Love Bites

LOVE BITES Chapter 31 : Crystal Skies

Before I could comprehend his actions, Alastair suddenly phased out. A second later, I felt a cool breath on my neck and I jumped, tripping over my own stupid feet and falling on my bottom at the base of the stairs.

Alastair straightened, looking down at me with amusement etched into those magical eyes of his.

"You could've caught me," I grumbled.

He smirked, lifting a shoulder nonchalantly. "I could have."

Scowling at him I pulled myself to my feet, ignoring the hand he gestured. Once standing, I dusted my ass which ached from my hard fall.

"So graceful," he mused.

I gave him an annoyed look. "You're the one that suddenly appeared behind me!"

"As an Imperial, you should be expecting the unexpected."

"But I'm not an Imperial yet, am I?" I pointed out.

"No. Peculiarly you aren't, yet." He purposely emphasised the last word as he eyed the long hair dangling loosely over my shoulders.

Biting my lip self-consciously, I combed my fingers through it from the base of the dark roots to the stark blonde ends. "Alastair, I swear if you say anything about my hair..."

"I wasn't, but now that we're on the topic-"

"I know!" I groaned. "It looks really strange and I'm still not used to it myself. But if I put it up like this-" I pulled my hair into a ponytail then twirled it into a messy bun, holding it together in a heap atop of my head with tendrils of all shades spilling over my ocean eyes, "-well it looks kinda cool." When he regarded me with a pitied smile, the hold on my hair slacked and it fell back against my shoulders like a blanket. "No?"

He took a step forward and I had to resist the urge to step back. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end at his closeness. Oblivious to the effect he had on me, his fingers danced across my cheeks as he moved fine stray hairs from my eyes. I followed his actions the entire time.

"I don't think you have to worry so much about the way your hair appears." He spoke softly and delicately, the sound of his voice caressing my soul. "It's the meaning behind it that should be the focus of our attention. You underwent a full transition without having been bitten prior. That's the catalyst for your change in hair colour. It is extremely dangerous, Nikki. Letting your vampire overpower you like that will only bring heartache to you and those around you." His hand dropped to my chin and he lifted my face to meet his searing gaze. "The vampire inside you only craves one thing. Blood. It doesn't stress the consequences, it only strikes. You could have really hurt someone. You would have had I not come when I did. Especially when you refused time manipulation."

He was referring to my birthday dinner a few nights ago, when my hair had initially undergone the dramatic change. I understood what Alastair was telling me but...

I couldn't remember any of it.

What he told me of that night sounded terrifying. It was news to my ears even though I was the one who had lived it. But what was even more frightening about it was that, I couldn't fight the beast within. It completely took over and I couldn't stop it from happening. I was gone.

"I don't want to lose myself, Alastair," I told him honestly, voice small.

He kissed my nose, warm hands caressing my cheeks. "And you won't."