Chapter 30: Chapter Thirty

"You knew Damien when he was human? So you're just as old as he is?" I asked incredulously. I thought Damien was the oldest vampire, but I could see now that I was wrong.

"Damien? So he is going by his middle name now?" Sinclair said with a scoff as he shook his head. "Yes, I am the vampire who turned him. A decision I have regretted from the moment I made it."

"You turned him? Why did you regret it?" I asked him as I picked up the sandwich and held it as I put the plate in the cage, then set the sandwich back on top of it. "I wasn't sure if you would want human food, but I brought it just in case."

"You are a curious little thing, aren't you?" Sinclair asked with a chuckle as he took the plate and began to slowly eat the sandwich, nodding his head in approval.

"I'm sorry." I said softly as I began to stand, but was stopped as he asked me to sit back down.

"I don't mind it, really. I enjoy having someone to speak to." He said as he set down the rest of his sandwich, and drank more of the blood before speaking again. "I was deceived by his facade as well, and believed him to be my best friend. I hadn't told him I was a vampire, but on his thirty-second birthday, I turned him. When I came back the next day, but he had already left and killed someone. Then he disappeared."

"You've been his prisoner for thirty years, did you ask him why he disappeared? Or did you tell him what he was before you left?" I asked him, already knowing Damien's side of the story. Damien didn't know what he was and attacked the first human he came across. He left because his wife saw him, and he didn't want to risk killing her as well.

"You are asking as if you know another side to this story. I must say, it is a surprise that Lucifer would tell you what happened. I tried to many years, but he would not tell me. Will you?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Sinclair, but that is not my story to tell."

"So he told you my name, but not who I was? Can I know your name?"

"Um..." I trailed off, trying to decide if I should or not. I told Damien I wouldn't come down here again, but I did. It seems to go without saying that Damien wouldn't want him to know my name. "I'm Bast." I finally said.

"Bast, do you know where your name comes from?" He asked me as he finished his sandwich, then finished his mug.

"Yes, it's the name of a goddess. Now that you've finished, I'll leave." I said as I stood and waited for him to wait against the back of the cage like he had before. Once he closed his eyes I took the dishes from the cage while keeping my eyes on him. After collecting the dishes I stood and began to turn around.

"Will I see you again, Bast?" Sinclair asked me, his golden eyes suddenly right in front of me, making my heart skip a beat.

"I don't know, I'm not supposed to be down here." I said quickly, willing my heart to beat slower.

"I understand. Thank you for feeding me, I will forever be thankful to you for your kindness." He said as he went back to his bed, and sat down.

I looked at the man in sadness, wishing I could help him. As I went into the kitchen to wash the dishes, I tried to think of ways I could help him, but could think of none. Damien obviously had him imprisoned for a reason, I couldn't just let him out. I was so lost in thought, I didn't realize I had continued to wash the same plate for about five minutes continually.

"Bast, I would like to apologize." Damien said from behind me, causing me to scream and drop the plate I was washing. The plate shattered into pieces, scattering over the floor and sink, before any of the shards could pierce my skin, Damien picked me up and set me on the counter.

"Jesus Christ!" I exclaimed, holding my chest. "I'm not old enough to have a heart attack, Damien!" I yelled as my heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

"I apologize, I did not intend to startle you. I thought you would have heard me entering, seeing as how I called your name four times." Damien said as he picked up the shards of glass and tossed them in the garbage.

"Oh, I didn't hear you."

"That much is clear, what were you thinking about that had you so engrossed?" Damien asked as he stood just in front of me, looking down at my face curiously.

"You." I responded with a shrug. It wasn't exactly a lie. I was thinking about him, I just omitted the fact that I was also thinking about Sinclair. "What did you want to apologize for?"

"For this entire argument we've had. I asked Sam what he thought of it, and he sided with you about it. Not about getting pregnant by another man, but about your argument about how its selfish of me to deny you what you want." Damien said as he watched me closely, waiting for my reaction.

"No, it's fine. I was thinking about it too. I'm not going to force you to raise another man's child, I get why you wouldn't want to do that." I responded, kissing him softly on the lips, then hopping off the counter. "Are you going to continue to lock me in the house?"

"No, I'm sorry for that as well. And for injecting you with venom, which was a complete accident."

I nodded my understanding and smiled slightly. "I need some time, please."

"Yes, my love. As much time as you need." Damien responded, his eyes filled with sadness as he pulled me into his arms and hugged me tightly. "But I have to ask you something." I felt my heart jump when he said that, and I know he heard it because he exhaled hard before asking me: "Are you going to leave me?"

"Do I have a choice?" I asked him, leaning back to look at his beautiful face. His eyes were void of their usual electric, but were now filled with unspoken pain and fear. He started to respond, but couldn't as he choked back tears, but nodded in response instead. I had to hold back my own tears as I saw how much pain he was in, and I knew that everything he told me before was the truth. He wouldn't survive without me in his life. But I thought about what Sinclair told me, and felt a twinge of doubt.

"I don't know, Damien." I answered honestly.