain is the only sound in the quiet bedroom apart from our synced breathing, giving me a momentary sense of peace and safety that I'm reluctant to break away from.

Another raucous clap of thunder resonates off the walls and I jump slightly at the sudden noise, my forehead rearing back from Kai's. He feels my movement and his lids peel open, an eyebrow arched teasingly.

"Scared of thunderstorms?"

"No," I tell him honestly, drawing circles with my index finger absentmindedly over his chest. "I used to be, when I was younger. Elena would let me stay in her room whenever there was a storm. We would always huddle under a huge fort of blankets and sneak hot chocolate into her room, even though our mom would scold us about only eating and drinking in the kitchen." A fond smile makes its way on my lips at the recollection of the childhood memory.

"Elena would tell me that the lightening was just a bunch of giant people in the sky taking a picture of the humans on Earth, and the thunder was the click of their camera." I snicker. "It was kinda impossible to still be scared after that. I even believed her for a little while."

Cheeks flushing with a trail of heat when I notice that I began to ramble, I peer up to find Kai's gaze trained on me intently with a small smile. The attentiveness he gives me even during the most trivial dialogue is something that leaves me pleasantly bashful and surprised each time I come across it. It's nice to have someone who's so willing to listen; even more so, who seems to genuinely like hearing what you have to say.

"I was the opposite," he says after a beat, his fingertips idly traveling under the hem of my tee shirt. "Loved thunderstorms. I'd run outside in the rain and jump in the grass because I liked how squishy it felt under my boots." He laughs and I beam at the sound. "Jo would get worried that I was gonna catch a cold, but sometimes I could convince her to join in. Joshua was always pissed because I'd track mud back into the house, even though magic could clean it up in literally a second. And anyway, that only made me do it even more."

"A troublemaker since childhood," I remark. "Makes sense."

He smirks. "As opposed to the rule-following goody two shoes I'm sure you were, yup."

"Hey!" I protest. "I could've been a rebel, living on the wild side. You didn't know me."

"Charlie, the fact that you just said living on the wild side non-ironically tells me all I need to know."

The halfhearted scowl I muster only triggers his contagious chortling and he presses his lips to my forehead. I smile at the soothing contact and reach down to tug the blanket over the both of us. Snuggling deep into his chest, I rest my temple against his shoulder and place my hand over his heart to feel it thumping at a fixed rhythm.

"Are you really okay?" I whisper and his chest vibrates in a low hum, his hand traveling into my hair to rub the back of my head in slow, relaxing motions.

"I will be as long as you stay in bed with me," he answers and I exhale through a laugh.

"I'm not going anywhere." I pause. "For about thirty minutes."

"I'll take it," he rasps out through a yawn, adjusting himself to be more comfortable under the blankets and bringing my body flush against his.

I brush my lips over the crook of his neck and crane my head upward to kiss the underside of his jaw, over his throat, and working my way up leisurely to his cheek and nose. Despite his shut lids, an adorable half-grin tugs at one side of his mouth during my affectionate ministrations. More thunder sounds outside and neither of us start at the sound, safely enveloped in each other.

I run my hand up his jaw, sliding my thumb over his slightly pouted lower lip. While his eyes stay closed, I take the opportunity to examine the rest of his still features and intake the bags under his eyelids with worry. Whatever torturous images plagued him moments ago had been occurring most of the night if his exhausted exterior is any evidence to go by. The sight twists around my heart painfully.

He doesn't look like he's in any state to be traveling to Portland for the day, dealing with his hardheaded coven members. But I know voicing this thought will only result in a scoff from Kai, who's always admirably yet irritably certain that he can handle anything no matter the circumstances.

Instead, I cuddle as close to him as possible, because a stubborn section of my brain that occasionally avoids basic rationale is convinced that the less distance I put between us, the less there's a chance of more bad dreams and life-sucking potions targeting him.

"Before I forget..." His voice is clear as ever in the complete quiet aside from the rain, still laced with huskiness. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"Shoot." I lightly slap a hand to my forehead. "That slipped my mind for a second." I throw him a sheepish smile and he's smirking at me. "Happy Valentine's Day, Kai. Your first real one. How's it feeling so far?"

"Mm, pretty good." The hand that's not loosely running through my curls flexes over my hip, inching to the small of my back. "Though I do feel like I was supposed to do something more extravagant. You know, like in all those movies, where the guy fills the room with roses–which I never got by the way; aren't they all just going to die?–and there's usually a candlelit dinner and walk on the beach, or something equally corny and dumb."

He cocks his head uncertainly, eyeing me. "Uh...unless you actually are into things like that? Then, I guess I can give it a shot–"

I laugh, shaking my head and kissing his cheek. When I pull away, his eyes are shining, a rosy hue to his complexion. "Don't worry about any of that. Right now, laying with you is perfect."

Kai's face breaks out into a grin, his brilliant white teeth on full display. Pushing myself up on one elbow, I nudge him to lay flat on his back before throwing one leg over his torso and straddling his waist. My hands slide gradually up his chest, his muscles flexing under my exploring fingers.

Peeking up at his face, I'm struck senseless by how heart achingly handsome my boyfriend looks laying beneath me. With dark hair tousled messily on his head, a lazy smile tugs at one corner of his pink lips and half-lidded eyes gaze up at me sensually through his lashes. This time, when another loud clap of thunder booms outside, I don't even flinch, too caught up in his irresistible pull.

He's unnervingly beautiful. And he's mine.

The thought brings a small smile to my lips and he tilts his head, eyeing me curiously.

"Hmm, what's that look for?" He inquires.

"Just admiring the view," I tease.

His eyebrows shoot up and his laughter trickles throughout the room. "Wow, today really is turning you into a mushier version of yourself. Maybe it's safer that I'll be in Portland."

I snicker. "Shut up."

"I can think of a couple ways for you to do that," he says suggestively, hands moving over my bare thighs to squeeze my ass tightly.

"So can I," I whisper back, watching his eyes alight with fire as I lean down to be level with his face. Then, I clamp my palm over his mouth, suppressing a giggle at the surprise etched into his lifted brows. "This is my personal favorite."

His tongue darts out against the inside of my palm and as I instinctively pull it back, he sits up with lightening quick speed to crush me to him in a playful bear hug. He leans forward with my body squirming in his tight hold, face nuzzled into my neck. Laughter freely spills out of me as he gently bites all over my neck, one hand cradled around the back of my head to keep me in place while the other stays locked firmly across my back.

"Kai," I gasp out through a wide smile. My forearms are pressed between our torsos, keeping me defenseless as he chuckles against my neck. Heat blooms along my sensitive skin, nerves awakening in a fiery state as his playful bites turn to open-mouthed kisses traveling down to my throat.

"This needs to come off," he mumbles, tugging at the hem of my pajama shirt.

"Maybe after you get some food in you," I say, my voice not as steady as I'd like it to be due to his intoxicating closeness.

"Not hungry."

Blinking in shock, I lean back to eye him doubtfully. "Okay, that's the biggest lie you've ever told."

He grins. "Caught me there. But sue me for not being too eager to leave this bed when I have a beautiful girl on my lap and a list of things I'm dying to do to her."

I shiver at the dark suggestion in his words paired with his overly heated stare, all too tempted to take him up on the offer and abandon every responsibility awaiting us. Afraid I'll fall prey to his dirty ideas if I stay here for a moment longer, I start to wriggle out of his grip, managing to partially scoot off his lap. His hand darts out to grab my thigh, halting me.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I point at him sternly. "Breakfast. You need it."

Ignoring his protests, I slide off the bed before my dazed mind compels me to dive under the warm covers with Kai all morning. I rush into the bathroom to use it, then brush my teeth and wash my face thoroughly. When I exit a few minutes later, Kai is standing there rubbing his eyes tiredly and throws me a smirk, pecking my temple before heading inside the bathroom for his own morning routine.

I walk into the living room, arms crossed tightly over my body as a chilly draft hits my bare arms and legs. The rain is hammering down outside with a strength exceeding the pitter-patter that had been occurring when I had just awoken. The loudest boom of thunder yet slices through my eardrums, heart climbing into my throat. I exhale shakily, frowning at the water that sloshes against the windows.

Arms encircle around my waist moments later, breaking me from my stare down with the raging storm outside. I turn my head to meet Kai's eyes, the color simmering within nearly resembling the dark clouds currently in the sky. He rests his chin on my shoulder, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"I'm starting to think you lied when you said you weren't afraid of storms anymore."

"I'm not, but it's...it's coming down really hard out there. Are you sure you should be flying to Portland in this? It's dangerous."

His mouth twitches. "About that...the airline emailed me. I got the notification on my phone just now. Flight's cancelled 'cause of severe weather conditions. They're refunding me for the ticket."

Relief surges through me at the assurance that Kai won't be getting into a plane with the terrible weather ongoing, giving me much less to agonize over today in class. And, if I'm honest with myself, I'm excited that he'll be here today instead of halfway across the country. It'll be something positive to make the event of dealing with my friends a little less daunting. I've been trying to keep that out of mind until it's time to directly face any of them today on campus, though I hope I only end up having to run into Caroline. Further arguments regarding Kai and I's personal relationship definitely isn't something I'm interested in wasting time on today, let alone have the energy for.

"So, no Portland today," I say for clarification, after he releases me to walk over to the kitchen. He's now comfortably dressed in his black Nirvana tee shirt and charcoal sweatpants, but the subtle tension in his frame as he maneuvers around contradicts this picture of ease.

"Nope," he says, pulling the fridge open.

I hesitate before padding over to where he is, lingering near the island while he takes out a carton of eggs and milk, setting them beside the stove.

"You're worried," I observe, folding my arms over my torso. He grabs the packaged bread slices and small container of cinnamon, adding it to his compiled ingredients. A soft snort is the only response I receive.

"Kai," I say softly. "It's going to be okay. The potion is out of your system–"

"Physically."

"What?"

"Freya may have pushed out the substance in terms of its physical state taking up space in my system, but the traces of magic it left behind...I still feel it, Charlie. And I thought that a visit to the Concilio today would rectify a large part of that but now it looks like I'm going to have to wait and that..." He exhales, leaning down into the bottom cabinet to pull out a frying pan. "Really doesn't sit well with me."

I watch him with a troubled expression, as he occupies himself with the task of neatly cracking a couple eggs into a bowl and whisking them with more force than necessary.

"Tell me exactly what you're feeling right now," I urge.

"Oh, a couple of things," he mutters, discarding the whisk into the sink and carefully pouring a small amount of milk into the bowl, topping it off with cinnamon. "Annoyance, anger, this weird emptiness in the central area where my magic usually pools. Like I told you yesterday, I still have it, I know I do, but it's as if it's at some weird frequency that I can't completely reach. To make a shitty situation shittier, I can't even fucking look it up in the grimoires because the section on siphons is about one page–most of which describes us as an ancient evil with a rare presence in the magical realm. So, yeah, all in all, it's useless."

Kai throws a slice of bread inside the mix, covering both sides before misting the pan with nonstick spray and tossing it on lightly. He turns the stove dial to medium heat and stares down at the sizzling slice, his body deflating in a low sigh. I know he's distracting himself with the menial task, but it's doing little to fend off the irritation he feels with the entire situation; namely, the fact that his father is the ultimate reason he's stuck in it.

"Maybe we should've just stayed in bed today," I comment lightly, moving closer to him, and he manages a laugh.

"You're telling me," he mutters, flipping the bread over with his spatula.

I wrap my arms around him from behind in a tight hug, resting my cheek against his back. The tension in his muscles dissipates with the long breath he releases from his lungs and his free hand comes up to grasp one of my hands, squeezing appreciatively.

"We'll figure it out," I assure him. "I'll help you. This only happened a couple of days ago, of course you're still feeling some effects. But it won't be permanent. Freya said you'd need a few days until your magic is at its peak again. Don't try to rush the healing process."

"I have to," he argues, depositing the finished piece of French toast on the plate and coating another slice in mix. "The Geminis can't thrive if their leader is weak."

"Exactly," I say calmly. "Even more reason for you to rest. The Concilio isn't going anywhere. You can reschedule your flight for another day this week, and get everything settled then."

"You make it sound so simple."

"Because it can be." I chuckle quietly. "Funny. You were just the one lecturing me about loosening up a little."

"Good to know you're picking up on my tips," he remarks in amusement, pressing the back of the spatula against the bread in the pan. "Maybe you can stay with me today..." He briefly turns his head and I catch the signature smirk lifting his cheek. "You'd be an efficient distraction, if you're getting my drift."

"I always do," I say, rolling my eyes, and I feel his chest shake with deep laughter. "But I can't. I have to actually attend class to graduate, you know."

"Who ever came up with that system?" He wonders in mock horror.

"Someone who loves to torture young adults. But I have a break at two, if you wanna go grab some food together later."

"Sounds good, I'll pick you up from Whitmore."

I frown. "I have a car, too."

"Mhm. Mine's better, though."

"Not all of us have magic to take luxury vehicles from rich kids."

Kai snickers. "And I pity those like you, really I do, because you don't know what you're missing out on. Can you grab another plate for me?"

Unwinding my arms from around his waist, I walk over to the cabinets and reach up to take a plate from the stack on the second shelf. My shirt rises up in the process and I feel something soft lightly whack my butt. Cocking my head slowly to the side, I eye Kai with pursed lips as he swings his dish towel triumphantly, winking with a smirk.

I set down the plate on the counter beside him and squint at him uncertainly. "Sure you're the mature, all-powerful leader of the Geminis?"

"The one and only," he answers smoothly, giving me a lingering kiss. He throws another coated slice onto the pan and walks past me to take a bottle of maple syrup out the cabinet. Swirling some over a finished plate of three slices of French toast, he hands me the mouthwatering concoction with a fork. "For you."

"Thank you." I grin, taking it from him and licking my lips. "I missed your breakfast."

"Frankly, I don't know how you survived this long."

I hum in agreement, heading over to the island to set my plate down and hop onto a stool.

"Let me drop you off today," Kai says nonchalantly while I take my first delicious bite and I raise an eyebrow, staring at his back.

"Have I mentioned I have a car?"

"Once or twice."

"Then why–"

"Are you really questioning why I wanna spend a little extra time with my girlfriend, on Valentine's Day?" He turns around briefly, giving me a look of disbelief.

I tame a smile itching to spread over my face, nodding while cutting off another piece of my toast. "Well, when you put it that way..."

He finishes off his own plate, shutting off the stove and setting the dirty dishes and pans into the sink. Pouring two glasses of milk, he comes over to slide them close to me before retrieving his plate and settling in on a stool.

"Also, the weather's really bad," he adds with a casual lift of his shoulder and I eye him questioningly, sipping my milk. "I wanna make sure you get there safely and don't, like, drown."

I smile at his genuine thoughtfulness that he tries to play off with humor, nudging his shoulder with mine. "We can't have that."

He returns my smile warmly and we fall into idle chatter that brings me a sense of content among the calmness the early morning atmosphere creates and the persisting rain being the only other sound audible in the apartment.

•••

"Sure you don't want me to kidnap you for the rest of the day?" Kai says, not for the first time, squinting at Whitmore approaching up ahead through the watery windshield. The wipers slosh back and forth, fighting what appears to be a losing battle against the heavy rain.

I sink into the leather seat, nestling into the comfort of my coat. "I'll let you know in about a minute."

He chuckles, nodding along to the tune of Pearl Jam filling the car. He's wrapped up in a nice, navy blue jacket I've never seen on him with a gray hoodie underneath and I take moment to appreciate the simplistic style he's adapted since he escaped his everlasting nineties.

"Text me if you start dying of boredom and need a witch to save you," Kai tells me as he pulls up to the front of the building my psychology class is in. I glance outside at students hurrying in to escape the rain and sigh.

"I just might."

I turn back to him and nearly melt over his charming smile that even now still has an effect over me. Leaning over the console, I gently grip the fabric of his jacket between my fingers and pull his mouth to mine in a sweet kiss. He curls a hand over the side of my neck, deepening the contact with slow rolls of his tongue and having me craving more. Silently cursing the fact that my class starts in five minutes, I pull away, forcing myself back to my side of the car.

"Oh, by the way..." He chews on his lip through a grin, tugging at the end of my maroon beanie. "You look adorable."

Rolling my eyes with a slight blush, I half heartedly swat his hand away and grab my bag off the floor, adjusting the strap over my shoulder. "I'll see you later?"

"Two o'clock, beautiful. And hold on..." He reaches one arm around to the backseat and comes up with a black umbrella triumphantly. "Here you go."

I smile gratefully, taking it. "Thanks. I was just gonna make a run for it."

"Not on my watch." He nods at the door. "If you're not out there in five seconds, I'm just gonna drive off and you'll be mine for the rest of the day."

The dark promise in his stare has me wavering for a moment and he lifts an eyebrow when I don't move, pointedly putting a hand on the wheel.

"I'm going!" I laugh, pushing the door and opening the umbrella when my head pokes outside. "Bye." I point my index finger at him in warning. "Rest today."

"Yes, ma'am." He smirks, waving me off with a mocking salute gesture.

The day seems to coincide with the storm continuously raging outside, as my lessons all blend together in an exhausting and dreary blur. My psych lesson is pleasantly interesting, enough for me to be able to focus and battle my mind's desire to wander, but statistics at noon doesn't present that same benefit.

I manage to get through everything with a sufficient amount of notes to hold me over for upcoming quizzes and exit the lecture hall at 1:45 while chatting with a friendly classmate.

"Char!" I'm interrupted mid conversation when Caroline practically hurtles into me, pulling me into a tight hug. I throw the girl I was talking to an apologetic smile as she awkwardly waves before heading away.

"Crushing...me, Care." I wheeze against her vampiric strength and she abruptly loosens her hold, leaning back with her hands on my shoulders.

"Sorry." Her beaming face contradicts the word. "Happy Valentine's Day! I'm glad I caught you today. I thought a certain witch would have you all to himself." She waggles her eyebrows and I laugh.

"Not yet. He's picking me up in, like, ten minutes for lunch."

"Really?" She huffs. "But I have my break now and I came to find you so we could go shopping. I need an outfit for tonight."

"What's tonight?"

A bashful smile forms on her face. "Stefan and I are having dinner."

My eyes bulge wide. "Wha–you and Stefan?"

"Yes." Her smile widens. "Well, it isn't like that, but we've been getting closer lately and he asked me if I would be up for it, and like, hello, it's Valentine's Day, so that has to count for something, right? I think this could be going somewhere serious." She sighs dreamily. "I'm really hoping it does, Char."

The image before me of my friend back to her usual self, overflowing with hope after over a week without her humanity, brings me a warm sensation of content. It's equally nice to hear that Stefan is moving on after the awkwardness that has ensued between us due to his actions at the Christmas party and against Kai at the ball. I truthfully wish nothing but the best for both of them in their futures, and hopefully they end up spending it together.

I wrap my arms around Caroline and I feel her surprise through her momentarily stiffened muscles, before she willingly squeezes me back.

"What's this for?"

"I love you," I say with a soft smile. "And I want you to be happy because you deserve it."

She's smiling from ear to ear when I pull away, the signature brilliant gesture being one that I missed seeing.

"Well, okay. Do you love me so much that you'll ditch Kai to go to the mall with me instead?" She bats her eyelashes dramatically, cocking her head.

I chuckle. "He's already on his way, Care, I can't blow him off."

"Ugh," She grumbles. "No fair, I need second opinions on dresses."

"Text me pics?"

"It's not the same."

I smile at her evident stress before growing serious for a moment, eyebrows drawing in. "Hey, how are you holding up?"

Her demeanor shifts, usual enthusiasm deflating noticeably, and she exhales softly. "I mean, it isn't easy. I knew it wouldn't be, that's why I turned it all off the second she was..." She swallows. "Buried. It still doesn't even feel real. I keep thinking she'll answer my calls when I go back to my dorm and wanna rant about a minor annoying thing that happened during my day. Is that crazy?"

"Of course not," I tell her gently.

"Well, I feel like I am." She gives me a weak smile. "I miss her so much, Char. But...I want to face my grief this time. I won't run from it anymore. I have my friends." She looks at me appreciatively. "You were right. I'm not alone in this."

We share a meaningful look and I reach for hand, squeezing reassuringly. "I've got your back. Through anything. We're gonna be fine."

As the two of us walk down the hall, a thought comes to mind and I consider it for a moment, teeth cutting into my lower lip.

"Care."

"Hm?"

"Do you..." My trailing off catches her full attention and she raises her eyebrows in expectancy. "Do you, maybe, want to join us for lunch?"

Her eyebrows shoot up, and I'm equally as surprised at my offer. "As in, you and Kai?"

"Yeah."

"You won't be, like, weirded out?"

I shrug. "I mean, it's not like we're a secret anymore. And I want him to get to know my friends. Also...everyone's still kind of being distant with me after yesterday and you're the only one who's been totally cool about it so if I'm inviting anyone to lunch with him, I'd rather it be you."

Excitement flashes in her gaze. "Well, I can't wait to be able to properly interrogate the witch that's got you all smitten. I'd call Stefan to make it a double date but well...you can see how that would be awkward."

Flashes of Kai's beaten and unconscious exterior in New Orleans play through my head and I clench my jaw, nodding. "Yeah, no need for blood to be shed in the middle of a restaurant."

"On the day of love, no less," she adds with a vigorous nod. "Are you sure it's okay that I come? I won't be keeping you guys from, like, a quickie in his car or anything, right?"

My eyes wide at her bluntness when it comes to topics regarding sexual intimacy and I whack her arm. "Say that any louder, please, Care."

"What? We're in college, no one cares. And seriously, if you wanted to have sex with your boyfriend before you have to go back to class later on, I totally get it and I'll go bother Bonnie instead."

I press a hand to my forehead, sighing. "It's fine, trust me."

She nods. "You're right, there will be plenty of time for that later."

"Caroline."

"Don't tell me you don't have something planned."

I frown. "What do you mean?"

She shakes her head, like I'm naïve. "Charlotte, Valentine's Day is about two things: romance and sex. You have to get creative on occasions like this." She scans my dubious expression and rolls her eyes. "Lingerie, dummy. Do you have any?"

I blink rapidly, probably resembling a deer caught in headlights upon her unexpected suggestion. Truthfully, I hadn't exactly considered how the more...intimate topics of Valentine's Day would come into play for Kai and I. Mostly because I didn't even think he'd be around today and I'd have an extra day to plan things out. The idea of presenting a provocative piece of lingerie for the witch sends a flurry of heat through my entire body, both from embarrassment and...intrigue.

"Of course I don't have any, Care." I chew on my bottom lip. "I can't do that."

"And why not?"

"It's...I just can't, I wouldn't be able to flaunt it like you could."

"Oh, please. You're hot and he's crazy for you, are you kidding me? He'd probably pass out if you came out sporting that." She giggles and I cover my face.

"God, I don't know how you talk about this stuff so easily."

"Years of practice. You guys are together, what's there to be embarrassed about? You're just bringing something new to the table."

I shake my head. "I'm...not sure. Maybe dinner is the safest way to go."

"Safe is boring, take it from me. And also, hate to break it to you, but you threw safe out the window the second you slept with a guy that had his own prison world."

I shoot her a halfhearted glare and she shrugs. "What, it's true. Just saying, spicing up the bedroom for Valentine's Day wouldn't be the most far fetched decision you've made. You might surprise yourself at how much you like it."

"Ending this conversation now." I wave a hand dismissively as we push through the doors, standing under the awning. The rain is still in full force.

"Oh, come on, Char. At least come shop with me after we finish lunch. You can help me find a dress and maybe take a look around to see if there's anything you can pick up." She smirks and I groan, turning to her with my arms wrapped tightly over my beige coat.

"If I agree to go shopping with you, will you drop this?"

"For now."

I nod, rolling my eyes playfully. "Okay, after lunch, then. Hopefully there's still time, 'cause fair warning, Kai's not one to rush through a meal."

"I can tell. He was practically drooling over the feast at my Christmas party. It was hilarious."

I laugh. "Sometimes I swear he values food more than his magic."

"Or you?"

I tilt my head, face scrunching up teasingly. "Maybe."

"Wow, so this is how you guys talk about me when I'm not around." My eyes widen at the familiar voice joining the conversation and I spin around to find Kai standing with a smirk on the step below me, his hood drawn over his head and hands shoved in his pockets.

"Oh, no, I knew you were there." Caroline casually lifts her shoulder in a shrug. He chuckles in response.

"Hi." I smile at him, frowning at the rain making quick work of soaking his jacket and reach for his arm, pulling him forward. "Come here, you're getting all wet."

Kai allows me tug him to stand with Caroline and I under the awning, but regardless says, "It's only water. Think I'll be fine." He leans down to kiss me and I nearly move away in shock before remembering that there's no reason to hide in front of Caroline, and accept his public affection with a slight blush. Being able to engage in PDA with him is something I don't see myself getting used to easily, but it's still a wonderful thing to not have to wait until we're both secluded from the eyes of the important people in my life. Now that they know he is also an important person in my life, though their acceptance on that matter is yet to occur.

When we pull away after a few seconds, I peek at my friend to gauge her reaction. Only to find a wide grin on her face and her hands clasped together beside her cheek.

"Awww."

"Care," I say, my face hot as I sift through my bag until I find the umbrella buried at the bottom.

"Any reason you're still here?" Kai asks her with a curious tilt of his head and I shoot him a look.

"Yup. I'm going to be third wheeling on your lunch date today." She scans the curb, her eyes landing on Kai's black vehicle. "Is that yours? Wow."

Blue eyes immediately flash to mine in a hard, questioning stare and I hesitantly look back at him, nervously biting my lip.

"Please," I mouth as Caroline gushes over his car, holding my hands up in front of me locked together over the umbrella handle in a pleading gesture.

His expression turns conflicted and he glares at me, the muscle in his jaw ticking with frustration. Exhaling in defeat after a moment, he wordlessly laces his fingers through mine when I drop one back to my side, my other holding the open umbrella. He leads me down the concrete steps, leaving Caroline to follow us, and I silently cheer over his unspoken assent to behave around one of my best friends–a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, it seems.

"How'd you get a car like this?" Caroline asks in amazement as Kai drums his fingers against the steering wheel, his flat stare following the slow cars in the parking lot blocking his exit.

"Stole it," he answers simply, a smirk itching at his mouth. "Perks of magic."

She tuts. "Using your supernatural given powers to go against the law?"

"Or for a greater good, depending on how you want to view it. I mean, it is a nice car."

"True," she says, running her hands over the leather sets. "I'm jealous."

"Just compel someone at a car dealership. What good is being a vampire if you don't take advantage?"

"Ugh, be careful, Parker. You're getting in my head."

"Maybe that's what you need. You're technically dead and yet, still worried about being a goody two shoes." He snorts. "You're worse than Charlie."

I look up from my phone. "I'm sitting right here."

"I know, I see you." He winks.

"Goody two shoes? I turned my humanity off last week," she argues. "That has to give me some points."

Kai raises an eyebrow, pulling out of Whitmore onto the main roads as the cars finally cleared. "Yeah, and instead of, I don't know, going on a murderous rampage, you threw a ball in the theme of a literary classic."

Caroline scoffs. "I have to go on a murderous rampage to be considered cool?"

He throws her a lazy look through the overhead mirror. "It could be a start."

She laughs, shaking her head, and I have to fight off the oncoming of a huge smile. The easy banter between one of my closest friends since childhood and the man that's become increasingly important to me since November fills me with wholehearted joy. The worlds that I never thought would be capable of colliding are practically doing so before my eyes without any impending destruction, and God, it's a damn relief.

The chilly atmosphere racks a chill through my body, my hands rubbing together for warmth despite the coat adorning my torso. Kai's head slightly shifts in my direction, noticing this, and his hand instantly reaches for the controls to switch the heat on full blast.

I sigh quietly, more comfortable now that the cold is chased out by the warm air filtering through the vents.

"Better?" He asks.

"Yeah. Thank you." I absentmindedly reach for his free hand while laying my head back against the seats, intertwining our fingers.

"So, Kai," Caroline pipes up. "What have you got planned for Charlotte today?"

I stiffen, tossing her a subtle glare and she smiles back innocently.

"For..." Kai frowns in confusion.

"Valentine's Day? The day all about couples and romance and cutesy things," she reminds him. "What's on the agenda for you two tonight?"

"Hmmm..." Kai chuckles darkly. "Probably nothing I can discuss with you."

I flush at the underlying meaning behind his statement, squeezing his hand tighter. He side-eyes me with his lip quirked up in mischief.

"All I'm saying is you better make sure my best friend is treated to a good time. She hasn't had a hot and heavy Valentine's Day in some time...come to think of it, maybe not ever. Jay wasn't big on the romantic stuff, was he, Char?"

"Caroline," I exclaim, mortified. "Seriously. Inappropriate."

"Oh, don't hold back on my account," Kai says. "I'm guessing he didn't leave me much to compete with."

"Nope," I mutter irritably. "Definitely not."

"I'm not much of a romantic, per se, but rest assured," His gaze sweeps over my face momentarily with a breathtaking undercurrent of heat. "You're in good hands."

I bite my lip, glancing away from the intensity he radiates even with the distance between us, even more flustered that Caroline is witnessing all of this in the backseat. When I catch her eye in the mirror above us, she winks and mouths, "Told you."

Her earlier suggestion comes to mind and I swallow lightly.

Fifteen minutes later, the three of us are seated in a little Italian restaurant, Kai and I on one side of the red booth with Caroline occupying the other.

"Is it lame if I get pizza?" Kai wonders, scanning the menu.

"Yup," My friend answers. "Look at all their options, and you wanna go for the most basic choice. Shame."

"I hate to say it, but you raise a good point, Claire."

She scowls at him and he smirks, raising his glass of Coke to his mouth.

"Okay, enough with pretending you don't know my name. That'll slide with Stefan, but you and I are actually friends now." He opens his mouth to argue and she holds her palm up, shaking her head. "Whether you want to admit it or not."

"Gonna go with or not on that one," he replies, flipping to the next page of the menu.

"Kai's been pretty stubborn when it comes to making friends, since we got back from 1994," I explain, eyes never leaving my menu as I struggle to decide on an entree.

"Ah, ah, ah, not stubborn," he corrects me. "Selective. There's a difference."

"Well, what about the people in your coven?" Caroline questions and he actually giggles.

"The people in my–oh man, you really don't know me, do you? Sure, let me go call one of the members that plotted against me since I was a kid 'cuz I was an evil little magic stealer."

She frowns and when I glance up, I see a tinge of understanding in her concentrated stare. Someone beside myself, getting a look at the underlying reasons behind Kai's dark past and why he is the way he is today. I feel like I'm holding my breath waiting for her response, while the witch is hardly fazed, still preoccupied with his menu options.

The waiter arrives at our table, briefly interrupting the conversation off as he takes our orders. Kai takes the longest to decide on something, before Caroline and I force him to just go with the chicken Parmesan and spaghetti. He shoots us both dark glares when we hurriedly thank the waiter, complaining that he wasn't ready, but fortunately the man takes the hint from our pleading stares and walks away with his notepad.

"So, you don't like your coven. Fine," Caroline eventually states with a quick composure and I'm grateful for her nonchalance. Evidently, so is Kai, judging by the surprise on his face when he briefly lifts his head to look at her. "But there's plenty of other people at this world, so that's no acceptable excuse. Go meet people at Whitmore, or something!"

"Dumb college kids." He gives her a mocking thumbs up. "Right up my ally."

"Don't knock it 'till you try it. And hey, not everyone there is like that. You're dating Charlotte, aren't you?"

"Point taken," he says and I feel his hand slide over my thigh under the table, gripping it firmly. "But I got lucky there. Not sure the rest of the students in that place would be anyone I'm willing to waste my time befriending."

"That is a sad attitude," I tell him and he turns his head to me.

"Am I wrong?"

"Yes," Caroline and I state simultaneously, eliciting a snicker from him.

"Never let it be said that I don't have any pals of my own. Stefan and I had a bonding moment in New Orleans, wouldn't you say?"

"Oh, yeah, when he knocked you unconscious?" Caroline nods exaggeratedly. "I'd say that was quality friendship."

"Aw, wasn't it?" He grins. "I hear one trying to kill the other is kind of a rite of passage in friendships within the supernatural realm anyway, so I think I'm on the right track with most people. I mean, it happened with you guys, right?"

An unpleasant replay of Caroline's fangs sinking into my arm at Whitmore Bar is initiated upon Kai's casual statement. My head whirls to glare at him and he looks at me defensively, his lip twitching in merriment. "What?"

"Jesus, Kai."

"Wow," Caroline says after a moment and I turn back to her. "You are really blunt. It's kind of refreshing."

I blink in surprise at her lack of retaliation and smile upon seeing Kai's smug reaction. "Oh, I know. Where would this world be without me?"

"Settle down there." I pat his chest. "Your head's inflating."

"I can only rely on you so much to keep my ego in check before it starts to get out of hand again," he teases, his face leaning in close to mine and my own breaks out in a wide smile. He kisses my nose and I can't help the awkward fluttery feeling in my stomach that comes with knowing a friend is witnessing us. It's become too normal for Kai and I to be close like this behind closed doors, but I'd be lying if I said it isn't still relieving to refrain from hiding now.

"You guys are so cute," she gushes and I scratch the back of my neck awkwardly. Kai laughs at my reaction, his fingers flexing around my thigh.

"Too bad your other friends don't agree."

She rolls her eyes, swiping a hand through the air in dismissal. "Oh, they'll come around, trust me. I had sex–in the woods–with the biggest and baddest vampire around and they got over it. Eventually. But after a lot of judgement. Nothing I couldn't handle, though."

"You and Klaus Mikaelson." Kai appraises her with mild interest. "Would you be offended if I said I just don't get how that worked out?"

"Not at all. But, obviously, it didn't work out. Hello?" She gestures to the empty seat beside her. "I'm having lunch dateless, on Valentine's Day, with another couple. No Klaus in sight."

I laugh. "You're not dateless. You have plans with Stefan tonight."

"True, but he isn't here right now and I have to watch you two be all touchy-feely right in front of me. I really do miss being in that stage with someone." She fans her face with her hand, sighing.

Kai just looks at her over the rim of his cup. "Sounds like a you problem."

I choke on my sip of water and he quickly looks to me in concern, his hand moving from my thigh to rub my back.

"Woah, take it easy. If you choke to death, that'll really ruin my first Valentine's Day."

"Ass," I manage to wheeze out when my windpipes are mostly cleared. He smiles brilliantly, still soothingly tracing circles over my back.

"Yes, that would be ass, but don't worry about me. I'm just making sure you're okay. That's the kind of selfless guy I am."

I stare at him flatly once my fit is over, pursing my lips. Caroline's eruption of laughter brings my attention to the blonde, clutching her stomach.

"Oh, gosh. I think my appendix is going to burst."

The two of them team up for a few minutes to make fun of, and even reenact, my choking episode, and I shake my head at their antics with my arms crossed. Regardless, a fond smile shapes my lips as I watch two people I care deeply about genuinely getting along.

Our waiter drops off our food in the middle of our chatter and we dig in eagerly, though Kai's still somewhat disgruntled that he didn't get to really choose his order. But he ends up thoroughly scarfing down majority of the meal anyway, as do Caroline and I with our dishes laden with shrimp pasta.

"Have you talked to Elena?" Caroline inquires.

"She texted me yesterday, in the afternoon, asking if I got back to Virginia alright. That was pretty much it."

She gives me a sympathetic look. "She just needs time. It's not like she can honestly be mad at you, not for this."

"Would make her a pretty huge hypocrite if she did," Kai says, twirling spaghetti around his fork.

Caroline points at him with her own utensil. "Exactly. It'd make them all hypocrites. I mean, look at the world we live in. None of us are innocent, it just isn't in our nature. Kai, you've done some...pretty horrible things, but so have I. I can't honestly sit here and try to tell you that you're bad for Char, or whatever. That's totally ridiculous. I have eyes, I can see clear as day how happy you two are with each other. That's all I could ever want for my best friend."

I feel Kai's gaze burning into me and glance to the side to meet his small smile. My breath hitches slightly when I catch the look in his eyes as they pass over my face, simmering with something potent and yet hard to pinpoint.

"You think it'll blow over soon?" I ask her, wanting the reassurance of her seemingly never-wavering confidence.

"I know it will. Nobody has the energy to be mad at you forever, we love you too much. Like I said: give it time. That's all. Everything will fall into place, I promise."

Her certainty of her words has my chest deflating with a breath I didn't even realize I'd been trapping in my lungs, instantly comforted. "You're right."

"Of course I am. Finish your food, we have shopping to do."

"Shopping?" Kai repeats.

"I'm helping Care find a dress for her date with Stefan," I say to him in explanation and he frowns at her.

"You're stealing my girlfriend from me on Valentine's Day?"

She rolls her eyes. "It's not like you don't get plenty of her as it is, and even more later. You can let me borrow her for an hour, and see her after class. The wait will be great for the sexual tension anyway, I'm really just helping you two."

My head shoots up in shock and I instinctively glance around at surrounding customers in the tightly packed restaurant, hoping nobody heard her casual utterance. "Care! Christ."

Kai, on the other hand, is sporting a devilish smirk, taking an overdrawn sip of his drink. "I like the way you think, Caroline."

She grins at him victoriously. "I see we're on a saying-first-names-correctly basis now. It's progress."

"Just don't expect us to start braiding each other's hair," he replies wryly.

"Obviously not." She shakes her head. "You have to work your way up to that stage in friendship."

The waiter returns with the bill after collecting our plates from the table and we all reach for it, but Kai is quicker to snatch it and wave it in the air like a prize.

"Well, I'm sorry, did you both want this?"

"Yes," Caroline answers with a sharp glare, while I struggle to grab the paper out of Kai's hold. He childishly raises it above his head while pulling his wallet out of his jacket pocket.

"Kai, come on," I sigh, dropping my hands in defeat. "You have to let me pay, too."

"Why would I do that when it's so much more fun watching you try and fail to grab the bill from me?"

He hands his card off to the waiter with no further comment, kissing my cheek and laughing to himself when he observes my unamused expression. "Okay, fine, think of it as my gift to you. For Valentine's Day."

"What about my gift to you?"

He licks his lips slowly, eyes scorching. "I'm sure you'll come up with something."

I avert my gaze to Caroline's, who raises an eyebrow at me while taming a smirk. Knowing exactly where her train of thought is headed, I scoff lightly, staring hard at the wooden surface of table.

Once Kai's card is returned, the three of us walk out of the restaurant together, running through the rain to the safety of his car.

"Thanks, Kai," Caroline says begrudgingly from the backseat. "I'll pay you back."

"No, you won't," he says simply, arm extending to grab the back of my seat as he leans his head back to check if all's clear, before swiftly exiting the parking lot.

•••

It's around six o'clock when I make my way up the steps leading to Kai's apartment, after Caroline offered to drop me off on her way to meet Stefan. On a typical Tuesday, when my classes come to an end, I'd be feeling all sorts of exhaustion and craving nothing but a long nap in my dorm. Today, of course, that isn't the case, largely thanks to a certain witch lingering behind the front door I come face to face with.

I knock three times, fiddling with the strap of my bag as conflicting waves of nervousness and excitement flood through me. Caroline, to no one's surprise, had managed to rope me into something I'd been initially adamant on avoiding. The shopping bag I'd stuffed inside my purse is the main thing weighing on my mind right now, as I restlessly play out every outcome that awaits me inside.

"Kai?" I call out when the door doesn't swing open after a few beats of silence.

"Door's unlocked," His voice carries through the barrier.

I bite my lip, inhaling a few times to steel myself, and push it open.

Walking down the hall, a frown forms between my eyebrows when I discover the odd darkness submerging the apartment. The living room and hallway light's are both off, no Kai anywhere in sight. A spike of nerves igniting my system, I kick off my boots and hang my coat before turning past the hallway.

A trail of rose petals is sprinkled across the floor, invariably leading to Kai's bedroom. I follow the path in a daze, my heart racing in anticipation with every step I take to get closer to the witch that's been on my mind nonstop. I pause when I notice a slip of white paper folded neatly just before the threshold to his room and lean down to grab it.

Peeling it open, my breath catches audibly at the statement scrawled there.

YOU'RE MINE NOW.

"Fuck," I whisper softly and hear a deep chuckle. My eyes flicker up to Kai's, as he's suddenly towering over me with dark intent in his irises.

"You..." I shake my head slightly to clear it of its oncoming frenzy. "How long did it take you to..." I look over his shoulder, gasping lightly at the sight. He laces his fingers through mine when I let the note flutter to the ground along with my bag, and leads me into the bedroom.

Candles are the only source of light in the room, placed along the bottom of every wall, to the top of Kai's dresser and nightstand. Slow, sensual music is softly filling the room from a recorder spinning lazily on top of his dresser. The bed is neatly made, but if his short note was any giveaway, that's about to change drastically.

"Too much?" Kai whispers against the back of my neck, his hand sliding over my stomach to pull me into his clothed chest.

"No, it's amazing," I answer breathlessly, swallowing hard as he presses delicate kisses over my burning skin. "I just...I thought you didn't really do romance, to this extent at least."

He laughs quietly. "Oh, I don't."

I blink, craning my head toward him in bewilderment. "If you don't, what's all this?"

He coaxes me to twirl in his hold until our faces are nearly level. "I don't do romance, usually, that part's true. However...I'd still like to do you." His nose brushes mine and my heart beats erratically. "Tonight. Until you're screaming my name because you can't take the pleasure. The rest of the decoration is purely for setting the ambiance."

I almost feel lightheaded at his husky utterance of an offer I can't possibly refuse, even if some insane part of me wanted to. Heat pools between my thighs from the dark, lustful look he's giving me alone and I exhale unsteadily.

"I...actually have a present for you, too."

A pleasant but surprised smile crosses Kai's face. "Do you?"

"Yup. But I, um, have to use the bathroom first."

He stares down at me questioningly before chortling, stepping back with an arm stretched toward the door. "I'll be here when you get back."

Striding a little too quickly out of room, I snatch my bag where it lays near the bathroom door before locking myself inside. Unzipping the purse, I dig to the bottom for the plastic bag and get to work changing into the revealing number before my racing mind has time to tell me to do otherwise.

When my clothes are folded on top of one of the bathroom shelves and I finish dressing myself in the piece with little to no coverage, I stare down at the bathroom floor, balling my fists at my sides.

You're hot, and he's crazy for you....You might surprise yourself at how much you like it.

Caroline's words give me the surge of confidence to abruptly lift my head and turn around to examine my appearance in the full body mirror on the wall. A low gasp leaves my lips. I hadn't tried it on in the store, since I wasn't too sure about buying it in the first place so Caroline basically shoved me to the register before I could give in to second thoughts. Seeing the lingerie adorning my body now renders me speechless, and anxious, but mostly...excited. For my boyfriend in the next room over to make good on his alluring promise to spend the night together.

I'd been leaning towards the simpler, black sets when Caroline all but dragged me into Victoria's Secret to browse, but she ended up selecting a red piece that oozed sex appeal and provocation. The mere thought of wearing it for Kai had made me blushing and stammering out halfhearted protests, only convincing my friend further that it was the perfect one for me.

The entire thing is composed of carefully stitched together red lace, tightly hugging my upper body in a manner that allowed comfort and yet leaving little to the imagination. My breasts are cupped snugly with the slight padding, firmly pushed together. I run a finger over sheer lace connecting underneath the wireless bra, the material covering my stomach. In the middle of my torso, ribbons criss-cross over bare skin to effectively hold the lace together. The top piece ends just above my hips, rendering them bare aside from the matching thong.

I inhale sharply at the woman staring back at me in the mirror, nearly unrecognizable in the enticing ensemble. Rather than utter mortification at the thought of stepping out in the bedroom sporting this for my boyfriend currently a few feet away, a dizzying rush of anticipation energizes my entire body. I comb my fingers through my curls to make sure they're in place and cock my head at my reflection, smiling with my lips pressed together for added effect.

Well, what do you know. Maybe Caroline was right. I can already hear the I-told-you-so I'll be receiving when she inevitably asks me for details on how this night went down.

Taking a deep breath, I open the bathroom door and walk back into the bedroom.

Kai's back is facing me, his hands stuffed in his jean pockets as he stares up at the ceiling, humming the Jeopardy tune. Sensing my arrival, he stops and his head turns ever so slightly, giving me a view of his side profile though he can't see me.

"There you are. And here I thought you climbed out onto the fire escape," he teases and I chuckle, taking my time to stride over to him.

Closing my eyes, I channel the confidence the alluring two-piece seems to set off within me, and reach up to grip his shoulders just when he's about to turn around fully.

"I'm right here," I whisper into his ear, my lips brushing the delicate lobe. He visibly shivers, a hum vibrating in his throat. "And I have your present."

"What would that be?" He shifts his head in my direction, nose bumping against mine.

"Something I think you might like."

"Are we playing the very vague guessing game? 'Cause I'm not too sure that'll get me anywhere."

"No need." I smile, slowly trailing my fingers down his arm to curl around his elbow and step back to tug him so he's facing my direction. "Take a look."

Kai sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth, his eyes darkening several shades as they rake over the lingerie accentuating my body. His Adam's apple bobs in his throat as he swallows roughly. Head cocked to the side during his intense examination, he slowly pulls his hands out of his pockets while reaching out to run his index finger between the valley of my breasts, down to my abdomen. My heart quickens with the touch, watching him with parted lips.

"Fuck," he curses under his breath when his fingers reach the thin strap of my thong. His jaw clenches tightly.

I hold my arms out at my sides, doing a quick spin to make sure that he gets an eyeful of the entire piece. His answering curse and hitched breath lights up my face in a smile. "You like it?"

His eyes flash up to mine the second the question leaves my lips and I'm held prisoner by the darkness swimming in them, consuming his ocean blue irises until there's no visible trace.

Kai's reaction alone has me scribbling down a mental reminder to thank Caroline, repeatedly, for her wonderful ideas.

"My gift...is paling in comparison," he finally speaks, his voice a deep husk that entices my desire.

"I don't know." I cup the sides of his neck, bringing his face down to mine until our lips are a breath away. "I think you outdid yourself."

"And I think you're trying to kill me," he answers in a strained voice, his hands sliding around to my ass and earning a high-pitched sound from me when he roughly squeezes the flesh.

"I just wanted to make your first real Valentine's Day experience memorable," I tell him softly, pecking his lips. "How am I doing so far?"

"Don't worry. I'm definitely going to remember every detail of tonight."

"Good," I barely manage to get the word out before his mouth claims mine in a desperate kiss, stealing nearly every ounce of oxygen from my lungs. His hands hardly linger in one area for too long before traveling to the next part of my body, like he's trying to memorize every curve and ridge and angle to file away in his brain for later.

"Your shirt," I breathe, tugging up the hem. "I want it off."

Chuckling through a groan, he complies to my wish, leaning back and gripping the fabric of his collar behind his head. He tugs it over his head swiftly in a manner that turns me on even more, tousling his hair in the process. Throwing the shirt to the floor, he moves to kiss me again, but I hold up a finger, shaking my head.

"Pants, too." I nod down at the jeans still hanging on his hips and he smirks, unbuttoning them while his eyes purposely stay locked with mine. He drags the zipper down and shoves them to his ankles, kicking them off until he's only in a pair of black boxers.

"Satisfied?"

I eye his bare muscles, tugging my lip between my teeth. "For now."

Hands grasping my bare hips, he lifts me onto him in one quick movement as our lips find each other's again. My legs lock around his waist for leverage, hands pulling at his hair to crane his head back so I can deepen the kiss. One arm wrapping around my back with nimble fingers digging into the lace, the other kneads my ass which successfully elicits a moan through my vocal cords.

My teeth graze his jaw down to the side of his neck as he walks us toward the mattress, feeling his pulse jump under my mouth. I run my fingers through his soft hair, enjoying the look that ensues when it's all mussed up and pleasantly unruly.

Kai wastes no time in throwing me down onto the bed, pinning me with a lustful gaze as he crawls over me to kiss me vehemently. His hands grab my breasts through the lacey fabric and I hum, raking my nails lightly down his back. They travel down farther, lingering torturously on my navel, and I whisper out a plea.

"As much as I fucking love this look," he says gravelly, "I need to tear it off you."

A smile curves my lips and I reach up to grab his shoulders, forcing him to roll onto his back. Before he can react, I straddle his waist, staring down at his breathless form.

"Patience," I tease, gliding my fingers over his muscles down to the waistband of his boxers. My hand palms his hard length through his boxers and he tosses his head back against the pillows, his mouth dropping open.

"If you tease me," he says lowly, "you'll be sorry."

"Is that any way to thank me for my gift?" I retort playfully, pumping him at a slow pace and enjoying his answering moans. "I went to the mall to get it specially for you. So you can have me..." I lean down to his ear, teeth tugging at the lobe gently before releasing it. "Any...way...you want."

The lingerie appears to be doing the trick not only in triggering pleasurable reactions from Kai, but in helping me maintain the boost of sexy, confidence that I didn't always have on hand. It's like the material provided an outlet into a part of me that often stayed hidden, rather than giving me a new persona entirely. I've never found myself wanting to engage in such activities with anyone else; it's Kai that has me willing to dive headfirst into territories never before reached, knowing that endless good could only come out of them.

"Fuck, Charlie," he hisses, pushing himself up when I move away, until our chests are flush together. He curls his hand around the side of my neck, pulling my mouth to his. He opens my lips to stroke my tongue heatedly with his.

I start to grind against his stiffness underneath me, my breathing becoming shallow as my movements gain a quicker rhythm. He growls in response, taking my bottom lip between his teeth and biting down. I gasp out a shuddering breath, my hand fisting his hair tightly.

Kai snakes a hand up my bare thigh, fingers skirting close to my center. I kiss him harder when they brush over the minimal fabric of my thong, feeling the wetness that's spread there.

"Who's...teasing now," I grit out when he refuses to completely satisfy the ache there. He laughs loudly, kissing my cheek and jaw.

"Relax, baby, I'll take care of you. But first..." He brushes two fingers over my throbbing center again and I tense, desperately wanting the contact to be fully made. "I want to try something new."

My eyebrows furrow, mind struggling to catch up with his statement in my lust-driven haze. "Something...new."

"Mm. If you're up for it, that is."

I look at him uncertainly, both intrigued and hesitant. "What?"

The mischievous smile that lights up his face only increases my trepidation. "Sit on my face."

I freeze, wondering if maybe I heard him wrong. "I–what?"

"I want you," he repeats slowly, eyes boring into my widened stare, "to sit..." He taps his head with a smirk, "right here."

"I..." I shake my head in a futile attempt clear it, my heart racing upon processing his request. "I can't." So much for the femme fatale I was meant to conjure up in this get-up. Every nerve goes flying to the wind as I stare into his eyes, knowing what they're asking of me.

He reaches a hand up to cup my cheek, tilting his head. "Why not? Are you nervous?"

"Well, yeah. I've never done that before."

He smiles. "Charlie, do you trust me?"

I exhale. "You already know the answer to that."

"I know, but I want to hear you say it."

I nod slowly. "Yes. I trust you."

"Then, you know I wouldn't do anything to make you uncomfortable, or hurt you. Right?" Dark eyes search my face, awaiting an answer.

"Right," I say softly.

"This would be for the sole purpose of making you feel good." He grips my inner thigh, rubbing circles on the skin. "I want you to be comfortable with me, even in the bedroom. More than you already are, because there's so much I wanna do with you." He kisses my lips. "To you...in various positions. I promise it'll feel fucking amazing, and you'll be glad you did."

I imagine the euphoric feeling that comes with every time Kai has touched me there, potentially multiplied in the position we've never attempted previously. The only thing getting in the way is my heightened nerves, but Kai's thoughtful gaze as he patiently waits for me to come to a decision coaxes me toward the answer that reflects what I truly want.

"Okay," I whisper and his eyebrows lift.

"Run that by me one more time? Sounds like you just said–"

"Yes," I tell him with a hint of exasperation. He laughs at my slight frown, kissing my face in an attempt to ease me.

"I promise there's no need to be embarrassed. I've been down there before–"

"Kai."

"–this will just be in a different way." He winks and starts to lower himself back down onto the mattress, watching me with blazing eyes. "Come here."

The promiscuous undertone to his command is enough to make my legs tremble as I bring myself up to my knees, scooting gradually upward to his smirking face.

"Any day now," he teases, running his hands up and down my sides, and I shoot him a glare.

Inhaling a hefty lungful of oxygen, I nod a little to myself, trying to focus solely on the eager anticipation of Kai bringing me to an unreachable high. I grip the top of the headboard, moving forward with one knee pressing into the pillows on either side of his head, my hips hovering over his face. He reaches for the tiny straps of the thong and when I realize what he's going to do, I gasp.

"Hey, wait–"

The elastic snaps against my skin, fabric tearing off, and a squeal climbs up my throat.

"Kai!"

"What?" He's shaking with laughter. "You knew there was zero chance of those staying intact." 

Glaring at the wall, I wait as he agonizingly drags out the beginning to an exhilarating sensation. His warm breath fans my core with his close vicinity and I shiver.

"Mmm, I love this view," I hear him chuckle darkly, making my fingers grip the headboard tighter. Giving me minimal time to get a handle on my hormones, Kai grabs my hips to yank me down to him and his mouth sheaths my core in the same instant.

"Oh!" I cry in a mixture of shock and pleasure, throwing my head back as his tongue circles my clit.

He sucks and licks my sensitive nub with a ferocity that trembles my limbs. Hands release their vice grip on my waist to feel up my lace-covered chest, roughly grabbing my breasts. I tear my fingers away from the headboard to curl over the backs of his large hands, keeping them in place. He kneads the sensitive flesh as his tongue and lips work together on my throbbing core, creating a deathly combination of overwhelming ecstasy.

"Yes," I whimper, glancing down just to be taken aback by Kai's dark eyes trained on my every reaction with an in-depth concentration. The carnal intensity in his unwavering stare heats my skin and pins me to the spot, with no desire to ever escape.

My hands find his hair, weaving through the strands already set in disarray. I use the leverage to push his mouth harder against my ache, grinding my hips into his face desperately the closer I get to my climax. His low groan reverberates through my soaked folds, causing my high-pitched moan to mingle with the soft music playing from the recorder.

Kai raises his head off the pillows, simultaneously pulling him closer to his searching mouth. His unspoken desire for me clear through his insistent and aggressive actions makes me positively lightheaded. The little reminder that he craves me as much as I do him gives me the kick I need to shed any semblance of self-consciousness that may have lingered in the shadows.

My curses and cries of his name resound throughout the candle-lit bedroom, as his expert ministrations take me to my shattering climax. I move my hips in time with his persistent tongue and a scream tears through my vocal cords when he sucks my clit particularly harshly.

Our heavy breathing fills the following silence as I make it through my intense organs, every nerve-ending in my body singing. He guides me back down to my previous position on his lap and I immediately pull his head up to kiss him, tasting myself on his tongue.

"Told you I'd take care of you," he mumbles into my mouth, a cocky smirk stretching his lips. I can't even throw a retort back, still recovering. "I'm guessing you liked it."

"Very much," I whisper back through a bashful grin and he laughs.

"And you'd be willing to do it again."

"Most likely."

"Maybe try other positions–"

"Give a girl some time," I say incredulously. "You're insatiable."

"Only when it comes to you." He kisses the corner of my mouth, restlessly running his hands over the lace. His tongue dips between the valley of my breasts, tracing a teasing trail over the tops of the visible cleavage. I hold the back of his head, humming while pressing my hips into his. His clothed hard-on sliding between my nakedness causes my breath to catch and my body feels like its on fire all over again.

I tug his boxers down past his legs, freeing him of the uncomfortable restraints, and a sigh escapes his mouth as his length curls up past his belly button. I slide my hand from the bottom up to the tip, earning a throaty grunt from Kai. Grabbing a condom from the nightstand, I carefully tear it open and roll it onto him.

Holding onto his shoulder to keep myself steady, I rise onto my knees and guide him to my entrance. His eyes are glued to my movements, a sharp exhale leaving him as I slowly push the tip in, wincing a little at the fullness creeping in.

He peppers kisses all over my face, guiding my hips down farther until he fills me completely. Our synced moans fall from our open mouths and he kisses me deeply, gripping the side of my neck. He doesn't rush my pace, and instead encourages me to move with him, my hips swiveling in slow and tantalizing circles.

"I've been thinking about this all day," Kai utters lowly, his tongue gliding over my jaw. Suddenly, he tears with both hands at the lace covering my front, tattered remnants hanging off of my exposed torso. I gasp in surprise, clenching around him, and he laughs through a moan.

Too caught up in pleasure to scold him for ruining the lingerie, I let him rip the rest off me and he tosses it away carelessly. Our mouths meet in a lavishly wet kiss, my fingers cupping his face gingerly.

We maintain a slow rhythm as the music playing mingles with our shuddering breaths and urgent moans. In combination with the candlelight surrounding us and the idle sound of rain, less strong now, sliding agains the windows, the atmosphere is entirely romantic and fills my chest with a sublime content. 

"You're beautiful," he tells me, his thumb and index finger tilting my chin to the side so he can kiss my neck. "So fucking beautiful."

I wrap my arms around his neck, not wanting to risk breaking our close connection. He moves his face back up to be level with mine and our foreheads press together, his length moving in and out of me.

"Kai," I let out shakily, feeling him twitch inside of me as his own breathing becomes ragged against my face. "I'm so close."

Not needing to hear another word, he cradles my back with one arm and swiftly rolls himself on top of me. He spreads my legs further apart, thrusting into me without ever breaking eye contact. The intimacy of looking straight into his inked out stare as our bodies fully connect takes over every last sense in my mind, as I lose myself.

"Come here," I whisper, pulling his face down so I can kiss him, the affection sloppy yet passionate as his hips churn up into mine.

"Charlie," is the last thing he exhales into my mouth before his groans escalate, the force of his thrusts deepening. I moan loudly, as he takes me to my second orgasm, my body trembling and vision blurring with the intoxicating wave of euphoria.

Kai's curses and carnal, throaty noises spill into my lips, a sound that I've convinced myself I can't possibly grow tired of hearing no matter how many times we do this. Seeing the captivating witch above me come undone until the only word he can muster is low growls of my name is a sight that doesn't fail to enrapture me, satiate my cravings and yet flood me with need.

As he pulls out of me, he leaves lazy kisses all over my face and the affection causes my features to scrunch up in a smile. I cuddle into the mattress, watching his naked body saunter to the end of the room to dispose of the condom before returning back to me. He settles under the covers with me, resting his head between my neck and chest, and sighing.

I gently rake my fingers through his hair, helping him come down to relaxation after his feverish state. His lips brush over my pulse, hands absentmindedly feeling over my ass, thighs and hips.

"So, I think I need to rethink Thanksgiving as my favorite holiday," he says after a moment and I snort. "Seriously. You're full of surprises."

"So are you." I smile at him when he moves back to make eye contact. "Thank you for agreeing to let Care have lunch with us today, by the way."

He raises an eyebrow. "Hm, don't recall agreeing, so much as you giving me no choice. But you're welcome."

"I know you didn't want to, but you have to admit it wasn't so bad, right?"

He shrugs. "I guess not. She's less irritating to be around than the rest of your friends. I guess I'm just lucky it was her you ran into and not Damon."

I laugh in agreement. "You can admit that she's your friend, too, now, you know."

He squints at me. "Is she, though?"

"Well, why not?"

"Off the top of my head?" He hums. "She's a bloodsucker–AKA one of the beings that my kind has had a rivalry with for centuries. She's very...bubbly. And she's cozying up with the Salvatore that tried to kill me."

"And in light of all that, you two ended up talking a lot today."

"I talk a lot, period. Your point?"

"Kai." I place my hand on his chest. "I just want life to be easier for you now, after everything you had to go through. You escaped the prison world. This is your chance to start over, make friends, carve your own path. At least try."

"I am, Charlie," he murmurs softly, his fingers coming up to wrap around my wrist against his chest. "And I think I've been getting along just fine. Barely two months out of the prison world, and I already got myself a hot date for Valentine's Day. Sounds like progress to me."

I smile, staring in a slight daze at our hands both resting over his heart. "What were you up to today?"

"Not much. Got in touch with the Gemini compound and it looks like majority of the head elders still aren't in town. The radical cult in Newberg has been a tricky issue, one that I could've helped with by now if it weren't for that fucking potion." He drags a hand down his face. "I can't even check my tracking spell on Joshua until my powers heal."

"Could another witch help you?" I wonder. "Maybe we can ask Bonnie."

He barks out a laugh. "Yeah, let's ask one of your friends, who want nothing to do with me and think that I'm going to end up going full sociopath on you."

"You came to help at the ball," I argue. "They know you're not the threat that you once were. If she's willing to extend her magic–"

"It wouldn't work," he cuts me off. "It's my tracker. The only ones that could link their powers with mine in order for me to see it are fellow Gemini's. But Jo's basically a regular human now and Liv would try to set me on fire if I came within five feet of her. So, seems we're at an impasse, for now."

I sigh in mild frustration, wishing things for once could just fall into place exactly the way we needed them to. "Okay. I think I hate magic."

Kai responds with a fit of laughter, his forehead bumping against mine. I smile at the contagious noise, my stressed head momentarily relaxing. "I don't blame you. It's gotten me in some pretty rough patches. But I don't really wanna think about that right now." He smirks at me. "Not when I just had mind-blowing sex with my girlfriend."

I flush at his blunt words. "To think I thought we'd be having dinner and a movie."

"But that's so boring."

"It's also what normal couples do," I tease.

"We met in an alternate magical plane that I was exiled to for eighteen years, where it was always the nineties. We're not normal."

I chuckle. "No, we're not. But I'm okay with that."

We kiss languidly for an amount of time I quickly lose track of, my hands rising to cradle Kai's face. He's the first one to gently pull away moments later, his eyes hooded.

"I know we skipped straight to dessert," he says playfully. "But are you hungry? I can make something for dinner."

I glance behind me at the digital clock, shocked that it's only seven in the evening. I'd assumed it was so much later and the town was already mostly asleep; undoubtedly Kai's consuming effect on me. "I could eat. Especially if it's your cooking."

His lip quirks up. "I'll see what I can put together."

He gets off the bed, pulling up his boxers and throwing on a pair of gray sweatpants and an AC/DC shirt from his dresser. I watch him exit the room, enjoying the slight sway of his broad torso. It takes me a few minutes before I force myself to get up too, scouring the room for clothes I could wear.

Recalling that I still had my bag here from New Orleans, I sigh in relief, digging through its contents and snatching a pair of fuzzy white shorts. I contemplate looking for a shirt, too, but Kai's dresser is much more inviting, so I snag one of his: a blue tee with a faded peace sign over it. Definitely one of his picks from 1994.

A loud series of knocks stops me as I'm about to exit the room, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Just as I'm considering that it could've been something else, there's two more, unmistakably at the front door. Who the hell is visiting at this hour, on Valentine's Day?

I hear Kai's footsteps padding across the wooden floor and I compose myself, swiftly walking into the living room. He's nearing the door with a visible frown on his features, pausing to look at me.

"Stay there." His tone holds an edge of warning, and I watch curiously as he disappears into the hall to answer whoever decided to pay him a visit. I swallow thickly, my arms wrapping around my ribs as I anxiously hope it isn't anyone intending harm. With Kai, you never know.

"Harry," I hear Kai say flatly, detecting an underlying hint of anger in his voice. I stare at the wall in shock, as I recognize the name of one of his coven members. The one that betrayed him, due to his resolute loyalty to Joshua. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Author's Note: I know it's been like three months, college applications have been a real pain in my fucking ass. But I had a burst of inspiration this weekend so here you go.

also I didn't bother to put a warning in this chapter because you guys know how I roll by now lmfao and if the explicit content bothers u, feel free to skip I guess, but i hope nobody minds the fact that i tend to go into deeeeeeep detail.

i loved writing a valentine's day chapter, and obviously I had to, but I still couldn't risk ending it on a cliffhanger. this was sort of a filler? not really but kinda. but i have many ideas for later that i fully intend to carry out, so hope ur all prepared!

THANK YOU FOR 500,000 READS THAT'S HALF A MILLION AND IM CRYING