suddenly. He was not prone to sudden mood change, and it felt foreign to him. Whoever this man was, he was not your average Parisian.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Matthias.
Chapter Five
"Who's Matthias?"
"He is the oldest vampire I know still alive. He was an invaluable mentor when I was new. He gave me a new life at a time when I was seeking my death."
"Nevar, I'm truly sorry about your wife and son. It must have been hard to lose them."
"It was long ago, but I carry them with me to this day. My curse is that I am still here long after they have moved on. I wanted so desperately to join them that night. I always wondered, if I had not fought to save myself, would Matthias have let me die in the streets of Paris that night? Fate, it seems, had a hand in things."
She could understand him now. The guilt he carried with him was not only because of her. His loss went so much deeper than that.
"The day will be marked in my mind forever, just as I am sure this one will be marked in yours. I hope that it will be worth remembering for you."
She averted her eyes, letting her eyelashes sweep her cheeks. For everything that had happened, it had not been an unpleasant night. The uncertain path ahead of her was more frightening than anything else. Vampires, werewolves, myths come to life, those she could handle. The idea of an eternity stretched out before her, never changing or moving forward, that was what scared her. Then again, how many actresses would do anything never to grow old? She could only manage to pull it off for so long before it grew too suspicious. Then what?
"I don't know where to go from here. I've always had a plan for everything, but what should I do now?"
"For now, I think you should sleep. Things will become clearer after you have gotten some rest."
He was right, of course. She was exhausted, more mentally than physically, but tired nonetheless. She nodded and then leaned back to sink her head into the down pillow. He laid down beside her, but in such a large bed, there was still plenty of room between them. As soon as her eyes closed, it seemed, she fell asleep.
It was dark, even for her eyes. She felt as though she were being pulled forward, towards what, she didn't know. She entered a strange doorway, marked only by a change in the air. All she could smell was a thick layer of must that was almost suffocating and an almost hidden note of old tea leaves. She decided not to breathe. The darkness was like a felt blanket all around her. The air was too thick. It was hard to move. Two glowing red eyes appeared to pierce the darkness. They seemed to release her from her bonds. The thickness of the air receded and she was able to move towards the glowing eyes. Something told her to be wary and she stopped in her tracks. She trusted this voice. She looked all around for its owner, but there was no one to be seen.
The glowing eyes grew brighter, impatient, but their light did not quell the darkness. Instead, they seemed to make the darkness thicker by contrast. The eyes frightened her now. She turned and tried to run from them, but the air held her fast. She cried out for the voice to save her as she struggled to free herself. I'm here, it told her. Come to me.
The sound of the voice seemed to come from everywhere, and nowhere. It was soothing, and she closed her eyes to concentrate on it. There was a heat growing behind her, but she ignored it. She ceased her struggling and relaxed under the coaxing of the voice in her head. Nevar!
She opened her eyes. He was there beside her, awake and shirtless. She wanted to cry. These nightmares would never end, it seemed, and she wanted desperately to find some peace. She threw herself into his chest and tried to push back the tears. The last thing he needed was to see her cry, but she felt she was mourning her own death. This new life was strange and frightening.
His hand stroked her hair and he calmed her with his presence. She found her
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Matthias.
Chapter Five
"Who's Matthias?"
"He is the oldest vampire I know still alive. He was an invaluable mentor when I was new. He gave me a new life at a time when I was seeking my death."
"Nevar, I'm truly sorry about your wife and son. It must have been hard to lose them."
"It was long ago, but I carry them with me to this day. My curse is that I am still here long after they have moved on. I wanted so desperately to join them that night. I always wondered, if I had not fought to save myself, would Matthias have let me die in the streets of Paris that night? Fate, it seems, had a hand in things."
She could understand him now. The guilt he carried with him was not only because of her. His loss went so much deeper than that.
"The day will be marked in my mind forever, just as I am sure this one will be marked in yours. I hope that it will be worth remembering for you."
She averted her eyes, letting her eyelashes sweep her cheeks. For everything that had happened, it had not been an unpleasant night. The uncertain path ahead of her was more frightening than anything else. Vampires, werewolves, myths come to life, those she could handle. The idea of an eternity stretched out before her, never changing or moving forward, that was what scared her. Then again, how many actresses would do anything never to grow old? She could only manage to pull it off for so long before it grew too suspicious. Then what?
"I don't know where to go from here. I've always had a plan for everything, but what should I do now?"
"For now, I think you should sleep. Things will become clearer after you have gotten some rest."
He was right, of course. She was exhausted, more mentally than physically, but tired nonetheless. She nodded and then leaned back to sink her head into the down pillow. He laid down beside her, but in such a large bed, there was still plenty of room between them. As soon as her eyes closed, it seemed, she fell asleep.
It was dark, even for her eyes. She felt as though she were being pulled forward, towards what, she didn't know. She entered a strange doorway, marked only by a change in the air. All she could smell was a thick layer of must that was almost suffocating and an almost hidden note of old tea leaves. She decided not to breathe. The darkness was like a felt blanket all around her. The air was too thick. It was hard to move. Two glowing red eyes appeared to pierce the darkness. They seemed to release her from her bonds. The thickness of the air receded and she was able to move towards the glowing eyes. Something told her to be wary and she stopped in her tracks. She trusted this voice. She looked all around for its owner, but there was no one to be seen.
The glowing eyes grew brighter, impatient, but their light did not quell the darkness. Instead, they seemed to make the darkness thicker by contrast. The eyes frightened her now. She turned and tried to run from them, but the air held her fast. She cried out for the voice to save her as she struggled to free herself. I'm here, it told her. Come to me.
The sound of the voice seemed to come from everywhere, and nowhere. It was soothing, and she closed her eyes to concentrate on it. There was a heat growing behind her, but she ignored it. She ceased her struggling and relaxed under the coaxing of the voice in her head. Nevar!
She opened her eyes. He was there beside her, awake and shirtless. She wanted to cry. These nightmares would never end, it seemed, and she wanted desperately to find some peace. She threw herself into his chest and tried to push back the tears. The last thing he needed was to see her cry, but she felt she was mourning her own death. This new life was strange and frightening.
His hand stroked her hair and he calmed her with his presence. She found her
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