A Vampire's Marine (boyxboy)

Chapter 28: Discovery bay.

Chapter 28

                                 

~ More than five years ago~

I watched him adjust his footing, before he finally stilled and looked to the ground below. There was no comfort for me here. I was certain that at any moment, he would shift and accidentally topple from his perch. With my mate, anything was possible and that thought did nothing to aid my enjoyment of the day.

It had been Tony’s idea of course; to climb into the trees for no other reason than to be up here, and like a fool I had agreed, allowing him to put himself at risk simply because saying no was a much more difficult act.

The tree in which I stood was not much taller than his, but the distance between them was worrying, which was the reason my eyes never left him, not for a moment.

“Can you imagine how perfect it would be to live in the trees?”

I raised a brow at his ridiculous question. “No I suppose I cannot.”

His expression was much like it was whenever he looked to the clouds; serene, with a touch of happiness. Being up here made him happy.

“Why would it be perfect?”

He shrugged…an action I would always dislike. “You don’t feel it?”

My brows furrowed and I could only watch him…waiting for his words of ‘wisdom’.

He grinned. “It’s different up here…it’s like another world and nothing on the ground matters anymore.”

“Hmm…”

The trees were his fantasy and the ground was reality. It was as though he always wished to escape. The earth could not satisfy him; his aspirations were bigger than anything it could offer. It was a humbling thought.

  When he shifted again, he almost lost his footing and I watched in horror as he grabbed hold of a limb to keep himself rooted. My mood soured instantly.

“Perhaps it is time we left the trees… you will find that with your clumsy disposition, the ground is surprisingly safer.”

He rolled his eyes, but his smile remained. I noticed however, just how strongly he still gripped the limb. When he closed his eyes and took a breath I jumped down from my perch, landing on the dirt with nary a sound to disturb the leaves. Then once more I was climbing; this time into his own tree, where he still sat with closed eyes and a tranquil expression.

He gasped in surprise when I touched him, his eyes wide, but the moment I pulled his hand from the limb and sat him in my lap, he relaxed.

“Tell me about your father.”

I frowned. “For what reason?”

He shrugged before running his fingers along my clothed knee. “I don’t know, you just never really talk about him so I was wondering.”

“My father is a beast. He is merciless, uncaring and vengeful… We are very much alike…it is the reason he cares for me so.”

He snorted. “Stop fooling yourself Rien, you’re nothing like that.”

“Perhaps I have changed…but I assure you, I was every bit the monster he is.”

He twisted so that he could look at my face. “Why do you say that?”

I am not sure why I smiled then. Perhaps I wished to hide from him the deep agony I now held within me at the thought of some of the things I had done…or perhaps it was because somewhere inside me, I still housed the feeling of great enjoyment at all my conquests.