Chapter 23

"You should call it a night Melissa; it's been a long day. We all need some rest". Anastasia said with the intention of having Adel and Blaze far away from Melissa. Even though she knew Adel, she didn't like the idea of him drinking Melissa's blood. And for Blaze she just didn't like Blaze at all.

"Melissa, I would like to talk to you," said Blaze.

"And we have to finish the details about the company" Adel interrupted him.

Adel and Blaze were looking at each other ready for a fight.

"Guys please, I don't feel strong enough to break a fight between you two. So, I tell you what we are going to do. Blaze, please go home". Melissa said while Adel was looking over Blaze with a triumphant grin. "Oh, Adel stop it!" She said walking towards a defeated Blaze.

"Blaze listen to me" she grabbed Blaze by the shoulders; he was wearing a black short and a sleeveless grey shirt which was clearly showing off his defined muscles. Blaze's stiffened by the touch; he was fighting with himself, restraining his whole body from pouncing towards Melissa and embrace her completely. If it was for him, he will rip her clothes right here and right now and love her with a never-ending passion.

"Can you be more obvious?" Adel said while looking at Blaze in disgust.

"Ha, you know what I'm thinking right?" Blaze said with a great smile showing his white teeth. In a victory signal that Adel didn't welcome with open arms.

"Can you read minds?" Melissa asked Adel in disbelief.

"No, he can't but he now exactly what I'm thinking right now. I'm getting hot just with your touch". Melissa jerked her hands of Blaze's body. And Blaze cursed under his breath. If he hasn't said anything Melissa's hands will be still on his shoulders.

"As was saying Blaze. I need to speak with Adel. My company is in jeopardy, I really must come up with a plan to keep the company without risking anybody else. We have a pending conversation as well. I haven't forgotten that".

Blaze looked at Melissa and she could see that his eyes resembled a puppy eyes when you tell them that there's no more snacks. Melissa smiled internally she could really get use to both men fighting for her. But she knew deep down that from now on every step that she takes will affect everyone, so she needed to be careful.

He got close to her and stroke her cheeks as he said in his never-ending husky voice. "Ok my love, I'll be waiting". Without letting these words sink completely on Melissa's mind he stepped back and started running towards the forest.

Adel was tense looking hopeless to everything that happened, he would never dream getting that close let alone touching Melissa's face without permission. He has served Melissa for so long and it has always been like this. His hands, his body and all his being had yearned to be close to her. To embrace her and to cover her with the most sublime love she could imagine. Adel had been restraining himself for so long, even though now he had permission to be with her and to touch her whenever he wanted, he has been so accustomed to living like that, so close yet so far from Melissa's warm touch. He felt like ripping Blazes head off just watching how improper to Adel's eyes Blazes closeness to Melissa was.

"I could never dream of touching you like that" he said, Melissa was now facing him and walking towards him; she saw the pain on Adel's eyes. Her hand rested on Adel's face, and she spoke like she was speaking to a child. "I can feel your pain you know. I can see that I have made you suffered for so long, you have waited for me, you have been by my side no matter how badly I have treated you. But bear with me a little longer even though I can't promise that I'll be with you for the rest of eternity. I will do my best to repay you for everything that I haven't done, and for what I've had".

While feeling her warm touch Adel had his eyes closed, and two tears were coming down his cheeks. "I have to be the strongest one for you Melissa, to comfort you, to be at your side, to protect you, to defend you. But every time you are close to me, I feel like I melt like butter underneath your touch". He grabbed he hand with his and kiss it. Melissa felt his cold kiss, but her heart was burning. She remembered the first time she saw him standing on the café wall, his body calling to her. His gaze, his whole demeanor towards her was inviting her to subdue her desires and to fall completely at his feet.

But he broke the touch making Melissa's heart ache. "I'm sorry" Melissa said feeling like he was rejecting her.

"Don't be, I'm just trying to keep my distance. I don't want you to think that I'm taking advantage of your situation for you to be closer to me. Or to choose me for that matter. I want to be you the one that makes that decision if that is your final decision. For now, I'm happy that you bite me, and you saved me. Your blood has the most exquisite taste that I have ever experience, and now you are a part of me. I'm feel honor and I'm happy for it". The smell of Melissa's blood was intoxicating for Adel. He could feel it running through his veins and bursting his insides with lust and desire. If he had love her before without tasting her blood or even touching her. Now he was feeling heavenly drunk, and he will have to control himself now even more.

"Ok" Melissa said while her eyes were looking at his intent gaze. His words didn't match what his eyes were telling her, but she didn't mention anything. "Have you heard anything about the vampires at all?" Melissa changed the conversation.

"I haven't been able to find where they are hiding. As soon as I felt your presence, I came here but after that day, I'm pretty sure they now know your location, same as the werewolves. I'm certain that they will show up for your birthday and we must be prepared. Although they don't know that you can transform at will. Maybe they are thinking that you will be in a dungeon chained and waiting for the full moon to appear".

"We have that advantage towards them but, there's also the flaw that I can't control the beasts and that worries me".

"You must take it one step at a time", Adel said in a condescend tone.

"There's no time, if they attack; there will be many deaths and I don't want that to happen".

"Do you remember what happened at the train?" Adel said while looking at Melissa. You open an alternate reality, and no one at the train got hurt. We can do the same this time".

"You said that you can also do this right?" Melissa asked

"I can open but I can't maintain like you do".

"I want to tried right now". Melissa said brushing aside how exhausted she was after everything that had happened that day. "I must tell you that I'm scared".

"Don't be", Adel said while extending his hand towards Melissa so she can hold it. This is the first step before your transformation. You must open the first door without let everyone inside you out. Even though they are more susceptible on you entering a trance it takes little effort so it should be fairly easy".

Melissa closed her eyes imagining about the twilight covering the entire place as she opens them, she could see the purplish-blue hue that served as a veil for the dark sky. "This is the step for you to protect the humans". It will be better if we can lure the vampires out of the house. But if anything happens this is how you can protect them". Melissa felt relieve knowing that she can avoid the vampires to harm the humans. "I would advise not turning in to your other forms though".

"But what if you need help?" Melissa asked thinking that maybe she could help somehow.

"Anastasia, Flavio and even Blaze are strong enough for some vampires even for a thousand. I'm powerful enough if I do say so myself. It will be fine. Like I said I'm most certain that they will show up. They don't know about your ability to turns at will. They will come unaware of everything. It will be a normal birthday party we will be vigilant and somehow lure them out, so you don't have to use your powers as much". Melissa was processing all this her brain was a mess. Thinking that maybe they will be the slightest chance of anyone getting hurt frightened her.

Deep within her heart she felt a discomfort, but she needed to go in with this charade. The plan was already set in motion.

"I still don't know anything about you Adel, when we first spoke everything was so unbelievable and confusing. I still have so many questions that I would like to ask but everything is happening so fast that I feel like we will not have enough time together".

"We will Mel, I promise that. We will have the whole time in the world to get everything straighten out between us. I will tell you how I met you, and how I fell in love with you at first sight. You saved me, from falling in an abysm and I always be grateful for that".

He came closer to reach her face but lowered his hands in defeat. Melissa picked his motion quickly and grabbed his hands placing them on her face. "Adel than you again for being on my side. I will do anything to erase the pain on your heart". Melissa said while he was smiling towards her.

"I must go now he said", he knew if he stayed admiring her and feeling her, he would not be able to contain his desire. That desire that has been bottling up since he first met her.

He pulled his hands away from Melissa's face and kissed them tenderly. "I'll be around, call me if you need me". And a black smoke enveloped Melissa's hands and Adel disappeared.

Melissa stood there for a while thinking about what had happened, her whole life and everything she though she knew about it had changed in a blink of an eye. She had so much work to do but her feelings towards Adel were growing stronger, and she knew with sadness that she had to set that feeling aside.

She turned back entering the house trough the garden door, closing it behind her. Anastasia was waiting for her when she got to her room. "Would you like me to prepare something for you Meli-" Melissa didn't let her respond and hugged her tightly breaking in sobs "I'm sorry Annie, why all this is happening to me. I don't feel like I'm strong enough to do this. What should I do? Everything is happening at once and I just can't keep up".

"Melissa don't worry", Anastasia said while opening the door and basically carrying Melissa to her bed laying her down while her sobs continued "sometimes we think that we are assigned battles that we can't handle, but the truth is that our battles are assigned because we can handle them, they are hard and painful, but we are surely to overcome them, and fulfill them".

Melissa's head was spinning, "I will bring you a chamomile tea so you can sleep soundly. Don't dismay now, this is only the beginning and I'll be at your side to help you fight this and any other battle that you encounter".

"I know Annie, thank you and I'm sorry you are stuck with me".

"I wouldn't prefer to be 'Stuck' with anyone else my love". She kissed Melissa's forehead and went out the room to fetch the tea. Melissa was happy and grateful to have such an amazing person like Anastasia on her side. She could feel another migraine brewing in her head.