The Vampire Next Door

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Where have you been?” she whispered.

Seth was tracing circles on her thigh that was wrapped around his waist and smiled at her, “I was dealing with something, don’t worry its sorted now.”

“What were you dealing with?” she asked curiously.

He let go of her and eased her down to the floor gently, he hated being questioned, and it wasn’t something he wanted to talk about. That little bitch April was going to be a lot harder to control than he had first thought.

“Nothing important, anyway what happened at Celina’s?”

Paige watched him as he leaned against a tree; it was only then that she noticed that he was covered in blood. His pale blue shirt was soaked through with it, and as she looked further down she saw rips in his jeans that also had blood over them.

“What happened to you?” she asked him in concern.

Seth shrugged and turned around so that his back was to her and she gasped. His shirt was torn to pieces. She walked over to him and ran her hand over his back and shoulders, the feel of his taut muscles made her shudder with delight. She knew he felt something from her touch because he spun around to face her and without warning, his lips were devouring hers again. She gripped his shirt gently, lifting it over his head.

“Not here, it would be foolish. There are demons on the loose, not to mention a deranged vampire,” Seth told her with a sigh.

As much as he wanted her, it was risky he could not sense demons and would be stupid to stay in such an open place with the threat of them still lingering over them. Seth stood still as he sensed that someone was behind him and the look on Paige’s face did nothing to ease his worries.

“What is she doing here?” Paige asked angrily.

Seth span around to see who it was that Paige was talking about; he bit his lip in frustration when he saw that it was April. She peered over his shoulder and flashed Paige a smile, and it was then that Paige saw that she had fangs.

“Oh that’s not very nice now is it,” April chuckled, she narrowed her eyes at Paige and Seth stepped forward knowing exactly what her intentions were.

“Stay where you are!” he hissed.

April smirked coldly and nodded behind him; Seth turned his head and was annoyed to see Paige walking away from him.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he shouted after her.

“As far away from you as I can get. To think I actually believed that you didn’t want me because it wasn’t safe, but really it was because you didn’t want her to catch us!” she screamed at him.

Her heart felt as though it had been ripped in two. She had been worried sick about him and the whole time he had been with her, turning her into what he was. That was one thing she couldn’t understand why did he want her as his companion, he had said he didn’t want one.

“You’re being stupid if you think I want her!” he shouted.

April raised her eyebrows then started to laugh; she circled Seth and placed her hands on his bare chest, “That’s not what you said last night.”

Paige looked at them in disgust and ran back towards the church in tears. Seth shoved April away sending her falling to the floor with a thud. She looked at him wearily and tried to crawl away but he was still too quick for her and grabbed her by her hair pulling her to her feet.

“You are really beginning to test my patience, there is only one reason you aren’t a pile of ash right now and that’s because you’re going to be useful to me, but don’t think for a second that I won’t kill you if you push me!” he warned with a smirk, before letting her go.

He looked back towards the church and sighed; now he just had to convince Paige of his innocence. It had been so hard for him in the beginning to admit his feelings for her, but slowly he was remembering what it was like to love.

**

Marcus was about to go looking for Paige when she burst back into the church, he looked at her tear streaked face and frowned.

“What’s wrong?” he asked rushing towards her and stroking the hair from her face.

Paige shook her head; she couldn’t find the words she was too upset by what he had done to her again. It was as though he was punishing her, for what she didn’t know. Marcus sensed she didn’t want to talk about it, but when he moved to try to go outside, she stopped him.

“Please stay with me,” she pleaded grabbing his arm.

Marcus peered outside, but shut the doors anyway. He pulled her over to a bench and they sat down, he was shocked when she threw her arms around him and started to sob. He felt angry at her tears especially when he didn’t know what had happened to upset her so much.

“Tell me what’s wrong?” he asked rubbing her back.

He couldn’t deny how nice it felt to hold her, he knew it was wrong of him she was Seth’s but he wasn’t there and she needed comforting.

“Where do I start?” she cried.

“From the beginning?” he said with a smile.

Paige smiled at him when he tilted her head and wiped her tears away with his thumbs. For someone who was meant to be evil he had such a gentle touch, it was nothing like Seth’s rough approach. She felt so confused, she wished it was Marcus that she was destined to be with, she didn’t doubt for a minute that he would push her away.

“Why did it have to be him? Why couldn’t it be you?” she asked through tears.

Marcus smiled he too wished that it was her he was meant to be with, but no he had to be mated to the most insane vampire to exist. He shrugged not caring to explain, it was destiny and it wasn’t something that could be changed. Paige felt angry again, when she thought about Seth and April, how dare he treat her the way he did and not expect any repercussions. She knew she shouldn’t even go there but she kept pushing the image of the two of them together into her mind and without another thought, she kissed Marcus.

She felt disappointed when he pulled away, clearly shocked by her kiss. She sighed and looked away in shame, she glanced at him the shock still evident on his face. When it had finally sank in what she had just done Marcus growled in frustration, Paige jumped in fright but was taken aback when he grabbed her shoulders and pushed her against the bench. She shook with fear wondering whether she had just pushed him too far, but just as she was about to speak he silenced her with a kiss.