Page 140 of Cursed Lifeline

We stay like this all night. I claim her, tear her apart, mend us back together, and promise her this time, I will not fucking fail her.

Fifty

Evangeline

song: I’m yours | Isabel LaRosa

Petite étoile.

Wringing out the soaked cloth in my hand, I look over my shoulder and lock eyes with Alfred. His words twirl temptingly through my thoughts as he eyes me with hostility from his seat across the room.

Little star.

How can he say such things when I have had a part of the ultimate demise in this whole game since the very beginning?

Shaking my head, I turn and make my way back to him. Our eyes hold steady on one another the entire time I approach.

Hurt. Disbelief. Sorrow shows bitterly through his somber expression. Stepping between his legs, he braces for the sting as I tenderly touch the fabric to his wound and blot away more blood. Licking my lips, my eyes drift to his. Our breathing increases, synchronizes, as I clean and inspect the bite Viktor left behind a few weeks ago. Because of the poison, and the loss of blood, Alfred has not been able to return to normal activities. Viktor’s bite did not infect venom, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t watch him closely for signs he may be going through a change.

Right now, the only change I’m worried about is his change of heart.

After a moment, Alfred looks away and snaps, “You don’t need to keep coming around and playing nurse.”

Another strained moment passes between us.

Hurt swells in my chest as I finally whisper, “I don’t mind.”

Straightening his spine, Alfred lifts his chin and insists, “I do.”

Reaching to my right, I grab the clean gauze on the table and apply it to his clean skin. “What happened to infinite lifetimes of waiting and…”

“That was before you told Viktor to bite me, Evangeline.”

I bristle slightly at the authority in his voice. Silenced, I nibble on the inside of my cheek to keep a rebuttal at bay and hurry to finish my task so that I can put some distance between us.

After a moment, Alfred whispers sadly, “Don’t do that.”

Afraid to look into his eyes, even though I can feel the heat of his stare on my face, I worry my bottom lip between my teeth and ask, “Do what?”

Placing his hand atop mine, he laces his fingers through my own, tenderly cups my chin, and forces me to meet his eyes.

A desperate longing stares back at me. Brushing his thumb across my lip, he whispers, “Worry for a second my feelings for you have changed.”

Confused, I start to take a step back when his hands fall to my waist and he holds me in place.His touch is possessive, dominant, lethal. My heart flutters as I struggle to breathe.

“But you said…”

“I don’t take fondly to being bitten by vampires,” he growls. “Especially ones who have sworn a blood oath to the woman I love.”

Startled, a light gasp falls from my lips.

Staring down into Alfred’s hungry eyes, for a moment I debate giving into a feeling that’s been growing for him ever since he stole me away to look at the stars. He instantly takes notice of my secret attraction, and hope swells in his eyes as his grip tightens.

The air between us becomes thick and burns with the need to be closer. After a riveting moment has passed, I decide the best thing to do is to put some space between us before we do something foolish. Stepping backward, Alfred instantly clings to me and refuses to let me go.

“If there is never any hope for me, tell me,” he demands, searching my eyes for the same emotion I let slip through in a moment of weakness a few brief moments ago.

“Alfred we can’t…”

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