The grease from the car and the rude, unflattering, fluorescent lights of the garage completely painted Hazel in a very unflattering light, in her dingy gray tank, with a plaid thong peeking out of the tops of low-cut jeans that were all tattered at her bare feet that stood on the concrete ground of the garage as she stood clinking along under the hood of the car. Her long braids were loosely tied back with a yellow bandana, covered with smiley faces.

Hazel was so focused on what she was doing she didn’t hear the house door open til the anxiety-staccato of Issandra’s heartbeat was a cloying and fragrant scent on the back of her tongue making her fangs press against her gums. Exiting from behind the hood of the car, wrench in hand, “Hey baby, welcome home,” Hazel greeted.

“You got oil all over your shirt.”

“Huh, look at that, I guess this is my car fixing shirt, or maybe for painting. Good thing I got more than one gray tank.”

“Yeah, good thing.”

Hazel smiled awkwardly. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You look good, all sweaty and covered in car oil.”

“Do I?” Hazel walked closer and tossed the wrench into a nearby toolbox.

“Mmhmm...”

Issandra took a step down so that she was into the garage too, and looked at Hazel’s lips and noted how the vampire, covered in oil, took in a sharp breath.

“I should kiss you, to welcome you home,” Hazel whispered taking the hint from that casual glance.

“You totally should,” replied Issandra

Once the kiss began, the taste of Issandra’s heart was louder and became more and more tempting. Hazel broke the kiss, but let their lips remain close while parted.

“You don’t hafta hold back, Haze.”

“I don’t want to hurt you…”

Issandra smirked, “Yes you do. But it's okay… I want you to, you majestic vampire. So don’t hold back, and feed from your wolf. I worked all day for those stupid humans, please, flood my mind and body with your power… I don’t want to think or pretend to be a person anymore. I’m home safe and I’m with you. Let me be inside you…”

“Issa…”

“Feed…”

The next second, fangs were in pale skin and blood spilling into the dark cavern of the vampire’s mouth. And the wolf’s hand gripped the vampire’s strong shoulder. Issandra’s eyes watered, her mind blanking from the power of the bite.

“Yes… thank you… thank you…” she breathed her praise and gratitude before her mouth went slack.

Mind-blank and pouring life into her vampire lover. This was the perfect way to decompress from a long day at work. This was home. Mind empty, body safe and held, and life and worries pouring away. Every pain of the world that was carried in on her shoulders was draining away.

This. Was. Home.

Under her fang, in her arms. It was the only home that Issandra wanted.