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40. Making Friends
Last Updated:
2022-05-05 00:35:58Related chapters
Bloody Full Moon 41. Keeping Distance
Laura - The meeting groundsTo my surprise, at this gathering, I feel more at ease than at the one before when Paul announced our bond. This time, their gazes aren’t focused on me, though, of course, some are still gawking and whispering.I'm delighted that Maria informed me about the gathering. I wasn't expecting her to bring me along, but it's lovely of her.Dan and Maria never leave me alone, assisting me in fitting in with small groups and making small talk. They take turns presenting me to other wolves and making me feel accepted. People even ask me stuff about my life, and I respond with a small smile as I scour the crowd for one particular tall wolf.“So, Laura, have you ever –”Someone starts a question, but I can’t hear the last part. Dark gray eyes find me through the crowd. All the sounds fade away, and nothing seems to move except him. My heart flutters. I want to jump into his arms and kiss him. Instead, I stand, frozen in place, staring at him.Paul walks up closer, rais
Last Updated : 2022-05-06Bloody Full Moon 42. Waiting for the Impossible
Laura - The meeting groundsI'm still hiding behind the bushes, unwilling to move because I don't want to be seen.I was scared that I wouldn't be able to tell which one was Paul since the coats of all the wolves are mostly the same. But no one else has such a gleaming silver mane that glistens beneath the full moon.Alin's fur is darker, nearly blending in with the darkness. I could have missed his initial strike if it hadn't been for my heightened night vision. He lunges for Paul, his teeth gnashing in the air, saliva streaming from the sharp canine as he bites the emptiness.Startled, I almost jump to my feet. But when I see that Paul is holding his own, I calm down. He has avoided that first blow; he moves faster than I thought possible. Now he’s waiting for Alin’s next move.Two pairs of gleaming golden eyes battle in a war of staring. No one moves to intervene. If someone makes a challenge, the fight needs to be fair. And Paul will never ask for help, as that would be beneath hi
Last Updated : 2022-05-07Bloody Full Moon 43. Bedtime Stories
Laura - The house in the suburbsIf I were a normal girl, I would probably have gotten blisters on my way home. Sure, I mean, there are perks to my immortality. Some may seem like gifts to anyone. Would you call someone crazy for being sad about not getting blisters? Then I’m crazy, alright.I’m even crazier for spending the next two days and nights cooped up in my new house, waiting for a sign from him. Have I gotten mad? In my eighty years of existence, I’ve never felt this way. Apparently, there are still things I haven’t got to explore, yet I’m too tired to search for them.Maybe I should attempt to get Paul to accompany me to the gypsy witch and see what she has to say now. If he isn't the answer to my immortality dilemma, I'd best move on before he becomes the root of a new problem in my doomed existence.I attempted to relax in an effort to block out the ideas that were wreaking havoc in my head. I slept restlessly, tossing and turning the entire night. As the nightmares resemb
Last Updated : 2022-05-09Bloody Full Moon 44. Devouring Dragon
Paul - The house in the suburbsThe sun is high in the sky as I open my eyes. For a moment, I don’t recognize the room, maybe because I’ve never slept here before. But the furniture is way too familiar to not realize where I am in just a few seconds. My eyes fall on the clock, and I frown. It's ten o'clock. What the hell? Why did I sleep so late?Laura’s story remained inside my mind, making me dream of princesses and dragons. I would laugh and say that a grown-up man like me shouldn’t dream of fairy tales, but this wasn’t a fairytale at all. How can a dragon rescue a princess who is willing to die? There's no villain in sight to confront, no wicked minions to punish with fire. How can one rescue someone who refuses to be saved?As if sensing I’ve woken up, Laura enters the room with coffee. The steamy, strong scent combines with the lilac one that permanently follows her around. I should find out what the meaning of that is.“Good morning!” Laura places the coffee cup on the nights
Last Updated : 2022-05-10Bloody Full Moon 45. Surrender
Laura - The house in the suburbsI can’t deny the longing and the tug at my heartstrings that his presence brings every time. But our circumstances haven’t changed. And besides, what's happening now isn't a genuine connection, nor a lasting one. What am I thinking? I shouldn’t want more than this.The more time passes, and he’s playing with my senses, the more my mind gets foggy. Concentration woven with indescribable thrills, my body shudders with delights I’ve never experienced before.“What do you want, Laura?” His question beats a steady rhythm in my eardrums even though his mouth is too busy to repeat it.His tongue is working its magic, making me melt like butter. I try my best to not let him see my rapture, though maybe that’s impossible. So I strive to not let lewd sounds come out of my mouth. No man has ever given me so much attention; no one has ever made me feel like this.A hand presses against my hip, and I feel his warmth seeping through my skin. His fingers trace along
Last Updated : 2022-05-12Bloody Full Moon 46. Unbeknownst to Me
Laura - The house in the suburbsThe kiss that awakens me is sweet. Hot lips slip cleanly over the skin of my nape, igniting a thrilling amount of pleasure. I’m in no mood for sex, but his touch offers another form of delight I’ll gladly take. A sense of peace washes over me, rinsing away everything bad; my bleak existence; the fear that takes hold every morning when I see that I'm alive.Paul’s heavy arm lays over my waist. The muscles contract as it tightens the grip over me. His warm chest presses against the bare skin of my back. A low moan escapes my lips before I can contain it. I hope I’m not falling in love with him because my heart can’t take it.I’ve never fallen asleep in someone’s arms before. This is all my fault. I’ve never slept with a man in the same bed after having sex. Leaving right after is for the best. This way, I can avoid emotional attachment. The memory of my past few lovers is a blur.And then there's Paul. I want to stay in his arms forever. A hand slides up
Last Updated : 2022-05-13Bloody Full Moon 47. Honeymoon
Laura - Oltenia pack’s meeting groundsI guess my performance yesterday was up for the task since today I stand on the grounds of the Oltenia pack. Paul gets out of the car, carrying lots of shopping bags. He didn’t want to leave Bucharest until Dan came with these packs, which I believe are filled with gifts.I look up at him, wondering what he has in mind.“Are you ready?” he asks.“Yes, I am."But before I can take another step, Paul is surrounded by kids of various ages, all asking for sweets and toys.Soon, I realize I was right. I remain a few feet behind him, smiling. Paul looks like an uncle who lives abroad, and on the rare occasions he visits, he has to share gifts for all the events he has missed.Adults stay back and wait for the jumble of children to disperse. Something that happens sooner rather than later, right when everyone is happy with what they got.A tall, broad-shouldered guy with beautiful amber eyes walks forward when the path is clear. “Welcome, Paul. We've
Last Updated : 2022-05-15Bloody Full Moon 48. My Lighthouse
Laura - The cabin in the woodsI look at the wooden ceiling, my head flooded with questions. Why am I here with Paul? Why does having him so near make me feel so good?His arm is around my waist, his hot breath on my shoulder. I'm too scared to move. Is it because I don't want to wake him up, or because it's so good that I want to stop time right here and now?His head moves, and his lips touch my neck. “You can’t sleep?”I nod. My throat doesn't seem ready to form words.“Why?” He groans, pulling me closer to him.Why am I not asleep? Because his heart beats far too loudly. I can’t stop wondering if it pounds like that for me. My misgivings are mine to bear. What would be the point of saying them out loud?“Strigois don’t need sleep.” My voice comes out cold and assertive, and I’m relieved. “Since it’s optional and I’ve been dozing off enough these days, I can’t seem to sleep anymore.”To clear my head, I feel like I need to distance myself from him for some reason. Taking the sheet
Last Updated : 2022-05-16
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Bloody Full Moon 85. Epilogue
Laura - AliveThe world is teeming with life and sensations I couldn’t see before. The air itself sizzles with electricity, and my skin tingles under the sun’s warmth. My heart is beating so fast that I can hear its thumping in my ears. Oh, how good it is to be alive. But then again, what is death?It’s a void, a nothingness, the absence of everything.So even though death is the ultimate lack of all existence, isn’t it also a state where we are given a chance to start anew?I’m not sure what I expected, but the reality is better than anything I could have imagined. Every day is a new adventure, and I love every minute of my life, full of laughter, hugs, and kisses. I must admit, destiny has one hell of a way of playing tricks on a girl. When I was young and wanted to live, I died. When I was an abomination and wanted to die, I was born anew. Sometimes, nothing goes the way you want it to, but not always what you want is what you get. And maybe it’s for the best. I am free of my c
Bloody Full Moon 84. True Love's Bite
Paul - The Retezat MountainsAuburn leaves fall kissed by the cold winds. A cold mountain that still hasn’t welcomed winter. An owl hoots a few times and, as I pass, flies away, out of reach. I can feel the change in the air, now thick with the scent of incoming rain. The sky above the tree’s canopy is gathering heavy clouds, soon to be released in a torrent of droplets. The first few stars peeking through the dark gray curtains are a sign that I don’t have much time left to find Laura. I know I'm close. To her. And I know why she ran away, putting distance between us. Because I'm possessive and selfish, not wanting to give her what she needs. I can't give her what she wants without losing everything I love. And I love her. But it seems I'm doomed to lose her anyhow.I've lost so much time denying reality, turning a blind eye to the truth. "I'm coming, Laura," I whisper to myself. The trees seem to go on forever, the forest floor stretching into the distance. Laura is nowhere in s
Bloody Full Moon 83. Reading the Future
The Gypsy Witch - Her hutMy nose scrunches. A sweet smell permeates the air, like a mixture of old spices and fresh herbs. There’s a slight vibration below my feet; the ground seems to shake with every step I take. Something will happen soon. Hehe! I should better ask the key. I reach into my pocket and take out the instrument of my favorite art. The key is a simple piece of metal for any ungifted person. But for me, it is a tool that can open the secrets of the future. I turn it over in my hand, feeling the smoothness of its surface. Cleidomancy is one of the most powerful and ancient forms of divination. It is the art of reading the future by observing the movements of a spellbound key. Some say the spirits of the dead are the ones who turn the key and direct the motion. Hehe!A witch never looks directly at the key. Instead, she always studies it from the corner of her eye, making sure she isn't seen peeking. Otherwise, the key won't move.My fingers are tingly as they seem to b
Bloody Full Moon 82. Ticking Clock
Laura - At homeI find myself lying on a bed of black velvet inside an empty room with no windows or doors. The walls are lined floor-to-ceiling with bookshelves, each filled from top to bottom. The books are all different sizes and shapes, but they all have the same purpose: to fill the emptiness inside me. “Because I’m hollow on the inside,” I whisper to myself. Under the blanket next to me, there is a figure wrapped in the same black velvet. I reach out and remove the cover, revealing an old man. His skin is wrinkled and pale, and his hair is entirely white. He looks as if he is sleeping. He slowly opens his eyes and looks at me. His hand comes up to touch my face but loses its vigor halfway through. “Are you real?” I ask him.He sighs, closing his eyes. Only a whisper of a breath escapes his lips. “Don’t be afraid, Laura. I’ll always love you.”“No!” I scream. “This can’t be real. This man can’t be Paul.”His strong features and soft gray eyes are the same. His voice is the sa
Bloody Full Moon 81. Never Let Him Go
Alisa - Stryga Inc, her officeBefore entering my office, I stroll down a short hallway and pass my assistant’s desk. Official-looking diplomas and the like hang on the wall behind her. I catch a glimpse of FB reflected in one of them as she turns off her tablet and looks up at me. Does anyone even consider this company an actual workplace? Every employee is a glorified receptionist, and most of them dawdle their time away in front of their computers without doing any real work. When did I become the most diligent person around? “Good morning, Miss Cristescu,” she says, making a good show of turning toward her computer screen as if she has tons and tons of work to do. Her voice is light and cheerful enough, showing that she hasn’t noticed my mood today. Or that she couldn’t care less.If I were to say anything to her, I would fire her on the spot. But starting to dispose of the people who annoy me would leave me working all by myself. So I just nod and continue on my way. Sighing,
Bloody Full Moon 80. Love and Fear
Laura - HomeFearing I could drop the puppy from my shaky hands, I slowly set him down on the floor. He immediately starts whimpering and wagging his tail, but I'm too scared to pick him up. I back away slowly, watching him from the corner of my eye as he scrambles to his feet. My legs feel like jelly, and I sit on the couch's edge. Several decades have passed since I've last seen Iustin, my maker. The night I met him was the night I died—the night I became a strigoi. I look at my shaking hands, remembering those times.He was the one who turned me into one of them, holding my dead body in his arms for three days and three nights, keeping my soul trapped inside and forbidding it from going to the other side. For a long time, I thought he lied to me about the process until I did the same to Alisa and turned her into a strigoi as well. He helped me escape the strigoi Council's tight grip, and I owe him my life if my life counts for anything. Iustin covered up my ability to read minds
Bloody Full Moon 79. Serendipity
Paul - At home“We’re leaving the day after tomorrow,” I announce to Dan, sitting in front of him at the kitchen table. “I’ve scheduled a week-long trip to a remote location I don’t want to disclose even to you. I’ve been careful not to go during a full moon. So you and Alin should be fine managing the pack while I’m away. Oh, and the phone signal might be lacking, so don’t try to call me.”“I see you made up your mind already.” Dan sighs. “I knew you would put Laura above all else, but this is too much. Give me at least an emergency contact number to reach you just in case.”“As you said, I’ve made up my mind.”“Fine.” Dan stands and begins pacing through the kitchen. “What about the company? I’m not particularly fond of the idea of taking on business decisions while you’re away.”“Oh, no need. I put Max in charge of the company during my absence.”“The shifter? Why would you do that? Do you trust him so much?”“He’s not doing me any favor. The bastard is charging me for his time and
Bloody Full Moon 78. Lilac Scent
Paul - At home The house I grew up in was always a little too quiet for my liking. Now, the same house is shifting from a place of memories into a cradle for Laura and me. She has brought most of her things to the house. Unwrapping the last of the boxes, she stares at a small album. She opens it and pulls out a picture. I wrap my arms around her from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder. Out of habit, I sniff her hair, inhaling her scent. “Why do you keep smelling my hair?” she asks, still looking at the photo. I lightly touch my lips to the spot where her neck meets her collarbone.“It is said that when two people are fated mates, their scent is like a fingerprint, a unique signature only the other can notice.” I pause to take another sniff. “For me, you smell like lilac flowers in the spring, and it’s driving me crazy.”I nuzzle her neck, breathing in her scent and letting it fill my lungs. Laura doesn’t answer. She sighs, and her fingers shake over a black and white photog
Bloody Full Moon 77. Before the Beep
Laura - At homeDays pass quicker when immortality doesn’t seem like a useless burden. My condition hasn't improved. I am still an immortal strigoi, so basically just another girl in the world, with a few oddities.I fill my time with the things I love most: reading and Paul. He keeps at bay all the pessimistic tendencies that make me want to run away from reality. I know he will one day die. The thought still nibs at the back of my head and sometimes feels unbearable, but I don’t want to give up his company. He gives me hope, and even though we only have a few decades together, I'll make every second count.His presence is a gift to my soul. Even now, when he works in the bedroom while I read a book on the veranda bench, I feel peaceful. Just knowing he is there makes me happy. When we’re closer, things tend to get wild. We share a passion for each other and want to explore every inch of the other. We never get tired of being together. The slightest brush of his skin against mine
