I felt alive.

Eloise was kissing me back, despite how little we'd spent together, she opened her mouth and allowed me to rub my tongue over hers.

Her mouth was so warm, her hands felt nice against my cool skin and her moans filling the air was like witnessing music for the first time.

I wanted more, to take her up against the bookshelves until I'm so deeply buried inside of her and give her one of the best orgasms of her short life.

I'd break her, I'd completely ruin her, but I... I didn't want to hurt her.

I could use the gift of death to persuade her to forget, but then I'd still be the monster, and with Eloise...

I didn't want to play that game anymore.

Pulling back from Eloise's lips, it's obvious by the look on her face that she wanted to take this further.

My resolve was breaking, if I didn't control myself now, then being around her could be problematic for me in the future.

"I'm sorry." I took a step back and looked at her.

She was gasping for breath, her lumps were red and plump, and her shirt was unbuttoned, displaying her perfect round breasts.

"Why?" She asks, taking a step forward, already under my spell.

"It doesn't have to end here... we could take this to your bedroom." She presses her chest against me, and wraps her arms around my neck.

She was no longer the Eloise that would shy away from my gaze, she was completely mine from a simple kiss.

Some of my venom must've got into her system when we kissed... it was reckless of me.

I grip her arms and move them from around my neck while trying not to bury myself into her and lose all sense of decency.

Eloise frowns, and I can see exactly what she is thinking from looking at her face, she thinks I don't want her.

She's embarrassed and the venom inside of her system was wearing off.

I needed to fix this, because it was too late. "Eloise, you are an attractive woman-"

She steps back from me and turns away from my gaze as she starts to button up her shirt, I see now that she's upset.

She wants to run out of this room, and I know that once she does, seeing her again would be a miracle, I didn't want that outcome.

"I didn't mean to upset you, don't leave because of this."

There was a silence before she turned around and looked at me. "I don't... I don't know what came over me, I shouldn't have done that, it won't happen again." She pulled her eyes from me to the door.

I knew what came over her, it was me. "Then that's a shame, because I was hoping it would." I said, making her eyes snap to mine again, surprised.

"I've wanted to call on you all weekend, and now that you're here I now just want to be careful with you because... " I'm afraid I would kill you.

I needed to say this the only way I could think of, without arousing suspicion.

"You're a good person." And innocent to the darkness of this world. "I simply wanted to do this right with you, that is all."

So many I've used and thrown away without them having a single memory of meeting me because of how I lose control.

I didn't want this with her, I could feel she was different.

"Are you saying you want to date me?" She asked, her eyes filled with confusion.

Date... this could be a first for me to finally move from friend to something more.

"Yes." I bluntly said, giving up on what my head was telling me to do.

She finally smiled before sighing. "You really are a strange guy, Rowan."

Hearing her saw my name felt good, so good I reached out to touch her hand.

"Strange good or strange bad?" I asked, caressing her hand in mine as I stood in front of her, my eyes on hers.

She blushed and shrugged her shoulders, looking away from my gaze. "What do you think?"

What did I think? Her head would roll if she knew how I really thought of myself.

"It depends on the scenery." I held her chin and turned her head to face me, before leaning into her ear.

"I'm more interested in what you think." I whispered.

Her heartbeat spiked before she moved back and covered her ear with her hand embarrassed, I see then that she no longer was upset, but back to her usual self.

"Whatever I may be is up to you Eloise, we go at your pace, and when you're ready for me, I'm more than willing to fulfil that need." I said seriously, noticing her cheeks get brighter.

"I don't know if you're being serious or just being... British." She mumbled, making me smirk.

'Being British', HA!

She's so.... "I simply want to respect you, and not make it look like I only kissed you for other reasons than the truth."

"So... what is the truth?" She asked, looking at my shyly.

"Why did you kiss me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I said, stepping closer to her as she takes a step back.

Eloise's back hits the back of the bookshelf with nowhere to go as I stand over her, wanting to avoid any misunderstandings.

"I like you." 

There way no denying it, so I told her plainly how I felt, and how I struggle with feeling these things for her, knowing that death is just around the corner, I was consumed by her life, and her smile, the way she made me feel warm inside this corpse body I live inside of.

"You make it very hard for me to control myself, and that's why I kissed you." I nip at her earlobe, my voice sending shivers down her entire body as I press myself against her.

I had just fed, but having her here now, and as close as she was... my tongue was inches from her neck, my teeth would so easily pierce her beautiful smooth ivory skin, I'd completely sink her into exactly with a single touch... she was right there.

A knock at the door pulled my from my thought, making me back away from her and cover my mouth with my hand, as I felt my fangs out and throbbing to taste the woman who has become a rather big problem for me.

"Yes?" I clear my throat, then turn to look at Eloise seeing she was fixing herself blushed cheeks and a shy expression, avoiding my gaze.

"Sir, Lady Mariella Cosworth has arrived." He announces, not missing the way Eloise gazes at me for the corner of her eye. 

"Escort her to the drawing room, I'll be right there." I sigh, seeing as she always comes at the worst possible times.

Even so- her time couldn't be more perfect as I see something rather interesting, and if I'm not mistaking, Eloise has shown some jealousy at the mention of another woman.

It's almost too amusing, she's very easy to read when she wears her emotions on her face.

"I apologize, I had forgot I had an appointment today." I said, smiling at the nervous Eloise.

"It's fine- I should go." She mumbled, keeping her head down, making me frown.

Not the expression I wanted- nor response, how infuriating that she didn't take the bate, although it only amuses me further, it makes me want to chase her more, tease her more, see more of her lovely expressions.

I reach out for her hand and pull her into my chest, before she could open her mouth to speak I kiss her firmly on her soft round lips as I press my hand into her back, she tasted so sweet that I didn't want her to leave without feeling her once again on my lips.

Her mouth was warm, her touch hot, I damned Lady Mariella's arrival in that moment, wishing that I hadn't been so damn stupid to turn down her advances, to just simply bury my affection for her and get it over with.

Eloise's moans and struggles were too adorable, when I opened my eyes to look at her, still kissing her, her face was red like a tomato fresh from the garden, it was too much to take that I wish I had never opened my eyes and been greedy.

Moving myself from her lips, I press mine to her forehead and inhale her scent one last time, I longed to stay with her, but I couldn't deny that I had things to do, important things that couldn't be ignored.

Pulling back from each other, she smiled up at me sweetly. "Come, I shall show you out." I said, putting my hand in hers and leading her out of the library.

I had no idea what has overcome me, I was so casually touching her, holding her hand and now escorting her to the door, where a simple burn could cast me to flames, I was being bold, adventurous- something I haven't been since my youth.

What was this girl doing to me?

"I'll contact you about those painting." I say, as I let go of her hand. "I look forward to the fundraiser, and as promised I shall get the word out."

She looked at me and smiled. "You really didn't have to... but thank you, it really means a lot to me, these children deserve it, you know?" She said as I nodded my head, agreeing with her wholeheartedly.

"I'm sure it's going to be a success." I looked outside as I opened the door. "Did you drive or shall I have my driver take you home?"

It was so bright, I felt sick just staring at how brightly the sun was shining, with not a single cloud in the sky I couldn't risk it, I stepped back away from the light rays coming through the door.

"Oh no, that's fine." She smiled, grabbing keys from her pocket. "I drove here, it was uh definitely a challenge to say the least but luckily I didn't kill anyone on the way here." She joked.

"Lucky indeed." I swallowed hard, staring at her.

There was a pause as it went silent between us, I got the feeling she didn't want to leave either, and if she asked to stay I would allow her without a moment of pause, but she didn't, she turned around and walked out the door.

I watched her until she reached her car, a hideous black Volkswagen Beetle, I couldn't deny that I hated the thought of her going back on the road, after all she was an American woman in a strange land, with very different road rules.

I couldn't leave, I couldn't do anything but watch as she got into her death trap of a car and started it up.

Without another word, no bye, not a single utter of the breath, I watched her drive away, the both of us already knowing we'd be seeing each other again, and that things are now different.