GOLDEN BLOOD

"I want you, Alex. I want your love; I want your heart.”

Alexander ceased sucking blood and retracted his fangs with a slow, deliberate movement. He lifted his gaze to meet her eyes, the blood staining his mouth giving him a monstrous appearance. Pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket, he wiped away the red fluid until he was clean again.

Paris stood before him, her eyes locked on his face. His posture and expression gave away nothing but she could sense the tension radiating from him. She held her breath, waiting for him to speak.

After a brief moment, he opened his mouth and uttered her name, "Paris."

The tone of his voice was sharp and cold--something noiseless shattered inside her. As she gazed into his eyes, she saw disappointment staring back at her, deciphering the message behind them.

“I-I was... I just wanted to know if you have feelings for me..” She said and forced a smile while tears threatened to spill. “Since you did all of this, I got caught up in it all..." she trailed off with a broken voice and a broken heart.

“Paris,” he wrapped his arms around her, causing her knees to weaken. “I already told you I don't believe in love. It’s just not my thing...”

Alex said, his words cold and uncaring. She clenched her fists, feeling her heart crack even more with every word he spoke. It was getting increasingly difficult for her to maintain her composure.

"I’m sorry." His apology only added even more agony to her feelings.

“Please... don't apologize, Alex.” She fought back the pain in her heart caused by his understanding words.

She felt she was on top of the world just a moment ago. But in the next instant, it all came crashing down and burned to ashes.

"I should go," Paris said as she broke away from him.

“I think it’ll be a good idea,” he said.

She looked at him with a mixture of anger and heartbreak. She could see the apologetic look in his eyes, but it only added to her bitterness.

"Let me drive you home." He persisted.

"No, I need some time alone." She tried to hold back the tears and the sobs threatening to escape.

She spun around and took a few steps before stopping abruptly. "Alex, I think we should no longer see each other. I’ll draw my blood, and Terence can pick it up.”

"Why are you doing this, Paris?"

She hesitated before answering, carefully choosing her words. "I needed some time apart from you, Alex."

"Why?!" He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I met someone else. His name is Michael and we work together at the restaurant. He's a bartender and he asked me out on a date. I want to see where things go with him."

“Is that why you’re doing this? So you can date some clown from your workplace?”

“Well, at least he had the courage to ask me out.” Paris snapped back with frustration.

“What does that even mean?” His anger flared up.

“Forget it...just ignore what I said,” she huffed and closed her eyes tightly.

“You can't date anyone, Paris?”

Paris chuckled at his words. “And why is that?”

“Because...”

“Because what Alexander?”

“He’ll want to know why you draw blood and for whom? You won’t be able to keep it a secret from him, Paris. Believe me, it’s not a good idea.”

“You don’t need to be concerned about that. I will keep your secret safe, just like I promised before and still do now.”

“Will you confess to him about being an Angel?”

“Alexander, if you have a good enough reason, then go ahead and try to stop me.” Her words held a sense of unwavering resolve, daring him to challenge her decision.

His muscles tightened at her words as he stood frozen, gazing down at her with a mixture of terror and depth in his expression.

She couldn't decipher what he was feeling, but she knew he had nothing to say. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she gazed back at him, “I didn’t think so,” she said, turning away from him.

“Paris...”

She glanced back at him. “Alex, I can’t live my life like you, always alone. I want romance, love, passion, and someday a family. I want to grow old with someone who'd love me always. So... goodbye, Alexander.”

Panic sweeps through his body, and he can feel himself start to tremble. "Paris, you can't just do this and walk away. I need you," he pleads with her, taking a step closer.

"No, Alex. You need my blood. That's all." Her words hit him like a ton of bricks, and he starts to feel defeated.

"Par--"

"It's the truth, Alex. You know it as well as I do."

He opens his mouth to respond but nothing comes out.

"Please... take care of yourself." She reached and touched his face. "I'll miss you." She said and placed a small kiss on his cheek.

Alexander pulls her into a tight hug. He couldn't bear the thought of her leaving. He pressed his face against her neck, desperate to hold onto her. She was his everything, and the realization that she would never come back was unbearable.

"You're overthinking everything," he whispered, placing his hands on her face and leaning in for a kiss.

She turned her face away from him, avoiding his lips.

"No," she said firmly. "We shouldn't kiss anymore." She gently removed his hands from her face and began to walk towards the gate.

No more Paris. No more kisses. Nothing. What was left now?

"Why?" Alexander's words echoed, clearly he was hurt and disappointed.

Paris stopped and slowly turned to face him, meeting his gaze with her own vibrant green eyes.

Her eyes filled with sadness as she spoke. “It’s simple Alex. I’m falling in love with you, but our feelings don’t match. It’s my bad fortune that I’m so close to you but couldn’t reach your heart. You don’t have to love me, Alexander, but I’ll always love you.”

She turned around one final time and let her tears rundown freely.

Alexander stood frozen, his mind in turmoil as he watched her walk away from him. The sound of her footsteps echoed in his ears, each step a painful reminder of what he was losing. He had never experienced anything like this before; the sense of longing and attachment was foreign to him.

For centuries, he had prided himself on his ability to deny any emotional connection with others. But now, as he watched Paris leave, a part of him wanted to stop her and hold onto her forever. Yet, something inside him held him back, as if bound by an invisible force that compelled him to let her go. It was a feeling he couldn't quite explain but one that tugged at his heart nonetheless.

Paris carefully made her way to the wrought iron gate, grasping onto her last remaining ounce of strength. Her heart felt heavy and she could sense her knees buckling with each step, threatening to send her tumbling into a pit of despair.

As she approached the car, she caught sight of Terence standing by it and a deep ache for comfort swelled within her. She wrapped her arms around his sturdy frame.

she couldn't resist wrapping her arms around him. After all, a person can only handle so much, and Paris has reached her breaking point.

She caught him off guard as she burst into tears, pouring out her emotions.

"I knew deep down that he would never reciprocate my feelings, but my foolish heart refused to listen and just kept spinning out of control."

She clung to him desperately, unable to hold back the flood of tears that poured from her eyes. Terence didn’t move nor hug her back, but his own eyes pooled with tears.

"I wanted to give him all my love, but instead I only received pain in return," Paris managed to choke out between sobs. As the weight of her unrequited love crashed over her, she felt her heart breaking into a million pieces. The sound of her cries echoed, a stark contrast to the silence from Terence's side.

In that moment, Paris realized that sometimes love can bring just as much hurt as it does joy.

She paused and let go of him, and wiped away her tears. She took a deep breath before speaking in a hushed tone, “I'm sorry. I lost control for a moment. I just needed...”

"It's alright," he responded, opening the car door for her.

As they rode in silence, Terence couldn't help but notice Paris's eyes were red and swollen. Seeing her in such despair tugged at his heartstrings.

Terance dropped Paris off at her apartment before returning to the mansion. He found Alexander in his office, staring out of the window. Terence stood and observed him for a moment, attempting to comprehend the man who had lived alone for three hundred years without a care in the world. The man who had discarded her love as if it were nothing, crushing her heart and tossing it away like a piece of trash.

“Don’t.” Alexander sensed Terence's disappointment in his silence.

“You should have maintained your distance, and kept it strictly business.” he finally spoke up.

“You don’t think I tried to.” Alexander retorted. “I always treated her with respect and care. I never wanted her to think I was using her. It's not my fault she misunderstood my actions.”

“But your constant attention and the closeness you shared aroused her hopes, made her believe in a dream that would never come true.” Terence replied, his tone sharp.

“I have always respected your privacy, Master. I have never made any comments about the decisions you have made in life. But today, I feel compelled to tell you that you have lost something truly valuable, and I am glad that she has realized that you are not deserving of her love.” Terence's words were direct and might have stung him, but sometimes tough love is necessary to open someone's eyes. Sometimes facing reality isn't enjoyable, but it is necessary.

“Terence!” Alexander’s fingers curled into fists.

How dare he? Interfere in my personal life! What right did the man have?

Terence, the audacity of the man was infuriating, but Alexander knew deep down that he had brought this humiliation upon himself. Terence left, he didn’t wait for the argument with the angry Vampire. He knew he’d touched the nerve.

The mere thought of never seeing Paris tore Alexander apart from the inside out. It was like his entire world had collapsed, leaving him stranded at a dead end with no hope or light on the other side.

The girl held a power over him that he had never felt before - she awakened all his emotions, stirred deep affections, and ignited an intense desire to protect and care for her at all costs.

Slowly, slowly she was becoming part of my routine, becoming my habit, my want... She was becoming part of my life and so that’s why I’d to... I had to let her go, even though I needed her… needed her for survival.

After all, she was only a cure.

Paris was right, I only need her for her blood.

~X~