Fractures of Eternity

Making my way back toward the vampire, I quickly shifted my glance toward the table by the door.

“I brought you tea and some biscuits from the staff lounge. I ate from them. So, they should be fine.” I informed, pouring some tea into the cup.

Ah… Was having your eyes on me always this heavy?! Damn it… Get a grip!

“Do I have to prove it isn’t poisoned again?” I added, trying to avoid his piercing gaze.

By the gods...

“Why haven’t you asked me about the paranoia of my food?” Loki queried, triggering me to shake my head before a small smile crept up on my lips.

That was something I could find my footing on.

Move past everything.

A simple question without giving it too much thought.

“You’re a royal. In that life, people are always out to get you, right? Someone like you has many enemies, since you’re the first vampire to have full control over blood magic in thousands of years.” I answered, picking up the teacup, offering it to him.

He gazed at it for a moment before slowly grabbing onto it. However, the moment my fingers met his, the warmth was like a shock that rushed through me. Even though I wanted to pull away, since it shook me, I stayed put.

If I do that, it will seem weird, and I can’t afford that after last night!

“I guess you’re right. It’s a little hard to believe you aren’t after me.” He countered, prompting me to shake my head.

“No, I’m not. If I were, you would’ve been dead already, to be honest.” I assured him without a second thought about what I said.

Wait… what did I just say?

The instant those words left my lips, his expression appeared thoroughly intrigued by it. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me onto the bed as he swiftly placed the teacup on the nightstand without spilling a single drop before towering over me. It all happened so fast that I didn’t even notice when he was on me.

This time, instead of straddling me, I found him between my legs while my back was on the bed.

Eh?!

“Oh ho, would I?” Loki smirked.

Crap… How did I… Argh! Vivian, think before you speak!

I dug this grave, though. Sadly, I couldn’t run out of it without a scratch if I were going to be this honest.

“Y-Yes, you would,” I voiced, attempting to keep the mask on.

My answer triggered the vampire to chuckle in awe of me softly. He didn’t seem angered by my answer either, which was confusing to me. I thought he would’ve backed away, told me to get out, and never come back, but instead, he got closer to me as his breath tickled my skin.

“No fear against a royal, and you even say you can kill the strongest vampire ever to live. That makes me wonder who you are, Vivian. For a normal human, you surely are fearless.” Loki whispered into my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

I found myself in a worse predicament than before. My heart was...

Please don’t notice. Keep going, Vivian, like normal.

“Well, you’re a flirt, which—” I started, only to be interrupted by Loki huffing upon hearing my assessment of him.

His eyebrows both raised with a soft smile on his lips.

“A flirt, you say? That hurts, especially since I had my first kiss last night with a cute, feisty human girl.” Loki declared, shocking me to my core.

Eh?! What did you just say?!

I felt something snap in me.

I... I... Oh no... I took your... Oh... Stop... Don’t say those lies! I can’t believe you!

“W-What?” I mumbled as other thoughts struggled to string together.

My mind couldn’t keep up anymore.

“Yes, you stole this flirty prince’s first kiss, sweets.” He repeated, cheeks rosy.

Mine was probably an unknown color, but my voice was giving me clues about what they were. I was breaking again.

“Y-you’re l-lying. T-There’s n-no w-way t-that was y-your first k-kiss!” I sputtered; my voice was high-pitched.

The first time I had ever heard it like that.

What... is happening to me? What’s this vampire doing to me? My heart... Stop!

Instinctively, I pressed my hands onto his chest, trying to escape. Sadly, my mortal strength was meek compared to a vampire, and my magic was something I would never use on him or Oz unless it were necessary.

It was too unpredictable and destructive. In a snap, I could’ve ended him, but I never wanted that.

Not to you. Anyone else but the boy who made me squirm.

“Hm... that hurts, sweetheart. I’m not lying.” Loki reassured me, grabbing onto my wrist to prevent me from pushing him off, even though I failed to do so.

He pinned my arms down onto the bed as I felt like my heart would come out of my throat. His scent surrounded me, and I was losing myself within him. Surely, I had to fight this emotion, but it was so strong and was forming faster than I could stop it.

“T-that’s i-impossible.” I denied, trying to stay strong, yet I was crumbling under him.

His hands held me so gently that I was losing it, too.

Look at me like the monster I am! Please! Don’t continue... to make this flesh desire you! Please! Hate me! Deny me! Use me... Anything... but make me hope. No… I was hoping you could make me hope and give me more, but… No! I can’t!

My heart was a turbulent storm—one he was unaware of.

“How so?” Loki hummed, entwining my hands with his as my mask was once again disappearing.

Unlike last night, though, there was no reason to back off. There was no looming sickness hovering over us.

No… There’s nothing.

It was me and him in this room on a warm, comfortable bed.

“Y-you...” I tried to argue, but my voice left me before I could start.

Loki’s expression turned tender as I couldn’t help but be guided by my heart. An eyebrow raised again, as he could guess where I was going before I suddenly stopped.

“Ah... Just like you, I’ve never had sex before, sweetheart.” Loki playfully smirked.

I felt like I could die right there.

In fact, I wish I did.

“Believe it or not, I haven’t found the right girl to do anything like that with. No one has ever seen me for who I am, but for what I represent. It’s quite a turnoff when it comes to that. No matter how good sex might feel, as Alistair loves to remind me every day.” He informed, shrugging. “I swear, everyone but Ozzy thinks I’ve bedded half of Night City.”

At that moment, I found my voice once again.

No, you have to be lying! I won’t fall for your deceit.

“B-But you’ve b-bitten people!” I argued, triggering Loki to chuckle.

“Oh, sweetheart, biting differs from having sex. You know that, right?” he cackled.

Sadly, I couldn’t accept that I stole his first kiss.

You deserve better than me. I’m not innocent like you.

My image of him was shifting, and I couldn’t stop it. I was covered in blood while he was glowing brighter than a star.

Yes, you’re a forbidden fruit that I can never allow myself to bite, but I’ve… licked the surface.

“B-but!” I fumbled, trying to find footing in the mess I made.

Loki suddenly pulled my right hand up to his lips, biting on the sleeve of my dress and triggering me to shiver when he tugged down the cloth to expose the skin on my wrist. A soft smile rose on his lips again, noticing how skittish I was being. He melted me into a puddle of goo where I was.

“I can bite you right here and have the same effect. However, it takes a little longer than if I bite you in a more intimate area. Well, at least I think. I’ve never bitten anyone other than their wrist.” Loki informed, brushing his lips over my skin.

My words refused to leave me as he narrowed his eyes.

“Your scent’s different. Tell me, did you drink that horrible rose tea?” he asked, tugging away from my wrist.

The moment his blue, purplish orb came back to meet with mine, I felt weird. Not a single word left my mouth as a sensation I had never experienced before this moment rushed through me. It felt like butterflies were in my stomach while my heart was in the stars.

Even though I had only known him for two days, I was losing the war.

Hey… If I give you my everything. Will you reject me? Argh… what am I saying? Of course, you will. This is a mistake.

Even though rationality wanted to conquer my thoughts, Loki made a mess of them when his eyes widened, cheeks turning pure red.

“Oi, don’t look at me like that or I...” Loki trailed off, leaning into me.

He closed his eyes, and I couldn’t help but follow his lead. His hands found mine again, intertwining with one another, leaving them radiating with a warmth I had never known. Our lips were hovering over one another before...