"Even as your body betrays you, your mind denies it."
Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants
***
Sweet smells of flowers and honeysuckle filled Abbi's nose, as she squinted in the glare of the bright sun. It hurt, due to the fact that she hadn't been outside in many days.
Nathaniel offered her his arm, ever-so gentlemen-like, but Abbi was still hesitant as she wrapped a hand around his forearm.
Fresh blooms of cherry and violet and emeralds sprouted from huge shaped bushes that towered above both their heads. Nathaniel had explained that the bushes formed a maze that led deeper into the lands. In the back of her head, Abbi considered it to be an applicable escape route.
The ground below was stoned with slabs of sand-colored rocks and the grass was a fresh and springy looking, cut sharp to the point. Still admiring the grass, she hardly noticed the butterfly looming near her head until it's fluttering wings were visible in her peripherals. Jumping, Abbi made a noise in the back of her throat and leaned into Nathaniel. "Go this way, right now. Move!" The butterfly veered toward them again. "Move!" Every time the insect ducked and wobbled in her direction, Abbi would yelp and start sprinting the other way.
Nathaniel, cracking up as maneuvered her away from it, looked at her with a gleam in his eyes. "Don't like bugs?"
Abbi shivered. "Anything with more than four legs and antennas, you could say."
"Well, there go my chances." He said mischievously, a twinkle in his eye. Abbi shot him a glare before trying to pull away from his arm; he wouldn't let her go.
"So, what do you think?" Nathaniel changed the subject as she scorned his pushiness.
Abbi, all argument forgotten, smiled widely. "Its beautiful. I love all the flowers. You know, my mom wanted to make her own garden, but my dad said he wouldn't have a bunch of dead bushes in front of his house. They argued after that. She, that her gardening skills were being degraded and he for simply speaking his mind."
"Do your parents fight a lot?" Nathaniel asked softly.
Abbi turned her face away from him as she lied through her teeth. "No." Abigail said, "they just have ... dueling personalities."
Nathaniel gave her a speculative glance before swiveling his eyes back on the path in front of them. "My mother died when I was at young age," He started, not sounding the least bit sad. "After she passed, my father was in a very unhealthy state. Sometimes, I would get angry at him for feeling so hopeless, but later on, I realized that was his way of coping. You shouldn't blame either of your parents for having issues."
"My parents don't have issues," Abbi snapped, instantly regretting her words at his expression. Something close to hurt flashed in his eyes, and he turned his head away, shutting his mouth.
For the next few minutes they were silent as he lead her towards the maze of foliage. Feeling guilty, she watched Nathaniel's profile, but he never looked at her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so abrasive ... its just ... I get the feeling that my parents care more about who's right and who's wrong than me."
"I doubt that, Abigail."
She looked up and met his stare, his blue eyes thick with emotion. Abbi swallowed nervously and shrugged. They had reached the opening in the network of trees. She felt awkward standing there, with tension hanging in the air. Abbi turned to watch him slowly, a slight breeze picking up the ends of her hair. Sensing her gaze, Nathaniel looked to her, gauging the expression written on her features.
"Why did you choose me?" She asked, her voice low and muffled. "Out of all the other humans there, you chose me. Why?"
He looked uncomfortable, but he answered, nonetheless. "I knew the moment I saw you standing without a parter to dance with. Perhaps it was your exotic beauty, too, but something tempted me to speak to you." He swallowed and watched her uneasily.
Abbi scrunched her eyebrows together, getting the sudden urge to laugh.
"Whats so funny?" Nathaniel inquired, his tone curious.
"You." She responded, closing her eyes briefly.
"What about me?"
"As a vampire, you failed to mention the most tantalizing factor." Nathaniel frowned, but the look on his face was confused. She sighed, opening her eyes and looking at him with obvious incrimination. "Blood."
The word rang between them. He didn't say anything and neither did she. They had stopped walking entirely, standing in the maze surrounded by green bushes. Abbi parted her lips, but before she could get anything out, Nathaniel turned on her with an ugly scowl.
"I don't understand how you can stand there, judging me, without a proper reason besides your instinctive prejudice. I am a person who gets what he wants, and I have what I wanted--I have you--and yet, you continuously walk all over me."
Abbi's eyes flashed a blazing amber. "You're a complete ass if you think I'll put up with you acting like you own me. I am not yours and I have no future plans to be yours. You forced me into this, planning on sucking me dry, so don't spout crap about me not respecting you." Out of breath by the time she finished, Abbi glared at Nathaniel with inexpressible fury. They stood there, both fuming and breathing heavy.
His intense eyes burned with a passion Abbi was completely foreign to, and as she stared at him, the expression turned conflicted. Nathaniel stayed like this for several seconds, then his eyes lingered down to her lips.
It was in that moment that his arms came down around her like heavy, constricting drapes. Abbi was pushed against his chest as Nathaniel's mouth crushed her own, his hands cupping her shoulder blades. Abbi's eyes were wide open, golden orbs studied his beautiful face while their lips moving in fast rhythmic motion.
She breathed out a sigh against his mouth, while his fingers trailed up to the back of her neck, pulling her tighter into his embrace. Nathaniel tasted like sweet apples, and their faces were so close she could feel his eyelashes kissing the tips of her own.
Abbi felt a hesitation start to move at his lips, and the act had her heart dropping like an anchor.
She pulled away from him roughly, her breathing unnatural, as her face shut down. His arms went slack at her expression. Nathaniel still tried to peck at her mouth with his lips, making Abbi turn her head away and slip from his grip, putting several good feet in between them.
"Abigail," Nathaniel started as she wrapped her arms around herself.
"Don't ever kiss me again." Abigail said vindictively. "It means something different to you than it does me--I know quite well that I don't matter that much to you."
Abbi didn't look back at him as she stumbled toward the mansion, leaving Nathaniel standing alone at the base of the gardens.