inhale. ➳ h.s. au [DISCONTINUED]

22

This is all so shocking to me.

"Grace, are you alright?" My mother turned on my bedroom light, the corners of her mouth turned down into a frown as she saw that I was crying. "Momma, I'm scared. . ." I whispered. I was 16 and I still cried, I still cried for my mother. If I didn't grow up in such a cruel world, maybe I wouldn't have to cry for her.

"Baby, what's wrong?" She says softly as she sits on the edge of my bed, she soothed my hair as I explained to her that I had a nightmare that I was taken by one of those monsters. She laughed at me, thinking I was joking about it.

"It's true, momma!" I shouted and she sighed softly, smiling faintly at me. "Don't think about that stuff, Grace. It won't do you any good in this world." I stared into her eyes, "Is there other types of evil in this world that we don't know about?" I asked and she nodded with a hurt expression. She's thinking about my father, about what had happened to him.

"I swear, i'll find whoever hurt him. . ." I whispered to her and she gave me another faint smile, "Don't think about it, Grace. Thinking like that will get you no where, and it will get you killed." She kissed my forehead softly.

"Stay safe, sweetheart. There's only a matter of time before they come for us." She whispered against my forehead before exiting my room.

She warned me that day. She was telling me that I was going to be taken and she was going to die, but I didn't think too much of it. But if that's not the point of this sudden flashback, what is?

I jolted up as I felt something in my room, which was weird because how could I possibly feel someone's presence? I looked around and stopped when I saw two bright emerald eyes staring at me, "Hi." His voice was deep and raspy but had a nice huskiness to it also from the winter cold that had blown in two days ago. A week after my mother told me to stay safe. I'm such an idiot for not thinking about it. "Hi." I said softly, I felt fragile and small as he stepped into the light of the moon that came through my dirty window.

"What's your name?" He asked and I smiled slightly, I didn't fear this man. I felt safe when he stood in front of me, to be honest. I felt safe the second I woke up, I felt warmed inside. I felt happy and I felt loved. It was a weird feeling that I never felt before, not to anyone. Even when I dated one guy I thought I loved, I never got this feeling of safety and warmth.

"Grace." My voice filled the small room. My bed creaked as he sat on the edge of it, his green eyes locked onto mine and he smiled which I noted that he had dimples. Deep dimples.

"What's yours?" I asked and he shook his head, crawling next to me. He crawled under my comforter and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his warm chest. I hesitantly nuzzled my head into his neck and he tightened his arms around me. I felt like he was the only thing that kept me glued together, even though I didn't know him. I just felt like. . . This was it. This was where I wanted to be. Where I needed to be.

"It's a name, love. . . But you aren't going to find out until it's the right time. I promise. . ." He whispered to me and kissed the top of my head which caused my heart to warm my entire body. "But when will the right time be?" I asked him softly and he softly pressed his lips to mine, "Soon, princess. Soon." He murmured and I nodded slowly.

After that day, the mystery man visited quite often. He told me stories--though they were made up--he helped me sleep. I still didn't know his name, he never told me. After a year or two--I don't remember that well--he stopped visiting me, I felt heartbroken and alone without him there.

That's when the two vampires came to take me away. . .

That was Harry, now that I think about it. I have those same feelings when I'm around him and now that he's gone, I feel heartbroken and alone with a hint of sadness. He kept me sane and happy. The day those vampires came to get me, I was wishing for him to show up and kill them like some sort of God. But he never did. He never showed up. When he said, "Until it's the right time. I promise. . ." I expected it to be in a few months, but no. I learned his name after two years of waiting patiently and I guess, you could say that the wait was worth it.

But at the same time, I wish none of this ever happened because look at me. I'm fragile and broken right now without Harry to protect me from the dangers of the world. He left me here, alone. No kiss goodbye, no hug, no I love you, just "You have to leave without me."

I have nothing to hold onto except this stupid pendant that reminds me everyday of my life that I fell in love with a vampire lord and can't get out of it. It's like i was hypnotized, but I wasn't.

The day that I was auctioned off, his eyes seemed familiar. That was the only thing that I could actually remember from the first day I met him, we didn't kiss at the auction or anything. I couldn't remember by his lips, could I?

I gasped softly, "Wait." I pressed a hand to his chest. It was my 17th birthday and the mystery man wanted to celebrate, he told me that I should be happy to be 17 but I wasn't. "What's wrong?" He asked as his hand drew shapes into my bare back.

Yes, we're naked. Yes, we. . . You know.

"Why do you want to celebrate my birthday?" I asked him and he stared into my eyes for a long time before answering, "I promised you I would tell you who I am at the right time. The right time is nearly around the corner." I smiled slightly and he smiled back before planting a kiss on my cheek.

"Do you always sleep with people you don't know the name of?" He teased and I laughed softly. "Do you always sneak into people's rooms at night and tell them that you'll tell them your name at the right time?" He chuckled and I jumped at the sound of my mother yelling for my name. The man scurried off my bed and gathered his clothes, "Wait!" I whisper-yelled and ran over to him after pulling on my panties and my grey sweater.

He looked at me as he opened my window, the cool air rushed in. He raised an eyebrow and I grabbed his cheeks, kissing him deeply. "I love you. . ." He whispered to me and I smiled, "I love you too."

"Okay."

"Okay." I whispered and he smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow night." He murmured before pecking my lips and exiting my room. I closed the window and bit my bottom lip just as my mother came into my room, "Grace Marie!" I jumped and turned around to face her, "Yes, momma?"

"Why are you awake?" She asked as I climbed into my bed, "I couldn't sleep."

That wasn't the first lie I told her, and looking back on it now, if I had told her the truth she would've probably kept me locked away forever and then I truly wouldn't have ever seen Harry again. My mother may not seem like a strong woman, but she was. She was the one that everyone came to for support, or just to be told that everything would be okay and that they would be safe.

My mother wasn't some woman that just told someone to screw off if they came to her doorstep asking for a piece of bread or a cup of water. She would ask them if they would like to stay over, or tell them to go to our very small barn in the back. She would bring them bread and water, maybe even some peaches that we used to pick together all the time.

She was a lovely woman.

"Grace?" I jumped almost a foot up from the sudden voice. I looked up at the person and gasped, "Mom?"