The Dusk Room

The Dusk Room chapter 14

Darla, please wake up...I'm so sorry." I can feel someone gently shaking me. I want to open my eyes but feel too exhausted to do so. I can hear Fane's panicked voice. I can also feel his head resting on my body as he cradles me in his arms. He's scared and it's the wondering why that finally forces me to open my aching and heavy eyes.

"Fane, what's wrong? Did I faint?" My voice is weak and groggy.

"Darla?" His terrified green eyes look deep into mine as he holds me tighter.

"What happened?" I hoarsely ask, staring up at his fear-soaked face.

"Me." He forlornly looks to the floor but remains kneeled and continues to hold me in his protective arms.

I try to sit up yet confusingly ache too much. "What do you mean?"

Fane slowly turns his head to look back down at me. "I told you that I'd hurt you, didn't I?" His reply is quiet, cloaked in so much sadness.

I blink up at him with confusion and pity. "How?"

His pale features are etched with shame, framing every contour of his shadowed face. "I've bitten you. Luckily, I pulled away in time." He quietly explains, needing to look away from me again and instead stare down at the floor.

Fear crawls inside of me, making me scared to know more. "Do you mean that you fed from me?" My eyes widen on him, desperately needing to hear the truth.

Fane meets my stare, understanding my need to know what really just happened between us. "It's sometimes hard to control who I am, Darla. I got carried away...I'm sorry."

I feel for where he had bitten my neck but it feels absolutely fine now. Although my body feels absolutely drained of all energy, my neck feels normal, which confuses me even more.

Fane watches me trying to make sense of it all. "The marks have gone. I've healed them." He solemnly explains, his eyes are dull and blinking infrequently with solemn regret.

"You did?" I ask with quiet disbelief, still rubbing my neck slightly.

"Yes." His pained expression saddens me to the core. I can't stand the way that he blames himself for what happened. I remember how aroused I felt with him kissing and caressing my neck. Even when the nips on my neck came, they only aroused me more. I had silently begged for him to bite me. I stretched out my neck, hoping that he would. So it hurts me when he's blaming himself for something that I'd instigated.

Reaching for his hand, I entwine my fingers through his. "Please stop blaming yourself. I'm tired, but I'm okay." Fane lifts his green eyes, still so very full of shame. I now smile at him, hoping that my smile will somehow assure him that I'm telling him the truth. "I wanted you to bite me...I liked it." A small blush blooms across my cheeks, branching out because of my shy admittance.

Fane's fingers curl tighter around my own, now looking at me with a cute as hell smile. "You did, huh?"

I return his cute as hell smile with one of my very own. "I really did." I reply, resting my tired head against his shoulder; closing my eyes with a new kind of contentment.

With surprising strength, Fane stands up with me being held close against his firm chest. "Come on, you need to rest." He carries me out of the dark office and into a softly lit corridor. At the end of this corridor and to the right, is a very chic little place. Crisp white walls with red and black furnishings—sexily masculine.

Fane walks through the open plan living space and kitchen area, into another dark room on the right. Using his elbow, he switches on a soft light.