bed, her head pounding. She felt weak as a newborn calf, and the events of the previous night flooded to her, a scandalous tableau.
“ No, no. Oh, no. ” She covered her mouth with her hand, tasting blood as she licked her lips.
They were nicked and cut all over, and she felt similar cuts on her neck. The soreness of her breasts told a similar story.
Ava bolted out of bed, gasping like an old woman, her only thought was to escape.
“ Please, God. Please. . . I'll do anything if you get me out of here. Last night was some sort of madness. I don't know what came over me. ” She mumbled aloud, her hand to her pounding head.
She took only a minute to throw on a dress from the chifferobe, another white muslin one and her clogs. Ava stood at the door for a minute, listening.
Maybe he's out there waiting for me, and he'll pounce. . .
She opened the door by inches, and it silently swung outward. Ava stepped into the hall and sprinted down its length. When she saw the staircase, she almost burst into relieved tears, but she clapped a hand over her mouth, resisting the impulse.
I'm not out of here yet.
Ava doubled over, gasping for air. She had to take a break before descending the stairs. I'm going to die. He has sucked the life from me.
She took two steps at a time, and gasped in relief when her foot hit the stone floor. Ava glanced around and saw no one, so she ran to the front door and pulled it open. Her journey across the yard and into the dense woods took a while. Exhaustion forced her to stop for a rest, and her head spun every time she went too far without stopping for a few minutes.
Ava wandered and cried for hours, not sure where she was.
I'm so lost. . . again.
The sun sank in the sky and dusk fell. Night sounds frightened Ava, and she decided to find a tree to rest beside.
Just for a moment. . .
She awoke to arms around her and a rough kiss.
“ Come. We need to go. They have the dogs out. ”
“ Who? I'm not going anywhere with you. ” She slurred her words, feeling a bit more rested, but still bone tired and not at all herself.
“ The neighbors. They're looking for you. They think you're dead or in peril. ” He pulled her to her feet.
“ I am. ” She kicked at him, but he easily dodged attempts and grabbed her.
“ Ava, I know you won't believe this, but please, please, come with me. If you don't they'll take you away from me and you'll die. You won't live without me. We're meant to be together. I've drunk from your life blood, and you are my mate. There's no going back now. ”
“ What? ” she gaped.
“ I went to the future to find you and bring you back so I could be with you, set things right. ”
A vague memory shifted in her mind of another woman with a similar body and this man at her window. . .
“ No. ” She struggled against him.
“ Ava, please. I love you, and I'm going to take you home and help you. ” He kissed her, no trace of malice in the soft caress of his lips. His fine hair tickled her face, making her skin prickle with desire.
She relaxed against him. “ I have no choice. I'm too weak to fight you. ”
“ Last time you didn't fight me. You left when I slept, and they took you away from me. ” His face wore a haggard look.
“ I won't as long as you ’ re telling the truth. Will I really die? ” She gazed into his eyes as he held her tightly.
“ Yes. You need my blood to survive and I yours. ”
“ Why? What if I wish to live another way? ”
He glanced around. “ What I've done to you makes you dependent on me as I am on you. We must drink from each other, love. We will never thirst and will live forever. Let's go and whisper as we walk through the back paths. There is no other way. I've ruined you. I don't apologize, either. This life has its glories and ecstasies, Ava. You will see. ”
Gabriel led her through bramble
“ No, no. Oh, no. ” She covered her mouth with her hand, tasting blood as she licked her lips.
They were nicked and cut all over, and she felt similar cuts on her neck. The soreness of her breasts told a similar story.
Ava bolted out of bed, gasping like an old woman, her only thought was to escape.
“ Please, God. Please. . . I'll do anything if you get me out of here. Last night was some sort of madness. I don't know what came over me. ” She mumbled aloud, her hand to her pounding head.
She took only a minute to throw on a dress from the chifferobe, another white muslin one and her clogs. Ava stood at the door for a minute, listening.
Maybe he's out there waiting for me, and he'll pounce. . .
She opened the door by inches, and it silently swung outward. Ava stepped into the hall and sprinted down its length. When she saw the staircase, she almost burst into relieved tears, but she clapped a hand over her mouth, resisting the impulse.
I'm not out of here yet.
Ava doubled over, gasping for air. She had to take a break before descending the stairs. I'm going to die. He has sucked the life from me.
She took two steps at a time, and gasped in relief when her foot hit the stone floor. Ava glanced around and saw no one, so she ran to the front door and pulled it open. Her journey across the yard and into the dense woods took a while. Exhaustion forced her to stop for a rest, and her head spun every time she went too far without stopping for a few minutes.
Ava wandered and cried for hours, not sure where she was.
I'm so lost. . . again.
The sun sank in the sky and dusk fell. Night sounds frightened Ava, and she decided to find a tree to rest beside.
Just for a moment. . .
She awoke to arms around her and a rough kiss.
“ Come. We need to go. They have the dogs out. ”
“ Who? I'm not going anywhere with you. ” She slurred her words, feeling a bit more rested, but still bone tired and not at all herself.
“ The neighbors. They're looking for you. They think you're dead or in peril. ” He pulled her to her feet.
“ I am. ” She kicked at him, but he easily dodged attempts and grabbed her.
“ Ava, I know you won't believe this, but please, please, come with me. If you don't they'll take you away from me and you'll die. You won't live without me. We're meant to be together. I've drunk from your life blood, and you are my mate. There's no going back now. ”
“ What? ” she gaped.
“ I went to the future to find you and bring you back so I could be with you, set things right. ”
A vague memory shifted in her mind of another woman with a similar body and this man at her window. . .
“ No. ” She struggled against him.
“ Ava, please. I love you, and I'm going to take you home and help you. ” He kissed her, no trace of malice in the soft caress of his lips. His fine hair tickled her face, making her skin prickle with desire.
She relaxed against him. “ I have no choice. I'm too weak to fight you. ”
“ Last time you didn't fight me. You left when I slept, and they took you away from me. ” His face wore a haggard look.
“ I won't as long as you ’ re telling the truth. Will I really die? ” She gazed into his eyes as he held her tightly.
“ Yes. You need my blood to survive and I yours. ”
“ Why? What if I wish to live another way? ”
He glanced around. “ What I've done to you makes you dependent on me as I am on you. We must drink from each other, love. We will never thirst and will live forever. Let's go and whisper as we walk through the back paths. There is no other way. I've ruined you. I don't apologize, either. This life has its glories and ecstasies, Ava. You will see. ”
Gabriel led her through bramble
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