The Vampire's Prey

chapter 21

I woke up weakly the next day, my head spinning and my body exhausted. I wasnt sure whether it was day or night since the curtains were tightly shut, thats odd i never shut them. I woke up in bed as usual only there was something different this time. I felt extremely cold regardless of wearing the thick furry blanket over me. And then there was something warm and soon enough as I became more awake, I realized from the sound that the warm sensation at my nape was Aden's breathing!
I turned over and found him sleeping right next to me with his one arm protectively wrapped around me. Even in his sleep he tried to keep a hold of me. Soon enough my movements made him peek open his tiny dreamy eyes. I stared at him blushing, not knowing how to react.
"Hey," he whispered in his sleepy husky voice, "how're you feeling?"
"Fine," I whisper back.
"Are you hungry or thirsty," he asked, "or do you want to rest more?"
I couldn't answer for a while. I was just too dazed by seeing him this close to me, I felt all kinds of strange things. "I donno," I reply. I did feel a little dry mouthed but I knew if I asked him for water, he'd go away. For now all I wanted was to get closer to him, a sudden thought of rubbing my nose onto his crossed my mind and I blushed further.
"What," he asked starting to smirk now. He put his hand over my cheek and caressed it. "Am I making you uncomfortable? I'll leave if you..."
"No!" I suddenly say before I can stop myself, "I just...I think I'll rest more. I'm still tired."
I close my eyes but I can feel his intense gaze still on me. I peeked open my eyes out of curiosity and there he was staring at me dreamily. The darker part of me was having all kinds of wild thoughts right now. Then finally I decided to scoot closer to him and cuddle into his chest.
He was taken aback for a while but then he wrapped his arms around me and put his head into my hair.
I fell asleep soon after.

Things between us had completely changed now. Our routines, habits, behaviors, all were different like never before and in a good way. We were extremely comfortable with each other now, all awkwardness and indifferences had vanished from between us. Our dark past didn't matter anymore, we put it all behind us and started over. We were no longer living in this mansion as a forced married couple but rather like a happily married one.
I wound wake up, dress up trying to look as impressive as possible and go down to breakfast where he would be waiting for me with some amazingly made dish. He would silently watch me eat and sometimes we'd even chat. He plays piano for me often and on nice cloudy days we go for walks around the gardens of the mansion.
"You know," he said one evening when we were walking around the mansion, "You never asked me again to take you beyond the mansions gates, like back to your cottage perhaps."
"It did cross my mind but I was hesitant... I feel like never going back is the best way to make my past self leave me."
"But still, a lot of your belongings are still there and your roses..."
"We could grow them here," I suddenly say.
"So basically you want to live here with me forever," he asked with a smirk.
"Yea I guess," I reply, feeling embarrassed and failing to meet his eyes, "that's not a problem is it."
"Not at all," he said as he took my hand and pressed his lips into it, "Nothing would make me happier."
I blushed and tried to change the topic, that's when my eyes landed on the chain if his neck, visible from between the unbuttoned collar of his black silk shirt. I still haven't released him of his curse yet. Those chains around his neck are still there threatening to burn him when given the chance but I never used it against him. I only kept it there as a kind of insurance that he'd always be there for me and always keep me happy. I think he knew my thoughts around it too since he never asked to be released from the curse. The thing is I feel that someday, there might be a situation where I might have to force him to do something he doesn't like. Not something bad of course but something a lover might refuse to do. Like if we both were dying, I'd use the curse on him to force him to save himself, something like that. Though I hope no such time ever comes...