He looks sharply at me. "Oh? And what would I need then?" He sits heavily on the bed and hands me the Scotch to take a quick gulp.
I shrug and say, "I honestly don't know. I seem to be invulnerable to…everything. Well, except fangs and claws. I suppose you could bite me to death." I chance a small smile.
He looks back at me in amazement. "Nothing hurts you?"
"Except fangs and claws. My only weakness," I repeat.
"I should have known that," he says softly, almost to himself.
"Yes. You should have."
"How did you test it?"
"Devon," I say and then stop, recalling earlier.
His eyes harden but then he clears his throat and asks, "How so?"
"After a knifing incident which should have made me bleed – James, by the way – he came at me with various forms of weapons and fire from my armory. Seems nothing works except…" I Shift to Vampire mode briefly, flashing my claws at him.
His eyebrows go up. "Oh. That bastard. You should have let me kill him."
I shrug. I’m not worried. "So, we are two of a kind now, I guess. If you want to throw down, I’ll give you a run for your money."
He snorts. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? A chance to try and kick my ass after treating you the way I have been lately."
"Try? No, I would kick your arse. And yes, I would like that. Very much."
"You hurt me, Liv," he says suddenly, but still with the Liv.
"I know," I say again.
"No, you don't. You tell me that I am after all, your true love, and then you go and do… that, a few seconds later. And then you defend him against me. Do you have any idea what that felt like?"
"No, I don't. But I know I hurt you. I hurt all of you. It was what I had to do. With great power comes great responsibility," I quote ridiculously.
Again, he snorts. "Voltaire. Pompous ass."
I chuckle despite myself and he sighs. "Christ, Liv. I just don't know where to go from here."
"Back where we came from," I say quickly.
"I don't think that's possible. Do you?"
"Yes, of course."
"One big happy family?"
"That's the idea."
"Are you sleeping with him?"
I hesitate and that's all the answer he needs. He stands up and walks away. But this time, I follow him, magicking up a robe, not willing to be naked while he is clothed.
"Don't walk away from me. Not now," I say to him and he stops.
Turning around, he says sarcastically, "Is that an order? Your Majesty?"
"If that’s what it takes," I say. "I would rather we talk, like we used to," I add softly.