“What are we going to do?” I ask.
“Right now? I’m going to make you scream my name one more time before the sun rises and I have to go to sleep. I’ve put black-out curtains in the bedroom so?—”
“No, I mean, I said I love you, but nothing has changed. You’re a vampire and I’m a human. Our love is still forbidden.”
Alaric stills.
I prod him. “We have to talk about it.”
“We do not.”
“We should have talked about the Kiss ages ago. If you’d told me, I would have had time to consider it. I could have told you that it …” I swallow down the weight of my words. “That it doesn’t repulse me. That I could be interested. Maybe.”
“I won’t do it. I won’t make you into a monster, Winnie.”
“When I get back, we’re going to work on your self-esteem. Why are you so determined to believe that all vampires are monsters?” I rest my head on his chest, listening to the slow, steady thud of his heart. I squeeze him as hard as I can, but it’s like squeezing stone. “You have regrets. We all do. That doesn’t make you unredeemable. It makes you more human than many of my kin. I don’t hate what you are, Alaric. I’m not afraid of you. I’m not afraid of being like you. I think that you’re wonderful. And the idea of spending eternity with you makes me happier than a two-for-one sale on storage containers.”
“You mean it?” His voice trembles. He brushes a strand of hair from my face, hiseyes wide with awe.
“You make me happier than a big mess, a loud playlist, and a mug of Reginald’s hot chocolate.” I grin. “So yes, I would be honoured to share eternity with you. But I’d like some time to see how things go first. I have a lot of changes to make in my life, and that might be one too many all at once.”
“What changes?” He sounds wary.
“I’m retiring the Winnie Wins System.”
“You can’t do that. It’s yours. It’s?—”
“Faye can have it. It’s outdated.Passé.” My grin broadens. “I’m instigating the Winnie LOVES System. It’s a brand new approach to cleaning, and it’s all mine.”
Alaric’s lips flatten into the long-suffering look he wears whenever I talk about tidying. “And what, I’m afraid to ask, is the Winnie Loves System?”
“I haven’t exactly figured out all the letters yet, but it’s going to be brilliant.”
“What’s the V?”
“Why are you so concerned about the V?”
“V is not a common letter.” Alaric frowns. “If your new system is going to endure for all eternity, then it needs to figure out a viable V word.”
“The V stands for ‘Very Naughty Vampires Who Don’t Listen To Their Professional Organisers Go To Bed Alone’.” I stick my tongue out at him.
“That’s aterriblesystem.”
“I’m kidding. It stands for ‘Very Much is How Much I Love You’. Just roll with it.” I laugh when Alaric makes a face. “I’ll figure it out. I’ll have all of eternity.”
“But that part is true?” His breath grazes my cheek. “About loving me?”
“That part is true.”
“The way you rise from the ashes, Winnie the Majestic, even a phoenix is in awe of you,” he murmurs as he leans in to kiss me again.
FROM THE NEW DRACLUTTERA WEBSITE: THE WINNIE LOVES SYSTEM
Welcome to Dracluttera – the first-ever professional organising service for the Upyr community. If your home is being swallowed by possessions you’ve acquired over a century (or more! We don’t judge!) then take advantage of our discreet, supportive and empathetic clutter-clearing services.
No mess is too large for us to handle with our unique Winnie Loves System, designed by professional organiser Winnie Preston. We’ll help you to:
Live:Step one is about envisioning the life you want by focusing on your ideal future self, instead of looking back at the past. You have all of eternity ahead of you – what kind of vampire do you want to be? Is your stuff holding you back, or is it an important part of your growth?
