WE WANT GARRETT CONTEST
Author : cakes4547
Title : Love Runs Wild
Pairing : Garrett/Kate
Rating: M
Summary : After pledging his love to her after the battle to protect Renesmee from the Volturi, Kate thought she would have a mate for life in Garrett. They return home to Alaska to live, but Garrett is a nomad at heart and has trouble adjusting to her lifestyle. When he leaves suddenly one day, will Kate's life ever be the same? Will Garrett's wandering heart lead him back to the one thing that has made him feel alive for the first time in over a century?
HUGE Thank You to maxandmo for beta-ing this piece. Bless her heart for agreeing to beta this little fic, she was so gracious when it turned out to be the length that it is : )
And another thank you to ohmistars for helping me out with this as well! You've been amazing for all of your help : )
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The body fell limp in his arms as he finished his meal. His last, he had decided. Watching the life drain out of this one had been the final straw. He had almost felt suffocated as he felt the last bits of life leave the homeless man's eyes. Garrett knew he had chosen his meal wisely; this one wouldn't be missed. No one would come looking for him; no one would miss him…would anyone ever give him a second thought? Probably not.
He sat back on his heels, the lifeless body growing colder by the second in his arms. It slid out of his grasp and landed on the ground with a sickening 'thump.'
Garrett swallowed thickly, his soothed throat thanking him for the blood that he had just consumed. The flames had been tamed for now, but for how long? The meal had done its part, but he knew that it wouldn't be long before he had to commit another murder. Another life drained and tossed to the side…
He knew he couldn't do this anymore.
He didn't want to be a killer, and didn't want to live his life like this anymore.
When he had met Kate in Washington seven years ago, it was like he came alive for the first time in over a century. He had feelings rise up in him that he hadn't felt since he was human. In fact, he felt human with her. Kate had made him feel all the human emotions that had been suppressed by the thirsty monster within his stony body; love, regret, happiness, hope, joy, shame, wonder...she had made him come alive again. Instead of feeling like a heartless, soulless, wandering monster, Kate had made him feel like a man worthy of a home and a woman's love. For the first time since the eighteen hundreds, he felt worthy of a family.
His life in Denali with Kate had been a quiet but happy one. It had been strange at first to actually accumulate things for the first time in years, for he no longer had to travel from place to place. It was so strange to have a house, a bed, a car…he had things.
As he pulled the gold lighter from his pocket, he sighed heavily. Yes, this would definitely be the last time he would do this. Garrett knelt to the ground and let the flames ignite the drained body at his feet, destroying all evidence of what he had done. He didn't want to live like this anymore.
He stood up, his eyes taking in all the colors of the flames that now covered the homeless man's tattered clothes. Tucking a strand of dirty blonde hair behind his ears, he snapped the lighter shut and tossed it as far as he could. It whistled through the air, sailing over the edge of the waterfront and landing in the pier with a splash. He wouldn't need that anymore.
He had left Kate nearly two years before. It had been a little over seven years since they had met, and they had lived happily enough with the rest of her coven, or family, as he called them. He had been with her for five years, living the same day over and over as he got used to his stable life. It had eventually become too much; both his need to move and travel and the burning thirst. Kate had promised that it would become easier with time to abstain, but each day got harder and harder.
It had eventually become more than he could handle, and he made the hard decision to leave. He had simply disappeared during a summer rain one night, making his trail harder to follow. The river had provided him another traceless path south, where he had begun to wander once again.
The first kill, after having nothing but animal blood for five years, had almost made it worthwhile. The way human blood coated his throat and soothed the ache…he closed his eyes, savoring the cool, calm feeling in his throat. He began to walk away from the water's edge, suddenly wanting to be as far away from there as possible. He wasn't sure what state he was in; a quick glance at a nearby license plate said Michigan. The northern, cooler states were what he preferred; the game was bigger, tastier.
I'll need to be thinking about that now that I'm going to be an animal feeder for good.
He guessed that it would take nearly a month for his eyes to turn back. Only once they were golden again would he feel worthy enough to show her his face. Only then would he go back to her.
It was time to return to Denali to be the man that he wanted to be.
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She gripped her arms together around her knees as she sat, her already pale fingers turning even whiter as she forced her steely hands together. Resting her chin on her knees, she closed her eyes as she inhaled the crisp Alaskan air that she loved so much.
Glancing down at the lawn three stories below her, she felt a little better as she watched the early morning sunlight dance across the fresh coat of snow that had been deposited there the night before. Now was when they would have gone for their morning run up into the mountains. He liked nothing more than to make love to her once they had reached the top of one of the steep rock faces. Garrett used to joke to her that their couplings on the snowy mountaintops were as close as he would ever be to heaven, as he rocked against her creamy white body.
But that was all over now, she thought with a bitter sigh, squeezing her knees against her chest. She was perched up on the rooftop on one of the eaves, watching the sun rise. Sitting up on the third story roof was the only thing that seemed to give her peace these days. To an outsider, she looked as if she was mourning the loss of her mate; however, to Kate it was simply her way of paying homage to his memory.
He had been gone nearly a year now…or had it been more? Frankly, the days had started to blur together months ago after he left her. Just like they did before him, and just like they would for every other moment of forever that loomed before her.
Life with Garrett seemed easier, freer, if that was possible. Now with him gone, loneliness seemed to envelop her completely, sucking at her already soulless body. At times, she felt like splitting herself open and screaming up to the gods to just take whatever it was they felt like they needed from her.
She could no longer dream; she hadn't for centuries. Yet, a sad picture would come to her sometimes when she was at her loneliest. In it, it felt like she was standing on the edge of a great, empty battle field that went on for miles and miles. In this picture in her mind, she wasn't sure what thought was more terrifying; the thought of a horrible fight taking place there, or the thought that it just stretched into nothingness forever. Either way it made her feel sad…desolate…empty.
"I meant what I said back there on that field," he said, his amber eyes lighting up. Kate glanced around at the celebrating families around her, and decided to move him further away to have him to herself. She and her sisters would mourn Irina later; now was not the time.
"What do you mean?" she said, playing coy.
"You know what I mean, woman," he teased, reaching up to touch her cheek. He ran his soft fingertip down the line of her jaw, swirling it temptingly on her pink lips.
"I'd do anything in my power to make you happy...just so that I could follow you around this world until it ends," he said breathlessly, still staring at her lips.
"Anything?" she echoed, cocking her head to the side. He laughed, wrapping his steely arms around her body securely. A tremor of excitement rushed down her spine at his touch; it was a touch that only a few hours ago, in the midst of the vampire army sent to destroy them, that she thought she would never feel those arms around her again.
"Yes, Kate…anything!" he laughed, and her lips broke into a smile. He looked up at her, showing off his strangeorange and gold eyes that were growing lighter and lighter every day. Just the sight of his lightening irises made her dead heart swell in her cold chest. He had given up his very source of life to make her happy. He was becoming an animal drinker for her.
"What will happen when we leave this place?" she said, gesturing to the Cullen house behind them.
Garrett laughed his eyes brighter than ever.
"I will follow you! We can go live at the bottom of the sea…or in the desert, shining like the sun…or…or…we can go live at the north pole and hunt polar bears if it would make you happy. I will follow you anywhere, Katrina," he said.
She bit her lip, giving him another coy smile as be brushed her long, straight hair away from her eyes. "How did you know that was my full name?" she asked.
Garrett pursed his perfect lips for a moment then broke into a smile that would make a movie star cower in shame.
"A beautiful Russian goddess like yourself? 'Kate' is cute for a girl, yes, but 'Katrina'…." He paused, clenching his fist in front of him with emotion. "But 'Katrina' is the name of a woman," he laughed, placing emphasis on the last word. He wiggled his light brown eyebrows at her suggestively.
Normally, she would have taken offense to a man being so blunt and up front with her; she was the one who liked to be in charge. However, with him she strangely didn't mind at all. In fact, just the thought of him treating her like a real 'woman' made her lower stomach tighten and tingle.
He hadn't disappointed. In company of their family and friends, he had always referred to her as 'Kate', and it hadn't even crossed her mind again until they returned to her home in Denali. It was there, against the snowy backdrop of the Alaskan mountains, that he had uttered her full name 'Katrina' in the midst of their lovemaking.
The sound of her full Russian name falling from his perfect mouth had ignited a sexual prowess in her that she hadn't felt in centuries. His guttural moans mixed with her proper name had ignited a fire in her core. They had literally moved bits and pieces of mountains in their throes of passion with him uttering that name.
She sucked in a breath of the chilly mountain air as her thoughts brought her back to the present. She was never cold, but sometimes the frigid temperature of the air up in Denali brought a crisp freshness to her lungs that she rarely felt. It felt good on her parched throat.
I need to hunt, she thought miserably. She hated hunting without him.
They always used to escape together in the late night to hunt. They would spend the night racing through the snowy terrain, laughing and chasing each other for hours until they found their meal. Once they were fully satisfied, they would usually retreat up into the snowy mountains to find a secluded rock face to make their own. She looked forward to the mornings sothat she could watch the sunrise lazily over the horizon as he moved against her. The sun would shine over his shoulder, giving his already glowing golden hair a beautiful halo effect. Garrett was already abnormally striking, but at times like those, he was downright celestial to her.
Looking down, she brushed the light layer of snow that was covering her legs and arms away. Have I been up here that long? Did it really snow without me even noticing? I mustn't mope so much…what will our guests think? I could imagine them thinking, 'my, what a pretty blonde statue you have on your roof! Why would you buy such a sad looking statue, Carmen?'
Leaping down, she landed with a satisfying crunch on the snowy ground. Dusting off her hands, she caught the scent of her dear friend and cousin, before she saw him.
"You do not look like a sad statue," Edward chided her playfully, walking around the side of the house.
Kate smiled mischievously, slowly walking up to him. "Edward," she said, embracing her old friend. Edward and his family had just arrived for a visit, and she hadn't had time to greet them properly.
"You don't look like a silly statue…you look like my cousin who is moping over a silly boy," he replied, dryly. His face softened, and he gave her his best, crooked smile.
"Can't a girl pout?" she asked, swatting him on the shoulder. She twisted her long, light blonde hair around in front of her so that it hung down one side, securing it in a messy knot.
"Ask my daughter," he said quietly, nodding towards the house.
Kate gave him an incredulous look, then glanced over her shoulder at whom he was referring to. "Is she having man troubles at her young age?"
"My thoughts exactly," Edward grumbled.
"Whatever could have happened?"
"Oh…Jacob…put his advances on her, then immediately withdrew, leaving her confused. I've read his mind and know that his feelings for her haven't changed, but as soon as he did it he regretted it. He was worried that she wasn't ready. It's a messy lot. Now she just…mourns."
Kate shrugged. "They are young and in love, things will work out. They are mates; are they not?"
Edward balked at the word she described his daughter and Jacob's relationship, but eventually nodded with a pained expression on his face.
"I suppose," he said slowly. "But don't you think such a smart girl would heed her own advice?" he asked Kate, a coy smile dancing on his lips.
She gave him a playful shove. "Cousin, can't you go bother some other poor member of my family?"
Edward smiled his crooked smile, running an ivory hand through his already disheveled mess of coppery locks. "So I can," he said with a shrug, and in a flash he was gone.
Kate sighed. It would be nice to have some of the Cullen family stay with them awhile. Without distractions, things got…boring and monotonous. When things were like that, she had plenty of time to think.
The Devil's workshop is an idle mind, she thought bitterly to herself. Unfortunately, time was what she had the most of these days.
Perhaps that is why I could not keep my man…he grew tired of my silly little life up here in the snowy mountains…
The first few years up in Denali with Garrett had been magical. Of course, watching anyone give up their normal diet to chase deer and rabbits was interesting. She giggled softly to herself as she thought about teaching Garrett to hunt them. The taste had taken some getting used to for him, but he had ultimately come around after a few tries.
"I must admit…I feel more human now than ever," he had said, after his third or fourth hunting trip. "I mean, I ate these same animals as a human, only in a different way. I feel like I have rejoined the true circle of life. Most importantly, I no longer have to walk the earth with the weight of human lives on me. I feel alive again."
His words echoed in her mind as she gently moved the pine branches out of her way, left the yard, and entered the forest. Perhaps a run would make her feel better…
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Garrett walked along the streets of Seattle, his boots making soft thumps as he strolled down the sidewalk. His hands were jammed in his pockets as he made his way toward the department store of choice. He had hidden a small bag full of some of his things in the woods outside of town, and his goal today was to fill it with clothes. It had been nearly a month since he had fed on the homeless man, and he knew that it would be time to go back to Kate soon. He wanted to look his best when he did so. For the first time in his nomadic life, he actually had luggage.
Clothes came and went over the years. He usually just 'borrowed' clothes from his meals, changing and discarding what he no longer wanted. However, now that he had been feeding from animals for a month, the clothes he wore were more tattered than he preferred. He was going to try shopping.
He walked along the busy sidewalk, keeping his eyes down for the most part. He glanced up at a small boy who was walking towards him, hanging onto his mother's hand as they moved along the street. The whites of his eyes showed when Garrett met his gaze, and he chuckled to himself. Pulling his aviator sunglasses down over his eyes, he tried to calm his smile at the child's intuitive behavior. Children were always so funny; they were so much more attuned to danger than adults generally were. Children followed their instincts and gut feelings, and were almost always aware of him – As they should be.
As good as they smell…no! he thought, clenching his teeth together. Even at his worst, he had never, ever done that.
His thirst still bothered him, especially in crowded buildings and cities, but he had a new air of determination about him that he hadn't had the first time he had tried to live like this.
Kate had once told him that when she was out in public and the scents all around were calling to her that she just sealed it from her mind. Humans were not an option, end of story. Garrett remembered her saying that she thought of herself as a regular woman, out and about, nothing different about her than any other woman. Humans and their blood weren't even a possible option for food, nor would they ever be for her.
This was the idea he kept in the forefront of his mind as he strode into the large department store that was positively swimming with the scents of one delectable meal after another.
No, he thought firmly. There is no blood here, his mind chanted to him. None.
The charming little sales girl with the thrumming pulse and the enticing aroma of somewhat young blood helped him find several new outfits.
"I just had eye surgery to get rid of my contacts, so excuse the sunglasses," he said in his best charming voice.
He locked his teeth together in a wide smile as her heart thrummed wildly, pumping her delicious blood throughout her body. She smiled, flustered.
"No problem sir, my sister had that surgery last year, and she's happy as can be without her silly contacts. No need to apologize…they look great on you anyway," she flirted, tossing her long, dark brown hair behind her shoulder.
Don't look at her pulse…don't look at her pulse…Look at her eyes. Her human eyes. Rosy cheeks…full of blood…no! Full of life. Life that you won't be taking away.
His mind screamed at him as he fought to maintain control around the young sales girl as she flitted about the men's department, selecting item after item for him. He had claimed that he needed new clothes for a casual business trip for his job when she asked what the occasion was.
I'm going home to the woman I love to beg her to take me back and become worthy of her affections again, he thought with a smirk. Was there an outfit choice for that? He glanced around the unfamiliar looking store, pushing his sunglasses back up his nose a bit.
He had narrowly escaped her measuring tape as she tried to determine what he would need. His vampire eyes had quickly spotted a shirt in his size, and he grabbed it.
"I wear this size," he laughed casually, holding it up to her. She giggled and nodded, scurrying off to find more things for his measurements.
He had left the store feeling like a new man. Bags filled his hands; he had spent almost four thousand dollars on button down shirts, pants, shoes, and even underwear. It felt good to have things to his name again, and not just tattered rags that he wore in case human eyes caught him somehow.
The cloudy, overcast day was quite welcoming to him as he walked along the busy sidewalk towards the edge of the city. Night would be coming soon, and he could stow away to the woods and find his bag again. Then, he estimated he would need only one additional large feeding from a bear or something of that sort. One more meal of animal blood, and his eyes would slowly shift from the strange hue of tawny orange to the shade of liquid gold. It was a color that he ached to see in his eyes again when he saw his reflection.
One more meal and his eyes would perfectly match hers.
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As the weeks passed, their houseguests stayed well into the fall, giving the Denali family a welcome distraction. Kate knew that she was sulking more than necessary, especially since Garrett had been gone so long. What was two years if not the blink of an eye for a vampire? Some days the pain was so raw it felt as if he had been gone only two weeks instead of two years.
She knew that she should be more social and hospitable to her guests, but she just couldn't make herself do much of anything. Edward had been right; his daughter Renesmee was heartbroken from whatever had happened with Jacob. From what Kate had gathered from the whisperings around the house, Jacob had kissed her before she had turned seven, which was Edward and Bella's named age of appropriateness for such things. Apparently Jacob had immediately balked away when he realized his mistake, and had called the entire thing an accident. Renesmee had been so upset by the whole ordeal that she could barely function, especially after Jacob left the next day to go to college. According to Alice, they still weren't speaking.
Kate couldn't bear to look at the poor girl, for it was like looking at her reflection in the mirror. Everything about Renesmee screamed depression and sadness. Kate could barely make herself get up and continue on with her life; much less help someone else through it. Just catching glances of the poor girl's brokenhearted face brought back memories that she was not ready to revisit.
She sighed as she shut the library doors.
"Going somewhere?"
Kate felt a grin creep up on her face as her sister's familiar scent crossed her nose. The subtle but sweet jasmine and oak scent that belonged to Tanya, mixed with the crisp pine-like scent that coated everything in the north, was soothing to her.
Turning around, she gave a little eye roll as Tanya slunk up besides her, weaving her arm in Kate's. "You're not going to sit up on that silly roof again, are you solnyshko?"
Kate snorted at the nickname her sister had given her. "I am not like the sun, so why do you call me sunshine?" she laughed.
Tanya gave her a playful scowl and ruffled Kate's light blonde hair. "Your hair is the only thing sunshine-y about you these days!" she laughed. "Really Katrina, you mustn't go up on that roof again to be sad. No one can stand seeing you so upset."
"I know."
"It is little Renesmee's turn to be sad, no?"
Kate glanced back at the house as they walked arm in arm across the cold yard, unsure of what to say. She knew that her sister wanted her to talk to Renesmee and hopefully connect with her, but she just wasn't ready yet. How was she supposed to help the girl, when she was so obviously heartbroken herself?
"She asked Carmen why you were up there, you know. She sees so much..."
"I know what she sees," Kate snapped. She gripped Tanya's arm tighter as they walked, and Kate eventually rested her head on her sister's shoulder. "Sorry," she mumbled.
Tanya stopped walking, turning to face her sister. "Syestra…he's not coming back," she stated firmly.
Kate froze momentarily, her golden eyes wide. She set her jaw, reeling around on her heel in anger. "You cannot know that for sure."
"Only a fool wouldn't," Tanya insisted.
Kate clenched her teeth and frowned. "Why do you insist on saying such cruel things to your own sister?"
"Because I am the only one that will!" Tanya answered quickly, her voice slightly shrill.
Kate spun back around, eying her defiantly. "What does that mean?"
Tanya tried to hold her steely gaze, but couldn't as she looked at her brokenhearted sister. "Kate, he's not coming back, and we wish you would move on with your life-"
"Move on? Move on to what?" Kate snapped, beginning to sniffle. "I was nothing before him, and I shall be nothing without him!"
"Kate, please don't misunderstand, I-"
"No one...understands, Tanya. No one understands what I am going through right now. You couldn't possibly."
Tanya snorted, an incredulous look dancing across her features. "Do I not stand here, as your sister? And do I not stand here alone? I, too, walk this earth without a mate, or has your mourning blinded you to that fact? Can you really not see that? I am just as alone as you are little sister."
Kate's lip trembled, and she sadly drooped her head in shame for yelling at her sister. "Yes…but you have never known the love that I feel for that man. I would do anything to trade places with you and never know the warmth of love or the tragedy of heartbreak, Tanya. I would do anything to be blind to that feeling once again. The loss of his love hurts too much; I would rather not have known it to begin with."
Tanya snorted in disgust, then stepped closer to Kate, grabbing her hands, and holding them in her own. "Do you not understand my own love for you? My heart is brokenfrom watching yours shatter into pieces over this man. My heart is just as broken as yours, Katrina."
Kate felt a sob erupt from her chest, as her sister's pleading, hurt eyes stared at her. With an aching whimper, she collided her own stony body against Tanya's, and let her sister hold her while she cried.
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Garrett gently lowered the deer carcass to the ground, sighing. The deer's blood wasn't nearly as appetizing as a human's, but it helped. When he really concentrated, he could pretend that it was human blood coating his scorched throat. He had figured out that he would need to feed much more often in order to be cured of his human blood diet. If he wasn't sparing with the supply of animal blood he allowed himself, he found that he could handle his thirst much easier.
Not to mention that now it was different.
He had seen what life was like without Kate, and as much as he loved to travel around the planet, seeing whatever he could, doing whatever he wanted…it just wasn't the same without her.
The sunsets weren't as golden, the days were so much longer, the nights so much lonelier. He could count the number of people and other vampires he had spoken to in the past two years on one hand. The solitary life was not for him.
He glanced down at the doe's peaceful face, and realized that a wave of calm had suddenly washed over him. By feeding off of the doe, he felt like a part of the circle of life that was around him. He didn't feel like a murderer, or even really a hunter. It just felt like he was doing what was natural now. What he had done was no different than what a bear or a wolf would have done to the deer.
Reaching over, he gently closed the doe's eyes and stood. He walked over to the closest sapling, ripping it up from the ground with one quick grunt. Garrett placed the doe into the ground, arranging her still warm body like she was sleeping before replacing the young tree over her. He patted the earth down around her, making it look like nothing had been there in the first place. Quickly, he picked a few wildflowers that grew nearby, arranged them into a small bouquet, and placed it at the base of the tree. His body felt warmed from the animal blood, his throat satisfied, and his eyes were now golden.
He was no longer a monster.
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She knew what she was doing was dangerous. She also knew that it was foolish and stupid, but that wasn't stopping her.
Anything to get away from that house; the sounds of Renesmee crying had haunted her for longer than she could remember. Today she had decided that she needed to get away. Renesmee had taken an interest in Kate's new brother Stefan; however, any fool could see that her heart still held intense feelings for Jacob. The poor, heartbroken little girl was obviously torn between two potential loves, and in a way, Kate envied her.
It's just not fair, Kate thought, as she absently twirled her drink with a straw. Of course she couldn't really drink it, but it was nice to have one in front of her so that she didn't draw any unnecessary attention.
The bar was pretty dead that night, and thechoice of patrons was meager. Her mind drifted back to centuries ago when she and her sisters would frequent small town bars like this one to make their selections. The wolves were playing sheep, Irina used to say.
Kate smiled to herself, as she thought about Irina, and how much she missed her dear sister. It was true, Tanya and Irina were quite close before she came along, but the two had eagerly welcomed her into their midst so many years ago. They had given her the love and companionship she had only dreamt about in her lonely human life. Yes, they had been quite a trio.
One of their favorite things to do was to go to the pubs and taverns, make their selections of men, only to lure them away to their deaths. The sisters used them for love, and then for nourishment.
How young and silly we were, Kate thought. As the decades passed and the three of them remained without mates, slowly they decided that they didn't really enjoy the game as much anymore – guilt had begun to set in. More times than she could count, she had actually felt disgusted with herself for using those innocent men for what she wanted. The older they got, the more dignified their selections had become.
Slowly, they had decided that they didn't enjoy killing humans anymore, even if it was for nourishment, and they had thought of animals. It only took a few months for the three of them to discover that gorging themselves with animal blood before they 'hunted' for men would not only satisfy their thirst, but would also give them golden eyes. The beautiful, liquid golden color of their new irises was so much more appealing than the hideous red tint that they normally carried. This caused a rather vain Tanya to nearly make her decision to give up humans on that fact alone.
Kate smiled to herself again as she thought about their old habits. They would go to the public places, lure men back to wherever they were staying, and then use them as lovers. The first time Kate enjoyed a man's talents in the bedroom, without killing him, had given her a warm, satisfied feeling. Of course, she had needed to hunt again right after, but that night there had not been a murder on her hands. She had felt more alive than she ever had, human or vampire.
"Oh," he groaned, rolling off of her. Kate's eyes fought to stay open as she still basked in the aftermath of her climax. She panted a bit wildly for effect, and her human lover did the same.
"You are good company," she laughed, looking over at him. The human man, whose name she never got, smiled at her lovingly and touched her cheek.
"It is easy to be good company when the bed is soft, and the woman is beautiful," he breathed, still out of breath from their wild romp.
Kate smiled, turning her head to look up at the ceiling of the rented bedroom. The room was nothing compared to the lovely bedroom she had at their home, but she was not about to take him there. She was in no mood to share with her sisters tonight, either.
"But I do have to ask, Elisabeth," he began.
"Hmm?" she murmured, answering to her fake name that she had given herself for such occasions.
He reached over, tenderly stroking her cheek. His hand drifted down her neck, around the curve of her breast, and down her side. His warm, pulsing fingers made her throat tickle, but mainly made her feel lusted after. It was a pleasant sensation to be wanted by a man.
"How is something as lovely as you are, so cold? Your skin, I mean?"
Kate smiled up at the ceiling, then turned on her side to face her human lover. "Oh, don't worry about me, love. Haven't you ever been with a real Russian girl? The cold is in our bones," she giggled, reaching out to stroke his cheek. He smiled, obviously not convinced. She ran her hand down his body, as he had done with her, but she didn't stop at his side. Her hand traveled down beneath the quilt they were under, and soon the beautiful human man forgot about her cold skin and strange yellow eyes, thus giving into a touch so wonderful that only an angel could give him.
The ice in her glass melted a little, shifting against the side of her glass with a delicate 'clink.' It brought her back to present day.
She was sitting in a small bar on the outskirts of Fairbanks, taking part in an activity that had slowly lost its appeal as the centuries had passed; man hunting. Heaving a sigh, she stirred the plastic straw in the putrid smelling drink, reminiscing about the days once upon a time when she and her sisters, Irina and Tanya, would join her in scouring the local bars for a man to take home for the evening. Eventually, Irina had met Laurent, and had lost all interest in the activity. Tanya had grudgingly agreed to go with her for years, but had eventually grown tired of it as well, voicing her frustrations frequently during their outings. Kate watched the sweat slide down the side of the glass. Tanya did have a point, she supposed. At least she had experienced love and all it had to offer; her sister had not been so lucky.
"Would you like some company?" a voice asked. Her eyes flicked up to rest on a young man standing in front of her.
"Sure," she admitted, having been caught in an honest mood. "Sit," she instructed, her voice light but firm. He grinned his white teeth at her, taking a seat in the chair across from her.
"Hi there," he said.
"Hello," she said.
"Name's Gavin."
She shrugged. No need to lie to the little boy. "Kate."
"Do you come here, uh, often?" he asked with a gulp. He gripped his bottle of beer tightly in his pale hand, looking at her nervously. She was aware that her looks sometimes made people slightly nervous, but this was downright comical.
She laughed, ignoring his question. "How old are you?" she asked. Her eyes glanced over his shaggy blonde hair that needed a cut, his bright blue eyes, and wiry, but muscular figure. He barely looked like he was out of high school.
"Twenty-one," he stuttered, nodding with raised eyebrows. She looked at him pointedly.
"How old are you reeeally?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow at him. He shifted in his chair, obviously uncomfortable.
"Uh…eighteen," he answered.
"So what are you doing in a bar?" she asked, stirring her drink again.
"I…I wanted to meet some girls," he admitted, sheepishly, flashing his crooked grin.
Somewhere in her mind, it took her back to Garrett's own beautiful, slightly lopsided smile. Her dead heart ached, and she suddenly knew that this wasn't the place for her.
"Well, Gavin, you seem like a nice guy. A little young for me, but I wish you all the best," she replied sweetly, giving him her most dazzling smile. Gavin looked completely star struck, as he watched her pick up her purse and practically float out of the bar and into the parking lot. Once inside her new white BMW, she sat back against the black leather seats and smiled. He was a sweet boy, and he deserved a sweet girl. Not a vampire monster.
She revved the engine, and a satisfied smile crept to her lips. The car had been a present from Carmen and Eleazar for Christmas the year after Garrett had left. They insisted that the entire family needed new cars, but she knew better. It had been a bribe to help lift her two-year old sour mood.
Her favorite classical music drowned the insides of the lush interior as she flew down the icy highway back towards her home. It wasn't too late yet, only just after midnight. She had made up her mind that she would sit Renesmee down and talk to her about the feelings she was having in hopes that it might help the young girl feel better. Even as an immortal, she decided that life was too short to spend it depressed, and she certainly wasn't going to let Edward's daughter be like her, drowning in her own misery. Her pricy sports car purred to her as she turned onto the winding drive that led up to her Denali home; she never got tired of seeing the log cabin mansion that her family lived in. No matter what time of day she drove up to it, it looked warm, welcoming, and happy.
As she pulled into the garage, she listened to see what her family members were doing. She couldn't hear anything but nervous shifting. Frowning, she cut the engine and leaned back against the seats, taking a deep breath. She wasn't really looking forward to talking to Renesmee about heartbreak, but it was something she deeply wanted to help the young girl through. Sometimes, knowing she wasn't alone in her misery, helped her feel better.
Picking up her purse, she walked back into the house. Her mind was still on Garrett, swirling between pictures of him, and the young boy in the bar. How could she have ever thought that Garrett could have ever been replaced, even for one evening, by the fragile, inexperienced little human? Shaking her head to herself, she silently cursed her own stupidity for thinking that the human would have pacified her intense longing for her mate.
How sad…I still consider him mine…even though he rejected me…left…
Her thoughts were still jumbled as she walked toward the living room. She was only halfway aware that the rest of her family was in there waiting for her.
"Kate," she heard Tanya's concerned voice first. Startled out of her thoughts, she quickly looked up at her sister.
"Tani?" she quipped, using her sister's familiar nickname. Tanya's eyes flickered to the left, and Kate immediately felt like a fool.
There, off to the side, stood Garrett.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"What are you doing here?" she hissed, in disbelief. For the first time in centuries, she felt as if her cheeks were blushing pink with humiliation. How dare he come back and rub this in her face? He wanted to be gone, so why couldn't he just stay away and leave her to her misery?
Her family, suddenly feeling very out of place, silently disappeared from the room in a flash.
She crossed her arms over her chest and squared her shoulders at him.
"You're back," she stated, raising an eyebrow at him. Her chest shook from the ragged breaths she was trying to hide. The rage of embarrassment and hurt she felt was boiling in her gut, threatening to bubble over and erupt.
"I am. Kate, I…I didn't want to be without you anymore. I couldn't do it," he stated firmly, shaking his head.
She watched as his dark blonde, shaggy locks swayed around his face, giving him a rugged masculine look. Oh, the way she had missed him…
"Then why did you leave in the first place?" she snapped, her firm voice suddenly shaking. Her lip trembled, and she silently cursed herself for being so weak in front of him.
"I couldn't do it," he said sadly. "I wasn't ready, I…I know it sounds trite and cowardly…and it is!" he pointed out, his soft southern accent coating his words. "It is…but…I realized…" he trailed off, his perfect eyebrows furrowing together. "I realized that I couldn't do it without you, and I never ever want to."
Kate listened to his words and still the anger continued to boil up inside of her. She had missed him terribly over the past two years, but never thought he would ever return. She hadn't planned for this, and she was thrown for a loop.
"You disgust me," she spat.
Garrett's face dropped, his arms hanging limply at his sides in defeat.
"I deserve that."
"You certainly do!" she said, snidely. She knew she was acting like a child, yet she couldn't help it. It was much easier to scream and be cruel to him. Telling him that she was hurt and sad still, two years later, was much harder.
"Please, Kate…just hear me out," he begged, his voice cracking with emotion.
Kate's eyes were suddenly drawn to his face, where they were glued to his eyes.
His eyes shone the most brilliant shade of gold she had ever seen.
"Your…your eyes," she stammered, lifting her hand to point at his pale, chiseled face. He nodded, his already alive eyes shining with an even brighter light at her observation. Garrett had been a human feeder for almost a century and a half before meeting Kate and her family. He had tried to be an animal drinker for her sake, but had never really taken to it like they did. The fact that his eyes still shone golden shook her to the very core.
"Yes, Kate," he said, his soft southern drawl slipping into his words. He reached up to grasp her outstretched hand in his own, drawing it to his chest. She balked a bit, startled at the sudden electricity when their hands touched.
For the first time since he had left her, she felt warmth. Kate stared at his hand that was wrapped around her own; so big, so strong, and so protective.
"You didn't feed?" she asked suddenly, her eyes flicking up to his once again. He looked around the house nervously, knowing that even though her family wasn't visible, they certainly could still hear.
"Can we go somewhere?" he asked hopefully, gripping her hand tightly. She nodded, still in shock. He led her out the back of the house, across the great lawn, and through the snowy woods. They darted through the darkness, the only light being the shining moon in the sky. It cast a silver glow throughout the forest as they ran, basking their skin with its luminescent glow.
Once they reached the mountains, he led her up a familiar old path they used to take to admire the view.
He hasn't forgotten, she thought with satisfaction. So many nights they had come up to that place on the mountainside to sit together, sometimes conversing, sometimes silent. That part of the mountain had a flat surface about twenty feet wide and ten feet long that jutted out over the cliff. It was several hundred feet up and boasted a prefect view for watching shooting stars, sunrises, sunsets, and even the aurora borealis lights. It was their spot.
When they made it to the flat, rocky surface of their private place, he grasped both her hands in his, as he stood in front of her, tall, debonair, and with pleading eyes.
"Kate," he began. "I did slip a few times, but…I tried to be...good about it. I used to always choose sorta bad people before I met you, but…now I chose really bad people. I-"
"That doesn't make it right, Garrett," she interjected, ripping her hands from his. Her heart sank at the idea of her Garrett murdering people to feed off.
"Kate, I couldn't help it. I was miserable, I missed you-"
"Missing me is no excuse. Do not blame the murders of innocents on the fact that you left me!" she spat, turning away from him. She stood on the edge of the rock face, looking out over the snowy tundra below. It was large, vast, empty, and never-ending. Just like her life was now.
Garrett sighed behind her. "Kate, please…"
She whirled around to face him again. She didn't want to yell at him – his large golden eyes pleaded with her as they stood there, the wind gently whipping their hair around their perfect faces…yet, she wasn't ready to forgive him either.
They were silent for a few moments, staring at each other. He stepped closer, and she felt her body tense up as it reacted to being around him once again. His sandalwood and cinnamon scent swirled in her nose, making it almost impossible to think as she stood there, trying not to give into him.
"You left," she finally said, when all other words escaped her. He looked down in shame, wringing his pale hands together.
"I did."
She sighed. "You didn't even say goodbye. That hurt me," she admitted, her voice cracking.
He looked up at her, his expression pained. "I was afraid that staying would only hurt you more."
"How is that possible?" she demanded. "How would staying with me and being my mate possibly hurt me?"
He sighed exasperatedly, stepping even closer to her. He cupped her face in his hands, gently trying to find the words to express how he felt.
"Kate…I was so afraid I would fail, and I was right – I did fail. I killed again, even after trying to be like you and your coven for so long!"
She swallowed hard, overwhelmed with everything all at once; his eyes, his scent, his words…it was almost too much for her.
"You say this like I did not try and fail many times myself," she stated. "You could have turned to me for help!"
"And what? Have you disappointed in me? That's not me, Kate. It's not in me to fail at things. It never was when I was human, and it never is now! I did it, and I failed. I knew I would, and I could never be around you when I did. That would have killed you."
"You forget that I cannot be killed."
Her words hung in the air, and he dropped his hands from her face. He stepped back, pacing on the rocky ground.
"That doesn't change my fear that it would have. I didn't want for you to see me fail. And then…and then you wanted so much more than I could give, then. You wanted me, forever…every day of forever!"
"I did, but only because I loved you," she replied, crossing her arms protectively over her chest. "I loved you for who you were, but also for who you could be if you were to stop killing."
He looked up at her. "How would I deal with that if I failed? You see, Kate? It wouldn't have gone well. You wanted a mate, a husband…and I was still battling the urge to murder."
She was silent for a moment, her breaths the only sound on the mountainside.
"What hurt the most was that you were suffering, and you felt that you couldn't tell me," she said.
He looked up at her, and their eyes met for a brief moment. "I'm sorry," he replied, his voice raspy and soft. "I never meant to hurt you, Kate. I only left so that I wouldn't do that anymore."
She smiled bitterly, brushing her corn silk colored hair out of her eyes. "Yes well…unfortunately, that never worked."She looked over at him, her golden eyes full of so much pain that it made him suck in a breath.
"You broke my heart when you left. I've never been so…." She cut off, a silent, tearless sob wracking her chest. Garrett stepped closer, but she held up her hand.
"No. You can't fix this."
"Kate, I swear, I'm back for good. If you had any idea what I've done to make sure it's safe for me to come back…I only wanted to come back to you if I could be a decent man…a good man…the man you deserve."
She whipped her head up, glaring at him. "You were plenty for me! I loved you with everything I had! I wanted to make a life with you and…I wanted to get married, have a house…I wanted to have a world with only you and I in it. When you left, I…I didn't know what to do with myself."
"Kate, I'm so sorry," he began, but she silenced him again.
"If I wasn't immortal, I'm sure that what you did to me would have killed me. I would have died if I were human. No one can possibly survive what you did to me, Garrett. I thought I had found a mate in you, someone to share eternity with. Do you have any idea how that felt? You left and…I…I…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say.
He exhaled in disbelief. The sheer magnitude of pain he had caused this woman weighed on him like a mountain. How could he have hurt her like this? He had thought that moving away would have helped her, yet instead he had crushed the wild, carefree spirit of the Kate that he had loved so much. Garrett hadn't had any idea how much he had hurt her.
"I left because I thought I didn't deserve you. All I wanted was to…to prove to myself that I could learn to be the kind of man you needed," he repeated softly, stepping closer to her.
"If you loved me," she whispered, her voice full of fervor and determination, "You would not have left me."
x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x-x
Kate darted through the forest, her eyes stinging once again with invisible tears. She actually wished she could try real ones; perhaps that would make her feel better. The thought of crying actually seemed like it would help cleanse her clouded mind and broken heart.
How on earth did he just expect her to welcome him back with open arms after two years alone? He had abandoned her, plain and simple. Her stubborn, Russian mind would never allow her to just forgive and forget so easily.
A guttural growl escaped her lips as she ran through the woods towards home. He would surely follow, but that didn't mean she had to talk to him. Could she ever forgive him? She wasn't sure. Forgiveness would be hard, but an eternity without him would be even harder. It wasn't that she didn't want to forgive and forget and live happily ever after, but how would she know that he was back for good? She knew she couldn't handle him leaving her twice.
She flew through the back doors of her Denali home, and Eleazar and Carmen looked up at her with shocked eyes. She didn't say a word as she stomped through the room and ran upstairs to her bedroom suite.
The nerve of him! Showing up like it was no big deal that he left in the first place! He did go back to animals…his eyes were so beautiful…no! She chided herself for acting so silly and childish. He left, and that's that! I don't want to be alone forever, her mind screamed at her.
She growled to herself again, as she plugged the soaking tub in her bathroom, filling it with hot water. Tossing in some bath salts and soap, she stripped out of her clothes and sighed. Her naked reflection caught her eye in the large mirror above her sink, and she felt her chest ache with sorrow and longing. It had been over two years since she had been with a man, and her body still yearned for it. Not just any man…him.
Being with Garrett was one thing, but being with him intimately…was unlike anything else she had ever experienced. Her eyes raked over her silky white skin as she tied up her long hair, biting her lip in angst. Was it wrong to feel such sexual longing for him, yet still be angry?
She stepped into the steaming tub, sinking back against the sides. She wanted so badly to feel his hands on her again, running up and down her welcoming body. It had practically been love at first sight when she met him in Forks. The longing she felt to be with him alone, after the battle with the Volturi, had nearly overcome her on the trip back to Denali. The first time they had made love in the privacy of the Alaskan forest, she knew they were soul mates for certain.
She hadn't felt a connection to any man like that in her entire existence, and she was positive she wouldn't again.
The sun was just rising over the treetops, and she suddenly felt tired enough to sleep for once. She knew that it was impossible, but after what had happened on the mountainside…she knew that him staying for good was all of a sudden a possibility. Kate had thought that he had left for good, never to be seen again. Could the impossible happen? It just had. He had returned to her.
As she soaked in the steaming water, her mind began to wander to a time a seven years before…
They darted through the trees, their excited laughs echoing off the newly sprouted leaves of the forest. It was finally summer in Alaska, and the sun shone for most of the day and night.
They spotted the herd grazing in the wide, flat field. She gestured to him, allowing him to take the pick of which one he wanted for his meal. He was still new to her diet. Garrett had been living in Denali for a few months now, and was still getting used to feeding off animal blood.
Kate paused as he sprinted ahead, slowing to a jog to admire him as he flashed through the sunlight.
I am a lucky girl to have such a view, she thought smugly to herself. Her golden eyes focused on his muscled rear end as his powerful legs projected him forward towards the deer. They had travelled miles and miles up into the mountains to hunt today, and had stumbled across this secluded meadow to hunt in several minutes before.
She watched as the sun glinted off his perfectly muscled chest as he snapped the necks of two of the larger deer. His movements were graceful, yet still a tad clumsy as he was still getting used to how animals moved. They, of course, were no match for his speed and strength, but it did take some getting used to.
She practically salivated at the sight of his bare chest as he lifted the first animal to his mouth to drink. Kate licked her lips as she watched his beautiful, shining hair blow in the breeze, just barely grazing the top of his chiseled shoulders. His muscles flexed on the broad planes of his chest, making her shudder with anticipation. She knew what would come next.
Kate walked up to him slowly, giving him a coy smile. His eyes lit up behind the animal's throat, and she knew he was smiling back at her as he drank. When he was finished, he lowered the carcass to the ground and grinned.
"I know," she said softly, ducking her head. "It's not as good."
"It will do," he laughed sheepishly, licking his lips. She felt another shudder of anticipation shoot down her spine.
That perfect mouth…. she thought.
Garrett looked around, picking up the second deer. He gingerly offered it to her, his eyes darting up to meet hers.
He's giving it to me! she thought excitedly. She accepted the deer from him, her mind racing like a giddy little schoolgirl.
She drank the deer, offering him the last half when she was finished feeding. Her thirst wasn't that bad; she only needed to hunt every two weeks or so. Garrett required a feeding at least once a week because he was still getting used to his newer, blander diet.
Once they had buried his kills, she walked up behind him. Her eyes raked over his bare back as he kicked the soil over the graves of the two deer that had been their lunch. They were so high up in the mountains that it was safe to run out in the sunlight. Garrett wore only a pair of denim cut offs, and Kate a tank top and shorts. She secretly hoped that what little clothes they had on would be shed easily.
She placed her hands on his shoulder blades, running them down the firm lines of his strong back. His muscles flexed in response, and an amused moan escaped his lips.
"See something you like?" he drawled, glancing at her over his muscled shoulder. She grinned, watching as the rainbows from their diamond skin sparkled and reflected off each other.
"Mmmhmmm," she purred, sliding her hands further down. He turned in her arms, facing her.
"Now I'm starting to think that we didn't just come up here to hunt, missy," he laughed throatily. She smirked playfully at him, running her hands up his lean, muscular arms. Every sinewy muscle stood out to her enhanced eyes, and each one was more beautiful than the next. Her eyes traveled up and down his body, eventually coming to his perfect face.
His eyes were a ginger color by now, framed by two sculpted eyebrows and gentle laugh lines on his face. His dark, golden blonde hair hung in soft waves at the top of his shoulders, gently blowing in the wind. Garrett was so beautiful and breathtaking that it sometimes drove her wild.
Kate lunged at him playfully, a giggle erupting from her lips as he fell backwards onto the ground. His skin shimmered and sparkled like hers as she straddled him in the tall meadow grass.
She kissed his mouth softly at first, and then when he began to respond, harder. They both groaned as they tasted each other for the first time that day. They usually could barely contain themselves an entire day, before they had to sneak out of the house and run far away to be together intimately. They hungered for each other's touches.
"Mm," she groaned, grinding against the hardness in his cut-offs. He smiled against her mouth, his tongue darting out to run across her bottom lip. She inhaled a breath at the sweet taste of the meal, still lingering on his tongue. His recent feeding added an even more enticing flavor to his already addictive taste.
"Hungry?" he laughed, as she cupped his face in her hands.
"Yes, but not for food," she gasped between the kisses she was peppering down his neck. He laughed again, pulling her mouth back against his. There were no more words exchanged for some time after that.
She stood up in the tub, toweling off her damp body. Once back in her room, she cloaked herself in a silky nightgown and matching robe before lying down on her chaise lounge. Picking up the book she was reading, she tried her best to clear her mind and concentrate, but her reading choice wasn't helping; Tristan and Isolde. The time old love story of two people that were torn apart by coutnless factors didn't help ease her racing mind.
She stiffened suddenly; the back door of the house had just been opened. Sitting on her lounge chair, she listened with her sensitive ears. Garrett had returned.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
And so it carried on for days. Kate remained, holed up in her room, and Garrett waited. He had left once to hunt with Tanya after the first week passed. He was beginning to feel the burn of thirst again at the end of the second week when she finally emerged from her bedroom. He had been in the library with Eleazar when he heard her bedroom door finally 'click' open.
Eleazar had put his hand on Garrett's shoulder. "Patience," he said gently. Garrett's eyes flicked up to meet Eleazar's steady ones.
"I have been patient," he hissed. He was an unwearied man after living for over a century, yet his resolve to give her the space she needed was wearing thin. When he heard the footsteps that were unmistakably her patter down the steps, he was gone from the library in a flash.
By the time he got to the living room where the back door to the house was, she was gone. The door was still open slightly, the curtains nearby fluttering in the wintery breeze. He excited, gingerly closing the door behind him as he raced after her. He had one chance in two weeks to talk to her, and he wasn't going to mess this up.
She didn't realize she was being followed; her gait was quick but not frenzied as she ran. His legs churned beneath him, and he caught up to her in a few short seconds.
"Kate," he said, reaching out to grab her arm. She stopped, turning around to face him with a hiss. A jolt of her special current flashed over her skin, shocking him.
He dropped his hand and backed up, almost afraid that she would attack him. He shook off the blow of the shock, the crackling sizzle of the current still stinging his skin.
"You shocked me," he said indignantly. He gaped at her, his golden eyes wide. Kate looked away, her blackened, thirsty eyes full of shame.
"I told you to leave me alone."
His face softened, and he tentatively reached for her. She let him take her arm, closing her eyes at the feeling of his touch.
"I told you…it's not possible for me to be away from you, Kate. It's different now," he replied, his voice thick and husky. He had never meant anything more in his life.
"It's no different than it was before!" she insisted, yanking her arm out of his grasp. He gave her a hurt expression, his face falling.
"Kate, you act as if you've never failed at anything before in your life. Even if you haven't, would you not even give me another chance to prove myself?"
"What is there to prove?" she questioned. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he looked at her. He had worked so hard to make himself worthy to be with her for the rest of eternity. However, all of that continued to crumble before his eyes. Had all his efforts been made in vain?
"What is there to prove?" he asked, his voice quiet and determined. "What's left to prove is that I am here to stand beside you now…and forever. I know now more than ever that I was changed to be at your side for eternity, woman…I…I…I know now that I would rather spend my existence here with you than do anything else. I would do anything to prove that to you again!"
"But you just left, Garrett. I loved you once, and it wasn't enough. You made that clear," she whispered. He watched her dark, thirsty eyes fall to the snowy ground. Before he could speak again, she had turned and run away, her blonde hair flying out behind her.
He wasted no time. He ran after her, his determination to win back her love practically boiling inside his chest. They darted through the icy tree boughs, the limbs brushing against their stony bodies as he followed her into a meadow. The tall grass was dead and frozen, sticking up in jagged spears in the dim, early morning light. He remembered this place from when he was in Denali the first time; it was a place to usually find a quick meal.
She stopped at the tree line, looking for her kill. Garrett came to a few paces beside her, turning his head to gaze at her. Her face almost looked tired; her eyes were black with dark circles under them. She needed to hunt, and badly.
The scent of a bobcat creeping through the trees caught his nose before hers, and he disappeared towards the scent. Before she could protest, he had returned with the carcass of the cat in his hands, holding it out to her. Their eyes met and held as they stood there, frozen.
"Take it, please," he said, his voice worried. She looked down at the still warm animal, her throat igniting with the idea of drinking from it. Her black eyes moved back up to his golden ones, and she gingerly accepted it from him.
After she had eaten, he took the drained body from her and buried it quickly. They began to walk, side by side in the meadow, their light footsteps the only sound for miles.
"You didn't have to do that," she finally said, glancing sideways at him.
He laughed. "You don't get it."
She stopped suddenly, glaring at him incredulously. "I don't get what? I think I understand everything perfectly fine."
He stomped forward, waving his arms. "You Russian women and your stubborn heads!" he growled in disbelief.
She huffed and crossed her arms. He stopped walking and turned to look at her. "Do you not get that I am here to stay? At least until you order me away? I'm here telling you that I'm yours! Forever! For as long as you like, I'd follow you anywhere!"
"Well this stubborn Russian has heard that before," she spat. He watched as her irises slowly turned back to liquid gold from the deep onyx of thirst.
"What can I do to make you see that I made a mistake? I left, I know….but…I came back because I've found that the only thing that can kill me is the one thing I cannot live without."
She looked at the ground, inhaling the cool, wintery air. She wanted to believe him more than anything, but her pride and stubbornness were battling with her heart. Eternity has been a long time so far, and she wasn't looking forward to the rest of it, at least not without him.
"I will do...anything to make you see that despite the past and everything that has happened…that I'm here now. With you. Forever," he whispered, his voice raspy.
She stared at him, her eyes stinging with the tears she could no longer shed. Kate exhaled shakily, her hands beginning to tremble slightly as she stood.
Garrett stared back of her. His fate for the rest of eternity seemed to dangle in front of him. It teetered miserably between two fates: one that would banish him into despair, and another that would give him life.
He chose life.
Garrett strode toward her, closing the distance between them. Her tall frame stood almost paralyzed with shock and emotion as he reached up to gently grasp her behind her neck. He pulled her against him, a shaky sigh leaving their bodies when they finally touched.
"I meant what I said," he whispered. "I'll spent the rest of forever proving it to you – gladly." The next instant his lips crashed into hers with such passion that it almost knocked her off her feet.
Her steely resolve that had once pledged to hate him forever quickly melted away like warm butter as his lips found hers. She welcomed the feel of them against hers after so much time apart.
His lips parted hers after a few moments of hurried kisses. She felt like she was suffocating, and the only thing that could give her air was him. His tongue met hers and he shuddered in delight at the lingering taste of her meal on her tongue. For once, the taste of the bland animal blood didn't signify misery and thirst; it signified hope and life. It meant that he didn't have to be a killer any longer.
He pulled her closer to his body, and hers seemed to curl around it willingly. His hands cradled her face as he kissed her, her white-blonde locks falling over his fingers. She moaned as he kissed down her neck, gently nipping and sucking at her pale skin.
She moaned as her body began to react to the feel of his almost forgotten touch.
"I…I…"
"Say it," he groaned against her neck. He sucked on the sensitive spot just below her ear, making her whimper. He pressed his forehead against hers, wanting to see the look in her eyes when she finally gave into his pleas.
"I need you," she whispered, her hands clenching shirt in her palms. He exhaled in relief, his lips finding hers once more.
"Then you have me," he replied softly. "Forever."
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