Hellbound With You

This chapter is dedicated to @Josefina_Kearns! Thank you so much for the supergift! <3

The duo had moved to settle themselves onto the couch in the living room as soon as they stepped out of the bedroom. Alicia had somehow survived another challenging situation where she had to live through a naked Ezekiel getting dressed. Now settled onto the couch, they both sat in silence.

A while ago, Alicia had wanted to keep making him talk but he was quick to interrupt her upcoming questions by moving around until they had ended up on this couch. He even immediately shut his eyes and leaned his head back as though going through all that hullabaloo this morning had tired him out to the extreme.

Alicia creased her brows as she watched his resting face. Ezekiel? Tired? No way in hell! He could be the devil himself! He might just be putting on an act like this, only to keep her from asking more questions. She had to remind herself not to forget what a good actor this man actually was!

For a long while, Alicia managed to stay silent. She was only able to hold herself back all because of her embarrassing situation right now. Once the clothes arrived when Lucas gets back, and she is finally properly dressed, she would make him talk again. Just wait. She would annoy him if that was what it takes for her to get to the bottom of things!

This man was really hiding a lot of secrets that she badly wanted to uncover. And then there was the thing that he said he needed from her. What was it? Up till now, he still had not said nor even hinted to anything related to it. She was dying to know what it was and the only way to find out was by making him keep talking. And that would be no mean feat! He had told her quite a few bits of information already. Perhaps, he would let slip some other more important bits or maybe he would give in if she perseveres. What she had gotten was really a miracle in itself! Because in her mind, squeezing information out from Ezekiel would be almost like squeezing drops of water from dried ground. It was almost impossible.

Besides, what else were they going to do but talk? They literally could not do anything else right now but that since she did not even need to eat. Neither did he.

But just as she was planning to brainstorm about the questions she needed to ask, Alicia's emotions suddenly stirred without reason again. She had tried not to think about this because somehow, she felt like it would only get worse if she pays more attention to it.

A tinge of panic quickly turned her heartbeat into a wild gallop. Worried that she would do that again and try to utter the spell, she forced herself to say something. Anything. Anything except the spell.

"Ezekiel." She called out his name, wanting him to open his eyes. He did not reply nor move. What? Could it be that he is really asleep?! "Ezekiel!" her voice came out a little louder this time and thankfully, he made a sound.

"Hm…?" it was a low, questioning hum. He did not even open his eyes.

Alicia could not help but shake her head when she realised that he was really dozing off. What was going on? They had just woken up and Ezekiel's already dozing off? This was just too unbelievable because… because this was Ezekiel!

"You… you're not acting again right now, are you? You're not feigning this just so you can avoid my questions, right?" she probed, narrowing her eyes at his sleeping form.

He drew a soft sigh and answered her without opening his eyes. "I don't even have the energy to do such a silly thing right now, Alicia."

"Wait, you're hungry!" she looked like realization finally dawned to her. She had not seen him drink any blood since they had continuously held on to each other in order for her to maintain her physical form.

"No, I'm not." His voice was soft as he negated her statement.

"Yes, you are. And that's why you look really tired right now. You're out of fuel." Alicia kept on insisting. Or else why would he be so tired?

Rising from the couch, Alicia began to pull on him to get moving so they could go to the kitchen where his supply of blood was stored. But he was like an immovable stone and with her current strength – which was comparable to a kitten – she could not even move him an inch.

"I told you I'm not –"

"Why the hell are you being stubborn now? You –" Alicia flared up at him.

In one swift move, Ezekiel pulled on her and made her to fall back into his lap. "You're the stubborn one here, Alicia." His whisper was firm as he wrapped his arm around her waist as if to tuck her securely against him. It looks as though he was insistent on wanting her not to move around.

Alicia who was still unable to recover from his initial move in pulling her, was shocked again. "W-what are you doing –"

"I need you to be quiet Alicia, or I will seal that mouth of yours with mine." He warned. Though his voice was still as soft as earlier, she knew he was not making a joke! "I'm not hungry… just tired… so just let me rest for a little while and I'll be fine soon." His voice went weaker and damned lazy at the end, as if he was going to doze off again.

She speechlessly shook her head. "Tired…? You just freaking woke up Ezekiel. What could have tired you up to –"

"You! Damn... It's you." he said that with a groan, making her freeze in his hold and widened her eyes at another realization that dawned upon her.

"I'm… the power you're using to keep me from disappearing is… is that what is making you–" Alicia guessed.

"No," he cut her off, finally opening his eyes and met her gaze straight on. "That's not it."

"Then what?"

"Talking. It's talking that has tired me out to this extent."

Alicia: ". . ."

What?! This man could not be serious about that!!!

"You're lying!" Alicia tried to call his bluff.