Chapter 38

He pulled her out of his embrace, watching her face, cupping it, using his fingers to comb her hair down, while his eyes lightly passed over his mark on her neck, a smile crossing his lips.

"Mummy," Mira popped out in between them, "the BloodSuckers took us somewhere, did something to Daddy-- I'm tired."

Mira was referring to the vampires as BloodSuckers now. The effect of staying around only George was starting to really show. Not that she disagreed with the term used.

Her daughter fell into her open arms and she pulled her closer, sniffing her hair.

She smelt clean, still a little sick but she was okay.

Zezi checked her body for any bite marks or any marks at all that signified pain, but she found none.

"Aunty fixed him." Mira put her teddy forward, and Zezi smiled, just plain happy that her family was indeed all right.

"Mira baby, can you please go and sit over there? Daddy wants to talk to Mummy."

"And we are going home after?" She asked, her eyes begging for a yes.

"Yes, you are," Zezi replied, brushing her fingers through her hair playfully.

Mira enthusiastically left, not noticing what that answer had implied.

George had though, but before he got the chance to speak about it, Zezi was quick to question him in an urgent whisper.

"What did they do to you?"

Gwen had told her but she would like to hear it from George directly.

"The Blood-sucking King does way more than blood sucking."

George looked back and Zezi's heart skipped a beat that he was behind them. But that couldn't be right, he was long gone. Also, she would have noticed, although seeing her family had made her observation drop.

"He almost took my soul. I could feel it dragging out of me. What is he? A demon?"

Zezi's face fell.

Gwen had said he was capable of soul seizing this morning but it had slipped her mind till now.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. He also wanted to turn Mira."

Her eyes went wide with fear. "WHA--what?"

"He didn't. One of those mons--- the one you saw. The Bloodsucker who suspiciously wanted to take care of Mira. She came in with some bloodoath and said you did it."

"Gwen." Zezi smiled instinctively, but that only made George frown.

Something didn't sound right about the name but that wasn't his concern.

"They are all the same. One nice act doesn't change them. What was in that bloodoath anyways."

Her heart squeezed with hurt.

"Nothing." She blinked away the tears that were quickly welling up in her eyes. "I don't know yet, but I have a feeling it's everything. George--" her hands cupped his face, studying him like this would be the last time she would ever see him again."I just came here to say goodbye to you."

"No."

"And to Mira."

"What are you saying?" He asked with a sad chuckle.

"You have to go."

"For now right? Just---" his voice trailed off. "No?"

He stood up slowly, looking down at her. "My love, are you saying no?"

"Look at everything that is going on. The answer is obvious. This has to end. Besides, " she stood up too, yet again cupping his face in her hands. "This was never going to work from the beginning."

Those words were heavy; they burnt her tongue and hurt her heart, but she knew a part of it held an undeniable truth.

The very thing that was tearing them apart.

The very thing they struggled with relentlessly till they decided to just live with it.

His wolf.

Her fate.

The paths of those two things would never find their way to become one.

No matter how hard they tried.

"How long will I continue to tolerate his abuse?" Her hands dropped from his cheeks.

"It's not me, you know that."

"Yes," her hand cupped his face, her glassy gaze holding his devastated own. "I know. My George would never lay a finger on me but his wolf would rip me apart and sprinkle my blood on the dry ground, just for the fun of it."

"My love," his hand moved over hers, and he pushed forward to reach her, his hand moving further down hers, but her grip was oddly firm, and she kept him in place. "Please, don't cry."

"It's the truth, you know it."

"I'll get better." The words rushed out of his mouth. "I'll control him be--"

"That's what you said before we had Mira. The same thing you said when we got her. Mira will be seven in a couple of months, you are still saying the same thing, George."

His face fell.

She was right.

In fact, his wolf was jubilating at the back of his mind right now, celebrating his possible freedom.

"This has to stop." She pressed her forehead against his, the saltiness of her taste filling her mouth. "Goodbye, George. I hope you find your mate so you and your wolf won't do this again, and if you don't, I hope you find someone that you and your wolf will love. Someone who will be a wonderful mother to our daughter."

She looked away towards their daughter, who was still playing with her teddy; she was always so engrossed in her make-believe.

"Our Mira. Take care of her for me, please."

"Please don't say that, I can find a way to---"

"The sacrifice is too much. I almost lost my family because I was being unrealistic with myself. The only form of happiness you can give me now is to be happy with our daughter. Be alive and... Just live. Please."

He frowned.

"What was in that Blood oath, my love?"

"I don't know it all, but for now. I know I must lose your mark."

His hand shot up to hers on his neck, his eyes passing his mark on hers, noticing only now that it was fading, his observation making his frown deepen.

"And what, carry his?"

"For the Moon's sake, please George..."

That did it.

In a blink, his eyes glowed red.