Hell Hath No Fury - Book One

A Meeting Looms

Theo was face down on the bed, cheek squished against one pillow. One arm was draped over the bed and the other came out to rest over Ava's belly. Theo began to shift awake when she felt a hand tickling at the back of her neck. She mumbled out a few noises and smacked her lips together sleepily. The hand did not stop and she felt her hair get brushed to the side, the cold morning air hitting her exposed neck. Theo made a loud grumbling noise and shifted her head from one side to the other, trying to rid herself of the pest touching her.

She heard a soft giggle from above her and she cracked one eye open to see Ava staring right at her and she closed her eyes again. It was Ava's hand that was playing with the small hairs at the nape of her neck and Theo attempted to wiggle around as best she could to get the hand away. A louder laugh emerged and Theo frowned.

"Ava, let me sleep," Theo murmured and the touches stopped.

"My name is no longer Ava, it's Red" Ava reminded Theo and Theo didn't want to give up on more sleep but it seemed like she had to.

"That was my nickname for you, what am I going to do for a nickname if Red is your name?" Theo said, sleep laced in her voice and eyes still closed.

"Call me something new," Ava suggested, obviously.

"Mmkay," Theo said and flipped onto her side, back facing Ava.

She felt Ava shift from her side of the bed and came up behind Theo, looping an arm under Theo's to spoon her. Ava placed a soft kiss on the back of Theo's neck and then rested her forehead against Theo's back. Theo was naked from the night before and so was Ava, their warm skin pressed up against each other provided relief from the biting morning air.

After a little while, Theo's body began to wake up. She shifted a bit and her movements alerted Ava that Theo was just a little more awake than earlier. Theo felt a finger tracing her back.

"What do your tattoos mean?" Ava asked, not even waiting before Theo woke up to begin with her questions.

"You really try my patience, huh exal" Theo teased and flipped around, facing Ava for the first time that morning.

"Exal?" Ava asked and pushed some hair out of Theo's eyes.

"Aye," Theo propped herself up on one shoulder and leaned over Ava, placing a soft kiss on her lips, "new nickname for you, as requested."

"What does it mean?" Ava tried to hide the blush that came with the sudden attention from Theo but it was etched in her face.

"Means red in Aelizan," Theo lied. It didn't mean that and Ava would find out eventually but the name had slipped out and she felt weird about Ava knowing the true meaning, even if they were on the same page with their feelings.

"Cute," Ava commented with a large grin and pulled Theo in for another kiss. Theo was more than happy to give in.

Waking up had its upsides at times. Theo pressed her lips repeatedly against Ava's for quick consecutive kisses and by the third one, Ava was laughing against her lips. An angelic sound to hear so early in the morning. Theo pulled away from her assault on Ava's lips and began to move her lips down, across Ava's jaw and down her neck. Theo felt Ava's breath catch in her throat and Theo smirked against the crease between Ava's collarbone and neck.

"Theo," Ava gasped out, "don't start anything you can't finish."

Theo would have made a remark about how she had every intention of finishing what she had started but she realized she couldn't. She had no idea what time it was or how long it would be until they needed to start getting ready. So Theo backed off, lips lifting from the pale skin under her.