When Red Roses Die

Chapter 14

Erik

Chuckles rang through the room from most of the guys as Scarlett and Aspen sparred verbally.

She seemed to be doing good. We left the hospital earlier today, Scarlett seemed anxious to leave. Every now and then she would wince when she moved her arms too much, which always caused Kjell to growl.

I'd never remembered a time when the dragon seemed to care about anyone other than himself. It was strange to see. A good strange.

Everyone was trying to keep her distracted, to which they were doing a good job doing.

I took the time to run one of my spells over her. A health spell. It told me that she's in desperate need of a good meal and some basic healing for the wounds on her wrist, otherwise she was pretty healthy.

"I'm making dinner," I announced as I slapped my thighs and stood up. It didn't go unnoticed of how she jumped at the suddenness of my voice.

That night was the most content I had seen any of us. At dinner we all bantered with each other. After dinner we all worked together to clean it up. Then at bedtime we did a silent round of rock-paper-scissors to decide which two of us would sleep with Scarlett. Oakley and Kjell won.

Though I think the vampire linked Kjell and told him what all of us were playing so he could stay with his mate.

I couldn't find the will to be mad at the vampire though, because everyone could tell his dragon has been a nightmare since he sensed something wrong with his mate.

Every now and then Kjell would tense and his eyes would turn black, signaling his dragon was fighting for control.

Which was weird because usually Kjell and his other half get along great.

Nobody fussed about the sleeping arrangements and we all went our separate ways.

We slowly found ourselves falling into a routine. Every morning we'd give Scarlett space to do her morning routine then usually Aspen or I would clean and rebandage her wraps.

One of us would make breakfast, we all would clean up, then we would go on to do our own thing. At least one of us would stay and keep an eye on Scarlett, while the others would usually go back to their own territories to ensure everything was running smoothly.

Occasionally one of us would have to stay overnight at our territory to manage whatever problem was plaguing our species.

But seeing Scarlett and helping her back to health became our new normal.

In the two weeks that we've invaded her home, she's put on weight, lost those full shopping bags under her eyes, and smiled so much that she even seemed surprised.

Currently, Scarlett and I sat in the living room. Lincoln and Kjell were back at their territories "managing". While the twins were at their den meeting with their betas and whatnot.

Dinner was soon as the sun was close to setting.

Scarlett had some book in her lap while I was staring at some numbers on my laptop that my advisor had wanted me to look over.

"You know you stick your tongue out when you're thinking?" Scarlett said

I turned my head, "No I-" I felt the slight wet spot on my lip where my tongue had been resting.

She smiled as the realization showed on my face.

"Your point?" I raised my eyebrows in question.

She shrugged, "it's cute."

A red blush moved up her neck and highlighted her cheeks.

"You're cute when you blush." I pointed out as I closed my laptop.

The front door opened and the twin bloodsuckers walked in.

Aspen turned his purple eyes at me as he hissed. "Don't call us that."

"What, twins?" I played dumb. "My bad." My eyes flicked to a red stain on the corner of Aspens mouth. "You've- ah," I gestured to the side of my mouth, "got a little something there."

Aspen glared as he reached up and rubbed at the stain.

"I take it you are in need of a new beta," I said.

"No?" Oakley said, confusion in his voice. He looked at his twin, who was still rubbing at his cheek. "Oh that! Well we are in need of a new maid." Oakley cleared his throat awkwardly as Aspen grinned.

Scarlett just gaped at Aspen. "You killed your maid?!"

"Killed. Sucked dry. Sent somewhere better. Whatever you wish to call it." Aspen shrugged as he collapsed onto a chair.

Scarlett, already used to his cold attitude, scoffed and went back to reading. Oakley gaped at his twin. Apparently after a thousand years he still was not used to his asshole twin.

"Kjell won't be able to make it home tonight," Oakley said, exasperated, as he sat in a chair opposite of Scarlett.

Scarlett did a poor job of hiding her disappointment. Almost every night of the two weeks we've been here, Kjell has slept next to her. Not just for her, but also for his dragon.

Well in all honesty, I think his dragon calmed down a long time ago but he's just using it as an excuse to stay close to his mate.

A couple of days ago, Scarlett got her stitches removed, and the marks remaining were nasty looking. But everything seems to be going well.

She still has yet to tell us who left her and what they meant to her. We didn't push through, we were just happy to have her back and healthier then we had ever seen her.

"Aspen it's your turn to make dinner," Oakley told him.

Scarlett suddenly looked up from her reading and deadpanned at Aspen, "Please refrain from poisoning my food until Kjell is here to get revenge."

Aspen seemed shocked at her joke, but he quickly hid it. "No promises." He grinned as he got up and walked to the kitchen.

Lincoln walked through the door and kicked his boots off on the door frame. Mud came off in chunks and fell onto the wood floor.

Scarlett stared painfully at the chunks. "I just vacuumed and mopped." she groaned as she marked what page she was on and closed her book.

Link smiled apologetically at Scarlett as he slipped his boots off. "Wait, I thought I told you not to do any labor."

"I got bored."

Lincoln reframed from scolding her as he walked to the laundry room and grabbed a broom.

Aspen managed to not poison us and dinner was surprisingly good. The rest of the night went great.

I won the nightly game and we left an empty spot for Kjell, knowing he would sneak in some time tonight.

I went to sleep with Scarlett's warm body pressed against my front. Her rose and vanilla smell filled my senses and lulled me to a peaceful sleep.

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Thanks for reading Chapter 14. I hope you liked this Chapter. I promise tons more, I just got back from vacation so I've got tons of inspiration.
~Untill Next Chapter