She seemed to have fallen into his trance again for she obeyed him instantly. As she drew closer he held her waist and shifted her in his lap, hugging her and placing his nose on her backbone in the process. The fire she had lit inside his heart couldn’t be quenched and nothing was bringing him solace.

Aselia’s heart pinged with guilt and pain, seeing him like that. She turned around and lifted his face with her index finger.

"Why are you being so miserable? Did someone die?" Her words made him smile but his words took away her smile:

"I feel like my heart died." Her own heart jolted at his words, but she hid her pain and placed her hand on his heart and felt its thudding, she then pressed her ear there and heard it thumping away.

"It’s very much alive, don’t be overly dramatic now. Come let’s go inside and watch a movie." She got up and took his hand and dragged him out of the chair. He let her take him inside.

Once inside they settled on the rug and Xiran turned on the TV and put on the latest movie starring Paul. The fire in the fireplace had gone very low so Xiran used a poker to rekindle the flames. Aselia was engrossed in the movie so he settled down beside her and began to watch. Although his eyes were onscreen his mind was not. Her scent was driving him crazy and he hadn’t drunk today. Carios had stored some in the fridge for him but he didn’t feel like drinking it. He was fidgeting and his body was restless. Aselia noticed that and taking the remote from his hand she switched off the TV and faced him.

"Woah, I was watching. Why did you turn it off?" He exclaimed feigning innocence.

"Liar, who was Kline looking for in the movie?" She questioned him.

"His girlfriend," he lied.

"He was looking for his younger brother." She shook her head at him and shoved him playfully.

"Ahh, sorry I can’t focus today. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. My head hurts too."

"You didn’t drink today. Did you?" He didn’t answer but she received his answer. She closed the gap between them and shifted her hair back.

"Drink," she ordered offering him her neck. He kept staring at her face for a while before his thirst overtook his brain and all he could hear was the thudding of her heart.

He enveloped her in his arms and sprawled her over the rug in a split second. ’Ahhh,’ escaped Aselia’s throat, she still hadn’t gotten used to his super speed.

Climbing over her he plunged his canines into her neck. Her sweet nectar hit his throat and she let out a tiny whimper.

Bliss and Solace, that’s what he felt, that’s what he had been looking for and now he felt it. His hand slipped under her shirt and began to caress her belly. Aselia had closed her eyes for the sensation was too much for her. She was pinned underneath him and he was holding her other hand tightly over her head.

He didn’t stop for a long time and she didn’t resist him. Finally, he regained his senses and slowly removed his canines from her neck and pressed the spot with his lips. He then let go of her hand.

She wrapped her arms around his head and he laid down with his head over her heart, listening to her steady heartbeat. "Thank you, Aselia." He whispered. While she stroked his hair trying to calm his turbulent heart.

Soon he was fast asleep in her arms, his face tranquil and calm. She didn’t move at all so as not to wake him up.

It was night outside when he finally stirred and rubbed his eyes as he woke up and glanced up at her. She was looking at him with keen eyes and asked:

"Hey, you are awake. Feeling any better?"

"Sorry, I slept so suddenly. Did I tire you?" He sat up straight and asked while trying to arrange his hair.

"No, you didn’t. How is your head?" She inquired.

"It’s better now. I should cook something for you. It’s night time you must be hungry."

"I am not and you should rest. No cooking for you today." She declared authoritatively.

"Then who will cook?"

"I will do it." She stood up with determination making Xiran laugh.

"Yeah, we know how that will turn out. Take it, easy girl, we don’t wanna burn the kitchen down." She scowled at his words and said:

"A little encouragement would have been nice."

"I will order Carios to bring us some food. You don’t have to cook. Come sit with me on the sofa we will finish the movie." He got up and settled down on the sofa. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

She went over and sat down on the sofa with him. Her arms crossed she wore a solemn expression which made Xiran tease her some more.

"Are you angry that you didn’t get the chance to slaughter more sausages? I remember the first time you did it."

"And you still ate them, so your point is invalid." She faced him with a scoff.

"And I will eat whatever you will make again without a complaint. But I don’t want you to cook today. Maybe another time, just stay with me and enjoy the movie."

"Ok, but do we have popcorn kernels? I would like popcorn with the movie."

"Yes, I think Carios stockpiled them. Check in the cupboard." Aselia went to the kitchen and found popcorn kernels in one of the cabinets. She placed them in the microwave and turned the dial. Soon they began to pop, once the popping sound stopped she took out the bag and poured the popcorn into a bowl.

She settled down with Xiran as he started the movie. It took two hours for the movie to end but they enjoyed it, the action sequences and racing cars used in the movie were impressive. They discussed the movie for a while and Aselia gushed over how perfect Paul looked in his role.

"Who is your favourite actress? There has to be someone who makes your heart go wild." Aselia asked him.

"Amelia Bratenhart," he answered with a smile.

"Ohhh, she is really pretty and she is human as far as I know."

"She is, I have met her a few times. She was nice and..." He observed Aselia was hanging over his every word like a child listening to a fairytale.

"And what? Don’t leave me hanging." She threw him an angry glance.

"And we well did things..." He left the sentence hanging again enjoying her reactions. She felt a tinge of jealousy creeping up on her at his words.

"Damnit Xiran, can’t you keep it in your pants." She spoke without thinking and he cackled so hard at her words that his whole frame shook.

"What can I say? She couldn’t resist my charms and I wasn’t going to say no to my crush." He shrugged his shoulders a meaningful smile playing on his face. Her heart felt so much at his words, she had no right to feel jealous, she didn’t even know him when that must have happened.

"If it’s any consolation, her blood wasn’t tasty at all. Too many drugs and alcohol in her system." Blood’s taste depends very much on what one eats. Drugs and alcohol taints the taste of blood. That was one reason Aselia’s blood tasted so good, her blood was very clean.

"Will you do it again, if she comes to you now?" She asked nervously.

"No, I told you I am done with that lifestyle and I am done with meaningless S£x. Although you will be a different story." He gave her an evil smile as he drew closer to her, hearing her breathing had become erratic at his teasing words and her heart was pounding.

"Stop with innuendos." She moved back putting a safe distance between her and him so he won’t reach her.

"It’s so fun to tease you with s£x talk. You should see your face right now." He tried to subdue the laughter which was trying to resurface while she glared at him.

"Why don’t you get embarrassed at this? Why it’s so easy for you to talk about all this stuff?" She was curious that he never had any issues talking about it or doing it. He even did it in front of her, shamelessly.

"Maybe because I have been doing it for a long time. I was once like you, shy. That’s why I enjoy it when you act all embarrassed. It reminds me of myself, my innocent self." She wanted to see that side of him when he used to be innocent. It was hard to imagine that for her now.

"Who destroyed your innocence?"

"You don’t need to know about that." His expression had suddenly taken a darker tone and his smile had vanished.

"Why?" Aselia was not going to give up and he sighed at her before speaking in a rigid tone:

"Aselia, I don’t want to talk about that part of my life."

"At least tell me it was mutual." She pleaded.

"It was. Remember, not to let anyone decide for you. You must be very clear on this topic. And I am glad you are. Stay that way. This is what I love about you. You are strong and you know what you want and from whom you want. I don’t want anyone tainting your purity. And I am sure you will take a wise decision on this and not throw it away like me. Find love." She felt the burden of his emotions and feelings. It made her heart heavy thinking about how he was preparing himself to let her go. Was that why he was spending all this alone time with her?

"I don’t want to find love, that’s not the goal of my life." She told him softly.