Chapter 2: Bloodlust
(Carlisle POV)
I sat in my office all night, pondering about Melinda, trying to stop the insane urge that was welling up in my chest. The feeling of desire burned my chest and made it hard to breathe even though I didn't need to breathe but when I tried to inhale I felt like I was breathing in sand. I felt…anxious to be away from Melinda and I wanted to just find her home and watch over her like a guardian angel. Of course vampires weren't angels because we were damned regardless but I felt a strangling feeling in my chest that I had to be near her.
"Carlisle," whispered Alice, dashing in silently, "are you feeling all right? Jasper told me you're feeling conflicted. Do you wanna talk about it?" Her small, innocent pale face was painted with concern as she stared into my face inquisitively. I swear, the girl could be a great counselor because she listened and responded greatly.
"I don't want you to trouble yourself with my problems, Alice," I said gently, patting her small pale hand absently. "If, metaphorically, it helps you sleep tonight, I can tell you." I couldn't say no to Alice because her face would transform into one that resembled a cocker spaniel who peed on the rug.
"So what is this about?" she asked even though she probably already knew. "I have foreseen you sinking your teeth into a dark haired woman's skin. I just had to make sure you didn't. You didn't touch the girl really. Unfortunately, your thoughts were loud enough to attract Edward's attention. He told me that you were close to biting her but you merely hugged her and sniffed her hair. It seems like you found, as Aro says, your singer." Her words were reassuring to me but it didn't take away my anxiety.
I was the level-headed head of the Cullen family but even I had my weak moments as a vampire. It wasn't that often and they were fleeting but now the weak moment was lasting longer than I wanted. I didn't like the fact that an innocent girl would swept up in the ugly life of a vampire and I knew the other vampires like Emmett would teasingly tell me to just put this out of my misery but I cared too much about human life to just extinguish one for alighting my blood lust.
"This may sound unbelievable, Alice," I sighed, thinking of the young woman who I would recently work with soon, "but I feel like I need this girl. It's callous and irresponsible to uproot the family so I decided we should stay until further notice."
Alice smiled at me, despite my anxiety, and said, "Carlisle, your feelings for this girl are as inevitable as the sun rising in the east. Like it or not, you're falling in love with her. You should breathe now, you know. Even though vampires don't need to breathe, you need to close your mouth because it'll make you look odd."
I blinked a few times and then shut my mouth to regain my dignified appearance. "So you're telling me I'm going to fall in love with a human?" I asked, sighing, running a hand over my eyes like I suffered a headache. "Now, I know how Edward felt when he met Bella."
"Don't worry so much," said Alice as though she was a counselor. "If you just treat this as an ordinary, you'll soon lose the bloodlust. Now, if you don't mind, Jasper and I are going to watch a movie. Good night, Carlisle." With that, she swept out of the room the same way a ballet dancer would and left me alone to think.
…
As usual, I dressed diligently and drove to work bright and early to begin the day. I made up my mind to not let the lovely scent of a human girl to sway me from my work and just resume my life normally. When I arrived to work, I saw the familiar dark haired woman walking across the lot and that familiar burning feeling welled up in my throat as I stared at her moving figure. She seemed to feel my gaze because she turned to face me and waved at me with a smile on her face.
In response, I waved back at her to seem like a normal human man. I loved seeing the light in her eyes when she smiled. Her smile was so radiant and natural that I couldn't help but feel the burning in my throat intensify. Thank God I had enough control not to just tear across the parking lot and sink my teeth into the warm, smooth skin that was her neck. With a shake of my head, I snapped back into the present and began walking to the door of the hospital.
Melinda reached the door the same time I did so I opened it for her and let her in first. She gave me a grateful smile before walking in and I felt the fire burn in me more than ever so I thought back to the time I swam to Italy and the burning fell away. Elegantly, I swept into the hospital and pulled my doctor's coat on. Why did Melinda have to be right in front of me with her back turned? It was like she was tempting me but she couldn't possibly know of my little problem.
To psych her out, I crept up behind, brushed her hair back from her shoulder, and whispered, "Good morning, my darling."
(Melinda POV)
As I pulled my coat on, I smelled a nice musky scent but just shrugged it off. For all I knew, it could have been just part of the locker rooms but suddenly I felt cold hands brush my hair back from my shoulder and felt a cool pair of lips touch my ear. Shivers of anticipation and anxiety ripped through my body and I immediately stiffened.
"Good morning, my darling," whispered the person seductively and I knew who it was—Dr. Cullen, but what was he doing?
I clenched my fists out of nerves as I said professionally, "Good morning, Dr. Cullen." I gave myself a mental pat on the shoulder for reacting suavely even though I was shaking from head to toe.
"Ready for work, dear?" he asked, releasing me so I could turn to face him.
His eyes were full of gentleness and intensity that I blushed heavily then felt incredibly embarrassed that I flushed because he'd probably laugh at me. In fact he didn't but he stared at me with a more serious expression like something was wrong.
"Of course, sir," I said, nodding. "Is there something wrong, you look grave?" I didn't know if that was the right word but it felt right.
"I didn't get much sleep last night," he said, running a free hand through his lovely blond hair. "Did you sleep well, my dear?" His eyes were gentle and loving like I was his girlfriend or something but I refused to fall in love because I had work to do.
"Yes, I did," I replied, frowning suddenly. If he was flirting with me, I had to tell him to stop because not only it was sexist but also improper. "Are flirting with me?" That question came out before I could stop it and it took him off guard, judging by his outraged expression.
"Of course not," he said a little stiffly, his topaz eyes hardened with anger. "I would never sexually-harass my fellow doctors and nurses."
I was angry but mostly at myself. "We already crossed that line," I sneered, frowning at him angrily. "Correction: You crossed that line already. Why do you touch me like…like a doll!" Just like my mother, I had a quick temper that usually got me in trouble.
"If you think," he hissed, bending down to get in my face, "I touch you on purpose then you're sorely mistaken. It's your fault anyway. Your lovely scent keeps drawing me in." He looked frustrated with himself and I felt satisfied that I got him mad but I also felt a little flattered that I drew him in.
As soon as I felt that, however, it melted away and was replaced with irritation. "If you think it's my fault," I screamed, standing on my tip toes to glare him down, "then why did you hire me!" I never wanted to slap someone as much as I wanted to slap him.
"Sometimes I wonder the same thing!" he shouted, turning on his heel, leaving me alone in the locker room.
I couldn't help but feel confused. How could it be my fault that he sexually-harassed me, and more importantly, why did he? I needed these answers but I knew he wouldn't tell me freely. Even though he pissed me off beyond belief, I felt attracted to him. I knew I should have gotten a job in a diner.
A/N: Bad Mr. Vampire, yelling at your girlfriend! Anyway, I don't anything and the reference to Bella was because this is after Breaking Dawn, if any of you get confused! Aside from that, please read and review! Sorry if it's a little crappy; I've been busy with other things (i.e Thanksgiving).