Chasing the Moon

"Of course I'm not. Why would I be?" he snapped, looking down at me through narrow eyes, confused.

"Aiden, you can't be serious. Zach's back home—and Leanne, Ian, and Isabel," I murmured, touching his face gently as I tried desperately to get him to think clearly. He caught my hand nearly the second I touched him and he kissed it softly.

"Babe, you're all I need in life. Are you telling me you don't feel the same?" He sounded more than hurt.

"No! I didn't mean that! I just meant, well, I didn't get to say good-bye and this is so sudden. Aiden, surely you can give your dad another chance." Did I have "desperate" written on my face? Because it sure felt like it!

"He lied to me for seventeen years, Gabriella, and I'm not as forgiving as God. You should be mad at Zach, you know? He lied to you, too. Why does he deserve to see you ever again? I mean, he damned you and took you from your life. I don't think someone who loves you would do that." I stared at him, hurt and upset. He was supposed to make me happy, not miserable.

"How can you even say that? That's like telling some orphans that their parents never loved them anyway!" I yelled, pulling myself out of his arms. I didn't want to be held by him then. He made a low, raspy sound in his throat—a growl?—before wrenching me back to him, crushing my body to his as I squirmed. "Stop! Please, Aiden, stop!"

"Gabby, I love you and I'm not going to let you ruin this for us." Uh, excuse me? "I'm the man, so just let me make all of the important decisions, alright, darling?"

"We're supposed to be a team, Aiden. I want a say in this, too, and I say you need to calm down! I am going home and if you come home with me: great; if not: too bad." I tore myself from him again and marched to the door. He was blocking my way in an instant. I sighed: yeah, I'd forgotten he was part vampire.

"I wouldn't walk out on me, Gabby," he advised, standing before me with his arms crossed.

"Oh? And, pray tell, why is that?" I asked, just as impatient as he appeared to be. He scooped me up in his arms again.

"Because I love you and I can't let you up and leave," he whispered, kissing me softly. When I didn't respond, he only kissed harder. I pulled back.

"Aiden, please," I murmured. "I miss my Aiden. Where is he? I want him back."

"Babe, don't be ridiculous. I'm still Aiden. I'm just starting to find out how fun it is to be a vampire."

"I don't recall vampires being total assholes," I muttered under my breath. Aiden dropped me suddenly and I cried out as I hit the floor. "What's your damage?"

"You!" he hissed, glowering down at me. "You can't be happy with just me, huh? You can't be happy with what I give you! I love you, but to be honest, I didn't know vampires could be such selfish bitches!"

"Aiden-Jacob!" I breathed, not believing what he had just said to me. "Stop being so—ugh! I can't deal with you right now. I'm going home!"

"No, you're not! This is home now!" Aiden jeered, smirking. I rolled my eyes and pushed him out of the way.

"Good-bye."

I was hardly in the hall before he pounced, knocking us both to the floor. I cried out as my back collided with the marble tiling.

"I just told you that you're not going anywhere," he spat in my face, pinning me.

When did a relationship start meaning "Hostage Situation"?