Fate's Vinculum

Chapter 10.

It was years later, a time when Sires and Matt had been stationed in England, that Sires decided to leave X's leadership. Sires had been in England for two months when he first saw Heather.

It was a summer day like any other. In the rare instances of down time, Sires enjoyed walking around aimlessly, taking in the sights. He first caught a glimpse of her at a street fair. She was standing in a sundress, smelling a bouquet of flowers. Her curly brown hair was partially tied back in a ribbon. When she smiled, Sires felt weak in the knees.

He was immediately enamored, completely head over heels. It was in that very instant, as he crouched behind a produce stand and peeking out at this woman, that he made two snap, life changing decisions. One was that he was going to get this woman, whoever she was, to marry him. Secondly was that he was going to give up being an assassin.

That night, after a day of trailing the woman in the lovely light blue sundress, Sires had burst through the door of their safe house. Matt, who had been sitting at the round table, eating a late-night snack, lept to his feet immediately. With reflexes as fast as a sprinting cheetah, he removed a hidden throwing dagger. It was lucky for Sires that Matt recognized him at the last second.

"Fuck, Sires!" Matt shouted. "You can't just do that! I almost killed you!"

"How do women?" Sires blurted out, and it was at that moment Matt took into account how disheveled Sires looked. Matt blinked, and then cracked up.

"What?"

Sires growled in frustration, closing the door behind himself. "Sorry, I've never asked this before so I'm not sure how."

Matt continued to laugh.

"There's a woman I saw today," Sires said desperately, and they both sat at the table. "I want to marry her."

Matt stopped laughing immediately. "Er, what?"

"Yes!" Sires said, smiling (a look that had become rare on his face).

Matt paused, drumming his fingers against the table. "How do you know this woman?"

"I don't."

"You can't just—you can't just marry—" Matt shook his head in disbelief. "Okay, slow down, buddy. You can't just marry someone you don't even know."

"Right," Sires said, rolling his eyes as though his intentions were clear as day. "So I need to know how I get to that point."

"Er, do you even know her name?"

"No."

Matt sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. "Well, that would be a start, Sires."

"How do I get her name?"

"Talk to her."

Sires felt his heart slip, looking visibly despondent. "Oh."

After a pause, Matt said, "I could help you."

Sires looked hopeful. "Really?"

"If you want me to."

Sires, grinning again, nodded his head.

Matt snorted and shook his head. "I have my work cut out for me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Matt smiled. "Nothing, forget it. We just—I have to—well—"

Sires narrowed his eyes. "What, Matt?"

"It's just—"

"Yes?"