Take Me Once, I'll Bleed You Twice novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42

RIAGHAIRE

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54

Riaghaire had never experienced a shower before, let alone seen one. He followed the directions Beatrice had given him and was surprised to find he preferred it to bathing

It was like standing outside in a downpour, but warm, as you could control the temperature. Luxurious, Sublime. There were so many words he could use to describe it as he stood in the shower, eyes closed, enjoying every last drop that landed on his body.

Then there was the shampoo and soap. When he used them, the lather that appeared practically blew his mind. And the scents! The shampoo and conditioner smelled of strawberries, while the soap had a more floral tone to it. This was such a surprise that he may have used more than needed and washed himself multiple times to better enjoy the experience but, also, because he was filthy.

After the first thorough scrubbing, the suds that rinsed off his body were coloured by the filth that had accumulated over the decades The second scrubbing was far better, but it was only after the third that he deemed himself clean. His hair was much the same as he used both shampoo and conditioner – after carefully reading the directions on the bottles – multiple times to make sure every last trace of the hell he’d been in was gone.

How did they have so much hot water, he wondered when he finally turned off the shower. He stood in the tub, dripping, as he mulled over this thought. The human’s mother must have a sizeable store of hot water somewhere. How else would he have been able to shower for as long as he did without running out. The world of today was a far cry from what he’d once known.

The towel she’d provided was soft against his skin as he dried off, pausing when he caught sight of himself in the mirror over the sink. How long had it been, since he’d seen his own reflection on something other than the water’s surface or a pane of translucent glass? Had mirrors changed to such a degree that they could now show a vampire’s reflection?

Riaghaire ran his hand over the mirror, wiping away the condensation. His haircut worked for his face, or so he thought. It was a bit long on top and short on the sides. Riaghaire ran his fingers through the wet locks, marvelling at the job Beatrice had done

Then there was his face. Gaunt, sunken eyes and cheeks, with skin flushed from the hot shower He could count his ribs by looking at them, and his shoulders looked far too wide for his body. This was after he’d used some of the deer’s blood to plump himself back up a bit. How bad he must have looked to the human when they’d first met. A living skeleton came to mind. Yes, that was the most probabie conclusion.

Beatrice… He couldn’t shake the thought of her from his mind. Everything she was doing made him wonder what was going through her head. Never before had he been so had a human treated him the same after learning he was a vampire He couldn’t figure out why she had chosen to do what she’d done, other than to secure her own escape; and yet she continued to bring him along, even after they’d gotten away.

If not for him, she could continue to put distance between herself and the mate from whom she can. Instead, she’d brought him to her mother’s, given him a haircut, and allowed him to clean up. He’d even heard her say there were clothes just outside the door for him to

wear.

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18:54 Tue, Jun 16

Chapter 46

“You’re standing in the doorway.”

He blinked, then turned his head as if to verify what he’d just been told. “Ah… my apologies.” The vampire stepped to the side so i no longer blocking the door.

“Is everything alright?” Beatrice inquired as she walked by. He seemed out of sorts for some reason. Had something happened?

Riaghaire appeared surprised by her question. “What do you mean?”

“You seem… off, somehow,” she explained with a shrug as she led the way downstairs. She’d found an oversized shirt and a pair of jogging shorts to wear to bed and decided they would do as clothing for now. Beatrice didn’t feel like raiding her mom’s closet for something else, at least not before she’d had something to eat.

“I am… unaccustomed to… everything,” he hesitantly replied. “To this place… to having… someone nearby. It will take time for me to

adjust.”

Oh. Right. How hadn’t she realized that? Of course he was going to be weird; he’d been locked up for decades and suddenly found himself free. Beatrice couldn’t begin to understand what he must be going through.

“That’s fair,” she nodded, heading towards the kitchen, a frozen meal on her mind. Time to nuke some food and watch some television.

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