CHAPTER 102: – DIE FOR ME? –

"What else would I be doing here?" He lifted his hand to touch her face, but she shifted, and his hand hung in the air. "I came... I came to see you."

"Why?"

"Don’t be so cold to me, Viviana."

"Is there a reason not to be?" She grabbed the handle of the door. "If this is all there is, please leave. I have..."

Her words trailed off as her eyes dropped to his abdomen where the blood from his wound had completely soaked. That’s why he looked so pale!

Without thinking twice, she let go of the door, stepping closer to grab at his shirt. "Why are you bleeding? W-what happened to you?" She slipped his shirt off his pants, lifting it to look at the wound. It was deep, making her inhale sharply. "What are you thinking?! Why are you here bleeding? Who did this to you a-and why aren’t you at the hospital instead?"

"Nikolas!" She snapped her gaze up to him. "Will you answer me? Who hurt you? W-why are you bleeding and why haven’t you—"

Nikolas snatched her arm and yanked her in, hugging her so deeply, face buried into her shoulder. "You push me away so coldly. Yet you’re this worried about me like you can’t bear to see me hurt."

Viviana was still in his hold. Eyes blow wide and lashes flickering. "I—"

"I love you, Viviana." He snuggled his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent of her. "So much, it’s overwhelming. Why won’t you look at me? If I can find a way to change who I am for you, I would. But I’m helpless."

Her throat bounced in a swallow, and she slowly pushed out of his grip, looking everywhere but at his face. "You’re saying nonsense."

She turned away to walk back inside, but he grabbed her wrist. She glanced at him. "Nikolas—"

"Won’t you at least take care of my wound? I could bleed out."

"Will you?"

He didn’t answer her.

Viviana took a deep breath, and shook off his grip. Then she grabbed him and pulled him inside, shutting the door. "Sit down and...take off your shirt. I’ll be back."

Nikolas obeyed, stripping out of his shirt, he sat on the table, the court in full view. Viviana had already left, returning a few minutes later with the aid box. She set it aside, got on her knees in between his spread legs and picked up the antiseptic.

"This is going to sting," she said to him, proceeding to clean the cut.

He did let out a sharp hiss, but otherwise never took his eyes off her.

"So, you feel pain," she muttered.

Nikolas lifted a brow. "Why would make you think otherwise?"

"Aren’t you..." She met his eyes briefly. "A vampire? That’s what you call it, no?"

He blinked. "Yes, but that does not mean I feel nothing or that I can’t get hurt. The sun may be the only thing that can kill me, however, pain is something I can feel like any other person."

"Person." she snorted under her breath. "Far from that. And if you can feel pain, why couldn’t you burn?" She pressed the gauze to his skin, holding it there until the bleeding slowed.

"Look at me," he demanded.

"For what?"

"Look at me, Viviana."

Viviana did. She met his eyes and he tried to lean down—

"Hey, I said not to move!" she bit out, glaring at him.

Nikolas paused. He didn’t move, but instead tucked her chin under his fingers, making her hold eye contact with him. He said, "I can’t burn, not by fire."

"Why?" she asked. This time, she was genuinely curious.

"Because I am fire itself. Why would it burn me when I can do this?" He lifted his hand and right before her dazed eyes, a flame flickered to life in the center of his palm.

She jolted, almost falling back.

The flame burned steadily, curling between his fingers without leaving a mark. "Like I said, the only thing that can kill me is the sun. It’s ironic, isn’t it. Fire can’t hurt me, yet the sun can kill me. Funny."

Viviana couldn’t respond to him.

Her chest was racing, pummeling as she picked out the bandage, wrapping it around the wound.

She was freaking out. Her face had gone as pale as paper, pupils shrunk to pin size as if she was replying to what had just occurred before her eyes over and over again in her head.

The more she saw, the harder reality hit. Nikolas wasn’t human. He was far from it.

"You’re afraid of me," Nikolas said, clenching his hand and snuffing out the flame. His words was anything but a question. Her fear was written all over her face. Still, he swallowed the hurt, saying, "You may not believe me, but I want you to know that I would never hurt you. I’m a monster, I agree. But I’m not a monster that would hurt you. I am a monster that loves you and would do anything for you. I would even die for you if that is the only way that you—"

"What do you mean?!" Viviana snapped at him. "Die for me? Have you lost your mind?"

"Viviana—"

"Don’t say such nonsense again! Alright?" She leveled him with a seething glare. "Die for me? I would never want you to die for me. W-what kind of a person would I be? Don’t utter...things like that."

Her hands balled tight into fists and she turned her back on him, exaling shakily.

"Do you love me, Viviana?" Nikolas asked, staring at her with worn out eyes.

She stood frozen. Her breath was growing in rhythm, but she wouldn’t answer him. Instead: "I have taken care of your wound. You will be fine now, but if you can, go to the hospital. You can leave now."

She stormed off.

"Viviana—"

Viviana slammed the door of the bathroom shut and with her back pressed against it, she slipped to the floor on her back, throwing her head back.

The wetness she’d been holding back, broke in her eyes and poured down her face. She sobbed silently, pulling her legs to her chest to bury her face in her knees.

On the other hand, Nikolas waited and waited, but she never came out. He could hear her sobbing, yet she didn’t want him there. He wanted to go to her, but he knew she didn’t want him close, not now.

He stood to his feet, and buttoned up his shirt as he headed to the door. Opening the door, he lingered for a few moments, before leaving.

Viviana could hear him close the door, and she hugged her legs tighter, whimpering and sniveling.