And now, instead of the awe Julian awakenedin her, all she felt was hopeless again. She was suffocatingbeneath him, and she couldn’t find her way out of the despairencompassing her. It wasn’t his body pushing her into the mattressanymore, but one of those monsters. The sounds as they slurped herblood and their laughter reverberated in her mind as tears streameddown her face.
His mouth muffled her scream. The hands she’dbeen using to pull him closer, turned into fists as she pummeledhis shoulders and shoved against his solid chest. She tore hermouth away from his and threw herself to the side.
Her sudden attack startled him enough thatshe was able to shove Julian’s weight off her and roll partiallyout from under him. Her top half would have fallen off the bed ifhe hadn’t caught her wrist before she plunged off the side.
She jerked at her wrist as she panted forair. Saliva and the coppery tang preceding vomit filled her mouth.Her shoulders heaved as she tried to get the adrenaline floodingher system under control.
“Aida,” Julian said.
Resting his hand on her heaving shoulders, heturned her back toward him. He brushed aside the hair cleaving toher flushed, sweaty cheeks as he clasped her chin and gazed down ather scrunched, beautiful face. He suppressed a snarl at the sightof her anguish. If those bastards on the island weren’t alreadydead, he’d go there and kill every one of them.
“You’re in your apartment, with me,” heassured her. “You’re not a prisoner, and I wouldneverhurtyou. You’re safe with me.”
She hated and loved that he didn’t require anexplanation for her bizarre behavior. He knew her well enough tounderstand her without saying a word. If he’d never left, thingswould be so different between them. But he had left, and maybe hewould never physically hurt her, but hehadbroken herheart.
She held back a sob as her sense of betrayalcrept back in to replace the terror. If he knew her well enough tounderstand what just happened, he should have known what leavingher without a word would have done. Not only did he know herhistory with the vamps on the island, but he also knew about herfather.
She jerked her chin away from him, and whenshe rolled to the side, he shifted so she could move out from underhim. “Youdidhurt me, and I don’t feel safe with you,” shewhispered. “Not anymore.”
Wiping away the tear rolling down her face,she shoved herself off the bed and stalked out of the room. Shetried to get her shaking under control as she entered the bathroomand closed the door.
CHAPTER 13
She gripped the pink sink as she leaned closer tothe mirror. She felt like Julian had pulled her open and exposedher soul as well aseverybit of the suffering she enduredthroughout her life. She wanted to scream at him to get out andleave her alone, and yet she yearned to feel his arms around heragain.
For a moment, he’d shut out the rest of theworld and allowed her to forget her past. If it hadn’t been for hisfangs, she wouldn’t have stopped what was happening between them.However, it was their unexpected presence that propelled her intothe past more than their existence. She knew not all vampires wereevil, and that, if the person was willing, a vampire’s bite wasn’tpainful.
Her hands trembled as she turned the water onand splashed her face. Inhaling deep breaths, she worked to getherself under control as she dried her face and inspected herselfin the mirror again. The avocado tiling of the bathroom didn’t helpthe sallow tone of her skin, but at least she wasn’t tremblinganymore.
Stepping away from the sink, she opened thebathroom door and glanced up and down the hall. She hadn’t heardJulian walk by and suspected he was still in her room. She didn’tknow if she could face him again, but she didn’t have a choice.
She returned to her room to find him sittingon the edge of her bed with his hands clasped together, his elbowson his knees, and his head bent so his black hair fell forward.When he lifted his head to look at her, the torment in his eyesstole her breath.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Aida wanted to tell him it was okay, but shewasn’t in the mood to forgive him; she was feeling bitchy and tiredand sick of it all, but she wanted to hug him. However, shecouldn’t do that; she had to protect her heart.
“I never meant to hurt you,” he said. “And Iwillprove to you that you can feel safe with me again.”
Aida gazed at the photo on the wall behindhim. It was a picture of Mollie and Mike on the beach. She had herarm looped through his while her head rested against his shoulder.They’d known Aida was there, but they were so caught up in eachother, they hadn’t realized she was taking their picture.
The photo captured their absolute love andtrust in each other. It was one of Aida’s favorites and neverfailed to make her smile, but now it also made her heart ache. Shewanted what they had, but her ability to trust had been severelydamaged over the years, and she wasn’t sure she could repairit.
“Don’t worry about it,” she said with adismissive wave. “I shouldn’t have hit you.”
Julian rubbed his jaw and smiled at her. “Youhave a good right hook.”
She didn’t smile back as her gaze remainedlocked on something over his shoulder. His smile faded. “I lostcontrol; it won’t happen again,” he promised.
Aida didn’t know if he meant he would neverlose control or would never kiss her again, and she didn’t have theenergy to ask him to clarify.
“I would never do anything you don’t want meto do. I’m not like those vampires on the island,” he said.
“I know.”
She really wished he’d stop talking aboutthis, but he seemed determined to continue.
“I would never allow anything like that tohappen to you again,” he vowed.
