73. Angel's sadness

"Tell me, Erick... you definitely know what happened to Bella."

"I don't know what happened, Angel," replied Erick while cupping Angel's face, who still couldn't stop crying.

"Do not lie to me!" Angel screamed, sobbing louder and louder.

"Angel-"

"What is this?" interrupted Mrs. Matthew, who looked like he had just come down the stairs. He looked panicked at Angel who seemed to be crying. "Angel, what's wrong with you?"

"Mom..." Angel immediately threw herself into her mother's arms, sobbing even harder.

"What happened, Angel?"

"Bella... Bella is dead."

"What?!" shrieked Mrs. Matthew with a flabbergasted face. "But why?"

Angel shook her head quickly with sobs that she still couldn't hold back. "I don't know, Mom... I just called and everything was fine, but suddenly Bella screamed. I came to her house, then the police said she died of a heart attack."

"How could it be?" Mrs.'s face Matthew still looked stiff. "Since when does Bella have a history of heart disease?"

"No..." Angel shook his head again firmly. "Bella is very healthy."

"Then- how is that possible?"

"Bella's body will be autopsied," said Erick as he also stood up, holding Angel's shoulders. "We will find out the cause of death."

"When is the funeral?" asked Mrs. Matthew with a sad face.

"We don't know yet," replied Erick as he pulled Angel's body, who looked so tired, into a gentle hug.

"Then, Mommy will call Bella's mother and tell you later."

Erick nodded slowly, then looked at Angel. "You should rest."

Erick guided Angel's body to walk towards the stairs. His feet were just about to step up when suddenly the corner of his eye caught something that seemed to slap his consciousness, a wheelchair lying on the side of the stairs.

Erick's hand reflexively released its grip on Angel's arm, his eyes narrowed sharply. "What is this? You lied to me, Angel?"

Angel, who still couldn't focus on anything else, didn't seem to pay attention. He continued walking up the stairs one by one.

"Angel, wait!" Erick pulled Angel's arm a little roughly, causing the woman's body to fall backwards. "Answer me, Angel!"

"What?" Angel asked with a blank look.

Erick closed his eyes for a moment, feeling like he didn't have the heart to ask Angel questions in his current condition. As a result, he chose not to discuss it any more, hugged Angel's body again and invited the woman to walk towards the room.

"You have to rest so you can take part in your friend's funeral procession," Erick said gently as he helped Angel to lie down on the bed.

He sat beside Angel, with one hand gently stroking the woman's head. "Close your eyes."

"Erlene."

"He sleeps in your mother's room accompanied by Anne."

Angel's gaze wandered to the ceiling of the room. He felt so tired, even his sobs had begun to subside. However, his eyes were reluctant to close, even though they felt so hot from crying for so long.

"Angel... go to sleep."

Angel turned his gaze towards Erick. "I'm not paralyzed."

Erick's eyes widened quickly, still shocked even though he had seen it himself. "But why are you pretending?"

"I just want to test your love," Angel answered softly.

"So you really don't trust me?" Erick smiled crookedly as he withdrew his hand from Angel's head.

"What do you expect me to believe when you yourself have lied to me from the start," replied Angel with a bitter smile.

"Angel-"

Angel looked away when Erick's hand tried to touch her face. She brought her body to lie on her side with her back to the man. Currently, his mood was really messy, and he didn't want to be even more devastated when he had to talk about their complicated romance.

Erick seemed to take a deep breath, lay down beside Angel and hugged the woman from behind. "I don't know whether to be angry or happy right now."

"It's up to you," Angel replied softly.

Erick tightened his embrace, a smile slowly appeared on his lips. "It seems like my happiness is much greater."

"You have not answer my question." Angel turned around, facing Erick again.

Erick looked at the woman closely. He really didn't like seeing Angel's beautiful face covered in sadness like this. Erick's hand slowly reached out, gently caressing the woman's cheek. "I don't know who did it, but Bella was murdered."

Instantly Angel's body stiffened, his face looked stiff with his eyes wide. In fact, he also felt very strange when the police said that Bella's death was caused by a heart attack, because he could clearly hear the screams of his best friend.

"But who?" Angel muttered with his chest feeling so tight again.

"I can't be sure, but what I saw- Bella's body had lost all its blood."

"But there are no bite marks or any wounds," said Angel

"It doesn't take a bite to suck out a human soul, and conditions like this will actually be safer for the perpetrator because it doesn't leave a trace."

"So, the culprit was a vampire?"

Erick nodded slowly. "Only vampires can do that, but who knows which other clan vampires attack humans."

"But why does it have to be Bella?!" Angel's voice rose, his jaw tightened.

"We both don't know the reason, darling."

Angel's eyes felt hot again. "You know, Bella is the only friend I've had all this time. She's the most sincere girl I've ever known, and now-" Angel couldn't continue his sentence when a tight feeling hit his chest repeatedly.

"Shhh... calm down." Erick pulled the woman's body into his arms. "Bella may have died an unnatural death, but believe me she has found peace in heaven."

Angel sobbed again in Erick's arms, pouring out all kinds of sadness. "I have to know who did it... I can't just keep quiet."

"We'll find out who did it after this, once you're truly ready."

Angel let go of his hug quickly while wiping his tears roughly. "I'm so ready. I can't just wait!"

"You're not ready, darling." Erick brought his thumb to wipe the clear liquid on the woman's cheek. "Sadness will make you weak, so you have to strengthen yourself first."

"Don't keep looking down on me, Erick!" Angel's voice rose. "I can-"

Angel's voice was silenced by Erick's lips which quickly covered hers, kissing her so gently as if he wanted to quell all kinds of anger and sadness. Surprisingly, Angel didn't refuse, letting Erick's touch take its place in her body at this time.

Erick continued to suck Angel's lips up and down without pause, slowly moving his tongue, slipping into the gap created. They tangled around each other, taking out their anger on the passionate touch.

"Don't keep being sad," whispered Erick, pulling his lips slightly, giving Angel a chance to just catch his breath. "I hate when I see you cry."

"Then, get rid of all my sadness tonight," Angel replied with both hands pulling Erick's nape, bringing their lips together again in endless passion.