𝐁𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆━︎━︎T. Stark ✓︎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲

CHAPTER TWENTY:
❝︎The Thirst❞︎

TONY STARK HAD NO IDEA HOW AVERY BARTON GOT SO SMART, BUT SHE WAS THEODORA KNOX AND CLINT BARTON'S DAUGHTER SO IT MADE SENSE. Tony made his way back to the lab, hoping that Eloise was awake. When he walked in, she was just starting to come to. Her eyes fluttered open, immediately landing on Tony. Tony offered her a gentle smile and suddenly anger flared on her face. She struggled in the restraints, ready to lunge towards him. Tony look at her, trying his best not to flinch. Eloise ripped free from the restraints, flying towards him. Tony stumbled backwards in surprise.

"Eloise!" Tony called her name, hoping that would wake her up but it didn't. Her hands wrapped around his throat, slamming him into a wall. Tony gasped for breath, his hands pulling at her wrist in an attempt to get her to let go but she was too strong. There was something in her eyes, something that seemed almost animalistic. She wasn't herself. "Eloise." Tony softly begged, looking at her with desperation. Her eyes met his and suddenly she came to. Immediately she released him from her grasp, stumbling back in shock.

"Oh, God." Eloise whispered, a hand covering her mouth as tears pooled in her eyes. "Oh, God. Tony, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened. I don't know what came over me or why I did that." She turned to look at Rosalynn and Bruce who were ready to plunge a sedative into her neck. "Why did I do that?"

Rosalynn looked at Eloise with a sad smile. "We think this vampire side of you is having a much harder effect on you than we originally thought. Whilst Celeste was able to help you with a lot, it seems that she couldn't completely get rid of the thirst."

Eloise frowned. "The thirst?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. "I don't understand. I don't have a desire to drink blood or to take blood from anyone."

"Maybe not," Rosalynn nodded. "But I think your body has an underlining need for it. While you can still eat and drink normal human foods and drinks, I think every once in a while that vampire side of you is craving blood. When vampires don't get the blood they want, they turn aggressive. It's the only logical explanation."

Eloise felt ashamed and disgusted. She hated what she's become, she hated what they did to her and she just wanted to fix it. To be normal. She looked over at Tony, watching him stand there, trying to catch his breath and also trying to show that she hadn't hurt him, but she knew she had and she felt so guilty. She clenched her jaw and looked at Rosalynn. "Where can I get blood?"

Rosalynn nodded at her request and left the lab with Bruce trailing after her. Eloise said nothing, the silence in the room so thick it was giving her a headache. Her voice shattered the silence. "Did I hurt you?"

Tony looked at her and walked closer to her but she backed up, not wanting to attack him again. "No. Honey, you didn't hurt me." Eloise wouldn't look at him and he softly sighed, coming closer to her and grabbing her hand. "El, look at me." She did. "You didn't hurt me. I'm alright, I promise."

Eloise felt tears spring back in her eyes. "I didn't mean to."

Tony nodded, his hands cupping her face. "I know you didn't." He pressed a kiss to the top of her forehead and she leaned into his embrace. His arms wrapped around her and she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She was embarrassed. Tony knew she was. "It's gonna be alright, El."

"What if it's not?" Eloise softly asked him.

"It will be." Tony assured her. "We're going to figure this out, El. We will."

Eloise moved away from him, her piercing eyes meeting his pretty brown ones. "Tony, I can't do this. I can't put you in harms way again. I'm dangerous. I need to be locked up until I can figure this out."

Tony knew what she was suggesting, but he refused to listen to her. He would not lose her over this. "You're not an animal that needs to be locked up in some cage because you did something wrong. You're a human, El."

"Half human." Eloise corrected.

"Still human, though." Tony countered. "I will not lock you up."

"Tony. . ."

"I don't care what you think of it. I don't care if you're dangerous as you so claim. I love you, I won't lose you for this, you hear me?" He looked at her, waiting for her to give a signal that she had heard him. For a moment she didn't do anything and then finally she nodded her head in understanding. Tony relaxed slightly when she did.

Rosalynn walked back in with Bruce, a blood bag was in her hand. Rosalynn held it out to Eloise and hesitantly she grabbed it. She looked at the bag and Rosalynn handed her a straw. Eloise gave her a blank look and Rosalynn just shrugged with a small smile. Eloise sighed and stuck the straw into the bag. Hesitantly she began drinking the blood and she tried to not close her eyes in delight but a satisfaction flowed through her body and suddenly all the anger she had trickled from her veins and she felt relaxed. "I think your theory was right."

"Better?" Tony asked. Eloise hummed, finishing the blood bag.

"I suggest you drink one at least once a day or every other day." Rosalynn told her. "That way we can figure out if this is the cause for your constant bouts of anger."

Tony glanced at Bruce who was staring at Eloise with calculating eyes, as if he was sucking in all of the information. "Banner, can you not look at my girlfriend like she's another of your science experiments?" Bruce looked at him, cleared his throat, and then mumbled a soft apology. Eloise just offered him an amused smile.

Once she finished the whole thing, she threw the bag away. "I feel a lot better. Thank you, Rose." The doctor simply nodded. Tony and Eloise left, going back to their home.

Eloise leaned against the bar, watching as Tony made them both drinks. "So, how do you feel about dating someone that has to drink blood in order to not accidentally kill you?"

"I feel like I have bragging rights."

"Tony!" Eloise scoffed, rolling her eyes and shoving him lightly but a small smile lingered on her face. Tony chuckled, handing her the drink. She took it, taking a sip of it. The burn of alcohol brought her comfort.

"Kidding, kidding." Tony assured her, coming to stand in front of her. He pressed a kiss to her lips and Eloise smiled, kissing him back.

"I love you, you know that don't you?" Eloise softly asked. Tony smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Tony."

"For what?" Tony questioned.

"For sticking by me when I'm a complete mess."

"What can I say? You can't get rid of me that easily." Eloise laughed at that. "Seriously, though, I wouldn't leave your side at all if I could help it. I never want to leave your side again."

Eloise seemed to sit up a little straighter, eyebrows furrowing. "Tony, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying, will you marry me, Eloise Gardner?"