“Tell me about what I am again,” Frej murmured. His eyes were sparkling in the scarce light the moon cast over the cottage.

“You’re beautiful.” I knew what he meant, but I thought the reminder would be nice. And whenever I complimented him, his cheeks flushed slightly. Just two red dots appearing on his cheeks.

I moved in and kissed those dots. Just because I couldn’t help myself.

“Please, Xipe. Tell me more of our world.”

I loved how he called me Xipe. It wasn’t pronounced correctly and sounded more like “Thipee” but gods, it sounded cute. He generally had a bit of a lisp, but it became even more obvious when he said half of my name.

“Why do you only call me Xipe?” I murmured against his skin, moving up to his forehead, gently kissing it.

“Isn’t that your name?” he asked and looked a little baffled.

“My name’s Xipe Totec.”

“Yeah… And my full name is Frej Anker. But you only call me Frej.”

“Totec is not a surname, love,” I chuckled. “It’s my full name. Both of them are first names.”

“Oh...” He looked a little embarrassed.

“I like it though, so don’t stop,” I breathed and ran my hands up his arms.

“I won’t,” he promised and kissed me back. He pulled back again and smiled, taking my face in his hands. “Tell me what I am again.”

He was not letting this go. “You’re my subject. You’re almost immortal. You can’t go out in the sun. Remember why?”

“I am a creature of the night,” he breathed as I started kissing his cheek and going down to his throat.

“We feed because it sustains us in a way food no longer can,” I murmured against his skin, his pulse pumping right under his skin. He lifted up, his fingers sliding up in my hair.

“Yes,” he more or less moaned.

I smiled and bit down, his blood filling my mouth fast. He moaned louder and his fingers dug into my scalp. I growled against his skin and bit down harder. He was divine.

***

We left the cottage after having spent 30 nights there. I was stupid. I hadn’t told him about how I fed. How he had to feed too, eventually. I couldn’t always feed him. He’d have to turn to humans soon, but could he be a killer? He didn’t strike me as one as he bent down, picked up a flower and placed it in my hair. He smiled sweetly and adjusted his backpack a bit.

We were travelling to one of the larger cities to get a boat to East Anglia where I had an estate. I was hoping he would make a home of it there. Be at peace so I could teach him. I had scrolls and books I was sure he’d love to read but then something hit me. Could he even read?

“Frej?”

He had been walking ahead, but stopped and turned around, looking expectantly at me.

“Can you read?”

“Yes! I’ve been very proficient in the studies since I was little. Our village seer taught me. He was… Kind of like a father to me, actually.” He scratched the back of his neck. “My father is a raider. He wasn’t there much so the village seer took me in. I’ve always been… This.” He gestured to himself.

I walked up to him and put my hands on his hips. “Beautiful?” I asked and his cheeks reddened.

“Skinny.”

“Lean,” I murmured and softly kissed him. I pulled back and cupped his cheek. “There’s a fire burning within you. And it’s bright.”

“You’re so talented with your words,” he whispered.

“But I’m serious.” I grabbed his hand and we started walking again. “I’m not just saying it to be nice.”

“No, I know…” He hesitated a little and then put his free hand on my arm. “No one has ever said those things to me before.”

“They must be crazy.”

“They uh… They did like my hair though.”

“I love your hair.”

“You’re not my first… Just so you know...”

I snorted. “I don’t care about that. I’m Aztec. No one stayed pure for long.” I winked at him.

“What is Aztec?”

“It’s my culture. My people. We’re nomads. We love travelling around so it’s in my blood to do so. I’d love to take you to my country.”

“Are everyone as dark as you there?”

I smiled. “Yeah. No one will have ever seen anyone as fair as you. They’ll think you’re a god, and they won’t be far off.”

That smile that undid me completely appeared on his face and he pulled me close again. His soft plump lips brushed over mine.