Xiran’s POV

Every step felt heavy as I left her room. It felt like I had been stabbed multiple times. I never knew a woman could break me as she did. Wallowing in pain and guilt I reached my room. Opening the door I found Rivan sprawled on my bed, his arms resting behind his head, an evil smile playing on his face.

One look, only one look at my face and he understood everything. "Seems like she steamrolled you pretty bad. Not that you didn’t deserve it. You certainly did, after what you tried to pull today." He chuckled at me and then threw his head back and laughed. His voice echoed all around my room. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Shut up, Rivi." I shot him the angriest look I could manage in that instant. My mind was already in turmoil and now Rivan was going to laugh at my expanse.

After I ended the party, I wiped Amelia’s memory clean of ever meeting Aselia and sent her home. I had no intention of spending time with her or ever meeting her again. Then I dealt with other guests while Rivan kept smirking at me, seeing how pissed I was at him. He then sent me to Aselia’s room while Rivan came to mine.

After he had a hearty laugh at my expression he finally spoke:

"Tell me what she said? No no, wait, let me guess. She was extremely angry and didn’t let you touch her and then must have called you a bunch of names and finally threw you out of the room. May even have thrown something at you. Did I get everything right? Or I missed something?" He was trying his utmost best to not laugh so he pursed his lips.

"How do you know all that? Yeah, you missed the part where she said she didn’t need my heart and said I was too conservative." I said with gritted teeth while crossing the room and slouching in the chair opposite the bed and crossing my legs.

"Ahhh! My boy experienced heartache for the first time. Don’t forget I have been through all this for 15 years. So I know, I know a lot more." That amusing smile was still plastered on his face and he was reveling in it as if saying, I told you so.

"You are enjoying this too much," I glared at him not liking him today.

"Well, I have waited too long to finally see you in this situation. Why wouldn’t I?" He shrugged his shoulders and I thought to myself that he was being an as*hole today.

"She hates me," I spat the words out and jerked my arm in frustration. I wanted to punch something, someone, anything to get this frustration out. I knew I was going to have sleepless nights.

"You are such an idiot Xiran, you don’t understand her at all. Why do you think she is so angry at you?" Rivan was shaking his head at me, clearly, he understood something which I didn’t.

"Because I tried to make her jealous?" My statement was more of a question, directed at him.

"And should that affect her this much if she didn’t feel something for you?" He questioned knowingly.

"No," I knew this had affected her more than I had anticipated, deep down I had a feeling I affected her to a level she didn’t understand, herself.

"Well, that’s your answer, Xiri. Girls usually don’t express their feelings so openly. Yes, yes I know they drool over you but your girl is different, so you have your work cut out for you. The path is winding and full of thorns, you will stumble and get pricked on more than one occasion." He raised his arms and shrugged his shoulders at me as if declaring he knows it all.

"Urggghh, why can’t she behave like a normal girl?" My frustration was at its peak right now. I felt like pulling my hair, everything was backfiring.

"Normal girls post no challenge to you, they don’t excite you. She does. I saw the peak of your jealousy when I pulled Aselia close to me today for the dance. You should have seen your face at that moment, it held murdering intent."

Rivan was right, although I knew he meant no harm. Seeing her in someone else’s arms, even the mere thought of it made my blood boil. Aselia was right, I was conservative in this approach. I didn’t want to share what was mine with anyone else and she was mine. At least my heart had declared it and I couldn’t even think how I was to let her go. That reality was becoming impossible with every passing day.

"Rivan, I don’t want to lose her, ever. She is mine. I can’t see her with anyone else, it kills me." I spoke slowly, emphasizing every word, telling him the truths which I couldn’t tell others. Truths that only he could understand.

"Then use a better strategy than the one you tried to pull off today and apologize for your behaviour if you haven’t. Apologizing and accepting your faults is the key to winning a girl’s heart and never blaming her, even if it’s her fault." Rivan pressed his lips together and gave me a serious look.

"She stayed with me in the dark and her blood healed me, faster. It even took away most of my pain and this is how I have repaid her. I had thought of spending my birthday with her but when she accused me of only wanting S£x, I lost patience." I brushed the hair back from my eyes, what was wrong with me? Why did I make such a stupid decision? Rivan sat up straight in bed and his face held shock, listening to my words.

"You are telling me her blood has healing properties? Do you realize what that means? How are you going to protect her from your deranged father?" Rivan had spoken the harsh truths I was trying to bury somewhere in my mind. How was I going to shield her from everyone? She wasn’t safe anywhere and I can’t hide her forever.

"I told my father that she died. He must have run a check before letting me go, she was safe with you. And I just discovered her blood held healing properties, on my return. I don’t think anyone besides you and me knows about this, she doesn’t know herself. And I am the only vampire she has ever given her blood to, willingly. Xifin and Sohlia... Well not sure if it worked on them or if they connected the dots, but they think she is dead and I will keep it that way." It clenched my heart to even think about that painful incident again. The suffering they put her through, my fists balled up automatically and muscles in my neck became taut.

"Xiri! This changes everything, you can’t let anyone else taste her blood. She will be ... or end up on a table in a lab. I don’t think I need to tell you what they do to Elves whom they think have some kind of abilities associated with their blood." He left some words unsaid, for my sake. It still pinged me to think anyone putting her through harm.

"No one is going to harm her as long as I am alive. We need to strategize against father, I am sure he is ready to make a move to claim my city and eventually the continent as well. I have called up some of our allies, a war is brewing Rivan and we are going to end up in the middle of it." There was no doubt that we were on the precipice of war and it was going to turn bloody.

"I know, all will be discussed at the Meeting to be held for all the Mayors of major cities of Druhias. Meanwhile, you need to keep her close and stop trying to make her jealous. Let her come to you in her own time." I nodded at him, I needed to mend the damage I had done. I will be doing everything in my power to keep her safe, away from prying eyes.

"We can’t lose Fritez City, Rivi. You and I together have given most of our lives to take it where it is today. He can’t take it away from us now. I will fight to my last breath before letting him take what’s mine. This city, its people and her, they are all mine." I spoke with determination.

"I will always stand with you Xi. Even if we have to go through hell again, we will. To keep our loved ones safe one has to make sacrifices and both of us have never shied away from doing that." He gave me the warmest of his smiles and I nodded in approval.

A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts and I turned to the door: "Enter," I ordered, thinking about who would come here at this hour.