Touch of Innocence

8

"Hadley come here."

Hadley stepped away from the beautiful orange flowers she was captivated by. "Yes?" She asked as she approached Clay.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her in front of him. "You're bleeding," he said in a low voice.

"Bleeding? Where?" She asked, looking at her open skin for any signs of blood.

"No, you're bleeding," he said with a pointed look.

"Oh," her face flushed in embarrassment.

Hadley quickly looked around, making sure no one else was in the area. Luckily she and Clay were all alone in the woods.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, embarrassed.

Clay glared at her. "Don't be embarrassed." Instead of allowing her to continue standing there in humiliation, he wrapped his flannel around her waist and picked her up, speeding out of the woods until they made it back to their home via the entrance only he uses to enter his wing of the castle.

Once they got back home, Hadley took a shower and got herself situated. "Um, I'm gonna go to my room," she told Clay after coming out of the bathroom. She always felt awkward being around him when she was menstruating. She much preferred to be alone than in the presence of a vampire during that time of the month.

"Hadley," he said. "You don't need to hide away in your room for five days every month. It doesn't bother me and I don't want it to bother you."

"Clay it's just very weird for me."

"How can I fix it? How can I make it not weird for you?"

"Well, you could be a normal human that can't tell when I'm... having my monthly cycle."

Clay rolled his eyes. "Hiding in your room doesn't solve anything. I still know that you are menstruating. So why not just live life normally for the next five days?"

"Well, my life isn't very normal when I'm trapped in the house for five days."

"Did you want to roam the halls full of vampires while you're bleeding or would you rather stay in our wing, where other vampires cannot smell you or get to you?"

"Ugh, that's not what I meant. Obviously, I'd rather be here, but I'm just saying none of this is very normal."

"Just stay out here with me, Hadley."

She looked between him and the door to her room. He was right, he'd still know she was on her period whether she was hiding away or not. She much preferred spending time with him than being alone anyway.

"Okay," she said walking toward the living room.

"Good," he said with a nod, pleased with her decision.

"Do you want something to eat? I'll go grab you something for the dining hall. They're making fish and macaroni and cheese tonight."

"Oh that's sounds good. Will you go get some for me?"

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he said.

Clay came back a few minutes later, holding a plate full of macaroni and cheese and another plate with three fish sandwiches on it. She stared at him with wide eyes. "I know you like fish sandwich days, baby."

Hadley giggled. "Thank you."

Clay placed the plates on the coffee table in front of the couch and sat down. Hadley sat down on the couch as well, as far away from him as she could manage.

Clay, however, decided otherwise and reached over, sliding her across the couch to sit right next to him. Then he bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead, causing her cheeks to flame.