to Death. I’m sorry if this surprises or shocks you, but I’d rather get it off my chest now, before it’s too late.”
Before I could even process anything resembling a coherent reply, he leaned down and caught my mouth in a brief but incredibly sweet kiss. His lips were soft, and he tasted like a thousand good dreams, all rolled into one. I felt the tips of his fingers tracing my jawline, while relishing the deliciousness he offered in what ultimately felt like a mere split second.
He pulled back and exhaled, his smile broadening as he looked deep into my eyes without saying another word.
“Okay,” I breathed.
He chuckled and took my hand in his. It felt surprisingly warm. I was buzzing with newfound energy, but unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. It was as if I’d just licked one of those serium batteries. He kissed my knuckles gently, then let go.
“Come on, let’s go. We can continue this conversation later,” he said, the dark veil that settled over his eyes telling me that he had more in store for me. I only hoped we’d both live until then. That Death wouldn’t screw this up, somehow.
I nodded slowly. “Okay.”
Again, nothing else could be formulated. My brain was mush. My cheeks were on fire. And my lips… oh, they tingled. I’d felt his tongue during the kiss, briefly nudging mine. I’d only realized it now. The taste of him lingered.
We pulled on our hoods, masks, and goggles. He picked the serium batteries back up, and I joined him as we went up the stairs. The sun was setting, a purplish blotch on the western sky, but it was still powerful enough to burn a vampire’s skin without covers. My knees were jelly, I realized as I got past the last step. The rest of the team waited in the middle of the platform, basking in the afternoon sunlight.
There was a sense of hopefulness coming in, and I was more than happy to jump on that particular ship. We’d made it this far, after all. We could do so much more…
“I was doing some thinking just now,” Riza said. “Energy-wise, you should start with Eva and me first, if you need more than those serium batteries.”
Both Acantha and Nethissis frowned slightly. Riza smiled, giving me a fleeting glance.
“Thing is, I’m a jinni. I’m chock full of energy. And I’m pretty sure a Lamia-vampire hybrid like Eva is more than enough to get started with,” she added. “I can still teleport if my energy levels are lower, for example. If you drain Varga and Herakles first, we’ll all be vulnerable. They’re our first line of defense, and it’s been like this since we started the mission. Additionally, you can draw more power from Fallon, if Eva and I aren’t enough. Just leave Herakles and Varga last, is all I’m saying.”
“That’s very considerate of you,” Acantha replied, noticing the looks between Riza and Herakles. Judging by the faint surprise in her eyes, I had a feeling she’d just caught on about their dynamic. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be as persistent as, say, Nethissis, who was still hurling the occasional half-smile at Varga. Only, this time, I wasn’t as bothered. Varga had just kissed me. “Do you boys agree?” Acantha asked Herakles and Varga.
They both nodded, putting the batteries down on the platform’s stone floor. The swamp witches proceeded to draw the symbols required for the interplanetary spell, while the rest of us waited patiently. The crew had already said their temporary goodbyes to friends and family, mostly through the earpieces, since most of GASP was stretched across the board, operating on multiple allied planets at once. I’d yet to hear from my mother, though, and it hurt a little.
The fewer the minutes before takeoff, the more anxious I became.
Varga noticed, eyeing me carefully as he put his arm around my shoulders. I couldn’t stop my head from tilting and softly resting on his chest. “I see a form of pain in you,” he said. “What’s wrong, Eva?”
“My mom. She hasn’t yet reached out to me or come to see me.” I sighed. “We’ve been here for a little over three days, and… well, nothing.”
“Have you tried getting in touch with her?” he asked.
I shook my head slowly. “She’s the one who told me that, if I leave, I should never come back. I was hoping she’d come around by now.”
“She’s proud,” he replied, and I sensed a certain understanding coming from him. “And maybe she’s ashamed,