Crave - Teresa Mummert Page 0,33
thought he was lost forever. Elijah glanced down at me and smiled. I knew he could feel the change in the way my blood was pumping through my wrist, steadily drumming against my thin skin.
“Your brother will not be who you remember,” he reminded me, glancing at me for a brief moment then he looked back out at the road ahead. I nodded my head trying to understand exactly what he meant. I couldn’t imagine Marcus being anything other than the troublemaker he’d always been.
“It’s only been a few years,” I explained, trying more to convince myself than Elijah. He stopped walking and turned to place his hands on my shoulders.
“It’s not the time that changed him, Eva,” He muttered. I nodded my head in understanding, but I refused to believe it. He was my brother, my best friend. “Killing someone will change anyone. Your brother has been doing that for several years. You can’t trust vampires.”
“And you? You still seem to have some redeeming qualities left, even if you try to hide them,” I replied with a nervous grin, fighting to hold back more tears. He smiled and tucked my hair behind my ear.
“I don’t, Eva.” His eyes grew vacant and distant. He turned back toward the road, grabbing my hand and pulling me along. The rain was cold against my face.
“What is he like?” I asked, trying to prepare myself for what was to come. He stopped again and I knew he was growing frustrated but he struggled to keep his patience.
“Like any other vampire.” He stepped toward me and brushed my hair from my shoulder, running his fingers along the bite marks he had left the other day. His eyes locked onto mine and I felt a chill run up my spine. “We cannot be trusted,” he added, glancing down at my still wounded hand. His face looked pained and he took a step backward and turned the other direction. I looked down at my injured palm and realized how hard it must have been for him to be with me all of this time.
“You’re wrong. If it weren't for you, I would have been dead several times over by now,” I called after him as I stepped closer. He whipped around and a low growl rumbled from his chest.
“Because of me, it is only a matter of time,” he hissed. His words replayed over and over in my head as I struggled to come to grips with what he was telling me.
“You won’t let them kill me,” I said trying to reassure the both of us. He looked down at the ground for a moment, his face looked slightly amused.
“A human putting all of her faith in the same kind of creature that wants her dead,” he thought aloud.
“I know you are risking your life for me.” Stepping closer to him, I placed my shaky hand on his cheek. His eyes shot up and locked onto mine. He slowly glanced to my injured hand on his cheek and back to me.
I had made a horribly fatal error. His fangs ran out as I slowly pulled my hand back from him. His arm rose at an inhuman speed seizing my wrist, gripping it excruciatingly tight. I winced in pain.
“I-I didn’t think…” I stuttered trying to wriggle free from his grip. His hand clamped tighter around me and it felt like my bones would crack and crumble into dust under the pressure.
“You didn’t think?” he asked as his chest heaved. “That is what will get you killed,” He seethed angrily but he seemed to be madder at himself. He released my wrist and pushed me back from him causing me to stumble but I didn’t fall. I doubled over waiting for the pain to subside. I rubbed my wrist gingerly and watched as it turned purple and blue. I looked back up at him. He was standing a few feet away and his expression had become more human, almost regretful, as he glanced up at the clouds. “It’s time,” he said and motioned for me to come to him. I slowly stood upright and nodded. We walked in silence for the rest of the trip.
***
We reached the property of an old farmhouse that sat back in from the road. It was surrounded by two small storage barns and a large red one used to house livestock. I glanced around nervously hearing movement in the darkness, but I couldn’t make out any shapes. Elijah reached over, putting his arm