Burning

Chapter 5

The party had been fun, Valdis did have to admit that; Jo had gotten out some games and played music, though it wasn't the kind Henry was apparently used to as he kept asking what some of the faster songs were even saying. Vetis hadn't been a problem either, not that she had expected him to be, at least not completely, in fact he stayed to himself most of the time. When she had asked why he had replied, 'because the world is not ready for these party skills.' Now it was about one in the morning and everyone was either sleeping in the chairs, Lucas and Ingeras, or leaving.

"I'll take Ingeras home." Vetis told his sister as they started to leave. "I think someone else is waiting for you."

Valdis turned to where he had glanced and found Adam standing near some bushes. "Did you call him?"

Her brother shrugged before giving her a wily look. "What can I say? I found his number, borrowed Jo's phone, and told him you were trying to stab a demon."

"You what?" She growled. "That was unnecessary."

"What was I supposed to tell him? That you wanted to see him... alone... at your place."

"I didn't need you to call him at all." Valdis leaned against the doorframe as she watched him pick up Ingeras' sleeping form. "You obviously only think with one thing and it isn't your brain."

"That burns." Vetis laughed, the velvetiness in his voice turning dark for a moment. "But I blame the alcohol I mixed with my cups of blood... I believe I had about... five?"

"Of course you do" She scoffed. "I'd hate to see a vampire when he's really drunk... and it was seven."

"No you wouldn't, that isn't a pretty sight."

"You would know?"

"Yes. I lived with dead vampires, they get drunk from time to time... very abusive." He waved her away. "Shoo, I think your immortal friend is getting impatient."

Valdis glared at him before jabbing his side and walking off. "Don't fly into a building, you drunk blood sucker!"

"What is this I'm hearing about stabbing demons?" Adam asked as she made it over to him.

Valdis shook her head and smirked. "Rubbish. Just Vetis trying to get you over here."

Adam looked back at her brother with an uncertain look in his eyes but quickly focused back on Valdis. "Well apparently it worked."

"So where were you?"

"Around... I had something I wanted to get." Adam followed her as she turned the corner.

"It doesn't have something to do with the gun Henry is keeping away from you does it?" She hummed, knowing she was right. "You know, considering I have your dagger... I could always even out the odds and, oh I don't know, give it to him?"

"Is that a threat?" Adam raised an eyebrow but otherwise kept his face blank.

"Give it back to him Adam, you know I won't let you two kill each other. If he wants to try ending his curse he can do it on his own."

"I can't. I don't have it with me anymore." Adam gave her a content look as if he had won the argument. "Looks like I'll have to keep it."

"I will make you, do you really want me to break your will again?" Valdis hated the idea herself but didn't let that show.

"I'll do it tomorrow, if I don't, feel free to take over my mind." Adam replied.

"That means you don't shoot him to 'give it back.'" They walked in silence for about fifteen minutes, making their way back to her building as snow cascading to the ground from the clouds above them.

Once they stopped outside her door Adam finally spoke. "Do you trust your brother, Vetis?"

"I don't know... He seems friendly enough, a bit too friendly towards some people, but he also mentioned how he was raised in the underworld. I think we need to give him more time to show his true loyalties." Valdis responded as she looked up at the sky and back at Adam a few seconds later. "Speaking of trust... do you trust me?"

"You're not going to drop me out of the sky again are you?" Adam gave her a weary look.

"No. It's just you never answered."

"I never got a chance to." He retorted. "But I'm sure my actions show I do."

"I want to hear you say it." The intensity in her eyes made him unable to look away.

"Yes... of course I do." The next thing he felt was the side of the building against his back and Valdis' lips against his for a moment before she backed away with a hint of fear in her eyes. "...What was that?"

"A, uh, a thanks... for not killing me. I know you were planning to, after the fight with Master Vampire, I never got to thank you for not killing me, for actually helping the others save me... that helped me learn to trust people just a bit more than before." Valdis didn't meet his gaze; waiting for him to do something, perhaps attack her for what she'd done, to say something to her. In her mind she was cursing Vetis for this, if he hadn't sent Adam to her, especially when she needed sleep, this might not have happened.

Adam observed her for a few more seconds before making her look at him. "I couldn't kill someone who had tried saving everyone. At first I thought you would be like him, a monster who would turn on us, but when I saw him rip out your heart I realized how loyal you really were to us."

She relaxed slightly but still gave him a nervous look. "You... uh... aren't mad?"

Adam gave her his usual collected look. "I'm furious... that you don't know how to finish a thank you."

Valdis saw the hint of a mischievous glint in his eyes, though the rest of his face gave away nothing. She gave a hesitant smirk before deciding to play along. "Well then, I think you better show me for next time."

Adam guided her through the door, allowing her to start going up the stairs, before turning and looking around outside. If Vetis had told him to stay away then why had he allowed him to leave with Valdis? One thing he knew for sure was that until Vetis proved himself trustworthy, Adam wouldn't trust him at all, no matter what Valdis' sister thought of him. What did bother him was the fact the last time she'd started acting like this she had gone on a suicide mission to stop a vampire, with the portal to the afterlife open he wasn't going to let her risk her life like that again. He shook the image of her lifeless body out of his head along with his suspicions for both her sudden actions and Vetis before making his way over to the stairs; they would solve themselves later, when the world was actually ending... again.