Aselia instantly obeyed as if her body moved of its own accord. There was no change in his stance as she approached him. He scanned her every move as she came to a halt near him.

He took her left hand and pulled her into his lap.

"Ahh," Aselia flailed before landing in his sturdy arms.

"Do you have any idea how ravishing you look today?" He nuzzled against her ear and temple.

"Yes, I feel like celery, it’s quite delicious." Aselia rolled her eyes.

"Buhahahahaha!!!" Xiran couldn’t contain his laughter and continued roaring for quite a while.

"You never seem to amaze me with that sense of humour. I thought you will like the dress, it’s your favourite colour. You don’t like it?" He asked her quizzically.

"I am not used to dressing like this, it feels strange." She confessed with a sigh.

"It’s good to get out of your comfort zone once in a while. You are a girl and a girl should wear these."

"Where is that written by the way?" She asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"In my heart, wanna see?" He smirked making her blush.

"You are such a jerk. Stop flirting." She tried to escape his lap but he held on tight.

"Where are you going? I am not letting you go tonight. I made you a few promises, and tonight I am going to honour all of them." He pulled her closer and inhaled her scent, ingesting it as if he had been starved for a long time without it.

"I hope they involve food." She answered back eyeing him.

"You will find out soon enough." With that, he effortlessly picked her up in his arms and made his way to the dungeon elevator, which only worked with his handprint.

"Put me down. I prefer walking on my feet."

"Nops, today let me do my thing." He smiled at her enjoying her nervousness.

"At least tell me where you are taking me?" She asked with a sigh as she placed her arms around his neck to steady herself.

"It’s a surprise." He kissed her arm, enjoying them around him. She hardly ever touched him and whenever she did, it swelled his heart.

They had reached the elevator, he balanced her on his raised knee to use his hand to open the elevator. They entered once it was open and Xiran hit the top button.

"You are embarrassing me. Someone will see and what will they think?" Aselia’s cheeks were going red.

"No one will see us. And if anyone does see us they won’t say anything. Plus I don’t care what anyone thinks." He informed her with a chuckle.

"Of course, you don’t. You are so shameless."

"I am. You should try it sometimes as well. It’s liberating." He replied in a sexy voice inching his face closer to hers.

"I like my modesty, thank you very much." She turned her face away trying to avoid his hot breath which was already intoxicating in ways she didn’t like.

He smirked at her actions but didn’t push her any further. They had reached the top of the hotel. The Elevator door opened and Xiran stepped outside on the roof with Aselia in his arms.

The night was silvery due to the hauntingly beautiful full moon which hung like some celestial being against a dark entity.

Xiran took Aselia to the edge of the roof and stood on its ledge. Aselia’s eyes flew open in shock.

"What are you doing Xiran? Put me down, are you planning to commit suicide? I don’t have any plans to simply die so young." Nervousness was evident in her voice.

"On the contrary, we are going to have the time of our lives. You wanted to see my wings, so here we go."

With those words, he flicked open his magnificent wings. They were milky white and seemed to be composed of long feathers. Each wing was at least 5 feet in length and 3 feet in width. Although Xiran was standing still they moved on their own accord, fluttering back and forth.

Standing under the moonlight he appeared to be an angel sent from the heavens to rescue a damsel in distress. But in reality, he was far from being an angel and she was not a damsel in distress. Both cloaked their true selves from the other, they hadn’t seen the worst of each other, yet.

Aselia was shocked, looking at his mesmerizing wings. She had never beheld such a sight before. She wanted to touch them.

"Can I touch them?" She asked, her voice seeming hoarse with all the excitement she was feeling.

He smiled down at her: "You don’t have to ask, of course, you can, whenever you want to."

She reached over with her right hand and caressed his wing which automatically arced itself around her, taking her in his embrace. It was velvety soft to the touch and yet firm. The tip of his phalanx poked her nose and she couldn’t help but giggle.

"Heeee, it’s so soft and yet sturdy. I like them." She replied in awe of his beautiful wings.

"And they like you," Xiran’s smile was growing wider as he gazed at her, intently.

"I can see that," She smiled and kept stroking his wing, meanwhile the other one came forward too and they took her in their embrace, enveloping her and making her their own.

"Aselia, you trust me?" Xiran asked her, warmth dripping from his words. She simply nodded too occupied with his wings. And in that instant, he removed her hands from his neck and dropped her from his arms.

For a split second, she was suspended in midair and a slight "Ahhh..." escaped her before his wings caught her and wrapped themselves around her tighter. Delicately mellowing her in their softness as she laid on them with an expression of utmost disbelief in her eyes which had grown to the size of saucers.

The only thing between her and a 300-meter drop below were his wings which had her suspended in the air. Her heartbeat was going berserk, damn this man had this abnormal effect on her. And there he was smiling evilly at her expressions. He was enjoying it too much.

"I think they love you, they haven’t held anyone so affectionately." He finally spoke.

"You are joking?" She asked perplexed. How was it possible that he had never held anyone in his wings before?

"I am not, I am quite serious. My wings are not for everyone. People don’t even know I have them." His face replaced the smile with a more serious expression as he watched her like a hawk.

"Really?"

"Yes," he answered softly while extending his arms to take hold of her again as his wings released her gently in his loving embrace.

Her face was flushed and her heartbeat was erratic for she never had experienced something like that. He pressed her closer to him as he made her stand in front of him on the ledge. He slightly rubbed her right cheek with his thumb.

"One promise down, a few more to go. Are you ready? Aselia..." His sexy voice was making her dizzy.

"There is more?" She asked perplexed.

"It’s just the tip of the iceberg for what I have in store for you, my dear." He moved a stray lock of hair from her face, enjoying her reactions.

"Hold on tight," He picked her up again and she instantly cradled his neck.

"Where are you going?" She asked knowing exactly what he was about to do.

"You will see." With those words, he fluttered his wings and his feet left the ledge as he rose in the air with Aselia carefully wrapped in his arms.

He began to fly towards the moon. His wings moved effortlessly as if he had done this many times. The air rushed past them as they flew higher, while Xiran looked ahead Aselia focused on his handsome face. Her hair soared behind as the cold gust of wind hit them.

Her heart was ticking like a tiny time bomb but she wasn’t afraid, not of him, not of the situation she was in and certainly not of falling down and plummeting to her death. She trusted him so much, in that moment she trusted him with her life.

Finally, she decided to peek down and the view was breathtaking. The city dazzled in all its beauty with its bright lights and night hustle. The buildings leaving their silhouettes on the roads and streets were bustling with traffic. She looked in awe at the city below her, his city.

"Woah, woahhhh," she finally screamed and Xiran stopped in midair at her shriek and glanced at her.

"You alright?" he asked with a bit of concern.

"I am having the time of my life and you are asking if I am alright. I am delighted no I am elated, Xiran... WOWWW." She shouted again. Xiran laughed at her reaction and somewhere in his mind, something felt familiar.

And he did everything in his power to not kiss her at that moment, for the struggle was real, very real...