Before the dawn

Right away he saw right through her explanation. Of course the mountainlion wouldn’t just sit on her command because he wanted to. There had to be some kind of bribe involved. A skinned rabbit was what had made the animal sell his soul, apparently. But it didn’t matter, according to her. He couldn’t help but keep laughing at the idea. ”I wish I had been there to see it”, He chuckled. The confused look of the predator by itself was probably worth it already. It was a strange thought. How she could tame a wild animal like Saggitarius. It surely wasn’t just because of the treats she offered him. There was something about her attitude that could calm down the hostile and aggressive side of a predator. Or at least, that was how he felt. There was probably a better explanation to it, but at this point it didn’t matter either. He just knew that she could keep the monster inside him caged, and that was enough for him.

Because he loved her, and he would never want to harm her. He wasn’t a very combative person to begin with, but the last person he would ever want to hurt, was her. Around her, he could be himself. Or at least who he would have been if his sire wouldn’t have cursed him. The monster was safely restricted, not only by her but also by his love for her. It made casual conversations like they were having right now possible. His thoughts dwelled back to the past, where he had just met her. The night they had spent in Rhoynar together, with the ducklings. How she had chased them away and how it had caused them to end up in the pond together. ”Now I don’t have an excuse to drop you in the water though”, He said with a very innocent expression on his face. Did he really need an excuse for that?

It felt nice to be able to be around her without the familiar burning feeling in his throat. The last couple of days before he had left her in the Watch had been a challenge for sure. Especially when she was sleeping. For some reason he was less in control over his thirst. Perhaps because his instincts saw her more like a prey than the actual person he had fallen in love with. Her demeanour was much more noticeable and had a lot more effect on him when she was awake. Which was quite logical. His human side connected with her, giving him an advantage over the monster. Pushing back against the urge to hunt had gotten harder every day up until the point he hadn’t even trusted himself to stay inside when she was resting.

So their ways had parted. Now they were reunited, he enjoyed every second of it. Her warmth, the familiar pace of her heartbeat, the sound of her voice. The way she raised her brow when he mentioned dropping her in the water. Ah yes. Throwback indeed. A cheeky smile played around his lips as he tilted his head slightly to the left. ”Oh are you?” He asked with a teasing tone. Mort got on his feet swiftly, moving closer to her at normal speed this time. His blue gaze met hers when he looked down on her. ”You’re lucky I love you so much I’m going to actually ask nicely first”, He said after a short silence. ”So, Lexa, want to go for a swim with me?”

One of the reasons why he had chosen this location, was because of the river. Not only was it great to have a source of water this close, it was also a nice addition to the general atmosphere. Even in the cabin the sound of the flowing water was clearly audible. Another advantage was the fact that some animals came here to drink as well, which he hoped to witness from time to time. The closer he was to nature, the happier he was. And then, finally, it was also a way of entertainment. The vampire liked to go for a swim. Even more so when he was in company. The water wouldn’t be too cold this time of the year, so at least she wouldn’t be freezing now.

”I fell for that last time”, He said while softly shaking his head. ”But I clearly remember how you suddenly changed your mind right after I was standing in the middle of that pond”, He continued amused. He had been naive, as usual. But he wasn’t that stupid to fall for the same trick twice. The vampire turned his body around in a way she was now enclosed between him and the water, cutting of the route back to the cabin. ”I think you should go first this time”, He suggested with a smirk. Yes, that was a way better idea, honestly. Because they both knew that he would actually follow, no matter the circumstances.

With his gaze fixed on her, he watched as she gave in and unstrapped her belt. She looked around for a second, which made him wonder why. It didn’t take him long to realise she was looking for danger. Even when he was in fact the greatest threat that could be lurking out here. And he was standing.. Right in front of her. If anyone would try to approach them, he would know. After his recent encounters with other vampires, he was even more aware of his surroundings. He doubted he could hear them coming, but at least they wouldn’t fully surprise him anymore. And beware the first vampire that would ever try to hurt his loved ones. He had let that happen one too many times and he would not make the same mistakes ever again.

After she was standing in the stream, he nodded satisfied and started undressing himself. This time he took off his shirt and even his pants, leaving him in his underwear. He walked in the water unbothered by the temperature. With a smile around his lips stopped right next to her. When he wrapped his arms gently around her waist, however, his innocent expression changed to a mischievous one. A soft giggle escaped his chest. Without hesitation, he tipped them both over and submerged underwater. His embrace tightening so she could not escape easily, pulling her under with him.