Set Me on Fire - Peter Steele

Fire and Ice

Lizzy stirred in beneath the heavy blankets of the bed as she woke. Her body was so relaxed it almost felt heavy. She guessed the jacuzzi was responsible for that. She let out a yawn as she turned in bed looking for her behemoth to snuggle. It was odd not waking up in his arms. He always held her when they slept together. As she turned she was met with the sight of an empty bed. Lizzy let out a whine. She knew it was cold outside the bed, but she wanted him.

She tossed the blanket off her naked body and hissed out a curse as her flesh was met with the stinging cold air of the room. Her bare feet touched the freezing floor as she grabbed up her bag, scrambling to get dressed. She picked out a cute emerald green sweater dress that she wore with a pair of black leggings and some socks. As soon as she was clothed she rubbed her hands together. It was so cold. Coffee would warm her and so would Peter.

She padded out the bedroom across the living room and to the kitchen, noting that everything was tidied up from the previous night. He must have been busy.

She walked into the kitchen where she saw him standing before the window, his silky black hair hung loose like a cloak. She bit her lip as she watched him silently before she began to open her mouth, but he beat her to it.

"Good morning, Angel."

Lizzy giggled before responding, "Good morning, Behemoth." She then paused as she heard a vibrating coming from the laundry closet and her brows furrowed slightly. He was already doing laundry? She frowned but shrugged it off.

"I made coffee, baby," Peter said without turning around.

Lizzy gave a nod as she turned to the coffee pot. She reached up into the cabinet above the machine and pulled out a mug before pouring herself some coffee. She then walked to the refrigerator and poured some cream, lightening the coffee to her liking before walking up to Peter. She cradled the mug in her hands, relishing the heat from the mug before taking a sip and looking up at his profile.

"I was lonely waking up without you," Lizzy said with a soft smile.

"Sorry, baby," Peter said with a sigh as he continued to stare out the window at the falling snow, "I didn't sleep well."

"Oh?" Lizzy frowned up at him, "How come?"

Peter paused for a minute before responding, "My back was bothering me. Strange bed, you know?"

Lizzy frowned some more, "Even after sitting in the jacuzzi? Do you want me to give you a back rub?"

Peter breathed out slowly through his nostrils as he licked his lips before responding, "No, Angel. That's okay. I think I'm gonna go out and chop some more wood for a while."

Lizzy wrinkled her nose in confusion, "But, won't that make your back worse?"

"I'll be fine," Peter responded sharply, taking Lizzy aback. She pressed her lips together before shrinking away timidly.

Lizzy took a sip of her coffee as she started to meander away. Something seemed off about him ever since she had arrived in New York the night before their trip but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. He seemed distracted and distant but she couldn't figure out why, and any time she'd try to bring it up he'd brush it aside assuring her everything was fine.

Then an idea came to her. She turned to him and smirked as she set her coffee down on the counter and wrapped her arms around him from the side and smiled up at him, "You know, I just had a fun little thought. How about you go out and chop your wood and I'll be waiting in here like a maiden waiting for her Viking warrior to come home from battle and-"

"Lizzy," Peter hissed as he closed his eyes, "Stop."

Lizzy drew back from Peter as she looked up at him, "Stop? Peter...is something wrong?" She watched Peter for a moment. His face was strained but he didn't respond. Lizzy withdrew her hold on his tense body and stepped back, "I'm sorry...I just thought-"

"I'm just not in the mood, okay?" Peter snapped as he shook his head, his eyes still closed right.

"Okay..." Lizzy responded softly as she turned away from him and shrunk away. She started to turn away from him again when she paused and turned back to him. Her heart was thundering her chest as she worked up the courage to confront him, "Peter...are you even attracted to me anymore? Is there...someone else."

"Jesus," Peter said with a shake of his head before he whipped around at her. Lizzy gasped as she saw his large blood-shot eyes and his ashen face, perspiration on his brow. She opened her mouth but immediately clamped it shut he closed the space between them in a single stride as he grabbed her by her shoulders, "Are you fucking kidding me? Just because I'm not balls deep inside you fucking your brains out every five minutes you think my feelings have changed? Jesus fucking Christ, Lizzy!"

They stared at each other silently for a moment, both breathing heavily as the tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife, before Lizzy pulled out of his grasp and turned walking towards the cabin door.

"Fuck," She heard him mutter behind her as she silently slid her black snow boots on behind her. A slamming sound came from the kitchen and she heard him again, "Fuck, Angel, you know I didn't mean it." Lizzy didn't turn as she felt hot tears brimming her eyes and his voice came again, "Baby, come back!"

Lizzy dashed down the steps of the snow covered porch before she broke into a full sprint as she ran into the forest as if she were trying to outrun the tears sliding down her cheeks. Her boots slipped beneath her but still she ran until she found a large oak tree. She slipped behind it as she brought a hand to her mouth and she choked on a sob. A gentle snow was falling from the sky. Her throat was tight and hot as she breathed slowly and deeply as she tried to catch her breath and calm herself down. She leaned forward with her hands on her knees as she tried to compose herself when she heard him again.

"Lizzy!"

Lizzy straightened back up, pressing her back up against the tree and pressed her lips together, forcing herself to be silent. She then looked down behind and mentally cursed to herself. Even though snow was falling it wasn't covering her tracks fast enough and he'd be sure to find her in moments and she really didn't want to talk to him right then. She then darted from behind the oak tree and ran further into the woods.

"Lizzy, wait!"

Lizzy's ginger waves whipped around as she stole a glance over her shoulder but didn't spot him. She then looked forward and her heart dropped into her stomach as she saw she was heading directly for where the earth stopped and plummeted sharply down into a ravine. Lizzy shrieked as her boots skidded in the snow but her body continued to slide forward. She reached out and caught herself on a branch as she teetered precariously over the edge, her fingers tangling in the twigs of the branch as she heard him scream her name.

"Elizabeth!"