Chapter Thirty Seven
"Damnit!"
The following week of our honeymoon continued as promised - Henry keeping me busy all night long. Although, surprisingly it wasn't always spent in the bedroom. He'd been out hunting the local wildlife a couple of times - but it wasn't really to his taste, so every few nights he would make the journey to the small town in order to feed. Sometimes he took me with him, not wanting me away from him for a second longer than necessary. He would take me to restaurants and buy me dinner, or we'd sit in bars and have a drink with the locals whilst he chose from his walking menu of the night. The town was small, but friendly, readily accepting a pair of strangers enjoying their honeymoon into their midst - never once suspecting what Henry really was, even if they did comment it was rather a strange place for us to choose to honeymoon.
I listened in amusement to the sounds coming from the kitchen as I pretended to focus on my book. The heavy clinking of pots and pans, the sloshing of liquids and the odd hissed expletive could be heard from my position across the room.
"Henry, are you sure I can't help?" I asked again, turning to look at him over my shoulder.
The counter top of the kitchen blocked my view, but from the noise I could easily imagine the mess behind there.
"No, everything's fine," he returned brightly. And then, "shit," as something fell to the floor.
I smothered my chuckles and turned away again. Bless him - my husband had insisted on cooking a meal for me - easy enough right? Except he was of course a vampire. Besides the fact that vampire's don't eat human food, Henry had never cooked before in his life - even as a human he had servants and maids to do all those things for him. Obviously he knew the principals of cooking - he'd been around humans long enough and seen enough books and movies to know how it worked, in theory - but it was easier said than done.
Something fell to the floor with a loud crash and another mutter of cussing.
"Henry, love…the thought was nice, but really you don't have to do this," I tried again. I thought he was being a little silly. Romantic, sweet and thoughtful, yes - but silly all the same!
"You're my wife…I'm going to take care of your needs," he muttered, down on his hands and knees clearing up whatever mess he'd made.
I grimaced. He was trying so hard to make this honeymoon as normal…as human, as possible for me. I told him it didn't matter, I loved him the way he was, vampire and all. He repeated that I deserved the chance of a normal, regular honeymoon…wanting me to experience everything remotely human before that was taken away from me.
"There," he finally announced, sounding pleased with himself.
I looked towards him expectantly as he fixed a huge smile on his face and made his way over to me, carrying a plate. I looked on in quiet reservation, knowing I would at least have to try whatever he had created. I just hoped that it was edible. I'd force it down myself if need be - I wasn't going to upset him after going to all this effort.
"Here you go," Henry smiled, proud of his efforts as he handed me the plate and closed my book as he took it away from me.
I smiled up at him and then glanced down at the offering on the plate. To be honest I wasn't sure what it was as I poked it with the fork. "Erm…thank you," I offered.
"Go on then, eat your pancakes," he smiled, perching on the arm of the sofa, watching me intently..
Ohh…so it was pancakes! I guess all the lumps and scrambled bits had confused me - I wasn't sure if it was scrambled eggs or an omelette or, well it could be anything really.
"I followed the recipe and instructions," he added, his tone implying he was a little insulted at my hesitation.
"Oh, hmmm….looks great," I slapped a huge smile on my face for him and broke a piece off with the fork, toying with it for a moment, half way to my mouth. He was still watching me, so I smiled and shoved it into my mouth. Something crunched against my teeth as I chewed and I tried very hard not to cringe.
"It's awful, isn't it?" he hung his head in failure.
"No, really…it's fine," I smiled again, taking another fork full.
Henry sighed and took the plate and fork from me. "Really, you don't have to save my feelings. I know it looks even more disgusting than human food does to me normally. You'd probably better not eat it, you'll get sick," he tossed the whole plate, food and all, into the sink. After rinsing it down the sink and turning on the garbage disposal, he picked his car keys up from the counter. "Come on, I'll take you out to dinner," he decided, nodding his head towards the door and grabbing my jacket for me from the coat peg.
I wasn't saying no to that, as I bounded out of my chair and over to him, kissing his cheek as he helped me on with my coat. "It was a good effort," I insisted, not wanting him to feel too offended.
"I think I'll leave the cooking to you now," he decided. And I had to admit, I was grateful.
"I'll still let you pour me a drink," I chuckled, sure he couldn't mess that up.
He laughed too, flung his arm around my shoulder and led me out to the car.
Well over an hour later I sighed deeply as I rested my elbow on the table and cradled my head in my hand, swirling the straw in my drink. I was sat alone in a restaurant booth, waiting for Henry to return. I knew he had to feed too, but it didn't mean I had to like what he was out currently doing. It caused actual pain to imagine his lips on another person, imaging him seducing another woman, that she was being pleasured by him - intentional or not.
I sat up then and drained my drink noisily, hoping to drown out the thoughts taunting my mind.
"So, where did you get to the other night anyway? I thought we were meeting at The Spirit?" I overheard the woman in the booth behind me ask her companion.
Her friend groaned. "We were, and I was on my way…but then I don't remember what happened after that," she sounded frustrated.
"Start drinking at home did ya?" the first woman teased and I gathered that 'The Spirit' was the name of a local bar we hadn't come across yet.
"No, Brit! It was really strange. I remember leaving home…remember walking down the street. And then it's kind of blank. But I could have sworn I met some guy…and we had some kind of encounter in a dark alley…you know, the pleasurable kind of encounter," she whispered with a giggle.
I sat up straighter and leant my head back a little, her story suddenly gained my interest.
Her friend laughed out loud. "Knowing you, you forgot about meeting me and fell asleep. You were dreaming!" she insisted.
"Maybe…" the girl sighed. "I suppose. It does all seem very hazy now. But it felt so real. It's like an hour or so of that night just disappeared… I headed out to meet you and the next thing I know I'm back home drinking loads of water and feeling so tired."
Her friend just laughed at her again. "You and your weird dreams. I swear you get worse Candice, really I do!"
I knew she hadn't been dreaming at all. Her story was all too familiar of a vampire's hunting…of my vampire's hunting technique. Perhaps I had best tell Henry she had some vague memories of him…it might come back to haunt him in the future or she might recognise him if she saw him.
"Are you finished with that love?" The waitress returned and took my plate.
"Yes, thank you," I nodded and moved back to give her room to clear the table.
"So, where's that lovely young man of yours gone?" she wondered, taking my empty glass and placing it on her tray as she wiped the table with her cloth.
"Oh, my husband, erm…he had to nip back to our cabin. He left his wallet," I made up and rolled my eyes. "Men!" I laughed.
She joined in the laughter too. "You got that right love. Mind you, it looks like you caught one of the better specimens. He is very charming and handsome," she smiled.
"Oh, erm…thanks." I stammered. I knew that he was attractive and how women felt inexplicably drawn to him - but it still irked me a little when complete strangers fawned over my man.
"So, can I get you anything else?" she wondered.
I bit my lip as I thought about it, I didn't know how long Henry was going to be. Then my eyes caught sight of the menu again and the cherry pie suddenly looked delicious. "Can I get a slice of the pie?" I asked.
"Sure thing hon," she made a note on her writing pad. "And anything for your husband when he gets back?"
"Oh, erm…no thank you. He's…he's on a special diet." I made up.
"Alrighty then," she smiled and expertly carried her loaded tray away.
As she left my table I heard the girls behind me again. "You done Britney? Come on then, lets go!"
They both stood and passed by my table. I didn't know which one it had been, but the moment I saw both of them a sudden familiar feeling of insecurity washed over me. They were both beautiful girls, one tall and blond, the other slightly shorter and dark haired with figures a model would envy. I looked down at myself and felt dowdy in comparison. I was older, my figure was less than perfect - much more rounded than either of them and here I sat in my comfortable sweater, jeans and sneakers whilst they toddled off in their expensive high heals and mini skirts.
I knew it was stupid, I knew I was being ridiculous. But I couldn't help it - I was insanely jealous of the pair of them - regardless of which one had been with Henry. If he still preferred to hunt those kinds of women…the pretty 20 something model's, is that secretly what he craved? Had he settled for me out of pity? Did he actually not expect me to make it, so he would soon be free of me? Suddenly I was upset and angry with him…I felt like I was being cheated on.
Henry returned to our table at the same time as the waitress returned with my desert.
"Did you find your wallet?" she asked him, setting my plate down and handing me a fresh set of cutlery wrapped in a napkin.
"Erm…" he glanced at me and I nodded once. "Yes, thank you," he flashed her his winning grin as he sat down.
She giggled girlishly at him. "Honestly, you men," she flapped her hand at him, overcome of her emotions. "What are you like, leaving your wife sat here alone whilst you go off making up for your daft mistakes."
"Have you been okay?" he wondered, looking curiously at my face.
I ignored him as I unwrapped a fork and dug into my dessert.
"You're lucky, most women would have caused a fuss. Your wife has been very understanding."
"Well, that's because she's more than my wife. She's my forever." he smiled fondly at me, sliding his hand across the table and placing it atop of mine.
Suddenly I needed both hands to eat my dessert with as I pulled it from under his and flashed him a fake grin, shoving another forkful of pie into my mouth.
"Aww…" the waitress sighed. "That's so romantic…so adorable," she sighed again wistfully. "Oh, young love…you make me almost wish I had it to do all over again," she fanned herself with her hand. "You hang on to this love, the honeymoon period doesn't last long," she glanced back at her large, balding husband barking orders to his kitchen staff. He looked anything but romantic or even remotely still in love with his wife.
"Merely a week," I muttered to myself. As she left our table, shaking her head regretfully, remembering a time that seemed like another life time to her now.
"What's wrong?" Henry asked, the moment she was out of ear shot.
"Nothing," I muttered, eating my desert in earnest.
He eyed me closer. "Something's upset you. Did I make you wait too long?" he wondered.
"I'm fine," I sighed. "Are you paying the bill, or should I?" I stood up, having finished my pie already. Suddenly I just wanted to get out of here and go somewhere private.
"I'm paying," he huffed, sounding offended as he stood from the booth and went to find our waitress for our check.
I didn't wait for him as I headed out to the car.
He exited the diner a few moments later to find me leant against the hood of the car with my arms folded sullenly across my body, glancing up the street, away from him . Silently he walked to my side and unlocked the door, gallantly opening the door for me. I ignored him as I climbed inside and slammed the door shut. He frowned, his eyebrows puckering together and shook his head ruefully, trying to work out what he'd done or said to have upset me.
Silence followed us back to our cabin, where I got out as soon as we pulled to a stop and waited for him to unlock the door. Inside I threw my coat onto the stand and stomped into the kitchen, further aggrieved by all the mess he'd left before we went out.
"Cat…what's wrong?" he couldn't take it any longer as he closed the door behind us, locking us in for the night.
"Nothing," I muttered, ignoring his mess and taking a glass from the cupboard, filling it with water.
"Don't give me that, something is wrong. What…is it me?" he asked.
I glared at him as I downed the water and muttered under my breath, putting the now empty glass into the sink.
"Tell me," he pleaded, moving behind the counter to join me in the kitchen area. "What's upset you? Is it all this mess?" he grimaced as he looked around.
"I don't care about the damn mess!" I snapped.
"Then what?" he retorted in the same tone.
"Nothing, leave it!" I shrugged his hand off me before storming into the bathroom.
I sat on the toilet telling myself I was being an idiot. I knew I was being totally unreasonable but I couldn't stop how I felt. Those nagging self esteem issues crept out of their locked cupboard to taunt me once more. A few tears escaped my eyes as I allowed myself to become worked up over it, and the more stressed I got about it, the more those fears became real to me and I cried harder.
"Cat?" a soft knock at the door. "Can we talk about this? I don't like arguing with you."
"We're not arguing!" I shot back, flushing the toilet and washing my hands.
"No, you're right. You wont even speak to me," he sighed and I heard him move away from the door.
"Fine! You want to know what's wrong?" I asked, yanking the door open and slamming it against the bathroom wall.
He turned and looked at me alarmed.
"I came across one of your pretty play things tonight. One of your…conquests all under the guise of you having to 'feed'," I scoffed, making quotation marks with my fingers in the air. "It must be nice for you, being able to offer such a good excuse that I would have to understand you getting off with pretty woman every other night…have to accept you being with them, seducing them, touching them, kissing them," I began to cry as the images played out in my head. I was so insanely jealous right now that the thought of him being with anyone else made me feel physically sick.
Henry sighed deeply. "We've been through this before. You know it's not like that for me. They mean nothing…they're merely food to me. I look at them the way you look at a pizza," he attempted to explain.
"Ha!" I snorted, finding the idea absurd. "You don't catch me making out with a pizza, do you?" I left the bathroom doorway and wandered back into the lounge, over to the window.
"You know that's the way I hunt. The way I catch my prey, lure them in. do you think I like scaring people and taking blood violently?" He stepped up behind me, but kept a short distance for now.
I shrugged. "You are a vampire,"
"It's easier if they come to me…willingly. If I can make the experience less frightening and offer them something in return, even if it's only a dreamlike fantasy. Besides the pleasure of satisfying my hunger, of feeling full, I don't get off on it. I hold that back for you." He begged me to understand.
"Yeah, right," I scoffed, turning from the window and flinging myself down on the couch, searching for something else I could ignore him with. Though deep down I knew he was being honest.
"It's true…you know you're the only one I share that with now," he knelt before me. "There's nothing sexual for me in a feeding anymore. No love, no emotions, that all changed when I met you. Now…it's merely quenching my thirst."
"Well, pardon me if I don't like the fact that my husband spends our honeymoon seducing pretty young girls…who look a thousand times more glamorous than me." I pouted and folded my arms again.
"Is this what this is about? Your self esteem issues?" he raised one eyebrow. "Did I not marry you?" he reminded me gently as he uncurled my fingers and took my hand in his.
"Yes, exactly. You married me…not them…you're married to me." Something suddenly clicked inside my head as I looked up into his eyes silently. "You…you married me," I whispered. "You chose me. You, you love me." I realised, feeling like a total jerk for every doubting him.
He nodded and smiled at me, brushing his fingers lightly down my cheek. "I do, eternally."
"I'm sorry," I sobbed as I lay my head on his shoulder and wrapped my arms around him. "I'm being stupid…ridiculous. I just…I got jealous. I don't like it." I admitted, my voice muffled in his shirt.
"There's no need for you to be jealous love. I know this must be hard for you, feeling as though you're sharing me, but, in truth, I'm all yours." he leant forward and kissed my lips.
I looked up at him and smiled, returning his kiss. "I'm sorry,"
"Shh," he whispered and kissed the top of my head. "Besides, I should be apologising. I broke my promise." he moved from the floor to the sofa and pulled me into his arms.
"What promise?" I frowned at him, toying with the buttons on his dark blue shirt.
"I promised never to give you reason to cry again," he began and looked down at me.
I rolled my eyes - oh, that nonsensical promise.
"And here you are, already upset again, because of me." He pulled me back into his arms and kissed the top of my head.
"You know, I'm an overly emotional fool. This might be one promise you can never keep. I cry at TV commercials sometimes," I laughed.
Henry chuckled once. "But that's not because of me. I don't ever want to hurt you."
I peered up at him and kissed his chin. "Henry," I whispered, my lips sliding along jaw.
"Mmm?" he asked sighing under my attention.
"Shut up, and make love to me," I demanded.
He growled playfully, flashing a devilish grin and in a flash I was under him, laid out on the couch as he claimed my mouth in a deep kiss before fulfilling my request.
******
It would seem the only causality of this arrangement - the consistent love making and being up all night - was my energy levels. I was sleeping so much more than usual - often times not waking until after Henry. He teased me about not having the stamina for a honeymoon with a vampire, but I think in the back of his mind he had a nagging doubt about it all, worried that something else was making me so tired and lethargic.
I wasn't at all worried. We were…enjoying each other more than usual and we were being much more energetic in the bedroom without having to worry about making too much noise - after all the closest people were at least ten miles away! I rarely fell asleep until dawn, so, it was only natural I would need more sleep to keep up with him and it was simply nice to relax and be lazy for once.
"I'm freezing," I complained, darting inside the cabin and rubbing my arms vigorously, trying to warm myself up. "Did we have to walk so far?" I grumbled, breathing on my hands.
"We didn't go that far," he smirked at me and locked the door for the night.
"Yeah, well…just because you don't feel the cold!" I pouted at him and hugged my body.
Perhaps a walk at night in the forest at this time of year was not such a good idea! It was so cold out there - I swore I'd seen the odd snowflake, but Henry told me I had imagined it. He had insisted I needed some fresh air and had dragged me outside to take a walk with him under the stars. He'd made it sound so romantic it was hard to resist. Now there was nothing romantic about my teeth chattering together or frostbite.
I stomped over to the fire, intending to light it and hopefully warm up as I threw a log on and searched for the matches left on the mantelpiece.
"Leave that," Henry took my hand and pulled me up.
"But I'm cold!"
"I know, I'll soon warm you up," he grinned at me, unzipping my jacket and allowing it to fall at my feet.
"Henry," I shivered - he was not helping things.
He just grinned at me and raised an eyebrow, tugging my hand and leading me back towards the tiny hallway. I thought he'd been leading me into the bedroom, so I was surprised when he turned and pulled me into the bathroom.
The whole room was already filled with wafts of steam and a heady scent from the bath oils and I smiled at him - understanding now how he intended to warm me up. This was even better than the fire - my body temperature was already rising.
I allowed him to undress me, slowly, raising goose bumps on my skin when his cooler hands touched my body as it was revealed. I undressed him in return until we were both naked and stepped into the large tub together.
He held me, kissing with abandoned passion as I felt his hand slide up my wet naked thigh. My legs appeared to have a mind of their own as they opened for him and he grinned against my lips., sliding his hand higher and touching me.
The effect was instantaneous - even after all this time, my body quivered against his touch and my heart rate increased as tiny nerve endings reacted to his delicate fingers. I felt the heat burn between my legs and I wanted him, needed him - he was like my drug and I couldn't get enough of him.
My breasts pressed against his wet chest as I moved closer to him, holding him tight and whispering against his ear, telling him what I wanted, what I needed him to do. His lips trailed down my wet skin until I felt his mouth at my breast and my fingers dug into his back. I was certainly hot now.
Within the briefest seconds he'd manoeuvred us in the tub, he was inside of me and already working my body towards yet another mind-blowing climax.
*****
As the first week of our honeymoon blurred into the second, I had to confess to myself that I was becoming concerned about my health too. Not that I said anything to Henry, though the slight fever I developed was difficult to keep from him - he noticed that the moment he touched me. He was so attune to my body, to everything about me that he noticed the slightest change instantly now and commented on my rapidly irregular heart rate. I told him it was because of the increased exercise every night and he accepted that, with some misgivings, for now.
But I didn't mention the increased tiredness or bouts of terrifying breathlessness to him. I tried to tell myself it was just the onset of a common cold, possibly flu at the worst, but even I didn't believe myself. Henry wanted us to go home, for me to see a doctor, but I was determined that nothing was going to ruin our honeymoon - we still had another week left before we planned to return home and I was not going to leave early. Only I could be stupid enough to get sick on honeymoon.
I woke late one afternoon in a blind panic, fighting for my breath as I lurched up in the bed. I sat wheezing for some time - just trying to catch my breath was difficult. I was wet and clammy with sweat, my fever having increased and I knew something was seriously wrong.
In an effort to alleviate the symptoms, I struggled to the edge of the bed, my head hanging between my knees, trying to breathe. Only every time I took a breath in my chest became so painful it felt like knives stabbing me over and over. It became a vicious cycle of gasping for breaths and then grasping my chest in pain. What was wrong? I began to panic, thinking I was having a heart attack.
But the panic just made everything that much worse - I was starting to hyperventilate. The pain became unbearable, my heart was literally pounding inside my chest - beating erratically and I felt light headed and faint.
Vaguely, as though lost in a deep fog, behind me I heard a noise as Henry woke.
"Cat?" he asked. And then in a millisecond he was crouched beneath me on the floor. "Cat, hon, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked, rubbing my knee comfortingly.
"Can…t…..bre…breathe…" I managed to whisper, in-between taking short gasping breaths.
"Your heart," he placed a hand over my chest, above my heart. "It's pounding…much too fast," he stood and put his other hand on my forehead. "You're burning up," his voice hitched in concern. "That's it, we're going back to the city right now," he announced and in the tenth of a second he'd thrown some clothes on.
Returning to the bed, he gently picked me up in his arms, grabbing a blanket on his way as he threw it over me and bundled me out to the car. "Stupid…so stupid," he muttered to himself, laying me carefully on the back seat. "Coming all the way out here, with no doctors…stupid," he berated himself again.
I wanted to tell him to stop, that this wasn't his fault. That I loved our time here…he was not stupid - it was all perfect and that I loved him. But it was hard enough drawing in the air to breathe, let alone form words.
His lips whispered against my forehead as he kissed me. "Hold on my love, I'll get you to the hospital. Stay with me, okay? I love you?" he pressed his lips against my clammy skin again before slamming the door, climbing in the drivers seat and putting the car into gear all in one fluid movement.
The car seemed to soar down the quiet roads as he rushed us back to the city - ignoring the road traffic laws. I drifted in and out of consciousness as Henry checked on me, talking to me, begging me to stay with him and bringing me around again when I passed out.
As we got closer to the city, the haze of lights visible in the distance, I heard Henry murmuring in the front seat. I thought he was talking to himself, but then I realised he was on the phone. "Vicki's meeting us at the hospital," he told me, slinging the phone onto the passenger seat as he jumped a red light and took the corner sharply. "We'll be there in a few minutes, hold on, please…" he spoke to me in the rear view mirror.
As promised, we pulled to a screech outside the ER entrance mere moments later. Henry left the car running and the doors open, abandoning the car in his haste as he carried me into the reception.
"I need help…my wife," he shouted, demanding for someone to help him.
A nurse looked over and seeing the predicament, grabbed the nearest wheelchair, rushing over to him.
"What happened?" she asked, trying to take me from Henry to place in the chair.
He refused to let me go and she gave up as he marched on ahead with me in his arms. "She can't breathe….her heart is pounding…she has a fever," Henry spoke hurriedly, his face a mask of pain and worry.
"Has this happened before?" she asked him, rushing on ahead to open a door into another room for him to carry me through as more nurses and a doctor joined her.
"Erm, no," he shook his head. "Not that I know of." He lay me down on the gurney and stepped back. his arms folded across his chest with the blanket he'd covered me with clasped to his body.
"Anything else we should know?" she asked hurriedly. Another nurse was attaching nasal tubes to my face to help my breathing whilst someone else was removing my clothes, placing probes on my body to monitor my heart. Henry watched all this in torment…I could see it all in his eyes as I kept mine on him.
"Sir, anything else we need to know?" she snapped at him, breaking him out of his daze.
"Erm…she, she has some kind of immunity deficiency….she'd had a lot of infections recently, had lots of tests…she has medical records here," he replied distractedly.
"Okay," she spoke more softly to him, realising his distress. "If you can go book her in at reception, we can get hold of her medical records and be able to help her more efficiently," she patted his back. "We will look after her," she promised, "but we need room to work, you can help best by signing her in now." She led him from the room, tearing my husband away from my side.
I needed him here, I was scared and in pain. But the thought of him being taken away from me hurt even more than anything my body could throw at me right now. Henry was my anchor, the only thing that kept me here and I was terrified of what might happen without him close by.