Say Your Prayers, You're Really Gonna Need Them.

★ ★ ★ - Indicates point of view change.

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When I opened my eyes again I felt groggy, my lids were so heavy but not fuelled from the need to sleep.

Looking around the room I noticed Harlan sitting up in the leather chair at the end of the bed; eyes closed, appearing to be asleep.

I was completely awake now, was this my chance to escape?

I stood up quietly, throwing futile glances back at him as I made my way to the door, biting my lip before trying to turn the door handle.

“You wouldn’t be trying to leave would you?” I heard him ask in a very bored tone.

I turned to look at him, his eyes still closed and head still resting on the chairs back.

“Could you blame me if I tried? But no, only needed to use the toilet and didn’t want to bother you.” I replied icily.

“You know lying doesn’t suit you and I don’t know why you’re so volatile.” he said.

I ignored the last comment ,knowing that getting angrier wasn't going to help our situation, no matter how good it felt to tell him where he could stick it.

“Why are you pretending to sleep anyway, trying to catch me out?”

“I don’t sleep often, so I rest my eyes.”

“What do you mean often, is sleeping like a once a year thing?” I asked perching back onto the bed.

“No I just didn’t know that until a few weeks ago I could sleep.”

I looked at him quizzically.

“Never mind.” he sighed

A few moments of silence passed.

“So what’s going to happen then? We both know you can’t keep me locked up in this room against my own will for the rest of my life.” I asked

“Honestly, I'm not sure yet. I’ve explained your predicament but I'm not sure whether you’ve honestly taken it in.”

“I have.” I said.

"Yeah?” he questioned flippantly causing me to clamp my mouth shut before nodding.

Harlan now has his head slightly cocked to one side, a deadly serious expression etched onto face.

“You're sure about that?” he questioned again.

“Yes! Can’t you hear?” I said, my voice almost shouting.

And I'm not sure what happened in the next minute, Harlan had stood and literally threw himself on top of me, causing my eyes to grow wide and a scream to escape my lips.

I was pinned to the bed with him on top of me, and I immediately noticed his canines which were now pointed and sharp like razor blades.

I closed my eyes and waited for the pain, but felt nothing other than a small kiss being planted on my neck.

It sent shivers down my spine and I opened my eyes to see Harlan looking down at me with strong eyes.

“Why don’t you try and explain the situation you know to me then?” he asked.

“You're... you’re a vampire and you saved my life.” I stammered in a hushed tone of voice, hoping that by saying the last part he might through some miracle just let me go.

No such luck.

“And...?” he prompted

“You marked me.”

“What does being marked entail though?”

I didn’t want to say this part, I just looked at him. I knew if I said the next part it would be too close for comfort and he might try it.

“Come on Ruse, you know this one.” he said after I didn’t reply

“It doesn’t matter though.” I whispered.

“What doesn’t matter?” he asked.

I took a deep breath, “It doesn’t matter what I know, it doesn’t change anything,”

Now it was his turn to be silent.

“Don’t I get any say at all?” I murmured.

But I got no reply; he just looked at me with pity and even i couldn’t stand the intensity of this moment.

“Please reconsider this... you don’t have to do it.” I stammered, my eyes begun filling with tears.

And suddenly I was almost hysterical, and felt like I couldn’t breathe.

“Shh...” he soothed, pulling me to a tight embrace.

I felt as he put his hand on the back of my head and began trailing kisses along my neck line; they were so gentle that for a split second I actually felt appeased.

But the pain that followed snapped me right back out, I gasped as his teeth punctured through my layers of skin, making a almost popping sensation and just as I thought I was about to scream the teeth were gone and the pain lessened as I felt him drinking slowly.

I don’t know how many minutes passed but after a while everything began to go hazy around the edges, I felt as though I was spiralling and wasn’t ever going to pull through.

But he showed no signs of stopping; I made a meek sound because I couldn’t think clear enough to form actual sentences.

And suddenly his lips were gone, replaced by his tongue as he licked at my wounds. He lifted his head to look at me, by this time his breathing was heavy and my blood decorated his chin.

Licking around his mouth, he closed his eyes; a growl escaping his lips.

I knew that I should have been scared when he made that noise but I was too weak to cower or protest.

My eyes were growing heavier.

I opened them briefly as I felt his breath fanning onto my face, but he didn’t finish me off. He simply kissed me on the forehead, then the lips; which tasted like copper.

but the act itself was so tender that I couldn’t object.