Chapter 38: Chapter 38
Elena spent her morning in the living room with Chump and Ryder. They sat on the sofa with their eyes glued to the TV screen. The vampires played a competitive game, while she opted to watch them. They hammered their fingers on the buttons of their controllers, making her think they would break them soon if they didn’t stop. It was sort of amusing how engrossed they were in their game.
“Next time I’ll beat you,” Ryder grumbled when a Game Over flickered over his part of the screen.
“Dream on. You’re too slow to keep up with me,” the other vampire grinned.
“Shut it,” Ryder complained. “I want a rematch, and this time, you’ll get it!”
“Good luck, Ryder,” she chimed in.
“He’s going to need it,” Chump snickered.
“Fucking hell.”
She giggled at their antics. They must have known each other for a long time, considering they both had been part of the clan for decades. She stayed and watched them play for another five minutes until she decided to head to her room. While they were busy, she wanted to make a quick phone call, preferably without being overheard.
She entered her bedroom and closed the door behind her. It was high time to get in touch with her friend Willow. They hadn’t spoken since before the breakup with Steph. Elena had a feeling she would be happy to hear about it since she had urged Elena to do it. And in hindsight, it had been the only right decision.
Elena sat on her small balcony that overlooked the garden. The summer sun was high up in the sky, warming her skin with its rays. She dialed Willow’s number and waited for her to pick up, which didn’t take long at all.
“Elena,” she said excitedly. “How are you?”
“I’m great, and you?”
“Same,” Willow laughed. “I just finished making lunch with Mark’s help. We have to clean up the kitchen later, though. Are you at home right now?”
Elena smirked, easily imagining the mess the chaotic couple had created. “Good luck with that,” she snickered. “I am, but not where you think. I broke up with Steph a few days ago.”
“Wow, really? Congrats. About time you kicked that bastard’s ass. I hope he never dares to show his ugly face again,” Willow went off, voice dripping with malicious joy. “So you got your own place to live?”
“Kind of? I moved in with Ryder, and now I’m staying with his clan,” Elena explained, earning stunned silence from the other end of the line.
Willow needed a moment to get over her surprise. “Huh? What’s going on all of a sudden? Weren’t you strictly against it?”
“I changed my mind. It’s for the best. I’m comfortable with Ryder… He’s considerate and entirely different from Steph,” Elena replied, playing with a lock of her black hair as she looked at the garden down below.
“I see, that’s amazing to hear. I’m happy for you,” Willow said, the smile on her face being audible. “Are you in love with him?”
Caught off guard by her bluntness, Elena’s heart leaped. “What?” she stumbled over her words.
“You heard me correctly. Tell me. Are you?”
“No?”
“Doesn’t sound very sure,” Willow giggled. “It’s alright, Elena. Take it slow. It’s not like Ryder, nor are you going to age any time soon.”
“We do have lots of time,” Elena agreed. She fought against the blush that spread all the way to her ears.
“Did you let him drink your blood, by the way?”
“Yes.”
“Oh wow? You won’t stop surprising me,” Willow gasped. “I’m speechless. So you trust him that much?”
“I do. He’s very kind to me, even though he is a vampire,” Elena smiled.
“What is it like to be bitten by him? Does it hurt?”
“Only at the beginning, and then it’s… uh… okay.”
Willow snorted and broke out in giggles. “Mhm, okay. That says a lot,” she remarked with a suspiciously ambiguous tone in her voice. “Kinky.”
“Willow. It’s…”
“I can’t believe this. You went from being a scaredy-cat to being horny?” Willow had to be crying tears from laughing so much.
“Not true,” Elena grumbled. “Lies.”
“Sure, lies,” Willow answered, clearly not believing a word her friend said. “But all jokes aside, it’s great you’ve found someone with whom you are comfortable. That’s invaluable.”
“Yes, I’m grateful for him,” Elena said. Words alone couldn’t describe how lucky she was—it was a huge relief to be separated from Steph. No more walking on eggshells around him, no more screaming, and no more abuse. She was significantly happier without him.
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By the time Elena returned to the ground floor and passed the living room, Chump and Ryder were still busy with their video game. Judging by their shouting, this time Ryder was winning, and Chump seemed frustrated about it. She held in a smile and walked on to the kitchen, planning to make lunch for herself. When she entered the room, she found Helen sitting on one of the barstools at the counter. The vampire glanced up from her phone when Elena arrived and smiled at her.
“Hello there. How is your day going?”
“Couldn’t be better,” Elena replied. “I just had a call with my friend. She is a werewolf and lives with her soulmate. We haven’t talked since I broke up with my former boyfriend, so we had a lot to catch up on.” She fetched a few ingredients for her lunch from the fridge and began to prepare them while she talked to Helen.
“You’re friends with a werewolf? That’s interesting,” Helen suggested, resting her chin on her hand.
“We met a few years ago after I moved to New York,” Elena replied, briefly glancing up once she heard the front door open. One of the other vampires must have arrived.
She put the freshly cut tomatoes in a bowl and went on to cut onions. However, the knife was razor-sharp, and a tiny moment of inattention sufficed for her to cut herself. She hissed, retracting her hand. Red bloomed on her finger, trickling down the digit. It was a deep cut, and it burned.