My eyelids drooped heavily as I tried to ease the tension that was heavily building in my head. I noticed that Draven had gotten up to talk to the group of people personally, and the next thing I knew, I had stepped in front of him, my eyes only landing on his chest now.
"Excuse me, we'll discuss this matter shortly." I heard Draven's faint voice before I clutched my hands into a ball of fist, my nails digging into my skin. How could he keep this from me? How could he just...
I stopped and gently punched his chest, and then again and again, until I had started to punch him harder and harder, repeatedly.
"He-hey, what the hell, Adriana?!" I heard him snap but that didn't stop me. I didn't care who was watching us now, I can tell that all attention was drawn towards me but like I said, I didn't care.
"How could you...how could you! How could you do this to me!" I started yelling and throwing my fist towards his chest repeatedly, trying to shove and push him but he didn't budge. Instead, two hands swiftly caught my wrists and I froze, my eyes landing on the floor as more tears rolled down my cheeks.
"I'll take her." I heard Draven say before I was literally thrown over his shoulder.
"Stop! Let me go! Draven put me down!" I yelled and screamed, punching his back and scratching it all over, refusing to obey him. I stopped fighting when my vision started to become blurry in high speed, almost making me gag immediately. Seconds passed and I was willing to let him take me anywhere, considering the fact that I might throw up anytime if I struggle even once. But something came over me and I opened my eyes before jerking my body away from him. I cried out in pain when my body collided with the ground before I rolled over something hard, scraping and burning my skin before my movements came to a stop. I opened my eyes and groaned, sitting up as I rubbed my temples gently. Okay, maybe that was not such a good idea.
"What's gotten into you?! You could have gotten yourself killed, Adriana!" Draven's voice snapped me out of my senses and I looked ahead to notice him bolting towards me. Before I could protest or fight, Draven picked me up in his arms again and I took in my surroundings, realising that we were now in a forest, out in the middle of nowhere. Why the hell did he take me here anyways?
"Where-" before I could finish my question, Draven started running, causing me to clutch his suit tightly. It wasn't long before we reached back to the mansion and I bit my bottom lip when I realized how tight Draven's grip around my shoulders was now. With a grunt, I hopped out of his grip as he walked in and brushed away my tears.
"Explain. The hell happened to you back there? There were people there, Adriana. What were you thinking?" He took a step forward and I opened my mouth to say everything but no words came out. Instead, a hard lump formed in my throat and I knew better than to say anything right now. Unless I wanted to burst into tears again, I was to remain shut. Without saying anything, I turned around, marching my way towards the stairs. I heard a deep huff from behind before someone grabbed my wrist and started dragging me upstair. I wriggled in Draven's grip and shook my head angrily when he opened the door to his room, pushing me inside.
"Nothing happened." I said finally.
"I am not messing around right now. You could have gotten yourself killed!"
"Yeah, like you weren't gonna do the job yourself eventually." I barely muttered under my breath and noticed Draven arched a brow in confusion. "Zack told me, about the rules you made. The whole, "vampires can't fall in love with humans." I tried to conceal the hurt in my voice, my words dripping in fake sarcasm. He visibly flinched, his body stiffening before he took a step forward.
"Why did you get involved with him?"
"So that's the problem? Not what everything he said?" I noticed something flash in his eyes before he put on a rather cold and dark expression.
"It is the problem."
"Is it true?" I choked out, tears slightly welling in my eyes again as he threw me a hard unredeable expression. "Did you only keep me around for pleasure? Did you ever see me as something more than just a blood bad?"
"Adriana, stop-"
"Did you ever plan to love me?" The moment those words left my mouth, his eyes snapped right back at me in surprise and I pressed my trembling lips together, a tear threatening to fall down my cheeks already. I noticed his eyes wavering a little before they clouded back in no emotion and I felt my confidence crumble at his coldness.
"No."
That one word broke me. I looked at him, the tears I fought so hard to keep in, finally streaming down my face.
"S-so why...?" I took in a shaky breath. "Why kiss me, hold me, touch me and make me feel special like that? Acting like you care and leading me on? Why? I don't understand. Did none of that matter to you? Did I not matter to you, Draven?" His body tensed up at my last words and I noticed him swallow down harshly before practically ripping away his cold, piercing gaze again.
"Isn't it obvious?" He finally mumbled out, his voice hoarse and low. "I wanted you as my keeper, nothing more, nothing less." His words sent a painful sting jolting through my heart.
"Are you saying that because you are afraid of what might happen to me if we were together?" I questioned and his jawline clenched tightly before he turned away, quickly putting on his expressionless mask again. That was the case. It was obvious.
"It's not." He tried to sound convincing but I didn't buy it.
"You're lying, Draven-"
"And how are you so sure, hunh?" He raised his voice, suddenly taking a few hasty steps towards me and I stumbled back a little. "Don't tell me you actually fell for me, Adriana." I stopped at those words, my eyes widening as I just stared at him. I wanted to refuse his statement, I wanted to shove it back to his face but I couldn't. I just couldn't deny it and I noticed something flash in his eyes as he continued staring at me. Guilt? Before I could make sense of it, his eyes grew a shade darker again, returning back to their merciless cold ones.
"Tsk, didn't think you were that easy, doll face-"
I hurled my hands towards him, slapping his cheeks so hard, it threw his head to a side and caused my palms to sting in pain afterwards.
"You're the worst." I finally choked out but before he could turn to face me, I stormed out of his room, roughly brushing away my tears. He was the worst. He really was the worst of the worst. After everything we've been through, he calls me easy? And to think that I saw something in that heartless, pathetic son of a bitch. I stopped to hiss in pain and glanced at my arm to notice several bruises and scrapes. With a low growl, I marched back to my room and went straight into the toilet to shower. As I stripped off my clothes, I noticed the several bruises and cuts on my body, including my knee, upper arm, slightly above my breasts and even one on my stomach. I hadn't even noticed them before but I guess I must have landed pretty hard on the ground when I jumped off Draven. I hissed and cursed in pain, my eyes swimming in tears as I remembered Draven's words over and over again. After washing myself up, I slipped on a casual tank top and tights, not even bothering to patch up my cuts and bruises. I had too much on my mind anyways. Not wanting to think about Draven even for a second, I decided to go read a book, my head slightly throbbing in pain now.
xxx
My eyes never left the book I was reading, afraid that if I stopped, I would think about everything Draven said tonight. The pain was overwhelming. I was rejected. Heart broken and humiliated. Never have I felt so much regret in one night. It was painful, suffocating. The feeling was gonna eat me inside and out and I couldn't take it anymore.
"It's staying between us, honey." I read the words carefully from the book, trying to engage back inside my own little world but froze. That line, the sentence. It sounded somewhat familiar in my head.
"Whatever happened between us, is between us darling, are we clear?" Lianna's voice rang through my mind and I froze, my thoughts coming to an abrupt stop. What the hell? Where have I heard that before? I shook my head a little, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling. That sentence, her voice, it sounded so real. Almost like it really happened. Was I having dejavus or imagining things?
With a sigh, I closed my book, deciding that it was about time I stopped reading. I started going back to my room when my head bumped against someone, sending me back with a stumble.
"Sorry." I apologized without even looking up and was ready to walk past the figure when a hand grabbed my upper arm.
"How long do you plan on staying mad at me, babe? I said I was sorry." I looked up to face Kevin and Edward, who was now giving me a rather sad and disappointment look.
"I'm not mad."
"You are, I can tell. How can I make it up for you, hm?" Kevin pulled me closer from a side, a hand wrapping an arm around my shoulders before he pulled me in, his cheeks pressing hard against mine from a side, making me cringe in annoyance. "Should I make love to you or-"
"Ignore him." Edward pulled me away from him and I let out an angry huff.
"Can you both just leave me alone for tonight? Please." I finally mumbled out and watched Edward pout before biting his lip lightly.
"Sorry, I really mean it. You were never burden to us nor do we see you as one either." He gave me another apologetic look and licked his lips again, making me heat up in embarrassment.
"Geez, relax you guys. I honestly don't care about that anymore. But if it makes you two feel any better then yes, I forgive you." I poked Edwards chest and gasped when he pulled me into a hug before pulling away.
"Glad we got that over with." He kissed my forehead and I was about to say something when Kevin lightly patted my head and started leaving with him.
"Ah, those two." I looked at Vincent, who suddenly appeared in front of me.
"That was sweet though." I smiled a little, staring after the boys as they left outside.
"You wanna hang out? I'm kinda bored." Vincent suggested outta the blue and I nodded before I could even think twice.
xxx
"You are such an asshole!" I punched Vincet's hand lightly before standing up. With a deep breath, I started busting up some silly dance moves and watched Vincent burst into laughter, throwing his back as if he was having a fit.
"Why can't you give me a normal dare like I do?!" I huffed, sitting back on his bed.
"Now that would ruin all the fun, wouldn't it?"
I narrowed my eyes and stuck my tongue out once more before sighing.
"Are you okay?" He asked quietly and I was about to shake my head but stopped. What was the point in hiding it anyways?
"Not really," I watched him edge closer to me from the bed. "I heard about the rules. The whole vampire can't fall in love with a human..." I laughed humorously but Vincent remained serious, his deep blue eyes penetrating into my chocolate ones before he turned away, letting out a sigh.
"Guess you finally know." He mumbled, running a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, I guess no vampire can ever be with my kind without the intention of using us for sex and food."
"It's not exactly like that. I mean, yeah it is, but I think those rules can be changed in time if-"
"Don't lie, Vincent. I know you're just saying that to convince me but we both know that it's not true." I landed my gaze on his chest, gripping the sheets slightly, my whole mood dropping again.
"Hey," Vincent suddenly held my face, lifting them up to meet his soft gaze. "Even if the world turned against me, I would still do anything for you. Even if it meant breaking those rules and giving you all the happiness you deserve." His words made my lips part slightly, my eyes widen in shock and my heart to skip a beat. They meant the world to me, eased the pain in my heart, but...I didn't want them coming from him. I wanted it to be Draven. I wanted Draven to say those words to me and make me feel reassured.
"Vincent, you are the only one who knows that I-what I have for Draven is-"
"I know," He breathed, pressing his forehead against mine. "But I also know that you're hurting because of him...badly. And I can't bear to see you like this." He breathed, his eyes never leaving mine nor wavering and just for a second, I imagined what it would be like if I had fallen for Vincent instead of Draven. My life would be so much easier, less complicated and I would have probably been loved a whole lot more.
"I'm so-sorry...I really can't-with you, I mean"
"I know that too. And that's fine with me. I just want you to be happy, Adriana. That's all that matters to me, but-" He paused, his eyes slightly flickering on to my lips. "If he hurts you like this again, I won't let it slide so easily either." His lips brushed against mine and both my mind and movements stopped, my heart going wild at the sensation of his lips. The next thing I knew, his lips covered mine softly, a hand wrapping around my back as he pulled my body closer to his. My eyes widened, my mind going blank as the beating of my heart grew faster with each passing second. Before I could pull away, Vincent parted our lips and I sat there, my eyes still slightly widened in shock and my lips slightly parted.
"Think about it," He slightly carrassed my cheeks with his fingers and my eyes snapped to look up at his soft, gentle ones. "Think about me, think about us." He finished, his voice slightly cracking at the end and I felt my heart racing faster than ever. For the first time, his words actually stung in my heart and left a carving on them, making my stomach go wild. His words meant something to me. It actually made me happy.
xxx
The next few days, I spent most of my time hanging out with Vincent, totally opening myself up to him and letting him in, hoping I would start seeing him as something more than just a friend. Vincent had told me to give him a chance and in order for me to do that and take his feelings seriously, I had to try harder to see him as a man and not just a friend. So I spent more time with him, hanged out with him more than the others and even went to the events together with him. Draven, of course, confronted me about us and I didn't say much, except the fact that I was enjoying his company. It was obvious that he was mad, jealous and angry because whenever I was with Vincent, I could always sense a dangerous and menacing atmosphere from behind us. It would always turn out to be Draven. But I never took it to heart this time. I tried my best not to. Draven being jealous only meant that he had something for me, and as flattering as that may be, it wasn't good enough either. He was just jealous. That's it. He didn't exactly care or try to apologise and make things right. He didn't fight for me like Vincent did. And that's what I needed. Someone to fight for me.
"The food there was horrible." Vincent grumbled and I laughed, shaking my head as we walked out of the restaurant.
"At least the service was better."
"The service was shit too, Adriana, admit it. You just couldn't let me take you out to a more fancy place." He said with a groan and I grinned.
"Of course not, we didn't have to go somewhere expensive just to have dinner." I brushed some dust from my pink tank top and shorts.
"Right, you wanted a casual date at the nearest cheap restaurant, am I correct?" He stopped as we made our way towards the mansion.
"Exactly. I had a great time anyways."
"Me too." Vincent grabbed my wrist before I could enter the mansion. I stopped to look up at him, my lips slightly parting at his intense yet soft gaze.
"You are so perfect, I could look at you all day." His words made my mind go blank, before Draven's face popped into my head. He said those words once too. Back at the cafe we stopped by weeks ago after staying at the motel. Memories and flashbacks of that day came flowing down my mind and I bit my bottom lip slightly, my heart aching when I remembered my moments with Draven.
"Thank you, Vincent." I said finally with a small smile.
"I know that there is no chance between us-"
"Vincent, I'm trying-"
"Let me finish," He pressed a finger on my lips. "But that's alright with me. Whatever choice you make, I'll respect it. I'll always be here for you, no matter what. I want you to know that." He finished and I smiled at his words, my heart beating so fast now, I'm sure he would hear it too. Vincent and I said goodnight and I headed back to my room, feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. I opened my room, walking inside and stood in front of the mirror, my cheeks heating up in embarrassment as I recalled his sweet words. I smiled a little and bit my bottom lip slightly, ready to take a shower now. I was honestly sweating the whole night and I don't know if Vincent noticed it but-
"You seem happy." A deep voice cut off my thoughts and I spun around to look at Draven, who was now leaning against my wardrobe, his hands tightly folded around his chest, revealing all his tensed muscles. My breath slightly hitched and I broke our intense gaze, reminding myself that I had to seem unfazed.
"Why are you here?" I spoke softly, not exactly wanting to anger him.
"It's late." He said in a very cold voice. What was his deal anyways? It's not like we had anything going on now anyways.
"So? I went out to eat with Vincent and-"
"What did you guys talk about?"
"Nothing that would concern you." I did my best to conceal the annoyance and irritation in my voice.
"Don't get me wrong, doll face, I couldn't give two shits about you two. But I need to know whether you both are serious or not, I deserve to know."
"Couldn't give two shit about us?" I questioned through gritted teeth, anger boiling inside of me. "Well, we are serious actually. What we have going on is real for me, and I know that Vincent feels the same way. Now if you don't mind, please leave. I've answered your question-"
"You're lying." He said in a monotone voice. His face was unfazed, as if he couldn't care less about what's going on between us. It boiled anger inside of me.
"I am not. We even kissed." I couldn't hold back anymore. I wanted him to remove that heartless cold expression of his. Draven visibly flinched and I noticed his body stiffen, a muscle in his jawline flickering. His eyes grew a shade darker and I softly gulped when he started taking slow steps towards me.
"Really?" His eyes held me in place, my body completely glued to the spot. "And how'd you like that?" His hard penetrating stare made me feel uncomfortable. I couldn't lie even if I wanted to.
"You should go. I thought you didn't care about what happens between us." I pushed past him only to be grabbed by my wrist. I didn't turn to face him and Draven remained silent, the grip he had on my wrist loosening now.
"Why can't you just be honest with me? " I turned to face him and realized that he was no longer interested in talking again. "Why can't we just stop going back and forth like this?" I stepped forward, slightly grabbing his shirt before looking up to meet his soft, emotionless expression.
"Because I can't give you what you want, Adriana. Even if I wanted to." He finally turned to his right, avoiding my gaze.
"Right." I decided to give up trying with him. "Okay then."
"You didn't answer my question," His voice stopped me from walking towards my bed. "The kiss. How far did you two go?" I can sense the anger radiating off from him as he suddenly appeared in front of me.
"We went far enough. Don't worry about that." I hissed, ready to push past him when he grabbed my wrists.
"Draven, let me go." I demanded.
