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

★ ★ ★ - Indicates point of view change.
This chapter contains reference to drugs.

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“And you think you can do that?” I murmured cynically.

I don’t know why I said it, but it was out of my mouth before I even had the chance to hold it in.
Causing Harlan to smile assertively, “I’ve already started to, so I guarantee it.” He laughed before putting his lips to mine and pushing me against the wall.

I couldn’t respond, but it didn’t matter to Harlan... he seemed to kiss enough to both of us.

“I-...I can’t do this,” I stammered, as he trailed kisses down my neck feverishly before spinning me round, swiping the contents off the bed and laying me on it.

“I can make you want to.” he smiled before climbing on top of me.

Technically I was lying and Harlan knew this, I couldn’t deny the covetousness I felt for him, but I wasn't about to give it up or give in, something felt wrong.

“No... You can’t,” I said between kisses, gasping in air only for his lips to cover mine again.
He stopped and looked down at me, cocking his head to one side.

I stared back defiantly before I felt something stirring in my mind, it pushed its way in and made my subconscious whirl, the protest I had originally felt replaced by nothing other than blind lust.

He bent down again, his face hovering over mine and this time it wasn’t his lips but mine, initiating the kiss.

But Harlan needed no encouragement and quickly took over again, pushing me further up the bed and pulling off his shirt, before removing my own.

We kissed avidly, not pausing for a single breath until he began kissing my neck forcefully again, and I felt his hand purposely tug on my hair resulting in a small gasp from me, he pulled my head so my throat was bared and I couldn’t suppress the moan when his canine scraped along the soft skin of my neck.

He hadn’t bit me fully, but as soon as the blood began to cipher out it was almost as though a light came on.

Whatever glamour Harlan had implanted was gone, and I came back to the real world with jolt.
I think he sensed this, because he had managed to pull himself away from the throat in order to look me in the eyes.

“Ruse...?” he questioned quietly.

“I'm awake,” I managed to choke out before putting my hands on his chest, I didn’t do anything in the way of forceful pushing, I was too busy trying to gather my thoughts.

Harlan understood simultaneously and rolled off me onto the bed, trying to catch his breath; his gaze on the ceiling.

“I can’t believe you used that shit on me.” I whispered angrily.

I could still here his breathing, but I didn’t turn to look at him.

“Ruse... you know how I feel about you, that I like you.” he responded in a gentle tone.

“LIKE ME...? Harlan all I know is you like what I give to you.” I growled before pushing myself up into the sitting position.

“You hardly agree to give it Ruse, let’s not get complacent... I like you; I’ve already told you that before.” Harlan murmured.

I snorted before adding “Chances are you don’t like me as much as you think, it’s just a case of liking my blood and you think it’s only right to like me too.” I replied a little too fast.

I was aware I was acting like a complete bitch, but I was angry.

But now it was Harlan’s turn to shout, he turned to look me straight in the eyes, his own filled with nothing more than pure rage.

But instead of shouting, he imitated my resentful snort.

“Have you listened to yourself? Stop acting like woe is you, don’t you think I know how to trust my own instincts better than you after 61 years of trawling the fucking earth?” he hissed, swinging his legs off bed, meaning his back was now to me.

“One thing I do know, is that ‘61 years trawling the fucking earth’ should mean that you know better.”

I said pulling my t-shirt on furiously.

“I'm a vampire, we don’t do better, get over it.” he said before pulling his own shirt on followed by his jacket and storming out the front door.

I threw myself down on the bed irritably before taking a swig of my beer.
It was flat and rather rancid, so instead I pulled out a cigarette and mauled over everything whilst watching the smoke dance in the air.

I was an idiot, I knew that.

But I also knew that Harlan’s little magic trick was wrong, I don’t know why it had stopped working, my only guess being that the appearance of my blood meant his concentration had wavered.

It’s not like I hadn’t had sex before, but none of my past relationships (and there weren’t many), were in any type of similar position as Harlan and I were having.

But that aside I defiantly couldn’t deny that felt something for him.
I just wished it wasn't such a fucked up situation.

★★★

I flicked my cigarette butt away and cast a glace over the motels grounds.

The receptionist kept sneaking secret glances at me, clearly sensing my agitated demeanour; but didn’t make her looks too overbearingly obvious.

I sighed and looked up at the sky, it was the darkest indigo; the only interruption being that of the glimmering silver stars and the waning moon.

Upon listening it was as though I could slow everything down, the way someone would if a gun was held to their head, I could the static noises of people in their rooms.

Their chattering of voices, the low hum of a television set, the quiet melodic rhythms of sleep fuelled breathing, the crying, laughing, shouting, a telephones incessant ringing; even the flicker of a lighter and the running of water in a bathtub with its drip...drip...dripping.

The type dripping that could cause you to rip at your skin from pure irritation.

All of it was bleeding through the walls and seeping into my subconscious with a sickening ease, but they were still going about their business, none the wiser.

I inhaled loudly before opening our motel room door again.
Ruse was laid on the bed awake, she looked over at me through downcast eyes and I deliberated what to say.

It was do or die.