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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

MADS

I’m not sure whether it was the thrashing vampire that woke me, the feeling of death descending upon me, or something else, but when I open my eyes, I find that Ender is lying on the ground next to me, apparently caught up in the darkness of his dreams .

That fucker tried to kill me. Maybe he’s dreaming about how much of an asshole he is.

His face shows true fear, and I decide that even if he tried to kill me, I can’t just lie here and watch him suffer. “En… der…” I whisper, struggling to even find my voice. It’s no wonder he doesn’t hear it when I barely can.

I try to roll to my side and the world spins around me as I discover that we’re no longer in that room but surrounded by trees that whirl around me. And then I’m consumed by blackness that debates taking me down and not letting me up again.

Ender begs to be let go, to be free of the darkness, and it draws me back into the world enough that I reach out and cup his face. I meant more to give him a push, but it’s hard when I can’t seem to control my hand. “Shhh…”

I plan to tell him it’s okay, that he’s fine, but I can’t find any words.

He jerks awake, and for a split second, I’m convinced he’s going to attack me.

Fear spikes inside of me as I realize that I’ve just woken the man who is partially responsible for putting me in this state.

Maybe he was taking me with him as a snack for the road.

Maybe I’m like a fucking bag of M in the other, we both get caught or possibly both get away. I like the idea of us both working together to get away,” I say. “I know you feel guilty, but sacrificing yourself doesn’t fix anything.”

“I don’t feel guilty,” Ender retorts, but he’s fighting me a whole lot less now that he’s on the ground. “I’m probably going to die anyway, so it doesn’t fucking matter.”

“You’re not going to die. If you made it this long, you’re clearly going to make it,” I assure him, although the way he looks, I’m not so positive. I push myself up and glance down. “When did I get naked?”

“Quite a long time ago.”

“Sounds kinky or concerning… I’m struggling to remember if I was awake for it.”

“Yeah, definitely the vibe I was going for as I tied your blood-soaked clothes to a deer and sent it off. It did distract them for a while because they lack a brain,” Ender says.

“Did you tie my underpants to it as well?”

“Had to. Would have been weird to have just left your underwear lying on the ground somewhere.”

“What if the deer is now running with my clothes for eternity?”

“You think the vampires didn’t catch and eat it?” he asks.

“I was hoping they didn’t. That poor deer… you killed another deer to feed me, didn’t you? Poor thing.”

“Yes, because the humane thing to do would have been to let you die instead of sacrificing a deer to keep you alive.”

I decide that I can’t really fault him if I look at it that way. “I’m cold as fuck. Come cuddle me for warmth.”

“I would rather freeze to death,” he says.

“Why’d you try to kill me and then choose to come back and save me?”

He remains silent and refuses to look at me.

“Ender?”

“I liked you better when you were quiet.”

“Ender, answer the question. Was it just because you wanted to get me naked?”

“Go back to sleep or I’ll go sacrifice myself so I don’t have to talk to you.”

“Ender, you know you want to answer the question. Come on now. I’m all ears.

I’m a phenomenal person who is willing to forgive you.

I mean, do you know many others who’d be willing to forgive you after you literally ate them?

It just goes to show you that I am a kind and caring being, which is why you should spill all of your dark secrets to me. ”

“If I’d eaten from you a bit longer, you would still be quiet,” he realizes.

“I don’t quite think you did it on purpose, did you?

You acted different. You were uncontrollable and your eyes looked dark.

Like in sexy novels I’ve read where she’s all ‘his eyes turn dark’ like what the fuck is happening?

Is he turning into a werewolf or something?

I’ve been with both men and women and their eyes always seem to stay the same.

Does that mean I’m doing it wrong? Anyway, your eyes actually turned darker.

OH! Or is it the pupils? But the pupils are already dark… or ? — ”

“Do you ever stop talking?”

“I don’t know, I did earlier when you tried murdering me .”