Stranded With a Vampire - 19. Chapter 19

"What in God's name are you doing?!" Ludwig screamed when he returned, threw away the coconut bowl filled with water and rushed towards the redhead, who was waving a burning log above his head. Worried about Caden’s safety he ripped the piece of wood from his hand and threw it into the ocean. "Have you gone mad?! Do you want to burn yourself?!" The vampire yelled while examining the naked body of his lover for any injuries the fire might have caused.

"There was a plane! A plane! Do you know what that means?!" The redhead yelled back, his face beaming with excitement.

"So what?! Whatever in God's name a plane is, it's surely not worth that you burn yourself for it!"

"It's definitely worth it! It means we are saved! Fuck they even flew a few circles over the ocean. They must have seen the campfire!" Caden laughed and hugged the vampire tightly. He just couldn't believe it, after weeks, maybe even a month or two of being stranded on this god forsaken island, he finally would be able to go home. Overjoyed, he kissed Ludwig over and over again but quickly noticed that the dark-haired man seemingly didn't share his enthusiasm. "Hey, what's wrong?" The redhead questioned, usable to understand why Ludwig was making such a sorrowful expression even though they were about to be rescued.

"I won't leave."

The words hit Caden like a brick wall. "What?!"

"This is my home, Caden. I can't… I know nothing about the world out there and I have nothing to go back to. Everything I own is on this island." Ludwig explained, his unbeating heart tearing with every word that spilled from his lips. He wished so desperately that he could leave with the human or that he could stay on the island with him, but he just knew that neither was an option for either of them. Caden wasn't made for a life like this, and he himself had become too afraid and detached from the world to fit into it any longer.

"I can buy you new things. Hell we could just live in my parents' summer home in France and do whatever you want. It is really nice there and-" Caden tried to argue but promptly got interrupted by the dark-haired man.

"No, I just can't. I belong here."

"But…" Caden wanted to argue, to convince the stubborn vampire that everything would be fine as long as he came with him, but the look on the other man's face made him realize that no matter what he might say, it wouldn't change his mind. Defeated, he walked back to his makeshift bed, where they had made love, only moments ago. It took a few minutes, but then the vampire finally joined him and put his arm around his shoulders.

"I will come back." The redhead suddenly stated after minutes of uncomfortable silence between them. "I come back and build us a real home on this goddamn island. Maybe even bring some business here?" He added with unusual determination in his voice, making it clear to Ludwig that his lover really meant what he was saying.

Slightly intrigued and with his heart lifted by Caden’s proposition, the vampire asked what he was planning to do to his little tropical kingdom. "I don't know… maybe a resort? Like a really high end resort, with fancy bungalows all over the island and a five-star restaurant? Oh maybe even a -" The redhead rambled on and on about how he imagined it to be and even already mapping out where everything would go, while Ludwig just smiled at him and just occasionally asked questions to better understand his lover's ideas.

Both of them were so focused on planning their future that neither noticed how the moon slowly sank behind the horizon and the sun's first rays painted the sky in a mixture of red and pink. Only when Ludwig suddenly groaned in pain from the burning light on his skin, they realized how little time they had to say their goodbyes. "I will come back." Caden once again reassured his partner and kissed him with tears running down his cheeks.

"I know you will." Ludwig replied and gave him one last tight hug, before getting up. With his heart as heavy as lad he made his way back to his cave, unsure if he would really ever see his red-haired human ever again.