Chapter 42 - Burning Red

Natasha's POV

Valerian kissed me on my lips.

It started so slow and gently just like earlier when he first kissed me.

It's like he's savoring the moment. . . It's like he's savoring me by the way he kisses me.

And because of what he was doing, I felt so much desire.

I want Valerian.

I'm craving for him.

I feel like I am going to die if I don't get what I want and I hate feeling this way.

It was like the day after we first met; when I was craving for him-- for his blood.

His blood. . .

I want his blood.

"Natasha. . ." Valerian pulled himself away from me as he winced when I bit his lips.

I bit his lips so hard that I tasted a metallic taste on my tongue.

It's his blood.

Valerian's blood. . .

"What was that Natasha?" Valerian spit his blood out of his mouth.

I subconsciously whined.

Valerian looked at me, amused by my reaction. "What?"

"Don't be wasting your blood!" I protested.

"You want my blood?"

I nodded.

I didn't know what suddenly came into me but I craved for his blood.

"I'm right here," Valerian said.

"Yeah, I know. I don't understand. You're literally beside me and I should not crave you because we're literally together right now, right?"

Valerian ignored what I just said and slightly cocked his head sideways-- presenting his neck to me.

"Drink my blood as much as you want," he said.

I was completely taken aback.

I seriously did not expect him to do and say that.

What's happening right now?

"Go on, darling."

And as if on cue, I quickly bit and suck Valerian on his neck.

And it felt like heaven.

He tasted so heavenly.

His taste. . . his smell. . . everything.

The way his blood gushed through my tongue down to my throat.

Gosh, I will never get over his taste.

It feels like I want nothing in the world but his blood right now.

"You're one hungry woman."

I heard Valerian say but I didn't mind it as I was so busy sucking his blood.

I have nothing on my mind right now but his blood.

Valerian's blood.

Blood blood blood. . .

After what felt like an eternity, I was finally satisfied.

I freed Valerian from my grasp and sat back on my seat again as I fixed myself.

"Feeling alright?" he asked.

I could just nod.

I froze when Valerian wiped the side of my lips with his thumb.

I hate myself for reacting like this to his touch. . . to him.

Why do I feel like this? All astonished and taken aback like we weren't kissing and swallowing each other's saliva just a few minutes ago.

Goodness.

"Why are you so hungry?" Valerian asked, to which I didn't have an answer.

I shook my head. "I don't know. I just felt the need to drink your blood when we were. . ." I coughed. "Kissing."

"Why is that?" Valerian questioned once again.

"I really don't know Valerian. I am confused myself too since as far as I know, I'll feel fine when I'm around you and you said I will never get thirsty nor hungry as long as we are together," I said. "But, like I said, I suddenly felt the need to taste you."

"Taste me?"

Shit.

Wrong choice of words.

"Are you sure it's my blood that you wanted to taste?"

My cheeks automatically heated up upon hearing what Valerian just said.

"Y-yes. . ."

I wanted to pinch myself for stuttering.

What is wrong with me?!

"You feel fine now?" Valerian asked.

I thanked him inside my mind for not saying anything about how I got fluttered by what he said and literally stuttered in front of him.

I nodded. "My thirst for your blood has subsided."

"Good."

"How about you? Are you feeling good?" It was my turn to ask him a question about what he was feeling.

I mean, I just suck tons of blood from him. . . I should ask him that.

"I feel alright," Valerian replied.

"Really?" I questioned.

"Yes, I do feel fine. Why do you ask, Natasha."

I stared at Valerian intently, scanning him to see and find anything but I did see nothing wrong. He seemed fine and still so sinfully good looking.

"I just suck blood out of you," I told him.

"You did before and I felt fine," he responded.

My sight suddenly landed on his hand. To where I first bit him to suck his blood.

There was no bruise anymore.

I remember it looking so purple-ish because of my bite mark and I remember Valerian told me that time that he could easily heal himself but he couldn't heal my bite. But now his hand looked fine. There was no trace of my bite.

"It healed," Valerian said when he caught me staring down at his hand. "I didn't heal it because I could not. It just healed."

"How did that happen?" I questioned.

Valerian shook his head. "I have no idea, Natasha. It just did."

"Why did I suddenly crave for your blood?" I questioned yet again.

"That's a question to me too."

Of all the times, why did I crave for Valerian's blood when we were together and literally having an intense moment? How did that happen? Why?

In the past months, I didn't feel the need to drink his blood and I felt calm when I was around him to the point that I started thinking that the time when I bit him was a one time thing to confirm that we were actually mates.

So why now?

"Is that possible?" I asked Valerian. "For me to crave your blood randomly for an unknown reason?"

"I'm assuming it can happen considering what you felt and what just happened," he replied.

I fell silent. . . thinking how many things I still have no idea about this mate set up. I'm so clueless and feel like a lost child.

I still don't know why my mate is a vampire and not a werewolf-- and I just accepted my fate because I have a mission to do successfully.

Thinking about all of this. . . It's unfair.

It's so unfair on my end.

But, no matter what I do, it boils down to the fact that I have no choice.

And I have to keep going.

"Maybe the next time, you will get fangs, we never know," Valerian said, and I couldn't tell if he was being serious or not.

I looked straight at him. "That's possible?"

"I'm kidding, Natasha. You're a werewolf, not a vampire," he replied.

Nothing has seemed impossible since I met Valerian.

The things that had happened to me since the moment I got here-- I didn't know they were all possible. So I really don't know what to expect anymore.

My sudden craving for Valerian's blood is more like confusing than bothering but I still hope that won't cause me trouble or harm.

I continued staring at Valerian.

Who would have thought. . . that all of the things that had happened. . . between me and him--- we're still here.

In front of each other;

Under the light of the moon cursing through the windows;

Feeling the desire for each other as we stared into each other's eyes.