SOULBOUND

Chapter 9: Embracing Shadows, Defying Fate

He remembered how he had written letters to her every day, telling her about his experiences and feelings. He had poured out his soul to her on paper, expressing his love and longing for her. He had asked about her health and happiness, hoping she was well and content. He had waited eagerly for her replies, which always filled him with joy and hope. She had written back to him every day too, telling him about her life and dreams. She had shared with him her thoughts and emotions, confessing her love and desire for him. She had prayed for his safety and return, assuring him she was faithful and loyal to him.But fate was not kind to them.He remembered how he had been bitten by an unknown creature one night while patrolling the woods near the camp. He had felt a sharp pain in his neck, followed by a burning sensation in his veins. He had fallen unconscious on the ground, bleeding profusely from the wound. 

He didn't know what it was that attacked him.

He didn't know what it did to him.

He didn't know what he became.

Days turned into weeks as Gabriel's condition worsened. His body weakened, his senses heightened, and an insatiable thirst for blood consumed him. He became a prisoner of the night, haunted by his newfound existence as a vampire.

Amaya, unaware of Gabriel's transformation, grew increasingly worried. His letters had ceased, leaving her with a gnawing sense of unease. She couldn't comprehend the silence, the sudden absence of his words that had brought her comfort and joy in the midst of turmoil.

Desperate for answers, Amaya journeyed to the camp where Gabriel had been stationed. She sought out his fellow soldiers, hoping they could shed light on his whereabouts. Fear gripped her heart as she imagined the worst, but her love for Gabriel propelled her forward.

As she arrived at the camp, a heavy atmosphere of sorrow and mourning hung in the air. The soldiers' faces were etched with grief, their eyes filled with a mixture of pity and despair. It was there, in that moment, that she learned of Gabriel's fate.

A soldier, tears streaming down his face, approached Amaya with a trembling voice. "I'm so sorry, ma'am. Gabriel... he's gone. We found his lifeless body in the woods. It seems he was attacked by some creature, but we couldn't save him."

Amaya's world shattered in that instant. The ground beneath her feet vanished, and the weight of her grief threatened to crush her. She couldn't comprehend a life without Gabriel, without his love and presence. Her knees gave way, and she sank to the ground, a broken soul in the midst of an unforgiving reality.

***

Amaya sat on a wooden bench in the park, her eyes filled with an unspoken sorrow. The world around her buzzed with life, but her heart remained heavy with the weight of Gabriel's absence. She clutched a worn, leather-bound journal in her hands, its pages filled with ink-stained letters she had written to him, pouring out her love and longing, unaware that he was listening.

Unseen, Gabriel watched her from the shadows, his gaze filled with a mix of love and anguish. His heart ached as he witnessed her pain, yearning to wipe away her tears and ease the burden she carried.

Amaya's voice quivered as she spoke softly, her words a whispered confession to the wind. "Gabriel, my love, I miss you more than words can express. The emptiness in my heart feels suffocating, and I long for the sound of your voice, the touch of your hand. I fear that you are lost to me forever."

A solitary tear escaped Gabriel's eyes, reflecting the moon's gentle glow. The ache in his chest grew unbearable as he realized the depth of Amaya's grief, the impact of his absence on her very being. How he longed to hold her and reassure her that he was still here, still bound to her.

Summoning all his strength, Gabriel stepped out from the shadows, his form shimmering in the moonlight. As he approached Amaya, a gust of wind carried his presence to her, stirring her senses. She turned, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Gabriel?" she gasped, her voice trembling with a mix of hope and uncertainty.

He stood before her, his appearance a stark reminder of the darkness that had engulfed him. Yet, there was a softness in his eyes, a tenderness that spoke of the love he held for her.

He approached her slowly, his steps cautious yet filled with a desperate yearning. "Amaya," he uttered, his voice laced with an indescribable sadness. "It's me... Gabriel."

Amaya's eyes widened in disbelief, her hand instinctively reaching out to touch his face. "No... it can't be," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You... you're gone. I saw your lifeless body. How is this possible?"

Tears streamed down her face. "What has happened to you, Gabriel? Why do you look so different?"

Gabriel's voice cracked as he spoke, his eyes filled with unshed tears. "Amaya, please... listen to me. I was attacked that night, bitten by a creature... and I became... this. A vampire."

Amaya gasped, her hand retracting as if stung. Fear and confusion danced across her features. "No, Gabriel, this cannot be true. You cannot be one of them."

He sank to his knees before her, his voice filled with a desperation born of love and remorse. "Amaya, my love, it pains me beyond measure to tell you this, but it is the truth. I have become a creature of the night, forever torn between the darkness and the love I hold for you."

Amaya's tears flowed freely now, her heart torn between disbelief and a glimmer of understanding. She reached out, her fingers brushing against his cheek, tracing the contours of his face. "I cannot fathom this, Gabriel. To see you like this... it feels like a cruel nightmare."

Gabriel's gaze met hers, his eyes filled with a profound sadness. "Believe me, Amaya, I would give anything to go back to the way things were. To be the man you fell in love with, to hold you in my arms without fear. But this is my reality now, and I cannot change it."

Amaya's voice quivered with a mixture of anguish and determination. "Gabriel, you say you cannot change it, but I refuse to accept that. Love has the power to defy the impossible, to transcend the darkest of nights. We have faced challenges before, and together we can face this too."

Gabriel's heart swelled with a renewed hope, his eyes glistening with gratitude. "Amaya, you have always been the light in my life, the beacon that guides me. But this darkness, this curse that taints my soul... I fear it will consume me."

Amaya's hands cupped Gabriel's face, her touch gentle yet firm. "Gabriel, love does not wither in the face of adversity; it thrives. We will find a way to overcome this, to tame the darkness within you. We will seek guidance, seek answers, and together we will forge a path towards redemption."

Gabriel trembled under Amaya's touch, his voice filled with a fragile hope. "Amaya... you are my anchor, my reason to fight. I will do whatever it takes to find a way back to you, to reclaim the light that has been stolen from our lives."