She does not want to be touched right now. Even if my whole body is raging for me to embrace her, to comfort her, she wants space.
Just as Osiris reached for the handle, Eleanor whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
“I’m sorry, Osiris.”
The pain in her voice threatened to tear his heart in two.
“You do not need to apologize to me, Eleanor. It is I who should apologize to you. I did not mean to trap you here with me. Please,” he pleaded, “get some rest.”
Stepping outside, Osiris closed the door gently behind him. Elias leaned against the wall of his cottage a few steps away. The darkness of the night made the red of his eyes all the more noticeable. He walked up to the vampire, stopping right next to him, his back pressing against the wall.
“Elias, I-” Osiris started, but was quickly cut off by a hand being shoved in his face. Elias used two fingers to balance a cigar.
“Help me out, will ya?”
Osiris nodded, leaning forward to blow out some of his fire, lighting the end of the cigar. The vampire lifted it to his lips, taking a deep breath in before blowing out a puff of whitesmoke.For a moment, there was only the stillness of the night between them, interrupted only by the occasional puff of a cigar and blow of smoke.
“Are you okay?” Osiris finally asked.
Elias’ eyes flicked towards Osiris, watching him with unmasked frustration. Turning his head back to the field in front of them, he nodded. “Yes. You couldn’t easily hurt me if you wanted to. Beingundeadhas advantages. Though,” he mused, blowing out another puff of smoke, “I do not believe you wish to harm anyone.”
Osiris held his hands out in front of him, his shadows remaining hidden within him. “I don’t know what came over me. I did not like it.”
Elias chuckled. “Love, my headless friend. Love came over you.”
“Love?” Osiris asked. Some of his fire returning.
Was that what this was? His need to hold her, to talk to her, to have her look at only him…
He wanted to deny it, not for his sake but for hers. How would she react to knowing a being, a monster,lovedher? Yet as much as he knew he should hide this, he felt his head duck as he nodded. A silent confirmation that this was not something he would hide.
A selfish, unreasonable truth.
But a truth all the same.
“And to think,” Elias continued the corners of his mouth twitching, “a human. What have you gotten yourself into?”
Osiris looked up at Elias, waiting for the judgment or reproach, but there was only kindness in his friend’s eyes as his lips quirked up slightly around the cigar he held in his mouth.
“Please,” Osiris whispered, “do not tell the others. They cannot know that she is here.”
“You know I will not say anything. Still, if she remains here, you will need to tell the enclave sooner or later.”
Elias flicked the end of his cigar, sending a few ashes flying as he stood up fully, turning his back on Osiris.
If she remains here? Was that possible? Would she want to stay here… with me?
Osiris looked back at the door that remained closed. He had made a fool of himself today.
Though, if she wanted to leave he would not be able to stop her, nor blame her. They were both clear about what exactly their arrangement was, weren’t they? Still, the memory of her heated, glossed over eyes staring at him as he explored her body was not something he would soon forget.
“A word of advice, my friend,” Elias called out as he walked away, turning his head back over his shoulder. “Our lives are long, and often lonely. How wonderful is it that we can still experience something as innocent as love?”
Osiris looked up at the sky, the moon shining down on him.
How long had he been without his mind that he had forgotten what love felt like?
Or perhaps, he had never known what it was like until he found himself staring at his own heart as she held it in her hands.
