Longing for You, стр. 56
“I love you,” Katie said.
Alexis got her breath back and pulled Katie up and into her arms.She hugged her tightly. “I love you, Katie, and I always will.”
* * *
Katie lay with her head on Alexis’s chest and her leg wrappedaround her. They had been lying in quiet contemplation for a while now. Alexiswas calm now that she had fed on her. Katie was so happy to have her lover backand trusting her. She had to find a way to bring up the question of transitionwithout upsetting Alexis.
“Alex?”
“Mmm?”
“I’ve been thinking about something since we argued in your room.”Katie pushed herself up on her elbow. “I just want you to know I understand howhard it is for you to be in a relationship like this, with a human.”
Alexis sighed. “I tried to stay away from you, but it was too latefor my heart.”
“I know it upsets you, but I do think we should talk about metransitioning.”
Alexis sighed again. “Katie, let’s not ruin the moment.”
“I’m not, and don’t get upset. I just want to talk about it in acalm and adult way,” Katie said.
“If you must.”
Katie had gotten past the first hurdle. “Okay, well, you thought Ididn’t take the change seriously enough, and I probably didn’t. I’m sorry forhurting your wrist, by the way.” Katie lifted Alexis’s hand and kissed the nowhealed wrist.
“Don’t worry about it,” Alexis said.
“What if I thought it through and showed you I was serious aboutthis?”
Alexis took her hand. “I know your heart is in the right place,but if this is something you want to do, I’d need to be sure. Otherwise I’dalways feel selfish for allowing you to do it.”
“Okay, fine, but I want you to promise we’ll talk about this in afew months’ time. I’m going to prove to you I’m serious. I love you, and Idon’t want us both to be in such pain leaving each other. Promise we’ll talkabout it in a few months’ time?” Katie said.
“Six months. I promise, if you think about what you’d be losingvery carefully,” Alexis said.
“Okay, deal,” Katie said quickly.
That was as good a deal as she was going to get. She rolled on topof Alexis and grinned. “Now I’m going to show you how much I want to spendforever with you.”
Chapter Nineteen
Byron wrapped her arm around Amelia’s waist as they were gatheredaround her parents’ grave. She saw the other attendees from the church look ather in disdain. It had been quite an experience for the church members to haveByron, dressed in a man’s suit, and Jaunty and Simon in their church. She couldonly imagine what they would think if they knew she was not only gendernonconforming but a vampire.
At the service the pastor had given the assembled mourners alecture about hell and had looked at their small group and shouted, “Where willyou be when the Lord comes? Where will you be? You’ll be in hell if you don’tchange your ways!”
It was not the kind of church service she was expecting. Thechurch was an old community centre outside the village where Amelia’s parentslived. Amelia explained that the locals went to the more traditional—morenormal—Church of England church in the village. But this small congregation wasquite different. The church members were not local—they travelled here from allover. And Byron realized how oppressive this extreme church would have been forAmelia growing up.
Amelia stepped forward, took some earth from the pastor, and threwit down into the grave. As she did, she said, “Thank you for protecting me.”
The graveside service was now at an end, and everyone started tofile back to their cars. Byron tried to take her hand, but Amelia said, “I’lljust go and thank the pastor. I’ll see you in the car.”
“If you’re sure,” Byron said.
Byron went back to the car and settled inside. Five minutes latera stony-faced Amelia joined her.
“Is everything all right? If he’s upset you—” Byron asked.
“Let’s just go.”
Byron nodded to Alexis in the front, and she told the driver todrive. She took Amelia’s hand. “What did he say?”
Amelia sighed. “Oh, just that I’m going to hell to burn forever,and how ashamed my parents were of me.”
Anger simmered inside Byron. If she had been there, she would havescared the living daylights out of him for upsetting her wife.
“Nonsense. He doesn’t know that your mum and dad showed love toyou the only way they knew how, by protecting you. Don’t even listen to thatfire and brimstone stuff.”
“I know. It’s still hard to be reminded that my childhood wasspent listening to this.” Amelia got out her phone and started texting.
“Who are you texting?”
“Magda, to see if she can give me a lesson when we arrive back inLondon,” Amelia said.
“You can’t go right after your parents’ funeral. I know you’resad, frustrated, and angry. But I thought we could have supper and go to bedearly. You said you felt queasy earlier—you need a rest.”
“Byron, I want to be distracted. Learning how to control my powerswill do that. Please?”
She wasn’t so sure it was the best idea, but if that was whatAmelia wanted… “Okay, if Magda can see you, we’ll drop you there, and I’ll dosome paperwork.” Byron said to Alexis, “We’re taking the Principessa to ThePortal bookshop.”
“Yes, Principe.”
Byron watched Amelia rub her stomach and screw up her face. “Whydon’t we stop and get a sandwich first. That should settle your stomach.”
Amelia nodded. “Okay.”
* * *
It was now early evening, and after dropping Amelia off, Alexis,Byron, and the rest of the guards went back to the house. The cars pulled up infront of the Debrek mansion, and Alexis was anxious to go talk to Katie as soonas Byron was safely inside. The funeral had brought her thoughts and feelingsabout Katie into sharp focus.
One day she would be attending Katie’s funeral. She’d alreadyrealized that she couldn’t just not be in a relationship with Katie. LovingKatie wasn’t a choice. Her heart would simply always be Katie’s. So if Katiewas sure, Alexis had decided to help her turn, and then she could spendeternity worshipping her.
Alexis jumped out