Dying Slowly

Chapter Eight

I was not sure what I was expecting, maybe Hadrian to snap my neck the moment the door closed, or maybe for him to think my smell was too tempting and just drain me dry. However, the one thing I was not expecting from him was small talk.

                “Hella, your parents are the Hesses, correct?” He asked, taking a seat in Gabriel’s chair while Gabriel leaned against the back wall, for some reason I felt as if that meant something, maybe showing how superior Hadrian was to Gabriel that even in his own office, Hadrian was above Gabriel. I nodded, unsure of how he wanted me to respond. “They are quite the deceiving couple, for humans at least. I assume that since you are wearing his necklace that you understand what you mean to Gabriel.”

                “That I am his soul mate.”

                “Yes, that you are and you understand the sacrifice he is making?” I nodded. “Now, I understand why Gabriel is so willing to let you die, but you, you confuse me. You are an outcast, but it is not simply that, outcast want to die, but they still fear death, you however do not. That is not human and it is very foolish, but I demand to know what you do fear.” What I feared? Gabriel had asked me the same question earlier, and I was no more prepared to answer than I was earlier. What was it that I feared, that made my heart beat faster and made my chest hurt?

                I said the answer before I knew it. “Living, I fear living. I fear continuing on with my meager life, because what am I? If I do not even enjoy my presence, who else will? I fear having to go back home, face my parents and their scrutiny, and face the pains of rejection and hatred. So, no, I do not fear death, but life.” Hadrian narrowed his eyes and looked me over once more.

                “She is a strange one.” He said to Gabriel. “You are fortunate that your mother did not come with me, though she wished she could, because she would claim she was a lost lamb and she needs rescuing.” Hadrian said, standing up. “You have my blessing, son. Hella, you are also fortunate, for tonight Gabriel will prevent your fears from becoming reality.” Hadrian did not say any goodbye; he simply left after those words.

                “Could you have not killed me tonight if you didn't have your father’s blessing?” I asked Gabriel, following him to the room I had been staying in.

                “No, not since you are my mate. If my mother had come, there would have been chance in your death, but luckily my father convinced her it was in my best interest for her to stay home.”

                “Why would your mother chose to allow me to live, wouldn’t she want her son to become a vampire, what he was born to be?”

                “No, my mother would prefer me not to give up my mate, the only woman I can have children with, or rather the only bloodline I can have children with. My mother would not sacrifice a life for my immortality, especially not yours.” That made me feel strange, a woman I had never met was wishing for my life, while everyone else, even myself, was counting down the minutes until my time expired. “But there is no need to concern yourself with that, right now I need to give you blood.” He shut the door behind us, once again trapping me in a room, but this time we were alone. Something inside me jumped at the realization that it was only the two of us, but why? It was not as if I loved the man, sure, he was deadly beautiful, but the attraction was simply physical, or maybe that was it, just that thought of being alone in the room with a man that looked like Gabriel. My mind wondered back to his naked form, coming out of the shower and for the first time in many years, I felt a blush creep its way up my face. Gabriel’s eyes widened slightly and a smirk touched his lips. “Hella, what has caused you to blush?” He asked, stepping closer and giving me the sense that he already knew what it was that made my cheeks flame. He stood so close to me that I could feel the cool air coming off him and I could smell a subtle scent of winter, the clean smell of snow, with a hint of pine. He brought his wrist to my mouth and rested it on my lips, and he waited.

                I debated on whether or not I should pleasure myself with his blood, seeing as my pleasure was costing my life, but then again what did my life matter, I had already told Hadrian that I did not fear my death, so why was I so hesitant now? Shaking my head and setting my morals aside, I bite into Gabriel’s wrist, my teeth were slightly sharper than yesterday so the bite was less ragged, and Gabriel groaned slightly, but I had a feeling it was not out of pain. I went from facing Gabriel, to my back to his chest and one arm holding my waist, the other placed against my lips, in one fluid motion. I drank until I felt full, and for some strange reason I licked his wound before licking my lips clean of blood.

                Gabriel’s breath was fanning out across my neck, sending shivers down my spin. His lips found their way to my neck, where he gently kissed me before biting into my neck. I gasped aloud, unable to contain the sound and the feeling that sparked through me. To explain the sense of bliss that fired its way through my body would be impossible, there were no words in the English language that could describe the satisfaction that his bit brought, and to make things worse, or better, was the light sucking he was doing, which made me hungry for more than just a bite. However, before things could get too far Gabriel pulled himself away from me, but not before licking the wound, as I had done on him.

                “So tempting, to just end you now.” He said, running his thumb over my wound, sending sparks of pleasure through my body. Those words should have scared me, should have made me run for the hills and hid under any rock I could find, but they made me want more, they made me want him to drink more from me. In that moment, I realized how sick I really was.

                “What now?” I asked, repeating my question from last night.

                “Now, you will sleep again Hella, and tonight you will breathe your last breath.”

                “But I am not tired.” I told him, though as soon as I spoke the words I knew they were a lie, for my eyelids were heavy and my body felt weak. How could I have gone from so passion filled to so weak in a matter of seconds?

                I leaned into Gabriel and he breathed in my scent, nuzzling his face into my neck. “It’s a shame.” I thought I heard him mumble, but my eyes were already beginning to close and my mind was already drifting. I felt Gabriel lift me up bridal style and carry me to the bed I had been sleeping in since I entered his house. He laid me down gently, and I though he was going to leave me be, but he slid into bed next to me, pulling me onto his chest.

                My eyes made their last stand, before closing and sending me into my dream world.