Vampire Bride

Chapter Twenty Eight: Part One

I can tell he's angry with my ungratefulness, but I can't help it. He thinks of my not wanting to be a vampire as an insult, but I just wanted it to be...more romantic maybe. Not so painful and bloody. And now I'm stuck in this room all day, most likely by myself, to face nothing but my own taunting thoughts. I fall back down onto the pillow and stare at the ceiling for what seems like hours. Boredom sets in and my stomach growls with hunger.

"Can I at least have a book or watch a movie? I'm hungry...so hungry," I say into the empty room, hoping that Maxwell will hear my whines.

A few seconds later, he enters with a tray in his hands. He sets it down on the nightstand and I take a look at what he brought me. A book that he must've stolen off one of my bookshelves at home, a few magazines that were at my house as well, and a bowl of what looks to be chicken dumpling soup.

"Soup...you brought me soup. I'm dying, not sick. I won't have the joy of eating anymore and you bring me soup. You could've at least brought me a cheeseburger and chili cheese fries or lasagna." I continue to rattle off all the food I'm going to miss. "Ice cream and strawberries and soda and brats and pizza and popcorn..."

"Okay, I get it. You'll miss food. It'll take some time, but with plenty of supplement you'll be able to retrain your body to digest."

"Supplement? What the hell is that?"

"Blood. Blood makes us alive."

"Oh." I might be disgusted, but it doesn't stop me from biting into a dumpling. Even though I complained about having soup, it's delicious.

I eat alone since Maxwell leaves the room. He feels guilty and therefore he can't quite look at me. The blame he puts on himself makes me feel awful. It's not his fault and I did express on many different levels that I'm on board with him, with us.

But that doesn't solve my problems. How am I going to inform Morgan of my soon departure? Not to mention how in the world am I going to handle parties? I could close up shop and move past it or I could leave Morgan in charge.

The thought of leaving my one true passion just brings another obstacle to mind. What about my house? I could renovate it, making it possible for me to live in it once I become allergic to the sun or I could sell it. Then again renovating it seems better than the thought of living in this small hotel room with Maxwell. I decide not to breach the subject with Maxwell just yet. Instead, I'll let him pamper me.

After three chapters read of the book Maxwell left me, my eyelids begin to get heavy and the book slowly starts to fall to my chest. It's not until I feel the slide of the book underneath my still clenched fingers that I realize I fell asleep. I mumble a few incoherent words as I stretch my stiff body.

"Go back to sleep, Charlie." I hear Maxwell whisper inches away from me. He brushes his hand through my hair, moving strands away from my face. Within seconds, I feel the familiar coldness of his body as he crawls into bed.

I unwillingly drift back to sleep. No matter how mad at him I tell myself that I am, I can't deny how comfortable and safe he makes me feel. Just knowing that he's by my side makes facing being a vampire tolerable. I don't know if I could do it without him.

Without the sun shining into the room to alert me morning has arrived, I rely on the clock. With a quick rub of my eyes, I read the bright red numbers that say seven forty-five. It has to be seven forty-five in the morning because I was up past ten last night.

"Rise and shine," I yell, shaking a nonresponsive Maxwell.

"Morning already?" he grumbles.

"Oh please, let's not pretend that you actually asleep. I have to go to work and I just wanted to...well, I don't know why I woke you up exactly."