Anatoly knew in that moment, as a tear streaked down her round cheek, that he loved Maggie Boone with all his heart. Just as she had faced his darkest moment with him so he would be there for her as well.
First, he wiped the wetness away and then kissed her on the forehead with all the tenderness in his heart. For once, he struggled to find the words, but he conveyed his caring by drawing her into his embrace.
At once, she melted against his chest, a deep sigh leaving her body. He held her tighter, unwilling to let go until he was sure she would be okay. To his relief, she slipped her arms around his waist and deepened the hug. Maggie turned her face into his chest and he felt her relax.
Anatoly remained steadfast, not counting the minutes that passed, not caring if they stayed there until dawn. At this point, speaking seemed unnecessary. Surely she could feel his love enveloping her, too?
He swore in his heart to always be her rock, safe and steady, until the end of her days and even then he would not abandon her. Maggie may grow old and succumb to death as humans were meant to do, but she would want for nothing in all of her days and she would never be alone again.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Maggie turned her files and notes over to Lieutenant Martin before leaving the station and returning home for the morning. It had been a bitter moment, but bearable thanks to Anatoly’s presence through the whole process.
After comforting her in the bathroom, he had remained nearby, quiet but steadfast. She’d taken strength from him, using it to keep herself in control even if she handed over months of her life like it was nothing. Just because they took her off the case didn’t mean she had to stop working it. She had decided while calming down in Anatoly’s arms that she’d just come at it from a different angle this time.
Maggie let out a sigh as she mentally prodded the coffee pot, hoping that it might drip faster if she stood there staring at it with a cross expression long enough. It was her morning on the next night; she’d dropped Anatoly off at the church at his insistence and then gone back home.
Their conversation was scheduled to take place any minute and all she wanted was to get a few sips of hot coffee in her before facing him again.
Sure enough, she thought him into existence. A knock at the door alerted her and she just laughed out loud at his timing. Maggie didn’t even need to glance at the clock to know he was exactly on time.
So much for being put together for a change, she thought as she hurried into her bedroom while simultaneously calling, “It’s open!” She heard the front door creak open just as she shut hers. “I’ll be out in a minute!”
“Izvinite, am I early?” Anatoly’s deep voice came through the barrier between them, sounding delightful as ever.
“No, I’m behind,” she answered, dragging off her pajamas and picking out what to wear. She couldn’t resist the urge to put on her pink matching undergarments, remembering the time she’d worn them and he’d seen her bra.
It was only to amuse herself, especially as he had been clear that sex wasn’t on the table for now. Maggie wasn’t even sure if they were even a real couple. It’s not like they’d had that conversation, though they had certainly found plenty of time for kissing. She hoped tonight to broach the subject, but her burning questions about vampires and the supernatural needed to come first.
Once she was dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a baggy sweatshirt, Maggie fixed her hair in the mirror above the dresser. Though she decided after a few minutes that it wasn’t worth fussing too much over, it was going to look grungy short of a shower, so she threw it into a messy ponytail like a basic bitch and called it good.
Finally, she was ready to face Anatoly, at least appearance-wise, and so with a deep breath, she stepped out into the living room.
Anatoly was not standing there, however, and she stuttered out in confusion as she glanced around the small apartment. He couldn’t have gone far… Sure enough, she found him a moment later in the kitchen standing over a bag of take-out bagels. Not only was he on time, he’d left early so he could stop to get her breakfast.
A feeling of warmth blossomed to life in Maggie’s chest, making her smile as she swiped a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. Her stomach rumbled audibly and both of them laughed together.
Maggie crossed the distance between them and leaned up to plant a kiss on Anatoly’s beard before reaching for the bag. “Is there cream cheese?” she asked, rifling through it.
“Da,” he answered, his eyes twinkling as he gazed back at her.
Maggie tried not to read too much into it, but she rather liked the way he looked at her since they had kissed.
As she fixed herself breakfast and dressed up her coffee, Anatoly stood nearby, watching as he often did. Two scoops of sugar and a dash of milk in the scalding hot liquid was exactly what Maggie needed.
Of course, having Anatoly there was a mixed blessing. For some reason this morning she was feeling nervous in his presence, unsure, and that wasn’t a mindset Maggie was willing to tolerate from herself.
“So, vampires,” she started the conversation, hoping to assuage herself. “How often do you eat? Do you ever eat real food?” She didn’t bring up the case yet as this was supposed to be focused on the supernatural, but she was aching to discuss everything with him and get his honest take.
Maggie bit into her bagel and started to chew while she waited expectantly for the priest to answer.
“Nyet, no human food. Mostly by choice.” Standing tall in the doorway to the kitchen in a button-down shirt and slacks she had to admit he looked good enough to eat himself. “It is varied, but personally I feed on blood every week or two only. Some might indulge more frequently, but I do not wish to tax the deacon by feeding too often.”
Maggie swallowed and watched him closely as she asked her next question. “You don’t feed on anyone but the deacon?”
Anatoly shook his head. “Not in long time.”
“Are you tempted to eat other people?” Maggie had forgotten the bagel by now and leaned forward to listen.
