Time stood impeccably still.

"In this world, there are divine beings outside of humans. Vampires are one of them," Zander pointed to himself and I nodded, following along. "In the vampire culture, every one of us, whether turned or born a vampire are given a fated one, their beloved, who has the other half of their immortal soul. You are mine to love, to cherish, to protect, my everlasting soulmate," He explained as simply as he could, watching me take it all in.

So I was basically his one and only boyfriend??

What?

I stared at him, taking in his face as I relished in the new information. "I can do no wrong by you because you're the only one that I'll ever have. But why would I want to anyway?" He raked his silvery blue gaze from my head to toe, licking his fang in an erotic manner. "It seems fate made me a lucky man, lubirea mea."

I blushed, looking away from him. I needed a distraction so I could fully think about this. "What does that mean, lubiyuhh—" I tried so hard to pronounce it and Zander snorted, shaking his head. "Lubirea mea? It means my love," He commented and I blushed even harder, deciding to change the subject.

"What were you saving me from, other than my accident?" His face darkened and his jaw tightened, indicating that this conversation was dark territory that we were heading into. "If you're sure you want to know, then I will tell you." I nodded, motioning for him to tell me. I felt at ease with him as if I knew him for my whole life, but I had nothing to lose at this point. He took a deep breath, his eyes turning a shade of black as he clenched his hands.

"Cecilia Radcliffe."

I pursed my lips, wondering who that was. Zander looked absolutely conflicted as he began to relay the details to me. 

"I'm from Lithuania," He said. "Zarasai to be exact," He said and I frowned, never having heard of that place. "Long ago, I was the first to be turned by that vile woman. She herself was the only vampire looking to create a powerful coven in Zarasai," I had half of a mind to ask how old he was, but I kept it to myself. 

"It took me a while to turn into what I am now, so I merely came to in the middle of the forest, thinking nothing happened. I went home to my father and my life resumed as it was," He looked incredibly troubled with what he was thinking about, and part of me wanted to comfort him, let him know that I was there, but I feel as if he didn't want any consolation.

"Long story short, she is upset because I am the very powerful ruler over all of the vampires that are known to exist. As someone with nobility in me and very diverse powers, it was befitting that I would lead a coven," Zander sighed, looking down at the ground. "Cecilia, to this day, attacks me and brethren out of spite for the simple fact that the vampires chose me and not her."

I knew there was more to the story, but judging by the tightening of his grip of my hand, he didn't want to tell me about it.

"It sounds like a simple feud that could easily be handled, but don't take Cecilia Radcliffe lightly," His eyes flicked back up to him, hardening. "She is still alive for a reason, and she is very powerful. She has her ways and she has her methods," He pointed to me, reminding me of the person I saw dashing towards my car.

"She has people on her side, some lowly vampires that she turned just this century," I blinked at him in astonishment, wondering if I heard that correctly. "You probably saw one of them on your drive through the forest. Something tells me that she knows of who are you to me, and I expect nothing less for her to try to use you to get to me. A smart plan it would be," He mused and I gulped, gathering the intensity of the situation. 

I wasn't going to lie to placate anyone—I was terrified. I was just finding out about vampires actually existing, but to find out that one of them was after me because I was the fated love of a powerful man? I needed several decades to process this information.

Zander could sense my immediate distress and panic as he rubbed the back of my hand, offering me a soothing nod. He still couldn't smile for his life, but the sentiment was enough. "I'm not telling you this because I want you to trust me, and I want you to accept being my fated. I'm telling you this because I want to protect you, Eli."

This was still so much to wrap my head around. I mean, how was I going to live now? "How do I know you're telling the truth? You could just be telling me this to lure me in and then kill me for my blood," I muttered hysterically and this creature had the audacity to snort as if I just told the world's funniest joke. 

"If I wanted to kill you, I simply would have done so on the field that day," I stared at him, narrowing my eyes as I put together why he seemed so familiar. "So you were that bat?" He nodded once again. "And you were that person outside my house?" He nodded. "I like to make sure that you are safe at night. Sorry if it was a bit presumptuous and frightening of me," I grumbled a bit, remembering that I was a bit scared that night.

"And you were the person outside the diner?" I waited for him to nod, but all he did was raise a brow in confusion. "I'm not sure what you are referencing to," He stated and suddenly, I got the chills. I would've been okay with that news if I knew it was him all this time, but to think that he had no idea was ominous in itself.

I shook my head, telling him to disregard it, but it looked as if he had some idea of who might've been there. He gritted his teeth, taking a deep breath. "At any rate, we'll figure out a solution together," Zander's tone lightened and I gave him a smile, noticing how he was able to put me at ease. "On another note, you were driving through the forest as if you were trying to escape something," He paused warily and my breath hitched as I bit my lip, remembering everything.

How I walked in Hunter and Michelle, people that I absolutely trusted with everything in me, how my brother just completely disregarded me, calling me worthless as if our lives together meant nothing, how my parents basically told me I was unwanted, to how my sister acted as she could care less about me. 

That was enough to bring a slight tremor in my hands. "You were crying, lubirea mea," He whispered as low as his voice would let him, being careful as to not upset me. "You don't have to tell me for I already know," He tried to smile sadly, but it wasn't cut out for him. I stifled a chuckle as a tear fell from my eye.

"Please don't cry. It pains me to see such lovely eyes on the brink of tears," He used his gloved hand to wipe away my tears, referencing to my hazel-grey eyes that I somehow inherited from my grandmother. 

"I just don't know what I did wrong," I muttered hollowly, sniffling as I recalled my parents' harsh words. It felt as if someone was holding fire to my heart, forcing me to feel it burn. "You did nothing wrong, Eli," Zander growled adamantly, prompting me to snap my head to him in surprise. "You just see people's true colors when they have no desire for you anymore."

He said it so simply that it resonated with me.

"I know you're confused about how I could know what happened, so I'll explain," His silvery-blue stare bore into my soul, giving me all the comfort I needed. "As a vampire leader, I have the power to look into your life through your eyes once I bite into your flesh," He pointed to the fading holes on my wrist and I blinked, wondering when he bit me. "Of course, I bit you to heal you as you were dying," That was all he said and I had to admit, I heard worse. 

I sighed heavily, realizing what a day it had been. "What about the stuff in my car? I had very important things in there!" I realized I left the picture of my grandma, Ximena Velacruz, and I smiling on the beach in Havana. That was one of my dearest memories. "Don't worry. We have retrieved your belongings from your vehicle, but I'm afraid your mode of transportation has been destroyed beyond repair. Do not fret as I will issue you another one."

I furrowed my brow, wondering where he was going to come up with the money to get me another Mercedes-Benz crossover. That had been a gift to me, otherwise, I would've settled for my Honda. 

Zander continued on and I had to admit, his presence made me feel so warm and safe. I guess it had something to do with this fate mess. "As much as I don't want to let you leave, you are free to go back home, if you desire." He divulged in a tone that I would render as sad as I pursed my lips, unsure of what to think about that.

"I uh have a job in the city that I don't want to let go of," Now that I thought about it, I dashed out without thinking, not taking into consideration the people that I worked with. "I'm sure they need someone to help out," I muttered without thinking and Zander narrowed his eyes, flicking them from my eyes to my lips as he sat deep in thought.

"As long as you're doing it because you love it, but not because you feel so deeply indebted to it," My eyes widened as his words cut so close to my heart, wondering how he knew what I was thinking. "If you're doing it because people need you, don't. It isn't worth sacrificing your own time for something if it isn't what you enjoy."

I wanted to fight back and say that if people needed me, I couldn't leave them behind, but at the same time, I couldn't remember a time I did something that I liked in school. Debate club was courtesy of my own mother. Football was also courtesy of her. Drama was courtesy of my brother, said it would help me get out of my comfort zone.

But it was all so much. 

I couldn't even do what I truly enjoyed.

"Mierda. You say so, Zander," I looked at him head-on, firm in my decision. "My job is one thing that I love doing," It was no lie. It was everything that I wanted to do with my life, something that my family didn't know about. They assumed I worked at a sports facility, but that wasn't the case.

Zander stared at me for a bit, the corners of his mouth quirking up slightly. "Then, of course, you'll be able to come and go as you please, provided that you have the necessary coverage," He spoke as if I was going to have a bodyguard tailing me around. "You'll have the same one you had before," He shrugged to himself and I gaped at him, watching him tilt his head, looking at me softly.

"If you stay here, I'll show you every single day what it's like to be absolutely cherished, so there won't be any need for sorrow when you're with me."

His words crashed into my heart and I could feel my lips shaking. He squeezed my hand in his and I couldn't help but let another tear fall, still slightly reluctant and afraid. "But you don't even know me!" I snapped back and he nodded, rubbing his jaw in the hottest manner possible.

"True, but I know your heart," He pointed to my chest and I bit my lip, unsure of what to do. "If anything, I should be the one afraid that you'll leave me behind once you come to know who I really am," He muttered sadly and I furrowed my brow, eager to refute. "There's no fucking way I'll do that!" His perfectly shaped nose wrinkled in irritation at the sound of profanity and I internally grinned, finding one thing that annoyed this perfect man.

"Then assume the same for me," My eyes were watering at this point as I bit my lip, hating how someone I just met could get under my defenses like this.

"If you allow me, I'll court you and treat you so beautifully, you'll think it's all unreal. Nothing but truth leaves my lips, so worry not if you think I'm going to betray you," Zander tried so hard to smile, but he looked evil. However, the soft look in his eyes was enough to go by. "I've waited for you for so long, so trust me. I need you more than you need me," He finished and I was just about to cry at this point.

No one had ever said something so sweet to me, not at all during my 19 years of life, and I found myself sobbing internally as my heart exposed itself to him. I didn't even know him like that, but I could tell that he was more honest than anyone that I ever met. So I found myself taking that first leap of courage for no one but me.

"Y-yes, I'll stay."