You wouldn't say she'd cleaned, not exactly, but the mattress was made up with clean sheets (for the first time in clearly forever) and a wet rag had been used to wipe down the counter where wine stains and spilled sugar had created their own geology. And against that background the pale woman sat on the lone chair with her hands in her lap, facing the door like a puppy left at home, pale skin strobing against the black cotton of her shorts and tee in the dim evening light.
Destiny had gone out for a bit, to replenish the small stash of food she kept at the motel. Armed with packages and parcels of fruit, and bread for toast, and more coffee, and more cheeses and summer sausage, she looked all flushed and excited from her wild time at the local market, which to her surprise remained open even at this hour. "I'm back! The Market was more crowded than I thought it would be this late, but I think I got everything." She looked around as she unloaded the bags.
Arts unwound herself from the chair, like a flower blooming in a fast-forward film, and helped (clumsily it must be admitted, for she had no recent history of such housekeeping) until the bags were unpacked and most everything had a place. Then suddenly she clutched Destiny's shoulders and pulled her into a kiss, which ended with their bodies tight together, and the blonde's chill lips painting the brunette's face and head, cheeks and neck and nose and eyebrows, in an almost desperate flurry of affection.
Destiny giggled, a sweet, husky sound in the otherwise quiet room, her dainty fingers playing through Arts' hair as she tried (almost successfully) to keep up with that sudden onslaught of kisses, keeping her lover as close as possible, her warm breath caressing cool lips, foreheads barely touching. "Mmmm...was I gone that long?" There was that catlike grin.
Arts rocked her head against Destiny's. "It's not how long you were gone, missy dear, but how long you might be..." Stepping back, she captured the woman's hands in hers, took a step toward the center of the room where the poor light was best. "I have a confession of sorts. I don't want to make it, I'm afraid to make it, but we cannot really be a "we" until I do. Tell me, ladylove, do you find me in any way strange?"
Destiny followed where she was led. The question caught her a bit off-guard, and it showed in her eyes, while she sought to entwine warm fingers with cool ones. "Not really, though I'd love your secret for staying cool in all this hot weather." She was quiet again for a moment, brow furrowed in thought. "Other than that, no"you don't seem particularly strange to me. But then, I sing for a club that has a duck for a guitarist, so that's my bar for strangeness here."
"There are many strange things in Rhy'Din, Destiny my dear," the pale woman replied, "but only I share your bed." She closed her eyes , bowed her head, as if bravery were something to be ambushed and held against its will. When she lifted her face again, she let her lips part, like a fashion model feigning ecstasy, and slowly, gracefully, the elegant little blue-white gems of her feeding teeth slid free of their sheathes of gum, and, loosening her chill fingers so Destiny could pull away if she must, Arts stood exposed.
Destiny allowed the woman to loosen her grip, but'she did not move, except to tilt her head from side to side, the furrow in her brow returning as she processed what she was seeing. The silence in the room was deafening, but after a long, long pause, the breath Destiny didn't know she was holding was released, and she sought to re-tighten the grip of fingers. "I had no idea...but it doesn't change what I feel, or how I feel."
Arts allowed that grip allowed to tighten, oh if she were not careful it could break knuckles. The blonde swallowed hard, it might have been a sob choked back, and the teeth returned to their hiding places. At first she did nothing but draw Destiny to her again, as if reassuring herself that the girl would not flinch away, and when that was allowed another wordless waterfall of kissed followed. Only after that did she draw back just enough to speak, her great brown eyes on Destiny's dusty blues. "I was so afraid darling. I would not have blamed you if you feared me or worse, but I couldn't keep it from you longer."
Those kisses were caught, and returned, long lashes feathering cool cheeks, nuzzling forehead to forehead before smiling up at Arts, dusty blue eyes shining. "I could never be afraid of you, Arts - never. If you had wanted to hurt me, or worse?" Her breath hitched a bit before continuing. "you'd have done it already. So knowing doesn't change a thing." She leaned up to steal a kiss. "In fact, it makes things even better, for there's nothing to hide now."
Arts nodded, the release of a tension she'd been loath to admit still showing itself in the smoothing of her pale features. "Of course you must have questions. I know I would were I you! And of course I'll answer them one and all...."
Destiny caught her lip between her teeth as she thought. "Well, the obvious first question is how old are you? But then a lady doesn't have to reveal her age." She grinned her cat-like grin. "So...I'll start with the wine" that's why you don't drink it really?"
There was a sigh of relief. This was the easy part. "Yes, I like the texture, and I can take just a bit of the sweetness, but for the most part the things you might eat or drink don't sit well with what has become of my metabolism. I'm like on the most restrictive diet ever." Humor was always a good incense to drive the demons away, after all.
That made Destiny grin, but then her expression grew more serious, as a question suddenly loomed before her. "How" how do you eat' And do you have to every day?"
"I live on blood" there was no point in being coy now, "and feed about once a week. I seldom kill. There is enough Entrancement in my eyes to make that unnecessary, And as for the other, I'm no ancient. I was 24 when this..." Here she ran her hands over her slight body..."happened to me. That was 40 years ago, but somewhere along the line I was briefly involved with a woman of similar nature and much older blood, and she 'improved' me if you will. Those that I feed on typically awake feeling vaguely guilty as if as some dalliance unremembered. They recover soon enough. There can be great pleasure in the feeding if it is given voluntarily. We can explore that some day if you wish, but it is not necessary to my loving you." She winced a little as the word broke free, the first time it has been clearly said by her in this relationship.
The word did not go unnoticed. In fact, it brought a mist to Destiny's eyes, one hand again moving to play with dandelion hair, a soft smile on her face, and soft words on her lips. "I was afraid you'd think it too soon to say the word love, but that's how I feel." Another warm breath tickled cool lips. "I love you Arts, and I trust you, and when the time is right"I'd - I'd like to know how it feels, when you feed."
There were tears streaking the pale white planes of her cheeks, real tears for all the fact that they were tinged pink against the ivory flesh. She clutched Destiny against her, again not trusting herself to speak. Only after holding her so for long moments did she manage to murmur. "My love, my love, my love. We have time for any questions that might arise, and for any explorations we might want to undertake. We have time to become "we,? every day more deeply, every day more sweetly."
The pink tears soon mixed with Destiny's, mingling on their cheeks as she answered not with words, but with soft kisses and gentle touches, that inevitably would turn more heated and aggressive as they entwined in the middle of the room.