18. Natalia

The green-eyed facelessghouls whiz through the night, almost knocking me down with their frenzied zeal. The faster I run the faster they chase, until I find refuge as they take off to recharge. They'll be back. Time and time again when I think finally, they're through, they charge again. I'll be ready for the bastards this time. There is no way they're going to keep me away from those gates. I've made it this far, and I damn well plan on making it all the way to the finish line, no matter what else they throw my way.

I gather my weary body and trudge forward, over the clouds and toward the guarded gates that will determine my fate. Open or not, depending on my ability to ward off my pursuers and reach them without harm. I swallow through the pain of my journey, gathering more courage with each step I take, determined that this will be the last battle of the night with those flying ghouls. And when I hear the high-pitched screams this time, I hold my ground, letting them draw near, letting them get closer and closer before jumping on to the back of one, choking him as we get closer to the gates, forcing his direction until I can jump from his back right over the guard and into the welcoming gates.

The leader glares at me from his spot in the distance, on the other side of the gate. He turns, leading his defeated warriors back to attack some other pour soul who dares to try to make it through to the underworld.

A hand stroking my cheek wakes me. Oradea's eyes warm me with their gaze. "The enchantress awakes."

I swallow past the soreness in my throat, not sure if it's injury or all the screaming at the green-eyed ghouls that has caused the pain. I run my hand down the length of my neck. Skin that should be torn and jagged with stitches is as smooth as it was days before. "You turned me?"

He nods. "I did. If not, you would have died on the floor of your brothers' home."

I try to sit up in bed, but the effort alone makes me suck in a breath. "Why am I so weak? The battle?" He shifts on the bed before answering.

"You will gain your strength back; it will just take time."

I eye him suspiciously. "No one told you, did they?"

His eyes narrow. "Tell me what, Natalia?"

I swallow down my fear. It's going to come out sooner or later. Better that it come out now than to come out later and shatter my heart when he leaves. "I'm a witch. I'm pretty sure that my grandmother was a witch. That's why I left with my brother. I didn't want to put you in the same position that so many of the masters are in right now. I didn't want to have you be the one to push me away, so I left when he came."

His eyes grow dark, and he stands, pacing the floor in front of the heavy drawn drapes that fall to the floor. "You're not a witch. I would know if you were a witch."

I narrow my eyes at the vampire master whose mind is running a thousand miles a minute as he contemplates every scenario imaginable. I draw the comforter to my shoulders, letting him process everything that I've said. "I am a witch. Embry knows; the ladies know. Everyone knew I was a witch except me, except you. Think about it, Oradea. I can communicate with you just like them. I know what you're thinking right now. In fact…"

His red-tinged eyes narrow at me. "Tell me," he half growls. I shrug, trying to keep my voice indifferent while my heart shatters into a million pieces. "Witches are evil; she can't possibly be a witch. I would have been able to tell. I wouldn't be attracted to a witch when they want to destroy us. Is that about it?" I ask, as he folds himself into a large burgundy wingback chair by the window, watching me with those eyes that see right to my very soul.

Oradea doesn't need to answer, or deny what we both know to be true. "You need sustenance. I'll feed you and then let you get some sleep." I watch as he joins me on the bed, rolling up his long-sleeve shirt to reveal a corded forearm, rippling with muscles that have protected me, loved me, and even saved me from certain death. He would have given me anything but cannot bring himself to love a witch. "When I slit my wrist, I'll help you latch on for the very first time. Your instincts will take over, though, and from there, your body will do the rest. You'll take what you need and then rest, continue to heal. I have work to be done, but Elda will be close by if you need anything."

The blood comes to the surface of the slit he carves into his wrist. One hand cradles my nape, tilting my head as the other lets his pure blood flow into my mouth, giving me the nutrition I need to sustain, to be a vampire like him, even though I am a witch at heart. The taste of blood is pungent, and I latch onto his wrist, to devour every drop as though I've been craving this life source for an eternity. When I've finished, he pushes a wayward strand of hair from my eyes. "Rest. We both need time to process, and I have lots of work to do."

I nod as he walks to the door, unable to say a word, lest tears of sadness fall from my eyes. I will not be that girl. He will never see me shed a tear for what could have been because even if we have no future together, at least I know what it is like to love someone, truly love them. I love you, Oradea. No matter that you are not human, that I am a witch, and that you cannot accept me as that. I have no doubt my feelings for you will never change.

He pauses for a moment and then walks right out the door. I don't know what I was thinking, maybe that if I professed my love to him, he would come back to bed, suddenly forget all about what the witches have done to the vampires for all these centuries, forget their feud amidst our feelings for each other? I pull the blanket up to my chin, rolling over and pushing my face into the pillow, letting the blood from Oradea sooth and calm me while trying to absorb it all.