Only Human: Before and After

Chapter 102: Jason Hendrix

Change of POV

"Hendrix..." A voice called. It seemed familiar, but disjointed. The more I tried to place the voice the more my head pounded. I moaned out in discomfort and tried to allow the oblivion to take hold.

"Master Hendrix!" The voice shouted and my eyes shot open. My head was splitting and empty bottles of my best rum decorated the desk that I had used as my bed. It took a lot to get a vampire drunk, and so I drank a lot. In fact, I could use some more to drown out the ache in my head. I slowly sat up, and looked to the voice that dared interrupt my peace.

Mary stood before me with her nose wrinkled in dissatisfaction. It had been a long time since I saw that face. "Yes, Mary." I said preparing to lay back down.

"Master Hendrix, what is the matter with you? Drinking yourself stupid and laying out on your desk in yesterday's clothes. You reek. This is no way for the master of the estate to behave." She scolded. Mary was all respectful towards me until I fucked up. Then her true nagging ways came to light. I groaned and blinked trying to clear the delicious fog over my mind. It wasn't long until the reason I was drowning my sorrows came to me. She had just ran. I finally came forward and admitted something that I didn't even want to admit to myself, and she ran. I shouldn't have been surprised. I knew a human couldn't love a vampire, so why did I develop feelings in the first place? I tried to fight it. I tried to deny it.

"She ran..." I murmured feeling my chest squeeze and throat tighten.

Mary's hazel eyes narrowed. "Who? Who ran?"

I pulled at my hair that appeared to never have seen a comb. "June. June did. I told her and she ran."

Mary must have heard the distress in my voice because her face softened. She pulled up a nearby ottoman and sat on it. "What did you tell June?" she asked more calmly.

"That I liked her... romantically." I said. The back of my mind screamed to keep this to myself, but the alcohol left me loose and open. I was hurting and I wanted the world to know what that meant, but I knew I was going to regret every moment of this later.

Mary's eyes widened and she bit her lip to hold back the venom she probably wanted to spew at me. But what was the point of kicking a man when he was down. I wasn't going to fall any lower. "But she's a human." She said carefully.

"Is she?!" I shouted sitting straight. "She can outlast and outwit vampires or werewolves, she can grow and talk to angel's hearts, she can purify shades, she can enchant whole crowds with her voice alone, and she has completely consumed all of my thoughts! Every spare quiet moment I find myself wondering what she's doing. I feel more alive by her side than when I went sky diving or bungee jumping—"

"Don't remind me." Mary muttered making me smile weakly. She hated when I went on those thrill-seeking trips. My smile soon faded.

"I am terrified of losing her, Mary. Terrified." I said. I grabbed the vile of demon's blood that was still in my pocket. "I thought it was because I couldn't live without her blood, but I now know that it's her I'm afraid of losing."

Mary was quiet for a few moments. "And you told her all of this?" she finally said.

I groaned and slumped back on the desk to stare at the vial in my hand. "More or less. She then ran saying she needed to go. Am I that repugnant?" I asked no one in particular.

"Enough." Mary stood and I looked up at her stern face. "You are Master Jason Hendrix. You come from the Hendrix's industrious line and you are a genius in business. Any woman; vampire, human, werewolf, or otherwise would be begging for your affection. One rejection and you turn into this pathetic mess?"