Chapter 191 - Two Wrongs
The next morning, Adeline was freshly showered and getting ready for the day when she received a phone call from Lydia. She was sitting by the vanity as Elias hovered over her, his long fingers brushing upon the jewelry boxes, selecting something for her to wear.
"Hello?" Adeline spoke into the phone, noticing Elias's eyes immediately trailing to her. He stared at her intensely, one hand on the back of her chair, and the other picking up a dangling earring. He was standing close enough to touch her, but didn't.
"Addy, great news!" Lydia chirped, adjusting the phone to her other ear as she waved William out of her sight. He sighed at her behavior, but left nonetheless, leaving the progress report on her desk.
"What is it?" Adeline asked, smiling a bit at Elias when he slipped the earring onto her. His touch was cold, but her skin was too warm. She instantly shivered, but leaned into his icy c.a.r.e.s.s, wanting it to soothe the heat of her body.
"Claymore Pharmaphetuics is quickly developing a drug, but the problem is that we're not sure if the human trials will be completed before your birth…"
Adeline slowly blinked. "I don't mind taking it before it completely passes human trial, Liddy. Anything will work at this point."
Elias paused.
"But I mind!" Lydia cried out over the phone, glancing over the report from the labs. She softly frowned at the paper. "We don't know the symptoms that might take place and in extreme cases, what if it hurts the child and mother all at once?"
Before Adeline could add on, Lydia continued. "The drug is being developed, but it's nowhere near completion… We don't know if we can make it on time."
Adeline's shoulders slumped in disappointment. She tried her hardest to not frown, for it might worry Elias. She moved the phone to the other side, allowing him to put on the other earring. She always wondered where this new jewelry popped up from. There always seemed to be new ones every day.
"Is there really nothing we can do?" Adeline muttered, but instantly regretted her words, realizing she had said it out loud instead of inside of her head.
"I'm sorry, Addy I—"
"No, no, it's my fault, I should be doing more research instead of relying on people," Adeline softly sighed.
Adeline had never felt so helpless until now. Through the vanity mirror, she saw Elias's expression darkening. The temperature dipped, shadows creeping up the walls, and she heard a faint cry like ghouls on the gateway to hell.
He was furious.
Adeline leaned her face on his hand that rested on the chair. Immediately, he cupped her face, his hard features softening, only a bit.
"No one is at fault here," Lydia scolded. "If anything, that husband of yours is to blame for not turning you into a vampire in advance!"
Adeline wryly smiled. "I don't know if I would've survived…"
Elias gritted his teeth. He suddenly wanted to smash her phone onto the ground. He could hear the entire conversation. He hated the fact that she blamed herself.
"Maybe there's another way," Lydia suddenly said, knowing there was no other choice than this. "H-how about we consider the possibility of uhm—"
"No," Adeline sharply said, already knowing what she was going to say. Everyone seemed to want that from her.
"Addy—"
"Give me the phone," Elias said.
"Elias!" she protested, standing up.
Immediately, Elias grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him. She was growing upset by the conversation. Why not end it on the spot? But then, he looked at her expression and knew she was even more upset by his actions.
"I can't believe I am saying this, but Lydia is right," Elias said.
Adeline looked up at him, astonished that he heard their entire conversation. Then again, he was a Pure-Blood and possessed extraordinary abilities. She stared up at him, silent by his resolve. Wordlessly, she touched his face and he immediately leaned into her touch, his lips pressing upon her fingertips.
"Darling," Elias softly drawled, his brows taut, his jaw tightened.
Adeline saw the pain in his eyes, but he didn't know, did he? "Why do you think I want to keep the children so badly?" she suddenly asked him.
"So you can be selfish," Elias mumbled.
Adeline weakly laughed at his words. "No, Elias. It is because I want us to have a proper family. I want you to have someone who will always be on your side, someone who will wipe your tears away when I am not there, someone who will love you without qualms. A family that I had, but lost too early, and a family that you never had, but wanted so desperately."
Elias was stunned speechless by her words. When she said it like this, how could he ever deny her? Even when she was going to die, she cared for him. His fingers dug into his palm until he drew blood.
"I want you to be happy for the rest of eternity," Adeline said, leaning her forehead upon his c.h.e.s.t. "And if I can't be with you for eternity, then at least, a part of me will be."
Adeline wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. His hand fell limply by his side, and it ached her c.h.e.s.t to face the truth. She was going to die. And there was nothing they could do. By now, she had come to terms with this fact. When he didn't respond, she took his hands and settled them back onto her waist, in the spot he always liked to grab to pull her towards him.
Elias glanced down at her, unable to say anything. He didn't know what to say. Was it the fact that he was the only one unable to accept her decision to die? He could not live in this world without her.
"You've lived centuries without me," Adeline murmured. "You can live another few more without me."
"You've already prepared to die," he coldly said,
Adeline simply looked up at him and shook her head. "I am prepared to sacrifice my happiness to give you a little bit of pain, but centuries worth of joy."
"I do not need centuries' worth of joy if you're not in it!" he exasperated, grabbing her shoulders, lowering his head in defeat.
"I—" he paused, a lump in his throat. It was a feeling he had never felt before. His c.h.e.s.t felt heavy, and he couldn't think straight.
"It will be alright, Eli," Adeline softly said, the nickname rolling off her tongue. She vaguely remembered calling him by this affectionate name in her youth. She leaned up and wrapped her hands behind his neck, as she kissed him upon the forehead.
"It's going to be alright," she affirmed.
Elias knew it was never going to be alright, but they've made their decision and it was time to face the haunting music. He was in the wrong for not turning her, but she was in the wrong for wishing to be turned when her humanity was so beautiful, and she could so easily lose her life to become something she wasn't meant to be.
Two wrongs did not make a right.
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