I Am Only One {Mature Vampire Romance}

Book 1|41. Love You Goodbye

So this chapter ended up being ridiculously longer than I first planned, but I found I needed to expand on the descriptions so that it didn't read so choppy. And I couldn't break it into two chapters without disrupting the continuity and then I didn't want to leave out certain events. Hence, the crazy long chapter...

Chapter 41 – Love You Goodbye – Raine's POV

Music: 'My All' by Mariah Carey (thanks to EmDawwgYo for the great song suggestion).

Night had fallen. I was completely packed, but nowhere near ready to go. I paced Talia's apartment like a caged animal. She watched me apprehensively and whispered, "What are you thinking?"

My thoughts consisted primarily of silent screaming ricocheting around in my brain. I refused to answer.

"Why don't you try to get some sleep? You have a long day tomorrow," she suggested slowly.Her tone implied she didn't expect me to listen. She was right. I had no intention of sleeping.

"I need to see him," I rasped. I couldn't just leave without at least saying goodbye. We owed that much to each other.

Her features contorted as she felt my pain. She answered sorrowfully, "You can't. Now that your identity is known, you can never be with him in that way, again."

I held my arms tightly around my chest, trying to keep from falling into pieces. It wasn't really working. The gaping wound in my heart just seemed to fester more painfully as each cursed minute passed. I replied brokenly, "I just want to say goodbye."

She shook her head no, her eyes silently apologizing. I turned my back on her, and continued my frantic circuit through her living room. Finally, she gave up and left me to stew alone.

But I couldn't take it, not one minute longer.

I suspected Talia knew I would sneak out to see Cage, regardless of her admonishment against it. I didn't want to get her in trouble, so I waited thirty minutes after she went to her room, giving her plenty of time for plausible deniability of my actions.

My heart fluttered in my throat as I slipped out the door and made my way through the familiar rooms that I used to consider home. I shook my head, trying to clear it. If I focused on all that I was losing tomorrow, I wouldn't be able to function.

And right now, I needed to get to Cage.

There were only a handful of vampires milling about, none of which even glanced in my direction as I passed by. When I reached his suite, I felt awkward. I didn't know if I should knock or just walk in. I hesitated, wondering if the door would be locked. And if it was locked, would Cage even let me in? He held to his morals tighter than any man I had ever known. It broke my heart to consider that he might refuse to see me.

Rather than knock, I turned the handle slowly to test it. It was unlocked. I slipped into the darkened main room of his suite, my heart thudding in my chest. There was no way to surprise him. If he were here, my scent and the sound of my heartbeat would easily alert him to my presence. I drifted through the hallway, making my way toward the bedroom. Again a wave of familiarity, mixed with bone-crushing loss, washed over me.

When I reached the bedroom, I stood in the doorway. Cage was sitting on the edge of the bed in his typical boxers, with his head cradled in his hands.

Just the sight of him, caused every function in my body to go haywire. My heart sped. Adrenaline raced through my veins. A flush of emotion washed over me, leaving my hands clammy and beads of perspiration at the base of my neck. I was unable to get any words past the thick lump in my throat, and just stared at him silently.