Eternal Damnation

Chapter 17

-Aurora POV- 

I look out the window, watching the beautiful meadow pass us by. 

Last night we all agreed on destroying the book and it was my idea. I feel restless about this. It was my mother's but I could not live with myself if it fell into the wrong hands and it was used for evil deeds. 

"It will take us a few hours to get there." Ezekiel says as he drives. "You should take a rest." 

It is only the two of us in this car. 

This morning, Wolf and Abigail spotted some of Dimitrios men skulking around our hotel. So they decided it was best if we split up and meet there since we have so many people after us. They went together in a different car and both Ezekiel and I hope that they won't kill each other. 

Now the problem is that I am alone with this beautiful man and I have no desire to resist him should he make a pass at me. In fact, it scares me that I welcome it. 

"So, this ferry will take us across the ocean to..."  

He nods and finishes for me. "...France." 

"France..." I repeat. "I always wanted to go there when I was younger. It was so romanticized and I was... I guess naive." 

"I don't think wanting or believing in romance is naive. What is life without love in it?" He glances at me. "I can tell you. It is a life not worth living.” He says. 

"So would you give up your immortality for the person you love?" I ask. 

"Yes." He says quickly and without any hesitation. 

I am intrigued by this man but this is getting heavy and so I change the subject. 

"So... what is your life like when you are not running around helping old witches and looking for spellbooks?" 

He gives me another side-glance and smiles.  

(This man makes my knees weak with just a smile. How can someone be so attractive and desirable?) 

"I chase after skirts of course." He says. 

I gasp and look at him with my eyes wide. 

He starts laughing at my reaction and now I know he is joking... I hope. 

His body calms down and he starts to speak. "At the beginning of my immortal life, I can't deny that I liked my share of women. I was young." 

"But you are not like that anymore... right?" I ask  

He smiles and shakes his head, making me almost sigh in relief.  

I am taken with this man and the last thing I want is to be just a conquest to him. 

"How are you feeling by the way?" He asks. 

I had a pain episode about an hour ago. We had to stop at the side of the road. Thanks to the medication he gives me, I am able to go through the pain without fainting. To think that such a powerful pain medication exists is incredible. 

I am distracted when I see my reflection on the side mirror of the car. My scars are covered with my hair but I can still see them and it is so ugly which now makes me wonder what does Ezekiel sees in me? He is always telling me that I am beautiful but I am not. So why does he look at me the way he does or touches me the way he does? 

I turn my head to him when my mind travels to that night he did things to my breasts and then that time when he pulled my towel off. He is a sincere man so I know he is not lying. 

I take a deep breath. (This man excites me so much.) 

"Aurora?" Ezekiel asks, still waiting for my answer but I was completely distracted inside my thoughts. 

"Oh... I am feeling well. No pain." 

He smiles. "That's good." 

“Can I ask...” I drift off feeling like maybe I shouldn’t. 

“Anything.” He says. 

“What happened? How did you get turned.” 

I watch his expression but it doesn’t change. He looks normal as he goes to respond. 

“Eleanor and I were out celebrating her birthday. It was winter. The snow was heavy on the ground. It wasn’t that late but it was already dark. After we had dinner, we decided to go for a stroll in the park. It was all empty with the exception of one person.” 

“The vampire.” I say and he nods. 

“We hadn’t noticed but he followed us until we were in a secluded area. He got to me first before getting to Eleanor.” 

“So, just a bite can turn someone?”  

He nods. “Or kill you.” 

“kill?” 

“Yes, the bite either turns you or kills you.” 

(That is something I did not know.) 

“What happened to the vampire that turned you?” 

“No idea. We woke up at the local doctor the next day. We were sick for a day or two and then... we turned. We were confused at first but quickly knew what was happening to us. The vampire lore has been around for centuries, so we knew.” 

“I’m sorry. It must be painful for you-” 

He cuts me off. “No. Go ahead, ask me what you want. It doesn’t bother me.”  

“Okay... what about the sun? Is it not true that it hurts you?” 

“That is true but we can build immunity to it the longer we live. The older we get, the stronger we get.” 

I stare at him. “So you must be really strong.” 

He smiles. “Very.” 

(He is not humble but he is a good man.) 

I yawn, feeling a bit tired. 

“You should rest Aurora. The medication helps you with the pain but the whole process still tires you.” He says. 

I nod and decide to do what he says and rest. But that nap strays from being a peaceful nap. My mind is back to that horrible night. I can smell the fire burning wood and flesh. It makes me want to hurdle my stomach out of me. And then there is the pain. I swear I can feel it all over again. I start to scream as I watch the robed men in front of me. These faces forever have been seared into my mind. I can hear my sisters scream and the helplessness that came from not being able to help them. I scream and scream and then suddenly, I am woken by a shocked and frantic Ezekiel.  

Seeing his face reminds me that it was not a dream. It was all real but I am shocked when the smell of fire still hits my nose. 

When my eyes adjust, Ezekiel is pulling me out of the car that now is starting to burn. 

I gasp and hold on to Ezekiel while he pulls me away from the car. The car is quickly consumed by the flames and we both silently watch for a few seconds until I look up at him. 

"What happened?!" 

He looks at me with concern. 

"You... you were having a nightmare. You started to scream and then the car dashboard lit up in flames." 

My eyes are wide in shock. "I... I am...-" 

"It's okay." Ezekiel says. 

"No... it is not okay. I could have killed you... right?" I ask not really sure if he can die like that but he nods. 

"With enough fire to charr our hearts, yes, Vampires can die by fire... except for a prime."  He says. 

"I am sorry. My powers are back and they can be... intense. As a child, I used to do the same when I had nightmares but my mother quickly acted, preventing my nightmares from destroying our home." 

I look up now noticing that he has been hugging me this whole time. 

"Don't be sorry. You did nothing wrong." He caressed my hair and continues to hug me. 

My body relaxes and I almost melt in his arms.  

Our eyes now go to the burning car that is consumed by the flames in the desolated road. 

“How will we get to our heading now?” I suddenly gasp. “What about your blood? It was all in there.” 

Ezekiel calmly chuckles. “It’s alright. I can handle it but...”  

I look up at him as he looks into the distant dark sky. “... we should get going. It will start raining soon. We’ll get another car along the way.” 

He pulls away but takes my hand and starts walking, never letting me go.  

We walk in silence for a while until curiosity takes over me again. I want to know him, I want to know who he was. 

“So, you were a doctor before you were a vampire?” 

He looks back looking surprised by the sudden question.  

“No, I was studying to be one.” He says. 

“Oh... and your family? Did you have any?” 

“Yes, both parents and a sister.” 

“What happened to them?” 

“Died, I supposed. After they learned of what I was, they wanted nothing to do with me so I left. I don’t know what became of them after.” 

I hate myself for asking now. I should not have pried. It must not be easy to remember. 

When I look up at him, he is glancing back at me with a small smile.  

“You want to know me? You can ask me anything but... I get to ask you questions too.” He says. “And it is my turn now.” 

I smile. “Very well.” 

He lifts an eyebrow up. “So, I can ask anything?” 

I smile and nod. 

He smirks. “You are no virgin...”  

My eyes widen in shock when he says that.  

“...am I right?” He asks. 

(How does he know that?) 

My cheeks burn and I look down, fixating my vision to the ground as we walk by a couple of trees near the road.

“How... why would you think that?” I ask. 

“Because of our recent intimate encounter.” He says and I feel like my face is going to explode. (What did I do that gave it away?) 

He stops and leans into my ear. “Your hips instinctively buckled towards me... wanting me to do much more than just... kiss you.” 

I look away and he chuckles. I don’t have to answer him for both of us to know what my answer is. 

He takes my hand and continues to walk. “So, have your previous experiences been good or bad experiences?”  He asks. 

“Why do you wish to know such a thing?” I ask not really wanting to answer. 

“Because I want to know if I will be the one who will pleasure you until you want no one else.” 

This man is making me sweat.  

“And what makes you think you will do such thing... or that I will let you?” 

(Who am I kidding. I would let him do whatever he wants to me.) 

Suddenly, Ezekiel pushes me against a tree. His thumb lifts my face up by the bottom of my chin and he softly kisses me. I stop breathing and close my eyes as I move my lips against his. He softly finishes the kiss and when I open my eyes, I look up at him. He has a smirk on his face knowing exactly what I am thinking. 

(I will never be able to fight it.)

“We both know that you want me and I want you and I... intend to give in.” He says.