Vampire Bride

Chapter Twenty Four - Part One

"There's no need to explain, I get it, but I need to go to Juliet's tomorrow with or without your approval. So don't you think it would be best for you to go and search the house tonight than me to go there tomorrow...alone?"

"Fine. We'll stop there tonight for you to get a change of clothes, but then we are going back to my suite."

"Not what I meant."

"I know and I don't care. It's not up for discussion." Is all he says before picking up my purse.

The feeling of being a sitting duck puts me on edge. He holds out his hand for me to take and without thinking I tightly latch on. We remain quiet the whole way to my house. The music from the radio sounds like it's miles away.

I didn't even realize that we arrived at my house until he opens my car door. Carefully, he sits me on the hood and tells me to wait until he checks the house over. Like the night before, it's all clear, but I can't approach the house without Maxwell placing himself at my side.

"I won't let anything happen to you. You know that, right?"

All I can do is nod my head. After we enter the house, I double check the door to make sure it's locked several times. I have no idea why I'm so hell-bent on locking my door, it's not as if the wooden divider would deter any unwanted company from entering. Especially a vampire. "What?" I say annoyed at a staring Maxwell.

"Nothing, I just wish I could make things better."

"You can," I tell him as a crazy idea fills my head. His questioning look makes me second guess myself. "Your mind mojo. You can erase it all."

"It's not that easy, Charlie. We...us vampires can't erase memories or emotions, we can only influence, and you should know by personal experience that it doesn't always last forever."

There goes my out, my only way of living a normal life. Unaware and oblivious. "It never can be that easy, can it?"

"It can be easier than you're making it." He places his hands on my shoulders and slowly slides them down my arms. He leans in, lowering his head toward me.

"I can't, Maxwell." My hand presses against his chest, making him keep his distance.

"Why not? You can't keep fighting this, us. Sooner or later it'll drive you crazy and then you'll start doing irrational things."

Seriously? Is he just saying that to scare me or is it true...I wouldn't...

"You want to know why, why I can't do this," I wave my hand between us, "because it's a death sentence. With this mystery man and his little helper, I'm finally on death row. It feels like I'm living in a concrete cell with no windows, slowly suffocating. It's not a way out, it's just a different way to the same ending."

"A still walking around, communicating, see your friends ending. I'm not death. I might not have a beating heart, but that doesn't mean I don't have feelings. Just because I can't see the sun doesn't mean happiness doesn't fill my day. I'm alive with you. What I am, what you will be one day, is just a different way of living, but it isn't not living."

I don't have time to process what he said or reply before his mouth is upon mine. The little breath I have is taken away. The gentle movement of his lips is everything I need to put my stress at ease. My mouth presses against his without me even knowing it until it's too late.

Maxwell's hand slides up the back of my neck, tangling his fingers in my hair, taking advantage of my accepting body. My limp arms that dangle at my sides finally come to life and instantly grab onto him. One hand grabs a fistful of his shirt as my other hand lays over his neck, some of my fingers curving over his jaw to rest on his cheek. The little amount of breath I have left rushes out as he lifts me off my feet.

My legs wrap around his waist. For the first time I'm taller than him. As our kiss is broken, his face becomes even with my neck. Refusing to keep his mouth off me, he gently kisses my neck. An inhuman growl rumbles in his chest and his fingers harshly dig into my back as he squeezes me tighter. I know he can sense my blood race through my veins.

"Maxwell," I say breathless. He doesn't hear me or he just refuses to stop. I yank on his hair to get his attention. "Maxwell, you're hurting me."

His head follows the pull of my hand. Regret fills his eyes as he finally looks at me. "Charlie, I'm sorry, I didn't—"

"It's fine. I should go gather some clothes," I awkwardly say as he puts me back on the floor.

It doesn't take long for me to gather several pieces. A couple of jeans, some t-shirts and a few pairs of sweatpants. With them neatly folded in a bag, I head back to Maxwell. I find him leaning against the console table in the entryway. I lift the bag to show him I'm all set.