The Vampire's Mate

Chapter 4: If You Love Something Let It Go

Ella's POV

I was walking with Tom as he led me through his palace-like mansion. Even at home he hugged me close and barely let me out of his sight. He was giving me a tour of the rooms and such. We stopped at a large dining room with a long table and many chairs.

I walked over and looked at the shiny wood, gently running one of my hands across it. He stood at the doorway and watched me with a very protective look. "You only drink blood. So why do you have a dining room if you never have guests over?" I looked over at Tom curiously.

He chuckled and walked over to me, taking long strides. His leather cowboy boots squeaked on the hardwood floor as he made his way over to me. "I do have guests over, darlin'. They just come into my office. And I can eat. There's just no benefit from it so I don't," he picked me up, holding me bridal style.

"Sooo that still means they don't eat with you and that you don't need a dining room," I giggled, smiling up at him. He had a look of adoration in his eyes, causing me to look down and blush. His fingertips grazed my chin and gently tilted my head up so we were looking into each other's eyes. Then his lips softly brushed against mine. I added some pressure, deepening our kiss.

"What did Blackie mean by sire?" I asked after pulling away from Tom. He looked down at me, probably surprised by my random question. I had been thinking it over ever since I heard it and was wanting to ask him about it.

"I was the one who turned you to a vampire. I'm the one who sired you. I don't treat you like you're below me or more callow than I am since I also bound you to me. And that means I claimed you as my mate," he explained, trying to clear things up.

I nodded in understanding. "So do vampires have weddings? Or are you just bound to whoever and that's that?" I asked curiously.

"We don't have weddings. There may be a ceremony for when two vampires are bound together but we don't do a traditional wedding," he shook his head, pulling me close to him.

I nodded as he gently took one of my hands and led me to a chair, setting me down in it and sitting in one beside me. "Darlin', do you want to stay here with me or would you like to go back home?" He looked down at me. I felt butterflies in the pit of my tummy at the mention of home then I realized what I would be giving up. I've never felt this loved in all my life plus I couldn't live without him, we would both literally die from not having each other's blood.

"Why are you giving me the choice? I'll die without you and you told me I could never even leave," I looked up at him. He sighed and held me closer, gently rocking me in his arms. His lip was between his teeth and he looked upset as he stared down at me, brushing my hair behind my ear.

"I would send you enough blood to last you each month. It occurred to me last night that it wasn't fair to take you like I did and I should give you the option to stay or go," he said. "But there's a catch," he added, his crystal blue eyes staring into my murky brown ones.

"What would that be?" I asked, looking into his concerned face. He was holding me tightly to him and now I realized why he had been loving on me hardcore for the past few days.

"You have to send me your blood also. I can last longer without but I need yours like you need mine," he winced, looking at me through his bangs. I thought about my decision and spoke up after a couple minutes.

"I wanna see my family," I said, looking up at him. He nodded and carried me to our room. I saw him grab something out of the closet. It was a suitcase and he gently folded and placed all my clothes he had bought me in it.

He got me packed up and put my things in his limo. Then he had a servant take a couple pints of our blood before we walked out to the car. "I'm gonna spend the rest of the time I have with you so we're driving there," he kissed my forehead, carrying me out to the car.

On the way back to my home he told me all the do's and don'ts of being a vampire. I wasn't allowed to go into sunlight or drink other people's blood but Tom's. There weren't too many more rules but there were enough. Being a vampire took some effort to stay safe but not much.

"Tom, I'm hungry. I gave you a lot of blood and I'm worn out," I yawned. He chuckled and pulled me into his lap, nicking the vein for me. I gratefully lapped at the crimson mess that spilled out of the cut. This was the last time I would be able to drink his blood again from his neck.

Eventually I got home and I smiled widely. My parents were probably worried sick. Oregon wasn't sunny at all unlike Nashville but Tom still gave me an umbrella to block the sun on the rare sunny days that actually occurred here.

"Goodbye, Ella. I'll miss you," Tom hugged me tightly to his chest, burying his face in my hair one last time. I hugged him back actually feeling upset about leaving him.

"Goodbye, Tom. I'll miss you too," I said quietly before placing one last kiss on his soft pink plump lips and walking to the front door with my suitcase. I knocked on the door uncertainly and waited. My mom opened the door and gasped loudly, breaking into tears. The limo pulled out of my driveway and out of sight when the door opened.

"Where have you been?" My mom sobbed, hugging me tightly to her. She refused to let me go as my dad walked over.

"It's a long story I don't wanna go through right now," I smiled, hugging her back as we walked inside. My dad stood up and stared at me as if he couldn't believe I was back. He ran over and grabbed me in a super tight hug.

"My little girl is back. I can't believe it's you. We thought you were gone for good but you're back," he rambled on as he held me tightly to him. I smiled and hugged him tightly, missing him a lot also.

They led me inside and asked dozens of questions, all of which I didn't give much of an answer. All I said was that I was well taken care of and happy to be home. I went up to my room and put the suitcase under my bed before crawling into it and drifting off to sleep.