He entered the room like a raging storm.

Almost ripping off his coat, he dumped it on the marble floor. The branded coat laid in heap weeping on his disrespect.

Temples throbbing, heart racing , liquid fire running up and down his body. .he tried so hard.

So hard not to lose his shit.

So hard not to wreck the already fragile relationship between him and his sister.

Standing in the middle of his room, he didn't want to feel this. .

Feel so helpless .

Binded by invisible ropes.

The fire breathing dragon in him roared inside, egging him on. Whispering to him to let it go. Let it out. Let the whole world burn like him.

Let his sister pay.

Get out of this golden cage.

The cage he was born into. .why was it so difficult to break it? Why was it so difficult to fly away from . .the place you belong from? All his life he had one wish.

One want.

To get away from here.

To never look back.

Get away from the sister he was estranged with. It was a constant struggle to remind himself she's his blood. His only family.

All he wanted was. .

Get away from the place where his future was decided upon. Everything was mapped out for him. It was a glorious map of his future but he couldn't find himself in the map. .

Pushing his hand in his hair, he took deep breaths.

In and out.

Pinched the bridge of his nose , trying to calm down his ferocious breathing.

He had to get out of here before he set the whole estate on fire . Again.

Yes he had to !

But where? Where will he go to? The club with humans lapping at his feet? Women who wanted nothing but to get a piece of his beauty?

Shit! Where was he suppose to—

And then out of nowhere—she flashed right in front of his eyes.

Immediately his heated mind diverted to her in an instant and then he realized . .what a strange night yesterday had been.

Sipping on hot chocolate as if everything was fine. Portraying himself into a normal person . For once in his life a person didn't know who he was . Where he belonged from. A person who  listened to him , hanging on his every word.

Being just. .there.

Maybe sometimes you don't need lectures and mere words . .all you need is a person who is just . .there.

But he had to accept.

She was one hell of an interesting human.

Since one week , that human had been troubling his sleep, his food, his mind, his sexual appetite.

Damien couldn't even remember the last time he had sex.

Couldn't remember the last time he admired a woman. But all of them had voluptuous breasts and hips to choke him . .

But

None of them . .looked like her.

She looked so ordinary. .with the brown hair and brown eyes . .so ordinary. .so not his taste.

He always went for wild roses.

Not a delicate tulip.

Who had no idea of her beauty. How her innocence attracts predators. Luring them in.

The blood of innocent can make a predator orgasm even from far away.

Just the thought of her and the walls of his room were coming in close , pushing in. . suffocating him and then without thinking he stormed out of his room.

Knowing well where he was heading to.

××××××××××××××××

Dozing.

She was dozing.

The crappy TV couldn't even catch signals hence it was static. Going in and out.

Lounging on the couch, a bowl of cornflakes in her lap. .her lids getting heavy. The comfy over large t shirt and the pajama bottoms had her covered up like a ninja.

The lights were off only the light of the TV illuminating the room now and then but she hardly noticed anything.

All she wanted was to fall asleep right here right now. .

But she resisted the urge because the last time she slept on a couch had given her a horrible cramp.

Taking in a deep breath, she stifled her yawn behind her hand and then massaged the back of her neck. God it had gotten so stiff.

Drowsy , she got off the couch and padded towards the TV,  placing the bowl of cornflakes on top of the TV—thats when the doorbell made her jump.

Her sleep deprived eyes waking up in instant.

Immediately her heart thudded violently against her chest. Her eyes going towards the old wall clock.

It was 2 :30 AM.

About to be the middle of the night.

The door bell rang again startling her .

As far as she knew, she had no friends . .even her so called friend Carrie never bothered visiting her.

Then. .

Who the hell was that?

Slowly. . .she moved towards the door. Her heart in her mouth , her lips going dry. Her heart beat skyrocketing.

The anxiety creeping in on her.

Moving towards the door stealthy, on her tip toes. .she placed her hand on the door lightly as if it would reveal the person standing on the other side.

Licking her lips , she tried to speak.

"Who—who is it?"

She wanted to sound strong but her voice was squeaky, giving away her fear.

There was silence.

Her mind went wild with vile thoughts.

Burglar?

Rapist?

Murdere—

"It's me. Your eternal savior."

And she almost collapsed with relief right against the door knowing well who it was.

She could identify that light humorous voice anywhere.

Immediately she unbolted the door , without thinking about the whys and whats.

In fact she almost ripped the door open.

And . . .there he was.

Right on the threshold. The moonlight filtering behind him.

He seemed as enthralling as ever.

The jet black hair messed up, the blue sea fixed in his eyes. . the full lips frowning. .wearing nothing but a black t shirt and some pants.

Ordinary dressed and yet he looked so extraordinary.

Messing up her head.

Clouding her senses.

"Sarah?" He broke the silence.

And she blurted out.

"Damien?" Her nervous voice echoed around sounding shrill in the dark night.

He heaved a sigh, pushing his hands deep into pants pocket.

"Sorry for dropping by—actually . .you know what ? I'm not sorry. I wanted to be here so. .," He shrugged his shoulders , " can i spend the night ?"

Once again she didn't hesitate or think about anything. Her decision was hasty. Sudden. As if no amount of people could stop her from letting him in.

And she found herself stepping to a side. Nodding vigorously.

Not asking the whys and whats.

Just . . letting him in.

With a light smile that seemed grateful , he moved in with grace that only he could posses.

As he stepped in, his bicep brushed ever so slightly against her shoulder and she hold her breath . . letting in his cologne and his scent take down her heart.

Sarah had only one thought floating in her head.

Don't make a fool of yourself.

Swallowing , she shut the door. .with slight trembling hands she bolted it right up.

Knowing well he was standing behind her.

Watching her.

The pressure of his eyes made the hair on her nape stand up.

She was forcing herself to turn when—

"What is that?" He asked curiously.

And that's when she spun around. Looking at him.

But he wasn't looking at her.

He was looking at the door.

At the necklace of dried garlic and lemons.

"That's for the vampires. "

He nodded lightly.

"And what is that suppose to do to vampires?"

Why did she feel like he was having an inside joke she wasn't aware of?

"It's suppose to .  .to put them off ." She said sounding lame to herself because really she wasn't sure of that.

"Put them off?" He repeated. " I have never heard of this. .technicality but allow me to say Vampires quite like garlic in their meals."

Sarah's eyes widened.

"Really? !"

"Yes , really. It's just a baseless rumor spread by humans ," he waved his hand in dismissal. " Garlic , lemons—"

"Then what puts them off?" She asked suddenly.

It was dark. .only the light of the TV illuminating the room. .and still she could feel his eyes calculating her . Trying to see in her soul and that alone was the strangest thought of all.

Because why would he want to . .know her soul?

"Why do you want to know, innocent Sarah?" He asked smoothly.

"I. ... I'm just curious."

"Don't you know curiosity kills the cat?" His voice was lit with humor.

A dark humor.

She didn't like.

It was unsettling. .

As if finding her speechless , he laughed . A throaty laugh that for some strange reason send chills of excitement up and down her spine.

"Stake. It's the stake to the heart that kills them . Stake isn't what humans perceive it to be. A heartbreak, Sarah. It kills them."

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