colours of viridian | BOOK ONE | J a d e d ✔️

T r u s t

S o n g : L o o k A f t e r Y o u - T h e F r a y

C h a p t e r XXXII
V i r i d i a n

"I'm sorry, Kenna..." My voice cooed as I held the tiny girl in my arms as she cried.

I could feel myself lose my breath as I watched her. It had been almost two hours and there was still no letting up. She was even too tired to hate me. But I knew she blamed me for whatever happened out there. The forest had hurt her; that was all I knew for sure.

She was completely heartbroken.

"H-how...?" Kenna whispered as her head rested exhaustedly on my shoulder.

I could feel her nails cut into the skin on my chest and it was such a new and strange -yet somewhat familiar- sensation. It was physically painful. It wasn't even anything like when I'd rip my own wrist with my venom-laced fangs. This was what it must have been like to be a fragile human. It was weird. No one had ever cut me before; my skin was supposed to be unbreakable.

"How?" She asked again, her voice full of anger as her hands clenched harder. It brought blood to the surface almost immediately.

My face flinched in pain, keeping my arms wrapped around her even if she tried to shred me to pieces -I couldn't let her go again. I just got her back.

"My sister was a powerful witch in her human life. As a vampire her powers multiplied." I started as she listened carefully, "I couldn't save you by myself." I said, growing angry as images of the scene flashed through my head. "At my request, my sister used a spell to bring you back. I sacrificed a butterfly that symbolized your love for the forest." My voice was factual as I balled up my hands from the pain her long nails caused me.

She whimpered and grew stiff in my arms. Her head shook in denial.

"I thought you were dead," my voice was quiet, "I couldn't..." Hesitating as her fingers scratched down me, I released a small groan of discomfort, "-Let you just be dead."

She released a tiny heart wrenching sob, her fists grasping my shirt as she finally released my chest. "Why?" She buried her head into the crook of my neck, her tears burning me as they fell onto my skin.

It was like everything about her was made to hurt me.

"I don't know." I admitted, ignoring the rawness of my skin, "I didn't get to know you. I never tried. I wanted to know you."

She let me go, falling down into the pillows in my bed. "I didn't even get to know who I was." Her breath was ragged as she turned away from me. "And because of you I never will."

My jaw tightened, trying to think of something to say. I hated seeing her cry. It made me uncomfortable. There was a stale silence that was only interrupted by her sniffles as I leaned back into the headboard. I didn't know how to make this better.

"I'll clean up the mess," I found myself mumbling as I laid down on my side beside her; my finger barely touching the soft skin on her shoulder. "I'll fix it." My voice was more confident as I watched the goosebumps rise under my touch. I moved closer to her, my lips brushing against her ear, "I'll make it better, Kenna." Murmuring, I wrapped my arm around her waist, feeling the shiver fall down her spine on my chest and stomach.

She was silent and her body was hot against my cold one. My lips pressed against her sweet neck, waiting for her to say something -anything.

"How?" Kenna's tear filled voice finally replied, her heart rate increasing as I trailed my lips back up to her ear.

"I'll figure out what you are and I'll find a way to reverse what I did." I promised lowly, my lips once again moving slowly down her skin and enjoying the scent of her sweet essence. I could have breathed her into me all day.

Her eyes closed in defeat, "How can I trust you? What if you hurt me again?"

I shook my head, dragging my hand back up her arm, "I won't. I never want to hurt you again. I won't do anything without your permission." My knuckles traced her collarbone, intrigued by her shaky breath as my thoughts fell from my mind to be replaced with new ones.

I just wanted to know everything about her. Learn every curve and dip on her body. Taste her skin and lips and everything else I had yet to discover. I wanted to know the sounds she made when I did and how her heart would beat and blood would rush. I wanted to hold her and feel her against me. I never wanted to let her go.

I was suddenly hovering over her as she stared wide-eyed at me. My hands were holding me up, resting on either side of her head as I was inches away from her face. Silver streaks ran down her cheeks, glittering in the light streaming in from the window. Her dazzling green eyes were no longer red and her teeth were back to normal. One of my knees rested between her legs as she laid on her back, leaving a small space between our bodies.

"Trust me, Kenna." I said in a low husky voice, keeping my eyes locked on hers as her blood rushed inside of her body everywhere. It was intoxicating watching her silvery skin blush.

She lifted her hand up, letting two of her fingers lightly touch my bottom lip, but hard enough to make my canines grow into points. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, keeping her warm fingers still. My lips parted, allowing me to softly bite her finger between my fangs before gently kissing it absentmindedly even as my canines ached for her irresistible blood.

Her eyes grew troubled as she watched my fangs. "He had silver eyes." She whispered, flashing her eyes back at my intent ones. "The vampire that killed me. He had silver eyes."

A growl released from my throat, "I'll kill him for hurting you."

She continued to watch me for a few more long seconds before exhaling. "Okay." She nodded, dropping her hand to her ribs, "I'll trust you."

†⚜†

Gosh. I love them <3 Viri is so smooth. Idk how Kenna resisted that. I would have just attacked him already 😍