"That was good, there wasn't anyone demanding anything too big," Madison said as Duke held the door open for her.
"Yes, there are a few things to consider but nothing major. It certainly makes a change," He chuckled and held the door open for Vinny too.
They had been away from the mansion for one hour and forty minutes.
"Right, let's get you back to Oliver," Madison linked arms with her son. He was his usual moody self but now he could feel the pulling sensation in his chest of not being with his soulmate. It was horrible and made him feel really lonely.
He has come to realise just how much he likes having company, now that he spends most of his hours with Oliver.
"Can we just get back quickly please?" He mumbled.
"Don't worry, you'll get back in time," Duke reassured him, seeing the discomfort on his face.
He and Madison have only felt the pulling sensation in their bond, once. And that was after seven days without each other. Their bond is medium, therefore, it allows them to be separated for that many days. They were only apart for two minutes over their mark but after they felt it they vowed never to feel it again, it felt that terrible.
When they got in the car, Vinny checked his watch.
fifteen minutes left.
* * * * *
Oliver was sitting in the living room and John sat opposite him. He was trying to read a book but Oliver's fidgeting was too distracting.
"Are you okay over there?" John asked as he closed it and put it on the table.
Oliver was too deep in thought to hear him. He was thinking about the vampire. When it get's close to their limit, their minds are full of each other because their bodies are craving for them to be close again.
"Oliver," John said and this time he heard it. He looked up but his expression was distant.
"Sorry," He sighed and shifted in his seat. "It's this bond thing."
John nodded, showing he understood.
"How long have you been apart?"
"Almost two hours." Oliver rubbed his chest. He felt the same thing when he was trapped in the garden. But there wasn't any cold to distract him from the loneliness this time.
"So, how does it feel?" John asked. He was interested but a little concerned because his son did look quite uncomfortable.
"It feels like a rope is attached to our chests and it's being stretched really hard," He said. "But in my head, I feel quite lost and lonely. I just miss him so much." Oliver was becoming impatient. There were only eight minutes left. He didn't know if this feeling got any worse if they didn't make it back to each other on time.
"Wow, so you can feel it physically and mentally too?"
Oliver nodded and tapped his feet.
"You know what, I'm going to stand by the front door," He said before quickly getting up.
"Okay, I'm sure he'll be here soon," John tried to reassure him as his son hurried out of the room. He couldn't imagine what it must feel like. But he also couldn't imagine loving someone more than life itself, which is how Oliver and Vinny feel every time they look into one another's eyes.
* * * * *
Vinny glared out of the window and rubbed his chest. They seemed to stop at every traffic light and he was becoming very impatient.
His parents were watching with concern. There was a lot of traffic and it was making them nervous that they would not get back in time.
"This is taking forever," Vinny grumbled and looked at his watch. Three minutes left. They should have been back already.
Duke turned to the driver.
"Why is there so much traffic?"
"There has been a crash on blossom street, a diversion has been set up, Sir."
The blood almost drained from Duke's face, they won't get back in time.
"Can we take a different route?"
"The only route we can take is the diversion I'm afraid." The driver could see Vinny in his mirror and he looked very distressed. He felt sorry for him but there was nothing he could do. The Master could not get out and walk as there was nobody allowed past the crash.
They were also worried that the paparazzi would bombard him and that's not what he needs when all he wants is his soulmate.
"I need to hear his voice," Vinny mumbled and pulled out his phone. He scrolled down until he found his name. He almost laughed when he saw how Oliver had typed it in.
Next to his name was two smiley faces, a random shark emoji and four love hearts. He shook his head at how weird that as before calling him.
* * * * *
Oliver felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He quickly pulled it out and his heart performed somersaults when he saw it was Vinny. But just as he was about to answer, his phone died.
"No, no, no! Come on you stupid phone!" He cried and tried to switch it back on. He would give anything to hear his deep voice right now.
His charger was in the bedroom and he was not prepared to get lost. He looked at the grand clock, hanging proudly above the huge front door.
1 minute.
* * * * *
Vinny put a hand on his forehead when it didn't even ring the second time.
"Dammit Oliver, answer your phone." He dropping it on the seat next to him. They had moved very little in nineteen minutes as he looked at his watch again.
1 Minute.
"That's it, I'm walking," He tried to open the door, but it was locked. "Open the door, right now!" He yelled and glared at the driver.
"Vinny, calm down, the diversion is too long-"
"Do not tell me, to calm down," He interrupted through gritted teeth and rubbed his chest again.
"The diversion is too long for you to walk and we don't want you to try and walk when you're over the bonds limit," Duke said, knowing that in any second, he was going to really feel it.
Vinny started to breathe deeply and looked around with desperate eyes. But when he realised there was no quick way of getting back to Oliver, he leant back in his chair.
"I can't cope," He looked at his parents while Madison rubbed his knee.
"The best thing you can do now is to just think about him." It was torture seeing her son filled with so much heartache.
Vinny closed his eyes and clenched his fingers into fists. But suddenly, it hit them both at the same time. They had reached their limit. Vinny quickly leant forwards and grabbed his chest.
"Oh God, no," He winced.
* * * * *
Oliver almost collapsed as an awful pain of sorrow took over his chest. Charles had been watching him pace up and down but now it was clear that he needed attention. He guided Oliver to a chair that was placed next to the door and made him sit down.
Oliver gripped onto his chest.
"Where is he? I really need him," He whispered and closed his eyes. Passing staff looked at him with worried expressions.
"They'll most likely be stuck in traffic, just hang in there Oliver." Charles put a hand on his shoulder for comfort. Oliver could barely stand it. It felt like everything he had ever loved disappeared right in front of his eyes.
* * * * *
"Please, I need him," Vinny said as he tried opening the door again. The driver hated seeing him like this but what other option did he have? "Let me out," He growled. The heartache was too much to handle.
"You'll get back to him soon my love," Madison soothed.
The driver looked around and he knew there was only one way to get back to the mansion, and quickly. It was risky but he couldn't just wait in traffic when the Master was feeling this way.
"Screw this," He muttered before pulling out of the lane and driving quickly down the opposite side. Everyone suddenly looked up as cars beeped their horns and rolled onto the path, trying to avoid their car.
"Woah Jed, What the hell are you doing!?" Duke shouted when they almost got hit. He pulled around a corner as the car slipped on ice. It was a good thing he is an exceptional driver.
"I'm getting the Master back to his soulmate."