[Hollows Fic] Let Sleeping Vamps Lie - Part Six

[jaina47]

Title: Let Sleeping Vamps Lie
Author(s): Jaina
Fandom: The Hollows aka Rachel Morgan aka that series by Kim Harrison
Time frame: Post-Outlaw Demon Wails
Characters: Rachel Morgan, Ivy Tamwood, Jenks, Skimmer, etc.
Genre: Romance, action, drama
Summary: Rachel is forced to confront things that she'd prefer left undisturbed.
Beta: infinitelight and racethewind10: The best betas a girl could ask for. :D 
Disclaimer: All characters, and the universe that they go with belong to Kim Harrison. I'm just playing in the sandbox. No infringement is intended.
Prompt: #6 Dread
Notes: Some of the formatting on here is a bit wonky. I worked with it for a while and couldn't get it to do anything different so my apologies for the weirdness.

Part One || Part Two II Part Three ||  Part Four || Part Five



"Rache?  Why in Fairy farts didn't you tell me we had a run?"  Jenks' voice echoed shrilly through the church.  Pixie dust rained down from the rafters where Jenks was zipping around agitatedly.  "I already said I'd help Jhi and her husband in their garden today."  He hovered for a moment, grinning like the proud Papa that he was.  "A wedding present, you know."

"It's no problem, Jenks.  This isn't a run," I reassured him quickly.  "I'm just going to my mom's, and besides, Ivy's going with me."  That would make him happy.  He always worried less when Ivy was with me.  Well, except for whenever we were trying to find a blood balance.  Then Jenks was decidedly unhappy about Ivy being with me.  We'd already settled that issue though, so it wouldn't be a problem.

"Oh, good." Jenks dropped slightly in the air, seeming to lose some of his proud demeanor.  "I should, uh, get on over there then."  He sounded a little less excited now.

"Uh, Jenks, is everything okay with Jhi?"  I had a sudden horrible thought.  "Because if her husband isn't treating her right, we will go over there and kick his ass."

"What? No! Nothing's wrong."  The pixie dust sparkling down from around him turned a sickly yellow shade. 

Lying little pixie!  Something was wrong, even if Jenks wouldn't tell me what it was.  I could push and get the answer out of him, but Jenks obviously didn't want to tell me right now.  It hurt a little.  Okay, it bother me more than I wanted to admit that Jenks didn't want to confide in me.  He knew everything about my screwed up life.

"Rachel, we're going to be late."  Ivy's calm voice cut through our discussion as she appeared in the doorway to the living room. 

I smiled appreciatively as I took her in.  Ivy always looked impossibly good in leather and today was no exception.  It made me forget all about Jenks for the moment. 

"Hey."  I  flushed at the slightly dreamy tone I'd said that in.  Damn Vamp pheromones! Yep, that was it.  It was just pheromones making me act like an idiot, I decided, as I walked over to her.  My hand slipped into hers and I leaned up to kiss the corner of her mouth in greeting, even though it had been less than half an hour ago when Ivy had finally slipped away to her bathroom to get ready to go.

There was a soft thud from behind me, and I glanced around in surprise.  Maybe Rex had knocked something over in the kitchen.

Ivy's fingers tightened around mine.  "Jenks," she growled.  "You'd better stop that, Pixie. It's not funny."  There was no reply; I glanced around in confusion.

"Jenks?"  This time Ivy's voice held a hint of worry. 

"Tink's contractual hell!"  The curse was said with much less volume and enthusiasm than usual, but it was definitely Jenks.  He was pulling himself out of the upward curving light fixture that he'd apparently dropped down into. 

"Jenks?"  I echoed Ivy's concern. "Are you okay? What happened?"  I'd never seen Jenks run into anything or drop out of the air, not unless he'd been  hurt somehow.

He was flying again now though, his wings a headache-inducing blur as he pointed back and forth between Ivy and I ferociously.  "You!  You kissed her!"

Jenks zoomed up in front of my face, staring into my eyes with hands planted firmly on his hips.  "Tell me you didn't bind her, Ivy! Tell me that, Vampire!"

"Jenks!"  I took a swipe at him that I knew would miss just to get him out of my face.  My eyes were starting to cross trying to follow him.  "She didn't bind me. I kissed her because I wanted too."  Just those words made my face heat up.  Great, now I was blushing.  "We will talk about this later," I hissed under my breath at him, well aware that Ivy could still hear us and was most likely grinning in amusement beside me. "I'm fine."

It seemed to convince him at least a little. His wings calmed slightly and the pixie dust dropping down around him changed to a cooler color from the angry red that it had been.

"If you're sure, Rache."  He eyed me another second and then flitted over to Ivy. Perching on her shoulder, he said something I couldn't hear into her ear.

She jerked around, sending him back into the air. Her eyes were flashing as she looked at him.  Whatever he'd said, it hadn't made her particularly happy. 

"Jenks-"

"It's okay, Rachel," she stopped me.  "This is between Jenks and I.  I care about her, Pixie. You know that and this is none of your business. I'm not hurting her."

A look passed between them that I couldn't decipher and then just as quickly as it had all started the tension between them was gone. 

Ivy turned back to me.  "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, just let me get my bag."  I hesitated.  "My car or yours?"

Ivy's smile was mischievous, something I didn't see often.  "I was thinking we could take my bike.  It's a gorgeous day out."

"Sure," I said with an answering smile.  "Sounds great."

I regretted my answer the moment Ivy whipped the bike out of the driveway and gunned it down the residential street.  My arms were wrapped tightly around her waist, holding on before we even hit the interstate.  

She wove through traffic with a speed and intensity that made me gasp.  Ivy seemed to find it amusing.  The more I hissed as she came this close to another car, the faster she went until the lanes of traffic were practically blurring around us.  Snatches of her laughter drifted back to me on the wind. 

We were never, ever taking her bike again and I was going to tell her that just as soon as we got to Mom's.

"You're crazy!"  I yelped, yanking off my borrowed helmet as I stepped away from the bike.

Ivy's smile was barely-there, but smug and, I had to admit, sexy as hell.

"Tell me you didn't have fun, Rachel."

"I didn't.   You're crazy," I repeated.  "You almost hit that old lady in the station wagon!"

"Oh please, I had  plenty of time to get around her."

"Not with the oncoming semi!" 

"You loved it."

"You're crazy."  Each time I said it, it sounded like a much weaker defense.  

"I can hear your heart racing, you know."  Ivy said it so matter of fact-ly that it took me a minute to realize what she'd said.  She went on before I could say anything else.  "Sending the blood racing through your veins."  She shifted so that I was leaning against the bike, her weight against me just slightly.  One finger traced my collar bone, just below the scar she'd left on my neck.  "Admit it: you loved it."  The words were low, and her voice was almost hypnotic. 

Shallow breaths hissed across my suddenly dry lips.  "Ivy...." Her pupils were widening slowly.  I swallowed, unsure of how to deal with this side of Ivy now.  I rested my hands on her biceps and leaned up until I could kiss her, slowly, deeply and thoroughly. 

We were both gasping when I finally pulled away.  

"It was fun," I admitted.  "Sorta.  But you're still insane!"

"And you're still an adrenaline junkie."  The low, slightly hypnotic and very dangerous tone of voice was gone, replaced by the teasing note that I loved.  That particular thought made me flinch.  I wasn't ready for the L-word just yet.

A flash of red caught my attention out of the corner of my eye and I jerked around.  The swish of the curtain in my mom's living room window was the only thing moving.  

"Oh, Turn it. Mom...."

"What?"  Ivy asked sharply.

"My mom just saw that."


***   ***   ***   ***

I was really starting to get annoyed with the amused look that Donald had in his eyes every time he looked at me.  It was even more annoying because I could feel my face start to heat up every time he did.

The more I blushed, the more I glared.  It was a reflex.

"Sorry," Donald muttered. "But your mom was expecting you to bring a guest.  She just wasn't expecting it to be Ivy."

I crossed my arms over my chest.  "Why wouldn't I bring Ivy?  She's my best friend."  Girlfriend.  But girlfriend had always sounded weird and non-specific.  So open to confusion.

Donald's smile said it all for him as he moved around the table to help mom bring in the last heaping platter of waffles from the kitchen. 

Mom was still talking to Ivy as they swept toward the table. 

"...Really should have known, dear.  Especially after last Halloween.  I should have been a hint when Rachel wanted the two of you to go as the lovers from that latest vamp flick."  She looked at me reproachfully.  "I don't see why she didn't think she could just tell me.  And then leading that poor Marshall fellow on.  He was a very nice young man."

"Mom!"  I yelped, cutting her off before she could say anything else.  "It wasn't like that," I said, more quietly this time, making an effort to calm down.  It wasn't Mom's fault I'd thrown all of this at her this morning without warning. She was just being herself.  "Ivy and I weren't together then."  

I couldn't keep my eyes off her as I spoke.  She had followed Mom in from the kitchen and was moving around the table to sit down beside me.  Unable to keep my smile from growing, I grabbed the platter of waffles and passed it in her direction.  

Ivy gave me a soft smile as she took it from me, her fingers brushing against mine as we made the exchange.  Every time she touched me now, it sent a rush of excitement throughout my body.  I'd spent a long time not paying attention to what it felt like when Ivy touched me casually, ignoring my own reactions to her. Now I was free to revel in it, to own each and every sensation that even a touch from her could bring.  I liked it.  Especially being able to touch Ivy whenever I wanted to.

"Well, if you're sure, dear."  Mom still sounded doubtful.

"These waffles are delicious, Al- Mrs. Morgan."  Ivy stumbled over my mom's name and I almost choked on a piece of fruit as I tried to turn a laugh into a cough.  It was so rare to see the shy, self-conscious side of Ivy.  "Is that a hint of cinnamon?"

"Yes, it is." Mom sounded pleased by Ivy's attention to detail.  I wondered why I hadn't noticed.  Maybe because I was just a little too preoccupied by the woman to my left.  "And you can still call me Alice. Nothing's changed just because you're having sex with my daughter."

The grape that I'd just bitten into turned into a rock in my throat, suddenly making it impossible to breathe or do anything but cough.

"Mom!"  My protest this time was more than a yelp.

"I'm sorry, dear. I just assumed.  Are you not having sex with her?  It certainly looked as if you two were close before you came in."

My face; my neck; even my ears were burning.  I could probably have kept the Hollows lit up for a year with the heat coming off my face.  There was nothing I wanted more than to be swallowed by the floor.  Unfortunately no such rescue was coming.

Ivy, however, was still there, and she had known my mom for quite some time.  Long enough not to be scared off or perturbed by my Mom's occasionally horrifying tendency to say whatever happened to cross her mind at any given moment.

"Thank you, Alice.  I appreciate it.  I didn't want to presume."

"Of course."  Mom reached across the table and patted her wrist.  Ivy glanced at her sharply, but didn't flinch away from the contact.  I squeezed her knee, carefully concealed under the table, in thanks.  "I'm just happy that Rachel's found someone."  She smiled in my direction.  "Whenever she found you.  I was starting to worry about her.  She's been alone for so long."

"That's not fair.  I was with people.  There was Nick."  I swallowed.  "Kisten.  And then Marshall," I hurried to add.  "Sorta."  Wrinkling my nose, I went on quickly, not quite daring to look over at Ivy.  "But can we stop re-hashing all of my dating disasters?  I'm here with Ivy."

A subtle touch trailed up my leg.  The warmth of Ivy's fingers bled through my jeans.  I sat up painfully straight, hoping my reaction to her touch wasn't painfully obvious to everyone at the table, as her fingers trailed to a stop high on my thigh and found my hand.  She curled her hand around mine and squeezed.  I held on tightly. 

Suddenly brunch with Mom and Donald seemed like a bad idea.  After all, there were so many more things that Ivy and I could be doing back at the church.  Ivy's grip tightened on my hand as if she could read my mind.  Of course, she probably only needed one whiff of the air to tell what I was thinking.  And knowing that she knew what I wanted only made it worse.  

It was going to be a very long brunch.

Comments

[erinya.livejournal.com]

Alice is so awesome. Rache and Ivy are adorable (they should have teh sex soon *nods*). Am now worried about Jhi, though. ♥ this fic.

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

I agree completely. :D Alice is awesome and Rachel and Ivy should definitely get it on soon. :D

[racethewind10.livejournal.com]

I <3 you *g*

Seriously, I love the bit with her mom, I can SOO see it. And i still think it flows beautifully :)

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

Lol...I admit it. I had a lot of fun writing that part with her mom. It was a blast.

[widget007.livejournal.com]

*big grin*

What a great update! Totally awesome! ANd Ivy know's Rachel so well, doesn't she?

*grin* And Rachel's mom ... what can I say?

Really, a great update!

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

The love I have for Rachel's Mom knows no bounds. She is so beyond awesome and I love how she's a multi-dimensional character, not just this lady who blurts out stuff that's embarrassing for Rachel. :D

[widget007.livejournal.com]

She really is aweseomeness.

*big grin* Though her habit of blurting is just too funny!

[ic1pher.livejournal.com]

What can I say, except that I completely loved it. Thank you Jaina for writing this marvelouse piece of fiction and I want to thank the beta readers too for making the text free of errors and mistakes!

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Dude! I'm glad you're enjoying it, and my betas are awesome ladies, aren't they?

[kalxxel.livejournal.com]

sweet. I loved it. :-) I an eagerly awaiting the next installment. I an going to friend you so I know right away! :-)

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

No problem. :) Friend away! :D I'm really glad you enjoyed the fic. I try to post on a weekly basis though I don't always succeed. Right now I'm going with Wednesday as my day to post but like posting on a weekly basis it's also subject to change! :D

And at the risk of pimping my own fic (but if I don't, who will? :P) if you click the Hollows tag, I've also written a couple of other rachel/ivy fics if you're interested. :D

Amazing

[(Anonymous)]

Oh my, this is wonderful. I love it. The only possible complaint is I have to wait for the updates, of course everyone else does to. *Sigh* Waiting for Kim is bad enough ut your creating a weekly addiction for me! I love it, absolutely love it, can't wait for more. Thank you for sharing your wonderful creation.