A/N: Hey all, again, sorry for the long overdue update. Also? Please tell me if you're reading this! I'm excited because I got the entire AAR series for Christmas. (I didn't own it before). So now I can go and research and see if the random stuff I write about is actually correct. And also, just as a forewarning to those who think I'm rushing the romance (I don't blame you): by this chapter, I have decided that Aubrey loves Risika more than she loves him at the moment, so he should start showing it. As you can see, I have not planned at all what I'm going to write so let's hope it's good, eh?
Risika struggled under Aubrey's tight grip. Anyone else would have screamed, being in a dark room in the middle of the night with one of the most powerful vampires in the world latched onto them. Well, even if he was slightly hindered at the moment, still not fully healed. But Risika knew him to well. By now she was sure that he didn't want to destroy her, only make her suffer. So she kept her mouth shut, except to say, "What do you want, Aubrey?"
"I want you to learn your place. Stop trying to beat me down. And you know the really pathetic thing Risika? You had to wait till I was hurt, impaired. Vampires usually have a better sense of honor than that," he growled at her. But his eyes did not look aggressive, as she would have expected.
Risika had nothing to say to that. He was right. As always, Aubrey was right. Vampires were known for their sense of honor, and striking a weakened being is was generally considered dishonorable. She stopped her struggling and dropped the knife to the floor, but his hand remained on her wrist. At least he loosened his grip somewhat. It seemed that he held onto her now mostly just to keep her near him.
"Then why did you do it?" Aubrey asked. His voice had dropped to a whisper. Risika knew he had read her thoughts. His piercing stare was making her uncomfortable, and she stumbled over her words. She averted her eyes before she began to speak.
"I don't know really…it's just that…I don't know. I finally had the chance to destroy you, something that I've wanted ever since I was human, but I'm not so sure anymore."
"Why? Why aren't you sure?" Risika noticed with just a hint of fear that Aubrey was using his hold on her wrist to pull her gradually closer."
Risika attempted a smile, if for nothing else than to ease her own nervousness. The last time she had been this close to Aubrey he had tasted her blood. Surprisingly, she felt more weakened than him. "Well, you haven't tried to kill me yet, which I'm taking as a good sign."
Aubrey had sat up on his cot. "I don't try to kill you anymore. You try to kill me now, remember?" He sighed, and glanced down. "Look, Risika. I still don't really know what's wrong with me. I know Jessica's pretty upset…she thought something was there that wasn't. I think she sent Fala after me. And I really need to feed, but I'm afraid to leave."
Risika widened her eyes, tensing up for a short moment. Had she heard right?
He nodded slowly. "Yes. You heard it. I am afraid. Even the great have fear. Unfortunately, we need it."
Risika knew this was true. No matter how many times she tried to convince herself she did not feel fear, it was always there. It was a vampire's curse. Being the hunter strangely enough puts one in danger most of the time. And after living for centuries, immortal ones need important motives to survive.
Risika could have hit herself for what she was about to say. But she said it anyway. "Aubrey, you're the strongest fighter I know. You'll get through this. Even if it hurts along the way."
Aubrey smiled sadly. He felt so awkward in this situation. He had never, ever been second rate. Always the top. Always had the upper hand. But here, he was at Risika's mercy. So all he could do was tell her the truth. He shook his head. "I'm having my doubts. I don't think Caryn knows how to save me yet…and…I'm just so cold."
Risika slowly touched his shoulder with her free hand. He was freezing. Not damp anymore, just unnaturally cold. Vampires were often cold, death does that to a person, but never like this. Risika felt a twinge of fear for him. She watched him carefully. He was looking down at her hand on his shoulder, and this time she saw a spark of hope in his eyes.
"Rachel, forgive me in advance if I make you uncomfortable…" he whispered, gently closing the distances between their faces. Risika gasped inwardly as she felt his lips on hers. He was using his mind to try to calm her down at the same time. Risika knew the kiss was wrong, but didn't back away, instead clinging to his cold body, perhaps looking for a sign of life.
However, when he broke away from her, she ran from him. Risika's actions scared herself. She had promised herself she would never fall under his power. Were her defenses weakening? As she backed up to the door of the room, she tried to push down the feelings of disgust she noticed rising up inside of her. "I'm sorry…I…I can't," she stammered very ungracefully. The last thing she saw was Aubrey collapse back onto the bed, closing his eyes.
In Risika's utter state of desperation, she couldn't think straight, and found herself running aimlessly through the dark house. She gasped when she blindly bumped into Caryn, who grabber her by the arm to keep her from running away. "Risika," she whispered. "I think I've finally found out how to cure him. The poison's in his blood…he needs a new supply. A strong new supply. And I think you'd have to be the one to do it."
Risika felt completely defeated as she realized what Caryn was implying. She would have to let Aubrey drain her blood almost completely dry. She felt a single tear fall down her cheek as she finally knew that she had given in. She had fallen under Aubrey's spell.
Risika struggled under Aubrey's tight grip. Anyone else would have screamed, being in a dark room in the middle of the night with one of the most powerful vampires in the world latched onto them. Well, even if he was slightly hindered at the moment, still not fully healed. But Risika knew him to well. By now she was sure that he didn't want to destroy her, only make her suffer. So she kept her mouth shut, except to say, "What do you want, Aubrey?"
"I want you to learn your place. Stop trying to beat me down. And you know the really pathetic thing Risika? You had to wait till I was hurt, impaired. Vampires usually have a better sense of honor than that," he growled at her. But his eyes did not look aggressive, as she would have expected.
Risika had nothing to say to that. He was right. As always, Aubrey was right. Vampires were known for their sense of honor, and striking a weakened being is was generally considered dishonorable. She stopped her struggling and dropped the knife to the floor, but his hand remained on her wrist. At least he loosened his grip somewhat. It seemed that he held onto her now mostly just to keep her near him.
"Then why did you do it?" Aubrey asked. His voice had dropped to a whisper. Risika knew he had read her thoughts. His piercing stare was making her uncomfortable, and she stumbled over her words. She averted her eyes before she began to speak.
"I don't know really…it's just that…I don't know. I finally had the chance to destroy you, something that I've wanted ever since I was human, but I'm not so sure anymore."
"Why? Why aren't you sure?" Risika noticed with just a hint of fear that Aubrey was using his hold on her wrist to pull her gradually closer."
Risika attempted a smile, if for nothing else than to ease her own nervousness. The last time she had been this close to Aubrey he had tasted her blood. Surprisingly, she felt more weakened than him. "Well, you haven't tried to kill me yet, which I'm taking as a good sign."
Aubrey had sat up on his cot. "I don't try to kill you anymore. You try to kill me now, remember?" He sighed, and glanced down. "Look, Risika. I still don't really know what's wrong with me. I know Jessica's pretty upset…she thought something was there that wasn't. I think she sent Fala after me. And I really need to feed, but I'm afraid to leave."
Risika widened her eyes, tensing up for a short moment. Had she heard right?
He nodded slowly. "Yes. You heard it. I am afraid. Even the great have fear. Unfortunately, we need it."
Risika knew this was true. No matter how many times she tried to convince herself she did not feel fear, it was always there. It was a vampire's curse. Being the hunter strangely enough puts one in danger most of the time. And after living for centuries, immortal ones need important motives to survive.
Risika could have hit herself for what she was about to say. But she said it anyway. "Aubrey, you're the strongest fighter I know. You'll get through this. Even if it hurts along the way."
Aubrey smiled sadly. He felt so awkward in this situation. He had never, ever been second rate. Always the top. Always had the upper hand. But here, he was at Risika's mercy. So all he could do was tell her the truth. He shook his head. "I'm having my doubts. I don't think Caryn knows how to save me yet…and…I'm just so cold."
Risika slowly touched his shoulder with her free hand. He was freezing. Not damp anymore, just unnaturally cold. Vampires were often cold, death does that to a person, but never like this. Risika felt a twinge of fear for him. She watched him carefully. He was looking down at her hand on his shoulder, and this time she saw a spark of hope in his eyes.
"Rachel, forgive me in advance if I make you uncomfortable…" he whispered, gently closing the distances between their faces. Risika gasped inwardly as she felt his lips on hers. He was using his mind to try to calm her down at the same time. Risika knew the kiss was wrong, but didn't back away, instead clinging to his cold body, perhaps looking for a sign of life.
However, when he broke away from her, she ran from him. Risika's actions scared herself. She had promised herself she would never fall under his power. Were her defenses weakening? As she backed up to the door of the room, she tried to push down the feelings of disgust she noticed rising up inside of her. "I'm sorry…I…I can't," she stammered very ungracefully. The last thing she saw was Aubrey collapse back onto the bed, closing his eyes.
In Risika's utter state of desperation, she couldn't think straight, and found herself running aimlessly through the dark house. She gasped when she blindly bumped into Caryn, who grabber her by the arm to keep her from running away. "Risika," she whispered. "I think I've finally found out how to cure him. The poison's in his blood…he needs a new supply. A strong new supply. And I think you'd have to be the one to do it."
Risika felt completely defeated as she realized what Caryn was implying. She would have to let Aubrey drain her blood almost completely dry. She felt a single tear fall down her cheek as she finally knew that she had given in. She had fallen under Aubrey's spell.