NIGHTS OF HALLOW

As soon as Perdita’s lips touched Sthena’s cheeks, her heart accelerated in beat, and she immediately removed her lips and stood back to her normal height.

Her eyes darted around feeling mortified and avoiding to meet Sthena’s gaze. She couldn’t believe what she had just done. Without a word, she turned and fled, her face burning with embarrassment.

She dashed through the hallway, her heart racing as she sought the refuge of her room. She leaned against the door, trying to catch her breath and willing herself to disappear.

How could she have done that?! It was impulsive, reckless, and totally out of character. She hadn’t meant to kiss him; it had just happened. And now, she wanted nothing more than to hide under a rock and die.

Perdita buried her face in her hands, her mind replaying the kiss in slow motion. She groaned, mortified. Why, oh why, had she let her impulses get the better of her?!

It was all because of him! His words of seeking who to tend his broken heart had unconsciously irked her, and it had caused her to grab and kiss him on his cheeks. Oh, goodness. That was so unladylike.

Sthena’s voice inside the room made her jump. ”What are you doing standing at the door, with your face buried in your hands?” He asked, casually as if he had arrived in the room before she did.

She shook her head, her face marred in shock at finding the man she was running from in her room. No way. She wasn’t facing him anytime soon. Not until she could erase the last five minutes of her life.

”W—what are you doing here?” She stuttered a question from her mouth. The room was now dark as darkness had already covered the land. But with her ability, she could decipher the silhouette of the vampire king seated on the couch with his legs leisurely crossed over the other.

Sthena shook his head, clicking his tongue in disapproval, he remarked, ”You haven’t answered my question, darling.”

”Question?” Perdita turned confused. Did he ask her any question? Oh no, did she suddenly have a short memory?! Where was her brain? It must have probably left her a long time ago.

”Yes,” Sthena replied, his red eyes dark like a burning coal. ”What are you doing standing so far away?” He patted the space next to him, ”Come sit with me, darling.”

”Why?” Perdita blurted without moving from her position or having any plans of moving her feet. She didn’t dare to do so. Seeing him alone in her room was already killing her. She wanted to die out of mortification.

”Because I want to devour you,” Sthena replied, sarcasm and a hint of seriousness in his words. A teasing smile played on his lips as he went on to question her, ”Was that the answer you were expecting?”

”Though it is not far from the truth,” He continued, his eyes on the unmoving Perdita.

Perdita though her wild beating heart had calmed down a little, she still refused the offer of seating next to Sthena. That was more like offering herself willing to the lion’s den.

”No, I don’t want to be devoured,” She refused and slowly made her to the bed, wanting to use it as an excuse to escape Sthena.

”Nice choice,” She heard him comment, his face lit with his sinful charming smile. ”Here I was asking you to come to the couch when you had the perfect place in mind. You never cease to astonish me, sweetheart.”

”W—what? No!” Perdita shrieked with a horrified expression. That was not what her actions meant. How could he even think in that direction?! And what’s with all the endearment? From darling to my sweet girl and now sweetheart??

”Say no more, darling,” Sthena waved his hand dismissively. A crooked smile now playing on his lips. ”I understand. Females are told not to be so straightforward. But I don’t mind, darling. To be honest with you, it makes my being boil in anticipation and...” He paused with a thoughtful look as if trying to get the right word.

Perdita watched him just like how he stared at her with that predatory gaze that looked as though he wanted to swallow her whole. A shiver ran down her spine, causing her to involuntarily move forward to the same bed she had stopped herself from approaching.

She saw Sthena uncross his leg and push himself to stand from the couch, his open shirt now more prominent than before because of the way he was sitting on the couch.

Sthena went on to finish what was saying as he slowly approached Perdita, ”— it makes my being boil with anticipation and an unforeseen pleasure.”

P—pleasure?? Perdita’s eyes widened in bewilderment. This vampire has surely lost some screws in his head. Was all this part of teasing her or was it because of her kiss? If she had known, she wouldn’t have done it!

Sthena’s head moved to the side while he approached Perdita in slow steps, his dark glacial red eyes squinting in question. He quizzed, ”What got you looking like a scared rabbit, darling?”

It is because of you! Perdita answered in her head as the ability to utter any word had fled her head as her brain had also departed from her.

Now standing in front of Perdita, Sthena continued to question, ”What is on your mind, sweetheart? Care to share with this breathtaking man as myself?”

Perdita shook her head with a narrowed look, ”Narcissism kills, Your Majesty.” Her voice seemed to have returned as well as her departed brain as she retorted to the last words of the King.

Sthena grinned, his fangs coming into view, and he ran his tongue over them. He said, ”I know you have always had me in good thoughts, you don’t want me dead, but this is a fact. And facts don’t kill, rather they save us.”

”From what?”

”The world, or like the humans who go to church, from hell.” Sthena’s reply brought a question to Perdita’s mind.

She asked, ”Do you believe in heaven and hell?”

”Of course, darling. But as a creature of the night who dwells on blood, you already know where we belong.”

”In hell?” Perdita skeptically asked and saw him nod his head to a yes. The thought alone was unsettling.

She heard him say, ”Don’t feel bad, darling. At least we would have each other’s back in there.”

”So where were we?” Sthena asked, the smile returning to his lips that got Perdita wondering if his mouth didn’t pain him from all the stretching.

Her green eyes narrowed at him, and she snapped, ”I don’t understand your question, Sthena. You haven’t told me why you teleported to my room. I thanked you with an action like you wanted. What else do you want me to do?”

”Why did you run away?” The playful look and smile on Sthena’s face faltered, replaced by a serious look on his face.

”I—I” Perdita stammered to get the words out from her mouth, the earlier embarrassment returning to overwhelm her. She continued, ”I mustn’t tell you why.”

”I want to know,” Sthena asserted in a serious tone. ”What I don’t want is you feeling uncomfortable around me, Perdita. So, what is it going to be? You tell me or...you just want me to stay with you? You can also make the request and I’ll do my best to grant it.”

Stay with me? Hell no! Perdita internally shrieked. In haste to get him out of her room, she blurted, ”I was embarrassed.”

”Embarrassed of what?” Sthena probed, his eyes never leaving her green orbs that dilated in embarrassment.

”Why do you have so many questions?” Perdita questioned back. Her feet moved backward in haste to escape from Sthena’s presence unknown to her that she was at the foot of the bed, causing her to hit her leg on the bedpost.

The sudden collision in turn made Perdita lose her balance. In panic not to fall back, she caught Sthena’s shirt.

Sthena on the other hand, stood with a wicked glint swirling in his eyes as he refused to lend a helping hand to the falling Perdita.

Perdita’s heart drummed in her chest at the fall and her eyes narrowed at Sthena for not trying to help her. The position alone was awkward and she didn’t know what to do. She was bent halfway to the bed, and she didn’t know if she should let go of his shirt or not.

”Why are you not helping me?” Perdita questioned, worry etched on her face.

”I will when you stop being stubborn and answer my question or you can choose to do so by lying on the bed. Your subtle suggestion earlier shouldn’t go to waste.” Sthena uttered while staring at Perdita whose grip had rumpled his shirt.

Perdita choosing to do it her way let go of Sthena’s shirt and fell onto the bed, the position at which she lay provocative in the eyes.

She scrambled to stand up immediately but to her surprise, she saw Sthena above her on the bed.

”What are you doing?!” Wide-eyed, Perdita cried in horror and embarrassment.

”What am I doing?” Sthena questioned back in an offended tone. ”You pulled me unto yourself and yet you ask me such a question. You paint me bad, Perdita, when you are the naughty one here.”

”It was a mistake! I held your shirt to stop me from falling.” Why was he twisting what happened?

”Shssh,” Sthena whispered beside her ear, ”Someone might think otherwise with the way you scream. If you didn’t want us in this state, you could have left my shirt and fallen on the bed alone, but no, you wanted me with you on the bed. I don’t mind though.” Sthena added with a grin.

A knock on the door stopped Perdita from speaking more. Her eyes darted to the door in horror and she tried pushing Sthena off her in a whisper, ”Get off me, someone is at the door.” To her words, Sthena ignored her as his hand trailed from along her jaw stopping on her lips, shutting her mouth from speaking more.

”So, darling,” He began, ”Willing to tell me why you ran or you enjoy having me on top of you? Did you regret it?”

”No,” Perdita mumbled, wanting to answer his questions so he would get off her. The knock sounded once more, her heartbeat quickening once more.

”You made me think otherwise,” Sthena’s voice, a soft whisper sounded gentle as he still hovered on top of her.

Once more the knock sounded again, irritating Sthena. From the outside, they heard the person speak,

”It is Emily, My Lady. Please, I have something to tell you, My Lady.”

”It’s, Emily,” Perdita whispered, her chest rising and falling due to her labored breathing.

Sthena stared at Perdita for a long while, keeping her gaze on him. The teasing smile returned and he whispered in her ear, ”Who knew you would drag me to your bed this early? Don’t worry, next time, I’ll definitely fulfill your desires.”

Perdita’s eyes widened again. What desires?!

And he was gone. Oh, dear heavens! This Vampire would be the death of her one day. Perdita thought as she tried gathering her shattered self Sthena had rendered red like a tomato before standing to open the door for Emily.