Bite Me Forever

CHAPTER 31: Paris

We arrived in Paris the following night. I had never been to the city before and felt overwhelmed by the thought of soon having to face Dario. Viktor and I had barely spoken to each other since he had said those words, so the journey felt unending. Raoul helped us find a cheap inn in the outskirts of the city and he left us alone to go around and enquire about where to find La Roche Hotel.

We went upstairs in silence; Viktor stayed in one room while I took another. I sat in the bed, not doing what to do with myself. I was still reeling from what Viktor had said. I felt the flood of emotions overwhelming me. I couldn't believe that he thought my feelings weren't real. But maybe he was right? Maybe I only felt this way because he was my maker? The thought left me in a state of shock and disbelief. I tried to rationalise it, but all I could think about was him and how much I loved him. No matter how hard I tried to deny it, the truth remained: It didn't matter if Viktor had turned me into a vampire or not—I still loved him.

But did he feel the same way? That was the question that constantly plagued my mind. I wanted so desperately to ask him, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Every time I thought about it, a wave of anxiety and fear washed over me. At the very least, it was clear that he still felt something for Naran, even if it wasn't love. The thought of it filled me with jealousy. Did he feel for Naran the same way I felt about him? I desperately wanted to find out, but at the same time I was scared of the answer. Since our argument, he was more distant than ever.

In an attempt to distract myself from my inner turmoil, I decided to explore Paris. Making sure to stay in the shadows, I ventured out into the night. The city was beautiful at night; the cobblestone streets were illuminated by lanterns that casted a soft glow over everything.

I kept my thoughts away from Viktor as best I could during my walk, hoping to take my mind off him but unable to do so completely. Every once in a while, memories of us together would come flooding back. As much as it pained me, there was no denying it any longer: Viktor wasn't going to love me back and it was time for me to accept it and move on.

Why would I care about someone like him anyway? He was cold, unresponsive, and often rude. He had a certain stubbornness about him that could be so frustrating! I couldn't continue to pine after someone who didn't seem to care about me in the same way.

So, with a heavy heart and a mind determined to forget about Viktor, I made my way back to the inn. But when I opened the door to my room, there he was. Viktor was sitting on the edge of my bed looking as beautiful as ever. His expression was unreadable as he stared at me in silence. When he spoke his voice was low and bitter.

"Why did you leave without telling me?" he asked.

I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "I wanted to explore Paris a bit. Why does it matter to you?"

"It matters because I was worried about you. Something could have happened to you when you were out there alone," he replied, his tone accusatory.

I felt my anger rising at his words. "Why should I tell you anything when we're not even speaking to each other?" I spat out.

Viktor's eyes narrowed, and he took a step towards me. "You're being foolish and careless...," he said while he towered over me. "Don't ever do it again," he hissed.

Before I could reply, there was a knock on the door. Raoul entered the room, looking between us with a frown on his face. "Is everything all right?" he asked, sensing the tension in the air.

I glared at Viktor, but decided to drop the argument for now. "Yes, everything's fine," I muttered, turning away from him and towards Raoul.

"I found it" he announced, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. "I found the hotel. Now we just need to come up with a plan."