Lyssa ran into her house, slamming the door with her back before sliding to the floor. Leaving a blood trail on the pristine white surface. Bex was still firmly in the vampire's arms, wincing in pain as the sting continued to spread. She glanced up at Lyssa who rested her head against the door.
"Lyssa you're hurt."
"Whose fault is that?"
Bex whimpered.
Lyssa moved her head to look at Bex who was doing her best to keep a brave face and pretend she felt okay. Bex watched as the vampire's eyes softened on her. Lyssa sighed and got back to her feet before running upstairs to the master bathroom.
"This is going to hurt both of us," Lyssa set Bex on the tub's edge.
"What do you mean?"
"I have to get the silver out," Lyssa tilted Bex's head back to examine the cut.
"Well, where is it?"
"In your blood. The cut isn't that deep so it shouldn't take long."
Bex could feel Lyssa's burned and callused hands rubbing against her neck as the vampire inspected her neck. It was a stark contrast to the normally soft cold hands she knew Lyssa to have. Her eyes drifted over to Lyssa and she gave the vampire a worried look.
"Silver in my blood? Wouldn't that kill me?" Bex asked.
"Not necessarily. They didn't use much, hardly detectable. It's a method slayers use to purify the blood of vampire bonds. The reason why it is burning is that your blood is filled with my essence. Once I get it out you should be okay."
"Okay," Bex's voice shook softly.
Lyssa took a deep breath before she leaned in and began to suck the blood out of the long cut on Bex's neck. The sting instantly intensified. Bex cried out in pain.
Lyssa took in decent sized gulps, but the blood did nothing to heal her, not like it usually did. Instead, the tainted blood burned her. It wasn't as bad as touching silver directly, but it was a burn none the less.
The more Lyssa drank from her the more the pain began to subside. Lyssa continued on until Bex felt that familiar tingle of pleasure once more. Only then would Lyssa know it was all out. She wasn't forced to wait long as Bex soon sighed in relief and hummed in pleasure.
Lyssa pulled back in a coughing fit before she leaned over the tub and vomited all the blood she just consumed. Her lips were burned. Bex rubbed her back before reaching over and turning the tub on to wash down the blood.
"Now you, you're hurt," Bex held her wrist out to Lyssa.
"Get away from me," Lyssa slapped her hand away.
"Stop being stubborn and drink my blood."
"I wouldn't be in this mess if you would have just listened to me!"
"You can say told you so all you want once you're better," Bex once again offered her wrist.
"I can't. I just drank your blood a couple days ago, not including my snack last night. It would be too risky. You will lose too much blood."
"Well, how are you going to heal up?"
"Slowly, as usual. It will just leave scars."
"Wait, all those scars are because you healed up slowly? Why didn't you just drink someone's blood?"
"Drinking blood is what gets me into these situations in the first place! Did it ever occur to you that I absolutely detest being a vampire?"
"No, you look like you like it to me."
"Sure, it has its perks but what I don't like is this!" she gestured to the tub she was currently slumped over. "The mess I always find myself in. The people, the killing, everything! I hate it all!"
"I'm sorry," Bex looked down in shame.
"If you would have just listened to me... why don't people ever listen to me?" Lyssa whimpered; her eyes watered over. A single tear slid down her cheek as she rested her head on the edge of the tub.
"Just drink my blood," Bex kneeled down next to Lyssa. "If you don't your face and hands will be scared."
"What does it matter? The rest of my body is already ugly, might as well complete the package." Lyssa pulled herself off the floor and walked to her room.
"Please, it's the least I can do," Bex followed after her.
"It'll be too much. You will pass out. Your parents will wonder where you are, I need to get you home."
"No! This is all my fault. I have to do something. I'll call my parents; I'll tell them that you are having a family emergency or something. That you need me. They already think you are my girlfriend."
"Can't you just take no as an answer?" Lyssa sighed.
"I won't. You warned me and I didn't listen. This is my fault."
"You can say that again," Lyssa grumbled.
"So, it's settled then," Bex pulled out her phone to call her parents.
Lyssa eyed Bex as she told her parents some elaborate lie to stay with Lyssa. Lyssa couldn't understand why Rebecca wanted to help her when only a few days ago Lyssa had tried to kill her. When Lyssa was always so mean to her.
When Bex looked at Lyssa to give her a thumbs-up, Lyssa had been caught staring and quickly looked away.
After Bex hung up the phone she kicked off her shoes and climbed into the bed. She situated herself before tilting her head to the side, ready to become a meal. Lyssa sighed and got up, pulling the blankets over Rebecca and fluffing the pillows under her head to make her more comfortable. Bex just watched her in silence.
When Lyssa was ready, she crawled on top of Bex, hovering over her as the two locked eyes.
"Just don't kill me," Bex forced a nervous laugh.
"I won't," Lyssa said more seriously.
Bex gave a tight nod before tilting her head, exposing her neck. Lyssa leaned in; her fangs bared. She stopped just short of biting down.
"Are you sure?" She asked, her English accent coming through.
"Just do it," Bex snapped at her.
Lyssa bit down.
Bex winced in pain before her face relaxed and that all too familiar haze washed over her. She let out a shaky breath as Lyssa took in large greed gulps, making sure not to waste a single drop. Bex could feel herself being drained, fading fast.
As the warmth of life left Bex's body, Lyssa could feel her cold body thawing out. The warm blood filling her with life, reviving her decaying body. It was a sensation she loved more than anything, a feeling of being alive once more.
"Lyssa," Bex warned.
Lyssa's wounds had already healed up, but she could do nothing to stop herself from sucking the life out of Bex.
"Lysss..." Bex passed out.
Lyssa jerked back, taking in deep breaths as she struggled to get herself under control. She licked the wounds on Bex's neck before blood could drip down onto the pillow. Her lips lingered on Bex's skin.
She had to fight the urge not to drain her dry. She craved that crimson liquid of life, she needed it to make herself feel whole again. Her fangs grazed the skin on Bex's neck, her resolve wavering.
"I'm sorry Rebecca," She whispered.
She opened her mouth wide, ready to bite down once more when Rebecca let out a sigh in her sleep. Lyssa pulled back and watched as a small smile tugged on Bex's lips. Her face was relaxed and peaceful. Lyssa took a calming breath before getting off of Rebecca and away from her completely.
"Just get it over with and kill her already," Lyssa's reflection snapped at her.
"I can't, her parents know she is here. If she comes up dead, it will be traced back to me."
"Excuses," her reflection accused.
Lyssa ignored her reflection and let her eyes drift back over to Bex.
"You are allowing yourself to get attached. Need I remind you where this road always leads?"
"I am not attached," Lyssa defended herself.
"Then kill her! Before she kills you."
Lyssa watched Bex squirm in bed, pulling the covers closer to herself. She smiled softly and nuzzled her head into the pillow. Lyssa found a smile tugging at her own lips. She quickly shook off the strange feeling and turned to walk into the bathroom.
"She can still be useful," Lyssa said to her reflection.
"I knew it. You are allowing your weakness to cloud your judgment," The reflection in the bathroom mirror said.
"I am not!" Lyssa got defensive.
"How many times must we go through this? Using that human to feel some semblance of life and companionship only ends one way. You know this."
"Stay out of it, I will handle Rebecca my way."
"Don't say I didn't warn you." The reflection disappeared.
Lyssa stared at the mirror, but nothing stared back at her.
Lyssa rolled her eyes and gave a frustrated huff before she moved to turn on the shower. As always, she turned the water to scalding hot, stripping out of her once again ruined clothes. She stepped into the shower and let the shower head rain down on her.
"What am I doing?" Lyssa rested her head against the shower wall.
She grabbed a soap bar and began to scrub her skin. Her hand running over each scar on her body. Almost as if they mocked her, permanent reminders as to where this path of actions always took her. The same painful place she always found herself in.
Lyssa closed her eyes and thought of a memory, one from over a hundred years ago. Back to The Girl, the very first one she ever lost. Back to that night when she laid next to her in bed.
"How come you haven't killed me yet?" The girl had asked.
"The truth?" Lyssa countered.
"Yes please," the girl laughed, her native English tone strong.
"Who would I have to keep me company in your absence? These lovely little meetings are all that keeps me going these days," Lyssa turned to face the girl in bed. "I get lonely you know. Not many people want to be friends with a vampire."
"So tis friendship?" The girl smirked and turned to face Lyssa. "I suppose even vampires need someone." She pulled Lyssa into her arms.
"Some days I truly regret biting you," Lyssa grumbled at being teased.
"More lies I see. I know you cannot resist me," The girl giggled before kissing Lyssa on the head.
"Ha, if that were true, I would have tried to get you alone and would have killed your husband a long time ago. I am a modest vampire with standards."
"Standards?" The girl giggled. "How lucky I must be then."
Lyssa smiled and moved to kiss the girl, leaning in but just as their lips grazed one another,
Lyssa tore herself from the memory. Her hand rubbing the scar on her chest. Tears stung her eyes which had turned red from an old rage she still felt from long ago. She clenched tightly to the soap bar, turning it to mush in her fist.
She steeled her resolved, standing straighter and quickly finishing her shower. She walked naked into her room, knowing Rebecca would still be out of it. She got dressed before eyeing her reflection, which was back.
They eyed each other in silence, an unspoken understanding passing between them.
Rebecca had to go, before...
Before Lyssa had the chance to get attached to her.
She turned to Rebecca and her resolve instantly crumbled to dust as she watched a stupid grin spread on Bex's face. A single drop of drool hanging from her mouth. It was clear she was having a nice dream.
She's cute, Lyssa thought to herself.
She could feel a smile tugging at her own lips. She walked over to Bex and laid in bed next to her, moving under the covers to feel Rebecca's warmth wash over her. She wiggled her way into Bex, resting her head on Bex's chest. She closed her eyes and listened to the steady beating of Rebecca's heart.
Bex mumbled in her sleep before turning and snuggling into Lyssa.
Even with little blood left in Bex's body, Lyssa could still feel her warmth. The warmth that told her that Bex was alive, and she was not. A warmth that could penetrate even the thickest and coldest of dead hearts. It warmed her up, letting her feel human again, if only for a moment.
Lyssa couldn't fall asleep, not unless she was laying in her coffin. She would never do it, she refused. Instead, she just faked sleep. Letting her body relax fully as her mind wondered. Which is what she was doing now, laying on Bex, fake sleeping.
Bex woke up about four hours later, it was now dark in the room. Nearly pitch black. The moonlight coming through the window was her only source of light. Her brows scrunched together in confusion as she felt a heavyweight on her chest. When her eyes finally adjusted to the dark she saw Lyssa snuggled up to her, resting her head dead center of her chest.
Bex's eyes went wide and her cheeks heated up, her speeding heart rate gave her away.
Lyssa's eyes shot open at the sound of it. She bolted upright and moved away from Bex. Bex sat up and the two looked at each other.
"My apologies, I didn't mean to intrude," Lyssa stuttered out. Her fake American accent now dropped.
If a vampire could blush, Lyssa would be bright red with embarrassment.
"What were you doing?" Bex demanded.
"N-nothing," Lyssa stammered.
"Were you cuddling with me!?"
"No!"
"You were!"
"I was not!"
"I saw you," Bex accused.
"Just drop it, that's an order."
Bex opened her mouth to make another comeback, but no words came out. She glared at Lyssa, but her stomach growling interrupted her with its own protest.
"I'll get you something to eat, just wait here," Lyssa got up and turned on the light before vanishing in a flash.
Bex straightened out her shirt which was riding up her stomach, she was bright red and completely flustered at the situation. She got up but felt dizzy and lightheaded, so she sat back down. Now that she was alone, she took a moment to examine her surroundings.
The bed is huge, with expensive-looking red velvet sheets. Fancy looking pillows to match. The walls are covered in extravagant art pieces, paintings in all sorts of styles, and mediums. The curtain on the window matched the bedsheets. The furniture is made of wood and riddled with intricate carvings. The wood was stained dark, nearly black. Everything was neatly organized from what Bex could see, from the makeup station on the dresser to the big bookshelf overflowing with books.
In the corner of the room is a small table, with a couple of chairs. The same place Bex had sat and eaten at last time she was here. The floor was covered in a soft ivory carpet. Not a single stain in sight.
Bex's eyes fell on a remote on the nightstand, she picked it up and clicked the first button.
She jolted in place when classical music began to play out from speakers she couldn't see. She looked back at the remote and pressed the next button, she jolted again when hard rock replaced the classical music. She smirked at her new discovery before pressing the next button, this time smooth jazz began to play. She pressed the next button and it changed to pop music.
"What are you doing?" Lyssa asked.
Bex was once again startled, juggling the remote before she quickly turned everything off.
"Nothing," she said too quickly.
Lyssa raised an eyebrow and shook her head before setting fast food bags down on the table. Bex quickly got up, her stomach doing the talking now. She felt dizzy again but pushed through and sat down at the table. Her mouth-watering at the sight of the food. It was from her favorite place; she opened the bag and found her usual order inside. Her brows knit together in confusion.
"Are you stalking me?"
"No," Lyssa crinkled her nose.
"Sure, you aren't," Bex rolled her eyes.
"Now that you are awake, we need to talk," Lyssa ignored her previous comment.
"About?"
"Blood Bonds."