A/N: I'd love for some feedback from my readers. What do you think the rituals will entail? Do you like Adelina or do you think she is being abrasive?
On a second note, this chapter is dedicated to the love of my life. My soul mate and my everything. For he makes my heart sound like thunder ;)
The morning had been dull and uneventful. Adelina paced the room in anticipation of the engagement party that would start soon. She hissed out loud as her thoughts focused on the fact that her sister was marrying someone as evil as Falentine. In a rage, she threw her fist to the wall, punching the dark green walls. The pain erupted in her hand as she cradled it in her arms, regretting her temper. This place was making her turn into something she never thought she would be; she was turning into someone tougher, but what was the price?
As Adelina paced around the room with her hands behind her back, a knock resounded from the door.
"Come in," she said without even thinking. Asmund stepped in a few moments later. As she looked towards his direction, she saw he was holding a vibrantly colored bouquet of lilies in his hand.
"Are those for me?" Adelina's mouth dropped open from shock.
He laid the flowers on the wooden nightstand beside her bed, afterward closing the distance between them. "They are my favorites; how did you know?"
"Well, I guess you could say that it was a lucky guess. They've always been one of my favorite flowers too; but of course, nobody goes around handing me bouquets," he chuckled.
"I didn't know men...err, vampires could have favorite flowers? I thought that that was a feminine thing?"
"It's okay to call me a man, Adelina. And I have no shame in admitting that I find flowers beautiful. I even help manage the gardens in the spring. Maybe this spring you would like to help me?"
"I would love that," she stated but quickly corrected herself. "Asmund, I can't stay here. I don't belong here, and I think you know that. I can already feel a part of me dying, and my light feels like it is fading. I know that sounds a bit ominous, but it is truly how I feel."
"You are safe here, Adelina," he pulled her to his body. Adelina inhaled the warm pine scent his body seemed to give off. It had made her lose any sense, and she laid her head gently on his shoulder. "I would never let anybody hurt you. I will protect you." He nuzzled his face into her hair and wrapped his arms tightly around her, pressing her up to his body even further. They stayed like this for a few minutes in silence.
"I heard you hurt your arm yesterday." He lifted her arm and inspected it. "Are you okay? How did that happen? I wasn't the cause of this, was I?" His blue eyes bored into hers, making her shift uncomfortably.
Adelina's face flushed at the memory of their heated kiss. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, the sound echoing in her ears. His embrace had felt warm and safe, but she knew she was anything but safe. She looked into his eyes and pushed herself away slightly. Asmund was unrelenting in his grasp on her body though. She pulled her hands up to her face, hiding the flush that spread across her face.
"I'm fine, Asmund. It was just an accident. Malora fixed me right up. But this," she pointed her hands between the both of them. "This can't happen. We can't do this."
"Why do you say that? Why do you insist on fighting this pull you feel towards me? I know you feel it too. I've never felt anything nearly as strong as this Adelina. You have awoken my heart to something I never thought possible, I can't run from this, and you shouldn't either."
"Asmund..." she whispered his name. "These last few days have been nothing but pure heartache for me. The things I've learned about myself and the ones I had loved, I can't forget. My heart has been broken and smashed." Tears streamed down her face and she tried to wipe them away, but Asmund took his hands and began to caress her face with his fingertips. "I know I keep crying. I know how weak I am, but I've never felt pain like this. My sister...my twin...she meant the world to me. But now she has betrayed me, she crushed my soul into pieces. I don't know how to heal a heart, and I don't know how to heal a soul and with my family locked up it seems even more impossible. Even though Daniel did hurt me, it is tough knowing that he is down in that awful prison being tortured. Can't you understand that it is just too much to deal with? How could anyone deal with all of this without breaking down? I want to be strong, Asmund. I don't want to be this weak, pathetic girl, but I can't help it at the moment. " Adelina slid down the wall and pulled her legs into her chest. She leaned her head onto her knees and faced her eyes up towards Asmund. His eyes never left hers and he stared at her with an intense look flashing through his eyes.
Asmund bent down in front of Adelina, staring directly into her eyes. He cradled her chin in his hands and massaged his thumb against her skin. "I can try, Adelina. I can try to heal this broken heart of yours. I'm willing to help put your shattered soul back together. I know you don't trust me, and you shouldn't. But I want to try to change for you. I want to try to be a better person. I have never felt this way about anyone. You've brought a side out of me that I never thought I'd experience. I thought my heart was dead, but somehow you have made me feel alive again." He grabbed her hand in his and placed it on his chest. "Can't you feel what you do to me. My heart beats for you. You've made the impossible happen. I can promise you this; I'll do whatever it takes to help you. Even if you turn me down, Adelina, in the end, I will be there for you. I just want to make you smile. No one will ever love you more than I do, I can guarantee you that, but I know you aren't ready for that. So please, at least let me try to help you in the ways that I can. Please, at least give me that opportunity." He grasped onto her hand, lifting it up to his lips and kissed it gently. He grasped onto her hand tightly and pulled her head into his chest.
"Why me, Asmund? What has drawn you to me? I'm sure there are plenty of females that would gladly take you. So why me?" Adelina sobbed into his chest, letting the emotions drain out of her.
"There is something in your eyes. I can't explain it. The first time I saw you in those woods, bravely holding a gun, I just felt something tug at my heart. I played it off at first, but then in the garden, when I saw your face light up and the sunlight surround you, I just knew my heart was beginning to open up to you. . You glowed like the angel you are. I want to protect you, and I know I've done an awful job at this in the past, but I'll do what I can."
"I can't just promise you anything, Asmund. I just can't. I am not the type of girl to skip from one man to another. Plus, part of me feels like I'd be hurting everyone I care for by falling for a vampire. How am I supposed to deal with that?"
"Let me show you. Let me try to show you that I can change. At least give me the opportunity to make you smile again. When I say I love you, I'm not asking you to feel the same for me. But I can't bear not trying to heal your broken heart. Can you at least give me a chance?" He lifted her chin up and stared into her glittering eyes. They remained like this for a moment before Asmund crashed his lips into hers. Sparks began to fly within their bodies and electricity spread. Adelina shuddered before putting her arms around his neck. Their lips stayed locked and moving in sync. Asmund was the first to pull his lips away from hers. His eyes turned a brighter shade of blue in that moment as his eyebrows lifted.
"I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have let you do that. I feel like I'm leading you on. And I feel like I'm letting my family down, Asmund. What am I to do?"
"Stop worrying so much about others. Your family is safe, Adelina. After the ritual is done, I'll have Falentine move them up into more comfortable quarters. In fact, I will demand it. And I promise we will talk more about Tessa soon. I don't want to hurt you, but she isn't the girl you grew up with anymore. I'll explain soon, okay? For now, I need you to get ready for their engagement party tonight." Asmund lifted his body off the floor and held out a hand for Adelina. She grasped onto it and he pulled her into another tight hug.
"Just try to open your heart up. Even if you can't, please know I'll be here. I won't give up on you." He let her go and walked over to the closet. "Here is your dress for tonight. There will be some ladies that will do your makeup and also try to tame your hair a bit." Asmund laughed at that thought.
"Well, good luck to them on that, right?" Adelina said as she took a knot of her hair into her hands.
"Yeah, they have their work cut out for them. Anyways, you have a few hours before they get here. Try to get some food in your system, and rest a bit if you can. The sun is out, so why not try and take a stroll out into the garden to clear your head." Asmund walked to the door. "I'll see you tonight." He winked before he strolled out the door. The sound of it shutting echoed off the walls.
Her fingers went up to her lips, touching them gently.
Had she just kissed a vampire?
She wanted to feel disgusted with herself, but she couldn't. She thought she owed it to her family to be angry at herself. But her heart only beat faster at the thought of the kiss. Did she love him? She couldn't have loved him yet. But he seemed to care about her, and maybe she could love him someday, just maybe.
Adelina went and laid herself down on the bed, remembering the conversation. Her thoughts began to repeat one thing he had said.
No one will love you more than I do
Did he mean that? Would he protect her? She couldn't answer any of these questions. Adelina let her eyes close and her mind clear before she began to slip into a happy slumber.