Be My Guest

She shook her head again and again in disbelief, all doe-eyed, glaring at me and looking extremely disappointed because of my last statement.

"Your moral compass is all messed up, it's like a normal one that's pointing South instead of North." I hated how her analogy reflected exactly how low she thought of me. Comparing my ideologies to a broken compass.

"So I'm damaged goods for being 'too human'? That's an apology you'll never hear right there." I sounded arrogant, hiding how hard it was not being able to please her or live up to her expectations for some reason. Her eyes became crimson again, and I knew it was intentional this time around.

"The way you're bragging about your humanity makes me damaged goods for being inhuman then? At least one of us is being true to their nature, my king." She frowned as if unable to believe her own words.

I could no longer ignore how fragile she looked, even with the red eyes that belonged to monsters.

'I will protect you.'

The usually possessive voice that rang in my head when I was near her spoke against my will again, but it spoke tenderly this time. It was the first time I agreed with the uncontrollable thought that was strong enough to possess me.

"I have a circle of protection, I claimed three already. You've met them before." She was almost trying to reassure me, but it was backfiring hard on her.

"Claimed…" I murmured, rolling the word around with my tongue, tasting it. I didn't want to hear about her claiming anyone else as anything, I knew there would be an explanation coming my way about the term, so I braced myself, not wanting to get angry while she looked this way.

She was tiny.

I kept thinking about her small size, honestly not trying to communicate the uninvited thought to her at all. But I picked up on the fact that she heard my thoughts when her body posture changed dramatically.

She straightened her head up and arched a perfect eyebrow at me.

"Size doesn't matter?" Her face was too straight as she made such a provocative statement.

My body reacted in the worst way possible right now.

"Oh, it does matter a lot actually, and one day I'll prove that to you." I smiled confidently.

She looked outraged.

"You started it." I reprimanded her, talking about 'size' so casually as if she was open to trying out many, "You better not let anyone touch you, Elizabeth."

'I don't think I can take it... I don't think he'll survive if he does.'

She rolled her eyes and sighed, exasperated. It was time to change the subject or get back on track to be more accurate.

"You were talking about your friends, the claimed ones. Tell me more about that."

She smirked, "I have no friends, Theo."

.

.

.

How come?

She placed her cheek on one of her arms while her doe eyes looked sideways at me, my feet took me right where she was without my permission again, I sat across from her, the difference between the space she took and the space I took was a bit funny.

"How do you 'claim' someone." I squeezed my eyes shut, afraid of hearing the answer. The word carried an ominous vibe, my brain kept conjuring images of physical acts, I had no idea where they came from.

Her euphonious voice rang inside my head.

'The fact that you're having this kind of a reaction proves that your full awakening is near.'

My eyes slowly opened, but her lips were shut, waiting for me. I nodded at her once, indicating that I'm ready to hear whatever she had to tell me.

As ready as I'll ever be, at least.

"Claiming another vampire is restricted to purebloods, unclaimed vampires are drawn to us like a moth to the flame, I hear it's close to torture... their desire to be around and protect us." She spoke the last few words in pure wonder, while my brain stopped working after hearing the word 'desire' in her voice.

I pounced over her, completely covering her small frame without actually touching her, my fists dug deep in the tree trunk, I had to find any kind of outlet if I wasn't going to kiss her. So I slowly moved my forehead closer.

Her eyes were on my lips, I licked them instinctively, my heart fluttered then picked up the pace at her reaction, but then her eyes looked up and glared at me, daring me to touch her.

'Without your consent, I won't.'

She looked thoughtful as I retreated my body again to sit where I was, I had never allowed my impulsiveness to run wild like that before in my whole life, it was almost as if I was getting to know another me around Elizabeth.

My vampire self.

I took a deep breath, trying to act like the old me, the one I knew and disliked so much. I never thought I'd miss him. "Explain more about the process of claiming another vampire." my cold tone was right on spot.

"It's simple, you only need to give them permission." She paused for a second then hurried up after seeing whatever was on my face, "Permission to drink your blood,"

This wasn't what I was dreading but it was equally unpleasant to know.

"It creates the bond they crave so much, and gives them a unique eye color that your pureblood induces, showing other vampires that they have been claimed by you. They become your eternal protectors afterward."

I swallowed hard seeing the shadow of a fear veiling her eyes. It gave me a great deal of pain to know that the three monsters from the garage incident the other day had tasted her.

.

.

.

"Anyone else?" I couldn't bring myself to ask a coherent question about the number of vampires she had a relationship with, she shook her head twice, understanding me.

I took a deep breath. The image she painted kept defying what I saw in the movies.

"Did you ever drink blood then?" I asked.

Wasn't she like royalty in this world?

Her already large eyes turned larger, and she looked extremely surprised by my question.

"No. I have never done so before." She hesitated before she spoke again. "... For a pureblood, the urge to bite comes stronger when intimacy is involved,"

The joy that filled my heart as what she told me sank in was beyond reasonable. I laughed out loud with relief. The feeling didn't last long, it ended once I registered her angry expression.

"It's not something I'm proud of, and neither should you," She said defyingly.

I almost heard something snap in my head. And I wanted nothing more than to shock her right then and there.

.

.

.

I tilted my neck completely to the side.

"Theo…?"

"Be my guest," I said invitingly.