I slammed the bathroom door shut behind me, leaning against it for a moment to collect myself. The rush of emotions that surged through me was almost overwhelming. I could still hear Aeliana's voice, that sharp tone, echoing in my head.
Her presence was maddening, and being confined in a room with her was a special kind of torture. My heart was pounding, and I felt a strange heat coursing through my body.
"Fuck," I muttered under my breath, pushing myself away from the door. I glanced at the mirror and saw my reflection staring back at me, my eyes glowing with a faint red hue, and my fangs, normally hidden, were out. It was the first time they had shown themselves for a woman. Double fuck.
The thought of Aeliana, her piercing eyes, her infuriatingly perfect posture, everything about her was driving me insane. The perfect match system had to be a joke, right? I didn't want love. I didn't need love. I had done everything in my power to avoid it, to keep my distance, to stay in control. Yet, here I was, feeling things I didn't want to feel.
I turned on the shower, letting the water run ice cold. I needed to cool down, to clear my head. As the cold water hit my skin, it did little to temper the heat inside me. I leaned against the tiled wall, the icy spray stinging my skin but failing to extinguish the fire within.
"Get a grip, Ciara," I whispered to myself, my voice echoing in the small bathroom. "This is just a temporary situation. You can handle it."
But could I? Every moment with Aeliana was a battle. Her scent, her voice, the way she looked at me with those eyes that seemed to see right through my defenses—it was maddening. I didn't want to be here, feeling this way, but the more I tried to push it away, the stronger it became.
I stood under the cold water for a long time, letting it numb my skin. When I finally stepped out, I wrapped a towel around myself, pausing to look in the mirror again. My eyes were back to their normal color, and my fangs had retracted. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart.
When I opened the bathroom door, Aeliana was standing by the window, her silhouette outlined by the fading light outside. For a moment, I just watched her, trying to ignore the way my heart skipped a beat.
"I'm done," I said, my voice sounding harsher than I intended. "You can take your shower now."
She glanced at me, her expression unreadable, before grabbing a towel and heading into the bathroom. As the door closed behind her, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
I quickly dressed, pulling on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, trying to ignore the sound of the water running just a few feet away. The thought of Aeliana, naked and vulnerable, so close, was enough to drive me mad.
I sat on the bed, my mind racing. The sound of the water, the knowledge of her being in there, naked, it was all too much. I tried to focus on something else, anything else, but my mind kept drifting back to her. I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths, trying to push the thoughts away, but they kept coming back, stronger and more insistent.
When the bathroom door finally opened, I forced myself to look away, pretending to be interested in a book on the nightstand. But I couldn't help but steal a glance at her as she walked to the wardrobe. Her body was toned and graceful, her skin still glistening with droplets of water. She pulled on a pair of panties and a shirt, her movements almost mesmerizing.
I grabbed a cushion and buried my face in it, trying to hide my frustration. When I finally looked up, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair. I couldn't take it anymore.
"You can sleep on the bed," I said, my voice strained. "I'll sleep on the couch."
She looked at me, surprise flickering in her eyes. Without waiting for a response, I got up and moved to the couch, lying down and pulling a blanket over myself. As I settled in, I tried to focus on the ceiling, on anything other than the woman just a few feet away.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about her, about the way she made me feel, and the maddening realization that maybe, just maybe, the perfect match system was right after all.
I lay on the couch, staring up at the ceiling, trying to will myself to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, images of Aeliana flashed in my mind. Her piercing gaze, the way she moved, the softness of her skin glistening with water. I groaned, rolling onto my side and pulling the blanket tighter around me.
"Get it together, Ciara," I whispered harshly to myself.
Minutes felt like hours, and sleep seemed like an impossible dream. My mind refused to quiet down, replaying every interaction, every look she gave me, over and over. I could hear her shifting on the bed, the rustle of sheets making my heart race.
"Ciara, are you asleep?" Aeliana's voice broke through the silence, soft but insistent.
I clenched my teeth, feeling a surge of irritation. "What do you think?" I snapped, my voice sharper than intended. "Go to sleep, Aeliana. Just... leave me alone."
Silence followed, but I could feel her eyes on me, the weight of her presence making it even harder to relax. I turned over, facing the back of the couch, trying to block her out. The tension in the room was almost suffocating, but gradually, exhaustion began to creep in.
My eyelids grew heavy, and despite my racing thoughts, I started to drift off. The day's events, the arguments, the frustration, all began to blur and fade. Just as I was about to slip into unconsciousness, a final thought crossed my mind.
"Why her?" I murmured, barely audible, before sleep finally claimed me, pulling me into a restless but much-needed slumber.