Chapter 4 Be honorable despite the pain

That was not a situation that pleased Demitri, he did not want to conduct things that way. He needed time before confessing what was happening to him and Isabella's role in his life. As much as even fate seemed willing to help, she was still human and could still be involved with the vampires who didn't like blood. Demitri still hated them.

"Wait a moment, please. I don't want to hurt you", Demitri said, pulling out of her grip, with as little force as possible, avoiding any possibility of hurting her.

"I don't like to see anyone suffer like this, and I said I want you to come with me", Isabella said, smiling, although her face was still tense.

"I know, and I really appreciate your concern, especially to a vampire like me, who you don't even know. But I don't think it's right to enter your house yet."

"Yet? Then what's left to do?"

Isabella crossed her arms, waiting for what more could come from that charming vampire in front of her. He obviously couldn't walk away without looking like he was being devoured from the inside out, but he was still trying to be strong and something else he hadn't yet identified that he had never seen before in a being like Demitri.

"To earn and deserve his trust. In the right way. I can't just show up and wrap her in my reality like this", Demitri said, looking intently at the young woman, suffering from the distance he would soon put between them, just as he hoped Isabella would understand.

"I understand. I don't like to see you suffering like that, but I understand. Are you sure you're going to be okay? "

"Yes, I'm sure. I've been living with her for a while now, I can take it a little longer. "

Isabella remained silent, watching him closely this time, making the vampire think that he was beginning to reveal too much information and that his human was even more observant than he had thought.

"And the pain went away while you were by my side, didn't it?"

Demitri smiled, pleased to see that his companion was so perceptive, able to unravel situations with just a few questions and glances. But it was not time for her to know the whole truth, not when they had only had the opportunity to be in the same place twice. This was the first time they had interacted. They needed time. He would endure the pain for as long as it took.

So instead of answering her question bluntly, Demitri stepped closer, surprising her. By reflex, Isabella closed her eyes, feeling his scent envelop her at having the tall vampire so close to her. He leaned in, kissing her forehead and breathing in her scent one last time that day.

When Isabella opened her eyes, she was alone. Surprised by all that had surrounded Demitri in those few hours together, she needed a few seconds to recover before she picked up her shopping bags from the bank. Before turning to go towards her house, she took one last look at the forest, wishing that Demitri was still there, close by, before disappearing into the house.

He was hiding behind a tree and watched as Isabella entered the house, sighing at her honorable attitudes. He had never been so good in his entire existence, but it seemed that with the human, he would finally behave himself. He didn't want to frighten Isabella, just as he didn't want to rush her situation. The pain had not yet set in, but it would return as soon as the smell of his companion was gone from his clothes, so Demitri needed to find a place to stay as soon as possible. Looks like he would be staying in town after all. The vampire who had the power to turn others into humans again would have to wait.

Isabella entered the house with her mind full of Demitri, but soon her father was beside her, smiling and asking how her shopping day had gone. The vampire then took a back seat in her mind and tried to make the most of the time with her father, who had made sure to order a pizza for the two of them.

Since their return home after the rescue of the suicidal vampire, the father-daughter relationship had improved greatly, and Isabella had never felt closer to him than in the past few days, even with both of them involved with school and work.

When Isabella went upstairs to sleep, however, she had to hold back her sigh when she saw who was waiting for her. She almost thought it might be Demitri, but the Ventrue vampire was taller and stronger than Arvin.

"I'm tired of you barging into my room", Isabella said, crossing her arms, moving just far enough away from the door so that her father wouldn't hear if he couldn't control his voice.

"I just want to talk", Arvin said, coming closer, but he froze in place, surprised.

Isabella stared at him uncomprehendingly, confused by her ex-boyfriend's strange reactions. Then he spoke again, surprising her for the first time in a long time.

"Why do you smell like a vampire?" he snapped.

"I should know what you're talking about!"

"You smell like a vampire! And it's not one I know, so it's not one of my family."

"No. It's my secret lover."

"What?!"

"Don't scream! You want to get my father's attention?!"

Arvin agreed, shutting up, but still staring at her, demanding answers he no longer had the right to ask for.

"It's none of your business who I date or not, Arvin, so go away and don't come here again. I said it's over and I meant it."

"How can you do this? I love you and you left me for some other vampire? What..."

"You broke up with me, did you forget?"

"So that you would stay away from people like me."

"Well, that didn't work out so well, did it? You made me walk into a mansion full of vampires."

"Isabella..."

"He at least shows that he likes me, not just with cold, emotionless kisses."

"I..."

Isabella sighed, reaching over and touching his arm. It was the first time she had touched Arvin in a week.

"Look, it's over, you understand. I don't want this anymore, I don't want to be with you. It's time to move on."

Arvin sighed, but nodded, for the first time, showing a side of himself that Isabella had not seen since she had met him. Understandable, rational, concerned.

When the vampire left, Isabella threw herself on the bed, sighing and letting a giggle escape. She had invented that she had found another vampire to be with her, her lover. For some reason, she wished Demitri was there to tell him.