Even if it was nothing more than a hand on her shoulder, the feeling of Missy’s hand on her bare skin sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn’t fully appreciate it, given that she would actually let herself enjoy the sensation. It would be easy – all too easy – to take things a step farther: for starters, all she had to do was move her hand just a little bit higher. Nikita stopped dabbing at Missy’s skirt to look over at her hand and run up the length of her arm. She couldn’t say for certain whether her interest in being more brazen was born out of genuine desire or the need to push Missy’s buttons and get under her skin. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” How could she possibly begin to explain a vampire like Katia, especially to someone like Missy, who often found it difficult to exude the proper amount of fear and caution? The hunter’s confidence and boldness had been qualities Nikita found appealing, and still did when they weren’t causing her headaches, but there were times when she wished Missy would have confidence in her decades of experience instead. “If Katia acts as though she couldn’t care less about you, it’s because she doesn’t. But don’t think for a second that she’s not paying close attention to everything about you.”
Nikita balled up the towel and began to rise without any lingering touches. Speaking of her sire was the equivalent of a quick cold shower. She tossed the towel in the sink with the other, soaked one and crossed her arms over her chest once again, this time to add an extra element of distance between herself and Missy. “She hasn’t given me a solid word, but I think it’s safe to assume she’ll be staying here a while.” Nikita paused. She remained deathly still and listened for any sounds of someone else moving in the house, even if there was only a 50/50 shot of her being able to sense her sire lurking around the corner. When she was decently certain they were alone, she took a small step closer. “I don’t want her here anymore than you do, but if I tell her she can’t stay, she will know that something is wrong.” A knot of worry panged her stomach. Nikita knew she didn’t have to explain to Missy that she was afraid of what would happen if Katia discovered the circumstances of Missy’s turning. Her eyes left the other woman’s to look down at the ground. “I can’t get over the feeling that she already knows… The timing is just…” When she met Missy’s gaze again, her eyes were full of the fear she felt.