Survive For Me

Chapter 8: Status Update

I cringed when I heard a knock at the door and prayed it wasn't Aro. I don't think my pride could take it if he were to walk through the door now. I still hadn't worked out what I was going to say to him, to apologize for my behavior. I cleared my throat.

"Uh, enter...?" I winced when I made it sound like a question. I still felt just as stupid when I did it the first time.

The double doors swung open and the giant ass man stepped through them, carrying a plate of delicious smelling food.

"My lady," he greeted me, bowing his head slightly before approaching the coffee table and setting down the food.

"So..." I began awkwardly shuffling my feet, "You're Felix?"

"I am," he nodded to me.

"Well, it's nice to put a name to your face,"

He smirked at me before nodding towards my dinner, "Enjoy your meal, my lady."

Felix turned and walked back toward the door, but just before he could close the doors I called out to him.

"Why do you call me that? My lady? You can call me Leonora," I offered. I hated being called 'my lady'. It made me feel superior and old at the same time.

"I call you my lady because you are of higher status than me and you need to be shown the utmost respect, not only because of your status but because my masters will rip my head off if I don't call you by your title." Felix explained to me.

Higher status?

"Felix?" I asked one more time as he turned to go.

"My lady?"

"What... what is my status here?"

He paused for a second, "You are our queen. Your word is law and to disobey you is more treacherous than to disobey our kings. Your protection even withstands that of my masters."

I blinked in shock.

My word was law? My word was even above theirs? That made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Fucking fantastic.

He bowed to me and left, closing the doors behind him, leaving me to panic on the inside.

If I do end up falling in love with three men... then I'll have to be the queen.

But I can't rule for jackshit! But to be fair, I had never ruled over anyone before, I had always been the one to be ruled over. Not the one to rule over other people... vampires actually. Who knows? I could turn out to be and okay queen, be strict but fair... What the fuck am I saying? I can't rule over anybody! Hopefully no one comes to me with an important decision to make.

And what did Felix mean that my protection was even above theirs? Surely they should protect their kings over me? They keep the vampires in order. If they were to die, I tried very hard to ignore the pain in my chest just thinking about it, then the vampires would over run all the humans and they would be massive chaos that would ensue. They could keep balance to the world. If they died and I was the one that had to 'step up to the plate', so to speak, as soon as I tried to give an order they would probably just laugh at my face. Or try to overthrow me so they could rule themselves.

Or maybe even both.

I sat down on the couch and absentmindedly began to eat my, now cold, dinner. Despite the fact the heat was gone, the chicken still tasted marvelous.

How can vampires cook so well? Or unless they got someone else to do it for them. I laughed at the mental image of Caius, or all people, wandering into a restaurant and ordering take out.

A vampire king reduced to my own personal food slave. I giggled, finishing up my dinner.

I winced when my ribs started bothering me. So much had been going on in the past few hours that I had almost forgotten about my injuries. Almost. I sighed, leaning back on the couch and just letting my ribs throb. The sharp pain was helping me keep my head. That sounded so weird. Am I turning into a masochistic? Maybe. I am living with vampires after all.

I changed out of Aro's shirt and boxers and into a simple red shirt and jeans I had brought in my backpack.

Letting my body stretch out completely on the maroon colored couch I let my eyes have a rest and accidentally drifted off to sleep.

~SFM~

I was walking. I didn't know where I was walking, but I was walking somewhere. I couldn't see anything. It was pitch black all around me. I could barely make out my body. I noticed in embarrassment I was still wearing Aro's silk boxers and black button up shirt. I could've sworn I changed clothes earlier.

Where was I?

I shrugged my shoulders and kept walking.

"Leonora!"

I froze instantly.

I slowly turned around.

"Momma?" I whimpered into the dark.

I saw a blurry outline of a figure step towards me. It began to take the shape of a woman I still love.

"Oh, Leona," she cooed as she approached me, looking just as beautiful as I remembered her to be, before father had gotten to her. "What a mess your in,"

My legs started to carry me to her, and it wasn't long before I was outright running towards her.

She opened her arms to me as I reached her, letting me embrace her. I sobbed into her shoulder.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you momma," I cried as the tears fell off of me onto her lovely red velvet dress. The guilt was always there, even when I tried not to acknowledge it. It was my fault.

"Leonora! Look at me," I looked up sharply when she hissed my name in displeasure, "It is not your fault he killed me. Your father is a monster Leonora, anything he did to me, to us, wasn't your fault."

"I still feel like it is," I mumbled softly, I didn't want to upset my momma again.

She sighed, stroking my hair away from my face. "Come," she took my hand and started dragging me over somewhere. I followed along blindly, wondering where she was taking me. As soon as I thought that we were suddenly in a brightly lit field of grass. Random.

She sat down, tugging me with her. We sat in silence for a few seconds just enjoying the sun and each other's company before my mother spoke.

"I know how conflicted you are, darling. You don't know what to do with Aro, Caius and Marcus. Your heart is screaming at you to let them in as fast as possible and your mind doesn't want anything to do with them. I understand that." She nodded her head, grasping my hand and intertwining her fingers with mine.

"What do I do mom? Which one do I listen to?" I begged.

"I can't tell you what you want," she shook her head, "But I can tell you that... it's okay to let go."

I frowned, "Let go of what?"

"To let go of your guilt Leonora. To let yourself be happy. I know my death was difficult for you, but you can't keep shoving everyone out for the rest of your life. Just one chance is all it takes."

She smiled at me before leaning forward and pressing her ruby lips against my temple, lovingly.

"It's okay be happy, even if I'm not there with you."

"I love you momma,"

"I know,"

I could feel an end approaching, so I wrapped both of my arms around my mother and held her tightly me.

"I love you, my sweet little Leonora,"

~SFM~

I didn't want to wake up. I was leaning on something incredibly comfortable and cool. I knew I was leaning on someone but I didn't want to wake up and find out who it was. I really hoped it wasn't Aro. I really didn't want to face him after my embarrassing moment of weakness where I jumped on him and molested his mouth.

Some first kiss that was.

I did enjoy it though. And the taste of his lips were deliciously sinful. Ugh, this wasn't helping in the slightest. I groaned at myself before rolling over and burying my head into someone's chest.

"Good morning, my dear," I heard a familiar voice croon in my ear. I winced. Shit. It was Aro. Might as well get this awkward confrontation out of the way now or I would only cringe about it more later.

I cracked an eye open to see Aro lovingly staring down at me with his bloody red eyes, which for some reason looked more vibrant and colourful today, like he had just... fed. I immediately stopped that train of thought right there. I preferred to live in blissful ignorance and pretends that Aro and his brother's actually just fed off of... bunnies. Yep. Fucking Thumper.

"Hi," I squeaked out in an oh so very attractive voice.

He chuckled at my shyness. My eyes fell down to his lips when they curved upwards into a breathtaking smile. I had the urge to lean up and kiss him, resuming what I had interrupted yesterday. I blinked and mentally slapped myself. No! Bad Leonora! You most certainly don't want a repeat of yesterday. Well, actually. I stared at his lips some more. It wouldn't hurt would it? My eyes widened in guilt and embarrassment as I saw Aro smirk at me when he saw I was looking at his lips.

I bolted upright and gracelessly slipped off of his lap and back onto the couch and winced when my ribs groaned in protest.

Cue awkward cough.

"How are your ribs?" Aro asked in concern when he presumably saw my pained expression.

"They hurt like a bitch," Suffer in silence was not my kind of style. If I was in pain you were going to know about it.

Aro raised his hand, hovering it over my broken ribs, "May I?" May he what? Touch me? Could I trust him enough for that?

I slowly nodded my head, not knowing what he was going to do with his hand, but willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Hey look at me, giving him his chance like a good girl... God I'm such a fucking moron.

He laid his hand down on my ribs and the coldness of his skin seeped through my red shirt brushed against my sensitive flesh. A pleasurable sigh left my lips, against my will might I add, as my eyes slid close, again, against my will.

The cold soothed the throbbing sensation of my ribs in just a minute of his touch.

"Leonora," I heard Aro whisper, "I need to apologize again what happened last night. I never meant-"

"I'm the one who jumped you, and you're the one who feels like they should apologize?" I interrupted him, opening my eyes and staring at his perfect face. I bravely raised my left hand and poked him in the forehead, "Stop being stupid," I told him bluntly, emphasizing every word with a poke.

He smiled at me before grabbing the hand I kept poking him with, and placing a kiss on my palm. He looked back up at me with the most loving eyes. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at him.

My mind screamed at me to shut down and tell him to get out. My heart screamed at me to kiss him.

It's okay be happy, even if I'm not there with you.

For once in my life, I sided with my heart. I just really hoped it wouldn't lead me astray.

I slowly leaned in towards him, letting him know what my intentions were and giving him plenty of time to back away. But there he sat, patiently waiting for me.

I paused for a second when our lips were only a few centimeters apart. My mind was screaming at me to run. My heart was screaming at me to lean in.

So I did.

My hot lips pressed against his cold, pink ones and I was in heaven again. This kiss wasn't like the last one. This one wasn't rushed and full of lust, this one was savored and full of love. I don't know how long we sat there and kissed each other but I... didn't want it to end.

He wrapped his other arm around my waist and gently pulled me into his lap, being careful not to startle me. I was relieved yet disappointed when I didn't feel a hard bulge underneath me. Why was I disappointed? I think my heart was just fucking around on me. Oh well.

How about if I just turn off my brain and let myself enjoy the moment between us.

As soon as I thought that Aro broke away for a second.

"I think that would be a wonderful idea, my love," he murmured before pressing his sweet lips against mine again. I was too busy enjoying the taste of him to be embarrassed that he had heard all of that. Of course he did, he could read every thought you've ever had, dumb ass.

Shut up you stupid brain.

Am I actually arguing with myself?

I've gone crazy... in a house full of vampires no less.

I gasped when I felt a little prick on my bottom lip. Aro had just bitten me. Aro bit me. He bit me! Well not enough to draw blood, but still! Rude!

"Stop letting your mind wander," he whispered against my now slightly swollen lips, "Just feel,"

So I did what he told me to do. I shut off my brain and let my heart take control again. I let myself feel the pleasure Aro could offer me. Why was I fighting this again?

When I started running out of oxygen, Aro pulled away from my willing lips. He rested his forehead against mine, his breathing just erratically as mine. He lovingly leaned up and kissed my forward before nodding towards a silver platter on the coffee table I failed to notice when waking up. He grabbed the plate and placed it in my lap. I took a bite of the omelet and almost died.

Damn, those undead sure know how to cook.

A/N: So Aro and Leo have worked things out and Leo kissed him again. I love your reviews guys, they make my day! If you see a mistake please don't be shy and point them out.

Guest: Why I'm glad I proved you wrong and you ended up enjoying this story ;)