She froze.

The tips of her fingers going ice cold.

It's time to. . .what?

It was her brain-freeze moment. Her mind stormed all kind of questions. He did ask her to spend the night then of course he would sleep here too!

Not just have a cup of coffee!

Instantly she tried to remember if her bedroom was decent and their weren't any suspicious stuff lying around. She did have a bad habit of throwing around her undergarments on the bed.

A horrific image colored in her head.

Her bra dangling on the edge of the bed—

"I'll be taking this couch." He said suddenly.

His voice brought her smack dab to earth and her response was instant.

Abrupt.

"You can take the bed! Half the nights I sleep on the couch anyway. " She tried to smile but really it seemed like a grimace.

He could see she was struggling with herself. Biting her lower lip. Color slightly fading.

It was his first time seeing such an unsure human. Usually humans were very self assured and pompous know-it-all.

Smiling— Damien leaned in.

Close.

Close enough to widened her eyes.

"I'll take the bed only if I get to share it with you."

His blue eyes bored in her eyes, his breath fanning across her face and all she could think was. . .up close he was drop dead gorgeous! And she felt intimidated by his beauty to the point she wasn't really looking at him. More like she was looking past him.

A person so beautiful that you can't look at him properly.

His stunning face was too much to bear.

She jerked when he blew a breath across her face.

"I'm waiting."

That's when Sarah thought . Hard.

This man was the reason she was sitting here unscathed, the reason she got saved .

If he hadn't arrived on the right moment—she didn't dare think past that.

This man made her feel. . safe.

What was the harm in sharing a bed?

But. .she had never done a thing like that.

Once again she wished she was bold enough to say yes but. . .

"I. .i don't know." Was her lame reply.

He just kept looking at her and then he smirked .

"I should have been more persuasive but then it would go against my manhood decrees. I'll take the couch. You take the bed." He said softly watching color return to her delicate face. " Believe me I'm not a gentleman but somehow you make me into one."

Her lashes fluttered as she blinked.

She tried to hide her vivid relief.

This time she didn't dare argue.

××××××××××××××××××

Why was she so. .restless?

Laying on her bed , she was staring at the ceiling. Sarah didn't bother turning the lights off. What was the point? Sleep seemed like a far away dream tonight anyway.

Because. .

He was here.

Outside.

On the couch.

How could she sleep when he was here?

Only a door separating them.

And she longed . .longed to be brash enough to say hey! can we talk all night till sunrise? Can we see the first day of sunlight together?

Can I keep talking to you until there is nothing left to talk about?

The yearning in her heart was confusing her. Making her question her sanity. How can a man she barely met two times slowly become the epicenter of her thoughts? It was as if. .as if he had always been there in her life.

May be she should have said yes to sharing the bed—

Sarah groaned out.

For Christ's sake, She wanted to share her bed with a man she barely knew . Who the heck did that?

She.

She let him in.

Poured her darkest secret to him.

Shared coffee.

And now her . .couch.

Continuing her dark musings, she didn't hear the rap on the door.

For a second she thought she must have imagined it and—

Rap rap!

She sat up so fast , her neck cranked up.

Stifling her cry, she massaged the back of her neck and then quick as lightning she made a bun of her hair and stepped down. Hastily sliding her feet into her flip flops.

With a thudding heart she said "Coming!"

As her hand went to unbolt the door, she paused for a second.

What was happening?

Did he need something?

Something or her—

She shook her head and unbolted the door.

Just as Sarah opened the door wide all the way , his hand was lifted as if he was about to knock again.

Seeing her disheveled appearance, he lowered his hand and  smiled making her swallow.

Could he stop smiling at her? It made her heart leap in her throat!

"I can't sleep. Can you?" He asked lightly as if he knew her answer.

"Yeah—no. I can't." She accepted, a pink blush dusting on her cheeks.

"I wonder why." He mocked clearly indicating that he was the reason of her being wide awake.

Sarah grinned and then his blue eyes lifted past her head. In her room. Taking a look.

"Come in ." Sarah blurted out and he nodded absently while stepping in. His eyes moving around her bare room. Really her room had nothing to look at. A single bed , a bed side lamp and an old second hand wardrobe.

Then his gaze flickered towards the walls and—

His eyes got stuck to the wall.

Yes, he knew what that was.

"The treaty." He said abruptly.

Sarah too glanced at the framed document.

Crossing her arms across her chest she wondered why it had caught his attention.

"Yeah. I like framing stuff that involves humanity. Human in crisis getting peace at last."

"That's so morbid of you, my friend." He said glancing at the brown head, a slight smirk on his face.

"I know. I'm a positive soul. I cheer for peace . " She was about to chuckle but really it got stuck in her throat because he turned his whole body towards her.

Enchanting her with his eyes.

"And what else do you cheer for?" He asked smoothly.

The environment suddenly going from cool to hot in a second.

"Coffee?" She offered her response, her lips going dry.

He took a step in.

Freezing her right there.

Damien was toe to toe with her, a breath of space between their chest. A wolfish smile pulling at the corner of his lips.

He was looming over her.

"Tell me what would you do if a vampire kiss you?"

His question was so not what she expected.

Deep down what she expected was well. .a kiss. As stupid and as desperate that sounded.

"I'll chase his ass to the blood castle."

He grinned at her answer , lifting the heaviness from the environment.

"I like that. Do you know why it's called the blood castle?"

She shook her head lightly.

Not at all ready for him to lift his hand and catch her chin gently between his fingers.

His thumb lightly grazing her chin.

Sending bolts of current in her body.

And she had to act like this wasn't affecting her. Like her blood wasn't on fire.

"Because blood runs in it's walls. It's a living breathing castle. It has a rich history with people bringing in human sacrifices for their wishes to be granted. They painted vampires as the devil incarnate. Hence worshipping the race for their needs. Now that I think. . .humans are quite ruthless when it comes to what they want.
"
Sarah forgot all about him touching her.

A living breathing castle?

"I never thought—no book has ever mentioned that before. " She wondered out loud.

"Nor the stake nor the castle. It's forbidden for any human to know that." His voice turned dark .

Wait a minute. .

Sarah's eyebrows knotted together.

"How—how do you know this?" She asked incredulously.

Damien gave her a heartbreaking smile.

"This might answer your question."

Sarah didn't even get the chance to protest.

Because he bent down and kissed her .

Right on the lips.

×××××××××××××××××××