>all this time? It just seems a bit odd.” He tried to remain passive.

He started to relax, until he heard “𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦”. Another wave of suspicion, perhaps now with a hint of jealousy, washed over him. But Tony wouldn’t be the one to dictate who she spoke to or had a relationship with. Not unless that person meant her harm.

“Why do you think he’s come back after >

> “Do you trust Justin?” He asked, unable to stop himself.

Tony stilled, sitting like a statue. He wasn’t the jealous type, but he was the suspicious type when it came to coincidences. It was strange that this behavior suddenly appearing in Ada happened to occur when this Justin came around.

Still, it could be just that: a coincidence.

>

>He probed gently, hoping maybe to dislodge some memory that might either ease or confirm his worry.

Leaning down to her temple, he placed a gentle kiss. “Thank you.” Though he was far from relieved. He hoped that maybe it was just stress, as Ada suggested, but something nagged at the back of his mind that it was something more.

“Do you recall meeting anyone new? Anyone that stood out?” >

Hearing this was alarming. What she described sounded very much like what happens when a human was being compelled to do, and then forget, something. Still, he couldn’t be completely sure that was the situation and didn’t want to scare her.

“If you get that feeling again, promise you’ll tell me?”

Closure. That he could understand. Nodding, he wrapped an arm around Ada’s shoulders and gently pulled her to his side. But her next words drew only more concern.

“Time slipped away? How do you mean?” The vampire didn’t want to jump to conclusions.

> “Do you want to talk about it?” He asked, eyes searching her face for any signs that he may have overstepped.

“Something like that wouldn’t make things awkward,” he reassured, rubbing his hands up and down her arms comfortingly. “It’s about your family, and I get that that is important to you. So, it’s important to me.”

Leading her to the couch, he pulled her down next to him as he took a seat. >

>that, he pulled her in close for another tight hug.

A wave of sympathy washed over him. “I understand, but you don’t have to hide that part of you away. After all we’ve been through, there’s nothing that would run me off. Least of all, something that important to you.”

He wanted to reassure her, especially given the gravity of the situation. Given >

> “Are you sure everything is okay? I feel like you’ve been MIA.” He pulled back slightly so he could look her in the eye. Now that they were in a private, familiar, and quiet place, he hoped she might be a little more open with whatever had kept her away.

Tony sighed softly as he wrapped his arms around Ada, returning her affections with relief. He had worried that something had changed between them but this reassured him that his concern had been unfounded. He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured.

>

>the faint scent that only a supernatural creature would notice. It clung to her like a faint perfume. The vampire immediately recognized it as the scent of a graveyard.

“Are you alright?” He asked, worried. “Let’s head upstairs where we can talk.”

“Ada!” He replied, eyes lighting up when he saw her.

Drink forgotten, Tony left the bar and moved through the crowd with the grace of a cat. He came to a stop right in front of Ada, but immediately noticed something was off. Firstly, she looked tired. Second, she smelled like death…specifically, >

>behind the bar tending to customers when he got there. Maybe it was her off day and he had lost track? Regardless, he sidled up to the bar and ordered a drink, just for appearances, of course, and waited for Ada to show.

>into his thoughts.

Instead of pussyfooting around any longer, and refusing to send a measly text, he decided to pay Ada a visit. Of course, he had to wait until nightfall, but as soon as he could, the vampire was out the door and on his way to his girlfriend’s club.

It was odd not to see her >

Tony had definitely noticed the distance that had come between him and Ada. To be honest, it worried him. Had he crossed a line that night she had come to his place? Had she changed her mind about him? Self-doubt wasn’t something Tony Stark was accustomed to, but it still managed to creep its way >

Happy Valentines Day Tony 💖

@eternalmonster.bsky.social

“Of course I will,” he promised, leaning up to kiss her one more time before shifting her off of his lap to sit beside him. He then wrapped his arms around her and cuddled her to his side.

The vampire shook his head, then met her gaze. “No, just the right amount of close.”

His hands fell to her hips, fingertips digging in gently, not wanting their clawed tips to harm her.

A soft sigh escaped him, eyes fluttering closed briefly. “You don’t need to worry about all that,” he reassured. “I was just caught by surprise, but I promise you’re safe with me.”

> and was reluctant to let it all go so soon.

“Noo, no no,” he assured in a soothing tone as he smoothed his knuckles gently across her cheek.

“It just means I’ll need to be a bit more careful. But, for you, it’s worth it.”

This was all new to him, as he knew it was for Ada. He had just allowed himself to open up, just as she had, >

> Normally, I would. But things with you are—different. More intense.”

He huffed ruefully. “I told you, I’m the monster, here.” And no matter how many times to the contrary she said, he would never believe it.

Tony reached up to brush away a strand of hair that had fallen into her face, then crooked a finger under her chin to lift her face to look him in the eye. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Ada. If anything I am the one who needs to apologize…I thought I would have more control. >

> features returned to normal. Then he tried to catch her eye. “Are you okay?”

His hands moved down to her hips, his grip tightened slightly to hold her in place. “You don’t have anything to apologize for, Ada,” he said gently. “You’re not the blood sucking monster in the room.”

Not wanting her to see him at his worst, Tony took a deep breath and calmed himself so that his >

> but something about Ada was nearly impossible to resist.