A Vampire's Marine (boyxboy)

Chapter 57: Our Future Together

Chapter 56

Many hours had passed since my brother had painstakingly healed my injuries, and the aches and pains that plagued my body were slowly dissipating.

I lay on the narrow bed with my mate, watching him as he lay on his back with his arms trapped behind his head. He was staring at the ceiling above us, lost in thought, as he had been for some time. Every so often, his brows would furrow or his mouth would turn down in a frown. I fought hard not to interrupt his musings, because it was only fair that he be allowed his opportunity to process all the events that had transpired in recent times.

I wanted to reached over to smooth the crease in his brows, and banish the unpleasant thoughts that plagued him. But as I watched him, a foreign feeling rose up inside me. It took me but a moment to uncover what it was; guilt.

It was strange, this new feeling. I could only liken it to an uncomfortable and persistent throb somewhere in the very center of my sternum and between my eyes. I found that I did not like it, and so I frowned as I watched him.

I thought back on what grave act I could have possibly committed to warrant such an unwanted throb. Leaving him in the army was certainly not the reason, for it had been done in his best interest. Neither was plucking him from said army, for he did not belong there. He belonged by my side.

I could admit that I felt a minuscule twinge for having omitted to inform him that his fellow army-goers had survived, for thoughts of their deaths had stressed him a great deal, and I hated the very thought of him in any form of turmoil.

However, he had since learned the truth, so that guilt could be nothing more than miniscule. As I watched him, I thought of the many hours he had lain upon his sick bed, writhing in pain as I looked helplessly on.

Ah, and there it was; the reason.

It was my presence in his life that had almost brought death knocking on his door, and though many a time I had sworn to him that I would be his protector, in this, I had failed him. Visions of him lying weak and close to broken would forever haunt my waking hours.

"I hope one day you will reconsider your decision to remain human." I broke the silence.

He looked at me with a frown. "That was random."

I smiled. "I have recently found that attempting to keep a human alive is a far more arduous task than I had first imagined."

Tony rolled onto his side and propped his head up with his hand.

"Stop worrying so much about me and let's just enjoy our time together."

I found that I did not like his response. "If I were to change you, there would be no limit on our time together. Do you not see the that?"

He sat up, and his narrowed eyes told me that he was ready to have a serious discussion.

"I'm not turning into a vampire Rien." He said adamantly.

"And if you find yourself on the verge of death and turning you is the only way to save your life, would you have me watch you die?"

"Are we really about to start an argument?" he asked with a frown. "After everything we've been through, can't we just be happy now?"

I kept my eyes fixed on his, for it was there that held the majority of his self expression. In them I saw his frustration, but I also saw his fatigue.

"I just want things to go smoothly for a little while. Can we do that?" he questioned, and I conceded.

"Very well."