Eternity is Only A Lifetime Away

Fire and Blood

Kaleb's head shot up and he looked around the castle with a bemused expression. Lilia had been talking to him, but quickly realised that his thoughts were elsewhere. The blonde witch patiently waited, wondering if his blood lust was kicking in and that was the cause of the sudden change in expression. She had trained herself with a good few little spells and charms to keep vampires at bay from biting her. It was rare that they ever tried but even Lilia knew how uncontrollable they could be when frenzy came over them faster than a bolt of lightning.

“What is it?” She asked finally, when his face went through a series of confused expressions.

“Tristan...he's opened his thoughts again.”

Her perfectly shaped eyebrow arched and she folded her arms. She remembered the time when Tristan first locked off his thoughts from Kaleb and the others. She had fought with him so much about how it could damage their safety whenever they were in battle; how they wouldn't know if he was hurt, in pain or even dead. “What's happening?”

Kaleb's dark eyebrows furrowed and then he lifted his eyes to meet Lilia's. “This is odd. Very odd.”

“What is?!”

“Tristan, he's...with someone.”

“Who?”

“I don't know. A girl.”

“Is he feeding?”

“It'd be risky to feed at this hour. The sun's due to rise at any moment.”

“Then what is happening?”

“I think, I think he's genuinely making out with her.”

“What? Kaleb, what the hell are you talking about?” She walked over to the vampire and placed her fingers against his temple, using her powerful magic to access the thoughts he had picked up.

I...I don't understand what is happening. This feels right, being close to her, it feels almost perfect. I never felt anything like this for her before, but every time we are close and we touch, I feel almost alive again...

Lilia stepped back, jaw slack, looking shocked as she recoiled from the thoughts that were so unlike Tristan. Ever since she had met him, he'd never shown interest in anyone else. He was probably the most dedicated fighter of the rebellion and for a long time she was totally convinced that he only cared about destroying Sullivan once and for all, regardless of how it was done. Now, things seemed to have changed and the witch was smart; it didn't exactly take a genius to realise what was happening or who he was with.

“Aleka.”

The warrior pulled away from the vampire, breathless as she stared down into his dark eyes. They were clouded over, but the emotion was difficult to determine. Her lips were swollen, heart beating out of her chest; she hadn't realised it until now, but it was beating, and had been for some time, for Tristan. She'd been so preoccupied with slaying the minions of Sullivan and saving Georgie that she hadn't allowed herself any time to consider how things had been slowly changing between them both, their bond becoming closer and more intimate with each passing day.

So, why had she chosen now to kiss him? Was it the loss of Darien? It didn't seem that way, it seemed more like there was something else, something stronger that compelled her to do it. That same power was consuming her and she wanted nothing more to lower her lips to his once more and to continue where they left off.

However, there was a slight moment in which her love for another person kicked in and Aleka remembered the unconscious best friend who was currently lying in her castle bedroom. “I should probably check on Georgie.” She whispered, voice husky as she fought desperately to resist temptation.

Tristan nodded, manoeuvring his body so that neither of them could trample on the other when they pushed themselves to their feet. He cleared his throat and adjusted his posture so that he was standing tall and straight; despite recent...events there was no need for him not to behave like the gentleman he always appeared to be. “I should put these away.” He looked down at Aleka as her brown eyes followed him. She nodded, chewing her lip before turning on her heel to leave the room.

Tristan's dark eyes followed her and the vampire had to resist the temptation of the chase. This was not a wise idea. Anything could happen to either of them during the upcoming weeks and months and to get emotionally involved was potentially the worst idea that anyone could do. He was usually so much more in control of his feelings and he had been praised for over a century about how he dealt with them and now, suddenly, this small girl was breaking down barriers he didn't even know that he'd put up by just being her. Swiftly, but elegantly, Tristan reached out and pulled her back to him, her hands landing firmly on his solid chest as he trailed his hands down her sides, resting them both gently on her hips before lowering his head to meet her tantalising lips. Her eyelids fluttered for a second, almost in disbelief, but Tristan could see the passionate emotion that lay behind them as their lips finally touched once more.

The kiss was short lived, but still it carried the sparks and the fire of the first. It was the kind of feeling that one could only read about in a novel, yet here both of them were, in reality, with the same fireworks that most people only ever dream about.

Tristan pulled his lips away, but gazed deeply into her eyes as she opened them. A hand moved from her hip to cup her face, his thumb affectionately stroking her cheek in a manner that he would no one else's. He rested his forehead against hers, feeling the soft strands of her dark mocha hair against his cold skin. He could feel her heart beating in her chest; something that Tristan had forgotten the feeling of. The warmth of her hands through his shirt, the hot breaths of air that she released onto his exposed neck...all the signs of being alive and being human. This, this was unheard of. He was craving her, but not to feed on. No, he wanted her in more humane ways. He was overwhelmed by the desire to make her happy, hold her, comfort her and be part of her. He wanted to share the life that he never had and he wanted to share it with her. It was impossible though. Not unless he turned her, which he had vowed never to do; he wouldn't bestow this curse on anyone, regardless of his feelings. He'd told himself that from the moment it had happened to himself all those decades ago.

“I'll...I will stop by your room later. Once you have settled Georgie down.” He whispered, his voice softer than she was used to hearing.

“Okay. I'll, um, see you later then.” Her words were barely audible and it took a lot of effort to make them coherent. Aleka was still stunned and a little confused by what had just happened. She wasn't the kind of girl to randomly kiss a guy and she didn't understand what had come over her and compelled her to make such a bold move towards the vampire.

Slowly, reluctantly, she stepped out of his hold. Strangely, she felt cold now he wasn't near her, which she found bizarre given as how she had often commented on how icy his touch always was or even the chill that he brought with him whenever he entered the room.