The Vampire's Prey

chapter 11

I didn't come across Aden after that but I'm pretty confident he isn't exactly avoiding me anymore. I noticed a change in his expression after my confession which assures me that things will be okay between us. He didn't say he forgave me but somehow I felt like he had. I was pretty relieved now.
Then finally proof of his forgiveness was found the next morning in the form of a deliciously prepared breakfast waiting for me in the dining room table. I didn't see him around then but I ate the food happily. Let's not forget I starved myself completely yesterday by skipping breakfast and lunch. I only got a little hungry later at night and found some fruits to help me feel better. It all made today's breakfast seem extra special, I really enjoyed it!
I wanted to find him after that but it was hard to look for a silent sneaky vampire in a huge dark mansion. I looked everywhere but failed to find him. He must have been in his bedroom then, the only place I didn't dare go near. I'm not so sure why I avoid his room but something just makes me scared and nervous. I must have only seen his room once at the very beginning when I was just exploring around the mansion. I don't even remember it anymore. It was just big and dark and cold.
I got tired from roaming around the mansion so I went to the room with the fireplace and sat near the burning fire. Winter is here by now I think, it gets really cold around the mansion. I ended up falling asleep on the couch.
When I later woke up it was already night since the whole place was completely dark except the glowing flames of the fireplace. I got up and wondered why I was sleeping so much these days, I guess I had really gone weak now. Since it was night time I decided to look for Aden again. He must be awake now, though I'm not sure what he does at this time. As I walked around the halls I finally noticed light coming out of the library; he must be there for sure! I went in without hesitation and looked around the place.
After passing a few rows of bookshelves I finally found him sitting and reading on a table. There were candles lit all around. I decided to act like I came here for some other reason. I randomly picked out the first relatively interesting book I found and casually went to the table. I sat on the seat right next to him and without glancing at him even once, I opened the book and started to skim through it. I felt him look up at me but then he too continued his reading.
It was an awkward situation, I tried to focus as much as I could on my book but eventually I failed to resist looking up at him. My movement instantly cause the corner of his lips to lift slightly to form a small smirk but he still kept reading. I became embarrassed and hence I looked back down at the pages. Then I suddenly noticed a word that caught my attention; 'witches'!
What was it the vampire said to me that night, that I must be a witch?
My expression instantly changed and it caught his attention too. He looked up and stared as if trying to read my mind somehow. Should I ask him, I thought, will he answer me honestly? I looked into his red eyes that glistened and sparkled due to the tiny bright flame of the candle on the table. "Aden...can I ask you something," I said seriously.
"Hm, what is it?" He said while staring back at his book as if trying to avoid or ignore me.
"Am I a witch?" I softly asked making his eyes instantly go wide and expression serious. He looked up at me concerned, I guess he still fears my memories are returning. "Its just," I continued, "the other vampire called me a witch since..."
"Yes you are one," he finally said unemotionally, "so?"
"Is that why I keep on healing instead of turning into a vampire," I asked, he nodded as he again attempted to return his focus on reading to avoid my questions. "So if I'm really a witch, then Lea can't be my name. What's my r..."
"Leanora Del Rosetta," he suddenly stated.
"Rosetta... Which family was..."
"The Raven Rose ancestry," he interrupted again, "the family that descends from the fairy that cut her wings to spend her life with a warlock." Wow he's either really knowledgeable or he knew me well personally from before I can remember.
"So why do you call me Lea? Is that how I'm usually called or..."
"No its just me. I call you that because I like it, it sounds nice," he nonchalantly stated making my heart skip a beat, "Leanora is just a mouthful."
"I guess Lea does sound better... Especially how you say it," I commented making a small smile appear on his usually cold face but I saw how hard he was trying to keep a straight face yet failing miserably.
"Anything else you are curious about," he asked trying to change the topic.
"Well...there is one thing...you seem to know me well and I obviously have no memories but did you know me well from long before."
"Kind of." His expression changed a little, I guess he really hates it when I bring up my forgotten past but I honestly want to know what is it that he even erased.
"How did we know each other ...I mean like, what terms were...like what was our relationship?"
"Not good of course, why else did I erase your memories."
"Oh...but why weren't things good between us?"
"I wish I knew, you always hated me and I never knew why. It's why I don't want you to remember any of it now because you've finally changed. I don't know what it was but you ended up forgetting whatever it was that made you so hateful."
"Is that how I was before?" He nodded. "Well if that's the case then I guess your right, I'm better off not remembering anything! There must have been nothing good in my past anyways." He seemed taken aback by my response. "But...can I ask just one more thing?"
"Just one more, last." He looked up but I avoided his eyes now while hesitating. "Well, what is it?"
"You said I hated you before but...how did you feel ...about me?" Why was this so hard to ask, I felt my heart racing as I became anxious to hear his reply.
"I loved you of course," he mumbled with a hint of shyness as he tried to look down in his book but his eyes darted up as I turned to him and...
It was the strangest eye contact, time seemed to have frozen as we just stared deeply into each others eyes. We didn't breathe of a word yet somehow we felt like we were communicating as if telepathically. Then at the same time we both became embarrassed and looked away nervously.
"But then why did y..."
"That was the last question remember," he said as he got up and went to put his book back into the shelf. I watched him leave but my question was left hanging. As much as I wanted to believe that he loved me from the very beginning and I did believe it but...
'But then why did you attack me so savagely and mercilessly like a monster that night?'
What had even happened between us before that made him cause me so much pain that night when he first bit me. Something felt off. He definitely hated me back then, even if he did love me in the beginning... What did my cold hearted past self even do to him to make him forget all his love for me during that night?