Page 82 of Afflicted

I cross the room and drop to my knees in front of her. Without a second’s hesitation she throws her arms around my neck, sobbing into my shoulder.

“You’re OK.” Her voice is tight. “You’re OK.”

I wrap my arms around her, wishing I could somehow wrap her up and hide her away. “Thank god you’re alive. Fuck, I was so scared.” I stroke her hair, and I’m aware of the silence around us. People are watching, brows furrowed, leaning forward curiously as this human woman and a feeder hold each other in the cafeteria.

Juliet gazes up at me, her trembling breath washing across my face. I brush the tears out of her face.

“It’s alright now, we’re not going to let anything else happen to you.” I try and give her a reassuring smile, but the relief that she’s alive and safe has me shaking.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

“I’m just glad I was with you, before.” Fresh tears stream down her cheeks. “At least, if something had happened-”

I clutch her to my chest, and a small gasp goes up from the people around us.

“Don’t say that,” I murmur into her hair. “Don’t talk like that.”

I hold her as she sobs, as Gina regards me with mild shock. No one knows what to think. Their eyes on me are making my hackles rise, I want to get Juliet out of here. I don’t want anyone staring at her, or at me. I just want to be fucking alone with her.

At that moment, the other vamps come in and start telling the humans to return to the dorms. I take the opportunity to usher Juliet out, past the others. She doesn’t protest as we head for one of the side buildings, the rain beating down on the tin roof.

I push through the door, into a storage room of some kind. As soon as the door closes behind us, I have her in my arms. She presses herself against me, frantic fingertips clawing at my neck.

“I was so afraid,” she says, sobs hiccuping out of her. “I was so afraid something had happened to you.”

“I got back to my cabin, and there was just blood everywhere.” I brush my hands over her head, cradling her against me, her forehead touching mine. “I panicked, angel. It took me so long to realize that it wasn’t your blood.”

She angles her head so our lips are even closer. I want to kiss her. I need to taste her. That brief touch of her tongue in my bed, that wasn’t enough. I need to feel her under me again, watch that beautiful face as she comes undone for me. I need more, always more. My whole body is aching with need, with the elation of her being alive. I need to feel her heat and her breath, knowing it’s just for me, that she’s mine and no one else’s.

Her hands wander up my back, pulling me closer. I lower my mouth to her neck, my lips lingering on her pulse, and she whimpers.

“Silas.”

I’m shaking as her hands wander up and down my back, as her blood thunders against my mouth. I can't let go, not now, not when the other vamps are mobilizing outside and any moment someone will come and find us. But she’s wrapping herself around me, the scent of her need and her want filling the space around us.I grip her jaw in my hand, tipping her head back, and a small moan leaves her lips.

“If you died, I’d die,” I say, and her face crumples. “I don’t want to live without you, not anymore.”

She shakes her head, clenching her eyes shut, sending a fresh cascade of tears down her cheeks.

“Don’t say that. Don’t say that.”

“I mean it.” I lay my forehead against hers. “You’re everything, angel.”

“I can’t say no to you anymore.” She opens her eyes slowly and gazes up at me. “I can’t. I don’t want to.”

“Juliet…” The thread’s tearing. Who am I fucking kidding. It tore off when I had her under me on my bed. Watching her come, watching those sweet lips swell as she moaned - that thread of restraint that was wound so tightly around the man who’ll scare her away, now it’s gone. There’s just me,me,ready to tear her clothes off and pin her down onto the floor just so I can hear my name fall from those quivering lips over and over again.

This isn’t allowed. This isn’t allowed. But not even the thought of being discovered and having my system poisoned by silver over and over is enough to deter me. Nothing is worse than every second that she isn’t mine.

Her lips quiver as she looks up at me, her grey eyes wide. “On your bed, I wanted you. I wanted you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”

“I’m dying for you, angel.” I stroke her shivering lower lip with my thumb.

She gasps, and her eyes snap shut. “Ohgod.” She presses her hands against my chest, her shoulders slumping as she begins to sob. “I can’t… I can’t…” She shakes her head as she begins to wail, a sound that pierces my dead heart.

I clutch her to my chest, and she thrashes, sobbing and howling.

“No, no, no, no.” She chants it over and over.

---