PROLOGUE
"I am strangely glad to get back again to you: and wherever you are is my home—my only home."
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
As soon as the truck slowed down, I snatched the keys out of the ignition and jumped out. My boots crunched on the gravel with the step but I hastily rushed up the driveway, racing into the house.
Quick and harsh breaths hissed through clenched teeth. My heartbeat was ragingly pounding, trying to escape my chest and I felt my clenched muscles tighten. Nonetheless, I wiped the sweat at my brow and pushed past the aching weight and quickened my pace. All the while, my eyes nervously darted to the side, trying to catch something…anything.
Once I was inside, I slammed the door behind me. Just as I was about to sweep through the kitchen, I was strangely startled with Charlie's appearance. "Where the hell hav-" he began.
"Forget" I breathed, interrupting him as I dodged and raced up the stairs. The second I reached the landing, I fumbled with the shirt and ripped off the bloodied jacket and top, leaving me in the midnight blue lace bra. On my way, I kicked off the ankle boots aside and made my way towards the bedroom.
My jeans were also muddy and I reached down for the buttons, pushing them down as I regarded the person who had been waiting in my room. "Where's Nessie?" I asked while I continued to strip down from the stained clothing.
I felt his heated gaze follow after me as I stalked over to the closet. As I reached inside for the first thing possible, I heard his reply. "She's safe" he promised and I craned my head over my shoulder to raise a questioning brow.
He stood from the bed, dropping the yellow bunny as he looked out the window.
Pulling out the black tank top, I threw it on and grabbed the dark blue jeans. As dirty as I felt, I knew that I couldn't risk having a shower.
"Rebekah's got her" he finally murmured.
I nodded erratically and found myself crossing my arms before bringing one hand up and biting my nails. It was a habit that I had all too recently acquired. Another habit that I had accustomed to...?
Pacing.
At the sound of the whispered footsteps creating a rhythm, I felt him stare at me.
"You can stop worrying" he tried to appease me but I waved it off, knowing full well that it wasn't possible. It wasn't conceivable for me to not worry…
The only thing to break my focus was the beep of his phone. My steps faltered as I paused to watch him type something down. "The car will be brought around in two minutes. It will take us straight to the airport and-"
When he paused I looked up questioningly, only to watch as he pushed me onto the wall. A warm hand covering my lips and I swallowed back the surprised scream as I met piercing electric blue eyes. Relief rolled through me and I found relaxation at his close proximity. Suddenly, the one finger slipped down to be placed on my parted lips and I understood the warning in his eyes.
Before I could ask him anything else, he had blurred to the middle of the room and I watched wide-eyed as he snapped the shadowed figure's head.
Not even sparing a glance at the body, my arms were suddenly wrapped around his neck as I hugged him tightly. He wasn't one for this kind of intimacy but I didn't care. My head now rested onto his chest and my fingers gripped his shoulder as I found peace in the sound of the blood rushing around his form. It made the warmth of the moment tangible and I sighed in content.
For the first time in this whole hurricane, I found peace and felt safe. Having his arm wrap around me gave me hope even if it was a flicker of a flame.
It had only been less than a month but I now trusted the devil himself with my life and my heart.
A/N: Interested? Any questions? Any assumptions?
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Once again, I thank my readers for the Bloodlust Nominations. You won't be able to fathom how excited I was to even find my name once. Thank you all and I hope you know I will never abandon a story. Good luck to the other authors and it is an honour to write for my readers and be around wonderful authors that I look up to.
More updates tomorrow…Promise x