ABIGAIL

Sitting in bed, Abigail played games on her phone. She had run out of things to do and there was nothing other than bridal reality shows on TV. But, Alexander was adamant on keeping her bedridden until her legs no longer shook when she tried to stand. For once, she agreed.

A knock on the door drew her away from the phone’s screen. “Come in.”

Glen entered the room, grinning. “Hello, beautiful. I’m glad you decided to see me.”

Behind him, Alexander pushed the man farther into the bedroom and leant against the wall. “Say your goodbyes and go already.”

“You’re leaving?” Abigail asked, eyeing both of them.

With another charming smile, Glen sat on the edge of her bed. “Yes. I am being called back by my clan since there is nothing else I can do here.”

“What about the newspaper and the reforms?”

“That will be done by someone else who will replace me.”

She sighed, setting her phone aside. “It’s a pity. I would have gone out for a friendly drink with you if Mr Prison Guard over there wasn’t keeping me in bed all day.”

Glen laughed and turned to Alexander. “Would you mind giving us some privacy?”

“I mind,” Alexander retorted.

Abigail pursed her lips. “Please?”

Grumbling something in Russian under his breath, he sauntered out of the room, slamming the door behind him. The sound of it made her ears hurt, yet she didn’t care. Glen wouldn’t have asked for privacy without a reason.

“Why did you ask him to leave?”

“I took over forty years of your lifespan, Abigail. I came here to return it,” he said, moving closer to her.

She placed her hand against his soft lips, stopping him. “Wait. Is it necessary? I can just gain the weight back over time.”

He shook his head and moved her hand away. “The weight is not the problem. You won’t live long enough to see your children grow up without my help.”

“Crap…”

“May I have the permission to kiss you for the last time?” His burning hazel eyes bore into her, and she gulped. He was a beautiful combination of masculinity and hotness. The fact that he still called her beautiful when she couldn’t stand to look in the mirror anymore, spoke volumes about his kind heart.

“Okay, but this is strictly for medicinal purposes.”

He broke into a cheeky smile. “Yes, of course.”

When she closed her eyes, she felt his lips brushing hers. Seeking more of his touch, she lifted her head higher, returning the slow kiss as if they were both waltzing to a melody that was only heard to them. Just like before, her chest warmed. But, instead of feeling as if he was trying to consume her in a passionate embrace, she felt like she was being wrapped in a blanket at a campsite by a lover.

She had forgotten about the time that passed. The only thing that drew her away from her peaceful state was him breaking the tender kiss they shared.

He studied her with affection reflecting in his twinkling eyes. “When you get bored of Alexander or if he does something you don’t agree with, I’ll be around to steal you away.”

She giggled, slightly high on the energy he flooded her system with. “I’m sure he would flip out if he heard you say that.”

“He needs to know that he’s got competition, so he can’t relax entirely.” Glen brushed her hair out of her eyes.

She gasped, noticing that the white in her locks was completely gone and her natural colour had returned. Peeking down her pyjama top, her boobs had also returned to their normal size. Thank God for that. She thought she would remain an A-cup forever.

“I added a bonus,” he said, rising.

“What kind of bonus? Am I going to sprout wings?”

“No, not wings. During that night, I have absorbed almost six lifespans. I have given you three of them.”

Her mouth fell open. “You don’t mean…”

“I do. I thought you would want to not worry about growing old too fast by that vampire’s side. And it also gives me more time to hang out with you in the future.”

She jumped out of bed, assessing her arms and legs that were no longer like that of a skeleton. There goes my greasy food binge… “But how? How long am I going to be like this? Am I like you now? Do I have to eat people’s life force?”

He grasped her shoulders, steadying her and stopping her interrogation. “It is a gift bestowed upon the select mortals we deem are worthy of our protection. You will age much slower than the rest, but you are still human. A bullet can kill you.”

“Oh, so no superpowers?” She sounded almost upset.

“I’m sorry.”

Her heart swelled. She was so pleased that she had made such a great friend, and it broke her heart knowing that he was going back to America. She hugged him close, feeling him wrapping his strong arms around her. “Thank you for saving my life and returning my boobs.”

His breath tickled her ear as he released a chuckle.

“You have to write to me and come over from time to time, agreed?” she asked, peeling back to see his face.

“Of course.” He kissed the top of her head and moved out of her hold. “See you around, Abigail.”

“Bye, Glen.” She hated goodbyes. Seeing someone like him leaving her side was a painful reminder of how complicated her life had become. Now that she had three lifespans to live through, what on earth was she going to do with all that time? Do I have to pay more taxes? What if the stingy government avoids giving me pension because I don’t look old enough? She snorted. What mattered was that she could get out of bed and finally go on a date with that brooding workaholic.

Speak of the Devil…

Alexander walked into the room and stared at her for a long minute. He cleared his throat. “You look normal.”

“Yeah.”

His eyes started to glow with anger. “What did he do while I was gone?”

“He gave me some extra time to deal with you,” she replied, slipping her hand into his. At first, he seemed reluctant to bend down. She still managed to land a kiss on his cheek by jumping up. “Want to go on a date?”

“I am not taking you out until I wash every part of you that he may have touched.”

She beamed at him. “I’m up for that!”

ALEXANDER

Alexander sat behind Abigail in a bathtub. She rested her head on his shoulder as she popped the bubbles with her finger. She was such a strange creature. Without a second thought, she accepted what he was and wanted nothing in return. She was a mystery he continuously tried to solve and came up short every time he was closing in on the answer.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked, bursting another bubble.

“About you.”

“Since it’s about me, do share your thoughts, Mr Grekov.”

Alexander chuckled as he ran his hand down the curve of her chest, stopping on her smooth stomach. “I am glad you have regained your life force back. This way,”—he pinched her side, and she yowled—”I don’t have to worry about hurting you when I hold you.”

With a mischievous smirk, she pinched his thigh, making him jump. “Revenge is sweet!” she called out, hopping out of the tub.

Alexander watched her wrapping a fluffy towel around her beautiful body. He, indeed, was happy to see her being lively and full of spirit again. Nothing hurt his soul more than witnessing her state in that church. Even now, he contemplated going after Glen to punch him in the face.

She poked his arm. “Get out. We have a date.”

“Ah, the dinner I promised.”

Abigail shook her head. “Nope. You may not take your women to cheap places, but I don’t take my men to expensive ones. Come out, wear something other than a suit, and let’s go see a movie.”

“A movie?”

“Yeah, you know, you sit in a theatre full of people, in complete darkness, and shovel popcorn and cola into your mouth. It’s a happy place for us poor people.”

He got up, unsettling the water in the tub as he did so. Smirking, he watched her attention dropping to his hard chest and slowly travelling lower. “I’m up here, Abby.”

She bit her lip and looked up with hooded eyes. “And I’ll be getting ready.”

Before he could catch her, she ran out of the bathroom, leaving him alone and naked. “What a strange woman.”

ABIGAIL

Abigail couldn’t be happier to see Alexander in black jeans, a simple grey T-shirt, and a forest green cardigan. He looked like a sexy college professor she never had. She would certainly not be able to pay any attention to anything in his class.

Entwining her fingers with his, she brought him to the cinema that was popular for doing re-runs of old films. She didn’t know what he liked, and thought it would be a good idea to educate Alexander about the modern idea of what vampires were like.

She left him to buy food and drink while she purchased their tickets. Her grin never left her face. After all, how many chances did other people get to go see a movie with him? She guessed the number was close to zero.

With a skip in her step, they found their theatre. It was small and cosy. A few groups of teenage girls were seated here and there, chatting about the film they have seen over a dozen times. But, Abigail couldn’t help her girly side. She wanted to know just how much about vampires was true, and this was her chance.

Once they settled in, Alexander passed her the popcorn and her drink. “These are for you.”

“You’re not going to eat?” she asked, frowning.

“I don’t eat solid food.”

“Is it because it’s got too much salt?” She started rising. “I could ask for the toffee popcorn instead.”

“No, that’s not the problem. We find it painful to consume solid foods after centuries of a liquid diet.”

“That’s what you get for drinkin’ them smoothies and protein shakes,” someone behind them said, and Abigail snorted.

Alexander was prepared to respond when she grasped his hand, putting her index finger to her lips. He seemed to agree and focused his attention on the screen as the lights dimmed and a blanket of darkness surrounded them.

After a second, the projection on the screen came on and the movie trailers began. She managed to steal a few peeks at Alexander who seemed completely disinterested in the process. He checked his phone a couple of times. On the third time, someone behind them tapped him on the shoulder, saying, “Do you mind?”

Groaning, Alexander shoved his phone back into his pocket and folded his hands on his lap as the title of the movie came onscreen. His eyes narrowed on Abigail. “What have you gotten me into for the next two hours?”

“Twilight. I thought you could relate to the heartbroken, sulking male characters.”

He clenched his jaw. “How is this your idea of entertainment? I could have taken you to Paris for a fashion show or Vienna for the opera. Yet, here we are—”

“Shh,” the girl behind them hissed.

Alexander glared over his shoulder and met Abigail’s gaze. “This is ridiculous. I’ll wait in the car.”

When he started to rise, she caught him by the elbow and pulled him back down. “Sit and watch a movie with me.” Her voice softened as she added, “Please, Alexander. Pretty please with a cherry on top…”

“You are—”

“Shh!” the person behind them kicked the back of his seat, and, pouting, he faced the screen, at last.

By the time they were an hour into the movie, Alexander was already busy complaining about the glitter on the guy’s body and the ridiculous idea that sunlight made his kind into tacky Christmas decorations. He even announced that the werewolves did not turn into large wolves but morphed into terrifying monsters that could shred a person with a single swing.

The girl behind them, eventually, decided to move closer to the screen, which Abigail found to be hilarious. She was glad that she could distract him from the inner turmoil and his troubles that he was desperate to keep from her.

As he went on to say that vegan vampires did not exist, she rested her head on his shoulder and watched the rest of the movie with a smile on her face.

Once they exited the theatre, the other moviegoers kept shooting Alexander dirty looks. She expected that much since he could not contain his voice for most of the film. Next time, they would have to see a movie in private or come in for a very late showing.

“Abigail?” Alexander asked, bringing her out of her thoughts.

“Yeah?”

They stopped in the car park, outside the cinema, and he cupped her cheeks. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Wasn’t this ludicrous movie your way of cheering me up?”

“What gave it away?”

He wound his arms around her waist and landed a kiss on her lips. “When we were in the bathroom earlier, I could see the lust on your face as well as determination.”

She swatted him on the shoulder. “A beer belly would do wonders to diminish the former.”

He offered her his arm, chuckling. “Yes, too bad I was good-looking when I died.”

“Who says anything about you being good-looking? You’ve just got nice abs.”

“You judge a man by the state of his abdominal muscles?”

“Absolutely. The tighter, the better.”

They both laughed at her joke and climbed into his Mercedes.

ALEXANDER

November arrived. The good news continued flowing in, and Alexander couldn’t stop the happiness that blossomed in his heart. Andrew had broken through his descent. And, once more, Tanya’s smile had returned to her face. He could tell that she and Abigail got along. They shared more than one trip to boutiques to pick out new clothes for each other.

After having an exhausting talk with Abigail about her work at the newspaper, Alexander convinced her that it was impossible for her to return there. She needed to find a new job which he would support to the fullest. But, all she cared about was paying her father’s hospital fees. So, he brokered a deal with her. As long as she found what she truly wanted to do, he would waive the fees until she had enough money to pay him back. She was too stubborn to accept his charity otherwise.

Today, they arrived at a private cancer treatment clinic in Cardiff’s countryside. Abigail wouldn’t say it, but he knew she wanted to visit her father after everything that had happened with the hunters. They entered the room with blue walls and a rugby match playing on the large wall-mounted television. The window overlooked the green fields beyond on this overcast day.

Her eyes watered as she ran up to her father. “Dad! I’ve missed you.” They hugged, and she waved Alexander over. “This is my boyfriend, Alexander. He’s the one who got you a spot here.”

Her father studied him from head to toe. He then took Abigail’s hand and smiled. “Would you be a dear and get me some chocolate from the vending machine downstairs?”

“Sure,” she said and left the room.

“So, young man. Think you can make her happy?” her father asked, growing serious.

“I can provide for her with ease, sir. You don’t have to worry.”

“It’s not the money I’m concerned about. She will be successful no matter what she does,” he father said. “I need to know that she will be loved and respected.”

Alexander nodded. “That was my intention.”

“You must understand that I’m a dying man. The only thing I have precious in this life is my daughter. She is someone who’s full of hope, even though Jenna and I have failed as her parents. Do us both a favour, lad. If you’re not serious about this commitment, leave her now before she gets too attached. She has never brought anyone home or to the hospital and claimed they’re her boyfriend with such a glowing expression. I can tell she loves you. Do you feel the same?”

The words were stuck in Alexander’s throat. Was it love he felt for Abigail? He certainly wanted to be by her side and protect her from the rest of the world. Yet, the last time he fell in love, his heart was torn beyond repair. In his two lonesome centuries, he never let anyone get close. Just this once, he wanted to give it a try.

“I don’t know, sir,” Alexander finally said. “If I could say I love her with ease, I feel that it would be a lie. I will be there to wipe her tears, hold her when she is in pain, and give her whatever she desires, that much I can promise you.”

Her father’s expression brightened up. “I guess that’s good enough for me.”

Out of breath, Abigail burst into the room with a wide range of chocolate bars. “They stock almost everything, and I couldn’t pick.” She paused, taking in the light mood between the two men. “What did I miss?”

“Nothing drastic, I assure you,” Alexander said as his phone began to ring. He excused himself and left the hospital room.

“Alexander,” Lucious’ voice nearly made him stumble as he made his way to the window in the hallway. “I need you to come to the Council building.”

He lowered his voice. “Why? What has been going on these past few weeks for the whole Council to go dark? What about the vampire summons?”

“A lot has happened since we last met. Helena, she’s with me right now.”

Alexander’s eyes widened. “She is? What about Lilia?”

“We have dealt with that issue somehow and know who the second fate is. But, at the moment, I need you here. Without the people I can trust on the Council, I can’t continue down this path.”

“Did you say on the Council?”

“Helena is right. We must put our differences aside for this, Alexander. I need you here, in a seat of power as the third member of the European Council.”