Christian's POV
Being even in the same house as my mate, was a torture, a pure torture. I knew she was so near, finally near, and that was enough to drive me over the edge. Like I couldn't breathe , knowing my lovely mate was just some meters away from me, and I wasn't holding her. How badly I had wanted to just lay beside Angelina! It caused me physical pain not to climb those damned stairs and ease my suffering. I had to have more self-control, but I feared since I saw Lina, it was slowly disappearing. Like I was a completely different man, and it had only took one look at this woman to change me like this. A woman I had seen only once had enchanted me!
I groaned as I ran fingers through my hair and I rested my head on the sofa's back. Maybe I had ruined my chances with Lina, and her accepting me , with this abduction. I imagined what that must had been for her, how scared to hell she had been last night. How her green eyes were full of fear, and her body trembled in my arms, but not from love and passion, but from pure horror. And I felt so ashamed. A mate is supposed to protect the other one, not cause such stress. I had waited so long for my Lina, and I had started everything wrong!
I got up from the sofa and made a few steps towards the door. My whole being wanted to go to my dear one and kiss her. To finally put an end to this maddening desire that had haunted me for months. With Angelina finally here, it was almost impossible to fight with the consuming feelings. My happiness was just upstairs, cuddled in my bed, and my self-control was wearing thin with every passing second. I turned the doorknob and exited the living room, but I stopped in front of the stairs. The sweet mixture of caramel and cherry blossoms, the unique smell of my mate, had took my breath away. And to know she was in my bed, her scent would mix with mine, had made me growl. My mate was a true vision, and she had already wrapped me around her little finger, even without us having a single date yet! This was madness, real madness! I always thought Adam had exaggerated when he told me how much I would crave my mate, but he hadn't. Not even a little bit. I craved to touch and kiss Lina, to drink her blood, to protect from every bad thing out there. I longed for her to be mine and mine alone. And this was a pure madness, she didn't know me! And my stalking for months could never be seen as normal, it was wrong and sick. But since my eyes met Angelina's at that store, I forgot what normal was.
'' Oh, darling, what have you done to me?''- I ran a hand through my hair again.-'' I haven't spoken to you even once, and yet you can turn me into this mess.''-I straightened my back and went inside the living room again, far from temptation. I eyed the clock on the wall, and it was still early in the morning. Lina wouldn't wake up anytime soon. I bit my lips, hating myself that I had to sedate my mate, but it had to be done. If I had compelled her, she wouldn't be asleep for long.
I laid back on the sofa and put my hands under my head. I closed my eyes, hoping to fall asleep somehow. But the thoughts in my head were so many that I wanted to scream. I didn't know how my dear one would react when we would meet, to her being my mate. How would she hate and fear me that I had abducted her. If she would even wish to get to know me? If she would run away, screaming?
'' Please, don't reject me.''-I whispered into the empty room, as if my mate could hear me. –'' Please give me a chance to love you.''- I sounded so desperate and small, so unlike me. –'' I need you in my life, Angelina.''- I prayed that she would at least hear me out.
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Angelina's POV
I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. I was rooted on my spot. I kept staring at the man before me, wondering if I hadn't lost my mind. My abductor, Christian, as he had introduced himself as, was something I haven't seen before in my life. The intense brown eyes now were red, and feral, and the sharp teeth in his mouth like fangs, were enough to freeze my blood. Also he seemed more inhuman now, not the person he was just seconds ago.
'' How…?''- I removed a shaking hand off my mouth and said with a weak voice.-'' This can't be real. You must have drugged me with something else for me see such things.''- I kept on waiting for his eyes to return to their hue again, but it didn't happen. What kind of a trick was this? I had seen how my kidnapper's eyes changed to red a couple of times , but not as long as now. -'' This must be a side effect of the drug.''- I knew that some sedatives could cause hallucinations, and this had to be one. There was no other explanation why I was seeing my abductor with red eyes and vampire fangs other than that I was still under the effect of the drug. The possibility that a vampire was standing in front of me, was too bizarre for me. Such things only existed on movies and on the pages of books, not in the real life. I knew I was abducted by some sick man, but him to be a supernatural being was too much. The rational and sane part of my mind refused to believe it. But how to explain what I was seeing?
'' I'm afraid you are not hallucinating.''- Christian blinked and his eyes were back to normal. –'' I'm real as you are.''- He shot me again a caring look, and for a moment I thought he was going to approach me. But he seemed to have remembered his promise not to be near me, and leaned back again. –'' Let me prove it you.''- I watched with horror how Christian lifted his left wrist to his mouth and his sharp fangs pierced the skin. I was too shocked to react. That guy had bit his own wrist! I couldn't look away as the dark-haired man showed me his bleeding wrist. What was he trying to show me?!-'' Please, don't panic.''- Christian pleaded as his eyes turned to brown again . I yelled and covered my mouth to muffle another scream, when before me the wound sealed itself, the blood disappeared, like with magic. I hoped I had hallucinated the whole thing, but since last night luck wasn't on my side much.
'' What do you want from me?''- I was ready to bolt from the sofa at any minute, but I feared what Christian would do, if I provoked him like that. If that guy was a real vampire, as crazy as it was, he was keeping me here only for blood. So I was a doomed. My head began to spin again, and I dug my nails in my palms hard enough to keep myself focused.
'' I told you, Angelina. You are the other half of my soul, my mate, and I can't be with another woman.''- The gentleness of his voice and the way he said my name, caused shiver to go down my spine. –'' Even if I wanted, I can't. ''- The dark-haired man eyed me with such desperation in his gaze, that my heart skipped a beat. How the hell I ended in such a mess?! Why this guy was so fixated on me?
'' Why me?''- Tears started to appear in my eyes again, and seeing that Christian stood up as if to comfort me, but stopped only a few steps from me. I was glad my abductor honored his promise not to be near me, but I could see it was difficult for him.
'' Please, don't cry, darling.''- He extended his hand towards me, wanting probably to caress me, but he quickly hid it in his jeans' pocket.
'' Stop calling me that!''- I bolted from my seat and tried to get pass him to reach the door. I had always been a good runner in school, and I hoped I was fast enough still. But Christian was faster and grabbed me by the waist. I began trying to hit him with my elbow, but no luck. The grip was strong like iron.
'' I don't want to fight you, Angelina!''- The dark-haired man turned me so I faced him, my wrists were restrained. The look in his eyes was pleading, and I was shocked to see tears in them. -'' Just listen to me!''- Like hell I would listen to him! To the guy that drugged me and took me to his house! To a thing, that wasn't even human!
'' Tell me I am dreaming.''- I sobbed, because I feared my strength was weakening. I was barely holding up. -'' Tell me I had imagined your red eyes and fangs. Tell me I didn't see how your wound heals. Tell me, please.''- I bit my lips, trying to maintain my sanity. I was a rational person, I didn't believe such things. I went to church regularly, I prayed, but believing in vampires and other creatures- no. They only existed in movies, and when kids dressed up as ones on Halloween. I had dressed up as a vampire on Halloween, with the fake fangs, black clothes . It had been fun to pretend, but it was just a game, nothing more. A part of my brain, a rational one, hoped that Christian wore a fake vampire teeth and a pair of red contact lenses. That my brain had tricked me into seeing how his wrist healed so fast. This couldn't be real!
'' I can't.''- Christian pressed his forehead against mine and sighed.-'' I really am what you saw, Angelina.''- My knees buckled and this time my abductor took me in his arms bridal style and carried me to the sofa.-'' Here, rest.''- He gently placed me to lay down, and I was glad he did. I would have passed out by now.-'' Does your head hurt a lot?''- Christian knelt next to me, but I was too exhausted and scared to rise up and try to run again. I feared I would throw up. Everything got too much- my abduction, my abductor a supernatural being, who seemed fascinated by me for a reason I couldn't even think of.
'' A concerned abductor?''- I gathered the last remaining of my strength and I sat down. I didn't trust my legs to stand up, not to mention run.
'' I will get you something for the pain.''- And with a motion so fast, that my head began to ache again, Christian disappeared. My shoulders were shaking, and I wrapped my arms around myself. It wasn't cold, my abductor seemed to have turned the heater on in here too not so long ago. It was comfortably warm. The living room was as big as this guy's bedroom, and I didn't dare to imagine how big this place was really. Christian, whoever he was, wasn't poor or with bad taste. The sofa was big and comfortable with red and white decorative pillows. Two armchairs, a wooden table. A crystal chandelier, beautiful paintings on the walls, depicting Paris, Madrid and Rome. A fireplace. A huge flat screen TV, a small bookcase, filled with books. A vase with orchids near the window. An amazing looking purple curtains. Everything looked picked with taste, and it was so strange that a man like this had abducted some poor woman from the streets.
'' Drink this, it will help.''- I winced when the dark-haired vampire entered. He placed a glass of water on the table and gave me a pill.
'' You drugged me, why should I take anything you give me?''- I pierced him with my eyes, and he grimaced. I immediately expected him to hit me, or yell at me, but nothing like this happened.
'' I know you have every right not to trust me, but this is no poison or another drug.''- He knelt in front of me again, and I crawled away from him on the sofa.-'' I promise, just take it.''- If he was offended by my luck of trust, he didn't show it. We were staring for what seemed like eternity. Green eyes and brown eyes, caught into one trap. I was so afraid, tired, so very tired. I just wanted something to knock me off , so I could wake up in my own home.
'' All right.''- I hesitantly took the pill from the vampire's palm and swallowed it. I even hoped it was a sedative, so I could just fall asleep. I hoped Christian would give me this mercy, this oblivion. But somehow I knew this was just a medication for my pain, like he said. The dark-haired man smiled and stood up as I drank the water. I watched how he returned to his previous spot, the armchair, but I knew he wasn't letting his guard down. He was still looking at me in this intense way, and he wasn't planning to let me reach the front door. I hugged my knees and looked at the window, trying to figure out if I could reach it in time. Yes, but I wouldn't have time to open it, so I would have to break it with something. Maybe that vase or…? But I was still barefoot, and besides I wouldn't get far with a creature like Christian after me. He wouldn't even let me reach the window, not to mention escaping!
'' I wouldn't advise you to try the window, Lina.''- The dark-haired man's voice snapped me out of my thoughts of freedom.-'' I can't let you walk in the snow with no shoes on, and without a coat. You will freeze.''- I shot him my most coldest look and he clenched his fists, and the eyes flashed in red again. But my kidnapper seemed to calm down, because when he looked at me again, the color of his eyes was brown again.-'' Besides you don't know where you are, and you will get lost.''- He ran a hand through his black, medium length hair.-'' And I wouldn't let you leave me.''
'' Why? What does a mate mean?''- Maybe if I kept him talking, I would find out how his motives were. Did he plan to hurt me, dry my blood? Or this was some sick romantic fantasy? In any other situation I would be flattered if a guy this looking showed an interest in me. Christian was very attractive no doubt, his voice was pleasant. But I wasn't his girlfriend, or even friend, he abducted me. A guy that had stalked me for months! I shivered from the thought what he had seen me do. I felt so sick, so terribly sick. This must be some sick fantasy this rich guy had to abduct women, to use them for blood, and to pretend they loved him. I knew that some men that were attractive and had good jobs weren't so happy , but to abduct women?! How miserable and desperate this man had to be to stalk some woman?
'' A mate for my kind is like a partner for life.''- Christian groaned and hid his face in his hands.-'' A special bond between the vampire and the human. The mate attracts the vampire, with his or her blood, and the soul will sing for him.''- He lifted his head and stared at me.-'' Like your soul sang to mine when I saw you.''- Christian smiled gently and rolled his sleeves up.-'' Your face haunted me for months, even my sheets had your scent on them, even though you had never been in them. I dreamed of you, Angelina.''- I put a lock of my hair behind my ear. My hand trembled.
'' Do you even hear yourself how ridiculous this sounds? How insane?''- Christian winced by my yelling, and I regretted doing it. The dark-haired man saw how scared I was and sighed again.
'' But it's true. I never believed it myself, until I met you, Angelina.''- He stood up and I tensed immediately, expecting anything to happen to me. But Christian just approached me , and didn't reach for me. His hand trembled as if he was barely stopping himself from touching me.-'' I know you have a lot of questions, but I know you are hungry.''- My stomach growled and I swallowed. I was really hungry. –'' I will fix you something to eat, darling.''- Christian gave me a gentle smile, but quickly hid it seeing my frightened gaze. –''Just don't try to escape. Stay right here, I will be back soon.''- His voice was so hypnotic, his eyes flashed in red, and before I even realized it, I nodded. Christian left me alone and I laid down on the sofa and hugged one pillow close to my chest.
