Christian's POV
I closed my eyes, trying to calm my urges to just rush to Angelina and kiss her like I had been dying to do for months. I knew it was so irrational, so crazy, but I wanted to do that so much. Like I had been starving for centuries, and only Angelina could end my hunger. God, I was losing my mind! I ruffled my hair, and leaned on the wall. This woman would be my undoing , I was sure of it!
I had one scared to death woman in my living room, and she meant the world to me. She was so different from my preys. Oh, they were so many, and it had been entertaining to have them tied in the basement, and to play with them. How they begged for freedom! How the ladies have tried to seduce me, and I had taken gladly all they had to offer. How the men tried to bribe me. They all ended the same way- dried from blood. No matter how good they begged, I always killed them. Just for the fun, I had let some of my captives to try to escape, and it was exciting to chase them around the house or even outside. I had always been extra careful, and no one of my captives could call for help or even made it alive. My face was the last thing they saw. As for the money, possessions- I have thrown them out, I didn't need them. I was doing this for the fun and because I loved to hunt. Yes, I could just compel some human to give me his blood, but chasing my prey was such a joy, one I couldn't resist. And winning the woman that was waiting for me in the living room would be my biggest challenge.
Angelina was hungry, and I hoped she would like the breakfast I made for her. Her favorite type of a pancake, and a freshly squeezed orange juice. Just what she loved. I was going to make coffee, but I thought I should ask her first. Maybe if she ate, she would be more kind to me.
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Angelina's POV
This couldn't be happening, right?! This must have been some sick, dream, and I would wake safely in my own home. But something told me this was so real, and for the first time in my life, I was really into trouble. A real, big trouble.
I clutched the pillow as I so desperately wished I had imagined it all. My abduction, the attacker- a supernatural being, a vampire, who seemed to think we are soulmates. Soulmates, like not in the way people usually use to describe their love, but a real soul connection, magic. Like I was really tied to this man by some unique magic connection. No, this is insane! He was crazy! He was absolutely crazy and he dragged me into his madness! There was no way I was similar to this guy! I refused to believe that some part of me was so damaged that my soul could match his in any way!
I remembered watching on the news about kidnapped girls, how the family searched for months, even years for their loved one. How after some time the body was found, or if the girl was lucky- the police would rescue her and put that monster in jail. I used to fear so much of the idea that someone could take me, and use me for his sick goals, and that I would never see my loved ones again. But these are things that you see on the news, and you feel lucky it's not you, or a family member. The crime rate in my town was high, and I had to thank my lucky star that I have never been robbed or anything. So how could this happen to me? Why me? What in me has attracted this guy, vampire or not? I didn't believe even for a second his explanation about soulmates , that he was meant for me. So why Christian was so fixated on me? Why?
I winced as the door opened and I immediately sat down, still clutching the pillow to my chest, like it could protect me somehow. Like I was a child again, and I was holding my favorite teddy bear to keep me safe from the monsters under the bed. I was a grown woman, I wasn't weak anymore, I could throw a punch, but this guy frightened me more than I have ever been in my life. He was strong, fast, and above all a vampire, a monster. And that scared me like hell. Christian kidnapped for a reason, and despite his good behavior, he could easily snap and hurt me.
'' It's okay, don't be scared.''- Christian entered, carrying a tray in his hands, and I fought the urge to rush and try to run again. His brown eyes were watching me intensely, and he must have felt how scared I was. I saw how he swallowed, and smiled kindly, as if to reassure me that he won't hurt me. Like I would believe a guy, who drugged me! –'' I brought you food, you must be starving.''- He placed the tray on the table before me, still maintain eye contact with me, like I was some spooked animal that could bolt any minute to the freedom. –'' You need to eat, Lina.''- Why was he calling me that, like we knew each other? I felt sick. I looked away from his face and lowered my gaze to the breakfast he brought me. Somehow I doubted this guy knew how to cook. Vampires only drank blood, and from all the movies I had seen, they never ate anything else. Also this guy was rich, and somehow I didn't imagine him near the oven. To my surprise before me on the plate was one very good looking pancake, which smelt delicious. Also a glass, filled with orange juice it seemed. Just a normal looking breakfast, but still I had my doubts. I was so hungry, but I didn't want Christian to see how much.
'' What is this?''- I asked, not looking up, but I could feel he was watching me from his place on my left in the armchair, his previous one. I was glad Christian didn't sit down next to me, and again honored his previous promise to keep his distance.
'' Your favorite type of a pancake. With chocolate, bananas, and cream.''- I eyed my abductor, and he smiled at me.-'' I know you order this exact pancake at your favorite dinner. ''- I shivered, because I felt violated. That creep had seen me at restaurants, he knew what I liked to eat. –'' What's wrong?''- His concerned voice nearly made me throw up, but my stomach was empty, plus I didn't want to anger Christian if I make a mess. His kind façade might crack if he had to clean after me.
'' Nothing.''- I lied, and from the look he gave me, he knew it too. But luckily, the dark-haired vampire didn't pressure the matter. Christian was expecting my lack of trust.
'' Well, go on, eat. It's normal food.''- I clutched the fork, and my hand was shaking a bit. The pancake seemed normal, and so tasty. The smell was amazing, and my stomach growled. I adored chocolate and right now I was trying so hard not to empty the plate as fast as possible. I didn't care if my abductor would be ashamed of my fast eating, it wasn't very ladylike, but I didn't give a damn about his opinion. I wasn't trying to impress him, and so I didn't care if I throw myself at the food. But still the suspicion that it might be drugged wasn't allowing me to eat. After all Christian had sedated and abducted me, he might try to do it again. –'' I haven't put anything in it, Angelina, please believe me. ''- His voice was so concerned, so desperate, that my eyes watered from tears again. –'' Please.''- I nodded, and finally gathered the courage to try the pancake. Just anything to stop Christian from begging me with this broken voice to eat. Just anything but not this fake concern. I heard his satisfied sigh that I was already eating. My hand was still shaking, but I tried to breathe deep, like the yoga instructor had taught me. In and out, in and out. But how I could find my inner peace, when I was abducted and the guy was a vampire, a real one?! Like really?! I picked up the glass of juice and drank some, it was wonderful, and I smiled. The pancake was awesome, I hated to admit that Christian had made it just how I liked it. But of course, he has been following me for months!
'' It's delicious.''- I said to fill the silence, which was unnerving. Christian had just left me eat, without trying to start a conversation. We had spent the previous minutes with me eating and drinking the juice, and he was just watching me silently. I had tried not to notice his staring, and kept looking at my plate, but I could feel the burning gaze on my lips, cheeks, hair, hands. I just could feel his warm touch on my skin, and I shivered again.
'' I'm glad you liked it, Lina.''- I clenched my hand into a fist, just from the use of my name in such an intimate way. He didn't have the right to do that!-'' Do you want anything else? Coffee, maybe?''- I bit my lips. I loved coffee, and this would mean my abductor would leave me alone for some minutes. And I couldn't stand him.
'' Yes.''- I answered and forced myself to meet Christian's brown eyes, and shivered when I saw how the adoration in them. It was so creepy, that I nearly screamed. Christian might be handsome, and he was, but he was sick.
'' All right, I will make us some.''- The dark-haired man smiled at me, probably to calm me, and took the tray with food. I didn't want him to touch me so I pressed my back against the sofa again and hugged my knees. Christian noticed how scared I was still, but didn't say a thing about it. I watched how he walked to the door, and turned around.-'' Don't try to run away, darling. You have no shoes and no coat. It's freezing outside and I don't want to chase you.''- I was about to shout at him, to yell, to claw his face, but suddenly some force glued on me on my spot. His voice was so hypnotic, and suddenly I couldn't move. I had planned as soon as he closes to door, to run and break the window and to just disappear, but now I couldn't move. My whole mind wanted me to escape and try my chances outside, snow or no. But Christian had compelled me again, I was sure of it. The vampires could influence humans and make them do whatever they wanted. Just everything. And now I was his puppet.
I tried to fight my tears, I didn't want to cry anymore. I needed a plan and fast. But what should I do? This thing abducted me , and definitely would try to use me for my blood. I suppressed a nervous laugh, this was so ridiculous! This guy had probably taken hundreds to his home, fed them so they could trust him, and later kill them without mercy. Maybe all of this was one sick game- the warm bed, the breakfast, the coffee. Just one sadistic game. And all this talk about some mates, was just his sick fantasy. Maybe Christian forced women to his bed, and then killed them. He was attractive, but why this game? Was he so bored from his life that he needed to kill women? Somehow I found that hard to believe. My abductor was absolutely gorgeous, he had this huge house, he wasn't poor, and I found it hard to imagine that he was bored or unloved. Any woman would be fascinated by him, his eyes were deep and warm, also the voice was pleasant. This didn't make any sense! But serial killers rarely did. That guy was a vampire too, and maybe he enjoyed the chase, to lure unsuspected women and to play with them. Maybe that made the blood better. I shook my head, because I would go insane. I shouldn't care about his sick motives, Christian was sick and that was it. I should think of some plan, Maybe I should keep him talking, ask questions, earn his trust. And when he drops his guard , I would try to escape.
'' I hope you didn't wait much.''- Christian smiled politely at me and placed a cup of coffee in front of me.-'' Here is the sugar.''- He handed me the spoon, and I took it, without meeting his eyes. Christian took his cup and sat down on the armchair again. I put some sugar and began stirring the coffee. This was so messed up! I was drinking coffee with my abductor in his living room, like we were friends! I said a prayer before deciding to ask him some questions. I would never utter a single word to Christian, he scared me to death, but maybe if I kept him talking, he would drop his guard and I could escape. So I swallowed my disgust and bit my lips.
'' So why did you leave me to sleep?''- When he had approached me last night I had though he would try to rape me. He didn't want money, so my body was the thing he must have been interested in then.-'' Why didn't you…?''- I couldn't finish my sentence, too scared of angering the vampire. So far he was calm, but I didn't want to risk it.
'' Why haven't I taken advantage of you?''- Christian's eyes flashed in red, and his whole body tensed, but he didn't move.-'' Why haven't I ripped your clothes and devoured you like I wanted?''- I saw pain in his brown eyes, but maybe he was faking it.-'' If you were anyone else, I would have, Angelina. But I haven't waited centuries to meet you just to spend one night with you. And not by force.''- He was gripping his cup so much, that his knuckles were white.-'' I left you to sleep, because I wanted it. The sight of you in my bed was tempting, but I have more control.''- He eyed my body, like a predator, and I drank some of the coffee to calm myself. I wanted to yell at him for looking me like that, like a lover would. I wanted to tell him not to address me so intimately, but I didn't want to provoke him. I had to earn his trust. I didn't want him to hurt me. I had to watch my words.
'' Why are you certain that I am your mate?''- I said, trying not to show him how my voice trembled. –'' Why me?''- What in me has made this guy believe we were made to be? Or he was telling this to all his victims? I didn't dare imagine how many Christian had killed with this sweet, romantic lie. Because every woman wanted to believe in soul mates, the ideal partner, made just from them. And especially if a man like Christian shows up and starts talking about eternal love, every woman would want him.
'' How many times you had your heart broken?''- I was surprised by this change. I hadn't expected this question.-'' How many times you have been fooled and hurt, Angelina?''- Christian leaned forward, and despite my effort, I did too. –'' How many times you have been left by men?''
'' This doesn't concern you.''- I hissed, but mentally scolded myself, because I didn't want to hurt him, this was supposed to be a normal conversation.
'' Maybe, but I bet you have been hurt a lot.''- the dark-haired vampire ran a hand through his hair, and noticed that his hand was shaking too. He was as nervous as me, but what for?! I was his captive, his prey, he had power over me.-'' I want to kill the men that dared to hurt you, Angelina. I really wish to.''- His eyes were red now, but he didn't attack me, he just glared sadly at me.-'' Because they had no right to touch you, or to …''- Christian closed his eyes and took some deep breaths. He placed down the cup and I winced from how loud it was. –'' I knew from the moment that I saw you that you are mine, Angelina. Like you were the only woman in the world to me, your scent had become my favorite perfume.''- His words were creeping me out and he noticed.-'' I just feel this, darling, I just do. For my kind it's like magic, like whenever our eyes met, you became my whole world. I wanted to be near you, to touch you, to make you smile. I thought that this need would go away in couple of days. Oh, what a fool I have been!''- Christian chuckled, and I put a strand of hair behind my ear. I wrapped arms around myself and the vampire turned the heater on, thinking maybe that I was cold. –'' For us a mate is like a god, Angelina, it's our priority. I won't be able to kiss another woman or sleep with another.''- This sounded so romantic, so ideal, that I cringed. Christian said the right words, words that were like written in some romantic novel, but they scared me.
'' And why me? You have been with probably thousands of women, so why me?''- This guy was completely insane, and he was trying to make me like him too. I had to find a way out of here!
'' To be damned if I know!''- Christian groaned and ran a shaking hand through his hair again.-'' Do you think this is easy for me?! To be tortured with visions about you, about us?!''- Suddenly the vampire leaned forward and grabbed my hand in his. His fingers were warm, but the hold was strong. –'' To can't sleep at night, because you aren't here?''- The brown eyes now were red and they were frightening. They showed pure anger, despair, longing.-'' To keep following you like a maniac for months, just to be near you?''- To my horror the fangs popped up, and the grip on my hand was crushing. –'' To be scared of what I am and that you won't want me?''- I feared Christian would break my fingers in his rage. His eyes weren't leaving mine, and they were so full of pain and anger that I was scared that the vampire would attack me.
'' Please, you are hurting me.''- I sobbed, but he didn't let go. I couldn't feel my hand.-'' Please, Christian.''- I said his name, hoping to make him snap out of his anger. And it worked. The dark-haired vampire let go of my hand , like it had burned him and left the living room so fast that I could barely blink. I hugged my knees and began crying.
