For Eternity - Edited Version

Chapter Thirteen - Bunnies On the Horizon

~WARNING: Descriptions of violence, blood and gore~

Sunshine: It felt foreign. You'd spent many days and nights inside, currents closed during the day and open during the evening. At least that's how it felt. In truth one or two days passed since your arrival at the castle, which you'd come to know was nicknamed Castello del Crepuscolo, or the Castle of Twilight, amidst the vampire world. Though you knew it was called the Castle of Rome, Castello di Roma in Italian, you couldn't help but wonder if the old nations still existed within the vampire owned world. Surely they did. Vampires came from all over the world, and Luciano identified as Italian despite being born before Italy was formed, so it was logical to assume the nations still existed. Why else would people from your civilization underground call themselves French, American, Portuguese, and so forth?

At this very moment, those questions were the last thing on your mind as you ran in the grass barefoot, picking flowers and climbing trees along the way. Matt led you to the clearing he originally cornered you in the other day, knowing the area was quiet and usually uninterrupted by other creatures. He sat at the base of the large oak tree, Kuma beside him with his head in his lap, quietly snoozing in the shade the foliage above provided.

You were much surprised when Luciano remained true to his words in allowing you five days of freedom, five days left to your own devices, five days free of the crown prince of the vampire community world wide. You were instant on Matt taking you back to the place with the waterfall and small river. He hesitated at first, but after weighing the pros and cons of the area, he decided it was the best spot in the surrounding forest to allow you to roam, especially with Kuma there. In the end, he was glad that let you pick the place you could spend the day. This was the first time since he left the human community that he'd seen you smile so brilliantly. It was truly a beautiful site for him. He knew you wouldn't leave. Something was keeping you here, and deep down he knew you loved Luciano, even if he was an obsessive asshole.

With a heavy exhale through his nose, the blond let his eyelids slide shut, sleep weighing down heavily on him. He was accustomed to sleeping during daylight, as most of his hunting duties were carried out after dusk. You'd be fine while he took a nap. It's not like you'd be able to get far in the vast expanse of forest. You were horrible with directions to begin with, so putting you in the forest with no map and telling you to find your way out was a disaster waiting to happen. Kuma could track you down easily if you attempted to run, but given your slight fear of the half blood polar bear, you'd stay put. Matt let out a quiet "hmph" before sleep completely overtook him, leaving you alone essentially.

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Midday approached quickly, the air growing warmer by the hour and the humidity doing nothing to keep your hair from frizzing. Your gaze fell to the river, watching the undoubtedly cool water flow around rocks and to somewhere unknown to you. Without a second thought, you proceeded to jump in, ditching your shoes on the bank and letting the cool water rush over your skin. After all, what better way to beat the heat than a nice swim?

You kept to the slightly deeper sections away from the waterfall to not let the strong currents sweep you under. With Matt and Kuma asleep, you'd likely not be saved if that happened. You messed around in the water for about thirty minutes before heading to a large, flat topped rock slab to lay on so your soaked clothes could dry out. No doubt you'd receive a lecture from Anna on the importance of proper behavior for a queen-to-be if you came back to the castle drenched like a sewer rat.

Flipping on to your stomach, your head on the backs of your hands, you watched the man and his bear sleeping peacefully side by side still. Kuma hadn't shifted an inch while Matt had placed his hands behind his head, fingers laced as a sort of cushion between his head and the bark. A mischievous grin plastered itself on your face as you glanced at the water, then back to them. You slipped off the rock, sneaking to the bank of the river and cupping your hands to allow water to pool in the cup of your hands. Standing slowly, you tiptoed towards the French-Canadian, dumping the cold water on his head without warning.