chapter 24 : Sunburns

Becca was waiting for Alexander to answer and when he didn��t, she urged, ��Alex, answer me. Am I in danger?��
��Becca, I promise to protect you from the vampires who would try and harm you, I swear.��
��So you are with me just for the potion. Otherwise, we would��ve never met,�� she said softly.
Alexander didn��t say anything to her. He knew that even if it wasn��t for the potion, he would have ended up meeting Becca because she was his soulmate. But he couldn��t tell her about that because if he did, he might put her in more danger since Alexander had made plenty of enemies over his lifetime. He would rather sacrifice his emotions than hurting the one who brought up those emotions to him.
��Alex, you know, I am happy that I have the potion because I could meet you.�� She could feel her heart becoming weighted down in sadness as she said, ��But at the same time, I am unhappy.��
��Why? Is it because all the vampires are chasing you?�� Alexander asked her. ��Becca, I will protect you from them.��
She shook her head in denial. ��No, Alex. I am unhappy because once you get the potion, you will leave me, and I don��t want to lose you,�� she whispered the last part. ��You are the one who understands me, answers all my questions with patience, who listens to me all the time, who stays by my side��you are the person I feel I was looking for all along.��
Alexander could feel his heart throbbing after hearing her heartfelt words. He looked at her grey orbs, which held pure innocence.
��Becca���� he trailed off, not knowing what to say.
Becca smiled, preventing the tears which were threatening to come out of her eyes. ��It��s okay. Don��t worry, Alex. I will help you find the potion, even though I have no idea how I have it with me.��
��Really? Will you help me?�� Alexander asked in disbelief.
��Of course,�� she said with determination. ��I will definitely help you to complete the purpose for which you came here for.��
��And what do you want in return?�� he questioned, which made Becca furrow her eyebrows. ��I mean, we can do a deal. You can want something in return, and in that way, I won��t feel like I am indebted to you for helping me with the potion.��
Becca put her index finger over her cheek, wondering what she could ask for in return. She couldn��t ask for him to stay in the human world with her because it would be against his will. If he wanted to stay in this world, he had to stay willingly.
��Okay, so in return, you can promise me that you will stop drinking human blood and control yourself.�� She added, ��I know that you won��t kill the humans but still, refrain yourself from drinking their blood.��
��That will be hard,�� Alexander mumbled. ��But I will try, I promise.��
Becca smiled at him. ��Now tell me more about the vampire world. How is it everything there? Is it magical?��
��Well,�� he started, ��It��s like the human world, but it has weird technologies there. Only, I, Phil, and Pristine have the highest facilities there since Phil is the leader.��
��Oh, so you just enjoy your life,�� Becca remarked.
He chuckled. ��Kinda like that.��
��Who is Pristine?�� she asked, noticing that she never heard that name before.
��Pristine is the informant actually. She has all the information on every vampire and keeps Phil updated on all the coming and goings of our people. She has information about important humans too, like you. She gave me an entire file containing your information, including your phone number.��
��Oh, that is creepy,�� she uttered. ��Is that why you enrolled at the university, to reach me?��
��Yes, I enrolled just to observe and get to know you. And when I was in your garden, I didn��t think it was you. I wanted to drink your blood since you were human but when you turned, I realized that you were the girl with the vampire potion.��
��Turns out that Pristine didn��t give you my home address,�� Becca said and started to laugh.
��Yeah,�� Alexander agreed with a short laugh since her laughter was contagious. ��But you know, a few of my powers didn��t work on you.��
��Which ones?��
��The first day we met, I used my power to go invisible and your father couldn��t even see me but turns out that you could see me. Also, when I tried to alter reality, it didn��t work on you because of the vampire potion which is with you,�� he explained to her.
��So, me fainting every time I eat warm food, is that because of the potion too?�� Becca asked, connecting the dots.
��I guess,�� he told her.
��This means, once you take the potion from me, I can eat delicious hot food without the fear of fainting,�� she squealed in excitement. ��Will your powers work on me after the potion is taken from me?��
��I don��t know about that but a few powers of mine work on you despite you having the potion,�� he informed her.
She arched an eyebrow. ��Really? Which one?��
��I can hypnotize you,�� he replied, his voice being deeper than before, which sounded sexy to Becca.
Her eyes pierced through his as she muttered, ��Then hypnotize me.��
��You asked for it,�� he said and closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, it was red. ��Jump from this tree.�� As soon as he commanded her, Becca jumped from the tree.
Alexander went down in a blink of an eye and grabbed her in his arms.
Immediately, Becca snapped out of the hypnosis. She wrapped her arms around his neck, as he carried her bridal style. She asked him with widened eyes, ��What just happened?��
He smirked. ��You told me to hypnotize you, which I did.��
��Did you tell me to commit suicide?�� she questioned in disbelief.
Alexander walked a little and placed Becca beneath a tree. Then he sat next to her, and replied, ��Why do you always think the worst of me? I simply told you to jump off the tree.��
��What?�� Becca gasped. ��You literally wanted to kill me.��
��No. I told you to jump because I knew that I would catch you,�� he cleared up her misconception.
��What if you couldn��t?�� she pointed out.
He smiled and said, ��Then I wouldn��t be a vampire.��
Becca lightly slapped his arm and announced, ��You are crazy. I won��t tell you to hypnotize me anymore.�� With that, she leaned her head on his shoulder. ��I am sleepy.��
��Well then, sweet dreams,�� he whispered and watched Becca fall asleep. Along with her, he decided to close his eyes and rest for a while.
Soon, it was morning. The bright sun hit Becca��s face as she could feel a stinging sensation on her right arm. She had worn a short-sleeve t-shirt last night along with blue sweatpants. Becca opened her eyes and watched Alexander talking to someone over the phone.
When he looked at her to find her awake, he winked with a small smile, ��Good morning.��
��Good morning,�� she replied, still feeling pain on her right arm as if it was burning.
��Let��s head back to the camp. Ness called me and said that everyone is packing up and getting ready to leave,�� he said and helped Becca to get up. ��You should go ahead, otherwise people will get the wrong idea.��
Becca nodded and was on her way to the camp. As the pain on her right arm increased, she checked her arm, only to find it becoming red, starting from the tips of her fingers to her sleeves��like she had sunburns all over them.