Page 58 of Drink Up, Darling
“And?” Dariel cocked his head, Athens nodding slowly.
“I can never love you that way! You two deserve…”
“Did you not enjoy last night?” Athens stroked Godwin’s arm again, long black nails raising goosebumps on the flesh.
“Oh, more than anything… it was… perfect.” Godwin blushed, hand lifting to his neck where two puncture marks still remained, slightly crusted over.
There’s another two on his back. My marks.Dariel thought to himself, looking down in polite embarrassment.
“Well then, you loved us in your way. There is nothing wrong with who you are. We don’t expect anything you cannot give,” Athens said.
“But… Why? I don’t understand.”
“I thought we discussed this last night, darling. You understood there was nothing wrong with you.”
“Yes, but…”
Athens sat up, slamming an angry hand into the duvet. “But nothing! We made our decision. We want to stay with you. It’s not because we feel sorry for you, because anyone with a soul would. It’s because we want to keep you company. We want to stay with you. We want to get to know you more, and we hopeyou want to get to know us—not for the creatures we are, but the men we were and will be. We want to share our lives with you now, and we’re not expecting romance, we’re not expecting anything you do not want to give. We want you to talk to us whenever you want. To help you pick out a wardrobe, and redesign the walls to be whatever your heart desires. We’re going to fix that bloody record player, and keep your hedges trimmed, and you’re going to cook us your favourite meals, even if we can’t eat a lot. This is your home, not your prison. We want to help you live.”
The only thing keeping tears from Dariel’s own eyes was seeing them glisten in Godwin’s. The man was speechless. Practically gasping for air.
“What…” He choked up, words disappearing.
“Will you let us do that? Everything we did yesterday, we can do as your friends. No romantic strings, none of those feelings. Is that not what you want?” Dariel asked, rubbing Godwin’s legs from under the covers.
Godwin nodded, sucking in the remnants of sadness that hadn’t already streamed down his face. His mouth formed a thank you, though no sound came out. It was enough.
Athens slipped off the bed, standing and tying his hair up into a high ponytail, heading towards the door. He looked even more attractive with his hair pulled back from his face, Dariel thought.
“Right, I’m going to catch a rabbit or whatever you have roaming around in these woods,” Athens announced, pointing to the window on the far wall where the leaves and vines practically covered it entirely. “Dariel will keep you company.” He reached the door. “Oh, and since we’re going to be sticking around for a while, Godwin, just letting you know, we try not to drink human blood if it can be helped, unless the person is willing.” He winked towards the bed.
Godwin leaned forward in protest. “Last night, the bottle… it was my own…”
“Oh, I know that. The sweetest.” Then he left.
“You’re really staying?” Godwin asked Dariel as they both sat side by side.
Dariel let his head flop onto Godwin’s shoulder. “For as long as you’ll have us,” he promised.
“You bit me too, didn’t you? I felt it.” Godwin rubbed at his other side where the wound would have been.
Dariel’s brow scrunched in apology. “Did I hurt you?”
Godwin threw him a genuine grin. “Oh, no. It was quite the opposite.”
“Was the rest good?”
They smiled into each other’s eyes.
“You were the best, Dariel. Although I cannot shake the thought I didn’t get to return the favour.”
Dariel swallowed and let his eyes wander down Godwin’s body, desire pooling in his crotch. “Would you like to?”
“Now?” Godwin’s voice grew raspier; hungrier.
“If you want. Or we can wait. We can do it nowandlater if you really want. I don’t have many plans for the rest of the day. Whatever you would like.”
Godwin blushed and swallowed, reaching for Dariel’s arm. “Can we… now?”
