Chapter 19: A Promise

Mia's POV A shiver ran through my body. I pulled the towel tighter. "We should get you into bed," Sol suggested. Before I could protest, he was gone and back in less than a flash of light with a bundle of clothes in his hand and gave them to me. "Put these on." I nodded as I quickly got dressed. He turned his back to me. Once I was dressed and my hair somewhat dry, Sol helped me to the bed as my feet wobbled beneath me. The warm blankets felt like heaven against my cold skin. Sol rested on top of the covers as he pulled them tightly over me. He began pushing my hair from my face and tying it at the back of my head in a low ponytail. I was too exhausted to fight him, so I only hummed as he took care of me. "Do you want some tea?" I heard him asking. "It might make you feel better." I shook my head. I couldn't even stomach the thought of eating or drinking anything right now. I just held onto his hand and pressed the coldness against my cheek. Moments stretched on like that as he patted my hair, and I held his hand to my face. We sat in a comfortable silence until he spoke up. "Can I ask you something?" he finally asked. His voice was barely a whisper, but I could hear it clearly. I hummed, not having the energy to speak clearly. "Why did your father do that?" My eyes opened as my energy quickly came back to me. "Why did he force you to drink blood if you didn't want to?" I sighed deeply. I didn't want to talk about it, but after everything that happened, I thought I owed him this at least. "I wouldn't drink it otherwise. And he wouldn't have any of that so… Forcing me was the only way he could get me to drink," I confessed. Like before in the bathtub, I felt that familiar raze of anger blowing from his presence. I thought it was a sort of comforting thing. His anger seemed to boil whenever I told him something like that, and so I wasn't afraid. "Tell me something," I asked him softly. I could feel the drowsiness setting in but forced myself to stay awake a little longer to speak with him. "What do you want me to tell you?" Sol smiled at me, no doubt seeing the fight on my face as I tried to fend off sleep. Eventually, I closed my eyes but didn't drift off just yet. "Anything, tell me anything you want to tell." Sol went silent for a moment. I could practically hear his thoughts as he tried to think of a suitable topic. I didn't suppose someone who had lived as long as him had many happy memories, least of all with the life he has lived. I made it easier for him by suggesting a topic of conversation. "Then, tell me about Serin." "Serin?" When I peeked my eye open at his questioning tone, I saw he had an eyebrow raised at me. I nodded. "Why do you want to know about Serin?" "He's intriguing to me," I confessed and heard him blow out air from above me. I felt a small smile form on my lips as I squeezed his arm. "Why sigh?" "I don't think he's intriguing at all. In fact, he's awfully boring. Let me tell you about me–" A laugh broke through me. I nuzzled my nose into his side. "Is this… jealousy? No." I fake gasped. "But it can't be, can it? Although that's understandable, he is a fine thing to look at…" I felt Sol move for a moment before he responded. My cheeks were squished together, and my eyes flew open. When I came in contact with his piercing gaze, I realized I may have taken my teasing too far. There was no doubt he had an unrivaled look of jealousy in his eyes. It seemed like my teasing went right over the old vampire's head. "Don't look at him anymore," Sol told me as his hand slipped from cupping my cheeks to holding my jaw. "When he enters the room, cover your eyes, or better yet, look at me. Actually… Yeah, in fact, he's not allowed to come here anymore." My jaw fell open at his comment. I pulled him back just as he was about to leave. "I was kidding! Calm down, you strange creature. It was only a joke." He huffed and sat back down next to me. "It wasn't funny." "It was kind of funny," I rebutted. "Not at all." "So?" I asked him after my giggles had died down. "Are you going to tell me about him?" "I'm leaving." "Sol!" I laughed and pulled him back. "I'm seriously curious about both of you. Is he as old as you are?" Huffing, Sol nodded his head. "I'm only about six years older than him, I think. We grew up together." A gasp left my throat as I sat up and stared at him with wide eyes. "But you're 365 or 366 years old!" "What's your point?" he asked, confused at my outburst. I gaped at him, not knowing how he couldn't see the wonder in the situation. "You've been friends for over three hundred years?" I asked, trying to clarify the situation. I watched as Sol nodded his head and pulled me back toward him. "I suppose so… It doesn't feel like it at all though." "Three hundred years," I breathed out. "I can't imagine living for three hundred years. God, the things you two must have seen together…" "You could live that long too, you know," Sol told me. "It isn't unheard of for half-bloods to live long lives." I nodded my head in agreement. "I suppose so, but… What about Sarah? He would have to live the rest of his life without her after she dies." My mood turned down quickly when I thought about the death of the human woman who had quickly become a close friend to me. I couldn't imagine how it would hurt Serin when she was dying. "Has he ever…" I cleared my throat. "Has he thought about, you know, changing her…" Sol shook his head. "I don't know. I can't guarantee he would do that. I know they both love each other very much, but to ask someone to spend an eternity with you is…" He shook his head again. I could understand. It was a lot to ask. "Sarah has human family still, nephews, nieces, people who both will leave before and after her. I don't know if that's what she would want to witness." "Their death, you mean?" Sol nodded after my question. I looked up and saw that he was looking somewhere else. There was a faraway look in his eyes as he spoke. "It's hard for humans. Harder than it is for us, I suppose, because they may be fragile when facing death." I hummed as he spoke, feeling the familiar pull of sleep try and take over me. Darkness was beginning to settle over my consciousness, and I didn't try to fight it this time. "Mia?" Sol called out to me. I hummed again, "Can you hear me?" I nodded my head to answer him. "If he comes for you," Sol began, "if he tries to take you away or do anything to hurt you… I'll protect you." I felt the smile on my lips. I knew who he was talking about. Without asking him for details, I nodded at his promise. "I'll protect you too." ###