Dreamlike State (The Magic of Black Forest Book 1) (17 page)

I searched frantically for the light switch. I just made it to the sink when I hurled. I kicked the door shut and sat down on the cold dirty floor, and breathed slowly and deeply. When I was sure that I wasn’t going to vomit again if I moved, leaned into the tub, turned on the cold water, and splashed it on my face. Feeling the bandage, I ripped it off my forehead. “OW!”

From the other side of the door I heard him sigh heavily. “Natalia, are you okay?”

Hearing the question, he asked me many times before I started to laugh. “Do you think you’ll ever be tired of asking me that?” He didn’t answer my question. Slowly I rose to my feet. “I’m better now. I’ll be out in a few minutes.”

When I finally walked out of the bathroom I found Bradley standing by the front door again. “Why did you take your bandage off, you’re still bleeding.” His hand on the door he said, “I have to step outside for a minute, I’ll be back.”

Standing there like an idiot, I let him leave. Still a little dizzy, I pulled out my cell and called Melissa back. Holding my aching head, I told her everything was okay and I’d call her tomorrow. She knew something was up but I assured her otherwise, that I just had a little headache. Little put it mildly. Raging felt more like it.

After hanging up, I looked out the front window and didn’t see Bradley. I really did it this time. It was inevitable I guess, just a matter of time before he left me again. I have a habit of hurting myself. Protecting me is a full time job. Let’s not forget I kept the information of my buying the house from him. I really couldn’t blame him for leaving. Too tired and in too much pain to run after him again, I just wanted to go to bed. I found the outside light switch, turned it on, and walked outside to get my things.

“Come on, Seager, I’m not going out there alone.”
I grabbed my clothes, my sleeping bag, and pillow. Everything else will have to wait until the morning. I rolled out my sleeping bag on the living room floor and laid myself down. Sleep… that was all I wanted right now. Everything else, including Bradley, would have to wait until tomorrow.

Just as I started to drift off into a deep sleep, someone knocked at the door.
“Seager, who is it?”
My head hurt so bad I couldn’t even make myself get up to see who it is.

“It’s Brad, Jesse, and Colleen,”
he replied.

“Ugh.” I crawled to the door, unlocked it, and began crawling back to my bed.

“What’s up, Nat? Heard you hit your head pretty bad,” Jesse teased annoyingly while kneeling over me to check out the wound on my head.

“I’m o-okay. Just need some sleep. How about you guys stop back tomorrow? Could you lock up when you go?” Practically delirious from the pain, I must have hit my head pretty hard.

“Natty, you can’t fall asleep just yet. Why don’t you sit up and talk for a while? You may have a concussion.” Colleen took her turn at bending over looking at my forehead. Both of them lifted me from the floor and sat me onto the couch.

Holding my head, I looked around the room to see where Bradley was while all of this was going on. He stood by the door with one hand on the handle, ready to bolt out the first chance he got. That irritated me to no end.

“Bradley, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that I bought this house. I didn’t want anyone to know, not yet anyway. However, please don’t let me keep you. If you want to leave… then go…”

“Knock it off, Nat. It’s not like that. And starting tomorrow you and Brad are going to tell each other all your secrets.” Annoyed Jesse pressed a wet rag on my forehead. “We have to get the bleeding to stop.”

I looked at Jesse straight in the eye with tears filling mine I said, “I already told him everything. I completely understand why he wouldn’t want to be with me. Why put him through this, Jess? He has no obligation to me…no promises.” I leaned my head on Jess’s chest, just crying, and waiting for sleep to take over.

It didn’t happen, and instead I felt myself being pulled from Jess. I didn’t need to see who it was, his touch alone told me all I needed to know. It felt like home. I looked up at him, his jaw taunt, talking through clenched teeth, he promised, “I’m not going anywhere, Natalia.”

Hearing him say my name, I offered a little sigh and laid my head against his chest, wrapped my arm around his waist and it was off to sleep I went.

“Okay, Brad, that’s not a good idea. Nat, get up, no sleeping.”

Jesse tried to pull me from Bradley, “No, Jess. Let go of me.” My eyes were still shut when I promised, “I’ll stay awake.”

I heard Jesse start to laugh. “She’s as bad as you are, Coll.” Then I heard someone being slapped.

“That’s one for, Colleen,” I said almost laughing. It hurt to laugh. Not letting go, I looked up at Bradley. He still had his jaw locked and refused to look at me. Maybe I should just give him some space. I went to pull away but he held me tightly against him.

Talking through his clenched teeth again he said, “Guys, I think Natalia could use a bandage over her wound. It looks like the bleeding has stopped.”

Without letting me go, Colleen and Jess dressed my wound. “Brad, I think we should change her clothes. Maybe you’ll both be a little more comfortable without all the blood.” I let her pull me from him; she grabbed my bag and helped me into the bedroom. She dumped my clothes on the bed.

“Come on, Nat, is this all you own, tee shirts, jeans and sweat pants? Sheesh. When you move up here the first thing we’re doing is getting you a new wardrobe.”

“I like my clothes, thank you very much. They’re comfortable.” I said, slightly irritated. My eyes scanned the room and it suddenly hit me. I’m in my house. Mine. “Wow, this room is huge. Come on, I want to see the rest of the house.” My excitement made my head hurt more, but I figured if I couldn’t sleep, I might as well explore. I ran past the guys and into the kitchen. “Unbelievable.” I spun around, which wasn’t a good idea because I got dizzy again and almost fell. Luckily, Bradley caught me.

“Be careful hon,” he seemed more relaxed this time, no longer talking through his teeth. “Would you mind if we experienced the first walk-thru of your house together?”

“I’d really like that. I can’t get over this kitchen. Its bigger then my parents' kitchen. Let’s go check out the upstairs.”

With his arm around my waist he smiled down at me adoringly. “Let’s.” We walked up the stairs together while he securely held me upright.

“Oh, Bradley, this house is more beautiful than I ever imagined. I’m so glad you’re here with me.” I cupped my hands around his face; stood up on my toes, and pressed my lips against his. Hungry for more, I clenched my fingers into his hair, moaning. I missed his sweet breath. I kissed him passionately, and wanted to make it obvious just how much I had missed him.

I heard a low growl, and realized it came from him. “Careful, Natalia. Not yet, it’s too soon.” Puzzled, I stepped back and searched his face. His eyes were black again. Breathing heavily, he stared into my eyes and started growling softly. The growl didn’t scare me. The seductive sound excited me. I moved toward him, eager to feel my lips on his again but before we touched, he took my arms, holding them against the side of my body, and snarled, “No.” We stood there scowling at each other. His mood swings were driving me nuts.

His denying my affection filled my mind with irrational thoughts. Does he not want to be with me? Was he wishing I had not bought the house and wasn’t moving there? I couldn’t take it anymore. I kept putting myself out there and he kept rejecting me. I shook my arms free from his grip, and looked away. I knew the angry tears were coming and didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. “I’m going downstairs.”

“Natalia, wait, let me explain.”

“No need to. It’s okay. No big deal. It won’t happen again. I just misunderstood the look in your eyes. I need to take Seager out anyway.”

Before I got to the top of the steps, I heard Jess shout, “Just tell her, Brad. She has a right to know.”

Without turning to look at him, “I already know, Bradley. You’ve found someone else. That’s fine. You deserve to be happy. It would be easier on me if you just left.”

Laughing, he turned me around to face him. He lifted my chin with his finger and said, “You silly beautiful woman, is that what you think?” I nodded yes, while still trying to not look at him. Tears poured from my eyes, so I tried to pull my face from his hand.

“I think Jesse is right, we need to talk.” He held me there and asked Jesse and Colleen to take Seager out for a walk and give us a few, but reminded them to not go too far. Once we heard the front door close he released me, took my hand in his, and led me downstairs. After I sat down on the couch, he took a seat directly in front of me.

“Natalia, I love you. I have something I must tell you, but first know that it wasn’t my intention to keep this from you. Once I realized I could not live without you, I’ve been spending all my time trying to figure out a way to tell you. You have told me all your secrets and now I want to tell you mine. If, after I tell you, you want me to leave I will completely understand.

“Natalia, well, my mom… no… I don’t know how to say it.” I had never seen him have such difficulty with his words prior to this. It must be something bad. He was probably searching for a way to tell me he didn’t love me the way I loved him. Probably just as friends, or like Jesse, as a brother. If he didn’t hurry up, my imagination would drive me crazy thinking he was married or something. As if he heard me, which I know he didn’t, he blurted out, “Natalia, I’m half human and half vampire. My father is a vampire. My heart beats but I haven’t aged in over fifty years. I stopped aging when I turned twenty five.”

The moment my aching mind registered what he said my jaw fell open. With my mouth gaping wide, I stared at him through new eyes. My hands still in his, “Did you hear what I said?”

Distracted by a conversation I had with my aunt, I nodded. I recalled the first day I met my aunt. She asked me how I could have fallen in love with a vampire and about shape-shifters. That’s when I remembered what I’d forgotten about the bear. The bear at the pond, it had to be Jesse. He’s the shape-shifter. Could Colleen be the other one? This couldn’t be true! I must still be unconscious from hitting my head. I took my hand from his and pinched myself, “OW!” Laughing now I stammered, “Well I’m awake.” I looked into his eyes again and they were a beautiful blue green with a golden yellow star around the pupils, drop dead gorgeous. “Is that why your eyes change from green to black? I never really noticed it until tonight.”

“Yes.”

“Is that why you left me before?”

“Yes.”

“Are Jesse and Colleen Shape-shifters? Do they change into grizzly bears?”

“What?” He was definitely puzzled by my calmness and range of questioning. Who wouldn’t be?

Giggling I repeated my questions, “Are Jesse and Colleen Shape-shifters? Do they change into grizzly bears?”

“Yes, how did you know?”

“My aunt saw the three of you. She wanted to know how I could fall in love with a vampire and become best friends with shape-shifters in the short time I was away. I thought she was just trying to scare me. I even Googled both and they came up as myths. I guess she wasn’t just trying to scare me.” How cool was this?

“Do they age?”

“No.”

Biting my lip, I sorted through all the questions in my head, trying to figure out which one to ask next.

“Are you frightened, Natalia? We can go if you wish.”

Taking his hand back in mine, “No, please stay. Tell me why you were so angry earlier. Did my buying this house upset you?”

“No, I’m quite pleased that you’re moving here. I’ll be able to protect you. Heaven knows that can be a full time job…” I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes, scolding him. “…don’t be upset, you know it’s true. It wasn’t that you didn’t tell me either, though that did hurt my feelings a little bit.

“You were bleeding. The smell was driving me insane. I couldn’t leave you nor could I be in the same room as you. So I had to call Jess and ask him to come over. I wasn’t sure I could handle being here alone with you. It took every ounce of my self-control to dress the wound. Then when you ripped the bandage off causing it to bleed again… Ugh!” He rolled his eyes but I could tell by the anguished look on his face that the experience had a serious affect on him.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying? You drink human blood.” It would be just my luck that I would fall in love with someone that I could never actually be with. Well not without him wanting to drain me.

“I’ve never had a drop of human blood, animals but never human. Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean I don’t thirst for it. Natalia, they’re coming back. Please tell me what you’re thinking. Do you want us to leave, are you scared?”

“No and no. Wow, I’m in a relationship with a vampire. We are still together right. You’re not going to leave because of this. I mean, I am a witch, so neither of us is normal. Well except that you’ll remain ageless while I get old and gray… I’d understand if you wanted to be with someone more like yourself.” What was I saying, no I wouldn’t!

“I’m not going anywhere unless it’s what you want.” He stood up and pulled me up so he could wrap his arms around me and whispered, “I’ll be your knight in shining armor as long as you’ll have me.” After a few seconds of gazing deep into my eyes, he kissed me with such passion it left me gasping for air.