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          Teardrops hit the floor as she faced Cross blankly, pulling her fangs out of him. "What am I, Cross? Is this normal even for a . . ."

          "A vampire? It's alright, Raven."

          "Is that what I am? Or human?" She shook her head. "What am I to you? A threat? What am I to the world?"

          "No," he denies almost instantly. "You're mine. Don't think too much because that's all you are. Not that human prince's, but mine."

          "Scott's a great guy. You wouldn't understand," she defended, vehemently. Her words felt like thorns pricking into his chest. She lowered her head to his neck, all hints of anger vanishing when she realized what she was doing.

          "Are you choosing that mortal man over me, Raven? Is this what our love has come to?"

          She swallowed the momentary shock she felt at the mention of the forbidden four-letter word he said so casually. "No, that's not it. It's just . . ."

          "Just that you can't choose the right one for you?"

          She remained silent.

          "Raven, I can promise you forever."

          "Yes, but that doesn't mean you can be with me every second of that forever. You can barely promise me a full minute, Cross. How many more waiting should I go through for you to officially stay?" she whispered, playing with the ends of her hair, as she remained on his lap. She was the most surprised about how easy it was for her to be honest with her own feelings.

          His guilty eyes spoke with a sense of sincerity not seen to the naked eyes of another. With an empty expression, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close in an embrace. "I'm sorry."

          "I'm tired of your apologies, Cross! I want answers, not apologies. I don't even know what you're so sorry about. Not being able to visit every other year? Keeping me imprisoned? Keeping me away from the one person that cared for me when you couldn't? That's not quite it, is it? For dehumanizing me? For the famous massacre you lead to—" she abruptly stopped, realizing her boundaries. It was never apologies I wanted from you. She struggled out of his hold, crying, "Cross, I'll be craving for endless amount of blood for the next couple thousand years because of you. I don't want to risk it everytime, and keeping me in the dark won't do anything but slowly kill both you and I."

          The air in the room was dense. He took a deep breath and swallowed, repeating, "I'm sorry."

           Her heart sank. "Forget it."

          Her eyes riveted on the reflection of herself against the glassy coffee table

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          Her eyes riveted on the reflection of herself against the glassy coffee table. She scrutinized her long and sharp canines, deciding to practice biting into her prey like actual vampires do. Silently, she sunk her fangs into her own arm, flinching from the pain but simultaneously attempting to drink in the liquid dripping onto the table. Frowning from her failure, she pulled them out and penetrated another opening in hopes of a successful meal, regarding that her own blood made her want to gag.

          Time flew by as Raven lay on the now-red banquette, drained of both energy and blood. A couple days has probably passed, she thought. Her prim white dress was swathed with stains of red. She was breathing heavily from prostration and fatigue. Drinking in the silence, she heard light footsteps coming from outside. It was faint but noticeably getting louder. It uncannily disappeared, catching her off guard and the next thing she knew, Cross' silhouette was hovering above her. She shot him a welcome smile and his eyes softened.

          He bent down to her laying figure and gently lifted her abused arms to his face, with one arm behind her neck for support and the other around her wrist, taking away the pain. Her wounds reacted from the contact they made with his soft tongue, breathing still uneven.

          "Stop tormenting yourself like this, Raven. You're all I have," he whispered.

          "What can vampires do that humans can't?" she asked, ponderously.

          His eyes expressed more words than any of which came out from his mouth. Bloodguilt. Sympathy. Apologies. All of which she hated, coming from him. "To secrete our existence, we can erase the memories of anyone who witness or catch on to a vampire's deeds. One day, I'll teach you."

          One day. She swallowed, inhaling deeply and solicitously. "Have I ever been a victim to that, My King?"

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