CHAPTER 10

**AMY**

At the cemetery, under the umbrella protecting me from the incessant rain, I find myself before the sad scene of the coffin ready to be buried. A sigh escapes my lips; the weight of sadness is still so tangible in my chest. Beside me, Elara holds my hand, her low sobs echoing amid the serene silence of the place.
I lift my head to observe Aaron kneeling in the rain, saying his final goodbye to his mother. His gesture is moving, an expression of pain and love intertwined in a moment of farewell. A lump forms in my throat as I witness his anguish, wishing I could ease his pain somehow, even knowing it’s a journey he must face alone.
I notice that some vampires can’t help but cast curious glances my way, as if trying to understand why Aaron chose to marry a human girl. I feel uncomfortable under their piercing gazes, as if I were being judged for something beyond my control. But I maintain my composure, determined not to yield to the invisible pressure hovering over me.
The rain, which had been falling gently, now intensifies; its cold, persistent drops are striking my face and soaking my clothes despite the umbrella I’m holding. Elara closes her eyes and hugs me tighter, seeking comfort amid the emotional storm surrounding us. I feel powerless in the face of the magnitude of the loss we are enduring, but I try to stay strong for Elara, offering her the support she desperately needs.
The muffled sound of earth falling onto the coffin echoes in the humid air, marking the end of a life and the beginning of a journey of mourning and longing. I watch the coffin disappear under the dark soil, a sense of finality and farewell hanging over us. My heart aches with the pain of loss, but also with the promise of moving forward and finding strength to continue even when the world around us collapses.
As the ceremony ends and people start to disperse, I remain by Elara’s side, holding her firmly as we face the void left by Aaron’s mother’s departure together. 
“I will miss her forever…”, Elara whispers, looking at me with tears of blood streaming down her delicate face. I nod, understanding a bit of her pain at this moment. I lift my head, seeing Aaron looking at us, and I realize that we are his family now.
Night slowly descends upon the mansion, enveloping it in a shroud of darkness as Aaron, Elara, and I gather in the dining room. Sitting at the table, I savor my meal while Aaron remains beside Elara, watching her with a thoughtful expression. A sense of tension hangs in the air despite the silence that surrounds us.
“Do you think the vampires will attack again?”, I ask, breaking the silence with a concern weighing on my heart. Aaron seems to ponder the question for a moment before responding. 
“I don’t believe they will. At least not for now.”, he says with his now calm voice. I nod, accepting his answer, though a part of me is still filled with apprehension.
I finish my meal in silence before rising from the table. Aaron says he will tell a story to Elara in her room, and I take the opportunity to go up to our room. 
Entering the bathroom, I close the door behind me and begin to undress slowly. Each piece of clothing I remove seems to weigh on my shoulders, carrying the weight of recent events. 
Once undressed, I turn on the shower, letting the hot water cascade over my skin, washing away not only the physical dirt but also the emotional burden I carry.
A sigh escapes my lips as I allow myself to relax in the comfort of the shower. The hot water seems to soothe my tense nerves, dissipating the anxiety that consumed me. However, a persistent pain throbs in my wrist, a constant reminder of the dangers we face. Aaron said it’s nothing serious, but the lingering pain is a constant reminder of how fragile our existence is in this world of supernatural dangers.
I stay under the hot water for long minutes with my eyes closed, thinking about my home and the sad life I always had. I wonder mentally about the man who raised me—the man I always thought was my father. I open my eyes quickly when I hear footsteps in the room. Seconds later, the bathroom door opens. I frown when I see Aaron entering the bathroom and undressing.
For a second, I think of asking what he’s doing, but I quickly remember that he is my husband now, and we shouldn’t be ashamed of intimate moments like showers. The water continues to fall over my body as he gets completely naked. I blink, diverting my gaze, when he approaches me. 
“Are you okay?”, I ask in a low tone, and he nods. I step back a bit, giving him space for the hot water to fall on his body. My hand finds the bath sponge, and I lift my hand towards his chest.
 “May I?”, I whisper, and he nods again.
I surrender to the task of washing Aaron’s body while we’re in the shower. With the bath sponge in hand, I start gently scrubbing his chest, moving carefully to remove any trace of dirt or tension that might be lodged there. Each touch is deliberate, carrying a mix of tenderness and concern. Aaron remains silent, his head bowed, but I feel his presence around me, like an aura enveloping me. My heart beats faster as my hands move over his body, and I wonder what he’s thinking about the internal battles he might be fighting.
When Aaron’s hands hold my waist, I’m surprised, trembling at the feeling of his cold body against mine. I lift my eyes to meet his gaze, and for a moment, the world around us seems to disappear, leaving just the two of us there, under the shower, enveloped by the mist of steam and the hot water surrounding us. Then his question cuts through the charged air between us. 
“Are you afraid of me?”, he asks, his voice soft and laden with a mix of uncertainty and longing.
Shaking my head quickly, I feel the words trapped in my throat, unable to express the torrent of emotions flooding me. I want to tell him no, that I’m not afraid of him, that I trust him in a way I’ve never trusted anyone before. 
I still don’t fully know him and don’t know what happened in his past, but something inside me urges me to trust him completely. But the words seem stuck in my throat, lost in the torrent of feelings enveloping me.
Before I can say anything more, he tightens his grip on my waist, pulling me closer, and our lips meet in a kiss that is both familiar and new. I tremble, feeling the sensation of his cold lips against mine, contrasting with the warmth of the shower surrounding us. It’s a kiss laden with silent promises, a mutual understanding that transcends words.