Thirst For You

The weeks that followed were a blur of confusion, longing, and revelation.

Eva's world had been turned upside down but despite that , she couldn't pull away from Elias. Every encounter with him only deepened the pull between them, the magnetic force that seemed to draw her closer to him, even as her mind screamed to resist. She wanted to believe in the truth he was offering—wanted to believe that she had loved him before, that she had made some ancient promise that had somehow woven its way into her present life.

She didn't know if she was ready to accept all of it, but she couldn't deny that something inside her—some deep, instinctual part of herself—knew he was telling the truth. She had felt it from the moment they'd met. The bond was undeniable.

Elias had been patient with her, never rushing her to remember, never pushing her to believe what she wasn't ready to accept. He had shared his story with her, the tragic history of their love, the betrayal by his brother Lucian, and the centuries of agony he had endured, waiting for her to return.

Each night, he would visit her, usually at the same time, just after dusk, when the sky was painted with the colors of twilight. They would sit together on a bench on the rooftop of her apartment or in her apartment, and he would tell her more about her past—how she had been his equal, his companion in a time when immortality was a gift they had both shared. She was always reluctant to hear about her past lives, but there was a strange comfort in Elias's presence. His words were soothing, even when they spoke of sorrow.But tonight felt different.

Eva stood at the kitchen counter, absently stirring a pot of tea, lost in thought. Her apartment was quiet, save for the sound of rain tapping lightly against the windows, a familiar, calming rhythm. She felt his presence before she heard the knock. His aura was unmistakable—like a gravitational force she couldn't ignore.

She placed the spoon down and walked toward the door, her heart already beating faster.

When she opened it, there he was. Elias, dressed in his usual black coat, the faintest hint of a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.

"Eva," he said, his voice low, as if he had been waiting for her to speak first.

"H....Hi," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. She was still getting used to how easily he could make her heart race. "I was just making some tea want some?"

Elias raised an eyebrow, but the smirk softened. "Tea? Is that how humans pass the time now?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "I'm trying to maintain some impression of normalcy, you know?"

He stepped inside, the door shutting softly behind him. The air around him seemed to change, charged with an intensity that made Eva's pulse quicken. She motioned toward the couch.

"Come sit, we haven't talked much lately. Just... the usual. You telling me about our past lives, me trying to make sense of it."

Elias smiled, though there was something bittersweet in the expression. "I know I've told you a lot but there's so much more to share. We can take it slow if you want."

Eva sat down on the couch, wrapping her arms around her knees. She looked at him, her thoughts swirling. "Sometimes it's hard to believe, you know? That we were once... what we were. Lovers, equals. And that your brother—he..." She shook her head, unsure how to finish the thought.

"Lucian was never one to be understood " Elias said, his voice suddenly dark, the bitterness in his words cutting through the softness of the moment. "But one thing was certain, he wanted control. And he didn't care what he destroyed in the process, he still doesn't. He wanted me to choose him over you. But I could never. I still can't."

Eva met his gaze, searching his eyes for some clue, some deeper truth. "And I never chose him? I never loved him?"

Elias looked away, as if the memory itself hurt him. "No. You loved me. You always loved me. Even in the face of everything... you were mine, and I was yours."

There was silence between them, the weight of his words hanging in the air. Eva's thoughts were chaotic, a swirling mess of confusion and longing but amidst all the uncertainty, one thing was clear: there was something in her heart that responded to him, something ancient that couldn't be ignored. She had no idea why, but when he was near, everything else seemed to fade away.

"What's it like?" she asked suddenly, her voice small, almost tentative. "Being a vampire? Immortal, I mean. Does it hurt?"

Elias's eyes softened, and he sat down beside her, his gaze never leaving her face. "It's a curse, in many ways, to live forever. You watch everything you care about slip away.....people, places, and then... then you're left with only the shadows of the past. You become... detached."

He paused, and she could hear the faint tremor in his voice, the pain he tried so hard to hide. "But there are moments, Eva. Moments that make it all worth it....moments like this one."

She swallowed hard, unsure what he meant by that but before she could ask, Elias leaned closer, his gaze locking onto hers. The intensity in his eyes made her heart race, her breath catching in her throat. She could feel the electricity in the air between them, thick and palpable.

Her lips parted, but she couldn't find the words and then, as if she had no control over her body, she leaned in slightly.

Elias's breath caught in his chest. He froze for a moment, his eyes searching hers, as though asking for permission but then, without warning, his lips were on hers.

The kiss was electric—shocking, immediate, like a force of nature that could not be denied. Eva's entire body responded, her pulse rushing through her veins as she pressed closer to him. It was a kiss of hunger and need, something that seemed to ignite in them both with an intensity that was almost frightening.

But as soon as she felt his hands on hers, as soon as she felt the pressure of his mouth on hers, a wave of heat washed over her—and then a coldness, sharp and harsh, as Elias pulled back suddenly.