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Chapter 13

            Claire flinched in his embrace and pulled away. “Please stay Damien!” She pleaded; Steve’s words were her terms of fear. He smiled and kissed the top of her head. Damien’s hair fell in front of his eyes and he blew it away with a quick breath.

            “I can’t Claire.” He smiled again and brushed the hair off her shoulder with his hand. Claire was close to tears; caught between that familiar killing instinct that burned deep in her belly and the want of flesh. “If you want, I’ll be back.”

            “I don’t want you to leave me alone.” She dropped her head and regretted her next words, “Please Damien…I need you.” Claire stretched and kissed him lightly on the lips. He held her face and kissed more aggressively, pushing her against the wall. Claire was repulsed, but it felt good to know that he still loved her. She let her lips drop from his and pulled away.

            He continued to kiss her face and push further against the wall with his hand snaking up her tank. Claire drew ragged breaths and pushed his hand away with all the strength she could force. She felt her eyes flicker to that rich gold from the pure joy of touch.

            Claire drew in a quick breath of pain; Jasper stood in the doorway separating the kitchen and the living room. She could feel the ripples from his skin shake hers; with each quiver, he grew angrier. Claire pushed Damien away from her and pleaded with her eyes, “Jasper…I didn’t…I would never…” She could not finish any sentence properly.

            He stomped out of the living room and slammed the back door. The window shattered into a thousand pieces, all landing on the hard linoleum with a crinkle. Damien stood against the door with his hands crossed over his chest, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. “He doesn’t like me, does he?”

            “Stop it!” She glared at him and walked into the kitchen. There was so much glass on the floor. It glittered in the dim shine of the setting sun. Damien picked up the large pieces and emptied his hands into the garbage can. “I think you should leave Damien.”

            “But you were so keen on me staying?”            Damien tilted his head and watched the tears stream down her face. “I'm sorry, Claire.” He answered somberly.

            Claire turned away and brushed the tears with the corner of her tank. She felt so cold and hollow; she had screwed up. There was no possible way of redeeming herself to Jasper. “Please leave.” Claire needed to be alone; she fought back tears and picked up more glass. She watched her hands bleed with each grasp full of glass. Her tears fell freely into her hands as she knelt for more.

            Damien knelt down beside her and whispered, “Claire, stop. I’ll get the rest.” She watched as his eyes flickered rapidly with each changing emotion fluttering across his face. She dropped the glass and pulled her knees towards her chest. Claire watched him pick up the rest and wondered about his secret; she already knew the deadly details and did not judge him. He knew nothing about the terrible gift bestowed upon him. She cried profusely into her sleeve and hid her face.

            Her hands were covered in blood; it had started to cake around the edges and in the cracks on her hands. She doodled with her other hand in the blood and drew a star. Claire tilted her head at it and smiled through bleary eyes.

            Damien stood and emptied his hands of glass and helped Claire to her feet. “Sit, we need to talk.” Claire pulled her attention from the star to him and the tears started again. “I need to know if you truly love me.”

            “Damien please don’t make me...” She held her hand for peaceful quiet and stretched her hearing out to Jasper. She could faintly hear him running at top speed through the woods. His heart beating madly and his legs and arms were pumping full of adrenaline or distasteful distress. He slowed and turned human; she felt the pain on his face at the change. Something that should be a natural process and a wonderful feeling soiled itself in front of her closed eyes. Because of her.