Mature: Desert Moon

[Emora Deen]

Atul sat in a chair that was too small for him at a table that was equally so while Tenara arranged her dolls around it in their own little chairs.

"Papa," she sighed, handing him a cup.

"Thank you," he replied cordially, taking a sip of air. "Delicious. Did you make this?"

"Yes," Tenara replied very seriously.

"Mommy." Tenara handed Tenele her own little cup.

"Very good," Tenele smiled at Atul. "You were right."

"I'm always right," Atul replied cockily.

"Is daddy coming?" Tenara asked, glancing up to her mother.

"I'm not sure," Tenele replied. "He had to see about grandma."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad opened the door to their bedroom, still looking a bit affronted. He paused to consider the new scene in front of him, taking in Atul and his wife with their miniature teacups. "Am I late for tea?" he muttered in mock horror. "And who invited that guy?" he thrust a finger at the stuffed pig. "You know I don't like that guy."

[Emora Deen]

"Oops!" Tenara gasped, jerking up the pig. "I'm sorry, you have to go Mr. Tiggle." She carted the pig over to the toy chest and dropped him inside before rushing back to the table. "Mr. Tiggle had to go."

"How unfortunate," Tenele sighed, taking another sip of air. "But, at least there is a seat for daddy now."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad went to his seat with all the dignity of a father humoring his daughter and settled in. "Find anything fun today, Snack?"

[Emora Deen]

"Frogs!" Tenara replied excitedly, pouring her father a cup of tea and setting it in front of him. She took her place at her pint-sized table. "I named them and let them go down Uncle Talon's pants."

"It was quite humorous. He calls her a terror. He is the only one she terrorizes though," Tenele sighed. "He's deserving of it. After all he put me through as a child, this is karma."

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad's eyes lit with pleasure. "Down his pants, eh? Uncle Talon must have been very pleased."

[Emora Deen]

"He hopped like a frog!" Tenara giggled, wrapping her arms around her stomach as she laughed so hard.

"It seems she inherited your desire for pranks," Atul mused, grinning proudly at their daughter.

After some time and some conversation Tenara jumped back up to gather to tea cups. "What lovely tea," she told them, carting them back to her toy chest near the open window. She set everything down and was turning back to them when she paused, tilting her head to the window.

Tenara looked to be listening for something. She turned and went to the window, watching the setting sun for a moment, and as if nothing had happened at all she went back to her parents and climbed into Vlad's lap. "Story time?"

[Soran Nightblade]

"Sure," Vlad said. "See something outside? What are we reading?"

[Emora Deen]

Tenara went and gathered one of her books for the wall, a cluster of Hajaran folktales and carried it back to them. "I didn't see anything," she replied, flipping through the book.

Tenele scrunched her brow at her daughter's strange reaction, but didn't think too much of it. Tenara was a very powerful child, a very unique child, and odd behavior wasn't uncommon for her.

"Story time, then bath time, then bed time, okay?"

"Okay," Tenara agreed, a little too agreeable.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad took hold of one of the books they'd been making their way through. The vampire didn't have much tolerance for children's stories, so he tended to take her chunk by chunk through different histories or grown up books.

"Alright then," he pulled out the history of the first queen's war and scooped his daughter up to lounge with him on the couch. He opened the book and held it in front of her as he read, moving his finger along the line so she could 'follow along'.

[Emora Deen]

Tenara enjoyed the story, and though she didn't find it boring at all, she still ended up falling a sleep resting against her father's chest.

Tenele and Atul had been across from them, cuddling together in a chair and listening to the story.

"Looks like we'll skip bath time tonight," Tenele sighed happily. "I'll bathe her in the morning. If she's that tired let's let her sleep or we won't get her back to bed again for some time. Will you carry her to bed?" Tenele asked her husband, knowing that he could do it much easier and without jostling the sleeping child.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad closed the book and set it to the side. The little girl looked like one of the tiny stuffed animals in his arms. He took a moment to admire her. Then he rose and lay her to bed in a fluid motion. "Goodnight, snack," he whispered, brushing back her hair before drawing the thin blanket over her.

[Emora Deen]

Stalker curled at the foot of the bed, like he did every night, huffing out a long sigh when he was comfortable. If anything dared bother the child, it would never make it past him.

"This was a nice evening," Tenele sighed, standing up out of Atul's lap and stretching. "I enjoyed all of us spending time together, and I think Tenara really loved the tea party and her story. Things are finally starting to settle into a rhythm. Its refreshing."

"That it is," Atul replied.

He followed Tenele into the bedroom, glancing around as if he were a bit lost. "Can I sleep in here tonight?"

He knew they wouldn't want to be too far from Tenara when Talon wasn't around to look out for her.

[Soran Nightblade]

Vlad grinned. "If you can stand this puny mattress," he teased, gesturing toward the king-sized bed. As comfortable as it was, it was smaller than the high-lofted sports field that was Atul's bed.

The vampire drew his shirt over his head and let it drop to a basket near the wardrobe. "I'm going to wash," he said, going to the bathroom to run some water.

[Emora Deen]

Atul smiled, watching the man head off to the bathroom. He stripped off his own shirt and tossed it on the chair. He was torn between going into the bathroom and curling himself around the woman undressing near the bed.

Atul decided he'd do both. He went to Tenele first and helped her out of her dress. He kissed her neck lightly, dropped his mouth to her chest and explored there. "Atul," she whispered in desire and protest. He liked the sound of his name when she said it with such breathless desire.

He left her light headed and draped across the bed. "I'll be back," he snickered, stepping off to the washroom where Vlad bathed.