breathless

Chapter 11: Conversational

"When?"

I look over at him. "The few days you were in England she stopped by."

He sits up. "What did she say to you?"

"She thinks I'm not good enough for you and you feel pity for me considering I'm too young for you."

He appears behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. "I don't care what age you are, that doesn't stop what I feel for you nor does it make me love you any less. If I didn't truly care for you, I wouldn't be touching you right now." He takes a breath. "Maybe I will talk to her today."

"If it's what you want."

"Mack, look at me."

I turn around and join his eyes.

He kisses me, however, I only allow it to be a swift kiss as I have to meet Devon.

He groans and attempts to kiss me again, but I move away from him.

"I have to meet Devon, Kaden."

"Please, just one more kiss."

"No, you have to wait until I get back home. I'll give you anything you want tonight." I walk toward the door and exit successfully without Kaden attempting to stop me.

•••

Kaden

I finally send my final email out to the various citizens who have asked me regarding the events from England. I did not disclose much as it is for their best interest to keep in the dark for as long as possible.

For the last hour, my mind has travelled towards my mother and what Mack said about visiting her. Last time I saw her was not very good on her part and she is my mother, but there is something about her that I wish she would change. I push those thoughts out of my mind and make a rash decision to go and visit her.

I log out of my computer, closing the lid and leaving my office. I walk to my room to change into something more professional.

It doesn't take very long before I'm stepping out of the castle and walking into town, where my mother lives.

I knock on the door to her house a few minutes later, nervously playing with my sleeves.

The door opens and she appears. "Well, what are you doing here? Get tired of that boy toy of yours?"

"No and he's not a boy toy. I love him... which obviously is not an emotion you've felt before."

"How dare you say such a thing? You were my only son and I loved you more than anything."

"Then, why can't you let me be happy in my relationship?"

"How will the lineage progress when neither of you are capable of carrying children?"

"It is possible for myself to rule the kingdom until or if I perish. I can choose someone to continue ruling if I die."

"I wouldn't be the only person who will detest to the idea of you choosing another to rule the kingdom."

"Then, I would deal with it. However, it is my choice and not yours."

Her face softens. "I just want you to be certain of your choice. I apologize if I overstepped."

I mentally sigh. "I know. I wish you would choose your words carefully. You can be pretty harsh."

"I can understand that and I'll attempt to fix that." She pauses. "Come in and we can talk in private."

I nod silently as she moves away from the doorway so I can enter.

•••

Later

Mack

I walk around the town and come across the coffee shop Alex and I went to to have coffee many weeks ago. I walk up to the front door and push it open.

I look around the shop, spotting Alex sitting alone in the corner table. I walk over there and pull out the seat across from him.

"What do you want, Red?" He asks without looking in my direction.

"Firstly, I would like to apologize before. I didn't know you felt that way towards me and I wish I could reciprocate those feelings. Secondly, let me buy you a cup of 'I'm sorry' coffee."

He chuckles and looks over at me. "I'd like that."

A waitress approaches our table and Alex orders a cup of coffee while I order nothing. I give an excuse to why I didn't order anything, I'm just not hungry. However, I haven't ate today and I'm rather hungry which is made worse by the gathers of people sitting down in the small and warm restaurant.

"So," I start, looking over to Alex and attempting to move my thoughts somewhere else. "How was your week?"

"It was alright, not very eventful although," he answers. "What about you?"

"The same, however, many things happened."

The waitress returns and I turn away from her as she places the coffee on the table with her pulsing carotid artery incredibly close to me.

I turn back to Alex when she leaves, able to relax again. It is short lived as the scent of fresh blood invades my senses. The sweet and slightly rosy scent making it increasing difficult for my urges to keep in check.

I hear Alex hiss, looking down at his arm with a long scarlet thin line down the pale skin. He reaches for a napkin conveniently sitting on the table to attempt to cease the bleeding.

"Are you alright?" I ask over the now present burn in my throat.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's just a scratch," he reasurres me.

However, that statement is far from.

I look away. "Should you head to the washroom to clean the wound?"

"No, I'm positive I will be fine."

I look down at the time, barely registering the numbers. "I have to go. My family are texting me." I stand up abruptly and leave the restaurant.

I walk down the pathway from the restaurant, walking around a corner down an alley, and pressing my back against the wall. I attempt to keep my bloodlust under control when I smell the same scent again. Alex walks around the corner, walking in front of me.

"Are you alright, Mack? You left the restaurant quite quickly." He leans his hand of the arm which is still bleeding against the brick wall centimetres from my face. "Almost as my blood spooked you."

"There are some who are uncomfortable from the look of blood."

"I've seen people like that and none have had the kind of response you've had." He moves closer to me, our chests touching and I can see his blood in the veins through his face. "Which begs the question, what really happened in there?" He looks down for a second and then back to my eyes. "You can tell me anything."

"There's nothing to tell, nothing at all," I lie, pressing into the wall behind me.

He takes his hands and rubs his index finger across the cut before smearing the still fresh blood across my lips.

Unable to resist, I run my tongue across the blood. Upon swallowing the blood, I feel my fangs slide out of my gums and the sting of the red eyes appearing.

"Do you want me to kill you?" I growl.

"Yes, please do," he responds and his reaction catches me off guard. I would hope to scare him, even a little.

I use my speed and strength to turn us around so I'm standing in front of him. I don't wait a second piercing my fangs into his neck.

As I drink, my sight begins to turn dark and my body feels numb. This continues until I cannot feel anything and my vision goes black.

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A/N: I apologize for taking so long to update. I just had a bit of writer's block, so I hope the chapter is up to par (even though I know it isn't).

Thoughts? Predictions?