Bitter Sweetness...

Part 4

4

James:

I leaned against the wall of a building opposite the hospital for the mentally disturbed.

A human girl fluttered her eyelashes at me and I winked at her; my throat burning as I heard her pulse race, the blood in her fragile, weak, human body pumping through her veins that much faster.

I could sense her fear and adreniline rush as she saw the hungry look in my red gaze. She bit her lip before tucking a strand of curly blonde hair behind her ear and scurring away.

I chuckled, letting her get a head start before I started the hunt.

I loved the chase.

I brought my attention back to the shack of a hospital as the sun started to set behind the hills, settting the sky on fire, stunning most into silence as another day ended.

I sunk further into the shade of the building's large imposing structure. My skin sparkling like diamonds where the shadows didn't completely conceal me.

A few meters in front of me, I could hear the quiet murmurs of conversations behind the barred windows as the patients were prepared for bed. Some went without a fuss, others screamed and cried, hit and kicked, like animals held against their will.

I let the cold terrifying cries of one of the more derranged patients wash over me like warm water, I hungered for the sound of my prey's pain.

I focused my hearing on the west side of the hospital, where I could just hear the shallow breathing of my singer. Her delectable blood like a magnetic force as it pulled me from the safety of my shadows, I inhaled deeply and felt the bitter taste of venom coat my sharp white teeth.

I listened to her heart, as it pounded against her weak chest, it was like music, hypnotising me into a state of hungry insanity.

I felt myslef gliding towards her window, I moved the plank of wood barring her in, a fraction to the left, so I could see her. She was lying on her back as if admiring the cieling. Her chest was rising and falling as she took in oxygen, her mouth slightly open, her eyes now scrunched up as the small slither of light blinded her. She sat up quickly and shielded her eyes from the weak light, before sucking in a sharp breath in shock.

I forced myself to walk away from her window as her breathing sped up, fear making her blood pump round her body faster, my face in the window enough to almost stop her heart. How much I wished I could taste her blood...

Not now.

The time wasn't right yet. The game could only be won if I played it just right.

My opponent still had to challenge me.

Her blood would taste so much sweeter if her protector was dead.

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Alice:

I stared into the blood-red gaze of the strange face at the window.

He smiled at me, it was a sick smile, twisted.

I inhaled sharply as his scent floated through the crack in the wall.

Matthew.

He had the same glorious scent as my Matthew.

Strange.

His face was quickly gone, as if it had simply been a figment of my imagination.

My heart beating faster than I thought possible, I lay back down and tried to get used the slither of light in the room.

It felt as though the sun itself had been placed in my dark corner. This small drop of sunlight enough to have me shielding my face, my eyes burning.

I had often dreamed of growing wings and flying through an open window, but I had never taken into account the burning sunlight; it seemed you were not always practical when you conjured up fantasies of freedom.

It's not like I would ever get out of this place anyway.

I had accepted a long time ago that this was my fate.

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Matthew:

I bit back a growl as I saw the dangerous nomad lurking a few yards away from the town.

He cocked his head to the side like a small child and his eyes were dark with blood-lust.

"Prepare yourself. I'm coming for her..."

It had been barely a whisper, but I could hear it carried on the wind to my ears.

I stiffened as I watched him through the window, my eyes flickered in the direction of his gaze and I hissed.

Alice's room.

He wouldn't make it one step in her direction.

Twilight had just passed, and already if I didn't have my vampire sight I knew the nomad would be invisible to me as the night concealed him.

The shadow embraced his form like an old friend and I felt myself tense and relax as he walked away.

I could still save her.

I was on the night shift again and I forced myself to keep a normal human pace as I bid goodnight to the fellow doctors who worked the day shifts.

I made my way to her room before pausing as my hand made contact with the lock on her door.

Could I really do this to her?

I had sworn years ago I would never inflict such an existence on anyone, could she forgive me?

I shut my eyes and leaned my head against the door, I let my senses take over, I could hear everything.

The corridor was now empty and I knew whatever decision I made, now was the time to act.

I could hear her shallow breathing as she slept, I opened the door with fears of waking her, but she remained in her state of blissful ignorance as I carefully lifted her from her bed, cradling her small, weak form against my chest, feeling rage consume me as I looked at the side of her face.

I had been gone two days and already somone had harmed her.

Never again would she have to endure this.

I felt a growl grow in my marble chest like thunder and I forced it back inside of me, I couldn't wake my sleeping angel.

I quickly stole out of her room and I realised this was the first time she had ever been out of that room in years and she wasn't even awake to see it.

I sighed and placed a brief kiss on her forhead.

"-You will have more freedom than you have ever had in your human life my dear... that is my gift to you. - Forgive me."

I shut the door of the institution with a great satisfaction; she would never have to go back there again.

With that thought in mind, I began to run.

The nomad didn't have her yet.

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