Prey

Chapter 45

Doe's POV:

"So not only did you wake up everyone on your floor at two in the morning but also managed to shatter the full jar of flour in the process just because you guys wanted a late night snack, "I asked with an entertained smile, giving Xander a chance to take a bite from his sandwich.

I'd been asking him questions about his earlier years ever since this morning, hearing multiple tales about the disaster children he and Nico were.

Each one that, I'll admit, I found immensely entertaining.

From the music and the tricks they'd play on their poor staff, to the family traditions.

Especially the mother who, more often than not, would join in on the harmless trouble they would make.

It caused a strange feeling of longing to spread through me. Like I was missing something that I never had the opportunity of having in this life.

Even so, it didn't stop me from asking and pushing for more.

He looked like he was enjoying talking about it as well.

"Oh hell no," He defended, "Nico was definitely the culprit with the flour jar, but put the blame on me since I was the one who ended up covered in it!"

I bit down on the inside of my lip to stifle my laugh at the volume in his self-justification.

Which didn't matter, the park we were sitting in had been cleared away once the people realized that Xander was a vampire.

It wasn't a large amount of space, just a few snow-covered hedges and benches surrounding the fountain that we were seated on.

The fountain that was just barely operational due to the weather.

"Okay okay," I eased, tossing my trash from lunch into the trashcan a few feet away, "I'll believe you then."

He let out a little huff as he took another bite, showing the number of times he's had to defend himself with that certain instance.

Knowing him, he probably brought it up after the fact, just to try to insist on his innocence.

"Alright, let's take a break from me for a sec, I wanna know about you," He insisted.

I brushed off the few remaining crumbs from my lap before turning my entire body towards him.

Setting my feet near his thigh, I leaned forward towards my bent knees, brows furrowing at his request.

"My life? You've been there for the most eventful parts of it," I stated casually.

I don't know what more he'd want to hear about.

"I know, but what about before that? There's over sixteen years of your life that I know nothing about."

"You wanna know about my time in 'pet training' ?" I clarified drearily, adding air quotes with my fingers.

I just wanted to make sure that hearing this information was how he wanted to spend his time.

"I'm curious," he admitted, "Unless you don't want to talk about it." He finished warily like the thought had only then occurred to him.

I brushed it off with a wave of my hand.

"It's not that, it's just boring and repetitive."

I wasn't trying to sway him, but either way, my words didn't.

He just looked at me with eager eyes, nibbling on the last bits of his lunch.

So, drawing in a breath, I tried to recall as much as I could.