*Vienna's P.O.V.*
Everybody seemed to be on their own streak when the night air started blowing. I sat on the bed looking at nothing in particular until my attention shifted when the bedroom door opened. In came Brooklyn Gibson in a plain white shirt that was tight enough to show the contour of his well built body and black cargo pants, he’s holding a tray of food. Wordlessly and with a gentle smile, he set it down beside me and brought down the contents of the bedside table, which aren’t that much, maneuvered the table in front of me, pulled out a chair, then transferred the tray on the table that’s now between us.
“Thought you might wanna have dinner with me.” he said, his smile widening. Despite the turmoil that I’m feeling inside, I appreciated the little things he does to make me feel better.
“Of course.” I replied with a little smile of my own. I started cutting on the beef steak he served and marveled on it’s aroma. He knew I love beef. “Who cooked this by the way?”
He chuckled. “Have you forgotten that I can cook?” I looked at him and grinned. Yeah, he can cook. I remembered that dinner we had in his place back in London, it’s of beef steak too, those times I was still constantly visiting Dark who’s confined in his house.
The mention of Dark in my memory lane made my thoughts wander again. At that time back in London, I was adamant about helping him become human again. I made it a main agenda in our journey here in Ireland and all. I didn’t know how foolish I was. Now, I got to find out who I truly am, which is a conquest I had wanted to face a few times, it’s just that, facing it right now makes it less appealing. Getting to know that my supposed to be father, rapped my mother that resulted in my bearing is not exactly a good knowledge to possess about one’s origin.
“A penny for your thoughts?” my train of thoughts were halted as Gibson’s baritone voice registered in my head. I looked at the beef I’ve been cutting and popped one piece in my mouth, before looking at him. “I’m just afraid, I’m not the one you are thinking about at the moment.”
I glared playfully at his antics. “You’re right though, I wasn’t thinking about you.” I admitted.
“Perhaps there’s another man.” he remarked absentmindedly.
“Another in the flesh of Voghn Fiel who’s boiling my blood all the more with everything I found out.” I stated with resentment.
“I see. I asked Marcos where you’ve been when the both of you disappeared and he said something about a prophecy witch.”
“We did go to a prophecy witch, the first born witch princess of her generation, Voghn’s sister.” I started off as I told him the tale of what I recently discovered about myself,  not skipping a single word and a single scene. He listened intently, occasionally asking questions and cursing or murmuring at some points I present. The beef being a target of my temper as I was storytelling, slicing it furiously when my blood boils at some parts.
“So, what are you going to do about it?” he asked when I’m done talking, the food in our plates now gone as well.
“We can’t escape them. They’re going to hunt us down and execute cruelty again. What we’re going to do, is face them. Marcos will challenge the crown and we will fight with him. I know my brother is going to be a better leader than,” I momentarily stopped. I just said brother and it brought a surge of pride in me, seeing how good of a person he is. “Voghn.” I finished.
“It’s undeniable that you would do that, however that’s not what I’m asking.” he said, resting his back on the back of the chair.
“What then?” I raised my eyebrow at him.
“I’m asking about Dark. We came here to make him human again. Now we have an easy way to do that. If we let go of what we have.” he says it’s an easy way to do it, but I can tell he’s having a hard time saying it. I have a hard time listening to that last sentence he uttered, myself.
“Can we not talk about this right now? There are more important things to worry about.” I averted my eyes from his.
“I knew you’d say that. But is it selfish of me to ask you to choose us? Is it selfish for me to ask you to somehow let go of your desires for us?”
I was taken aback at the blunt vulnerability he showed upon asking those questions. At the same time, an unknown constriction squeezed my heart when he said ‘us’ instead of any other pronoun. I’m rendered speechless, I never really thought much about how to answer those questions, let alone have him ask me directly. My silence must’ve said something because I saw him nod. His face solemn.
“I thought so. I understand that there are things more important to you than what we have. Don’t worry, I won’t interfere.” he said, standing up from his seat.
“What do you mean? I didn’t say anything. The choice of what to do about this is still mine to make. You can’t walk away and make that choice for me.” I stood up from the bed too. He turned to me, his face now had a hard expression on it.
“Who are you to talk about choices Vienna? Why? When I was the one on the line, YOU choose to help me by giving your blood to me, hence binding us. Right? You choose this on my behalf, did you even consider what I would feel about having a mate at that time?”
His words stung deep in me. This is exactly the reason why I didn’t tell him immediately. This is why I planned to hide this from him, had he not found out for himself. I knew I did something wrong there. I rid him of the choice to be truly happy romantically. His next words did it for me though.
“And isn’t that what you always slap in my face every time I ask you to rethink helping others? You helped me and I owe you my life, who am I to stop you from helping someone else? But I did thought I would truly matter to you as to considering what we have in the next steps you’ll take. I guess I thought wrong “
“Stop saying that!” I just have to intervene with what he’s saying.
“Why? Would not saying it make it hurt less? Would it really change your mind if I stay silent about it?”
“I said, I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
“You see? You haven’t made up your mind Vienna. Let me ask you, what am I to you really? An ally? Is that all?”
“Where are you going with this?”
“Don’t worry. For now, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll fight the war with you, I know you need all the help that you can get. After this though, we can forget about each other.”
With that said, he walked out of the room. I stared at the door he shut with force and into the empty plates with a few leftovers. Did he really mean what he said? I can’t quite grasp it. What happened between the both of us? Was I really not paying attention? One night, I was weeping and finding comfort in his arms, the next he’s just going to say all these things to me and then leave? I thought he understood what I am fighting for. Then it hit me. He knows exactly what I’m fighting for, and he’s right about him fighting this fight with me.
Tears streamed down my face and they seem unstoppable. My knees gave way and I fell back down on the bed. My heart heavy and my mind too proud to admit what I’m feeling. I breathed heavily as I kept on hiccupping, crying myself to sleep, sleep of tiredness and weariness, both physically, mentally, and emotionally.
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*Brooklyn's P.O.V.*
I don’t know what came over me. I’m not usually one to walk out the way I did with Vienna now. Something just stirred inside me when she talked about her blood.
“And she said, I’m a different case. I’m the only one who has a mate that’s a witch and that is still paranormal after having my blood.” her voice resounded in my head as I head out of the house.
“About that, isn’t it an advantage for us? Our intention of coming here in Ireland will be fulfilled after all, you can give Dark your blood.” I had replied to somehow light her up.
She sighed, I remembered a grim expression on her face. “ Yeah, we can do that. But doing so will cut off whatever blood bound I previously had. Including ours. This is just so twisted. Some idiocracy in that prophecy or whatnot, which is such a pain in the head and this thing the royal family has against us at the moment. I’m not really so sure a change in blood ties would be helpful for us.” she ranted. That’s when my heart constricted.
Though she didn’t say it directly, the way she said those words suggested that she’s actually considering it. That’s quite painful for me. After all that we’ve been through, I don’t want to believe that she’ll – but then again I do know she’ll do everything not to fail, no matter the price to pay. I mean she risked her life too much for this mission, who am I to think she won’t give up what we have?
I finally stopped on my aimless walking in the woods and started punching and kicking random trees. Frustrated at my situation. Isn’t love a choice to make? Man! What am I saying? Love my face! Did I really use that word? Am I even making any sense? Was my action even reasonable? Vienna needs all the support she can get at the moment, she’s going through a tough time and what did I do? I let my emotions get the best of me. Would she think that I had abandoned her?
I hissed when pain finally registered in my knuckles that are now bleeding from all the cuts that the rough barks of the trees caused. I stopped my assault and unclench my fist and let it fall to my side. Breathing in the cool air provided by the night, I cleared my thoughts.
“You did the right thing Brook.” I said to myself just to make it sound believable. I did the right thing. I just want to give Vienna the satisfaction of being victorious in the mission she worked hard for. By giving up what we have, she will gain fulfillment. And the thought of that, though painful on my part, makes everything a little more reasonable.
It’s not being selfish, or so I believe.
A snapping sound of a twig made my senses rise up on alert. I stood guarded, knowing that I’m not alone in the dark woods.
“Man why do you need to smell like blood? I’m thirsty.” I relaxed as Dark emerged from behind the bushes, glad I don’t have to fight off some rouge animal or what.
“Just a few cuts. You going hunting?” I asked as we strode leisurely. I’m  impressed he’s not attacking me now despite the blood gushing out from my hands, he’s really gained a great amount of control over his vampire instincts.
“Yeah, just enough to quench my thirst, I wouldn’t want any member of the Paranormal Council to reprimand me for my actions.” he answered.
“They do that?” I followed up with a chuckle. It’s so twisted how I seem to have a normal conversation with the person who can potentially cut off the bond I have with my mate.
“Yeah yeah. That Amelle gives me the chills. She was there when we first arrived here in Ireland and she was upset about the hunting Vienna and I did.” he explained. The sound of her name in his tongue seems so familiar, so relaxed, it shows off how close they are to each other. So close.
“So much has happened since then, don’t you think?” I remarked as we rounded the path. Still no animal in sight for Dark to feed on.
“Indeed. Can’t help but feel like it’s all my fault. Everyone seems to be in this situation because of me.” He sounds more like Vienna now.
I sighed and picked up my words carefully. “It’s not your fault. It’s a choice we all made.” I said truthfully. Fine, fine. I only choose to help because of Vienna but then again, I still choose to help.
“I guess so. It’s just, with the situation right now, I think I’d like to remain a paranormal just to help Vienna in the war. I do owe her a lot.” his statement brought a wave of comfort in me for some reason. It gave a delightful feeling of hope. Hope that Vienna and I could actually keep what we have, even if the final verdict about this would only be known after Vienna and Dark have a talk about what they really want to do.
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