Chapter 14

"Luca, come and take this body," I called over my shoulder, knowing one guard I'd assigned to Bast was in the backyard, awaiting my order. I watched as the man jumped into Bast's bedroom window, picked up the body of the boy, and jumped back out in less than a second with a snort of amusement.

'I'll need to give him a raise.' I told myself as I stood and made Bast's bed, then picked up around her room as I waited for her to get out of the shower so that we could talk. 'I know it's only been a few minutes, but I hate waiting. Humans are so slow at everything. Well, no, I suppose they aren't slow, vampires are just quick. At least you're here with her, Lucifer, calm the hell down.'

After picking up her room and she still hadn't gotten out of the shower, I browsed through the schoolwork on her desk before finding a history essay that caught my attention, as it was on the technological advancements made in the twentieth century.

'I cannot believe that this is what she deems an appropriate history topic.' I thought with a laugh before remembering that Bast was born in 2002, so this was all history. I couldn't help but notice that the dates on a few bullet points were wrong, but I knew it was because the history books had it wrong as well, so it wasn't her fault.

"This is incorrect. But I know you can only report what you incorrectly learned. So, I know it's not your fault." I said as she finally came out of the bathroom.

Bast rolled her eyes as she snatched the report out of my hands and tossed it back on the desk with a huff. "Why did you kill him? You could have just made him leave." She said with an exasperated sigh as she motioned to where the boy's body was before Luca took it.

"Because he had the audacity to ignore you when you told him no. What kind of man would I be if I allowed him to live?" I responded as I straightened my tie and looked up at her with a smirk.

"The non-murderous kind?"

"If he will rape you at seventeen, what do you think the chances are that he wouldn't have done something much worse later on in life?" I challenged, watching as she sat on the bed next to me to put on her shoes.

Bast hesitated for a moment, as if she didn't know what to say, then sighed. "Is there something you want, Damien?"

"We need to talk about your birthday, little one. For when you will come to be with me." I said as I turned on the bed to look at her, watching as a slew of emotions went through her eyes.

"What about my birthday do we need to talk about?"

"Well, what are your plans for your birthday?" I asked, unable to stop the emotion in my voice, as it was a subject I found myself unable to speak about without my feelings flowing freely.

"Damien, you should know I haven't celebrated my birthday in five years. I didn't see the point. It's a constant reminder of what's to come." Bast said as she locked gazes with me, then looked away as if she were afraid to look into my eyes. "Can we go for a walk? I can still smell his blood, and it's making me nauseous."

"Of course, little one," I responded as I stood and offered my hand to her.

"Why do you insist on calling me that? I'm not little anymore. I'm nearly eighteen- Lord knows I didn't need to remind myself of that fact. Every time I see you, I'm reminded." She responded as she looked at my hand, then up at me, before sighing and looking away once more.

'I don't need your permission, little one.' I thought as I took her hand, ignoring her whines and protests as we walked side-by-side out of the house. "Yes, you are nearly eighteen, and I am nearly two hundred and fifty. Both of us are constantly aware of our age when in the presence of each other."

"You're how old?" She gasped, her mouth hanging open as she gawked up at me.

"Bast, you are much too beautiful to make such ugly faces," I said with a sigh, shaking my head in disappointment as I hated to see her making such unpleasant faces, releasing her hand, watching as she grinned and stuck it in her pocket happily.

She glared at me for a moment before she started walking again, this time into the forest across the street rather than on the sidewalk. "I can't believe you're that old. So how many girls have you laid claim on?"

"None," I responded as I reached into her pocket to take her hand in mine, knowing how much she hated it but doing it nonetheless, as I rather enjoyed holding her hand.

"Fine then, how many girls' hearts have you broken while watching me like a stalker for seventeen years?"

"None, little one. I told you when you came into this world; I decided you would be mine. If I wouldn't allow you any man but me, why should I have any woman but you?" I responded as we continued our walk into the woods.

"What is the point in the bodyguards? You're a vampire, for god's sake." Bast suddenly said with a groan, looking over her shoulder at Luca and Darren, who were following from a safe distance, as they were supposed to do.

I bit my tongue to stop myself from smiling when she said this and waved my hand over my shoulder, dismissing the men as I continued to walk forward. 'When will you admit it to yourself that you have feelings for me?' I thought as I cast a quick glance down at Bast, watching as she seemed to be lost in her thoughts for a few moments.

"You're saying that you haven't been with a girl since the day I was born?" Bast finally asked after a few moments, a look of relief washing over her beautiful face as she did so.

"Yes, that is what I'm saying," I said, watching as she tried and failed to regain her composure. 'It was more like a few months before you were born, but I suppose that is only semantics.'

"So, what about when you drink?"

"I've only taken the blood of men for the last seventeen years."

"Why me? And don't feed me that same bull you did five years ago. Please, just answer me honestly." She said as she stopped walking to look up at me.

I looked down into her bright green eyes, smiling softly as I could tell that she was checking me out, taking in my appearance as she'd done many times before. "When I first got your scent, I was going to drink from you. But when I went to the nursery, you looked right into my eyes and smiled. Every other baby there was screaming the second they saw me, but not you.

That is when I decided to make you mine. Your scent is like an addiction to me. All I want is to sink my fangs into your beautiful throat and drink until there is nothing left. But I want you more than I want your life." I said, unable to stop myself as I felt my eyes zoning into her soft pink lips, feeling my fangs elongating as I listened to the sound of her blood running through her veins.

When Bast saw my fangs, she started backing up until she could move no further because of a tree against her back. "So why didn't you just kill me?" She asked as I crept forward, closing the distance between us.

"I've already told you, little one. I didn't kill you because I want you, more than I want your life." I whispered, then slowly lowered my head until my mouth was against her collar, allowing my fangs to graze her throat. I let my fangs rest against her throat, holding back a moan as I could feel the blood flowing through her veins, just beneath the tip of my fangs, before kissing the same spot softly and pulling away. 'What I wouldn't give to taste just a drop of that blood!'

Bast put her hands on my chest, turning to look at me, but remained silent as she waited for my fangs to retreat into their sheaths before saying anything. "What about when you don't want me anymore?"

"That is impossible, little one," I whispered as my eyes locked onto her lips, my arms wrapping around her waist. I told myself to stop, that I was moving too quickly, but I just couldn't help it anymore as I slowly leaned forward again, listening as her heart began pounding, her eyes lighting up with excitement and suspense.

"How is it impossible?" She asked as she tried to push against me, trying to act as if she didn't want me as much as I wanted her.

"Because I've waited nearly eighteen years to have you. I'll wait for another eighteen if that is what it takes for you to accept me. I want you, and only you, my little kitten." I purred as I pressed my body to hers, watching, waiting for her to tell me no.