Page 71 of Veradel
“For fuck’s sake, they didn’t even give youbutterin there?” Lucan exclaims, massaging his temples. “We hand-churn cream to separate the butter from the buttermilk. Merrick’s father is the best at making it in Veradel.”
“And what’s that?” I point at the glass jug, smirking as Lucan’s face deepens a shade, anger palpable in the twitch of his jaw. “I’m just kidding. Don’t blow a gasket. I know what butter and milk are.”
“Oh, you wicked thing.” Before I can blink, Lucan dips his finger in the soft yellow butter and swipes it down the bridge of my nose.
The next thing I know, my vampiric senses take over me in a competitive race to best the male who should be my enemy. I grab a handful of butter and smash it into his face.
“Oops,” I say when he blinks through the slick, greasy substance sliding down his features.
Then we’re both bursting into laughter, Lucan burrowing his face into my neck.
“We’re going to make fried eggs,” he tells me, planting buttery kisses down my collarbone. “It’s the superior way of making and eating them.”
“Fried eggs,” I repeat breathily, trying to sound serious. “Eggs that are fried. Got it.” I frown at them, though. “There aren’t any baby birds in these, are there?”
Settling next to me at the counter, Lucan grabs a large bowl, then an egg, and holds it up in front of our faces.
“No. These come from my mother’s female chickens, which she keeps separate from the males. So they’re not fertilized. I can show you her coop after this, if you want.” Catching my eye as I grimace, he hooks a finger under my chin in understanding. “Hey, you’re not in there anymore.”
“I know,” I whisper.
“And you don’t have to feel guilty for being out here. Living your life. You’re doing everything in your power as fast as you can do it. You’re making a difference, but you’re also allowed to enjoy yourself. You only get to experience this life once.”
He’s right. I’m not sitting idly by. A little bit of warmth replaces the chill when I choose to smile.
“And right now,” I say eagerly as I watch him, “I want to experience cracking an egg.”
“Okay. So here’s what you’re going to do.” After Lucan settles an iron pan onto the stove and lights a match beneath it, he gently taps one of the eggs against the edge of the pan and uses his thumb to separate the shell, until the interior plops inside in a perfect circle. “Now your turn.”
Gingerly, he places another egg in my outstretched palm. I take a deep breath…
He chuckles.
I glare at him, my determination solidifying, before I tap the egg against the side of the pan just like he did, press my thumbs lightly against the crack—and it completely crumbles.
Egg shells and gooey yellow and clearish liquid ooze out from between my fingers.
I pout, but Lucan only grins.
“Not used to that strong vampire body.” He winks. “It’s fine. No one saw. Try again.”
My next two attempts don’t go any better, but I focus on the pressure of my fingers, how much strength I can exert through them, and finally on my third try, I successfully crack one open cleanly.
The yolk, as Lucan calls it, slides into the pan perfectly intact, suspended in the egg whites. Beaming, I raise my head to find that his smile matches mine.
“Again,” he says, and I do it one more time, until there’s three perfect eggs sitting in the pan. The fire crackles beneath it and soon, I watch, mystified, as the eggs begin to sizzle and form golden edges, bubbling in the orangish middle.
“Now for the best part,” he says, bringing out two little glass shakers from the cupboard, one filled with what looks like white sand, and the other black sand. “I save salt and pepper for special occasions, because they’re hard to come by.”
“Are you saying I’m a special occasion?” I joke.
“I hope not,” he tells me seriously. “I hope you’re a forever occasion.”
Forever. It’s a real possibility for us, now that I know I’m not fossilizing. We don’t just have a few years left together, but all of eternity.
If we can survive what happens next, that is. If we can truly bring down that Wall and liberate our people.
When Lucan shakes the salt and pepper over our eggs, he finally turns to me with pride spread across his face. “There you have it. The best breakfast in the world.”
