《The Mask Of The Monster》 Chapter 1 - The Boring Life (From Ella''s Perspective) I could not believe how unfair my life was. I had prayed thirty thousand times in my life that my life would be more fun and that I would not have to live this boring life. But no, there was no change. Like every single day, I had to get up in the morning and get ready to go to the boring school. "Ella, hurry up! You''re going to be late again!" Mom''s thunderous voice came echoing in the room from downstairs. "One minute!" I quickly put my hair in a super messy loose ponytail and grabbed my backpack. Zoe, my friend, who I managed to find somehow, told me to bring some extra clothes with me. I was going to stay at her place for the next seven days as Mom was going on a vacation trip with her boyfriend Owen Wyatt. They did not want me to be a disturbance on their lovely trip. I had never seen my Dad in my 17 years of life. Mom claimed he had abandoned her while she was pregnant. Perhaps that was the reason I never got the love of my Mom as well. There were many times when she would be angry at me and talk to me as if she was trying to suppress her anger. I had a feeling that she did not want to behave like that with me, but she had no control over it. She was like that to me only. My stepsister did not have to see that part of my Mom. Linda was a favorite of both my Mom and Owen. She was two years younger than me, but she was perfect, everything parents would want and a boy would desire. Linda would always dress like a pretty little perfect girl. She would wear matching ribbons with her dresses whereas I wore whatever caught my eye first. I took one last look into the mirror to make sure that at least, I looked like a human. Then I ran downstairs. The school was not far from here. Zoe''s house was near as well. We went to school together riding our bicycles. "Really? You were wasting all this time to look like that?" Linda said disgustedly looking at my oversized shirt. Owen chuckled, his misplaced nose wrinkling, and Mom gave me an annoyed look. "At least, I''m not going to kiss that douche bag in school," I snapped at her. "Ella!" Owen snapped. "What? I''m just telling the truth. Ask her. She has been sleeping with him for the whole month. Everyone knows. They literally have their tongues into each other''s mouth the whole time," I sneered. "Ella, you will mind your tongue in front of Owen. He is going to be your Dad," Mom said. "Stepdad," I clarified before leaving, giving everyone the ugliest glare I could muster. I had never known what it was like to be loved by a family since I was born. They were always mocking me, making sure that I felt myself lower than them. Mom acted as if it was my fault that she became pregnant with me and that Dad left her. Every day, Owen would drive Linda to school, but not me. According to him, I needed to behave myself first to be worthy of riding his car. "I would rather suffocate on-air than make myself worthy of riding that dirty car of yours!" I had snapped at him. I never liked behaving that way with people. But sometimes I could not help it. It was as if they were obliged to ruin my mood and make me yell at them. As I paddled, the wind landed on my face like a fresh wave of chill. The town Brigade was not full of people. It was a peaceful city, only if the people here would behave themselves and stopped being annoying, at least my family. As soon as I graduated, I planned to leave this town and my family. It was becoming unbearable for me to put up with their arrogant attitudes on a daily basis. It was true that I got used to it and I now knew how to ignore them and mind my business only. But still, I did not want my life to be like this. I wanted adventures, fun, happiness, laughter. The street of the 16th block was empty. Not a single soul could be seen. It usually took five minutes to reach Zoe''s house from my house if I kept going at my usual speed. It was a windy day. I wondered if I did the right thing by wearing the baggy shirt, or perhaps I should have worn something tight. Zoe was surely going to wear something form-fitting. Unlike me, Zoe had a perfect family. Even after all these years of marriage, her parents were still madly in love with each other. They had to try again and again to get pregnant. After seventeen years of patience and trying, Zoe''s mother got pregnant with her. That''s why Zoe was loved a lot by both of her parents. She was very lucky. We were not best friends, but we used to get along pretty perfectly. Zoe did not have any other friends, neither did I. But we had completely different reasons for that. Zoe did not have any friends because she almost always used to stay at home, would not go to any party. She had a passion for singing. She would practice with her guitar the whole day if she could. I had never been to a party either. It was not like I did not get any invitation. But because I did not want to. I did not like crowded places. I would rather sit on the wall behind our house and think about how different my life could be if Dad had not left us. Because of my imaginative and odd nature, I did not have any friends. Almost all the girls in my school hated me for some reason. But the boys used to talk to me, at least tried to. I was sure that they were talking to me only because they wanted to use me. I was not going to fall for that. Besides, I was not in desperate need to have a boy in my life. I was fine with being single, even though a lot person mocked me for that. I did not care what others said or thought about me. It was my choice and I was happy with it. Every day, Zoe would wait for me in front of her house. She was being bullied in school almost every day, mostly because she had a lot of pimples on her face. She never stood up for herself. Every time this happened, I had to go to stand up for her. It was hard to see someone being treated in such a way for no apparent reason. I was never bullied in school. It seemed as if no one wanted to bully me. Mostly because they knew I would not flinch from hitting someone hard if needed. Once a girl, almost twice as tall as I was, had called me a virgin in front of the whole school. It was not a problem. I did not care at all. But when she tried to dump all of my books on the ground, she made a grave mistake. I smacked her across the face, standing on my tiptoes, breaking her nose, and leaving a massive bruise on her upper lip. The principal called Mom for that and she had to meet him. I had been grounded for five weeks. But it did not matter. No one else ever dared to bully me again in school. Mom and Owen did not give me any money except to pay for the school. They would not buy me any clothes as well but expected me to wear good clothes. I worked in a nearby coffee shop and occasionally as a babysitter for a neighboring house. As I reached Zoe''s house, I saw that she was not there. I thought that probably she was still sleeping. It happened mostly to me that I kept sleeping in the morning when Mom had to hammer on my door to wake me up. But Zoe was an early bird. She loved mornings. I had a feeling that she had a morning lover poetry vibe. She used to talk oddly as well, as if she was not living in the modern age, but in the ancient time. I knocked on their door, a bit impatiently as it was already late. We were going to get scolded by Mr. Luke for sure. "Mrs. Gary, is Zoe still sleeping?" I said as her mother opened the door. "Oh, Ella. She is sick. She has a fever, early this morning. I forgot to call you. I''m so sorry," she said, her brown eyes apologetic. "It''s alright. Hope she gets better soon. I''ll bring her the homework," I said. "That''s good. So, when are your parents leaving?" she asked. "I mean, your mom and Owen." "Tonight. Linda is staying at her friend''s house. Mom said that they will come back in a week," I replied. "All right, then. You''d better come straight back from school. We are having a family gathering.. You should be there," she said, smiling, not realizing how much it wounded my heart on the inside. How much I wished to have a perfect family like Zoe! You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 2 - The Haunted Mansion (From Ella''s Perspective) The ride was going to be boring. If Zoe was with me, we would talk the whole way, she would tell me about the new covers she made. I did not like songs that much, but I would still talk about them with her. People had different passions and opinions. Even if I did not like them, I would still like to hear them talk about their interests. I did not want to go to school. But there was no choice. Mom would be furious if I skipped school and perched on a high wall, creating my imaginary world. I paddled faster in the hopes of making it to school on time. No matter how hard I tried, almost every single day I would be late. And I was certain that today would be no exception. Owen''s car passed by, honking to let me know about my misery. I let out a sigh. So this was my life: ignored, despised, boring, and devoid of color. The only thing I desired in my life was to be valuable. But no one seemed to care about me, not even a bit. There was a forest on the way to school. No one ventured further into the forest, claiming that there was an abandoned house there that was haunted. I never believed in ghosts or spirits. Why would I? There was nothing like that in this world or science would be able to explain them. No one knew that I would go to that abandoned house at least once a week and walk around the house to clear my mind. The place was noiseless and peaceful, just the kind of places I liked the most. People said that a monster disguised as a man lived there. Rumors said that the man used to eat dead bodies. His name was Alistair Reginald. The house was basically a mansion, a huge one indeed. Alistair was surely a very rich man. I kind of envied him. Even though he was deemed evil, he lived a life in which everyone feared him. I did not want a life where everybody would fear me. But at least, he was considered as someone where I did not have much of an existence. As I got near the forest, a voice inside my head told me that maybe I should skip school today and go to the mansion, to clear my head and relax a bit. Besides, I was not going to return home anyway. I was supposed to stay at Zoe''s house as Mom and Owen were going on a vacation. It would not hurt to skip school for a day. Besides, I never missed an A since childhood. I took a turn into the forest and kept going inside it on the trail. I knew the route pretty perfectly as I had been there more times than I could count. The wind was strong. It brought the scent of wildflowers and fresh leaves. The wind blew into my eyes, causing them to water. I had to blink them away. I never liked crying. I rarely cried, not even when I was alone, not when my Mom called me insufferable in front of all my family members, not when Owen said that I was ungrateful, and not when Linda called me a feelingless monster. I did not care. There was no point in being sad about the things those horrible people said. All I cared about was being myself. The mansion came into view. It was huge and very ancient. The light red and brown paint on certain portions of the wall had faded, revealing naked bricks. There were way too many windows in the mansion, far more than usual, but the windows had grilles, unlike modern times. And there was far too little space between the grilles. I wondered if a rat could get through that gap. The front door was huge, like royalty. It was made of oak. The door was always open. I placed my bike next to the ash tree in front of the mansion. I took my backpack and went inside. Perhaps I would read the song I wrote. I did not like listening to songs, but I could write them. Zoe thought that those were great and asked if she could have them. There was nothing I would do with them, so I did not mind, rather I was eager to give her those. At the very least, they would be useful to her rather than being useless trash to me. The bag was full of some of my clothes and books and notebooks. I went inside the mansion and closed the door behind me. The living room was grand. There was dust all over the place. Even though I came here a lot, I never bothered to clean the whole place. I would always go to the main bedroom and lay down on the massive bed which was the only place I cleaned in the whole mansion. I made my way to the main bedroom without bothering to look around. I had looked around the place so many times that I had lost interest to do so anymore. The bed was very soft. That was why it was my favorite spot in the entire mansion. I threw my backpack on the bed and walked over to the dressing table. I looked as if I had gotten out of a tornado. My hair was as messy as it could get. I had thrown it up in a loose ponytail without first brushing it that morning. Now my hair was in an even worse condition. My eyes were tired and bulging out of their sockets it seemed. I never slept enough at night. I had homework, but mostly because I did not want to. I loved to watch the moon, the stars shining in the bluish-black sky. Leaning against the window frame, I would try to feel the peacefulness of the night. I looked even slimmer than before. I knew that I needed to eat properly, but I never did. Every time I would go downstairs to eat, I had to hear all sorts of reasons why I was not perfect. Anyone would lose their appetite hearing those words, especially from their own family. Mom said I looked like Dad. Well, she did not say it to me, but I heard her telling one of her friends, that I looked a lot like my Dad and I would remind her of my Dad. Mom had strawberry blonde hair, whereas I had brown hair, which I knew I got from my father. My eyes were honey brown, while Mom''s eyes were sapphire. Linda had been a lot like Mom. Mom met Owen when I was one at a bar. They had been living together since then. Then when I was two and a half years old, Linda was born, the heart of Mom and Owen. Linda was pretty, like Mom, at least, Linda, Mom, and Owen thought so. I had never seen her as anything other than an evil witch. She had Mom''s strawberry blonde hair and sapphire eyes. She was tall like Owen. But I was short, very short, like one hundred and sixty-three centimeters. The only thing Mom and I had in common was that we both had a pale complexion and were short. I wanted to fix my hair but thought otherwise. I did not need to fix myself thinking what others would think. I was fine with my look, even if I was messy. I took a deep breath and walked away from the mirror. I hopped on the bed, feeling the soft mattress under my knees. I was going to take out my notebook where I wrote songs from my backpack when I heard a noise, similar to the rumbling noise that occurs when the burners in a fireplace are dirty. But no fireplace was supposed to be turned on in the mansion. It was just me here. Besides, the noise was louder than it was supposed to be if it was coming from a fireplace. What if there was someone else here? What if the person saw me here? To be honest, nothing was going to happen. Because the mansion now had no owner. But what if the person was a criminal, hiding here? I had read in the local newspaper that a murderer had escaped from prison two days ago. He had murdered an elderly couple just because they had witnessed him breaking into a store late at night. I took a sharp breath and got down the bed as silently as I could. I needed to get out of the mansion. I did not care if I was wrong. The person might be someone else as well. But my life was important to me.. I could not risk dying, not when I would graduate the next year. Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 3 - The Monster You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) Taking my backpack with me, I opened the bedroom door as quietly as I could. The sound was a bit clearer. I looked around to make sure that whoever was in this mansion was not near. The last thing I wanted to do was put myself in the path of a potential criminal and then become the next victim. I pursed my lips and stepped cautiously towards the staircase. I raced down the stairs with light steps, hoping that the person was nowhere in range. I reached the living room, my heart hammering in my chest. The sound seemed to be coming from somewhere near. My heart was screaming at me to get out of here as quickly as possible. But my head was saying that what if I checked where the sound was coming from. A huge part of me wanted to check the origin of the sound. I chewed my upper lip, trying to figure out what to do. There was nothing wrong in checking out if there was truly a fireplace turned on. If I saw a person, I would quickly run away without making any sound. I approached the room from where the sound was coming from. In my head, I was praying that I was not making a mistake trying to fill my curiosity. I turned the doorknob and opened the door. I was wrong. It was not a just door. It was the door that led to the basement. All of the doors looked the same. That''s why it got mixed up in my head. Zoe''s grandma once told us that basements were where monsters hid. As if there were such things as monsters in this world! My heart was still telling me to go back. I did not listen, I never did. Not when my heart was telling me to cry my heart out hearing all those toxic words, not when I overheard Mom telling Owen that I was nothing more than a responsibility. My head kept me strong, saying that what the point of crying was. The stairwell leading down the basement was dark as it was supposed to be. I hoped there were no spiders on the way. I took the steps very carefully. Hopefully, I did not make any sound. As I got down the last step, I found myself in front of a filthy room. Just as a basement was supposed to be, it was full of unnecessary furniture, papers, and so on. But the shocking sight was a ray of reddish-golden light coming through somewhere. I did not move from my place. The sound was clear from here and I was sure that something was here which had something to do with the light. I tried to hear the sound of someone breathing, or at least, I wanted to sense if there was a person here. But I could hear nothing else than the disturbing rumbling noise and my shallow breathing. I took a step forward and peered over the corner to see where the light was coming from. I might have expected a fireplace even though I knew no fireplace could make such a light. But what I saw was not at all what I expected or would ever expect. There was no fireplace or no person. Everything appeared normal, except for a massive hole in the middle of the wall I was facing. A ray of reddish-golden eye blazing light was coming from inside the hole. The hole was round, but not even. I could not see or guess what could be inside it. I did not remember reading about anything like this in science either. The sound was coming through the hole as if something was burning inside. Before I knew what I was doing, I found myself taking steps towards it. I anticipated feeling some kind of heat emanating from the hole as I got closer, but instead, I felt a chill on my skin. There was one thing I was sure of; it was not a fireplace and nothing was burning inside. "Should I touch it?" I pondered. Maybe I should, or maybe I should not. If I touched the hole, I would know what it was- good or bad. If I did not, I would never be able to find out. I decided on the first choice. I extended my hand through the light inside the hole. The chill got mingled with a sense of warmth. There was something on the other side, a place or a vacant hidden room. I brought out my hand and thought about going inside. I knew it was a stupid thing to do. But my curiosity was taking over me. I felt as if I needed to know what was on the other side of the hole. Besides, even if I got stuck there forever, I had nothing to lose. I was dying from inside living with my family anyways. It would not matter if my life ended because of my curiosity. I held my breath, fisted my hands, and then took a deep breath. Then, very slowly, I slipped my right leg inside the hole. I felt a hard ground beneath my foot. Then, with another look at the basement, I went inside the hole. It felt as if I was stuck in the mist. I could not see anything properly. I assumed it was all in my head. But when I rubbed my eyes, I discovered that the place was indeed hazy. I remained where I was, afraid that if I took another step, I would fall into a hole that led to the center of the earth. The mist seemed to clear with each passing second. After over a minute, the fog had cleared and I could see where I was. I was in the middle of a dense forest, with nothing to see but trees, darkness, and the moon shining brightly in the sky. I looked behind me to the place from where I came here. But there was nothing there but a huge yellow meranti tree. There was no hole, no light, nothing at all. It seemed as if I appeared out of thin air. I gasped and looked around, panicking. Not even in my weirdest thoughts, I expected something like this to happen. As I was thinking of what to do, from somewhere I heard the growls of some kind of monstrous animal. I had never heard anything like this, not even in the videos that I had watched on YouTube. I knew I needed to get out of this place. I should not have come inside the hole to see what was inside. It was a mistake. And now I was paying the price for my insatiable curiosity. I did not even have a phone. Mom and Owen thought that I was not worthy of getting a phone. Even though Linda was two years younger than me, she had a phone. It was a usual thing in my family. Linda was always worthy of everything, whereas I was the one who had no right over anything. Aside from the terrifying growls, I could now hear the rustling of leaves from animals running nearby. There ought to have been more animals, a lot more animals. I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the sleeve of my baggy shirt. I did not even know how to climb trees. I had no idea what to do. I sat on the ground, leaning against a meranti tree, gripping my backpack as tightly as I could to my chest. The growls became louder, and the rustling of the leaves became faster. I had nothing to do. If the animals smelled me and came here, I was going to die for sure. Even if I ran, I would never be able to get away. Mom, Owen, and Linda were surely going to be happy to hear that I was missing. I wanted to get away from my family, but surely not in a place like this. The air felt thick and heavy. It was as if the air was hard to inhale. I closed my eyes, trying to cope with the panic. The thoughts of not being able to get out of this place kept coming to my mind like nightmares. I had a feeling that no matter what happened there was no way I would be able to get back to the place I was. How could a hole just emerge from a place and then disappear all of a sudden? I could not find any valid explanation for it. All my life, I thought that science could explain everything, that there was nothing in this world that could exist without a scientific explanation. But then what was the hole? What could possibly explain such a strange thing? I heard another growl. But it was different than the ones I heard before. This growl was deep, cold, and had the power to send shivers up and down the spine. I was certain that this animal was huge and ferocious and also dangerous looking. I clutched my backpack even tightly and brought my knees to my chest. I heard the loud growl again. That was not the worst thing. The way the growl sounded, I was sure that the animal was close, very close. I tried to remain as quiet as possible. Even the sound of my breathing made me nervous; what if the animal could hear it? My heart was thumping in my chest, sending dread arrows through my veins. Suddenly I heard the footsteps of something coming this way. I held my breath and kept my gaze fixed on the opening between the trees ahead of me. The sound was coming from that way. I could hear animals racing behind me. They were at least ten in number. I peered behind the tree I was leaning against, wondering whether they were here to eat me. But I could not see anyone. It seemed as if the animals were running away. The sound of their uncombined footsteps filled my ears. I was glad that they were going away. I had no idea what I would do if I came across a wild animal. The animals could have been wolves. I heard wolves ran in packs, which meant they did not wander off alone much. Usually, they stayed together and fought together as a pack. I was so preoccupied with the sounds behind me that I completely forgot the fact that I had heard something approaching from ahead of me. I felt a warm breath on my neck as my head was turned. The animal was here, right here. I did not know what to do. I could not think straight. My mind seemed to leave me forever. I turned around, as slowly as I could. The warm breath of the animal fell on my face. But the animal was not something I expected to see. Or perhaps I should not call it an animal. I did not know what to think of it, or what to say. I did not know if I was supposed to scream. My voice seemed to get lost. I seemed to forget how to breathe as well. It was huge, much bigger than a full-grown lion. The moonlight fell on its face, allowing me to properly see its towering frightening stature. It was not an animal. No one would call it an animal.. It was a monster. Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 4 - The Man You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) My heart was hammering in my chest. I had never seen anything like this. It was nothing but a monster, perhaps more than that. Its eyes were red, bright red. The only normal thing was that the pupil was black. Its eyes reminded me of the color of the sky at sunset. The eyes were terrifying, but in a way, they were mesmerizing as well. But I did not think it would be a good thing to see the beauty of a monster''s eyes when it was ready to devour me. Its teeth were a bit yellowish and sharp with pointy edges. The central ones were average in size for its body, but the teeth on its sides began to grow larger. Its teeth were all in the shape of elephant teeth, but they were not that big. Its two fangs protruded downward from the sides of its mouth. Yet the most terrifying part about it was its two fangs that protruded from the inside of its mouth and pointed upwards with a slightly curved but keen edge. They were drenched in blood. Drops of blood even dropped from its mouth onto my arms. Deep scars ran through the gap between its eyes and nose. Its entire body was covered with fur. The fur was mostly black, but the fur on its face was a bit white which was now soaked with blood. I could not scream, I could not talk, all I could do was stare at its terrifying stature hovering over my face, its hot breath raining on my face. It was looking down at me with its bloody eyes as well. It was fear. I was sure that I could feel fear. But there was something else as well. Part of me wanted to reach out and touch its fur. I just wanted to know if its fur was soft. I did not know why, but I had a feeling that my curiosity was going to get me in trouble again. But I needed to touch its fur. I knew it was going to kill me. There was no way I was going to get out of its grasp alive. But then, at least I would die knowing that I had satisfied my curiosity. I raised my hand slowly. The monster perhaps did not know what I was doing as well. I touched its face. It flinched slightly. Its eyes seemed to widen, which I could not tell if it was from rage or shock. Its fur was soft. I did not expect this. I ran my fingers on its fur. It was a great thing to do. I could touch its fur all day, even if it had this terrifying appearance. The blood on its fur got into my hand. I hated blood. It was the second thing that I hated after spiders. I felt as if there was a horrible smell of blood. And my hand was too much bloody now. I brought my hand close to my face and sniffed it. The smell was terrible. I felt my head getting heavy. It was as if the smell had taken over my head and made me dizzy. Suddenly the monster growled and brought its face even nearer me. I felt as if the monster was trying to scare me. Yes, I was scared. I was scared of the monster. I feared if it was going to eat me. But I had already accepted the reality. No matter what I did, I would never be able to outrun this monster. There was no point in trying when this creature was on top of me, blocking every way, its sharp teeth protruding from its mouth, its gaze burning on my skin, its hot breath falling on my face, and, most importantly, drops of blood falling from its teeth on my hand and clothes. My nose was flooded with the smell of blood. I had a feeling that I would not be able to stay put for so long. Probably it was for the best. The monster was going to eat me anyway. So if I fell unconscious, at least I would not have to feel any pain. And I was right. Blackness filled my vision as I fell to the ground. But I clutched my backpack as tightly as I could. I heard another growl from the monster. But I could not open my eyes. Even if I could, I could see nothing but a vision of blackness. It always happened to me if I saw something I feared a lot. I would not fall unconscious, I would still be able to hear and feel, but I could not see anything. It would linger for a while before I went completely unconscious. I heard another sound. It was not a growl, but it felt like flesh being molded into something else. The sound was disgusting. It was not loud, but still, my ears seemed to hear it. Then I felt a hot breath again on the side of my neck, just below my left ear. But it did not seem to be a monster. Because the breath of the monster was forceful and made a sound as well. But this time, it did not feel like that. The breath was deep, but not monstrous type. I had a feeling that it was a human. But how could there be a human suddenly at the place of a monstrous creature? Then I felt a hand on my neck. The hand was warm and big for sure. It was surely a human and a man as well. But I did not open my eyes. Not because I would not be able to see anything but darkness, but because I thought that it would look weird to see someone looking blankly at someone. The person slid his hand under my back and picked me up off the ground effortlessly. My nose brushed up against his hard chest. He smelled like blood. My head started to hurt more now. He started walking while holding me tightly in his arms. No one had ever carried me like this. But I did not want him to take me anywhere. I did not even know him. I did not see him either. But with the deep smell of blood filling my nostrils, I felt all the strength I had left my body. I could not move my hands or legs or any part of my body. I could even find the strength to try to open my eyes. My head was hurting badly, making me want to cut it off. I still tried to stop him. I wanted to fight in his arms so he had to put me down. But I could not do it. No matter how hard I tried, all I could do was moving a finger slightly. He did not stop walking for a moment. As he took each step, my nose got brushed with his chest. By the way, it felt, I could say that he had a muscular figure. Not way too much, but just enough and perfect. His arms were strong and possibly veiny. I did not know if it was veiny for sure, but I guessed it. I felt cold, very cold. I needed a warm blanket right away. The person''s warm body was helping a bit, but it was far from enough. I sensed myself slipping away. I knew I was going to be unconscious at any moment. But I still tried to fight in his arms. Unfortunately, I could barely move anything more than my fingers. I always wanted to get away from my family. I wanted to live on my own, enjoy life. Now I had been able to get away from my family, willingly or not. But I was not going to live on my own. I could not. I was going to be the dinner of the monster. The monster was most likely this man''s pet. That was the reason that the monster did not do anything to him. He was surely going to throw me to that monster and let it eat me. But I wondered then why would he bother to carry me somewhere. He could let that monster eat me right there. Perhaps the monster needed to get comfortable to eat. My eyes were already shut, but I could feel and hear everything. But now, I was drifting away, slowly, but continuously. As the seconds passed, I felt my ability to feel and hear was going away. I was getting numb. For the last time, before I fell unconscious, I prayed, not to the god, but this world, as I always did. I prayed that my family to believe that I was dead and I was never coming back to torment their lives.. At least, they were going to be happy. You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 5 - Inside A Cave You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) I felt warm, very warm. It was quite comfortable. I felt like I could sleep all day. But that was the moment I realized that I was not in my home anymore. A man had been carrying me. I was not supposed to be alive. The monster was supposed to eat me. But I could still think. It meant I was alive. But, how? I snapped my eyes open. I felt tired. I always felt fatigued every time I would see something I feared or hated and I would fall unconscious. Mom and Owen never bothered to take me to the doctor. They thought that it was just me who was weird and weird people did not deserve to be treated. I was in what appeared to be a cave. It seemed like a room built within a cave. I was on a bed with a very fluffy blanket over me. The bed was big enough for four people and it was very soft as well. I noticed that it was not a bed. I mean, it was just a huge mattress placed on the ground. The mattress was very fluffy and tall, almost as tall as a bed. I tried to sit, but my head still hurt. It felt so heavy. The place was lit with fire only. There was a huge fireplace from where heat was radiating throughout the place. Besides, there were a lot of candles. The golden light made me dizzy. I was so preoccupied with scanning the surroundings that I did not notice a man standing at the corner of the mattress, looking at me. I had never seen anyone like this man. He was tall, almost 6 feet 3 inches, as it seemed like. He had a muscular figure which anyone could easily understand from over the white loose shirt he was wearing. The first two buttons were opened, revealing a part of his hard athletic chest. His eyes were dark brown, nearly black as if they were absorbing all of the light. They were icy, sending shivers through my veins. His face was set, expressionless. I had a feeling that his voice was going to be as cold as his appearance. His heart-shaped jaw was clenched, his lips were pursed, as he kept his gaze fixed on me with his handsome face. He did not have any beard placing all of his facial features in perfect view. The small part of his chest was seen, there were scars, kind of like the ones I had seen on the monster''s face. The scars were deep. But they were old which was a good thing. Because the last thing I needed right now was to smell blood and pass out again. I had never seen someone as handsome as him. However, the way he looked at me made me wonder if I had done something wrong. I peeked behind him to see if the monster was also there. Perhaps he was waiting for me to wake up so I would feel pain when the monster was going to eat me. "Um... I... Where am I?" I managed to mutter. He did not say anything. He just stood there, his face expressionless, his gaze fixated on me as if he was trying to see everything I was doing. "I... I just want to... leave," I said. "I haven''t... well, I''m not an invader. At least, I''m not trying to be. I don''t even know how I got here. And now I can''t find that hole again. Do you know the hole? The one that led me here? Maybe not. Or maybe yes. You live here, right? Cool place, though. Okay, it''s not time for that. Anyways, are you the one who has brought me here? Listen, I understand that your pet might be a bit angry at me for touching its fur. But trust me, I just wanted to see if its fur is soft. It is by the way. Can you tell him that? Well, never mind. So let''s just... okay, can you not call your pet? I mean, I understand I might have disrespected it or something like that. But I didn''t mean it. Can we just forget that? And can you let me go? I''ll just go away. I don''t know where, but I just will get as away from your place as possible. You''ll never see my face again. Okay? Do we have a deal?" Now he was eyeing me as if I had lost my mind. But he still did not say anything. "Will you say something? Oh, maybe you can''t talk. I''m so sorry. I didn''t know. Please don''t mind. I''ll just leave then," I murmured, slipping out of bed quickly. "Oh, and I referred your pet as it. You don''t mind, right? I don''t know its gender. You know what I mean? Well, where is my backpack? You can just point at the place," I muttered as I looked for my backpack. "Alright, I don''t need my backpack. I''ll just leave. Bye," I said and started walking towards the door. Suddenly he grabbed me by the wrist and pressed me against the wall. The wall was just rocks as it was surely inside a cave. I was surprised that my back did not hit hard against it and get scratched. I looked tiny next to him. His towering figure was hovering over me. His coffee-like smell filled my nostrils. His face was very close to mine, and his warm breath dropped on my face, making my stomach churn with an unfamiliar sensation. "Who do you work for?" he asked, his voice icy and stern. "Oh, you can talk," I found myself saying. "Who do you work for, girl?" "Girl? I''m probably only four or five years younger than you. You can''t call me girl," I protested. "Answer me. Who do you work for?" he asked again as if it was a warning that something bad was going to happen if I did not answer him properly this time. "I work for Mr. Gary," I replied, looking into his deep eyes. "Who is that?" "I don''t know. I thought we both were joking," I said, shrugging. "Answer me clearly, girl. Who do you work for? I won''t ask again. And if you don''t answer me properly, there will be consequences," he warned angrily. "I don''t work for anyone. Who would I work for?" "Has Nicklaus sent you?" he asked, his voice as demanding as ever. "No. No one has sent me. Haven''t you listened to anything I said before? I told you that there was a hole. I got out of that hole. I mean, don''t make a bad meaning out of this. But really, it''s the truth. And please, do you mind backing up a bit? It''s uncomfortable," I said. "Tell me the truth. I don''t like repeating myself, I told you before," he said angrily, without backing up, rather getting even closer that my breasts got pressed against his hard chest. "You haven''t said it," I mumbled. "What?" "I mean, you haven''t told me that you don''t like repeating yourself. Well, forget it. Listen, I don''t work for anyone. I don''t even know what the hell is going on. Please, trust me," I said. "And back up a bit please." "Trust you? How can I trust you?" he snarled without bothering to back up a bit. "What are you wearing anyway?" I looked down at me. I was in my baggy shirt and skinny jeans. "Clothes," I replied hesitantly. "It looks like you are wearing a bag. No one wears this kind of thing. Is it his plan to confuse me?" he asked. "Whose? That Nicklaus? Of course not. I don''t even know him. Please listen to me. I mean, you are listening I know. Just trust me, okay?" "Explain yourself then. No lies. I want to know everything," he said. "Okay. Okay. But please back up. My breasts are hurting," I said. He looked down at me once more and then backed away. I exhaled sharply. I went towards the mattress and sat on it. "Do you want to sit?" I asked. "We can talk comfortably." He seemed as if he did not like the idea, but did not object. He sat down beside me, but the way he looked at me made me the impression that he thought that I was crazy. But I did not care. I was used to it. "So where do you want me to begin with?" I asked, facing him, sitting cross-legged. "Everything about you since your birth and what happened," he replied. "No blabbering. Just the important things. And don''t even dare to lie. You don''t want to know what will happen. And trust me, the thing is not going to be enjoyable." "Everything? I mean, everything important?" I asked. "Yes. And I..." "I know. I know.. You don''t like to repeat yourself." Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 6 - Three More Monsters You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) "I mean, you want to know about my family as well? There is no need, trust me. I mean, I can tell from the moment when I found that strange hole. Is that okay?" I asked. "Just tell me about it," he said impatiently, his voice as cold as it had been all the time, his eyes fixed on me, sending chills through my skin. "So I''ve been on my way to school. My friend lives just one block away from my place. We go to school together on our bikes. I went to her house and then her mother told me that she had a fever. I was about to stay at her place for a week starting from that day as Mom and Owen were going on a vacation. Before you ask, Owen is Mom''s boyfriend. Really annoying. But that''s not the point, of course. And Linda was supposed to stay at her disgusting long-legged friend''s house. Linda is my stepsister, two years younger than me. So, after Zoe''s mother told me that she was ill, I had to go to school alone. But well, there is a forest on the way. And in the forest, there is an old mansion. People say it''s haunted. Rumors, you know." "What is this place? There is no place like this here," he said. "I''m not talking about here. Let me finish," I said. "Well, I live in Brigade. It''s a town in New York City. You know, the USA." "Are you taking me as a fool? There is nothing like this here," he said, looking angry. "I told you I''m not talking about here. I might seem comfortable in repeating myself, but I don''t like it as well. Listen first," I said. "I go to that mansion a lot. At least, once a week. You know, it all happened today, just before I ended up here. I went to that mansion again and that''s when I heard a sound. Kind of like the rumbling noise fireplace makes if the burner is dirty. It was coming from the basement. I decided to see what it is. So, when I went down, I saw a golden light, with a mixture of red. It''s really odd, you know. And there was a hole. The light was coming through it." "And you entered it?" he asked. "Yes." "Why?" "I was just curious. I just wanted to see what the hell it is," I replied, biting the inside of my bottom lip. He sighed loudly. "I thought it was not possible," he muttered, standing up. "What''s not possible?" "How will I know if you are telling the truth?" he said, suddenly looking at me. "Why would I lie?" "How can I know? You might be working for Nicklaus," he said. "I don''t work for him," I said firmly. "How many times do I have to say that?" "Listen, girl..." "Stop calling me girl. I have a name," I yelled. "Don''t raise your voice at me," he said calmly, more calmly than I would have liked. "And you haven''t told me your name." "That''s because you haven''t asked," I pointed out. "Anyway, my name is Ella. Ella Griverd. What''s your name?" "That''s none of your business," he snarled. "Be a bit more polite. I''m not a fan of too politeness, but a bit, just a bit. Be a bit polite." "Listen, Ella. You have to get out of this place and never come back," he said. "Yeah, I want that too. Do you mind telling me where my backpack is?" He went towards the closet. I was surprised to see a closet here. It was very weird but cool. There was even a dressing table here. He opened the closet and brought out my black leather backpack. He threw it on my lap. It was very heavy, but he did not seem to feel it. But it landed on my lap very hard. "Stop throwing things! Just because you have those uneven cylinder-type arms and properly worked out body, doesn''t mean that you can show your strength to everyone you see," I grumbled. I got out of bed, grabbed my backpack, and began walking towards the door. "By the way, is the monster your pet?" I asked, before pushing the door open. "No. He is something more," he replied coldly. "He? Alright then. Tell him that I''m sorry for touching his fur. I just... never mind, just tell him that I''m sorry. Tell him not to mind," I said. He did not say anything. He was acting as if he was someone significant, and talking to me more than needed, if not less, would make his mouth dirty. I did not want to pursue him to talk. I pushed the door open. "Ella, he did not mind. No one has ever touched him before. He is just a bit surprised," his voice came. I smiled slightly. "Good. Then tell him that I like his eyes. I mean, they are a bit frightening, but they are... I don''t know, something about them feels really special. By the way, you did not tell me your name." "You can go now," he said dismissively. "You know being a bit polite and friendly won''t kill you," I murmured and left without looking back. I noticed that I was right all along. It was a cave. The room was built into the cave. The cave was enormous. I was certain there were more rooms on the inside. The forest was dark. I did not know which way to go. I did not even know where the yellow Meranti tree was. I was not sure if I would be able to find the hole again. I left the cave only because I did not want to be a burden, the way I was in my family. I walked straight. I took silent steps into the dense forest. The wind felt chilly against my skin. I hugged myself tightly with both of my hands. I did not know for how long I walked. But I was sure that at least one hour had passed. I did not stop. Not because I was not tired, but because of the growls I could hear from afar. These growls were terrifying, but not nearly as much as the monster''s growl. I wondered what this world was. But I was sure about some things; that it was a completely new world. This world was different than the world I was living in. And the hole must be the entryway to this world. And there were some things that even science could not explain. Science might be able to explain things in my world, but in this world, I had a feeling that science had no place. As I was pondering on what my family might be thinking at this moment about my missing report, I heard roars nearby. I held my breath and stopped in my tracks, keeping my eyes and ears open to detect any kind of movement around me. There were a lot of dry leaves here. So it was easy to tell whether something was approaching. I could hear noises coming from everywhere. And before I knew what I was going to face, I was confronted with not one, not two, but three creatures. They were not like the monster. They were at least two feet less than the monster''s length. But I found them to be far more terrifying than the monster. They were dirty black. Black was a beautiful color and also my favorite. But their black skin was covered with greenish filth, giving them look disgusting. They did not have any fur. They had no body hair, kind of like Sphynx Cat. Their skin seemed to have some kind of slimy substance on them. Their fangs were large and pointed, with a silvery gleam about them, as if they were made of silver. Two pointed needle-like things protruded from the sides of their heads, coming up to their narrow round jaw. Their head was bald and fully round. Their eyes were very little and ash in color. I could not even see their pupil. Two scarred, narrow, nearly broken wings protruded from their back. But I did not feel that they were used to fly in. Rather, they were useless. The creatures had four bony legs each of which had had three long fingers with sharp claws. The creatures snarled at me. It was the moment I noticed that the creatures had no nose, which meant they could not smell me, at least I thought so. They did not have any ears either. I felt that it would look weird if they had ears on the sides of their round head. There were three of them and I was alone. It was their home and I knew nothing about this place. Moreover, they were monsters and I was just a human, a silly little human. But I needed to run, at least try to escape. And before I knew whether or not to run, I found my legs sprinting in the opposite direction, the same way the cave and the mysterious man were. I did not know why, but I wanted to go to him.. I felt that if there was anyone who could save me, it was him. Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 7 - Let Me Help You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) I was never like this before. I did not care if anyone died. But I could not understand why I was worried about this chaotic strange human girl''s safety. As I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, the girl''s words kept coming back to me. I just could not get her off my mind. If what she was saying was true, then the theory of the portal to another realm was correct. I was aware of it previously, but it was only a theory to me and everyone else. I had a suspicion that Nicklaus had sent the girl. He would do anything to find out about my weakness and kill me. However, a part of me believed that the girl was telling the truth. It seemed as if I knew she was telling the truth, but I did not want to believe her. This part of the forest was in my dominance. No one dared to come here because of me. But tonight, the Orgades got into my territory. I had two personalities. I was a human, but there was another side to me that was a monster. The rulers of this world had two personas. They could transform into Orgades whenever they wished. But I could not. I was not an Orgade. I was someone else, someone more nefarious. That was the reason my brother Nicklaus raised the people against me telling them that I was dangerous for them. It was true that I was dangerous. I could not control myself. But then he tried to kill me as well. From that time I had been living in this part of the forest, making this place mine. As I chased them away, I saw her. I knew I needed to finish her right away. She was just a human after all. In the world of shadows, humans were used as maids, servants, and slaves, and often they were killed just for pleasure. But then she did the strangest thing. She touched my face. She was afraid, yet her eyes were filled with curiosity. I never completely remembered what I did in my beast form. But that time the moment she touched my face, I felt my real self coming back. I could regain control over myself. No one had ever touched my beast in such a way before. Everyone feared me, both in my human and my beast form. But she did not flinch away. She did not even scream. Rather, she touched me, even when my face was covered in blood. I could get back into my human form. But she had already fallen to the ground, her eyes shut tightly. It seemed as if she was afraid of something. She started behaving like that after seeing the blood. I had brought her here with me to find out if she was working for Nicklaus. Even if she did not work for him, I did not want her to go out of here alive. But then, everything she did made me reconsider my thought. I let her go. For the first time in my life, I had let someone go unharmed. And now I even wanted to go to her. I wanted to make sure she was safe. I had never met anyone like her. She was... I did not know what, but she was definitely not someone you met every day. She was also the first person to get out alive after raising her voice at me. "Fuck!" I swore under my breath and got out of bed. I wore my black coat and got out of the cave. I could smell her. She went straight. I took long steps that way. I heard the growling of Orgades. What if she was in trouble? I was thinking of running. But that''s when I felt her scent getting closer. It was as if she was running this way. I could hear the sound of dry leaves under feet. I was sure that it was not just her, Orgades were after her as well. From my front, her slim figure protruded out of the dark trees, running as fast as she could. From her behind, there were three Orgades chasing her. "Monster owner! Save me!" she screamed noticing me. Her brown hair was messier than I had seen before. Her honey brown eyes were filled with fear, and her pale skin was flushed from running. The Orgades came to a halt as soon as they saw me. They backed away. But she kept running. Perhaps she thought they were still after her. She jumped onto me. I caught her just in time, and she gripped me tightly, her uneven heavy breath dropping on my neck, her arms tightly wrapped around my neck, her legs grasping around my waist, her breasts pressing against my chest. Before I knew what I was doing I found myself wrapping my arms around her. I felt compelled to save her and make her feel better. I did not need to do anything. The Orgades left on their own. And I knew they were not going to put their feet in my territory ever again. "Are they gone?" she asked. "Get down," I said as calmly as I could. If it was someone else, I would probably yell at them and throw them on the ground. But I could not be angry at her. I was not sure if I wanted to be angry at her. She felt too precious. "Please tell me. Are they gone? I''ll get down, I swear," she said. "Yes." She got down clumsily, almost falling to the ground. "Thank you so much. By the way, they fear you a lot, right? Why? You look like a human. But they are monsters," she said. "Come with me. Tomorrow morning, you will go wherever you want to and then never come back again," I said, turning around. I began walking. She started running beside me. My two steps were like her single step. She had to hurry to keep up with me. But she did not seem to mind it. She was kind of enthusiastic. "Why do they fear you? You did not even utter a word at them. But they fled. Why?" she asked. "That''s none of your business. You need to be grateful that you are not in their guts," I said. "I know. Did you see how they look? They are disgusting! Did you see their head? It''s like a pea. They did not even have any ears. How can they hear? Perhaps they can''t hear, right? They don''t have any nose either. They can''t smell too, right?" she breathed out the words as she always did. She never talked slowly. It was as if she exhaled words. "They can''t," I said. "Their tongue is black. It''s horrible! Oh, and yeah did you see their teeth? They are silver and they were kind of shining as well. Are they made of silver?" "No." "They have some kind of slimy thing all over their body? They smell bad too, right? Well, of course, you wouldn''t go around and smell them." She never stopped talking. But the surprising thing was that I was not irritated. I kind of could bear her talking. Even I did not mind answering her. "You know, I know nothing about here. I need to find my way back to home. I mean, not home, but to my world. I don''t belong here. I''m going to be inside a monster''s gut any time now," she said. "Where is your pet monster?" "He is not my pet," I said, without looking at her. "You don''t want to talk about him," she said. It was not a question. "Alright then. By the way, what''s your name?" "That''s none of your business." "You use this sentence a lot. Well, I want to make a deal with you," she said. "But I don''t want to make any deal with you," I said dismissively. "But I want to. Listen, it will benefit us both. I will help you and you will help me." "I don''t need your help." "Then give me a work. I''ll do it for you. And in return, you will let me stay with you," she said expectantly. "No." "Please." "No." "Come on. Stop being a duck! I need a place to stay. You know, I don''t want to die in such a young age. I haven''t experienced a lot of things," she said. "You can''t help me." "I can. I mean, at least let me try.. If I can''t, then you can throw me out of your place or let your monster eat me. Easy!" Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 8 - The Deal Best novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) He walked too fast. I had to run alongside him, to keep up with his big strides. In this dreadful forest, I needed a place to stay. But I did not want to be a burden. I did not want to hear it again and again that I was nothing but a responsibility out of pity. So, I wanted to make a deal with him in which both of us would be benefited. I was not sure if he would agree. But I knew that I needed to make him agree. "So, tell me what you want. I''ll get that for you. And you''ll let me live with you," I said, keeping up with him. "You can never get me what I want," he muttered, not looking at me. He hardly looked at me when I was talking. He only looked at me when he needed to know something from me. It was as if he did not want to hear what I was saying. But I knew he was listening. So, I did not mind. "If you don''t tell me what it is, then how can I get you that?" "I want power. I want to rule over this world. Can you get that for me?" he asked, turning to face me as if he was certain I had tripped over my own words. "Power? You want to rule over this world? Huh, only this! Of course, I can get that for you. I mean, I can help you at least," I said proudly. "Do you think I''m joking?" "No. Why would I? You are a power-hungry psychopathic villain and I''m going to help you. That''s the thing. Well, I might be just a human and stuff like that. But trust me, if you tell me much about your world and your rivals, I''ll find a way to help you," I said. He stopped walking and looked at me, his dark eyes penetrating through me, his magnificent stature making me shake slightly. "All right, I''ll tell you, and then you''ll have to work for me whether you like it or not. And only then I''ll let you stay here," he said. "Uh-huh," I said, nodding. "Let''s go inside that cave of yours then. It feels weird to talk here. And besides, I need to get comfortable to think properly. Do you mind taking my backpack? It''s heavy." I shoved my backpack into his hands, just the way he had earlier thrown it on my lap, and began walking without waiting to observe his reaction. Thankfully, he carried it though I heard him hiss under his breath. As we reached the cave, I saw that the door was not locked. He seemed as if he did not care if anyone went inside it. Things appeared to become more complex. Those creatures feared him. They fled the moment they saw him. And he did not lock his door. It was as if he was sure that no one would get inside. Something about him was a secret, or it might not be just one thing. A lot of things were secrets about him. I did not even know his name. What if he was more than what I was seeing? We went inside and I felt the warmth of the room falling on my skin again, making me want to take a nap right away. But if I wanted to be in this place, I needed to persuade him to make a deal with me. There was a chair that could easily fit two like me. I sat in the chair, and he sat on the bed, again dumping my backpack on my lap, although not as forcefully as before. "Okay, so here''s the deal... First, I need to learn more about you. Like first of all, what''s your name?" "There is no need to know that," he said. "There is. Listen, we''re making a deal. It means we''re all on the same page. You know things about me and I know things about you. You don''t disrespect me and I don''t disrespect you. We don''t have to be friends; we simply have to put up with each other. So first of all, what''s your name?" "Leandro Gregor," he replied. "So, Leandro, you need to tell me about everything. At the very least, the information I require to help you. And please don''t make it difficult for me. I know nothing about this world," I said. "Let me tell you from the beginning and don''t make me repeat myself," he said. "This world is known as the world of shadows, the world of darkness. Because there are monsters here. There are humans and there are shifters. Shifters can turn into another animal other than their human forms." "Like anytime?" "Yes. But sometimes they lose control when they are angry or something like that. And there are humans here as well. They are large in number, but as they are not as powerful as the shifters, they are not respected here much. They are used as servants and slaves." "Slaves? You mean sex slaves?" I asked, horrified by the prospect. "Yes and other things. Shifters rule over this world. It''s not a big place, but a powerful one for sure. My family has ruled this earth since its inception, generation after generation." "That means you are a shifter as well? You can turn into that weird-looking animal as well?" I asked, suddenly fearing what if he turned into that creature as well and try to eat me. "That is where things begin. My entire family is capable of shifting into Orgades..." "Those things are called Orgades?" I asked. "Yes. And let me finish first. Don''t interrupt," he said coldly. "All of my family members can shapeshift into them. But I never could. I''m something else. Something more devious, more powerful. They say that I am the devil itself." "Wait! You are the monster, aren''t you? That''s how you just appeared in the place of the monster in an instant," I said enthusiastically. "They call me the Beast. My brother Nicklaus set the people against me. Even though I am the rightful heir of the throne, he took it. He told the people about me and set me off the throne. And here I am, now living in a cave." "So you want to reclaim your throne?" I asked, thinking deeply. "And I need to help you. Well, I think I can do something. You said that humans work as servants here, right?" He nodded. "And there must be a castle, right?" "My family lives in a castle. It''s called the Black Palace," he said. "Your family? You mean, your brother... is there anyone else?" "My father as well. He plotted the people against me as well," he replied. "Oh, that''s sad. They must be evil or you are the evil one. But never mind. So, I will go to the palace and work as a servant there. And then I''ll bring you the information. Kind of like a spy, you know," I said. He let out a hollow laugh. "As if it''s that easy! They won''t take you as their servants if you ask them to. The servants that work there must be trustworthy." "I am trustworthy. Well, you know what I mean. I''ll find my way. So do you agree to the deal? I''ll bring you information and you''ll let me stay here." "Only if you can first sneak into the castle as a servant, which I highly doubt," he remarked. "Oh, I will. You just have to show me which way the castle is. I''ll go there every morning and come back at night and then tell you about everything. So they are not going to eat me, right?" "They don''t eat humans. They kill them only." "If I make a mistake?" "You''ll see. The deal that you are making is hard. But if you actually make the deal, then there is no turning back. You have to do what you''re saying," he said in a warning tone. "Oh, don''t worry. I''m not going to back down. So deal then?" I asked, holding out my hand. For some reason, he appeared astonished. But then shook my hand. His grip was firm and his hand was rough. His hand was noticeably big in front of mine. But his grip felt safe as if he would keep me safe. "So do you have a bathroom? I need to freshen up and change," I said. He nodded and stood up. I followed him as he walked towards another door other than the front door. For some reason, I did not notice this door before. He pushed it open and I found myself in front of a study room. There was a table and a large leather chair in the center of the room. There were three bookshelves, each crammed with books. I caught myself staring at the books as we passed past the study room. In the study room, he pushed open a door. As I went inside, I saw what I did not expect at all. There was a hot water tub in the middle of the room. No, it was a pool. The whole place was gorgeous and inviting.. One thing I was sure of was that I was going to have a great time here. Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 9 - Not Anyone Like Her You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) She looked surprised to see the bathroom. It was well decorated. I had made this whole place inside a cave two years ago. I had anticipated that my family would do something to depose me from the throne. And I was right. Almost six months later, they betrayed me. "Don''t mess this place up," I warned her. "Don''t turn into your beast form and eat me," she hissed back. She entered the bathroom and shut the door in my face. She was brave. No one, not a single person, ever ventured to speak to me in that manner, even when I was in my human form. They were afraid of me. It was undeniably due to the way I appeared. Father claimed I had a diabolical look on my face, particularly my eyes. He said it with obvious contempt for me, but he was right. I was a devil. But I did not hate myself for that. I had embraced my devil, but sometimes it was hard to control my beast, very hard. Especially the times when I was very angry. But, for some reason, I felt like I was losing myself while this girl was around. I did not want to kill her. But I wanted to do something, something to her. She eventually made a deal with me. She was walking right into the path of the monsters. She had no idea how cruel this world was. A part of me did not want to send her there. But another part of me wanted to take my power back. And I would go any length for that. It was her who wanted to make the deal in the first place. Besides, I did not even know her. Why would I care for her? Why would I care if something happened to her? I sat down in my chair and took a page and a pencil. I started drawing and writing about the castle''s secret passageways. There were five secret ways inside the castle. She did not know anything about the castle or this world. I wrote about every route she needed to know to get to the castle. She said she was going to manage to get inside the castle as a servant. But I did not know how. However, I had a feeling that she would manage somehow. Besides, she managed to pursue me to tell her about my desire, my true identity and made me make a deal with her. I had never told anyone about my beast side the way I told her. I felt comfortable talking to her. And I met her only a few hours ago. I drew the five secret passageways and wrote about them. It took me almost two hours. I still needed to draw the route to the castle and out of this forest. I heard the bathroom door open. Despite my desire, I did not look up. "Hey, do you mind getting my backpack?" she asked. "I''m working. Get that yourself," I muttered, without looking at her. "I''m completely naked. Please," she said and I felt the urge to look at her even more. I sighed and got up. She was talking from behind the bathroom door, peering out through the gap. I got her backpack and held it out towards her. She looked fresh after taking the bath. Her brown hair was damp and I noticed that it was long, reaching her waist. I could not see her body as she was behind the door. She took the backpack and closed the door again. My senses were overwhelmed with her invigorating scent. I had never felt any attraction towards anyone. I had fucked women, but that was just to fill my need. It was just that. I had never met the women again. I did not let them on my bed. They would have to leave the moment I was done. I did not even kiss anyone. And these two years, I did not even touch anyone. She got out of the bathroom. She was wearing a black t-shirt and very short pants. I noticed how slender she was. It was as if she never ate properly. But she was... attractive. She dressed strangely. No one here wore anything like that. "What?" she asked, noticing me observing her. "What are you wearing?" I asked. "T-shirt and shorts," she replied, rolling her eyes as if it was the dumbest question anyone had ever asked her. "Are you planning on going to the castle wearing this kind of clothes?" "What''s wrong with them? I''m not naked, right?" she asked looking down at her. "No one here wears anything like that," I pointed out. "So, what do the girls wear here?" I let out a sigh. "I''ll give them to you tomorrow. I''m not sure if they''ll fit you, but you have to manage," I said. "Are you drawing?" she asked, coming past me and over to the table, peering at the papers. "What are those? It looks like the insides of a house... no, a castle. Is it the castle you have told me about? Are those secret passageways? Cool, you know. Are you drawing those for me? Are you sure that they are right?" "I''ve lived there all my life. Of course, I''m sure about them," I said. "Your drawings are really cool, you know," she said sighing. "I can''t draw. If you tell me to draw a tree, I''ll draw a tree, but the fact is that it will look more like a goat." She was adorable. I had the urge to kiss her which was the first time I felt like this. I wanted to take those little heart-shaped lips into my mouth. I took a deep breath to get a grip on myself. I could not afford to lose myself for a girl, and more importantly, she was just a human. "I''ll lead you out of the forest, but you have to come back on your own and make sure that no one sees you entering the forest. And you have to find a way to get inside the castle." "I told you I will," she said, still examining my drawings. "How?" "I don''t know, but I will. Don''t worry about that. All you have to do this show me the way out of the forest. Then I''ll manage everything." She sounded very confident. I had no idea how a human girl like her was going to do all these on her own. "Um... well, I was wondering... Your father is still alive. Then, according to the rules, or at least the rules of royal families, you''re meant to inherit the throne after your father dies, right? But you said you already had the throne, and now your brother has it. But how is this even possible? Is there a different regulation here?" "No, the rule is the same. But father is ill. So he was forced to hand down the throne to his elder son, me." "How old are you?" she asked. "That''s none of..." "I know that''s none of my business. But I still want to know. You can at least talk to me. We are going to get bored if you keep quiet all the time. You need to..." "22." "Wow! You are quite young to be a king. Wait! Your brother is younger than you, right? How old is he then? 15?" "He is 21." "Oh, ok," she said, deep in thought. I went and sat down in the chair. I began working on the route out of the forest. "What''s your brother''s name again?" she asked, leaning on the table with her elbows. "Nicklaus Gregor," I replied sketching the route. "Nicklaus?" she said and started laughing. The sound of her sweet addictive laughter filled the room. She looked adorable. "What''s so funny?" I asked, surprised. "I knew I heard this name somewhere. Well, there is a character. I mean, it''s a fictional character. He appeared in TV shows as well. His name is Nicklaus as well. They call him Klaus. Klaus Mikaelson. He is a villain as well. I haven''t watched the show, but I know about him. Zoe is a big fan. Have I told you about Zoe? She is my friend. The friend I told you about before. She said that he is hot. Handsome, you know. Not as much as you, but he is," she said casually in her usual fast tone. I looked at her to make sure she was not joking. But she was serious. She did not care what others thought, she just said what she thought was true. I had never met anyone like her and I was sure that I would never meet anyone like her as well. "I''m feeling sleepy. Aren''t you going to sleep?" she asked. "No. I need to work," I said. "Alright then. I don''t like to sleep at night as well. But I''m feeling exhausted today. I better go to sleep. Goodnight then." I just nodded. "I said goodnight. Say it back," she urged. "Goodnight," I muttered, pursing my lips. She smiled.. "Goodnight, Leandro." Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 10 - Hard To Control You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) Hearing my name in her voice made my heart skip a beat. I did not know why, but I felt as though I had never felt this way before. Nobody had ever made me feel this way before. She was the first person to live with me without fear, even after knowing that I could turn into a monster at any moment. "By the way, do you sleep on the left or right side? It''s your bed, I mean mattress. So, you should get the right to choose the side," she said. This was now a problem. I was going to have a terrible time controlling myself if we slept in the same bed. And there was a possibility that my monster would emerge if I lost control. She was going to be dead for sure in that case. "Left side," I found myself saying even though I did not want to. Part of me wanted to feel her beside me. I knew it was going to be hard to control myself, but she was also the one who made me regain my human form. If I turned into my beast, I could never turn into my human form before morning. It was the first time I was able to get back to my human form. And that''s also because she touched my face without backing away in fear. Perhaps I was going to manage to control myself. "Good. Bye then," she said and went to the bedroom. From where I was seated, I could clearly see the bed. She kept the door open, but did not know what kind of thought it was giving me. My body was taking it as an invitation. I watched as she climbed up on the bed. She lay down on the right side and got under the blanket. I kept my gaze on her as she watched the ceiling of the cave. She looked heavenly. I quickly looked away from her and focused on my drawing. It was hard. I had to force my eyes to look away before my legs would take me to the room and do things that were not appropriate. I drew the route and wrote down everything she needed to know. It took me almost half an hour to finish. When I was finished, I carefully laid the sketches on the table, weighted down by a notebook. I went into the bedroom. She was sleeping on her side. She appeared calm, with a tinge of innocence on her face. Her damp hair was over her head, revealing her flawless face. It was going to be difficult, very difficult, to keep myself under control. I removed my shirt and pants. I slept in my shorts all the time. I knew it was not appropriate to sleep in my shorts in front of her. But I still wanted to do it. I wanted to see how she was going to react. I put out the candles, leaving only the fireplace light in the room. I climbed onto the mattress and lay next to her. It was surprising that she did not even try to sleep as far as possible from me. She was just being comfortable. I rolled onto my side and looked at her face. I could see her features perfectly in the little light that was illuminating from the fireplace. I touched her face. Her cheeks were soft against my fingers. I trailed my fingertips across her lips, nose, and closed eyelids. My fingers traced a line down her neck. I wanted to go lower. But I quickly brought my hand to myself. I was hard. I wanted to take her right away. I hastily widened the distance between us and lay on my back, keeping my gaze away from her. I remembered all the things she told me. I never expected myself to remember them. But even to my surprise, I remembered every single thing she told me. Her name kept roaming into my mind. Ella. Ella Griverd. She said that her mother had a boyfriend named Owen. She did not like him at all. I wondered why. She also had a stepsister named Linda. She did not like her as well. Ella had a tendency to tell the truth, even if it was not something normal. I had a feeling that she had a valid reason for not liking them even if the reason was unusual. Ella was unusual. She said that she had been going to a house inside a forest that was rumored to be haunted. No one, especially not a girl like her would go anywhere like that. Instead, she said she went there at least once a week. And she also went through the portal when she found it. She was curious, very curious. She even touched my fur out of curiosity. I let out a sigh. What was I going to do with her? Now I did not even know how she was going to find a way to get inside the castle as a servant. What if they took her as a slave? I returned my gaze to her sleeping face. She was not ready. She was never going to be ready to be a slave. Forget slave, she was not even ready to be a servant. I had no idea how she was going to do so. I tried not to think about it and tried to sleep a bit. I had no idea when I fell asleep. But when I woke up, I knew it was morning. But something else had awoken me. I felt something on my stomach. I looked down and saw that she had her right leg on my stomach, still sleeping. She did not have any body hair. I felt compelled to stroke her pale, delicate leg. What if she woke up and saw me touching her? She might get the wrong impression, or maybe the correct impression. She moved slightly and opened her eyes. I quickly looked away from her face, pretending that I had woken up just now as well. "Oh, good morning," she murmured, her voice groggy. "I''m sorry," she muttered quickly moving her leg from my stomach, making me suddenly feel blank. "I have this habit, you know, to throw my hands and legs while sleeping. I sleep alone. So it wasn''t really a problem. But now... You don''t mind, do you? I''ll try not to do this. By the way, do you have a girlfriend?" "That''s..." "I know that''s none of my business. You say this too much, like really too much. But come on. We can try to be friends," she said. As if we could ever be friends when my mind had already pictured her naked and moaning my name when I fucked her! "No, I don''t have a girlfriend," I said. "Cool! I don''t have to explain to her that you haven''t done anything and that we''re just working together, nothing more," she said. "So can we be friends?" "No." "Why not? Am I not worthy of being your friend? Or am I too annoying? Or do you want to be that tough all that time? Or..." "I''ll tell you one day, maybe," I said and got out of bed. I watched her as she examined my body. She most likely had not noticed before that I was wearing nothing but my shorts. I waited, standing there long enough for her to see as much as she wanted. She did not look away. She watched my muscles with great curiosity. She did not look down my torso to my disappointment. She then stepped in front of me, her petite form scrutinizing my six-packs. "Do you work out every day?" she asked. "No, you don''t have to answer. You are really strong. I mean, you carried me here effortlessly as if I am nothing but a piece of paper. And you have a cool body, you know." I looked down at her and saw that she blushed. She perhaps realized what she had just said. "I''m being weird. It''s just... I have never seen anyone like you. I mean, you are just... Never mind. I''ll just freshen up. You said you are going to give me clothes. I need to head to the castle today. I need to make sure I''m in as a servant." "What will you do if they want to take you as a slave and not a servant?" I asked. She paused for a moment to think. "They will not take me as a slave. They''re not going to want me like that." "Why not?" "Because slaves are used to pleasure the royals, right? So, they need to have a great body, perfect curves, a seductive voice, and loads of experience. That''s why I''m out of the list." I sighed silently. Only if she knew what others were going to think laying their eyes on her.. It was just her who could not see what she was. Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 11 - Handsome You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) I knew that he was very handsome and also guessed that he had a very amazing body. But after seeing him without his shirt and pants and only in his shorts, my insides began to heat up in a way they had never done before. I wanted to do something. I did not know what. But I wanted to. I had never masturbated before. I had never felt the desire to before. I once or twice watched porn. But I did not like it much. In the books, I read that sex was something that was not only physical activity but also an emotional connection. But in porn, there was nothing like that. It was as if they were forced to put each other''s things into each other. As I took a shower, I touched myself. I did not know why, but I felt I needed to. I was wet. I felt embarrassed. I only looked at him, and this was my state now. It was a great relief that no one could see me like this. I did not masturbate. I did not want to... my body wanted to, but not me. I quickly got out of the shower, wearing a towel only. He said he was going to give me clothes. So what was the point of changing again? I noticed another room while I was passing past the study room. I did not notice it before. It was a kitchen. It was only because the door was open that I noticed it. I headed to the bedroom, disregarding my need to explore the kitchen. He was looking in the closet for something. "What am I going to wear?" I asked. He glanced back at me. For a moment, he did not look away. He moved his gaze up and down my body. But then he cleared his throat and took a long dress from the closet. "A dress?" "Yes. This is what girls wear here," he said. "It''s not going to fit me. I mean..." "There is a ribbon in the back. You can tie it up if it''s too loose-fitting." "Hmm," I said, taking it from his hand. The dress was long and straight. It was not tight and was not too baggy. It was just a plain light brown dress. "I thought you lived alone here," I said. "I do. This is my sister''s dress." "You have a sister?" I asked, surprised. "I had. She died three years ago," he replied. "Oh, I''m so sorry. What happened?" "That''s none of your business. Wear this dress now," he said sharply. I did not ask anything else. He did not want to talk about it. But I was certain that if I could get inside the castle, I would learn everything there was to know about him, his family, and this world. "Be quick," he said and went inside the study room, closing the bedroom door behind him. I took off the towel and put on the dress. I had to knot the ribbon quite tightly in order for it to fit properly. I examined myself in the mirror. I did not look as bad as I expected. I looked approachable. I combed my hair with the brush on the dressing table. I could not use any makeup. It was not like I ever used it. I hated my hair. It had gotten too long and took too much time to comb it. I needed to cut it. But there was no time today. So, I thought of doing it some other day. I put my hair in a tight bun above my head. I would not bother to comb it at all, but I wanted to look like human today. My face was very small. Now it looked even smaller in this fitting dress and tight bun. I looked very small, especially next to him. I walked into the study room. But he was not there. My nose was flooded with the aroma of delicious broth. I realized how hungry I was. I had not eaten in a long time. I walked into the kitchen and saw that he was cooking. He was wearing black pants and a white shirt. His raven black hair was messy as it always had been. "Is it okay?" I asked. He looked at me. His gaze moved down my body, causing my insides to churn with a heated sensation. He pressed his lips tightly together and nodded. I exhaled in relief. There were three stools around a table. I took a seat in one of them. Within a moment, he brought two bowls full of broth and meat and placed them on the table. "Have it before it gets cold," he said as he took the seat in front of me. His voice was frigid as usual, but I enjoyed how he was getting a bit used to be polite. "So you can cook too. I can''t cook." Mom never let me enter her perfect kitchen. She said I would blast the place up and ruin her dream place. I just rolled my eyes at her. Who wanted to get into that horrible kitchen of hers anyway? "What''s your favorite soup?" I asked. And when he was not saying anything, I said, "Come on. You can talk to me, right? You don''t have to say a lot of things. Just answer me. You don''t have to ask me anything. My life is boring anyway. So tell me. What''s your favorite soup?" "Clam Chowder," he replied. "Oh, that''s cool. I love French Onion Soup. It''s my favorite," I said. "Hey, I was wondering... you don''t have fans, right?" He looked at me, a bit surprised. "Fans? The things you use for getting air. Electric fans? Do you have TV? Refrigerator? AC? Washing Machine? Hair Dryer? Do you have electricity?" "No." I felt as if I had fallen from the sky. This world was not improved at the stage of science. That''s why he thought I was dressed strangely. He was also cooking on an open fire in a pot. There was no fan here. I should have realized. They were either living in a far older era or things had not improved here at all. "Do you have a clock?" I asked desperately. "Yes. Who doesn''t have a clock?" If only he saw the things that my world had! I had no idea how I was going to deal with the people here. Especially as it was kind of an old-time, I had to show courtesy to the royalties. I was not good at showing respect to certain people, but then courtesy was beyond my imagination. I just wished I could manage to stay alive. After breakfast, he took me out of the cave. We walked through the forest. He had given me six papers that I had to hide inside my dress. In five of them, he said that there were drawings and descriptions of secret passageways inside the castle. On the other paper, there was the description and directions of the route out the forest. He gave me a wristwatch. It was a little huge for my hand, but I did not object. The brown leather of the wristwatch matched the color of my dress. He said that it was his sister''s as well. He did not seem comfortable talking about his sister. I did not ask him any questions about her as well. I knew some matters were hard to talk about and it was better not to be asked about them. I used to feel the same way every time someone would ask about my father. "What happened to your mother?" I asked. "If it''s hard for you to talk about her, just say that it''s none of my business. I won''t ask again then." "It''s none of your business," he said. "Okay. So what''s your favorite color?" He looked at me as if I was insane. Perhaps I was. But I liked being insane. At least, I was being myself. Insane me, but me me. He then looked straight again and said, "Black." "My favorite color is black too! You know why? Well, because it represents how I''m on the inside. You know, my soul, if I have one. I''m sure my aura is black too, if there is really something called an aura. I think black is the coolest color of all.. Oh lord, I use the word ''cool'' a lot. You don''t mind it, do you?" Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 12 - Edrich You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) "Is there a way to differentiate between humans and shifters?" I asked as we strolled down the forest. "Well, they have a mark on their bodies. A mark of their wings on their back," he replied. "They don''t remain shirtless, right? Then there is no way I''m recognizing a shifter," I sighed. "By the way, are those wings useless? They seem to be so." "They can''t use the wings for flying, but their wings are toxic. If they somehow get in contact with your skin, you will die." "Right away?" "No. But you will suffer from excruciating pain for at least two hours before you see the last of this world," he said. We had arrived to the forest''s end. There was no one in the vicinity. It seemed as if we were far from civilization. "Why is the place so deserted?" I asked as I took a glance around. "No one dares to approach the woodland. They fear the Beast. After a five-minute walk from here, you''ll start noticing people. I haven''t sketched out the route to the castle from the market. You will find it out anyway," he said. "Okay, goodbye then. I''ll come back as soon as possible if I somehow manage to stay alive of course," I said. He just nodded. He stayed there as I walked towards the locality. He most likely meant, according to his steps when he said five minutes. Because it took me at least ten minutes to see a man with a basket full of different types of bread. Now I had to figure out how to become a Royal servant. I reached a market. It was very chaotic. I could hear people yelling at one another and bargaining as though it was a life or death scenario everywhere. Perhaps I appeared a little unusual in this place. At least, my skin was clean. However, practically all of them appeared to have emerged from the tomb and had gone ten days without showering. I had a feeling that they were human. Leandro said that humans were used as servants and slaves here. Perhaps that was why they were in such a bad condition. I walked around the whole place, listening to the conversations around me. "The king stated he''ll take care of the food scarcity problem," I overheard a middle-aged man say to an older man while leaning on the little table placed in front of a pub. "I don''t believe anything the king says. There is a rumor that he betrayed his own brother. What''s the guarantee that he''s going to give us food?" the old man said dismissively. "Rumors are rumors, Brandyn. I heard that the king''s elder brother is sick. He is not capable of ruling. That''s why the king took the throne," the man said. "I still don''t believe this. But there''s no point in talking about the king. No matter what we say, no one is going to believe this. The king is the king. We need to do what he wants us to," the old man said. "I''m leaving now. My wife is unwell. She was taken by the king''s father at the cost of two hundred silvers. The king was a bit hard on her, but the money is in my pocket, so that''s not a problem. Now I need to take some medicine for her from the healer. The king''s father might want her again. See you later then, Edrich." "All right then. I got to go too. I need to find some slaves and servants for the king." "What happened to the previous ones?" the old man asked. The man let out a sigh and said, "What can I say? You know, old thing. A bit tough fucking and you know..." I gulped. What the hell had I gotten myself into? However, there was no other option. If I wanted to get in the castle, I needed to take a risk. The old man left. The other one got up and started walking. I quickly went to him, almost tripping over a chair, but still, I managed to control my balance. "Hey, hey," I called out. "Edrich!" The man gazed at me, his face flushed with surprise. "Who are you, girl? And how do you know my name?" he asked, his eyes darting up and down at me. "Well, I heard you''re looking for servants," I explained. "And I need work." "I don''t remember telling people around that I need servants," he said suspiciously. "Well, I overheard you telling Brandyn," I explained. "I''m... Leora Edrei." I did not think it would be a good idea to tell my real name. No one would be able to recognize me, of course. But I still did not want to use my real name. Rather, I said the first name that sprang to me. It was the girl''s name who I had smacked in the school once. "So, Leora, you want to be a servant? Or a slave?" he asked. "Servant, of course," I said quickly. "Come with me then. I need to make sure you are capable of being a servant first," he stated as he began walking. "You mean the king won''t choose the servant himself?" I asked, keeping up with him. "Why would the king waste his time choosing servants? He trusts me. I choose servants and slaves for him," he replied with a slight hint of pride in his voice. "Oh ok," I murmured quietly as I followed him. He ushered me inside a little shack. The door was nearly shattered. If there was a heavy wind, I had a hunch that the door would be the first thing that would see the last day of its life. It was a little hut with only one room. Inside, there was only one window. A table with several cracked spots stood in the middle, as well as three chairs. There were some papers on the table showing very horrible handwriting. "Sit," he said, taking a seat. I sat in a chair that, despite my little weight, made a cracking noise. I had to check twice to make sure it was not going to break. "So, tell me about yourself and why you want this job," he said. "Well, I''m very passionate about being able to feed myself," I said. He laughed. "Well, you''re quite entertaining. But that''s not the response I''m looking for. Tell me about your family." "I don''t have anyone. My parents died before I was born. I mean, my dad died before I was born and my mom had to give birth to me. Then she died as well. I don''t know how or what happened to them. A couple found me and raised me, but then they died as well. I don''t know what happened to them. Now I need food. And for food, I need money. You know what I mean," I said. "What''s your name again?" "Um..." "What? You forgot your name?" "Leora Edrei. Why would I forget my name? I''m just a bit nervous," I said laughing. I had almost forgotten the name I made for myself. It was going to be hard to respond hearing this name for sure. "All right, Leora, let me make something clear to you. You want to be a servant, right?" "Yes." "Then you better want to cover that face of yours," he said. "What do you mean?" I asked, surprised. "Well, even then, it won''t work. Are you certain you don''t want to work as a slave?" "Of course not. I want to be a maid and that''s all," I said. "Well, then, it''s a problem," he remarked, scratching his chin. " If the king or the king''s father sees you, there''s a high possibility they''ll want you to be their personal slave. Precisely saying, sex slave. You have... well, you are very tiny and slim, but perfect for... you know what I mean. You can''t even let them down, or they will punish you. The decision is yours, girl." "But I really need some money. What if I stay away from them? What if they can''t see me? Can you manage that? Like can you give me a job where I don''t have to face them?" I asked in a pleading tone. I was glad that I managed to do so without messing up. "You look very innocent, girl. I don''t want anything like that to happen to you. However, the world is a dangerous place, particularly for humans. We have nothing to do but listen to the shifters," he said in a sympathetic tone. "I''ll try to give you work where you don''t have to face them. But no one knows what will happen in the future. So you need to be careful." "I will be, Edrich. Thank you so much. You really are a friend," I said. "I''m not a good person, little girl. You just seem so innocent. I can''t help but feel pity towards you. I just want to help you as much as I can. But the rest is up to destiny," he said. "I know.. And I appreciate your help." Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 13 - Another Part You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) It was already nine at night. She still had not come back. What if someone took her? What if they hurt her or used her for...? I could not stay still any longer. I got out of the cave and went out of the forest. I waited at the same spot where I had left her earlier in the day. I did not understand why I was feeling this way towards her. For some inexplicable reason, I was drawn to her. Almost half an hour later, I saw a tiny figure coming this way. She always placed her left foot slightly curved. Even from a distance, I knew it was her. Besides, I could smell her as well. She smiled broadly as she approached closer and found me standing here. My heart began to beat strangely in response to the sight. I noticed she was holding two large packets in each hand. "I thought you wouldn''t come," she said. "Good that you''ve come. It would be weird to walk through the forest alone." "I''ve come to see if you are alive or not," I muttered coldly. "Yeah, yeah. I''ve got good news," she said grinning. "I can start working as a servant from tomorrow." I could not believe she truly managed to get the job. She knew nothing or no one here. Still, here she was saying that she had found a way to get inside the castle and also had two bags full of steaks, which I recognized by the smell even though she did not have any money. "Let''s go home then. I''ve brought food for us," she said, her smile fixed on her face. She gave one of the packets in my hand and started walking. I let out a sigh and followed her. "How did you do it?" "Well, I met Edrich. He said that I got the job and told me to meet him at the hut where we talked tomorrow at 6 in the morning," she said. "You met Edrich?" "He was talking to an old man. I overheard him, saying that the king needed servants and slaves. So I told him I wanted to work as a servant." "Didn''t he ask you anything about yourself and your family?" "He did. I said that my name is... um... oh yeah, Leora Edrei. And I told him that I don''t have a family. My father died before my birth and my mother died right after giving me birth. So I needed to earn money. He seems like a good guy, you know. I mean, he warned me. He said that, well, if the king or his father saw me, they might want to take me as their sex slave. So I requested him to give me work where I would not have to face them. He said he will try. But I still don''t understand why they would want me as their sex slave. It''s not like I have a curvy body. Well, my breasts are indeed kind of big as per my body, but still... other things are not perfect," she muttered, looking down at her. "You know him, don''t you?" "Yes." "He was saying to the old man that there are rumors about your brother betraying you. But not everyone believes it. Some do and some don''t. That''s what happens in the case of rumors. Well, at least, they have the slightest suspicion that your brother might have betrayed you. It''s a good thing, right? They''ll know the truth eventually. But the thing that I don''t understand... well, did they never see you? They talk as if they haven''t seen you or your brother." "Royals don''t get out of the castle much," I replied. "Oh ok. By the way, your father is not a good person. He fucked the old man''s wife at the cost of two hundred silvers and his wife is sick now. The old man did not seem to care about it much. So are all of the royals like this? They take whoever they want?" she asked. "They do." "You used to do it too? You used to fuck a lot of women? You used to use them for your sexual pleasure?" "That''s..." I was about to say that''s none of your business. But I did not want her to get the wrong impression of me, especially in this case. I found myself saying, "Well, I used to fuck whores only, not married women and young girls. They would take the money and then leave. I never had a slave or something like that." "Oh. How many women did you sleep with?" she asked, but then added, "No, you don''t have to tell me." For a brief moment, I thought I detected a hint of melancholy in her tone. Was she sad hearing that I had fucked women before? Or what did she expect me to be? A virgin saint? She quickly fixed her face, probably not to let me show her sadness, or was it something else? Jealousy? Was she attracted to me? Maybe a smidgeon. But I felt a rush of excitement at the thought. "So I''m not an adult. I''m not even eighteen yet. Do you think they will want to take me as a slave?" "If a girl has her...," I was trying to find the right word to describe. "Satan''s sacrificial waterfall? Fall of stinky and sometimes clogged blood? When you feel like you''re dying, when you stand up after a while and feel a waterfall down there, then when you go to the toilet in the morning and it looks like a huge bowl of tomato soup, when you want to stab everyone and everything that gets in your way, when you wish you weren''t a girl, when you want to kill everyone at least six times, when everyone is annoying, when you have to go to the bathroom, when you have to go the toilet multiple times to make sure your body is not letting others know that you have blood inside of you?" she breathed out the words with clear annoyance. I could not help but smile. Even I was surprised that she managed to make me smile. "Yes, that. Then any girl can be a slave, at least they think so." "Oh ok. Then I''m free." "You did not have your period?" I asked, shocked. "No, no, no. I''ve had my period. But how will they know? It''s not like if I have my period, I''ll go around walking as if there is a stick stuck between my legs," she said pouting. "They can smell blood," I said. "What? Oh, I thought they can''t smell. I mean, those creatures did not have a nose." "When they are in their Orgade form, they can''t smell. But when they are in their human forms, they can smell," I explained, and her countenance clouded. "Kind of like the way predators can smell blood." "God, that sucks. Hope I''m so ugly and stinky that people won''t look at me twice," she said and I was thinking that it was something that was never going to happen. "By the way, you like steaks, don''t you?" "Where did you get them? You didn''t have any money." "I don''t need money to get food," she said as if it was something anyone would understand. "A woman gifted them to me." "Why would someone gift you for no reason?" "I just helped her a bit. It took so long. So, she gave me those as a thank you." "What did you help her with?" "Well, she has six children. Two of them are very little. Her three-year-old son was throwing a tantrum for no apparent reason. I had to calm him down. It took a very long time. But then after he calmed down, he requested me to read a book with him. I like books too. So I did not refuse. It took so long. We did not even notice how long it has been," she explained. I looked at her, surprised. With everything she did, she was surprising me even more. She had no idea how different I was when it came to her. I had never talked to anyone like this. I had never behaved well with anyone. But she... she brought out this form of me. We reached the cave. She was kind of excited. As we went inside the kitchen, she got comfortable on a stool. I washed plates for us. I had never done this for anyone else before. She was the first to witness almost everything unusual that I did. The steaks were big, very big. I was sure that the three years old boy of the woman was surely very hard to control. That was why the woman was very grateful to her for calming him down. She might not think that it was a big deal, but to the woman, it surely was. Ella was now eating her steak and telling me about how she had almost tripped over a chair and pebbles several times. But I was mostly looking at her. She was not looking at me while keeping up with her talking which I was grateful for.. Because now I could take all of her features, without having to worry that she saw me observing her. Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 14 - Embarrassed (From Ella''s Perspective) "What will happen if I die? I mean, what if someone kills me in the castle? Just for fun, you know. What will you do? Will you tell my family if you ever find the portal again?" I asked as we lay on the bed. He was facing away from me. Maybe his ears were on the verge of bleeding from my continual babbling. But I still wanted to talk to him. There were a lot of things to talk about. He did not say anything. I knew he was pretending to be asleep. I sighed. "You and I can relate in some ways you know. Both of us have not seen the true love of a family. I don''t know much about your family though. You aren''t telling me. But I''ll find out soon." "Your name is Leandro, right? I can call you Lee. It''s easier. Well, Leandro is cool too. I''ll call you both then." "You haven''t told me why black is your favorite color. Is it because you think that black represents the heart of a monster and you are a monster? But, you know, that''s not it. Even if you''re trying not to show it, you have a heart. You did not kill me the moment you saw me. You could, but you didn''t. You brought me here. And I know you went there last night to save me after I left this cave. You have given me a place to live. And you also went there to make sure that I found the right way back here. You care. You care for me because I''m a human being. Humans care for each other. And you see, you have a heart." "Lee, we can be friends you know. I still don''t understand why you don''t want to be my friend. Am I too annoying? Well, you know girls hate me. I don''t know why, but they just do. Boys don''t though. They try to talk to me. I talk to them too, but then they try to take this thing to the next step, you know. That''s the moment I stop talking to them. I can''t trust them. They are going to use me for their pleasure only, and then they will leave me. And if I get attached to them, I''m going to be the one left heartbroken. Did you ever have a girlfriend? Have you kissed? Oh, of course, you have kissed. You said you had sex. So you have definitely kissed. That''s how you start doing it right? I mean, kissing first and then other touchy touchy things. It''s not like you have a dance competition before sex." "I have a laptop at home you know. My family won''t buy me a phone. They say that I''m not worthy of a phone. Linda has a phone though. She is so mean, you know. I mean, I''m not a perfect person either and I can sometimes be mean too. But at least, I have a reason. But she doesn''t. She is just always like that. But she is beautiful, at least people say so. I mean, my family says so. They say that Linda dresses properly and she has a great sense of style. They say that I don''t even know what to wear. It''s true. I mean, I don''t like dressing up all fancy and perfectly. I wear whatever catches my eyes first. Oh, where I was? Oh yes, laptop. You know, I''ve watched many movies and TV shows. You know what I mean, right? Movies are where actors and actresses play different roles. Kind of like plays. And TV shows are like movies, but there is a bit of difference. A TV show consists of multiple episodes. And sometimes a TV show has multiple seasons. You know, the same story, but you get to go deep into it. It''s cool!" "Are you into that stuff?" He did not reply. I peeked at his face and saw that he was sleeping. So I was blabbering alone all those times and he was not even listening. I let out a long sigh. I never had much of a friend in my life except Zoe. So, now that I found someone to stay with all the time, I could not stop talking. Even though he did not talk much, I kind of felt attached to him. I did not know if it was just because he gave me a place to stay, or if there was something more. He looked even handsome when he was sleeping. I felt the urge to remove the strands of raven black hair that fell on his forehead. And my curiosity, God forbade, always brought the best and the worst out of me. And I reached out with my right hand to stroke his hair. It felt velvety between my fingers. I removed strands of hair from his forehead. His skin was warm, very warm. My hand felt to be cold against his skin. He moved slightly and I quickly brought my hand to myself. I felt my cheeks heating up. My god! What was happening to me? He opened his eyes and looked at me. Oh shit! He was awake the entire time, pretending to be asleep, and I even touched his hair. "I just wanted... um... to remove the hair from your forehead. I mean, you know, make yourself a bit comfortable. I''m ruining your comfort by being on the bed. So I thought... it''s not what it seems like, you know," I said hastily before he could say something. "Is that so?" he asked, a little smirk on his face. "Yes," I replied quickly, looking anywhere but him while trying to hide the redness on my cheeks. "Good then." "Yeah, we''re good," I said, more loudly than necessary. "I''ll sleep then. I have to wake up early tomorrow." I moved over onto my side and drew the blanket over my head. It was embarrassing. This was my first time touching someone like this, and the outcome was far from pleasant. I closed my eyes and wondered why my curiosity was so strong. I did not think anyone else had this kind of problem with their curiosity. I could not fall asleep. My god, I was so embarrassed that I barely could think about looking at him tomorrow! What if he thought that I was checking him out? Well, in a way, I was. It was not my fault. He was so handsome. I had never seen anyone as charming as him. Something was negative about his look, but still, he was attractive. What if he thought that I was thinking about kissing him? It was not true. I mean, I did not think about kissing him. I wanted to, but not now. What if he thought I had a crush on him? Oh no, this was bad. How was I even going to show my face to him? Other girls would say that I was overreacting. But come on, they had experience in those things and also had sex at least ten times a week. Here I was, I did not even kiss anyone. Forget kissing, I did not even touch a boy. What if he threw me out of this place saying that I was invading his personal space? I needed to clear things with him. "Leandro? Are you asleep?" I asked rolling over to face him. He turned onto his side and faced me. I felt my cheeks heating up again. I tried to console the effect by putting my hand on the side of my cheek in the display. "Listen, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have touched you like that. As I told you before, I had no bad intentions. Let me be clear. I wasn''t checking you out. I mean, you have a handsome face and stuff, but I was just... never mind. And I wasn''t planning on kissing you. I really wasn''t. You believe me, don''t you? I''m not invading your personal space, am I? You are not going to throw me out, right? We still have that deal, don''t we? Please don''t throw me out. I don''t have anywhere to go. Besides, the monsters are going to eat me. I mean, at least, they are going to kill me." "You are afraid of those monsters? Ella, I''m a bigger monster than they are. I''m also more terrifying-looking and dangerous than them. Aren''t you afraid of me?" he asked. "Why would I be afraid of you? It''s you, right? I know you. I know you''re not going to hurt me. Besides, your monster is kind of good-looking, at least comparing to them," I said. "Are you sure? Are you never going to be afraid of me?" he asked. "No. There is no reason to be afraid of you." "Are you going to flinch away seeing my other self? My beast?" "No, Leandro. You... you won''t hurt me, I know." "Then Ella, there is no reason I''m throwing you out. But I have to talk to you tomorrow morning first thing.. I need to make another deal." Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 15 - The First Kiss And Another Deal You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) It was difficult to keep my hands away from her. But I was determined not to let down my guard just because of a girl. I had pretended to be asleep, but she kept talking. I listened to everything she was saying. My heart skipped more than one beat when she said that I had a heart as well. No one had ever told me this. Everyone said that I was a heartless monster. But she did not. She said I had a heart and even showed me the reason why she said it. And the moment she removed strands of hair from my forehead, I had the urge to take her right away. That was the moment I knew that there was no way I would be able to stay away from her. I needed to do something. At least, I wanted to feel a bit of her. The next morning, I had woken up at four. I had woken her up as well, as she had to go the castle as her first day of work. I was worried about her. But I did not want to show it. She said that she was going to be alright. She was a bit innocent, but she was smart. I had a feeling that she would be able to keep herself safe. I made tomato soup for both of us. She came to the kitchen for breakfast after getting ready in the brown dress. She looked very beautiful and perfect, even though she did not know that herself. She was yawning again and again and was not talking much. She definitely did not like mornings. She was not looking at me directly as well. It was as if she was embarrassed about touching my hair last night. She was having her soup silently, keeping her eyes focused on the soup, yawning frequently. "Have you taken the drawings of the routes?" I asked. "What?" she asked. "The drawings? Have you taken them with you?" "Yeah. I''ve placed them inside my bra," she replied. She had no idea what her innocent words did to me. "Remember I told you that I''m going to make another deal with you?" "Hmm. What is it about?" "It''s about the food," I said. "What?" she asked, surprised. "You want to starve me?" "We agreed that you would bring me information from the castle in exchange for a place to stay," I said. "Yeah." "However, we did not discuss food. The deal only mentioned a place for you to stay. I''ve already given you that. But when it comes to food, we need to make another deal." "Really? For food too?" "Yes. Food is precious. I need to go hunting for small animals and bring back fruits and vegetables from the forest. It consumes a significant amount of my time." "Alright. What''s the deal?" "You are going to eat with me twice a day, right? You can have as many times as you want, but you have to let me do something for that as well," I said. "I don''t have any money, you know that," she said. "I''m not asking money." "Then what? Do you want me to kill a person every single time I eat here? Or do you want me to sing you a song? I can''t sing, I''m telling you," she said in her usual fast-talking. "I''m not going to tell you to sing." "Then what?" "I''ll show you. But first, finish your soup," I said. She was very curious. She finished her soup very quickly and then waited for me to finish. She was not yawning anymore. Perhaps she wanted to hear more about the deal. Her curiosity was the thing that led her to this position today. After I was finished, I saw that she was looking at me expectantly. "Tell me now." "I said I''ll show you," I said. "Alright. I don''t have much time. You got to show me quickly." I nodded and approached her. She was surprised to see that I was not stopping getting near her. She backed away until her back touched the wall. I locked her between the wall and my tall stature. She looked at me wide-eyed. "You said you are going to show me." "I''m showing you," I said. "What..." She could not finish. I pressed my lips on her pink petals, my mind racing with overwhelming emotions that were completely new to me. Her soft lips brushed up against my rough ones. A rush of pleasure and warmth rushed through my veins the minute our lips touched. I tightened my grip on her neck and drew her closer to me. I moved my lips against hers, taking as much of her lips as I could, feeling every part of her soft lips. My one hand was on her neck, pressing her towards me, while my other hand was clawing at the stones on the wall behind her, attempting to cope with the pleasure and weird sensation. I felt her hand on my chest. But she was not pushing me away. Rather, she was clutching my shirt hard, attempting to steady her slightly trembling body. She kissed me back with all the perfection she could muster. But she was a bit hesitant. It was clear in the way she was moving her lips. But I was not hesitant, not even a bit. I wanted to taste more of her. I bit on her bottom lip, and a faint groan escaped as she parted her lips. I did not want to miss the chance to taste her. I pushed my tongue inside her, teasing every part of her. My heart was racing in my chest, craving her, wanting to see every part of her perfect body. Our mouths were sealed together with my tongue inside her mouth. I tilted her head slightly to get a better taste of her lips. She did not expect my tongue to tangle with her tongue. But I knew she liked it. Her sweet soft moans said it all. I did not press my body on hers even though I wanted to. I did not know if I would be able to handle myself in that case. Perhaps I would rip her clothes right away and make her mine. I realized that she was out of breath. I pulled back from the kiss though I did not want to do it at all. It was my first kiss. This girl had gotten my first kiss. I wondered if it was her first kiss as well. At least, I hoped it was. The thought of anyone else touching her could lead my beast form out of me and kill every single person who touched her or was planning to do so. Her face was scarlet, her lips were swollen calling me to seize them again. She looked shocked as she was panting for breath. "What have you just..." "This is our deal. The many times I''ll give you food, the same times you''ll let me kiss you. I won''t touch you in any other way. But I''ll just kiss your lips, and nowhere else." "You... it''s unfair. It''s a pervertish deal," she said, her cheeks flushed like a budding crimson rose. "I don''t care what kind of deal it is. You can agree or you can deny. If you deny, you won''t get any food," I said. "And by the way, there is no word ''pervertish''." She sighed and looked angry. She looked even adorable when she was angry. I had never thought I would make such a deal with a girl only to kiss her lips. But I knew there was no way I would be able to handle myself with her around me. "What do you say? Do you agree?" She kept her gaze on me and seemed to be thinking. Then she nodded. "Alright. Just kiss and nothing else." "Yes, just kiss. But what if you ask for more?" "I won''t," she said firmly. "Why would I ask for more? I don''t need anything else. I''m only agreeing because I need food." "But if you ask for more, I won''t stop. I''ll kiss every inch of your skin, my fingers trailing down your delicate skin, I''ll suck your entire body, everywhere, your nipples, your honey folds, I''ll finger you till you come on my fingers, and then I''ll fuck you. I''ll fuck you so hard that you won''t be able to stand still for a day and you''ll want more," I said. These thoughts had been racing through my head since the first time I saw her, and now getting them out of my mouth gave me a bit of pleasure. She was taken aback. She looked at me as if she was at a loss for words. "You have no idea what you''re doing to me, little girl. You are driving me crazy. I''ve never felt like this towards anyone. I might have fucked a lot of women, but that was only to fill my need. But the way I want you, I feel like I need to have you, to touch you, to kiss those swollen lips of yours, to do things to you that you''ll remember all your life. The moment you will say yes to me, I''ll have you as much as I want and you will scream my name.. You even got my first kiss, little Ella. Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 16 - The Castle You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) We were walking in awkward silence through the forest. My mind was still hazy from what happened a moment ago. I could not believe he kissed me, he truly kissed me. I had no idea that he was talking about this kind of deal. I mean, he was handsome and gorgeous. Why would he want someone like me? All he wanted was a kiss per meal. But why would he want this when he could ask me to bring more information for him? The moment he had pressed his lips on mine, a sudden knot formed into my stomach. I had never kissed anyone before. I did not know how to kiss. But the way he skillfully moved his lips against mine, I felt I found out how to do so. Even though part of me was telling me to push him away, I kissed him back. I was shocked when he pushed his tongue inside my mouth. I knew people did this while kissing. But I had no idea it would feel this good. His tongue was very warm, making shivers run over my skin. When he pulled back, most probably realizing that I was out of breath, I felt my cheeks heating up. The way he kissed me, I thought that he had done it a lot. But he said that it was his first kiss. So was mine. But I did not tell him that. He said that when I would say yes, he was going to do a lot of things to me, the things that I never thought I would crave, the things that I did not know I needed. But I would not say yes. Because I knew he was just another man. He would use me to take pleasure from my body and then leave me. He was the one who told me that he fucked women just to fill his need. What was the chance that he was not going to do it to me as well? I was not going to fall for him. It would always be just a kiss per meal and that''s all. Not more than that, never more than that, or at least I hoped so. I could not get my mind off his kiss. He seemed unbothered though. Of course, he was unbothered. He wanted me just for my body anyway. Why would he care about a silly kiss that he shared with just a silly human girl? Besides, I was not a shifter. I was not powerful. I was weak and a human. He would never care for me. We reached the end of the forest, the same place where he left me yesterday. It was a quarter to six. I needed to reach the hut as soon as possible. I could run. Yeah, running seemed to be a good idea. "Bye then," I said without looking at him. "I''ll come back as soon as I can." I gave him a nod and walked away without looking back. In my thoughts, strange emotions were flowing rampantly. I had never felt like this. I felt as if I was making a mistake, but the next moment, I was thinking that I might want to make this mistake as well. Like before, I felt his gaze on my back, cold but piercing through me, making a huge hole in my head, my heart, my whole existence. And from the hole, I could see him, feel him, and wanted to go to him. But I did not look back. I kept my eyes ahead. I did not have much time. So, I had to run all the way to the hut. People were looking at me as if I was mad. I did not care. I was used to this kind of stare. Edrich''s raspy voice surged into my ear as I shoved the nearly splintered door open. "You are two minutes behind schedule." "Yeah, I know. Sorry for that," I muttered, trying to fix my hair. Because of my running, my hair had become even messier. I had put it in a low bun this morning, but now it was not in a bun anymore. My hair looked as if I had gotten out of a tornado. My hair was straight but very dry. It would get messy easily. "Were you running?" he asked, looking at my miserable state. "Hmm. I was late for_ some pathetic reasons," I grumbled, the kiss flashing back into my memory. "You can''t be late when you''ll work here," he said. "I won''t be late again," I promised to him and also to myself. I could not afford to lose the chance to get inside the castle, especially not for just a kiss. "Come on with me then." "To the castle?" "Or where do you expect? Playground?" The market was close to the castle. It only took us five minutes to get to the castle''s huge entrance. It was big, very big. The gate was at least 20 feet high colored in shining gold. "Wait here, girl. I''ll be back in a moment," he said and left. I wanted to ask him where he was going, but he did not give me the chance to ask. He was already stepping away with long hurried steps. There were four guards at the gate. After seeing Edrich, they had opened the gate. And now they were standing there, blocking the entrance almost fully with their massive figures. "Here to work, girl?" one of them asked. I looked up and saw that he was almost as tall as Leandro and he had a massive built. I had a feeling that the three of me would make up to him. "Yes. I''m here to work as a servant," I stated flatly. I had gathered from Leandro''s description that the people here considered themselves to be very low. They always believed they were a few steps behind the shifters. So I attempted to act in such a manner, lowering my profile even though it was extremely difficult, especially given my mentality. "Do you have a servant?" "Are you sure?" he inquired. Yes, I replied. "I thought she was here to be a slave. The Royals might take a liking to her," another guard said. He had the same build as the previous one and he also had a very long beard that went up to his chest. "Oh I bet she is going to be a slave in a week or so," another guard said. He was bald and had a noticeable birthmark right under his chin. They were talking as if I was not there. I tried not to listen to them. Still, the thought of being a slave made my insides twist up. What if the royals truly wanted me as their slave? Oh no, I would never let them touch me. In that case, I would have to do something. But what? What would I do against the royals? There was no answer. I tried not to think about it. I did not want to know what was going to happen if they make me a slave. "Let''s go in then," I looked up as I saw Edrich''s voice. He was not alone. There were two more girls and a boy with him as well. I guessed that they were here to work as well. One of the girls had red hair with light brown eyes. Her eyes almost matched the color of my eyes. But hers were a bit brighter than mine. She looked happy for some reason. There was a fixed smile on her face that did not change even when one of the guards spanked her butt. I shivered slightly. "Don''t worry, girl. We won''t do it to you," the guard with bald head said to me in a fatherly way.. I nodded at him and walked behind Edrich as if attempting to blend into his shadow. Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 17 - The First Day As A Servant You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) I was surprised by the guard''s saying. Why did he say that? Was it because I did not have a perfect body like her? Or was it because they felt pity towards me? Either way, I was fine. "Very confident! She does that all the time, you know. That''s why." I looked at the person who said it. It was the boy. He was about my age and had the same slender build like mine. He was about four inches taller than me. He had pale skin with several red spots, possibly caused by mosquito bites, and dirty blonde hair that looked as if it had not been washed in three days. He had baby blue eyes, reminding me of the clear sky with white clouds. He looked nervous, almost as much as I was, but perhaps I was not showing it much, at least I thought so. "I''m Jed Weeks. I''m new here," he said. "I''m E... Leora Edrei," I said offering him a smile. "You new too?" he asked. "Yeah." "Huge place, isn''t it?" I looked around. Yes, it was huge, more than huge. The pathway leading to the front door of the castle had a garden on both sides. There were a lot of trees there. A blue rose plant peeked my attention. Two blue roses were blossomed, like two kyanites, shimmering brightly. I saw a gardener planting the trees with a pale look on his face, but I could see the love in his eyes for the plants as if they were his children. There was a statue in the middle of the pathway. It was of an Orgade. I hated it a lot. Especially the wings. They looked very disgusting. I tried to envision what Leandro''s monster statue would look like. The place would look handsome and so would the statue. "Do you know what''s the door made of?" Jed asked and I noticed we had already reached the front door. It was enormous, with curving motifs strewed about. "Oak," I said as I looked at the door. In the middle, there was a round handle. It was enormous, almost as big as my two palms. The door was spread open. I heard Edrich muttering that they opened it in the morning and closed it at nine at night after all the servants leave the palace, perhaps as new information to us. We walked inside the castle. It was beautiful. Everywhere all I could see was costly furniture, fabrics, and breathtaking portraits. "Miera, you will meet the king''s father now. He''s in his room right now. After I tell the others about their job, I''ll take you to him," Edrich stated, and the redhead girl nodded. She looked very enthusiastic. She had a yellowish complexion that went on perfectly with her red hair. She had full lips and a very curvy body, all that a man usually asked for in a woman. "As for you, Rosaire, you''ll meet the king. I''ll take you to him as well," he said. The other girl nodded. She had jet black hair that shone as the light fell on it through the window. Her hair was very thick and long. She had light brown skin and her facial structure looked a lot like an Indian woman. Her eyes were dark brown, not as dark as Leandro''s though. "Leora and Jed, come with me and you two ladies wait here," Edrich said. We followed him as he led us to an empty room. The room was not so big but full of valuable artifacts. There was a narrow window at the corner from where a big mango tree could easily be seen. "Every morning, Leora, your job is to clean the rooms, all of the rooms in the castle. Especially the king and his father''s rooms. After they leave, of course. There should be no dust left behind. And Jed will do the same. No one alone can clean all the rooms in the castle. There are thirty-two bedrooms, forty-five bathrooms in the castle. It will take a long time to finish. You will have your lunch here with other servants at one. You will get one hour break for that. Then you have to get back to work again. The king leaves his room at seven. You should clean his room after that, but very quickly and perfectly. The king does not like seeing his room disorganized," Edrich explained. I was glad that Jed and I would be working together. He seemed to be a good person. Perhaps we could be friends and we could even chat while we worked. "What about the king''s father? When does he leave?" I asked. "Er... he doesn''t. He stays in his room whenever he wants and does his own thing. You can''t mind that. You need to clean the room and then leave," he said. "You said I don''t have to meet the king or his father," I whispered to him. "I tried all I could. You just have to manage that," he said. "I appointed the boy to work with you for that as well." "Shall we start now?" Jed asked. "It''s already seven. The king has left already. You can start with his room," Edrich said. He showed us the king''s room and his father''s room and told us other important things that we needed to know about. We went to the king''s room. It smelled very odd. The bedsheet was halfway up the bed, there were pillows all about, and there was also a white spot on the bed. Anyone with a brain would know what happened here. "It''s disgusting," I muttered under my breath. "Yeah. See how life is? We got to clean a room after he fucked one or probably more women," Jed said, his tone eliciting the same annoyance as mine. "Let''s get to work then. Have you done things like this before?" I asked. "No. Have you?" "No. We''ll figure out. Come on." It was very uncomfortable to pull the bed sheet off. Especially because of the smell. I felt as if I could gag at any moment. "Hey, Leora, you know, we need to get to know each other, especially if we are doing this kind of disgusting thing together. We need to be friends and talk a lot, so we will feel like we are just spending a fun time," he said. "Okay. I''m okay with the idea. So, why are you here? For the money, right?" I asked. "Yeah. Well, I''m basically homeless. Mother threw me out," he said, sighing. "Why?" I asked, surprised. "Well, my father left my mother when she was pregnant with me. And he never came back. Mother thinks it''s my fault. She thinks I''m a burden. She hates me a lot. She threw me out of the house and now I need money to get food and find a place to live," he said, clear sadness in his voice. My Dad also left Mom when she was pregnant with me. Mom hated me for that. She blamed me for everything. So I could understand his situation. But Mom did not throw me out of the house which was probably because the world I was in was the modern world and it would spread on the internet if she did something like that. "So do you have a place to live?" I asked. "Edrich let me live with him, but he said that I have to buy my own food. I''m grateful to him, you know." "Yeah. He has given me this job too and I''m in great need of it. He is a good guy," I said. "Yeah. So you here for money as well?" "Kind of." We had already cleaned the bed and covered it with a fresh sheet. We did not even realize we had done it as we were talking. He was right. It would be fun to do these disgusting things only if we could talk. "God, the smell... it''s too deep," I said and we both burst out laughing. I realized that he was as inexperienced at this as I. "Gosh, I''m a virgin. I am ashamed of being naked in front of anyone. I don''t think I''ll ever be able to have sex," he said. "I don''t know how I feel about being naked in front of someone. But I haven''t done it as well." After we were done with the king''s room, it was time for the king''s father''s room. Hopefully, he was not there. But there was a naked girl on the bed, wearing her dress. She did not mind being naked in front of us as we walked in. Jed turned scarlet and looked down at his feet. I felt a bit uncomfortable as well. "I have never seen you two here," the girl said. She was perhaps one or two years older than me and had brown hair which was a bit darker than mine. "We''re new here," I said. "Oh, then listen to one thing. You might want to clean this room very quickly. Or you might turn into prey.. Yes, I''m talking to you, girl." Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 18 - Friend (From Ella''s Perspective) Throughout the day, I did not see the king or his father. It felt like a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I tried to conjure up as much of the palace as I could today. I needed to know the routes and locations of the rooms. We had roasted chicken with a strange-looking bread for lunch, not enough to fill my gut though. Jed and I spent all day talking and working together. It was a bit hard to clean the bathrooms. We discovered puke in one of the rooms'' bathrooms. It was eight when we were done. We would get permission to leave at nine. So we had one hour left to kill. "What about we look around the castle?" I suggested, mainly hoping to get to hear things that I could tell Leandro. "Not a bad idea. Just hope we don''t get face to face with the king or his father," he said. We needed to clean all the rooms except one. There were two guards in front of the room. They told us that it was forbidden to enter the room. I did not argue. I needed to remind myself again and again that I was a servant here. I could not walk around talking about my rights. "Wonder what''s in that room," Jed said as we took the steps upstairs. "I think someone is there," I said. "Who can there be? There''s no one of the royals left except the king and his father." "I know," I said. I decided to try to know what he knew about what happened one and a half years ago. "I heard the king has a brother." "Yeah. I just know his name. But I don''t know how he looks like. No one outside this castle knows. He is a monster. I mean, he is not like ordinary shifters. Some say he can turn into a very heinous creature. He is dangerous. Our current king, King Nicklaus, forced his brother to leave this castle one and a half or two years ago for the betterment of the people. Some say the king''s brother lives in the forest. That''s why no one enters the forest. He is called the Beast, you know. I''m sure he''s evil," Jed said. "How do you know he''s evil?" You''ve never met him." "People say he is." "Even people say that there is Vitamin D in sunray," I muttered. "What''s that?" "Nothing," I said. I did not dare to try to make him understand what Vitamin D is and that there is no Vitamin D in the sunray. Rather, sunlight works as a factor to convert cholesterol in our skin to Vitamin D3. We walked along the corridor, talking about what would happen if our fingers had fingers. Jed had brought out the matter and I felt interested. I liked the fact that he shared the same types of thoughts as me. It allowed us to talk for hours without getting bored. "What if we were trees?" Jed asked. "It would be horrible. I can''t stay without talking. I think I would suffocate on words and die." "Well, I don''t talk much. But I like talking to you. We are kind of the same, you know. Weird and crazy. I think I would live as a tree, only if you were not around. I would see you suffocating on words, and then I would get the urge to talk and suffocate as well," he said and both of us laughed. "And what if we had tails?" "Oh no! Then I would have to make a hole on my pants in the place of my butthole." "And I would have to do the same on my dress. Or perhaps I would tie the tail inside my dress." We kept talking like that while taking slow steps in the corridor. Suddenly we heard a loud growl of someone from inside the door right beside us. Jed took my hand quickly and started to pull me away. "Come in. Let''s get out of here," he said urgently. "No, wait," I said pulling my hand away from him. I needed to know what was going on. I pressed my index finger on my lip and motioned for him not to make a sound. Then I pressed my ear to the door, attempting to get an idea of what was going on. "What the..." "Shhh," I hissed at him. From inside a man''s angry voice could be heard. "You sure you saw a human girl in the forest?" "Yes, my lord. We could not see her face because of the darkness, but it was a human girl indeed," a man said. "Did you look for her?" the man asked. "It''s the king. I heard his voice before," Jed whispered from beside me and I noticed that he had pressed his ear against the door as well. "We looked for her in the forest yesterday. But we could find nothing. Not even her dead body," another man said. "My brother won''t keep anyone alive if they enter his place. The girl is surely dead. Perhaps he has put her dead body somewhere near where he lives. That''s why you could not find it," King Nicklaus said. "The plan is still on. We need to focus on the plan now. There shouldn''t be any mistake this time. The Beast has to die." "Yes, my lord," they said and I heard footsteps coming towards the door. Jed and I quickly ran away and descended the stairs while Jed fell once. "Who is there?" I heard one of the men saying. We went inside the room where we previously were talking after we were done with our work. We sat on the bed and pretended to talk. Two men entered the room in hurried steps, looking as if they were ready to commit a murder. "Who are you two?" one of the men asked. "We are new here. We clean the rooms. There are still fifteen minutes left until nine. So we are talking," I said while Jed was biting his fingers in an attempt to calm down. "Of course, Edrich mentioned new servants and slaves. So have you seen anyone running away?" the other one asked. "Yes," I replied and Jed looked at me shocked. "There was someone who ran towards the window. He was wearing a black hooded cloak." "Are you sure?" the first man asked. "Yes. But I''m not sure if anyone else saw him. Because he was very fast and quiet. But I think he tripped over the steps and that''s why there was such a big thump," I said. "Let''s look that way then. And girl, if we find out..." "Why would I lie? I work here and I''m grateful for giving me work. I don''t have a reason to lie," I said cutting him off. After they left, Jed seemed as if he had just experienced a fit or something like that. "Why would you do that? Why did you have to listen?" "I need to." "Why?" "Because I''m curious. I like to know about things that are meant to be secret. It''s my hobby, you know." "We were about to die because of your silly hobby," he said. "But we are alive. It was fun. Cat and mouse game, you know," I said, smiling. "Then why did you say that you saw someone? You could tell that you didn''t see anyone. Did you have to say this?" "Oh, please. By the sound you made by falling, it was obvious that someone was running away. If I said that I didn''t see anyone, they would suspect us. Now we''re free from that kind of assumption. They are after that hooded figure now." "I hope so too," he said. "By the way, where do you live?" "In a cave," I said. "In a cave?" he asked, surprised. "Just joking. I live with a man, but he told me not to tell anyone about where he lives. It''s a good place and comfortable too. He''s just careful about safety and privacy. He''s always like that." "Is he old?" "No. He is five years older than me. Twenty-two." "Oh, you are seventeen then. I''m seventeen too." "I guessed so as well," I said knowingly. "So, what does this man look like?" "He''s handsome, tall, and has black hair." "The way you talk about him... Is there anything going on between you two?" he asked, raising his brow. "No. It''s nothing like that," I said, suddenly blushing. I tried to hide the redness on my cheeks, but too late. Jed had already noticed it. His smile widened. "There''s definitely something going on. Come on, tell me. We''re friends, right?" "I''ll tell you later. Not now.. I just need a bit more time." Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 19 - Remember The Deal Best novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) As I reached the entrance of the forest, I noticed Leandro standing there, waiting for me. At the sight of him, my stupid heart almost jumped out of my chest. I felt lucky to see a handsome man like him waiting for me, resting against a tree, folding his arms, his face stern and his eyes frigid as always. I chewed the inside of my lower lip and walked up to him. I did not want to let him know that he and his kiss were affecting me. I needed to try to be the way I was before the kiss. "I''m still alive!" I said casually. "Yeah, I can see that," he said looking up and down at me to make sure I was still in one piece. "Let''s go then. I need to tell you a few things that I found out today," I said and started walking. "You learned something on the first day?" he asked, surprised. "Is it hard to believe?" I asked, rolling my eyes. "I''ve made a friend." "A friend?" "His name is Jed." "A guy?" he asked. I had a feeling that he was angry. Why would he be angry? I said nothing more than the fact I had gotten a friend. "Yep. He is of my age. He is cool, you know. We work together in cleaning rooms. I had fun. He talks a lot too. I did not get bored at all," I said, smiling. "Talks a lot? You like the ones who talk a lot?" "It''s not like that. I mean, he is a great person and well, yeah I like him. He is weird and crazy like me. We get together amazingly," I said. "You like him? As a friend?" "Of course. Or what do you expect?" "Nothing," he said quickly, but his voice was as cold as ever. After reaching the cave, I took a bath and wore my t-shirt and shorts. Leandro was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for us. He had cooked a rabbit. I was not a fan of eating rabbits. But I was hungry. There was no way I could refuse. "So what information do you have for me?" he asked. "Well, remember the Orgades that chased me? They looked for me yesterday. I heard today they were telling your brother that they saw a human girl in the forest and did not find her. They kind of suspected that I''m alive after not finding my dead body. The good thing is that they could not see my face. But your brother thinks you''ve killed me," I said. "Good he thinks that way about me. You heard right that they did not see your face?" "Positive. And your brother was talking about a plan to take you down," I said and Leandro''s eyes widened, but he remained silent and waited for me to finish. It was so unlike me. I never bothered to keep myself from disturbing anyone in the middle of their sentence. "I did not hear what the plan is. I mean, they didn''t say anything about it. Nicklaus just said that they needed to focus on the next plan and they can''t make any mistake. And he said that..." "What?" "Well, that the Beast must die," I mumbled. He did not say anything. He kept his face set and finished the rest of his food. I finished before him and as soon as he was finished, I took our plates to wash them. Leandro appeared to be absorbed in his thoughts. I wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but a part of me told me that it would not be a good thing to disturb him now. Suddenly he got up abruptly while I was standing beside him observing his face as he was deep in thought. He looked at me intently, his eyes cold yet seemed to set fire on my skin. I felt heat rising from my stomach just by his stare. "You remember the deal, don''t you?" he asked. Oh yes, the deal. A kiss per meal. "Do we have to do it now?" I asked. "Yes," he said and without waiting for my response, he lifted me from the ground by my waist and placed me on the table. It was as if I was weightless. He placed both of his hands on either side of me as he looked down at me. He was very close to me, his face barely inches away from my face. I trembled slightly as his warm breath dropped on my face. I did not know what to do. Should I lift my face? Should I touch his neck and bring his face down? Should I press my lips to his? Should I start the kiss? Or should I wait? While I was debating what to do, he slowly lowered his face to mine. I felt heat radiate from everywhere the instant his lips contacted mine. He moved his lips slowly against mine, but it did not take long before the kiss turned into hunger. He nipped the inside of my bottom lip, forcing me to part my lips. He pushed his tongue into my mouth, entwining our breath and perhaps our souls as well. His right hand pressed up against my neck, drawing me closer to him. My pulse was racing, pleading with me to tell him I needed more. I knew there was no way I could not kiss him back. I moved my lips against him with the same intensity. I adjusted my hips on the table, attempting to cope with the warmth and tingling throughout my body. His tongue played inside my mouth as if I was a free playground. I was thinking if I should enter my tongue inside his mouth or not. What if he thought that I was a pervert? But he was doing the same thing, right? It would not hurt, would it? I let my tongue inside his mouth. As the tip of my mouth touched his lips, he flinched against my lips and his left hand slipped around my waist fiercely, pulling me into him, so my breasts got pressed against his rock-hard chest. I felt the urgent need to wrap my legs around his waist. But I resisted myself. His lips were a strange blend of rough and smooth. His soft tongue locked our lips together, while my tongue tried to imitate what he was doing to me, despite my lack of experience. My eyes were tightly shut. I half-opened them and saw that his eyes were closed as well and his face, oh dear, he was very handsome. His hand on my waist was giving me tingles of electric waves, coursing through my veins. As I ran out of air, even though I tried to kiss him for as long as I could, I had to break the kiss. I pushed him away gently by the chest. He looked down at me with an intensifying look in his eyes, his left hand still around my waist and his right around my neck. My body was still pressed to his. "Ella..." "Done! The deal!" I said loudly. "Oh Ella, you''re trying so hard not to say yes. But trust me, you will. You will beg me to touch you, you will beg to take me inside you. And it won''t be long, little El. I''ll be waiting," he whispered into my ear and moved away, leaving me on the table, dumbstruck, traces of fire on the places he touched me and even on the places he did not touch me, but I wanted him to. Could he see the things that were happening to me because of him? Was it that obvious? But I needed to control my feelings. I needed to be my old self. I could not get myself to look like a very needy cat. I jumped down from the table and went to the bedroom. He had already lied down, wearing his shorts only. He was looking at me. Once again, I forgot what I had told myself a moment ago about controlling my thoughts and feelings. I wanted to touch his perfect torso, his abs, and perhaps more than that. I took a deep breath and hopped on the mattress. I lay down on the right side. "Jed had fallen down the stairs today. We almost got caught," I said, trying to pull my thoughts off him. "You told him about everything?" he asked. "No. I said that I''m curious. He believed me. We talked a lot. He lives with Edrich. But he has to buy his own food. I told him that I live with a man, but I did not tell him your name or the location. I said that the man I live with is very strict about privacy." "What more did you tell him about the man?" he asked. "Well, that he has black hair, he is tall and um.... he is handsome." Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 20 - Trying To Behave Normal Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) The next day, like yesterday, Leandro kissed me. It was passionate, not hungry like the one he gave me last night. His tongue always got involved in the kissing. It was as if he liked to swirl his tongue inside my mouth. He wanted more; I could feel he wanted more. It was visible in his eyes. I wanted more as well, a lot more than a kiss. But no, I was not going to give up. I would not let my emotions rule my life. I needed to be strong. Or I was going to be the one left broken-hearted. I was telling myself again and again that he wanted me only for my body. He was like any other man. He was going to take advantage of me and my body, and then leave me to the monsters to kill me like a piece of trash. "???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????, ??????????????" my mind asked me. "????????." To others, I never was anything more than trash. But to me, I was a lot of things. I was a human, a girl with dreams, a strange girl with strange thinking, a girl who wanted to be happy, a curious girl with a mind full of questions, and a girl who was not ready to give up. Even though I had my flaws, I learned to accept myself, the real me, the me I was deep inside. I never wanted anyone in my life. Because I always thought that no one would think of me more than a burden. I felt I did not need anyone. Perhaps I needed, but I did not want to believe so. If I had to live my whole life alone, I would, than have to live with someone to whom I was nothing more than a responsibility out of pity. "Who is your idol? Do you have an idol? Most people have idols," I asked while walking out of the forest. I was trying to behave as usual, even though I could still taste him in my mouth. "No," he replied indifferently. I guessed he always talked like that. Perhaps he did not know how to talk in a friendly manner. But I did not mind it. He was not hurting me at least. I could manage a bit of cold talking. "Neither do I. I just... I don''t really find anyone perfect enough to follow," I said. "So what''s your biggest fear?" "That''s none of your business," he said. Yeah, it meant he was not comfortable telling me this. I had told him once that if he was not comfortable in talking about a thing, he could just tell me that it was none of my business. I would not bug him to tell me about it then. "Alright. What..." "What''s your biggest fear?" he asked, interrupting me. "That''s none of your business," I said, although in a far friendlier tone than he did. "I can use this sentence too." He did not ask me about it again. The last thing I needed was for someone to know about my fears and then laugh at me. "So, as you said that you shifters lose control and turn into your weird monstrous shape, especially when you''re angry. So what makes you angry?" "Most of the things that people do," he replied. "Huh! I don''t believe it. Then why haven''t you turned into your beast form in these two days when I''ve been with you? I bet I''m annoying too," I said. "You can easily see if I''m angry, Ella. It''s something I can''t hide," he said. "Oh, you mean to tell me you cannot hide anger? Then you definitely hide other things, right? Like your feelings, emotions, desire." He looked at me, his expression unreadable. It seemed he was looking for something deep into my eyes. I felt as if my entire soul was exposed in front of him and he could read me through without any trouble. Sometimes I thought I could understand him, I could see through that hard shell of his. Other times, I felt as if he was still hiding behind the shell and I knew nothing about him. But there was one thing that I was sure of- he had a heart, a heart that cared, a heart that knew how to love even when he did not believe it himself. "Have you ever loved someone?" I asked. It was still going to take at least five minutes to get out of the forest. I could not just let the time pass without giving my mouth the pleasure of talking that it deserved. "No," he replied. I could hear a bit of hesitance in his voice. But I decided not to ask him about that. If he was comfortable talking about it, he would tell me. "I haven''t either, other than myself," I said. "No one cares for me. Why would I care for them?" It was a lie. Not the part that no one cared for me. It was true that no one cared for me. But I did. I still cared for them. My stupid heart kept telling me that one day they were going to understand. I knew that they were never going to understand. But I still cared for them. "What do you like to do? I mean, what are your hobbies? Let me guess. You like drawing, reading. Is there anything else?" "There is." "What is it?" "That''s none of your business." "Ok ok. Then tell me, who knows you the best?" "That''s none of your business." "You keep way too many secrets. Trust me, Leandro, you''re going to burst one day, spilling all your thoughts, feelings, everything," I said. "You might want to head off to the castle. There isn''t much time left," he said and I noticed that we had reached the end of the forest. "Oh yes. Bye then." "Be careful." Hearing this in his cold voice made the hair on my neck stand. But I tried not to show it. "I''m always careful." On my way to the castle, I met Jed in the market. He waved at me and I ran to him. We made our way to the castle together. "Listen, Jed, we''ll try to finish our work quickly today. I want to know what''s inside the bedroom that the guards did not let us enter. We''ll try to find a window to the room and see through it," I said. "Oh come on, Leora. We''ll get in trouble. It''s the king''s matter, not ours. There''s no need to know that." "There is. I have to know, or my head is going to kill me," I said and it was true. If I could not find out about something that I wanted to know, my curiosity was going to kill me from within. "That''s nonsense. And besides, the room is on the second floor. Even if you find the window, how are you going to get there?" Jed asked. "I''ll climb. You''ll keep an eye on other things and I''ll get inside the window. Or don''t you want to be with me?" "I want to. We''re friends, right? But what if you fall while climbing? What if you die?" "Then you''re going to make sure that the king knows that I was practicing rock climbing and the man I live with knows that he won''t have to bear my blabbering again," I replied. "You''re weird, Leora," he said. "Yeah, I know," I said, grinning. "You said you''ll tell me what''s going on between the man and you. I''m sure there''s something." "Oh look, it''s a cat," I said pointing at our front, desperate to change the subject. "A cat is nothing special, Leora. You behave as you''ve seen a moving table," Jed said. "No. I love cats, that''s why. Come on, we better be quick. We can''t be late," I said pulling him with me as I hurried down the street. "You haven''t told me if you like someone," I said, running down the street of the market, while people were glancing at us as if we had lost our minds. "Well, I do like someone. I''m not sure if he... I mean, she..." "Wait, Jed! He! You like a male, don''t you?" I asked. "No, it''s not like that." "It''s exactly like that. What? Are you afraid of admitting this?" "No, Leora. I don''t like a male. I always have a problem with using ''he'' and ''she''. It just gets mixed up sometimes," he said with a smile. Huh, a fake smile! I knew he was lying. It was clear on his face. Perhaps, unlike my world, his world did not give much opportunities and support to gays. I could not understand why. Everyone had a right to express what they wanted.. It''s their choice, not their family, friends, or society. Odd people! You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 21 - Jeds Truth (From Ella''s Perspective) After going to the castle, things did not go as planned. The king''s father''s room was extra dirty. It took us three hours to clean that single room. We barely got any free time after finishing. It was almost nine. We could not look for the window leading to that mysterious room. "There is no time left for that. We need to do it some other time. Who knew this king''s father would..." "I think he... well, fucked someone''s butthole. I heard that this kind of disaster happens sometimes in Anal sex. You know what I mean, don''t you?" "You mean shit splatters?" Jed asked, pure disgust in his voice. We might have laughed about the whole thing. But as we had to clean the thing, there was no way we could laugh. I almost puked on the sheet, but somehow managed to make it to the toilet. Jed had a hard time too, but at least, he did not have to puke. "I''m not saying it always happens, but there is a chance," I said. "Well, can you tell me a bit... I mean, I''m just interested, nothing more than that," he said awkwardly. "No, you don''t have to..." "Okay, I know a bit about it. Well, you need to clean your bowls first. You know what I mean? Use the toilet first before anal sex. And you got to clean the area, more than you do usually. And go slow. It''s better that way. And you might feel like you need to poop. I mean, it''s common. You got to relax then. The feeling will pass away. And, well, the next thing is a bit gross..." "What?" "You can actually poop," I muttered. Jed looked utterly shocked. "It''s a nightmare, I know. This is what happened today in the king''s father''s room. I think the girl pooped. It can happen even though you cleaned yourself first." "That''s gross!" he said, pinching his nose as if he could smell it right away. "Yeah, I know. And it shouldn''t be painful. The place might be a bit tight and the whole thing can be uncomfortable, but it shouldn''t cause you much pain. You just have to go slow. If there''s pain, then you got to stop. You can feel a bit sore after anal sex. You know, it happens in vaginal sex as well. And there can be funny noises while anal sex. You just can''t make a big deal out of it. Just laugh it off and move on," I said. "That''s all?" he asked. "That''s the key points. But I don''t think you''ll understand if I talk about lubes." "Lubes? We have lubes," he said. "Oh, I didn''t know. Then well, you got to use a lot of lube while anal sex. A lot, really a lot." "You say as if you have tried it." "No, I haven''t. I just... I''m curious, a lot. I feel like I need to know everything. I read about these things in books and the internet," I said. "Internet?" "Well, it''s used to communicate with people and do other stuff. It''s hard to explain," I said. "But there is nothing like that," he said. Of course, he knew that I was from this world and I could not just reveal myself to him. "There is. You people just don''t know. Never mind, so tell me who is the boy that you like?" "I don''t..." "I know you like a boy. It''s normal. Why are you making a big deal out of it?" I asked, irritated. "Spill out the beans, Jed. I''m losing my patience." "Well, there is this boy next door. He is, well, I don''t know why I just like him. He is handsome too. That''s the problem. He is never going to like me. Besides, I''m not sure if his preference is boys as well," he said gloomily. "Really? I want to see the boy too. We just need to get close to him. Perhaps he likes boys too. Who knows? We can talk to him and I''m sure he''s going to like you," I said. "Will you tell me a truth?" Jed asked, suddenly. "I always tell the truth, almost always." "Why aren''t you saying that I''m crazy? That I''ve lost my mind? That I''m a curse to the society and I haven''t grown up properly?" "Why would I say that? Because you like a boy?" I laughed. "It''s a normal thing, Jed. Perhaps most societies don''t see this thing as normal, but it actually is. Liking the same sex is one''s choice. If you like a boy, it''s totally your choice. Be proud of your identity." What happened next was something that I did not expect at all. Jed suddenly hugged me. I was taken aback. It took me a moment to process everything. "No one, not a single person ever said something like this to me, Leora. When I told my mother about this, well, it''s the main reason she threw me out of the house. She said that I embarrass her. But you, well, you are really supportive. I thought I''m crazy too. I thought I''m a sinner for feeling attraction towards boys, rather than girls as the world wants me to. I''m not a sinner, am I? I''m not crazy, right?" he asked, in a slightly teary voice. "Of course, you are not crazy," I said, hugging him back. "Just remember that it''s your identity. Love yourself, your choice. I''m your friend and I''ll be with you. Tomorrow I''ll come to Edrich''s place with you. We''ll find a way to talk to the boy." "Really? Will you help me?" he asked, pulling back from the hug. "Of course, I will help you. Trust me, Jed, we''re going to do crazy things together. At long last, I''ve found a friend with almost the same mentality as me. Do you think I''ll let the chance pass without being crazy? We''ll talk about everything and do the stuff we like. Starting with this mission of talking to the boy that you like. I need to see how he looks. Trust me, he''s going to fall for you too. By the way, what''s his name?" "Miles Silas. Good name, don''t you think?" he said, smiling, a bit shyly. "Yeah. What does he look like?" "Well, he is taller than me. He is slim too, but not as much as me. He has black hair and freckles," Jed said in a way as if he could see him in his eyes right now. Jed had definitely fallen for him. "Good then. I''ll see him too. Tomorrow after work. I will tell Lee that I''ll be late," I said. "Who is Lee?" "Well, he is the man I live with." "Oh. Tell me about him then. I mean, how you feel about him. You said you''ll tell me. Besides, I told you about myself," Jed urged. "Well, as I told you before, he is handsome and very gorgeous." "How do you feel about him?" "Um... I don''t know. I like him, kind of. I don''t know... it feels weird around him. He doesn''t talk much. I mean, when I met him for the first time, he was completely shut down inside himself. But he opens up a bit now. He has a cold voice, really cold. It feels a chill running down the skin. But I like his voice. Well, I''ve one night accidentally touched his hair. I mean, there were strands of hair on his forehead. I felt the urge to move them. He was awake. He found me doing so. It was really awkward. The next morning, he made a deal with me," I said while being careful that I did not reveal too much about his appearance and the first deal that I made with him. "What deal?" Jed asked. He seemed interested to know how I felt about Leandro. And I did not lie to him. Jed had revealed his truth to me, so I could let him know a bit about my truth too. "Well, he said that I have to let him, um... kiss me per meal." "Kiss?" Jed asked, surprised. I nodded. "As he gives me food twice a day, I have to let him kiss me twice." "Did you guys kiss then?" I told Jed all about the kisses and how I felt every time his lips met mine. Talking to Jed about this was easy. He listened to every single detail and even let me know his thoughts about the parts as well. "He even said he wants to fuck you and if you say yes, he will go down on you? Oh, trust me, Leora, he likes you. No, he doesn''t only like you. I think it''s more than that," Jed said after I finished. "I don''t know." "Do you like him?" "Well, I think so," I muttered. "And do you think you can control yourself around him?" "That''s the problem. I can''t. But I''ll try. There is a chance he wants me to use my body only. Or why would a handsome man like him want a thin stick like me?" "Oh, Leora, you really do underestimate yourself. But it''s your choice. You can wait until you can fully trust him.. And if you think that he likes you for you, not your body, only then you''ll give yourself to him." Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 22 - Jealousy Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) It was ten when I got a glimpse of Ella coming this way. I had been waiting for her. Even though according to the deal, she was supposed to go back to the cave on her own, I came here every night to take her. I did not know why, but I felt that I needed to. "Why are you late? I''ve been waiting for you here," I said coldly to her. She shrugged. "Who told you to wait? You are the one who told me that I''m to go back to the cave on my own. I haven''t told you to wait for me." "Just be grateful. I can''t go look for you in the whole forest when you''ll cry out my name seeing the Orgades," I said. "Well, Jed and I were talking and then we met Edrich on our way. Time passed in a moment," she said. "You and Jed were talking? Perhaps because of that talking, I can smell a man from you," I said. I could help the anger I felt inside. "What?" "Were you two just talking? Or was there a bit touchy thing going on?" I asked, my tone controlled. "Have you lost your mind? Let''s go. I''m hungry," she said and started walking. I quickly walked up to her. I could not understand why I was feeling this way. But I wanted nothing more than to kick that Jed''s face. And if he and Ella did something, I was going to kill him. Yeah, killing seemed like a good idea. "Did you two sleep together?" I asked. She stopped and looked at me with a shocked expression on her face. Then she quickly fixed her face and said, "Why do you care, Leandro? It''s not part of the deal that I can''t sleep with someone. It''s my choice." "That means you slept with him?" I asked angrily. "That''s none of your business," she snarled. I did not talk to her the whole way. I wanted to kill that boy right away. How dare he touch her! He dared to sleep with her! Now she was behaving as if it was nothing. There was only one thing that I wanted more than to kill the boy. I wanted to pin her right away on the forest ground and fuck her. I wanted her to see that no one could make her feel good than me. I could easily do that. I was stronger and bigger than her. I could easily overpower her. But I would not do it. I would never do this if she did not say yes. After reaching the cave, she went to take a shower as usual. I could not get the thought of anyone else touching her out of my head. I made chicken soup. She came and sat down for dinner. She did not seem to be bothered at all. Why would she be? She just had a great time with that boy. I wished I could show her what a great time meant. "Your father killed a girl today," she said. I did not say anything. I was looking at her skin that was visible from the huge shirt she was wearing, trying to find any sign of bite marks or red sucking spots. "Well, they had anal sex. The girl pooped," she said and I looked at her. I could not read her expression. "... on your father''s thing, you know. He took her to the dungeon and bit her up with a hot whip. She could not take it. She died right there. Edrich told me. That''s why I got late." Father was always like this. He would kill a human without mercy, without thinking twice. I would do that too, but at least, I had a reason. I would never kill anyone without a reason or for a silly reason. But father never listened. I did not know what to say to her. I could not even understand if she was scared. She remained expressionless. "I know the girl. Remember I told you that there were two girls who had come to work in the castle as well? Perhaps I haven''t. Well, one of the girls had red hair. She was very beautiful and had a perfect curvy body, you know. She might be two or three years older than me. She was very confident too. She even kept smiling when one of the guards spanked her ass. Jed said she is a sex worker. She was, I mean. It''s her. Your father killed her. Jed and I had to clean the room. It took us so long that I could not go look for... well, never mind. The other girl is your brother''s slave. I haven''t seen her since the first day. Edrich told us that your father said he will choose his slave himself this time. Where do you think he''s going to look for a slave? In a brothel? Or perhaps he''s gonna barge into someone''s house and ask for the female living there at the cost of silvers," she said, sipping on the soup. I remained quiet. She did not seem angry and her face was set. But I could sense the disgust in her voice. "By the way, I''m going to be late tomorrow. I don''t know when I can return. You don''t have to come to pick me up," she said. "Why? Are you going somewhere?" I asked. "Yeah. I promised Jed that I''ll go to his place, I mean, Edrich''s place." "At night?" "Yes." We were already done with the dinner. She went to the bedroom. I made my way to the bedroom as well after I was done cleaning the dishes. I found her sitting on the bed, reading a notebook. "Time to fulfill the deal," I said. She did not look at me but placed the notebook aside. I walked up to her and looked down at her. She looked a bit sad. But I did not care. My mind was already telling me to rip the shirt off her body. But as I could not do that, I at least needed to feel her lips. It would perhaps calm me down a bit. Besides, I was determined to let her know that no one could ever kiss her better than me, not even that Jed. She was swinging her leg, sitting on the mattress. She looked so precious. I bent down and pressed my lips to hers. She fell backward on the bed even though she was trying not to. I was on top of her, savoring her lips, taking as much as I could. I entwined our hands. She was trembling under me, probably for need as well. I was careful about not crashing her with my weight. I tried to keep the kiss gentle, but I could not. The kiss got filled with need as I fiercely moved my lips against hers. It got even more intense when I felt her kissing back with almost the same passion. I sucked on her bottom lip. She never opened her lips on her own. I always had to bite her lips or suck on her bottom lip to make her part those sweet pink rims. I inserted my tongue inside her mouth. Our mouth seemed to fit together with undoubted perfection. My member had gotten rock hard. There was no way I would be able to control myself anymore. "Fuck!" I snarled, breaking away from the kiss hastily. I looked down at her. Perfect- It was the only thing that I could say seeing her little pale figure on the mattress, her face and neck flushed, her lips swollen and wet, her eyes saying unspoken unknown words of a completely different language. Why? Why did she have to sleep with that boy? Was I not enough for her? Why did she not just tell me to fuck her if she wanted it so bad? I left the room angrily and very quickly. If I stayed there any longer, there was a chance I would do something she would not want me to. I went straight into the bathroom. The anger I felt, was more than anger. There was something mixed with the feeling. But I did not know what. Perhaps I knew. But I did not want to admit it. Jealousy. You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 23 - Unpredictable You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) He was behaving oddly. He said he could smell a man from me. That was probably because Jed had hugged me. We had hugged again when Edrich told us about the girl. Jed was telling me again and again that nothing like that was going to happen to me. It was not like I was crying or worried about myself. Yes, I was a bit... I didn''t know. I felt some kind of unknown dread inside me. Jed perhaps sensed it, as he tried to get me out of my thoughts again and again. And now, Leandro was being strange. He thought that I had slept with Jed. When he asked me that, I felt off-guard. Well, whatever I expected was surely not that. I wanted to tell him that it was nothing like that and Jed was gay. He would not even think that way towards me. But then I thought, why would I bother to tell him all that. I did not promise him that I was not going to sleep with anyone. Well, I would not sleep with anyone, but I was not going to tell him that either. That night when he kissed me, suddenly he cursed and broke the kiss, just the moment when I thought I was losing myself and perhaps I would say yes to him. He seemed angry and there was something in his eyes that made me wonder if I had ever seen anything like that before. I lay on the bed, trying to sleep. He did not return from the bathroom yet. I tried not to think about him. But my stupid mind would never get over the look on his face when he pulled away from the kiss. There was burning desire in his eyes. He did not know that if he had not pulled away, I would perhaps say yes. A large part of me had already stuck to yes. The need of feeling him was unbearable and painful. Just by the kiss, I knew I was wet for him. I was still turned on. His kiss... I just could not get it off my mind. I did not think I ever would be able to get it off my mind either. Suddenly I heard a loud noise. It came from the bathroom. I quickly jumped out of the bed, I mean, mattress, and hurried towards the bathroom. The door was locked from inside. I knocked on the door urgently. "Leandro! Are you alright? Did you fall?" "I''m fine. Go and sleep," he said huskily from inside. "Open the door, Leandro," I said. "Go away, Ella. I told you I''m fine." "Open the damn door, Leandro!" This time he opened the door. His right fist was bleeding and he looked angry, a lot less than before though. I held his hand quickly and tried to cover the wound. "What happened here? It''s bleeding. The blood... it''s... well... a lot. You should use something on it. Do you have any medicine? Any ointment? Is it in the bathroom? In the drawer? I can get it for you. The blood... it needs to stop." "Go and sleep, Ella. You need to get up early tomorrow," he said calmly, but in his usual cold tone. "No, it''s fine. You need to... the wound...the blood," I said, losing myself almost completely at the sight of blood, mostly at the smell of blood. "Are you alright?" he asked. I felt as if I could sense a hint of worry in his tone. But why would he be worried about me? I was just a silly human girl. "Yeah, I''m fine. Come on, let me wrap your wound," I said, pulling him with me inside the bathroom. "You don''t have to wrap it, El, or you don''t have to use any ointment. It''ll heal," he said in an amused voice. "Heal? On its own?" I asked, surprised. "Yes. Shifters can heal their wounds," he said. "The blood? What about the blood? You have to wipe it off, right?" "Yeah, the blood won''t go away on its own. After the wound is healed, I''ll wipe it off," he said. I nodded and looked around the bathroom. There were shards of mirrors falling in the basin. The shards had traces of blood on them. "You broke the mirror, didn''t you? But why? Why would you want to hurt yourself? It''s crazy," I said. "That''s none of your business," he said, but his tone was not as hard as before. It was tired and desperate. "I''m feeling odd. The smell... the blood," I muttered, trying to get a grip on myself. "Hey, are you ok?" he asked. "You hate blood, don''t you?" "No, it''s nothing. Why would I hate blood?" I faked a laugh. "Blood, well, blood is fun. Why would I hate it? I better go to bed. And by the way, you''ll tell me why you broke the mirror after your wound is healed fully." I did not wait for him to say anything. I walked straight out of the bathroom and to the bed. The smell of blood seemed to take over my head. I lay down, thinking about what the hell I was doing with my life. I was not afraid to take risks in my life, I never was. But I could not bring myself to risk giving myself to Leandro. What if he left me someday? I was sure that I was never going to heal in that case. It came to my mind all of a sudden. When I went to the castle every day, what was he doing? He said almost no one outside the castle knew how he looked like. Then what if he was going out of the forest and fucking women? Perhaps he was satisfying his needs there. That''s why he had not yet tried to do anything like that to me. He could easily overpower me. But he did not do it. He came back after a while and lay down beside me. I could not smell the blood anymore. Rather I got the scent of lavender. "Do you guys always heal?" I asked. "You haven''t slept yet?" "No. I can''t sleep. I don''t like to sleep," I said. "Do you shifters always heal?" "Yes. But I heal quickly than the Orgades," he replied. "Oh, and you are supposed to tell me why did you break the mirror." "I already told you that''s none of your business. You said you''re not going to ask again if I say this." "Oh, right. I was just curious," I said. After a while of utter silence, I asked, "Do you stay in this cave all day when I go to the castle?" "Not always. But I don''t get out of the forest." I sighed in relief, but I did not know why. Why did it feel good to know that he was not having sex with any women? It was not like we were in a relationship. It was kind of impossible for us to be in a relationship. But sometimes, the impossible became possible too. Oh, what was I thinking? I could not believe I was thinking about the chance of having a relationship with him. "Is Edrich going to be home tomorrow?" "What?" I asked, not hearing him properly as my mind was having an impossible argument with me about whether Leandro and I could ever have a relationship. "I asked if Edrich is going to be home tomorrow when you''re going at his place," he said, giving me the look that clearly said- ''I don''t like to repeat myself''. "No. He said, well, that he needs to go to the brothel to clear his mind," I replied. "That means you and the boy are going to be alone there?" "Yeah. What''s wrong with that?" "When will Edrich come back?" he asked, ignoring my questioning glare. "Jed said Edrich sleeps at the brothels usually," I replied. "Does this boy, what''s his name again?" "Jed," I said quickly. "Yes, Jed. Does he know what I look like?" "Wait, are you planning on going there? There''s no need. I can..." "Answer my question, Ella. I don''t like to repeat myself, yet I''ve to tell you this again and again," he said coldly. "No, he doesn''t." "I''ll meet you there at nine then and you''ll come back here with me." "You''re going to stay there the whole time I''m going to be there?" I asked, shocked, perhaps more than shocked. "Yes." "Why?" "That''s none of your business," he said and I sighed. Why was he keeping so many things to himself? He was odd, very odd. One time he was behaving as if he did not care for me or what I was doing and another time he was behaving as if he needed to know everything I was doing. He was very unpredictable, but yet I was determined to know who he was deep inside.. I wanted to break his hard shell and see him with my own eyes, know more about him, the parts he was guarding behind his shell. Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 24 - [Bonus ] Stranger To Best Friend You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) He was indeed being strange. That morning after breakfast, he came to kiss me as per the deal. I was in front of the mirror, fixing my hair. His kisses were never gentle. His morning kisses were a bit tolerable, but every time he kissed me at night, I would feel a burning desire in myself. His kisses were hungrier at night. But this morning, his kiss was too gentle. It was as if a brush of lips and nothing more. He pressed his lips onto mine and pulled back almost instantly. He did not even suck on my bottom lip or bite my lips to open them so he could push his tongue inside my mouth. He barely moved his lips against mine. When he pulled back, I was left dumbstruck. I did not expect it at all. This time during the kiss, he did not even hold my neck. He barely touched me. "Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, looking at my shocked face. I quickly fixed my face and gulped. "Nothing," I said, avoiding his gaze. "Good. And remember, I''m going to meet you at Edrich''s place at night tonight. I''m going to take our food there," he said. "Really? Then bring some for Jed as well. He will like it." "Why would I?" "Come on. It would look bad if we eat and don''t give him anything. Besides, he is my friend. I''ll... well, give you one more kiss for that," I said, looking down at my feet. I could not make myself see his reaction. But I knew he was smirking. "No," he said. "What?" "I want something else." "Don''t ask me to..." "No, I don''t want you to submit your body to me, Ella," he said without letting me finish. Wow, did this guy know me way too much that he knew what I was going to say? "Then what do you want?" "I want to kiss your throat," he said without hesitation. I gulped and looked up at him. He was serious. His eyes seemed to pierce through my body. I did not look away. What was he doing to me? Why could I not stop myself from thinking about him? "My throat?" I asked in a slightly shaky voice. "You heard me," he said coldly. "But there is nothing there. I mean, lips are cool. But throat? What''s special about the throat? Why would you want to kiss my throat? It''s just plain skin there. And besides, you''ll get tired kissing my throat. It''s too long," I said. "It''s not even soft. My throat is bony, too bony." "Do you agree, Ella?" he asked in his usual cold voice, ignoring my questions completely. "You didn''t answer me." "It doesn''t matter what I''ll find in your throat. I just want to make a deal with you. Agree or refuse. It''s your choice." I thought for a while. I could manage myself when he was kissing my lips. It was surely not going to be hard if he kissed my throat. It was throat only. I did not think there was going to be much of a reaction if he kissed me there. "Alright then," I said. "You are sure, aren''t you?" "Yes, I''m sure. I''m always sure about what I say." "Good then." "When will you kiss my throat then?" I asked. "Excited?" he asked, smirking. "No, it''s not like that. I mean... I was just wondering," I mumbled. "The sooner it''s done, the better." "I''ll do it when I want to. But not now," he said. I did not say anything else. I got ready and we made our way out of the forest. I took my notebook with me under my dress. It was a bit hard to walk with a notebook tied with my right thigh, but I managed. I met Jed in the market. He told me last night that he was going to wait for me. He smiled widely at my sight. "Leora, girl!" he hugged and greeted me. "God, not you too. Almost everyone calls me girl here. It''s weird," I said, hugging him back. "Yeah, I know. I told that to tease you. Let''s go then," he said. "Race?" "Yup." We ran our way to the castle. People again gave us dirty glares, but who cared? He would be the first to reach the castle gate, but he bumped into an old lady. He was a gentleman. He waited to apologize. I did not wait for him though. I laughed and ran past him, sticking my tongue at him. "Huh! I''m first!" I exclaimed proudly. "It all happened because of that old woman. She came on my way," Jed said. "You two were running again?" the guard with a long beard asked. "Yes. It''s fun," I said, smiling. The guards never did and would do anything inappropriate to me. I was grateful for it. "Don''t go look for too much fun, girl. Things might not end well," the guard said. After Jed and I went inside the castle, we started cleaning the rooms starting with the king''s room as usual. "You better clean this room. I''ll go to the king''s father''s room. It''ll be quicker this way. Besides, I''ve to show you something," I said. "Alright. Just be careful," Jed said. "of that pervert." "Don''t worry about me." As I got near the king''s father''s room, I knew that I should not have come alone. I heard the noise of skin slapping together and the loud moaning of a girl. The room''s door stood ajar. I tried to get away quickly, but too late. "Who is there?" the king''s father''s husky voice came. His voice was deep, but not in a good way. He sounded lustful. "I''m here to clean the room, My Lord," I replied quickly. "It''s alright. I can do it later. Sorry for the interruption." "Take my dirty clothes. They are in the bathroom," he said. I went inside, being careful about not looking at them or hearing any sound. It was way too much. I felt as if I was going to die out of the second-hand embarrassment. "Ah... ah...," the girl was moaning. I got a glimpse of her silver hair. Her hair was bouncing up and down as she was riding him. Both of them were completely naked. I felt the urge to leave this room as soon as possible. "Ah..." The girl let out a long moan. Huh, as if she could fool everyone! It was clear that she was faking it. But the man was enjoying it. His groans said it all. I quickly went to the bathroom and picked up the clothes that were on the floor. As I was about to get out of the room, the man suddenly said, "I have never seen you before, girl. Are you new here?" "Yes," I replied. "I''m a servant." "Good," he said. "Ride faster you lumpy slut!" He slapped the girl''s butt very hard. She cried out in pain. He started to slap the girl''s breasts mercilessly. I quickly left the room, without making any sound. I found Jed in another room, mopping the floor. "I shouldn''t have gone there alone. It was... disgusting... horrible." "What happened?" "A girl was riding him," I said. Then I told him exactly what happened. "Oh, that''s really disgusting. I don''t know why but I''m kind of thrilled that the girl was faking it. Surely, he has a little dick," Jed said laughing. "Yup," I laughed as well. It was strange how easily Jed and I could talk to each other. It was as if we had known each other for a very long time. At least, in this unknown world, I found a friend. "You met the king''s father and I met the king." "The king? When?" "Just a while ago. The king did not look at me, but there was another man with the king. He pushed me." "Why?" "I don''t know. Perhaps to show his strength." "Did you give him a high five?" I asked. "What?" "In the face? With your shoe?" Jed laughed. "Really, Leora! You are my best friend." "I know, I know. Anyway, glad to be someone''s best friend. But people seemed to, well, never like me much," I said. "Why? You''re a great person." "I''m not a great person. I''m just crazy. You and I are the same types of people. That''s why you think I''m great." It was crazy that a stranger whom I met only two days ago wanted to be my friend, my best friend.. Yet the people I knew wanted nothing more than to be strangers. Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 25 - Behind The Last Shelf You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) When we were cleaning the twentieth bedroom, a woman with blonde hair in her thirties came to the room. Jed and I were talking about his crush''s liking and disliking that he had found out as much as he could. "You need to clean the library and the roof as well," she said in an unnecessarily loud voice. "But we are supposed to clean the bedrooms and bathrooms only," I said. "The other servant... she is gone. So, you need to take over her duties as well. It''s the king''s order," she said. "What happened?" I asked, feeling a hint of dread inside. "His Majesty... she was reluctant to be a slave even when the king''s father, His Majesty, asked her to. It was her punishment," she said in a low tone as if she did not want even the flies to hear. "Did he kill her?" Jed asked. "You wish... anyway, don''t waste any more time. Go and clean the library quickly. The king said he will go to the library in the afternoon. It needs to be cleaned before the time," she said and left. "What do you reckon happened?" I asked Jed, keeping my eyes on the woman''s back as she was walking away with quick but little steps. "He raped her most probably and hit her with hot whips. That''s what they do when someone doesn''t want to be a slave," Jed replied. I sighed. For fear? I did not know. I was trying to imagine myself in her place. It felt so horrible. Being raped and then getting hit by a hot whip was not better than death. In that case, I would choose death without a second thought. "I will go clean the library and you better go to the roof. It will take less time if we work separately. Besides, if we are together, we talk a lot," I said. "Yeah, that''s a good idea. Just be careful," Jed said. "Yeah, sure. I''m always careful," I said giving him a tight smile. The castle had four floors. The library was on the third floor. As I made my way towards the library, I looked around at the castle''s beauty. Even though Jed and I cleaned all the rooms, none of us ever looked into the closets or any other stuff in the rooms. I had my curiosity, but talking to Jed passed my time and gave my curiosity a bit of rest. But I planned on looking into the things from now on. I needed to know everything I could, to give Leandro information and also to satisfy my curious mind. The wood railing of the corridor had little designs on it. To my horror, there were drawings of Orgades as they fought. Orgades were, in my opinion, the ugliest creature of all. Even thinking of their black hairless skin with green mossy slime on it made me want to gag. The door of the library was made of oak just like all other doors in the castle. All of the doors were very big. The doors were very strong as well. For strength or ornamental effect, I had read that these doors featured a double layer of timber forming inner and outer boards, often arranged in opposite directions. There was a huge ring in the middle of the door. It was not as big as the one in the front door of the castle, but it was not small either. I pushed the door open with both of my hands. The door was heavy, especially for someone of my stature. But the sight that emerged in front of me was worthy of the strength that I had to use to push the door open. The library was huge, even bigger than the local library in my town. The bookshelves looked like giants guarding the source of knowledge. They were at least twelve feet tall, if not more. There were a lot of ladders, leaning against the shelves. Books were crammed in each shelf, leaving no gap. I could not even make myself count the number of shelves. I was in awe, trying to bliss my eyes at the sacred sight. Only one long table stood at one corner of the room beside a huge window along with two chairs. No wonder that not many people came to read here or were allowed to come here. I cleaned the room up, wiping up the dirt from everywhere though I mostly read the title of the books and made an imaginary list in my head about which book to read. Perhaps I was not allowed to do so, but who cared? One book caught my attention the most. I tried to ignore it so I could finish my work in time. I had even walked away from it, buy my head... I had to come back again. The book was heavy and old, at least the title said so- ''The World Of Shadows''. I had a feeling that it was about the details of everything in this world along with its history and creatures. It was the exact thing that I needed to find out more about this world. The book had a black thick cover with the title written in shiny gold on the head of it. There was no mention of the writer on the cover page. I flicked two pages thinking that the writer''s name might be written inside, but no name was mentioned in the first three pages. It was not like I could recognize the writer by their name, but I just wanted to see who dared to finish this thick book without choking on words. The cover was not smooth, rather it felt like running fingers over-sand. The moment I laid my eyes on it, I knew that I needed to read it, or my head was going to kill me. But I could not afford to read it here. Anyone could see me. And besides, there was not much time to read books here when I was supposed to clean the rooms. Leandro had given me five drawings of secret passageways that led out the castle. I decided to take this book from one of those ways. But I was going to return it after I was finished. I brought out the five drawings that I hid inside the brown dress that I was wearing. Leandro had given me two dresses that looked exactly the same. He said that those were his sisters who had died. But he did not tell me how. I had to praise his skill in drawing. They were very clear and just perfect. I laughed in my head thinking what would happen if I tried to draw any of them. I would probably end up ripping the paper off or making a hole through it. I examined the drawings. One route started from the dungeon, another one from a hidden door beneath the kitchen floor, two started from two rooms where I had never been, and another one, to my surprise and relief, started from the library. He had written a description beside the sketch as well. God, his handwriting was amazing as well. Those sharp cursive letters slanting to the right were as perfect as they could get. There was no blotting of ink anywhere either. My handwriting was clean as well, but I tended to write in typing style with no sign of cursive or slanting. The last shelf on the right side. Behind the shelf, there''s very little space. Put your hand in that place and you''ll find a handle-type thing. Hold the handle and push it to the left side. The shelf might seem heavy, but if you push it, the shelf will be divided in half and open up like a door. You will find yourself in front of a rectangular entrance. You will go in and pull the handle towards yourself. The shelf will return to its previous shape. You''ll find a dark stairwell there outside the entrance. Be careful, because it''s really dark. You can trip over if you''re not careful enough. Be careful, alright? It''s not like I care. I just need information and for that, you need to be alive. And Ella, don''t even think about putting both of your hands in the gap to try to see if you can free your hands even when the shelf is not opened. Just don''t do this. The gap is not big enough. Your hands will get stuck. I''m telling you again. Don''t do this. And also make sure that no one sees you going through any of the secret passageways. Be careful all the time. No one should know about them. Trying to ignore that part, I stepped towards the right side at the last shelf that stood as tall as the other shelves. As he said, there was a little gap between the wall and the shelf''s back. I looked behind me and around the whole place to make sure that no one was there. I put my hand inside the gap and truly, my fingers touched something metallic and cold. It was a handle indeed. I pulled the handle downwards and pushed the shelf to the left. And it opened as if the shelf had a hinge in the middle of it. There was a rectangular entrance, but no one could see it from outside through the gap. One could see it only if the shelf was opened. I glanced around once again to make sure that no one was there. When I was sure that I was alone here, I stepped inside the entrance. Then I pulled the shelf towards me by the handle. It came back to its previous shape. The gap seemed to be big enough. I wondered if my two hands would fit there. Leandro''s voice came echoing to me- Don''t do that. But who cared? The gap was not too big, but enough for my two hands. I knew that there was no need to put my hands in there, but I still wanted to do it. And once again, my curiosity won. I put my hands inside the gap. They seemed to enter pretty easily. But the problem occurred when I tried to pull them out. They got stuck. I felt getting sweaty all of a sudden. I tried to pull them out, but it did not help. It was getting painful as I tried to pull my hands out of the gap again and again. Leandro was right. The gap was not big enough, not for both of my hands. It took me at least ten minutes, a promise to myself that perhaps ignoring my curiosity was a good idea, to free my hands from the gap. My wrists had become red because of what they had been through because of my senseless curiosity. I felt stupid. I wondered how Leandro knew that I would do something like this. He did not even know me properly or perhaps I was wrong.. He knew me more than I knew myself in some cases. You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 26 - [Bonus ] The Hidden Passageway From The Library You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) I was sure that the red marks that I had gotten on my wrists because of my stupidity were going to stay there for at least two days. It did not matter. I did not care about this kind of thing anyway. Leandro was right about being careful in the dark stairwell. It was very dark with no sign of light. I felt as if I was blind. I clutched the book tightly under my right arm as I almost tumbled my way down the stairs. But somehow I managed to keep my balance. The place reminded me of the basement of the so-called haunted mansion in the forest of my town. The stairs that led down that basement were dark as well, but not as dark as this one though I could match the smell of dirt. I was placing my foot carefully down the stairs thinking what if I stepped on a spider or a cockroach. It would be disgusting. I still remembered when last month I had stepped on a cockroach barefoot and it got smashed under my right foot with a pop. At last, when I had gotten down the last step, I found out that it was not over yet. There were more stairs. I sighed and kept descending. As I was very careful and was taking one step after kind of examining the place, it took me almost ten minutes to get down the final step. It was a room, but even in the darkness, I could feel that there was nothing here except a spider web and dirt. There was a door as well. I approached the door and pulled the door handle. There was dust on it because of not using it for a long time. The way the room smelled made me wonder if anyone had come here in at least one year if not more. The door opened without making a single sound. It was odd. Even the door of Linda''s room opened with a creak albeit it was not too old. But this door- it seemed to be very old, yet it did not make any sound. The sudden light made me blink my eyes several times to adjust. I was outside in front of a gate that seemed to be unused for a long time. There were no guards here as well. I wondered why. Anyone could get in from here. Besides, the gate was not locked either. I opened the gate and found myself in front of a narrow alley. There was no one in sight. It looked like the abandoned streets in horror movies. There were several houses there, but they seemed to be abandoned. I moved forward, glancing here and there. It was weird. Why would no one live in these houses? Suddenly I heard a voice. It was more like a whisper. It came through the door of the hut right beside the place where I was standing. I stopped in my tracks and stood still, holding my breath to hear if anyone was coming this way. But no one was coming this way. Someone was talking to another person, almost in a whisper as if he was very careful about not letting anyone else find out about what they were discussing. I pressed my ear against the door, clutching the book tightly against my chest, while also looking around to make sure that no one was there. "Remember, we can''t lose our chance now. Tomorrow night when the king''s men will go into the forest to attack the Beast, we will take our chance. We need to kill the king. We can''t let the shifters rule forever," a man''s whisper came. "Shifters are more powerful than us. We are just human. We can''t turn into Orgades. I''m not sure if it will work," another man''s voice came through his voice was a bit clearer than the other man. "Yes, we''re humans. But just because they are shifters doesn''t mean that they can''t be killed. They''re not immortal. We have to do something very quickly. I don''t want to bow to these shifters all my life." "But what if our plan fails?" "It won''t. The first class shifters are going to kill the Beast on the king''s order. The king won''t have his main shifters with him. That''s our chance. We''ll kill him." "Are you sure? I''m still..." "Don''t worry. We''ll be five and he''s just one. He might be a shifter, but we have our weapons. He won''t have any chance to live anymore." "He might be just one, but I''ve heard that he''s really powerful. He might not be as powerful as the Beast, but he is not someone we can underestimate. We need to be careful." "We are careful, Walter. We have planned this since we found out about their plan of killing the Beast. Our world needs to get rid of the shifters and for that, we''ll go to any length." "Tomorrow night then?" "Yes, tomorrow after midnight. They will go inside the forest near the place where the Beast is said to live at around eleven. We will have our chance then." "Alright. We better leave this place now. No one should find out that it''s our meeting place." The man who talked in a whisper chuckled. "No one comes here. There is a rumor that it''s the place where the Beast was seen two months ago. People say he killed ten shifters and three humans here. All of them have left this place and no one dares to come here anymore. No one has the heart to enter this place. How will they? The shifters have made sure that humans lost all their spirit and live in their fear all the time." "Even the shifters don''t dare to come here. I don''t know. What if the Beast comes here one day? We''re dead for sure. There''s no way we can tackle him. He has unusual power." "We haven''t seen him, but I''m sure that we''ll find a way out." "Not many people have seen him. And whoever did is dead now. People say that no one can stay alive if they see the Beast''s face. The Beast kills everyone who comes across him or who, god forbid, comes across him. No one manages to escape him if he doesn''t let them go which is not something that usually happens or ever will happen. Our Hector said before death that he has white fur on his face and blood-red eyes. He also said that the Beast''s teeth were sharp and they got bigger from the sides. The Beast is ugly, he said." "Oh yes, I remember Hector. He was so young. His wife had to become a widow at such a young age. It''s all because of that Beast. Don''t worry. He won''t be alive for so long. The king''s men will kill him and we''ll kill the king. And the king''s father. I heard the king''s father killed Hector''s wife saying that she was not delicious enough." "All the Royals are the same. They use humans as slaves, especially women. They do not even leave young children. By the way, did you hear the new rumor about the human girl?" "The girl whose corpse is not found yet? I''ve heard about her. We just don''t know what she looks like. But there is a saying that she was wearing strange clothes- something like a bag. The Orgades chased her and then no one knows what happened to her. They haven''t found her corpse yet. But I''m sure that the Beast has killed her. He doesn''t let anyone live if they invade his place." "Yes, poor girl. I feel bad for her. But I wonder what she was doing in the forest. No one goes in there, let alone a girl. People say that the girl was not so big. She might be sixteen or seventeen," the man whose voice was clearer than the other person said, sighing. "But what if the girl managed to escape? What if she has come back?" "Impossible! No one managed to come back alive from a shifter''s grasp, let alone the Beast. He is more ruthless. Some say he has horns too. He surely has killed the girl." "But what if? What if she somehow managed?" "It''s not possible. And if she did, it doesn''t matter. We''ll kill the king tomorrow night and they will kill the Beast. Then we''ll deal with others. But if we fail anyhow, then we''ll look for the girl. She might know some important things about the Beast or the shifters. She can help us. But now, we need to focus on the current plan." "Yeah, that''s true." "Did Rose say anything about the king? Something that''s his weakness?" "No. She said that the king is very secretive. He might enjoy fucking, but he has control over himself. He doesn''t lose himself in it and spill out everything. She said he barely makes a sound." "That''s a bit disappointing. But she needs to keep doing what she''s doing. One day, he might spill out something." "We hope so. We better leave now. It''s... oh, it''s one already. Lilac is going to be angry. I promised her that I''ll be back before twelve. Let''s go now." "Yeah, let''s go." The sound of pulling chairs on the floor came to my ear. I quickly ran inside the next house through the open door. Thankfully, they did not hear my footsteps or sense that I was there. I heard them going away. I waited five minutes more to be extra sure that they were fully gone. So, this was news. I had a lot to tell Leandro. And more importantly, I had a new person to keep an eye on. I was not sure if it was her, but my mind said that I was right. They said about a girl named Rose. I did not know anyone named Rose. But I knew someone named Rosaire. She was King Nicklaus''s slave. I had seen her on the first day I had come to the castle to work. Edrich had brought her there as well along with Jed and the red-haired girl named Miera who the king''s father had killed. I had a feeling that the two men meant Rosaire by Rose. She was the one who the king took sexual pleasure from any time he wanted. Perhaps she was working as their spy. There was a possibility. This girl always looked a bit off to me. It was mostly because of the way she looked at everything. It was as if she was taking a mental note on everything. I had the habit of doing the same thing as well, but I was sure that I did not look like her while doing so. I got out of the house where I hid and got inside the castle through the same hidden passageway. But before that, I hid the book in that house under a cabinet. I would get that book after nine at night. I would tell Jed to wait for me outside and I would grab the book as soon as possible. Thankfully, no one was in the library when I returned. It was time for lunch. So, I made my way to the dining room where all the servants used to eat. I found Jed in the furthest cornered table. I went towards him. My mind was jumping inside to tell Leandro about everything I had found out. His life was in danger. But I was sure that nothing was going to happen to him.. He was too powerful. You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 27 - Edrich’s Place You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) "Now now, Your Highness, where have you been all the time?" Jed asked sarcastically. "God, I''m so sorry. I needed to... my hands got stuck in a gap. It took me time to free them. Mostly because I cried for a long time thinking that my hands would need to cut off from the wrists to free them," I said, managing to get a bit of apologetic tone in my voice which was a bit hard considering the fact that I was never sorry. "Where?" "There are two shelves placed beside each other and there was a little gap between them. So I thought... I''m so stupid. I shouldn''t have done that," I mumbled. "Look..." I showed him the red marks on my wrists. I was trying to keep a sad expression on my face to make him believe what I said. "They look painful," Jed said. "They are." "You shouldn''t have done that. Really, Leora- you are seventeen now. You still behave like a kid." "I know," I said. "Have you cleaned the roof?" "Yeah. There was blood there." "What?" I asked, shocked. "Animal blood, a maid said. But I''m sure it was human blood. It was clear by the look on the maid''s face. She was behaving as if she was going to burst into tears at any moment. Then I heard that two servants have been killed. One was hanged and the other one was beheaded," he said. "But why? Did they do something wrong?" "Do humans have to do something wrong to die here?" he shrugged. No. It was like a rule here that if the shifters wanted they could punish and kill any human. I kind of appreciated the ones who were planning on killing the shifters. But not about killing Leandro. He was, at least I wanted to believe, different. "The library was not too dirty. I mean, there was only dust here and there and that''s all. No blood or poop. But the library is so big. That''s why it took me a lot of time to clean the whole place," I said. Jed and I worked the whole day to clean the other rooms and bathrooms. It was fifteen minutes past nine when we were finished. Both of us were exhausted. "Let''s go home. I can''t bear to stay here any longer," Jed said tiredly. "Yeah. You better go. I''ll meet you out of Edrich''s house," I said. "Why? What are you going to do?" he asked. "Just go. I''ll explain later," I urged. Jed did not want to leave me alone here. But I kind of forced him to go. There were not many people inside the castle. It was a relief. Most of the time, we did not need to worry about anyone else finding out that we were running in the long corridor without cleaning the rooms. I made my way into the library and went through the secret passageway. This time I did not dare to put both of my hands in the gap. I had had enough of the fun of getting my hands stuck. I reached the narrow alleyway. It was dark, even the moon seemed reluctant to shine in this way. The air was not too strong and not weak either. It was just enough to give a chill run over my skin. I went inside the house where I had hidden the book earlier. As I was sure, no one had come inside the place. The book was a bit heavy. It took me a bit of difficulty to carry it. I walked ahead of the ally, keeping my eyes on everything for any sign of movement, my ears waking for any kind of sound. After some time, I came across another gate. It was not locked. I pushed it open and went outside. After walking for five more minutes, I saw the baker''s store. I sighed in relief. At least, I was not lost. Yes, it was true that I did not know if this path would lead me here. I did not know anything about that way. But I still listened to my gut and kept walking. If there was God, He was probably laughing at me or sighing thinking what kind of girl he had sent down here. Jed had shown me where Edrich''s house was. It was a bit more inside the market, right beside a pub. Edrich went to drink there, but that night he was supposed to go to the brothel. The brothel was a bit away from here. Jed said Edrich was going to spend the whole night in the brothel, as he usually did almost every night. I made my way to the pub. I had never gone inside Edrich''s house. I had just seen it from outside when Jed and I returned from the castle. Jed had pointed it from afar to me. It was inside an alley where I did not need to go in to go the forest. Jed was there waiting for me. He waved at me, but I saw that he was not smiling much. He was looking suspiciously at the book I was holding. "What''s that?" he asked. "A book, of course." "Yeah, but where did you get it?" "An old man gave me this. Well, I asked him if I could get a book on the history and information of here. So he gave me this," I said. "You could take me with you," he said. "Well, I got out of the castle from the back door. He lives there. But he doesn''t want anyone to be there. I had helped him get up once when he fell, so he did not mind me. He mentioned this, particularly that no one else should go to him. So..." "Oh ok. Come on in then. By the way, the man you live with has arrived. You didn''t tell me he was this..." "Hot?" "Yeah," he chuckled. "He has brought food for us. Such a responsible person!" Huh, responsible! I wanted to tell him that he was doing that only because he made a deal that he could kiss my throat. I still did not understand why he would want to kiss my throat. There was nothing there. I was sure that I was not going to get any reaction from his kissing me there. Yes, I had read on the internet and some books that kissing in the throat turned people on. But there might be exceptions. And I had a feeling that I was one of them. Honestly- what was there in someone''s throat? "Is he inside?" I asked. "Yeah. He is... not so friendly, is he?" Jed asked in a whisper. "No, he''s not. He is a bit cold. But he is a good person with a kind heart," I said. "Good to know," he said. "You really like him, don''t you?" "Shut up!" I slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "What? I''m just pointing the truth out," he said, grinning. "Whatever. But it''s not about me today. You said you''ll show me your crush," I said. "After dinner. He doesn''t sleep at night. He draws all night. I haven''t seen his drawings, but I bet they are great," he said. Jed took me to Edrich''s house. It was not so big, kind of like a forest cabin. Things were kept here and there with no sign of arrangement. I almost tripped over the torn heavy carpet, but Jed caught me by the waist in time. If I fell, I was sure I would be in an Olympic position. Jed knew that as well. We both started laughing loudly thinking how weird I would look. "I would have to carry you up the stairs then. Thank god, you''re so slim," he said, laughing. "Stop laughing. It''s not like I fell. I almost fell, but I managed," I said, pressing my lips together fighting a laugh. "Only because I was here. I caught you in time. Or mother earth would be the one to catch you," Jed said. He cleared his throat. It was not Jed. I looked ahead and saw that Leandro was there, his jaw set, and something was going on in his eyes. He was looking at Jed''s hand that was still wrapped around my waist. Jed perhaps felt his burning glare on his hand as he pulled back quickly. "I''ll get the plates," he said and hastily left the place. "Hi," I said to Leandro whose expression did not change. I wondered what was wrong with him.. Sometimes I felt as if I could understand him, but now it felt like he was once again behind the mask of secrets, covering himself up fully without letting anyone enter. Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 28 - [Bonus ] Angry And Jealous (From Ella''s Perspective) Looking at Leandro''s face made me realize that I had a lot to tell him. He needed to know all about what I heard. I went up to him. His face was unchanged and had the suppressed angry expression. I did not care about that. He told me that almost everything everyone did made him angry. Perhaps he was angry just because he saw Jed and I were laughing. "I have got lots to tell you. I''ve heard...," I whispered, bringing my face as close to him as possible. Because he was so tall, I had to stand on my tiptoes. "... after we get to the cave, I need..." But I could not finish. Who could when a person had pressed them on the couch and also when the person was way too handsome to exist? His face hovered over mine as I was looking into his dark eyes searching for something unknown. His face was still angry, but there was something more into his eyes that I could not find the right words to describe. No one could, I was sure. I was shocked. I had no idea he would do something like this all of a sudden. There was no reason to do so either. But yet, here I was, under him on the couch looking at him like a pleading cat. The only strange thing was that I did not know what I was pleading for. "What''re you..." I could not finish again. But this time the reason was completely different. He pressed his lips on the sensitive skin of my throat. And before this moment, I had no idea that my throat was sensitive to touch. As he filled literally every single place on my throat, moans threatened to escape my mouth. His lips seemed to be like hot coals, burning my skin with each touch, each brush. But to my horror, I discovered three new things. First of all, I thought that a kiss on the throat would not affect me at all. But I was wrong, so wrong. Did it affect me in the worst way possible, or the best way? Secondly, the back of my throat seemed to be so excited to let out uncontrollable sounds. I had to press my lips together tightly so the sounds that I was trying not to make could come out. And thirdly, even if his lips seemed to burn the skin on my throat, I did not want the burning feeling to stop. I wanted more. I forgot where I was, or what would happen if Jed walked on us. I had worried about it, but not for so long. His lips on my throat made me forget everything. It was like I wanted to cling to him and tell him to keep doing this. After what felt like an eternity of being trapped in an addictive tingly heated pleasure, he pulled back. But he did not look at me, or go up, leaving me dumb-founded on the couch. Rather, his lips found mine, so quickly that my mind barely caught what was happening. He was not gentle. He was fast and moving his lips furiously on mine as if my lips were getting away from him and he did not want to let go. I felt that there was nothing else around me except his lips on mine, his masculine aroma, and his hand on my neck pulling my face as close to his as possible. I did not want to, but I gave in slightly like every other time he kissed me. I started kissing him back. I was not as intense as him, but I was not slow either. I heard a noise from beside me. I opened my eyes and glanced sideways. It was Jed, standing there looking so shocked as if he had never in his thoughts had imagined this to happen. I felt embarrassed. I tried to push Leandro away by the chest. But dear lord, why was he so strong? He seemed to tighten his grip on my neck as he savored my lips like a hungry beast. It was only when he realized that I was running out of air, he pulled back, leaving my lips swollen and wet. I felt my cheeks heating up. Jed had probably seen everything that happened. Leandro however had the same cold expression on his face as he secured his glance on me. "I''ll be in my room. When you''re... well... ready to have dinner, just call me," Jed said and left the room before I could say something. "What the hell have you just done?" I asked furiously. I was very angry at him. How dare he do this in front of Jed! "It was our deal, did you forget?" he said normally as he stood up and straightened up his black shirt. "Deal? Of course, it was our deal. But here? Did you have to do this? In front of him?" I asked, enraged. "I said I will do it whenever I want. I wanted now, so I did it," he replied, shrugging. "Besides, what''s wrong with him seeing? Because you two are sleeping together?" "Don''t even... you perv. I can''t believe this," I muttered angrily. "Don''t tell me you didn''t like it," he said. "You enjoyed it, Ella. Oh, it is Leora now, right?" I was so angry and red at the same time that my voice seemed to get stuck in my throat. I left for upstairs with thunderous steps, swearing under my breath. I felt his gaze on my back, but I did not bother looking back. Jed was now going to ask for details for sure. The door that led to Jed''s room was so narrow that I was sure it would be hard for Leandro to get in. But why was I thinking about him all the time? God, I needed to get a grip on myself or I would totally lose myself. "And you''re telling me nothing is going on between you two?" Jed asked as soon as I entered the room. "He is horrible," I muttered. "He didn''t have to kiss me now." "Oh come on, Leora. He did that because he was jealous that you were laughing with me. He was angry too because I touched you," he said as I took a seat on his single bed beside him. The squeaky bed made a creak the moment I placed my bottom on it. "Oh, don''t worry. It''s very creaky," Jed said dismissively. "Now tell me what''s going on." "Nothing. It was a deal that he could kiss my throat if he did what I asked him to do." "What did you ask him to do?" "Nothing important. But he always demands making deals," I said. "That''s because he likes you. It''s clear, Leora. It''s just you who doesn''t see it." "No, he doesn''t like me, Jed. Anyway, you said your crush will come here at around twelve. Let''s go have our supper then. I wonder what Lean... I mean, Lee brought us," I said. Even though I told Leandro that it would be easier to call him Lee, it was not easy at all. The name Leandro had something in it... something so addictive and melodious that I wanted to call him by that only. Hearing my name in his voice felt so good too. But I would not let him know that. "Yeah, let''s go then. By the way, he is really good-looking. He is cold, but he likes you a lot, Leora. Don''t let him go. He''ll save you from everything, I''m sure. What is he, by the way? He doesn''t look like a human. Is he..." "I don''t know. He never told me that and I did not see him shirtless as well. Or I could see if there is a mark on his back or not," I said hastily. "Oh ok. But I think he is a shifter. There''s something about him that makes me think that he is actually a shifter. Anyway, as long as he keeps you safe, there''s nothing wrong with living with him. He seems to be very strong as well." "God, stop describing him. Let''s go down and let our stomachs get what they want. I''m starving," I said. "Yeah. You sure I don''t have to pay him for tonight''s dinner?" Jed asked hesitantly. "Don''t be a rooster, Jed!" I said. But inside, I sighed. If only he knew why I agreed to Leandro about kissing my throat... I wondered if Jed was right. Was Leandro angry because Jed touched me? Was he jealous? But why would he be? He did not like me. At least, I had a firm belief that he did not like me.. Why would he? I was a human, after all, a silly slender girl. Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 29 - Miles Silas You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) The dinner was almost silent. Leandro never talked much. He went back to his usual self and Jed was asking me again and again if Leandro was going to kill him because he touched me. After dinner, Jed and I went upstairs to his room and closed the door from inside. Closing the door was unnecessary, but I wanted to see how angry could Leandro get. I wanted to make sure that he was angry about that. Part of me said that it was not the case, but I could not believe it fully. When it was fifteen past twelve, through Jed''s little window, we saw a boy, perhaps one year older than us, come to sit at a table. The boy had black hair, but not as dark as Leandro''s hair. He was perhaps six feet tall and had a normal figure. Not bad looking at all. Jed was literally gawking at him. The boy was drawing, his eyes furrowed in concentration. And Jed seemed as if his eyes would come out of his sockets at any moment. I chuckled. "You need to ask him out," I said. "As if he will say yes to me," Jed said, sighing. "He will. We will make him." "By making deal with him? I prefer not." "Don''t be ridiculous. I didn''t mean it. By the way, do you want to talk to him?" I said. "How? He doesn''t even know me." "Just tell me if you want to," I said impatiently. "I do. But..." "That''s all I need to know, brother," I said. I took a paper from the almost broken table that was in the room. Bugs had eaten the wood of the table from several places. I had a feeling if I put the weight on both of my hands, it would break. "What are you doing, Leora? We''re not kids that we''ll play with paper origami," Jed said, surprised. "Shut up and watch it," I said as I started to make a paper plane with the paper. "That''s not the correct way," Jed said observing me. "It is. I''m making Bullnose. It''s a plane though I can''t tell you what a plane is now," I pointed out, folding the top right corner over to the left side, making a fold from the top of the paper to the bottom right corner. Then I unfolded the paper and repeated it for the left corner. "What''s a Bullnose? I heard about Bull''s eye, but Bullnose? And besides, Bull''s eye is in archery." "They are different. Bullnose is a paper plane type. Don''t ask me what a plane is. I watched it on...," I stopped before saying YouTube. I needed to remind myself again and again that I was not in my familiar world anymore. "Never mind. Bullnose is the type of paper plane that''s deceptively fast and stays aloft for quite a distance." I unfolded the paper again and folded the right top right corner over to meet the crease made from the first fold. Then I folded the left corner over to meet the crease made from the second fold. "I still don''t understand why you are doing this," Jed sighed. "You''ll thank me later," I murmured, folding the paper from several places. Jed stood there, watching my actions, dumbfounded, all the time until I was done. "Now what?" he asked. I smiled and went towards the open window. The boy''s window was open too. But he did not notice any of us as he was drawing very intently. His window was at the length of two arms. I flew the plane towards his window. To my relief and Jed''s surprise, the plane went inside and poked the boy on the forehead. The boy looked up at us from whatever he was drawing on. I pretended to look shocked and sorry. I did not need to tell Jed to pretend as he already was looking like that. "Oh, sorry," I said apologetically. "We were playing." "You were playing with this?" the boy asked. His voice was soothing, but not as much as Leandro''s voice was to me. Shit! I was thinking about Leandro again! No matter how hard I tried, he kept coming back to my mind. "We were bored," I said quickly. "By the way, I''m Leora and this is my cousin Jed." "I''m Miles Silas. You guys can call me Miles," the boy said. He was friendlier as per his looks. He kind of looked like those who liked to avoid others. "Cool!" I said, nudging Jed on the elbow. "The thing looks weird. How did you make it?" Miles asked. "Jed made it," I replied, glancing sideways at Jed who raised his eyebrow at him. I gave him a look that said- ''Just play along''. "It looks different but good," Miles commented flipping the paper over and over on his palms. "Jed will show you how to make it someday. By the way, do you draw?" I said. "Yeah, just a bit," Miles replied, a bit shyly. "Great! Jed loves drawings, don''t you Jed?" I said smiling broadly. "Yeah," Jed replied a bit unprepared. "I do like them... a lot." "Stop being nervous, you idiotic slow rooster," I hissed at Jed, though not loud enough for Miles to hear. "Tell him that you would love to see his drawings. I''m sure he''ll agree. Then compliment them... even if they suck. No offense." "I would like to see your drawings. I actually love drawings a lot. I can''t draw, but I love them," Jed said and I smiled encouragingly at him. "They are not so good," Miles mumbled, but I was sure that he wanted to show us his drawings as well. "Oh come on. Show us," I urged. It did not take too much to convince Miles to show us his drawings. "Oh, I suddenly remember that I''ve to make a note. You two better hang out or talk. I''ll just make the note. See you later, Miles." "See you." I climbed on Jed''s squeaky bed, making creaky noise in the process. I took the book that I had brought from the castle library on my lap. I thought of reading it. But I felt fatigued. These days when I went back to the cave, I always felt tired. Perhaps it was because of working all day long. I could not even stay awake at night. It would feel as if I had not slept in years. Even without me knowing, my eyes gave up. I did not even know in which position I fell asleep. Perhaps with the book on my lap, my head against the wall behind. And I regretted falling asleep this time. It did not feel like I was sleeping anymore. It seemed as if I was experiencing that night again. It was as if I was dying once again, pleading to live. Rain was pouring on my face as my bicycle got crashed against a high sped car. It was not my fault, but the driver''s. He hit my bicycle on purpose. But I managed to jump off my bicycle in time, or it would be the last day of my life. My bicycle got shattered as the car hit it, leaving no proof that it was the gorgeous dark blue bicycle once. I was in the mud, with rain waters falling on my skin, giving me a frigid feeling. Two men got out of the car. It was dark. I could not see their faces. But I knew that they were terrifying-looking. "Is she the girl?" one of them asked. His voice was deep. I had a feeling that he was very muscular, not in a good-looking way, but kind of giant-like. "It''s her, that bitch!" the other one said, his voice harsh and cold, but not as much as Leandro''s though more frightening, at least to me. I had a clear idea of what was going to happen. I did not know how they knew me, but all I knew was that I needed to run, run for my life. I forced my legs up and before they could say anything else or move towards me, I started running. It was hard to run with my bruised elbows and knees. But I did not stop. The mud under my feet made me fall twice, but I forced myself up every time, with the thought of not dying. I kept saying to myself that it would be alright. I just needed to get out of their grasp and that''s all. And suddenly, something stabbed me... in the middle of my stomach. I looked down and saw that blood was pouring out as a knife stabbed me. I did not know what to do. My trembling hands grasped the handle of the knife which was the only thing that was out of my flesh. My mind got blurred as crucial pain took over my body, mind, veins. I felt like falling. But I did not want to die. I did not want to stop. I wanted to save myself. But... I could not. His name came to my mind. I knew he could save me, the only person who could save me. "Leandro!!" You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 30 - [Bonus ] Her Savior You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) When she came inside, all I could see was Jed''s hand around her waist and her laughing as if she was having the best moment of her life. I did not like it at all. I wanted to rip that boy''s head off his body. I wanted to make it clear to him that- not her, never her. She was... was she mine? I did not know. But I wanted her untouched. No one had the right to touch her. How dare he do that! Moreover, I still was not sure if Ella truly slept with him. What did she see in him? That slender dirty-golden-haired turkey! She behaved as if she had never seen anyone better than him. She would even hold his hand, smile at him. She never did that to me. Or was she afraid of me? Did she not like me at all? Or was my skin not worthy of being touched? I almost grabbed that boy by the throat and make it clear to him that she was off the list. But then I realized that there were other ways to let him know that. Perhaps I would show him that she was off-limit. Ella surely did not expect me to do something like that. I did not hear what she was about to say. My eyes had already caught the sight of the delicate skin of her throat. And my lips needed to touch her throat. As I kissed her throat, I knew she liked it. She did not want to, but she did. She was trying to hold back moans. She thought that she would not have any effect from my kiss, but little did she know when it came to her, everything became perfect. Her skin was soft like butter. She seemed to melt in my grasp even without her knowing. The moment my lips touched the soft skin of her throat, I knew I could not stop. She was like an addiction, a sweet but forbidden addiction. I could take her if I wanted, I could do things to her that she could not imagine. But I would never force myself on someone, especially not her. She was... she was something. I did not know what, but she was so different and real that I sometimes wondered if she knew what she was saying and doing. I was not done savoring her throat. But I forced myself to pull back. I wanted to go away, but I could not. It was because of her lips. Those sweet petals called me towards her. I could not help it. I had to kiss her and I did. When I finally pulled back going against my will, she was angry. Before kissing her, I knew she would be angry. But I did not care. I needed to show that boy that she was... perhaps not mine... yet, but not anyone else''s either. She had gone upstairs after that. I did not like the fact that she closed the door from inside. They were alone in the room. But I did not tell her to open the door either. Because I had promised myself that if I heard any kind of sound like they were doing something disgusting, I would break the door and kill the boy right away. And when they came down for dinner, Ella did not talk to me. I did not talk to her either. She was still angry. I liked the way her face was when she gave me glares when I was not looking, but she did not know that I still could see her. They went upstairs again after dinner. I sat down on the couch downstairs. It was dirty, but I had to stay here. I would never leave them alone here. After some time, suddenly I heard her voice. She was calling my name. No, she was screaming my name. She needed me and I... I would always be there for her. I was going to kill the boy. That evil was surely doing something wrong to her. I hurried upstairs and broke the door with one kick. Ella was lying on the bed, clutching a book tightly against her chest with both of her hands while that boy was shaking her. I pushed him away and he fell on the floor. "Leandro! Save me, Leandro! I don''t want to die," Ella was screaming, her eyes closed and her face panicked. I had never felt the way I felt at this moment. I never cared if anyone needed my help if anyone needed to be saved. I had left that part of me a long time ago. But now after hearing her crying out my name, telling me to save her, it was like even if I had to save her from Satan himself, I would. I hugged her tightly. The moment I held her, she dropped the book from her hand and jumped on me, hugging me tightly, burying her face into my chest. I secured my arms even tighter around her. I felt as if I needed to save her, I needed to make her feel better. She looked scared. It was kind of like the time when she saw blood, but this time, her expression was much worse than before. "What did you do?" I snarled at Jed. If Ella was not clinging to me, I would definitely kill him. The anger I felt inside my veins was hard to control. My monster was banging inside me to come out. But there was one thing that was stopping him. It was her. Feeling her so close to me helped me not to lose the last string of control that I had. "I didn''t do anything. I was just talking to Miles. Ask him," Jed said, terrified, as he pointed a finger out the window at another boy who was looking at this place with a shocked expression. "They''ll kill me, Leandro. Please... please save me," Ella said, digging her nails on my back from over my black shirt. "You''re safe with me. I''m here... I''m here for you. I won''t leave you," I said soothingly. Even I could not believe that I was comforting someone. And it was not just someone, it was her. And that''s why she got this side of me even when I did not even know that I had this side of me. "They have knives. They... they stabbed me... my stomach," Ella mumbled, her voice trembling. "Ella, you''re fine. You''re with me. I won''t let anything happen to you. You''re safe with me," I said, stroking her hair. "There''s blo... blood. I... I''m dying, Leandro. Don''t let me die," she pleaded. "I won''t let you die," I said firmly. It was not just to comfort her. It was a determination, a promise to myself. It took a while for her to calm down fully. Even though she stopped screaming and talking, her grip around my neck did not loosen a bit. I took her on my lap, but she did not wake up or move. She slept peacefully. I looked down at her as her head was rested on my shoulder. I did a surprising discovery. Even though she was terrified and was screaming, there was not a single tear on her face. She did not cry at all, but she was afraid. It was strange. Even a very strong person sometimes broke down from a nightmare. But why didn''t she? It was not like I wanted to see her cry. But I felt that the whole thing was bizarre. "I''m taking her back to my place. And if you try to do something to her, I''m telling you it will be the last day of your life," I said warningly to Jed who still seemed to be processing what just happened. "Tell me something. Did you... did you sleep with her?" "With who?" "With her," I said pointing down at Ella who shifted on my lap. "No, of course not," Jed replied as if he would never think of doing something like that. "Why would I? She''s my friend. And besides... never mind. She''s just my friend." "Then keep that in mind all the time." "Anyway, who is Leandro? And why are you calling her Ella? She is Leora," Jed said. "I call her Ella because it''s my choice. It''s not your business. And she calls me Leandro because she likes it. That''s all," I said and picked Ella up in my arms. She was light just like the first time I picked her up like this. "Take this book. It''s Leora''s," Jed said, handing me a thick book. The book.... I knew the book. But how? How did she manage to sneak it out of the library? Did she use one of the hidden passageways? Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 31 - A Pull Towards Him (From Ella''s Perspective) I felt my head unbelievably lighter when I woke up. I was not in Jed''s room. Rather I was in my new comfort place- on Leandro''s mattress under the fluffy white blanket. The warmth coming from the fireplace made my skin warm and the soft crackling sound coming from the fireplace comforted my ears. But another warmth was missing. Every time Leandro was near me, I could feel some kind of heat radiating from him as if it was his aura. But he was not here, not on the mattress, not in the room. I had fallen asleep on Jed''s bed. Leandro had surely brought me here. Alas! I wished I had been awoken at that time. I wanted to feel being in his arms again. But he would not carry me if I was not sleeping. I wondered if he would if I asked him to. Perhaps he would, but he would surely want to make another deal, his kind of deal. The kiss came to my mind. I could not believe he kissed me like that in front of Jed. Jed did not mind, I knew. But still... I felt very embarrassed. I wondered how my face looked like when he was kissing my throat. God, the effect the kiss had on me! I quickly shook the thought away remembering that I needed to tell Leandro about the whole thing that I had found out. His life was in danger. They would come to kill him tomorrow. I hastily got off the bed. I looked for him everywhere. But he was not in the cave. Did he have to leave now that I had to tell him very important things? That man said that King Nicklaus''s men would come to kill Leandro tomorrow. It meant they would not come here tonight. I decided to go look for Leandro outside the cave. Perhaps he was near. The cold air landed on my skin, letting a quiver of chill mixed with an unusual but calming sensation run through my veins. The smell of wildflowers filled my nostrils. It was the same smell I used to get when I would go to the haunted mansion inside the forest of my town. The resemblance made me wonder how my life would have been if I had not found the portal. I was still not sure if I had done the right thing by coming inside the entryway and into this world of monstrous creatures. Now I was trapped here. Even if I wanted to go back, I could not. But did I want to go back? I did not know where to look for him. And going to look for him deep inside this forest seemed to be a very idea now even though I thought about doing so before. I decided to stay here and call him. "Leandro!" I called out his name as loud as I could. My voice echoed throughout the forest, but there was no sign of Leandro. "Leandro!" I called again. And again and again. But there was no sign of his handsome stature, only the heavy cold air with a mixed forest smell. What if he was in danger? What if his brother changed his plan and attacked him? My heart tightened painfully at the thought. I did not even know him properly, but I felt compelled to save him. The thought of losing him was more than painful. I started running to my left. I fell once tripping over a broken branch, scratched my hand with something that I could not figure out what it was in the dark, but I did not stop. After searching for thirty minutes here and there, I was left empty hearted finding no sign of him. I made my way to the cave again, with my heart feeling empty. I prayed again and again that he was alright, nothing had happened to him. Nothing could happen to him, right? He was strong and everyone feared him. "Ella!" Suddenly I heard his voice. My eyes widened with relief and the urge to see him. His voice came from the way where his cave was. I ran in that direction, tripping over the same branch again. My knees got bruised, but I did not care. I needed to see him, to make sure he was alright. As soon as the cave got into view, I found him looking in my direction with an angry look on his face. I did not care if he was angry. I ran towards him and flung my arms around him. "Don''t... don''t ever do that," I said, hugging him tightly. He wrapped his arms gently around me after processing the whole thing. But I was hugging him tightly as if I was not ready to let him go. "Don''t. Just don''t. Don''t do that." "Don''t do what?" he asked. "Leave me in the cave alone." "Are you afraid of being alone? And you''re the one who goes to a haunted mansion alone," he said. "No, I''m not afraid. I thought... I thought that... Let''s go inside, Leandro. Please. I need to talk to you. I really thought..." "What, Ella?" "Let''s go inside," I said pulling back. I took his firm hand in my tiny hand and led him inside the cave. His hand was warm and rough, but even the roughness seemed to make me feel safe. I sat on the bed and pulled him to sit beside me. "Where were you?" I asked. "That''s none of your business," he said, but his gaze did not say it at all. I had a feeling that he was worried about me. But why would he be worried about me? It was him who he should be worried about. I sighed and looked down at my lap. Perhaps my gaze led him to look down at me as he asked, "What happened to you?" "These?" I asked pointing at the wounds on my wrists. "I think some kind of thorn from a tree did those. It''s not my fault. I could not... are you alright, Leandro? Did they do anything to you? Did you kill them? Did they manage to hurt you at all? It''s not like I want you hurt. Just asking. Do you need me to do anything? Any ointment... oh I forgot. You can heal. Anyway, there is no... blood... they could not do anything to you, right? Thank god! I was really worried." "Who are you talking about?" he asked. He clearly had no idea what I was talking about. But how... did that mean that they did not try to kill him tonight? I knew they were not supposed to. But I was worried that what if they had changed their plan. "You didn''t meet them then, right?" "I didn''t meet anyone, Ella." "Good then. I need to tell you a lot of things, really lots of things. Well, I got some information," I said. "I''m listening. But first, tell me what happened to your knees." "I fell... twice. I was running, looking for you. I thought... never mind," I said. "You know, I found a book in the library while cleaning. It looked interesting. So, I thought that perhaps I should read it. Oh my god! I left it at Jed''s." "I brought it," he said calmly. "Oh, thank god. Anyway, then I could not just take it away from in front of everyone, right? I''m just a servant there. So, I took the secret passageways from the library," I said. "I came across a narrow alley. The place is abandoned. Two men were inside a house, talking. I mean, discussing. I eavesdropped. They were saying that your brother''s men will attack you tomorrow night, in the forest. I don''t know from which way, but I''m sure that they will try to kill you. Those two men don''t work for the king. They are humans and they are kind of determined to free this world from shifters. They want to kill your brother. That''s not the problem, right? But what I don''t understand is that why would they attack you? They know that you''re more powerful than them and besides, you told me that they don''t come to this part of the forest because of you. But then why? Why will they risk their lives? You''ll kill them, right? Do you think they have something that they can use against you? Oh, and they were talking about those first-class shifters. The men, I mean your brother''s men, they are the first-class shifters. They are going to come here to kill you," I said breathlessly. I was trying to remember what I had said to make sure that I did not leave anything behind. He needed to know everything.. I could not afford to lose him, not when there was some kind of pull I felt towards him. Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 32 - Worried Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) "Ella," I said as calmly as I could, "did you think that something has happened to me? Is that why you went to look for me?" "I... yes. I was really... scared... I thought they had changed their plan. I thought they attacked you tonight," she said, a touch of tremor in her voice. "You were scared that something would happen to me? You were worried about me?" I asked. "Of course I was worried about you. I know there was no way I could overpower them. But at least, I could try," she said, not knowing how much those words meant to me. No one except my mother told me that they were worried about me, they wanted me to be safe. But this girl... she did not even know me. But the worry and dread were clear in her voice, mostly in her eyes. "You never listen, do you?" "What do you mean?" she asked, surprised. "You put your hands in that gap, didn''t you?" I asked. There were red marks on both of her wrists, clear evidence of them being stuck somewhere for quite a long time. She nodded, embarrassed. "I just thought that... I thought the gap was big enough. It''s not my fault. I can''t control my curiosity." "But you have to if you don''t want to get in trouble. Anyway, it''s midnight. You can still sleep for two more hours," I said. "I don''t think I can sleep anymore," she said. "I''ll just read the book." "Whatever you say. But you''re surely going to remember my words when you''ll feel sleepy all day," I said and gave her the book back from the table. Her tiny hands took the book shakily. It looked as if she still had not recovered from what happened. I could not figure out why would she care about me this much. It looked as if her breath had been sucked out when she could not find me. I was worried for her too when I came back and could not find her. I looked for her around and thankfully, I did not have to do that for too long. Because if I could not find her, I was sure that my monster would take over me. It seemed my monster liked her. I did not know in which way, but when I was with her, my monster tried to take control over me but not for killing, but something, something unknown and something dangerous. "You screamed in your sleep," I said, after two minutes of silence as she was examining the book very closely as if it was something very precious. "Did I?" she muttered. For a moment, I saw something in her eyes. It was as if her gaze was blank. But she quickly, very quickly, in a blink, fixed herself. "Must be that stupid nightmare." "What nightmare?" I asked. "The one with knives and two men... blood... the forest... a car...," she mumbled, her voice seemed to be drifting away, but it did not. "... my bicycle... their deep voices... anyway, it''s stupid." She smiled weakly at me. But it was not a real smile. It was the first time she faked a smile in front of me. And it was so obvious that even by the sound of it, I could tell it was fake. It was clear that she was hiding something or perhaps she was not comfortable in saying that she got scared by a nightmare only. Either way, she did not want to talk about it. "My sister''s name was Patricia. She was three years younger than me. She died when she was ten, precisely saying, she was killed," I said. She looked at me, dumbfounded. I continued, looking deep into her eyes, in the same way, she was looking at me, "She stole my clothes and when I went to her to get them, she put a frog inside my favorite shirt. I got angry, very angry. Something, some kind of force, kind of like unbearable heat radiated from my inside and before I knew what was happening, I felt going numb. I don''t remember what happened after that. When I woke up, I found myself in the castle dungeon, chained." "Leandro..." "Yes, Ella, I killed my sister," I said. The pain, the burden was too much to bear. Yet, after telling her this, I felt my heart getting a bit lighter. It was not enough, but I was surprised. Why? Why did I feel so good after talking to her? Who was she to me? Literally, nothing. But was she nothing? Nothing at all? She squeezed my hand. That was the moment I noticed that we were holding hands all this time. Perhaps that was the reason, I could tell her. Feeling her touch made me brave. Just her touch had this effect on me. I wondered what kind of effect her heart would have on me if she let me make her mine. "I''m sorry to hear that, Leandro. I''m really sorry," she said soothingly. "But... but why did you tell me this?" "You asked me once," I replied. She gave me a weak smile and it was a real one. "I''m glad you told me. I know some things are really hard to talk about. You probably think that it''s your entire fault. But Leandro, you wouldn''t hurt or kill your sister if you were in full control." "I know. But does that make me less guilty?" "No. It never will. But it''s the reality and the truth. Hard or not, you have to accept this. We all have to accept this. And we can''t even change the past. What''s done is done. If you could change the past, I know that you will do everything to bring your sister back. We all have a lot that we want to change in our past. But there''s no way we can do that. Rather, here we are, living this life, playing the dirty game of truth," she sighed, looking straight into the fireplace, staring but not seeing, losing in her thought. "You talk as if you''ve got a lot to change of the past if you had the chance," I said. "I have. But they are not as serious as yours. Well, never mind... was that the first time you shifted?" "Yes." "You really don''t remember anything when you''re in your beast form?" "No." "But then how do you remember that I touched your face that night?" "That was the first time, Ella, when I could regain control over myself and shift back into my human form. I can''t shift back into my human form before a day. But when you touched my fur, I... well, no one ever did that to me. It made me gain control over myself." "Really? But I just touched, right? I''m not a fairy or something like that. Does it have something to do with weird girls? Like if weird girls touch you, you will gain control over yourself," she said. She was surprised. Anyone would be finding this out. But this was the truth. "No, it doesn''t have anything to do with weird girls, Ella. It''s just... it''s because you were kind. I''m not sure. It''s just a theory." "Perhaps books will say something about it. I''ll look for more books in the library." "It''ll be a risk." "You think I''m not taking a risk by working as your spy? Besides, looking for books in the library is much safer than hearing the king''s plans. No one goes to the library. It''s always empty," she said. "Anyway, do you know why you''re like this?" "Like what? I don''t think I have any reason to behave well with..." "No, that''s not what I meant. I mean others in your world can shift into Orgades. But not you. You''re a different creature. Why is that?" "People say I''m cursed. You better believe that." "Oh come on, Leandro. They even say you have horns," she rolled her eyes. "Tell me. I won''t tell anyone." "I don''t know that myself," I said. "Books..." "No. Books can''t help in this case. We all looked into books for an explanation. But there is nothing in them about this." "Oh. But there surely must be some kind of reason," she said, her eyes thoughtful. "Leandro?" "What?" "Will you turn into your monster once in front of me?" I was shocked. "He will kill you, Ella." "Just for once," she pleaded. "No. One time is enough for him to rip your head off your body," I said. "What are you, Ella?" "Huh?" "Aren''t you scared?" "Why would I be?" "You just found out that I killed my own sister. Aren''t you worried about your life? I can easily kill you, Ella, if I lose control." She let out a hollow laugh, which made my heart clench agonizingly.. It seemed as if she had faced things, horrible things, but was hiding that part behind her outer shell. Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 33 - Kiss Only Tonight Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) I did not answer him. There was no point in saying that this was the best life I ever had. In my family, I was treated like trash. Here, even though I was at risk of losing my life at the Orgades'' hands or perhaps Leandro''s as well, but at least I got someone who cared for me. Perhaps he did not care for me too much, but it felt good to know that he did even in the slightest. I was surprised that he told me about his sister. It meant he surely trusted me. I was glad. I never expected him to tell me something like this. But I liked the fact that he wanted to let me know. "Thank you," he said suddenly. "For what?" I asked, astonished at his sudden slightly warm behavior. "For worrying about me," he said in a low tone. I glanced at him. His eyes were not cold as before, there was something in his eyes that was evident he meant what he said. "Welcome," I said smiling even though I did not feel like doing so. I felt something inside me. A smile was never enough to express that feeling. But I did not want to show that. "But Leandro, what are you going to do tomorrow night?" I asked. "They will come here to kill you. The man said that they are first-class shifters. They are powerful. They are going to be a lot in number. But you will be alone." "I will manage," he said. "You will manage? That''s not a proper answer, neither is it a good plan. You said that most people don''t know you. I mean, they don''t know your face. You can hide somewhere in the locality." "Where?" "In the pub or the brothel. No, not in the brothel. There will be shifters there as well. What if any of them recognize you? You better..." "I''ll be fine, Ella," he cut me off. "But you can''t come back here tomorrow night. You''ll stay at... with Jed." The way he said seemed he hated saying this. It seemed as if he did not want me to stay with Jed, but he did not have any other choice. "But what about you?" I asked. "I told you I''ll be ok." "How?" "Don''t worry, Ella. They tried to kill me before too. It did not work. It won''t as well this time," he said as if he was sure of it. "I don''t..." "I''ll be fine," he said reassuringly. "Can I ask something from you, Ella?" "What?" "I know that our deal is that I can kiss you per meal. But can... can you make an exception tonight?" "What do you mean?" "Will you let me kiss you? Not as a deal. I just want to kiss your lips and throat. That''s all. I won''t touch or do anything else," he said. I felt bubbles bubbling up in my stomach. I was eager, but I was also wondering why he would suddenly want to do it. "One kiss?" "No. I want to kiss you for as long as I want. I mean, for tonight only. Will you let me do that?" I did not know what to say. My head was filled with uncertainty. No sound came out of my throat even though I tried to tell him something. "Alright then. Let''s make another deal. If you let me kiss you tonight, I won''t kiss you again," he said. "What about that deal of one kiss per meal?" I asked. "I won''t kiss you for a meal anymore then. You will have to let me kiss your lips and throat tonight." "Only tonight?" "Yes." "As much as you want?" "Yes." The thought of not being able to feel his kisses anymore after tonight made my heart sink. But I knew it was the right thing to do. His kisses were slowly making me crave more. I suspected that it would not be long before I would say yes to him. But I still did not know if he truly liked me or wanted me merely for my body, to take advantage of me, to leave me when he was done having enough taste of me. Even though it would be hard for me to live without his kisses, it was for better. Thinking about my decision again, I found myself saying, "Okay, I agree." His expression darkened again, removing the slight hint of warmth that was there a while ago. His eyes turned cold again as his gaze stopped on mine, letting my body heat up instead of cool down. "Put that book away and lie down on the bed, Ella," he said, his voice icy. I gulped and put the book on the bedside table. His gaze never left mine as I lay down on the bed, my fingers trembling slightly and my heart thumping hard at the utterly disturbing silence. I was still wearing the dress I wore in the castle. It felt uncomfortable to be in this, but I did not say anything as my eyes found a sight to savor. He slowly took off his shirt, revealing his gorgeous athletic torso that was worth gawking at. I wanted to ask him that he did not need to take his shirt off to kiss. It was not like we would do something else. I was not going to say yes to him no matter how much my heart would plead. It was clear to me now that if he kissed me, my heart would tell me, again and again, to say yes. But I was not going to give in to this kind of desire. I would only say yes if I found out that he cared for me, he wanted me not for my body only, but for myself, my soul, my existence. He climbed on the mattress, the force of his knees on the mattress jolting me out of my thoughts. He climbed on top of me. I saw that he was still wearing his pants which I was grateful about. "You''re not going to bite me, right?" "I thought you weren''t scared of my Beast," he said, his voice freezing but teasing. "No, I''m talking about my lips. You bite them while... kissing," I mumbled. "I won''t if you cooperate." I pursed my lips. How was I supposed to cooperate without letting him find out about the effect he had on me? "Will you?" "What?" "Will you cooperate?" he asked. I nodded. He gulped, not in a normal way, but more of a creating an erotic scene. Or perhaps it was just my mind that was seeing things differently. Suddenly it came to my mind right the moment he was about to bring his face down. "Leandro!" "What?" he asked, surprised. "I almost forgot to tell you. I have to tell you right away or I will forget tomorrow morning. After I say this, you can kiss me," I said breathlessly as if time was running out. "You need to be ready at around eleven tomorrow night because they are going to attack you at that time. And well, the two men who I heard talking were saying that two months ago, the Beast went to that alley and killed ten shifters and three humans. Do you remember that time?" He clenched his jaw. "Sorry, perhaps I shouldn''t have asked that," I mumbled quickly, worrying if he was angry. "They tried to kill me that day as well. I chased them out of the forest and reached that place, at least that''s what I think I did. I don''t remember fully. When I regained my human shape, I was in the forest in front of my cave, drenched in blood," he said. "Oh. I''m sorry I asked. I was just curious. It came to my mind all of a sudden, you know. I had to ask now, or I was surely going to forget. You don''t mind, do you? I mean, I interrupted. You are not angry, are you? You''re not going to bite me, are you? Your monster is not planning to come out, is he? It''s not like I''m scared. But I need to get ready to see those red eyes again. I like them, you know that? They have the same color as the sky during sunset. Do you know Peeta? Peeta Mellark? Oh, how can you know? He is a character from the Hunger Games trilogy, kind of handsome, but a bit laid back. Anyway, his favorite color is orange, soft like the sunset. Well, your Beast''s eyes are not exactly like that, but there are similarities. It''s not my favorite color. But I have to say that the color has a warm vibe, like fire. And...." You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 34 - Lips And Throat You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) "... There..." "Ella," I said slowly. "And besides..." "Ella," I said a bit forcefully than before. "Oh sorry. You''re supposed to kiss me. I... I was just... Never mind. You can kiss me now, I guess," she mumbled, pouting. I looked down at her once again, taking her features in. How could someone be like this? So unique, so perfect? Everything she did made me want her, made me feel a connection as if she was the one meant for me. She had the type of chaotic nature that angered me and not once in my life, I thought I would feel this kind of pull towards this kind of girl. But she... she made everything possible. I had never thanked anyone before. Yet tonight I thanked her, I thanked her for worrying about me, for making me feel that someone wanted me to be safe. I knew she meant everything she said and this made me feel strongly about her. The strangest thing was she was not afraid of me even though she found out that I had killed my own sister. Even two months ago, I killed ten shifters and three humans as the others said. I did not remember anything though. Ella behaved as if she did not care if I was a monster as if she knew that I would not hurt her even when I was not so sure myself. She bit her upper lip. I knew she did not do that as a sign of invitation; rather it was her habit to do so when she waited for something. But it felt good to know that she was waiting for my kiss. She perhaps thought that I would get bored of kissing her and stop very quickly. In that case, she was wrong. Since the first time I kissed her, I knew that I could never get enough of her. I brought my face down and stopped an inch away from her face, her sharp breath falling on my face while my breath fell on hers. I had put all my weight on my elbows while I observed her biting her lips and moving her gaze away from me, her cheeks flushed with shyness. I did not wait any further. My lips found hers. Remembering it was the last time I could kiss her as per our deal, I wanted to take as much as I could tonight. As I slowly tickled her with my lips moving slowly on hers, her heartbeat got faster. Her hand touched my neck while her other hand grasped my arm as if for support. To my surprise, she started kissing me back in the same slow, passionate and steady way. Her sugary addictive smell filled my nostrils, making me want to bury my nose in the side of her neck and take as much scent of her as I could. But I did not move my lips from hers. I found honey there, and I craved for it even though I was never a fan of sweet things. God knew what kind of change she was bringing inside me. She tilted her head slightly, deepening the kiss while at the same time keeping it passionate and unhurried. My hand went to the side of her neck, massaging the place. She shivered at my touch, but did not open her eyes; rather she focused on the kiss as if her life was dependent on it just like mine. Her soft lips were even softer than butter, or at least it felt to me. As they moved in a slow rhythmic way, I felt I was getting the touch of heaven. A moan silenced by my mouth on hers escaped from the back of her throat. I shifted slightly, feeling sudden warmth inside me possibly caused by the sound. I pulled back, taking air in while at the same time, observing her face, as she placed a hand on her chest, trying to breathe. I wanted to ask her where she learned to kiss that perfectly. But then I decided not to. I did not want to hear a horrible answer. Of course, I was not the first person who kissed her. She was addictive, and anyone would want to taste those heart lips of hers. I pulled my face down again, taking her in for another kiss. This time the kiss was not too gentle, but it was not fast and rough either. But it was something, something sensual. Her hand again found the back of my neck and this time, she was pulling me down. In the warm air and the dim light radiating from the fireplace, our kiss went on, silencing my thoughts while I lost myself in the bubble of time as pleasure and desire filled my body and mind. I did not have to bite down her bottom lip to make her part them. She did that willingly this time. She parted her lips and licked my upper lip with the tip of her tongue. I was surprised, but that did not stop me from slipping my tongue inside her warm mouth. She tasted the same, vanilla with a hint of chocolate. But she did not eat anything like that to taste like this. Perhaps it was just me who tasted this in her mouth. My tongue tickled her and she clawed on my neck, making me deepen the kiss even more. It did not take long for the kiss to take a rough turn. My hunger grew and I started kissing her senselessly, savoring every part of her lips, her mouth. The erotic sound of our wet kiss filled the air. I wanted more of her, a lot more. To stop myself from ripping her dress off, I clawed on the mattress, but I could not help as my grip tightened on the side of her neck. She flinched in pain and I loosened my grip quickly. I broke the kiss and pressed my lips on the side of her neck where there was a mark left because of my tight grip. I licked the place and she lifted her body up, so her hardened nipples brushed against my bare chest. I bit on her skin lightly, causing her to moan. It was clear that she was trying not to; she was trying to hold back. But I was determined not to let her win this time. I wanted her to moan, call my name. I started sucking the place knowing perfectly that there was going to be a mark left. She twisted under me, making soft purring noises unintentionally. She covered her mouth with her palm, determined not to let me know of the pleasure she was getting. I pulled her hand away from her mouth, keeping up with my kisses on her throat. She tried to protest, but suddenly I bit on her skin causing her to scream lightly. I held her hand with my left hand while my other hand worked on caressing her cheek, my thumb drawing marks on her soft skin there. Her other hand went up to my hair, holding tightly as the touch of my lips were leaving her breathless. "Uh...," she moaned slightly. I smiled against her skin, feeling pride inside me. Now it was time to make her call out my name. I moved my lips from her throat and captured her lips before she could process. The kiss was hungry with no hint of gentleness. She was surprised at the fast and rough unsteady moving of my lips while she was trying to keep up with it. I forced my tongue inside her mouth the moment she parted her lips slightly. My tongue ravaged inside her mouth, determined to make her realize that no one ever could make her feel this way. She held my hair even tightly that it hurt, but I did not care. All I wanted was to feel her as much as I could. I knew that I had to satisfy myself by tasting her lips and throat only and this thought made me want to savor her available parts until morning. I harshly pulled my lips up and again started kissing her throat. This time it surely was too much, as she started squirming uncontrollably. "Leandro... oh..." I could not help but chuckle, while at the same time hearing my name from her mouth in that addictive melody almost made my monster jump out of his place to take her. Her hand slipped from my hair to wrap around my back, pressing myself to her. It was too much. I did not know about her, but if she kept doing that, I would not be able to control myself. "Don''t do that," I groaned. "Huh?" she asked, almost dizzily. "Don''t touch me like that.. I will lose control," I said, gritting my teeth as my lips again found the sensitive skin of her throat. Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 35 - [Bonus ] Are You Worried Best novel online free at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) He was... I did not know what to say. He said only kisses, but he did not just kiss. He bit me and sucked my skin. I wanted to be angry. But this was the most ridiculous thing; I was not angry, rather I enjoyed it. And to my horror, I even moaned, and even worse, I called out his name. I heard him chuckling too. I was very embarrassed. I did not even know how to look at him after tonight. That was the moment the thought came back to me. What if something happened to him tomorrow? What if I would never see him again? But the thought quickly drained out of me as he kept kissing my throat and then altered between my lips every now and then. It was too much. I had to wrap my hand around his back. I did not want to, but my hand automatically went to his back from under his arm. But he told me not to do that. He said he would lose control if I did that. What was he talking about? Was he angry because I touched him like that? Or was he talking about losing his sexual control? Either way, I was a bit scared. But the second thought kept roaming in my mind. It did not only frighten me but also made my cheeks heat up. It was official now; I had lost fifty more brain cells tonight. I moaned a few more times unintentionally. Leandro seemed to enjoy seeing the effect his kisses had on me. He did not even stop kissing me as if he did not get bored kissing the same places again and again. I did not know when I fell asleep. But I slept comfortably. I did not even have that stupid nightmare. It was almost morning when I woke up as a mosquito bit me. I felt very warm, more than I was supposed to. That was when I noticed that my back was pressed against his rock-hard chest and his hand was wrapped around my waist. We were so close that his breath fell directly on my neck. But I did not feel uncomfortable. I snuggled closer to him and in his sleep, he pulled me in too. I blushed and smiled. But soon the smile fed away when I realized that I would not see him tonight. I did not understand why he was feeling so confident when those creatures were plotting to kill him. I held his hand tightly that was on my waist. His hand was rough and very hard. But it made me feel safe. But it was not me who needed to be saved now. It was him. There were scars on his chest, each of them very deep. If his wound could heal, then I wondered why there were still scars left. I did not ask him that. I felt it was not the right time to ask him this kind of thing. I cautiously looked behind me at his sleeping face. He did not look like the cold-faced person he was. He looked heavenly, utterly divine. I rolled on my side, carefully moving his hand from my waist. He was gorgeous, the most handsome man I had ever seen. I felt fortunate for being able to feel his kisses. I waved my hand in front of his face carefully so I did not hit his nose. He did not move an inch. I felt confident. I wanted to do something. I knew it was not appropriate, but I still wanted to do it. I brought my face near to his and almost pressed my lips on his for a quick kiss. But then at the last moment, I pulled back. I could not just kiss him like this. It would hurt me only. I sighed and got up. I went to the bathroom and sat in the hot water bath. As the water contacted my shoulders, I felt a burning pain. I tried to see what it was, but I could not. After I finished bathing, I went to the bedroom wearing my towel only. I thought he was still sleeping. But I was wrong. He was sitting on the bed, his face busy as if he was deep in thought. The moment I entered the room, I unintentionally hit my leg at the corner of the bed, making him look at me. I saw him taking a sharp breath in as if he was fighting an urge. But an urge for what? For me? Or my body? I tried to behave as if I did not care if he looked at me while I was wearing nothing but a towel. I did not know how well I acted, but I tried as much as I could. I stood in front of the mirror, ignoring his burning gaze on me. There was a bite mark on my shoulder. It was not so big, but it was noticeable. There was a red sucking spot at the side of my neck. "What are these?" I asked, looking at him. "You said you wouldn''t bite." "I wouldn''t if you cooperated properly," he said shrugging while his eyes never left mine from the moment I entered the room. "I did!" I protested. "I kissed you back." "You moaned. It''s your fault. I could not help but bite you," he said. I moaned and it was my fault? How could he say that? He knew clearly that I had moaned because of him, his kisses. He talked as if anyone could stay quiet having him kiss their lips and throat. I did not talk to him anymore. I got ready to get to the castle. I did not tie my hair today so I could hide those marks on my neck. The last thing I needed was to people staring at them. I did not know why I felt that way. I felt shy and even made several conversations in my head thinking about what I would say if someone asked me what happened there. Leandro made breakfast as usual. It felt weird for some reason thinking that he was not going to kiss me anymore. I could not believe I was actually feeling devastated at this. "What are you going to do, Leandro?" "What do you mean?" he asked, taking a sip of his black tea. "About the first class shifters. They will try to kill you. What will you do?" "I told you I''ll manage." "Do you remember the time? It''s..." "Eleven at night. I know," he finished for me. "Are you worried about me?" "Of course, I''m worried about you. What kind of sick question is this?" I huffed. "Why? Why are you worried about me when you don''t even know me?" "Who said I don''t know you? I know a lot about you." "I don''t think so." "Oh come on. I know a lot of things," I said. "Your name is Leandro Gregor and you''re the son of your father and mother." "Is that what you know about me?" he asked, chuckling slightly. "Well, I don''t know the names of your father and mother. Everyone calls your father His Highness, or Lord and stuff, you know. I didn''t ask you either. You would say it''s none of my business." "I might not have said that." "I know you would. You have said the same when I asked about your mother. Anyway, I''ll find out eventually," I said dismissively. "Then you have a brother. He is a horrible little git who is now a king for some weird reason. And his name is Nicklaus Gregor, nicknamed Klaus." "He doesn''t have a nickname," Leandro said. "But that''s not fair. His character has a nickname. I mean, Nicklaus Mikaelson has a nickname. They call him Klaus." "That''s not my brother, Ella. He is a fictional character and hot as well, not as much as me though, as you said." I looked down, feeling my cheeks flush. He remembered everything I said. It kind of made me feel good along with awkward. I had the tendency to talk a lot if I got comfortable with someone which was a very rare and almost impossible thing to happen. Because of my fast and chaotic talking, I would talk my mind even when it was inappropriate. I cleared my throat and looked at him as if nothing happened. "Anyway, your brother is one year younger than you which means he is 21. I have never seen him though. And you had a sister once too. But she is not in the world anymore," I said this very quickly so he could not catch the part of his sister much. "And your favorite color is black. That''s because you think that your heart is dark. After all, you''re a monster.. You''re a bit stupid thinking this though." Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 36 - Regret (From Leandro''s Perspective) "... You can draw. Your drawings are really cool. Will you teach me? Oh, it''s not the right time to ask that. Anyway, then you are very cold, mysterious, at least you behave like you are." "You mean I''m not cold and mysterious actually?" I asked, amused as she kept talking, moving her hands impatiently in the air while her lips kept moving without stopping. "Yes. I mean, you might be mysterious a bit, but not exactly cold, at least from the inside. You care even though you try not to show it. And I''ve seen something behind your eyes that doesn''t speak of your coldness," she said. I darkened my look at her. What was she? She was talking like as much as she knew about me, she knew them fully. It seemed like she understood me, she could see through me. "I''m right, ain''t I? Ain''t I, Leandro?" she asked expectantly. "Oh, of course, you won''t say I''m right. That would reveal a part of you, right? A part that you try to hide? Anyway, in that case, know one thing that I won''t betray you. Whatever I do, I don''t betray." I did not say anything. She was being irresistible with each passing moment and the things she was talking about I did not even know if they were true. It seemed in some cases, she knew me better than I knew myself. "Leandro, tonight after you win, which I still don''t understand how," she said, suddenly her voice a bit low, "you will come to meet me at Edrich''s place, won''t you?" Her eyes were pleading as she said this. It looked like she wanted nothing more than to see me again. Why was she caring for me this much as if I was everything to her? "I will," I found myself saying. I watched her face intently as she pursed her lips and nodded. She was not crying, but there was sadness and worry in her eyes. And it was enough for me to be determined to rip anyone''s head off who would try to hurt her. "But what if Edrich is there?" "Oh," she mumbled. "Then we can meet somewhere else. The pub... no, not the pub. What about the end of the forest where you leave me every morning?" "It won''t be safe tonight," I said. She sighed and looked down. I watched her expressions. She looked tensed and worried and the thought that she was worried about me made me feel something different. "Jed said that Edrich stays in the brothels, most of the nights," she said after a while of thinking in utter silence. "What if he decides to stay at his place tonight?" "He won''t. I''ll make sure of it," she said. "How?" "I don''t know, but I will." "That''s not a proper answer," I said. "You didn''t give me a proper answer either when I asked you how you are going to save yourself from those disgusting slimy skinned bony creatures," she snapped. "I didn''t give you an answer because I know what I''m doing. And I''m sure that they won''t be able to do anything," I said. "Same goes for me. I know what I''m doing as well. I''ll manage. Just come to Jed''s place. It doesn''t matter if it''s midnight. Just come," she said. "How can I be sure that you''ll be able to make Edrich stay the night at the brothel?" "Trust me." "How can I trust you?" I asked and right that moment, I knew that I should not have said that. She was hurt, but she quickly hid that pain with an angry look. "Fine! Don''t trust me!" she hissed and went out of the cave, muttering things furiously under her breath without even finishing her food. Now I regretted it a lot. "Fuck!" I cursed under my breath and followed her. She was walking as fast as she could, but as her steps were not so long, I quickly caught her. "Ella!" "What? I''m going for work," she said, not slowing down a bit. "You haven''t finished your food," I said. "I''m not hungry. And besides, why do you care? You don''t trust me, right? You shouldn''t pretend to care for me either," she grumbled. She did not look at me, but I knew that there was hurt written all over into her eyes. I regretted my decision more than ever. Seeing her getting hurt at my words made me want to punch the wall. Since the time we met, I never truly behaved well with her. It was true that I tried and I even managed not to be rough towards her. But even when I was, she never minded. Rather, she would make fun of it and eventually make me behave well towards her. But this time, she was truly hurt. I did not try to talk to her again, neither did she. I did not know what to say to make her feel better. Perhaps my mouth would again say something horrible, she would get even sad. "Be careful," she muttered without looking at me as soon as we reached the end of the forest. Without waiting for my response, she walked away, swinging her slender hips and brown hair. I watched after her as she eventually went out of sight, taking half of my heart with her. Her scent was still in my nostrils. I sighed and shook my head in an attempt to get her out of my mind. Not that it was easy or precisely saying possible. She was like a nightmare- no matter how hard you try they keep coming back. But the only difference was that she was the nightmare I always wanted to have, the nightmare I would never get enough of. Last night I had kept kissing her even after she fell asleep. I could smell her arousal and got the urge to shove my hand inside her dress. But I did not. With her, I was always careful. Even though it was hard to control myself around her, I always managed to. A voice inside my head always whispered to me that if I did something wrong, she would always hate me. The voice kept saying that she was an innocent girl; I should not ruin her. I was still thinking about her. Shit! I was losing myself in her thought. But did I want to stop thinking about her? I should, but I did not want to. And perhaps I would not. I did not head back to the cave. There were things to be done. Perhaps my little brother thought he could take me down this time. In that case, I was more than ready to prove him wrong. I went to the middle of the forest, where there was a hut. That was the place where Father used to lock me up as a child. When I was thirteen and I had killed my sister, my father locked me up there for six months. He could not keep me locked for more times as Mother insisted. Mother was the only person who thought that it was not my fault that I would turn into the Beast. Mother warned Father that if he did not bring me to the castle and give me my rightful place, then she would go to her father and let all the people know about the injustice. Even though Mother did all those things for me, she could not fully trust me. She still thought that I was dangerous. I could not blame her. It was the truth. I could easily kill someone in the blink of an eye. Ella was the first person who did not fear me at all. She looked at me as another human being, not as a monster. She even cared for me. She was worried about me. Since thirteen, I had believed the fact that no one could ever care for me, forget love. I thought that I was meant to be feared and hated. But she proved me wrong. She trusted me. She lived with me. She made me smile and open up to her, not too much, but still, it was a big step for me to open up to someone. She even made me think that perhaps I was not worthy of all the hatred I got. But what was she? Why was she making me feel this way? She smiled and talked a lot, but I knew that deep down, there were things that were hurting her even though she was trying to run away from them. Even though she said that what she had last night was just a nightmare, I knew it was not. The way her gaze suddenly darkened when she said this was clear evidence that it was not just that.. There were more things and if I was right, the things were not sweet at all. Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 37 - Angry Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) "Hey, you okay?" Jed asked, catching the sight of me. Perhaps I looked worse than I thought. "No, I''m not okay," I said, loudly than necessary. "Why? What happened?" "I''m not feeling alright. My hands are aching, some kind of insect bit my neck and there are stupid marks left, my back is aching as well, my head is spinning, I did not eat properly, this morning, I hit my leg with the door, I''m worried and angry," I breathed out the words, almost feeling the things that I said. "Whoa! You''re really not okay," Jed said. "I can fix the hunger problem. I got a slice of cake. I brought it for you." Jed handed me a medium-sized piece of lemon cake, wrapped in a thin paper bringing it out of his trouser pocket. "Edrich brought a whole cake this morning. He seemed to be in a good mood. He told me to have as much as I want and also told me to take some for you. I could not risk bringing more than one piece, but there are more at home. You''ll better come by tonight." "I will," I said, taking the cake and stuffing almost the whole in my mouth. My anger seemed to make me hungry. "Lee isn''t at home. He told me to stay at your place until he comes back." "Where is he going?" "I don''t know. He doesn''t describe his plans with me," I replied. "Why not? He seems to like you a lot." "But he doesn''t trust me," I grumbled. "Anyway, forget it." "Yeah. But now you gotta tell me about everything for what you''re not okay. First, why are your hands aching?" "They got stuck in a hole behind a shelf in Lee''s place," I said. "How?" "I just wanted to see if... Well, I can get both of my hands out of that gap without trouble," I muttered. "Oh, Leora," Jed sighed. "And then what kind of insect bit your neck?" "A huge one," I murmured, my mind instantly recalling the moment when Jed bit and sucked the skin of my neck. "Not too severe, is it?" "No." "Why are you worried?" "I don''t know," I lied, but I was sure he could not detect it. "You don''t know why you''re worried?" Jed asked, surprised. "It''s not my fault my brain is malfunctioning," I said. "Alright, I better try to stay on your good mood today. You can work less today. I''m in a good mood, so I''ll manage." I was very grateful to Jed for saying this. But I could not just let him do all the work just because I was in a bad mood. "Oh, don''t worry. I''ll be okay. Thanks for the offer though," I said. We made our way to the castle. Jed seemed a bit happier today. He usually was, but today it was a bit too much. "What''s that smile for?" I asked. "Nothing. Just..." "Spill it out, Jed." "He asked me if I can go and meet him in his house. He wants me to show him how to play guitar when I told him that I can," Jed said, grinning like a fool. "That''s cool!" I exclaimed, suddenly the anger almost vanished. "I think he likes you." "No, he doesn''t." "What if he does?" "And what if he likes me as a friend?" "We''ll see about that. You should go tonight then. I''ll stay in your room, watching the romance," I said, nudging him on the arm. "You''re so..." "Yeah, I know I''m annoying. It''s my duty as a friend to annoy the hell out of you," I laughed. "I wouldn''t say annoying yet, but yeah, that works too." "Anyway, so we will work really fast today. Then we''ll relax. Besides, you need to do something for me." "What? Are you going to eavesdrop again?" Jed asked. "No. Not that. You need to yell Rose in front of the king''s slave. I mean, she can''t know that you''re calling her. You''ll behave as if you are talking to me about something and you didn''t even notice her," I explained. "But why?" "Because I told you so," I said. "Just kidding. Her name is Rosaire, right? I want to see if she wants to be called Rose as well. Then we can make her our friend. I mean, we need to approach her, right? That''s the way, I mean, my way." "You''re weird," Jed muttered. "Took you long enough to find out," I laughed. As we reached the castle, the whole place seemed to so quiet for some reason. The castle was always quiet, but today it was too much. It felt odd. "What''s wrong?" Jed asked. "The place... it''s too quiet. It feels like something is up," I muttered, glancing around the corridor. "You call this quiet?" Jed laughed. "The dog has been barking since we''ve come here." He was right. I looked out the window and saw that the huge German Shepherd was barking loudly. But I did not hear it at first. What was happening? Or was I too worried about Leandro? "Oh." "Are you even alright, Leora? You look really pale and you''ve been acting weird," Jed said concernedly, touching my arm gently. "I''m always weird." "I mean, weirder than usual," he said. "What is it, Leora?" "Nothing, Jed. Really, I''m fine," I said, trying to smile which I was sure I failed in a huge way. "Don''t try to fool me. There is surely something going on. Is it about the nightmare?" "No. Wait, you saw me screaming as well?" "You were sleeping on my bed. Then suddenly you started screaming and you were calling Leandro." "Leandro?" "Yes. And then the cold guy came upstairs, running and pushed me on the floor thinking that I had done something to you. I had to say again and again that I did not do anything. Then he hugged you and you were gripping on him tightly as if he was your home, your safe place." My safe place? Jed had no idea that what he said was the truth. Leandro was my safe place, no matter how reluctant I was to believe that. "He was saying that he will keep you safe, he won''t let anything happen to you. He also said that he won''t leave you. His voice was not cold. Trust me, I would never believe he could be so gentle if I had not seen it with my own eyes." I did not listen to Jed anymore. I was asking myself if what Leandro was saying was the truth. Would he truly keep me safe? Would he never leave me? "But why were you calling him Leandro? Is that his full name or something? I thought his name is Lee." I snapped my head towards him at this question. I could not believe I had been screaming Leandro''s name in my nightmare and now Jed asking this, I was searching every corner of my head looking for an answer. "Do you know what the previous king''s name was? I mean King Nicklaus''s brother." "Yeah. His name was Leandro Gregor." "Exactly!" I said. "The king''s brother had raven-black hair as well and he was very tall. Lee is that way as well. So I call him that to mock him. Well, the mocking name has turned into a very real one." I held my breath as I watched Jed thinking. I wished he would not ask me anything about it anymore. I was not sure for how long I would be able to keep up making lies. "Then why was he calling you Ella?" Jed asked after a while. "It''s my birth name. But I don''t go by the name anymore. But Lee likes taunting me," I said. "That means you gave the name Leora to yourself?" "Yes. It''s not bad, is it?" "No. But Ella is far cuter." True to our words, we worked very quickly. But unfortunately, we did not get any sight of Rosaire. We could rest for half an hour after our work was done. Thankfully, today the king''s father was not in his room, fucking another whore. "By the way, what''s the king''s father''s name?" I asked Jed as we were getting ready to leave. "Wallace Gregor," Jed replied. "Weird name, but never mind. Anyway, is Edrich going to be home tonight?" "No. He is going to be in the brothel. He told me this morning," Jed replied. I felt relieved. Then I would not have to do something to make Edrich get out of the house. Even though Leandro questioned if he could trust me, I was going to do this thing for you. I did not know why, but I wanted to do it. I was about to ask more, but suddenly I heard someone scream. It was a girl''s voice. "What''s that?" "We better get out of here," Jed said quickly. "Someone is hurt," I said. "It doesn''t matter. Whoever is hurting her will hurt us as well." Before I could say something else, Jed pulled me with him. "We need to go and see what we can do," I said. "No. We''ll get in trouble." But I wanted to see if I could help the girl. I could not just stay still hearing a girl''s pleading and cries. "Alright. You better head out. I need to talk to the cook. She wanted to talk to me. But I forgot. You better go to Miles''s place. I''ll go to Edrich''s place and see your little romance," I said. It did not matter if he did not want to go with me. I was going to see if I could help the girl anyway. I knew that Leandro would not like it. But it did not matter.. I never liked to listen to anyone anyway. You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 38 - Dealing With The Orgades You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) I was a bit away from my cave, listening to the footsteps intently. They thought that I did not know about their plan of trying to kill me tonight. But thanks to Ella''s unbearable curiosity, she managed to know about the attack and told me about it. Thinking about Ella without remembering her hurt face hurt. I should not have been like that to her. She just told me a single thing- trust me. But I was a fool to ask how could I trust her. She thought that I had started to trust her, and she was not wrong. But I was too afraid to show it even though I wanted to. She was worried about me, she wanted me to be safe. She had been saying so again and again, but all I did was hurt her. I felt like a true monster, even crueler than my monster was. Her face kept coming back to me no matter how hard I tried not to think about her. Her smile, her blabbering, everything were the things I wanted to see and hear more. I could not believe that it had been my new favorite hobby to listen to her as she would talk about different things. She once asked me what my hobby was. Even back then, it was her talking that was my hobby. But I did not tell her that. Part of me could not even though I wanted to. I was sitting on a huge stone, thinking about a girl like a fool. But perhaps I would not mind being a fool for her. The thought terrified me. The attraction towards her was getting unbearable day by day. And I was sure that it would not be long before I was going to do something stupid. I did not want to do something against her will, but with her around, my monster did not want to stay at bay. I was sure about one thing that my monster did not want to kill her. He wanted her, not for killing, but for staying with her. My monster wanted to claim her, to make her his, and so did I. But I was determined to control myself. I was not going to hurt her. I just needed to keep a distance between us. Now that we were not going to kiss again as per the deal, the distance would be manageable. But I was not sure that if I would be alright with not being able to kiss her. I wondered if she felt the same way if she was going to miss my kiss as well. I wished she did. I wanted her to feel what I was feeling at the time. She perhaps was at Edrich''s place at the time with that boy. I did not like the way they touched each other without bothering. I did not even know if they slept together. I asked her, but she did not say anything clearly. I had no intention of letting her go with that boy when they would stay alone in the house at night. But there was no other choice. I needed her to be safe and at least, she was going to be safe there. Even though she was angry at me, I was sure that she was going to make sure that Edrich was out of the house that night. After spending these days with her, I kind of understood her. I knew she would do anything to keep someone safe who she cared about. And it was obvious that she cared about me. Her eyes told it all, and even she admitted it without hesitation. Suddenly I heard a noise. They were here. They would not be able to hear or smell me. All they could do was see. And this was my biggest advantage. They thought I was in my cave, so they headed that way, I could tell by their smell. I smiled inwardly thinking about what news my brother was going to get tomorrow. He was going to lose a handful of his first-class shifters. I started walking towards my cave slowly, thinking of how they were going to die tonight. My monster was going to come out of me any time, but I wanted that to happen after going in front of them. Even in my human form, I had almost the same hearing and smelling sense as in my monster form. "Another mistake of sneaking up on the Beast," I said. There were almost twenty Orgades in front of my cave and a shifter who was leading them. The shifter was not in his Orgade form. I knew him very well. How could I forget the person who pretended to be my friend and then ended up betraying me? It was not like I did not suspect him. I did suspect him and that was the reason I was still alive. "Long time no see, my friend," I said. "L-Leandro," his voice trembled as he said my name. He surely did not expect me to be here, ready for them. "Yes. Good to know that you have recognized me, Andrew." "Leandro," he said, suddenly gathering a bit more courage, "our king wants you to submit to him." "Doesn''t your king know that this is something that can only happen in his dreams? Or does he want you shifters to die? Perhaps he hasn''t gotten enough lesson when I killed thirty at a time the last time they tried to kill me," I said. "Leandro, we''re talking about the good for the people of our world. We can''t afford to keep someone like you alive here. It''s a matter of safety," Andrew said. "Safety? Then what happens when your king punishes those who refuse to take his stupid orders? What happens when your king''s father kills those innocent girls? What happens when they **** those girls? What happens when they force underage girls to do those things? Are those things safe for you all? Do you want all that to happen in your world?" I asked. My voice was not loud, but it was cold and calm as always. Yelling was never my thing and it was rare that I would yell. Even when I was angry, my voice was always calm and too frigid. And I was sure that it was not pleasant at all to hear. Andrew did not say anything. He motioned his Orgades to attack me and I was ready too. My monster was throbbing inside me to break free. It was going to be a long night for both my Beast and me. The heat and a highly tingly sensation emerged from my insides as I finally let my monster take control. My muscles started to clench painfully as they started taking the shape of something bigger, something monstrous. Shattering the clothes, making a weird noise, my monster emerged and I was gone. Right before, my monster took full control over me, I remembered her face. I was going to go back to her and tell her that I was sorry for behaving like stupid with her. I should never have hurt her. All she wanted was for me to be safe. I would hug her tightly and tell her sorry again and again until she would forgive me. And I was going to promise her that I would not hurt her ever again. It was my entire fault. All I had to do was to deal with these Orgades first. Then I would be able to return to her and perhaps I would even get the chance to hold her in my arms and make her feel better and make myself feel better as well. Because whenever she was with me, I was fulfilled. I did not care if she was with that boy right now.. I would make her realize that no one else ever could make her happy. You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 39 - Rosaire You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) The sound came from beneath a door nearby. I had never gone through that door, but I was sure that inside, it was not a room. As I was about to open the door, I heard a voice from behind me. "Why are you still in the castle, Leora?" It was the same blonde woman who told us to clean the library and the roof the other day. She had a friendly face, making anyone want to trust her. But her loyalty to the king was far above anything else. "Nothing. I was just about to leave," I said. "It''s been twenty minutes past nine. You and the boy are always the first ones to leave this castle. I was a bit surprised seeing you here," she said. She was not wrong. Jed and I had always left the castle as soon as it was nine. None of us liked being here, forget staying here more than necessary. "I actually had to use the toilet. You know what I mean? I had a stomach ache_ perhaps because of the cookies," I said, reminding her that I had eaten too many cookies during lunch. It was not a perfect time for cookies, but they were too delicious to let go of. "Are you okay now?" "Yes, I''m fine." Suddenly the cry of the girl erupted through the place again, making me jump out in fear. The woman looked anxious as well. She quickly grabbed my wrist and pulled me away from the door. If she was a split second late, the door would burst open on my back. The king came out of the door. I had never seen him before, but it was clear by both his dressing and his stature. It was clear that Leandro and he were brothers, but they did not look too much alike. Leandro was very tall, but he seemed to be shorter than Leandro. Both of them had athletic built though Leandro was more handsome and attractive. Pure energy would radiate from Leandro, but from him, all I felt was- odor coming out of poop that was trying to look perfect. It was true that he was not ugly and perhaps was a bit desirable for some girls, but I could not help but compare him to his brother and feel the need to tell Leandro right away that his brother looked like a broken pillar. Nicklaus, Leandro''s brother, had broad shoulders and muscular hands, but not as perfect as Leandro. Oh lord, I could not stop comparing him to Leandro. It was impossible not to think about Leandro''s perfect features looking at him. He had blue eyes that held the power of captivating usual girls who thought every boy had a crush on her. But Leandro''s eyes were different; they were dark and mysterious, just like the galaxy that held way too many mysteries than anyone ever could reveal and his eyes had the power to make anyone feel intrigued by him. Was it a good sign? Perhaps no. But was I looking for a good sign to be with him? No either. "Go back to work!" he barked. I looked here and there to see who he was talking to, but the moment the woman nudged my arm, I realized that he was saying that to us. "Wait!" he said, making both of us stop in our tracks. "Yes, my king?" the woman mumbled with so much respect that made me question all my life decisions. "Who are you?" he asked, looking directly into my eyes. His gaze was frightening, but not enough to make me shiver. If it was Leandro, I would have perhaps gulped twice. Here we go again- I was thinking about Leandro again. "I work here_ as a servant. I clean the rooms," I muttered, not moving my gaze from him. "What is your name?" he asked. "El... Leora Edrei, my lord," I said, swearing repeatedly inside my head for almost telling him my real name. He nodded. "What are you still doing here in the castle, Leora?" "I... I had to use the toilet. My stomach is not okay," I replied quickly. "Alright then. Go now," he said and I breathed a sigh of relief and walked away quickly. "Was he torturing someone?" I asked the woman as soon as we got away from the place. "That''s not something we need to worry about. You are very young. You need to be careful. The luscious eyes are hard to get away from," she said and left for the kitchen, leaving me thinking about her words. But there was no time to waste here. I went the same way where the king was. First I made sure that he was not there anymore before I opened the door silently. Hopefully, it did not make any noise. It was the dungeon- I should have known. I had never been here before and I always hoped that I would not have to be here ever. But things seemed to turn out differently. I took a deep breath before making my way down the dark short stairwell, almost tumbling over my own feet. The cries of pain could be heard from within, making my skin crawl within. Whatever came across me was not the sight anyone would ever want to see. There were a lot of cells, decaying of rotten animals. Inside those cells, there were humans, perhaps shifters too, but there was no way to differentiate them by marks on their backs when I could not bring my eyes to look at them. I slowly made my way through, ignoring pleads of those people. It was hard to bear the sound, but there was nothing I could do. I knew who I was looking for. I kind of knew who Nicklaus was torturing even though I did not see her. I looked for her and I was sure that she was here though I did not know if I would find her dead or alive. And to prove myself right, I found her, lying on the floor of a cell, bleeding badly. Her usual shiny black hair did not look shiny anymore, rather they looked sticky as if some kind of liquid was attaching them together. To my horror, my instincts were telling me that the liquid was nothing more than blood. I could not see her face as she was lying on her belly with her face pressed against the nasty floor. The cell was not locked. Nicklaus knew perfectly that he had done enough damage to her so she would not be able to move a single flesh. I crept inside the cell, holding my breath as the odor of rotten bodies filled my nostrils. My hands were shaking as the smell of blood got into my nostrils, making me want to gag. I was right. She had got caught and she was the one who was working to kill the shifters. I was right all along thinking that Rosaire was the Rose the two men were talking about that day. "Rosaire," I whispered. She moved a bit, raising her head up a bit hearing my voice. Her shiny brown skin looked dull as her almost dead eyes met mine, saying some kind of words. "You have to stay awake, okay?" I said, kneeling beside her gathering all my courage. "Go... away. He... will... he will kill... you too." "Don''t talk. Save your breath, okay? You need to stay awake," I said. "No... you don''t... understand. Please... go away. You''re so... little. He... they... will kill you too," she said, struggling to breathe. I quickly brought out a paper from inside my dress. It was one of Leandro''s drawings. It showed the hidden passageway that was in the dungeon. The entryway was not far from this cell. "Come on. You need to hold on a bit more. I''ll take you out of here," I said and tried to make her stand. But it was impossible. She did not seem to have any strength left in her body and being so petite, I could not make her stand as well. "I can''t," she mumbled, cracking up. She had been whipped badly. That was when I noticed that her dress was ripped, her personal spaces all in view. She was raped. The thought made me shiver and I held her so closely that her blood got all over in my dress. She was not only raped and whipped, but she was also stabbed. Her belly was bleeding badly without stopping. It was a trigger for me and the memory of that night came flooding in front of my eyes. I felt like I could faint at any moment, but I knew I could not afford to lose myself right now.. I needed to save both her and myself. You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 40 - [Bonus ] Feel The Words (From Ella''s Perspective) "You got to stay awake, okay?" "Listen_ I don''t have_ much time left. _ Just get away from_ here. If he_ sees you_ he will kill you. Go away _ Leave. And remember- Aurora_ room number fifteen. And Va_Valentino Trenton." And with that, she was gone. The last breath was used and her soul found the place out of this world. I did not know what she meant; I had no idea what to do. I heard footsteps coming this way. I knew there was nothing more that I could do. I quickly got up, which was way too hard as my legs did not want to cooperate. I made my way out the cell, clutching Leandro''s drawing in my hand tightly. It was dripped with blood, so was I. The entryway of the secret passageway was behind a wooden shelf. There was not much light here in the dungeon. It took me a while to read what he had written in the paper. The blood made it even harder. ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????, ???????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????, ???????????? ????????????????. ???????????? ????????????, ???????????? ????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????????. ????????????''???? ???????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????. ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????. ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???? ????????????????????????. ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????. ???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????. ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????, ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????. ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????. ???????????????????? ????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????????????????. I did as he said and true to his words, a door emerged. I got inside without wasting any more time as the footsteps got closer. As the door closed after I stepped inside, I heard someone''s voice. "She is dead, my king." I did not wait to hear anything else. It was so unlike what I usually did. But tonight, I could not afford to listen to anything else. All I wanted was to get out of here and be alone for a while. I went up the stairs not being careful at all. I almost fell twice, hit myself on the sidewall for no apparent reason. My head was hazy. I could not even think properly. There was a door as I took the last step. It was unlocked. I opened it slowly and as soon as I felt the air of outside crash on my face, I did not wait any longer. Closing the door behind me, I started running. I knew this place. It was the same narrow alley where I had been before. The quiet and cold weather sent chills through my veins. I needed something warm, I needed someone to hold me- I was falling. I needed him. I knew that he was the one who could save me. But how was he? Was he okay? Most importantly, was he alive? He surely was. The shifters were supposed go there at eleven. It was not eleven yet. Leandro was fine unless they changed their plan and attacked before eleven. I ran inside a house, the same house where I had hidden the book the other day. There was a table at one corner of the room. I shut the door and crawled under the table. Everywhere all I could see was darkness, the darkness that I once loved seemed to make me feel worse at that time. My hands and legs were shaking as the smell of blood filled my nostrils, leading me to pain. I took deep breaths, trying not to look like a mess. But perhaps I already was a mess, just trying to look a bit less than a zombie. I needed to do something. I did not know what, but something... something that would relieve me of the pain I was feeling, something that would make me feel better. The song came to my mind, the song that I had written seven years ago. I was just a kid back then and that night, I was hurt a lot as Mom had called me unwanted for the first time. It had hurt my tiny heart a lot. Back then, I did not know that it was what my fate was and no one could ever change that. This song was one of the few songs that I ever sang and that was also because of Zoe''s constant nagging. I never sang songs, even though I wrote them. I thought that my voice was not perfect for singing. It was more perfect for yelling, or better, cursing or perhaps blabbering. But tonight, I felt that singing a song did not mean to sound perfect. It meant to feel the words with the deepest of the heart. It meant, knowing the true meaning that hid behind each word that one easily ignored normal times. My voice started to sing, feeling each word as it lest my mouth. I did not care about my voice anymore; I was more attentive in feeling the words, letting the pain out. I was not loud, but it was more like a low mumble. And even when the song ended, I started again. My voice seemed reluctant to stop, my mind seemed to hold onto it, only the words. The shaking of my hands stopped, the rapid beating of my heart decreased. But I still had not gotten my thoughts back. My head was still killing me from the inside. The girl died right in front of me and I could do nothing. I tried_ I tried a lot. I told myself again and again that I tried with all my might. "Does it matter? She is dead anyway. It doesn''t matter what you''ve done. The result is only what that matters," a voice told me. It was the same voice that always questioned my life choices. "But I still tried. There was nothing that I could do," I mumbled silently, but desperately. "You tried, but the result remains the same. She is dead. Accept it," the voice said again. I could not say anything else. My voice again started picking up the pace of the song and I closed my eyes, leaning against one of the legs of the table. I did not know if I stopped singing or not, as an awful flashback came back in front of my eyes. "???????????????????????? ????????????''???? ???????????????? ????????," ???? ????????????????????????. "???????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????, ???????????????????????? ????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????? ????????????," ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????. ???? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????, ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????. ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????????????. "????????, ???????????????????????? ????????." ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????. ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????, ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????. ???? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????????????????. ???????????????? ????????????????????- ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ????y flesh. ???? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ????????????????????????, ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????? ????????????. "???????????? ????????????''???? ???????????? ?????????????????????" ???????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????, ???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????. "???????????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????. ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????, ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????????," ???????????? ???????????? ????????????????. And I never knew what happened next. My hands started to shake fiercely again and this time, even the song did not help. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that I would never have to see that flashback again. I wanted to forget that night. I wanted to live without having to look back at that nightmare. "Leandro," I whispered, the only person''s name that came to my mind.. "Save me, Leandro." You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 41 - Don’t Leave You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) I took a shower and cleaned the blood from my body. It was late. Ella perhaps had gone to Edrich''s place with Jed already. I got ready and made my way out of the forest. It took me a bit of time to get the dead bodies away from the front of my cave. I did not know what I did with them as I was in my Beast form. I never remembered anything I did in my monster form. It was one at night. I went to Edrich''s place and knocked on the door. But no one opened the door. Ella and Jed were supposed to be here. I knocked again, a bit louder than before. I did not care about that boy, but where was Ella? She told me that she would be here. Then where was she? Was she in trouble? Did something happen? What if they were doing something horrible? The thought made my Beast almost wake up and I almost kicked on the door. "What''re you doing here?" I glanced back hearing the voice. "Where is she?" I asked him, trying to suppress my anger. "Leora?" he asked. "Or who I would be asking about?" "She hasn''t returned yet. She was... She said she will come back soon," Jed said. "What do you mean? Where have you left her?" I asked angrily, grabbing him by his throat tightly. He coughed and struggled to breathe. But I did not care. I needed to know where Ella was. I needed to go to her and make sure she was safe. "She_ said she was going_ to talk_ to the cook. She told_ me that she will_ come back here_ soon. But I don''t know..." I let him go and he fell on the ground as he panted, grasping his throat with both of his hands. I left without telling him anything else. He perhaps tried to talk to me, but I did not turn back. I had more important things to do. I sniffed in the air, trying to find her scent. But none. Where could she be? Was she still in the castle? What if she was in trouble? Knowing her enough, I knew perfectly that she was the type of person to get in trouble easily. But I was going to save her, no matter what happened, I was going to make sure nothing happened to her. Even my thought shocked me. I was determined to save her even if that meant getting inside the castle. The girl had a blinding effect on me that could never be ignored. I perhaps knew the girl more than I thought I did. I kind of knew where she was. I was not sure, but I wanted to take the risk. Even though Ella could be childish and very chaotic, but there was no defying about one thing that she was smart. She knew what to do and how to do it. She managed me when she needed to and made a deal with me. She convinced me in being someone that I had never thought I could be. And I knew that whatever happened, she managed to keep herself safe, at least I wanted to believe this so badly. I quickly made my way to the narrow alley. I had been here a lot that I knew almost every single thing here. I was right about thinking that she was here. Her luscious scent came to my nose. I followed her scent. But it was not just her scent that I got; I smelled blood as well. I panicked. Was she alright? Was she bleeding? Did someone hurt her? I increased my pace and tracked her down with her scent. She was inside a house. I opened the door slowly. Thankfully, it was not locked from inside. Or I would have to break it down. She might get frightened thinking that it was someone else. I heard the sound of someone singing, almost in a hushed tone, kind of like letting out the words from the deepest of heart. It was her. I did not know she could sing. She told me that she could not sing. Not even for once, I expected her to sing this beautifully. She was sitting under a table, her eyes were closed as her lips moved in a rhythm, her voice creating a holy tune. I was never a person to admire the beauty of something pure, yet here I was, listening to the purest voice of all, watching the most innocent face. She was not crying, but her face was sad. The smell of blood was emitting from her. I almost made my way to her, but suddenly, I saw her hands starting to shake frantically. She hugged her knees tightly pressing them to her chest. It was not just sadness that was written all over her face, there was fear. "Leandro," she whispered. "Save me, Leandro." My heart seemed to stop beating hearing this. She did not know I was there, she did not see me as her eyes were closed all the time. But she was calling me. She wanted me to save her. And I would do so gladly. I would never let anyone hurt her. She was_ I could not say mine. I did not know why, but without her approval, I could not make myself claim her. I kneeled beside her and touched her hands that were wrapped around her knees. "I''m here. Don''t be afraid. I''ll save you." She looked up at me and for a moment, she just stared at me, her lips shaking slightly. "Leandro?" "I''m here," I said, cupping her face. Without saying anything else, she jumped onto me. I held her tightly in my arms as she wrapped her arms around me firmly as if she would never let go. She felt so tiny and precious in my arms that I never wanted to let her go either. I wanted to save her. I wanted to hide her behind me so none of the devious eyes could ever reach her. "You''re ok. You''re fine," I whispered into her ear in an attempt to make her feel better. I had always seen her as someone very enthusiastic and full of determination, but seeing her like this tonight made me feel different. I wanted nothing more than to hold her in my arms forever. "You''re here," she mumbled. "Yes," I assured. "I''m here." "Take me home, Leandro," she said, her voice almost pleading. She had never talked like this before. My heart clenched painfully in my chest hearing her tone. What happened to her? I hugged her tightly as I stood up. She wrapped her slender weak legs around my waist tightly and placed her head on my shoulder. "Home?" "Yes, home," I assured her and patted her on the head. I got out of the house with her holding onto me tightly. She seemed so fragile yet she was holding me tightly. The confident chatty Ella seemed to be so lost, replaced by this delicate girl who was softer than a petal. "Does anywhere hurt?" I asked. She shook her head and pressed her lips on my shoulder and kept it there. I kept walking as the wind fell on my skin. I wondered if she was cold. I was not wearing any coat tonight and now I was regretting the decision. If I had the coat with me, I could have wrapped her with it. "Are you cold?" I asked. "No." "Are you alright, Ella?" "You''re okay," she mumbled, ignoring my question. "I''m glad you''re okay. I was worried about you. I thought you wouldn''t go to Edrich''s place, but you did, right?" "Of course, I did. Why wouldn''t I?" "Because you don''t trust me." I did not say anything but pressed her tightly against me. She did not say anything again. She seemed to be so deep in thought or was it sadness? I made my way inside the forest. Ella''s body did not relax a bit as she kept on clenching me tightly with her legs. I was worried about her. I wondered what she was afraid of so much. As soon as we reached the cave, I saw her glancing here and there with her eyes wide with panic. "They are not here, Ella," I said. "You killed them?" she asked as I took her inside the cave, the sudden warm air firing on the skin. "Yes." I tried to place her on the bed, but she quickly tightened her grip on me and shook her head furiously. "The bathroom. Take me to the bathroom." I nodded at her and took her to the bathroom. The frail look on her face made me worry more and more. "I want to sit in the pool," she said. "And Leandro?" "Yes?" "Don''t leave me_ ever." "I won''t," I found myself saying.. "Ever." Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 42 - Relax You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) "Promise?" "Promise," he said. He placed me in the pool and the water immediately became red where I sat as the blood in my dress got mixed with the water. I gulped and brought my knees to my chest. I did not know he would do that until he truly did it. He sat beside me in the pool, still wearing his black shirt and pants, and pulled me closer to him that my head rested on his chest as his arm wrapped around me, keeping me in place and making me feel safe. "Don''t ask," I said. I knew that he would start asking me about what happened, but I was not ready to answer any of them. I needed my hands to stop shaking first, I needed my mind to stop racing, I needed my breathing to become even and I did not want to feel like I was drifting away, not again. I clutched him tightly as if he was the balance that I needed. Perhaps he was. His pale skin looked even beautiful as it got drenched in water. He pulled his hand away that was around me, disappointing me. Was he going away? Was he going to leave me here? I looked up at him in confusion, but he did not leave. His eyes did not meet my eyes either. He took both of my hands in his large hands and braced them in a firm but comforting hold. He rubbed his thumbs over my knuckled and his eyes met mine. I found something so soothing in those dark eyes that I forgot how to breathe. "Relax," he said, his voice low, but not as cold as before. It was hypnotic, making me obey as my muscles and mind relaxed, looking for something in his eyes. I pressed my head against his hard chest again, averting my gaze away from him, fearing that I would fall deeper into the maze of secrets of his eyes. We stayed there for a very long time. I truly could relax this time. This seemed to have a stronger effect on me than the song. I breathed steadily as his thumbs kept circling my knuckles. My hands had stopped shaking as a result of the magic work of his thumbs. "A lot of things happened, Leandro. I couldn''t do anything... I tried, but I couldn''t," I mumbled. But the pain in my chest did not seem to be as severe as before. This time I felt as if I could endure it. He wrapped his left arm around me while his right hand held both of my hands. He pulled me even closer to him even though there was not much of a space left between us. "Jed and I were preparing to leave the castle. Then I heard the screaming of a girl. I couldn''t just walk away. It felt so evil to leave her like that and do nothing. But Jed did not want to do anything. He didn''t want to get in trouble. So I told him to leave and that I will talk to the cook. It was a lie, of course. No cook would want to talk to me. Anyway, so I met your brother. He is not as handsome as you, but that''s not the point," I said. Even I was losing my mind thinking of the way I was talking. But I could not help it. "Continue," he said. "Well, then when the route was clear, I made my way down to the dungeon. Did I tell you that the screams were coming from there and your brother had gotten out of the dungeon as well? Maybe, I didn''t. Anyway, so I went down there..." "You went down the dungeon? Alone?" he asked. "What else could I have done? There was no one who would come with me," I protested. "Then I found Rosaire there. She is one of the slaves Edrich brought with him. She was your brother''s slave. I found her whipped badly. She was bleeding. She was_ raped as well. And she was stabbed too, I guess." "You tried to take her throughout the secret passageway there?" "Of course, I tried. But she was a bit heavy. I mean, no offence, but I''m too petite. She was weak as well. I could not save her. She died, right in my arms. I-I tried, I swear." "I know you did," he said soothingly. "I need to eat properly. I need to be strong so I can carry them out," I said. He sighed and placed his chin over my head. I ran my fingers on his chest without knowing why. It seemed to feel good. "Leandro!" I exclaimed, suddenly realizing that I did not know the most important thing. "You didn''t tell me what you did to the Orgades. What did you do? Did you kill them? Did you rip their heads off? Did you smack them across the face? Of course, you couldn''t smack them. You were in your monster form, right? The monster can''t smack, right? It would look super weird if he smacked. What did you do then? Tell me. Why are you quiet? Did you cut their tongues? Are your teeth sharp enough to do that? Why aren''t you telling me anything?" "How can I talk when you aren''t stopping even for a second?" "Oh, sorry. But you gotta tell me everything. What did you do to them?" "I told you already that I killed them," he replied as if it was a very normal thing to do. "I know you did. But details, I want details." "Ella, I was in my monster form. I don''t remember anything that I do in that form." "Oh, I forgot," I muttered. "But you''re okay, right? Is there a scratch on your body? A single one? Did they manage to do anything? Anything at all?" "If they could, I wouldn''t be here with you, would I?" "You have a point there. And besides, I knew that they won''t be able to do anything to you. You were scared," I said. He laughed. "Is that so? Or was I dreaming when I saw that worried face of yours? Who was asking me again and again- ''What are you going to do, Leandro?'' ''Do you remember the time?''" he said mimicking my voice. "Shut up!" I could not help but laugh as well. He suddenly stopped laughing, deep in thought, and so was I. "How did you know that I would be there?" "I guessed," he said. "You''re lying." "I don''t lie, Ella." I knew he meant what he said. He did not lie and I believed him. I wished he would do the same. "Ella?" "Hmm?" "I''m... I''m sorry," he said and I could not be more shocked. "I''m sorry for saying that horrible thing in the morning." "You mean, you trust me?" I asked excitedly. Even I did not know why I was feeling like I had gotten the moon in my hand. "Don''t get too excited," he said coldly, but smiled. It was enough for me. I was sure now that he trusted me. I wanted him to trust me fully all this time though I did not know why. "By the way, I chocked Jed." "What?" I asked, shaken. "I thought he has done something to you," he said and then added, seeing the look on my face, "No, he is not dead, Ella." "Why would you just go and try to chock him? You could hear him out first." "Do guilty confess something without any threat or something like that?" "He is just Jed, Leandro." "A boy who you barely know but still calling him a friend for some reason and also slept with him," he said. I laughed. "Slept with him? Why would I sleep with him? He is my friend, more like a brother. And moreover, he is gay." He looked at me, surprised. I got confused. "What? Gay- don''t you know gay? Homosexual... gay means homosexual. It means people with same sex interest. You know what I mean? They..." "I know what it means, Ella," he said calmly and I heard a chuckle. His chin moved as well that was rested on my head and I was sure that he was laughing. But why? "Am I funny?" I asked. "No, it''s just... You can tell that friend of yours that he can be assured of not getting hit by me anymore if he keeps on being gay." "You''re weird, Leandro," I mumbled. "Anyway, I think I''ll get changed." "Do you need help?" "To get change? Of course not, I''m fine," I said. He was already doing more than necessary for me. He had been here with me when I needed him the most. Because of him, I managed to keep my balance tonight and did not faint. My mind had become clearer now though the girl''s death still shook me. But I wanted to forget it. I did not want to keep her in my mind and let her words haunt me. I needed to believe that I tried, I tried enough. There was nothing more that I could do.. I just needed to make sure that from now on, I was not going to fail to save someone. Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 43 - Simple You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) I stood up from the pool and went to my study room so she could change. I was a bit relieved to see her getting back to her previous self, but there was something about her that was not quite right. She had whispered to save her. She called out my name. It was like she was having a nightmare, just like the other night. But she did not for once mention it. It was like she was hiding something, something so dark and awful that she did not want to think about it, yet it always came back to her. I had held her all this time so she could calm down. I did not want to see the broken Ella. I wanted the brave chaotic girl back just like the way she was supposed to be. The thought surprised me. The way I changed for the girl, how much I wanted to hear her talking endlessly, how much I wanted her made me think if I was doing the right thing. She would not betray me, I knew that. I would never believe so even if someone told me. She had made sure that I trusted her fully and I did not regret it at all. She had no idea how much she was helping me by both her actions and words, precisely saying merely just being with me. Knowing that that boy was gay and they did not see each other more than friends made me relieved. I had no idea why I felt so strongly towards her. It was like she was the strongest magnet in this world that was pulling my metal heart towards her. Even though Ella was behaving as if she was fine, I knew that deep down, she was not okay. She was still suffering, but she did not want to show it to me or to her own self either. "Are you done, El?" I asked, knocking on the bathroom door. "One minute," she said back from inside the bathroom. I went to the bedroom and opened the closet. I took her t-shirt out. It was very large for her body that it reached up to her knee. But she looked very adorable in it. I took one of her panties as well, matching the color of the t-shirt. She was going to need it. I got the urge to smell it, to bring it as close to my face as possible. But in the end, I forced myself to stop. It was going to be even harder to control myself. I stood in front of the bathroom, waiting for her to come out. "Um_ Leandro?" she mumbled, opening the door slightly. She was hiding behind the door, with only her face peeking out through the gap. "Here," I said, handing her the clothes. She looked surprised, but then nodded and closed the door. After two minutes, she came out, wearing that t-shirt, her brown hair damp but clutched up in a bun, which I was sure she did because of getting frustrated by her hair. "Are you okay now?" I asked. "Yeah, I''m fine. I want to go to bed and you''ll come with me," she said. She did not get embarrassed or show any sign of shyness that I brought her panty. It was surprising. Then it came to my mind. She liked talking about everything without getting embarrassed. Perhaps that was how she was. She could take things simply, the kind of personality that almost everyone lacked. "No, I have some letters to write." "To whom? Your girlfriend? Future wife? New ally? New informer? New spy? Your stepfather? Stepmother? Stepbrother? Stepsister? New friend?" I did not say anything but just glanced at her, to see how she was reacting. Why was she like this? But at least, she had become her older self again. "So is it your love interest? Are you going to write to her? Will you show me what you write?" "Alright, I''ll show you." "What? You''re really writing to your love interest?" "Yes." "Well, sorry for disturbing you. I''ll just sleep," she grumbled. Her face suddenly darkened and her eyes clouded. It seemed like she was going back to how she was a while ago. She left for the bedroom and hopped on the bed. She wrapped herself in the quilt and buried her face in her hands as if she was trying to breathe. I should not have teased her, at least not at this moment. I quickly went to the bedroom and changed into my shorts. She did not notice me. I climbed on the bed and got under the quilt. I pulled her closer to me by her waist. She was stunned. She tried to look at me, but I did not let her, rather I placed my face on the crook of her neck and stayed like that as she took sharp breaths in. "What are you doing?" she asked shakily. "Sleeping." "You''re not... you''re..." "I''m not kissing, Ella. I''m just holding you and that''s all. We work together, right? This shouldn''t matter that much. And it''s not like it was in the deal that I can''t hug you or hold you." "Won''t you write your letter?" "To whom?" "To whom?" she repeated. "You said you''re writing a letter to your love interest." "As if I need to write to my love interest," I mumbled. "And I don''t really have a love interest." "That''s good," she said. "Why is it good?" I asked. She seemed uncomfortable. Her legs moved and touched my legs. She shivered in my hold like a little dove in cold. "Did I tell you that I met your brother?" she asked, desperate to change the subject. "You told me a bit," I replied. I decided not to make her too uncomfortable. She might get upset again. Perhaps I would tease her later when she would come back to her previous self fully. "Well, your brother is not as tall as you, he is not short either though. He is athletic build too, but I think you''re better. I mean, you''re the best. He has blue eyes, kind of like the color of water when you add blue dirt in it. But I like your eyes more. They are dark brown, almost black. But of course, black eyes are not possible. There is a scientific explanation for that as well. Anyway, as you guys don''t really care about science, I won''t say it. What was I saying? Oh, your brother. Then he has blond hair, like your father. But you''ve black, raven black. Is it like your mother? It''s cool, you know. I never knew black hair could be this gorgeous. God, I''m so jealous of you. Your hair is better than mine. It''s silky and perfect. Did you see mine? It''s rough. Horrible! And your brother''s nose wrinkles a lot, kind of like Owen''s. Do you remember Owen? I told you about him. He is Mom''s boyfriend. I don''t like him, he doesn''t like me either. So that settles. Do you know I once heard Mom telling her friend that he likes Owen''s smile? Jesus, Lord, I almost had a heart attack at that moment! Owen looks like a sick turkey when he smiles. Even turkeys are better looking than him. Do you guys have turkeys here? Have you seen a turkey? Have you eaten it?" I smiled, looking at her as she was spitting out words like a tornado, looking here and there every now and then. She was getting back to her previous self. I stroked her hair, but she did not seem to care. She kept talking without stopping to take a breath. "Your brother looks like a sea horse." "I know what my brother looks like, Ella. Did you have to tell me this again?" "Well, you knew from your perspective, but not from my perspective. It''s important for you to know so." "Why?" "Because I want to tell you," she said. "Why are you comparing my looks to him, El?" "Because I like to. Oh come on, I''m proud to be with you. You''re handsome and he is a sea horse. I have the most handsome co-worker. Of course, I should be proud," she said grinning broadly. I could not believe what she was saying. Why was she taking everything so simply? Did she have no idea what her words were doing to me? Did she not know that she was making me lose control as a minute passed? You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 44 - [Bonus ] What Are You Doing Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) "Leandro? What do you think about Jed and Miles?" I asked. "Who is Miles?" he asked, his thumb moving delicately on my waist. I felt heat throughout my body, but I tried to ignore it. I could not even tell him to stop doing so. Not just because I did not want to look like he had any effect on me, but also because I kind of liked it and I did not want him to stop. His breath was falling straight on the side of my neck. His nose was pressed right against it as if he was taking my scent in. "You don''t know Miles? Miles Silas? I didn''t tell you about him? Well, he is the boy living in the next house of Edrich. Did you see him? Let me tell you. He has black hair and he has central heterochromia. You know what I mean? Did you see his eyes clearly? He has a different color near the border of the pupils. You know what a pupil is? The black thing in the central of our eyes... That''s a pupil. Anyway, he has a shade of gold around the border of his pupil in the center of their iris, with the rest of his iris blue. It''s cool, right? He looks good because of that. It''s a rare condition, you know. Anyway, he has a good figure too. I mean, he is not fat, and nor is he slender. He is not athletically built like you, but he is healthy. He is good-looking too. And he is kind of like six feet which means... let me calculate... no, I don''t have to calculate. He is like one hundred and eighty-two centimeters. Have you seen him?" "I''ve seen him. He is gay too?" "I don''t know. But I hope so. Jed really likes him. I mean, he more than likes him. You know what I mean? I think it''s more than just a crush." "Love?" "No, not love. Not just like either. Kind of in the middle of like and love. Is there anything like that?" "Perhaps there is. But this situation doesn''t have a name. At least, I don''t know." "It doesn''t matter if it has a name or not. It''s the situation with Jed''s feelings towards him. Huh, I''m going to make sure that Silas falls for Jed. It would be cool to have a brother-in-law." "Brother in law?" "Yeah. Jed is basically my brother now, just unblood related. It doesn''t matter. I''m sure he''s a lot better than that scumbag Linda is dating. I wonder if she''s still dating him. He is horrible, you know. His name is Rex. Horrible name, who names their child Rex? Really people have no choice! If they would ask me for a name, I could give a good name. But no, people never listen to me. Oh, but how would I give him a name? I was not even born that time," I breathed out. "You know, he is even older than me. I mean, he is eighteen now, perhaps has turned nineteen already. Anyway, he is still in high school. He is not supposed to, you know. Because when we are eighteen, we usually graduate from high school and go to college. I was supposed to graduate this year as well." I sighed. I had a lot of plans of what I was going to do after graduation. Firstly, I would get out of that town and go as far away from my family as possible. But things turned upside down and now I was stuck in a different world that was full of those creatures who were ready to kill me. But was I unhappy that I would not be able to graduate and I had to be in this world? The answer shocked me. Why was I kind of relaxed being here when I was supposed to be depressed and frightened of those Orgades killing me at any time? I knew the answer to this question as well. "What are you doing to me, Leandro?" I pondered in my head. "Anyway, so he is in the same grade as me. But he is dating Linda even though she is so little. I mean, she is fifteen only. He can''t just mess her life up like that, can he? Doesn''t he have any sense? Is he stupid? Oh, he is stupid. It''s not like Linda is smart as well. She is the dumbest person I''ve ever seen in my entire life. She is so stupid that she fell for that Rex''s good looks, at least they say that he is good-looking. All the girls drool over him. I mean, seriously? What do they even see in him? That purple-haired squib with those long legs looking like two boats, nose looking like someone broke them, and with that horrible nose piercing... literally the definition of stinky trash. Can you believe he even convinced a girl right in front of me that he was born with purple hair? I was laughing my ass off behind them as the girl was behaving as if she could go insane with excitement just because that git talked to her. People are stupid. Linda and he have been having their bodies attached to each other for two years. You know what that means? Linda has been sleeping with him since she was thirteen, only thirteen!" "When I was thirteen, I used to think about how to steal more marshmallows from Mom''s cabinet. Do you know that Linda even wears pushup bras? I mean, she has been wearing them since thirteen. But hey, my boobs are bigger than hers. Huh, she is jealous of my boobs though I don''t know what the big deal is," I continued. "Anyway, do you think I look bad with a slender body and big boobs? Do I look too bad? Do I look evil?" "Why would you look evil?" he asked. He had been quiet for too long, after so long he talked. I thought he had fallen asleep, listening to my blabber. Part of me thought that he was listening to me, but I still was not sure. But now he made it clear that he was listening to me. I smiled thinking about it. "I don''t know. I''m just asking." "Your breasts are a bit bigger as per your body, but they... they don''t look bad." "You mean I look good?" I asked. "You look approachable." "Great! Then I won''t have to worry about looking like a proud duck," I said. I did not know why his words meant too much to me. I would never believe it if others said this, but he... he was different. "Anyway, what kind of girls do you like? Girls with round full butts, big chest, narrow waist, curvy hips, full lips, blue eyes..." "Why are you saying blue eyes?" "I don''t know. I felt like adding it. Do you want me to remove it from the list?" "Ella, I don''t have any choice in choosing girls." "So you mean, you will like someone just like that? I mean, you won''t look for a particular feature? That''s cool, you know," I said. "So do you think..." "Ella." "I don''t understand why..." "Ella." "Jed said..." "Ella." "What?" I asked. "Sleep." "But I don''t want to," I mumbled. It was true. Even though I was a bit sleepy and I was sure that if I closed my eyes, I would fall asleep right away, I did not want to sleep. I wanted to keep myself busy in talking so I would not fall asleep. I was afraid that the nightmare would come back and I would have to look dumb in front of him again. "You have to. It''s late." "But..." "Sleep," he said in a way as if it was final. "Alright, but one thing. Just one thing. It''s the last one, I promise," I said. "Well, can a servant take a day off?" "A servant can take not more than seven days off a year," he replied. "Are you taking a day off tomorrow?" "No, of course not. I need to know about things tomorrow. The king is supposed to be dead, right? I mean, the two men that day said that they will kill the king?" "Nicklaus isn''t dead." "How do you say that? Have you met him? Have you seen him last night? Was he among the Orgades who came to kill you? But he wasn''t supposed to be there. He was supposed to be in the castle. He..." "No, he wasn''t there. But if a king dies, there is a bell that is rung. The sound will get to everyone''s ear." "Are you talking about the huge bell in the tall tower beside the castle?" I asked. "Yes." "What... What if I ring it? What will happen then?" "Don''t even think about. They will catch you. And besides, there is no point in doing that," he said quickly. "I know.. I just want to see how it feels." Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 45 - You’re Mine You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com (From Leandro''s Perspective) "No, you''re not doing that. If you do, you can''t bathe in my bathroom," I said. "What?" she asked, mortified. "You heard me." "Take it back, Leandro." "No." "Please. I will stink if I don''t take a bath," she said. "Then listen to me. Promise me you won''t do it." "Come on, Leandro. You weren''t like this. Why are you being cold iron all of a sudden?" "Why are you calling me cold iron?" "You know, unbending," she mumbled. I looked at her in disbelief. Her back was pressed against my chest as my arm was around her tiny waist, holding her close to me as she kept talking. I had my nose buried in the crook of her neck, just in the way I liked. I was addicted to her, everything about her, every part of her body that I could touch and I could not touch as well. There were many times that I wondered what went on in that head of hers. She was unpredictable. Even though I could guess a few things about her, she still managed to surprise me in a way or another. The most interesting thing was she did not even need to try. It was just the way she was- unique and unpredictable. "I''ll sleep now," she announced, faking a yawn. It was way too obvious. I had to struggle to hold back my laughter. The fact surprised me. Even a few days ago, no one could ever tell that I smiled. Everyone would always called me a cold-hearted grumpy monster behind my back. But now... I even had to try to hold back my laughter. This girl had brought too many changes to count in me. But how was she even doing that? I would not say it was her fault because she never tried. She was just being her own self and I was changing because of that, I was changing for her. "You can''t sleep until you tell me what you want. Do you want to choose bathing or ringing that bell?" "You told me to sleep a while ago. Why are you saying otherwise now?" "You''re not answering." "I don''t know... I really want to do it." "Ring the bell?" I asked and sighed. "Listen, if you promise me that you won''t do it, I promise that I''ll let you ring that bell." "When?" "The time will come. Just promise me." "But how will you do it? I mean, you live here, right? You can''t go back to the castle." "...yet," I said. "Just promise me, Ella and I''ll make sure you get the chance, even if it''s the last thing I do." "You promise first," she said. "You won''t promise if I do that." "I will I swear." "Okay. I promise that I''ll give you a chance to ring that bell." "Real promise?" she asked, pouting. "All my promises to you are real," I said. "To me?" "Yes, to you." "Alright then. I promise I won''t ring the bell even though I want to, if my legs try to take me there, I''ll hold them back," she said and I smiled quietly. Why was she always so adorable even when she was serious? "Sleep then," I said and stroked her hair. She did not object and I was grateful about it. Even if I could touch her hand, just a little bit of her, my heart would flatter in a way it never did before. The fact was very dangerous. I must not fall for someone. It would make my position weak and if somehow Nicklaus or Father found out about it, they would hurt her to take me down. Yet, I wanted to take the dangerous risk, just a little bit. I wanted to see how the risk tasted. I would not do anything without her consent and as long as she was okay with me doing anything to her, I would do that even if it would put my heart in a dangerous position. Her breathing came to even after a while and she snuggled closer to me. Did this girl not know the effect she had on me? It was risky for me to hold her like this. I feared I would lose control. But still, I pulled her even closer and my arm tightened around her slender waist in an attempt of feeling the heat radiating from her body. Just the moment I thought that she was sleeping and perhaps I would try to sleep a bit, she mumbled, "Do you care for me?" I looked at her face and saw that her eyes were closed and I felt her breathing was steady as well. She was talking in her sleep. I stroked her cheek, feeling her soft skin against my knuckles. "Yes," I muttered. It was my mistake. I cared for her and it reached a point that even I could not deny it. She had become someone very special in my life. Just the thought of her getting hurt was enough for my monster to come out and kill everyone who had the thought of hurting her. This time I could not deny the fact that no matter what others said, she was mine. She was completely mine. I knew that even though she was trying hard, there was a part of her that wanted someone''s care, wanted to be loved. I did not know if I would be able to love her because I had never thought about loving someone before. But I was going to try. I would not let anyone else take her. Now that I had chosen her, she was going to be mine and mine only. She slept peacefully all night. But I could not sleep. I watched her peaceful sleeping face, I heard the sweet tune of her heartbeat. This time I truly noticed how breathtakingly beautiful she was. Everything about her was an art. I never had a taste for arts, but she was the piece of art I would buy even with my soul and treasure it replacing my soul. "You''re mine," I whispered into her ear, "little Ella." I was anxious about her going back to the castle. Even though I wanted my power back, the thought of putting her life in danger did not sit well with me. I did not want her to get hurt because of me. In the morning, I woke her up at 5:30. She sat there on the bed, wrapping the quilt around her tightly with her eyes closed. "What''re you doing? Won''t you take a bath?" I asked, crossing my arms as I leaned on the door. She did not reply but looked at me in a way as if she was trying to process who I was. She kind of looked cute. "Ella," I said a bit loudly and she jerked awake. "What?" "I''ve been calling you. Why aren''t you taking a bath? You take so much time. You are going to be late." "Why are you talking to me? Can''t you see I''m processing the trauma of getting up?" she grumbled. I laughed slightly. "Do you always have those words ready to spit out?" "It''s just my brain works very fast," she said and got down the bed, almost falling on the process as her legs took her weakly out of the room. "We need to talk after your bath." "Huh?" she asked, still dizzy. "Just take a bath," I said, giving up. She did not take long this time for a bath. She came out of the bathroom, but_ she still did not look fully cheerful. She had a grumpy expression on her face. I stood there as I watched her walking awkwardly to the bedroom. She was wearing her baggy shirt, but she was pulling it down with both of her hands. What was wrong with her? She went to the bedroom quickly and then ran into the bathroom again with a little bag in her hand. For a split moment, I felt that I could smell blood. Did she cut herself? Before I could ask, she closed the door again. After a while, she had come out, with a disgusted expression on her face. I had never seen her like this before. Not even when she saw blood. Seeing the blood, her expression was frightened. She was afraid of it. But this time, it felt that she was disgusted with something. But I could not smell blood from her anymore. If she had cut herself somehow, I would still be able to smell blood. "What happened to you?" I asked. "You know what happened. Don''t ask me," she grumbled. "How can I know?" "You have a nose, Leandro." "Of course, I have a nose. But what does this have to do with what happened to you? You look like you''ve seen something disgusting." "Don''t tell me you can''t smell that." "Smell what?" "Blood, of course," she muttered. You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 46 - I Don’t Want To Be A Burden You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com (From Ella''s Perspective) "I smelled blood a while ago when you went to the bathroom looking like something is stuck between your legs. But I can''t smell blood anymore," he said. "What? You can''t smell blood anymore?" I asked unbelievably. "No. Should I?" "Oh my..." I jumped on Leandro and hugged him tightly. He was surprised, but he wrapped his arms around me, making me cover up with the warmth of safety again. "I think it''s helping," I said, grinning happily. "What do you mean?" he asked, not understanding a thing I was saying. I pulled back from the hug and looked up at him happily. He was so tall that it would hurt a bit to look up at him for too long. But I still liked doing it. Perhaps because he had a gorgeous face that was worth the pain. "I have my period," I said. "No, you don''t. I can''t smell blood," he said. "Huh, of course, you can''t smell blood. It''s because... well, what do girls use here on their period?" "I don''t know. How can I know?" "Don''t be an ignorant horse, Leandro. You must know a thing or two," I snapped. "Some kind of thing made with cotton..." "Sanitary napkins?" I asked. "Yes. And others use clothes," he said. "That''s why you guys can smell blood while they are on their period. But I don''t use them. So, you can''t smell mine," I said. "Well, I use a menstrual cup. You know what that is? It''s a cup-like thing as you can understand from the name... Well, I have to insert it inside my vagina. It collects the blood. It is usually made of flexible medical grade silicone, latex, or a thermoplastic isomer. You know what those are? I''ll tell you later if you want to know and even if you don''t want to know. So, mine one is made of silicone. You have to put it inside my vagina..." I stopped abruptly realizing what I had just said. My cheeks heat up and I quickly looked away from him. I did not want to see what kind of look he had put on. "I mean... I have to put it inside my vagina," I said quickly, trying to cover up the discomfort without looking at him. "You know, the cup is shaped like a bell with a stem or a ring. Mine one has a stem though. The step is used for insertion or removal. It''s a bit hard to insert when starting to use it at first. But it gets easier as time passes. But the removal is a bit hard and it hurts a bit too. I don''t know if I''m doing it wrong or something like that. But wearing this is much comfortable than sanitary napkins. It doesn''t feel like I''m wearing something which is good if I want to run or exercise though I''ll never exercise. Too much pressure on my body and mind. And besides, my breath catches and I can''t talk or do anything properly, my body aches... bad for health. Moreover, I don''t need exercise as well I guess. I mean, look at me. I''m so tiny. Look how I look next to you. It''s like I''m standing beside a tower. But you look good with that height. I wished I was a bit tall too. Linda is tall you know, kind of like Owen. I wonder if Dad was tall as well." I stopped thinking about Dad. The fact hit me right on the face that I had never met him, nor was I going to ever meet him. I did not even know what he looked like, how he talked, or where he was. I knew nothing about him. There was no chance of me meeting him. If I ever did, that would be a miracle. "Anyway," I said so he would not notice the way I felt at that moment, "as I was saying, a menstrual cup doesn''t absorb blood like tampons or sanitary napkins. Do you know what tampons are? Well, they absorb blood too as I said like pads, I mean, sanitary napkins. But you have to push it inside your vagina. It''s a good thing too, but I feel much comfortable in using a menstrual cup. It''s a bit disgusting when you see the blood, but still, it won''t let those nasty creatures smell my blood, right? It''s a good thing, right? Tell me it''s a good thing." "Yes, it''s a good thing." "I''ll show you the cup after I stop bleeding, okay?" I said. I did not know why I was excited to show him a menstrual cup. It was like I was determined to let him see everything I had, let him know everything I knew. "I keep it inside this pouch. It''s cute, right? It came with the cup. I like the little leaf drawing here. It''s kind of cute. Look, the leaf is purple, not green." "Oh, and did I tell you that I can use it for ten years? It''s cool, right? I won''t have to spend any money buying pads. Remember pads are sanitary napkins. Don''t get confused. And besides, menstrual cups are eco-friendly. So, it''s a good thing to use, right? Anyway, is breakfast ready? What have you made? Let''s eat. I''m hungry." I was about to go towards the kitchen, but suddenly he held my wrist and pressed me against the wall. It reminded me of the first time we met. He had pressed me to the wall just like this, with his chest pressed against mine that my breasts were squeezed between our bodies, and his eyes looking down on mine in an entangling way. "Leandro..." "The mistake that you made today... Do you have any idea what could happen?" he said, through gritted teeth as if he was trying to suppress something that he wanted to do. "I don''t..." "Your little mistake could end up in me ripping your clothes off and fucking you against the wall, little Ella," he said coldly, his breath falling right on my face, tempting me to stand on my tiptoes so I could brush my lips against his. "Don''t you understand what your words are doing to me? Do you know how it feels to control myself around you? And you''re here saying things like me putting that thing inside your vagina. Do you know how much I want to put a thing inside you? Do you know that?" I felt my cheeks heating up as I averted my gaze from his. I quickly looked down at my feet, but he made me look at him, lifting my chin up. "It was a mistake," I mumbled. "A mistake that can end up in something you wouldn''t like. Or perhaps you would. But Ella, if you want me to control, then be careful with your words. Remember what I told you that day? When you say yes, I will..." "I remember," I said hastily. I did not want to hear those words again. These words coming out of his mouth always did something to me, my body, my mind. "Then I''ll be waiting for you to say yes." "What if I never say yes?" I asked even though I knew the answer myself. It was impossible for me to resist him for so long when I was craving him. "Oh, El, you will. You will say yes," he said with a smirk. "How do you know that?" "I know," he said and backed away. The sudden feeling of distance made me a bit uncomfortable though I was supposed to feel otherwise. I looked at him and saw that he already left into the kitchen. I had to reduce the amount of my talking. "The thing that I wanted to talk about," Leandro said. "What?" I asked as I took a seat at the table. "You don''t have to go to the castle anymore," he said. "What? No, I want to go there." "But I don''t need you to." "You''re going to throw me out of this place? You will not let me live with you? Did I do something wrong? Is it because you had to smell my period blood? That nasty smell! Or is it because..." "It''s because I don''t need you to bring me any information." "Leandro, I..." "But you can live with me." "You mean, I won''t have to do anything in exchange for that?" "No." "And I can still stay with you?" "Yes." I thought for a while. I wondered why he was saying this all of a sudden. He would let me live with him in exchange for nothing? But why? This way, I would not have to fear for my life. I would be able to live kind of happily because I would be able to spend all my time with him. I liked to spend a lot of time with him a lot. But... "No, I still want to go to the castle and bring information for you. Let the deal remain, Leandro." "Why would you want to do that risky job again when you can live risk-free here?" he asked. "Because.... because I don''t want to be a burden." You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 47 - I Care For You (From Leandro''s Perspective) Her words hit me like a tornado. Why would she be a burden to me? Anyone could be that, but not her, never her. I had already accepted the fact that I could not do a single moment without her and she was all I needed. I did not need power anymore. I needed her even if that meant I had to give up everything I had. Now that I was saying that she did not need to go to the castle to bring information for me so I would let her stay with me in the cave, she did not agree. She still wanted to go to the castle. "Why would you be a burden?" I asked. "Because_ I would not do anything but stay here. But it''s your place. Why would you let me stay here if I don''t do anything? I''m not a lifeless thing that I don''t need anything; I need food, water, a place to sleep and bathe. You could easily keep a stone here without wanting anything back from it. Firstly because it''s lifeless. And secondly, you won''t have to give it anything. But I''m not a stone. I''m not lifeless, Leandro. I''m a human and I need things to live," she said, looking directly into my eyes. "I''ll give you everything that you need," I said. "Why would you?" "Because I care for you. I don''t want to lose you now that I''ve found someone to live for." But I could not say it. I considered saying it, but at the last moment, I could not. "Because it''s a reward for saving my life. Because of your information, I knew that they would come to kill me. It''s just a reward." "It''s life, Leandro. Nothing is free. I-I can''t. No matter what you say, I can''t stay with you without doing anything in exchange," she said. She looked as if she was fighting to keep her voice even. There must be a lot of things going on inside her head. She talked a lot, but most of the time, her talking was enthusiastic and full of herself. But this time, the things she was saying, it felt like she did not want to, but she was forcing herself to spit out the words. "Is my work this bad, Leandro?" "I never said your work is bad," I said. "Then why? Please let me do the work." "You don''t have to." "Then I-I can''t stay here, Leandro. I will go somewhere else." The thought of her leaving made my heart clench painfully. What was she saying? Would she leave just because I did not want her to risk her life? "Where will you go?" "I don''t know. I''ll ask Edrich if I can stay with him. I''ll give him the money I would earn," she mumbled. She was not okay with the idea too, it was clear in her eyes. "If that''s the case, then you will go to the castle and bring me information," I said. She looked at me wide-eyed. Her eyes were not cheerful and smiley as usual. Her honey brown eyes reflected clear sadness. She suddenly came to me and hugged me tightly. I was taken aback. No matter what I expected, I did not expect this. I hugged her back though part of me wanted to restrain. She was driving me insane and slowly, I was losing myself. It would not be too long for me to lose control if she was near. "I''m sorry," she muttered slowly. "You know, I don''t want to go there either. I don''t want those eyes to look at me hungrily. I was trying to ignore their stares and was trying to tell myself that that''s nothing. But it''s not nothing. I really don''t want to go back to those predators." "Then don''t," I said, rubbing her back. "But I need to. I don''t want to stay with someone and not do anything. I''ve been a burden for way too long, Leandro. But not anymore." "You were not a burden to me." "Not to you, but my...," she started but stopped. "Never mind. Those stupid times... I need to forget them." She pulled back from the hug. She did not meet my eyes. It was like she was afraid of showing me the emotions it would hold. "Eat. You''ll get late," I said. She looked grateful. Perhaps she was thinking why I did not ask her anything else. I did not want to make her feel bad. If to make her stay, I needed to let her go to the castle, I would do so. Because even though I was not going to show it, but without her, I was not sure if I would be able to stay calm a minute. She had her breakfast quickly. It looked like she was not eating, but shoving the food right inside her mouth. "What if I don''t go today? I mean, I can take a day off, right?" she asked suddenly. It was unexpected. I wondered why she would suddenly not want to go today. But I was okay with it. "You will have to give a valid explanation tomorrow then," I said. "If I tell them I was sick, will they believe?" "It doesn''t matter if they will believe or not. It''s a valid explanation, true or not, they will have to take it." "That''s good. I just want to hang out with you. What''re you going to do the whole day?" "I''ve to go out today," I said. "Where?" "A pub. I need to know something." "But people will recognize you," she said urgently. It always felt a bit good to see her worried about me. As no one had ever shown concern for me, her act always made my heart thump loudly. But she surely did not know that. Her expression was like usual, nothing special. "No shifters go in this pub." "I can go there for you," she said. I was surprised. She would take the risk of going there for me. She would go that far to save my identity. The thought amused and frightened me at the same time. It was getting harder for me to think about my life without her. "No need," I said. "No one will recognize me. So what''s the point of you going there? And besides, I need to talk to someone. I need to see what people are thinking about the whole situation." "I can do that for you as well. I''ll do better than you," she said enthusiastically. Even though she tried to hide the urging in her voice, my mind did not let it go that easily. "But I still want to go. I mean, I need to. It''s been a long time since I stepped out of here. I need to see how things are going outside," I said, "with my own eyes." "Why are you being so stubborn?" "See who is asking." "I''m not stubborn. I just know that I''m right," she said pouting. "You know, I''m always right. You should listen to me." "What are you right about? Putting your hands in a little gap when it''s obvious that the gap isn''t big enough? Getting inside a random hole just to see what''s inside? Hearing a sound from the basement of a so-called haunted house and going down there alone to investigate it? Touching a monster''s fur just to see if it''s soft? Making a deal with a stranger who can turn into a monster at any moment and kill you in an instant? Going to work in a castle full of Orgades who can kill you at any moment and do bad things to you even though you are given a choice of not going there? Going down to the dungeon of the castle to save a girl whose cries you heard even though you were going to die if you got caught? And you even tried to take her out through the hidden passageway even though you knew how much risk that is. And it has been only a few days since you are here. I''m sure you''ve done more things like this in your world." She laughed. "Whoa! It''s the first time you talked this much. The credit is mine though," she said. "Well, but I have reasons for everything I''ve done. Like I learned a lesson by putting my hands in that gap that I shouldn''t do it again." "It''s not a valid reason. You just made it up." "No, it''s not that. Well, it is. Anyway, I have reasons for other things. It''s just the one that I did out of stupidity." "What am I going to do with you, little Ella?" Chapter 48 - One More Deal (From Ella''s Perspective) "Well, then I got inside the hole because I was curious. You know, there is this thing called science in my world that can explain everything that happens in this world. Like why do we come back to the ground when we jump, what are the elements in the world made of, what kind of things happens inside our body, why grasses are green, and everyday stuff like that. I thought that science would explain that too, and got curious. I mean, I had never seen or heard about anything like that. That''s why... I was just a bit... too much curious," I said. "Curious, yes," he said tiredly. "And then I went to check out where the sound was coming from was out of curiosity. I mean, it''s not like you hear that kind of sound when there is not supposed to be a turned-on fireplace anywhere near. I could not resist my curiosity. It''s not my fault." "Curious." "And I touched your fur, not a monster''s." "You didn''t even know me that time, Ella." "I know. Well, anyway, it was truly because I wanted to see if his fur was soft or not. I mean, you live once, right? So, it''s better if you live your life to the fullest," I said. "I mean, I don''t want to have any regrets." "In the way you''re filling your curiosity, I don''t think you''ll have any regrets." "Perhaps not," I chuckled. "Anyway, you know why I''m working in the castle. I already told you about it." "Because you don''t want to be a burden," he muttered. "Exactly!" "You know you can tell me anything." "I know, but there are some things that are so stupid that if you talk about them, your brain cells will start dying... in a very painful way and I prefer to keep my brain cells alive. You know, I have to survive, right?" I said, smiling. "I thought you always speak the truth." I looked at him, I did not know in what- surprise nor did I know it all along that he could see through me- my smiles, my eyes... Perhaps he always knew what I felt. "I do," I said, trying to be confident. But my heart seemed to beat faster. It always did whenever I was forced to look into some parts of my life that I wanted to forget. "Do you?" he said, suddenly coming closer to me. "I..." I could not finish, not because of something that he did, but because my mind was thinking about other things. He brought his face down so he could look straight into my eyes. I was sitting in the chair and he had his elbow rested on the table as his eyes devoured me. Was he going to kiss me? But he said he would not. It was part of the deal that he would not kiss me again. "Are you expecting something?" he asked teasingly. "No," I said quickly, so embarrassed that my face surely looked as red as a ripe tomato. "What would I expect?" He laughed and pulled his face away, which I was grateful about because being that close to him was giving my body silly reasons to burn up with the heat. "You know what I mean," he said in his teasing voice. "You''re weird," I muttered while wondering if he was the weird one or I. "Anyway, I''m coming with you." "No." "Please, Leandro." "No." "Leandro let me come with you please." "No." "Stop being a bat!" "Why am I a bat now?" "I don''t know. That''s what came to my mind first so I said it. Now please let me come with you." "Then we''ll make a deal." "Deal? Again? I thought you were over deals," I said. I wondered what kind of deal he wanted to make this time. Would he tell me to let him kiss me? The thought made me blush, it also_ made me look forward to it. I did not know why I was being so turned on at the thought of him kissing me. It seemed like to be a long time since he kissed me and I was already missing the feel of his lips on mine. "Yes, a deal." "What kind of deal?" I asked, my voice a bit shaky for some reason. Did he notice it too? I could not bring myself to look at his face. I did not want to see him smirking though he looked very handsome when he did that. "You will tell me about your life back in your world," he said. Whoa! I did not expect it at all. Whatever I expected was surely far from it. Silly me! I was thinking about feeling his warm lips against mine again. But why did he want to know about my life? It was not something interesting. "My life was boring and filled with stupid things," I said. "It''s the deal. Accept or deny, it''s your choice," he said dismissively. Huh, he did not change. Just like the grumpy person as he was before. But he was showing another part of him as well. I wondered if it was because of me. But either way, I seemed to_ like him all the same. Wait, what? I liked him? But how could I? He was just a stranger. He was trying to take... but was he trying to take advantage of me? Then he could do that last night when I was out of my mind. He could do things to me, but he did not. He had been there for me, held me tightly in his arms, calmed me down, and moreover_ he said that I was his. Well, he said that in my dreams, but he said it nevertheless. "Alright, but tell me you won''t laugh at me." "Why would I laugh at you?" "Just tell me." "Okay, I won''t laugh at you." "And you won''t tease me." "You mean I won''t tease you about your before life?" "Before life? I like the sound of it and yeah, you can''t tease me about my before life." "Okay." "And... And you won''t look at me with_ pity," I mumbled. He truly looked at me with pity and I had not told him anything yet. I felt my chest hurting again. How many times did I have to tell people that I was not a matter of pity just because my face looked too childish for my age? "Why would I pity you?" he said after a while of uncomfortable silence. "Pity is for someone who is weak, who can''t do anything properly, who is a cry baby, who is not smart. But are you that? Let me tell you something, little Ella. You might do things that are not something normal people will do, you also blabber a lot, and sometimes you make me want to do things, but you''re not a coward, you''re not weak, you''re not stupid, too curious but not stupid." His words... I felt as if my heart had been held gently and was being taken care of as the most precious thing in this world. No one had ever told me this before, but I knew I was strong, at least I believed so for a very long time. And this belief made me how I was today, or perhaps I would truly be a cry baby. "You just praised me, did you notice? You changed a lot, Leandro. Why is that? Anyway, what do you mean by I make you want to do things? I don''t remember telling you to do things for me," I said. "I didn''t say you tell me to. I said you make me to. There is a difference." "What do I make you want to do?" He raised an eyebrow. "I think we both know the answer to that," he said smirking. "No, I don..." Suddenly I realized what he was talking about. He might be a bit of a handsome guy, but he still was a bit of a pervert. But I liked him this way as well. "Whatever you say, but I know that you know what I meant. Anyway, so is it a deal then?" "Yeah. What else can I do? You''re being a duck again," I grumbled. "We''ll head out at seven tonight. There is a lot of time left. You can sleep more if you want." "Yeah, that''s a good... Wait! Leandro!" "Why are you shouting? I''m right here and as per I''m concerned, I''m not deaf," he said lazily. "Remember the first night we met?" "How can I forget the night when the curious cat touched the monster''s fur?" "No, not that time. I''m talking about the time when we were in the cave and I was telling you how I ended up here. That time, after I told you about the hole, you said that you thought it was impossible. What were you talking about at that time?" "You really have a good memory I have to say and a perfect timing to say something." Chapter 49 - Mysterious (From Leandro''s Perspective) "I don''t understand. Are you angry or impressed?" she asked. "Why would I be angry? Anyway, forget about going to the pub, we are going somewhere else," I said. "What? Where? Why? But you promised me that I can go to the pub with you. I even made a deal with you. You can''t refuse now. It''s not fair. It''s against the rule, Leandro. You''re breaking the rule. If you don''t take me to the pub, I won''t tell you about my before life either. Come on, you have to take me with you. What''re you planning then? Tell me. Why are you not saying something? I haven''t told you anything wrong, right? Talk to me. I hate it when you keep all quiet. I mean, I don''t hate it fully. Anyway..." "You aren''t letting me talk, Ella," I said calmly. "Oh, right," she mumbled. "It''s more important than going to the pub. I was thinking of going there just to see how things are going on. But I think it''s not so important now. We need to go somewhere else. I was thinking about it for a while, but forgot it because of_," I could not tell her that I forgot about it because of her condition last night. She might get upset again and I would do anything not to see her like that. "Anyway, we will go there today. We can find answers to some questions." "I still don''t understand. Where are we going?" "You''ll see." "But why are we going there?" "You''ll see." "When are we going there?" she asked. "Don''t say ''you will see'' again!" "We are going in one hour. Get ready," he said. "One hour? Why are we in such a hurry? Can''t you give me a bit more time? I''m on my period." "So?" "So?" she repeated. "I don''t know what to say to that." "Ella, do you even know what you say half the time? You get lost in your words, but_ that doesn''t look so bad," I said. "Huh?" She was surprised or perhaps shocked. Most probably she did not expect me to say it. I could not blame her. It was me who always held onto a cold personality. But I was sure that she was going to find out soon that all those changes were because of her and it would always be only her who would see this side of me. "Get ready, El," I said and left for the study room. I could feel her gaze on my back and I knew that she was blushing. I smiled but did not look back. It would not be too long until she would say yes to me. She stormed into the bedroom as I was sitting in my chair, reading a book. She was trying to show her anger, even though I knew clearly that she was not angry at all. But it was very adorable seeing her pouting her lips and blushing furiously with her lips pursed together. After half an hour, she was still not coming out. What was she doing all the time? As per I was concerned, she never cared about her look. But it still did not help other men from staring at her. I did not see it myself, but I was sure that others stared at her with lustful eyes. It was not her fault though. She did not even try, but she always looked very pretty. "Are you planning on taking all day to get ready?" I asked as I entered the room. She was not there. My heart jumped out in panic. The door was open. I quickly went out the door and_ "What will I do with you, Ella?" She was kneeling on the ground and talking to a cat. I sighed, while at the same time wondering if I was truly worried about her leaving me. "Leandro!" she exclaimed as she saw me. "Look at this!" She excitedly showed me the cat that was sitting on her lap as she was messaging its fur. Why was she giving so much love to that cat as if it was the best thing she could see? "Come on! Why are you standing there? Come here," she urged, the prettiest smile plastered on her face. I sighed and went to her. "What are you doing? You''re supposed to get ready." "Kneel and touch her. She is cute," she said. She was telling me to kneel? If it was someone else who told me to kneel, it would be the last day of their life. And this time I was sure that I had fallen for her as I kneeled beside her, her shoulders brushing against mine. "Isn''t she a little beauty?" she asked, smiling broadly. I did not bother to look at the cat while I was busy watching her face as she lit up like a ray of sun. I had never been an admirer of the day and she did not seem to be one as well. Even though she looked like an innocent little ray of sunlight, I knew perfectly that she was not just that; there were parts of her that were dark and she preferred it that way. She might be innocent in some ways, but she knew what to do and when to do it. She might look like a daydream, and she was so to me, but to the ones who did not like her, I knew clearly that she would be more like a nightmare even though no one could see it through the enthusiastic chaotic nature of the girl. "Isn''t she cute?" she asked again, nudging me on the shoulder, bringing me back to reality. I did not look at the cat again as I muttered, "Yes." And yes, she was beautiful- my Ella was beautiful. "Should we name her? She deserves a name, right?" "You want to name it?" "It? What do you mean by ''it''? It''s she. Respect, Leandro, respect," she said. "Anyway, what about Angelina? Do you know that there is an actress named Angelina? Her name is Angelina Jolie. She is good-looking, I mean everyone says so. I like her acting too, though I''m not much of a fan. But she is cool. So what do you think about Angelina?" "Good, I guess." "Okay, so Angelina it is," she said excitedly. "Alright, now put her down and get ready. We have twenty minutes left," I said and before she could say something, I pulled her up with me that the cat jumped off her lap quickly. "You scared her!" "Don''t make me scare you, little El. Go and get ready. We can''t waste any more time, especially not by talking to a cat." "You''re so..." "Go and get ready. I don''t like to repeat myself." "Still you do," she murmured as she went inside the cave. "Only with you," I sighed. I waited outside for her and watched the cat go away. The cat did not like me for sure. No one did, except her. I wondered what made her think that she was not going to get hurt being with me. It was true that I would not hurt her if I was in control, but there was no guarantee of her safety if somehow I lost control. But I decided not to think about it. It would make me distance myself from her which was something I would do almost everything to avoid. "I''m ready," she said as she came out. She was wearing a loose black shirt along with knee-length jeans. Her hair was in a braid that was messy indicating that she did not bother to comb her hair before braiding. Yet she looked as attractive as usual. "Now, can I get my ears blessed knowing where are we going?" she asked dramatically. "Not yet. You''ll see." She huffed but did not say anything. She walked beside me as we walked more into the forest. "Why aren''t we going out of the forest?" she asked, almost running beside me to keep up with my long strides. "Did I say that we''re going to go out of the forest?" "Well... No. But I thought... anyway, where are we going?" "I told you you''ll see," I said. "You''re acting mysterious," she muttered. I stopped abruptly and she bumped directly on my right shoulder. "What the... Why did you stop?" "Have I ever acted less mysterious, Ella?" I asked, approaching her. She quickly backed away till her back touched the nearby tree. She gulped quietly. Her eyes were curious yet her heart was thumping in her chest. "Answer me when I ask something," I said a bit firmly this time. "N-No." Chapter 50 - You Called For This (From Ella''s Perspective) "Good. Come on now and don''t ask any questions," he said and backed away. I did not like the way he was sometimes getting near me and in the next moment, he was backing away. "Just do one thing whatever you do. Come near and don''t go. And if you want to go, then don''t come near in the first place. Stop playing with my mind and body. It''s confusing." But I could not tell him that. How could I? Or he would think that I liked him. It was true that I did. But I was not sure if he did too. And I did not want this kind of thing to be one-sided. We walked more into the forest, taking so many turns that I lose track, but he seemed to know exactly where we were going. "It''s not a road." "Of course, it''s not a road. It''s a forest," he said. "No, I mean, how are you so sure that you''re going the right away? Everything here seems the same. Look at the trees. Do you find any difference?" "Just follow me. I know where I''m going," he said dismissively. "Of course you do," I said, rolling my eyes. "Did you say something?" "No," I said quickly. "Good." We walked for two hours. My legs were hurting, but he was not stopping at all. He seemed as if he did not get tired at all. "Do you need to stop?" he asked. "Why do you say that?" "You look like you''re going to fall." "No. I''m fine!" I said louder than necessary. I did not want to look weak in front of him. I never wanted to look weak in front of anyone. And besides, I was kind of excited to see where he was taking me. Even though my curiosity had gotten me in trouble sometimes, it still helped me get rid of tiredness. Walking faster than him was hard as his legs were too long and he went too far on one step though I had to admit that he was kind of handsome with those long legs, unlike Linda''s friend. I had to run to go ahead of him. I did not know for how long I ran. Well, I practically ran and walked at the same time. I would have run all the way, but I wanted to annoy him too while trying to scare him from different places. But he was not scared at all. I tried so hard, but I always ended up meeting a cold unchanged face, but there was something in his eyes... It kind of looked like amusement. "So childish," he commented, shaking his head. "What are you then? Old? Grandpa?" I rolled my eyes. "At least, this old man can do things better than those so-called young men," he said proudly. "Huh! What things?" "Do you want me to show you?" "Show what? It''s not like you can show anything here," I said. "You sure about what you''re saying? You sure you want to see?" he asked, kind of dangerously. But I was still curious. I wondered what he was talking about. He could not be talking about something bad, right? "Fine. Show me if you can," I said. "You called for this," he said and before I knew what he was talking about, he pulled me towards him by my waist and pressed his lips on mine. It seemed to be so long since I felt like this... I saw stars, those bright ones that always shone in the night sky, not those ones that blinked every now and then. My heart was almost coming out of my chest. It felt like I needed to keep it in place with my hand. And his lips... they were the ones I held onto. He tightened his grip around my waist, pulling me towards him. His lips seemed to be made in the exact way to fit my lips, the perfect ones and the only ones that could make me feel like I was in heaven. Too bad I had never been in heaven before, but this time, it seemed like he was the one who could take me to heaven even if it meant he had to leave his place, the hell. Even though I liked him, I would never disagree that he was from hell. Perhaps sometimes hell made someone feel better when heaven was out of reach. Subconsciously I wrapped my arms around his neck. Not even for once, I had rejected his kiss. But why was I doing this? Perhaps I knew the answer already, but I was not ready to accept it, I was not ready to_ confess it. My eyes were dizzy as they were almost shut. It was like I was in a rollercoaster of emotions with nowhere to run but to endure. It was too good that it hurt. Everything stopped, every single thing around us... the air, time, the sound, even our hearts. It was just him and I. He picked me up from the ground by my waist without moving his lips from mine as if they were sealed together. I wrapped my legs around his waist as my fingers grasped his raven black hair tightly. His silky hair felt like the root base that I was holding onto alongside his lips. He was so tall that I was sure that I was so far from the ground. But I did not fear of falling. Because I knew he would not let me. His strong hands were around me like a shield, protecting me from everything that could hurt me. He pulled back for a while, but in a split second, his mouth was back on mine, ravishing my body and mind, most importantly my lips that were craving for his touch for a long time. Suddenly I felt my back touching a tree. He pressed me against it with his body while his one hand was around my waist and the other hand was on my thigh, pinching the flesh there. I moaned in both pain and pleasure that was silenced by his mouth. His lips left mine, but then found my throat. He started kissing there and my mind was racing with thoughts, anticipation, passion, heat, and lust. But I could not... I could not give myself up like this no matter how much I wanted it. "Leandro...," I mumbled. It was more like a moan, an invitation for more. "Leandro..." I tried to stop him by pushing him away by the chest. But he caught my hand and held it tightly there as his lips were moving on the sensitive skin of my throat. "Please, don''t_ do anything_ else. You have to_ stop," I said again. "Why are you resisting so much when it''s clear that you want it? You want all of it. But still you''re resisting," he said, pulling back and looking deep into my eyes. His brownish pink lips were swollen, giving him a look that was almost impossible to resist. "No," I said looking down. "No? What no?" "I-I don''t want this." "No, I do. I want this. I want all of you. I want to be yours. I want to take all of you, taste you, and give me to you while accepting you as mine." But those were the things that I could not tell him. I did not want to be someone vulnerable, I did not want to get betrayed. "Alright then," he said and put me down. "Not all people want bad for you. Perhaps you can trust me a bit." "I trust you. I trust you with my life. I know you will not let anything happen to me," I said, taking the courage to look into his deep dark brown eyes that held way too many secrets, "But, Leandro, I don''t trust you with my heart." "At least, not yet," I added. "I understand," he said. I did not expect it at all. I did not know what I expected, but that was surely not this. He was never like this. He was not someone who would consider other peoples'' thoughts and feelings. He was possessive and was the type of person who would take what they wanted no matter how. But perhaps he truly changed. "Come on now. It will take only five minutes to reach there," he said and started walking again. I felt disappointed. Why? Why did I have to doubt people so much? Why was I not like those girls who could easily trust? "Would you want to trust easily? Especially when you know that you can''t? When you know what they did to you?" a voice inside my head asked. "But he is not like them," I protested. "Are you certain?" It seemed like the voice was laughing, mocking me. "No." "Then come back to tell me this when you''re sure." Chapter 51 - [Bonus ] Theory Of The Portal (From Leandro''s Perspective) She was resisting me even though she did not want to. She wanted it as well, but she was afraid. Something was pulling her back. It was like a string that had tied her up that she could not move forward even if she wanted to. But I was not going to let that happen. If I could not untie the string, I would rather tear it. I looked back at her as she walked slowly behind me. She was not running and trying to scare me anymore. Her face was red and there were drops of sweat on her forehead as she looked as if someone had slapped her. If she came back from the castle like that, perhaps I would mistake thinking that someone had slapped her if I did not know her enough. But if I was not wrong, she was not someone that anyone could bully, or take advantage of. I sighed and looked straight. She was tired. It was clear on her face and the way her knees were shaking. But she was not showing it. Her curiosity of wanting to see where I was taking her most probably took over her. "Even though you resisted, if you say yes, I won''t stop," I said. "I won''t." "But you want it. Tell me, when I kiss you, does it feel the same when others kiss you? You''ve kissed others, right? You can compare my kisses to theirs, my touches to theirs. Are they the same?" She looked down at her feet. Her face had turned even redder. But she did not say anything. I almost mistook her look that she had not kissed anyone else before. But how could that be possible? She was gorgeous and boys would do anything to taste her. Even though I thought I knew her, this was something that I was not sure of. "Can we not talk about it now?" she asked, pursing her lips. "I''m letting you escape the question now. But next time, you will have to answer me properly," I said. We walked two more minutes before we came across a forest cabin. Ella looked surprised as she was glancing here and there. She did not look as red as before, rather she seemed to try to take as much of the surroundings as possible with her sharp eyes. "What is this place, Leandro? I didn''t know there is a forest cabin here. Why didn''t you tell me this before? I thought you trust me. Why don''t we come to live here? Does anyone live here? Your friend? But you said to you don''t have any friends. Did you lie to me? Why would you lie to me?" she was breathing out the words without stopping. "Here we go again. My chatterbox has started to talk now." "Sure someone lives here. Do you need to call out his or her name? Why aren''t you calling them? Are you afraid that your voice would seem horrible if you yell? Well, I kind of think so as well. I mean, you don''t raise your voice, so... Anyway, what''re we going to do? Let''s go inside. Come on," she said and started walking towards the cabin. I held her hand to stop her. "Don''t go too fast. This place is not perfectly safe for you." "Then why are we here? Are you planning on killing me? Why would you kill me? Did I do something wrong? How can I do something wrong? How..." "Ella," I said stopping her, "we''re here to meet someone." "Who?" she asked quickly. I did not respond as I went towards the cabin. We did not have to knock as someone opened the door right in time that made Ella grip my arm tightly. "Welcome, my lord," the bald man said. Ella looked up at me as if she had seen a ghost. Her bewildered expression made her look even cuter. "Where is Anders, Hoyt?" I asked. "Please come inside, my lord. Lord Anders is inside," he said. He was glancing at Ella every now and then. I knew that he was just surprised and curious to see a girl with me. But that did not stop me from wanting to rip his head off. "Will you come in?" I asked Ella as she was not walking, rather just stood there gripping my arm tightly. "Oh right," she muttered and walked inside with me. "He is bald," she whispered. "I noticed," I said. "He has a mole right in the middle of his head," she said as if she was suppressing her laughter. "It looks weird. No offense, but it''s funny." "My lord, it''s been long." "Yes, Anders," I said, looking at the man in front of us in the living room. "I''ve come here for business today. Where can we talk?" "This way, my lord," he said, glancing at Ella who was too busy to notice it. She was looking at the surroundings as if she was trying to memorize every single part of here. "You might want to keep your eyes to yourself unless it''s necessary," I said calmly. "My apologies, my lord," he said quickly, bowing. We went inside the living room. I took a seat in a chair and Ella sat beside me without hesitation and she was still holding my arm. Two men came and bowed as they placed a teapot and teacups on the table. "Now, Anders, I want to know something about the portal theory," I said. "It''s still a theory, my lord," he said sitting ahead of us. "Not anymore," I said. "This is Ella. She is_ from another world." Anders gasped. He did not expect it at all. I could not blame him. All of us thought that it was just a theory. "She is..." "Ella, tell him what happened," I said. "Necessary things only." She nodded. "Well, I live in, I mean, I used to live in Brigade. It''s a town of the New York City of the USA. The USA is a country. Anyway, so I was going to school one morning. I used to go to school with Zoe, my friend. But she had a fever that morning, so I was supposed to go alone. There is a forest on the way to school. Inside the forest, there is a mansion. I used to go there sometimes. I mean, it''s empty. No one lives there. I don''t like school. So I decided to spend my time there. Then I heard a sound coming from the basement of the mansion. When I went down to check, I saw a hole with reddish-golden light coming from the inside. It was something I''ve never seen before. So, I went inside the hole and then found myself in this forest, in front of a yellow meranti tree," she said. "Where are you living now then?" he asked. "With me," I replied. "Isn''t it dangerous, my lord?" he asked. I was right. He took an interest in her. But little did he know, she was only mine and I did not like anyone else looking at my thing the way I do. "It''s dangerous if the person is afraid," I said. "Are you afraid, Ella?" "Huh? Afraid of what?" she asked. "Afraid of being with me?" I asked. "Why would I be?" she said, rolling her eyes and I got the urge to kiss her again. Why was she like this? So perfect, so pure? "That''s good, I suppose. But that''s new, my lord. No one has ever..." "Come to business, Anders. According to the theory, no human can enter through the portal or see it," I said. "Why haven''t you told me this before? What do you mean by no human, huh? You mean, I''m not human? I am human, you know this. Why are you saying this? Do you think I''m a monster? Do you think I can turn into that slimy greenish-black thing with those broken-looking nasty wings with no nose and ears?" Ella was angry, more importantly, she was disgusted. She clearly hated Orgades. I was glad that she hated them. I was not a fan of them either. "You''re not a shifter. Or I could understand that from your smell. Shifters can recognize other shifters'' smells," I said. "Oh thank god," she sighed in relief. "If she is a human, there is no way she can get inside the portal? And she is not a shifter either. Then how is this possible?" Anders said. "First of all, a shifter opened the portal..." "How?" Ella interrupted me. "It takes sacrifice... the heart of another shifter to open a portal," Anders explained. "Not just that. The sacrifice must be voluntary.. That''s how the portal is opened and if our theory is right, it remains open for one day." Chapter 52 - Theory Of The Portal(2) (From Ella''s Perspective) Everything was confusing. How could that happen? I was just a human. And now they were saying that no human could get through the portal. "Something is definitely wrong with this theory of yours," I said. "How can that remain open for one day? The moment I stepped into the forest through the portal, the portal vanished. It''s not like I''ve stepped into the portal the exact moment before it was going to be closed, right?" "That''s probably because you are not human or shifter, but something else," Anders said. "Don''t make things confusing," I grumbled. "How can I not be a human? If I am not a human, then I could do things that others can''t, right? I could be extra powerful. My knuckles would not bleed after I punched that tree looking git. Or my knee would not hit Linda''s boyfriend''s zipper when I kneed him. I''m sure I''m human." Anders laughed, but stopped suddenly. I saw that Leandro gave him a death glare for some reason. I was glad about it. Why would he laugh anyway? I was not joking. I was just highlighting facts. "I''m right, Leandro, ain''t I?" I asked, looking at him. "Yes, you''re right," he said. Anders looked at me wide-eyed as if I had done something he had never expected someone to do. But I could not see what I had done. "There is only one thing that can explain the whole situation, my lord," Anders said. It felt a bit weird to hear people calling Leandro ''my lord''. I knew that he was a very important Royal member, but yet, he was just Leandro to me. The Leandro who was cold towards everyone yet showed a different part of himself_ only to me. "Don''t stop in the middle," Leandro said coldly. "Apologies, my lord. I think Ella..." "Call her my lady," Leandro cut him off. Anders seemed surprised. It was not just him who was surprised. I felt like my breath had been caught in my throat. I glanced up at him to see his reaction, but his face was as cold as always as he kept his gaze on Anders. "Yes, my lord. I think my lady has shifter blood running through her veins," Anders said. "Shifter blood? Are you kidding me? My mom is not a shifter, I swear. She is just a human, just like me. That''s not possible. And my dad... he can''t be a shifter, can he?" I said quickly. The thought of my dad caught me off guard. I had never seen him nor did I know what he looked like. I knew nothing about him. Could it be true... "You''ve never seen your father, right?" Leandro asked. "N-No," I mumbled. "Not even once in the seventeen years." "You don''t even know who your father is?" Leandro asked. "No. Mom doesn''t talk about him at all." "Then there is a chance that her father is a shifter," Anders said. "Who goes through the portal just to sleep with a human?" "You talk more than necessary once again, I will rip your tongue out," Leandro said, too calmly, but I could sense the anger in his eyes. "Apologies, my lord," Anders said quickly. "There is one way to know if her father is a shifter. Well, it''s... A shifter has to mark her." "This is the finest idea you could come up with?" Leandro asked. "What does it mean?" I asked. "There are no other ways to see, my lord. I had never seen anyone else with shifter blood, yet a human. In this world, shifters cannot produce children with humans. But perhaps, in her world, the thing is different," Anders said. "What do you mean, will you tell me clearly?" I asked. "My lady, a shifter can mark another shifter as theirs. But as you have shifter blood, at least if you truly have shifter blood, a shifter will be able to mark you," Anders explained. "And what if I don''t have shifter blood? What if I have come through the portal because of something else?" I asked. "Then the mark will be gone within five minutes and for one hour, you will go through excruciating pain," Anders said. "Let''s go, Ella. There is no need to know that," Leandro said. "No, wait. If a shifter marks me, then I''ll be able to know what exactly happened," I said, holding his hand. "Is it necessary to know? Aren''t you doing well without knowing it?" Leandro asked. "If we find out if the theory is right or not, perhaps we will be able to find a way to open the portal again," I said. "I can go back then." Leandro looked_ kind of down, but he quickly fixed his face. "Do you want to go back?" he asked. "I... I don''t belong here, Leandro. It''s not my place," I said. "I don''t like feeling out of place." "If you want this, then go ahead," Leandro said, but there was some kind of determination in his voice. "My lord, my lady, perhaps I should find a shifter who can mark my lady. I have a list of shifters who will be eager to mark her," Anders said. "No," Leandro said firmly. "Why? What''s wrong?" I asked. "Anders is helping. If he can find a shifter for me, we won''t have to look for any." "Do you want to be marked by a fat bald short shifter?" Leandro asked, looking straight into my eyes in a very dangerous way. "That''s... But what''s wrong with it? It''s just a mark, right?" I said. "You don''t know what a mark is," Leandro said. "Tell me then," I said. "Just trust me. You said you trust me with your life, right?" Leandro said. "Yes," I mumbled. "Then trust me," Leandro said. His voice was cold that would make anyone tremble with fear. But to me, it was hypnotic music that could capture me in the cage of his aura any time. I nodded. I knew Leandro would not let anything happen to me. He would save me no matter what. He cared, even if it was just a bit, he truly cared for me. "A half mark is all that''s needed, right?" Leandro asked. "To know if she has shifter blood? Yes. But if..." "No. We only need to know if she has shifter blood to prove this theory," Leandro said cutting him off. "A half mark is all that''s needed. At least, for now." "Yes, my lord," Anders said. "You can choose the shifter who will mark my lady. I have plenty..." "No need," Leandro said dismissively. "We will leave now." "But my lord..." "We don''t have a shifter," I said. "We do," Leandro said and stood up. He did not say anything else as he made his way towards the door. I had to admit that the way he was walking was very captivating and seductive in a way. "Goodbye, Anders. See you again, I don''t know when. But anyway, see you," I said, offering a smile. "Yes, my lady. Can I ask something, my lady?" "Sure." "Why is my lord letting you stay with him?" "You better ask him that," I replied. I was sure that Leandro would not like me telling others about our little deal. And besides, the deal was private, between him and me only. I would not betray his trust no matter what. "I better go now. Leandro will get angry." "My lord permits you to call him by his name," Anders muttered. "Are you two friends, my lady?" "No," I replied, remembering the time when I asked if I could be friends with him, but he said that we could not be friends and he would tell me one day why. "We''re complicated beings with thinking and doing problems with two completely different personalities, but yet we manage to get along. Weird answer, I know. But there is no other way to describe what we are." "If you need any help, my lady, you can come by this place. It''s a secret, but as my lord believes you, then we don''t have any problem believing you," Anders said. "Sure," I said. But I knew perfectly that it would be a hell of a surprise if I ever managed to come here on my own. I was way too bad with directions, and in this forest, we had to take so many turns to be here that my head malfunctioned for a moment. Leandro was waiting for me outside. The wind was suddenly strong. Now that I looked at him from afar like this, I realized that he was something different. Strength, power, dominance, coldness was pouring out of his tall stature. He was looking at a tree in front of him that his side was facing me. His stare was blank, almost like he was looking but not seeing. His eyes were cold, like always, showing no emotion. Suddenly he looked at me. Wait! His eyes... They were still dark, still cold, but there was something more, almost like the gentle smell of flowers in a strong wind. Was it.... Chapter 53 - One Step At A Time (From Ella''s Perspective) I could not look away. It was like a moment that needed to be captured, that was worthy of stopping time. My eyes seemed to be determined to look deep into his eyes, even though I wanted to look away very badly. He was not looking away either. I wondered if he wanted to look away as well, but could not. I looked down and walked up to him, though it took half of my strength to do so. He was still looking at me like that. How was he doing that? "It''s rude to stare at people for that long," he said. "You''re the one staring," I said. "You did that too." "Perhaps," I said. "But you''re not people. You''re Leandro." "So what am I then?" "I know you. So, it''s not wrong to stare at you. And besides, I was just seeing if you''re all that grumpy or not," I said while at the same time wondering if he could see through me. If he could, then the thing was very embarrassing. "So what did you see?" I glanced up at him and tried to examine his facial expression. Handsome was the only word that had been running inside my head. "Um... You''re not angry anymore. But_ you''re not sure how to tell something. You want to do something so bad, but you are thinking of others will approve or something like that. I don''t know. I know it seems strange, right? Don''t laugh if I''m wrong," I said. I noticed that he was not laughing. There was a serious expression on his face that was very hard to read. "I''m right?" I asked. "Let''s go home, Ella. You will get half-marked tonight," he said and started walking. He always behaved like that. Whenever I asked something that would make him think twice, he would start walking away. "You haven''t told me what this is." "Let''s go home first." Did he realize what he had just said? He had said it before too, but I had not noticed it. But this time, I clearly felt the exact meaning of this word. Yes, he was my home. It did not matter if we were living in the cave or not, I was sure that wherever he went, it would be my home as well. "Ok," I said, grinning. On the way back, when we reached the place where he kissed me all of a sudden, I felt my cheeks heating up. Especially walking past the tree where he pressed me against, it was getting too much. "Um... You never told me that there were others in this forest? I thought it was just you who lived here," I said, trying to change the awkward atmosphere. Perhaps it was just me who was awkward. He seemed to enjoy my embarrassment. "Is that what you want to know right now?" he asked, smirking. "Yes!" I said loudly. "Don''t need to be so loud. Alright, if you want to know... They are the ones who bring me the news." "I thought I bring you news. How could you let them do the same thing I do for you? Come on, Leandro. That''s not fair. I thought we were..." "What? Finish your sentence, Ella." "Nothing. Never mind, well, if they are bringing news for you, then my work is in vain?" "It''s not like that. They bring me the news outside the castle and we''re working on forming a..." "Team? To fight against your brother? Am I part of the team? I can fight too. I mean, I never learned that myself, but hey, I smacked and punched a lot of people. So that''s not going to be a problem, right? You can take me to your team. You''re the leader, right? Of course, you''re the leader. You''re the strongest one, right? So what''s my position? Can I be your assistant? No, I want to be the spy." "You''re already the spy, El. They can''t bring information about what''s going on inside the castle. They are shifters." "All of them?" "Yes. They can''t get inside the castle. And besides, Nicklaus knows that they are on my side. So, there is no way, they can join his side and work for him to bring me information. They look for shifters around this world and bring them here to join our side. And you''re the only one who brings the information of the inside," he said. "Really? That''s cool! It means you have trusted me all the time. Why haven''t you told me this before? Were you shy?" I asked, poking him on the arm. "Is it easy to tell about all the truth that your heart is holding?" he asked, his gaze straight ahead of us. "No," I replied and we both knew that this conversation was better if it ended right there. "So am I in the team?" I asked. "What do you think?" "I don''t know. Perhaps I''m not. I mean, I''m not powerful like you all, I''m not a shifter. It''s true that I blabbered a lot about how I''m perfect to be in the team, but now that I think of it, I actually don''t have much talent. So maybe I''m not in the team," I said. "You were in the team since we made the deal, little El," he said. "Really?" I asked, overly excited. "Is it hard to believe?" "No. I mean, yes. I don''t..." "You have a lot of talents, Ella. It''s just you who can''t see it," he said, cutting me off and I could not help but feel like he was telling the truth. "Is that a compliment?" "Do you have to say it like that?" "No, I''m just surprised. But it felt good to hear," I said. "Get used to it then," he said. "There are more to come." "You''ve changed, Leandro," I muttered. "Is that so?" "Yeah. You changed a lot." "Don''t you like the change?" I smiled. "I''ve always liked you, before and after the change," I said and held his hand before pulling him with me as I ran. I knew I was the first one to say this. But now that I thought about it, it was better if I let it out. And I was going to do so, slowly. I was going to take one step at a time very carefully so I would not get hurt and more importantly, so I could understand more of him and what I was feeling. "Go slow, El. You''ll fall," he said. "You''re just afraid that you''ll fall," I said. "Is that so?" "You''re old. That''s why you don''t have much strength." "Are you talking about my capability, little Ella?" I blushed, even with the strong wind falling on my face, I could not help but feel a warm feeling through my veins. "No, not at all," I said quickly. But I truly wondered how he was... God! I was losing my mind being with him all the time. But I_ liked it as well. By the time, we reached the cave, I felt as if I did not inhale air for years. I was panting, resting my hands on my knees. "You''re tired already?" "Don''t look at me like that. Anyone is supposed to be tired after this much time of running," I said panting. "Come on in now and take a bath. You''re sweaty," he said. "Then you''ll tell me what this marking thing meant?" "I will." "And we need to find a shifter as well. I can''t believe you didn''t let him find me a shifter." "I think I told you to trust me about this one." "I trust you, but..." "Then take a shower and try to relax," he said, leaving me puzzled. He never told anything clearly. There was always some kind of mystery in his words. But I liked thinking about his words and trying to find the real meaning behind them. It seemed to turn into a habit of mine. I went to the bathroom to take a shower. I could not help but think about what happened in the forest. Was he right? I knew the answer myself, but I still could not bring myself to believe it. When it came to believing someone, I always struggled. It was all because of those who broke my trust that night, who made me think that trusting someone fully with one''s heart was the biggest and hardest decision anyone could take. It was even harder than loving someone. Because when you love someone, it''s easy to let go of other things. You can love someone without trusting them fully, and perhaps you''re not going to realize that you can''t trust them because of your love for them. But if you trust someone with your heart with no regrets, no turning back- then love becomes even sweeter.. Perhaps I was a craver for sweeter things. Chapter 54 - I Will Mark You (From Leandro''s Perspective) She came out of the shower and sat on the bed. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt that came down to her upper thigh. She was wearing her shorts, leaving her hairless legs in full view. There were scars on her knees, cuts on her thighs. But she did not seem to care for them, unlike those girls who would do anything to hide their scars. Perhaps this was one of the reasons why I liked her. "You don''t have any body hair," I said. "No. I do waxing," she said. "You know what waxing is, don''t you? Don''t worry if you don''t know. This Ella here will tell you everything. Well, waxing is a hair removal process by using a covering of wax to adhere body hair and then you have to pull it off. It''s quite painful I have to say. But the pain is worth it. Hair won''t grow back in four or six weeks." "Do you have to go through that just so hair won''t grow?" I asked tiredly. "Of course. I hate body hair. They are tickly. And besides, they make me feel sweaty. It''s better to be without them. I''ve brought wax with me as well. I don''t know for how long I''ll be able to use them. What will happen if they are finished? I won''t be able to remove my body hair then. Oh no!" "Don''t worry. You can find them in the market here," I said. "Truly?" "I don''t lie. You know that." "Great then! Anyway, you told me that you''ll tell me about the marking thing. Now tell me," she said and sat crossed-legged on the bed. She was patting her thighs lightly like an excited little girl. She was so innocent, so curious... How could I think of doing those things to her? But I still wanted to do them. I thought of taking things slow. I would let her adjust to me first, and then move forward. I sat on the bed in front of her. She was so eager to know this, but I was not sure how she was going to react. After all, she was unpredictable. "So a shifter can mark a shifter as theirs, kind of like a warning for others to stay away." "Is it kind of like the way werewolves mark? I mean, do you know werewolves? Those humans can turn into wolves. I read that they have destined mates chosen by the Moon goddess. Then they mate with their mates, I mean, have sex with them and mark them by biting or something like that. Then they become theirs. It''s also like a warning for other werewolves to stay away from their mates. There are no werewolves in the world. They are just in the pages of books and in movies and TV shows. Now that I say this, I remember Teen Wolves. It''s a TV show, you know, with seven seasons perhaps. I kind of like one of the boys there. Not like a crush, it was more like I thought he has a good face and that''s all. Zoe likes Stiles there. He is this... Well, I''ll tell you about it some other time," she said. "It''s not the same case here, right? Wait, it can''t be the same case! Oh my goodness! I can''t have sex with someone. Oh no!" "It''s kind of like that. But shifters don''t have destined mates here. They just make another shifter theirs and they are the only ones that can carry their children. It''s like this in this world. Humans can''t carry shifters'' children here. And they can''t get marked either. Only shifters can do this. But there must be something different in your world. If your father truly is a shifter, then because of the difference, despite being a human, your mother became pregnant," I said. "So what happens after someone is marked?" "Then they can sense each other''s emotions, they can sense the other person''s presence when they are near, they can understand if the other person is in trouble or not." "How does a shifter mark?" "They mate and then bite into the other person''s skin that leaves a permanent mark that even death can''t remove." "What?" She was horrified. "Mate? You mean, have sex with them? I can''t do it. Oh no! It''s bad, so so bad." "This is the whole marking process. But have you forgotten that I''ve told you about being half marked?" "Half marked?" "Yes. It doesn''t involve the mating..." "Then I''ll do it," she said excitedly. "Listen to the whole thing first. While marking it involves biting and mating, but half marking involves biting only. So, it''s more painful and the effect of the marking is less in this case. Like, a shifter can sense the emotions of the other person, but not fully. The effect is less as I said," I explained. "A mark is permanent and will never be removed. It means even one of them dies, the mark will still remain. But a half mark is different. If one of them dies, the mark will be gone. And if the mark is gone, the connection is gone as well." "So it can''t be removed before the other person''s death?" "No." "Will it hurt too much?" she asked. "I won''t lie to you, but yes, it will hurt a lot. You still have time. You can say no," I said. "No. I want to do this. But well, if the shifter bites me, his saliva will surely get on my shoulder, right? It will stink. It''s disgusting," she muttered. I could not help but laugh. Why was this girl so silly and adorable about everything? Did she not know that she was driving me crazy with her adorable acts? "Ella, let me ask you something. Will you want someone else to do this?" "What?" "I will mark you," I said. "What?" "I told you already. I will mark you. Or do you want someone else to do it?" "I just... Why would you want to mark me? Or is there any way to remove the mark?" "Do you think I''m not worthy of marking you?" "No, it''s not that. I think I''m not worthy of being marked by you. I mean, I''m so weak and pathetic. Why would you want to mark me?" "I''ve thought this through, Ella. I never had any plan about marking someone. But now... Better be you than anyone else," I said. It was half true. I never wanted to mark anyone thinking that no one would care for me anyway. So what was the point? Everyone feared me. But that was before I met her. She was different in every way possible. And she did not fear me, rather she embraced me as someone very close to her and she even admitted that she liked me as myself. What could I ask for more in a partner? "You hate others that much?" "You have no idea," I chuckled. "I''m glad you don''t hate me," she said. "Hate you? How can I hate you? I like you. I like you more than anything else. Silly girl! You''ve no idea what each of your words means to me. Now, wait and see how I make you trust me with your heart. That day, you will be mine fully." "So, are you sure you want me to mark you? I''m sure that I want to mark you, but I need your consent as well." "Yes, I want you to mark me." "Are you sure?" "Yeah, I''m sure." "Good. I''ll make lunch then." "I want to help you." "You don''t know how to cook." "How do you know that?" she asked, surprised. "You told me the first morning I cooked for you," I said. She smiled down at her lap. I wondered what she was thinking. Was she thinking how I remembered? It was the same thing that I had been thinking as well. How could I remember her every word so clearly? It was like even though I would be doing a lot of things if she talked, I could grasp her every word. "You remember," she mumbled. "You didn''t take my brain to be dull, did you?" I said. "Anyway, remember one day you asked me about my favorite hobby?" She nodded. "But you said that it''s none of my business." "I know. But I think I know what my favorite hobby is now," I said. "Drawing? Cooking? Or is there something else that I don''t know of? You got to show me more of your hobby." "You''re going to regret saying that. I''m giving you a chance to take it back." "Why would I? What''s your hobby? Tell me." "Kissing you." Chapter 55 - Favorite Things (From Ella''s Perspective) "Huh?" "Now, as you said, I''ll show you my hobby." "No..." "Just kidding, Ella. I won''t do anything if you don''t want me to," he said. But I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted this so badly. But I could not tell him that. I needed to make sure that he was the right person for me before giving myself away. The moment he said he was going to mark me was one of the biggest shocks I got. I could not believe he wanted to do that. When Anders said that a shifter was going to mark me, not for once I thought about him. He was always off-limits to me. I thought that I was not worthy of him. He was so handsome, powerful, and perfect while I was just Ella, with no talents. How could he want to mark me knowing perfectly that it was going to be a bond till death? "I''ll go cook then," he said and almost got down the bed. "Wait," I said quickly. "What?" "Well, if you mark me, then what would others take warning of this? I mean, it would be just a warning, right?" He brought his face close to my ear, his breathing falling on my skin like a fire-breathing dragon. "If I mark you, it will mean you''re mine. No one will dare to touch you. If they do, they have to face me. And no woman can touch me. If they do, they have to bear the consequences. Because_ I''m yours." He stood up straight and left me, just like that. I was still processing what he had just said. He said those things with so much confidence that I felt that they were true. He said that he never lied. Then it was true. Everything he said... "Wait! Let me help you," I said and ran behind him inside the kitchen. He was good at cooking. And I could not cook at all. I felt like a useless shit at that moment, standing there and watching him doing everything. "I want to do something too," I said. "You can''t cook," he said placing the pot over the open fire carelessly. "But I still want to do something." "You really want to do something?" "Yes." "Then sit on the table." "What?" "Sit on the table and tell me about your favorite things." "You want to know?" I asked, finding it hard to believe. "Why not? Come on, go sit on the table and start talking," he said without looking at me. I did not need to be told twice. I got up on the table and sat on it, swinging my legs. Even though most pretty girls were tall, being short had some advantages as well. I wanted to be tall, but sometimes, I enjoyed being short as well. "So where should I start?" I asked. "You''re asking this to me? You''re the one who talks the most." "You don''t talk less either. These days, you talk a lot too. But it''s cool, you know, to have a friend..." "Friend?" he snarled, suddenly angry as he came over to me at the table with both of his hands on either side of me. "I think I told you that we aren''t friends. We can never be friends." "But why? Am I that bad?" I asked. "You don''t get it, do you? Can''t you sense the things that I want to do to you? Can''t you find it hard to understand even though I kiss you? Do friends do that? Do they?" he asked firmly, his cold tone lingering in my ears. "N-No," I mumbled. "See why we can''t be friends?" "But then what are we?" "Whatever we are, we are definitely not friends," he said and backed away. "You confuse me, Leandro. I''ve never met anyone quite intriguing and caring at the same time," I said. "Caring, did you say?" he chuckled. "Don''t you care?" I asked, pouting. "Oh, I do," he said and then added almost quietly, "More than I thought." "Anyway, so I''m supposed to tell you about my favorite things, right? Let''s start then. My favorite fruit is watermelon. I like them a lot. I mean, really a lot. They are so refreshing, you know, and cold. I can''t eat them much though..." "Why not?" he asked. "Well, Linda doesn''t like them. Mom and Owen are not fond of it as well. So, they don''t buy watermelons. Sometimes I buy with the money that I used to earn working in the cafe, but the salary isn''t too much. So, I can''t just go around and buy watermelons, right? I need to buy my clothes and other stuff as well. Anyway, what about you? What''s your favorite fruit?" "Do you like watermelons a lot?" he asked without answering my questions. "Yeah. Why do you ask?" "Nothing. And I don''t have any kind of choice about these things, but I think strawberries are good." "You like strawberries?" I said, grinning. "Why are you laughing?" "No, I mean, I didn''t expect you to be a strawberry guy," I said. "Strawberry guy? What kind of name is that?" "I just made it up. But strawberries are good. Linda has them all the time. Well, she has those chocolate-covered strawberries gifted by that brat," I said. "Anyway, my favorite animal is... I don''t know. I like all types of animals, except... What''s your favorite animal?" "What animal don''t you like?" "It''s not..." "You promised me that you''ll tell me about your before life." "But you haven''t taken me to the pub today." "As I promised you, I will. Perhaps not today, but soon," he said. "Now tell me." "I hate spiders. They are really horrible looking... Did you see the way they walk? Oh, that''s disgusting! I fell in my bathroom once seeing a huge spider beside the toilet. And another time, I fainted after seeing one in the stairwell. I mean, seriously, why do these animals have to be on earth?" I said. "Now I said it. It''s your turn. Tell me what''s your favorite animal." "I don''t have any favorite animal." "You like all of them?" "No. I like none of them. But I manage to bear with them," he said coldly. "Okay. But you''re weird. Alright, so I like this song ''Love Story'' a lot. I know it''s a very old song, I mean, it''s about thirteen years old. But still, I like it a lot. Taylor Swift sang this. Do you know her? Oh, how can you know her? Anyway, she is this blonde artist with a beautiful smile and literally, a perfect face. Her voice is really great and she is an amazing person. I mean, I haven''t met her in person, of course, and celebrities can be unpredictable, but as far I''ve seen her on TV and heard her speak, I think she is not a bad person. Well, ''Love Story; is not my favorite song, but I like it. I like a lot of songs. That''s why I don''t have any favorites. Sometimes, I like those rap songs with bad words in them. They make me feel badass in a way. Is it weird? Do you think it''s weird to feel that way? Then sometimes, I listen to those sad songs and become sad for no particular reason. And other times, I listen to those songs that have way too many romantic words in them. Honestly saying, I like all kinds of songs as long as they make me get lost in them," I said. "Then I don''t have any favorite movie either. I like all types of movies as long as they match my taste. I watched Marvel movies. I like Captain America, you know. He is_ handsome. I won''t lie, but I was obsessed with the character for a few days after watching the first movie. But then, I went back to normal again. I can''t just hold onto a character, right? But Zoe still hasn''t gotten over that one character, I forgot the name. She has multiple crushes, you know. She..." "What about you? Don''t you have any crush?" he asked suddenly. "Me? Huh! No, I don''t have any crush. Why would I? I mean, I don''t really find anyone that attractive to have a crush on. And besides, I still don''t understand the thing going on with crush. I understand that liking someone excessively as possible. But I don''t think there is a meaning of one-sided liking. It doesn''t have any end in the end. If one finds another person attractive and the other person doesn''t feel the same way and it''s too obvious, then I think the best option is to let go. It will save two persons'' emotional health." "You seem to care too much about emotions." "Only my emotions. I don''t really care about others that much. Caring about someone''s physical being is easy. Like you can save someone''s life or something like that easily. But if you actually want to care about someone''s emotions, then the person must be very close to you or special in your life.. I never had anyone like that. Why would I care?" Chapter 56 - The Meaning Of Her Words (From Leandro''s Perspective) "You never care about others'' emotions then?" I asked. "Not really, at least I try not to. But don''t worry. I care about your emotions," she said. Why was this girl so straightforward about everything? It was like she did not want to be any kind of confused about anything. "Why do you care about my emotions?" "Because you''re very close to me. I feel comfortable with you though sometimes you''re very intriguing. I like talking to you and you listen. And for all other reasons... I thought that I should care about your emotions," she said. "Are you always like this to everyone?" "Like what?" "Like telling what''s in your mind all the time, hard or soft, but the truth only?" "That''s part of my personality." "It''s rare." "I know. But I prefer being like this. Because in this way, some people hate you and some people like you. The people liking you is less, but they are real, not those fake ones who are with you for taking advantage of you," she said. Even though she was very young, it seemed like I was talking to an all-knowing life adviser. She was right in every way possible. It looked like she had spent a lot of time in figuring out the meaning of life, the meaning of every word, the meaning of every emotion. "How old are you?" I asked. "What?" "You heard me." "You''re joking. Why would you want to know my age all of a sudden?" "Just tell me. I thought you don''t mind talking about anything." "17," she said. "Mentally?" "I don''t know how old I am mentally. I''m not supposed to know that, am I?" "No, you''re not." "What do you think?" "I don''t know that either. Sometimes you seem like you''re 12, other times you seem like you''re 100." "100? Do you think I''m that old?" she asked, pouting. "Mentally, I said." "Huh, mentally? My ass! I''m not old, mentally or physically," she grumbled. "Alright, little Ella. You''re not old_ mentally or physically," I said, trying not to laugh. "Come on now. Lunch is ready." She got down from the table, almost hitting her leg in the process. "Can you be a bit more careful?" "I''m always careful," she muttered, taking a seat in one of the stools. "Yeah, I can see that." She was eating as if she had not eaten in months. She never cared how she looked while she did her thing. Other girls would probably try to eat slowly to look perfect. But she never tried. Needless to say, she was still pretty and adorable. "What?" she asked, finding me staring at her. "Nothing. Do you always eat that fast? You know the food is not running away," I said. "It''s my habit." She finished eating very quickly. I did not understand what she was up to. She was always in a hurry. Also, it was the first time she was having lunch with me. But she was still the fast eater. "I''m going to lie down for a while now. I feel sleepy," she said and left in the bedroom. After I was done, I went to the bedroom as well and saw that she was sleeping. She looked very peaceful_ and lonely, like a single flower in a huge tree. Her face held something that was hard to understand, yet I was adamant to find out. She looked so blissful, but there was some kind of determination in her face even when she was sleeping. It was the same look she had whenever she told me she could do something. Sometimes I wondered what made her like this- so determined, so serious yet childish in some ways. She surely was a hell of an odd combination, but perfect in her own way. I could not help but think about what she said. Everything she told me had a meaning, a valid meaning. But how could she know so many things about people if she was only seventeen? It looked like she was forced to grow up quickly, to understand and know things that she was not supposed to. "You know being a bit polite and friendly won''t kill you." Perhaps because of her saying that day, I truly thought of being a bit polite, at least to her. I had no intention of showing this part to others, but to her, it was different. "My favorite color is black too! Do you know why? Well, because it represents how I''m on the inside. You know, my soul, if I have one. I''m sure my aura is black too if there is really something called an aura." That day I did not care, but now I understood that she was not telling the entire truth. Black might be her favorite color, but there was not just a simple reason behind it. It might seem odd, but I knew that she was hiding some facts about her life. And it was just one of them. "You haven''t told me why black is your favorite color. Is it because you think that black represents the heart of a monster and you are a monster? But, you know, that''s not it. Even if you''re trying not to show it, you have a heart. You did not kill me the moment you saw me. You could, but you didn''t. You brought me here. And I know you went there last night to save me after I left this cave. You have given me a place to live. And you also went there to make sure that I found the right way back here. You care. You care for me because I''m a human being. Humans care for each other. And you see, you have a heart." That was the time when she made me wonder if I truly had a heart, if I truly cared. I knew she did not think deeply before talking, she never did, yet her words seemed to be well-organized. "Well, you know girls hate me. I don''t know why, but they just do. Boys don''t though. They try to talk to me. I talk to them too, but then they try to take this thing to the next step, you know. That''s the moment I stop talking to them. I can''t trust them. They are going to use me for their pleasure only, and then they will leave me. And if I get attached to them, I''m going to be the one left heartbroken." Of course, girls hated her because they were jealous of her and boys wanted to talk to her because they wanted her. But she saw through them as if they were open books. She knew that they were going to use them and then leave her when they were done with her. I could not help but admire her judgment. Even at such a young age, she knew what was good for her and what was not good for her. That was the reason, she did not say yes to me even though she wanted to countless times. "Oh, you mean to tell me you cannot hide anger? Then you definitely hide other things, right? Like your feelings, emotions, desire." I did not know how or why she said that, but it felt like she could see through me. Before she said it, even I did not know that I had been hiding my feeling from not only others but also myself. Yet, she saw through me without even trying. "No one cares for me. Why would I care for them?" Perhaps she did not know this, but I knew that she was lying. The way she talked, even though she tried to sound harsh and behave as if she did not care at all, I knew that she did. She cared a lot, more than she should. "Of course I was worried about you. I know there was no way I could overpower them. But at least, I could try." Even when she told me this, she had no idea what her words meant to me. They were the words that I had not heard for a very long time, the words that I thought were not meant for me. "No. It never will. But it''s the reality and the truth. Hard or not, you have to accept this. We all have to accept this. And we can''t even change the past. What''s done is done. If you could change the past, I know that you will do everything to bring your sister back. We all have a lot that we want to change in our past. But there''s no way we can do that. Rather, here we are, living this life, playing the dirty game of truth." It was the first time I talked about what happened to my sister. I thought she would get scared and fear me. But she did not. Rather, she helped me, she made me realize that it was time to let go of that time. She had no idea how she made me feel when she said this. It looked like she had something in her past that she wanted to change, but she chose not to waste her time on it.. Rather, she accepted the present, the truth, just like a strong person would. Chapter 57 - Excited To Be Marked (From Leandro''s Perspective) "Yes. I mean, you might be mysterious a bit, but not exactly cold, at least from the inside. You care even though you try not to show it. And I''ve seen something behind your eyes that doesn''t speak of your coldness." "Oh come on, I''m proud to be with you. You''re handsome and he is a sea horse. I have the most handsome co-worker. Of course, I should be proud." "Because_ I would not do anything but stay here. But it''s your place. Why would you let me stay here if I don''t do anything? I''m not a lifeless thing that I don''t need anything; I need food, water, a place to sleep and bathe. You could easily keep a stone here without wanting anything back from it. Firstly because it''s lifeless. And secondly, you won''t have to give it anything. But I''m not a stone. I''m not lifeless, Leandro. I''m a human and I need things to live." "It''s life, Leandro. Nothing is free. I-I can''t. No matter what you say, I can''t stay with you without doing anything in exchange." "I trust you. I trust you with my life. I know you will not let anything happen to me. But, Leandro, I don''t trust you with my heart." "You''re not angry anymore. But_ you''re not sure how to tell something. You want to do something so bad, but you are thinking if others will approve or something like that. I don''t know. I know it seems strange, right?" "I''ve always liked you, before and after the change." "No, it''s not that. I think I''m not worthy of being marked by you. I mean, I''m so weak and pathetic. Why would you want to mark me?" "Me? Huh! No, I don''t have any crush. Why would I? I mean, I don''t really find anyone that attractive to have a crush on. And besides, I still don''t understand the thing going on with crush. I understand that liking someone excessively is possible. But I don''t think there is a meaning of one-sided liking. It doesn''t have any end in the end. If one finds another person attractive and the other person doesn''t feel the same way and it''s too obvious, then I think the best option is to let go. It will save two persons'' emotional health." "Only my emotions. I don''t really care about others that much. Caring about someone''s physical being is easy. Like you can save someone''s life or something like that easily. But if you actually want to care about someone''s emotions, then the person must be very close to you or special in your life. I never had anyone like that. Why would I care?" "I know. But I prefer being like this. Because in this way, some people hate you and some people like you. The people liking you is less, but they are real, not those fake ones who are with you for taking advantage of you." The more I thought about all the things she told me, the more I could understand the hidden meanings behind them. It was like she was making puzzles for me- the kind of puzzles that I was eager to solve. I needed to know about her life back in her world. Now that she had promised me, I knew that she was going to tell me about her life and she was not going to lie. She was not the kind of person to lie to hide the truth or her feelings. She would prefer not to say, but she would not lie. I could not keep my eyes away from her sleeping face. She looked at ease which was something I had never seen on her face. Her lips were parted slightly, as if ready to be tasted. I might be considered the bad guy in this case, but I could not help it. I brought my face down to her and took her in for a kiss. She did not wake up, just shifted slightly. I kissed her passionately, chewing on her lips, taking her taste in. "Uh...," she moaned lightly. "Shit!" I cursed under my breath and left the room quickly. It was getting worse. If I stayed there one more minute, I could not even think of what could happen. She slept until night. I did not wake her up. She needed to rest, especially after the things she was going through. She would never admit it, but I knew that she was tired. She just pretended to be unaffected. "Uh, my head hurts. Wait, what time is it? Did I sleep too long? I don''t feel good. What''s wrong with me? I feel too rested," she panicked. "Is it wrong to feel rested?" I asked. I was not anymore surprised to see her reactions in certain cases, though her words surprised me a lot. "I''m just not used to it. What time is it?" "It''s 12 at night," I replied. "Great! Now I slept all day. No wonder I look like a sloth right now," she grumbled. "Come on and have dinner." "Will you mark me after that?" "Yes." She looked kind of excited about the marking thing. She perhaps did not think of it as something very serious. Did she not understand that even though I was half marking her, she was going to be mine till death? Rather, she behaved as if it was something normal and not a big deal at all. "Why are you so excited?" I asked as I watched her finish her meal very quickly. "It''s going to be cool! I mean, it''s a new thing. Besides, I''ll be able to know if I really have shifter blood." "Only for this, you''re so excited?" I asked tiredly. "You''re behaving old..." "You call me old another time, I''ll show you the truth myself." "Sorry, I won''t call you old again. Lord, you''re so intriguing," she muttered. "Do you believe in God?" "Me?" "There isn''t anyone else here, Ella." "No, I don''t." "Then why do you use words like ''God'', ''Lord'' so much?" "They are easy to use. That''s why," she said. "You''re strange." "I know. People say that a lot." "I''m not people, you said so before. And I''m not saying you''re strange in a bad manner. It''s just you''re so different." After both of us were done, I saw Ella waiting expectantly for me. Why was she this excited about the whole thing? It was true that I was excited to make her mine as well even though if it meant that she was going to be half mine. But surely she was more excited than I was. "When are you going to mark me?" she asked. "Go wear something from which I can get your right shoulder easily," I said and she hurried off to the closet without asking any more questions. "My oversized shirt is wet... I washed it. And the long t-shirt is dirty... I..." "Wear my shirt," I said. "Are you sure?" "Wear any of them. You''re so little. They would be very big on your body. It will be easier for me to get your shoulder." "Ok." I waited for her in the study room as she changed. After two minutes, she said that she was done. I knew that telling her to wear my shirt was not good for my present condition where I was on the verge of losing control with her, but I still took the risk. I wanted to see how she looked in my shirt. She wore one of my black shirts that went right above her knees, the sleeves were way too long for her and it was very loose-fitting. She looked even tinier in that shirt. But her long brown hair all over her back made her look like a_ princess. "Is it okay?" she asked. I recalled the day when she wore my sister''s dress that I had given her. She had asked me the same thing that day and I could not say anything, but nod. I was afraid of saying that she looked perfect. "Yes." "Do I look bad?" she asked. "I know this is not a time to look good, but still. I mean, you''re going to mark me, right? What if I look so bad that you''ll get scared and stop marking me?" "Don''t worry, little one.. It''s true that only you can scare me, but I won''t get scared of you tonight, not when you look so_ perfect." Chapter 58 - [Bonus ]Marking You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net (From Leandro''s Perspective) "Go and lie down on the bed, Ella," I said as she was standing there thinking what to do. She nodded and climbed on the bed and lay down on her back, staring at me. I took a deep breath. That''s it- I was going to make her mine. I climbed on the bed on top of her, letting my weight be on my elbows as my eyes tried to get lost in the depth of her eyes. She was looking back at me, with some kind of strange expression. "It will hurt a lot," she mumbled. "I''m not going to die, right?" "Of course, you''re not going to die," I said. "You''re going to bite on my skin, right? Are you sure this is the right way? I mean, you haven''t done it before, right? No one does it before anyway. But have you ever seen someone else doing it? I mean, you know, observing helps to learn as well." "I know this is the right way," I said. "You can still say no." "I feel weird all of a sudden. Trust me, I was fine even a minute ago. Now I feel..." "You don''t want to do it anymore?" "No... I want to. I''m just a bit_ nervous," she mumbled, looking like a lost puppy. "Ella, there is time. You don''t have to do it tonight if you''re not sure," I said and tried to get up, but she held my hand quickly. "No, please, I want it to be tonight. It''s going to be too late if I waste any more time. Um... Can I ask you something?" "What?" "Will... Will you_ kiss me before you bite me?" she asked hesitantly. "No, it''s okay, you don''t have to. I''m being stupid. I feel weird. I''m just trying to get a grip on myself. But seems like, I''m losing it. Anyway..." "Do you want me to kiss you?" "I mean, there is going to be a pain, so I thought that..." "Do you really want me to kiss you?" I asked again. "Y-Yes." I smiled and without wasting any time, I captured her lips. She held my neck and pulled me down as her lips moved as slowly as my lips were moving. There was a pure passion with a hint of relaxation, not hunger, but I was sure that if we kept kissing like this, it was not going to take long for the kiss to take a dangerous turn. She moaned into my mouth as my tongue ravished her mouth, taking her taste in as if she was the only thing that I could feel. She clawed on the back of my neck and pulled me even tighter. I left her mouth and looked down at her beautiful face which was flashed along with her throat. "If you don''t want me to do something, say no. And if you''re okay with it, say yes," I said. "Do you understand?" She nodded. "Words, Ella," I said. "Yes," she mumbled. I smiled and kissed her again, our lips entwined together like two puzzle pieces placed together. My hand started trailing down her side, my fingers brushing against her skin over my shirt that she was wearing. I left her lips and started kissing her throat, licking the place like the ice cream that I was craving. "Y-Yes," she moaned and lifted her hips up with unbearable pleasure. My hands gripped her tiny waist and I pinched her skin slightly. She gasped and closed her eyes as she was slowly losing herself. "Le-Leandro... Am... Am I supposed to_ feel weird?" she asked, dizzily. "Just a bit," I mumbled against her skin. "It''s nothing compared to what you would feel when there is no restriction." "Not_ anymore," she mumbled, giving all her strength in to resist me. I had to praise her for this. It was not easy because I could feel how hard it was for me to resist her, to stop at that moment without doing what I wanted to do. I pulled back immediately though it took me a lot of difficulties to do so. I knew the time would come when she was not going to resist at all, she would give herself to me. But she surely had trust issues, and if anyone wanted to have her heart along with her body, they needed to wait. And for her, waiting was like a punishment, but it was the punishment I had willingly accepted. "Are you ready?" I whispered into her ear. "Um... yes." "Let me ask you again. Are you ready?" "Y-Yes." "Let''s try again. I don''t want any hesitation. Are you ready?" "Yes." She was scared and curious at the same time. I knew that even this time, her curiosity won over everything else just like every other time. She clenched her fists and bit the inside of her lower lip as a preparation for the pain that was coming next. She looked adorable with everything she did. But she did not know that as her expression was very serious. I unbuttoned the first two buttons of the shirt. She held her breath as my fingertips touched the little naked skin of her chest on the process. I moved her hair from her right shoulder and brought the shirt down from that part so her right shoulder was free in front of me. She was wearing a bra. I moved the strap down her shoulder and it made a sound. I thought she would be embarrassed as most women usually would be, but to my surprise, that was the least of her worries. She did not even care; rather she was poking my biceps gently, perhaps to see if they were hard enough. "Why is it so hard? I mean, I understand you have a good body, but still... Isn''t it too much? It looks like plain iron. Now that I say it, do you know Iron Man? Let me tell you then. He is a marvel superhero with a brilliant mind and also he is a billionaire. Kind of like a spoiled rich guy, but hey, he has a brain and he makes the perfect use of it. He wears that suit he made himself which is kinda cool. He can fly whenever he wears that suit and does weird science stuff. Anyway, your body is really so hard. Linda would do anything to get you, you know." "And what would you do then?" "What would I do? What''s there for me to do?" "Wouldn''t you do anything if your sister wanted me?" "Why would I do something? It''s her choice if she wanted you. And besides, you wouldn''t like her. I mean, she is so annoying. And as you have the tendency to get angry very quickly, you perhaps would kill her after spending one minute with her." I chuckled. She was so silly and cute. She did not even worry if I would be with another girl. There was no hint of jealousy in her voice as well. I had seen her being jealous before, but I suspected that now that she knew me better, she knew that I did not like people that much and it did not matter if the person was a boy or girl. And I was glad that she knew how I was. "Now bite me. I talk a lot. Don''t make me talk," she said. "It''s you who started." "Fine, I won''t talk! Now bite me. The quick the pain is gone, the better." Strands of hair again fell on her right shoulder. Again, I cleared the place up and took a sharp breath before bringing my lips there. I kissed the place first. She trembled slightly and held my arms tightly. "Why aren''t you..." She could not finish. She did not expect it as well. I bit on her flesh there. Emotions, unknown feelings ran through my whole body and I felt my body heating up. I could hear her scream but tried to suppress it at the same time. I was losing control. It was not because of her scream, but because of her skin coming in contact with my teeth in the process of marking. My monster was coming out. I wanted to stop. I did not want to hurt her with my monster coming out. But I could not do anything. "Leandro!" she screamed and held me even tighter, her nails clawing my arms as my teeth grew bigger and went straight into her flesh, blood pouring out the cut. I was surprised; my monster did not come out fully. It was like there was a monster sense inside me while I was still in my human form. I knew what I was doing but my teeth had grown bigger, which was inside her flesh. After a while, I pulled back, leaving a huge bite mark on her shoulder from where blood was gushing out. I looked down at her and saw that she was panting, still holding my arms for support.. The moment her eyes met mine, she gasped loudly and her eyes widened. Was that fear? You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Chapter 59 - Fear Blood You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net (From Ella''s Perspective) "Y-Your_ eyes..." Leandro was not the human Leandro anymore, at least not fully. His teeth were extended, kind of like the monster''s teeth and his eyes were red, with a wave of orange. He looked a bit scary, but not enough for me to scream and go away. "Is it_ your monster?" I asked and touched his face. The scars that were on the place between his nose and eyes were a bit visible on Leandro''s face. "The scars... They are like the ones you have on your chest. Do they hurt? Should I not touch them? But you didn''t flinch. They must not hurt then, right? You didn''t tell me you could be half monster. But why are you in your monster form, Leandro? Have you lost a bit of your control? Are you going to kill me, Leandro, or Leandro''s monster? I mean, are you thinking of killing me? There is no need, you know. I''m not a bad person and I care for Leandro. So, monster, you don''t need to worry about anything. He is mine to take care of," I said. "How did you do that?" he asked suddenly. "Oh you can talk in this form," I said, only to find out that he had already become his human form fully. "You''ve become Leandro again." "How did you do it, Ella?" he asked again. "Do what?" "You don''t know, do you? You''re the one who has brought me to my human form again." "But I didn''t do anything. I just touched you and talked, that''s all." "I think that''s enough for my Beast to go away," he said. "But why have you turned into your monster?" "I could not help it. I tried to keep my control, but it was too much. There was something... And I haven''t turned into my Beast fully. It was half..." "Wait a moment! Is it because the mark is half, you turned into a half monster? If the mark was full... Honestly, Leandro, you should make these kinds of things clear first. That would be a bit terrifying to find a monster in the place of you while doing that kind of thing. It''s not like I''m talking about me..." He smiled. Was he making fun of me? But truth be told, I was thinking about myself with him when I said this. Wish I could bring my guards down and let him in! "Leandro! It''s been more than five minutes. Check if the horrible bite mark is still there. God, it gave me a lot of pain," I said quickly. He touched the place on my right shoulder and rubbed the place with his thumb. Even his small touches were leaving me breathless. "You indeed have shifter blood," he muttered and kissed the place. "What? Really? Let me see," I said and tilted my head as much as I could to see the mark. He was right. There was a huge bite mark left on the skin and_ blood was dripping out of it. My cheerfulness was gone within a moment at the sight of blood. I did not care about the mark anymore. My vision was going blur as my nostrils got filled with the nasty smell of blood. I could not see anything as my head felt heavy and I knew that I was going to faint. "Ella, what''s wrong?" he asked. But I could not answer. It was always like this. Whenever this happened, I could not see anything and could not talk as if my voice had got stuck in my throat. My body went numb and the last senses I had, went away very soon. And I knew that Leandro had found out that I feared blood and merely the sight of blood was enough to weaken me. I knew that he would not use it against me, but still, I was not someone to bring my guards down easily and let others know about my weaknesses. I always felt that people would use them against me. I woke up with a heavy head as if it was not my head, but a huge stone. I found myself again way too rested. "Jesus, am I late? What time is it?" I said loudly, getting up hastily. "I''m surely late. Why do I feel like I slept too much? What the..." "Sleep more if you feel bad." I noticed that Leandro was standing at the doorway, leaning against it, wearing a black shirt with the top two buttons undone, revealing that sinful part again. His face was cold like always and so were his eyes, but as the time passed, I could differentiate between the look in his eyes as if his eyes had words written in an unknown language that I had learned a while ago. "What time is it?" I asked. "Ten," he replied normally. "Ten? I''m late. Why didn''t you wake me up?" "You fainted last night. There is no need to go to the castle today. Take the day off." I was okay with the idea of taking the day off. I never liked working anyway. But I could only take a maximum of five days off a year. And it had been only a few days since I had started to work there, yet I had taken two days off already. "Taking today off is pointless. I''m fine. You should have woken me up," I said tiredly. My head was dizzy. It felt hard to utter a word. "You literally fainted and now you''re looking like you will fall sick at any time. How are you supposed to go to the castle in this state?" The way he talked was as if he was worried about me. Perhaps he was. But I wanted to hear it from him for some unknown reason. But how was I going to ask that? It would seem weird. "Care to explain what happened last night?" he said. But I was busy looking at the mark on my right shoulder. The blood was gone and there was a huge mark left. The wound was deep, but it did not hurt at all when I touched it. "Why doesn''t it hurt?" "It''s not supposed to." "Where is the_ blood?" I asked, my voice a bit shaky though I tried not to sound frightened by it. "I wiped it off. You could have just told me that you hate blood. Precisely saying, you fear blood," he said. I did not say anything. It was embarrassing. No one feared blood, yet here I was, fainted at the sight of blood. "I thought you trusted me." "I do," I mumbled. "Well, yeah, I hate... I fear blood. I didn''t tell you this because_ it''s too embarrassing. I mean, I was not like this. It''s just for the last two years... I just can''t stand blood." "You can fear blood. It''s normal. But the way you fear it, it''s not normal. It''s too much," he said. "I have phobia, that''s all. You know what phobia is? It''s a type of anxiety disorder by a persistent and excessive fear of an object and situations. As you can see, I have hemophobia. I mean, not fully. Actually, hemophobia is an extreme fear of seeing blood or getting tests or shots where blood may be involved. Now that I think about it, I think I fully have hemophobia." "There might be a reason for all kinds of fears, right? Then there is surely a reason for this as well." "Well, there might be a genetic link. Or a person might be particularly sensitive or emotional by nature. I mean, they tend to have this phobia. Then there is a chance to develop it if a person sees a close person having the same fear. It can also happen if the person is in the care of an overprotective environment. And there is another chance to get this if a person faces some kind of trauma or something like that. Like serious injuries," I explained. "I''m talking about you. Why do you have this fear?" I did not say anything. I did not want to lie to him, but I did not know how to tell him the truth as well. Silence seemed to be a good idea in this case. "You think I didn''t know that you fear blood? I guessed it the first time I met you and you fainted after sniffing the blood. Then you were trembling when you saw blood on my knuckles when I broke the mirror. You were also shivering when you had your nightmare and you were saying blood again and again. Then the day when that girl died, you were covered in blood when I found you. You were terrified that time as well. You think I didn''t understand by the look on your face, the way you behaved that you fear blood?" he said, approaching me.. "And I''m sure there is a reason for that as well." You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com or NovelTeam.Net Chapter 60 - Yes (From Ella''s Perspective) "I don''t think you have any kind of genetic link. Do you?" he asked. "No," I said while at the same time, thinking that Leandro truly knew what gene was. Perhaps I underestimated his world a lot. Staying in this world, I thought that they did not know a lot of things. That was the reason why I kept describing almost everything to him. And he did not say anything as well. I had a feeling that he knew some of the things that I talked about, but still, let me blabber. "You surely are not emotional or so much sensitive." "I might be." "You''re not. I know you. You didn''t shed a single tear when you saw my Beast, when you had the nightmare, not even when you were trembling in shock after seeing that girl die. You think that''s normal?" he said. "And sensitive? You might get hurt in some things, but not every little thing. If that was true, then you would cry your eyes out the moment you met me and I behaved coldly towards you. But you behaved as if you didn''t care how I behave, rather you were focused in getting what you want." I looked down at my lap. He was right, every single word he said was true. But I did not realize that he noticed even the small things about me. No one ever cared what I did or not. And I was not a fan of showing my emotions as well. "And the way you talk, it doesn''t seem that you have someone close to you who you like. Then there is no way you developed the fear of seeing them. Am I right?" "Yes." "And the overprotective environment? That surely isn''t possible in your case, right? Your family never cared for you. I don''t think they care if something happens to you. They are clearly not overprotective. And I''m sure you never had anyone protecting you. Not because no one wants to, but because you think you can protect yourself and when you need help, you make a deal_ because you don''t want to be a burden," he said. "Am I right?" "Yes." "And trauma, right? I don''t know much about your life when you were in your world. And the way you behave, there is a possibility of this one. Some kind of trauma, an incident that made you feel this way- so doubtful about everything and so smart, yet so curious. So energetic and enthusiastic, so happy about everything, yet there is something behind every word of yours, behind everything you do, behind every look you give. You think I can''t see it?" he said, bringing his face down so his face is barely an inch away from mine. "Am I right?" "Yes," I said. "Tonight I will take you somewhere," he said, getting away from me suddenly. I did not expect this. I thought he would ask me about what happened that made me behave like this. But he did not. He was not saying that he would take me somewhere. So unpredictable! "To the pub?" I asked. "No." "Then where?" "You''ll see." "Ok." "You''re going to let it go like that?" he asked. "I trust you," I said, "with my life." He smiled and touched the mark on my right shoulder. His thumb ran on the place as he kept his gaze on me. I could not look away. I did not want to either. Being with him was always comfortable no matter what. "Mine." It was a whisper, almost like a voice inside my head. But I knew that I heard it and it was him who said it. But he did not say anything further and left the room without looking back. Why was he so mysterious? I thought I understood him, but he never failed to prove me wrong. I sat there, thinking about where he might take me. If he was not taking me to the pub, was he going to take me to the cabin again? Perhaps he was going to tell Anders that I had shifter blood. That meant, Dad was surely a shifter. But how did Mom manage to meet a shifter and even sleep with him? By the appearance of the situation, it seemed like Mom truly had not much of a brain. How could someone go around and sleep with random people without using protection? Honestly, I was not much surprised. Mom and Linda were the types of people to do this kind of thing. So immature! But thinking back at my life, it did not hurt at all. I was kind of glad about the things I had gone through. Because now I could see the real meaning behind everything, I could sense the truth through the lies. I might not be the best person in the world, I might not be the best in doing everything, but I had some sense. I knew what was right and what was wrong for me. I knew how to survive. And that was what kept me alive so many years, gave me hope, not the unreasonable blind hopes, but the ones with a possibility. The dizziness was gone. I stood up and looked at myself in the mirror. I was the same girl with brown long messy hair, honey brown eyes, and pale skin with a petite form as if the wind was enough to make me fall. Wearing his shirt made me look even smaller. But I liked it. His smell was all over it. I had fallen for his scent since the first time he carried me. And even now, I could not get rid of it. The first three buttons were undone with my bra visible through it. The side of the shirt was down from my right shoulder, making the mark visible. The mark... It might not be the best-looking thing possible, but it was something. I felt a pull towards it as if I was_ proud of it. There was no denying it- I was kind of attracted to him. Perhaps I was since the first time we met. But I was reluctant to accept it. I went into the kitchen and saw that he was cutting oranges, wearing a white shirt that I had not noticed before. I sat quietly on one of the stools and observed as he skillfully cut them. After cutting an orange into four pieces, he placed them in a bowl and pushed it towards me. "Eat." I took a piece and ate obediently. Did he truly care for me? All my life, I wanted someone to fear losing me. Was he the one? Did he fear losing me? "You''re so deep in thought," he said. "What''re you thinking so much?" "I don''t know. Even I don''t understand what I''m thinking about. It seems like all the things at the same time making a chaotic atmosphere in my mind." "You''re chaotic." I smiled. "That''s how I''m coping with it." "Tonight when I will take you to that place, I want you to be honest with me." "I''m always honest_ with you." "You''re honest, but tonight_ I want you not to hide the things that you want to hide. Even if you don''t want others to know, I want you to tell me those things tonight. After spending time with me, do you think that I''ll betray you? There is nothing I''ll get by betraying you. There is nothing for me to gain by killing you. Then why would I bother? I want to know you, the real you. I want to know everything about you- who are you, what happened to you, what are your feelings. Perhaps a lot of people told you this that opening up to someone can ease up your mind. But I know that you don''t believe it." "I would rather be full with my own thoughts than opening up to someone only to get betrayed afterward," I muttered. "Yes, but when I tell you this, will you believe me? Only me? Will you open up to me? Will you let me know what you truly are? Will you give me a chance to prove that this time, you will be cared for and protected and perhaps get something more?" I did not say anything. His words were ringing inside me. What was he doing to me? I could easily say no and I knew if I said that he would not ask me to open up to him again. But did I want to say no? Did I not want to open up to him? No matter how embarrassing my life was, did I not want to let him know? And perhaps that was the reason why my answer was... "Yes." Chapter 61 - [Bonus ]The Lake (From Ella''s Perspective) The cold wind fell on my face as the sound of the wind blowing filled my ears. He was not walking as fast as usual. He was walking in my stride, looking straight, but I still could feel the burn on my skin as he peeked glances at me. "Where are you taking me?" I asked. "You''ll see." "You started to use this sentence a lot. Before you used to use ''that''s none of your business'', and now this... Honestly, what are you doing?" "Isn''t that an improvement?" "Oh yeah, a great improvement," I muttered. "Anyway, won''t you take me back to the cabin again?" "Why? Do you want to go there?" he asked in a tone that it made clear that he did not like the idea of going to the cabin at all. "No, just saying that shouldn''t we inform Anders that I have shifter blood? I mean, he is the one who said it to us earlier, so..." "No need. He will know it sooner or later. No need to go there and inform him. He is not a king." "I didn''t say he is a king. I just..." "Do you like him?" "What? What are you saying? Of course not. Why would I like him?" I could not believe he was saying these kinds of things. Was he serious right now? I just said that perhaps we should inform Anders, and here he was, asking me if I liked Anders or not. "You better not." "Why do you care?" I asked. I just wanted to see how he was going to react if I teased him. It was kind of fun to see him like this. "Because," he said, suddenly grabbing my arm and bringing me closer to him, "you''re mine now. Did you forget that I marked you? Be it a half mark, still, you''re mine_ the way I''m yours." "What if other girls throw themselves at you? Or you go to them?" "If other girls do that, then you''re free to go deal with them. If you need any help with that, you can always ask me. But I''m not going to them because that''s the promise that is made during marking," he said, "And you know that I don''t break my promises." "You''re quite intriguing when you talk like this," I muttered. "Did I scare you?" "No... but you made me feel strange." "Strange is good, isn''t it?" "Yeah," I mumbled, "it''s good." We walked for five more minutes when he told me to stop. But I did not listen at first but came back to consciousness when he held my arm. "What are you doing?" I asked as he covered my eyes with his hands, his sharp breath falling on my neck. I realized how close we were. My cheeks heated up when his lips touched my ear. "You better want to get surprised," he whispered, letting shivers of warmth spread over my skin. "Are you going to introduce me to someone? Your monster buddy?" He chuckled. The sound echoed into my ears, and I could not help but wonder how someone so cold could laugh so magnificently. "You always know what to say and when to say, let it be silly, yet they are the things that make you unique," he said. "Where are you taking me?" I asked as he led me forward. "You''ll see, little Ella." I thought I would fall when my legs met the broken branch, but I did not. He led me safely into an unknown place and stopped me there. I wondered what kind of place this was where I felt relaxed suddenly as if all my worries had gone away. The wind was far more relaxed and lively here. It was gentle, not fierce like yesterday as if a tender touch on the skin that left one breathless. "Can you hear anything?" he whispered again, without removing his hands from over my eyes. I tried to concentrate, letting all my thoughts aside as my mind slowly tried to take in what could be around us. I heard his breathing, so deep and warm as always. But then I heard something more- the sound of the wind along with the sound of water flowing, not too fast, but almost steady, in a rhythmic way. "Water..." "Yes," he said. "It''s a lake or a river," I said. "Do you want to add anything else?" I tried to concentrate once again. What more there could be? I got the smell of a flower, but I did not know its name. But I did not like the smell though it was not something that would make me puke. "Is there a flower tree or something here?" "Alright. It''s time you see by yourself," he said and removed his hands from my eyes. The sight that was in front of me was not supposed to exist. I was sure that one would lose their mind here if there was a chance to lose their mind because of seeing something so heavenly. It was indeed a lake. The blackish-blue water shone as the moonlight fell on it. If I cut off the smell of the flower, there was another earthy smell as well that was not disgusting at all. Rather, it was quite relaxing. "Do you like this place?" he asked. I did not notice that he was observing me all this time. Did I make a stupid expression? I just hoped he was not going to laugh even if I did so. "It''s beautiful," I murmured. "You should have brought me here earlier." "It''s where I come to relax at night. It''s not far from the cave, but only shifters can enter this place. As you have shifter blood, you have access here," he said. "Come on. Let''s sit under that ash tree." "What''s that flower?" "Primrose," he replied. "I hate the smell," I said. "You hate..." "It''s... I don''t know. I just don''t like it." "Alright then. Come on," he said and took my hand. He led me to a side where the huge ash tree was. He sat down and I sat beside him. It felt too good to be here with him. "Do you know why I''ve brought you here today?" he asked. "So I can be truthful about everything," I replied. "Yes. Tonight as you promised, you''ll tell me about your life, everything about your life." "It''s boring," I groaned. "Perhaps I want to know the boring life," he said and I could not help but glance up at him. He looked even more handsome tonight. It was like his looks were getting better and better each day. "Is it bad to do something, a small thing with someone who you still can''t believe with your heart?" "Depends on the thing. But if you think he''s worth it, then I don''t think there is a problem with it," he replied. "Isn''t this a stupid thing to do? I mean, the need... I understand it''s biology and stuff. Part of me wants it too, but I''m not..." "Sure?" "Yeah." "Ella, if you like someone, I think we all become a bit stupid." "Do you... Do you like me?" I asked. I could not even believe how I managed to get this much courage. I never thought of asking this kind of thing directly, but I still did so. "It''s a stupid question. Never mind. You don''t have to answer this, you know. It''s weird. I''m weird. I shouldn''t have asked this. Now I''ve put you in an uncomfortable position. I just..." "Yes, Ella. I like you," he replied, smiling. "I''ve always liked you. But if you''re not so sure yourself, you can take your time. You can question yourself what you really want and then if you think that I''m worthy of a chance, then we can take a step forward." "Will you wait for me?" "For you, I''ll wait, but please, make it a bit quick," he said. "You said please. It''s the first time," I said, smiling. "A lot of my first times are with you." "Really? Like?" "Like you''re the first human to be alive after willingly coming into my grasp, the first person to be alive after raising your voice at me and jumping on me, you are also the first human who I listened to attentively. Then you''re my first kiss," he said. "That''s unbelievable. I know that you said it before too, but still... You had sex, right? Then how do you start doing it? Of course, you start by kissing and stuff," I said. "The thing that you''re talking about is lovemaking. But all I wanted was to satisfy my needs. There was no love. And besides, I don''t like anyone touching my lips. But that was before I met you." "You''re weird. My lips are not something special," I said, blushing. "Do you want me to show how special your lips are?" he asked, smirking. "No, not now. I need time," I said. "Take your time," he said. "And I haven''t finished saying in which cases you''re the first one. Then you''re the first one I apologized to, the first one I comforted and hugged, and the first one I requested for something.. And the first one who makes me want to do things that I never thought I would feel." Chapter 62 - How Her Life Was (From Leandro''s Perspective) She blushed hearing my words and looked away. But I knew that the things I said were nothing but truth. She had already admitted that she liked me and I had to admit that it was pretty brave. We remained quiet for a long time. I knew she was thinking about where to start. I gave her time. It was her life that she was going to tell me about, so she needed to be as comfortable as possible. "You won''t laugh," she muttered. "I already told you that I won''t." "You won''t..." "I know. I won''t pity you," I said, cutting her off. She nodded and looked straight into the clear water of the lake as if she was looking for something to hold onto to start. "Well, you know, I have never seen my dad in my life. Mom thinks that I look like Dad, so she never truly cared for me, kind of because of her grudge against Dad as he left her. She used to leave me with that sixteen years old babysitter all the time since I was three months. Mom used to go to the nightclubs a lot. She met Owen there and then things got disgusting between them, you know what I mean. Mom got pregnant and then Owen moved in with us. Linda was born, the perfect pretty girl that my family needed. I have to admit that she knows how to behave with people. I just talk my mind out. Anyway, so Owen never liked me as well. I don''t expect him to as well. If Mom doesn''t like me, how can I expect her boyfriend and their daughter to like me? And besides, I''m not someone anyone would want to like. I mean, there needs to be a reason to like someone. I hate almost everyone. They are all mean. So, I don''t behave well with them as well. That''s why they don''t like me." She did not for once stop as she told me all this as if she had those words prepared in her mind a long time ago. "I don''t know what happened between Mom and Dad. She never told me anything about Dad. I asked her sometimes, but she didn''t tell me. She would get angry at the mere mention of him. So, I stopped asking her about Dad. There''s no point, you know, to touch the burning coal. But I heard her talking to her friend about Dad. She said that I look a lot like him and even just looking at me reminds her of Dad and she can''t help but get mad at me. It''s irrational, totally childish. She even said that she and Dad made out for one night only and stayed together in a hotel. But then Dad left after doing that thing. After some days, Mom found out that she was pregnant. I think it''s kind of like a one-night stand. I don''t understand why these two didn''t use protection. Honestly, are they stupid or what? I wouldn''t have to be born if they were careful. I think it''s both of theirs'' fault. Besides, if Mom was so upset with having me, then why didn''t she go for an abortion? You know what it is? It''s pregnancy termination by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. I don''t think it''s good to have a kid if you can''t take care of it. It makes both of their lives harder. Or she could just give me away for adoption. Anyway, she was stupid and now I have to bear the consequences. Whatever, so then after Linda was born, she became the center of attention at home." "At school, the situation was weird. You know, in every school, there''s this group of mean people who like to push people, harass them for no reason at all. Linda was always part of them since first grade. But she is a horrible student I have to say. I mean, honestly, how can a person stay all day without studying for a bit? I wasn''t the first girl, but I was kind of known for my grades. I mean, I never missed an A. I''m kind of proud of it, you know. Anyway, so one day in the second grade, Linda and two girls intentionally pushed me. I fell in the corridor in front of everyone. I know I was a bit too harsh and violent, but they deserved it." "What did you do?" "I... Well, I broke Linda''s hand, smacked her two friends. I was almost expelled, but it was worth it. No one tried to touch me again. Mom and Owen scolded me a lot though and punished me, but I don''t care. This is how life was. You know, Mom and Owen used to lock me up in the basement since I was six if I made a mistake. They knew I used to fear dark a lot. That''s the main reason they did it. It was hard to stay all night in that dark with the noises of rats running. I used to cry all night and ask for help, but they never opened the door before morning. It went for four years. Then I got adapted to the darkness, I made friends with it. It even went up to the point when I no longer feared darkness and even would make a mistake just to spend the night in the basement cause it''s peaceful. I felt at home there. It was like I belonged there. And you know, black is my favorite color for this reason as well. I just feel like it''s the real me when I''m in darkness. And black represents my friend darkness. After four years, when they saw that I was no longer affected by it, they stopped sending me there. And you know, from that time, they could not deal with me as well. Perhaps because of the words I spit out at a time to time. Anyway, so this was life, you know. No fun at all." "I have this one friend Zoe in high school. She is a good person, so I thought that it would be good to make her my friend. Anyway, she is bullied in school. She doesn''t stand up to herself, you know. She is too kind. She thinks that the bullies would understand that they are wrong after a while. But can''t she see it? It''s real life and in real life, things don''t go so smoothly. I told her that these gits will never understand, but her kind heart... Honestly, kind people can be blind. Well, I''m a bit kind too, but I''m not blind at least. Right? Anyway, so I bit people up if they try to bully Zoe. They kind of fear me, you know. It doesn''t feel so good, but if that''s what it takes to stay safe, then I don''t mind it. So, you know, one day in a narrow alley, there were two boys, waiting for me and Zoe because I insulted their friend saying that he had too little legs to walk with me. I know, it was rude. But he is not a good person. I could not think of anything else to say, so I said this. It''s weird, I understand. So the boys wanted to make me apologize. Huh! Apologize, my foot! I got into a fight with them. Zoe was screaming for no reason. They could not do many things as I was throwing my hands and legs a lot. They got injured the most. I just got a bruise on my left arm. But it was fun, you know, to fight. Anyway, I told you that my life was boring. Now you have to hear everything now that I started." She told me all about what she did in school, how her family treated her, how she managed to save her friend from getting bullied. The way she was talking was like it was not a big deal at all. But did she know how she exactly was? She was different, different than anyone else. I did not ask her anything when she was talking. I wanted her to be free in what she was doing. "You haven''t told me anything about your romantic relationships," I said, not being able to resist this anymore. "How can I tell you? I don''t have any. I mean, I never had any," she replied. "What do you mean?" "I never had any boyfriend, Leandro." Chapter 63 - How Her Life Was(2) (From Leandro''s Perspective) "Are you joking?" I asked, surprised, precisely saying, shocked. "Why do you say that? Do you think anyone would like me? Honestly, Leandro, are you blind too? To have a boyfriend, certain things are required. Like sweet talk which I can''t do at all. I''m more like a mix of sweet and bitter talk creating a chaotic mess. Then good body which I don''t have as well. I''m too slim like a pin. Did you see my butts? They aren''t too big. Well, my boobs are big, but not too big to be perfect. They are just bigger for my figure, otherwise, they are just of normal size." Did she have any idea what she was talking about? Did she not understand what her words were doing to me? "Anyway, so let me ask you something. Do you really want to hear more?" "Just keep saying, Ella." "Alright. It''s boring. You''re being stubborn. So, two years ago, one night I was working late in the cafe. Then I hung out in the market because there is air conditioner. Anyway, it was late when I headed home. I was riding my bicycle as always. I was passing by the forest when suddenly there was a car. It hit my bicycle on purpose. Somehow, I managed to jump out of my bicycle, or I would be dead by now. My knees were bruised and I hit my head. The stupid road was muddy as well. Two men came out of the car. They were really beefy and scary looking I have to say. But they had stupid expressions on their faces. They were talking... They were saying..." Suddenly her face was not as tired yet enthusiastic as before. She looked_ frightened, kind of like the way she looked when she had the nightmare. "They were saying that they were there to kill me. I didn''t... I never did something so wrong that people would come to kill me. They were talking as if someone told them to kill me. I managed to run. I kept running deep inside the forest. It was really tiring, especially with my knees injured, every movement felt crucially painful. But suddenly... a knife... stabbed me in my belly," she said and touched her stomach, clenching on the fabric of her shirt. "There was blood and_ pain. A lot of blood... I didn''t want to die... I tried to run, but I couldn''t. Then those two men came again and... They stabbed me, again and again,_ in the same place_ five times. I still didn''t die. Then I heard something, like a voice. But I don''t know who it was. There was a lot of blood... I just couldn''t think of anything else. Then I don''t know what happened. When I woke up, I found out that I was in coma for three months and I almost died. So this is life. What do you think?" "Two men stabbed you?" I asked. I could not understand why she was talking as if it was not a big deal. "Yeah..." "You''re hiding a part of the story," I said calmly. "Leandro, I..." "Tell me." She took a deep breath. "Everything felt odd after I woke up from the coma. And besides, I didn''t like the way Owen was talking to me. He was asking me again and again if I heard those men say any name of who wanted to kill me. I knew that Owen didn''t like me, but I wasn''t sure if he would do such a thing. But still, I started to keep an eye on him. One day, I heard him saying on the phone that I was not dead and the two men failed him miserably. He also said that it would not be good to do something again. People might suspect. You know what I mean? He is the one who tried to kill me." "Didn''t you tell your mom?" "I know my mom. She wouldn''t believe me. Besides, I wasn''t sure if she was with him or not. I don''t trust any of them, you know. So, I did things in my own way. I needed to stay alive after all. The company Owen worked in had some secret reports just like other companies. If they were leaked somehow, then it would see a downfall. Call me evil, but Owen needed to be taught a lesson. I bribed one of my classmates who was good at hacking. Then he helped me hack Owen''s laptop late at night when everyone was asleep. I stole the documents and guess what I did? I leaked them to their rival company in Owen''s name. He was fired. Owen was really angry. He went to the bar and got drunk. Mom went looking for him in another bar, mostly because I told her that I saw Owen going to another bar. Then I went to the bar Owen was in and found him there. He was really drunk. I took advantage of the situation. I confronted him and as he was drunk, he spilled all the beans. I had my recorder with me. I''m smart, you know. Huh! He thought he could outsmart me! Then I threatened him with the recorder and said that I''ve put the record on my laptop and if he tries to do something to me, I''ll reveal it. We made a deal that we will behave as nothing happened and forget all of it. I know, he made a huge mistake and I should go to the police. But I just couldn''t_ make my mom feel bad. I mean, she loves him a lot and if he can be good for her, then that''s all I want from him. He might have hurt me, but I was willing to forget it. At least, I haven''t done less harm to him as well." "You never told this to anyone else?" "No. People are not trustworthy." "Thank you for saying this to me. Don''t worry, you don''t have to fear being with me," I said. "Your secrets are safe with me." "What did you say? Your secrets are safe with me? Wait! I heard this line somewhere... in a movie perhaps. God, I can''t remember the name now." I sighed. She was never going to change. Even when she shared the biggest and hardest secret of her life with me, she still was behaving as usual. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to me. She did not resist. She lay her head on my chest and closed her eyes, looking like a beautiful angel. "Is it because of that incident you fear blood?" "Yes. You''re not laughing, right?" "Why would I laugh?" But I was sure about one thing. If I ever managed to go through the portal into her world, I would make sure that her mom knew what that Owen did to her and I personally was going to teach him a lesson for trying to kill my girl. "I will protect you. From now on, no one will be able to harm you. It''s a promise, little Ella," I said. "If anyone dares to harm you, they will see the last day of their life in my hands." "Why would you protect me?" "Because you''re mine and I like you. I don''t like many things, but the little things I do, I protect them with all my might." She smiled, but her smile was lifeless even though she was trying not to show it. It hurt to see her like this. I was determined to make her forget all of the things she had gone through. I would make her feel like the happiest person and for that, I would do anything. "Now that I told you about me, tell me more about you. I want to know." "I will," I said. "When?" "Soon." "Promise?" "Promise, little El." We remained like that, relaxing while her head was on my chest and my arm wrapped around her protectively. Her breathing became even after a while and I was sure that she had fallen asleep. How such an innocent-looking girl could have faced so many things? Yet, she was behaving as if all happened for a reason and she had gotten over them already. I kissed her hair and ran my fingers through her hair, feeling the warmth of her skin. I carefully stood up and picked her up from the ground. She did not move at all. She looked peaceful as always when she slept. I kissed her on the forehead and looked around the place once more. This place was always so peaceful and it made someone relax as well. I had brought her here so she could feel relaxed when she talked about something uncomfortable. I was right. It indeed was a good decision to bring her here. "I''ll wait for you until you''re ready," I said and headed back to the cave, to our home. Chapter 64 - Sleep Talk (From Leandro''s Perspective) She did not even move when I placed her on the bed. I lay down beside her and hugged her as she slept peacefully. She felt so fragile. How could someone look so innocent and fragile? The fear crept again into my mind. I was never someone who would feel any kind of fear. Yet I was scared, scared of seeing her hurt, scared of_ losing her. The mere thought of someone laying hands on her made me want to rip their heads off. Who would want to hurt such an innocent-looking girl? I could not understand why her mother''s boyfriend wanted to kill her. Anyone might hate her, but I could not believe that anyone would want to kill her. She might talk a lot, and say whatever she thought without thinking about the consequence, but she was kind and would not want to hurt others for no reason. Yet that bastard tried to kill her. She was stabbed five times, yet she talked about it as if it was nothing. She surely had been through a lot, emotionally and physically. But she never showed it to anyone. Sometimes she gave me the impression that she was not particularly sad about what happened, rather she was proud of the person she had become after going through all of this. But she was not right about it. She needed to see that whatever they had made her go through was not right. She might understand life better now after the incidents, but she did not deserve it. She was wearing my shirt. She said that my shirts were more comfortable than her clothes and she was going to wear them all the time. I tried to look irritated to tease her, but from inside, I was more than happy. If she wore my shirts, her scent would be everywhere and that was the thing that I needed these days. She was sleeping on her back with her head tilting on her right side and her leg on my stomach and one of her hands on my chest while the other one was over her head. She almost always slept in these types of weird positions. Sometimes I wondered if she was getting good sleep this way. I touched her stomach, the place where she was stabbed. I undid the buttons there gently so she would not wake up. She might not want me to see the wound there, but I wanted to. I wanted to see what that bastard did to her, so I could make him pay with ten-time higher prices. As I undid the buttons there, I saw a huge cut on her stomach, stitched. I ran my fingers on the cut and she flinched slightly. I could not help but feel rushing anger inside me. How could he do this to her? I looked at her face again- so innocent, so perfect... I knew it was going to be only a matter of time before she would be mine fully. But sometimes some things were very hard to resist. I pressed my lips on hers, kissing her gently. She always slept very deeply, not opening her eyes at all until morning. It was a good thing for me as I could kiss her for as long as I wanted. She tasted like a mixture of vanilla and chocolate like always. I pulled back for a while to let her breathe and then again captured her lips. Her lips were not big, nor were they small. They were perfect little heart-shaped, just the ones that were made for me only. "Mm..." She moaned in her sleep and I chuckled. She was cute, she looked even cuter when she moaned, her addictive tone lingering into my ears in an attempt to make me never forget her. I knew I was never going to forget her anyway. She had made a place in my heart that even death could not remove. "Why_ do I_ like_ you so much?" she mumbled. She was talking in her sleep. She did that before too. I wondered if she was dreaming about me. "Why do I_ want you_ so bad, Leandro?" I chuckled and kissed her on the forehead. "Maybe because you''re supposed to," I muttered though I knew that she was not going to hear me. "It_ looks like a_ tattoo," she mumbled again. "The mark... The bite mark_ It looks like_ a perfect_ tattoo." I could not believe she was talking about this even in her sleep. I thought she pondered about these kinds of strange things when she was in great need of talking, but now I found out that she even dreamt about these things. "Don''t... Don''t have those. They_ are dis-gusting." "What are disgusting?" I asked. "Don''t have... Don''t get those_ optical illusion_ tattoos. They are kind of_ scary. They look like_ some of the_ flesh is missing_ or there is more_ flesh than_ necessary... Ew!" I could not help but laugh. She was dreaming about these now. No wonder she was one of a kind. I could not believe she was even worried about things like these. I started kissing her throat. She moved slightly and gripped my hair weakly as a purring noise escaped her mouth. I had to admit she slept way too deeply. If she was with me, it was not a problem. But I needed to warn her when she was with others. I stopped before I would go downer. I could not afford to lose control. I tried to focus on why I unbuttoned the shirt in the first place. I did not undo too many buttons, rather just two so I could see the wound. I brought my face down to the wound. "There won''t be any sign of this, sweet Ella," I whispered and placed my lips on the wound. I ran my tongue over the place, letting my saliva wet the wound. "Leandro..." She moaned again. I glanced up at her to see if she was asleep. She was sleeping, but her face was red and her toes curled. I got back to my work, licking her wound gently even though I wanted to do more things to her. After a while, I pulled my mouth back from her wound. There was no scar left anymore. It was just her skin now with no sign that could say that she was stabbed there. She was going to get a hell of a shock the next morning. I wondered what she was going to think. Surely, she was going to make her own theories. I felt lucky to have her with me. Life with her could be anything, but definitely not boring. "I won''t cry..." She started mumbling again. This time she held my arm tightly and pressed my hand on her chest. I tried to move my hand from there, but she did not let me. It was not like I did not want to touch her, but I was afraid that I might lose control. "Fire opal... I want a fire opal. It''s_ beautiful..." "You''ll have a fire opal," I sighed. What was I going to do with her? She was too perfect and innocent that I could not help but fear what would happen if someone tried to do something bad to her. "I want to_ kiss him..." "Kiss who?" I asked while at the same time thinking of how to kill the person who she was going to name if it was not me. "Le-Leandro... I want to kiss_ him. Let me_ kiss..." She could not finish. I had already started kissing her, holding her as close as possible. I swallowed the moan that escaped her mouth, holding her in my embrace even tightly. "Mm... I..." Her moans were making it hard for me to control myself. Did she have to do this even when she was sleeping? Was not it hard enough for me already? She would not even try all the time, yet I would get hard just by looking at her. And now that she was moaning and calling out my name, did she expect me to stay calm? But I needed to... I needed to stop. It took me all the strength that I could muster to pull away from her. I lie down beside her and wrap my arm around her slender waist and placed my head in the crook of her neck. Her scent was_ intoxicating, hard to let go of. "What''re you doing to me, little Ella?" I whispered into her ear before closing my eyes, trying not to think of doing other things that were running inside my head. If it was her mission to make me fall for her, then she would surely succeed. [Note- Fire Opal: The term "fire opal" refers to any opal gemstone that has a dominant red, orange, or yellow color. There are various types of fire opal, each with its own play-of-color, background color, and origin. Fire opals, on the other hand, are amorphous mineraloids composed of hydrated silica (SiO2nH2O). Opal lacks the structural organization required to form crystals. As a result, fire opals are neither minerals nor sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic rocks.] Chapter 65 - Fire Opal (From Ella''s Perspective) Leandro woke me up in the morning. I saw that I was in the cave, but last night, I was in front of the lake under the ash tree where he took me. I had told him all about me that I could remember. The surprising thing was that I did not feel uncomfortable talking to him about those things at all. It was like he could understand me. As he promised, he did not laugh or pity me. I was glad that he kept his promise. The way he listened to me surprised me a lot. It seemed like he was waiting to hear those things all along. But I did not understand why. He almost made me believe that he knew all along that there was a part of me that I was hiding. But after telling him all about it, I felt better. My life was never exciting but full of boring and stupid things. But last night, I got a slight hint that there were a few adventures as well. It was just me who could not see it before. "Did you carry me?" I asked as I got down the bed, fighting a yawn. "Who else?" "Thanks," I muttered. "What''s..." Suddenly he handed me a stone. It was a_ fire opal. I always had a thing for different stones. I liked fire opal a lot for a very long time. But why was he giving me this? I did not ask for it. And besides, even if I asked for it, why would he give me this? He was not obliged to give me what I wanted. "Don''t you want it?" "It''s not like... It''s a fire opal," I said. "Why are you giving me this?" "I thought you like it." "I do. But how do you know that?" "That doesn''t matter. You can keep it. It''s for you," he said. "It''s yours, right? I can''t just take your thing," I mumbled. "But I gave it to you, okay? Just keep it. And besides, I''ve lots of them." "Really? Will you show me?" "You want to see some stones?" he asked as if it was nothing special. "Stop talking like I want to see some kind of trash," I hissed. "Will you show me tonight after I come back?" "Alright, but I need to make a deal." "Honestly, Leandro_ you''re making way too many deals about literally everything." "Do you want to see the stones or not?" "Fine! What''s your deal this time?" "Don''t get yourself in trouble and don''t do unnecessary things. Then I''ll show you the stones tonight," he said. "Just this?" "I know you. You better want to keep my words in mind." "Okay, deal." I observed the stone. I had read about fire opals online, but I never got one myself. I had always been drawn to the beauty of a fire opal. It was like the sunset was drawn on it. "Thank you," I said and hugged him. He was taken aback. "I like it a lot." "I''m glad," he said. "So, is breakfast ready?" "Yeah, go freshen up." I smiled at him and went to the bathroom, but first I placed the stone in the closet, under my t-shirt. I took a shower as quickly as possible. That was the time when I noticed it. The scar of the stabbing... It was not there anymore. But how was this possible? This type of scar could not just go away and most importantly, not in a single night. I wore my dress quickly and went out of the bathroom, almost slipping on the floor. Leandro was in the kitchen, serving soup for us. "Leandro!" I went there, running. "Why are you running?" "The scar... The scar on my belly... It''s gone," I muttered. "So?" "So?" I repeated. "What the... You knew about it? I mean, you knew that it''s gone? Did you do something about it? What did you do? Is there any kind of healing medicine here that removes scars as well? In that case, I''ve some bruises on my knees and elbows, and yeah, one on my left boob as well. Do you mind helping me remove those?" "Are you sure you want me to remove those scars?" he asked, kind of mischievously. The last time he talked like this, he kissed me in the forest, pinning me against a tree. It was... I almost gave up. "First tell me how you did it," I said. "It''s a secret of the marking. As you''re mine now, I can heal your wounds. I suspected this a long time ago. Now I proved it." "I don''t understand. Speak in English." "You know that I can heal my wounds quicker than other shifters as I''m not like them." "Uh-huh." "I had a feeling that if I mark someone, I might be able to heal their wounds as well," he said. "I wasn''t sure. Then I thought of trying it. And see, it works." "That means you can only heal me?" I asked, trying to think of the way he used to heal me. He could not just touch me and my wound would heal, right? He must have done something else. But the problem was I did not know what. "Yes." "And other shifters can''t heal their mates or whatever it is?" "No, they can''t." "Cool! Anyway, how did you do it? Did you just touch the wound or something? Or did you have to make a potion or something like that with your body hair in it?" He laughed. "What? There is a possibility," I grumbled. "There is another way. You better not know it now. I''ll show you some other time," he said dismissively. I always wondered how he talked suddenly like this as if no one dared to question him any more. "You''re strange," I muttered. After breakfast, he accompanied me to the end of the forest. As always he stood there for some time, staring at my back, before going back. "Be safe," he said. "I..." I was about to say that I was always safe. But then thought that he would not want me to say this. Perhaps he was truly worried about me. "I will," I found myself saying. I ran my way to the market till I met Jed. He looked angry for some reason. I had to admit that his angry face was nothing compared to Leandro''s resting face. I had seen Leandro angry, but not too much. I wondered how he would look when he was way too angry. But I did not want to see him like that. He was better the way he was these days. "Two days! Where were you two days? I thought you died," Jed said. "I was sick," I said. "I couldn''t come. Well, I could not even lift my body up." "Why? Did you fuck?" "No! Why would you think that? I had a fever and that''s all." "Anyway, that night... What happened? Where were you? You said that you''ll come back. Then your man came and almost choked me. He was asking me where you were. I said that you told me that you were supposed to come back. Then he left and did not come back, neither did you. God knows what happened. I was worried dead," he said. "Rosaire died, do you know?" "Yeah, the same night when I last saw you. Wait... did you kill her?" "Honestly, Jed, get a brain," I said, rolling my eyes. "You''re lying to me for some reason about a lot of things. And you''re telling me to get a brain?" "What... What do you mean?" "I went to the cook. She never wanted to talk to you. But you told me that she wanted to and that''s why you''re going to come later," he said. I surely had messed up fully. Now, what was I even going to say to him? Things were getting harder now. "It''s not like that. Well, yeah, I lied. But if I hadn''t, you wouldn''t let me go. I heard the girl''s cry and so, I went to see what was wrong. I went down the dungeon and found her there. I tried to save her, but she died. I got soaked in blood. You know, I hate blood. So, I freaked out and could not afford to come to Edrich''s place. Lean... Lee found me then. I was in the abandoned alley." "The abandoned alley? Don''t you know the monster goes there? I mean, it can go there anytime," he said. I laughed inside my head. Who cared if the monster went there? I literally lived with the Beast and also somehow developed some kind of weird feelings for him. "I don''t care about the monster. It''s not going to hurt me." "How do you know that?" he asked. "I know." [Note- Fire Opal(2): Aside from its gleaming appearance, the fire opal gem has a worldwide cultural and spiritual significance. Many cultures believe it possesses a spiritual power that boosts one''s creativity and passion. Cultural connections to the fire element, for example, promote independent thinking and a stronger intuition. Furthermore, it is thought to increase passion and vitality in personal relationships.. Finally, some cultural groups believe that the fire opal crystal aids in the healing process from past trauma.] Chapter 66 - Revealing The Truth To Jed (From Ella''s Perspective) "You need to give up that too confident attitude, Leora. It''s not good for you," Jed said. "I''m not confident. I just know that I''m right about particular things. Anyway, let''s go. We''ll be late," I said. "The king will summon you to know why you didn''t come for two days," he said. "Really? Then I''ll say that I was sick and that''s all. Valid or not, they have to accept what I say because it''s the rule," I said thinking when Leandro told me the same thing. But when he said this, he sounded better than me. We again ran our way to the castle. We were five minutes earlier than the time. We went inside and I was panting, crouching, and placing my hands on my knees. "Leora Edrei." The voice was not cold, not warm, but very different and ugly in a way. Jed nudged me on my waist with his elbow and I almost fell. I stood up straight only to be face to face with Nicklaus Gregor, the king. "My king," I said and bowed, not as much as others used to do though. "Come with me," he said. "Where?" I asked, then hastily added, "My king." "To my study room," he said. The way he was looking at me was not welcoming at all, unlike Leandro''s. Something was going on in his mind that I could not understand, but I was sure that whatever it was, it was not something good. "Yes, my king," I mumbled. Jed gave me a look that clearly said- ''Be careful''. I nodded at him and then followed Nicklaus into the study room. I had never been here before. Jed and I cleaned the bedrooms and bathrooms only, occasionally the library and the roof. The room was something that looked more of Leandro''s taste than Nicklaus''s. I had a hunch that it was Leandro''s room and Nicklaus''s was using it now. I was sure that Nicklaus barely read a book. He sat in the chair and I stood in front of the table thinking of how to make myself sound truthful. I never lied much, so it was always hard for me to do so. "Why have you been absent for two days?" he asked. Huh! He never cared when I came every day, and now that I was absent for two days only, he had to ask me the reason. Royals were truly the biggest jerks I could see in the world, except Leandro. "I was sick, my king. I had fever. I could not tell anyone to notify you as I don''t have anyone...," I replied. "Do you live alone?" "No, my king. I... I live with my_ husband," I said. "You''re married?" he asked with clear disbelief in his voice. "Yes, my king. We married a few days ago. He is away for a while, so I could not send him as well. I am sorry, my king. It won''t happen again." "What does he do?" "He is_ I don''t know, my king. He doesn''t talk about business with me," I said, trying to sound ignorant. It was hard to do so as I was always accustomed to sound know it all. "What is his name?" "Lee Edrei, my king," I said, thinking that it would be better if I told him that he and I shared a surname. We were supposed to be husband and wife after all. "You can go now," he said. I bowed once more and left, thinking if I did the right thing by saying that I lived with my husband. I wondered how Leandro was going to react finding out about what I had done. I could not take the risk to say that I lived alone. What if he could smell another man from me? Leandro said that they could smell when they were in their human forms. I thought that it would be better if I said that I was married. There would be fewer problems in this case. "So, you''re married now?" Jed''s voice brought me back to reality. "What? You eavesdropped? That''s not a good thing to do. Why did you do that?" I asked. "You''re the one who does it all the time. And it doesn''t matter now. I can''t believe you never for once mentioned that you''re married," he said. "And I thought I was your friend." Now it was a problem. I knew I could trust Jed, but I never told him the truth about everything. It seemed like it was time that I should tell him what was going on. I knew he was not going to betray me. And besides, having a true friend would help in the difficult times as well. "Alright, I''ll tell you everything. But not here. Let''s go clean the rooms. We''ll talk there," I said and pulled him with me though he kept talking all the way. As we started to clean the first room, I was kind of glad to find that it was not as dirty as I expected. "Now tell me," he said. "I want to know everything." "Well, I''m actually not from this world." "Stop joking, Leora. I want to know the truth. No jokes this time." "I''m not joking, punk! Listen to me first," I snapped. "I''m from another world. You don''t know about it, of course. You''re human after all. Listen, there are two worlds." "What..." "Stop interrupting!" I hissed. "There is a portal through which I have come into this world. I mean, it wasn''t intentional and I didn''t know that I would end up here. In a basement of a mansion, I saw a hole and so I entered it. You know how I am. And then, I ended up in a forest. There I met the Beast." "Don''t tell me you''re still alive after that." "How am I talking to you then?" I said, rolling my eyes. "Anyway, so I touched his fur to see if it was soft, and then he managed to get back to his human form. But I fainted at the sight of blood. I hate blood, you know. He took me to his cave and then our story began that way." "He? Don''t tell me it''s..." "Yes, it''s him. Just don''t shout around. He''ll kill me if he finds out that I told you. Well, I''m going to tell him that I told you anyway. I don''t like to keep things from him," I said. Jed was dumbfounded. It took me a while to make him believe what happened. I told him almost everything and he listened to all of them with great interest as we cleaned the rooms. There was a lot to absorb. "Honestly, why the hell did you think that hiding all these things from me would be a good idea and then spilling all the beans at once would be an even better idea?" he asked tiredly sitting on the bed as we finished cleaning the 30th bedroom. "You can''t tell anyone any of these," I said. "I trust you, alright? Just don''t break my trust." "Or your man is going to kill me, I know. But why the hell are you helping him now? Is it because of a place to stay only?" "It was for that only at first. But now... It''s more than that." "Are you..." "I think I''m falling for him, one step at a time. But I surely am falling for this cold man." "Do you think he''s worth it? Everyone says that he is dangerous and cruel..." "If that was the case, would I still be alive?" "Well, no." "Then? I like him, Jed and I think he... He has a heart. He cares for me and he said that he likes me too. I trust him with my life, so I want to stay with him. And besides, he has marked me as well." "As you wish. So your father is a shifter? That means, he is in this world now." "He should be though I''m not so sure about it," I said. "What if you meet him here?" "I don''t know what I''m going to do. Well, if you smack your dad in the nose, is it considered bad?" "Are you planning on smacking your dad if you meet him?" "Kind of. Just tell me if it''s wrong or not." "Why would you do that?" "I told you that he left us. Because of him, I was insulted and humiliated everywhere and Mom also hates me for him. He deserves it." "I''m not saying he doesn''t deserve it. It''s just... It would look weird if you smack him. You can try to talk to him at first, then..." "We''ll see if I ever meet him." "Yeah, that''s good. Anyway, my head is aching with all the things you''ve put in my head. I''m having a breakdown for a while. You better clean the next room without me. I''ll sit for a while." I could not blame him. I had to admit that there was a lot to take in. But I felt happy to let him know about it all. He was a true friend after all.. But in case, he was not the friend I thought him to be, I would prepare my cards in case he decided to betray me. Chapter 67 - Let’s Go Home (From Ella''s Perspective) We were on our way back. Jed was still thinking about the things I had told him earlier. "Everything makes sense now. You''re in love with him." "What?" "You''re in love with Leandro. Oh lord, he is going to kill me if he hears me call him by name, right?" "He might," I said. It was not a lie. I saw how Leandro behaved with others. He was just a bit different towards me. But I had to admit that even when he was a bit possessive, he was kind of handsome, a lot handsome truly. "Don''t tell him I called him that," Jed said. "Anyway, as I said, you''re in love with him and he''s in love with you. Don''t you think you two need to do something more than just kissing?" "It''s not time yet," I said. "And besides, I don''t know if I''m in love with him or if he''s in love with me. We just like each other and that''s all for now. We''ll think about the future later." "Mark my word. You two are in love, just too stupid to see it." "If he hears that you called him stupid..." "You won''t tell him, I know." "I won''t," I said. "Now will you tell me why exactly you are working in the castle?" "Leora, I..." "First of all, my name is Ella. And then, I know that it''s not just for money. I suspect a thing, but I''m not sure." "So you''re telling me I''m in the castle not for money, but something else?" "No, I''m not saying that. I mean, you''re in the castle for money, but there is something else you''ve in mind to do as well. I''m not sure. It''s just... I don''t think it''s normal the way you talk about the king''s father. And call me crazy, but I''ve seen you looking at him that day and trust me, the way your lips were pursing... It''s not normal. There was pure anger. I don''t like him as well. But I''m sure I don''t look like that when I look at him." "Well, you''re right. As you shared your secrets with me, I should share mine as well," Jed sighed. "Remember I told you that my father left my mother? I have never seen my father before or knew who it is. But when my mother threw me out of the house finding out that I''m gay, she slipped out that I''m the king''s father''s child. He left after raping mother." "But your mother is human. Humans and shifters can''t make children here," I pointed out. "They can''t. But my mother is not human. She is a shifter as well. She just doesn''t use her powers," he said. "What? Then you must be a shifter as well?" I exclaimed. The thought of Jed being a shifter was uncomfortable. I could not take the fact that he could turn into that ugly creature at any moment. "I am. I don''t use my powers as well." "It''s a huge thing. You should have told me this earlier. Anyway, do you forget what you do in your Orgade form as well?" "I don''t know. I mean, I''ve never turned before. But they don''t forget what they do in their Orgade forms, I heard." "Leandro forgets... He is different. Perhaps that''s why. But how is it possible that you haven''t turned before?" "I never liked being a shifter. There is no need for me to turn." "But haven''t you ever become angry? Leandro said that if the shifters become angry, they lose control and turn into those things." "I''ve never become that angry," he muttered. "That explains." "So now that you two are tied together because of the marking..." "Half-marking," I corrected. "Yeah, that. He seems pretty sure about it." "He is helping," I said. "Do you think it''s just help? He literally made you his in a way and made him yours. You two are bound together. It''s not just help, Ella." "You don''t understand." "It''s you who doesn''t understand," he said. "Open your eyes, Ella. Can''t you see that he has brought his guards down to you? He tells you about things that others can use against him. He doesn''t care about that. He trusts you. He marked you and it means, neither of you can get anyone else till one of you dies. He can''t mark others or sleep with others without you knowing about it. You can''t do the same. In case of a mark, no one can touch the person without their consent. But as you''re half-marked, no shifters can touch you without your consent. He will know the moment if a shifter tries to do something bad to you. He won''t find out about the humans though... It''s only possible in case of full marks," he said. "Leandro hasn''t told me about this," I muttered. "He must have a reason behind it. He cares for you a lot after all." "Why would he choose me?" "Because he loves you," Jed said without missing the beat. "He cares for you and trusts you. What more any of you needs? He knows that you''re the one for him and you know what? He is the one for you as well. Don''t let him go, Ella." Whatever Jed was saying was not pointless. Did Leandro truly love me? I was not sure about this. Because love was not something easy. But I was sure that he cared for me and trusted me. It was all I needed to think about giving him a chance. He wanted a chance as well. So, why not try? On the way back to the forest, I thought about him. I had to admit that he was doing too many things for me. His behavior changed as well. And he was being gentle with me. Well, he was never too rough on me, but he was not too gentle either. But now... He was different. He even promised me that he would tell me more about him and I knew he would. He would not break his promise. He was waiting for me there, looking as handsome as always wearing that black shirt with the first two buttons undone. He never did those buttons and I had to admit, it enhanced his looks. It was still a mystery to me how I managed to get him by my side. A man as handsome as him was everyone''s dream. He was the type of man everyone wanted. Yet here I was, I never dreamt of having anyone in my life, I got him now. I did not care what our relationship was. All I knew was that he was there in my life, he cared for me and trusted me. I smiled looking at him. To my surprise, the side of his lips curled up into a slight smile as well, welling my heart up with a strange sensation. This feeling was different than the time we kissed or he touched me. It was kind of like the feeling of being_ home. I ran up to him and hugged him. I did not know why I did that. I just felt like I needed to. His familiar muscular scent filled my nostrils and his powerful aura seemed to wrap around me as his hands gently embraced me, pulling me into him. "I kept my deal. I didn''t get in trouble nor did unnecessary things," I said, my nose still buried into his chest. "Now you have to show me the stones." "Good job," he said and to my shock, kissed the top of my head, kind of in a protective and proud way. I looked up at him, surprised. He brought his face down and I did not move away. I let him capture my lips, making my mind blurry with his taste that was hard to resist. His hand wrapped around my waist as his lips moved slow and passionately on mine, tasting every part of me the way I could taste him. He pulled his lips away and kissed right the bottom of my cheekbone. I shuddered, but he held me close to him. He looked at me and my eyes welled up for some reason. It was the first time it happened after a long time. But I managed to blink them away before he could notice, at least I thought so. "Let''s go home. I''ve got a lot to tell you," I said, taking his hand and he smiled at me. "Yes, let''s go home." Chapter 68 - [Bonus ] What She Found Out (From Leandro''s Perspective) I was a bit surprised to see that she did not resist at all. Other times when I kissed her, she would resist just a bit, but this time, there was no kind of guard that she held against me. I was glad that she started to open up, trying to take the chance of how to feel good, how to feel being cared for. Her hand was in my hand as she led me to the cave. This time she took my hand first, and I got to touch her little soft palm again, embraced against my big rough one, like a petal on a stone. "I got to tell you a lot of things that happened. And then you''ll show me the stones you have. I need to see if I can recognize them. I mean, I''ve read about the stones on the internet. You know what the internet is? It''s... It''s where you can find anything out, literally everything. I mean, if you want to see a frog with a hat, you can see that on the internet as well. You can talk to people, embarrass yourself for no particular reason, be dumb or make anyone feel dumb, share your life events like ''Hello, I get up in the morning'' type of stuff, or share quotes for no particular reason like ''Life is not a fairy tale'' type of things. Then you can poke your nose into the places where there is no lack of noses. You know what I mean? It can be useful while being a pain in the ass at the same time," she breathed out the words. It always surprised me how she managed to talk using the types of terms that only she could use. I could not help but smile. It was strange how much I was smiling these days with her around me. It was like I was discovering a new part of me that I never knew existed. "I''ve done something... Well, I''ve told your brother something... I know I could do better than that. But I thought that it would be better if I said this," she said shakily, with a hint of guilt in her tone. "What did you say?" I asked. "Well... Can we talk after we get back?" "If you want to," I said while wondering what she might have told him. She looked as if she was thinking if I would approve of what she said or not. After we reached the cave, she rushed to change her dress. It was like she was hoping to do so all the time. "I hate this dress... Lord, why is it like this?" she muttered in the bathroom as I stood outside with a towel that she had forgotten to take with her. "Leandro, can you get my..." I handed her the towel before she could finish as she peeked opening the door slightly. She looked surprised. She smiled shyly at me and took the towel. I knew that things were getting a lot out of hands with sparks of need flying, but I needed to be patient until she was fully sure that she wanted me until she could trust me not only with her life but also with her heart. I was waiting for that day when she would tell me that she trusted me with her heart and she wanted me. That would be the day when I would make her fully mine, do things to her that I had wanted to do for a very long time. I waited for her in the bedroom. She came after a while, her hair wrapped in the towel with wisps of hair out of the corners. She was wearing my shirt again with her shorts. The second button was mistakenly left undone, revealing a part of her red bra. She did not seem to notice it at all as she was busy biting her fingernails. She sat on the bed beside me, precisely saying jumped on the bed. If I had not known, it was hard to believe that she was seventeen seeing the way she behaved all the time, except when we kissed. I had to admit that in some cases, she was a bit mature and knew a lot of things. "Now I''ll tell you first about what happened and then you''ll show me the stones, ok?" "Ok," I said and waited for her to start, taking her features in with my eyes, savoring the sight of her trying to start. "When Jed and I reached the castle, your brother summoned me to the study room. I think the study room is not his. I mean, he doesn''t seem to be the type of person to read books or precisely say, know how to read or write. It seems like the type of place you would like. It''s just a guess though. Anyway, he asked me why I was absent for two days. I said that I was sick and no one could deliver the news to the castle. He asked me if I live alone. I said no and said that_ I''m married and I live with my husband. I mean, you know when someone finds out that you''re married, and then they don''t really ask about your address. So, I said that. And I said that my husband''s name is Lee Edrei, and he does some kind of work that I don''t know about. Nicklaus seemed surprised for some reason, you know, to find out that I''m married. Is it so hard to believe? I mean, I know I look a bit little for my age... but hey, I can do and understand things- mature things. So... It''s not impossible, right? He has to believe me, right? Well, I don''t have a ring, I know. Not everyone wears a wedding ring, right? Besides, that woman I saw in the store... the one I helped to calm his son down, remember? She said she is married, but she wasn''t wearing a ring either. So, I thought it would not be a big problem. I mean, I''m supposed to be poor, right as I work as a servant? I think he won''t suspect. The thing I wanted to say... Are you mad at me? I understand that I said this out of nowhere without discussing it with you. I understand that I was irresponsible. Are you angry?" I did not know what to say to let her know that I was not angry, rather I was kind of_ happy for some reason. I knew that she was not my wife and all, but if she was truly, then it would not be a bad thing. And it would be her if no one else. "It''s better this way. He knows that you''re off-limits. I know Nicklaus. He might be anything, but he doesn''t touch other people''s women or wives. You can say that idiot has a bit of sense in this case. So, you don''t have to worry about him doing bad things to you," I said. "That''s good. I didn''t expect it though. But anyway, he won''t want to take me." "How do you know that?" "I know," she mumbled. I knew she was again thinking that she was not pretty enough. How could I make her understand that people would do anything just to get a touch of her? "Anything else happened today?" I asked, trying to get her off the insecure thoughts she was having at the moment. "Yeah, a lot. I told Jed about the truth," she said. "What?" I asked, shocked. "I... I think he won''t betray us. He is a good person. He isn''t like the ones that would leave us in danger. I trust him with my life, Leandro. He won''t do anything wrong to us," she said. "And how are you so sure? You don''t even know him properly," I said. I could not believe she just told that boy everything. How much could she trust the boy that he was worth knowing everything? "Because he wouldn''t dare even if he has any bad thoughts. I know his secrets as well," she said. "He is there to see what kind of person his father is." "His father?" "Your father... He is your stepbrother in a way. He is your father''s illegitimate child." I was shocked. I had never thought Father had other children as well. But now what she was saying... "He told you?" "Yeah." "And you believed it?" She looked at me as if I was mad. "I suspected this for a long time. There are similarities between your father and his looks. Their ears... Did you notice? They both have square ears. Then both of them have similar types of lips. Their lips are weird.. I knew that there must be some kind of connection or something between them. See? I was right all along!" Chapter 69 - Attached (From Leandro''s Perspective) "It can happen between two random people too. How can you just say that they are relatives just by seeing this?" I asked tiredly. Arguing with Ella would easily drain anyone''s energy and cause the loss of words. "You don''t understand. It''s just not that. There are a lot of similarities too, I just can''t point to the right place," she said impatiently. "Can you..." "Just leave it, Leandro. If he betrays us, I''ll take the responsibility and you can kill me. I swear I won''t run away. It''s not like I can even if I try. You''re faster. You''ll catch me anyway. All I''m saying is that I''ll give myself to you and you can kill me. I won''t even try to run away or do anything." She was not joking. Her facial expression, her tones were serious with no hint of joking. But how could I tell her that no matter what, now that she had made a place like a deep wound in my heart, I could never kill her even if everything went wrong and even if I found out that she was behind that though she was never going to betray me? "I know you won''t kill me," she mumbled to my surprise, "because you got attached." Did she have to be so straightforward with everything? It was like she could read me like a page tucked into a narrow gap where she could read a few parts from it. But those parts were_ true. "I know it happens... I lived with my family all those years. Even though they never treated me well, I still craved for their betterment and safety no matter what. I wanted not to call them my family and stop thinking about them, but I couldn''t. It was like an invisible pull. I understand that comparing you to my family is not the right thing to do... Because you treat me well_ better than anyone has ever done to me. They have a reason for what they do, but you don''t. But still, there is a bit of similarity between my family and you. They are attached to me in a blood-related way, and you got attached to me as we live together all the time... It''s just how life is. We get attached to people and then it gets harder and harder to let go. Like you''re attached to me, I''m attached to you too. Do you think I can go and betray you just like that, leave you just like that? I can''t. I know I still want to open the portal... But I''m not sure how I''m supposed to leave you. It''s an invisible pull as well... But the fact is that I feel it more than I felt with my family. It''s stronger_ much stronger than anything else. I can''t describe it, but I can feel it." "How can you be so straightforward? Too bold... How are you like this?" "You know how I am," she smiled. "There is no reason. I just like to state facts and highlight the main points." "And I think," I said, leaning closer to her, "that''s why I like you." She blushed but did not move away from me, rather she stayed like that, her lips inviting mine to touch. When she was this inviting, how could I not give her what she wanted, but was shy to do so? My lips met her and she gasped in a way as if she was waiting for this, craving but not quite brave to start it. She held my neck, pulling me towards her, but I had other plans. I wrapped my arms around her tiny waist, pulling her to me. My pull was much more powerful than her and her petite form tumbled upon mine. She was on my lap, as both of our lips were savoring each other''s tastes, like the most addictive thing of all. Lack of breath forced me to pull my lips away from her, but I was not done with her. I never would be. The moment my lips met the tender part of her throat, she lifted her hips up, gripping my shoulders tightly. I knew that she was not doing this on purpose and she did not know how she was hurting me as my insides filled with the need for her, but still, I felt the need to make her mine fully right away. "Uh... Leandro..." "You can always say no if you don''t like something," I said in a husky voice. She looked down at me with her deep honey-brown eyes in confusion. I chuckled and pinched her hip. Her eyes widened as she winced in pain. I started to kiss her throat and the side of her neck hungrily, while my hands roamed on the side of her body, slowly and gently, like a pain that''s worth enduring. My hand slowly went up to her front and my fingers ran over her nipple that was hardened under my touch like a leaf on a cold winter morning. She was surprised as she held on to my neck tightly as if she was falling and I was her only support. "Yes?" "Y-Yes," she mumbled, more like a moan. I started to caress her breast with my hand while my other hand was keeping her in place wrapping around her waist. She was moving a lot, kind of like squirming at the reaction of my touch. I played with the hard bud with my fingers, placing it between them, then squeezing slightly. "That''s... uh..." I kissed her lips once more before she held my hand weakly to stop me. I did not go any further just like I promised. "Don''t you like it?" I asked. "I do... But I''m not ready yet," she said, "for anything else." I kissed her on the forehead, looking down at her slightly guilty and flushed face. "It''s alright. It''s me who is a bit impatient." She nodded, her damp brown hair falling on her slightly sweaty brow. I removed the wisps of hair from her forehead and she leaned in my touch. "You need to eat. Let''s go. We''ll have dinner," I said. "No! You haven''t shown me the stones yet," she said and climbed down my lap. She pulled me with her by my hand and took me to the closet, looking at me with an adorable angry look. "Alright, my little wife, I''ll show you," I said. She was surprised as she blushed. "I''m not your wife." "You''re the one who said it to Nicklaus." "That''s fake. And besides, I''m Lee Edrei''s wife, not yours." "I am Lee Edrei, just the way you''re Leora Edrei," I said into her ear. "It''s a lie, yet so true in a spectacular way." "I''m underage," she mumbled. "I''m not eighteen yet. Wait! I am eighteen!" The sudden change of her tone and reaction would surprise anyone, but as I stayed with her these days, I knew how normal it was for her. "I''ve turned eighteen two days ago. I had been counting down days for a long time, yet I forgot. Damn it! Anyway, it doesn''t matter. I don''t celebrate birthdays." "Why not?" I asked. "Well, I''m getting closer to death, right? I''m losing a year of my life as my birthday comes. I don''t like celebrating because my death is getting closer," she said as if it was common sense. "You have a point there." "I know. Now show me the stones." I sighed and opened the closet. From inside, I took a box out that I had been caring for a long time. I had never shown them to anyone else. I did not care for them that much, but I still liked to keep my things private. But to her, my privacy did not seem like a good thing. She was so curious that she would go any length to know something, let it be something simple. She was slightly reckless in this case but always managed to get away from everything. But it surprised me why she had not gotten through my stuff. Was she respecting my privacy? She snatched the box from my hand and sat on the bed, pulling me with her. She jumped on the bed, like a little kid for no reason and smiled at me. Sometimes I truly had a problem thinking how old she truly was. "Come on," she urged and I sat on the bed beside her. "How do you open it? It seems impossible to... Got it!" She opened the box with a bit of hardship. Her lips were pouted and pursed together adorably as she tried to concentrate to open the box giving me the urge to claim her lips once again. "Why didn''t you see what''s inside it before? You don''t seem like the person to ask for permission," I said. "Be glad. It''s your thing. I was just giving you the privacy you need," she grumbled. "Why? You never do this with anyone." "Because I like you and I want to trust you and want you to trust me. I want you to rely on me with anything and I want you to be the one to tell me something if you want to.. I don''t want to be so nagging_ with you." Chapter 70 - The Stones (From Ella''s Perspective) "Why me?" he asked. I laughed. "That''s the type of thing girls ask usually. Now that you asked... Well, it''s because I like you and you said you like me too. Don''t you think we need to be truthful and respect each other''s privacy? It''s not like I have any kind of privacy as I told you everything about me. But I don''t know all about you, so until then, I think it''s good to let you keep your secrets and stuff like that, you know." "But a few days ago, you didn''t know if I like you." "But I knew that I like you," I said and just that moment, I realized what I had said. I had just admitted that I had liked him before too, now there was no turning back because I would not lie to him no matter what. It was who I was. I did not like to lie to the person I cared about. And he was beyond a possibility of being lied to. "Don''t make is sound awkward and weird. Just don''t say anything," I said hastily before he could say something. "Just tell me if it''s true," he said, with a small smile on his face that was kind of new. "It is," I mumbled and started to look into the box. I did not want to see what kind of reaction he had. I felt too embarrassed to say anything else or merely look at him. The stones he had inside the box... They were_ precious. I had never thought that anyone could have all those kinds of precious stones. I knew he was rich, richer than I could count, but I never expected him to collect stones. "It''s a red ruby, Leandro!" I exclaimed, holding the deep red stone, that seemed to be illuminating purity and a calming yet heated sensation. "I can see that," he said tiredly. "You haven''t told me you had a red ruby. It''s freaking precious!" I yelled in excitement. "Hey, what''s with that look? Give me some reaction... a huge smile!" "Ella, I had this thing for so many years. It''s not my first time seeing it. Why would I scream and yell?" "You got a point there. But I don''t think you screamed or yelled when you first saw it." He did not say anything. I knew I was right. What a cold person! I was sure that nothing in this world could make him truly happy or bring him to tears. "Who gave it to you?" "I used to go to different places and forests. I found it," he said. "That''s so cool! Next time when you go somewhere, take me with you. We both will look for some stones and bring thousands of them home!" I said. "You know, in our world, it''s really costly as I said. Is it costly here too?" "Yes. It shows lust and purity here." "Isn''t it an odd combination- lust and purity? I mean, when you''re lustful, then you lose control over yourself and end up doing that mature touchy thing, right? But purity means to control, peace of mind. I''m sure when you''re lustful, your mind doesn''t remain peaceful at all. Weird things come to mind, making you insane. In my world, red ruby is a sign of passion, nobility, and purity. Then again, some call it lustrous. I mean, seriously? People are weird. It''s so odd and confusing." "It isn''t about random lust like when you see someone and become lustful... It''s about the right time with the right person. Here, it means when you entwine with the one that you love, make the person yours completely... When it happens, then lust turns into purity, a passion that can connect two peoples'' souls." "That''s so philosophical," I mumbled. "I''m not joking. I mean, I understand the meaning now. But the way you said it, well, I never saw you like that. Anyway, you described it amazingly. I''m so proud of you!" "Do you have to make everything sound like that?" he asked and I noticed that he was smiling slightly, kind of like the smile he was trying to hold back. I grinned and placed the red ruby on the bed very carefully, as if I was placing a little baby, trying hard so it would not get hurt. The next thing I found was a diamond, the biggest one I had ever seen, on both the internet and in real life. The diamond that was on Mom''s engagement ring was quite small, compared to nothing next to the one I was holding at the moment. "Why is this so big?" I asked, trying to see if it weighted too much that I would not be able to hold it in one hand. "It''s way bigger than the ones I saw. Mom''s one would look tiny next to it. Are you sure it''s real?" "It is real," he said. "It''s so cool! Every girl would like it. You know, people in my world say that diamonds are girls'' best friends. There is a song too- ''Diamonds are girl''s best friend''. It''s from the movie ''Birds of Prey''. I haven''t watched it, but I watched the song. It''s kinda cool. Normani and Megan Thee Stallion sang it. I''m not their fan, but I like the song," I said. "And let me remind you again. I use the word ''cool'' a lot. You can''t mind." "I know. You said it before too." "Yeah, yeah, I know. I''m just reminding you in case you''ve forgotten." He gave me a look that said- ''I don''t forget anything you say''. But it could not be true, right? I perhaps misread his expression. "Girls would be crazy to get it, you know. If they knew it''s yours, then they would throw themselves at you to get it, I mean, these stones. They are crazy over these things." "Aren''t you?" "Me? Nah," I said impatiently, "They are stones, right? I still don''t understand why people would go crazy over stones. Honestly, they are just stones! But people waste millions of money on them. They''re crazy. I like to know about the stones, I like to see them, but I won''t go crazy over them. You know, sometimes like when a boy cheats on a girl multiple times and then shows up with an engagement ring with a huge diamond, the girl jumps over him saying yes and crying as they''ve never done before forgetting all about what the boy did as if a diamond ring is a string that was needed in a relationship. Don''t you think these kinds of stones drive people crazy? After all, they are stones only. Just think about it- there are two forms of carbon. Carbon is a chemical element with atom number six. Anyway, so there are two forms of carbon- graphite and diamond. From the same place, but one is valuable while the other is cheap kind of like two sisters from the same family while one is treated as if the most precious thing of all and the other is treated like trash. Anyway, my thinking is weird. Just tell me to shut up. I talk a lot." "Your thinking is indeed different, but it''s real and true. You''re not blinded by anything. Why would I stop you when your words make me think about everything all over again and realize that it''s better if you''re close? And I intend to keep you close until you think of leaving," he said. Was I truly real and true? He would not lie to me, he promised me. But the things he told about me- I had to think of them. No one had ever told me those things. I was a bit confused. He also said he wanted to keep me close until I decided to leave. But would I ever want to leave him? "And don''t compare yourself with your sister. She is not worth it," he said suddenly. "Don''t worry, I won''t," I said, but more like a promise to myself. Perhaps in my world, I had difficulty finding my place, but here, in a completely unknown world where I was not supposed to have a place, I seemed to have made one. No one cared for me in my world, but here, I found a person who cared for me, and deep in my heart, I found the answer to my question. "Do I want to leave him?" "No, never." [Note- Gemstones: Gemstones are minerals selected for their beauty and durability, then cut and polished for use as human adornment. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule. Although pearls and amber are well-known gemstones, they are not minerals. They come from organic sources. Opals are frequently used as jewelry stones, but these delicate gems must be handled with great care. Precious stones have traditionally been the Big Four gemstones: diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Everything else was semi-precious stones. Gemologists no longer use these terms because they imply that some gems are better or more valuable than others.. In fact, some "semi-precious" stones are far more valuable than "precious" stones.] Chapter 71 - Lucky Star (From Ella''s Perspective) "Oh, it''s a blue sapphire," I said picking up the next stone. "You know, Linda and Mom''s eyes look like these. They''re kind of beautiful I have to say. Owen has blue eyes too. It''s just me in the house who has brown eyes. I think Dad has or had if he is dead now brown eyes like me." "Your eyes are like honey," he said. "Yeah, people say that a lot. It''s called honey-brown. They look evil," I said. He laughed. "Don''t worry. I''m evil too. We match." I did not understand if he truly meant what he said. Was he evil? Even if he was, what kind of evil was he? Was he calling himself evil because he killed people and also his sister in his monster form? I wanted to tell him that he did not do it on purpose. He did not have any control in his monster form. But then I thought that it would be better if I did not say anything. He would soon realize that he was not a monster like the way I knew from the beginning that he was not. "They are the most wanted sapphire, you know, though other colors are rarer to find. Perhaps because blue ones are the most valuable. Blue was once my favorite color too when I was little. Then it changed eventually. Most of my outfits are black for that though not the ones that I''ve with me now. Zoe told me to bring outfits of different colors so we could take weird pictures together. Zoe''s family was supposed to have a family reunion. One of her cousins was about to be there... She always likes to behave as if she owns the world and you know, she has tiktok face disorder. So, one day I told her to get help for that in front of everyone. She got angry and started to try to take me down since then. I have to admit that I was kinda rude, but well, she deserved it. She had been showing off her dresses and honestly, I don''t care about any of those, but she started to blubber to me about them. My brain cells were dying... I had to do something. You understand the situation, don''t you?" "Of course, I do," he said with a serious look on his face. "Well, then I took those colorful outfits there to show her that we don''t need to have TikTok face disorder to look good. Oh, I haven''t told you about TikTok face disorder, have I? Well, there is this app called TikTok... It''s a site that''s used to make people weirder than usual, more stupid than usual. In TikTok, they tell sad or happy stories while a song is going to be in the background that''s supposed to make the story feel good or bad or sad or whatever they''re trying to make us feel. Anyway, so people also make weird movements with their hands and legs that they call dance as a disgrace to the word. They make little videos about these things and then share them with the world and for some reason, people say that''s the best thing ever happened. Also, some of those TikTok users like to call this weird behavioral problem that can''t be controlled a job and also make money with it. You know what? I''m really happy to be in your world and I think I''m not losing my sanity like before," I said breathlessly. "And while doing TikTok, I mean, making those silly videos, people try to make weird shapes with their noses and lips and literally every part of their face. It''s called TikTok face disorder. It''s serious. It makes people look more stupid. But there is help, so no worries. You just have to seek help. Anyway, let''s see what the next stone is." The next one was a green emerald. They were captivating as if it was unique and the one to catch attention. "It represents prosperity and growth within all aspects of life," he said. "Then it''s definitely not for me," I muttered. "So you know that you haven''t grown up." "From some points, I haven''t. But hey, growing up is painful and stressful. I like to stay the way I am. What... Don''t you like me because I''m not grown up? I''m an adult now, well according to age. Perhaps I''m not mentally... but that doesn''t matter, does it? I know a lot of things. Like mature stuff along with useful knowledge." "I like you the way you are, Ella." "Oh, that''s good. I was scared." "You were scared that I won''t like you?" he asked. Oh shit! I had said these kinds of things without knowing again. How could I be like this? Now I did not know how to look at him. I was way too embarrassed. "It''s an opal," I said picking up the next stone, trying hard to change the subject while also keeping my voice even. He did not have just one opal, rather lots of them were in different colors. I wondered why he kept those. Was that for a hobby? "Wow! You''ve pink sapphire too. Isn''t it cute? It kind of looks like pink rose petals, doesn''t it? Pink isn''t my favorite color, but Zoe''s mother said that I look good in deep pink. I''ve bought a deep pink dress after she said that. Too bad I couldn''t show her." "Why?" "I''m here, ain''t I? I bought it the day before I came here," I said. "I took the dress with me to show her. But well..." "It means you have it with you?" he asked. "Yeah." "We are going to the pub tomorrow. You should wear it." "People would look at me weirdly. It''s just a pub after all... Silly people go there. What if they think I''m stupid or something?" "If they do, it doesn''t matter. But if they say or try to do something, don''t worry, they will be treated well." "Are you going to kill them?" "That''s the least of your worries." "Don''t kill them. It''s not good to kill people for a silly reason. I''m okay with teaching them a lesson with punches and all, but not killing. That''s extreme." "If you say so." "You''ve changed," I muttered. "Anyway, it''s tanzanite. You''ve lots of them, Leandro. Why are there so many stones? Wow, here is another red ruby... These diamonds are little... Look, I got a topaz! People say it symbolizes fire energy," I said. "It''s a stone of nobility, love, passion," he said. "Do you believe these kinds of sayings?" "No." "Neither do I. But it feels good to learn about them," I said. I could not count how many stones he had. They were a lot in different varieties. But I knew all about them. I had read so much on the internet that it was hard to forget. But I never got the chance to talk to people about them. To be honest, I never could talk to anyone about anything. No one listened to me. That was the reason I never could mix with people. Some people would come to talk to me, they would behave well towards me but I never talked to them properly or thought of them as my friend because_ I could always see through them. I always knew what they were with me for. None of them talked to me if they did not want anything from me in return. Mom was not good at reading people. But I could. Perhaps Dad was like this. Perhaps he could see through people too. That was the thing I could thank him for. He left me but gave me a piece of his personality that helped me survive. But it was not enough for me to forget what he had put me through. Perhaps if he was in my life, I would not have to be hated by almost everyone. I was close to Zoe''s family. Her family cared for me and treated me as their own. I was grateful for it. At least because of them, I got a slight taste of what family was. Zoe''s grandmother told us once that everyone had a lucky star that they were destined to meet. Let it be a friend, or more than a friend, or someone else, they were destined to meet them. That day I laughed it off. I did not believe her. Perhaps because I did not know what she meant. I did not try to understand. But now, perhaps I knew what she meant. Leandro was still looking at me as if trying to find out what was on my mind. I felt something_ kind of like a click in my head and_ heart. The more I looked at him, the surer I became... Maybe, there was the slightest chance that he was my lucky star. [Please get help if you have TikTok face disorder. I wish you all a good life without suffering from unnecessary artificial diseases] Chapter 72 - Each Other’s (From Leandro''s Perspective) She seemed to be excited seeing the stones. They were precious, but she did not care about the values, rather she enjoyed them for their beauty. Even though she was so enthusiastic and reckless about everything, sometimes I wondered if she knew that there was a part that was very deep about her. Her words always roamed in my head. The more I spent time with her, the more I was valuing life in a different way, the more I was eager to stay with her and learn more about not only her but also what she knew, what she thought, what she craved. "This is a citrine... This one is golden. Wow, I love the orange shade on it. Look! It''s cute... It''s an alexandrite. It''s quite handsome. Oh, now that I think of it_ Have you heard the name Alexander?" "I had a cousin named Alexander," I said. "Really? Well, do you think this name is way too common? You know, this name... Oh lord, writers use this name like it''s what they breathe. In romance novels especially, like you start reading a steamy romance novel, the male lead''s name is Alexander. Dominating male lead, you get Alexander_ Handsome but arrogant male lead, here is Alexander_ Erotic novel, Alexander will say hello again_ Evil power-hungry male lead, hey, I''m Alexander. Honestly, your name is better than it. I have never heard a name like yours before. Leandro- it''s quite ancient. That''s why," she said. "You don''t mind that I call you ancient, do you?" "No." How could I mind anything she said when she was being way too adorable? It seemed like I got attached to her adorable chaotic nature. "It''s an ametrine... I got another opal. It''s an Australian opal. Of course, you guys don''t call it that here. There is no Australia here... Cat''s eye moonstone. Weird shape! That''s why it''s called cat''s eye moonstone... You got pearls too... Isn''t this a green Kyanite...?... Huh, I got a moonstone! I was thinking if you have one other than the cat''s eye one... A neon apatite! Do you know that there is a chemical element called neon in my world? Atom number ten, a noble gas. It will take longer to tell you what noble gas is. But don''t worry, I''ll surely tell you about them someday... Wow, another moonstone! It''s a rainbow moonstone... Rhodochrosite!" She was talking non-stop as she examined the stones. It did not take too much to make her happy. Well, she was almost always happy, like she was trying to enjoy life. I had been thinking of asking this her, but never could think of the correct way to do so. Seeing her this happy and smiley, a smile would always curve up on my lips. She had the ability to brighten up any place, yet she was the one who craved darkness the most_ like the way she was craving me. I knew I was dangerous for her and getting attached to her was not good for her, neither it was for me. I was not sure if I would not lose control around her. And if I did, then I could not even bring myself to think of what I was going to do. If I ever ended up hurting her, I knew that no matter what, I would never be able to forgive myself. Now that she made a huge place in my heart, losing her would cause me a lot. This was the reason I did not want to think of her or get close to her, but now that I did, I knew that I had to protect her at all cost. She was precious_ and she was mine... "At last done! You''ve almost all kinds of stones. There are two hundred types of stones that you have. But there are a few that you don''t have," she said after a long time of examining the stones and commenting about them. "You can''t find out what I don''t have. I''ve lots of them. It''s hard to identify," I said. "No, it''s not. I know what you don''t have. You don''t have red coral, white topaz... I haven''t seen watermelon tourmaline as well... then trapiche emerald, and oh yeah, smoky quartz. That are the ones I could not find here. Can we find them in this forest? Will you take me with you to look for them? You can add them to your collection then," she said normally like it was not a big deal at all. I did not even know the names of all the stones I collected. I just collected them out of a hobby, but never truly tried to find out a lot about them. But this girl, she did not even care how precious those stones were, knew all about them and even she managed to say how many types of stones I had and what types I did not have. It felt like she was an expert at this though I was sure that no expert would be able to tell this. "Let''s go have dinner." It was all I managed to utter after looking at her in disbelief for a long time while she stuffed the stones back in the box. "Yeah, let''s go. I''m hungry too," she said and handed me the box. "Keep it back in the closet. We''ll go out and find more stones. It will be cool! Now come on quickly. I''m hungry." As we were eating, I noticed that she was eating very quickly again. "So why are we going to the pub tomorrow?" she asked. "I thought you knew." "To see how people think about the whole situation? Is that all?" "Not anything more now." "Well, I wanted to ask you something_ about someone actually. Do you know Valentino Trenton?" "Who is that?" I asked, anger slowly building inside me thinking that she was asking me about a guy. Was she interested in her? Did she like her? But she said she liked me. How could she like another guy? "You don''t know," she mumbled, deep in thought with her fork on her lips. "Why do you want to know about him?" I asked, trying to control my anger. "What''s with your tone?" "Just tell me why you want to know about him. I don''t like to repeat myself." "Can you find out about him? That would save me a lot of work. Can you ask Anders to do it? He seemed to know about people. I mean, he said that he has many shifters. He can send one of them to know more about him. You know, I thought of asking Jed about him, but I forgot. He might know..." "Stop talking, Ella." "I better go look for him myself. Do you think it would be weird..." "Stop it, Ella," I said, pursing my lips. "I don''t even know what to say to him. I mean, he might ask how I know him. It would be so..." She could not finish as I started to kiss her senselessly. The taste of steak was still in her mouth as she was not finished with her dinner yet. But I did not care. I needed to let her know that she was mine. Perhaps I was being possessive and was acting without knowing everything first, but hearing her talking about other men like this was too much for me. The fork fell from her hand as she grabbed my shirt, trying to push me away in a feeble attempt. But I did not let go of her. I pinched on her waist, making her wince in pain. The moment she opened her lips, I took the chance to push my tongue inside her. It was too raw to kiss her while she was eating, but it did not matter as long it was her. I pulled back only when I realized that she was out of breath. She panted, her hand still holding my shirt tightly. "Why_ have you_ done that?" "You know why I did that." "What? I don''t... Don''t tell me... You''re so immature," she grumbled. "I asked you about him because Rosaire told me about him before her death. She told me to meet him. So I asked you. And I said about Anders because he seemed to be relevant with these types of things." "Don''t meet anyone alone, let alone a man. They''ve bad thoughts." "You don''t have to tell me that. I know." "And if you want to know someone, tell me. Don''t mention Anders." "Do you hate him?" she asked. "No. But I hate it when someone looks at my thing in a way that only I can look at. I don''t like others trying to take my thing. I know he never can, but I don''t like to see him gawking." "I don''t..." "You don''t have to understand," I said, not letting her finish. "Just know that we''re each other''s now.. Just remember this." Chapter 73 - Let’s Start A Relationship (From Ella''s Perspective) Sometimes trying to understand Leandro was like trying to read colors. Perhaps reading colors was easier than understanding him. He was like shadows, in front of me, but hard to touch, to see through. But I was getting surprised again and again when he kissed me all of a sudden out of nowhere. When he kissed me after I asked him about Valentino Trenton, all I could feel was shock and a sudden pleasure even though it was supposed to be disgusting as I was eating at that moment. But why did he do that? It kind of felt like he was jealous. Perhaps I was right. He was indeed jealous. He behaved almost the same way when he said he could smell Jed from me. That day Jed hugged me after coming out to me, but Leandro thought I had slept with Jed. He kissed me like a hungry beast that time and then suddenly broke the kiss and went to the bathroom. He even broke the mirror with his fist. Then when he went to Jed''s place and I laughed with Jed with Jed''s arm around my waist as he helped me not to fall, he became angry and kissed my throat and lips right in front of Jed. That day when he took me to that forest cabin, he told Anders to keep his eyes to himself. I wondered if Anders was looking at me and that was the reason Leandro said that. They all seemed to be connected together. Was he truly jealous? But we were not in a relationship. Was it not a bit odd for him to get jealous for me when we were not together? Besides, could we be ever together? I was no match for him. Even though I had shifter blood, I was still a human. He marked me, but he said it clearly that he never intended to mark anyone. It meant he did not want to ever be with anyone. And I never thought of myself with someone as well. Though we were supposed to be together with the mark thing going on, I could not see how we could be together. Sometimes he felt so close, and sometimes he was far away. No relationship could ever work like this. There must not be any secrets, any lies in a relationship. And I would never get into a relationship if I did not know all about the other person, if I could not trust him. I trusted him, but not with my heart. I would get into a relationship with him even if I could not trust him with my heart, but just my life. But still, I needed to know more about him. I needed to know what was inside his hard shell that he was keeping for a long time. I wanted to know what his flaws were, what his strengths were. I wanted him to trust me fully to tell me those. Only then, perhaps I would take a chance. "I need to talk to you about something," he said suddenly. I thought he had fallen asleep already. After dinner, we had come to bed. I was reading a book for a while, but I could not concentrate as my mind was full of him. "What is it?" I asked. "The thing that''s going on between us- it''s not normal. We''re not friends, not enemies, not siblings, basically, there is nothing that can describe us right now. I thought about this for a while and I think it''s better if we start a relationship," he said. I could not believe he said this. It was the same thing that I had been thinking about for a while now. But what was I going to say to him now? "It''s early, I know. But I don''t think I can stay with you like this, with this kind of thing going on if we''re not in a relationship. It will break us both," he added. "I understand. I''ll think about it," I said. "Do you hate me?" "No." "Then why?" "Do we go and start a relationship with someone just because we don''t hate them? A relationship requires truth, no secrets... There is no point in a relationship full of dark secrets with a past that the other person doesn''t know about. This kind of relationship only works in romance novels and movies. In real life, it''s not possible. Yes, I want to be with you. But do we take or get what we want always? We crave sweets, but do we eat them all the time? We eat a particular amount that''s good for us. Excessive things cause damage_ always. Even if I want you, I won''t be with you until_ there are no secrets between us. I tell you everything, every single thing that happens because I know that you won''t break my trust. I trust you with my life, Leandro. That''s why I don''t fear telling you about my flaws, my life... But you don''t do the same. There is always a part of you that''s so far away. I try to touch that part, but you subconsciously push me away and wrap yourself in the cold mystery again. I don''t care what kind of person you are. Just let me know you, let me get close to you. Or do you think there would be any point of the relationship where one of us will always feel so distant?" He did not say anything. I was lying with my back facing him, but I could feel his gaze on my back like burning coal pressed again my skin. It was uncomfortable, but I did not turn to look at him. I knew the moment the words left my mouth, I was going to be clear with him. He would know that I truly wanted him, but was afraid to be with him at the same time. "You''re afraid," he said after a while. "Of course I''m afraid!" I said loudly. "Why wouldn''t I be? I know what the result will be. I don''t want to get hurt, Leandro! I don''t want to be left broken-hearted! I know what this kind of sudden attraction can do to someone. I''m the result of sudden attraction, ain''t I? No one can understand this better than me. Mom made a mistake and Dad left. They made me. What''s my fault in this? Did I ask them to make me? Did I ask to be their child? Did I ask to be born? Yet, I''m the one suffering the most. Mom loves Dad. I know she does. Perhaps they weren''t together for a long time, but the time they spent together, it''s enough for Mom to fall for him. She doesn''t want to love him, but she still does. She wants to forget him, but she can''t. Do you know why? Because of me! Looking at me makes her remember Dad again and she treats me like trash then as if she is taking her revenge on Dad for leaving her. See? See why I''m afraid? I don''t want to be in this kind of relationship. It''s painful. And this pain won''t make me stronger, rather it will take me down." "Do you think it''s just you who doesn''t want to get hurt, Ella?" he asked calmly. "Do you think I would want you to leave me?" "Even if I don''t leave, you can leave me," I mumbled. He sighed. "Sleep, Ella. Don''t get into any kind of trouble at the castle and hide your marking. They know that you''re not a shifter from your smell. But if they see you''re marked, they will get suspicious. Humans can''t be marked here. They will try to find out more about you. Just stay out of everyone''s sight if possible." "I''m going to be with your stepbrother. No need to worry." "Stop calling him my brother." "I said stepbrother. There is a difference," I said. "Now that I think of... We actually have this thing in common. You have a stepbrother and I have a step sister. We both have a step-sibling. The only difference is that Jed is amazing. He is really cool, not boring and also a good person. And of course, he is my friend. But Linda, huh- she is the most disgusting person you''ll ever meet. She is so annoying that you will want to die. I mean, honestly- Who says that seeing a black cat would lessen your beauty? She is like that. Stupid, yet thinks she is the smartest. She is good-looking, but not in the way Mom and Owen say she is. She has no common sense with zero IQ... Let''s just forget about her. Thinking about her gives me real pain. Let''s sleep, ok? And let me tell you this again. I don''t hate you. I don''t love you. But I like you_ a lot. And I''ll surely think about what you said. Goodnight then." "Goodnight," he said and kissed me on the forehead. It was unexpected. "Don''t worry.. I won''t leave you alone." Chapter 74 - Angel (From Leandro''s Perspective) The next morning, she went to the castle as usual. She did not talk much. Perhaps because of our talk last night. But she seemed to be so deep in thought. I did not try to talk to her either because I knew when she wanted to, she would surely talk to me. I told her that she had to come back to the cave herself. I just wanted to see how she was going to react. But then, I ended up going to the end of the forest to wait for her. "What''re you doing here? You said you wouldn''t come tonight," she said as soon as she saw me waiting for her. "I didn''t have anything to do. Come on now. We''ll leave for the pub." "We can go now. I don''t need to change clothes. You look handsome too." "No. You''re wearing your pink dress." "There is no need..." "Let''s go. You need to get ready," I said and took her hand, pulling her with me. "You wouldn''t believe how boring today was. I almost died in boredom," she said, yawning. "Why? You haven''t got into any trouble today?" "You''re bad," she grumbled. "Don''t tell things that have two meanings. I might get the wrong idea," I warned her. "What did I say? I just said you''re bad. You''re in a way. I didn''t say evil, just bad. There is a massive difference." "You''ll know the meaning one day." After we reached the cave, I saw that she was blushing and smiling for no reason. She was covering her mouth with her hand to stop herself. "What''s wrong?" I asked. "Nothing... Well, it''s so embarrassing...," she mumbled, trying to suppress laughter. I raised an eyebrow at her. I knew she was going to tell me no matter what. That''s how she was. No matter how embarrassing something was, she would tell me that anyway. "Well, when we_ kiss and you_ kiss my throat and touch me like that_ Remember the noise comes out of my mouth? Dear lord, it''s so embarrassing! Those purring-type noises... Honestly, I sound like a cat, worse than a cat. You don''t make too much noise though. See? I don''t want to make them, but it''s uncontrollable. I know it happens during this kind of time, but I never thought I would make them too. I mean, it''s really..." The things she was talking about without knowing what they were doing to me- I had to stop her before she started talking about something else too. It was getting too much for me to bear. Yet, a part of me wanted to see how far she was going to take it. I wanted to see how much she knew. She talked like she knew a lot about them and was not surprised at anything I did. "You talk like you''ve experience," I said. "No, I don''t. You don''t need to have the experience to know about certain things." "What did you say? You don''t have experience?" "No. What gave you the idea I have? Didn''t you see the way I kiss? It''s awful." Now how could I say that seeing her skill in kissing, I thought that she had done it a lot of times before? "You mean, I was your first kiss?" I asked while wanting badly for her to say yes. "Come on, Leandro. When I told you that I never had any boyfriend, what did you think? How can I do those things with someone other than my boyfriend?" "People do these things with other people too even when they are not in a relationship." "Sorry, but I''m not that type. I was not in emergency need of doing that," she said, rolling her eyes. "That means I really was your first kiss?" "Of course." "And you haven''t had sex before or done anything like that?" "No," she said without a hint of hesitation. "Honestly saying, you''re the only person I hugged so intimately." She had no idea how much happy she made me. But she surprised me as well. Before she talked about these kinds of things as if she had a lot of experience, but now I knew that she knew a lot of things without having any experience. I truly had to praise her curiosity. I had to admit that even though her curiosity was a bit too much, in some cases, it came handy. "Should I get ready now?" she asked. "Yes. But you got to tell me later what you know about this thing." "What thing? Mature stuff?" "Yes." "Why would you want to know that? Don''t you know about them?" "Are you afraid to tell me? Or are you afraid to admit that you know less than me?" "Of course not! I know a lot. I can give you free sex advice if you want to. I read a lot about this kind of stuff. And besides, I gave Jed anal sex advice. He is pretty satisfied with it. He hasn''t tried it yet. He is a virgin. He said he will tell me after he tries." "What am I going to do with you, little Ella?" "You and that boy talk about this kind of thing?" I asked. "Of course we do. We talk about everything." "Everything?" "Everything," she said proudly. "Then why don''t you talk to me about everything?" "I don''t know," she mumbled, her cheeks reddened. "You''re shy with me?" I asked. She was truly amusing, when she was shy and when she was open- she was always the perfect one to me. "You make things sound weird and awkward." "And why is that I wonder..." She did not say anything but looked up at me with her deep set of eyes. Her cheeks were still red. I had the impression that she was looking for something in my eyes, in the same way, I looked for an unknown thing in her eyes every time she looked at me. She then cleared her throat and went towards the closet. She brought out her backpack and started to look for something inside it. "Go now. I''ll change," she said and I smiled. How could someone be like this? Sometimes I would lose words to describe her. But it did not matter. As long as she was with me, I would never need any words to describe her. She was always in my mind, described in the best way possible. As I waited for her in the study room, I pondered if telling her about starting a relationship was a good idea or not. I knew she would not say yes, but I still said it to her. I wanted to hear what her explanation would be for not saying yes. Now that I thought about it, I realized that she was right. In a relationship, both people should be open to each other with no secrets between them. Ella was open with me. She would tell me about everything. She even told me about how her life was before coming here. Perhaps it was time for me to open up to her as well. She was brave and she was not afraid to let go even if it would hurt. I feared if I did not open up soon, perhaps I was going to lose her. In that case, where her heart did not belong, that silly mark was going to be of no use. It was true that the mark would bind us together till death, but she was brave enough to still leave if she did not find peace and trust. "Are you done?" I asked, through the door. "Almost!" she yelled. "Damn it... I can''t get the zipper. It''s stuck! The zipper is stuck!" "Do you want me to help?" "Why is it so hard to pull? I can''t... Leandro, can you come in?" I sighed and opened the door. She was trying to get the zipper, but she could reach it. But she was trying very hard in every angle possible. It was kind of funny and adorable to see her like this. "Help me," she muttered. I went up to her. The zipper was stuck at the bottom, perhaps because of her pulling it constantly from the wrong angle. As I tried to get it free, I could not help but notice her bra that was visible on her bareback. The need to run my fingers on her back was almost too much. "Got it?" she asked, snapping me back to reality. "Yeah," I said and pulled the zipper up. Her hands went to tie the ribbon, but I grabbed them before and tied it for her. "Do I look okay?" she asked, turning towards me. And I had to admit that if I was ever supposed to come across an angel in my life, I had already met her. [By the way, even though Leandro has already met his angel, Ella''s guardian angel is clapping his forehead to think they are supposed to look over this girl] Chapter 75 - You’re Killing Me (From Ella''s Perspective) The way Leandro was looking at me after I asked him if I looked okay, I felt like an invisible finger was tracing my skin. I thought about asking him if he was going to say something or not, but dear lord, that kind of focused face- I had never seen before. And before I knew what was going on, I found him approaching. I wondered if he was going to kiss me again. I closed my eyes tightly with some kind of anticipation, a weird sensation in my stomach... But he did not kiss me. He loosed my hair from the bun and let it fall on my back, with wisps of hair falling on my face and chest causing a tingly sensation. I opened my eyes and saw that he was holding a handful of my hair right beside my right shoulder very delicately. His eyes were penetrating through me and I again felt myself trapped in his gaze. He slowly brought his face down, but not to my face... His lips brushed against the mark on my right shoulder and for a moment, I felt I heard some kind of whisper. "Mine." He pulled away and looked down at my face. I wondered how long he could keep his gaze focused on me, but I did not dare to see that. I was afraid that I might get burned down in his gaze. "You look perfect," he whispered into my ear and I felt my heart swollen up. I had never cared if anyone praised me or not and even if anyone did, I never trusted them. But his words felt way too_ real. "I don''t really wear dresses much," I mumbled. "I don''t know how I should tie my hair. I mean, I never do care about my hair. Will it be bad if I go with my hair like this?" My hair was messy. I did not bother to comb it in the morning. It was way too stressful. And besides, I was so busy thinking about what Leandro said last night that I did not care about anything else. Even in the castle, Jed said that I was zoning out. "I can do it for you," he said. I was shocked. I did not know he could tie hair. He did not look like the kind of person who would do so. "Really?" "Yeah. Just sit down on the stool," he said and guided me to sit down holding me by my shoulders. "Are you sure? You''re not going to make me look like a pig, are you?" "Just relax," he said calmly. He slowly combed my hair backward. The way he was holding the comb gave me the hunch that he was experienced at this. He combed very slowly until there were no tangles left. After my hair was smoothed, he combed all my hair backward and away from my forehead. "Tell me the steps." He sighed. "If you do it by yourself, you should avoid looking in the mirror. In the mirror, you can only see the movement of your hands, which can be puzzling. First and foremost, divide a section of hair into three sections.," he said, doing the same thing he told. "You''ll need to reach the crown of your head and pull out a large chunk of hair for this. Divide it into three roughly equal sections. Remember that the larger the chunks, the larger the braid." "So you''re braiding...," I mumbled, feeling utterly dumb. I knew how to braid my hair, but he seemed to be doing something else. I would start from the bottom, but he started doing it from the crown. It confused me. But I had a feeling that he was doing a French braid. "The strands must then be held in place between your two hands. One strand should be entirely in your right hand, another entirely in your left hand, and the strand in between should be held by both of your hands," he said. "You must now begin braiding. For the first braid, cross the strand you''re holding with your right hand over the middle strand. The right strand is now the middle strand and vice versa. Do you get it?" "Uh-huh." "Good. Then, in the same manner, cross the strand you''re holding with your left hand over the middle strand. Keep in mind that your former right strand is now your middle strand. Do not cross your former middle strand with the left strand." "Got it, boss." "Then you must pull the strands together to form your braid," he said pulling my strands. I had to admit that it was kind of relaxing as he was braiding my hair. "You must use your fingers to keep your hair in three strands separated. Transfer all three strands to your left hand with care. Even if you''re holding them with one hand, use your three fingers to keep them apart." He continued, "Using your free hand, gather a section from the right side of your head. You''re going to add some new strands to your braid. This section should be the same size as the sections in your left hand. Then, with your right hand, pass the strand you just made into the current right strand. Bring the sections together to form a larger and thicker right strand." "Done?" "No. Then you must repeat the process with your opposite hand. That is, you must hold them in your right hand this time." He carefully braided all my hair. I was right. It was a French braid. He did it so amazingly that I could not find any fault. "It''s a French braid," I said when he was done. "Perhaps. I don''t know the name." "It''s amazing! How do you know how to do it? Someone taught you, right? Who taught you? Your ex-girlfriend?" "I never had any girlfriend," he said coldly. "That''s great! Then who taught you?" "My mother did," he said. The way he said it, I kind of felt bad for him. It seemed like he loved his mother a lot, but did not want to admit it. "I look kind of good," I said, trying to change the subject. I stood up to take a good look at myself in the mirror. I looked unfamiliar... I never tied my hair like this. I could not do it and no one ever did that for me either. It was an empire waist dress that went up to my knees. My brown hair was tied in the braid that he made. I did not use anything on my face. I always felt that I did not need to. It would take a lot of time to do makeup, so I almost never did it. He kissed the side of my neck and licked the place. I tilted my head subconsciously as if to give him more access. His hands wrapped around my waist and I gasped as he pulled me closer to him that my back touched his chest. "You''re killing me," he whispered into my ear. "I..." "I want you so bad every single moment that it hurt. But I can''t have you. You''re like the moon, beautiful, and seem to be so close, yet so far away in reality. Do you know what you''re doing to me?" I did not say anything. My feelings were mixed, playing with my mind. No matter how hard I tried to make a decision, those thoughts would come back, holding me back. "Let''s go," I said. "It''s late already." He sighed and turned me by my shoulders to face me. "Let me kiss you one time," he said. His voice was very desperate though he was trying not to show it. I glanced up at him and nodded slightly. It was enough for him. He captured my mouth tightly as his lips moved like a rocket on my lips. I did not know what I was doing as I felt my knees lose control. His hands grabbed me by my waist tightly as if he knew that my body was going numb. "Hm..." He pulled back immediately the moment the moan left my mouth. He let go of me and went towards the closet. He took a black mask and a black cap from inside and wore them. "The mask is quite handsome," I said. "Do you have to wear it?" "Yes. There can be shifters there as well." "I didn''t know there are baseball caps here," I mumbled. "You don''t know a lot of things here. Now come on," he said. He behaved as if nothing happened, but I could feel the tension. I had a feeling that he was holding back, controlling himself and I could not help but wonder what would happen if he lost control. [Note- French Braid: A French braid, also known as a French plait, is a braided hairstyle. Three sections of hair are braided together from the crown of the head to the nape of the neck in the three-strand gathered plait.] Chapter 76 - The Pub (From Leandro''s Perspective) Looking at her hurt a lot as I could not do the things I wanted to. It was getting too much. She let me kiss her, but she moaned and it was enough for me to lose control. Did she not know what I might do if I lost my control somehow? We both went out of the forest and I took her to a pub. It was the most popular one here. She did not talk much the whole way, perhaps she was confused as to why I pulled back all of a sudden from the kiss. She did not ask me anything about it either and it felt like she was afraid of hearing what the answer might be. "Listen, Ella. Don''t go anywhere, don''t touch a thing if not necessary, don''t drink, don''t take anything a stranger gives, don''t talk to strangers, stay by my side," I warned her, knowing perfectly what she was going to do. "Don''t talk to me like that. I know what I should do and what I shouldn''t," she grumbled. I sighed and took her hand as I went inside. She looked tiny next to me and her hand felt even tinier in mine. The pub was full. She looked like she had never been anywhere more disgusting. "Why are there so many people here? I feel itchy," she muttered irritably under her breath. In the far corner at a table, I saw him. I was supposed to meet him here. I went over to him, pulling Ella with me who was looking here and there curiously. "That man... Look, he just... Oh my_! He is stripping!" I hastily moved her head forward and held her tightly. "Don''t look," I whispered into her ear. "It''s not like I''ve never seen anyone naked," she said. "I saw Linda''s boyfriend, that Rex naked twice. He seemed to be willing to come naked in front of me as if I would get attracted to him. That git! Then I saw... eh... your father. Anyway, let''s change the subject. It''s awkward." I led her to the table though it was difficult as she kept stopping to show me people who were behaving oddly according to her. "That man has a huge mole on his head, kind of like that man in the forest cabin," she said, laughing. "It''s funny. Look_ that woman is wearing a silly skirt. Honestly, her butts can be seen from that. Oh_ look at her. The blonde... How is she moving her body like that? Is she elastic? I can''t even bend my back properly..." I sighed and looked down at her. Surprisingly, she was looking at me with a shocked expression on her face. "Are you serious right now?" she asked. "What happened?" I asked, surprised to see her expression. "Aren''t you_ attracted to any of the girls here? They''re beautiful. Look, they have beautiful bodies too. You aren''t even glancing at them. You look disgusted by them. But other men... They are touching the girls like that and some of them are gawking while you''re behaving like this beside me." "Do you want me to go touch those women?" I asked. Even thinking about made me disgusted. "No," she mumbled, "I''m just a bit surprised." "You know perfectly that I don''t like people, let that be men or women. All of them are disgusting." "But you don''t behave like that to me." "Do you want me to prove right here why I don''t behave like that to you?" I asked warningly. "N-No," she said quickly. At last, I managed to reach the table. The man in a brown hooded cloak stood up and bowed slightly. I nodded and sat down in front of him while Ella was trying to see his face. "Sit down," I said to her. She sat beside me and kept both of her hands on the table as she kept trying to see his face. I had to admit the attempt was kind of cute. "Greetings, my lord," he said. "Why is his voice so deep?" Ella whispered beside me. If it was someone else, I would probably get angry. But when it came to her, everything seemed adorable. "We''ll talk later," I said gently to her. "I''ve some business to take care of. You better be good and listen." "What is the news, Charles?" I asked. "For the last few days, the shifters had been after me for some reason. They said that I''d been in the castle secretly and eavesdropped. But I never could get inside the castle. I''ve been on run. I had to change my cloak as well for that," he said. "That''s why you''re wearing brown instead of black," I said. "Yes, my lord," he said. Ella looked slightly uncomfortable as she glanced at me guiltily. "Excuse me, Charles. Do you work for him?" she asked. Charles seemed surprised. With Charles''s appearance, no one dared to talk to him much, especially girls feared him a lot. He had a lot of deep scars on his face that made most people shiver. "She is with me," I said. Charles was not stupid. He knew right away that she was not just someone ordinary to me, rather she meant a lot. "Yes, my lady," he said to Ella. Ella looked at him wide-eyed when he called her ''my lady'', but quickly recovered. "Are they still after you?" she asked. "No, my lady. After I changed my appearance, they haven''t been after me. They haven''t seen my face after all," he replied. "Do you know anything about it?" I asked her. She nodded. "I think... Remember when I found out that Nicklaus was planning to kill you?" "Jed and you''ve been eavesdropping," I said. "Yeah, that day. Then after Jed fell, they came looking for the source of the noise and came to the room we were in. They asked us if we saw someone and I said yes," she said with a slight hint of guilt in her voice, but it kind of seemed like she was enjoying herself, "I said that I saw a black hooded figure running away. I mean, it was for fun actually. I just wanted to drive them crazy with a wrong hint. Who knew he would get in trouble for that?" Now I was sure that this little reckless girl was trouble in some cases too. But still, I wanted to live with the trouble she would cause, like a hint of a rainbow in the gloomy sky. "You didn''t know. That''s alright," I said. Charles looked surprised. He should be. I had never behaved like this to anyone. "Are you going to be here?" Ella asked. "Yes. Why are you asking?" I asked. "I will meet you here after a while. I''ve somewhere... I think... I''ll meet you here. Just don''t go anywhere or I won''t be able to find you," she said and before I could say something, she blended into the crowd. "This girl...," I sighed. "I guess I don''t have to be so formal now," Charles said. "You don''t have to be formal around her as well," I said. "So pretty serious, huh?" he asked, laughing. "Stop laughing," I grumbled. "I marked her." "What? How? She is human," he said, shocked. "She is a human with shifter blood." "That''s impossible." "She is not from this world. She is from another world." "So she is the one Anders mentioned in his letter," he said. "Anders didn''t say much, so I didn''t know. But he said that you were so gentle with her and quite protective as well." "Are you done discussing her?" I asked irritably. "Come on, you can be a bit gentle with me too, cousin," he said, grinning. "Shut up," I hissed. "Where did she go?" "Can''t you smell her?" "I can. I''m just a bit... Never mind. She is smart. She knows what she''s doing," I said. "You love her," he said. It was not a question. It felt like he was sure about it. I did not say anything. I was thinking if he was right. Did I truly love her or was it just attraction? But it was true that I had never felt like this towards anyone before. I still did not know the answer to the question myself. But I wanted to find out as soon as possible or it might get too late. No matter what I could not afford to lose her now that I found someone like her, someone who cared for me, someone who was not afraid of me, and someone who understood me the most. I remembered the day she asked me who knew me the best. Even that day, the answer was the same as before. It was her. [It''s all about the alcohol in a bar. People come here to drink, drink, and drink some more. As a result, food at a bar primarily consists of appetizers or snacks designed to enhance the flavor of the alcohol. A pub, on the other hand, is similar to a restaurant that also serves excellent alcoholic beverages.. Other features of the location where they went include men and women enjoying each other''s company and other such things.] Chapter 77 - The Pub(2) (From Ella''s Perspective) I was not sure if I was right, but I wanted to take the chance. I followed him from a distance until he went inside a room on the second floor. He closed the door from the inside. I sighed in frustration. Leandro was downstairs talking to that man, Charles. Charles was not much old, perhaps one or two years older than Leandro. He had the same black hair as Leandro with the same type of facial features, but their eyes were not the same. Charles had green eyes, unlike Leandro. His face had a lot of scars. I wondered how he had scars if he was a shifter. Leandro told me that shifters could heal their scars. Even though Charles was calling Leandro ''my lord'', I could not help but think that they were blood-related. Perhaps they were cousins or something like that. I read on the internet that even family members would talk to each other with formalities in royal families. Perhaps that was the reason he was calling Leandro ''my lord''. When we were talking, I noticed the man. He was perhaps in his forties with tall stature and a not-so-bad-looking face. I could not help but feel like I knew him. That was the reason I followed him. I could not tell Leandro or he would not let me follow the man. There was no one in front of the room. I slowly made my way towards it and looked here and there before pressing my ear against the door. I could hear nothing but the sound of pacing on the hardwood floor. It was like someone was walking all around the room without stopping. No one was else was in the room, or I could hear a single sound of their talking. No one could keep quiet for that long, right? Suddenly I heard someone''s footsteps coming this way. I hastily moved away from the door and pretended as if I was interested in the piece of art nearby. "Do you like it?" It was a guy with red hair and hazel eyes. He was not as tall as Leandro, just a bit shorter than him. He had a friendly smile on his face, but I still did not like the way he was looking at me. "It''s not so bad," I said, looking at the drawing of a bowl full of grapes though I could not find what exactly was good about it. "But not too good either." "It''s not a very good picture, perhaps that''s why you can''t find something good in it," he said. "I have a collection of portraits in my house. I collect them out of a hobby. I think they are better." "Good for you," I mumbled. "I am Dane Lysander," he said, holding out his hand. "Leora Edrei," I said and shook his hand. His hand was soft for some reason, unlike Leandro''s and I would choose Leandro''s rough and hard ones again and again. "Can I call you Leora?" "You can''t possibly call me Edrei, right?" "Right, right. So Leora, why are you here?" "I''m here with my_ husband. He has business here," I replied. "You''re married?" he asked, shocked. "Yes." He seemed to be disappointed for some reason. Was this git attracted to me? The thought made me laugh. The way Leandro could be jealous, I was sure that in this case, he would not hesitate to kill this guy. "So will you stay here for a while?" he asked. I glanced at the door where the man I was following went in. He had not gotten out yet. I thought of waiting a bit more time here. "Yeah. Lee is probably talking to his business partner. It''ll take a bit of time. It''s boring, so I''m wandering around," I said. "Your husband''s name is Lee?" "Yes. Lee Edrei." "Is he old?" he asked. I knew he was trying to know more about us, but if I wanted to continue the conversation and keep an eye on the man at the same time, I needed to cooperate even though I did not want to. "He is twenty-two," I replied. "And you are?" "Twenty-five." He laughed. "You''re lying, Leora. You can''t be twenty-five." "Why can''t I be?" "You don''t look that mature," he said. "I just don''t look my age." "I don''t believe you." "That''s your problem, not mine," I said. "You can''t be more than eighteen," he said. "If you''re done guessing my age, I will take my leave now," I said and I knew he would stop me. "No, fine! Though I don''t believe that you''re twenty-five, I won''t talk about that now. Will you please stay with me for a while?" "You kind of look like my brother," I muttered. "Pardon?" "You heard me. You look like my brother." "You have a brother?" "Imaginary brother. I would not mind having a brother," I said. He faked a laugh. "Yeah, sure, sure," he muttered uncomfortably. Suddenly I heard a sound from behind and in front of me, the color from Dane''s face fed away. I wondered what he saw to make him look like a frightened cat. I looked behind and right that moment understood why he was frightened. I would be too if I had not known the person perfectly. "Lee! What''re you doing here?" I exclaimed seeing Leandro standing behind me with his eyes angry and dangerous, his hands clenched tightly into fists. He was not saying anything as he kept his gaze like fire fixed on Dane who was looking between me and Leandro uncomfortably. I sensed danger and I knew right away that I needed to do something. "Dane, this is my husband Lee I talked about. And Lee, this is Dane. We met just now," I said, but Leandro''s face did not relax as he kept burning Dane with his eyes. "Nice meeting you, sir. I was just talking to your wife about life and stuff," Dane said extending his hand. Leandro did not shake his hand, rather he held my hand tightly, making me tremble a bit as well. "Come with me," Leandro said to me and pulled me with him. I did not want to go, but the way he was behaving, I thought that it was better if I did not argue. "We''ll meet again, Leora," Dane said from behind and I had to admit he was quite brave to say this. "Call her Mrs. Edrei," Leandro said dangerously and without waiting for a response, he pulled me with him as he made his way towards a door. I did not know where he was taking me, but I did not ask him anything either. He was behaving dangerously. I had never seen him like this before. He opened the door he was headed to with one hand using more force than required. There was a bed in the middle of the room which was well-organized, a brown couch stood in one corner right beside the window. I could say that the couch was pretty soft by the look of it. There were semi-precious artifacts in the room. If I had not been sleeping in the same bed with Leandro for a long time, I would get scared thinking about what he was up to. I knew he was angry, but I also knew that he would not do something that I would not say yes to. But tonight, I had to admit that I was a bit scared. He threw me on the bed and I landed on the soft mattress, bouncing once. He got rid of his mask and cap while I was looking at him, thinking what the hell was happening. "Leandro_ what..." "Don''t talk," he said, his voice dangerous. And before I knew what was going to happen, he claimed my lips. His lips moved in furious sync on mine as I started feeling my mind going numb all of a sudden while my body started to react to his movements. He was kissing me senselessly like a boy eating the last piece of his chocolate and the way he was doing it, I had a feeling that he was not going to stop anytime soon. His lips were as rough as always with a blend of softness. I had my weight on my elbows as he grasped my neck tightly, pulling me more into him as if he would never let me go. How much I wished that what I was thinking was true! How much I wished that he would never let me go! His other hand slid behind me, caressing the fabric on my back, his thumb nail tracing down the zipper line making a false sensation of unzipping. His lips did not stop even for a while, but he did not bite on my bottom lips tonight, rather I willingly subconsciously opened my lips for him, inviting his tongue to seal our mouths together. Perhaps I was crazy. Then I thought it would not hurt to be a little crazy for him, would it? Chapter 78 - The Pub(3) (From Ella''s Perspective) His thumbnail kept tracing down the zipper line on my back again and again until_ he truly pulled the zipper down. "Leandro!" I gasped and pushed him by the chest, causing him to break the kiss. His glare was intense and hungry, like the way a predator looks at its prey. "I won''t go too far," he said in a hoarse voice. "Even if I need to, I won''t do it." He captured my lips again as his hands pulled down the dress off my shoulder. I did not stop him, I could not as my mind was blank, expecting something that I did not want to say yes to too quickly. His tongue teasingly licked my lips and I parted my lips to feel that teasing sensation inside my mouth. But he did not give me that satisfaction as he pulled away, leaving my lips unsatisfied and swollen. He pulled the dress down up to my waist and I sat in front of him with my chest covered only with my bra. There was nothing between us except the layer of my bra and his black shirt. My hair could not cover me up as well, as it was in a braid on my back. My cheeks were flushed as I shyly looked up to him while he was devouring the sight in front of him like a devil with a smirk. He bent down again and started kissing my neck. His lips traveled down slowly, leaving small kisses and traces of fire with a hint of sparks. He started caressing my breasts gently, making me gasp again and again. His thumbs ran over the buds that hardened beneath his touch. "Do you like it?" he asked huskily and I nodded without hesitation. No one had ever touched me like this. I knew people did this, but I never thought it would be this sensitive. It felt like I was exploding while I felt the silkiness in my private part. He bit on my shoulder slightly and I yelped as I opened my eyes. That was when I realized that I had no idea in which position we were. He was between my legs as he kept palming my breasts, with his lips trailing on the skin of my upper body. I felt his lips on my breast when I suddenly felt an electric jolt through my veins. I knew I should stop him if I wanted to control my emotions, but I could not bring myself to it. "Yes?" he asked as if for permission while his lips were still on my breast, but not near the nipple. "Yes," I said, losing half of my sanity in the fire that he had started. He made a sound with his mouth that was more like a groan and quite seductive as well. His lips went into full action on my right breast as he started to suck my nipple from above my bra while his hand caressed the other one, pinching the nipple slightly causing my hips to move up on their own. "Ah...," I moaned even though I was trying not to make any sound. These kinds of sounds always felt very uncomfortable and embarrassing to me. I pressed my palm tightly over my mouth so no sound would come out, but right at that moment, he removed my hand from my mouth and placed it on my side tightly, pinning it against the bed. "I want to hear what I''m doing to you," he said throatily and started sucking my nipple again without wasting any second. "Oh... hm...," I moaned and grabbed his hair tightly, pressing him more to me. Perhaps I was so into him, lost in pleasure that I did not hear that someone entered the room. Suddenly Leandro hovered over me and covered me with his stature with his elbows on either side of me. I was surprised, still in a daze. "Get out!" he said, almost in a yell. "Can''t you knock?" "Leora... Mrs. Edrei dropped her hairpin." It was Dane''s voice. What was he doing again? I did not like him at all, but he seemed to appear everywhere. And besides, by the look on Leandro''s face, it was clear that he did not like him as well. "Leave it on the table and leave," Leandro said. "Sorry for disturbing," Dane said and left the room. "That bastard! He did it on purpose," Leandro hissed. I remembered what we were doing a while ago and felt embarrassed again. I was not sure how much Leandro could cover me. What if Dane saw me in my bra? "Don''t worry. I covered you. He couldn''t see you," he said as if he could read my thoughts. I nodded and my cheeks heated up again. I looked up at him and he was looking at me as well, his gaze not as intense as before, but saying something that I could not figure out. "I... Are you done for whatever you came here?" I asked. "Yes. We''ll go home now. Remaining here has caused enough headaches," he said. "I didn''t do anything. I didn''t get into a fight or told someone anything. I just minded my own business and he came..." I could not finish as he started to kiss me again, his hands fondling my breasts. He kept his mouth on mine as he lifted me up by my waist and sat me on his lap. He pulled back and I panted, quite surprised as well. "I know you weren''t doing anything wrong. I just don''t like the way he looks at you," he said, stroking the end of my plait. His eyes were not dangerous like before, rather they were soft with a welcoming and easy look for me. "I don''t like him either. He came up to me and talked to me. I said that I''m married to you and called him brother." "But I don''t think he wants to be your brother." "I know," I mumbled. "Trust me, there''s nothing..." "I know," he said. "Don''t get me wrong. I just can''t stand seeing you with another person. Even if it''s just talking, I can''t help but get jealous. And I don''t think I''ll be able to control myself until you''re fully mine." I rested my head on his shoulder. I did not seem to care if I was wearing my bra only with my dress dropped to my waist. But suddenly, I felt something bulging under me and it did not take me a second to understand what it was. "Your..." "Get dressed. We''ll leave now," he said. "Your thing... It''s... You need to use the restroom_ I''ll wait," I mumbled. He chuckled. "You seem to know a few things," he said in an amused tone. "I know a lot of things!" I protested. "I know that you''re too turned on and your thing is hard. And sometimes it''s too much that you need to do something right away. I''m being considerate, so I''m telling you to take care of this in the restroom. You can''t just walk around showing a huge thing bulging up your pants, can you? And besides, it will make you feel uncomfortable too." He laughed again and kissed my nose. "And what about you, little Ella? I can smell your arousal. Don''t you need to take care of it too?" I shook my head furiously as my cheeks flushed once again. "No! It''s true that I''m turned on. I mean, I''m supposed to, right, if you do this kind of thing? It''s natural. And mine one is not extreme. I don''t need to do anything. It will get better in a while," I muttered breathlessly. "Alright, little El. You better fix yourself," he said and I climbed down his lap. "There is..." I looked down at me where he pointed. There was a wet mark on my left breast from over the bra where he sucked. I felt embarrassed again and quickly pulled my dress up. He was laughing! "Stop laughing! You did that! It''s your fault," I hissed. "Didn''t you like it?" "That''s not the point now. Just go and fix that," I said, pointing at the bulge over his pants. We were not quick, rather we were moving slowly and carefully and I could not help but think of what would happen next.. It was embarrassing, yet I was kind of excited as well. Chapter 79 - [Bonus ] Carry Me (From Ella''s Perspective) As I fixed my dress and was checking again and again that if the part of the dress on my right breast had gotten wet too, I heard a knock on the door. I opened the door and there was a man who looked like to be a waiter standing there with a smile. "This is for you, my lady," he said and gave me a piece of paper. "The sender mentioned it should be read-only by you, my lady." "Thank you," I said and he went away. I closed the door and was about to unfold the paper, but right at that moment, I heard the restroom door open. I quickly hid the paper inside my bra and pretended to smooth my dress. "Ready to go?" he asked. "Yeah," I said. My eyes were trying to look down again and again, but I resisted myself. I would look like a pervert if I did that. He started buttoning his sleeves and I took the chance to peek down. The bulge was not there anymore. Thinking about the bulge... It appeared to be quite big... "What''re you looking at?" he asked and I realized that I had not looked away from that place. I hastily looked away, embarrassed so much that I could not think of any way of looking at him again. He chuckled and approached me. Whenever he was close to me, I could feel a different kind of heat radiating from him like no one else. I wondered if it was just me or everyone could feel it. "Let''s go home now," he said, rubbing the back of my neck. "Will it look bad if you carry me?" I asked. "You want me to carry you?" "I don''t feel like_ walking," I mumbled. Since the moment he did those intimate things with me, I felt quite lazy and moreover, I was a bit embarrassed thinking what would happen if I met Dane on the way. He had seen us like that and even thinking about him looking at me made me want to bury my face somewhere. "If you want to, I can carry you," he said. "But I won''t go through the door." "What? Then what''re you going to do? Are you going to go through the window? How are you going to do that with me in your arms? Are you really going to jump? You''re not superman, Leandro. You know, superman can fly. He can lighten up his eyes and cut things into pieces or hold things in place- you know many things. He wears that cape-like red thing that flies behind him even when there''s no wind or whatever. And he also wears his underwear from over his pants. And there''s this huge S sign on his chest from over his costume. Anyway, that''s not the point. The point is how do you think you''re going to get out of the window?" "You trust me with your life, don''t you?" "I do, but..." "Then don''t think about anything," he said and lifted me up from the ground in bridal style. "Don''t tell me you''re going to jump!" I muttered anxiously. "Trust me," he muttered calmly. The window was open. He stood on the window frame and I looked down. It was an alley, but I could not see anyone near. He looked down at me and gave me the most handsome smile I had ever seen and suddenly, did the thing that I feared he would do. He jumped out the window. We were on the first floor and I was kind of sure that I was going to die. I buried my face in his chest, holding his shirt so tightly that I had a feeling that there was a hole in his shirt because of my nails. The sudden rush of the air fell against my skin, but I did not dare to open my eyes. And in a split second, the air did not feel strong anymore, rather it was calm and soothing. "Open your eyes, Ella," he said into my ear, his voice hypnotic and melodic, so addictive that I could lose myself in it forever. I opened my eyes slowly and found it hard to believe that he was still standing with me in his arms with a look as if nothing happened. "How did you..." "My monster seems to have quite some advantages that other shifters don''t have," he said. "You haven''t told me about any of these things before. I''m so mad at you," I hissed. I was truly angry. How dare he hide these things from me! "You never asked," he pointed out. "You don''t ask me many things as well, but I tell you nonetheless," I said angrily. "Fine! Don''t tell me about anything! I''ll walk on my own. Put me down." "No." "Put me down," I said again. "I''ll tell you about everything_ one by one. Just hold onto me." The way he talked always made me tremble. I wanted to be angry at him, but I could not. I ended up looking at him, admiring the way he was. I could not believe I liked him this much that I could not even be angry at him. He paced into the forest and I remained silent, listening to the rhythm of his steady heartbeat while trying to match the beat of my heart with his. His masculine scent was quite engrossing, hard to forget with a deep fragrance. "You said that a shifter can say if the other person is a shifter or not by their smell," I said. "Then why didn''t you recognize Jed?" "That''s because he has never shifted. In this case, they are the same as humans," he replied. "Then how do you first shift? Does it just happen... Oh, sorry," I said quickly, realizing what I had just said. I should have remembered that when Leandro first shifted, he did that out of anger and ended up killing his sister. "It''s alright," he said. "You''re the one who told me that hard or not, it''s the truth and we have to accept it. I''ve accepted it, Ella. There''s no point in not mentioning it anymore. "Right." "I heard that they do that when they are too enraged or something like that. It just happens, there''s no particular age or time of when it will happen." "Jed said he never planned on shifting," I mumbled. "Anyway, your sister died when she was ten. But the dress you gave me to wear to the castle- they are not of a ten years old''s. But you said they''re your sister''s." "Mother kept making dresses for her even after her death. She would pretend as if she existed," he muttered. "That''s_ a bit weird," I said. "Am I being too harsh?" "Just talk the way you want, Ella. If anyone says you''re harsh, they have to face me," he said. "And besides, there''s nothing wrong in being harsh." "Because you''re harsh?" "I''m not harsh with you." "I know, but with others, you''re. Anyway, you look good then too, so I guess it''s just part of your personality. The air was chilly and comfortable. My eyelids became heavy and it became hard for me to keep my eyes open. "Sleep if you have to," he said. I closed my eyes and let my mind travel me to another world of relaxation. Since the night I told him about what happened two years ago, I stopped having the nightmare. It felt like my mind became lighter and I truly could slowly find what I was looking for in life. Now my life was not as boring as before. There were adventure, emotions, feelings, fun, smiles, friends in my life now, that were missing before and I could feel alive for the first time. Perhaps getting through the hole was not a bad thing after all. It was true that my life changed, but definitely in a good way. I felt a brush of lips on my forehead. Perhaps it was in my dream, but the touch was very gentle and soothing, capable of removing all the worries out of my mind. I could not believe that I ended up trusting him this much. When we first met, he was ready to kill me, but then he thought otherwise and let me go and I became the first person to get out of his grasp alive. But then I ended up running to him and he went to save me as well, as if there was a pull between us. I made a deal with him after that so I could save my life. It was supposed to be a deal only. But then, this deal made us so close that even the thought of leaving him was unimaginable. And now, he was even okay with me not bringing him information anymore.. All he wanted was to keep me with him. How could it be just mere attraction and nothing more? Chapter 80 - Watermelon (From Leandro''s Perspective) I placed her on the bed carefully so she would not wake up. But she was not sleeping deeply this time. The moment her back touched the mattress, she opened her eyes. "Are we home?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "Yes, we''re home," I said and kissed her on the nose. I did not know why, but every second I could not help but want to touch her, even in the slightest. "I''m hungry," she mumbled. "Change into something comfortable first. I''ll make food," I said and left for the kitchen. She again changed into my shirt and came to the kitchen. She might not have noticed as she was still a bit sleepy that she had not worn any shorts underneath it. As she sat on the stool with her legs apart as she always did, her underwear came into view. "Oh my goodness! Where did you get this? Are those for me?" she exclaimed the moment she saw watermelon on the table. She behaved as if they were the best thing in this world. She had not even reacted this way when she saw those expensive stones. She was indeed quite an interesting thing. She ate as if she had not eaten in days. Her sleep seemed to go away completely as she devoured the watermelon. I did not like watermelon that much, but I ate along with her so she would be happy. "You''re the best, do you know that? I wish I could keep them in the refrigerator. You know, it feels even great when you eat cold watermelon. I love them. So sad that we don''t have a refrigerator here," she muttered impatiently. "Do you know I''m actually a quiet person? I never talk to people much. But I talk to you a lot. I don''t know why, I just feel comfortable with you. I don''t understand why some people call me sharp-tongued. I mean, am I like that?" "Not to me," I said. "Good to know. Anyway, so I was about to ask you some things. You said that shifters can heal their wounds, right? Then why do you have those scars on your chest?" "I got them before I''ve turned. A shifter can heal them after they turn for the first time. The wounds that they get before turning don''t heal," I replied. "How did you get those scars? They look deep..." "I don''t know. Mother said that I was born with those." "That''s a lie! No one is born scratched. Your mother lied to you. Don''t tell me you believed that," she said loudly. "No, I don''t believe that. But I don''t know what caused this as well." "I have a feeling that_ those scars have something to do with your difference among the shifters," she mumbled. "I''ve tried to find out a lot, but I couldn''t." "Hmm," she muttered. "Anyway, so your cousin has scars on his face too. He got that many scars before he turned?" "An Orgade scratched him. But how do you know he is my cousin? I haven''t told you," I said, surprised. "I guessed. He looks a lot like you. So it''s clear that he is your cousin from your mother''s side. I mean, your father is not that good-looking, no offense. So, you must look like your mother," she said normally. "You''re pretty smart for your age. It''s not like I support your reckless behavior, but your smartness kind of defeats whatever comes in your way because of your recklessness." "You mean I''m well balanced?" she asked, her eyes shining brightly. "Kind of. But I still don''t support your recklessness," I said coldly. "I knew I''m well balanced, huh! I wish my body was well-balanced too. It''s really of weird shape. I mean, just look at me. I''m so slim, but my boobs... Why are they of abnormal size? I know they are not freaking big, but they look big as per my body. Don''t you think? No, don''t say anything. You make everything sound weird. I think my butts are not of a weird shape, right? Anyway, you are not in a weird shape. Let me see...," she said, looking at me with her index finger on her lips as if she was measuring everything of my features, "You have a sharp jaw. It''s a good thing that you don''t have any beard. It looks better this way. Zoe thinks that guys with beards are hotter, but I think you look better than any of the guys I saw. I''m sure she would have a crush on you. You are tall, yeah, really tall with a perfect athletic build. Your muscles are hard, your chest is hard too... You have six packs, or eight, I don''t know, perfect abs and torso. Your legs are long, not too long, I mean not like Linda''s friend. Your hair is good too. I''m not a fan of plain black hair, but yours looks really good. We call it raven black. Your hair isn''t curly, but straight and a bit unruly, not too much. It''s very deep and moist and shiny. And_ you have dark brown eyes, almost black. They are really cool, you know," she breathed out the words while eyeing me up and down again and again. "You mean I''m good-looking and handsome?" "Of course you are. No one can deny that. You might be cold and arrogant towards others, but even they can''t say that you''re ugly. Honestly, you''re the most handsome man I''ve ever seen. In my world, you would become the number one eligible bachelor, I swear. Hot women would throw themselves on you, try to seduce you. Girls would drool over someone as handsome as you." "Then why don''t you date this handsome guy?" I asked. "Well, my answer is still the same. I''m considering. You might be handsome, but there is no universal truth saying that handsome men can''t be assholes, no offense. I know you aren''t like that, but I need to think about it more. You know, I''m not someone to think of dating someone and then leaving if things don''t go the right way. I want to find my one and only and if I do find him, I''m not planning on leaving. I''m going to find someone who won''t make things hard for me, support me and accept me the way I am, and I''ll do the same for him." "So you want to date only one person in your life?" "That''s right. I know it''s probably a stupid saying and hard to believe, but I really don''t want to mess around with my heart. It''s fragile. If it''s broken once, I''m sure it will never get better. I know a lot of people won''t agree with me. But it''s their decision. If anyone wants to play with their heart and get in and out of relationships, it''s how they want to live their life. I respect their decisions. But as for me, I don''t think I''ll ever do that. If I ever get betrayed in one relationship, then no matter what, I''ll never get into another one. There''s no point in dragging someone else with me if I fall and I''m sure that if I ever get hurt by someone I love, I''ll never get better and_ turn into something that even Saturn would refuse to look at," she said. Did she even know how deep her words were? But no matter what, I was going to prove that I was her one and only. I could not just let her go like this. I needed to make her mine, not just because I wanted her, but because I could not think of anyone else treating her badly and breaking her heart. I wanted to make her life filled with happiness the way she deserved. She had had enough in that heinous family of hers. Now all she needed was the right person. Though I had never thought I would fall for a person like her, but now that I did, I was sure that she was the right person for me. Now I just needed to make sure she knew that I was the right person for her. After we had watermelon, she refused to eat anything else. I did not want to eat anything either. She said she was going to freshen up a bit and then go to bed. I thought of reading a book in the meantime. But my mind was not in the book at all. I was thinking about her. With each passing minute, it was getting harder and harder for me to control myself around her. The good thing was, she was giving in slowly as well. It was clear that she was feeling something as well. I was just waiting for the time when she would fully give in and I would make her mine fully.. That day, I would be able to call her mine without any kind of hesitation and restriction. Chapter 81 - I Don’t Want To Lose You (From Ella''s Perspective) It felt bad to keep Leandro waiting for an answer. I did not want to make him wait, but I had no choice. I did not know for sure what my heart truly wanted. I knew he was a good person and he cared for me, he would not let anything happen to me, but I was not sure if he would love me. It was quick for both of us and at least, a bit of thinking was necessary, in my opinion. I was in the bathroom, trying to get the paper out of my bra. It got stuck, so I had to take the bra off to get it out. I had no idea who could write to me in the pub. I did not even know anyone. I unfolded the paper. The paper had a deep and strong intoxicating aroma, kind of like ether. The smell instantly caused lightheadedness and created a sweetish vibe. The smell felt utterly familiar for some reason, but I could not quite recall... On the paper, very neat and sharp handwriting came into view. And what I read was not something I expected. Hello Ella, I did not think we would meet again. The last time I saw you, you didn''t know I was there. You were unconscious. But this time, I''m glad to see you alright and quite surprised to find you here. I have to admit you have got a sharp nature that you suspected me at the first glance and followed me. I knew you would the moment I saw you in the pub. I can''t say many things in this letter, but I want to meet you. I know you want to meet me too. I saw a guy with you and you two seemed quite close. I''m wondering something is going on between you two. You might not want me to meddle in your business, but still, your business is my business. But you cannot tell him about any of this just yet. I don''t know if I can trust him. Come to the fifth house on the left side of the abandoned alley tomorrow morning at 10. Don''t bring anyone with you and don''t tell anyone about this. They don''t know where you''re from, do they? They would not believe it as well. After all, the portal is still a theory only in their eyes. I don''t think I have to tell you this. But still, let me make this clear. You''re indeed right, little Ella Griverd. I''m the one you''re looking for. I''m looking forward to meeting you. It has been a long time. And by the way, you looked pretty in that dress tonight, just like my little princess. Take care and don''t get involved with that guy much before knowing if you can trust him. Good night! The One You''re Looking For It felt good to know that I was right while at the same time, I was surprised. He knew that I would follow him? It was intriguing. But I was not sure if I could trust him. Perhaps it would not be the right thing if I went to meet him alone. What if he was not the one I was looking for? What if he would try to do something bad to me? It was a cruel world after all. No one could be trusted fully here, except my Leandro. Should I tell him about it? Would he let me go then? Leandro was quite protective for some reason, so I was not sure if he would let me go to meet him. Perhaps I should not. I was not sure what would happen if Leandro went with me. What if he did not like Leandro and would try to do harm to him. I could not bring myself to even think about him. Leandro had done a lot for me. The least I could do was to try to keep him safe. At least, I did not want him to get in danger because of me. I tore the paper into as little pieces as I could and threw it in the toilet. I was sorry that I could not tell Leandro about this. I did not know why I was feeling that way. It was my decision if I wanted to tell someone about something or not, yet I was feeling guilty about not being able to tell him about it. I went out of the bedroom and saw that he was reading a book, precisely saying he had a book opened in front of him and he was looking at it too, but I was sure that his mind was somewhere else. "You haven''t slept yet?" "No," he said quickly, jolting out of his thoughts. "What took you so long?" "I washed my legs for a long time. It feels good," I replied normally, trying hard so my voice would not shake. He looked at me as if he did not believe me. I wondered if he could get that I was lying. But how could he? My voice did not shake at all. Whatever he thought, he did not say anything. "So as you''re not sleeping, will you tell me about the things that I don''t know about your monster side and the whole marking thing?" I said, lying down beside him. "Alright, if you want to know... I can actually jump from a tall place and land without getting hurt. I just have to bring out a bit of my monster. It doesn''t change my appearance, but gives me a bit of my monster''s power." "Other shifters can''t do it?" "No," he replied. "There might be other things that I can do and I might have some weaknesses too. But as nothing is written in any book about my monster, I don''t know about them yet. I have to discover them myself." "It''s going to be hard," I said. "But don''t worry. I''ll help you as much as I can." "How will you help me?" he asked with a smile on his face. "Well, like if you find anything interesting that you can do with your power, we will try it out and have fun. Then if we find any of your weakness or trouble, then we''ll keep it between us and I''ll help you get over it. What do you think about it?" "Fair idea," he said and smiled. I could not help but admire the way his lips curved, making a flawless line across his lips. How could someone''s smile be so perfect and handsome, kind of like a piece of art? "Anyway, why did you go to the pub mainly? To talk to him?" "He keeps an eye on everything. He reports to me every once in a while," he said. "I thought you didn''t have anyone else in the family," I mumbled. "Charles doesn''t consider himself part of the Royal family. He doesn''t like them. So he cut himself off," he explained. "But he likes you." "We get along." "Well, can I ask you something?" "You don''t have to ask for permission." "Um... You want to take back the throne, right? Then when are you planning to attack? Taking back the throne means war... You''re going to fight against your brother?" "That''s the plan." "I''m not saying that you shouldn''t... It''s just war is violent and no one''s life is secure." "Don''t worry. I''ll keep you safe and far away from here that time," he said reassuringly. "I''m not talking about myself. I don''t care about what happens to me. I''m just... I''m worried about you. What if something happens to you? I know you''re powerful and stuff like that_ but..." He smiled and touched the side of my neck, his thumb running up and down in a comforting way. "You don''t have to worry about that now. It''s not like it''s happening tomorrow. We need more time for that. We don''t have enough shifters on our side now." "But the moment you''ll get enough shifters in your side, the war will start, won''t it?" He did not reply. He and I both knew the answer. "It sounds horrible," I mumbled. "I don''t want you to die." "I won''t die," he said. There he was again with his too much confidence. "Stop being too confident, Leandro. Think about the reality. It''s... How are you taking it so easy?" "Hey," he said and suddenly he was on top of me with both of his elbows on either side of me, "I''m going to be okay and you will be fine too. Just don''t worry about it now." "I don''t want to lose you," I mumbled. He laughed, but it was not a laugh of mocking, but there was something else in the laugh. "What a coincidence," he said. "I don''t want to lose you either." [I guess it''s not too hard to guess who is the person who sent a letter to Ella.. There is actually a hint. And since both of them are similar, they could understand each other''s motives] Chapter 82 - Embarrassing Dream (From Ella''s Perspective) I widened my stare at him, too shocked and surprised to say anything. Did he know how much his words meant to me, how much my heart leaped up with a sudden feeling of protection when he said that he did not want to lose me? "Don''t think too much, little one. Sleep now," he said and kissed me on the forehead before he went to his side on the bed. I sighed. My mind was filled with mixed thoughts. As much as I wanted him, I also wanted to be sure first. He had already fallen asleep with his arm around my waist. I could not believe I was being this close to a man without hesitation and any thought of security. But I knew I was doing nothing wrong. He was worthy of my trust with my life. "You talk in your sleep, do you know that?" he suddenly said, making me realize that he had not fallen asleep yet. "I do?" I asked. I did not know about it. I should not either. I had always slept alone in my room. There was no way anyone could hear my sleep talking and tell me about it. "Yeah, you do. And it''s... I don''t mind it though. It''s kind of cute." I blushed and lay on my side so my back was against him, his arm tightened around my waist as he pulled me closer to him. "Don''t fight," he said into my ear, but little did he know, I was not planning to fight either. It always felt good to have him close like a shield of protection that I had never felt before. It did not take long for me to fall asleep, knowing perfectly that I would be protected no matter what. My family could not give me the protection that I needed, but I got protection from a man I met only a few days ago, the man who was slowly making his way deeper into my heart. "Stay still," he whispered into my ear. I was on his lap, holding him by his shoulders as his lips trailed down my throat. I noticed that I was wearing nothing but my bra and panty. His fingers trailed down the straps and I gasped, feeling butterflies in my stomach. "Should I go further, little Ella?" he asked huskily. "Y-Yes." He unhooked the bra and at inhuman speed, he tossed it aside, leaving me completely naked from above. My breasts got into full view in front of him and he smirked. His hand cupped my left breast as his lips slowly made their way to the right one. The moment his lips touched the bud, I gasped, feeling shy, nervous, excited, and embarrassed at the same time. There were no partitions between his lips and my nipple anymore as he sucked them. I jerked awake, my heart racing in my chest, while I tried to figure out what was happening, who I was. After a moment or so, I realized it was a dream, a very embarrassing one indeed. I could not believe I would dream of something like this. And it was not the worst thing... To my shock, I found him looking at me with a curious look on his face. Did he know what I dreamt about? How could he know that? There was no possibility of him knowing that... Or was there? "Now I''m really interested in hearing what you dreamt about that made you moan," he said. I felt my cheeks heating up as I tried to act innocent. "What are you talking about? I''m just... I was..." "In front of me, you''re always a terrible liar," he said knowingly and I could not even dare to disagree. "I''m..." "You said you won''t lie to me." "It''s embarrassing," I muttered desperately. "You don''t want to know." "Was that me in your dream?" he asked. I nodded, hoping he would not ask for details now. I could not understand why I could not lie to him. Was it because I promised that I would not lie? It was true that I had never made such a promise to someone else, but I never thought I would even dare not to lie about these kinds of things either. "Were we doing something very intimate?" I nodded again. It was like my head was giving nods on its own even if I did not want to. I could not even bring myself to look at him. How embarrassing! "Tell me what we were doing," he demanded. "It''s embarrassing!" "You promised me you''ll always tell me the truth." "You... I can''t. It''s so..." "I''m waiting," he said calmly. "Well, I was on your lap..." "Then?" "Please, Leandro." "Come on. Tell me." "You were doing what you were doing last night in the pub." "I was sucking your nipple?" he asked so normally that I could not help but look at him in shock. I nodded, even though I could not stop blushing. "From over your bra?" he asked. "N-No." "I took it off or did I rip it off?" "You... took it off," I mumbled. "And then I sucked your nipple?" "Don''t talk like that." "Did I start sucking your nipple right away I took it off?" "I told you a lot of things. Don''t ask me anymore," I said. "It''s morning already. I need to get ready. I''ll just..." "Tell me first," he said in a demanding tone, holding my hand as I tried to get down the bed. "Yes," I said. "You mean I didn''t devour the sight first?" "What kind of sight is that to devour? They are just breasts, not something historical or beautiful." "Then there''s something definitely wrong with your dream." "I know, right? I''ll just go then, there''s no..." "Not yet, little Ella," he said, pulling me on his lap so quickly that I could not get hold of what was happening. "I want to correct the dream and make it better." His voice was husky and seductive, just like the way I dreamt. Was he truly going to do it? I knew if I said no, he would stop. But... I was not going to say no. I was wearing his shirt only. I had taken a liking to wearing his shirts a lot. Every time I wore his shirt, I would get filled with his masculine coffee-like scent and it would make me feel like he was hugging me with his powerful aura surrounding us like a cape of binding. "Don''t worry. We''ll just correct the dream only. I will wait for your yes for the main thing," he whispered into my ear. He pressed his lips on mine and I leaned into him, holding his hair tightly as his lips drove me to a new realm. I had always disliked morning breaths of people, but he did not smell at all which I was grateful about. Or it would be truly embarrassing. But what if... I pushed him by the chest. He stopped, being a bit surprised. "What''s wrong?" he asked. "Do... Do I smell? My mouth... It''s morning," I mumbled. He chuckled. "No, little Ella. You don''t smell. The taste I found there, I can taste it all my life without getting bored," he said and claimed my lips again. I relaxed, being assured, trying to match the rhythm of our lips. "Mm..." A moan escaped my mouth only to be swallowed by him. He did not make a single noise as he kissed me. I wondered if he did not like it at all. I read that men made grunting noises while making out, let it be a kiss or just touch. But he did not make any... The thought of him not liking it made me sad for some reason. But if he did not like it, then why did he always want to kiss me, to touch me? Should I ask him? Would it make me look like a pervert? I did not care anymore. I needed to know if he liked it or not. The moment he pulled away from the kiss, he did not waste any time kissing my jawline. "You don''t like it," I muttered. "What?" he asked, his lips still against my jaw, but not moving anymore. "You don''t like kissing me." "Who said I don''t like it?" he asked, almost angrily. "You... You don''t make any sound. Men make sounds while kissing. Not too much, but at least a bit. But you''re not..." He laughed, the anger going away suddenly, and pecked on my lips. "It''s because I don''t want you to feel like I need something more right away," he said. "And besides, when the right time will come, you''ll hear the sounds I''ll make, precisely saying- the sounds you''ll make me make. Don''t ever say I don''t like it. I enjoy nothing more than kissing you, my Ella.. It doesn''t matter if I make a sound or not, kissing you is like a forbidden pleasure to me that I can''t get enough of." Chapter 83 - Losing Sanity (From Ella''s Perspective) As soon as he said those words and I was trying to process everything, he grabbed the back of my neck and pressed my lips on his with great force and desperation. This time, the kiss was far away from gentle- like a sudden tsunami as I struggled to keep up with it. His lips left mine the moment he realized that I had completely run out of air. He started kissing my throat and slowly licked the place in a seductive way that I could not help but fall in love with the feeling. "I guess I''ll just buy another shirt," he said. "Huh?" I asked, in a daze as his lips kept moving on the sensitive spot of my throat in a very sinful way. He grabbed the front of the shirt and before I could understand anything, he yanked it with great force that the fabric got ripped into pieces with the buttons falling on the bed and the floor, making little noises that were hardly enough to drive me out of the daze. "What did you..." "Shhh. Just relax and try to feel it," he whispered into my ear before I could protest. "Your shirt..." "You think I care about that stupid layer?" he grumbled and his lips traced downward. He started leaving small kisses on the exposed parts over my bra. He rubbed the right side of my neck and I squirmed in a tingly sensation that coursed through my body starting from that place. "This... is your sensitive spot," he mumbled hoarsely. "And this," he kissed the middle of my collarbone, "is one of my favorite places." His fingers slowly trailed on the skin of my shoulder, the tip of his nails causing me to tremble every moment. "I''ll get late," I mumbled. "We have time," he said and kissed on my cleavage. Suddenly I felt something wet swept on the place and I looked down to find him licking the gap that formed a deep line between my breasts. "That''s..." "Disgusting?" he asked. "N-No. It just... feels weird." "Good weird, you mean," he corrected as he kept kissing my breasts from over my bra and palming them. And I could not help but think that only his hands were perfect enough to caress them properly. His fingers ran over the straps, very slowly as his kisses landed on my breasts like forbidden sins. He touched the hook on my back and with a sudden movement, he unhooked it. He threw it on the side of the bed quickly. I felt shy all of a sudden and my hands subconsciously came to my front to brace myself. But his hands were quicker as he stopped me, holding my hands tightly, spreading to my sides and my naked breasts got into full view in front of him. "Don''t," he said in a commanding tone. I did not unbraid my hair last night and now I was regretting the decision a lot. I could not even use my hair to cover myself from his devious eyes that seemed to roam over my front like a hungry beast. His eyes were dangerous, but I did not fear him knowing perfectly that this was my man and he would not do something wrong to me. He touched the tip of one breast between his fingers and I gasped, feeling a slight hint of shyness along with a strange feeling. "You''re beautiful," he muttered, observing my breasts like they were the only things that were in the world. "Don''t look at them for too long," I muttered, being a blushed mess. "Are you shy?" he asked, smirking. I nodded and he chuckled amusingly. Suddenly he pinched my nipple, causing me to raise my hips up in surprise. He kept his eyes on me as he palmed my breasts in both of his hands and I could not help but tremble at his touch, leaning into him like melted butter. "You look even beautiful when I touch you and you squirm," he whispered hoarsely. "Only I can touch you like this." "Y-Yes," I said, more likely my throat made out the word itself as if possessed by his aura, his voice. He caressed them in a very slow motion, squeezing them and running his thumb over the hardened nipples. His deep warm breath fell on my chest as he kept fondling them, making me go crazy slowly. He did that for a very long time. A while ago I was worried about running out of time, but now, all I wanted was to be in his touch. And dear god, I even considered taking the day off if he kept doing it. I was trying to hold back the moans that were way too eager to leave my mouth. I was embarrassed by the sounds of it and honestly, I did not like the sounds at all. It made me feel weird. I was biting on my tongue so hard to stop myself from moaning that I had a feeling that it would start bleeding at any moment. "Stop biting your tongue," he said, looking straight into my eyes. His eyes were burning with desire, hunger, and... danger. I obeyed and released my tongue from between my teeth, feeling my tongue going numb from the place I bit. He kissed me once again and before I could breathe properly when he left my mouth, he captured my left nipple in his mouth, finally doing the thing that I had seen in my dream. But the feeling I had in my dream was not even half of what I was experiencing at the time. The moment his warm mouth took my nipple in, all I could do was hold his hair tightly and try to regain my breath. "Ah...," I moaned and this time just as he said, I did not stop myself. I gripped his hair tightly, and my stomach felt empty all of a sudden with weird sensations inside. His tongue swirled on the bud as his other hand kept palming my right breast, taking me on the verge of a rush of pleasure. And when he left the left nipple, it was swollen and wet, glistening. He took the other nipple in his mouth and his hand went to palm the breast he left just now. "Oh... Leandro... Hmm..." It was getting harder and harder for me not to lose my mind in the pleasure he was giving me. He was just doing this and I was feeling like it was the best thing anyone could do, but I knew that sex was even better than this. I wondered how I was going to feel that time. It would definitely be intense, much better than this. The thought made my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. He was truly causing me to lose my sanity. I did not know how long it had been. All I could feel was him and to my surprise, suddenly I felt a wave of intense pleasure rising from my stomach. The sensation was too intense that I could not understand what to do, what to think. It was building stronger and stronger each second. I felt strange. I pushed him away from the chest and rested my head on his shoulder to relax so the feeling would pass away. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice worried. "Just give me a moment," I mumbled. He hugged me tightly that my bare breasts got pressed against his bare chest. The feeling was overwhelming, but I did not object. I needed the intense feeling to go away fully first. It took me a while to get myself back. I took deep breaths and pulled back from him. He looked at me with a worried expression on his face. "I just... It''s the first time anyone has done that. I was just overwhelmed a bit," I said. "You don''t have to say anything right now if you don''t want to. I''m always here to listen to you. Just come to me when you want to talk about it," he said, seeing right through me. "Thank you_ for being so considerate," I mumbled, feeling touched in every way possible. This guy was giving me the feeling that I wanted to feel all my life. But then why...why was I confused? "Now go get ready, or I might start to eat you up again," he said and kissed me on the forehead. I smiled, but the smile fed away quickly the moment I realized I was sitting on his bulge from over his shorts. I jumped down his lap quickly and wrapped the quilt around me. He started laughing, shaking his head and I could not help but admire his laugh even though I was embarrassed as hell. It was clear now- I surely was losing my sanity. [Just what do you think happened to Ella that she pushed him away? Is it because she felt the pleasure for the first time or something else? Let''s just leave it to your imagination for now.] Chapter 84 - Confused (From Ella''s Perspective) "You mean to tell me, you guys were doing that too, but still haven''t made out?" Jed asked after I finished telling him about what happened. "You two are truly taking one step at a time." We were cleaning the bed sheet of the king''s room and chatting. Jed was the only person I could talk to about it and he was eager to listen to my blabbers and confused mind. "I know. And I felt something today when he was doing that," I said. "Like I was losing control, my sanity, everything... It was like I was at the edge of falling off a cliff and the pleasure was way too much. I think_ if I''m right_ I was reaching an orgasm." "Just by that?" he asked, surprised. "I read in the internet that it''s possible. It''s called nipple orgasm. Well, they are super sensitive to touch as they have thousands of nerve endings. You don''t have to know what nerves are. I''m not in a mood to describe that. Anyway, when they are stimulated, they shoot off sparks in the genital sensory cortex. This is the same area of the brain that''s aroused by vaginal or clitoral stimulation." "So you mean you were about to have that? An orgasm is mind-blowing. Why would you stop him at that moment?" "Is it that mind-blowing?" "Of course, it is. It''s fantastic. I don''t how it feels with a partner, but even when I did it alone, it was awesome," he said. "Don''t tell me... You never had an orgasm?" "That''s not the point," I said hastily. How could I just admit that I never had an orgasm? People in my world would think this was ridiculous. Perhaps he would think that way too. I did not want to look pathetic. He sighed. "Why would you stop him at that moment?" "I-I was confused." "Confused? You were confused about an orgasm?" "No... I just don''t know if what we are doing is right. I mean, he asked me to be in a relationship with him and I haven''t replied yet because I think I need time to think it through. But still, we''re doing this kind of things..." "Then why don''t you just say no when he starts doing it? You said he asks for your permission." "He does..." "Then just say no if you don''t want it." "That''s the problem, Jed. I can''t... I can''t say no. Because," I said breathlessly, "I want it too." "I don''t understand you, Ella." "I don''t understand myself either. I don''t understand what I truly want. It''s all confusing. I want him, but I still am not sure. I don''t know what''s wrong with me. I just can''t think straight." "Just pour your heart out, Ella. I''m listening," he said. "I... I know he cares for me. He brings me a sense of protection when he is around. His words... He is not cold towards me. He talks to me properly and listens to me. He remembers everything I say. And I told him everything about me..." "But you feel there is a part of him that''s far away?" he asked. "Yeah," I said, looking down at the ground. "If I''m right, I think he knows what you''re feeling. If he truly likes you, he will try to open up to you. I can understand that it might have been hard for him as he never had anyone truly by his side. Perhaps that''s why he can''t open up to you even if he wants to. Just give him some time." "You''re right. I should give him some time. I''m just_ so nervous and confused... But I''ll give him time," I said. "Yeah, you should," he agreed. "Anyway, are you sure you will go alone to meet that man?" "He asked not to bring anyone." "But still, you''re not sure it''s him, right? I know what you''re going to say, but just think about it." "I thought about it. I''m going alone," I said. "I can come with you." "No. You''re going to be here and if anyone asks where I went, just tell them that I''m in the toilet. I have diarrhea." "If that''s the case, you could just take the day off." "No! I took two days off already. I just needed to make them see that I''ve come here. I''m going out through the secret passageway of the library. No one will see me going out. I''ll come back through that as well. I''ll come back within two hours, at least I''ll try. Just make sure no one goes into the library during this time." "What if the king wants to go?" he asked. "Just do something. Pretend to be dead or something like that, or fall on him." "You''re going to kill me, but as you''re my best friend, I can do it," he sighed. "You''re the best," I said and hugged him, grinning broadly. "Honestly, Ella, your man is going to kill me if he smells me from you." "He won''t! He knows it''s you," I protested though I was sure Leandro was going to behave like a child again. "He knows I''m gay, right?" "He does." "Thank god!" "You''re being dramatic," I said, rolling my eyes. "He might have a bad temper and a bit moody personality, but he is not a bad person. Yeah, it''s true that he might kill anyone in a moment, but trust me, he is improving. He has changed a lot. It won''t take long for him to change more for better." Jed and I had already decided that we were not going to mention Leandro''s name in the castle. If we were not out of the castle or somewhere private, we were not going to mention his name at all. It was not much of a problem as Jed never truly mentioned Leandro''s name. He always went on with ''your man''. He was afraid that Leandro might rip his head off if he found out that Jed called him by his name. "So, at 10, right?" "Yeah. I''ll go ten minutes earlier, you know, just to make sure that it''s him." "I don''t understand one thing. You''ve never seen him before, then how do you know that it''s him at one glance?" he asked. I did not know the answer myself. The moment I had seen him at the bar, wearing that grey suit, I kind of knew it was him even though I had never seen him before. I had left right that moment to follow him. I wondered if not telling Leandro about this was a good idea or not. I did not want him to worry about me, most importantly, I did not want to bother him with the horrible matters of my life. He had much in his hands and he was helping me more than enough already. I was not sure if it would be the right thing to bother him with this as well. But if everything went well today, then I would tell Leandro about everything. I did not like keeping things from him for some reason. I knew I was not obligated to tell him every single thing, but still_ I just wanted to. I wished he would open up to me like that too. I knew it was his personality and he was not used to opening up to others, but neither was I. Before I met him, I never talked to anyone properly. But when I met him, it was like I instantly got close to him and I felt comfortable with him. I wished he would feel like that around me too. Perhaps then, I would not get confused. "You''re spacing out," Jed shook me as I was looking out the window, not doing the work. "Sorry," I mumbled guiltily. "If your man sees you upset, he might think that I did something to you. If he kills me then, I''ll kill you too," he said. I just laughed, but then it hit me. Jed had been calling Leandro my man for a long time, but not even for once, I denied it. Moreover, I seemed to like it, as if it was a pretty normal thing. The thought made me blush, but it confused me even more. Was he my man? Was I truly falling for him? Or was it just a rush of emotions? Perhaps I would not feel this way if I did not have a family like that. Mom and Dad made my life confusing, made me rethink over and over my life choices. Because of them, I could never take anything normally; I had to think very hard even making a simple decision. I was so scared of making a mistake. I did not want my life to shatter just because of a mistake. I did not want to be like them. Because I knew what mistakes could do. After all, I was the one who had to carry the consequences because of their silly mistake.... Chapter 85 - Dad (From Ella''s Perspective) I was walking down the narrow alley. It did not take long for me to get out of the hidden passageway through the library. Jed had been keeping an eye so no one would go there. I was grateful to him. At least, I had a friend here who I could rely on. I stopped in front of the fifth house on the left side. Should I have told Leandro about it? I could not believe I was still worrying about it. I took a deep breath, thinking it did not matter anymore. I had come here already and I was not going back. Even though I thought about coming ten minutes earlier, I ended up taking more time in thinking if I was truly doing the right thing. Because of that, I ended up coming only two minutes earlier. Should I just walk in or should I sneak up and see if he was here for real? My thoughts were confusing me. I could not decide what I should do. I took another deep breath and promised myself that I would go in right away without overthinking. I walked towards the door and pushed it gently. It was open, as I expected. "Hello, Ella," a man in a green suit said with a smile. He was sitting on the couch that was clean which made me think that he had done that. He had brown hair, kind of wavy. His eyes were brown, precisely saying... honey brown. "Dad," I mumbled. He looked surprised but smiled at me and I could not help but find the similarities between his appearance and mine. Except that I was short and he was tall, there was practically no difference between us. I was sure that anyone could tell that I was related to him. "Sit down, Ella. We have a lot to talk about I suppose," he said. I sighed. The emotions- the anger, the pain, the frustration, the sadness I felt- were overwhelming. I did not know how to react to each of his words. I sat down in front of him. There was a silence, a quite uncomfortable one. I did not know how to start, more importantly, I did not know what I wanted to know. A moment I wanted him to explain everything, and the next moment, I was feeling like I had lost my sense and I did not want to hear anything he had to say. But I would... I would listen to him. I needed to know why he had left me, why he had put me through the pain. I wanted to know things from his perspective- how he felt, why he did that, what was he thinking... Perhaps then, I would be able to clear my mind up and start anew, forgetting the past. I did not care what kind of explanation he was going to give me- bad or good, I wanted to hear it so I could let it go_ forever. "Ella, I am sorry," he said, his voice truly apologetic. "I know I have put you through a lot." "Do you want to explain, Dad?" I asked, my voice emotionless. That was my problem. I could not show my emotions to anyone. When I talked to someone, it would seem like I did not feel anything, like I was a cold-hearted monster. That was the thing Linda used to call me and she had a reason for it. But these days, I felt as if I could show some of my emotions with Leandro. True, he had brought a change in me. "Will you listen to me? Will you give me a chance even after what I have put you through?" he asked, surprised. "Explain, Dad." "You know the portal is real," he said, but it was more like a question. "Of course it''s real. Or how do you think I''m here?" I said carelessly. "I knew about the portal a long time ago. Seventeen years ago, I used it for the first time after_ my mother died. It was her who told me about it. She was killed by the shifters for not selling her body. The last thing she wanted was to get revenge for her. But at that moment, I was a mess. I killed two shifters right on the spot. You know, I was the right hand of the king, King Nicklaus''s father. One of his soldiers wanted my mother. I killed him right away and took his heart out. I used it to try to open the portal, but nothing happened." "Of course, nothing happened. The portal needs the heart of another shifter, but the sacrifice needs to be voluntary," I bragged in, unable to stop myself. When Leandro took me to the forest cabin, Anders told us about this. "How do you know that?" he asked, surprised. "That''s not the point." "Right. At that time, the shifters were torturing humans without mercy. They would burn their flesh, cut their skin, whip them, but they would not kill them. It was much worse than death. Some humans fought back, went into hiding, did everything they could do to save themselves. But most of them accepted their fate of death. They were ready to give themselves up to avoid the torture. I found someone who was willing. He was a blacksmith. He gave me his heart and I used it to open the portal." "But human hearts don''t work in this case." "They do. That''s a secret that the theory doesn''t say." "Leandro needs to know about this," I made a note to myself in my head. "Then, I managed to collect some hearts that were sacrificed willingly and collected them using some type of elements here. A healer gave me those. As I said, it was seventeen years ago when I first used it. I took another heart with me after I opened the portal. I reached your town, through the basement of that mansion. The portal remains open only for one day. The first day, I just wandered around. I still had not gotten over my mother''s death. That''s when I met Elle." "Mom?" "Yes, your mom. It was raining. She let me stay at her place." "Don''t tell me that''s the only time you were with Mom," I said, frustrated. He did not say anything. It was clear. He was with Mom only that time. I could not believe it. How could people be so irresponsible?" "I can''t believe this. Mom let a stranger stay at her place when she was only twenty? And she also slept with him? You guys are so... Gross! Then why didn''t you guys just use..." I could not understand how I was even going to say ''protection''. He was my dad after all. It felt weird to talk like that. "I understand, Ella. I know it was a very irresponsible thing to do. I didn''t even know that your mom was pregnant with you. Or I would at least try to... Anyway, I found out about you three years ago when I went through the portal again. You look so much like me. And Elle got married again and they have a daughter too." "No, they are not married... yet. They are planning though," I corrected him. "Oh, I didn''t know that," he said. "Now that you know about everything, what do you think? I know it was my fault to leave like that, but trust me, if I knew about you, I would not do that." "I don''t know, Dad. Everything is confusing. I need time to think about it," I said. He touched my hand, but suddenly flinched and backed away, as if he got electrified. I flinched away too, but that was because I was shocked. "What happened?" I asked. "How could this... Are you marked?" he asked, massaging his palm with what he touched me. "Um... What does it have to do with this?" "Who marked you? How can you be marked just like that? It''s not long you''re here? Don''t tell you are full-marked," he said angrily and I could not help but find the anger of a father in him that I had never seen before. "I''m half marked," I said and he sighed in relief. "But why are you marked? Who marked you? Do you have any idea what a mark means? Let it be a half mark, but you''re still bound together till death. You can''t find anyone else to love." "I got marked to see if I have shifter blood. I mean, I got through the portal, but it''s impossible for humans. So, Lean... we thought that I have shifter blood." "We?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "There is someone who cares for me here. He is the one who marked me." "He did that on purpose!" he muttered furiously. "He did that so you would not be able to get away from him." "I trust him, Dad. Don''t worry about him. And besides, we''re not here to discuss him, are we?" "But you won''t be able to be with anyone else. The mark creates a bond between two people. You can''t just ignore that." "I know," I said, smiling. "If I want to be with someone, it''s going to be him.... only him." Chapter 86 - Dad(2) (From Ella''s Perspective) "How can you trust someone this much in such a short time?" he asked. "I just do. He is a great person. He can be a bit cold and harsh towards others, but he cares for me. He truly does." "How old is he?" "Twenty-two. Not too old. The age gap is not too big, right? He is only five, no, four years older than me. I keep forgetting that I''m eighteen," I said. "But I still don''t understand why you couldn''t touch me." "Because you didn''t want me to," he said weakly. "What? It''s not like... But Dane could touch me. I mean, I shook hands with him. He did not flinch. Well, I don''t know if he is a shifter either. Perhaps he was a human." "If he is a human, then he won''t feel this when he touched you. No human will feel anything. As you''re half marked, only humans will be able to touch you even if you don''t want them to. But shifters can''t." "I don''t understand." "I thought you know about this. Anyway, when someone is marked, then no shifter can touch the person without their consent. If they do, then they will feel a sharp pain. It will grow even stronger if the person touches you for long. And now that I''ve touched you without your consent, the person who marked you knows about it," he explained. "And if I''m right, he is here as well." "You''re right. I am here." It was Leandro. He was standing in front of the door, with his arms folded, his eyes angry. "It''s you!" Dad exclaimed and I could not comprehend if it was shock or surprise or anger or sadness. "Long time no see, Alessandro," Leandro said with a smile that was nothing but cold, unlike the ones he gave me usually. "Don''t tell me, Ella, he''s the one who marked you," Dad said anxiously even though he knew the answer himself. "It''s him," I murmured, not knowing what was going on. "How could you go to him? How could you just trust him? He is a monster," Dad said, almost in a yell. "So are you," I mumbled. "What?" Dad was shocked. But did he have any right to be shocked? It was him who left me. When three years ago he found out about me, could he not provide me with a good life? It was Leandro who cared for me truly for the first time. How could he call Leandro a monster when he was the same? "He is a shifter and so are you. How can you call him a monster when you''re the same kind?" I said, gritting my teeth. "He is the Beast!" Dad exclaimed- disgust, hatred pouring down his words. "So what?" I asked. "If a beast cares for a human, don''t you know that he becomes the lifelong partner of the human until death tears them apart?" "Ella, you don''t get...," Dad muttered as if not knowing how to make me understand, but little did he know, no matter what he was going to say, no one would be able to change my mind. "Let me tell you, Ella," Leandro said. "But first, don''t you have any more things that you want to know from your dad?" "Sit down with me. Honestly, Leandro, if I knew you both knew each other, I would not have to keep up with the ''he'' thing. And yeah, I have more things to hear from you, Dad, especially about what happened two years ago. You said so in your letter," I said. Leandro came to sit beside me though, by the look on Dad''s face, I knew he did not like the idea at all. But he was scared of Leandro like all other people and he thought that Leandro was not someone to put trust in, but I knew that was not the case. Leandro was not the type of person they said. Rumors were rumors after all. "Are you sure you can hear again what happened two years ago?" Dad asked. "Wait a moment... Are you talking about the night I got stabbed and almost died?" "Yes," Dad replied. "But how do you know about that night?" I asked. "Because I am the one who took you to the hospital," Dad replied and I gasped internally. I could not talk at all. How could he take me to the hospital? He was not supposed to be in the exact right position at the exact right moment, right? "Well, I went to see you again the night before it happened. I stayed at a hotel there and from there, your coffee shop was visible. So when you left, I followed you in another car. That''s when it happened. You were almost deep inside the forest when I reached there. And when I found you, you almost lost consciousness. I killed those bastards..." "Their dead bodies... What about their dead bodies?" I asked anxiously. "I took care of them," Dad replied. "That''s criminal talk," I muttered under my breath. "What I don''t understand is why did they want to kill you? You were just a 15 year old," Dad said. "It''s your one-night stand''s boyfriend''s plan to get money. Well, Mom''s dad, I mean, my grandfather seemed to like me for some reason. He always thought I was better than Linda, perhaps because I helped him take his pills when he stayed with us. Anyway, so before he died, he wrote in his will that I will get half of his property. And if I die, then the property will go to Mom''s name and whatever belongs to Mom is Owen''s- it''s their private unspoken rule. So, he hired those big people to kill me and you know the rest. I was in a coma for three months," I said. "I''m sorry I couldn''t prevent that," Dad said, his voice truly apologetic. "It''s all your fault," Leandro said angrily. "If you hadn''t left her, nothing like this would happen." "I know it''s my fault. But, my lord, it''s a matter between me and my daughter," Dad said, his voice controlled or I was sure it would shake with fear for some reason. "You dare to call her your daughter when you never have been there for her!" Leandro hissed. I had never seen him angry like this. He had never truly raised his voice as well. But now... "How can you say that about her, my lord? You have no right over her. Just because you''ve marked her doesn''t mean you can say those things about her," Dad said. "So you think you have right over her?" Leandro snapped. "Honestly saying, I''m an adult. It''s true that you''ve made a mistake, Dad, and you can''t say you have rights over me just because you''re my dad," I said calmly. "I know I''m attacking your emotions, but truly saying, I don''t care about emotions. If you think carefully, you can see that whatever I''m saying is true. Even if we cry and talk like nothing happened, there''ll be no point. So truth works better." "You''re right," Dad said. "But how are you still alive? Why didn''t he kill you?" Dad was talking about Leandro. Everyone who heard that I was living with Leandro asked me the same thing. It hurt Leandro to hear the same thing again and again even though he never admitted it. But I was always ready to argue with them and make them believe that Leandro was not worth the rumors they said about him. It was not just a play of my feelings and emotions, it was the truth and I would never back away from stating this. "Let me tell him this, Ella," Leandro said, looking at me. His eyes were not as dangerous as before, but they were not gentle as well even though I could swear he tried to look at me gently. I nodded, while at the same time wondering why he wanted to say this. He never liked to talk much, especially with other people. But today, he seemed to make something clear. There was a determination in his eyes, just like the time when he said he was going to wait for me to make my mind up. I sighed thinking that all I could do was now listen to everything from his perspective that was also when my dad was present. I was kind of curious as well.. But there was one thing clear- Dad and Leandro did not like each other and I had a feeling that even though Dad called him ''my lord'', he was totally against Leandro for some reason. Chapter 87 - [Bonus ] Dad(3) (From Leandro''s Perspective) I had a feeling that she was hiding something from me since last night, but I did not want to push her because I knew when she was ready, she would tell me. The incident in the morning was in my mind all the time. It was very intimate and she liked it too, but suddenly she pushed me away as if she was afraid of something... I was writing some important letters to Anders when I sensed a shifter touching her and that was also without her consent. A mark allowed us to sense if the other one was touched by a shifter and a human, but as it was a half mark, I could only sense if she was touched by a shifter. The feeling was like a tingly burning sensation in the veins and when a shifter touched the other one without their consent, the burning sensation would be strong and hard to ignore, it was not like I would ignore anyway. I had come to find her as soon as possible. Because of the mark, I could sense where she was. When I reached the house, I heard her talking to another person. And he had sensed that I was here. I could not believe she hid it from me that she had found her dad. Why would she do that? Did she think that I would not let her meet him? I had a clear idea that it was a risk for me to talk to him, but I could not just let her be with him even if he was her dad. He was the one who left her. How could I be sure that he would not do the same thing again? I wanted to be the one to describe why I did not kill her and why she was staying with me. Ella must be feeling bad for me after hearing the same thing again and again and she was trying to make everyone understand that I was not the type of person they thought me to be. But she did not know that_ I was always a deadly monster, but to her, I could be anything but that monster. "I was in my Beast form when I found her. She helped me regain my human form for the first time," I said. "How?" Alessandro asked. By the look on his face, he still feared me just like before. He should as well- after all, I was still a monster no matter how different I was to Ella. I looked at her and found her looking at me as well with an always eager look on her face. She was always like this, always so curious about everything. "She touched me without backing away with fear, she caressed my fur even though I might be the most heinous looking creature," I replied, maintaining eye contact with her. People usually feared the way I looked at them, but she did not. She seemed to be comfortable with my gaze despite the coldness that I could not change fully yet even though I tried. "Why did you touch that creature, Ella?" Alessandro asked as if he was talking about something nasty and despicable. "Because she wanted to see if my fur was soft or not," I replied for her and she nodded, smiling broadly. Alessandro looked shocked as he looked at both of us with his mouth half-open. I did not care what others thought about the way she and I talked. To me, it was perfect and that''s all that mattered. "She was tired perhaps and she fainted, but she did not faint from fear. It was clear in her eyes," I said. I knew she did not want others to know that she feared blood, so I decided not to tell her Dad that, rather I tried to come up with a lie. "I took her with me to where I live. And you already know where I live, don''t you?" "Yes, I do. But we never could go there. They fear you the most," Alessandro said. Ella had a questioning look on her face. I nodded at her, telling her with my eyes that "I''ll tell you later". She understood and pouted, just the way she always did when she was told that I would tell her something later. "I wanted to kill her thinking she was one of Nicklaus''s people. I would not have waited to hear an explanation from her just like someone like me would do. But I waited for her to get up. She intrigued me and killing her just like that did not sit well with me," I said and glanced sideways at Ella who did not seem to care that I had thought of killing her. She was still looking at me with those curious eyes that always made my heart go wild. "After she woke up, she told me how she got here and said that she did not even know Nicklaus. She was just a stranger and even if I knew that she could lie, I still decided to let her go. She wanted to leave too. But after she left, I could not stay still. I was_ worried if something happened to her, so I went to look for her. I did not have to go far, she was running back getting chased by three Orgades. Then I took her back with me and she made a deal with me." "A deal?" Alessandro asked, shocked. "Yes, a deal. We made a deal that she would bring me information from the castle for me and I would let her stay with me," I said. "How could you make such a deal with her? She is just a child," Alessandro said. "I''m not a child, Dad," she said carelessly. "And besides, I''m the one who nagged Leandro to make a deal with him." "But how do you get inside the castle?" he asked. "I work as a servant there," she replied. "My daughter- a servant? Disgusting! Moreover, it''s dangerous! If the king or his father see you and take an interest in you, you don''t know what can happen...," he said, panicking and I could not help but find the resemblance between Ella and her father when worried. "I know. In that case, they''ll take me as their slave. But I''m being careful not to get in front of them much. I have Jed there and Edrich is helping too. So everything is going well," she said. "If a single thing goes wrong, you can die too. You can come and live with me, Ella. You don''t have to worry about doing anything. My place is your place too," he said. "No," I said dismissively. "Why not? She won''t stay at your place and she won''t have to work as a servant anymore. She will be safe," he said. "She will stay with me," I said. "Why are you doing this to her, my lord? If she leaves, it will lessen your burden. You won''t have to share your place then," he said. "No, Dad. I want to stay with him," she muttered. "What?" he was shocked. He should be. To be honest, I was a bit shocked too by her normal saying. She liked me, but I had a feeling that if her dad asked her to be with him, she would go. But she did not. She wanted to stay with me, with a monster. "You heard me, Dad. It''s not just the deal... Never mind. All that matters is that I want to stay with him. And as I''m an adult, I can do as I wish," she said firmly. I had never seen her talking so expressionlessly and it kind of gave her a suppressed fierce look. She did not raise her voice, but it did not make her look weak, rather she looked dangerous in her way. I did not know this part of her existed and I wondered what she would be like if she was a leader. "I''ll leave now. I need to go back to the castle. It''s been more than two hours. I told Jed I would come back soon. Anyway, goodbye." She stood up and Alessandro stood up as well. "Please come and live with me, my little princess. Dad is worried about you." "Sorry, Dad, but I already have a home. But if I ever need a place to stay, I''ll come to you. Just let Leandro know where the place is, I have to leave now. And when I''ll come to stay with you, make sure you care about me and be a bit worried about me. It''ll make me feel good," she said, her eyes cold and her lips pursed. "And, Dad_ I''m not a little princess. I never was. So, you better not call me that. I''ve always been Ella, just Ella." "Can you at least forgive me?" he asked desperately. "No," she replied sharply. "I don''t forgive." And just like that, she left, not glancing back even for once.. But I could feel the sadness radiating from her and I found myself promising again that no matter what, I would not let her feel like this ever again. Chapter 88 - Dad(4) (From Leandro''s Perspective) "Now shall we talk, Alessandro?" I asked as soon as Ella left. "My lord, you and I both know that things are complicated. You''re a shifter and so am I. But I work against the shifters now. The shifters have caused enough trouble, they kill innocent people and they treat humans like trash. I''m ashamed to be a shifter," he said. "I know, Alessandro that you and the rest of your people want me dead just like they want Nicklaus and Father. And the reason is I''m a shifter too," I said. "And I''m pretty dangerous as well, I would not deny. I killed humans too, but have you seen me taking a slave or raping anyone, or killing someone without a reason?" "No, my lord. But still, you''re a threat," he said. "I am. But aren''t we going on the same path now? We both are against the Royal at this moment. Your goal is to make this world a better place and my goal is to take back my throne. I understand that we both are rivals in this case, but I don''t want to do anything against you right now as you''re Ella''s father. She would not like it even though she is angry with you. Even I want to kill you too, but she would not...," I said. "Do you know why I truly haven''t killed her? Why do I treasure her so much? It''s because I saw her eyes shining not with fear, but with curiosity every time she looked at me. It was the first time I saw the eyes of not fear looking at me. She talked a lot, truly a lot, and about everything. But I didn''t find it boring and useless. Rather, I listened to her even though I used to try not to show my interest. And you know what I found out? She is deep, deeper than she thinks. You might think she''s just blabbering, but if you listen to her words attentively, you''ll find a different meaning, a different but true way of seeing life, a bold move towards the future, creative thinking. She might be bright sometimes, she might be enthusiastic and curious, but she knows what she is dealing with, she knows how to survive. Or do you think it was easy to ask a stranger, especially someone like me to give her a place to stay at the price of some information? She wanted to live, she wanted to enjoy life and for that, she even made a deal with me, and even without her knowing, she made me attached to her, and now thinking about not being able to be with her is hard like not being able to breathe." "Why are you telling me this, my lord? She is your weakness... I can use her against you," he muttered. "You think I''m stupid, Alessandro? I saw the love you have for her in your eyes. She is your daughter after all. You will not use her or hurt her, even though you did before. But I can forgive you for that as you didn''t know about her. And even if you try to use her, do you think she''ll go against me? She is not stupid, Alessandro. She trusts me_ with her life and I trust her, she is not going to leave me even though she found her father now. As she said, it''s not just the deal. But she hasn''t told you the whole thing. I would not bother as well, but as you are her father, I want you to know that your daughter is safe with me though I don''t like you myself," I said. "I told her not to go to the castle anymore. I told her that she can stay with me and for that, she doesn''t need to bring me information anymore. But why would I do that? I was getting useful information from her. You know why I did that? Because I don''t want to lose her now that for the first time, I''ve found someone who understands me and doesn''t run away in fear from me. But she didn''t agree." "Why not?" "That''s not something I''m going to tell you. If she wants to tell you, she will. But let me tell you one thing. I haven''t marked her forcefully. I''ve never planned on marking anyone. But that was before she came along and I felt a change. She wanted to be marked to know if she has shifter blood and I wanted to mark her so she could be mine. It might be a selfish reason, but I don''t want to lose her." "She is very young, my lord. She is not ready for..." "I don''t want her for that! I want her as she is. I just want her around. And I don''t do anything she doesn''t want me to. I might be a monster, but I''m not shameless." "For my daughter, my lord, I''ll not go against you for now. Just keep her safe, my lord. It doesn''t matter who you are, if my daughter doesn''t want to be with you, I will go at any length to get her out. But she seems to like to be with you and trusts you. And she is right- it''s her choice. If she wants to be with you, I can''t stop her. I haven''t been with her in her life and now that she thinks that you care about her, there''s nothing I can do. All I ask from you is- please don''t treat her wrong." "I won''t," I said and stood up. "I''m leaving now." "Yes, my lord. This meeting is a secret. No one from my community should know about this. There might be a problem if they find out," he said. "And I live in the 2nd house of the ''Fair line'' alley. If she wants to go there..." "I''ll tell her," I said and left. Now she had found her father. I should be happy for her, but I could not help but feel a stone in my heart thinking that she might leave me any time. But I did not want her to leave. I wanted her to stay with me all the time like a selfish person. For her, I did not mind being selfish. I looked at the castle once. It had been long I had given it a glance. I had not been here for two years. But I was going to come back. I would take back my rightful throne at any cost. But it meant war. Ella was worried about war. That was because she was not used to this kind of life. She needed to understand that the purpose of life here was power. I was no exception, but still, every now and then there was a little part of me that would wonder if that power was truly the main purpose of my life. Was there nothing greater than power in my life? There was, but_ I was not sure. "What''re you still doing here, Ella?" I asked, looking at the slender figure, peeking at me from behind a half-open door right beside me. "I hurt my knee on the way, so I had to wrap it up. It took a while. Don''t worry I didn''t eavesdrop even though I wanted to. I trust you. I know you''ll tell me," she mumbled. I looked down and saw that her right knee was bandaged poorly with a handkerchief. But she never kept a handkerchief with her. I sighed and bent down in front of her. I unwrapped the handkerchief and saw that there was a wound that was bleeding, not too much but enough to make me punch whatever caused her this. "How did this happen? Did you fall?" I asked. "Well, I wanted to make a quick run to the store nearby and buy some chicken for Jed and me, so we could eat while working. I got some money this month and you know, I can''t just let it be like that, right? But on the way, there was this fat guy who purposefully pushed me and I fell. That''s when I got the knee cut." "Where is that bastard now?" I asked, clenching my teeth. "Oh him? His friends said they are going to take him to the healer or something." "Why?" I asked, surprised. "Because I beat him up with a stick that I found nearby. It turned out to be the walking stick of an old woman. Fortunately, I didn''t break it and moreover, the woman said she enjoyed the scene of me beating him up. She said that he had thrown water on her once. So, she didn''t mind me using her walking stick. And this is that guy''s handkerchief. I took it from his pocket.. Well, I didn''t have anything to wrap the wound with and the blood is disgusting," she said with a normal face while I observed her face trying to find something that would stop making me surprised. Chapter 89 - It’s Not Like You Tell Me Everything (From Ella''s Perspective) I knew I was being harsh to Dad, but that was the truth. I needed him to know what I truly was feeling. I did not want to give him false hope saying that I could forgive him because I never could. Forgiving was never something I could do. Perhaps I was a cold-hearted monster that Linda called me. If someone did something bad to me or tried to do, I would take revenge and make them feel what it felt like to be put in that position. Leandro and Dad knew each other before, but I could not understand how. But one thing was sure- they did not like each other. I wished he would tell me what was going on between them. I went back to the castle after Leandro wrapped my knee with his handkerchief and threw away the one I used before. He was telling me again and again not to get into much trouble and showed me how to wrap a wound properly though I still did not learn as I was much more focused on his face at that moment. Jed was furious not only because I was late, but also because I could not bring him chicken. I had to tell him again and again that I forgot after I beat that guy up. "Then you have to buy me soon," he said. "Alright, I will," I grumbled. I told him everything about what happened. And he was not surprised to know that Leandro had gotten there because of me. "He likes you and he thought that your dad might not truly be your dad. So, he went there to check on you," he said. "Do you think he''ll get angry that I didn''t tell him this before?" I asked. "Perhaps no. He wrapped your wound too. I don''t think he''s angry." "But he was not talking to me gently. He was being cold again." "Honestly saying, I don''t understand this man. He is weird. Just go home and see if he''s angry. Or you''ll never be able to know how he''s feeling." "Eh! You called him weird... If he hears you..." "Are you going to tell him?" "No, I call him weird too to his face. He doesn''t mind. He shouldn''t. It''s the truth after all. I''m weird too," I said. "That''s good," Jed mumbled. "Anyway, I got something to tell you about Miles and me..." "What? Did you guys kiss? Did you guys have a heart-to-heart talk? Did you tell him that you like him? Did you touch him not so innocently? Come on, tell me! I''m not a patient person!" "If you don''t stop talking, how can I tell?" "Alright, I won''t talk. Now tell me," I said, putting a finger on my lips. "I think he kind of likes me too." "What? Really? Oh my goodness! I''m so happy for you! Just go for it! I think you guys are moving truly fast, but to be honest, I''m a fast pace lover. So go for it," I exclaimed excitedly. "Anyway, so how do you know he likes you?" "He blushed when I touched him. Stop looking at me like that! It was a simple touch, nothing mature. I just touched his hand, and it was part of the comforting thing. I mean, he was upset that his father thinks that he is not doing well enough to earn money and he wants Miles to work in the bakery with him. But he doesn''t like it. So they had a fight. I think his father is forcing things on him. It''s not right." "You know, I don''t know which side to take. You know the thing from Miles''s perspective only, but if you want to take a side, you need to know what his father is thinking as well. Miles needs to earn money, but he can''t do so if he keeps on drawing only. If he can''t sell them, he can''t get money. I understand it''s a hobby, but to survive, sometimes we have to put our hobby aside and work, even if it''s a boring job. His family is not rich. He can''t just keep up with his hobby, but forget every other thing. In this case, I think his father is right. But perhaps, Miles has a plan on his own too to earn money. If he doesn''t want to do anything else, but draw, then he can do that, only if he has a plan of earning money by that as well. You know what I mean? Don''t just take his side and comfort him. Tell him what''s important and give him suggestions, not advice. Most people hate when others give them advice, me including. I hate it too, but in case of suggestions, I might spend a second or two thinking about it. Anyway, remember what I said." "What if he gets angry that I don''t agree with him?" "Then he is a jerk, no offense. If he is a true human being, then he will understand what you''re saying, or you can consider him a rat or something." "Are you serious?" "Positive," I said. "Just give him a piece of your mind too. Let him know that you''re not just a puppet who will do everything the other person says and agree with him all the time. You have a thinking too and you are willing to let him know your thoughts." "If it doesn''t work..." "Then, unfortunately, he is not the right person for you." Jed and I spent all afternoon talking about what he should say. While going back, I had to buy him chicken as I said. He was being too naggy. Now I kind of understood what it felt like to deal with me. As I reached the entrance of the forest, as always I found Leandro waiting there for me. The moment I noticed him, his eyes went down to my knees, perhaps to check if I was truly alright. The sight of him always managed to warm my heart no matter what the situation was. The urge to wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his chest, take his aroma in was almost undeniable. But I controlled myself. "Hey," I muttered. He did not look as gentle as before, rather he had a hard and cold look, just like the first night we met and I felt like I was meeting that person over again. "Let''s go," he said and started walking. If I said that it did not hurt, it would be a lie. Did I do something wrong? Why was he behaving like that? We walked in silent, precisely saying he walked and I had to run every now and then to keep up with his long strides. I could not see his face in the dark, but I could sense some kind of coldness radiating from him. "Are you angry with me?" I murmured, even though I said it, I was half hoping that he did not hear it. He did not say anything, rather kept his hard face on. I did not like it at all, this part of him that I did not want to see again. I thought he had become a whole different person. Now it seemed like I was wrong after all. No one could change fully and I was stupid to think that he had. "Why aren''t you talking? Did I do something wrong? Why are you angry with me? Tell me," I said, and this time I was loud enough that there was no confusion that he would not hear it. This time he looked down at me, more like shot a dangerous look at me, and suddenly grabbed me by my arms and pressed me against the nearby tree that my back was pressed against it. He was breathing heavily as he held me tightly, his gaze burning into mine. "You are asking me what you did wrong? You didn''t bother telling me going to meet another shifter alone?" he asked coldly and calmly that would make anyone''s blood run cold and mine was no exception. "He is my dad," I replied, more like a whisper. "How could you be sure he is your dad? He could be anyone!" "He wrote me a letter." "And you believed it just because of a letter? Anyone could write that letter, Ella. Can''t you understand it? You didn''t even tell me anything about it!" "It''s not like you tell me everything," I mumbled, looking into his eyes that were gleaming darkly. [Who do you think is being childish this time? Ella or Leandro? Ella did not tell him because she thought that he would oppose and won''t let her meet her dad. Since she was sure that it was her dad and he won''t hurt her, she did not bother telling him beforehand. And Leandro was angry because Ella did not tell him about it and went to meet another shifter (Her dad of course, but he still likes to behave like that) without notifying him.. He was worried that something might happen to her. Now it''s up to you to decide who was the wrong one] Chapter 90 - At Last He Apologized (From Ella''s Perspective) He let go of my hand and backed away, leaving me in the chilly wind and a heavy heart. I thought I would feel good letting the words out, but I was wrong. I did not feel well at all; rather it felt the heaviness in my heart had increased even more as I saw the dark expression on his face. He walked away and I followed him, not bothering to keep up with him, as I took slow and gentle steps. The wind felt heavy on my skin despite it being weak. He slowed down after a while, perhaps so I would not fall too behind. But I did not say anything to him. He was the one who needed to apologize for his behavior. Just because I did not care most of the time about his behavior did not mean I never would. After we reached the cave, I went to the bathroom to take a bath. I undid the handkerchief that was wrapped on my knee. The wound stung as it came into contact with water. Blood was not coming out of the wound anymore; it was a minor wound after all compared to nothing of what I got when I was stabbed. I wore my baggy shirt and got out of the bathroom. I heard sounds of moving stools coming from the kitchen. I went to the kitchen and found kebabs served on our plates. "I heated them up a bit," he said. "Eat before it gets cold again." "Did you buy it?" I asked. He nodded, his face cold and hard as before. I sat down on a tool and started eating. I did not mean to enjoy the food this much at this serious moment, but I ended up eating like a devil, purring noises coming out of my mouth unintentionally. "They are so..." I stopped suddenly, remembering the fact that I was still angry with him and if he did not apologize, I was not going to talk to him. "Alright, I''m sorry," he said after a long time of silence when I almost believed that he would not apologize. "Hmph," I pouted angrily. "I''m sorry for talking to you like that. You''re right. I need to open up to you as well, just the way you do," he said. That meant he was truly going to tell me about his life? I had been waiting for this for so long. I could not describe how happy I was, but I tried to behave decently as I kept my face straight. But hiding my emotions in front of him was always the hardest. I never had this kind of problem in front of anyone before, but he was truly exceptional in every single thing. "You won''t smile?" he asked and for a moment I was confused if he was seriously giving me a puppy eye or not. "Ugh! You''re too cute!" I said, giving up to pretend to be angry. "Cute?" I decided to ignore that. "Now when are you going to tell me about you? Like everything about you?" "You''re too impatient," he muttered, but he was not irritated, which I noticed with relief. "When will you tell me? Now?" I asked, ignoring his comment. "Eat first," he said in a commanding tone. "Alright!" I ate as soon as I could, but for some reason, I could feel his glare on me. But he would not watch me eat, would he? Zoe said that I ate like a hungry lioness, so it would surely be ugly. Did he make fun of me in his mind because I eat in an ugly way? "Do you think I eat like a devil?" "I don''t need to think that because you do," he said, shrugging. "Hey, that''s so straightforward! So you mean I look ugly while eating?" "You might eat like a devil, but that doesn''t mean you look ugly while eating," he replied. "Then how do I look while eating?" "If I tell you, you might not want to see what will come next." "What will come next? Don''t tell me you have evil thoughts in that dangerous head of yours!" "You got it right." He was not even satisfied after I finished my food. He even told me to go wait in the bedroom. If not for him, I would think they had some perverted thoughts in their head. Well, I was not so sure about him as well now that I thought about it. "Now tell me," I said the moment he climbed on the bed. "Come here," he said. "What?" I asked, dumbfounded. "Come and sit on my lap," he ordered as if I would listen to him. But to my horror, I even thought of doing so right away. "Why? We can talk sitting side to side." "Come here, Ella," he said. "No." "I''ll bring you watermelon tomorrow." "Okay!" I climbed on his lap. Thankfully, he was not wearing his underwear only, or it would be truly awkward and uncomfortable. "Do you know why I wanted you to be on my lap?" he asked. "So I can comfort you while you say something sad, cheer with you when you say that you''ve beat someone''s ass, laugh with you when you say something funny," I replied. "But you can do that sitting away from me too." "That''s right. I guess you have other reasons." "Can you guess?" "No. But I can think of a reason I want to be on your lap," I mumbled. "I want to hear the rhythm of your heart when you talk to me. I want to feel your emotions. I don''t just want to hear words, I want to feel what you feel when you utter them. I''m not a shifter. So I can''t even feel your emotions even after the marking. You can feel mine, can''t you? I want to feel yours too. So I guess, your heartbeat might tell me what you feel." He did not say anything, but I could feel his gaze on mine. I did not look up at him, fearing what I might find in his eyes. I lay my head against his chest, holding the front of his shirt, circling the button with my index finger. For a moment, I wished he was not wearing the shirt, so I could touch his strong torso, trace my finger on his six-pack... I blushed, thinking how much of a pervert I had become. "Do you need to take a bit of time to start? It can be uncomfortable to talk about your life with me." "It''s not uncomfortable," he sighed. "I just never talked about my life with anyone before." "Take your time. We better talk about something else in the meantime." I knew how hard it could be talking about life, especially it was hard for me. I knew he did not have a good life either. How could he have a good life when everyone called him a monster, a killer, a devil? "You said that I talk in my sleep. What do I talk about?" I asked. He laughed. "Some things that make me wonder what you''re dreaming." "I don''t really remember what I dream. Sometimes I do, but most of the time, I don''t." "You told me not to get an optical illusion tattoo." "Did I? It''s ridiculous, you know. I''m not talking about my dream. It''s the optical illusion tattoo. It seems like..." "There is some of the flesh is missing or there is more flesh than necessary," he finished for me. "How do you know? You haven''t seen one." "You told me this_ in your sleep." "Jesus! What more did I talk about?" "You said you wanted me badly." I blushed thinking about it. There was no way I said this in my sleep, did I? It was true that I dreamt about him a lot these days, but the thought of him knowing this was just not settling. "And you asked me to kiss you." "That''s a lie!" I exclaimed, being utterly embarrassed. "Why would I lie," he shrugged. "Did... Did I truly say this?" "You did." "Um... what did_ you... You ignored me then, right? Of course, you''re supposed to ignore me. I said that perhaps because we kissed a few times. It''s... It''s just nerves, how emotions work. Seems like I have a bit of emotion too," I said awkwardly, trying to act cool. "You sure that I didn''t do anything?" he asked, his voice suddenly so distant, yet close to my heart in a way. "Huh?" "I kissed you, just like you asked." "W-What?" I asked, shocked, yet excited as well for some reason. But I was also terrified thinking if I made weird sounds or not, which people usually called moan. "Yeah, you moaned." [Heh, Ella and Leandro talk about literally everything. I don''t think any couple can communicate more than them.. More importantly, they don''t let any misunderstandings get between them for too long. Of course, folk, communication is the key] Chapter 91 - His Past (From Ella''s Perspective) For a moment, I thought that he could read my mind. I did not know what to say as I was too embarrassed. But even if it was awkward and embarrassing, it was not my fault. It was natural to feel that way when I was not sure what kind of relationship we had. We kissed, did a bit other things too, but we were not in a relationship. He wanted to be in a relationship with me, but it was me who was taking too long to decide. Only if he opened up to me... "I''m ready," he said suddenly. "I want to start." I nodded but did not dare meet his eyes. But perhaps I should, I should let him know that he can talk to me, I was going to be there for him no matter what and he could tell me about anything. I took a deep breath and forced my eyes up to look at him and to my surprise, he was looking down at me as well. The moment our eyes met, he let out a smile, not a happy one, but not a sad one either, more like the type of smile that people gave when they appreciated a gift or something like that. "Since I was born, my father never loved me. He never even looked twice at me. My brother was born only one year after me. But he got all the love, affection, favor. I thought it was because I was not compatible enough. I would win the combat fights, I could ride better than most at a very young age, I could fight with swords and defeat easily, but he was not impressed with me. Even the servants looked down at me. It was hard to live like that, but I still did not pay attention to their words and kept on trying to do better." Even though his voice did not crack, I could track the sadness and desperation in his voice, but those emotions seemed to turn into an armor that was fractured only from a corner and that crack made me see the self he was hiding. But his heart was not beating faster, rather it seemed like his heart was not beating at all, like the wings of a bird in a cold winter morning. "And it was my biggest mistake. My ability was never the problem, rather my origin was. I''m sorry, but I lied to you before. I told you that I didn''t know why my shifter form is different. But I do. I''ve known it for a long time. I just never thought that I would tell it to anyone. I never trusted anyone and besides, I never thought_ I would get close to anyone," he said, looking straight into my eyes and I did not look away either. It felt uncomfortable a while ago, but now it felt like it was indeed necessary and I heard once that eye contact could make someone feel stronger, especially for those people who did not show their emotions much. My reaction shocked me. I was supposed to be angry, at least just a bit angry, but I did not feel the slightest bit of anger. Rather, I felt happy, a hint of joy crept up from the corner of my heart. I was happy that he admitted that he lied and he was also sorry for it. He said he did not think he would get close to anyone, but it surely meant that he got close to me, right? How could I not be happy? This cold man, who I did not think would show this side of him to me, said that he was sorry for not telling me his secret before and he was ready to tell me now. He trusted me... What could I need more? "I''m not my parents'' son," he said. "What???" I asked, too shocked to anticipate anything. I did not want to say anything until he was finished. It was so unlike my personality, but I still did not want to disturb him. But this time, the topic was way too shocking to keep myself from talking. "It''s true." "Be more specific. Details_ I want details." "I was about to say that. You said ''what'' far too loudly." "That''s because you stopped in the middle of your sentence. I''m supposed to give a reaction, ain''t I?" I pointed out. "Anyway, continue. I won''t disturb anymore." "Legends say there are not just shifters and humans in this world. There are more species than people found out. Alistair... He is called the devil. Legends say he had lived for thousands of years. They say he ate dead bodies, humans or shifters- it did not matter to him. One day he saw my aunt, my father''s younger sister. She was beautiful. People used to call her the goddess of beauty- exaggerating, I know. He manipulated her and promised her that he was going to marry her. It was all just to bed her. She found out that she was with a child. It was a disgrace for the royal family. Father wanted to get rid of that child, but she refused. She kept it and then gave birth to it. He did not come back ever again. I don''t have to say who the child is, right?" he said. "I don''t know what happened to her. I have seen her painting only. No one talks about her. Rumors say she had killed herself after the child was born and the child was born dead. It was surely the Royal family''s work so no one would ever find out that the child was me and I am not the king''s and queen''s real son." I listened to him all the time, but there was a part of my mind that was way too shocked to digest his words. Could it be... But how was that possible? He touched the side of my neck and rubbed the place. "You look shocked," he commented. "Leandro... by any chance, the Alistair that you''re talking about is Alistair Reginald?" "That''s his full name. But how do you know that?" he asked. "He... Remember the haunted mansion in my town where no one goes? You know what the rumors say? They say that there was a man who used to live there... They say he was a devil and he used to eat dead bodies," I said. "And his name is Alistair Reginald." "What?" "It can''t be just a coincidence. That person knew about the portal and surely had gone to my world. Or how can there be such a rumor about him in a place where he has never been?" "But it requires a shifter sacrifice. It has to be willing." "Wrong," I said. "Human sacrifice works too. Dad said so and he even used that method." "How are you so sure he isn''t lying?" he asked in a way that clearly showed his dislike of my dad. "I-I don''t know. I just want to believe he is not lying," I mumbled. He sighed. "I''ll talk to Anders about this," he said. "Ok," I said. "Anyway, it means that Alistair is your father and your fake father''s sister is your mother. How long do you know this for?" "I heard it when I was eight." "Eh?" "I heard Father and Mother talking." "Eh... it means you knew what having sex meant when you were eight years old... Hmm, impressive. I wonder who spoiled you at that age. Anyway, that''s not the point," I said. "You know this for quite a long time. Then why do you call..." "So others would not know about the secret." "But why still now? You still call the previous king and queen your parents. You talk to them as if they are your family, even if you hate them." "It has become a habit. And besides, not all people from the so-called family are bad. Mother cared for me, till_ she died. And my sister liked me too." "When did your mother die_ and how?" I asked bluntly. It was part of my habit, but then suddenly realized that I was being way too blunt. "I''m so..." "It''s okay," he chuckled. "Your straightforwardness is quite eye-catching, I have to say." "You''re mocking me..." "I said eye-catching_ How can this be mocking?" "Eye-catching_ in a bad way. Even crow shit attracts eyes," I said. He kissed the side of my head and chuckled. I did not understand what I said that would make him laugh. I was just stating the facts. "I like you when you''re yourself," he whispered into my ear. "Just be yourself. I don''t care how you''re with others, just be yourself when you''re with me. I like to see the real you." [Finally, Leandro opened up to Ella.. It has taken him a lot of courage since he never said it to anyone before. But we''re happy for him, aren''t we?] Chapter 92 - ‘Griverd’ Means ‘Graveyard’ (From Leandro''s Perspective) "I am always myself when I''m with you," she mumbled. "You don''t express your emotions," I said. "What? No, it''s not like that. I don''t feel much emotion most of the time, that''s why." "Everyone is at least a bit emotional." "Are you?" she asked, giggling. "Not much, but at least a bit," I said. "Well, perhaps I''m a bit emotional too if you put it that way. I mean, you saw me sad and angry..." "Yes, I saw you sad, angry, frightened, but don''t you think people cry at least a bit at times like that? When you were covered in blood that night, you were literally trembling... but there was not even a single tear in your eyes." "You wanted me to cry?" "Don''t put it that way. I''m just saying that it''s not normal. Girls cry at times like that." "You mean, boys don''t?" she muttered. "I don''t know what the difference between boys and girls is in this case. If you''re a boy, that doesn''t mean that you can''t cry even when you feel like that. In the same way, being a girl doesn''t mean you have to cry when you''re sad. I just don''t feel like crying. Well, I haven''t cried for years. I think I last cried when I got second place in an essay competition six years ago. I would not cry that much, I just worked too hard on it. I didn''t expect to lose... I mean, I thought I would be able to obtain the first place. Anyway, my tears just don''t come easily. Perhaps the emotions I feel are not strong enough to make me cry." Truth be told, even if it might sound harsh, I wanted to see her cry, even if it was just a single tear, I would feel satisfied. All the time even though she was smiling and blabbering, I could feel a hard shell around her, distancing her from me. Did she feel the same thing when she was around me? I had hidden myself in a hard shell as well, but that shell had cracked; she cracked it and now I could not go back to my previous self around her. Or perhaps I had this personality inside me the whole time, but could never find it. She was the one who opened me and I was happy about it, I wanted to show the inner me even if I did not like that myself. I wanted her to know more about me, the way I wanted to know more about her. I knew about her life, almost everything about her life, but I still did not understand her fully. There was something deep about her that even words could not comprehend. "Anyway, even I don''t know how Mother died. She died after I left the castle." "How?" "I don''t know. I heard that she did not wake up from sleep," I replied. When I heard about Mother''s death, I felt a bit of a sting in my heart. It was not too much, rather just a hint of pain in my chest. But it was nothing compared to what I felt when I saw Ella covered in blood in that abandoned house looking like she was going to fall apart at any moment as her hands were trembling. It was true that Mother cared about me, even if it was just a little. But she never managed to give me a sense of warmth and true caring. The first and only person who managed to do that was Ella, just a little human who had basically nothing in this world, yet she made me feel like I was important to her. I had a feeling that if something happened to me someday, she would be sad. The thought made me happy for some reason. Perhaps I sounded creepy, but I truly wanted someone to be sad, thinking that something might happen to me. "Leandro, I meant to ask you this for quite a long time... Well, do you know what is in the room on the second floor? The room where no one enters?" "Which room? I don''t remember there is any room where no one enters," I said. "There is one, right at the opposite of your office room. We can''t clean that room. There are two guards who are always there like pawns. They warned us not to go inside the room, as if we could with them stand there all the time. Anyway, I thought you would know about it," she said. "If I''m right, the room you''re talking about is Mother''s room, at least it was." "Then why can''t we go inside? Do you think there is something that we are meant not to see?" I was a bit curious about what could be inside the room, but now I was suspicious of her. The way she was talking about it, if I was right, she would surely try to go inside the room, no matter what she had to do for that. "Don''t. Just don''t even think about it," I warned her. I knew her perfectly well enough to get a hint that she was already making a plan in her head as to how she could go inside that room. She was the type of person who would go any length to know something, especially if it was something they were not supposed to find out about. But then why had she not gone there yet? Was she waiting to know if I know about the room first? "I can''t just brag into that room, you know. The guards are really big. But..." "No, you''re not going there," I said, cutting her off. No matter what happened, I could not let her endanger her life. I was aware of my feelings for her- there was no way I would be able to live without her and even if I lived somehow, I would not be called alive. How could there be a life without a soul? "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, tell me more about you," she said. "What more do you want to know?" "Anything. Like your abilities as a shifter." "You saw some things like I can smell little things, see clearly than others, and run faster than humans, a lot faster actually. And I can jump from a tall place and land without any problem," I said. "Anything else?" "I don''t know about more things right now. I''m still looking for details. Anders and some others are working on this matter. Don''t worry- I''ll let you know if I find out," I said and kissed her hair. "And how do you know my dad? He seems to be... scared of you," she mumbled. "Well, you know he works against shifters even though he is a shifter himself." "He has his reasons though he needs to understand that all shifters are not bad." "Yeah. But he hates me, at least he fears me a lot. He should. He is the leader of a group that works against the shifters. It''s the same group that you told me about the other day who was trying to kill Nicklaus. Your dad is their leader. His name is Alessandro Siena. You look a lot like him, but I never for once thought that you would be his daughter. And besides, you don''t share his surname." "I don''t share anyone''s surname. It''s a name that I''ve given myself," she said. "Mom''s name is Elle Star. She gave me the name Ella, perhaps so she would not forget my name. But she never gave me a surname. It was always just Ella. The kids in the school used to tease me about it. Not that I cared, I mean, I don''t care now. Well, at that time, I was little and didn''t know about a lot of things. I would get upset easily. So, I gave me this surname." "Why ''Griverd''?" I asked. "Well, there was a graveyard near my old kindergarten. I used to go there a lot. There was a cat that used to stay there all the time. I used to go there to feed him. That''s why they used to call me graveyard. I just wanted to remember the time when I was teased, so if I meet someone like me in the future, I would be able to show them that I even gave myself a name using something they used to tease me with," she said, smiling. "I will show them that those people could not break me. Rather, I used their own weapon as mine, and now, they can''t even take me down. You know, middle finger to them, huh!" [We all love a woman who shows middle finger to the ones who wronged them for no reason.. Ella never had anyone truly by her side and neither did Leandro. That''s why both of them fell for each other very fast since it was the first time they tasted the warmth of affection] Chapter 93 - Newfound Emotions (From Leandro''s Perspective) ''Tough- she''s too tough.'' I sighed. No matter what I was going to say, no matter how much I would tell her not to pretend in front of me, she was not going to be herself. Talking about things like this, who did she think she was that it would not affect her at all? Or did she think that I would not be able to see what was deep beyond that smile on her face? "Do you want to know about anything else?" I asked. "No. If I get any other question again later, I''ll ask you then," she said, smiling. "What''s with that smile?" "I''m just happy," she said, smiling even more. A real smile- it could not just be seen or heard, it seemed like spreading wings inside my chest, and tightening them around my heart. Was that how smiles were felt through the heart? "It feels too good to hear you talk. Today you talked a lot- not just about regular things, you talked about yourself. I''m so happy, you know." I looked her in the eyes, trying to see what was beyond that look. No, the happiness was real, hiding the sadness that shadowed on that beautiful face a while ago. ''Just for once, don''t give me that smile.'' But would there be a day when I would be able to see her cry and hear her complain about life? Just for once, for once I would like to see her like that. I did not want a block of ice with rainbows on it; I would rather choose water with no sprinkles. Realizing for how long I kept my gaze on her, I averted my look quickly and cleared my throat. "Don''t you think you should sleep now? It''s late," I said, not bothering to look at her again. "You look troubled. What''s wrong?" "Nothing. Just sleep now. I''ll sleep too." "If you say so_ I''m not convinced though," she grumbled and climbed down my lap. ''Of course, you''re not convinced. You can see through me.'' She lay down on her side, her back facing me. She almost always slept like that. This time, I was glad. I was not ready to see her face for now. The question was hitting hard that it was beginning to hurt my head and affect my thoughts. Just who was she to me? Not my family, not my friend, but someone who could tighten my chest, making it painful for me to breathe. These days, I was getting even more worried about her. Every minute, every moment, every word, reminded me of her. This was getting out of hand. I thought this emotion, whatever this was, would not be too hard to recognize. But I was wrong. Even now, I was still thinking if what I was feeling was like or love or just attraction. There was one thing I was sure of- I would not be able to relax until I knew what exactly I was feeling. Was I falling in love or had I already fallen a long time ago without me realizing it? My hand subconsciously went up to my head and a laugh left my mouth. Huh, this silly girl managed to find the key to my heart after all. "Are you laughing?" she asked throatily. "Sorry, just a little realization hit the back of my head," I said. "Sleep tight, little El. I won''t disturb you again." A fter some time, her breathing came to a steady rhythm, a comforting sound to my ears. A peaceful sleep- huh, not for me tonight. Now that I thought about it, I knew quite a lot about her. She lived with her mother along with her mother''s boyfriend and her stepsister. None of them liked her that much and she did not like them as well. If someone tried to bully her, they would get beaten up by her, even if it meant she would be punished later. She stood up for her friend as well. She liked animals, especially cats. She used to feed one in a graveyard near her kindergarten. Bullies used to mock her by calling graveyard, but she took the surname ''Griverd'' from it, showing them that she was not weak and her mother never gave her a surname. And so many more things... yet a part of her felt distant. The feelings and newfound emotions that felt unknown even a while ago, I could recognize them now. For some reason, it felt funny. Who could have thought that someone like me would ever fall in love? And that was also with a little human girl. I did not notice when I dozed off. I woke up in the middle of the night, perhaps because of the hot weather. I put off the shirt I was wearing. Because of my runny thoughts, I had completely forgotten to take it off before sleeping. The place felt awfully empty. The moment I looked beside me, I knew why. She was not there. But I could smell her nearby, very close. The door of the cave was half open and from that gap, I got a glimpse of eye-sore golden light. I slowly approached the door and peeked through the gap, only to find a way too attentive girl writing in her diary. I could not see her face, but I could imagine the expression she might be wearing. I peeked from above her shoulder and got a glimpse of her writing. But from what I read, I could not find a meaning out of it. The night falls and the stars awake Like those two hearts in a cave Aching and racing Like a shooting star "And what do you think you''re doing?" "EEK!!!" she jumped as far away as she could that her diary fell out of her hand. "What the hell??!" "..." "Oops! Sorry," she mumbled, looking down at her feet. "Pfft!" This time, I could not stop myself from laughing. This girl- I had no idea she could scream like this. "Sorry, I really am. I shouldn''t have screamed like that. I was just surprised. Are you mad at me?" "No, I''m not mad at you though I''m a bit surprised to see you scream like that. I didn''t know you could be that loud," I said. "Well, I don''t do it usually. It''s just when I''m too surprised, my mouth gets wild," she mumbled, apologetically. "But it''s your fault too. You sneaked up behind me. You didn''t even make a sound." "I didn''t see you beside me, so I came to look for you. Seems like you were writing something. Let me see- what was it... hmm... the night falls..." "Stop talking, just shut up! It''s embarrassing." "Were you writing a poem?" "No. It was_ a song." "A song?" "Well, you know, I write songs in my free time. I''m not too good at it, but I still enjoy it sometimes. Zoe sometimes sings them." "Don''t you sing them then?" "No. I mean, I sang once or twice, but not more than that. I don''t like singing. I just like writing a song and that''s all." "But you can sing, can''t you?" "Everyone can sing. I''m a bathroom singer, so if that counts..." "You know what I mean," I said. "I sang only when Zoe would nag me too much. I just don''t think my voice is good enough to sing. I mean, it''s too harsh, and besides... I don''t know. I can''t sing, that''s all," she said. Perhaps she did not know that I heard her singing that night. It was good, like a whisper in the thin air of an unknown melody where the words would stab the heart. Should I tell her that I heard her singing? "Then sing for me too." "I can''t sing." "But you sang before, right?" "Yeah, but I''m not good at it, so, no," she said flatly. Guess I needed to wait until I would be able to make her sing for me. "Alright then, if you say so. But you need to sleep now. It''s too late. You need to go to work tomorrow." "Yeah," she said. For some reason, her voice felt different. It was not as enthusiastic and cheerful as before. But it was not sad either. Yet something felt different as if she was rambling about something in her mind and she was not sure how to say something. "Um, Leandro?" "Yeah?" "Don''t kiss me or touch me in any... um... mature way for a few days." "You hate it?" I asked. "No, it''s not like that. I just need to clear my mind about something_ so I can give you a proper answer." [Ella needs space... Well, it''s supposed to happen since she was scared to let go. Because of her parents, she could not love anyone seriously.. She was afraid that she might get hurt. That''s why, she needs to clear her mind so she can finally think of her true feelings and decide what to so] Chapter 94 - Distance (From Ella''s Perspective) Since that night, things had changed between us. He was not avoiding me, nor was he touching me. And by touching, I meant he was not touching me at all if not necessary. Well, that was what I wanted anyway, but still, for some reason, it was kinda frustrating. It had been more than a month since I had come into this world, but it felt like, this was the home I felt the closest to. Every day, things were going as usual. I would go to the castle and Leandro would accompany me till the end of the forest. I would spend the day in the castle, cleaning and chatting with Jed. And then I would come back to the cave again. Leandro was cooking that night while I was sitting in front of the cave, picking some very tiny flowers that I found in the grasses. I was planning on throwing them on Leandro later. Suddenly I heard something above me, like the fluttering of a bird''s wings. I looked up, only to find two big bright red eyes looking at me. "Eek!" I almost jumped, but then noticed that it was just an owl. The owl was kind of big and there was a letter tied up with its left leg. The owl sat on my forearm and that was_ disgusting. Everything was fine until that. The feeling of its sharp claws on my skin was uglier than I thought. I tried to shake it off my arm, but that bird would not even move, rather it nibbled me with its beak. "Get off me! Leandro! Help me, damn it! It won''t get off...," I yelled while shaking my arm frantically. "What... what''s wrong?" he came earlier than I thought. He looked as if he did not want to waste another breath to come here. Even though the thought seemed evil, I kind of liked when he was worried about me. It was the first time, after all, that someone was worried about me. "This damn owl_ sat on me," I muttered. "There is a letter," he said, "and if I''m right, it''s from your dad." "That''s not the point. Just get it off me first. It feels weird." "Hahaha... Our mighty little El is scared of birds," he laughed. "Hey, I''m not scared of birds. I just hate to feel their claws on my skin. It''s ticklish," I said quickly. "It''s still funny... haha." "God, stop it! Get this bird off me, Leandro. You''re making me angry," I grumbled. "Alright, alright. Stop moving then. Relax," he said, taking the owl off my arm. He was still laughing about it as he untied the ribbon that attached the letter to its leg. I should be mad at him for laughing at me, but oddly enough, he was way too handsome to be mad at. "Here," he said and handed me the letter. The paper was yellowish and I definitely hated the color. It looked gross. "You''re pouting," he said, smiling. "I''m not!" I said loudly. "Anyway, I''m hungry. What''s for dinner?" "Boiled vegetables," he replied. "Ugh... it feels like I''ve become a cow." "It was you who suggested that we should stop eating meat all the time." "Yeah, but... Anyway, we need to bring back our old traditions. Meat is meat, we can''t give that up no matter what." "If you want so, but there''s still a problem." "What now?" "You don''t eat less at all, yet you''re so skinny. You didn''t gain weight at all. It''s more like you lost even more," he said. "What do you mean? You mean to tell me I eat a lot?" "Forget that part, focus on the second part. I think you should see a doctor..." "Wait a moment! You people have doctors here?" "Did you think we are rats?" he asked as if he was offended. "No, I mean I thought you guys call the people who treat you ''healer''. Well, the doctor seems like a modern term, right?" "We call them both doctors or healers or physicians. They are the same." "Oh, I didn''t know," I mumbled, feeling embarrassed. "Really, you turn a topic upside down," he sighed. "I was talking about your build. So when should you see a doctor?" "I''m always like this. You''re right about one thing- I eat quite a lot. Well, I like eating after all. Gosh, those cheesy pizza slices... and burgers... Anyway, I actually don''t change at all even if I eat a lot. I lose weight, but don''t gain," I said. "Do you think that''s normal?" "It doesn''t..." "I''m taking you to a doctor," he said, cutting me off. "Nope, not a chance. I''m telling you that''s just a waste of time." "I don''t think taking care of my wife is a waste of time." "Huh, wife? Fake wife," I corrected him. "Anyway, let''s eat now. I''m hungry." "You never listen," he sighed. "Still, I''m taking you to a doctor, you want it or not." During the dinner, I was reading the letter that Dad had sent me. For some reason, the things he wrote were exactly the things that I needed at the moment. Dear Ella, Hope you''re well. I''m doing well too, though probably you don''t want to know. Anyway, is that guy treating you well? He didn''t read this letter, did he? Well, it has been a long time since we met. So, wouldn''t it be good if you come to stay at my place? Even just for a bit, you can just call it visiting. We can have a bit of father-daughter time. I know you don''t like me that much and you won''t forgive me, but can we try to spend the time a bit more comfortable keeping the other things aside? Perhaps it''s too much to ask, but please consider this. And don''t let that guy''s words affect your decision. Let me know about your decision. Just tell that tall guy who marked you for some weird reason which I don''t accept. He knows how to send me your word. Love you and take care. Sleep separately. I don''t want my pure daughter to be touched by him. Don''t stay up at night, though I don''t know if you do so. I do it so I thought perhaps you do it too. Anyway, hope to see you soon. Your Dad "Here, take a look at this," I said, handing the letter to Leandro. "It''s yours. Why are you showing me this?" he asked, but took the letter anyway. He read it even though I did not answer. "Why do I get your vibe from this letter?" "That''s because he is my dad," I replied. "Yeah, but I think your way with words is smarter than his," he said thoughtfully. "I prefer yours. Anyway, what are you going to do?" "I''m going to go to his place." "Okay," he said and for some reason, he did not seem too sad about it. Well, I at least expected him to be a bit sorrowful. "Hey, you''re really being expressionless at this moment, you know. I''ve been with you for a month. At least, be a bit sad. I mean, you said you like me, right?" "I do like you." "As what?" "I told you before, El. I want to date you, but it''s you who is keeping me waiting and now you told me to keep my distance as well," he said. "Though it''s hard, as I promised you before, I''ll wait." His words rang in my ear, but I could not let them affect me. I needed to clear my mind. I thought that if we kept our distance, I would be able to think clearly. But whenever he was near, it was hard for me to think properly; it was always like my thoughts were messing with me. Perhaps it was better if I went to stay with Dad for a few days. "Well, if you like me, shouldn''t you be a bit sad to stay without me?" I asked. "There is a coincidence," he said. "I have to go to Anders to discuss a few things. He sent me a letter saying that there are fifty new members willing to join us. I need to see them myself and besides, there are some more things to take care of. I was about to tell you this, and here comes your dad''s letter. For the first time, his timing is good." "Good then. When are you leaving?" "A week later." "Alright then. I''ll go to Dad''s place tomorrow," I said. "This soon?" "Leandro, is it hard?" "What?" "To control yourself?" "You know the answer yourself, don''t you?" "Then if I leave first, it will relieve you from this. And besides, I think we both need a bit of distance. In the meantime, think about the whole thing about you and me. Think about your feelings properly.. Try to understand if the feeling is just sexual attraction or more than that." Chapter 95 - Sure About My Feelings (From Ella''s Perspective) "If you like someone, it''s common to be sexually attracted to that person. I mean, you want to touch, kiss, and do mature stuff, you know. But if it''s just sexual attraction, then it''s a problem, isn''t it? And besides, you didn''t really meet any woman in a very long time. So when you meet me, it''s kinda normal to feel an attraction even though I''m not that attractive. Anyway, you need to be honest with yourself and your feelings and think everything through. If you still feel the same thing for me when we meet again and I feel the same, we will date. What do you think?" He had a serious look on his face, but that lasted only for a moment. For some strange reason, he started laughing. "Are you making fun of me?" I asked. "No, it''s just... Your thoughts really surprise me. Aren''t you just eighteen years old? Then how do you have so much conscience?" "I''m just talented," I said, shrugging. "Anyway, what do you think of this?" "If I say no..." "I''ll still go." "I knew it. Well, I''m not going to say no. You''re right. We both need space. We need to recognize the true feeling," he said and for some reason, I could not help but wonder if he truly meant it. It was all because of the small smile he had on his face. "Why do I feel like you''re not being sincere?" I asked, suspiciously. "Well, even though you won''t believe me, I''m sure about my feelings. But as you need space, I can''t keep you from that." "Hey, I''m saying this because of you. I don''t have any confusion about my feelings," I protested. "How are you so sure about this? You never had a boyfriend," he pointed. "Do you know the thing that you just said would stab a girl''s heart?" "Of course, and I also know that you''re not one of them." "Right you are. Anyway, as I said I''m sure about my feelings." "And I asked how." "Geez! You''ve become so competitive with words," I said. "Well, I never had a boyfriend, but that doesn''t mean I haven''t met boys. I''ve met those short ones with a round head and long ears, then those super tall ones with slender bodies and play basketball and for some reason, girls like them. They literally behave as if those playboys are the most angelic creatures alive just because they give puppy eyes. I also met an old geezer with a lolita complex. That guy was at least forty-five years old and I was only twelve. That old piece of absolute stinky trash hit on me. How dare he is! Anyway, I beat him up with a chair, so it was not much of a problem though half an hour of my life was wasted. Oh, I totally forgot. I didn''t tell you about the lolita complex. It''s, you know, attraction to young girls. In Japan, it''s known as lolicon. Japan is a country on the Asia continent. It will take too much time to describe everything to you, so I''ll keep it short. In Japan, almost everyone looks alike and if you want to find your kid in school, you have to look for their specific beauty marks. But if you put that appearance confusion thing aside, their behavior is really good, too good I mean, not my type though. Their food is good too. Hey, do you want to know about their food?" "If you want to tell me..." "Of course, I want to tell you. Well, there is sushi. I don''t eat sushi, but everyone likes it. It''s vinegared rice with a piece of raw fish or something like that on top of it and people eat it with soy sauce or wasabi. They use chopsticks to eat it, but I can''t handle them. Anyway, raw fish is not something I would like to try. I never had sushi for that, I mean the ones with raw fish. I had one with avocado though... And then there is sashimi. It''s quite popular, but I hate it too. Its raw fish cut into pieces for you to enjoy those innocent bodies with soy sauce or wasabi. But I like rice balls, I mean not the plain ones, I like the ones with a savory filling. I don''t know if people are supposed to eat rice balls with meat, but I eat them with grilled chicken filling. There is a chef who I fake praised a lot, so he got really heated and told me that he will make anything I want. So, I told him that I want rice balls with grilled chicken filling and he made me once every week. Then I like grilled chicken skewers. Its chicken cut into small pieces and placed on bamboo skewers and then grilled. Quite cool, huh! I like ramen too, especially when there is extra pork. Curry rice is good too, and I like dumplings as well, though I''m not sure if dumpling is Japanese," I said. "Anyway, where was I in the first place? Right- how do I know that my feelings are real? Well, it''s because I met a lot of boys, but no one ever piqued my interest like you. That''s why there is no way this is just because we live together. But if we live apart for some days, this feeling would become even clearer and then we can start dating, if our feelings turn out to be mutual." "Alright." "Just like that? Say something more." "What am I supposed to say?" "How can I know that? Wait a moment- is there someone new that you like?" "What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind? Why would I like someone else?" The way he said it, I was left with no confusion that he would never like any other girl. He talked as if he even hated the question and his facial expression was even funnier. "Well, you know..." His hand shot out in front of my face as if he was going to touch the side of my neck, but he took his hand back quickly. "Don''t say these things. No matter what happens, I won''t like anyone else. I don''t want to let you like anyone else either," he said. "But if you do... if you find someone else you like and want to leave me, just leave without a word." "Leandro..." "I don''t want to hear things like that from your mouth." "You know it won''t happen. I told you my preferences are too high," I said. And besides, I did not think I would ever be able to like anyone else. I did not want to like anyone else either. Why would I when I found someone considerate, caring as well as handsome? "Tell me the same thing when we meet again," he said. "I will repeat everything again as well." "If your feelings don''t change," I added. "I would rather say if your feelings don''t change. Mine ones are already sealed inside me," he said with a smirk. I finished the rest of my meal and went to sleep. At night, I could not help but feel like my emotions would overflow. The feelings would try to sink me deeper. It was a very uneasy feeling, like a pain in the chest. It was the main reason I could not sleep at night. I was more worried about Leandro''s feelings for me than my feelings for him. I was already sure of my attraction towards him and I was also aware that it was not just a simple liking, rather it was something stronger than that, yet not enough to be called ''love''. Or perhaps it was love, but I was not sure of it myself. But did he also feel the same way about me? He said he liked me and I also knew he was not someone to lie or play with me, yet I could not help but feel restless. First of all, he was too handsome, powerful, and wealthy while I was average looking, not powerful but enthusiastic, and broke as hell. Why would he like someone like me? It was not like I underestimated myself, but I could not help but feel a bit curious about it. I wondered if I should ask him about it, but then thought that it would be a horrible question after all. Mostly because when I used to read manga and the female leads would ask questions like that, I would get irritated and even curse them for thinking so low of themselves. Now I understood their situation. The male leads were freaking handsome and Leandro was more than handsome. Now I kind of felt like it was normal to feel that way in front of a shining handsome piece of heavenly art. "Are you planning on not sleeping at all?" "Sorry." [Let''s see if the feelings are real though we kinda know the answer....] Chapter 96 - On The Way To Dads Place (From Ella''s Perspective) Leandro wanted to be the one to take me to Dad''s place. He said he knew the route. But what if he got into trouble because of me? What if someone recognized him somehow? He was going to wear a hooded cloak, but even though I could not bring myself to let him come with me. "I told you I won''t be recognized," he said. "If anyone manages to recognize me, then..." "... the person would be able to trace a dirt on dung," I finished for him though I was sure he would not say it like that. "It won''t be a problem..." "I told you I''ll manage." "You have no sense of direction," he pointed out. "What are you there for then?" "You mean I''m coming with you then?" "No," I said. "You''re going to draw me the routes in a readable way of course so I can reach Dad''s place without any problem." "I am taking you there," he said. "No, you''re not..." "Ella," he said as he inched closer. "I said I want to take you, then it''s decided." "Leandro..." "Am I not taking you?" "Y-Yes," I mumbled. I did not know why I could not refuse. Perhaps it was because of how he was behaving. Suddenly the dark aura that surrounded him was slightly scary and I could not help but say yes. Truth be told, I did not want to leave him. I wanted to stay by his side and feel his warmth. He was waiting for me, all the time, yet I could not bring myself to say yes even though I wanted to. ''It''s all because of Mom and Dad. They made me fear saying yes easily!'' It was clear on his face that he did not want me to leave as well. I wanted to tell him the same thing- ''I don''t want to leave you. I want you to hold me.'' But still, there was no other way. After all, he had to leave as well and I was sure that he would suggest that I should go to Dad''s place anyway. I had taken a little bag with me in which there were some of Leandro''s shirts and my clothes. I wanted to take one of his shirts with me so at least, I would be able to feel him even though he would not be present. But he insisted on giving five of them and when I said that I did not need that many, he said that he had too many of them anyway. Leandro was not like this when we first met. He was full of himself and was very arrogant. Though he still was very proud of himself, he did not behave arrogantly with me. Sometimes, even I was surprised to see how sweet he could be. "Whenever you want to see me, send me a letter," he said. "Though I might be busy and it might take a while to give you a reply, I still will. But you can''t absolutely come to meet me there." It was not like I thought of going to meet him there. If I wanted, I would rather send him a letter and tell him my response, though I kind of knew what I would say. But now that he said it, I was kind of curious why I should not go there. "Why not?" I asked. "Just don''t." "Like hell I will understand!" "There are a lot of men there," he said. "If you go there, they will look at you." "They have eyes..." "Just don''t go there. Or there will be bloodshed. I don''t want to do so right away, though it would not be much of a problem." "What... what do you mean? Bloodshed? You will kill someone? Who? Why? What did they do?" "If they look at you all weird, I will have no choice but to end the span of their lives," he said nonchalantly. As he said it, even his face was very serious. It was disturbing. I could not even bring myself to argue with him anymore. We were on our way out of the forest. Both of us were wearing hooded cloaks. Mainly, he needed to wear it, but I wore one as well because I was curious. He was holding my hand pretty tightly. I did not know why, but his touch became more and more comfortable and it did not feel strange anymore. I wished that he truly liked me from the bottom of his heart. If I had not met him, perhaps I would have never known how much I craved a bit of care and attention. I wished I could hold his hand like this forever. The warmth- I always wanted to feel it. Even if we were going to be away, he had his mark on me- the bite mark on my shoulder that would not fade away until one of us died. "Do you know where it is?" I asked. "I mean, are you sure?" "Of course. Don''t worry," he said without looking at me. "Be careful, there is a stone..." If he had not told me, I would surely trip over the stone. That was the type of luck I had. No matter how much I tried, all kinds of obstacles were always in my way and I would get away only by sheer luck most of the time. "I wonder what kind of person Dad is," I mumbled. "I think he is like you." "Like me?" "Hmm," he nodded. "He seems like the type to talk more than necessary and also in a strange manner." "Are you mocking these types of people?" "I would if I did not like you. But your characteristics make you even more interesting, so I don''t really mind your nature. But I hate other people with the same nature since their voices are disgusting and sore for my ears." "So, if he is like me, you think we will get along? I mean, if I am to live with him, we should get along, right?" "You clearly drew a line between you and your dad when you told him that you won''t forgive him." "I won''t. Why would I? I don''t care if he did not know that he had a daughter or if he knew that he had, he would take care of me. No matter what happened between them, I was the one who needed to suffer. For god''s sake, I almost got killed as well," I said. "I really can''t forgive me. I am surprised he even asked for forgiveness." "If I were you, I would have said that same thing," he said. I was glad that at least he was supporting me. Perhaps I came out very harsh, but I could not just let go of what happened. Not even a single time, I was okay. Being with my family was not okay for my mind. Every time they said something hurtful, no matter how much I tried, I could not just not be affected by it. I wanted to throw everything out a lot of times, I wanted to yell and scream, yet I did not. I kept it all within me all the time. "Are you okay?" "Hm?" "You''re clenching my hand tightly," he said, pointing towards our entwined hands. "Ah, I am sorry," I said as I quickly tried to let go, but he did not. "What..." "Don''t. At least for now, hold onto me." I did not say anything and loosened my grip and let him hold my hand. His touch was like a healing medicine for my mind. "You want me to carry you?" he asked. "No, I am fine. Don''t worry," I said. "You''re talking less than usual and moreover, your complexion is pale." "I was born pale." "No, it''s paler than usual," he said. "If you have any problem, you can talk to me." "I know... I don''t even know what''s wrong with me. I mean, right now, I don''t have much of a problem. Yet, I just can''t be happy. It''s like something is pulling me back," I sighed. "I really don''t understand what the hell is going on with me. Sometimes, it''s really hard to breathe. And even if I want to, I can''t even talk about it. I mean, I don''t even know what to say. I just... I don''t know..." "It''s alright. I understand," he said and squeezed my hand. "You don''t have to force yourself to do anything or say anything to me. I am alright even if you don''t want to talk about something right away. Though I wish that you will share everything with me, it''s alright even if you take your time. Some things are not easy to talk about, I know. And sometimes, they make sense in your head, but when you say them, it''s just absolute chaos. So, take your time." He was too good to me. Sometimes I wondered if I deserved it. I had never known that I would find someone so considerate and affectionate while handsomeness was a bonus. Since my preferences were very high and mighty, I never found someone I liked. When I met him, I was instantly bewitched by his looks. Though he had a questionable personality, he slowly changed. And whenever I thought about the fact that he changed because of me, my heart would feel tight. It was uncomfortable, but I liked it. If he truly liked me, I wished that it would be only me to receive his affection. I did not know before that I was this greedy.. And now that I knew it, I could not help but embrace this side of me and crave more and more of what I got. Chapter 98 - At Her Dads Place (From Leandro''s Perspective) I did not want to let her go. But I had to. Even if she had not said that she would go to her Dad''s place, I would have still sent her there. I needed to go some places and there was no way I could take her with me. It was dangerous if she was around too many Orgades and moreover, most of them were men. "That''s the one," I said, pointing towards a small house in front of us. "It''s bigger than the cave..." "Everything is bigger than the cave," I said. "But it''s more comfortable there." "Well, that''s true," she mumbled. "So..." "Let''s go in." "Are you sure you won''t get into a fight with Dad?" "I won''t," I said, though I was not sure if that would be the case. Every time I looked at Alessandro, I was reminded of the fact that because of him, my little El had to suffer. She was not at fault at all. She was merely born because of an accident and all this time, she had to bear the consequences as if it was her fault. It was not because we were against each other when it came to power, but because of Ella, I could not bring myself to tolerate him. She knocked on the door. I could hear footsteps and within a moment, the door was opened. "You''re here! And you...," Alessandro muttered, looking sideways at me. Perhaps he did not think I would accompany her. "Leandro has come to bring me here since I don''t know the ways much," she said. "Can we come in?" "Ah, yes," he said and moved to give us space. He was eyeing our entwined hands sharply. If Ella knew, perhaps she would have let go. But her mind seemed to be somewhere else. She had been absent-minded for a while now. It looked like she was contradicting herself in her mind or thinking about something intently. I wished she would share what was on her mind with me. But it did not seem like her mind was in the right state so she would be able to talk. "I prepared a room for you," Alessandro said, coming up from behind. "It''s that second room on the second floor. This place is quite crumpled, but hope you will be comfortable." It was clear that he cleaned this place up just recently. I was sure that all this while, it was not like this. I could not help but notice similarities with Ella. She was like that as well, not caring about anything, but being lazy. Of course, it was one of the things I liked about her. If she was with me, I did not mind her being lazy since I would always take care of other things. But I was not going to be with her now. I had a clear idea of what this place would look like in a few days if someone else did not clean it up. "Then we will place my things in my room," Ella said. "He will go with you?" her dad asked. "What''s with that? We have been living together for more than a month now," she rolled her eyes. To her, it might seem very normal for a grown man and a woman to live together, but in reality, it was not. It was not like I ever planned on living with a woman. I liked sex quite like any other man, but I always chose the experienced ones and I never got attached to them. I did it only because I wanted to, not because I felt anything towards those women. And women always tried to flirt with me just to get laid. I gave them part of what they wanted, but they never could get my affection. But when Ella came to me with her odd request, it was me who wanted her attention. And now, it seemed natural for her and me to live together as well. "He is a grown-up man," he said. "Please do not worry," Ella said. "I know what I am doing." She was being oddly formal and was behaving herself. It was clear that she was not in her right mind and something had been troubling her. I asked her, but it did not seem like she could answer right away. So, I did not ask her again. Despite her father''s concerns, she took me to her new room. The room was not too small. It was enough for a person. And everything was organized pretty well, more than the rest of the house. The bedsheet was light blue and there were five cotton cat figures on the bed. A table stood at one side and there were a lot of books and at a glance, I could see that most of them were about forbidden magic and stuff like that. There were also ink, a light blue quill, and some notebooks. "Do you like light blue?" I asked and she nodded. "I thought your favorite color is black." "Hm, my favorite color is indeed black. But I like light blue things, like shirts and dresses... I don''t know why, but I like it quite a lot," she said. "But how did he know?" "I thought you told him." "No, I never told him that... I mean, we only talked that one time. Perhaps he guessed." ''Or perhaps he likes this color as well and assumed that she would like it as well. Seems like they have more things common than I anticipated.'' "It seems like you like it," I said. "It''s good...- better than the one I had back at home," she muttered. She flopped on the bed and lay on her back, looking at the ceiling. "You know... I am gonna miss you. In this short time, I think I got too attached to you. It''s dangerous, this kind of feeling. It hurts my chest, yet I can''t help but crave more. Am I being too weird? Too paranoid?" "... No," I said. "You''re not." ''I think I am crazier when it comes to you... I just can''t seem to be able to breathe when I think about you leaving me.'' "Is that so?" she mumbled. "Though it''s hard, I think it is a good decision. I just... want to relax for a while. This feeling- it tightens my chest. I feel like I can''t breathe, I can''t relax and I am thinking about things that I am not supposed to. I don''t know about you, but just for a while, I want to sort my thoughts out. It''s unfair for you if I keep you waiting. I don''t want you to wait for me for eternity just because I can''t give you an answer because of my frightened self. I am sorry, I really am." "Don''t be. I understand. And you''re doing really well for someone who has been through a lot." "But I really am being too much. It''s not like you haven''t been through anything. Your life was hard as well." "Yes, but you are younger than me, yet you are facing all these kinds of things. In your own family, you were like a stranger. I know what it feels like to be unwanted," I said. "Then you almost died and then made sure that your mother''s boyfriend can''t do anything like that to you again. Even after coming here, you survived. I can''t deny the fact that you managed to convince someone like me. Don''t say that you''re being too much. You are really something, so don''t underestimate yourself." She sighed. "Remember when you said why I don''t cry? The answer is I can''t. Sometimes I want to, but tears don''t come. I think something is wrong with me." I bent in front of her and placed my head against her stomach. She touched my hair and ran her fingers gently. "Don''t be so hard on yourself," I said. "It''s alright to be different. And who cares if you can''t cry? It doesn''t matter as long as it doesn''t hurt yourself. I suggest you to do anything you want to as long as you''re not in danger." "Yeah... The next time I see you, I swear I will give you my answer," she said. "Remember you promised... I will wait for your answer," I said. "So, until then, don''t fall for anyone, or even look much at others. Think about me and our time together. I want you to remember every single thing we have done, every single word we shared. I want you to think about everything." "I will... But your feelings should not change either," she said. "And if you think you don''t actually like me that way..." "I won''t think that way." "... If you do, then please tell me as well. Don''t give me false hopes. I hate lies." [They are obviously madly in love with each other, but because of Ella''s background, she is afraid. Let''s hope she gets past her fears soon....] Chapter 99 - Last Kiss (From Ella''s Perspective) It was harder to let go than I thought. Even though it was supposed to be temporary, I felt like I would not be able to see him ever again. I did not want to let go of the hand holding me, but I knew I should. My conscience was telling me to do so. Leandro rubbed his face against my stomach. It gave me sudden chills from the inside. My fingers automatically were touching his silky black hair. I was always fascinated by how black his hair was. It was darker than coal it seemed. He suddenly got and hovered above me. His dark brown eyes were filled with something unknown. "Can we kiss one last time before parting?" he asked. "... Yeah," I muttered, but even before I could say anything else, he captured my lips hungrily. It had been almost a month since we last kissed. Perhaps that was the reason I could feel the kiss even more than usual. Every kiss we shared was very addictive. I suppressed my need every day because I did not want to be too easy. I did not want to give my heart and body so easily, but it seemed like I was losing in my own game. The touch of his lips almost blinded me. It was so alluring and pleasurable that I found myself losing in it. He bit on my lip for me to part my lips so he could stick his tongue inside my mouth. But I was faster. Before he could do it, my tongue made its way inside his mouth, pulling him for an even more passionate kiss. His eyes shot open in surprise, but then he smirked in the kiss, placing his hand under my head and pulling my head up with both of us ravaging each other''s mouths as if trying to see who would win. "The door...," I gasped as his lips left mine for a short while. "I closed it," he said breathlessly before kissing me again. I found his hand on my breast suddenly. I gasped, but before I could protest, he kissed me more deeply. "You know I have a dirty mind...," he muttered, kissing my neck. "You always... huh... are pervert-ish..." "I remember telling you there is no word like pervert-ish," he said. "You didn''t learn. That''s why I should kiss you a bit more as a punishment." "You''re just looking for... uh, excuses...," I panted. He pinched my nipple painfully and my hips rose on their own. "Don''t make too much noise. Your dad is downstairs," he said. If he had not told me, I would not know at all. I had completely forgotten that we were at my dad''s place and in my new room. All this time, we were in the cave. There was no other person there and we did not have to care about making noise. "Leandro..." "Don''t talk... Just for a moment," he said. "Let me touch you for a moment." I did not hate it when he touched me, rather I felt very hot from the inside. It was as if something was stirring my insides, taking me to a different height of pleasure. He kissed all the places on my neck, biting and nibbling on the way. I held onto the bedsheet tightly with my hands and bit onto my lips not to make any noise. I was wearing one of his shirts. I liked to wear his clothes more than mine. Perhaps it was because they were his. I liked his masculine deep scent. I liked it since the beginning and it was the first thing that attracted me, especially when he pressed me against the rock wall in the cave when we first met. He unbuttoned the shirt. I did not stop him, just looked at him, watching him eyeing me with desire burning me in his dark eyes. As soon as all the buttons were undone, he helped me take the shirt off and threw it on the other side of the bed. He kissed all the exposed parts of my front while his hands kept touching me wherever he could. Every brush of his hand on my skin felt like he was drawing yet another picture. His skilled fingertips made me gasp for air every often. Along with the pleasure came another thought. How many women did he touch like this that he was so skilled? I did not like him being with another woman. The mere thought angered me. I did not know I was this jealous before. But as long as I was the only one he would touch like from now on, it was fine. I wished I was the first woman he would have touched, but for now, I could be satisfied with being the last. "Mm...," I moaned as he kissed on my navel. He swirled his tongue over the place and I could not help but close my eyes in pleasure. "Seems like you like this place," he muttered. "Haa... You''re teasing me..." "Am I?" "Hmm... Leandro... I feel strange," I mumbled. "Where?" "E-Everywhere..." "Everywhere? But if you don''t tell me precisely, how will I know?" "My heart..., inside my stomach... and down there..." "You know why I like you more? It''s because you''re so honest," he said and kissed my fingertips, "about every single thing. I like it a lot." He unhooked my bra taking his hand behind me and threw it aside as well. The cold air of the room fell on my naked breasts. I quickly his them with my hands, but he had other plans without letting me escape. He held my hands and spread them on my sides, revealing my naked front in front of him. I looked away as I felt his burning gaze on my private parts. "You''re blushing fiercely, little El," he whispered and licked my ear. "It makes me want to do bad things to you more." "You''re really a pervert..." "Of course, I am," he chuckled. "Or what kind of person would want to give someone food in exchange for kisses?" So, he was aware of how mischievous he was. He definitely tricked me that time and managed to kiss me. But then again, if he did not do it back then, perhaps our situation would not have been like this. It was true that his kisses also influenced my feelings for him. And I liked the way things were now. While his hands kept palming my breast, he took the nipple of the other one in his mouth. His hot mouth felt even hotter on my nipple than the time we kissed. "Uh..." "I like you. I like you a lot," he muttered. "Come back to me quickly." He bit on my nipple and swirled his tongue over it again as if to subside the pain. Oddly enough, it felt very good, more than I thought it would. This time, I felt more excited than all other times. My downer part was twitching and I could not help but want something. "I want to do something...," "Huh?" "I want to touch you more," he said. "It might feel a bit different. But can you bear with me?" "Different? What kind of different?" "Will you let me?" he asked. "A-Alright," I mumbled. I kind of could guess what he was thinking. Obviously, it was because of my dirty mind. He touched the button of my jeans and undid it quickly. I knew he was going to do it. But even so, I was kind of surprised. Unzipping the chain, he pulled it down completely and threw it away. He had the habit to throw away clothes after undressing as if he was in a hurry and could not wait to waste a single moment. Though I was thinking if being that impatient was possible, I still had to admit that he looked very hot while doing so. "You''re wet," he muttered, looking down. "Stop being lewd..." "Lewd? I think it''s you who is being lewd right now," he said. "You''re the one wet under my touch." "And you''re the one hard without even me touching you," I smirked. "Lol, you''re the one lost..." "You really can say stuff," he chuckled. "But I am not in the mood to joke." The moment he tried to touch me over my panty, I held his hand and stopped him. He looked at me with questioning eyes. But I did not want to be touched first. "Let me touch you first," I said. "What?" he asked. I did not know which look his eyes held- shocked or surprised. But whatever it was, it was quite amusing. "I want to touch you first," I repeated. "I want to make you feel good first." [Hot scene coming up, readers! Beware and prepare medicines for the shortage of breath, lol. Since they are parting, a hot scene is a must, right? For the sake of our perverted souls] Chapter 100 - Touching Him [A century of The Mask Of The Monster! Keep supporting the novel and read more and more to find out about Ella and Leandro''s unusual love story!] (From Ella''s Perspective) I knew what he wanted to do to me. But I did not want to be the one to feel good first. I could not tell him why. In the books and internet, I read that after reaching orgasm, a woman usually felt very sleepy and I had a suspicion that if I somehow reached an orgasm, I would fall asleep very quickly. That was why I wanted to make him feel good first. And besides, I wanted to touch him as well. "El..." "Let me," I said. I got inside his parted legs and touched the bulge over his pants with slightly shaky hands. It was my first time touching a man''s genitals, so I could not help but get nervous. The moment my hand touched it, he shook slightly. Even from over the fabric, he got this kind of effect. I could not help but get excited. "So, it''s the famous thing that men use... It''s really hot," I muttered. "Can you please... not talk like that?" "Are you embarrassed?" I laughed. "No," he said in a deep tone. "It makes me want to ravage you right now." My laughter stopped abruptly. Even by his words, my body felt hotter. I slowly unzipped his pants. My heart seemed to be beating wildly. "Your hands are trembling," he said. "You know, you don''t have to do it right now if you''re not ready." "You don''t want me to?" "No, it''s not like that. I just... I am afraid that it will be even hard for me to control myself," he said. "But I want to..." He sighed and nodded. His dark eyes were filled with desire. Every time, I looked into them, I could not help but get lost. It was as if his eyes were calling me, binding me to him. I took a deep breath and pulled the pant down, only to find myself eye to eye with the real thing. It took me by surprise. I had seen them before, but only in computers. It was my first time seeing one, a real one. "Is it supposed to be...?" "Huh?" "I mean, doesn''t it look more like a rod?" "..." "It looks like it can kill someone. Very dangerous...," I mumbled. "Wow, the veins look really cool down here. I read that the average size of it when erect is 5.1 and 5.5 inches. But I think your one is abnormal. Like, how long will it be? 9? No, it''s more than 9... I don''t know... But either way, it''s not normal. Are you sure you don''t have to see a doctor?" Just the mere thought of it going into someone frightened me. I knew that a vagina could stretch, but everything had a limit. I had no idea if it could stretch that much. And besides, it was not just too long, it was thick as well. Too dangerous... Now I was seriously worried about the women''s health with who he did it. "Listen, little El," he said, taking a deep breath. "Perhaps because you have never seen a real one, you don''t know what it really looks like. But it can be this long." "Are you sure? So, it can''t kill anyone? Not like I heard anyone dying during sex because the penis was too big..." "Right? It won''t kill you." "Me?" "Weren''t you thinking about yourself?" "Well, I was... Anyway, can I touch it?" He nodded. I knew how to touch it. But now that it was my turn, I was nervous. I shook my head as if to make me understand that it was no big deal and I could do it. I suddenly grabbed it. It was hotter than I expected. It did not fit in my hands. He was breathing deeply every time my fingers moved even slightly. "Ella, are you in there?" I heard Dad''s voice from outside the door. ''Eh, what a timing!'' "Yes, I am tired, so I''m lying down. Leandro is in the restroom," I said. "Do you need something?" "No, it''s fine. I wanted to ask if you want something to drink." "No, nothing. I will just sleep for a while and Leandro wanted to take a shower before leaving if that''s okay." "It''s fine. Rest then." I sighed in relief as he left. Thankfully, Leandro was not doing anything to me. If he had started touching, I was sure that he would surely tease me even at that time. Since I was the one in hold in him now, he could not do anything. "Should I move my hand up and down?" I asked and he nodded. "I have never done it before, so if I do wrong, remind me." I started stroking it slowly. I did not know it would be this fun. Especially, every time he breathed heavily in my touch, I could not help but want to do more. "Hnn..." Hearing him groan, I quickly looked at him. His face said that he was having a hard time. It definitely meant I was doing a good job. "Don''t grab it too tightly," he said throatily. "Then is it okay... like this?" I asked, loosening my grip slightly. "Yeah, it''s fine..." He touched my hands and led me to stroke him in a different way. I could feel his gaze on mine as I kept moving my hands up and down. I touched the tip with my thumb and rubbed it there. It seemed to have better effect than I thought. "The way you''re touching me," he groaned, "... it drives me crazy." There were a bit of liquid on the tip. It helped me stroking it. His breathing became heavier and he suddenly bent and kissed me deeply. His tongue moved crazily in my mouth, ravaging as it pleased. I did not stop moving my hands. I pulled back, running out of air. "Can you use your mouth?" he asked and I looked at him in shock. I thought of using my hands, but I never thought of using my mouth. "Um..." "I took a shower in the morning." "That''s not what I meant! I mean, I am not sure if I can..." "If you don''t want to, it''s alright." "No, I will do it," I mumbled. I took another deep breath before touching the tip with my tongue. His thighs shook bit and he looked very impatient. I took as much as I could in my mouth. He grabbed the back of my head and pushed it inside my mouth. "Mm...," I almost gagged, but managed to control myself. I was the one touching him, but my body got hotter as well. I almost felt the need to be touched. Suddenly something hot filled my mouth and because he was grabbing my head from the back, I could not even move away. It was not like I did not want to, but because I was too surprised. "Huh... It went into my throat," I said, touching my throat. He chuckled and cleaned my lips with his thumb. "You did well," he said. "I didn''t know you were this good at it." "Really? I only had theoretical knowledge, so I didn''t think I would be good. But I am glad I did okay," I said. He suddenly kissed me again and before I could understand, pulled my panty down in a single pull. "Leandro..." He pulled back from the kiss and parted my legs quite forcefully. My hands quickly went to hide my private part. "Don''t hide yourself. Move your hands," he said in a commanding tone that I could not help but obey. ''What the... Am I a masochist? Nah, I don''t think so. I protest as well. But really?'' "You''re beautiful," he muttered, looking down there. "Really beautiful." "You''re staring too much... unnecessarily." He smirked at me and touched the moist part gently. I flinched in his touch and felt a rush of electricity run through me. "Relax," he said. "I didn''t even touch you fully." "Your hand is cold..." "Not really. It''s because that place is too hot," he said. "Don''t move your knees so much. Just relax." ''How the hell am I even supposed to relax?'' He rubbed his hand there. The touch was very light. And that was the problem. Because it was too shallow, it was making me more sensitive. "I am the first person touching you like this, huh?" "Eh? Yeah... Mm..." "That''s good. Or I would be really jealous," he muttered and pushed a finger in. "You''re really tight." "Isn''t it because... it''s my first time... being touched... ah... like this?" "But you''re really wet. I think one more finger will fit," he said. It did not seem like he had any plan on delaying as he pushed another finger inside. I felt really full.. I had no idea how the hell was I even going to be able to take his thing in if that time ever came. Chapter 101 - Take Care Of Her (From Leandro''s Perspective) Even just a while ago, I had no idea what I would be doing it with her. I thought even if I tried to touch her, she would refuse. But to my surprise, she did not; rather she surprised me with her boldness. It was sometimes a problem that she knew about quite a lot of things. Even though she was inexperienced, it seemed she knew more theory about these types of things than me who was experienced. But I liked the frail look on her face as she seemed to be holding onto me. My fingers seemed to rush her to madness. It was indeed a very amusing sight. But there still was a problem. The more I saw her like this, the more things I wanted to do to her. I did not want it to be just my fingers; I wanted her to feel the real thing. "Relax," I said, as she squeezed onto my fingers so hard that her hips were shaking. "I can''t... Ah..." "Keep your voice down. You don''t want your dad to hear this, do you?" "Of... Of course not," she pouted. "But... mm..." I increased the speed of my fingers and she looked at me with wide eyes, as if glaring. But this look did not last long, as her legs started shaking and she closed her eyes, putting the pillow over her mouth to stop from making a sound. "Ah... Hnn... I feel like I... am gonna explode..." "Just let it go," I said. "Relax and let it go." "Something... is rushing inside me... huh..." "Let go, El," I said. "It''s normal. Don''t worry." "Are... you sure?" "Yes, of course," I reassured. She raised her hips up and bit on the pillow fiercely as her whole body shook, feeling intense pleasure. "Huff... Huh," she panted with her eyes half-closed. She looked very tired. Not just her face and chest, rather her whole body was flushed as her chest went up and down with her rapid heavy breathing. I cleaned her up with a towel and then put on a nightgown on her that I found in the closet. Her father must have prepared it for her. "Sleep," I said and kissed her on the forehead as I wrapped her in the blanket. Before coming here, she told me that she would stop working at the castle. We made a deal that I would let her stay with me if she brought me information from the palace. But then, even when I told him that I did not need any kind of information and I would let her stay with me without asking for anything in return, she refused me bluntly saying that she did not want to be a burden. I could understand what she was saying, but still, I tried to convince her. And every single time, I was refused. "Since I am not going to live with you anymore, I decided not to work at the castle anymore. I know that''s what you wanted too, but I could not just do it. It''s really tiring and painful to be a burden. I know it''s temporary that I am staying at Dad''s place, but before I return to you, I will find a job," she had told me. I was glad that she would not go to the castle anymore. It was very dangerous. Every single time she left, I would get worried if something happened to her. I had no idea what I would do in that case. Killing everyone would never be enough if she got a single scratch on her body. I got dressed and got out of the room. Her father was downstairs. I took a quick shower since he might suspect. "Please take care of Ella," I said. "My lord doesn''t have to tell me that," he said. "I am her father. Of course, I will take care of her." "Make sure she doesn''t do weird stuff. She tends to put her hands in narrow gaps for no reason and then her hands might get stuck. So, it''s better not to tell her about these kinds of places. And she likes animals- cats, dogs. It''s alright if she touches them, but she needs to wash her hands afterward which she doesn''t do most of the time. She stays in the bath for too long and because of that, she got cold a few days ago. So, get her out of the shower after twenty minutes. She won''t get out if you ask her normally, so provoke her with something delicious. She likes onion soup the best," I said, ignoring him. If he was going to take care of her, then he needed to know about her first. I could not just sit still leaving her in the hands of someone as careless as him. "And she said she will quit her job at the castle. That''s a good thing. But advise her not to do anything strange before leaving. I told her a lot of times, but I am worried she might not listen to me. This time, provoke her as well, like with food or something. She likes to eat. And by the way, I was supposed to take her to the doctor, but she kept refusing. No matter how much she eats, she doesn''t gain even a bit of weight, rather it seems like she has gotten even more slender than before. So, it''s better if you consult a doctor. And... Ella tends to get into fights with others. Last time, she bit a boy with a stick. It''s a great thing and I am proud of her, but she might get hurt in the process. Another thing- she pokes her nose into every single thing. What I mean is, she is too curious. So, keep your eyes on her all the time." "Because if something happens to her, I won''t forgive you even if you are her father," I said. "And by the way, she is sleeping. She is not hungry right now since she has eaten quite a lot back at home. So, there is no need to wake her up." Alessandro seemed to be at a loss for words. He was gaping at me in disbelief. Perhaps he was surprised that I knew that much about his daughter when he knew almost nothing. "My lord, though we''re enemies, I still have to thank you for taking care of my daughter," he said. "I know I haven''t been in her life. And I have almost no right to make a decision for her. And I don''t like my lord as my daughter''s partner. But if she is happy, then I will support her no matter what." "I see... Seems like we are on the same boat here," I said. "But my lord, did you touch her?" Of course, I did. It would be surprising if I had not touched her after living together for this long. At first, the desire was sexual only. But now it was different. I wanted her heart more than I wanted her body. "Ask your daughter that. She will know well, won''t she?" I said. "I am not close with my daughter. And she is not very comfortable with me as well." "Then are we close?" I asked. "I actually have no intention of revealing any kind of thing about Ella and me. We have been living together for more than a month. All I can say is, I never forced her. I told her to go away when we first met, but it was her who wanted to stay. It''s not like I didn''t like it that she stayed with me. But what I mean is, it was always her decision and I have not tried to interfere with anything she decided. It was also her who wanted to come here and stay with you." "She wanted this?" "Well, I was going to go away for a while as well. I was planning on letting her stay with her friend," I said. I originally planned to send her to Jed''s place. I was not worried since he preferred men thankfully. "But before I could bring it up, she said she wanted to come and live with you until I come back." I did not tell him that we were to stay away from each other until we were sure about our feelings. I knew what I wanted, but I was waiting for her to give me an answer. Though waiting like this was very tiring, I still tried to be as patient as possible. I did not want her to make a hasty decision only to have a change of her heart after a few days. That would be painful and brutal for me. I had never felt this kind of feeling before. And now that I have got the taste of love, I did not want to be betrayed. [Leandro is leaving!!! *sob.... Really, it''s really sad that we won''t be able to see them together for a while. But let''s hope she overcomes her fear soon and tells him yes] Chapter 102 - Dinner With Dad (From Ella''s Perspective) When I got up, it was nighttime. I could not believe I slept for that long. Leandro had left already. I did not know I would feel lonely this quickly. I was covered with a light blue blanket. As I looked under, I found myself completely naked. ''So, this is what it feels like to get up after having sex. Not like, we had sex though... But it feels like it. Now that I think about it, sleeping naked is the best. I don''t know if it''s because of the orgasm that I slept too nicely. Perhaps sleeping naked has some benefits as well like falling asleep faster, getting good sleep.'' "Should I start sleeping naked then? Not like anyone will barge into someone''s room even if it''s my dad," I muttered to myself. My stomach made a loud growl. It was pretty normal judging the fact that I only had breakfast, but no lunch or snacks or anything. I wore one of Leandro''s shirts and tied my hair with a ribbon that was placed on the table. I had to admit that Dad arranged a lot of things for me. Back at the home in my world, Mom and Owen might not care for me much, but they gave me a room and basic necessities. Perhaps because or it would hurt their conscience. But no one ever arranged something thinking about my preferences before. I had to admit that I was kind of moved. I went downstairs only to find a man who was supposed to be my father trying to cook and in the process, getting the towel on fire. "What''s going on?" I asked. "Place it under the water holding the side. It will be extinguished completely then." He did as I said and as the fire was extinguished, he sighed in relief. I had no idea how could someone get something on fire while trying to cook. ''Ah, I completely forgot that I can''t cook either. Perhaps I would have burned the place down. Let''s not criticize him about this one.'' Seeing Leandro doing almost everything perfectly had got my expectations high. It was completely his fault for being too perfect. "Did you burn your hand as well?" I asked. "No, I am fine. I was trying to cook something, but see..." "You haven''t cooked before, have you?" "No, but I thought it would be easy," he said. "You''re hungry, aren''t you? I am sorry. I will try to make something again." "Yeah, I am," I muttered. "But no need, let''s eat outside. You have money, right?" "Of course, I have lots," he said, suddenly looking too proud. "Just because I live in this small space doesn''t mean I don''t have money. It''s actually because I need to keep a low profile since I am working against the shifters." "Even though you''re a shifter? Not like I am complaining. I understand that your own type can be quite frustrating. Like sometimes in my world, I would want to fry the humans, or beat them up, like really, they are unnecessary." He chuckled. "Right? You even want to kill them." "I won''t go that far," I said. "Killing is a crime in my world and I will probably die or get imprisoned if I kill someone. I am sorry, but I want to live a free life. So, killing is beyond my thinking." Dad and I went out to a local diner. We ordered steak and mashed potatoes. And to my relief, the food was really tasty that I could not help but praise the cook in my mind. "Is it to your liking?" he asked. "Hmm... It''s good," I said. "Uh... Can I ask you something?" "What is it?" "What did you do when you were there? At the cave?" "What did I do?" I repeated, thinking carefully. "In the morning, I would go to the palace. Then I would work there until nine at night usually. Then I would come back to the entrance of the forest from where Lee would take me back." "Because you don''t have a good sense of direction?" "Kinda. But I still remembered the way. Yet, he just liked to pick me up," I said. "What about the food?" "He would cook. Sometimes, I would go shopping. But since I''m not good at it, my friend Jed would do it for me," I said. "Also, there are a lot of fruits and edible plants in the forest. Lee would pick them up. To be honest, some of them are gross. But he still would force me to eat them. But we used to eat meat the most." "And where did you sleep?" "On the bed." "The bed? You mean, on one bed?" "Yes?" "Yes? A man and a woman on a single bed? An unmarried man and woman?" "Unmarried, you say? Look at you, remember the name Elle, and then take a look at me," I said. "Don''t get me started." "I know it was a mistake and we should not have done it. But that doesn''t mean it''s alright for you to do so as well." "We haven''t slept together though?" "What? You haven''t?" "No." "Why not?" "Because it''s our decision." "Really? He didn''t force you?" "Of course not," I said. "I do everything on my own accord. No one forces me to do anything." "That''s good then." "Lee took care of me all the time. It''s actually quite hard to believe that I am still alive in this world, but well, here I am," I said. And I also had someone I liked. It was quite surprising, especially since the feelings were mutual. I was paying extra attention so I did not say ''Leandro'' in public. That was why I was calling him ''Lee''. "Just think about it. If he had some ulterior motives, would he not have done something already? I had been alone with him for over a month." "It''s not like I don''t trust the fact that he doesn''t have any feelings for you and took care of you really well," Dad said. "It''s just- he is someone who has a lot of enemies. If one of them finds out that you are someone he cares about, they can do anything to you." "I know. He told me this," I said. "That''s why I am saying you should stay away from him." "Don''t wanna...," I mumbled. "Why not?" "Because I like him?" "That''s all?" "Not really. It''s quite fun to be with him, he cooks well, has a handsome face, can be bragged about, takes care of me, isn''t someone who will cheat on me if we are in a relationship, has a lot of money. But most importantly, I like him," I said. "And if someone kidnaps me, don''t worry, I am always armed with logic to blow their minds off. Though I might not look it and also am not good at fighting, I can throw my hands and legs well without following rules. It''s a hindrance for those who are good at fighting. I think I can save myself well enough." "You really don''t understand," he sighed. "So, what if he dies?" ''What do you mean what if he dies? If he dies, then he dies, of course. But it''s not like I am okay with it. I have no idea what I''m gonna do if something happens to him and I refuse to think about it.'' "He dies." "You don''t care?" ''Of course, I do care! Isn''t it obvious? I like him after all. How can you even ask me something like that?'' "Who knows?" If I was right, Dad was not someone to believe in something like ''love''. And if I tried to say that I was madly in love with Leandro, he would surely feel like Leandro seduced me or something. So, I decided to act as unexpectedly as possible, so he would not know what to do about me. It was not hard since I was an expert in acting hopeless. "Tomorrow, I will go to the palace and talk to the head maid about me resigning," I said. "Good," he said. "Make sure not to get across the king''s father. He is controlled by his lower half." "I know. Lee warned me a lot," I nodded. Even I saw it with my own eyes. Thanks to Jed and the help of some of the maids, I did not get to come across the king or the king''s father much. If someone was controlled by his lower half, then the other person''s face did not matter. All they wanted to do was stick it to somewhere. Those gross people... [We will get to see now how Ella''s and her father''s relationship turns out to be. And also, she is going to the palace tomorrow. Let''s hope for her well-being.. By the way, we haven''t met Jed for a while as well. So, while Ella and Leandro are separated, let''s see what the other persons are doing] Chapter 103 - The Paintings (From Ella''s Perspective) I sat on the couch as Dad was reading a newspaper sitting beside me. "I didn''t know there was any newspaper here," I said. "As if! A newspaper is very common," he said. "I thought this world is really ancient." "Not as much as you think," he said. "If you look closely, you will find it fun as well, minus the shifters though." "I see... By the way, are you going to marry someone?" "What do you mean?" "Like, do you have anyone in mind?" I asked. "Not really. Why are you asking this?" "Just curious," I mumbled. "I don''t do it anymore." "What?" "It doesn''t interest me anymore," he said. "That time, I was young and kind of reckless about this kind of thing. But I don''t like this kind of thing anymore. Like marriage and going around with women... It''s all meaningless." "Hmm... Did you like Mom?" "No," he replied without hesitation. "Ah, that was pretty blunt." "It was just a one-night stand. It''s not like I liked her or anything. To be honest, I did not feel any kind of attachment with her. I even forgot her name." ''Wow, just wow...'' "She was too wild for my taste and I did not like her arrogant talking." "I agree. I hate it too," I mumbled. "But Owen loves it. He likes her because she is wild." "But I liked her face. Just her face, nothing more... That''s why I went to see her again and that was the time I found out that I have a daughter." Dad never then loved Mom. It was not like I was surprised. But I thought he would have at least just a bit of attraction that he felt towards her. "Mom loved you," I said. "She still does." I always knew that Mom felt strongly towards Dad even though it was a one-night stand. And I looked just like Dad. That was the reason she hated me. Because looking at me would remind her of Dad. Owen knew about it, or at least, he could guess. It was pretty clear even though Mom tried to hide it all the time. Owen did not like me for that as well. And he even tried to kill me. Thanks to my luck and my dad, I was saved. But it was a traumatic experience for me. "She has someone now," he said. "So what? When I said she still likes you, I meant it," I said firmly. "Does her boyfriend know?" "Owen does know. It''s pretty clear, you know." "What does he look like?" "Owen? He is really tall and he has dyed dark hair. His nose moves a lot than normal," I said. "When he is angry, his nose moves even more. It''s really weird. He is overall kinda average looking." "I don''t think I need to ask what kind of person he is," he said. "Judging the fact that he hired professional assassins to kill you..." "They were not professional, those fat pigs. I think they were local," I said. "Professionals are usually handsome... Not that I like them or something. I am talking about their looks." "You should have gone to the police that time." "I know now... If I say that I wasn''t scared, that would be a lie," I said. "I was immature than now that time. I didn''t know a lot of things. But I managed to do as much as I could to protect myself. You know, I don''t wanna die." "Anyway, let''s not talk about it anymore," I said. "I will go to my room now. By the way, how do I send a letter?" "To him?" "Hmm." He sighed. "Just give it to me. I will send it for you." "Really? Thanks..." "It''s alright," he said, looking away quickly. Dad''s ears were red. He definitely was flushed. Dad seemed to be a much better person than I thought. I returned to my room and flopped on the bed. The bag that I brought here was placed on the floor, under the window. I grabbed it and sat again on the bed, with it on my lap. "I don''t even know how many clothes are in there. Perhaps I should place them in the closet," I muttered to myself. Leandro was the one who packed my things. I was too lazy and was not doing much of a thing. Now that I thought about it, Leandro took care of me quite a lot. He was like a parent sometimes. Not that I wished him to be... I opened the bag and brought out the clothes. But there was something else under the clothes. It was a file with some pages within. The leather of the file seemed to be pretty expensive. ''As expected of Leandro...'' I pulled the little ribbon to open the file and what I saw shocked me. I did not know he was doing it all this time. There were drawings of me. He even added color to some. It was just me, doing normal things. "What..." One was of when I was eating chicken with bare hands, sitting on the table in the kitchen. He was not drawing that time. Perhaps he drew it sometime else when I was not around. Then there was another one when I was playing with flowers. I remembered that moment- I was pulling out the petals and then throwing them forward. I did not know he saw me at that time. I was only in my underthings on one. I was shocked seeing it. On the bed, I was lying down, with my face flushed and eyes watery. ''Ack, so embarrassing! What the hell? I look like I am drunk... This is how I look like when we get intimate? Strange, I look strange...'' There was a painting where a cat was touching my face with its paws. It was the cutest one. I was too accurately drawn in every single of them. Though I was not much fond of my face, I liked the cat. It was too cute. He even drew my sleeping self. My hands and legs were in a weird shape and my mouth was even slightly open. ''Why would he draw this? EEE...!'' One was of when I was eating with my eyes closed because the food was too tasty. Now that I looked at it, I looked like a kid. There were lots of them. Perhaps at least, thirty. I had no idea he liked me the extent that he would draw these many photos of me. I could not believe I even suspected his love. "I am an idiot... Shit, I really am!" I looked through the photos. Every single of them was of mine. There was also one of when I was trying to imitate Leandro when he used to draw. In the painting, a manly hand was pinching my nose just like he did that time. "Haa..." Two drops of tears fell on the paper. "What... I am c-crying...? I really..." I thought all my tears had dried up. I always believed that I lost the ability to cry. But it did not seem like the case. I thought I was the one opening the lock to his heart. But I was wrong. In reality, he was the one who did it. He was the one who opened my heart. And once the tears started, they did not stop. I pressed my palms tightly over my eyes to stop them, but it did not help. I kept looking through the drawings even if they were tearing my heart apart. It was painful, really painful. But one of those drawings shocked me the most. It was the last one. "What am I going to do with you? You thought it all through... Hic... I miss you. I love you... hic..." I had no idea what I was supposed to do now. I wanted to see him again. Sending a letter would not be enough. I would like to hug him and tell him that I loved him more than anything else and I was sorry for being an idiot. He was serious about me all those times. Just because my parents were like this, I thought he would be like that as well. What an idiot I was! I failed to see the light even when it was shining in front of me. I hid my face on the pillow and tears kept wetting the cover. I could do nothing but think about what a big mistake I made. And now, I did not even have the courage to admit that I doubted him. All the paintings remained messy on the bed all around me, as if reminding me again and again how much he loved me. But among them all, the last painting shone brightly, the painting of me in a wedding dress... [It''s up to you all that how will you take Ella''s decision.. Remember, she was traumatized. And trauma is pretty hard to move on from] Chapter 104 - Sending A Letter To Him (From Ella''s Perspective) I did not know when fell asleep while crying. Perhaps I had been even crying my sleep. As I looked into the mirror, I found my eyes swollen and red. ''Eh? I cried this much...?'' "Ella, come down and have your breakfast," Dad said from downstairs. Back at home, it was Mom who would do this. And it was not just calling me for breakfast, it was more like yelling. But Dad''s voice was calmer and more reassuring than hers. "Yes, coming," I yelled. Who knew what Dad made this time? I just hoped that he did not burn the kitchen down or something. I wore the dress I always wore while going to work. I tied my hair in a long braid. It had grown too long. Perhaps I would just cut it. I handed him a letter that I wrote for Leandro this morning. That was why it took me a while to go downstairs for breakfast. Hey there, I know it''s too early to send a letter, but here it goes anyway. After you left, Dad tried to cook us dinner. Well, he put the kitchen towel on fire and was even trying to put if off by jerking it. I mean, really? So, I told him to rinse it with cold water. I mean, normal people would do so at first, right? Anyway, I am getting along with Dad better than I thought. We went to a nearby diner to have dinner. The mashed potato was really creamy and buttery. And the steak was good as well. It was a bit spicy but really amazing. He asked me how what I used to do living with you. I told him about it that you would take care of me most of the time. And of course, you never let me go near the stove, blah blah. He asked me if we did it. I mean, if we slept together. I said no. He thought you would force yourself on me. Really? Doesn''t he know you at all? I told him that everything I did was because I wanted to. Later when we came back, I found him reading a newspaper. You traitor, you never told me there were newspapers in this world! I thought you guys found out about news from the people near you. I mean, just like how a rumor spreads. I asked Dad if he loved Mom and do you know what he said? He bluntly said no. It was slightly surprising. I mean, he could wait for a second or two to answer it. Well, I talked a lot. The thing I actually wanted to say is- I miss you. I have a lot of things to say to you. It seems I was an idiot. Can we meet? Just for a moment, I just want to see your face. I know I am the one who suggested that we live apart and perhaps we even needed to since you need to go away for work and I can''t live alone in the cave. But can we meet now? I just... miss you a lot. Yours, Ella "Please send it to him," I said. "Alright, what is there to write to him? I don''t under... What happened to your eyes?" he asked, grabbing my face. Since I did not see him as a threat anymore, it did not give him any kind of pain when he touched me, unlike the first time. "I am fine...," I mumbled. "You don''t look fine at all. Your body is quite hot as well. Do you have a fever?" "Dad," I said, "I am alright. Don''t worry." "Then why are your eyes swollen? Did you cry?" I did not say anything. Even I could not believe that I cried. It had been a long time since I last cried. I thought I truly had turned into a monster. He sighed. "I will send the letter to him as soon as possible. I don''t know what''s going on, but I don''t like seeing you cry." "Thank you," I smiled. "You really do look like me," he muttered to himself. Dad did not look much old. He even looked younger than his actual age. And more importantly, we looked too alike. For some reason, I felt really relaxed when I was around Dad. It was not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. I had always wanted to meet the person who made me. Perhaps because, deep down, I hated him. I hated him for leaving Mom. But after I met him, for some reason, I did not feel the hatred anymore. It was not like I loved him, but I did not hate him either. I did not even notice that there was another guy sitting at the table. He was perhaps of Leandro''s age and had dark red hair. "Dad, who is this?" I asked. "Ah, this is Jasper," Dad said. "He is one of our members. Since I can''t cook, I asked him to do it." "I see," I said. "Your daughter looks just like you," Jasper said. He had light brown skin and was kind of tall. But Leandro was taller than him. He had silver eyes that shone very brightly like diamonds. "She does," Dad said. "Thank you for the food," I said. "No problem," he nodded. "I heard you work at the palace." "That''s right." "Then she can work as our spy," he said. "Never!" Dad protested quickly. "I won''t let my daughter be in any kind of danger. And besides, she is quitting as well." "There is no need to get so worked up on this. I was just suggesting," Jasper said. It did not look like just a suggestion to me though... "I don''t understand this. How is your daughter even here?" "Someone opened the portal and she got in. Since she has shifter blood, she could see the portal and also get through it," Dad said as I had started eating the omelet. "Why would you get through such a strange thing?" he asked, looking at me. "I was curious?" I said, chewing on the food. "It''s good. Did you use tomatoes as well?" "I did," he nodded. "Perfect," I said, giving him thumbs up. "Pfft... What the hell?" he laughed suddenly. Was he making fun of me? I just praised him because he did a good job with the food. I pouted and looked away. There was no need to talk to someone who would laugh for no reason, especially when it seemed he was laughing at me. "You have a bad sense of direction, don''t you?" Dad asked. "I am not a sea captain," I said. "Every direction confuses me. And north, south, east, west mean nothing to me. If that''s what a bad sense of direction is, then I have it." "She is funny!" Jasper laughed again. He was irritating me. Why was he laughing this much? It was not like I was making any high-class jokes. Only angels would laugh at this kind of lame joke. But no matter how I looked at him, he did not look like an angel. More like a man with many masks. I had a feeling that he was someone who would look pretty normal at first, but had a different side to him, kind of like a manipulating person. "Then Jasper can take you to the palace," Dad said. "He is going that way anyway." "Yeah, I am going that way," he said. "Alright then," I said. It was better if someone took me there since I had no idea which way to go. And moreover, it was not the same way that I used to take to go to the palace from the cave. It would take me a while to remember the way properly. But perhaps I did not need to do it since I was quitting anyway. "Drink some water," Dad said, handing me a glass of water. Why was he behaving like Leandro? Did that guy tell Dad that I did not drink much water? He would always nag me about these kinds of things after all. "Let''s get going then," Jasper said. As he stood up, I could clearly see how tall he was. He was perhaps an inch shorter than Leandro. But I still looked very little beside him. "You''re really tiny, huh?" ''You don''t have to tell me that...'' I looked around, trying to remember the way as we walked together. His strides were pretty long and he did not even bother to slow down a bit for me. What could I have done? My legs were shorter than his. I had to run to keep up with him. "You really are too slow," he muttered. "You''re too fast," I snapped. "Isn''t it because your legs are as long as two bamboo trees?" "And you''re slow cause your legs are as short as a person''s life." ''Whoa, that''s pretty mean! I don''t think we will get along....'' Chapter 105 - The Letter From Her (From Demetrius''s Perspective) I lay down on the bed. It was daytime. I had worked all night, so I was resting right now. It was not like I needed to rest physically, rather I just needed to rest my mind for a while. Ella should be at the palace right now. I wondered who she went there with. She should not know the route at all. And more importantly, I forgot to give her the sketches that I drew for her so she would be able to know the way. I placed them all inside a brown leather file, but I found it with my stuff. "The hell am I doing? Who knows who she went with? If it''s her father or that friend of hers, then it''s okay." There should not be any other men or brats around her. That was why I was kind of relaxed. But I missed her. Even though it had been just a while since we were away from each other, I already missed her. "My lord, there is a letter for you," I heard a servant''s voice from outside the door. "I remember telling you not to disturb me," I said angrily. "But it''s from Lady Ella." "Why the fuck didn''t you tell me sooner?" I jumped out of the bed and opened the door. I snatched the letter from him and closed the door again. Perhaps it was weird of me, but I sniffed on the letter. I wondered what kind of face she made while writing the letter. I knew she would send me a letter very quickly, but it was quicker than I expected. I opened the envelope slowly. It was like testing my patience, but I still remained calm and did not tear it open like I wanted to. Since it was the first time she wrote a letter to me, I wanted to keep it as a great memory. Her cute and slightly childish handwriting unfolded in front of me. Her handwriting was straight and was not curvy at all. Though she did not like her handwriting much, I found it adorable. Hey there, I know it''s too early to send a letter, but here it goes anyway. After you left, Dad tried to cook us dinner. Well, he put the kitchen towel on fire and was even trying to put it off by jerking it. I mean, really? So, I told him to rinse it with cold water. I mean, normal people would do so at first, right? Anyway, I am getting along with Dad better than I thought. We went to a nearby diner to have dinner. The mashed potato was really creamy and buttery. And the steak was good as well. It was a bit spicy but really amazing. He asked me how what I used to do living with you. I told him about it that you would take care of me most of the time. And of course, you never let me go near the stove, blah blah. He asked me if we did it. I mean, if we slept together. I said no. He thought you would force yourself on me. Really? Doesn''t he know you at all? I told him that everything I did was because I wanted to. Later when we came back, I found him reading a newspaper. You traitor, you never told me there were newspapers in this world! I thought you guys found out about news from the people near you. I mean, just like how a rumor spreads. I asked Dad if he loved Mom and do you know what he said? He bluntly said no. It was slightly surprising. I mean, he could wait for a second or two to answer it. Well, I talked a lot. The thing I actually wanted to say is- I miss you. I have a lot of things to say to you. It seems I was an idiot. Can we meet? Just for a moment, I just want to see your face. I know I am the one who suggested that we live apart and perhaps we even needed to since you need to go away for work and I can''t live alone in the cave. But can we meet now? I just... miss you a lot. Yours, Ella "You want to meet me?" I muttered to myself. "And you miss me? Yeah, me too. I miss you a lot too." I kissed the letter and sighed. I was going to be busy these days. But it did not matter. If she wanted to meet me, then I of course would meet her no matter what. I was glad that she was getting along with her father. I did not expect them to be too close since it was basically the first time they were close to each other. But at least, they were doing okay. I sat down at the table and took out a parchment and a pen. Perhaps I would just find a time when I would be able to meet her. Dear Ella, I am glad that you have sent me a letter. You don''t have to worry about me being busy. Just send me a letter whenever you want to. It was better that you went to a diner. At least, you didn''t have to eat coal. Anyway, if you have any kind of problem with food or anything, just tell me. I will send some for you. And listen to what your father says as long as his and my words are the same. Or else, there is no need. Then, listen to me. I think your dad is glad that we did not do it. Because after we do it, the mark will be fulfilled. And no one would be able to separate us, even death. He doesn''t like me as I told you before. We''re basically enemies. But because of you, we are not fighting against each other for the time being. And well about the newspaper thing, you never asked me about it. I thought you would know. I had no idea you thought we are that ancient. Sometimes hearing you say these kinds of things make me want to go to your world to see what it''s like. By the way, don''t think much about your dad and mom. Both of them were irresponsible in one way or another. It''s actually pretty agreeable when your dad said he never loved your mom. It was a one-night stand after all. If they fell for each other after a mere one-night stand, I think it would be pretty strange. Just don''t think about their relationship much. And more importantly, don''t compare our relationship with theirs. There are a lot of differences between these two relationships. First of all, all they wanted was to have sex. But it''s different for us. We haven''t yet done it because we decided not to. And there was no feeling between them, only physical pleasure. But more than physical pleasure, we are more absorbed in getting to know each other and spending time with each other. And I miss you as well. I am gonna be kinda busy these days. But the night after tomorrow, meet me outside the palace. I know you won''t be working there then, but that''s the only place you know outside the forest. I will be waiting there for you. Tell your dad that you will stay at Jed''s and also make sure that Jed tells your dad that you''re with him in case he doubts. It doesn''t matter if your dad finds out though... But he might think we''re doing something strange together... I like you a lot. I just had to say it. Confirming my feelings, I don''t need to. Because I know what I want. And I want you. Yours, Leandro Important note: Drink a lot of water, don''t stay up at night, don''t run around, get out of the palace as soon as possible, and don''t fight with random people just because they wronged you. Remember you might not be as strong as them. What if you get hurt? I don''t care if they get hurt or literally die, but make sure you don''t get hurt in any way. Don''t go in front of the king or his father. I mean, try to stay away from them. And don''t too quickly like you always do, don''t stay in the shower for too long, sleep under the blanket, not over it. I put the letter in an envelope and took another parchment. Perhaps I should write to her dad as well to make sure that he followed my advice well and took care of her properly. And also, he should make someone else cook. What would my little Ella eat if he could not even cook? If they went to eat at a diner every single day, then she might get sick. [I know I have copied Ella''s letter here as well.. But it''s to show what Leandro is reading. And also to remind ya all] Chapter 106 - The Resigning (From Ella''s Perspective) "So, you''re living with your Dad now?" Jed asked as we were cleaning a room. "Yeah," I nodded. "Do you get along with him?" "Well, kinda I guess. We don''t have any problem. And besides, he doesn''t really give any trouble. It''s rather peaceful if I have to say." "You''re quitting today, huh? I am gonna miss you." "Well, it''s not like we can''t meet up. Besides, perhaps I am gonna hang out at your place or you can come to my place," I said. "Dad won''t mind. And he knows your name. I told him that you''re a good friend of mine." "What about Lee? I am calling him Lee, okay? So, he doesn''t mind and it''s safe this way as well," he said. "Is he okay with this?" "As I said, it didn''t take much time to convince him. He would have sent me to your place or Dad''s place anyway since he has to go away for work." "What work?" "I don''t know. He won''t take me there," I sighed. "He said that there are too many men." "He really is very protective, huh?" "You can say..." "Who was that guy anyway?" "The one I came here with? He is Jasper. He works with Dad. Since Dad has no sense of cooking and can accidentally make lava while cooking pasta, he brought Jasper so he can cook for us," I said. "Dad is beyond salvation, isn''t he? I can totally relate, so I can''t even make fun of him." "What kind of person is this Jasper?" "He laughs at silly jokes. I mean, it wasn''t even funny." "He looks shady as fuck. I don''t know if I am wrong though..." "He looks shady? Right? I thought so too," I said, slapping him on the back. "It feels like it''s not his real personality. But he works with Dad. Why the hell would he be like that with me? I mean, I am his coworker''s daughter..." "But... I miss him...," I mumbled. Whenever I thought of Leandro, I could not help but get sad. I missed him so much that I felt the immediate urge to see him. And I felt more stupid than ever. How could I doubt him? "Yeah, it seems like it," Jed said sympathetically. "Hey, what if a person takes care of you like you''re too fragile?" "What do you mean?" "Like tells you to drink water more, not to take a shower for too long," I said. "These kinds of things. Then also combs your hair, cooks for you, tidies your clothes up..." "Sounds like a mom," he said bluntly. "Don''t say it like that," I said. "He does all this?" he asked and I gave a nod. "You got a lucky man, my child. Hold onto him and don''t let him go. He is not a man, he is a gem." "You sound like an old sage...," I laughed. "And what if you found someone drawing you? Like the pictures of you doing nothing but common things? Like eating, sleeping..." "If it''s someone I don''t know or am not so close with, then it''s a freaking creep. But if it''s someone reliable and very familiar, then they love you. He drew you, right?" "I found lots of drawings of me in a file," I said. "I... I was really moved. And I am planning on confessing to him properly. I am gonna tell him that I love him." "About time... When?" "I have sent him a letter. I told him that I wanna meet him. Let''s see what he says," I said. "I am sure he will not care about anything else and come to meet you as soon as possible," Jed said. "Who knows? He might be busy..." "Yeah, yeah... Very busy..." "By the way, I''m going somewhere tonight. Wanna come with me?" "Where?" "To Aurora," I said. "Aurora? Isn''t it the famous brothel?" "Yeah, that''s the one," I nodded. "Why?" "I have some work to do there," I said. "Wanna join?" "I can''t let you go somewhere like that alone, of course. But buy me chicken." "Alright, no problem. Dad said he has a lot of money," I said giving him thumbs up. "By the way, I saw the king today." "Really? What did he do?" "Nothing. But he smiled at me," I said. "Do you think he still remembers me? I mean, it has been a long time since I talked to him." "Who knows? Perhaps... But it''s kinda weird that he smiled at you," he said. "Should I be careful?" "Being careful won''t hurt, right? Better be as careful as possible," he said. "Alright," I nodded. "And I told Dad that I will stay at your place and then come back late." After lunch that day, I went to meet the king. I had to ask for an immediate audience. I thought I would not be able to talk to him today, but for some reason, he accepted it very quickly and summoned me after lunch. "I greet His Majesty, the King," I bowed. After staying here this long, I had learned how to address someone. It was not much of a problem anymore. "Leora, isn''t it?" My heart almost dropped in panic and anxiety. How did he remember my name? Ah, now I remembered. Because my name was mentioned when I asked for an audience with the king, he knew my name. I almost panicked. "Yes, Your Highness," I nodded, looking down. "Leora." "Yes?" "Leora." "Yes?" ''What the hell is his problem?'' "Look at me when I talk to you," he said. "Don''t look down." "But how can I, a mere servant, look at the king in the eyes?" ''Really? I just wanna get outta here. Stop the nonsense and listen to what I have to say.'' It would be better if I could talk to the head maid about my resignation. But she said the king would manage it. It was very surprising. Things of this little importance should be dealt with by the head maid. Why the king? "So, it means you will disobey the king?" "No, that was not my intention, Your Highness. I was merely asking why I should do it. It doesn''t mean I won''t listen to Your Highness," I said. He laughed. "Your spirit is quite admirable, Leora. To think you will talk like that to the king." "My apologies if I disrespected Your Highness in any way," I said. "It''s alright," he said. "I would prefer if you talk to me normally." I almost exclaimed, "Really?" But I stopped myself very quickly. The king was shady as well. There was no way I should get close to someone like him. Besides, he was my Leandro''s enemy. How could I even get close to him? "I see... I will keep that in mind, Your Highness." "Now tell me why you wanted to meet me." "Actually, I am thinking about resigning," I said. "Resign? Why?" "Because the work has been putting stress on me. And I have a family. My husband''s earning is enough for us right now," I said. "That''s why..." "But there are only three days left of this month. What about working these three days?" "My apologies, but I really cannot, Your Highness," I said. ''I just wanna leave. Don''t ask me too much!'' "I see... Then you can do as you wish," he smiled again. ''That''s it? Thank god!'' He suddenly got up and stood in front of me. He was too close. I stepped back a bit. The closeness was uncomfortable. He was staring at my shoulder intently. I had no idea what he was doing. "Your Highness?" "You''re married?" "Yes, Your Highness." I told him this before. Why was he asking me this again? It was not like I told him this a month ago. I even mentioned it a while ago. "But why are you half marked?" "Eh?" How did he know I was half marked? Was there a way to know? Leandro said it was pretty hard to understand this. "I asked why a married woman is half marked," he smirked. "Are you saying you and your husband never got intimate after you got married?" "Actually, our marriage was arranged, so we are just living together. Since it''s convenient for the both of us, we did the marriage," I said. "So, you mean, you don''t love your husband?" "It''s not like I don''t care for him," I said. "But our relationship is different than typical married couples." "I see," he said. "Then you can go now." "Yes, Your Highness," I bowed and left quickly. I could feel his gaze on my back, but I did not turn. I almost got caught. If I had known that he would be able to know that I was half marked just by looking at the bite mark, I would have done something about it. But perhaps he just asked about it and would not do anything else.. After all, it was none of his business. Chapter 107 - Aurora (From Ella''s Perspective) I remembered it after going outside. Nicklaus, the king, had seen my mark, but he did not get the smell of a shifter from me. He would not suspect anything, would he? After all, Jed did not have a shifter smell as well since he did not turn at all. Perhaps Nicklaus would think that I had no turned as well. ''He won''t suspect, right? I hope so... I hate that look in his eyes though... It''s intriguing and in a bad way.'' "Are we really going there?" Jed asked. "Huh? Where?" "To Aurora. You''re the one who said that we''re going there," he frowned. "Ah, right," I mumbled. "I forgot. But let''s stop somewhere before." "Where?" "That shop," I said, pointing at a shop with heavy curtains that nothing of the inside was visible from the outside. "What shop is that? People in masks go in there only," Jed said. "I saw it for a long time. And I need to go there today," I said. Jed was a bit reluctant to enter. He was always like this, too scared to do anything unfamiliar. I had to drag him with me inside. "What the...? What are you going to do here?" Jed asked, getting bright red. "What are you so shy about? It''s common..." "But you''re a virgin..." "Yes, I know. I am here to buy a few things," I said. "Don''t make things worse with that fidgeting act of yours." It was actually a shop for products related to sex. I needed some stuff, which was why I came here. But Jed was being too much. This shop always closed at ten, so I had to come here first before going to Aurora. After all, a brothel would be open all night. "What do you need?" "Don''t talk much. Let me see," I said. It took me a while to take the stuff I needed. Jed was still being shy. Though I was a bit shy as well, especially at the reception, it was not as extreme as Jed''s shyness. "What do you need them for? I don''t understand..." "That''s why you''re such a pain in the ass, Jed. Use your brain. It''s very important," I said. "You''re weird..." "I am just smart and cautious." "Are you going to sleep with someone in the brothel? Males are available as well... and the money for one night isn''t too much as well." "Hell no!" I grumbled. "I am just going there for work purposes." ''And I already have someone to do it with. If I say yes, he will just jump in.'' "Did Lee tell you to do so? I doubt that''s the case." "He will never," I chuckled. "If he hears I went there, he is gonna freak out. I am gonna tell him later though. I feel bad keeping something from him." It had been more than a month that Rosaire, the sex slave of King Nicklaus was murdered. Perhaps it was him who did this. Before she died, I tried to take her to a safe place but failed. She was the one who mentioned the name of Aurora, a brothel. The brothel was bigger than I expected. I did not know the way, but I knew that if I told Jed, he would come with me no matter what. It was something my experience being his friend said. "Are we really going in?" he asked. "Yeah, wear the cloak," I said. I bought two cloaks from a nearby store as well. It felt weird to get inside without hiding ourselves. Both of us wore the cloak and hid our faces quite carefully. I did not want to be recognized here. These days, since I had been running around this place a lot, most of the people knew me, at least my face. Some of them even called me ''that crazy girl''. Well, perhaps because I ran almost all the time instead of walking, I got that new nickname. I did not mind though... "I feel weird, really...," Jed mumbled. "Is it because it''s your first time coming to a brothel?" "Perhaps," he nodded, fidgeting slightly. "What... Isn''t it your first time coming here too?" "Maybe?" ''Yes, it''s my first time. But I don''t feel panicked though... Is it because I don''t care about anything but what I want?'' "What ''maybe''? What''s with that, huh? Did you do something without telling me? Are you keeping secrets from me now? Your only friend?" "You''re not my only friend though... I found a stray cat recently. She is really cute... Aww, so cute!" Suddenly I remembered the cat''s face and could not help but drool over her cuteness. She was too cute, like a cotton pie, that little one. "You''re really acting differently recently. You have started to talk less." "Leandro said it will hurt my throat and make me cough if I talk that much. Seems like he was right," I said. "And you behave more maturely these days." "I think I am over-ripened. And moreover, after spending time in a world where development is so slow, I can''t help but act mature to maintain my sanity," I said. ''Well, in my world, we use the internet. To think I am still alive and sane after not being in touch with the internet, it''s quite a surprise.'' "And then you bought those things today... I have no idea what''s going on with you these days," he said. "Ah, those are for sexual well beings. They are important," I said knowingly. "Anyway, let''s enter. I am a bit nervous as well, but here we go." The inside of Aurora was as I expected, filled with different types of people with the same intention. Women were wearing almost little things to nothing and they were being intimate in public. Everyone was laughing and drinking cheap wine. Though I could not tell if it was cheap from just a look, I just guessed since there was no way they would serve high-class wine here. Of course, there were high-class drinks as well, but that was very expensive. "Where are we going, Ella?" Jed asked. "Why are you so unaffected anyway?" ''If it''s not Leandro, I don''t just feel anything.'' I did not answer him, rather pulled him with me, holding his hand. What if someone heard me somehow? No one could be trusted. "Look for room number fifteen," I whispered. "Fifteen? Alright," he nodded. "Should we separate for a bit? That would be more convenient." "You''re bolder..." "Well, it''s because the quicker you do what you came for, the quicker we can get out of here. I don''t like this place." "Alright then. It should be upstairs since the rooms are arranged oppositely. There are perhaps more than fifty rooms and the fifteenth room is downstairs, there. If I am right, then the fifteenth room will be on the third floor. So, you go left on the third floor, I will go right. We will meet in the middle, right in front of that pillar," I said, pointing around the place so he understood properly. "Got it. And be careful. Don''t do unnecessary things," he said. "I won''t," I nodded. "Be careful as well. Don''t die or move weirdly for no reason." I was worried. What if Jed made someone suspicious? He had the habit to stutter or act suspiciously if a stranger talked to him. ''Strangely, he didn''t behave like that when he met me. Is it because we have too many things in common?'' As planned, both of us went different ways, reaching the third floor. I looked around cautiously, especially above the doors to read the room numbers. "Twenty... Eighteen... Ouch!" I did not know where I was going since I was intently reading the room numbers. Thus, I bumped into someone. "I am sorry," I said quickly since it was my fault. "Are you alright?" "Are you new here?" "Why?" "I haven''t seen you here before," he said. He perhaps was not old, rather two or three years older than me. But because of the beard, he looked pretty old. "Well, I have to go somewhere. Mind moving a bit?" I said, trying to get away as soon as possible. He suddenly grabbed my arm tightly. "I am not done with you though." "Hey, bro, I understand that I bumped into you. But it was an accident and I said sorry. Our business is done. Now, move. Seriously, I have some work." "Let me at least see your face." "If I had to show my face, I wouldn''t wear a cloak." He forcefully tried to take the cloak off. It was just too much. What was his problem? I could not bear it anymore, so I placed a hard kick between his legs just at the right place. "Ack!" he groaned in pain and fell to the ground on his knees, holding his private place. "Hey, don''t ya try to mess with me! Really? What did you think?" I grumbled and walked away only to find a familiar face looking at me, shocked and speechless. "You... you....," I muttered, pointing my finger towards him. Chapter 108 - Valentino Trenton (From Ella''s Perspective) "What are you doing here, Alessandro''s daughter?" the red-haired guy asked. "Jasper," I muttered. "So, you come here too." ''Yeah, right now, I just had to meet him, dammit!'' I just came here today for the first time and I had to meet him? If there was some kind of god, then were they playing a joke on me? Even the devil must be sighing seeing my bad luck. "At a place like this...," he grumbled and grabbed my hand, pulling me with him. "Hey, why are you touching my hand without my permission? It''s sexual harassment in a way, you know?" I muttered, slapping at his hand continuously. It did not matter if he worked with my father or not. If someone messed with me, even if it was god, they would be my enemy. He was much stronger than I was. Even if I tried, I could not get away from him. "Let me go," I said. In a brothel, a single girl and a slightly dangerous-looking man pulling her- it could mean only one thing normally. As a girl, formerly watching crime videos on YouTube, I could not just go with him. Since he was not letting me go, there was only one option left- ''Force him to let me go''. I kicked him on his knee and the moment he lost his posture slightly, I punched him on the chest with as much strength I could muster. And I kept hitting him wherever and as much as I could. "Really? Stop it," he said, groaning in pain. The look he gave me- I almost felt bad for him. "What do you think you''re doing?" "Saving myself from a potential criminal," I said. "A potential criminal? Me?" "Yes?" "I was saving you, for fuck''s sake!" "That way? It looked like you were forcing me. That mouth of yours- is that for decoration only? And that throat of yours- are you able to talk because you can utter nonsense only? Use your voice first. How the hell was I supposed to know that you were trying to save me? You were a stranger." "I even went to your house." "That makes you even more suspicious since it looked like you were trying to provoke me with the sense- ''You know me, so you can come anywhere with me''." "Do I look that type of person to you?" ''No, you don''t. That''s even more suspicious.'' "You see, I am gonna leave now," I said, started walking the other way, but he grabbed my hand again. "For real? Seriously, just quit it..." "Stop talking for a moment," he said. He managed to stand up somehow, but it looked like he was still in pain a bit. "I am telling you. This place is dangerous. Don''t wander around on your own. Trust me, just for a moment." "I won''t!" "Lord Valentino!" I jerked up and looked behind, hearing a girly sharp voice. Judging by her attire, it seemed she was a prostitute. "Valentino?" I repeated. "Valentino Trenton?" "I am sorry, darling. But I will stay with this girl tonight," he said, pointing at me with his eyes. "That''s too bad. I was going to try out a new position. Anyway, come to me tomorrow night, then," she said. "Of course. You''re the one who can satisfy me after all," he said with a smile. "Seriously?" I grumbled. "But that aside, you''re Valentino? Room number fifteen?" "You even know the name I use here, though we met only one time and that''s also this morning. And now you even know my room number here? Now it''s more reason for us to have a little chat," he said. "Yes, yes, now you can take me to room number fifteen? I got something you might want to know," I said. "Wait, let me get my friend..." "What friend? It''s a secret..." "I am sorry, but you don''t actually think that I will go to a private room with you alone, do you?" I grumbled. I waited there with him, though I heard him hiss under his breath a few times. Perhaps he was even cursing me in his head. "Ella! Gosh, I was looking for you," Jed exclaimed. "Are you alright? I thought you would go meet me in the middle, but... What the... Isn''t he that silver-eyed guy from the morning? What''s he doing here?" "He is the one I was looking for coincidentally," I said. "So, I am gonna talk to him. Come with me." Jed nodded and followed us, but Jasper did not look so good about it. It did not matter as long as I got what I wanted. Jasper took us to room number fifteen. It was just like the other rooms from the outside. There was nothing special. But as I looked inside, I could not believe what I was seeing. "... Do you use all of them?" I asked, almost silently. "Yes," Jasper nodded. "Interested?" "Not really," I said, glancing at the BDSM toys. I had no idea that these kinds of things were in this world. I had never seen them before right in front of me. They were kinda scary. Perhaps I felt like that because I was not into this kind of thing. "It''s not for kids anyway," he grumbled. I wanted to yell right into his ear that I was not a kid. I was an adult, at least, in my world. Besides, how could he call an eighteen-year-old girl kid when his world looked at girls as women the moment they started having menstruation? "Anyway, now tell me why you are here. And how do you know the name that I use outside? It''s not like your father mentioned it or something." "Well, do you know Rosaire?" "Rosaire?" his pupil dilated in surprise as he muttered the name. "How do you know her? Ah, I know now. You worked in the palace and saw her there. Right?" "Yes, that''s right," I gave a nod. "Where is she?" "Why?" "Answer me quickly if you want to find out about something more." "She is missing. No one knows what happened to her," he said. "Remember, more than a month ago, you guys planned to attack the king?" I asked. "How do you know about that?" "That time, the king''s exclusive shifters were planning to attack L... the beast. You were going to take the opportunity to try to defeat the king. But you failed. Because the king already knew about your plan." "The king failed to kill the beast as well." ''Of course. I warned Leandro beforehand after all.'' "Why don''t you just say you failed?" I grumbled. "Anyway, so, you don''t know where Rosaire is?" "No," he replied. "Well, she is dead." "... She is dead?" "Yes. She was killed, perhaps by the king," I said. "I was there that night. I heard crying coming from the dungeon, so I went there and that''s when I saw her." "Why didn''t you help her then?" "I tried... But I could not move her. And she was stabbed," I said. "She died before I could do anything." "Well, that''s sad." "Sad, my ass! You don''t sound sad at all!" It did not look like he had lost someone working for him. He was kind of chill about it as if he had lost a screw that he could replace with another one. "Rosaire wanted me to come and find Valentino Trenton in room number fifteen of Aurora. But I didn''t know it was you. You''re Jasper only, I thought." "Jasper is what I am known as outside this place, you see," he chuckled. "I am the owner of Aurora." ''I guessed so judging by the way people look at you.'' "Your father doesn''t want to get involved from the front now and it''s because of you. He thinks that if our enemies find out that you are his daughter, they will want to harm you to get to him. In his absence, I work as the head. My real name is Jasper and Valentino Trenton is just a mask to go by." "I see..." "Is that why you came here?" "Yes," I nodded. He laughed suddenly. "You''re really something... You know why Rosaire wanted you to meet me?" "Why?" "Because she saw potential in you," he said. "The people here work with death in mind. They don''t mind dying as long as in the long run, we win. She wanted you to meet me so I take you so you can work with us." [Well, I wonder if any of you guessed that she saw Jasper. Anyway, perhaps he is shady or not, who knows? Let''s see what happens next then.. So, keep on reading and supporting little Ella, too handsome Leandro. Also, don''t forget about our always cautious Jed, Dad Alessandro, sus or not red haired Jasper aka Valentino Trenton, sus or not King and Leandro''s brother Nicklaus, definitely sus the king''s father] Chapter 109 - Being A Cats Mommy (From Ella''s Perspective) "It''s useless..." "What?" Dad asked as both of us were having the pork stew that Jasper made. I forced him to get out of the house with a box of pork stew. After all, he made it. "My life is useless. It sucks," I muttered. And even the food did not taste good. When it happened to me, it meant life was really useless. "And I don''t like that mix of Orangutans, silver-eyed lion, and brown bear." "You mean Jasper?" Dad asked tiredly. "Yes, him. I don''t like him." "Why? I don''t think he has done anything wrong." ''You are saying that cause you don''t know anything that happened!'' That woman... that Rosaire, she even tried to trick when she was dying. I was sure about one thing- if I had not been my father, Alessandro''s daughter, then that Jasper would force me to work for him. He gave off that kind of dangerous vibe. Jed agreed with me. He said that I should not even bother to get along with someone as shady as him. ''Like if I don''t talk to him much, what will he even do? It''s not like he can poison me or something...'' "It''s totally meaningless. It would have been better if I was a bird or something. Like at least, I could shit on those annoying morons'' heads. But what the hell? I am a human! What the hell am I even going to do being a human?" I grumbled. "You got a letter," Dad said calmly. "What?" I jumped up. ''My life sucks''- this thought completely went away as I looked around for the letter. "It''s on the table, right over there... Be careful..." He could not even finish as I had already run for it and grabbed it. I hurt my leg in the process at the side of the table, but it was fine. I could bear this much for the person I loved so much. On the envelope, there was bold writing- ''Don''t tear it''. Even he had not said it, I was not going to tear it anyway. It was the first time I got a letter from him. I wanted to save it as a great memory. After all, if I was in my world, I would not have felt the pleasure of getting a letter from the person I loved. The best I could get was a text message with fancy stickers. "Can I go to my room?" I asked. "Finish your food first," Dad said sternly. "Don''t wanna... I don''t have an appetite tonight." "Quickly finish it, Ella." "Argh...!" I finished my food as soon as possible. Leandro mostly made soups since he noticed that I did not drink much water, but he made stew sometimes as well. Perhaps because I was in love with him, I always compared everything about others with him and my mind always chose him no matter what. I just loved everything about him. I quickly went to my room and closed the door. I sat at the table and finally opened the envelope. Dear Ella, I am glad that you have sent me a letter. You don''t have to worry about me being busy. Just send me a letter whenever you want to. It was better that you went to a diner. At least, you didn''t have to eat coal. Anyway, if you have any kind of problem with food or anything, just tell me. I will send some for you. And listen to what your father says as long as his and my words are the same. Or else, there is no need. Then, listen to me. I think your dad is glad that we did not do it. Because after we do it, the mark will be fulfilled. And no one would be able to separate us, even death. He doesn''t like me as I told you before. We''re basically enemies. But because of you, we are not fighting against each other for the time being. And well, about the newspaper thing, you never asked me about it. I thought you would know. I had no idea you thought we are that ancient. Sometimes hearing you say these kinds of things make me want to go to your world to see what it''s like. By the way, don''t think much about your dad and mom. Both of them were irresponsible in one way or another. It''s actually pretty agreeable when your dad said he never loved your mom. It was a one-night stand after all. If they fell for each other after a mere one-night stand, I think it would be pretty strange. Just don''t think about their relationship much. And more importantly, don''t compare our relationship with theirs. There are a lot of differences between these two relationships. First of all, all they wanted was to have sex. But it''s different for us. We haven''t yet done it because we decided not to. And there was no feeling between them, only physical pleasure. But more than physical pleasure, we are more absorbed in getting to know each other and spending time with each other. And I miss you as well. I am gonna be kinda busy these days. But the night after tomorrow, meet me outside the palace. I know you won''t be working there then, but that''s the only place you know outside the forest. I will be waiting there for you. Tell your dad that you will stay at Jed''s and also make sure that Jed tells your dad that you''re with him in case he doubts. It doesn''t matter if your dad finds out though... But he might think we''re doing something strange together... I like you a lot. I just had to say it. Confirming my feelings, I don''t need to. Because I know what I want. And I want you. Yours, Leandro Important note: Drink a lot of water, don''t stay up at night, don''t run around, get out of the palace as soon as possible, and don''t fight with random people just because they wronged you. Remember, you might not be as strong as them. What if you get hurt? I don''t care if they get hurt or literally die, but make sure you don''t get hurt in any way. Don''t go in front of the king or his father. I mean, try to stay away from them. And don''t too quickly like you always do, don''t stay in the shower for too long, sleep under the blanket, not over it. His letter warmed my heart up. He again paid attention to every single detail. Though he nagged even in his letter, it still felt amazing to know that there was someone who tried to take care of me to this extent. He never saw my family before and only heard about what happened. Yet, he tried to understand everything. He told me that it was alright and more importantly, he even gave me an explanation why it was alright. I never knew I would have this kind of person in my life. I could not wait for the time I would get to meet him again. The night after tomorrow, we were going to meet again. Thankfully, he knew that I had no sense of direction and forgot the pathways very quickly. I knew the way to the palace. Then it would be a problem to meet him there. I folded the letter and put it in a glass jar. Dad bought that decorative glass jar for me that was filled with paper stars. Since I liked the jar and wanted to use it for a different purpose, firstly, I took out all the paper stars and tied them up with a string. Then I decorated the ceiling with it. Since I colored it a bit too, it looked pretty cool. All of them were dark brown, almost black. It took me a while to create the perfect color, but it was worth it. I felt like I was being watched by my Leandro whenever I looked up at the ceiling. "Kitty! You came here again!" I grinned as a white cat climbed on my lap. She had been coming here since the day I came here. I liked animals more than I liked humans, Leandro was an exception though. So, I liked it when she rubbed herself with me. ''I read that cats imprint by rubbing themselves against the person they feel protected next to. Then is this her marking me? In that case, it''s so cute! Aww!'' The cat had blue eyes and snow-white fur. She was truly beautiful. The more I looked at her, the more I wanted to kiss her. "Hey, if you truly like me, then is it alright for me to guess I am your Mommy?" I asked the cat and she meowed in response.. Though she did not understand me, it was still cute how she responded. "Then shall I write a letter to your Daddy?" Chapter 110 - The Letter To Him (From Ella''s Perspective) Dear Leandro, Heh, it''s the first time I wrote things like ''dear someone''s name''. It feels strange. But anyway, it doesn''t sound weird, right? I mean, in letter writings for English exams, we start like this. In real life, writing letters in my world right now is very rare. First of all, let''s talk about your important note. Haha, why would you even write it like that? It''s kinda funny and cute. Well, I am trying to drink as much water as I can. The bottle you have me is too big. It''s like it can contain the amount of water I would drink in a lifetime. But I still am trying. And I don''t stay up at night if I can sleep. Sometimes, I can''t sleep. That time, pillows feel irritating. But I will try not to stay up at night. And I don''t run around much. But people around call me ''that crazy girl''. I mean, am I that crazy? I don''t fight with people if they don''t start it first, you know. But I also will try to make sure not to get hurt. Anyway, so let me tell you what happened today. This morning, after I wrote the letter to you, I went downstairs to have breakfast. There, I found a new guy. Dad said that his name is Jasper. And he is going to cook for us. He works with Dad, by the way. I am not sure, but he is perhaps an inch shorter than you, has red hair, silver eyes, and light brown skin. He has a mole on his ring finger, you know. Anyway, he laughs quite often even though I did not say much of a funny thing. But the food was good, so I guess I can bear him. I mean, that''s what I thought this morning. Since I don''t know the directions, Dad asked Jasper to take me to the palace. I did not have any other choice as well. Jed said that Jasper looks shady. Anyway, I went to the king to tell him that I wanted to resign. I know what you''re thinking. A king is not supposed to manage trivial matters like this. It''s the job of the head maid. It surprised me as well. When I went to the head maid saying this, she told me that the king would manage it for now. I asked her why, but she just said that I should not question the king''s orders. So, I had to go to your brother. He was behaving, I have to say, kinda weird. Well, he called my name more than necessary. I don''t how to describe this in the letter. When we meet in person, I will tell you clearly. He said he wanted me to freely talk to him. I mean, I was looking down at my feet as Jed told me, but he told me to look up. So I told him that- But how can I, a mere servant, look at the king in the eyes? It sounds weird, right? But I said it anyway. Well, this kind of thing happened then. I told him about my resigning and he asked me why. I said my husband is earning enough for us, so I don''t need to work. He asked me to work the remaining three days of the month as well, but I refused. I mean, the sooner I can get outta there, the better, right? Besides, you told me to get out of there as soon as possible. Dad wants that as well. Oh, by the way, that Jasper told Dad that I could work as their spy at the palace, but Dad refused bluntly. Do you know what the hell happened? It was really surprising. I bet you will be surprised as well. I had worn a bun today. So, the king suddenly inched closer to me and looked at my shoulder. I didn''t know that he was looking at my mark. Moreover, you said that it is very difficult to know just from a glance if the mark was half or full. But your brother understood! That Nicklaus... Can you believe it? He asked me why a married woman''s mark is half. I said that the marriage was arranged and we were just living together. And it''s convenient for the both of us, so we decided to do the marriage even though we did not feel anything towards each other. He then asked me if I love my husband. I said I care for him, just I don''t have any romantic feelings for him. I could not think of any other excuse at that time. After that, he let me go. Remember the time when that slave of your brother''s Rosaire was killed? I mentioned Aurora, a brothel, and Valentino Trenton. Before dying, she mentioned it. So, I went there today. I know you''re angry. But I had to. And I did not go there alone. I took Jed with me. There, while Jed and I were looking for room number fifteen, I bumped into someone. I think he was not that old, but because of his beard, he looked older. He was messing with me and grabbed my hand without my permission. He was saying that he wanted to see my face. Oh, by the way, I was wearing a cloak so no one would recognize me. Anyway, back to the topic- I told him to let go a few times, he did not. So, I kicked him in the checkpoint. I think the kick was pretty hard. And do you know who I met next? Guess what? Jasper. Yeah, that Jasper from the morning. I thought he went there why other men usually went there for. Well, turns out to be something else. He actually is the owner of Aurora, which I guessed even before he told me. And he is Valentino Trenton, the one I was looking for. Jed and I went to room number fifteen to talk to him then. You know what I saw there? A lot of BDSM toys. I had no idea that those kinds of things are present in this world. It''s not my fault. I just don''t know what to expect here. We talked for a while and that''s when I found out that Rosaire, that woman actually wanted to get me to her team. Can you believe it? She was literally dying, but still tricked me! Tonight, Jasper walked me home and cooked pork stew for us. His cooking was so good that I almost did not find him shady for a moment. Anyway, I kicked him out quickly. I haven''t told Dad about it. I just don''t know how he will react, that''s why. But the best thing is that I got a baby! What I mean is, there is a white cat that has been coming to my room. She snuggles close to me and rubs against me. Such a cutie! I haven''t given her a name. I mean, if I want to name someone as cute as her, I need to find the best name possible. But now my mind is blank, so... Enough with the blabbering now. I miss you a lot. And I want to see you as soon as possible. I can''t wait for the night after tomorrow to come. Yours, Ella I had written for a long time. My hands were numb since I had written this much after a long time. But my heart was full. I felt contained. All my stress seemed to melt away. It was, of course, not the same as talking to him in person. But at least, I could deliver my letter to him. Dad told me to leave the letters on the dining table downstairs and he would send it to Leandro for me. I went downstairs and placed the letter on the dining table. I heard someone talking in a low voice. It was coming from Dad''s room in downstairs. He said he did not do it anymore, but was he lying? It would be weird to hear something inappropriate, so I quickly tried to get away. "You''ve grown up so much. I am sorry I could not be in your life before. I know I am not worthy to get your love, but I really love you. It won''t matter even if you hate me. You have the right after all," I heard him saying. "My little Ella, you have grown up so much. If I had known that you existed, I would have taken you away a long time ago." [Ella''s dad is really something... He really regrets that he did not know his daughter existed and when he knew, a long time had already passed. And guys, please make sure to remember Ella''s side as well. That girl is traumatic.. That''s why she can''t accept love very quickly. But she still tried and then at last, accepted Leandro] Chapter 111 - I Love You (From Ella''s Perspective) I could not wait for the time to finally meet Leandro again. It had been only a few days since we parted. But the desire to see him was too strong. Finally, the moment arrived. I had already told Jed that if Dad contacted him, he had to inform him that I was staying at his place. Dad liked Jed and thought I would be safe with him, especially since he was gay. That was exactly what Leandro thought as well. Before, he did not even like hearing another man''s name from my mouth. Just because I once asked him about Valentino Trenton, he was very jealous and totally overreacted. He did not like hearing about Jed as well. But after I told him that Jed actually liked men, he did not mind him at all and even was going to tell me to stay with him for a few days. I brought a sky blue tote bag. Surprisingly, such things existed in this world. Dad said I was being dramatic, but I honestly did not expect to find these kinds of things here. Not to mention, I saw BDSM toys at Aurora that night. "You''re going out already? Did you take enough clothes for tonight?" Dad asked. "Yeah..." After what I had heard that night, I could not quite look at Dad in the eyes. I did not know why, but I just could not. But I was glad that he felt that way. Though I felt bad for this, I could not tell him that it was alright. Because it was not. "I will be on my way then," I said. "Be careful. Do I need to take you there?" "You asked me this before too. Don''t worry, it''s fine. Jed helped me memorize the ways." "Alright then. Be careful." "Yes." I wore my hooded cloak again. Leandro sent me a note saying that I should wear it. He did not write much in that letter, perhaps because we were meeting. "I took everything I needed. Ah, I feel so weird now," I muttered to myself. I took slow steps towards the palace. My heart was beating faster, thinking of seeing him again. Or perhaps because I was going to say it finally. I went where he told me to go. I looked around in the hopes of catching a glimpse of him. Even if he concealed his identity, I would be able to identify him, especially given his height. He was much too tall. I walked around the abandoned houses. He could show up in any of them. Was I a little too early? True, I arrived a little earlier, but I thought it would be easier to find him if I arrived earlier. "Leandro...," I whispered. Even though he could hear far better than humans, I did not expect him to hear this small sound. What was I even saying? He was not even a human in the first place. ''I think I have made the song ''I''m in love with a monster'' a reality.'' But my monster was too adorable, handsome, and, of course, amazing. He cared for me so much that it got to be a little much at times. Nonetheless, I liked him a lot. And it made me feel very good to know that there was finally someone who cared about me and wanted nothing more than my love in return. I had read about beautiful love stories before. The authors always said- ''the painful feeling of being in love with so much can be really addictive and once tasted, it''s hard to forget its taste''. At that time, I did not understand what it meant and I thought it was only possible in literature. But now I knew how gravely mistaken I was. When I first met him, it was as if it had already been decided that something very special would blossom between us. We could not be anything else, because there was always this strange feeling between us. We could not be friends, not family, and definitely not siblings; we were meant to be lovers. It was like an instinct that I should have believed a long ago. I had no idea where I was going as I was lost in thought. A strong hand suddenly grabbed my arm and drew me inside a house. I did not even bother to panic. Because this touch, this scent- they were very familiar to me. I just knew it was him. When I finally looked up, I was met with those dark brown eyes again. They were enticing, drawing me closer to him. My back was pressed again the wall, just like the first time we met. But the difference was that before, I was hesitant to be touched by him, but now I craved this gentle, and sometimes dangerous, touch that could set fire to my skin, slowly burning me from within and outside. I could not help thinking about what would have happened if I was not that weirdly curious. What if I had not touched his fur that night? He would have surely killed me. And what if he had not come to save me? What if I had not run to him? Everything could have been different just if even one of our choices were different. But it did not matter now. Because we were together now. When did it start? When did I start to see him as not just a handsome man, rather someone I felt attached to? Was it when he first kissed me? Or after that? Or even before that? I had no idea. But I did not feel the need to know as well. All that mattered was how I felt about him now. It did not matter when it started. The present feelings were all that I needed to know about. "Did you even know where you were going? There was a huge rock in front of you. If I had not pulled you..." "Shh," I pressed my index finger over his lips. "Don''t talk. Not even a bit. Let me say it first." "I love you." [I''m in love with a monster- Fifth Harmony (from Hotel Transylvania 2)] Chapter 112 - [Bonus Chapter] Forbidden Fruits Are Not The Sweetest [A bonus chapter for ya'' all cause we can''t just stop after hearing her say ''I love you'', right?] (From Leandro''s Perspective) "I love you." I had no idea if my heart stopped beating or if it was beating crazily. But my thoughts froze up hearing her saying those three words. Just those three words and my hands started shaking, my thoughts jumbled up. I thought she wanted to see me or perhaps spend time with me. I did not care why she wanted to meet me. When she wrote in her letter that she missed me and wanted to see me, I wanted nothing more than to run to her. I managed my work as soon as possible to make time to meet her. Because I missed her too. The feeling was so intense that it hurt. And then when she wrote me that there was another guy around her and who did not seem to be gay, I was restless. What if he tried to do anything funny to my little El? What if he behaved all friendly with her since the beginning? What if she fell for him? I was worried mostly because at first, I behaved very roughly with her. What if she chose someone with a better personality? Though she wrote that she did not like him much, I still could not relax. I did not want her to choose someone else over me at all. But all those worries seemed to melt away the moment she said those words, the words I wanted to hear. "I love you the most. I know I took a long time to say this, so please forgive me. You waited so long for me... You just make me feel very different and now I can''t even think about my life without you. It would be meaningless, you know. If I say precisely, I just love you. I don''t care about anything else. And I am again, sorry for making you wait, I really am," she muttered, looking down. "I don''t care." "Huh?" "I don''t care if you''re late. I could even wait for you more," I said. "You know, now that I think about it, the fact that you waited to answer me was a good decision for the both of us." Ella was traumatized at a very early age. It was very believable when she could not trust me that much. At first, I thought she was being unreasonable. But as time passed and I spent more time with her, I slowly understood that she was right to take her time. We did not know each other for a very long time to even form a relationship. It took only a few days for me to develop feelings for her. How could I even have expected her to say yes to me? "I love you too. I love you a lot too," I said, cupping her face. "I love you so much that I think I will go insane if you are not with me." "That''s pretty dangerous, you know." "Yes," I chuckled. "I know..." Not a second could pass before my lips found hers. The connection of our lips was very passionate. It was as if it was sucking my soul. I wondered if she felt the same way. It was clear in her half-closed eyes that she saw me as a gentleman. But she had no idea what was going on in my mind, what I wanted to do, and how much I wanted to push her to her limits. The lewd and not so gentle thoughts were roaming in my mind. I was touching her delicately because I knew if I tried to force just a bit, I would lose control. Pushing her up against the wall and holding her thigh up, pressing it against my hip, I slowly deepened the kiss. Her moans were silenced in the kiss. The kiss broke, but my hunger only grew. I bit and suck on her neck, taking her bewitching scent in that I missed these days. "Huh... I think..." "Yes?" "I think I can trust you... with my heart now," she mumbled, panting because of the long and deep kiss. "So, take care of my heart, Leandro." "Does this mean what I think it is?" "... Yeah..." "Then don''t stop me midway." "I won''t," she smiled. "It''s you after all. How can I even stop you when I want you this much?" "Tsk," I clicked my tongue loudly and picked her up from the ground. She quickly wrapped her legs around my waist and hugged me tightly as if she was scared to fall. "This... this place..." "No one will come here. I can''t just take a crowded place for us to meet, right?" I said as I stomped upstairs with long steps. I could not wait at all. "That''s why I told you to meet me tonight. It took some time to get this place." "Did... you buy it?" "Yeah," I said. "It''s in the abandoned alley. So, no one will come here. And in case anyone passes by, I ordered some of my people to be around." "... You got it all prepared...," she mumbled. "Yeah, I did. Isn''t it because I had to make sure to have the perfect place ready in case you said yes," I said and threw her on the bed of the bedroom. Right behind the bed, there was a window, through which, the silver glow of the moon entered and fell on her, making her face and body visible. "Don''t shake that much. I am not gonna eat you," I said, seeing her shaking fiercely in nervousness. But I was lying to her. Of course, I was going to eat her. I was going to bite into this sweet until I made it mine completely. This fruit was not forbidden, proving the quote wrong- ''Forbidden fruits are the sweetest''. [Guess what''s coming next? Lol, we all are sucker for these types of moments] Chapter 113 - The First Time (From Leandro''s Perspective) I climbed on the bed and kissed her again. She seemed to be very nervous. And so was I. She was nervous because it was her first time. And I was nervous because of a completely different thing. I had to admit that I was quite experienced in this. But for more than two years, I had not touched anyone, of course, that was until Ella came along. This was not even the cause of my nervousness. I was nervous because it was my first time doing it with a virgin. All the other times, I would ask for the experienced ones since I had no desire to fix the amateur ones'' mistakes or teach them what to do. But I was glad that her first time was going to be with me. It made me feel great whenever I thought that I was the only one who ever touched her like this. But perhaps I was nervous, mostly because it was my first time to do it with someone I loved. I could not help thinking if she was alright. "Huh...," she panted as my lips left hers. Her face and ears were bright red. Now that I came to my senses slightly, I noticed that she was still wearing her cloak. We were too absorbed in our own world that we completely forgot about it. I took the cloak off a bit carefully because I was so impatient that I might rip it if I was not careful enough. "You just have to relax, okay?" I said to her. "I think you''re the nervous one here," she said, pointing at my trembling hands. "It''s just... Because it''s you, I am kinda nervous. I don''t want to hurt you." "We''re going to do it, not fight. How will you even hurt me?" she muttered. "Just relax. Let''s both relax and don''t let other thoughts come between us." She looked very determined. I kissed her once again and slowly untied the ribbon on her dress. The ribbons were on the front of the dress and were easy to reach. Her underthings were attached together and there was only one ribbon attaching them. If I pulled it just a bit, the beautiful view would unfold in front of me once again. And it was not in my head. When I noticed it, it was already done. I had pulled that little ribbon. "It''s the first time you are this gentle," she muttered, laughing a little. "You always tore the clothes." I was not being gentle because that was how I was, but because if I lose control even just a bit, I perhaps would take her like a month starved beast. Looking at her while she lovingly stared at me, I did not have any questions left. I did not have to wonder if she truly loved me. A love was true love only when you did not even need to ask the other person if they loved you. That was supposed to be real love. I bent my back and kissed between her full bosom. The pecks were perked up as if asking for my attention. "Huu..." I licked her chest until I reached her left breast while my palm fondled the other one as if playing with it. Her heart was beating faster, playing a melody, a very lewd one at that which turned me on even more. I sucked on her nipple, a lot harder than the other two times I had done before. I wanted to leave my marks on her, so whenever she would see them, she would be reminded of the time when I held her so intimately, worshipped her body, and took her to the devil''s home. "Ah... Leandro..." Hearing her moaning my name so lewdly seemed to trigger something inside me. I started caressing her breast a bit more forcefully than before and kept sucking and nibbling on her nipple. ''You are mine. Just mine. You can only say my name in that tone.'' When I looked at her left breast, I could only see red marks, big biting and sucking marks as if saying- ''Only I can mark you like this''. I turned my attention to her other breast which looked very left out. It had red finger marks since I grabbed them too hard. I took the other nipple in my mouth, sucking it while she made smutty noises. I traced over her skin with my fingertips and she was left shaking and whimpering under my touch. "Ahh... It tickles..." "But this tickling makes you moan instead of laugh," I said huskily. My little El was not totally the shy type, especially with me. Though she hid herself a few times, she also made sure to say how she felt. And I liked every time she said how I made her feel. As my fingertips kept drawing on her skin, they finally reached her inner thighs. She expected me to touch her, but I did not. I moved my fingers from there and started running them over her bent leg. A little disappointed, her body moved impatiently. I ignored her pleas and kept torturing her with my touch. I kept giving her pleasures, but not quite doing what she wanted me to. I pulled my face up, only after marking her bosoms. Just one look at her naked body, my lower body started to ache. She looked at me with her big eyes and licked her lips. She did not do it to seduce me, rather because it was her habit to do sometimes. But she had no idea what she unconsciously did to me. I grabbed her from wherever I could and started kissing her all over, everywhere. I marked every single place as mine except that one place where she wanted me to touch her the most. "Nngh... huh..." I was taking my time to savor the moment. I wanted to imprint the memory of tonight in my mind, so after ten years or twenty years, this night would still remain alive in my head. "Open your leg a bit," I said. She stared at me blankly for a second as if processing what I said and then opened her legs slightly. The sight indulged me from within. I gulped as if I was thirsty. She was looking away as if she was shy under my gaze. I brought my face down between her legs, taking the seductive scent that her private part had to offer. As I breathed on her folds, she trembled. "I haven''t even done anything yet," I chuckled. She did not say anything, just glared at me while her chest was rising up and down with her deep breathing. I bit the side of my downer lip before placing a soft kiss on her dripping folds. She trembled even more, but I held her knees, keeping her in place. "Ahh!" she moaned as I licked her even more. I brought my face up once again to kiss her on the lips. She surely just tasted how she was down there. I kissed in a straight line and made my way down to her inner thighs again, tensing her more and more. I kissed her up and down the inner thighs. Those parts were very sensitive. Every time my lips touched her skin, she moaned very loudly and arched her back. I kept teasing her until she was out of breath. I just wanted to make her remember my touches by taking more time. The reddish part seemed to call me for more. I licked on top of the folds. It was a really sensitive part as well. "Leandro... uhh... huh..." I kept licking her mercilessly while sucking occasionally. She kept moving her hips as if trying to take more of my tongue. She grabbed my hair as she seemed to be losing her mind. "Ahh! Wait a bit... uhh!" The sensual feeling of being stimulated like this was unfamiliar to her. By the end of tonight, I wanted to make sure that she knew what it felt to be taken to the pleasure of hell. It did not take long before she pulled her hips up in the air while shaking continuously. I pulled my face up and licked my lips. "Did it feel that good?" I smirked. "... Huff... It felt good," she muttered breathlessly. I smiled and kissed her, while my fingers did not waste any time touching her sensitive folds. "I just... I am really sensitive now... Mmm..." I stopped her with a kiss while two of my fingers penetrated her. She widened her mouth in the kiss as she was being pushed to her limits. "Lean... Ah! Huh! Nngh!" "It''s alright. You can make as much sound as you want to," I said, noticing her trying to bite her lips to keep her from moaning too loudly. But her voice kept leaking out. She reached another orgasm very soon. Her reddish face turned even redder and she seemed to be too out of breath to say anything. "Are you alright?" I asked. She suddenly pulled her face up and kissed me on the lips.. "I love you." Chapter 114 - The First Time (2) (From Ella''s Perspective) "Seriously, you are making it too hard for me to control," he muttered under his breath and started kissing me senselessly. My whole body was on fire. Reaching two climaxes without a break made me exhausted and excited at the same time. He started pushing his fingers inside me again. My eyes shot open in intensity while my legs shook. I felt like I could not take it anymore. ''Why is he teasing me this much?'' "Leandro...Ah, why?" "I need to loosen you up as much as possible, so it won''t hurt too much," he said. "It''s not like you feel pain if I do this. So, bear with me for a while." "But it''s..." "It''s alright. It is how we are supposed to start," he said. "Nngh... uhh! Ah!" Every time his fingers plunged inside, I felt like I could guess their shapes. The sloping noises echoed throughout the room. I felt embarrassed, but I craved more. "Huh...!" While his fingers kept torturing me, he filled my skin up with little kisses. His sucking marks remained on my skin, standing up proudly as if showing off. Sometimes it was painful when he bit on my skin or sucked too hard, but the pain was felt well as well. I felt like I was losing my mind. I grabbed his muscular arms and dig my nails in them through his sleeves as loud moans started to leak out of my throat. "Ahh! Leandro! Please... I-I am... uh... going c-crazy!" "Then go crazy. I want to see that side of yours," he said and licked my earlobe. Another intense orgasm hit me. My eyelids grew heavy and it seemed my body lost all its strength. I could not move an inch. "El! Did I push you too hard?" he muttered as he held my face with both of his hands. "Perhaps we should stop for tonight." He tried to get out of the bed, perhaps to get a towel, but I grabbed his hand quickly and pulled him in for a kiss. I did not care what happened to my body or how weak I was, I had come prepared tonight. And I did not want to go back halfway. "Don''t stop," I said. "I want to do it. I want to make love to you. So, just don''t stop." "Tsk... If you talk like that, I won''t be able to control myself." "I don''t want you to. Just do it. Do I have to phrase it now?" "Yes, say it." "... Fuck me now, Leandro," I said determinedly. "Make me yours, so we can''t be separated, even after our deaths. Just take everything I have to offer and give me everything you have." He gave a peck on my lips and grabbed my legs, parting them as he went between them, his eyes dangerously burning with desire. "I won''t stop." "Yes, don''t stop." He took off his clothes very quickly. I kept my eyes on his body, observing him up and down as he unbuckled his shackles. I had no idea where my shame went. My eyes did not even blink for once as I worshipped his beautiful body with my eyes. "That thing... It looks bigger than last time," I mumbled. "I think it''s 10 actually, not 9." "Whatever it is, I am gonna use it now," he said. "Are you sure you are not scared?" "No...," I shook my head. ''Actually, I am. I am really scared. I am scared to be stabbed by that rod. But I trust Leandro. He said it was alright. And of course, no one dies while having sex because that thing is too big. So, I guess I am safe.'' He looked very red and his breathing was labored as if he was having a very hard time. I knew what he was afraid of. He was worried that he would hurt me. He told me once before that he only asked for experienced women. That meant, it was his first time with a virgin. "Leandro...," I whispered. "Shit, you''re so beautiful! I can''t... I am sorry if I lose control. But I will try not to hurt you," he said huskily and parted my legs even more. My whole body stiffened up in anticipation. I was kind of worried that if it would fit inside me or not. But I wanted to believe Leandro about this one. He rubbed the tip against my entrance. It was ticklish and hot. Even before it started, my body was wailing. At this rate, perhaps I would go crazy if he did not do it soon. "Please... Ack!" I felt something stuffy and hot entering just a bit inside me. He went just a little, but I felt very full inside. "Ahh... Huff..." "It will perhaps hurt a bit," he groaned. "Jeez, you''re so hot inside." He kissed me deeply as he suddenly pushed more. There was a pain, but... it was not as sharp as I thought it would be. It was bearable. "Are you alright?" he asked. "It''s not that... huh... painful," I said. "I am fine." "Then can I push more?" "It''s not fully in?" I asked, surprised. "You''re not a virgin anymore. The wall is already broken," he said. "But I am not fully in." ''Oh my god, how big is he then? Is at least half in?'' "Ahh! Uh! Lea... Ah!" I gasped as he pushed more and I felt his balls touching my bottom. He was fully in finally. I felt very full inside. I panted, wrapping my arms around his neck. "I am happy," I smiled at him. "I am really happy that we are one now..." "Shit!" he muttered and suddenly pushed very hard. It was so sudden that I had to take a while to inhale some air. He pulled out, almost completely, before pushing back inside again. The feeling was overwhelming and intense. The burning flame of passion seemed to radiate from him each time his hips moved. "Uhh! Nngh! Huh...!" His lips found mine and started kissing and biting, very hard and painfully. Blood tickled down into my mouth. I hated blood, but for some reason, I did not feel so at this moment. Rather, it seemed I kind of enjoyed the taste of it. "Haa... Am I pushing too hard?" he asked in a deep tone. "It''s... fine... Ahh! Leandro!" The moment I said it was fine, he started going even harder than before. It looked like he was controlling himself with each move, but I still felt like I was losing my mind in the pleasure he was giving me. His warm breath fell on my neck. I could hear his heart beating louder than ever, as well as mine. He was making grunting noises. I once asked him why he did not make any noises while kissing me and wondered if he did not like doing it. That time, he told me that when the real-time would come, I would also make him make noises. Now I understood what he meant that time. Leandro pulled back and put both of my legs on his shoulder. Before I could understand, he pushed inside again as if he did not want to waste any time. "Ahh!" "You''re squeezing me really tightly. If you do that, it''s hard for me to move," he said. "Just relax. It''s fine." I knew what he meant, but I did not know how to loosen up. It seemed because I was so overwhelmed, drowning in the pleasure, I lost control over my body. "Huh, I love you so much," he muttered. "Really, I love you a lot. I have wanted to do this for a long time. It feels like a dream come true." "Uhh! Leandro... please... M-More..." "Ha, as you wish," he smirked and started thrusting deeper. My voice got stuck in my throat as I felt an orgasm near. He did not stop, even for once. He knew that I was reaching an orgasm, but kept penetrating the whole time until my legs shook from the climax. This one seemed to last more than the previous ones. "Ahhh! Huh..." Even after the climax, he did not stop. He went a bit slowly, not withdrawing completely and when my body stopped shaking as much as before, he started thrusting his full length again. "Does it feel good?" he asked. "Yea... It''s a-amazing," I mumbled as both of my mind and body started wailing. "I love you. Ah... I really..." "I know. I love you too. I love you a lot." [Ahem, perverted readers! This perverted author finally showed ya all the scene you guys have been waiting for since chapter one, lol. We, the team of perverts, know what it means to have this kind of chapter, ahem... Our Ella has finally grown up.. Her cherry is popped, lol and Leandro could do what he wanted since the first time he met her. And we could also satisfy our perverted souls a bit] Chapter 115 - Lets Do It Lots Next Time (From Ella''s Perspective) When I woke up, I felt like I got more rest than I needed. It took me a while to come to my senses. "Are you up?" "Mm...," I mumbled, opening my eyes slowly. I was snuggled very close to him and he had his arm wrapped around me. No wonder I had a good sleep. I tried to move a bit, that was when I felt the sudden pain on my bottoms. "Ow!" "Are you alright?" he asked quickly. ''Ah, we did it finally last night. My body feels like it has been run over by a bus.'' "It''s kinda sore down there," I muttered, getting red completely. "Wait a moment... But my..." "Don''t worry. I cleaned you up," he said. "When?" "You fell asleep after we did it once. I cleaned you up then," he replied. "Is that so...? Well, did I bleed?" "It was your first time, so yeah, just a bit. Don''t worry, it wasn''t too much and I cleaned you up as well. Look, you''re not bleeding anymore." "That''s true," I muttered, checking once. I felt kind of shy now. I said a lot of embarrassing things last night. Now all the weight of those words was falling on me. He started laughing all of a sudden and hugged me tightly. "I didn''t know you came that prepared. It seems like you were sure that we were going to do it last night." "Well, you were waiting for me to say yes. And for a pervert like you, I was sure that when I will say yes, you won''t stop," I said. "But you were gentler than I expected at first." "At first? Then was I wild after that?" "K-Kinda..." "Since it was your first time, I was nervous that if I moved a bit too much, you will end up getting hurt," he said. "I read in the books that it only hurts the first time." "It wasn''t too much painful for me though... I had seen on the internet that it might hurt the first time. I mean, it''s not the case for everyone," I said. "I think that''s why I didn''t feel too much pain. There was this slight discomfort, though..." "Other times, it won''t be like this," he said. "There won''t be any discomfort as well." Now that I thought about it, I was not a virgin anymore. Thankfully, I lost my virginity to the person I loved. It meant the mark was fulfilled now. I sat up with slight difficulty as my body hurt and looked sideways at my shoulder. The mark was there and it looked the same. How the hell was I even going to understand if the mark was full or not?" "You are fully marked now," he said, sitting up as well, as if he knew what I was thinking. "No one will able to touch you from now on if you don''t want them to- humans or shifters. You see, you can''t be with anyone else now, only me. The same goes for me." "You don''t regret it, do you?" "Of course not!" he said quickly. "I am really happy that I got to be with you and make you mine. Actually, I am happier that I am the first man in your life and also the last man. I was gonna ask you if you regret it." "No! Why would I? I chose you!" "That''s good then. I don''t need to worry about anything," he sighed in relief. He was worried? I thought it should be me who needed to be worried. But surprisingly, I was not much worried. It was as if I knew that he was going to be with me no matter what. When did it happen that I started to know that he was always going to be there for me? Even if there was no one, I would find him at the end of the dark tunnel, waiting for me to run into his arms? "What time is it?" "It''s eleven in the morning," he said. "Don''t worry, I sent a letter to your friend to tell your dad that you will go back in the afternoon." "Now that I think about it, I have a lot to know," I said. "When did you even buy it? I mean, did you buy it just for meeting me?" "Yes," he nodded. "I have a lot of money, don''t worry." ''Wow, would you look at that smug face?!'' "Besides, if we meet, we need to meet somewhere private. While buying it, I didn''t think we would be doing this though... But either way, it''s a good thing I bought it," he said. "We can do it again when we will meet." "You''re busy. You don''t get out of your way to make time for me," I said. "Don''t worry. I will send you a letter whenever I am free. You will come to meet me, won''t you?" he asked. "And we are in a relationship now, aren''t we? We can meet." "Yeah...," I smiled slightly. I felt very happy. My heart was filled with overwhelming joy. Finally, I could get out of my shell and try to be happy with the man I loved. It had been quite a long time since I did not think of going back. I always felt like I did not belong here. But Leandro made me understand that I could just make my own place if I did not have one already. "By the way, there are two sets of keys of this house. One is in your bag," he said. "I placed it there last night." "... Did you see what''s in the bag?" "No. You were throwing the blanket away a lot. So, I had to get in bed with you so you could not do it anymore. Why? What''s in it?" "Actually... You see, I only had theoretical knowledge about sex. So, I went to a store with Jed and bought some things." "Bought what?" "Get me that bag. I will show you," I said. He got out from under the blanket. He was naked! Perhaps I was a pervert as well since I did not look away, rather enjoyed the view of him from behind. But before he came back, I quickly looked away so he would not understand that I was gawking at somewhere I should not. I opened the bag and poured everything on the bed. The look on his face definitely showed how surprised he was. "Well, lube is an essential thing. So, I bought it. I thought we would need it." "It''s for the time when you''re not naturally lubricated," he said. "But you were." "I wasn''t sure... so..." "Seriously? What am I gonna do with you?" he laughed. "Ah, right. I almost forgot," I muttered and took the red bottle with some pills inside it. "Is that for preventing pregnancy? I was gonna buy one today as well," he said. "No need now. I got one already," I said and took a pill with some water. I brought a bottle of water with me as well to make sure that there was no way I would miss taking the pill. It was very important. If I missed even once accidentally, there was a chance I would get pregnant. And it would be very inconvenient for both of us. Leandro carried me to the restroom and placed me in the tub. He got in with me as well and I leaned against his chest. I did not feel as shy as before being naked in front of him. But I still had a hard time looking at his naked body when he was staring at me. "Thankfully, I brought something that will cover my full body," I muttered, looking down at my body that was covered with red marks. Except for my face, there was not a single place that was untouched, unmarked, and unloved. "You knew I would do this?" "Remember the time when you first kissed my neck? You gave me a huge hickey." "Yeah, that time...," he chuckled. "I couldn''t help it. You tasted too good." When we were together, time went very well. Not even once when I was with him, I was bored. I liked talking to him, listening to him, and just being silly with him. It was the perfect relationship that I wanted, a healthy and wonderful relationship with my loving Leandro. "I don''t think it was enough for you," I muttered. "What?" "Since it was my first time, I wasn''t sure about anything and couldn''t do it much. Perhaps it was not enough for you," I said. "So, when we will do it next time, let''s do it until you are satisfied. Not now, of course. My body is really sore. If we do it again, I won''t be able to move at all. So, next time... Let''s do it lots next time." "You really are something... I know I can be shameless with my words, but you are really straightforward about everything," he said.. "It''s really amazing, you know." Chapter 116 - Being Silly (From Leandro''s Perspective) Even when Ella arrived that night, I had no idea that she would say yes to me. And when she said it, I felt like my world stopped for a moment because I was too shocked and happy. It was also out of my expectations that we would end up doing it. Finally, she was mine. She was fully mine. Thankfully, I made the decision to buy this house. If I had not, perhaps I would not have been able to make her mine. I should try to finish my work as soon as possible these days, so I could spend more time with her. She was putting on the other set of clothes that she brought with her. She seemed to have thought about everything before. She even bought lube and pregnancy preventing pills. We did not need lube which I knew that we would not need even before we started. I was planning to buy pregnancy preventing pills as well, but it seemed she was very careful about these kinds of things. After going through such a life, she would definitely not make the same kind of mistake her parents made that made her life so miserable. Her whole body was full of marks. I could not see a single place except her face where I did not leave my mark. Perhaps because I was too excited that I ended up marking her body crazily. Last night, I controlled myself a lot. Or it would have been too painful for her. It was very hard, but I kept reminding myself that it was her first time. After the first time, I would be able to do it hard and it would not hurt her again. "That new guy..." "Jasper?" she asked. "Yes, him. Did he touch you?" "Why would he touch me?" she shrugged. "We barely know each other. Well, I hit him a few times though." "Why?" "Well, remember I wrote that I kicked another man who held my hand and tried to see my face?" "Yeah, that bastard... I will find out about him and kill him." "Haha, don''t joke about it." ''I am not joking.'' "Then Jasper came. He heard my voice and when he saw me, he thought that I needed to be saved. He later said that he was pretty surprised that I kicked that guy like that. Anyway, he tried to get me away from there, holding my hand. So, I hit him a few times because he was not letting go even though I told him to," she said. "I mean, it''s kinda like sexual harassment, right?" "It is!" I said firmly. "Should I just..." "No, don''t. He did not hurt me or anything. He even walked me home and cooked for us," she said. "It doesn''t matter. He still held your hand when you clearly said no. And about the cooking, if you want to, I can send food for you every day." "Don''t be silly. How can I disturb you like that every day when you are so busy?" "It''s not a problem." "It is! You just don''t understand," she said. "You don''t need to do anything like that. Really, Leandro... You always do more than enough for me. Sometimes it makes me feel bad to rely on you about every single thing. So, please don''t say that you want to do it as well now." "... Alright, I understand. But if you need any..." "I will. I will write to you if I need anything," she said. Jed was one thing. He liked men, so I did not see him as a threat to my little El. Though at first after I smelled a boy from her, I thought she slept with him. Of course, I was just overreacting. Perhaps it was that time that I fell for her and started to feel very protective of her. Whenever she talked about another man made me very mad. And now there was this Jasper. I did not know what kind of person he was. But it seemed he was someone who played around with women and slept around a lot. I used to do it with women too before, but that was only when I felt the need, not every single day. But now, it was out of the question since I had already found the love of my life. No other woman attracted me as much as she did and that was also without even trying. Men like Jasper were dangerous for my little El. I could not possibly relax after hearing that someone like him was around her most of the time. Perhaps I should try to find more about him and warn her to stay away from him. It was a relief that she only found me handsome and did not even like other men even just a bit. At least, I was assured that she would not fall for anyone else. I was worried before, but now it was different. After seeing the way she looked at me last night, I did not have any confusion at all. She really did love me. She loved me a lot. "You know, keep your distance from him..." "I know," she said. "There is no need for me to get close to him, right?" "That''s true," I said. "Are you ready now?" "Are you going to walk me home? Dad is at home right now. He is not supposed to go out today," she said. It was afternoon. I told her to stay with me so we could have lunch together. I did not like cooking much before. But now, I liked cooking because whenever I looked at her eating so happily, I felt contented. I liked cooking, but only for her. "Yeah," I said. "I will leave you close to your Dad''s place. You used the scent I gave you, right? Your dad won''t be able to know that you were with me. And by the way, you are mistaken." "Yes?" "You said home." "But that is my home," she said. "No," I shook my head. "That is your dad''s place. Your home is where I am. So, it means..." "Ah, I understand. This, not that, is my actual home," she smiled. "My bad." I walked her home as I said. I wished I could get a glimpse of that guy. At least, seeing him would give an idea about what kind of person he could be. I told El that I would let her know when to meet again. I did not want to let her go at all. Though we spend last night together, loving each other as much as we could, it still was not enough. I wanted to be with her all the time. Since it was not possible right now, I should just finish my work quickly to see her again. These days, I was mostly busy because we could get more shifters and humans on my side. We were planning a grand attack on the Imperial Palace and for that, we had to work hard to make a good plan. Some wanted to use Ella as a spy, but I dismissed them as soon as they brought the topic up. I warned that if someone said it again, they would lose their heads. Thanks to Ander''s big mouth, almost everyone knew that there was a young woman named Ella who I treasured so much. Ella was afraid of war. She was afraid of losing me. I did not want to worry her, but it was necessary. I wanted my power back, not just because it was my ambition from the start, I also wanted to make sure that my Ella could live a good life with me without any threats. And that was only possible if I got my power back. If we won, I was planning to propose to her. I wanted to have a great life with her. I wanted to have a life where I could see her in front of me all the time. And that would be possible if I married her. And I was working to make it happen as soon as possible. "Leandro..." Hearing my name, I looked up. It was Ella who threw a folded paper towards me. I unfolded it and held it in front of me. I love you. Just had to say it before you left. I know I am childish and very hard to tolerate, but thanks for putting up with me. I looked up once again and she gave me a smile, a bright one that seemed to suit her face only. That was the smile I wanted to save. ''Don''t worry. I will do anything to save that smile.'' "I love you too," I mouthed and she giggled. I could not help chuckling as well. Being silly with my little Ella seemed to have become the best hobby of mine. [I feel lonely.. Jeez, I am single and lonely. These two makes me feel even lonelier, dammit!] Chapter 117 - A Friend To Talk To (From Ella''s Perspective) When I arrived, Dad was taking a nap on the couch. I covered him up with a blanket and went back to my room. Leandro was still standing on the road. I felt proud and wanted to say, "That''s my boyfriend, that handsome man." I wrote him a note and threw it at him. And he mouthed, "I love you." This sweet gesture seemed to make my day. After he left, I closed the curtains and jumped on the bed. I could not believe we finally did it. But I was glad that I tried to act boldly about this one. I did not want to hide my feelings any longer. Now that I thought about it, he said something about not finding a file. "I even forgot to give you the brown file in which I kept the drawings of the route to the palace for you. Well, you don''t need them now since you are staying at your dad''s place anyway. But I can''t find my other brown file as well," he had said. "What''s in it?" I had asked. He had suddenly blushed and replied, "Just a few important things." Perhaps he did not actually intend to give me that file. He kept it for him. Somehow, he messed up and ended up giving me that file by mistake. And he had no idea that it was with me and I knew what was inside it. I did not tell him the truth. For some reason, I felt like I had seen something I should not have. Now I needed to think of a way to get it back to him without him finding out that I knew about it. I heard a knock on the door suddenly. "Who is it?" I asked. "It''s me," Jed replied. "Open the door. I brought snacks." I got off the bed and opened the door. Jed had a stupid smile on his face that clearly showed what he was thinking. But most importantly, he brought chicken. That was the only reason I let him in. "Heh, I know something happened, especially when Lee sent me that letter in the morning," he said with a wide grin as I closed the door. "Didn''t something happen? I am right, right?" "Wow, you brought orange chicken," I muttered, opening the box. "Forget about that," he said impatiently. "Tell me what you guys did. Did you just talk like always? Or a bit touchy-feely?" "Try to guess." "I think you guys got a bit intimate and then fell asleep late. That''s why he sent me that letter." "Wrong," I said. "Don''t tell me you guys just talked," he grumbled. "I will take the chicken back then." "Actually... We did it." "N-No way! No fucking way! Really? You really did it?!" "Stop shouting, jeez!" "How was it? Was it good?" "Yeah, it was good," I said. "I thought it would be painful since it was my first time. But it was not that painful. I mean, it was bearable." "Was he good at it?" "Well, he is the first person I did it with. But even so, I think he was really good at it," I said. "But he was controlling himself a lot, it seems." "As expected of someone like him. He wouldn''t dare to break you, of course," he said. Talking to Jed was easy. And I could talk to him about everything. Both of us were very free with each other. Having a friend like that was more necessary than I thought. And now I could understand how important of a role Jed played in my life. "Who started it?" he asked. He surely had planned to know about every single detail. "I confessed to him first," I said. "I thought that if I delayed more, it might be too late. And I did not want to waste any more time." "Then?" "Well, then we did it. He said he loves me too." "Even if he had not said it, it was clear. Or why the hell would someone take care of another person to that extent?" "Yeah... I am quite lucky, huh?" "Of course! You should try your best to keep this relationship. Actually, both of you need each other. He is someone who knew all his life that he did not belong to his own family. He was not loved and he was despised being called a monster. And thus, he did not even get the chance to think about love. While you also had a family who did not care about you. If you think carefully, both of you were alone. And now, you are what he needs while he is what you need." Jed might be like a frightened kitten sometimes, he also said true facts. Leandro did not know what love meant, neither did I. We just existed in two different worlds, just breathing and nothing else. He had an ambition- he wanted to be the king. He wanted his power back. And that ambition led him forward. I had a dream as well. I wanted to leave; I wanted to leave my home and go somewhere else. That was the only dream I had. I did not know what I could do and I was not a very talented person either. There were very limited things I could do. So, I only wanted to do something little and earn just enough to be able to live freely. That was the reason I was very eager to graduate. Perhaps the desire to live by myself was so much that I forgot to care about anything else. Even after finding out that my mother''s boyfriend tried to kill me, I surprisingly did not feel much of a thing. I was like, "Ah, so it was him. That''s news." It must be after coming to this world that I found another desire; I wanted to survive. This world was full of dangerous creatures. And I was a mere human. But I wanted to live. That made me make a deal with a complete stranger and coax him to let me live with him. He could have done something bad to me. Because I never thought that I was a woman as well, I did not fear much while being with him. At least, I was not confident enough. I always thought that I was not in the right shape since I was too slender while my breasts were pretty big. Never once, I thought that he would want me sexually. But I was proven wrong very early. Yet, I did not feel endangered when I was with him. Perhaps it was because he never forced me and always asked for my permission, except for our first kiss of course. "You are right. I should try harder to make sure that we do not break apart," I said. "I love him, I really do. It''s really hard to think about a life without him. I just don''t want to know what it would feel like." "That''s the spirit!" Jed exclaimed with his mouth full. I laughed. I felt really happy. How long had it been since I started to laugh freely? It must be since the time I met Leandro, the love of my life. Jed was in a tough position, but I did not mention it. He liked a boy named Miles, but it turned out that he was just playing with Jed. Jed got hurt and did not want to talk about Miles again. It got to the point that he lost interest in dating and did not even like to mention Miles. But Jed liked to talk about me and Leandro. And he was the one who supported us the most and kept giving me suggestions as to what to do. He said that he liked talking about successful romantic relationships. I felt very bad for him. Who would not like such an angel like my Jed? My friend was the best. He was good-looking, loyal, and perfect. What more did someone even need? People were just blind. I knew that someday, he would find happiness as well. It did not matter if he found someone to love. Without a romantic relationship, people could still be happy. But in any way, if Jed was happy, I would support anything. "I believe in you," I said, patting Jed on the shoulder. "What the? Why so suddenly? You are being creepy!" "Haha, I know, right?" I laughed. Perhaps he did not know what I was saying, but I knew what I wanted. I just wanted my friend to be happy. "That laugh is even creepier." "Thank you." "Only you will take it as a compliment." [Guys, find yourself a friend like Jed, who is like a scared kitty but can be quite reliable when needed.. And of course, also find a friend like Ella who will always stand up to you and support you. They are the perfect combination for best friend material]