74
“You’re not?” I asked, startled. “Then who is? Don’t tell me-”
“Not Ashton. He’s in jail.”Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.
“Then who?”
“Fiona.”
“Fiona?”
Vincent nodded. “That’s what I said.”
“What… but… how?”
“Don’t ask me,” he responded, shaking his head. “My father is the one who talked to the counsel, though I have a pretty good idea of why he gave the throne to Fiona.”
I frowned. “Why’s that?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you, stupid. Stop doing that.”
I grimaced. “Sorry, but what do you mean me? Why would I be factored into that equation?”
“I think he has it in his head that we’ll be together forever,” he told me, rolling his eyes. “My mother too. So because you’re human, it’s easier just to have Fiona become queen.”
My whole body froze up. Vincent wasn’t going to become king because of me? Solomon thought we were going to be together forever? That was impossible! “Vincent, did you want to be king?”
“Not really. Why?”
“Sebastian told me something before he died. Something important.”
Vincent furrowed his eyebrows. “What’s that?”
“I’m going to die when I turn eighteen,” I whispered in a rush. “That’s only six months away.”
All expression was wiped from his face. “What?”
I pulled my knees up to my chest, dropping my gaze so I didn’t have to look at him. “I guess somewhere I knew it was going to happen. Ashton told me he wanted to get what he could out of me while he was able to do so. I figured something like that would happen. I just didn’t expect it to be so soon.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Live the next six months of my life to the fullest,” I told him, feeling my chest tighten.
He didn’t reply right away.
“Vincent?”
“Six months?” he finally said.
I nodded. “That’s it.”
“You only have six months left?”
“That’s what I said,” I told him, a little bit irritated. “You don’t need to keep repeating it.”
His arms suddenly tightened around me. “It figures. Finally I find someone I’m interested in- a human, nonetheless – and I only get to spend three months for her before I find out she’s going to be gone in the next six months.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said sharply. “Are you sure?”
“Am I sure what?”
“You want to die.”
I chewed on my bottom lip. “No, I don’t want to die, but I’m human, Vincent. I’ll always be human. Being a vampire…”
“No, I get it,” he grunted. “Don’t say anything more. So does this mean you’re leaving?”
“No,” I told him, turning to face him again. “I’m going to stay here.”
He frowned. “What about your family?”
“They won’t remember me.”
“Emily…”
.
.
Smiling, I twisted my body so I could wrap my arms around his neck. “I love when you say my name, Vincent.”
He pulled me closer to him, holding onto me so tightly it hurt. “I’m sorry, Emily. I wish things could’ve been different.”
“It’s fine,” I whispered, inhaling his scent. “You’ll just have to make sure these next six months are the best of my life.”
“I will,” he promised me. “I definitely will, Emily.”
“Can we stay here?”
“Hmm?”
I pulled away so I could gesture around the room with my arm. “I’d rather stay here than in the manor. It’s more secluded and less… painful.”
Comprehension dawned in his eyes. “Of course we can. The manor will probably be busy anyway. Not everyone is exactly happy with Fiona being the heir. She has a lot of work to do.”
“Make sure they don’t work her too hard.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Why?”
I smiled at him. “It’s a secret.”
“Tell me,” he demanded, frowning.
“Nope.”
He narrowed his eyes threateningly. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll force you to tell me.”
“How?”
He pretended to think about it for a moment. Then he leaned forward and let his breath caress my ear. “I could tease you until you can’t take it anymore,” he breathed, sending tingles down my spine.
“It won’t work,” I told him confidently.
He moved his head to my neck, brushing his fangs against my skin. “Should I threaten you?”
“Would you really put my life in more danger?”
Moving his head away from me, he scowled. “There’s one thing left.”
“What’s that?”
“This,” he said simply, moving his hands to my sides.
Now it was my turn to give him a questioning gaze. “What’s this-”
“I believe it’s called tickling?” he responded, starting to move his fingers against my skin.
My eyes widened. “No!” I gasped, immediately trying to squirm out of his grasp. “Wait, don’t do that!”
“Tell me!”
I knew I was weak, but I just couldn’t take tickling. “She’s pregnant!”
He froze immediately. “What…”
I smirked in triumph. Hopefully Fiona wouldn’t mind I spilled the beans about her secret. She would probably tattle on me anyway. “And it’s Sebastian’s.”
“It’s Sebastian’s?”
“That means you have to be very kind to your niece of nephew,” I told him firmly. “I’ll have to take your word for it because…”
He shook his head, leaning down to press his lips against mine softly. It was a gentle kiss, slow and fragile. After a moment he pulled away. “A child, huh?”
I winked at him. “Guess we know how they made up.”
“You have a dirty mind.”
Laughing, I kissed him again. “But you love it.”
Instead of replying, he pushed me down on the couch, shifting so that he was hovering over me. I gazed up at him, a little bit caught off guard. He smirked. “You know, no one knows we’re in here.”
.
.
“And?”
“We have all the time in the world,” he told me, lowering his lips down to my neck.
My heart thumped hard against my rib cage. “A-and…?”
He slowly kissed his way up my neck to my lips. “Why don’t we have a make up of our own?”
My cheeks flamed at the implication. “B-but we didn’t break up o-or have a fight or anything.”
“Emily, I’m breaking up with you.”
“What?”
“We’re over,” he told me, his face inches away from mine.
I blinked at him. “Uh…”
“Now, let’s get back together,” he breathed, his lips brushing against mine again. “Is it okay?”
It felt like my heart was about to burst. Could I…? Should I…? I only had six months to live. And if it was with Vincent… With shaky hands, I reached around his neck, pulling him closer to me. “It’s okay.”
He pulled back, blinking in surprise. “Wait, seriously?”
“Were you not serious?” I asked in horror, shame flooding through me. “Oh my God, I’m so-”
“Stupid,” he interjected, smirking. “Of course I was serious. Why wouldn’t I be? I’m a guy.”
“Oh… Good.”
He frowned at me. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Yes. You know, I think it’ll work. You’re a guy, and well… I’m a girl.”
He chuckled, rolling off me. I stared at him in confusion. He cocked an eyebrow at my expression. “What?”
“Aren’t we… You know?”
“On the couch?” he said skeptically. “I was thinking the bedroom. It’d be more comfortable, but whatever you prefer.”
I shook my head, scrambling to sit up. “N-no! The bedroom is fine!”
“Then let’s go,” he replied, holding out his hand.
Slowly, I took it, allowing him to pull me off the couch and toward the bedroom. I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked again, stopping in front of a closed door.
I stared at him determinedly. “Positive.”
“You’re not just doing this because of… time issues, are you?”
“No!” I denied. “I know we’ve never, you know, even talked about this but… I could use a distraction.”
He grabbed my hand, tugging me with him. “Right. Well whatever your reason, it’s fine with me. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”
I blinked. “What? Why didn’t you say so?”
He glanced back at me. “Why? Because I’m a gentleman, that’s why.”
“I don’t believe that.”
He smirked. “Well, actually I thought you were a prude.”
“Hey!”
“Well you’re changing my mind now.”
I scowled at the back of his head. “Maybe I’ll say no now.”
He paused, holding my wrist tighter. “I won’t let you say no.”
“That’s rape you know.”
“Not if you enjoy it.”
I sighed. “No, that still is.”
He laughed. “Whatever. Don’t be so nervous, if I was a mile away right now I could still hear your heart beating,” he told me, smiling in amusement. “We’ll go slow.”
“It’s my first time,” I confessed.
His eyes lit up mischievously. “Well, that just makes it better.” Putting his hand on the door handle, he pushed it open, gesturing for me to enter the room first. “After you, Emily. Let’s forget the world. Just for a little bit.”
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and entered the room. Just for now… Just for a little bit, I’d forget the world with the person I loved the most in it.