Palace Of Flames (Book One of the Damnata Series)

Chapter Eight: Die For You

[Kristy]

I sit down on my bed, and grimace, resting my head in my hands, elbows propped on my knees. I don't want to remember that. No way. I don't want to remember how that went; quite awfully, I would say. First I'm told I smell "delicious" by a tall brunette-type-Vampiire that calls herself Autumn, and then James's Mate, Willow, decides to try and eat me.

A barrel of laughs, I tell you...

As I flop back onto the bed, I'm sure I hear a slight clicking noise, but I ignore it.

Until I hear it again. I frown, still trying to ignore it as I close my eyes tightly, sighing deeply to myself. I hear a few more clicks, though, and eventually I have to give in. I scowl to myself, growling slightly under my breath as I push up off of the bed, moving across the room and towards the source of the annoying, continuous clicking sound. I end up standing at the window, and as I open it, the steady clicking stops; I look down, and a dark figure with wide chocolate-brown eyes is gazing back up at me, a slight smile on his extremely pale face, black hair sweeping to the right in a vague flick, like the soft feathers of a beautiful and alluring bird. My breath catches in my throat as I see those resplendent brown eyes, and I feel myself going red, my face burning.

"Laurence..." I whisper, smiling slightly. He drops the last few pebbles in his right hand to the grass beneath his feet, and his smile disappears as he looks up at me.

"Is it alright for me to come up?" Laurence asks. I glance behind me at the clock - it reads 10:24pm, my dad will still be at Emery's, and he trusts me enough to leave me in the house by myself overnight. I look back down to Laurence, and nod slowly. "Then step back from the window."

I do as he instructs, taking a few steps back, and I see a vague blur flit through the open window that must be Laurence. How does he move so fast, like a Vampiire might, if he's a Fallen Angel?

He stops in front of me, his effulgent brown eyes boaring into mine as he looks at me. His jet-black hair is windswept, and yet still practically perfect, and his pale cheeks are tainted with the slightest hint of pink, probably from the cold.

"Kristy...I...I need to tell you something, and this couldn't wait until tomorrow." He steps towards me and cups my face gently, hands slightly cold as a result of the low temperature outside. He smiles slightly, pressing his forehead against mine, and sighs, his breath cold against my cheek. "I...I think...I think...well, I really like you, Kristy. I really do." He whispers, and my eyes widen, despite the fact I already knew as much over a year ago. "I don't know if the feeling is mutual or not, but I guess I can only say that I will never be able to sustain my admiration and adoration for you, and even if you do not feel for me in much the same way, I promise to be by your side for all eternity, not because I believe that you will change your mind, with time, but because I do not want any harm to come to you, and I will protect you, no matter what the cost is. Even if it means giving my own life, I will gladly give it in order to keep you safe."

I slowly reach up and push the hair away from his glorious, incandescent eyes, before resting my arms around his neck. I close my eyes slowly, just as I feel his breath on my cheek, and then his voice in my ear, low, just a vague and barely-audible mutter. "I...I think I might just be in love with you, Kristy Motionless."

I smile slightly, and he pulls away slightly, possibly to see my reaction. I open my eyes, and his gaze is full of questioning, expectancy.

"I...I like you too, Laurence. Like, really like you. But I...I don't know what I want just now. I don't know if I want to be more than friend's or..." I whisper, trailing off. Laurence nods in understanding, and then we just embrace for a while, arms wrapped tightly and protectively around each other; when I finally begin to feel tired, Laurence lays me down on the bed, lying next to me as I fight against exhaustion.