Chapter 12: Chapter 12

“Yes, why don’t you use this as an opportunity to break up with Steph? You are better off staying with your soulmate instead!” Willow said.

“I don’t know about that. It bothers me that he is a vampire,” Elena sighed. “But… I will go on a date with him. Saturday. He kept asking me all the time, and I ended up saying yes.”

“Does Steph know?”

“Of course not. He would kill me,” Elena cringed.

“Make sure you end things with Steph before you get serious with someone else,” Mark reminded her sternly. “It’s not fair to your soulmate.”

Guilt hit her like a train. She was torn apart, and contrary to her expectations, her conversation with her friends only made it worse. That they would side with the vampire instead of her boyfriend came as a surprise. Elena wanted to remain loyal to Steph. She owed it to him for offering her a place to stay and some security in life. Besides, what would her parents think if they saw her siding with a vampire? The same kind of creature that had ruthlessly hunted them down and killed them?

But that vampire was her soulmate, and despite his nature, he wasn’t a bad person. Ryder was destined to be with her, so he couldn’t be dangerous, could he? No matter how she looked at it, her dilemma didn’t become any easier to figure out. She didn’t know what to do. In the end, she would have to choose either Ryder or Steph, and her decision would have a lasting impact on the rest of her life.

Maybe her upcoming date with her soulmate would add clarity on the matter…

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Elena had questioned her decision to agree to the date with Ryder many, many times. It wasn’t a smart idea, and it went against all logic and reason.

She was already taken, and even though Steph wasn’t the kindest of boyfriends she could imagine, she felt guilty for betraying him like this. Deep down, she just knew it wasn’t the right thing to do. She owed him for taking her in when she had been on the run, and she felt like she needed to pay his generosity back somehow.

Moreover, Ryder was a vampire, a natural enemy of her kind and the very same creature that had killed her family… But he was so determined and stubborn that it had been impossible to reject him. Especially not after he had proven he wasn’t phased by the smell of her blood. So far, he hadn’t bitten her, so the chances that it would happen tonight were rather low. This thought made her feel safer and slightly more comfortable with her decision.

As fate would have it, Steph wasn’t at home this evening, which meant she wouldn’t have to come up with excuses, and there was no chance he might encounter Ryder. Steph was out drinking with his friends from work, and she wasn’t welcome there anyway. What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. She would go on her date and return later without him noticing anything. Her plan was foolproof.

Elena had barely finished putting on makeup and styling her long black hair when the doorbell rang. Checking her appearance one last time in the mirror, she smoothened the fabric of her dark green dress. She had chosen it because it complemented her eye color, and even though it looked elegant, it was comfortable to wear.

Elena walked to the door and opened it to greet Ryder. As she glanced at him, she immediately noticed that his eyes were scarlet. She had never seen them take on such a vibrant shade of red. They glowed like brilliant rubies in the fading sunlight, so very beautiful and yet so dangerous. The ominous hue of red was a reminder. It revealed his true nature, his thirst for blood, and it served as a warning to stay at a distance.

She wondered why he hadn’t drunk any blood before coming here, even though he was thirsty. Wasn’t that strange?

Soulmate or not, she needed to be careful around him and not make any rash decisions. It was clear he was interested in her, but she was not ready for a relationship with a vampire. And she couldn’t disappoint her parents either. Getting involved with a creature that feasted on innocent people’s blood would make them turn in their graves.

Elena would grant Ryder this one date, and then, she would have to make a crucial decision—only time would tell what her verdict would be.

Unaware of her dark thoughts, Ryder stood in front of her, wearing a fitting black dress shirt that was tucked into his dark pants and emphasized his lean build. He looked attractive. And she had a hard time ignoring the pull she felt towards him. An unexplainable urge to touch him overcame her.

“Hello Elena,” he said and presented a bouquet he had hidden behind his back. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Camellias? So you remembered,” she whispered and accepted the bouquet. When she touched it, the few buds that were still closed opened and bloomed. The blossoms were vibrant pink, layered with countless soft petals.

“Thank you,” she said, in awe at the thoughtful present. Her heart fluttered, but it wasn’t due to fear. “I will put them in a vase, and then we can leave.”

Ryder followed her into her flat and glanced around curiously, but with a sort of cold scrutiny she wasn’t used to from him. He scrunched his nose as if he smelled something unpleasant.

“Is your boyfriend not here?” he asked.

“Hm?” she looked at him over her shoulder, putting her beloved camellias in a glass vase. “No, he is not. Otherwise, I would have been in trouble.”

Ryder’s ruby eyes captured hers as he approached her. “What we’re doing is none of his business. Break up with him,” he demanded.

“Don’t act like you have some kind of claim over me,” she commented. He made it sound so easy, but it was not easy at all.

“But I do,” he whispered in a husky voice. His hand touched her cheek, cold and gentle. “You are mine, Elena.” His irises looked like gemstones, breathtakingly beautiful and distracting, but they also continuously reminded her that he was very thirsty… and this didn’t sit right with her.

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She sat on the passenger seat while he took the driver’s seat and steered the car back on the road. Elena had no clue where they would go, but judging by his elegant clothing, it was good she had dressed up as well. Maybe he had set his sights on a fancy restaurant.

“Will you tell me where we are going?” she asked.

“No, but I’m sure you will like it. I picked it out exclusively for you,” he replied, smirking at her. “Where’s the fun in spoiling the surprise?”