Lover Of The Last

13. Conspiring Demons

"Welcome to your life

There's no turning back

Even while we sleep

We will find you"

Arabelle's POV

After a while of kissing, wandering and just wasting away the hours, Riley lead me to my room and left me for the night. But we both knew our separation wouldn't last long, it was like a magnet; a force that pulled our bodies together whenever they were too far.

I changed into my nightgown and hastily put away the dress I had worn all day. My room was smaller than the one I shared with Will; but still elegant and furnished beautifully like every chamber at the Palace.

My black hair cascaded down my back in messy waves and I felt it tickle my skin through the thin fabric of my nightwear. As I crawled into oversized bed I sighed, not liking the hollow feeling in my chest or the loneliness the room had when Riley was absent. I felt guilty that I didn't miss having Will beside me at night, but I knew I never would.

Curling into a small ball, I gazed out the sliver of the window visible in between my drawn, velvet curtains. The dark blue sky would soon leak with moonlight and be dusted with grey clouds; the sun long gone and the dangers of the night able to walk freely.

I scared me, knowing vampires could stroll around, passing as humans during the night because the sun was below the horizon. But I knew everyone was as well, doors being locked right after sunset and holy water splashed across every threshold.

I hugged myself close, nothing my parents did kept the demons from murdering them and taking my brothers.

The click of my door being shut made my thoughts vanish and I jolted upright, grabbing the covers as if they would protect me.

"Someone's jittery." A comforting, lovely voice whispered into the darkening room.

My limbs instantly became limp and I expelled a thankful sigh. "I was just having frightening thoughts, nothing I can't cope with." I whispered back to Riley's shadow as he moved to the bed.

He moved into the sliver of light coming from the window and I swear I would never get tired of looking at his grey eyes, his lips or any part of him. As he sets his palms on the mattress to press a kiss onto my forehead I can feel him smile.

"Knowing you, you can cope with almost anything." He chuckles into my skin. I wanted to just wrap his arms around me and not be pressured by everything conspiring around us; loose myself in him like I always did.

I grab his bare shoulders and tug him under the sheets with me. "Untrue." I reply. "I can't cope with being any farther away from you then I am right now."

My forehead almost leans against his as he settles next to me, about five inches of space inbetween our half-bare bodies. Riley's gentle fingers reach up slowly to play with a strand of hair across my shoulder and I can practically sense the happiness flowing off of him.

"Neither can I." He pecked my nose and pulled me as close as possible. Arms going around waists, legs intertwining, and heads burring into necks in a typical embrace for us; one that provides comfort and closeness I want only with him.

"Arabelle." Riley mumbles into my hair causing me to shiver because of his hot breath below my ear.

"Hm?" I respond, not really wanting to talk like I always do. I just want to lay with him and get my mind off what I was just thinking about.

The sheets shuffle as he backs away from me slightly. "What were you thinking about." He looks at me in a totally different way everyone else does, not damaged; just fragile. "Before I came in."