Chapter 85

Tessa’s POV

“Do you like tomato and basil soup?” I asked from the kitchen, peering over at Joseph sitting on the couch.

“Sounds good,” he answered.

I was surprised when he agreed to come inside, even more shocked that I invited him. But now that he was here, I needed to prepare dinner for us both. I was pleased that he was here. Despite our many differences and the fact that I hardly saw him during the day, I missed hanging out with him in the evenings.

It was like a part of me was missing these last few days and now that he’s in my living room, sitting on my couch, waiting for me to return with food, it felt like that missing part has been filled.

I felt good about our friendship. I’m glad we talked a little bit earlier and cleared some of that negative energy away. But there was still stuff I wanted to say to him. There were still things I needed to tell him.

I was so lost in thought, that I hadn’t even noticed that he was now in the kitchen.

“Do you need help with anything?” He asked, peering around at the many ingredients I had laid out on the counter.

I shook my head.

“No, I think I have this handled,” I told him.

He nodded and grabbed his phone out of his pocket. It was ringing.

“I’ll be back,” he said, turning away and leaving the kitchen. I frowned after him, wondering what was so important that he had to run off for. Could the Nightwalkers be calling him for another mission?

The thought caused a tight knot to form in the pit of my stomach and I suddenly wasn’t feeling so well. Would I ever get rid of this nagging thought that I was in danger?

By the time the soup was finished cooking, Joseph still hadn’t returned. He was standing in the hallway just outside the apartment door. I could hear his muffled talking through the door. I went toward the door and opened it with only a crack.

He sounded upset.

“I have a responsibility here. I trust you to handle the problem. Send more warriors to search the area if needed. If they don’t get what they are looking for, they will be back,” Joseph said into the phone.

After a pause he said.

“I’ll be there over spring break. You can handle the issue until then. After that, I’ll be back permanently at the end of this semester. I’m trusting you, Carter.”

He’s leaving at the end of this semester?

My heart fell deep into my stomach and that’s when Joseph noticed me standing at the doorway. He nearly dropped the phone when he saw me. At first, he looked nervous, but then his eyes softened and all that was left was this unfamiliar softness.

Maybe it was compassion.

“I’ll call you later, Carter,” Joseph said, and then he hung up without another word. “How much of that did you hear?” He then asked me.

“I just came out here to tell you that dinner is ready,” I told him and then I turned and went back inside.

I went to the table and sat down. I grabbed a bottle of wine earlier and had a couple of glasses waiting for us. Joseph joined me moments later at the table and I served him some of the soup and poured him a glass of wine.

He stared at the cup for a moment.

“I think I need something a little stronger,” he murmured.

Before I could say anything, he was pulling out a little vile from his pocket. It looked like a clear liquid, and I raised my gaze to him just as he put a few drops in his wine glass.

“What is that?” I asked, furrowing my brows together.

“It’s a concoction that a bartender in my village created,” he answered. “Vampires don’t get drunk like humans can. It takes a lot for them to get even tipsy. A few drops of this stuff though and I’ll get a buzz going. I need it after the day I had.”

I was more amazed that he had a bartender in his village. Was it just like an ordinary town? I had questions I wanted to ask him. I didn’t know much about where Joseph was before he came to this city, I didn’t know much of anything.

“This is delicious,” he said, taking a spoonful of soup as he met my eyes.

I forced a smile and began to eat as well. Though, I wasn’t very hungry right now.

“Is it true?” I found myself asking once the silence grew unbearable.

“Is what true?”

“Are you leaving after this semester?” I asked.

He placed his spoon down and stared at me with such intensity that I thought I was going to melt into a puddle on the table.

“This was always the plan,” he answered. “I never intended to stay here long. It was a cover so I could find those new vampires. But I also honor my agreements and I had agreed to teach for the semester. Once the semester is over, there’s no point in me staying.”

“Where will you be going?”

“Back to my home in the mountains,” he answered, picking up his spoon again. “I live in a village there with others.”

“Other vampires?”

He paused at my question, looking at me for a moment.

“Yes,” he answered.

His hesitation didn’t sit right with me.

“Eat your food,” he ordered, motioning for the bowl in front of me.

Instead of eating the food, I chugged the rest of my glass of wine before pouring myself another glass.

He rose his brows.

“Slow down,” he said, but I could see the amusement on his face.

“I want to see the village,” I blurted.

I’m not sure if it was wine that suddenly gave me this confidence or what, but I was soon staring at his stunned face, refusing to take back my statement.

“I want to see where you live,” I continued. “I want to see the mountains.”

Growing up in the country with all the farmlands and then living in the city, I had never been near mountains before. I imagine they are probably beautiful, and I wanted to see them. I wanted to go there with them. His village must be filled with domesticated vampires or else he wouldn’t allow them to live there. So, it had to be safe for me to go there.

“It’s not a place for a human to go,” he finally said after a long pause. “I’ll help clean up.”

He dropped the subject quickly as he stood to his feet. He grabbed a few dishes off the table and went toward the kitchen sink. I stared at him with dismay written all over his face.

I sighed and helped him clean while I was still sipping on the wine. It was starting to make me feel a little dizzy, but I also felt relaxed. He also gradually sipped on his glass of wine as well.

“I have another bottle I wanted to get rid of,” I said, motioning for the unopened bottle of wine on the counter. “Want to watch a movie and drink it with me?”

He rose his brows, staring around my face for a moment longer before nodding.

I grabbed the bottle of wine and went over to the couch, he followed me, sitting down beside me.

“What movie are we watching?” He asked.

I opened the Netflix app and scrolled through some movies until I found one that had an interesting cover.

“How about this?” I asked, peering over at him, watching as he took a long and steady sip of his wine.

“Okay.”

I knew he was okay with whatever as long as we didn’t talk. I turned on the movie and we watched it for a long while.

By the time we got to the end of the movie, the wine was nearly completely gone. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stand up without falling over. I was hoping Joseph didn’t notice how drunk I had gotten. Then again, he was swaying a little as well. He put a lot of his concoction in his wine glass whenever he took more wine.

I wonder if he’s just as drunk as I am.

I stole a look in his direction, but his eyes were fixed on the television.

It was towards the end of the movie and the male and female roles were sitting beside one another at the beach, staring up at the stars.

“I should have told you this sooner,” he said to her. “But I was so afraid of letting myself feel something real. But I don’t want to hide it from you anymore… I love you, Cassie. I have loved you from the minute I saw you. If the idea of loving me scares you, then let me love you until you are ready. If it’s not something you are ready for, then I will wait for you for as long as it takes. If you don’t love me….”

The male lead’s voice broke, and he couldn’t finish his sentence as tears left his eyes. The girl was also crying, staring at him with wide eyes.

Tears welled up in my eyes as well.

Soon, the girl was throwing her arms around him and holding him close.

“You fool,” she cried into his shirt. “I love you so damn much.”

I bit onto my bottom lip to keep from sobbing. I looked up at Joseph who was looking at me. My breathing got stuck in my throat as our eyes met.

“Joseph…” I breathed, trying to keep my voice from trembling. “I need to ask you… What did our kiss mean to you?”