~

 

Morgana was still pouting as they arrived outside Nathaniel’s front door. She’d wanted to go home to crash, and Nathaniel had other ideas. It had become a bone of contention between them.

“If you stop pouting I will order in your favourite food. If not you can eat whatever slop I cook,” Nathaniel said as he unlocked the door to his apartment and listened to the sound of the footsteps that followed on behind them.

He knew that step well. Knew the way that every person on his floor walked – memorised it so that he knew when trouble was walking his way and when it wasn’t, and so that he didn’t get caught by surprise and accidentally kill someone.

That step belonged to his neighbour, Belinda.

“I don’t have a favourite food.” Morgana bit out on a small sigh just so that he knew just how unhappy she was with the latest turn of events.

“Chinese, there’s always left over cartons at your house…”

“And how would you…?” Morgana stopped talking the instant that the woman appeared around the corner of the corridor, coming in their direction.

She noted the instant recognition of both parties and relaxed just a little. The thing at the shop with Reed still had her nerves a little fried. Not to mention the fact that she actually thought that Nathaniel was going to kill the Professor – she made a mental note to check back on the man on a regular basis – although, by the time that she’d realised the man was dead then it would obviously be too late, but still she needed to know…

“Belinda…” Nathaniel nodded his head and the woman’s smile grew wider. That annoyed the hell out of Morgana, although, she wasn’t quite sure why.

“Nathaniel…” Belinda offered back – her smoky tones did little to dissipate that annoyance in the witch – if anything, it only heightened it.

Morgana rolled her eyes to the ceiling and counted to ten as the two neighbours had a moment. If cheesy music started to play out of one of the other apartments; Morgana swore she’d zap someone…

She jumped at the sound of her mobile phone going off. The musical tag that she’d assigned to Maxi made her groan inwardly … a blast of somewhere over the rainbow from the Wizard of Oz sent her eyes up to Nathaniel’s as he frowned at her, and she snatched at her mobile phone as she motioned for him to let her into the apartment…

Nathaniel did just that, and she used her magic to snap on the overhead lights as she went inside and left him on the doorstep chatting to the walking – talking Barbie doll.

“Yeah, Maxi…?”

“Reed feels badly…” Maxi’s first words shocked the heck out of Morgana.

“Seriously?” She demanded, and Maxi stayed silent for a long moment on the other end.

“He didn’t know that I know you – otherwise he might have asked my opinion before he went in there like…”

“A moron hell bent on ripping my throat out?” Morgana shot back. “He’s there, isn’t he?” She demanded and there was a long silence again before the seer answered.

“He’s … close,” Maxi offered awkwardly.

“You’re dating the psycho beast from hell?” Morgana hissed quietly into the handset…

“I’d say dating is a strong word or a loose term…”

“You’re sharing bodily fluids with the psycho beast from hell?” Morgana shot back.

“That sounds about right,” Maxi offered back.

“You’re lucky I didn’t neuter him,” Morgana bit out.

“I called because he asked me too. He’s honourable – if not a little dense when it comes to figuring out that someone is setting him up…” Morgana knew that one was aimed right at Reed, and she heard him grumble a growl in the background. “He didn’t want there to be any bad blood…”

“Bite me,” Morgana sneered and heard another, longer growl rattle down the phone line…

“Morgana…” Maxi berated her.

“I know all brawn and no brains – it’s going to take a while and I suggest he stays out of my way until then.” Morgana offered back.

“I hear on the grapevine that you’re looking for Daniella…”

“You know her?” Morgana hissed in disbelief.

“I know of her – she’s all cosy with some old professor dude…”

“Not so old…”

“But definitely cosy.”

“Like … you and Fido?”

There was another long growl and she couldn’t help but grin. If the wolf wanted forgiveness then he’d have to get used to having his leash pulled a little first.

“How does that work – do you have like Scooby snacks at your place for when he’s a good boy?”

She liked that the supernatural world had really good hearing, and the next long growl of annoyance lifted her spirits a little more.

“Morgana…” Maxi sighed.

“He deserved it, and it’s not really my fault that your Mr Sensitive has big old wolf ears.”

“True.”

“Do you know where the witch hangs out?” Morgana asked, flipping the subject again.

“Just with the not so old Professor dude.”

“Ok. Thanks … and Maxi, give the wolfman a kick in the balls from me.”

“I’ll cause pain, just not there … that would be like cutting off my nose to spite my face, don’t you think?”

“I’m trying really hard not to think.” Morgana cut the line just as Nathaniel strolled into the apartment with a giant smirk on his face and a cat that got the cream attitude.

Morgana groaned inwardly, as she rolled her eyes away from him and followed through with her body. She really didn’t need to hear about his latest conquests in dating.

Stalking over to the sofa; she turned and flopped down into the soft cushions… that sofa certainly wasn’t bargain basement like he’d accused her bed of being – which it was – but then she hadn’t had a century to make and stash money like he had.

“So, Maxi is begging for forgiveness for the alpha,” Nathaniel said as he strolled across to the sofa and sat down with a lot more grace than she had shown.

“Talk about big ears…” Morgana grumbled.

“Comes with my bat persona…”

“I thought bats were deaf, or is that blind …? Don’t answer that because I don’t really care.”

“You’re hungry,” Nathaniel reached for his mobile and she shot a frown at hm. “I can hear your stomach rumbling – big ears, remember?” He grinned again.

“I’ll see your big ears and raise you some sweet and sour chicken with special rice and some of those bean sprout-y things, and a side order of prawn toast, and dear God get me the pancake – spring roll-y things…” Morgana sighed at the thought of tucking into every mouthful…

“You sure can eat a lot for such a short person…” Nathaniel chuckled.

“Fast metabolism – and greed … greed is good.” Morgana nodded to herself as she tipped her head back against the cushion and closed her eyes for just a second or two. “I don’t hear you ordering…”

Nathaniel snapped out of it. He’d been caught in the moment of watching her. She looked … tasty, and he wasn’t thinking about her blood for once.

“Greed … is … good,” he agreed. Knowing that if he ever got to taste morgana’s blood on his tongue that one little bite would never be enough for him to satisfy his thirst.

 

~

~

~

 

“Ask and you shall receive…” Julian said, and Nathaniel sighed inwardly as he eyed the vampire at his door and thought about Morgana napping on his sofa behind him. “Fee fi fo fum, I smell the blood of the witchy one.”

Julian raised his eyebrows on his forehead and gave Nathaniel a knowing grin. Nathaniel rolled his eyes and sighed before he reached out and snatched the bags of takeaway food from Julian’s hands.

“Did you mug the delivery boy?” Nathaniel groaned.

“I even gave him a very large tip to hand them over,” Julian protested.

“Well, wasted trip – there’s not enough for you to share…”

“I understand completely. She’s a very small witch…” Julian offered back and for one very long moment he watched the anger fly across Nathaniel’s face… “But Fae blood isn’t why I’m here…”

“Good. Go away,” Nathaniel bit out as he started to slam the door in the man’s face, but Julian wedged his foot in the gap and stopped that from happening.