Amour éternel

chapter 28

Anaïs awoke to the rumbling of thunder. She looked at the empty space beside her and frowned. She knew Ryder was a relatively light sleeper but she it didn’t make sense that he would have heard the storm before her; her senses were a lot sharper than his after all. 

Anaïs slipped into the silk robe she had dropped haphazardly on the floor beside the bed and hugged it to her body as if the thin material could warm her flesh. She had goosebumps all over. 

Anaïs walked through the house and found it odd that Ryder seemed to have disappeared. She looked out the living room window and could hardly make out the beach because of the rain. It was coming down in sheets and it occurred to her that Ryder could very well have gotten caught out there if he had gone for a walk or even a swim. 

Anaïs knew that humans weren’t so fragile to be easily washed away by rain but illness was a definite possibility. With this thought in mind, she stepped barefoot out into the rain. It was ice cold and made it close to impossible to see but Anaïs kept walking till her feet began to sink into the waterlogged sand. She would have turned back if she hadn’t caught the silhouette of a man standing near the surf. She called out to him, but the wind made it impossible for Ryder to hear. 

Anaïs groaned inwardly and swore she would kick his ass for making her go through this as she trudged toward him. The first thing she noticed was his face; his eyes were closed, his head slightly tilted back, his expression the epitome of repose. 

When she touched his arm his eyes opened and blinked repeatedly as if he had emerged from a dream. He looked toward her, but his body didn’t move. 

“You’re getting wet,” he murmured.

Anaïs knew he couldn’t hear her, so she didn’t answer. There was something about his tranquility that unnerved her however, so her hand tightened on his arm. She had the ridiculous fear that he would jump into the surf and disappear. 

“Go inside, I’ll be right in,” he told her, and looked back towards the hazy horizon. 

Anaïs didn’t move; she hooked her arm through his and leaned into him as her own eyes closed. 

She didn’t know how long they stood there but the rain had stopped when she felt him pull her into his arms. Anaïs looked up at him and would have spoken if his lips hadn’t found hers. They were damp from the rain and moved over hers provocatively slow. 

The hand that cupped her cheek was ice cold but the chill that ran down her spine was one of pleasure. It was accompanied by a sigh as he guided her lips to his throat. Anaïs knew he was offering his blood but she kissed his skin and pulled away without giving in to temptation. 

“You should dry off,” she whispered, “you could get sick.”

“I had a vision,” Ryder said in return.

Anaïs noticed the serious undertones of his statement and frowned. 

What could he have seen to cause him to walk out into a storm in nothing but a pair of jeans? 

****

“What did you see?” Anaïs asked once they had showered and warmed up. 

She was cuddled against him on the couch, a blanket pulled up to her chin as she fought not to shiver. It was still cold in the house.

“I saw a little girl. She had perfect ringlets, the kind porcelain dolls tend to have, but they were natural. I don’t know how I know that, but I do. She looked up at me, her eyes familiar, and smiled.”

“Who is she?” Anaïs asked, totally enthralled by the story. 

“I thought she was you for a second, a younger version of you of course, but you nonetheless. Then she called me daddy-”

“Oh god.”

“-she asked me if she could have an ice cream cone. I hadn’t even noticed we were in central park but I looked to where she was pointing and there was an ice cream vendor walking by, a little bell chiming to get kid’s attention. Then the vision changed. I was alone in my apartment. I was older, maybe 50, and I was still in the same place. She was gone, in the vision I didn’t even know who she was, but I remembered you.”

“Ry I don’t-”

“Two possible futures; one right after the other. I woke up and needed to think. The storm was kind of sudden, I didn’t see it coming, hardly noticed it till you touched me. I was so sure before… I don’t want immortality,” Ryder stated. 

Anaïs felt her heart contract, as if it were cringing, and would have moved away if Ryder hadn’t suddenly chuckled. 

His entire expression changed and the smile he aimed her way stole her breath.

“But I want you and I can’t have one without the other. A life without you isn’t worth living and if I was to live forever, I would need a reason to stick around that long. You’re one reason, the child in my vision is another.”

“What are you saying?” Anaïs asked, almost too afraid to hope. 

“I’m saying I love you-”

“Ry please-”

“-I’m also getting around to asking you to change me.”

“What?”

“I want forever with you,” Ryder answered, pulled her tighter against him, and kissed her.

***** Epilogue coming soon :)

sorry it took me so long, school and work have kept me busy and a glitch with my laptop slowed me down even more. Thanks for reading<3 and double thanks for the patience :)