Chapter 9
She blinked, and he was gone. Felicity stood frozen at the window for what felt like hours, though it couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes. The clouds shifted and suddenly everything was bathed in light. Felicity staggered away from the window, her heart racing.
She instinctively moved to the corner, sliding downwards until she was sitting on the floor. It would be harder for anyone on the outside to see her here.
Felicity gripped her leg, trying to stop herself from trembling. She felt numb. Was she hallucinating? She certainly felt like she was going crazy.
Felicity didn't know how long she'd been sitting there when Demitri burst through the door. The expression on his face changed from panic to relief as Felicity threw herself into his arms. She hugged him tightly, afraid to let go. "He was here." she croaked, breaking the silence. "I think he's been watching me for a while now."
Demitri stroked her hair as he spoke, his voice low. "I know. One of his friends detained me while I was out, otherwise I would have been here sooner. We need to leave here."
Felicity nodded, offering no protest.
Demitri stroked her hair as he spoke, his voice low. "I know. One of his friends detained me while I was out, otherwise I would have been here sooner. We need to leave here."
Felicity nodded, offering no protest.
Demitri loaded all of Felicity's paintings into his car while she packed her clothes. Once everything was loaded up they left the house through the back door. Felicity rubbed her arms nervously, her eyes drawn to the spot where Jackson stood just hours earlier. "What about Kennedy?" Felicity asked nervously.
"She can handle herself. I'll call her later and let her know what happened." Demitri responded. "Come on, we'll both feel better when there's some distance between us and this place."
"She can handle herself. I'll call her later and let her know what happened." Demitri responded. "Come on, we'll both feel better when there's some distance between us and this place."
Demitri drove through the night and well into the next day, stopping only to let Felicity go to the bathroom and eat what she could. Felicity sat staring blankly out the window of the car. She spoke only when spoken to, which wasn't often, since Demitri seemed to be deep in thought. They finally stopped in a town called Hidden Springs. Apparently it was busy in the spring and summer, full of rich people seeking miracles. Snow was beginning to fall on the small town as Demitri parked at a bed and breakfast located halfway up the mountain.
Felicity sat in the lobby while Demitri got them a room. She was exhausted.
Demitri was talking to the older man at the sign in desk. It didn't matter that they didn't have a reservation; all the rooms were empty. The busy season was long over.
"Ready to go up to the room?" Demitri asked quietly, touching Felicity's face gently. She nodded, taking hold of his hands and pulling herself to her feet. Once in the room, the pair stripped out of their coats and Felicity pulled off her boots. Demitri's shirt was wrinked and untucked from his equally wrinkled pants. Felicity was sure she looked equally messy.
Felicity turned around from hanging her coat in the closet, bumping into Demitri. He clumsily pulled her close to him and kissed her until she began to feel lightheaded. "What was that for?" Felicity asked, still trying to regain her breath.
"I came so close to losing you yesterday." Demitri mumbled, unable to hide his anguish.
"I came so close to losing you yesterday." Demitri mumbled, unable to hide his anguish.
Felicity pulled away from Demitri, forcing herself to smile. She took hold of his hands. "But you didn't. I'm still here and you're with me and for now we're okay." She hoped she sounded more convincing than she felt. A huge yawn escaped her, reminding Felicity she hadn't slept in... she wasn't even sure. She just knew it had been too long. "I need to sleep. Will you stay with me?" Some of her fear shone through witrh her question. Demitri nodded his assent.
Demitri held Felicity as she slept, thinking. Eventually he too succumbed to exhaustion. When they woke the sun was beginning to set and Felicity was feeling weak from hunger.
They went downstairs in search of food. One of the proprietors left some food out, knowing their guests would want to eat here instead of driving down a mountain in the snow. The owners were nowhere in sight. Demitri called Kennedy. Felicity ate and then put her dishes were she found them, rejoining Demitri at the table. He'd been oddly silent. Lately he had gotten better at talking to Felicity. He had not been this quiet for weeks. Felicity did not have to wait long to find out what was on Demitri's mind. He began to speak, keeping his voice low. Felicity listened in silence.
"I talked to Kennedy. She tracked down Jackson's friend, the one who held me up for so long. He's an alchemist. Apparently he was supplying Jackson with potions that made him undetectable to vampires and humans alike. He got some kind of potion into me yesterday when I was out. The kind of people I feed from aren't... they aren't great. Most of them are drunks or criminals. He must have paid some low life to drink it. Jackson is familiar enough with my hunting habits to know how to make sure I fed from the right person. I was immobilized. Neither Kennedy or I is sure why he didn't take you yesterday. All I know for sure is that while he's still out there you aren't safe."
"So now what? I can't hide forever. He'll just find me again and we'll be were we are now." Felicity said, deciding to just accept that alchemists were real. A year ago she would have scoffed, but her conception of what was real and what wasn't had undergone a drastic change.
Demitri stared down at the table. When he spoke again, there was a new intensity in his voice. "I've been thinking about that. There's one obvious course of action. I could turn you. I doubt Jackson would continue pursuing you if I did, and then if he did you would be able to defend yourself. You wouldn't have to stay with me if you don't want to, and if you did..." Demitri trailed off, not wanting to continue until he saw Felicity's reaction.
If he hadn't been looking at the table, he would have seen that she'd steadily been growing angrier. "How dare you ask that of me?" Felicity asked, standing up and pushing her chair away. She pointed at Demitri accusingly. "I lost everything because of goddamn vampires and now you're asking me to give up what part of myself I still have? I can't hurt people to survive. And I talked to Kennedy- you might be able to have children. I would have to completely give that up and I can't do that either. This is the easy way out for you. You get to feed me some bullshit about how we'll be together forever and then expect me to change myself completely for you. Love is not a one way street. Would you even consider becoming human for me?" Chest heaving, Felicity stormed out onto the porch. She swiped at some tears making their way down her cheeks, ignoring the bitter cold as best she could.
How could he even bring that up? He was asking her to give up the sunshine and babies and any chance she still had at a somewhat normal life. But had she already given all that up by being with him? She'd lost so much it was hard to tell what she even had left. Felicity knew now that she loved Demitri, but it wasn't enough. If he pushed her to change Felicity didn't know if what was left would even resemble who she was. Was it even fair of him to ask if he wasn't willing to do the same for her? Was it even possible for him to become human again? Felicity's head was swimming.
Felicity started when Demitri opened the door, looking at him over her shoulder with tears swimming in her eyes. "I love you so much Demitri, but I can't do that." she said brokenly. Demitri pulled her to him and she buried her face in his chest, sobbing out all her fear and confusion.
Demitri stroked her back gently as he looked out at the mountains.
"I know." he said softly. "We'll find another way."
Demitri stroked her back gently as he looked out at the mountains.
"I know." he said softly. "We'll find another way."