Chapter 42 42. Chapter
Aurora
The landscape beyond the window dissolved into blurred streaks of gray and brown. Trees, fields, and empty road melted together as the car moved forward. The steady hum of the engine was the only sound filling the heavy silence between us. We had been traveling for hours. The sun stood high in the sky, beating down mercilessly on the windshield, turning it into a wall of white light. Inside the car, the air conditioning ruled, spreading artificial cold through the cabin. That cold did nothing to soothe the memory burning beneath my skin, nor the dull ache pulsing deep inside my body.
Every small crack in the road reminded me of the night before. Each vibration pulled my thoughts back to it. The inside of my thighs was sore and sensitive, my muscles stiff and unwilling to relax. The wound on my neck tightened whenever the collar of my jacket brushed against it, sending a sharp reminder through me. I tried to sit perfectly still in the passenger seat, to turn myself into stone, to show no weakness. My body refused to obey.
When the car hit a deeper pothole, it jolted sharply. A hiss escaped my lips before I could stop it, and I instinctively pressed my legs together as pain flared.
At the same moment, Elijah’s hand clenched around the steering wheel. His knuckles turned white beneath the leather glove, which creaked softly. His jaw tightened, and a low sound slipped from his throat.
“Damn it,” he muttered.
I turned toward him. His profile looked sharp and unyielding, but for a brief moment something crossed his face. It looked like real discomfort.
“You felt that,” I said.
Elijah did not look at me. His eyes stayed on the road, but his voice was tense.
“I told you, Aurora. The bond is not symbolic. Your pain echoes in me. Not as sharply as you feel it, but clearly enough. Like a dull needle pressing into my body every time the car shakes.”
Heat rushed to my face, shame mixed with something darker.
“Then suffer,” I muttered, turning to the window. “You wanted this. You did this.”
“That is not the problem,” Elijah replied, his voice dropping. “The pain reminds me how you got it. And that distracts me. Vampire instincts react to memory, not guilt.”
My stomach tightened. So it was not remorse that haunted him, but desire.
“We are stopping,” he said suddenly. “Fuel. Painkillers. Food.”
“I am fine,” I lied.
“No, you are not. And since I feel every movement you make, lying is pointless.”
A lonely gas station appeared by the road, worn and cracked, surrounded by nothing. When Elijah turned off the engine, the silence felt overwhelming.
“Stay in the car,” he said. “I will handle the fuel.”
“I am not your pet,” I replied, opening my door despite the pain in my legs. “I need the restroom.”
Elijah walked around the car and stopped in front of me. His sunglasses hid his eyes, but I felt his gaze sweep over me, lingering on my uneven steps.
“Hurry,” he said. “And keep your jacket closed.”
The restroom was filthy and neglected. I locked the door and leaned on the sink, breathing slowly. Cold water on my face did nothing to help. I looked into the cracked mirror.
My face was pale, my eyes too dark. Slowly, I lowered the zipper of my jacket and shifted my collar.
The bite was still there.
Two dark red marks, surrounded by deep bruises. Not a love mark. A claim. My Hunter training whispered in my mind. Vampire property. In the Clan, this meant death.
I zipped the jacket back up. No. I was Aurora. I survived.
Inside the shop, the shelves were half empty. I grabbed painkillers and water. At the counter sat a greasy haired man who looked me over with a smile that made my skin crawl.
“Lost, sweetheart?” he said. “Not many pretty girls come through here.”
I ignored him and set the money down. His eyes drifted to my neck where the zipper had slipped.
His smile turned ugly.
“Looks like you had a rough night. Your guy does not go easy on you. If you like it rough, I have ideas.”
My hand moved toward the knife under my jacket.
The bell rang.
The air changed instantly. Heavy. Cold.
Elijah stepped inside.
He removed his sunglasses. His eyes were dark and empty of warmth. He said nothing, only stood beside me. His presence filled the room with quiet terror.
The cashier froze.
Elijah placed his hand on the counter.
“The change.”
The man fumbled and dropped the coins.
Elijah leaned closer.
“One more thing. The lady is fighting to survive. If you ever look at her again with thoughts like that, I will kill you before you understand.”
The man nodded, pale and shaking.
Elijah took my arm and guided me outside. At the car, I pulled free.
“I did not need help,” I said. “I could handle him.”
“I know,” Elijah replied. “But his thoughts disgusted me. And since I feel what you feel, I would not let him stain you.”
We drove on. I swallowed two painkillers dry.
After a while, Elijah reached over and took my hand. Just my hand. His cold fingers threaded through mine.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Blackwood Manor,” he said. “An old estate on cursed land. Hunters avoid it. Vampires fear it.”
“And that is safe?”
“The curse reacts to blood,” he replied. “But us together might be accepted. Or destroyed. Either way, the Council will not follow.”
“Destroyed,” I repeated.
“Sleep,” Elijah said softly. “You will need strength.”
My eyes closed. Before sleep claimed me, I felt his grip tighten.
I no longer knew if it was possession or partnership.
And I no longer wanted him to let go.