Page 16 of Pieces of Halves

“It was a nice kiss,” I mumble, heat creeping down my cheeks.

It was the best kiss of my life.

“Just nice?” He chuckles, leaning his head back.

“Very nice.” I watch him simply exist.

Every part of me feels calm and at peace around him. I do need time to heal, but at least he is not tossing me away like used trash.

Not yet, at least. The thought lingers at the back of my mind.

We are walking through the forest again and will be for the next three days. I like the woods – it is peaceful and serene. Now that we are going to King Adrian’s and Queen Rosie’s castle, we are due to arrive in two weeks. The idea of a safe place is comforting, but I worry I will be tossed out. Still, the chance of having protection against my father is worth this risk.

I’m not sure how, but in the two days we have traveled, Jacob managed to find multiple people who know vampire hunters. He needs them for maps and to learn the whereabouts of other hunters to find his mother. Being a vampire myself, those people make me feel uneasy. Every time he chatted with them, I was a few feet away; just in case they sensed me and refused to talk to him.

I want to ask more about his mother, but it feels wrong. He has been honest and transparent with me, but I have been struggling to tell him about the other dark part of myself. My father says that it’s what makes me so fascinating, but vampire hunters would be disgusted.

Sighing, I skip over a small creek. Red poppies catch my attention.Papaver somniferum. Useless information, but it feels good knowing it. They are beautiful and silky with the contrast of black in the middle. My legs keep moving, but my eyes stay glued to the flower.

My foot hits something hard, causing me to lose balance. My arms go out to grab onto something, but the nearest tree is a few feet away. I brace myself to hit the hard surface by shutting my eyes tight. Strong arms go around my waist, holding me steady.

“If you don’t look where you are going, you will end up hurting yourself,” Jacob whispers into my ear, and I melt into his body.

I have lost count of how many times he caught me from tumbling down. I can’t help it, I am easily distracted.

“What if I like it when you catch me?” My lips stretch wide at his proximity, and I turn to look at him.

Chuckling, he keeps his hand on my waist. I like it when he holds me so close. It feels safe and comfortable. Guilt settles in my chest. I have to tell him about the other part of me. He didn’t ask, so maybe it is reasonable that I avoid the subject. Deep down, I know the right thing to do is to tell the truth.

“I have to share something,” I start, and look down between us. “Well, I don’t have to, but I feel like it is important.” I swallow a lump. “I mean… maybe it isn’t that important.”

“What is it?” He takes my cheek into his hand and lifts my face.

Gazing into his soft, green eyes, I push away the voices telling me he will find me disgusting.

“My mother was an angel,” I blurt out, and stop breathing.

Angels are holy and considered saints. Vampires are detested by many and are considered evil. The people who knew of my mother always gave me sly side glances – as if I was not worthy of being her daughter.

“Oh.” His head jerks back a little. “How?” he asks with his brows brought together.

“Well… sex,” I tell him and blink. “That is how babies are made.”

He laughs and says, “Thank you for that educational information. How did your father manage to get an angel to have sex with him?” he asks with an amused smile.

My cheeks go hot. Of course, that’s what he meant. To hide how silly I feel, I look down again.

“I don’t know. From what I heard, she loved him at one point. She vanished after I was born,” I tell him, and find a yellow evening primrose to stare at.Oenothera Lamarckiana.

Sometimes, I wonder what happened to her. Truth be told, it doesn’t matter. She is gone. Unlike Jacob, I don’t have the courage to look for her – I am too afraid of the truth.

“Is this why you don’t have any control over any of your abilities? Vampire or angel,” he asks, moving my face to look at him again.

It is embarrassing to admit, but yes, I do not know how to control my vampire abilities – speed, exceptional hearing, strength, or the ability to stay warm. The angel part of me, I know nothing about at all. I hoped that he would not notice that, but it seems like it is obvious.

“Um…” I feel weak admitting I am not as powerful as I should be. “Maybe.” I shrug and try to dismiss the uncomfortable feeling. “It doesn’t matter. I’m fine with it.”

Over the years, I have learned to accept that I couldn’t get a grasp on my abilities. Now, standing in front of someone as powerful as him, I feel like I could’ve tried harder. There was no one to help me at the castle, but I could’ve prodded the guards or the council a little or read more.

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