Cross My Heart And Hope To Die

Chapter 18 - New Beginnings

Emily's POV

Like has felt so different the last couple of hours. After Luke left my bed so rushed I have just felt so alive, everything is heightened.... Is this what love is? Does being in love make you feel like you can lift a car or break through a brick wall? I feel this very weird power in me. I love this new feeling. I have also been awfully craving some red meat, I guess after the night of sins I had it makes sense I need a heavy meal in me. 

After getting ready I decided to try to find Luke. He had some explaining to do. My memories of everything that led me to be here were a little hazy, I knew he saved me but there were things I think I imagined and I needed clarification, like I needed him to tell me he loved me again. 

"Emily?"I soft voice asked confused behind me, when I turned to face Lucy she almost jumped at me, "you are back!" relief rushed my face, I guess I had not had time to think about the fact that my two rivals, friends were safe too. 

"Yes!" I replied joyfully. "Where is Mary?" I pulled back a little. 

"She is well. She will be coming down soon."Lucy was looking at me searching for something, "you look different." She continued searching, "but I can't place it..." She trailed off. 

"I feel different." I beeped at her. it must be love, it must be the fact that Lucius loved me back, I hope I didn't imagine that. 

"Ladies," Luke's velvet voice interrupted us as he moved to my side and wrapped his arm around my back. He tuned to me, "Can I steal you for the morning?" I looked briefly at Lucy and she nodded in understanding and walked past us saying "Have fun you two."

He held my hand, "Want to come for a walk with me?" He looked a little concerned and I didn't know why. "of course." I squeezed his hand in encouragement. 

As we walked out into the beautiful rose garden he prompted me to sit at a wooden bench facing the huge fountain in the middle of the back yard. This was so beautiful, Luke is si beautiful, how could I have gotten so lucky? I looked up at him and he was staying down at me looking so pained. "Emily, I have something to tell you."

"okay" I answered hesitantly. 

He took a deep breath and then started, "It seems like you were bitten by Edelyn before you left. This means that you had traces of his venom in you when you drowned at your friends house. I was pretty susprised you made it out alive with how much you reeked of alcohol and how wrong you blood smelled for a second when we got you out, it smelled like death, and then you came back just like that, I saw it as a miracle but it was everything but that."

Okay... so I am so confused. I don't understand where he is going with this but the fact that he thinks me coming back is everything but a miracle tugs at my heart... "Everything but a miracle..." I whisper. 

He clears his through, "Sorry I was mainly thinking out laud," He reaches for my hands and continues facing me, "It seems that you died with with vampire venom in you." He looked at me with a pained expression as if to waiting form me to break down, run, or panic, or maybe all three things. 

"I don't understand." Why is he reacting like this? What....

"You were turned when you died, you are one of us now."

"A vampire.." my voice trailed off. This is what I have always been trained for, this was my future, I was finally going to start living my true life. I thought it would have hurt more, maybe that is the burning sensation I felt before the complete cold. 

"I am so sorry" Luke's voice broke as his face came down to his hands hiding his grief. 

I am so confused, "Why are you apologizing?"

He looked at me incredulously, "You are a vampire now," he said a little more exasperated, "you are dead for all intents and purposes."

"So are you."

"You don't get it," he stood suddenly and started pacing in front of me. I stool as well. "He took the choice from you, I took the voice from you. You must hate me again."

"Choice? There was never a choice to be made." I reached out for his arm forcing him to face me. "I came here knowing my two options: 1. become a meal, 2. become a vampire, in both I would die, and I was ready for both." I raised my hand to caress his cheek, he looks so tired, so worn out, worried. "I was ready to die for you no matter what the outcome was, being a vampire just allows me to love you for longer."

He searched my face for a really long time I assume to make sure what I was saying was the truth. "I am sure, I love you and if I can't be with you I would rather stop existing." I made sure to not use the word die for you. 

His face suddenly softened as he dropped to one knee, pulled something out of his coat jacket and popped the little box open. The ring was beautiful, small, with a rose gold band, a million tiny diamonds framing the stone in the middle. The stone in the middle was not a Dimond however, it was red like blood. 

"Emily Petrova, you have owned my body and my soul since the day we met and even though we have never actually properly kissed I want to spend every second of the rest of my life catching up to you. Will you marry me?"

I had not thought of that but he is true, we have never properly kissed and I couldn't wait for it, "Yes" I whispered as I kneeled down and lightly touches my lips to his. I could tell I surprised him because he was still at first and then we were both standing up, he pulled away for a second, "you are so beautiful," He placed his hand on my neck cradling my head towards his and finally kissed me, passionately, deeply, hungrily. Crushing my body to his he placed his other hand on my low back and pushed me closer, but close ain't close enough.