After Dark

Chapter Seven

I felt like I was going to jump right out of my skin. Christian was staring at me expectantly, grew eyes calculating.

"I thought you couldn't come out in the sunlight." Was all I could manage.

Christian smirked at me and pointed his arm at the big window behind him.

"The windows are UV protected. Do you really think I would have sun streaming windows to light me on fire while I slept? Although I will admit it still hurts my eyes to look out the windows at the sun so I do try to avoid it. Sunlight also makes me very tired but when I heard your footsteps I knew I had to come and see what you'd do. I must say I am quite surprised. Tell me , why didn't you run?"

I shrug and stare down at my bare feet.

"I guess I just had a feeling that you would find me eventually and finish the job. Or kill the people I care about."

Christian stood up and walked over to me. He gently cupped my chin and forced me to look into his eyes.

"Is that the only reason Anastasia?"

I told him yes but I know my eyes betrayed me.

I took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. His pupils suddenly became very dilated.

"What do you want to hear Christian? That my life is so dull and mundane that a part of me would rather be imprisoned by a vampire rather than go home to a roommate who ignores me, a dead father, and a mother that remarries so often she has no time for her daughter? That I doubt anyone even knows I'm missing ? Is this what you want to hear?"

I don't realize I'm shaking with anger until I am suddenly in Christian's embrace.

At first I try to fight out of his grip but he refuses to let go and I still in defeat.

"I never thought I would meet someone who felt as alone as I did." Christian murmured into my hair.

"But just no, I'm still going to kill you. I just haven't decided when."

My heart starts pounding and I feel him stiffen. He pushes me away from him. I stumble back and look into the eyes of a killer. Blood, red, horrifying eyes meet mine. He let's out a snarl and I see razor sharp fangs sprout out of his mouth.

"Your heart beat is so tempting to me. You're a temptress Anastasia." He spat at me.

I take a cautious step back.

Christian clothes his eyes and remains very still. After a minute I notice his eyes have returned to their usual shade of grey and his fangs had retracted. He looks at me embarrassed, I think.

"I'm sorry. Sometimes I can lose control. I haven't been able to feed much lately and going without blood takes it's toll." He says as way of explanation.

"Why don't you feed off me then like you have said you were going to do from the start? Why am I alive Christian?"

Christian's eyes meet mine and suddenly he looks very young.

"I..I don't want to hurt you. There's something about you. Something pure, angelic even. You have a light in you and I don't want to be the one to snuff it out. For two hundred years my life has been darkness and I was more than okay with it. Then I see you and it's like a fireball dropped down from the heavens and landed in front of my feet. You opened my eyes Anastasia."

If that wasn't a confession of some form of love I don't know what is.

I took a cautious step towards him but he shook his head and I halted in my tracks.

"No- don't. I barely have any self control right now. I need to feed and soon. You should go back to your room."

"Feed from me." Christian looks at me as if I've grown two heads.

"You...give yourself to me willingly?"

I shake my head no.

"No, I do not give myself willingly to you. But I will let you drink as long as you promise it's not enough to kill me. I figure I have a better chance of surviving if I let you drink a little so you don't go all feral on me and suck me dry."

Christian chuckles at me and shakes his head.

"You have such a way with words. I promise I will make it so it doesn't hurt. Come with me."

Christian takes my hand and leads me down a hallway opposite from the stairs that lead to my bedroom.

"Where are we going Christian?"

"To my playroom."