Page 67 of Vampires of Eden: Oliver
I stalk up the winding staircase toward my room. I’m such a morose idiot—like a wounded animal caught in a trap with no chance of escape.
What does Aries see in me? Pathetic.
After I’ve taken a hot shower and am sitting on the edge of the bed in my pajamas, I still feel wretched, but also… insatiable. Today’s disappointments sit like a weight in my chest, but my heart and nature yearn to be in Aries’s presence. To feel his magnetism against my skin—the warmth of his nature, his scent and the soothing sound of his voice.
Almost involuntarily, my body springs into action. Before I know it, I’m standing, barefoot, and walking toward my door. I move out into the hallway and down the stone steps until I’m in front of his room. The ground is cold beneath my feet despite it being a warm night.
I breathe. His woodsy and jasmine essence beyond the door is like an incense. A swirling and striking entanglement of spices that summons my nature. If he’s asleep, I don’t want to disturb him. It’s selfish of me, but I place my fingertips to the textured wood and whisper his name. “Aries?”
“Come in.” His voice is low beyond the barrier but alert. Awake.
Pushing the handle, I step inside and am met with the comfortingwooshof his scent and goodness, like entering a portal and being transported to the most perfect summer evening. An orange, twilight sunset and woodsmoke. Emergent stars and the impending hush of night. His essence radiates this way to my senses. A distinct mood unto itself.
He’s sitting upright in bed, shirtless and with a single lamp glowing brightly on the nightstand. A hardcover book rests in the fold of his right thigh. His left leg is outstretched with his pajama pants pushed up his calf. The covers around him are messily turned down. He smiles, warm and welcoming. “Hello, darling.”
I smile. “Hey.”
“How was the day?” He closes the book, then pats the space beside him. An invitation.
I walk over, but as I settle onto his bed, I notice his coloring is warmer, more bronzed and healthier than it was at breakfast this morning. It isn’t just the lighting, because I can also sense the subtle change in his essence.
A hard lump lodges itself in my throat and I look away from him to distract myself. “Long. Tiresome… You fed.”
He’s quiet. Only for a moment, but it stretches on like a dreary, lonesome road as I wait.
“I did.”
My skin prickles all over, and for the first time, my naturehurts. Sharp stabs piercing my back and spine, pushing through to my chest and stomach. Clenching my eyes shut, I take a deep breath.
“I can’t feed from you, Oliver. We discussed this.”
“Iknow. I know you can’t. Just… give me a minute.” Inhaling, I focus, stifling this pain in my nature that I’ve never felt before. Like betrayal. Indignation twisting into impossible knots. Logically, I understand this situation, but my body doesn’t give a damn about what my brain is telling it.
Aries is silent while I work through these new feelings. After a few minutes, the pain fizzles out and my insides cool. The hurt is still there, but an echo. Much less intense. I lie back against the headboard and exhale.
“The desire of a purebred’s nature can be profound,” he says, finally breaking the silence. “To deny it without suffering takes immense skill and control. I don’t want you to be in pain because of me.” Aries slips his hand into mine, entwining our fingers and squeezing.
I open my eyes and turn my head toward him. “I’m alright. I’m fine now, and…” I pause a beat to gather my thoughts. “Even if it’s painful, being close to you and considering everything that you’ve shown me, it’s worth it. Does that make sense? Or do I sound like an insane vampire?”
Aries leans, touching his forehead to mine. “It makes sense.” He kisses me with a lush press of our lips, just once, before he lifts his head again. “I think you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”
I chuckle. “Am I? I didn’t feel particularly strong today.”
“You are. But you’re miserable here. In this place.”
“I am.”
“Have you ever sincerely expressed your discontent? Have you tried talking to your fathers about it?”
Hopeless, I shake my head. “Absolutely not. They wouldn’t care. Well, maybe the viscount would, but it’s doubtful.”
“What about Alexander? Do you feel that he would listen to you?”
This question catches me off guard for some strange reason. Alexander might listen, but his behavior is confusing lately. “I don’t know, to be honest.”
Aries sighs heavily. “Could you run away? Simply disappear?”
With his hand still fastened in mine, I look up at the ceiling. “I’ve fantasized about this a million times—running away, I mean. Lord Blakeley doesn’t have any power or reach outside of southwestern Eden, but escaping without support feels impossible.
