Fifth Meeting
1524 Words
The next year passed by almost too soon for Genevieve. It had been an odd year to say the least. Lucian had formally moved into the manor and they kept the couple act up well for the servants and any visitors to the house.
Their relationship itself became less awkward after a few months after she became accustomed to his teasing and his fake acts of love towards her.
The problem was that she was slowly finding everything rather boring. She wanted to travel anywhere that wasn’t England.
She had read lots of descriptions in books and magazine publications about the wonders of Paris and had a longing to not stay cooped up in the house with Lucian for company.
“By any chance, did you want to go to Paris?” Lucian asked one day after their one year anniversary.
“What gave you that impression?” she enquired archly.
Lucian gave her a look that said he wasn’t amused by her sarcasm.
“The books and magazines you read are all a very large hint and you have been looking visibly annoyed for the past few months. Do you not want to live with me anymore?”
He looked hurt and Genevieve frowned. She couldn’t believe that a centuries old demon would be hurt over that.
“I want to travel. I am a young lady in the prime of my life. I don’t want to be stuck in a manor house putting on an act for servants.”
Lucian nodded and picked up the teapot.
“More tea?”
Genevieve sighed. Lucian seemed to be content and happy with their state of affairs. Actually he seemed the happiest during their daily skin touching sessions.
“Have you been to Paris?” she asked, determined to not let the subject get dropped again.
“I have,” he answered. “It’s a beautiful place.”
“Don’t you want to go there again?”
Lucian didn’t answer her and began to pour her another cup of tea.
“Have some tea.”
Genevieve opened her mouth to demand an answer and stopped when she felt his hand on her head.
“I will arrange something.”
***
Genevieve was awoken by a light knock at the door. She groaned and looked at the time. It was 7 in the morning which was an hour before her usual wake up time. Her maid knew that, it had to be Lucian at the door.
“Come in,” she said with a yawn.
The door was opened by the demon she had been expecting. He was holding out a tea tray with her breakfast which was not what she had been expecting.
“What is the occasion?” she asked.
“We’re going on a trip today. The ship leaves around noon,” he said quietly.
The mention of a trip woke her up immediately. She sat up and beamed at him. Even if they weren’t going to Paris, a trip away from the manor would be welcoming.
“Where are we going?”
“To Paris,” he confirmed. “I made arrangements yesterday.”
She felt like she could have kissed him, but naturally she didn’t do such a thing.
“Thank you,” she said sincerely.
“There is no need to thank me,” he replied in a soft voice. “It is your life, I am just a demon.”
He placed the tray on her lap and sat down next to her.
“Eat up, we need to get to Liverpool. It is a long journey.”
Genevieve picked up the teacup and her mind went into overdrive. She would need to pack suitcases with everything she might need.
“How long are we going for?” she asked.
“For as long as you like,” he said smoothly. “It is all up to you. You never know, you might hate it and want to come back immediately.”
That was a valid point, but she ignored it. She would have to ask the maid to pack her a month’s worth of clothes. Given that Paris was the home of haute couture she could always have other clothes made there if she wanted to stay for longer.
She finished her breakfast and sprang out of bed. Lucian stayed where he was and stretched.
“I need to dress for the day and arrange everything,” she said pointedly with a glance at the door.
“I can help you. I know how lady’s clothes work,” he said with a wink.
Genevieve felt her face heat up and pointed her finger at the door.
“I’m sure you do. Demon, out.”
He gave her a fake hurt look and left her room with a wave.
Genevieve breathed a sigh of relief and started pulling clothes out her wardrobe with a critical eye. Paris was a very fashionable place, she didn’t want to seem like a country bumpkin.
***
Lucian had booked them a first class cabin on the steamer which she wasn’t happy with for the obvious reason.
“Why did you not book two separate cabins?”
Lucian sat down on the bed and crossed his legs before answering.
“I booked on short notice,” he answered with a pointed glance at her. “There was not anything first class left and I cannot have you travelling second class.”
Genevieve looked around the spacious cabin and found what she was looking for. It was a pleasant cabin with a bed, dressing table, wardrobe and a sofa.
“I am not sharing a bed with you. Sleep on the sofa,” she demanded. “No one is going to know we didn’t sleep in the same bed so you cannot use that excuse.”
Over the past year she had become accustomed to his standard excuses for things and had rebuttals for most of them.
Lucian wobbled his lip.
“You’re so mean. I don’t sleep anyway.”
“Spend the night looking at the stars instead,” she replied quickly.
The cabin was pleasant and roomy, but she didn’t like the constant back and forth motion and was feeling increasingly sick the longer she stayed standing. She sat down on the bed as far away from him as possible and the feeling did not subside in the slightest.
“I think you might be seasick,” Lucian observed. “I don’t want to leave you alone like this.”
He was at her side in a second and hugged her to his chest. Genevieve felt the wobbly feeling in her stomach calm down. His chest was warm and comforting to her cold head.
“I will be fine. I just need to get used to this feeling. I’ve never been on the sea before.”
She didn’t move her head though. It was pleasant being close to him.
“This is going to be the part where I tell you how seasickness works,” he said with a snort. “You will not get used to the feeling.”
She poked him in the side, but kept her head where it was.
“You are lying.”
“I am not. You can ask other people on here,” he said. “Humans are strange.”
“Demons are weird,” she retorted.
“You make me do weird things,” he shot back. “I have never done the things I do for you for another human.”
Her mouth had formed a smile before she realised it.
“Really?”
“It is true,” he said gently. “You’re very special to me.”
***
Lucian waited for Genevieve to fall asleep and slipped off the bed. She had only managed to drift off to sleep when he put her head in his lap. It had been a surprisingly endearing experience.
He moved to the sofa and took out a book from the collection he had brought with him. The book was interesting but his mind was starting to wonder.
It had been an enjoyable year for him. He hadn’t realised that she hadn’t thought the same way. He probably liked teasing her a little too much.
She was a very curious human and her curiosity about him never seemed sated. He made sure to not tell her much about demons or himself.
She was the most beautiful when she was demanding the answer to something he had said.
He stiffened when he heard the bedsheets rustle and heard a cough. He was off the sofa in seconds and at her side when he realised she had simply turned over and coughed in her sleep and was completely fine.
She had turned him into a silly demon.
Damn human.
- Writer
