Page 106 of Blood Lovers

I’m not running down the path to the indoor hot springs building where the helicopter is currently on the roof, but I’m hurrying pretty fast.

It’s dumb. He’s here for me. He’s not gonna leave.

But I can’t take the chance.

I press in the code for the lock on the door and open it. The heat and humidity from the greenhouse and the hot springs hits me in the face, covering me in an instant sweat.

I’m hot again. But I like the heat much better than the chill. I shrug my jacket off, slinging it over my shoulder as I make my way through the jungle of tropical trees and head towards the hot springs.

I almost lose my breath when I come around a corner and find Paul, naked and standing under the small waterfall flowing over a natural wall of rock that feeds cold water into the hot spring pool.

He’s slicking his blond hair back with his hands, eyes closed, so at ease in that perfect body of his.

It’s a lie, that body. But then again, it’s not.

I know his true form, but I also know that what he shows the world—it’s not fake. It’s not an illusion. It’s him as he was before he was the monster.

It’s impressive, actually. That a human once existed who was that perfect.

He loves the pretty. He’s always telling me. He’s addicted to the beautiful.

But his beauty is godlike. Almost too magnificent to look at.

I study all his hard, statue-like muscles. Whoever he was—whatever he used to be—he was sculpted, not merely born. He was created.

He opens his eyes and they are lavender.

I squint. Blink. And then they are just blue again.

He smiles at me. “You’re up early.”

“I’m up early? It’s not early. And I’ve been up since you walked out on the dream. What did you mean? What do I have to—”

He puts up a hand, a signal to stop. And for some reason, I respond to this hand signal like a fucking dog. “We’ll get there, Ryet. Don’t rush things. It’s much better to go slow.”

“Go slow? You said—”

He puts the hand up again, and once again, I stop talking. It’s not even a decision.

“Stop doing that, Paul.”

He smirks. “Stop doing what?”

“Stop controlling me, you asshole!”

“Come on now. Why are you so difficult, Ryet? Take off your clothes, get in the water with me. We have hours before the building opens to the tiresome guests. Let’s take advantage of it.”

All the while he’s saying this, he’s crossing the water on stepping stones, not even looking at his feet. Like he has memorized the path to me. Like he’s Jesus Christ, in the flesh, walking on water. His arm is extended, his hand reaching for me as he come closer.

I’m not at the edge of the water—or I wasn’t. But I’m walking to him. Like I’m no longer in control of my own actions.

I take his hand as he steps off the last stone, water dripping down his body and forming a pool at his feet. We are eye to eye, looking at each other. He’s smiling, but I’m not. I’m just confused. “What are we doing?”

“We’re going to feed, Ryet. It’s time now.”

“Time for what?”

“For you to take the long drink from me.”