“James?” I said again but he didn’t say anything. His head fell forward and he rested his head on my shoulder. He was surprisingly heavy almost knocking me over as he fell on top of me. He was so out of it. He needs food if he’s going to escape when Tamas comes. The only food available for him here is my blood.
I thought about it for a moment.
He needs me…
He’s going to be angry when he wakes up…but it’s the only choice we both have. It’s better that one of us are alive to get that bastard from hurting anyone else. And from the two of us, he’s the only one who can.
How am I going to get him to bite me though? Especially now…
I took off my jacket since it was getting hot from him being attached to me and my eye caught the rose I brought with me in my pocket. I immediately remembered the first time I accidently cut myself. The day he told me about his curse.
I smiled at the thought and grabbed the rose. There are still some thorns on it. I put my finger on it and closed my eyes as I squeezed the thorn in-between my fingers.
I stared at my bloody finger and took a deep breath as I smeared it where Collin had bitten me on my neck. I brought James’s head that was resting on my right shoulder to my left next to the blood.
Not even ten seconds later I felt him move. Almost instinctively, one of his arms went around my waist tightly holding me close to him the other hand behind my head as he smelled the blood on my neck. I heard a low growl escape his throat as I felt his teeth graze the skin.
Before I could even think twice I felt the twinge of pain in my neck. He held me close as I felt the blood going out of me and into him. The pain was gone… but it felt so weird. I could feel the strength and blood both leave my body. But I also felt a whisper of pleasure enter my body. Almost as good as when we made love. Almost.
His grip loosened and I felt him stop taking blood but not move.
He let go of me and looked at me wide eyed, “I… I’m so sorry. I didn’t….” he struggled his eyes not leaving the sight of my neck, “I can’t believe I…”
He was backing away from me and it took all the strength I had to ignore the sudden pain of my neck and weakness of my wobbly legs to go forward to him, “I did it… you didn’t. Don’t feel guilty…” I said and the door started to creak open.
“Hello in there?” I heard Tamas say with humor, “Have you eaten your fiancé yet? Are you dead yet?” he laughed.
Before Tamas even knew what happened to him James leaped to him and grabbed him by his throat. James threw Tamas across the room to the other side of the wall near me. James dashed to me and lifted me in his arms and out of the room. He stopped and stared at the dark staircase leading upstairs. “Collin is up there.” He mumbled and ran up the stairs.
James looked at me before opening the door. He set me down and he got on his knees. “Get on my back. I’d feel better if I was a barrier between you and Collin.”
I hesitated as I got on his back. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders as he secured my legs around his waist. He took a deep breath as he opened the door. Collin was passed out on the floor.
“I can still hear his heart.” He mumbled.
Collin’s eyes shot open and he looked at me. I just remembered I have a bleeding finger and a huge bite on my neck. I held onto James tightly and he too held my legs.
Collin growled and jumped toward us. Fearing the worse I cringed and closed my eyes as James swung me the other way. I opened my eyes and saw that Collin had jumped past us and was fighting Tamas.
I closed my eyes as Collin was about to bite Tamas’s wrist.
After a moment James patted my thigh, “He’s done.”
I opened my eyes and Collin kicked Tamas to the side, “Let’s go.” he said and James dashed us down followed by Collin. As soon as we stepped out the building James and Collin both turned around to look at it.
They both smelled something in the air and looked at each other wide eyed. James swung me in front of him and jumped with me in his arm on the floor. I groaned from the painful impact as his body covered me. I heard a loud explosion and felt debris surround us. After a few moments James lifted his head, “Are you okay?” I nodded. “Collin?”
“I’m good.” He mumbled, “we should get going before firefighters come.”
James nodded and helped me stand up. I glanced back at the building that was now on fire. Well…whatever it was, left of the building.
“The bastard had planted explosives in it. Assuming if I didn’t kill you and die, and or Collin didn’t starve to death, the explosives would finish the job.”
James yet again lifted me, “Sorry I keep carrying you. It’s just… you know we’re fast…” he explained. I smiled and hugged him around his neck, “I don’t care… I like being close to you anyways.” I said and rested my head on his chest.
After we made it a good distance away he finally set me down. He still held my hand and forced me to stay close to his side as we looked for a payphone to call for cab. Payphones were rare find so we settled on a gas station we found instead. They luckily let us use their phone as we called for a cab.
Chapter Thirty
Collin’s stop was first so we were in the quiet cab to James’s house alone. He stayed quiet because it was all too much to take in. He looked remorseful and scared.
I didn’t mention anything as he held my hand and took me inside his house.
Before I even had a chance to sit down I was being hugged tightly and not by James. “I thought something bad happened to you!” Tiffany cried.
I hugged her back but cringed from my painful body. Tamas must have thrown me around while I was knocked out. He wasn’t exactly not throwing me around while I was conscious either.
She stepped back and looked at me, “I can’t believe you’re standing here in front of me. I was so worried. I was thinking the worst.” She cried.
I hugged her again keeping her eyesight away from my neck. David’s eyes fell straight to it though and he looked at James who was looking at the floor shamefully.
David cleared his throat, “Maybe we should leave the love birds to reconnect. I’m sure they’ve been through hel1.”
“David is right…”Daniel agreed pulling Tiffany off of me. Tiffany hesitated as she let me go.
I went to James’s side and realized this was the first time Tiffany had seen James with this look. But she didn’t look surprised. “I’ll be fine Tiff. I’ll call you tomorrow okay.”
She nodded hesitantly and went out with Daniel. David stopped in front of us, “I’ll visit tomorrow. You both have a lot of explaining to do.” He said looking at my neck again before he left.
Without even talking we both of us headed to the shower. He helped me wash my body since I could barely move. He held me like I was thin glass that could break at the slightest wrong movement. He remained quiet and his personality was distant from me.
“James…” I said touching his hand as it went up to the wound. I turned to face him and he brought his eyes away from mine.
They went straight to my neck. He brought up his hand and touched the wound, “It’s almost gone…”
“It wasn’t that bad…”I mumbled.
He glared at me, “I can’t believe I lost control…”
“I made you do it. You had to do it…” I said, ‘If you didn’t do it we would all be dead by now.”
He looked at me in disbelief.
“You wouldn’t have been able to attack Tamas when he came back to check if his work was finished. Which subsequently led us to Collin, who because of the smell of blood woke up and finished Tamas and saved us. This then led us to escape the building… if we had to do it again… I would have made you do it earlier.”
James hesitated but then pulled me into his embrace wet embrace. “I’m sorry…” he mumbled and kissed the wound making me giggle.
After a long moment of cuddling under the warm water, it soon became unbearably cold. We both yawned as well feeli
ng exhausted. Even under the cold water.
All the adventure catching up to us. He yawned too, “I have never been so exhausted.” He said, “I feel kind of sick too…”
I kissed his forehead and he had a slight fever, “We should get you dry and into bed. You need rest.”
He nodded pulled me with him out of the shower after shutting off the water. I dried him as he dried me and we slipped into our sleepwear before cuddling in bed. “I’m not letting go of you though.” He mumbled and fell asleep with our limbs tangled together.
***
I woke up early the next morning. It was still dark but I felt James’s embrace practically squeeze the life out of me.
“James you’re squeezing me too tight.” I whispered but I heard him whimper.
I escaped his grip and sat up to look at him. Not believing my eyes I turned on the side lamp.
His hair is back to it’s not as black dark color and style. I gently ran my fingers in his hair calming him down a little. “James…” I whispered quietly.
“Mmm…” he mumbled.
“Can you wake up for a minute…?” I whispered.
He shot his eyes open to look at me and sat up when he saw that I was sitting. “Are you okay baby?” he asked scared, “Did I hurt you again?”
I looked at his eyes as he looked at me shocked, they’re blue. The same grey blue I knew before.
“Talk to me!” he said giving me a view of his teeth. They didn’t look fangy.
“James…I think something’s different.” I said making him only more confused. “I think…you’ve changed.”
He looked at me confused for a moment longer then realized that I was talking about the curse. He jumped up to go look in the mirror in the bathroom.
He ran back out and leaped onto the bed and kissed me all over my face, “The curse is gone!” he exclaimed and kissed me again before pulling away and looking at me in my eyes.
I sighed; I’d never get tired of seeing those silver blue eyes looking into mine.
He rested his forehead on mine and closed his eyes tight before opening them again. He smiled as if he thought he was dreaming before, “I love you so much…” he whispered.
“I love you too.” I whispered before his lips took over mine.
Epilogue
Everything was normal after that night. As horrible as that day was… it saved James from his curse. We talked to his dad and uncle about it and they think that because I risked my life giving him my blood and he was strong enough to control himself to not kill me by taking all of it, we proved our love. I personally think a lot more went into proving our love than that moment alone. But I didn’t care as long as he was back to the James he wanted to be.
We bought a home in the mountains giving us privacy and an escape from the city but still being close enough for work. The family talk is still being avoided… but I’m content and thankful for just being with him.
Collin was also normal after that incident. Apparently his selflessness of giving up his chance of a cure for us and being able to resist biting me and saving us by taking Tamas instead proved that he had a good heart.
“How do I look?” Sunny asked twirling in her red ruffled dress. She was partnered up with David for the wedding and they’ve been dating for five months. David is still hesitant about telling her about the curse but I know once he does he’ll be cured. Her pure love for him is obvious to us all except for him. She’s the answer to his prayers.
“You look beautiful Sunny. David won’t be able to take his eyes off of you.” I answered while the stylist curled my hair.
I felt restricted in my dress. Why do wedding dresses restrict you from breathing? My wedding dress was amazing. Strapless silk and lace with a corset built in top and mermaid bottom.
The train, which is my favorite part of the dress, was long, pretty, lacey and way too heavy. The dress stayed up by pure miracle.
My hair, which was longer than ever because James won’t let me cut it, was set in loose curls with a diamond headpiece that was connected to my long lace veil that mixed in with my dress. I had simple diamond studs that James got for me for jewelry keeping things simple accessory wise and it was also keeping James with me at the moment.
Moments like this I wish I could still feel how he was feeling. Is he excited? Is he nervous? Is he regretting this?
Jenny came rushing in, “It’s at the perfect level of darkness out! Time to get the show on the road!” She jumped u and down. Tiffany, Jenny, Sunny and Ellie were my bridesmaids.
There was a slight knock on the door and I felt my smile practically take over my face. It was James.
Jenny opened the door and James glanced around the room, stopping immediately when he saw me. His mouth wide open he walked to me, “You look absolutely beautiful.” He said and was about to kiss me when Jenny stopped him.
“You’re lucky we’re letting you two see each other before the wedding, kissing is where we draw the line.” She yelled at James making me laugh. “I still can’t believe you’re letting him see you before the wedding.” Tiffany mumbled. “It’s bad luck you know… it’s like a curse on your marriage!”
“I think we’ve proven that not even a little curse can break us apart.” I smiled not being able to take my eyes off of James. He looked so handsome. A tux is said to be equivalent to lingerie on men for women. I agreed. His hair was back to its model status and his facial scruff was back to its manly sexiness rather than out of control.
Jenny cleared her throat, “Time for bridesmaids and groomsmen to make their way out!” She ordered. I didn’t even notice that the groomsmen were inside. “And you two follow. You aren’t married yet so no staying behind!”
I looked at her wide eyed as James laughed. “Man she’s bossy.” I mumbled.
Tiffany with Daniel, Jenny with the current guy she’s seeing, Sunny and David, and Ellie with her major crush and co-worker of James’s, Mark.
They made their way into the glass wall and ceiling church. We chose this church because the walls and ceiling were gave the perfect view of the night sky. It being just outside of the city, we actually saw the gorgeous stars and the full moon. It also was surrounded by trees, a nearby lake and a rose garden we were going to use as the reception. The decorations of small white lights and roses were everywhere making the entire wedding enchanting.
“Ready?” James said linking our arms together showing off the diamond cufflinks I had bought him for his birthday.
“Always.” I smiled as we headed out. I wanted us to walk together rather than walk alone down the aisle, because something we’ve both learned is that we’re best at doing things when we’re together. We promised each other never to do anything without the other from that night on.
It was symbolic.
Our reception was in the vintage rose garden next to the church. An imaginary wall of white Christmas lights and sheer white laced fabric surrounded the entire garden making a tent of lights and lace.
Roses have become significant in our lives too. It’s how he admitted his curse to me, it’s how we reunited and got engaged the first time, and it’s what saved our lives. This was the perfect place for us.
I suddenly realized we didn’t set up our first dance song, “James! We don’t have our first dance prepared!” I half whispered half panicked. It’s said that every wedding had a disaster. Usually involving the cake falling or food sucking. Not the first dance.
He smiled, “I have something prepared.”
“You do?”
He nodded and took me to the middle of the makeshift dance floor that was created in the middle of the garden.
He got us ready for our first dance and I looked at him confused, “I don’t hear music?” I whispered. He smiled as 12AM’s lead singer Devin’s voice filled the reception area singing our song. He pulled me closer with his arms around my waist and mine around his shoulders.
I felt teary eyed as I got on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss him and almo
st being blinded by the wedding photographers.
“How did you get them here?”
“They work for me remember?” He smiled as we swayed. “Plus…it’s our song.” He said shyly.
“I can’t believe we’re finally married.” I sighed as we continued to dance. Everything felt perfect. The curse as gone…well not completely. But it was off of him.
Whether we like it or not it will always be with us though.
When… I mean if… we ever do decide to have children, will they have the curse? Will their children have the curse? We still have unanswered questions. But we will deal with whatever comes our way like we always have. One step at a time.
“In my mind… we’ve always been married.” he said, “I think I fell in love with you the day I met you at the restaurant. And I knew I didn’t want to live a moment without you the day I saved you from the parking lot. You saw that I was a monster and not once referred to me as one…”
“That’s because you weren’t one. And you got to stop calling yourself one ‘cause since we’re married, aren’t we like one or something? Calling yourself a monster is calling me one too.” I gave him a warning look.
He smiled, “We’ve been one long before this marriage…”
Feeling myself get teary eyed, I completely ignored the people staring at us and wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him down for a passionate kiss.
He pulled back and smiled at me, “You know…I know we already said the traditional vows. But…I have my own for you.”
I looked at him confused, “You do?”
“Yeah…they’re written in our wedding bands.” He smiled, “But you’re not allowed to take it off ever so I’ll just tell you my personal vow to you…”
“Okay.” I said excitedly.
“I vow…. to keep you safe from all harm, to always keep you smiling and give you only tears of joy,” he leaned in closer to whisper in my ear, his lips brushing against my skin, “to only bite you if you give me permission,” I giggled as he continued, “my arms to keep you warm and safe, my shoulder for you to lean on when you need strength, and my heart to be your shelter. I promise to love you unconditionally for eternity.”
In My Veins Page 24