Page 74 of Into The Light

Emilia bit her lip and shot a look to Mark before turning back to me. “I’m scared, Aiden. I don’t want to lose you... I can’t lose you. It’s not worth it.”

Reaching up I took her chin in my hand. “It’s worth it. I’m ready to live for you. And for me.”

Mark let out an exasperated sigh. “Well, if we can’t change your mind, then I guess I’ll go get the room ready. Do you need water? Food? I have no idea how this works.”

“Just put in a bunch of bottles of water in case I need it, though the thought of drinking it still baffles my mind. But why not? My hunger will intensify as I starve, and you cannot open that door no matter what.” I shot them both a serious look. “No. Matter. What. I’ll kill you both in a frenzied state if you open that door before, I’m human again. I’ll have no control over it. Do you understand?”

The both exchanged a worried glance and then nodded.

“I’m going in that room with some water and when I come out, I will be human. You can watch me on the video cameras to verify it’s safe for me to come out. But you don’t open that door until you are sure I’m safe. And not a second before... no matter what I say or do in there. Understood?”

“We understand. I don’t like it, but I’ll do it,” Mark said before slapping his thighs and standing up. “I’ll get the water.”

“Mark,” I said, stopping his exit. “I’m going to need you as a human to help Emilia while I transition. But when this is over if you still want to be a vampire, I will have someone in my family turn you. A promise is a promise.”

“Well, now that you won’t be my vampire side-kick I need to do some thinking on the whole subject. But thank you, Aiden. I appreciate your willingness to hold up your end of the deal and when you come out and things are settled, I will let you know my decision. I do hope that the new human Aiden/Emilia relationship is a little more careful with couture clothes,” he said, raising an eyebrow at the state of her dress. “Until then I’m condemning you both to nothing but outfits from Target until you can treat clothes with more respect.” He shot us an accusatory glare before walking out of the room.

Emilia giggled, and I stood up, lifting her to the ground. “It’s time.”

The worry danced across her face and I hated that I’d put it there. But the sun inched closer and closer to the horizon and I only had a few minutes to settle into my cell. I’d built it in case of any rogue vampire problems, something I’d dealt with often in my previous life. A life I abandoned for this simpler one a decade ago. I’d never used the cell in this house, so I could only hope it would hold under the force of my self-imposed exile. When a vampire starved, a frenzy took over, and we became feral. If those five-foot thick metal walls weren’t strong enough, I could demolish them and even my love for Emilia wouldn’t stop me from sucking her dry. It just gave me more resolve to end this way of life. I was ready to be human. I was ready to be hers.

Together we walked holding hands down the stairs to the basement. I pressed the hidden button on the brick wall. Bright lights illuminated a plain metal room when the door creaked opened. Mark walked up behind us carrying two cases of bottled water. He moved past me and set it in the corner of the room before stepping back out and turning toward me.

“Don’t die, Aiden.” He threw his arms around my neck and I paused for a moment before returning his embrace. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

“I’ll see you soon, Mark. Take good care of Emilia while I’m in here.”

“I’ve already got the alcohol ready. She and I will need a lot to get us through knowing you’re locked in a box in excruciating pain.”

“Just don’t you open this door, Mark. No matter what. Not until you’re sure.”

“And how will I be sure?” He scrunched his brow.

“Well, for one, if I’m a vampire I can’t drink liquids without spitting them back up. Watch me drink water through the cameras. And just use your judgement. I trust you not to open that door unless you’re certain it’s safe.”

“You have my word,” he said, and with a tip of his head he turned and headed up the stairs leaving Emilia and I alone in the musty basement.

“Are you sure?” she asked, as she slid her hand into mine. “You don’t need to do this.”

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life... other than my love for you.”

Tears bubbled behind her eyes and burst free as she tossed her arms around my neck. “I love you so much, Aiden. Please, please be okay. Don’t leave me here without you.”

Taking one last inhale of her sweet smell, I closed my eyes for a moment before pulling back and pressing my lips to hers. “I said I would never leave you and I meant it. I will see you soon, my love.”

Squeezing my eyes tight, I pressed one last kiss to her lips before whooshing into the room and slamming the door behind me. I couldn’t bear to see her cry and saying goodbye for what could be a month caused me more pain than I had felt in centuries. When I slid down the wall, I wrapped my arms around my knees and waited for the pain that might take days to come. I heard the click of the lock and closing my eyes, I pictured her face and remembered my reason for doing this.

***

I’d lost track of the days a couple weeks ago when the intensity of my hunger had me screaming for release. Mark had come over the intercom and I’d heard the shaking in his voice when he’d told me he didn’t think he should open the door. For a moment I’d known he’d considered it but my release would mean their deaths, so even in my state of agony I’d found the will to fight it. Her face flashed through my mind and I’d known I would kill her if I’d made it past those walls. Although every instinct in my body had shouted for me to find a way out, I’d slammed my fists on the wall and pushed back the urgency of my nature and demanded Mark ignore me.

I’d spent weeks in unbearable pain as the need for blood tore through my body. I’d writhed on the floor, crippled by the desire to feel my fangs suck every last drop of blood from someone. The insatiable desire for the coppery tang of blood on my tongue had me questioning if these walls could hold me. Instead of the blood loss weakening me, my powers and strength seemed amplified. A primal urge of survival like an adrenalin boost needed to save your own life. Fighting the urge, I closed my eyes and remembered the touch of her lips and the sound of her laugh. I just needed to fight a little harder... endure a little more.

The pain began to subside what must have been a week ago. My hunger for blood faded each day and for the past several days the need had all but gone. After spending centuries as a prisoner to my lust for blood, I no longer craved it. A foreign feeling I still struggled to process. The last time I’d felt this way was a distant memory I barely recalled. I saw the bottles sitting in the corner and felt a dryness in my mouth. And for the first time since I’d knelt by the stream in Scotland before turning, I wanted to drink water.

Walking over to the corner I pulled a bottle from the case, examining it before twisting off the cap and smelling it. Pressing the bottle to my lips I let the cool liquid fill my mouth before swallowing. It tasted good, refreshing. I waited for my body to reject it like it did when I’d tried drinking after I’d first turned. But it didn’t. Not only did I not spit it up, but I wanted more. I tipped the bottle to my lips and guzzled down the rest of it, relishing the taste of something other than blood passing my lips for the first time in centuries. It didn’t have much flavor, but it was one of the greatest things I had ever tasted in my life.

Tossing the bottle to the ground I rubbed my finger along my teeth and tried to extract my fangs. Nothing happened when I tried, and a wide grin stretched across my face.