Owned; sequel to Coveted

Mark

Pain.
Pain so agonizingly intense I feel as if my lungs will burst and my head will explode. My heart pounds so hard I can't breathe, I can't feel anything except the rush of blood in my veins threatening to consume me.
This isn't real. This can't be real.
Haven't I suffered enough? Can't I be allowed time to heal...to let go...why? Why is he haunting me?
I hate him!
Down on my knees, hands covering my ears and eyes clenched shut, I can't hear anything over my sobbing.
I don't hear him approach. I don't see him standing over me. I don't want to. I can't. What if he disappears again? No...
I scream out my pain. After so long of holding it in...I just can't pretend anymore. I can't pretend I'm not shattering to pieces every second of every day without my mate. I can't pretend that I'll be okay. That I'll move on. I won't. How could I? Jackson is my reason for everything.
I'm scared.
Before him, I was never scared of being alone. He made me dependent and now I hate him for that. He was always supposed to out live me! How can I—a pathetically broken human—outlive a vampire? It shouldn't be possible. It's not fair. I'd based my whole world on that knowledge which has betrayed me.
"Mark."
It's even worse than I'd imagined. No matter how hard I try...I can't tune him out.
This isn't real...he isn't coming back.
He left me.
Another sob tears apart my lungs as a light touch of familiar hands cover my own.
"Mark." The voice is distorted with pain and longing.
I shake my head, wanting to be free from this nightmare.
I can't survive this. I really can't.
My eyes snap open and squeak out a protest when I'm suddenly heaved up and into his arms. He carries me quickly through the house and into...into our room. My room now, I guess. I've been avoiding it as much as I can.
I don't want to be here now.
He drops me down on the bed and I'm forced to look up at him and meet his troubled eyes.
Jackson.
    I wipe the tears from my eyes and try to squint up, trying to break the illusion.
    He looks at me with pain and guilt. A pain and guilt I can't understand. Kneeling down, he takes my face into his hands and stares into my blurry eyes.
    "Mark, I'm so s-sorry." His voice breaks. Just like my heart.
    Biting my lip, I hit him in the chest. "How could you?"
    He closes his eyes solemnly. Taking deep breaths—bit releasing my face. "I don't know what happened but I didn't leave you, baby. I didn't abandon you. It's hard to explain—but please trust me."
    I laugh bitterly, hating the salty taste of tears as they drip into my mouth. "How are you here? I'm afraid to believe...y-you broke your promise to me."
    He nods, pressing his forehead against mine and pulling me into his arms tightly. Too tight. I feel way too fragile and vulnerable right now. I don't like it. "I know. I never meant to—I'm so sorry, Mark."
    I bask in his body, his scent. His familiar taste on my tongue as our faces press together. I don't know what to think or believe right now.
    "Namjoon said he found your body. He cremated you." Matter of factly.
    He sighs. "It was Zico. That fucking lunatic. He and his attacked me on my way to my appointment. He beat me and knocked me out but didn't kill me. I'm assuming he used an illusion of my imagine to fool Namjoon into thinking he killed me. I really don't understand why, though. I'm not really that involved besides medical." He frowns.
    I slowly reach up and touch his face. So real. So...my Jackson. My mate. My vampire. He's alive. He's in my arms.
    I feel like a wreck. My world has been turned upside down and I've been a roller coaster of emotions for days now. I think I have whiplash.
    I'm dizzy and exhausted.
    "Where have you been?" The only think I can manage to ask.
    "I'm not sure. I've been in a dazed state for days. Apparently I've been working for Zico without my own consent or knowledge. He's been using me. Namjoon found me and brought me back—so to speak. Mentally. Everything has just been blank to me." He admits.
    He looks tired. His eyes have dark circles and his skin is rough. He's obviously been in many fights as well...I grasp his hands and stare at his busted knuckles. "You aren't healing right."
    He gives me a ghost of his usual signature smirk. "Ah...I've been lacking proper nutrition lately." He looks away.
    I pick up on it immediately. "You're thirsty." Of course he is.
    My heart pounds once more but for an entirely different reason. "I'm right here, right?"
    He doesn't meet my eyes. "I can't ask that of you after all you've been through because of me..."
    "Please." I unbutton my shirt a bit, revealing my throat and chest. "I need to do this. Never thought I'd have the chance to provide for you again." I chew on my bottom lip. "I'm being selfish."
    He groans, pulling me in and kissing me. "Not selfish. I love you, Mark. I'm so sorry I've put you through this. Never again, my love." He trails his lips down my chin to my jugular and I feel my pulse jump as he licks it softly.
    Moaning, I force myself still as he bites down, piercing my vein and drinking hungrily. A starving man finding sustenance for the first time in years. A dehydrated man rediscovering water and losing himself in it.
    I feel my body being pushed back on the bed and him holding me down. I wrap my arms around his back and clench his shirt in my fist.
    The feeling of feeding my mate is indescribable. It's reverent. It's a spiritually lifting experience that I never thought I'd be able to enjoy again.
    It's humbling that I used to fear this...long ago. My mind runs through memories after memories of our first meeting. Our first date—first kiss. The first time I allowed him to drink from me. I was terrified and doubtful. I'd allowed him to take my body that same night despite my better judgment. I'd thought it was a mistake—our whole love was wrong. Jackson was never in my life plans. It was hard.
    Hard falling in love with a man. A vampire. We were so different—still are. I've never been more grateful for all my mistakes until this very moment.
    It was all worth it. I truly cannot live on without this man. I need him more than oxygen. More than the blood I'm gladly giving to him. He can have it all...so long as he never leaves me again.
    He pulls back, lapping at the wound, sealing it. I shiver at his hot breath on my skin.
    For a long time we just stare at each other, refamiliarizing ourselves.
    He looks so much better already. "I still hate you a million." I whine, not over my suffrage. He'll pay for these few days!
     His smile is bright and way too happy as he kisses me over and over. "And I still love you 3000. All your pain—take it out on me. I'll accept it gladly." He presses a last single kiss on the scar on my neck. His Mark.
     "You're a dork." Snorting despite myself.
     "Your dork. You are never getting rid of me. Never."
    I slowly release a troubled breath, grasping his hand tightly. "Better keep your promise this time or I'll never forgive you."
    "Forever."