I'm sorry for how long its been since I've updated. I came back from El Slavador with a 103 fever and was sick for two weeks and since I've gotten better I've been super busy and now I'm leaving on a 9 day trip tomorrow. So sorry but it'll be a bit till I update again. Sorry again and please review and don't favorite or follow without reviewing please! :)
Chapter 6
A week passes with no further encounters from Ian. Aaron tells me that apparently the entire household is fed up with him and told him to take a hike until he fixed his attitude. At least that's one less thing there is to worry about.
He's drank from me twice more and each time that strange shock went through both of us again. I've started noticing him looking at me when he thinks I can't see him with a strange look on his face like he completely baffled by me being there. For the past few days he's started to tell me something before stopping and mumbling 'never mind' and insisting to leave it at that.
That and the fact that he still hasn't hired a bodyguard yet worry me. I have the sinking suspicion that he may have developed feelings towards me and I have no clue what to do if he voices them to me. How awkward would that be to have the guy I'm stuck with forever have a crush on me constantly trying to date me?
I have got to get him away from me. I'll have to insist that he hires a body guard as soon as possible. And I will do my best not to engage in conversation with him. What else can I do?
We're sitting yet again in the library reading and I'm getting restless. Even though I've been deprived of books my entire life, I can only sit still for so long before I start to go crazy. And a week is long enough. My gaze keeps drifting to the bright fall day out the window. The leaves are turning brilliant reds and gold and I long to be outside if only to feel the sun on my face after being stuck inside for so long.
"Aaron." I say, my voice ringing loudly in the silent room and making him drop his book in surprise.
"Yes?" He asks, blue eyes shining with hope.
"Could we—could I go outside?"
"Outside?" He asks in shock. "Well of course you can! You're not a prisoner here Aspen."
"Yeah? Well it sure doesn't feel like it." I mumble getting up. Aaron flinches but doesn't respond. How could I not feel trapped? It wasn't like I could leave. Plus, even though Aaron was okay he was still a vampire and I was stuck with him until I died. Could he not see why I was bitter about this?
He silently leads me down a hall to two French doors that go outside and open to a gorgeous fall day. A crisp cool breeze whips my hair around and makes the colorful leaves dance in the air as we open the doors. Smiling, I walk out into the backyard which is a clearing surrounded by trees. I love the feeling of the sun on my face after being stuck in that house for so long and I lay down with a crunch onto a pile of fallen leaves.
After a minute I open my eyes to see Aaron staring at me strangely again. Great, there went my good mood. With a sigh, I sit up and face him.
"Are you okay?" I ask trying to get rid of the awkward silence.
"What?" He asks sounding dazed. Then he blinks a few times as if waking up and his eyes clear. "Oh yeah I'm fine. You just looked so happy. I don't think I've seen you smile the whole time you've been here unless you're reading."
"Yeah well there's not much for me to smile about is there?" I say sounding much harsher than I had intended. Aaron winces.
"No I suppose not," He says quietly. "You know you can come out here anytime you like, just ask."
"Yeah because you're my perpetual babysitter aren't you? I can't ever have a moment to myself."
"Aspen," Aaron says sounding frustrated. "You know I don't want to watch you all the time. But it's for your own protection."
"Since I've been taking up so much of your time, why don't you just hire a bodyguard for me already?"
"I haven't found anyone that meets the requirements." He says looking away.
"Uh-huh," I say getting mad. I stand up and brush the leaves off of my clothes, crossing my arms in front of my chest. "And who exactly has been conducting these interviews?" He opens his mouth and then snaps it shut, clearly at a lost for words.
"Yeah that's what I thought," I say walking back to the house. "Just hire someone and stay away from me Aaron!"
Why the hell couldn't he leave me alone? What was his problem? He had already taken my freedom and now he was stalking me. Maybe I had misjudged him, he was just as crazy as any other vamp. I'm reaching for the door handle when he's suddenly right in front of me as in there's maybe two inches between us.
"Aspen wait." Aaron says blue eyes wide and crazy.
"Get out of my way Aaron," I say through gritted teeth. "I really don't feel like talking to you well ever."
"Aspen." He says again, softly this time. What the hell…? I have time to think, before he kisses me.
That damn electricity zips through me again and for a moment I melt in his arms. This was perfect. This was where I belonged, with Aaron. I think my thoughts muddled and dreamy.
Aspen. I hear Aarons voice say in my mind and that snaps me out of it. I jerk backwards and stumble out of his arms falling on the ground, all pleasant happy thoughts gone, replaced with rage.
"What the hell was that Aaron?" I shriek jumping up and walking angrily towards him before slapping him in the face. He raises a hand to his cheek where for a few seconds my red hand print appears before he heals. Damn his vampire powers. "What did you do to me?"
"I—nothing," He stammers seeming bewildered by my rejection. "I swear I didn't do anything to you."
It's this damn bond isn't it?" I seethe. "Isn't it!"
"Most likely," He admits. "I apologize I don't know what overcame me."
"I think you know exactly what overcame you Aaron. And guess what? It will never happen. I hate vampires! They've ruined my life and torn my family apart. I thought you were better than most but apparently that was my mistake. Just hire somebody and stay the hell away from me Aaron." And with that I storm into the house and up to my room.
What the hell had given him the idea that I liked him? Sure I though we could've maybe been friends like Ruby and I were becoming but I could never like a vampire or any supernatural like that.
I sit on my bed fuming but there's a scary thought in the back of my head. That for just a second, I actually had feelings for him. But I quickly push this aside as a result of the bond.
The next day, when a maid comes up with my breakfast, I'm handed a note.
Aspen,
I apologize for my actions yesterday. They were completely uncalled for. I hope some day you can forgive me. I promise to stay away from you aside from when it is absolutely necessary. I have hired a guard and he will be arriving this afternoon. Please stay in your room until he arrives.
Sincerely,
Aaron
Well at least he had listened to me that was a start. But it was going to be incredibly awkward to be around him from now on. Because there is no way I can even have a friendship with him now.
At around eleven, Ruby knocks on my door and she looks mad at me.
"I can't believe you Aspen!" He says slamming my door.
"You can't believe me?" I ask bewildered. "Don't you mean you can't believe your brother? He's the one that kissed me!"
"I know but did you honestly not figure out that he had feelings for you by now?"
I had a suspicion," I admit. "But I never thought he'd act on it! And I never gave any inclination that I liked him back! I've tried to talk to him as little as possible."
"But he did apologize didn't he? He won't do it again, there's no need for you to give him the cold shoulder!"
"Um yeah there is. He kissed me! I already have to be stuck with him forever and now he's gone and made it so my whole life will consist of awkward encounters with him."
"You're the one who's making it awkward Aspen," Ruby argues back. "He won't do anything again except be your friend now that he knows how you feel."
"But now that I know how he feels how can I be his friend knowing that he might see it as something its not?"
"I don't know Aspen," Ruby says shaking her head and heading towards the door. "But if you don't want the rest of your life to be "awkward" you may want to figure something out." And with that, she leaves. Great, now Ruby was mad at me.
An hour later my new body guard, a huge burly bald guy who introduced himself as Joe, arrives. I try to talk to him but he won't answer with anything beside a polite yes or no regardless if it makes sense.
It seems like the rest of my life is going to be incredibly boring unless I do something about it. But what?