Page 17 of Her Immortal Protector

I run my fingers over the marks on my neck, a shiver coursing through me at the memory. Christos's touch, his lips, his... everything. My breath catches as I recall the intensity of our connection.

I've been with men before, but nothing - nothing - compares to this. It's like Christos awakened something primal within me, a part I never knew existed. My skin still tingles where he touched me, my body humming with a newfound energy.

I close my eyes, trying to make sense of these overwhelming feelings. It's not just physical satisfaction - though that was mind-blowing. There's something deeper, a sense of... completion. Like I've found a missing piece of myself I never knew was lost.

Soulmates, I think, shaking my head. Get a grip, Aria.

But the word lingers, taunting me. I've always scoffed at the concept, dismissing it as romantic nonsense. My job as ajournalist means I deal in facts, not fairy tales. Yet here I am, questioning everything I thought I knew.

What we shared wasn't just sex. It was a connection on a level I can't even begin to explain. The way Christos looked at me, touched me, like he could see into my very soul... It both thrills and terrifies me.

I bite my lip, conflicted. Part of me wants to run, to chalk this up to adrenaline and near-death experiences. But a larger part - a part that's growing stronger by the second - wants to stay. To explore this connection, to unravel the mystery that is Christos.

But with clarity comes questions…

I sit up to see Christos lounging in a chair across the room, his otherworldly beauty more apparent than ever. His eyes lock onto mine, concern and guilt warring in their depths.

"Are you okay?" His voice is hoarse, and I wonder how long I've been out. I did lose a lot of blood, so I'm not surprised.

"Yeah," I rasp, and he points to the table beside me. I see strips of meat and water and I devour both. The whole time Christos just watches me.

"What are you?" The words tumble out before I can stop them.

He tenses, shoulders squaring. "Aria, I-"

"Don't lie to me." My voice quivers, but I press on. "I saw that man drinking blood. And then you... Are you vampires?"

Christos runs a hand through his hair, conflict etched on his face. "Not exactly. We're called vrakken. It's... complicated."

"Uncomplicate it," I demand, wrapping the sheet tighter around me. "I deserve to know what's going on here."

He nods, resignation settling over him. "You're right. We do need blood to survive, but we're not undead. We're... Changed. Made."

"Into what?" Fear and curiosity war within me.

"Something between human and…not," he says softly. "We have enhanced strength, speed, healing. And the wings."

I look at the massive bat-like appendages that are spread out from his back. "How? Why?"

Christos sighs. "It's a long story, one I'm still learning myself. Our god created us, and Nyx, the first vrakken, continues to make more of us."

My investigative instincts kick in. "Is that what's happening to those people I saw? The ones who looked ill?"

He nods grimly. "The Change. Not everyone survives it."

A chill runs through me. "And you're okay with that? With people dying?"

"No," he says fiercely. "But it's necessary for our kind to survive. Our god demands it…" I can see the guilt plainly on his face. "I don't have a choice."

I study him, seeing the torment in his eyes. I want to say there's always a choice…but maybe there's not. Maybe there is more here than I understand.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the answer to my next question. "Christos, am I... am I ever going to be able to leave here?"

He sighs heavily, his eyes meeting mine with a mix of sadness and resignation. "Aria, I brought you here to keep you safe. But if you want to leave..." He pauses, his jaw clenching. "You can. I won't stop you. I'll take you wherever you need."

My heart skips a beat at his words. Freedom, just like that? But then the reality sinks in.

"There's a catch, isn't there?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

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