Chapter 894 Bleed for me
This chapter is dedicated to @Qpula637! Thank you so much for the supergift!
Meanwhile, back at the bathroom…
The atmosphere in there was the complete opposite of the blissfulness and laughter that was going on in the backyard. If it was sunshine and blue skies outside, there was rain and gloom inside that bathroom.
Zeke bent over and laid his head into the crook of Alicia's neck. His arms braced against the expensive tiles, trapping Alicia between them. His body was so incredibly stiff, and his veins were clearly visible as they had popped out from his skin.
He had yet to say a word after Alicia's outburst. He just stood there, head bent and keeping quiet. It seemed that for the moment, he had gone back to his solemn and silent persona from before.
The silence was torturous for Alicia. The feel of his body was so tense, the sounds of his shallow breathing and his unnaturally fast heartbeat… Alicia could already feel the agony that was seeping into her bones.
And she could only silently tear up again as she gently lifted her arms and hugged his head that was bent over, weaving her fingers gently through his dark hair knowing full well what her confession had done to him. How it would have affected him.
She was the one who told him that she would not force him to choose her. She had told him she had never wanted him to betray his brother. That no matter what happens, Ezekiel would not be like his father. That he would never sacrifice anyone in the name of love. And yet she…
"I'm sorry…" she choked out. "I'm so very sorry…"
But her teary apologies only made him stiffen up even more. She could feel his already tense muscles tightening up, clenching and unclenching – as though he was trying to get himself to relax.
"Stop… don't apologize anymore." he finally spoke. His voice tight. "You have nothing to be sorry about, Alicia."
"I am making it harder for you now, Ezekiel. Even though I… I promised not to." She felt so helpless that she was not only not helping him, but she was even dragging him down.
"Alicia… I…"
"No," she shook her head almost frantically as she cupped his face and lifted it to make him look at her. "I know I had said all those things. But I would never wish for you to choose between me and Sebastian, okay? I would never… it's just that I… is there really no other way? Please tell me if there's another way, Ezekiel." Her voice came out begging. Her fingers trembling slightly on his cheeks.
"Or perhaps… that thing you've told me before." She continued. "When you said you'd kidnap me and bring me to hell. How about that, hmm? I will follow you. I'm willing to. Anywhere… no matter where it is, I swear that to you. Just… just don't… just don't leave me alone."
This time, it was Ezekiel who suddenly kissed her savagely. All the blazing emotions, the pain and all the effort from the long-time suppression, seemed to have ignited and burned up into hellfire.
And as he kissed her, his demonic powers just escaped and swirled around him, enveloping them both. Until the power quickly escalated.
Alicia felt it in an instant. The suffocating darkness. The burning hotness of his skin. And the danger in it.
"Eze… kiel…" she moaned against his mouth before she pulled away. And there it was again, his one eye had turned fully black once more.
He was shaking his head when their eyes met. "No, I can't… I can't do that, Alicia. I would never." He seemed to be saying those words to himself with so much conviction. As though he needed to convince himself.
A loud knock against the door echoed through the bathroom.
The two of them look towards the door with a start.
"I'm coming in." It was Alexander! Why was he here?
Before the two of them could even react, the door was forced opened and the man entered casually, as though it was a common and everyday thing for him to enter a locked bathroom. Thankfully, he was alone.
His gaze fell directly to Ezekiel.
"Zeke." He called his name as he approached. "My children's party is not over yet." His voice was soft as he placed a hand on Zeke's shoulder.
That caused Ezekiel to go as still as a statue and he stared at Alicia again before he took multiple deep breaths.
She knew he was trying very hard to calm himself down. To suppress the darkness once again. Alicia had finally noticed that the entire bathroom had gone so dark, enveloped with smoke-like shadows that had originated from him.
She had not noticed it at all before this, because her vision of him was still so clear. If she was a witch then, she would definitely been unable to see anything with the amount of darkness he was leaking out.
His shaky breathing wafted against her face as he pressed his forehead against hers. She could see that he was still trying his hardest to pull his powers back.
Lifting her hands again, Alicia cupped his face and caressed his cheeks as gently as she could until he closed his eyes and placed his palms over her hands on his face.
After what seemed like a long time, the lighting in the bathroom started to brighten up again.
When they were no more traces of Zeke's demonic powers anymore, Alexander retracted his hand and sighed.
Still, he did not leave yet and just leaned against the wall next to them. Until Zeke finally opened his eyes. His other eye was still black, but he was good now. Everything was under control for now.
"I'm… I'm sorry." Zeke said apologetically glancing at Alex. Knowing that his powers had just went out of control and it most definitely had reached all the way to the backyard for Alex to immediately rush over.
Alex waved his hand. "No worries. Well then, I'll go back first. But you two must follow suit as soon as Alicia's ready. Okay?"
When Zeke nodded, Alex quietly left after closing the bathroom door behind him.
Slowly, Ezekiel returned his gaze to Alicia. He wiped the remnants of the tears over her face with his thumb.
He looked like he had a lot to say, but he chose not to open his mouth. At least not right now. Alicia understood why. Because if he opens his mouth again, she would either cry again or they might not be able to come out any time soon. Either option was not right. Because they were here to celebrate Little Alexis and Alice.
"I just keep making you cry…" he whispered in a pained voice. Kissing the tears away.
Alicia smiled at him. "I think I'm doing the same…" she grabbed his hand and kissed the tips of his fingers. They had been bleeding earlier but they were healing now. She suspected he had subconsciously dug them into the tiles a while ago. "I just keep making you bleed for me."
He shook his head, but Alicia gave him a quick peck on the lips and said, "I love you," before jumping down and moving towards the sink with him in tow.
"We need to get back now." Alicia reminded him as she grabbed Zeke's hand and placed them on her bare shoulder before bending over to wash her face. She wanted to get rid of that dried and crusty feeling due to her tears drying on her cheeks.
"Thank goodness vampires don't get puffy eyes." She chuckled shortly before turning to Ezekiel and combed her fingers though his hair and fixed his collar and necktie.
"Let's go?" she then asked a while later and Zeke only nodded silently, entwining his hand with hers as they walked hand in hand back to their friends.
___
A/N: Don't forget to vote with your Golden Tickets hellbounders! ^^