Bite Shift

76

His room was just as I had remembered it. Tonight, it felt so big and quiet. Is it possible that I was fighting to the death only hours ago? It seemed more like a movie I had watched and not something I had lived through.

I heard the door click behind us. He spoke to my back. "Would you like something to sleep in?"

"I actually like this," I answered, clutching the robe at my waist.

I approached the foot of the enormous bed. "Is there a particular side you like?" I was so nervous. I didn't know what to say or ask. I had slept next to Rhys but that was different. Before him, Tom was the only man I had shared a bed with.

He chuckled and that sound filled the room, bouncing off the walls. "No. You can have whatever side you wish."

I moved to the left side and he moved to the right. I looked at him over the bed. He was so perfect in that moment; in shadows, with droplet still clinging to his white skin and rolling down to the towel. I unrolled the towel on my head, using it to rub my hair one last time and try to get it as dry as possible. I held it in my hand awkwardly, not know what to do. I couldn't just throw it on the floor in this gorgeous bedroom.

"Let me take this back to the bathroom."

"No," he held up his hand. "Toss it to me and I will put it onto the couch. It's okay."

Part of me felt rude but the other part was so tired and wanted to go to bed. I chucked it across the bed and he caught it. While he crossed the room to lay it on the couch, I pulled back the heavy duvet and climbed in. It was as soft and wonderful as I had imagined. The duvet over me was just the right amount of weight. I couldn't help but watch him come back towards the bed, knowing that breath-taking creature was about to climb into this same bed I was in. I was happy for the distraction.

The bed sunk with his weight. I was aware enough to be surprised that I didn't feel more uneasy. It felt familiar, having him climb into bed next to me. I rolled to my side facing him. He stared back. We laid like that for minutes, enjoying the sight of each other and having someone next to them for the sunrise. He looked sad and I didn't like seeing that sorrow in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Katherine."

The sentence was so unexpected that I didn't register it at first. When I did, I didn't hide the surprise on my face. "Why?"

"I should have seen it. He was right under my nose, with me for decades. How could I not have seen it? Felt it? He fooled me."

"He fooled us all," I said. "You didn't feel it because he was a sociopath. He could hide his feelings and pretend to have others. I let him into my home. He knew where my daughters were." I watched the look in his eyes change from regret to anger and back to sadness. The night started to replay in my head again. "I'm so grateful you came when you did. How did you find me?"

He lifted his hand and pushed a wet strand of hair off my face. "You gave your blood to me. We are bonded. I felt your fear, heard you scream. I followed..." he paused, thinking of the word he wanted to use, "your essence."

"Will you always be able to find me?"

"Yes," he answered and I didn't know if it scared me or comforted me to be bonded to a man that I had met only last week, for the rest of time. I had been on this Earth long enough to know that men will do and say whatever you want until you are completely theirs. Then, they change. I brushed the thought away.

"I came to your room. I could see you but I couldn't talk to you. I tried. I screamed for you." I was whispering, not sure why I felt scared to remember the moment.