The Vampire’s Servant
Chapter 64

Amy made me some more pudding for breakfast. I managed to eat some eggs as well without getting sick. It gave me a lot of hope for the future of my meals.

Once I was done, I helped clear the table and got the dishes washed. There was still time before the butcher opened, so I started to inventory what I had in the freezers. It wasn't much after I pulled meats for lunch and dinner. I made my list for the butcher shop and pulled out the duster. No one had done the little things, like dusting and mopping. I appreciated all they had done, though. It was a lot less work than I would have expected. Before he went to sleep, Victor came to see me and gave me a big hug. He seemed a lot calmer and more relaxed than he had yesterday. That made me very happy.

"You don't have to clean today. It's your day off." He said.

"I wasn't here to take care of a lot of things. I need to get the house righted or I won't feel okay about just sitting around. I'll take breaks as I need them." I promised.

"Don't overdo it, princess. You're only starting to heal. I don't want you to wear yourself out." Victor told me.

"Can I work on the garden today? I really want to make it beautiful. And I'd like to get some patio furniture, too. If it's okay." I asked.

"Of course, anything you want." He smiled. "The garden is all yours, princess. I can't really enjoy it."

"Thank you." I said smiling back at him.

Victor kissed me on the forehead and let me go before heading up to his room. I didn't like the sad tone he had when he said that he couldn't enjoy the garden. It stayed on my mind as I worked on dusting the main areas of the house.

I was betting that Victor liked flowers. He loved beautiful things and I wanted him to be able to enjoy the garden. It was his after all.

After I dusted and called the butcher to place my order, I went to my room and opened up my laptop. I searched on the internet to figure out what I would need for the garden.

My parents had always bought the plants and tools that I'd need. This was my garden, though, and I wanted to make it one that everyone could enjoy.

Once I had my list prepared, I went to find Gray. He was working on his own computer in his room. I stood in the doorway and watched the serious expression on his face as he diligently typed. It was Gray in a way that I'd never really seen him before. He'd always been lively, active, volatile, but this Gray was focused and dedicated. He reminded me of Victor a little. I loved watching him work as well.

"I can smell you there. What are you up to, angel?" Gray asked as he typed.

"I didn't mean to bother you, but I was hoping to go to the garden center today and wondered if you'd be able to drive me. If you can't, I can ask Amy. I just... wanted to spend some time with you." I blushed and started picking at my fingers. "That sounds great. I'll be able to go in just a bit. I'm working on a report for Trent. He wants to know how everyone is and how everything is going. Why don't you go get ready to leave and I'll meet you in the entry as soon as I'm done?" He replied. I nodded and left the room. I still hadn't had a shower, if I was going to get dirty, I didn't really want to get clean first. I changed into some loose jeans and a t-shirt. The outfit would be perfect for gardening. I planned to spend the day outside. Gray came down the stairs soon after I had gotten to the entry. He smiled at me and my heart fluttered. I loved his smile. It was warm and friendly. He was a hundred times better looking when he smiled.

"A hundred times?" He laughed.

I blushed. "Sorry. I forgot."

"Am I better looking than Victor when I smile, though?" Gray asked in a teasing tone.

"For a handsome boy, you're very insecure, aren't you?" I winked.

His eyes sparkled and he grinned wider. "So you think I'm handsome?"

"You know you're handsome. I've seen the girls trying to flirt with you at school. I'm pretty sure you thought I would simply accept you because of your good looks." I giggled.

"True. You were the first girl to ever turn me down on sight. I just couldn't understand it. No one had ever been as cold as you were to me." Gray said softly. "It was exactly what I needed to start knocking some sense into me. I'd always gotten whatever I wanted, and I thought I was owed your love because the moon goddess selected you to be mine."

"I like the person you've become. If you had been like this from the beginning, I think I would have had a harder time being mean to you." I admitted.

"It would've certainly saved me some heartache, but I think I needed it. I'm still learning to be the man you deserve, Echo. I hope you can be patient."

I walked over to him and traced the area where I knew my bite sat. It was covered perfectly by his shirt. I looked up into his dark eyes and felt myself melt a little.

His love for me was in his eyes. I could see it clearly for the first time ever. Gray really did love me. It wasn't just the bond created by the goddess. It was something almost tangible.

"Let's go, angel. I'll even help you in the garden today. I don't really have anything else to worry about. You're going to have to help me with my homework load from missing last week, but I'll help you too. Sound like a deal?" He murmured. "Deal." I said and turned to the door.

Grayson's arms surrounded me as he pulled me into a hug, resting his chin on top of my head. He rocked me side to side for a moment, then kissed the top of my head and let me go. I quickly grabbed one of his hands and kissed it before pulling him with me out the door.

-

Apparently, the car Gray and Cam had driven over in last Monday was actually Cam's car. Gray had a big truck. He had to help me climb in because I had never been in a vehicle that tall. It felt like we were miles above the road.

I watched the landscape and homes go past as we drove quietly. It was actually hard to think of things to talk about. I didn't want all of our conversations to be about our relationship. There had to be something else to talk about... I just didn't know what. "What are you thinking about so hard over there?" Gray asked.

"I don't know what to talk about." I replied with a blush.

"Same, honestly." He chuckled. "I want to talk to you about everything, but I don't want to seem self-involved and only talk about myself. We've talked a lot at school, but it wasn't as hard as this."

"I'd love it if you talked about yourself. I don't know a ton about you. I know about your brothers, your sister, your parents, your friends. You actually don't talk about yourself all that often. I know Victor's favorite blood type, but I don't even know your favorite food. I'm really not good at this, am I?" I sighed.

"I like pretty much all food, Echo. I'm a werewolf. Eating is what we do. I prefer my meats rare and I like meats more than veggies, but I'll eat anything that's put in front of me, really. I'll eat anything you cook for me." Gray said with a little smile. "What are your favorite foods?"

"I'm just happy to eat, Gray. I never thought about what foods are my favorite. I used to love my mom's pot roast and brussel sprouts. She made it once or twice a month on Sundays. I got to have leftovers from dinner and that was the one I looked forward to the most." I answered shyly.

He growled. The sound made me panic a little. I knew he wasn't mad at me. He would do that when we were talking at school too. He was mad at them. Rex was mad at them.

"They can't do that to me anymore. Don't be mad. I'm sorry I brought it up."

"No one will ever starve you again. I'll find out how to make that dinner for you and you'll get to try it fresh. I promise, Echo." He said, taking my hand in his.

"You can cook?" I asked.

"Yeah. Most wolves can. We take cooking class seriously. Not all of us are talented at it. Cam's really good. I'm passable. I may not make that dinner perfect, but I'll keep working at it until I make it even better than your mom did." Gray vowed.

I smiled and squeezed his hand. "It's good that Cam can cook. Harmony couldn't cook her way out of a paper bag. Her words, not mine. I tried to teach her and she still only barely passed her home economics class. She hasn't touched a pan since." Gray laughed. "Sounds like they're perfectly matched then."

"That's what your goddess does, right? She makes perfect matches for wolves so they can be happy. I just have to wonder why she thought you might need someone like me. I'm not... I'm just not." I sighed.

He pulled into the parking lot for the garden center and stopped in the first parking spot he saw. Gray turned to me and gripped my hand tighter. He unbuckled his seatbelt and reached over to undo mine. Once I was free, he pulled me against him and wrapped his arms around me. Gray inhaled deeply. I was starting to get used to him sniffing me. I relaxed in his arms.

"Don't ever say that. Don't ever believe that. You are everything. Imagine me going through life like I was before I had you. Some selfish, greedy, child who never even considered other people. I wasn't good enough for you. Victor made me better so I could be worthy of you. Trying to be better for you, made me a better person. I can never show you just how grateful I am for that, but I plan to try for the rest of my life." He said.

"One day, you might regret me, Gray. You still have a chance at a mate like you. If I reject-" I was cut off by his mouth on mine.

The tingling feeling of his lips on mine was intense. He was a little rougher than normal, his teeth scraped my lips and he nibbled his way into my mouth. I whimpered against his mouth. I didn't think I would like it, but I did and I wanted more.

He pulled back and held my face in his hand, making me look into his eyes. "Never, ever talk about rejecting me again. You marked me. I. am. yours. End of conversation."

"Sorry." I whispered.

"It can't be a vampire trait. I know Marius would never try to give up something that was his. You and Victor have to stop trying to be noble and hurting the people who love you. Don't hurt yourself like that, angel. Don't hurt me like that." Gray said softly and kissed my lips gently.

"I won't. I'm sorry, Gray. I was only thinking that I might not be the best mate for you. I might not even be the best for Victor. I've never had anything like this before. What if I mess it up?" I replied.

"Never worry about that. We'll all figure it out together. You just be yourself. Learn. Grow. Love us. That's all you need to do."

I nodded. He was right. If I kept thinking of all the things my ex-parents had said to me, and instilled in me, I was going to end up hurting myself. If I gave up Victor and Gray, I could end up hurting them.

"Let's go get this shopping done. I want to get you back home. You need more rest."

"I can't rest all day, Gray. I'll get too behind on my work." I protested.

"I'm going to start helping with your work. You taking care of one vampire was acceptable, but two vampires and four werewolves is pushing it. Especially since you're still healing. No arguments. I'm helping." He insisted.

"Fine." I groaned and wiggled away from him.

Gray got out of the truck and ran over to my side to help me down. We walked to the store, hand in hand. It took a lot of pulling to get my hand back from him when I needed to grab a plant cart. I handed him a handbasket to carry the tools so I would have plenty of room for the plants.

We went to the garden tool section first. I picked up two sets of gloves and put them in the basket, then went to look at trowels. I got a few different sizes.

When I turned to put them in the basket, I started laughing. Gray had grabbed two gardening forks and tucked his arms into his shirt sleeves. When he saw me laughing he started waving them around. "Rawr!" He growled.

"What on earth are you doing?" I snickered.

"I'm a T-Rex. I'm hunting cute little gardeners to nibble on." Grey said, wiggling his eyebrows.

He took a step toward me and sniffed the air. I took a step back.

"This is no place to be playing, Grayson." I scolded, trying to keep a straight face.

"I'm not 'Grayson'. I'm the gardener eating T-Rex." He growled and snapped his teeth.

I took another step back and widened my eyes. "You're planning to eat me?"

Gray blushed as a heated look crossed his face. "Maybe a little. Just a few nibbles here and there."

"Is there anything that can save me from you? A scarier dinosaur?" I asked, moving the cart between us.

"Only kisses can placate the hunger of the ferocious T-Rex." He said with a fake roar.

I laughed again. "I only kiss nice dinosaurs."

"I can be a very nice dinosaur." He purred, pulling the cart behind him and advancing on me.

"Put the forks in the basket and I'll give you a kiss." I offered.

"Two kisses, one per fork." He countered.

"Fine, just stop this. People are staring." I whispered, having just noticed someone at the end of the aisle.

He looked around and saw there were people down the aisle watching us. I felt a blush creep over my face. I wasn't used to being the center of attention.

Gray put the gardening forks in the basket. Luckily, we didn't need much in that aisle and were able to head out to where the flowers were. I wanted to get this over with and head home.