The Vampire King ✔

■ THIRTY- FIVE ■

■ THIRTY- FIVE ■

I screamed, my body burning and bubbling. Everything was on fire and it seemed to heal before it would happen again like a never ending cycle.

My mind was blank but yet everything I had done in my life swirled between my eyelids. The people I'd met, my memories of my mother- it all swirled and reminded me of everything I'd done.

Another flash of pain stabbed me through the dark, and I cried out. I cried out Mekhi's name. Would he be there if I ever woke up?

In the darkness, my nails clawed at the walls, my soul begging and pleading to stop the burning. It felt like an eternity before the darkness listened.

The burning stopped, the flashes of pain began to become numb and my mind seemed to relax. My eyes were closed but my other senses had seemed to be heightened.

I could hear a heartbeat, a car indictor and an old couple arguing about the potted plants in their apartment. My nose picked up stale smells, a rusty metallic smell that I couldn't place and a perfume that seemed to oversimulate my senses.

Simply like waking up, I opened my eyes.

The light hurt my eyes and I moved my head to the side, trying to escape the bright lights but they followed me. For the first time, I covered my eyes and wiped away the sleep that had shut them for so long.

Sitting up, I realised I was alone and my heart sunk. Mekhi had left me, probably fearing me dead.

Dead. I wasn't breathing. Why wasn't I breathing?

I heard a click and footsteps on the grand stairs. How could I hear through the walls?

No. I wasn't.

Don't tell me. I didn't want to know.

The bedroom door opened and Mekhi walked through, he looked awful. Like he'd been starving himself and like he'd had a fight with a coupleof lions. He didn't see me at first, simply placed a bottle of golden liquid on the table in the bedroom.

My nostrils flared, it was scotch. Mekhi had been drinking heavily. I watched him pour the scotch and him down it just as fast. He seemed so lost and confused, but he was still here. He hadn't left.

Deciding I'd been silent enough, I opened my mouth to speak. "Mekhi," I said calmly, making the Vampire spin around.

His eyes widened and he slammed his glass on the table before rushing to the side of my bed. "Celene, thank god, you're awake," he said, rushing it all out in mumbles and jumbles.

"Calm down," I said grabbing his hand as he reached out to touch my face.

He started to sob, catching me off gaurd. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have left you, Celene, I'm so sorry-" he was repeating over and over before I finally interrupted him.

"Mekhi, it's okay, I understand" I said calmly.

On the inside, I was unnerved to see this once great Vampire King sob in front of me. He fell silent and I pulled him towards me, his head fell onto my chest and I held him there, gently running my fingers through his hair.

"I never wanted this to go down like this," he breathed out.

"I know," I replied, turning my head to look at the hotel paintings.

I could pick every colour, every stroke. I closed my eyes. This was all too much to take at once. "Celene," Mekhi said, tilting his head.

I opened my eyes and looked down into the enthralling silver eyes. "I didn't know she was going to force you into this," he said, honesty in his eyes 

I tried to not think about the man who forced me down onto the bed, brushing away my thrashing like it was simply a fly. I tried to ignore the memory of the man forcing his teeth into my neck, and then forcing his bloody wrist onto my mouth. I tried to ignore the exact moment the man held my head in his hands and twisted it like twisting the stick from the apple.

Tried. Being the key word.

"I'm not blaming you for anything," I said carefully, unsure if I was being honest or not.

I knew what I had become and it scared me, but I also knre the only one who could ever help me was Mekhi, he'd been around for centuries and seemed to have a greater control on his condition than me at the moment. And that's what I needed, I needed control.

"I will take care of you," Mekhi said, almost reading my mind.

"I know you will," I replied, as he sat back up.

He cupped my cheek and I couldn't help but lean into his touch. He wasn't cold anymore but warm blooded to me, and it's when I knew I was exactly what I didn't want to be unless the time was right.

I was a vampire.

"Did Lady McKinnon get away?" I asked, looking towards the door.

Mekhi looked down at his hands. "No, she didn't"  he said calmly.

I could see the regret, pain and pure joy cross his face. "You killed her?" I asked, reading it like a book.

"She deserved it" he spat.

I took his hand.

"I know," I replied.

His jaw ticked, as both of us lasped into awkward silence. What could be said that would make this situation better?

Nothing. We were both at a loss.

"How do you feel?" He asked, bringing my attention back to the issue at hand.

A small burn in my throat suddenly jumped to the forefront of my mind. "Sore, my throat hurts," I said reaching up to touch my throat.

"You're hungry," Mekhi said, sounding defeated.

The vision of me drinking blood suddenly made me sick, but the burn in my throat only got worse. "I can't do that," I said, shaking my head.

"Celene, you have to" Mekhi replied, watching me carefully.

I swallowed, wincing at the dryness of my throat. "I don't want to hurt anyone" I said, hating the idea of hurting someone just so I could survive.

"You don't have to, there's a blood donation center nearby, I can get in and out without being seen," Mekhi said, taking my hand.

I looked at him. "And no one will get hurt?" I asked.

"No one will get hurt," he echoed.

I breathed in, even though I had no requirement to, before sighing. "Okay" I said, shuddering at the thought of blood.

Mekhi stood up. "You have to stay here, okay?" He asked.

I nodded. "Okay," I replied.

Like lightning, Mekhi had left the room.

A/N

Oops I did it again.
I played with your heart and turned Celene into a Vampire...

Hehehehe
What did you think of this chapter?
Cyclone Veronica has been and gone now and I have time to write without the threat of losing power.

I hope you enjoyed, leave you comments and I can't wait to read them as I always do!
Lots of love, tavana xoxoxo