Crimson {COMPLETED}

CHAPTER XV

JACKSON'S POV

OCTOBER 28
9:54 a.m

THE TWO finally walk down the staircase towards the front door where Christos and I are waiting.

Before they can reach us, Christos leans in closer.

"Alice and I are mates." He whispers.

He smiles at me and winks before he walks up to meet them halfway, leaving me dumbfounded by the door.

Christos takes Alice's hand and kisses her knuckles. "It's been lovely having you here, love. You must come visit sometime."

Alice chuckles nervously.

"Um, thank you. For letting me stay I mean. It was nice."

"Here, a memento." He chuckles and hands her a rose from the garden, whispering something to her that makes her laugh.

"We should go now." Emily taps her foot.

"Ah, I guess so." Christos scowls. "Well Emily, it's always a pleasure to see you, you're welcome here anytime of course. And same to you Alice."

"Uh hm." Emily grabs Alice by the arm and practically drags her. "Jackson, you coming with or staying here?"

"I think I'll stay here, but I'll see you later, alright?"

Emily smiles, seeming pretty happy I'm not too clingy. She clearly likes the idea of me having a life outside of her and our relationship.

If she even considers us in a relationship.

I do.

They leave, the guards closing the door behind them.

"Mates?" I whisper-shout, even though Emily and Alice are long out of earshot.

He nods with a wide smile. "And she's absolutely wonderful. God I just wish she wasn't so insistent on stalling."

"Yes well Emily hasn't been exactly peachy."

He chuckles. "You do realize that this means one day we'll be brothers, right?"

"I suppose it does, doesn't it?" I chuckle.

"I'm not quite sure how, but very soon, I'll have her head over heels for me. I guarantee it."

"If she's as stubborn as Emily, you might have a problem with that."

"Nonsense, I'm very charming. And she, though stubborn, is very naive. And she's...fascinated, with us."

"What do you mean by that?"

"She likes things that are strange and extraordinary. Her whole bookshelf is lined with mythical creatures for gods sake."

"Are we strange?"

"To her we are. We drink blood, that's not exactly normal for a mortal like her." He pauses. "She won't be a mortal for long though."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I want to marry her I think."

"You've known her a few days."

"But she's my mate, what's the point in waiting? And mother and father will be ecstatic."

I try to happily agree, knowing he'd still have a fiancé to impress his parents with if not for me.
________

OCTOBER 31
9:49 a.m

I knock on Emily's window and sit in wait. God Em, please hurry up. The sun is baking me out here.

She pulls the curtains and pops the screen with weak arms. She hasn't had blood in a full seventy-two hours.

Even if she goes back to the realm for one meal everyday, it's not enough blood.

She's going to end up attacking people for blood if she doesn't sort out her priorities.

"You feeling okay?"

"Do I look bad again?"

"Well you never look bad. You just don't look well."

She chuckles. "Thanks. Something you needed?"

"I was hoping we could go see a movie."

"I don't have any cash on me." She sighs. "Oh, sorry, you can come in by the way."

I jump inside, sliding the curtains shut to block out the sun. Much better.

"We can head back to the realm. I'll pay."

"I dunno." She fumbles with the stuff on her desk. "I have a lecture later today."

"Emphasis on later today. Besides Em, you need to get some blood."

"Alright fine." She smiles.

She climbs out the window with me this time and we head off.

Once we're in the theatre, Emily spends most of the time making fun of the fact it's an old, black and white styled movie. And it's a recent movie.

"It's better than the live action shows, lemme tell you." I laugh.

"Those are even funnier, you get to see people mess up on stage."

"Yeah, but then you don't get an icee." I hold up my drink. I think she feels a little more comfortable drinking blood in the form of an icee. She could have gotten a normal flavor but I insisted.

"Fair point."

After the movie, I walk her back home, the two of us telling jokes.

"Well, I should get going now, otherwise I'll get caught in traffic and end up late." She puts her papers in her backpack and throws it over her shoulder.

"Don't have too much fun." I joke.

"Haha." She rolls her eyes. "I'll see you later, okay?"

She hesitates, but puts a hand on my shoulder, planting a small kiss on my cheek.

She smiles and walks out, leaving me inside. I hear the front door shut and can't stop myself from having a look around.

But then I notice something.

Should I tell Emily?

No, no I shouldn't.

And so I don't tell Emily that Alice is no where to be seen after having been here when we left.