Blood Lust (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty-Three: Scars

"Is it that obvious?" I sounded meek, and my voice wavered slightly.

Instead of answering, Duke took my hand in his, the iciness of his skin searing against the warmth of mine. "Come. Let's fetch you something from the banquet hall."

I couldn't move. His unexpected grasp reminded me of his feeding from me, of how he'd painfully held me down. Fear bubbled at the memory, and I fought back tears while trying to snap out of my terrifying flashback.

"Audrey," Duke looked hurt, pitifully apologetic as he released me. "I--" he paused, struggling to find the right words. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have touched you without your consent."

He took a step back to give me a small bow. "If you don't want to have lunch with me, I'll understand."

Finally, I calmed down enough to speak. "I'm sorry, I've just-- I have to get to class."

Without giving him an answer, or waiting for a response from him, I turned on my heel and bolted for my next class.

Luckily I memorized my class schedule ahead of time, but now I was too freaked out to recall it.

Why was I freaking out, anyway. Not that my reaction wasn't justified; Duke had attacked me the day before, after all. Granted he wasn't in his right mind when he had done so, it was still him.

But why have a flashback now? Why didn't I react this way when we bumped into each other earlier? Or, when he wiped off my face in the laundry room?

Was it because it was such an intimate gesture that I hadn't seen coming?

My heart was still pounding when I stopped to get my bearings. Leaning back against a wall, I closed my eyes and took a couple of slow, deep breaths.

"Hey, Audrey, you okay?"

I peeked up to see Connor, giving me an apprehensive yet concerned look.

"Yeah, just got a little lightheaded." I smiled wearily, surprised at how well the lie came out.

It felt like I hadn't seen Connor in years, though it had only been yesterday morning when we had breakfast with Jo.

After all my interactions with the vampires of Lachlan University, it was nice to see a normal human.

I giggled, flooded with relief at being in the company of someone who didn't want to drink my blood.

Or someone who was thousands of years old.

Or someone who not only knew my parents before I was even born, but was cursed by my father to live on an island in the middle of nowhere.

I laughed harder.

What the fuck has my life become? I thought, close to hysterics. It's like the plot of a bad romance novel.

"Um, Audrey..?" Connor's dark brows were knitted together, trying to figure out what I found so funny. "Do you need to go to the clinic?"

I shook my head, standing straight while fighting another round of giggles. "No, I'm fine. Let's just get to class."

~~~

I felt better by noon, though I was starving. Connor and I walked across the bridge together, talking about everything I'd missed since my "accident".

Apparently, things were pretty uneventful on his end. He had been having boxing practice every evening after class, and his first match was in a couple weeks.