Amber

Chapter 32: The Monster He Hid from Me

(Amber's POV)

Adrian was breaking.

And for the first time, I didn't know what to do.

Because I had never seen him like this.

Never seen him this vulnerable, this raw.

His fingers trembled around mine, his breathing was uneven, his golden eyes—

They weren't mocking.

They weren't full of control or arrogance.

They were full of pain.

—

"Eleanor," he whispered.

The name sent a shiver down my spine.

I had heard it before.

Whispers. Rumors.

But no one knew who she was.

No one dared to ask.

But now?

Now he was telling me.

—

I swallowed. "Who was she?"

His jaw tensed.

His grip on my waist tightened.

And then—

He whispered the words that changed everything.

"She was the only woman I ever loved."

—

My chest tightened.

I don't know why that hurt.

Why it sent a strange, sharp ache straight through my ribs.

But I ignored it.

Because the way he said it…

Like she wasn't just someone from his past.

Like she was still haunting him.

Like she was still here.

—

"What happened to her?" I asked softly.

He exhaled sharply.

And then—

"She died because of me."

—

I stiffened.

Because this time?

There was something different in his voice.

Something darker.

He wasn't just guilty.

He wasn't just mourning.

He was damned.

—

I shook my head. "Adrian, that's not—"

"You don't understand, Amber," he murmured.

I swallowed. "Then make me understand."

He hesitated.

His fingers trembled.

Then, finally—

He exhaled, voice broken.

"Because I killed her."

—

Silence.

Heavy. Suffocating.

I forgot how to breathe.

I forgot how to move.

I just stared at him, my entire body frozen.

He wasn't lying.

He wasn't playing games.

He was serious.

—

"You… you're joking, right?" I whispered.

He didn't answer.

Didn't laugh.

Didn't smirk like he always did.

He just watched me.

Like he was waiting.

Like he was expecting me to run.

—

I shook my head. "That's not possible. You—"

He inhaled sharply.

His golden eyes burned.

And then, quietly—

"I'm not human, Amber."

—

I stopped breathing.

I took a slow, instinctive step back.

He noticed.

Of course, he did.

But he didn't stop me.

Didn't try to pull me back.

Because he already knew—

I was terrified.

—

"You're lying," I whispered.

His jaw tightened. "You know I'm not."

I shook my head. "That's not—That's impossible!"

He swallowed hard.

Then—

His golden eyes darkened.

And right in front of me—

His fangs lengthened.

—

I choked on my breath.

I stumbled back, fast.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

This wasn't real.

This wasn't—

"You're a vampire," I whispered.

He didn't move.

Didn't blink.

Just let me process it.

—

My legs shook.

My entire body screamed at me to run.

To get away from him.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't breathe.

I could only watch.

—

He exhaled slowly.

"I never wanted you to find out this way," he murmured.

I let out a sharp, breathless laugh. "Oh, really? How did you want to tell me? Over coffee? Hey, Amber, by the way, I drink blood."

His jaw clenched.

He wasn't amused.

He wasn't mocking me.

He was hurting.

—

I shook my head quickly. "You… you killed her?"

His throat bobbed.

"Yes," he whispered.

My stomach twisted.

"Did you—" I swallowed. "Did you drink her blood?"

His breath hitched.

And that?

That was my answer.

—

I stumbled back again.

Because suddenly, I wasn't looking at Adrian Blackwood.

I was looking at something else.

Something deadly.

Something immortal.

Something that wasn't human.

—

Tears burned behind my eyes.

I hated it.

Hated that I cared.

Hated that I was hurting for him.

Because I shouldn't be.

I should be terrified.

I should be running.

But I wasn't.

—

"Say something," he whispered.

I clenched my jaw. "What do you want me to say?"

His golden eyes shined—

And then, to my complete shock—

A tear slipped down his cheek.

—

My heart stopped.

Because Adrian Blackwood didn't cry.

He didn't break.

But he was breaking now.

—

"I didn't want this," he muttered, voice hoarse. "I never wanted you to be afraid of me."

I swallowed hard.

"I never wanted to lose you," he whispered.

And suddenly, before I could stop myself—

I stepped forward.

—

His breath hitched.

Because I wasn't running.

I wasn't leaving.

I was still here.

Even though I shouldn't be.

—

I inhaled sharply.

Then, softly—

"Tell me everything."

—

His jaw clenched. "Amber—"

I grabbed his hands. Held them tight.

"You're a vampire," I whispered.

He swallowed. "Yes."

"You killed Eleanor."

His breath shook. "Yes."

"You drink blood."

His golden eyes burned.

"Yes."

—

I exhaled slowly.

Then, barely above a whisper—

"Do you want to kill me too?"

—

His entire body locked up.

His fingers trembled around mine.

And then, hoarsely—

"Never."

—

I believed him.

I don't know why.

I don't know how.

But I did.

Even though I was terrified.

Even though I knew what he was.

Even though I should have run.

I didn't.

I couldn't.

Because deep down, I knew—

No matter what he was.

No matter what he had done.

He was still Adrian.

And for some reason…

That still mattered.

—