A Slave to Love

Chapter 10: No Such Thing

"I hate you," Blade hissed at me.

"Ow!" I protested as he grabbed my wrists and held them above my head, pinning me against the thick tree trunk. He had shoved me pretty hard and the tree bark was rough on my skin, eesh. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You!" he snapped, "You aren't supposed to be the one calling the shots here."

"Then don't fold so easily. Had you given me a few more days I would have given up and summoned you myself."

He scowled, pulling away from me to stalk off into the woods. He just got here and he was already leaving?

"Blade? Where are you going?"

"Somewhere," he replied, not turning around as he slunk off into the darkness.

I hesitated on the dimly lit path and peered into the forest. I couldn't even see Blade anymore but I still ached for him. I hated how I needed him around to feel normal.

Grumbling, I set off after him, resigning myself to the need to be near him, focusing intensely on our bond to follow his path since I couldn't see him or hear him anymore. I was making quite a racket though even though I was trying to tread carefully through the woods.

My arm tingled slightly and I was so focused on Blade that I didn't even get scared when he snuck up behind me and tried to scare me. I simply turned around, hand on one hip with one eyebrow arched at him.

"You have to be the worst conduit a vampire could have," he groaned. "You don't get scared, you don't summon me, you don't get seduced..." he trailed off into a string of profanities and I rolled my eyes.

"Stop being a drama queen, I'm new at this."

"Well, maybe if you'd summon me I could teach you something."

"Oh fuck off."

"Excuse me? What the fuck was that for?" he said, bearing down on me until I backed up against a tree.

"That was something you deserved," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "You said two weeks ago I'd see you soon. This--" I gestured between us, "--is not soon. And you keep hurting me."

"Our definitions of soon aren't the same," he snapped, a hand on either side of my head as he leaned his face down close to mine. I noted he ignored the hurting me part.

"Then next time, define soon so I won't be stuck waiting around for you to be bored and decide 'hey! I've got nothing better to do so let's go see how my conduit is doing!'" I said, pushing his chest.

He didn't even budge. "Last time I checked, you're supposed to do what I say, not the other way around."

"Well, you don't seem to be doing to well at giving orders so pardon me for taking charge," I retorted, still pushing against him with all my strength.

"Stop giving orders," he commanded, staring straight into my eyes.

A long moment passed in silence before I burst out laughing. "Why so serious?" I joked. Was that supposed to do something?

He pulled away, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "You're impossible."

"Hey, I didn't ask to be bonded to you."

"I truly wish you weren't my conduit," he spat, "Because then I'd never have to see you ever again."

"Wow, thanks. I'm not exactly thrilled to be spending time with you either, buddy."

"Of course, I could always suck your blood until you pass out," he mused.

I clapped my hands around my neck. "Don't you dare. You think I'm bad now? If you suck my blood I swear to God I'll make your life hell."

"You're human. You can't do much."