Blood Rose (Completed)

Chapter 11

Katherine's POV

The fear settled itself in her throat first ; her scream stuck in there and no sound came out. She wanted to scream, to shout or to groan. It didn't work. When Robert bellowed at her to run, Katherine was finally able to move her feet and bolted away from him as fast as she could. The sound of bells still ringing behind her.

She didn't dare to glance over her shoulder. Katherine was petrified from what she saw ; the golden eyes of the man she just kissed an hour ago had glared at her with a hunger that Katherine never saw before. The sharp teeth, the deep and harsh voice that had yelled at her, ... The image of Robert with peeled of flesh on his arms and face were burned in her memories.

When she finally reached her front door, her hands were shaking so badly it took her several tries to get her keys into the lock. Sweat drops on her forehead and the back of her neck, while strands of dark hair stuck on her cheeks and her breathing heavier then ever before.

But the sound of bells were gone... and Katherine dared to glance over her shoulder before she swiftly pulled open her door and locked it immediately. Her hands covered her mouth while Katherine slid down against the door. Her knees pulled up and she tried to hold back the loud sobs that threatened to escape her lips.

The image of Robert at the fair flashed before her eyes. The tingle of her lips, which she touched with shaken fingers to remind her of the kiss, was still there. Blue eyes that had gazed down at her right before his hands had cradled her face. The sound of bells. The scent of blood and rotten fruit. Yellow, gold eyes filled with rage.

Her mind was chaotic to the point it hurt her. Katherine's fingers clawed in her hair when she finally screamed out loud. She felt like she was going insane. She had to be. What she just saw couldn't be real.

With trembling hands, Katherine pushed herself up and carefully made her way to the bathroom. She needed her pills and would Skype her psychiatrist after she took them. Maybe there was a side-effect to her medication when taking it too long. Hallucinations. Her mind was playing tricks on her because of it.

She calmed herself down to the point she was able to take two pills from the bottle, dropping four in the sink by accident, and swallowed them with water from the tap. Using the cold water to splash it on her face and keep her eyes closed. Katherine tried to take some deep breaths in and out to help calm her down. It did and after some minutes she sat herself down on the edge of the bath. Head between her knees and she clumsily kicked off her shoes.

When Katherine finally calmed herself down, she took a deep breath in and let her head rest in her hands. Normally, her pills should have worked by now, yet she didn't feel any effect. But it felt like she had a grip on herself again and suddenly wondered what was real and what not.

What if she had started to scream into Robert's face for no reason? And just left him by the truck that had almost hit him? He must think she's a nutcase after he'd seen her running away like an idiot. She groaned to herself, cursed herself in her head and in a blind fit of rage, Katherine took her small bottle of pills and threw it against the wall.

The coloured pills clattered against the blue tiles, scattering it everywhere around her and Katherine sniffed through her nose. Wiping away the tears that started to form in her eyes and let the shower run before she took off her red dress. The dress she especially bought for tonight. A night she expected to go differently.

When the cold water hit her skin, she hissed, but let it run all over her. If the pills didn't work no more, Katherine would get new ones. Then she'd clean up this damned house and leave for Portland again. The chance that she ever would see or hear Robert again was small. Maybe she preferred to live with the humiliation without ever to face him again. No doubt, this small town would soon know about her meltdown and the strange looks would come.

After the shower, she walked to the kitchen when a soft knock on her door was heard. A glance at the clock told her it was passed midnight and three hours at passed since she came home. Katherine quickly pulled the oversized black shirt a little more over the matching shorts she wore before she made her way to the door.

"Who is it?" Her voice still shook and she cursed herself silently for it. "It's late."

No answer came, but another knock was heard and Katherine went to look through the peephole. A deep gasp got stuck in her throat and she quickly took a step back.

"Go away," she almost begged, her hand leaning on the door, "please."

"Katherine," his voice strolled through the wood, "open up."

When she stood on her tiptoes to look through the peephole again, two blue eyes stared directly at her.

"No," she whispered, forehead against the door. "I'm sorry. I can't. I need sleep and medication."

Silence until considerate footsteps took the last step up on the stairs that led to her door.

"Please," Robert's voice came through the door and Katherine hesitantly took another peek.

His eyes were blue, not gold. His hair a dark blonde as always, no orange showing there at all and his skin was as flawless as ever. Katherine was sure she had been hallucinating before and felt her face heat up out of shame. Yet, her graceful fingers opened the door and opened it.

Before it was completely opened, she was already on her way to the kitchen so she didn't need to face him immediately.

"Tea? Coffee?"

Again, she cursed herself in her mind for the shaking of her voice. Katherine turned to face the stove with the teapot as soon as she heard his slow step come to an halt. And she could feel his presence linger behind her. She shook her head, bit her lip and knew she had to say something. Her fingers absentmindedly played with the cord of the teabag while her other hand pinched the kitchen counter so hard her knuckled turned white.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out. "It's my medication. I... I've no idea whats wrong," she rattled, "Normally, I feel well. I didn't mean to freak out like that. I thought I..."

"Stop, my dear," his voice sang from behind her.

Katherine wanted to turn around to face him, but both his hands came to a rest on her upper-arms. His long fingers circled around them and Katherine looked down at them with an increased heartbeat. They were normal ; not white nor did he had claws. 

His warmth leaned against her back when he took one step closer to her. Katherine closed her eyes when she felt Robert's breath in her neck and held herself steady against the counter. The cord of the teabag completely forgotten in her left hand.

The sob that threatened to escape her got stuck on her throat and made way for a surprised gasp. One of his hands travelled down on her arm, using his fingers to caress her skin and leave goosebumps all over. Slowly, Robert made his way to her lower back, lingered there for a few seconds as if he suddenly doubted his actions before it came to rest on her hip. His fingers slowly closed and Robert pulled her a bit towards him so that Katherine's back rested against his chest.