C25 Eli

She was adjusting her clothes; her face deeply rooted in confusing and birthing a fresh new reason to hurt. I hurt her again. Before I could turn to run, she called out to me.

“I trust you!” I froze. Be a man, Eli. I have to stop running from her, scared of myself. EARN HER. My breathing slowed as I took a long, deep breath.

“How do you do that?” I let her grab my hand.

“Do what?” Her seductive smile is a nice distraction. It pulls me away from the pulsing vibrating off of her into every one of my senses.

“Make me feel like a man.”

“You are a man.” The way she emphasized the words sent chills through me. She didn’t see me as a monster; she saw me as a man. That gave me strength.

“Even though your veins tease me?” I tried to look away, at anywhere but her face, in case there was a single hint of doubt, but I needed to know. So, I tilted my head a little and gave her a teasing smile.

“Everyone has their faults; few own them and work to overcome them. You are one of the few.” She pulled me closer. “That’s why I trust you.” I looked over her shoulder.

“What about my family? Do you trust them too?” She frowned and took a few steps back, heading toward the couch.

“A better question is, do they trust me?”

“Hello Luka,” I said. Amelia Rose jumped off the couch as Luka sped into the room.

“How did you-” She paused, realization washing over her. “Right super senses.”

“To answer your question, Ms. Amelia, I trust you if my brother does, unless you give me a reason not to.” Luka walked closer to Amelia Rose. She stiffened. “He told me what you did for him.” He stopped in front of the couch, peering into her eyes. He loved to intimidate people. Friend or foe. “The average woman would not take these kinds of risks. Mother agrees. Our father, on the other hand, will need more convincing.”

He held her gaze; if I know him at all, he is reveling in the rapid speed of her heartbeat and the scent of her fear. It was lust for me, fear for him. While he loved fear, he hated messiness. He wasn’t one to leave trails of bodies and blood behind him; that was our father. He preferred to leave behind henchmen. While her body screamed fear, she held his gaze, straightened her shoulders. “I respect that,” he smirked, nodding at her before sitting on the couch.

I laughed, and Amelia Rose did too. I knew my brother’s games, so I knew he wouldn’t hurt her. “It’s always a pleasure to see you, brother.”

“I know.” He raised his eyebrows quickly and winked at Amelia Rose. She held her hand to her mouth to hide her laugh, I presume. That’s Luka, ever the charmer. I let out a chuckle of my own, shaking my head.

“What brings you by? We were in the middle of something.” I gave him the ‘brother-get-out-of-here-right-now-so-I-can-handle-this-business-if-you-know-what-I-mean’ look. He absolutely understood it. He absolutely didn’t care. He laughs.

“Do I need a reason to visit now?”

“Actually, I’m glad you’re here, Luka.” Oh great, here Luka goes. He slowly turns his gaze on her, eyes full of don’t-tempt-me desire.

“Really? What can I do for you?” He gives her a once-over. Now, Luka has always been a flirt to any woman with legs. He wasn’t a chaser; he was a fisher.

“Watch it, Luka, not this one.”

His gaze never left hers. She held his eye, but she started pressing her fingers together again. I glared at him, clenching my hands into fists, flexing my muscles. “I’m not-”

“I just had a few questions for you two, that’s all.” There she goes again, reading my thoughts. I was a few seconds away from inciting a war. What can I say? I’m impulsive; I’m still working on it.

“What would you like to know?” Luka leaned back, holding the back of his head with his interlocked hands.

“If it’s not too personal, how did you all become vampires?” She sat down on the other couch, closer to me. I sat with her.

“This one got sick.” Luka waved his hand at me matter of factly.

“I don’t understand.”

“I got sick, so dad found a witch doctor to save me.”

“Your the first?” Her eyes widened when I nodded yes.. “How did the rest of you become vampires?” She crossed her arms,

rubbing the outsides of them. Her heart is slightly speeding up. I think she already figured out the answer.

“He bit us.” He laughed, but Amelia Rose was silent. The fear radiated from her; we were making progress; I couldn’t give her thoughts time to spiral away from me.

“The blood thirst was still very new. I had no control yet. I wasn’t even Eli anymore. That part of me hadn’t come back to life yet.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.” He turned back to her. “He only bit one of us on a whim.” I glared at him, warning him not to tell her more. He huffed. “I snuck him a rabbit once. He had chained himself up, refusing to bite humans.” She tilted her head. I noticed her fingers relaxing, too. “He threw it up instantly. Dad was pissed.”

“That’s how we realized we were still us, but more intensified. I hated rabbits, and Luka knew that.” Amelia Rose not only looked at me, but she also laughed with him, too. She placed her hand on my knee and tried to talk, but it sounds muffled through her hand. When the two of them had calmed a little, she sat back against the couch and laid her hand on my shoulder.

“I’m sorry, but that’s funny.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

We laughed, talked, and ate throughout the next few hours. Amelia Rose and Luka seemed to really connect. She was a bright light everywhere she went, especially darkness, like us. Luka may stand with us when it’s time to face father now, although the question remains. Why are they here, and why haven’t they tried to re-enlist me into the family business again? Something is going on and I can’t shake the feeling that Amelia Rose will be swept away in their plan. I can only hope I’m the only one who knows who she is, who her family is.

“Ok Ok Ok,” She laughed breathlessly at something Luka said. “One more question.” Her face became more serious now. Luka arched a brow. “What about werewolves?” Luka narrowed his eyes at her, and she matched his intensity. They know something I don’t and I don’t like it. “Is that rivalry real?” She smiles, but it feels ominous.

“You have no idea.” He mimicked her sinister smile. Her phone rang. It sounded like a woman saying S.O.S. she stood up and ran out without a word.

I have no doubts now. Amelia Rose isn’t safe.