I unconsciously smiled as I felt someone gently playing with my hair. Fingers flowing slowly through my locks, as if trying to touch every single strand of my hair. I then felt the warmth of those same fingers travel down the back of my neck and towards my back. The feel of the fingers had a very calming and soothing effect on me. I honestly could lay here forever and everything would feel alright.
I grabbed onto something and moved myself around, getting tired of the position I was sleeping in when I heard a low groan. My eyes immediately snapped open in response, widening in surprise when I realized Dimitri and I were face to face, our noses so close to touching. The something I had grabbed onto was his shoulders and I was literally sitting on top of him. Like right on top. My heart was suddenly racing and my breathing was coming out really heavy.
"Hello there." He spoke, his voice sounding really sleepy and really... uh hot.
"Hi." I spoke back breathlessly, my voice really shaking for some reason. And that's when I remembered what happened last night. I immediately grabbed Dimitri's face in between my hands and asked him how he was. He seemed confused before realization finally dawned on him.
"I'm fine." He spoke back with a very small smile on his face. A smile so small, I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't inches away from him.
"I can't believe I fell asleep! I was supposed to be watching over you! Please tell me nothing bad happened while I was sleeping." I exclaimed so annoyed at myself. Esther specifically told us to watch over Dimitri but of course I end up falling asleep.
"You stayed up watching over me?" He asked surprised and I nodded my head, removing my hands away from his cheeks and resting them on his bare shoulders. I felt so awkward being this close to him. I felt like his red eyes were scrutinizing my every move. And why was I still sitting on top of him?
"All night, until very early in the morning when I ended up falling prey to sleep." I explained, feeling really annoyed with myself.
"You didn't have to stay up all night watching over me." He said with a frown on his face. "I would have been fine and I am."
"Yeah but Devon and Esther said you were going to get yourself killed! Esther told Devon and I to watch over you at night, and so I volunteered to do so because Devon looked really tired." I explained to him. I paused a bit before continuing on. "Dimitri... Uh, Devon last night said that this used to happen to you centuries ago, but you've never let it get this far. What was he talking about? What is it that happens to you? And if you can stop it, then why don't you?"
A bitter look crossed Dimitri's face before it settled into a defeated, sad look. He looked so sad that I really wanted to give him a hug. But I didn't. Truthfully, I didn't think I could, no matter how strong the urge was.
"It's just... I can't tell you Isabella." He started, looking down and away from me. "And I could stop it if I want, but... I just... I just can't anymore."
"So what, you're just going to let yourself die?" I demanded angrily, causing him to look up at me again.
"Some things are just more important to me than saving my own life." He spoke softly.
"Yeah? Like what?" I demanded, crossing my arms across my chest. He shook his head, smiling in amusement to himself.
"Okay, what the hell is so damn amusing? We're talking about your endangered life here and your laughing about something that seems so utterly funny to you!" I exclaim in disbelief.
"I was never laughing." He said, his smile growing larger.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" I exclaim in shock. What the heck was wrong with him? "You're life is on the line here! Like hello!"
"So." He said shrugging his shoulders.
"So you need to do something about it!" I exclaim in surprise at his nonchalance towards his life.
"Isabella, I have already accepted my fate. And you should be happy, shouldn't you? You and all the other humans get to live in peace once I'm gone. I can't hurt anyone when I'm dead." He said shrugging, causing me to just gape at him.
"So you're just going to sit here and do nothing about it?" I ask.
"I'm just going to sit here, relax and enjoy the parts of my life that are great at the moment." He says, leaning back against the headboard.
"You're insane! You are officially insane!" I exclaim, not being able to comprehend this at all. Honestly, what was wrong with him? Was he just going to give up, this easily? He couldn't possibly give up that fast right? "You know what? If you're not going to do anything about it, then I am!" I say.
"Um, no you are not! As long as I'm alive, I still have power over you and I will let you do no such thing. You are not allowed to!" He sternly states, looking me straight in my eyes, making sure I fully understand.
I wrap my arms around his neck, tilting my head slightly as I stare up at him. "Well, you see my sweet little King, if you think back to all the times you've ordered me to do something, you'd know that I never listen to anything you tell me to do." I smirk up at him, before I climb off of him and turn around to leave when he suddenly grabs onto my wrist stopping me.
"You are not doing anything!" He growls out in anger.
I turn around and giving him the fiercest look I can manage. "Freaking, watch me!" I exclaim before pulling my wrist out of his hand and leaving the room.
*******
I was back at the library, looking through books and magazines, searching through hundreds and hundreds of articles, hoping to find something useful. But there was absolutely nothing. I was so annoyed. I wanted to rip every single book that didn't contain the information I needed, to shreds because of how frustrated I felt.
I didn't even know why I was wasting my time and trying so hard in saving Dimitri. He's right. I should be happy that he's eventually going to die. I should be happy that earth is finally going to get the peace it deserves. But I'm not happy. It's like all my goals have completely changed from the very beginning.
Why am I putting all my energy into this? Why? I need a book on this too. I need answers.
I buried my face in my hands, trying to contemplate why I so strongly wanted to help Dimitri. He's ruined so many people's lives. He's hurt so many people. He's cruelly tortured and killed people. Yet I want to believe he's not as bad as he seems. And that he deserves to be helped.
But I don't know how to help him. How am I supposed to help him if he won't tell me what happens to him and how he can prevent it. It's annoying how he doesn't even want to help himself when he knows he can. And his excuse is so stupid. What's so important that he's willing to not help himself?
Honestly, this all was giving me a headache, especially since I got no sleep last night and because of how confused I was about everything going on.
Devon showed up in the library soon. He smiled when he saw me. "Hey." He said. "Whatcha up to?" He asked.
"I don't know. I'm looking for stuff that I can't seem to find. And I'm just so confused about everything!" I complained.
Devon wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me towards him in a side hug. "Can I ask you something?" He asked and I nodded my head.
"Why do you care so much about helping Dimitri? I'm really surprised actually. I mean, I know you're a nice and kind person, but to help someone who murders your kind. How could you want to help someone like that so much that you spend hours and hours in the library, hoping to find something useful?" Devon asked curiously.
"I don't know!" I moan in frustration. "I just want to help him. I have this urge to do so. And I honestly feel like there's more to him than he cares to show. I feel like he isn't as bad as everyone makes him out to be. I can always see so much sadness and loneliness buried deep in his eyes."
"You're right about that Isabella. Dimitri actually is an amazing person and he really isn't as cruel as everyone thinks he is. He just has a lot going on for him. He's had a lot going on ever since he was a child. And there are many circumstances where he doesn't have the choice to do what he wants. He's trapped between doing what's right and what's wrong. Many times he's tried to do the right thing, but has failed miserably. And it's not his fault at all that he's failed. He honestly tries really hard. But things just don't ever go right for him. It's like he was doomed to live the horrible life he does. He's lived more than two centuries this way. And two centuries later, he's trying to do the right thing again but failing miserably as usual. It's the same thing over and over again. In my opinion, I think Dimitri's more tortured than all the humans he's tortured and killed. He suffers more than anyone I've ever met." Devon said causing me to feel so much more terrible for Dimitri.
I don't exactly know what it is that happens to Dimitri or anything of the sort. But from what Devon just told me, whatever it is, it seems absolutely horrible. I can't even begin to imagine what it is he goes through everyday and the struggles he faces.
It's definitely official now. I am going to do whatever I can to help Dimitri. And Esther did say that if I wanted to help humans, that I needed to save Dimitri first to accomplish that. So that was that. I was helping him and I don't care how much he tries to stop me. I'm still going to help him.