Chapter Three: Waking Up

Gaia hadn't moved a muscle. Bash quickly prepped the syringe of iron and injected it into her arm.

"Ouch!" She flinched.

"That hurts?" Bash laughed. "What does it feel like when I bite you?"

"That hurts too, but that hurts good. That stupid shot hurts not-so-good." Gaia smiled; her eyes half-opened.

"Fair enough," Bash chuckled his reply.

He fed her the cookies and grapes, giving her sips of orange juice in between. After about thirty minutes, Gaia began to perk up. Her cheeks looked rosier and her heartbeat was stronger.

Bash set aside the dirty dishes and laid next to Gaia, cradling her in his arms. Yes, he would miss this probably more than anything, if he were being honest with himself.

"You seem warm tonight," Gaia commented.

"That's because I fed better than I normally do with you. It's your blood flowing through me that's making me warm."

"I like that it does that. It's like I'm a part of you now." Gaia drew lazy circles on Bash’s muscled chest with her finger.

"You are a part of me, Gaia. You give me life." Bash took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips.

Gaia’s heart seemed to explode in her chest. Why can't he be real?

"Tell me, how was your day?" he asked.

Bash found he loved hearing about the mundane details of Gaia’s life in the sun. They reminded him of his own life before the one who would become his maker cursed him to walk the night for all eternity.

"It sucked! My boss at the café is still a total dick and my contemporary art project got an A-minus. Plus, the customers were extra bitchy today," she rambled.

"Wait. An A-minus is fantastic!"

Bash had taken some night classes to familiarize himself with more modern knowledge. Plus, it was a great hunting ground. He knew enough about the current grading system in place to believe Gaia was being adorably silly, fussing about an A-minus.

"Yeah, but I deserved an A-plus. The professor is getting flak from some rich kid’s parents and he's caved. Some donor's daughter got my A-plus." Gaia rolled her eyes.

"Well, that isn't fair." Bash thought perhaps he should pay the professor a visit and convince him to change her grade.

"Whatever, being here with you makes it all better. Even if I am dreaming." She yawned.

Gaia wasn’t making it easy for Sebastian to do what he knew he must.

As Gaia began to doze off, she gazed sleepily into his eyes. "I love you, Bash. I know I'm crazy because you aren't real, but you seem so real, and I can't help it. I love you and I want to always dream of you."

"Gaia—" It was official. She would be his undoing if he continued to see her. He had to walk away. He loved her too much. "I love you too. Always remember that. All I do is because I love you, my sweet pet."

Bash curved into Gaia and placed a soft kiss on her plush, pink, pouty lips. The last one, he was convinced, he'd ever give her.

Gaia sighed with pure contentment and closed her eyes. It wasn't long before her breathing became shallow and she was fast asleep.

Bash laid with Gaia and held her firm against his chest until he sensed the sun would rise. He slowly broke free and hovered over her. What Bash was about to do, he recognized was selfish, but he couldn't help himself.

Typically, before Sebastian   left for the day, he'd clean her apartment and wouldn't leave a trace of his existence. Tonight, he would leave the mess. Proof for when Gaia woke up in the morning. He wanted Gaia to know he wasn't a dream. But just leaving a mess wouldn’t suffice.

Bash knew Gaia well enough to realize she would try to explain away the mess. He had to leave her with something she couldn't rationalize. Sebastian pushed the hair away from the side of Gaia’s neck and focused on her throbbing pulse. With only enough pressure to leave a mark, he bit down.

Bash didn’t even take a sip. This time, unlike the others, he didn't heal Gaia’s wound. He caressed her cheek once more and got up to dress. Bash did so with haste, looking back only once as he left her apartment and fleeing into the night, with the sunrise hot on his trail.

****

Gaia groaned at the blaring sound of her alarm clock going off in the morning. She reached over to her nightstand to turn it off.

"Thank goodness it's Friday," she said as she sat up slowly.

Gaia’s head was foggy, and she felt as if she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep.

That's not true, though. Gaia thought. I had the most fantastic dream, so I most definitely slept.

Gaia replayed the events of her dream over in her head. Just the memory of it made her throb. Gradually, she realized she was naked.

That's weird. I never sleep naked. But I must have been exhausted because I don't remember falling asleep either.

Gaia sighed and scooted to the edge of the bed. Her slight dizziness made her take pause, and she sat a while before attempting to stand. As Gaia turned to make her bed, she noticed a bloodstain where she’d been lying.

What the fuck! Did I get my period?

Gaia reached between her legs to check. She was oddly sore, but she wasn't bleeding.

That's strange—

Gaia shrugged and turned, noticing the tray on her other night table with a plate and an empty glass. Remnants of orange juice remained in the cup, and crumbs littered the plate along with the stem from a bundle of grapes.

Shit. No wonder I dreamt Bash was feeding me. She laughed. I must have eaten that before going to bed.

Bash—Finally, a name. Hey! Subconscious! You couldn't have come up with a name sooner? It's only been nine months. Gaia rolled her eyes as she picked up the tray and took it to the kitchen.

Every movement revealed just how sore her legs felt. Almost as if she'd done a hundred squats.

What the hell am I doing to get so damn sore?

Gaia set down the tray, promising herself to wash it before heading to class. The urge to pee was too great to do it right then. She moved with more care to the bathroom and pushed the door open.

Gaia’s bathroom was large for a studio apartment and was the reason she chose it. The clawfoot tub proved to be heaven after a long day at school and work, and it also had a stand-up shower for times when she had to get clean and head out the door in a hurry. The kitchenette was big enough for her, and Gaia had sectioned off the main room with antique dividers she'd found at a shop. One side held her queen-sized bed and two nightstands. A small writing desk, rolling chair, and a small bookshelf sat across from the bed. Gaia used the desk for homework and to house her laptop when she wasn't using it.

On the other side of the dividers, was a makeshift living room, complete with a loveseat, a single chair, and coffee table. Mounted on the wall was her flat screen, sixty-inch, LED television.

Gaia was lucky enough that the kitchenette came with a breakfast bar which she'd furnished with three stools. Decor was minimal, but she hung several floating shelves to hold framed pictures of her parents.

At nineteen, Gaia lost both parents in a car accident. Gaia’s father had been driving home from a long-distance trip with her mother to visit Gaia’s only living grandparents, on her mother’s side. The ten plus hour drive from Chicago to Atlanta wasn’t one Gaia’s parents would typically drive in one straight shot. But earlier that evening, they called Gaia and told her they were pushing through the night instead of stopping and sleeping. That turned out to be a terrible idea.

Gaia's father fell asleep at the wheel and hit a cement median which caused the car to flip and roll several times. It took the jaws of life to remove their bodies from the totaled vehicle. They had left Gaia practically alone in the world. Their hefty life insurances were enough to cover the rest of her tuition, books, and supplies for her education in art at Columbia College Chicago, and pay her rent while in college. She had enough left over to open a savings account in case of another emergency.

But tuition at the prestigious School of the Arts had not been cheap, so Gaia didn’t have enough left over to live a life of luxury. She worked at a café near campus to earn money for food, clothes, and bills. She didn't party much and spent most of her time in her apartment, painting with oils at her easel. Now and then, she'd get a commission that would bring in a few extra bucks and sometimes Gaia was able to sell one of her random creations.

Recently, Gaia began a portrait of the vampire master from her dreams. She planned on framing the large canvas and placing it in her bedroom so she could always have a reminder of her fantasy man. It probably wasn't the best thing to do for her mental health, but she didn't give a shit.

Gaia paused the moment she set eyes on the state of her bathroom. The driving urge to pee that had occupied her mind, melted into the background. The floor was wet with water that had yet to evaporate and the tub was half-filled. On the edge of the porcelain were drops of blood and the water was tinged pink.

What in the hell happened last night?

Gaia began to panic. What if she had hurt herself? And if she did, why couldn't she remember what happened? All she could remember was that blasted dream. But maybe the dream stemmed from what had occurred while she was awake.

Gaia ran her hands over her body, but there were no cuts or scrapes. And aside from being tired, weak, and a little sore, she felt fine.

Okay. Maybe I do need to see a doctor. I'm blacking out and losing time? That's not normal.

Gaia’s mind raced as she plopped down onto the toilet to relieve her bladder. She wiped and stood up to wash her hands, brush her teeth, and wash her face. The color drained from her face as she peered into the round mirror above the free-standing sink.

Gaia’s shaky hand reached up and hesitantly touched the two holes on the side of her neck. She flinched. It was tender to the touch. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Oh, God—" she squeaked. "I am going crazy. Now, I'm hallucinating!"

Gaia considered heading straight to the emergency room and having herself committed. Something was seriously wrong with her. She was positive of it. Losing time, blacking out, and now hallucinating when she was awake? The only logical explanation was she was going crazy.

"Okay, think, Gaia." She spoke out loud as she paced the floor in front of the sink. "Mads! She'll be able to tell me if I'm losing it and help me figure out what to do."

Gaia hurried to her small walk-in closet located right off the bathroom. She chose a retro look. A powder blue and white striped shirt with matching blue, high waist, skinny pants. She tied a short white scarf around her neck to cover the mark, just on the off chance she wasn't going insane.

Gaia scrambled into the bathroom once more to brush her teeth and slap on a little makeup. Not bothering to touch the dishes, she slipped on some flats, grabbed her bag and phone, and rushed out the door. As Gaia waited for the bus, she sent Matilda a text.

Meet me on the quad. I'm on my way. It's an emergency. Gaia hit send.

A moment later Mads replied. Okay. What's going on?

Can't explain. Just meet me there ASAP.

Gaia gripped the strap on her bag so tight, her knuckles went white. As soon as she got to school, she went straight to the spot on the quad she normally met up with Matilda.

"Thank goodness, Mads! You're here!" Gaia clung to Mads for dear life.

"Babe! What's wrong? I was so worried!" Matilda squeezed her back.

"I can't tell you out here." Gaia grabbed Mads by the hand and dragged her to an empty classroom.

"Okay. We're alone. Can you tell me now?"

"Mads, I'm losing it! I had another dream last night with him. I don't remember falling asleep and when I woke up, my place was a mess. It was just how I left it in my dream."

"So, you're sleepwalking? I told you to see a doctor. It's not normal to not remember going to bed, and now this?"

"I know!" Gaia whined. "I’ll see someone, I promise. But Mads, it's worse than you think. I'm also hallucinating."

"Hallucinating? What are you talking about?" Matilda's eyebrows pinched into a frown.

"I think I see a bite on my neck. As in a bite he gave me. Here—" Gaia untied the scarf and craned her neck to the side.

"Gaia! You aren't hallucinating! There's a fucking bite on your neck! Who the hell did that?" Mads reached out and touched the marks.

Gaia flinched again from the tenderness. "You're kidding, right? I'm just going crazy, right? There's nothing there, Mads. Tell me there's nothing there!"

Gaia felt sick. The bile backed up and stung her throat.

"It's there, girl, or we're both going fucking insane." Matilda's chestnut curls swung as she shook her head. "Are you sure you're not into some kinky shit you aren't telling me about?" She continued to stare at Gaia with skepticism written in her chocolate brown eyes.

"It can't really be there—" Gaia swayed.

"Whoa!" Mads grabbed her by the shoulders to steady her.

"You don't get it, Mads. If the bite is really there, that means he's real—"