Their Bloody Rose

Let Me Take Your Pain

After getting home from their rather eventful morning, Eddie noticed that Marissa had been pretty quiet since leaving the warehouse. Guessing she was probably just tired from the morning, and also everything from the day before, he offered to let her shower in his bathroom and take a nap in his bed since her room was still a construction zone.

Marissa thanked him and quickly made her exit, hoping a shower and some sleep would be able to shake off the bloodlust her former self was still calling for inside her. She'd get these needs on rare occasions over the years since she'd left Italy, but she hadn't had one be this strong and lasting in a very long time.

She took a long, cold shower hoping it would snap her out of it like it sometimes did, but it seemed this time it wouldn't be enough. Thinking that sleep might help, she got out of the shower, dried off, and then went to go take a nap in Eddie's bed like he'd offered.

When she stepped out of the bathroom she saw Eddie was sitting on the end of the bed waiting for her. "Here, take this," he said taking off his shirt and offering it to her as she was just wrapped in a towel.

He knew something was off with her, he just didn't know what. But he was determined to be there for her and help her through whatever it was, however he could.

Marissa smiled as she thanked him and put on his shirt, but Eddie could still see an emptiness in her eyes. "Do you want to talk about it?" Eddie asked as Marissa put her towel in his laundry hamper.

She looked at him confused, and a little surprised at his question. "Talk about what?" She asked curiously.

Eddie closed the distance between them and caressed her cheek. "About whatever demons are keeping the light from reaching your beautiful eyes," he whispered softly, not wanting to spook her but also wanting her to know he's there for her and he gets it.

She leaned into his touch. She didn't know what to say or how to say it. She was afraid of what could happen if she told them her whole truth. But looking up into Eddie's sweet, caring blue eyes she knew she could at least tell him a little bit. And maybe just talking with him about it could help quiet her dark need finally.

"I just," Marissa started to say and then paused, still looking for the right words. "I just have this... need sometimes," she said finally. "It's hard to explain where it comes from, and it doesn't show up often, but everything that happened this morning brought it out and I'm really struggling to get it under control again." She moved away from him, afraid of how he'd react, afraid of what she might do if she wasn't careful.

Eddie followed her though and caught her hand, making her stop and look at him. "Hey," he said gently, "you don't ever have to do anything you did today again, you know that right?"

"That's the thing Eddie," she said with a defeated sigh, "I want to. I want to do it again and more. Too much more. And if I lose control again, I-" her voice broke as memories from before she'd lost everything came flooding back.

Things were so much easier when she didn't have any connections. She always knew if she lost control and went too far she could just move on to a new place and start fresh. But now, with them, she didn't want to start over, she didn't want to lose them. She cared about them too much to leave them behind. But if she lost control here, word would get back to Cain and then they'd all be in danger.

Eddie seemed to understand what was going on in her head, and he hoped he was right in how to help her deal with it. "Come with me," he said as he led her out of his room and down to the basement. Marissa followed along until he stopped outside of their play room. When he went to lead her inside she pulled away.

"No Eddie," Marissa said as she stood still in the main area of the basement, "I can't. I don't trust myself. It's way too risky. You don't know what you're offering, what I'm capable of."