Serene’s POV

"Grandma!" I shouted as I ran toward her and embraced her in my arms. Her sweet smile and calm demeanour always helped me relax and this time I needed it the most. I hugged her for a long time not wanting to ever let go. I so wanted to cry in her arms but I knew I had to be strong and crying would only worry her.

"My sweet child, how are you?" She still held me close. "I am blessed as always, grandma. How have you been?" I didn’t want to let go of her.

"Well, my old bones cackle every once in a while but other than that I am rocking." She chuckled making everyone laugh. I then pointed toward Arlo and introduced him. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Good to meet you, my dear boy any friend of Serene is welcome here." She patted him on his head. "Thank you, it’s nice to meet you as well." He offered her a smile. I had never seen Arlo smile so much before in a single day, he always looked grumpy.

"Go, freshen up, meanwhile lunch will be served," Grandma told us as she headed for the dining hall to make proper arrangements.

"Agatha," I called my chambermaid. "Kindly, take Mr Arlo to the guest room and help him freshen up."

"Mr Arlo, please follow me." She bowed lightly to Arlo before taking the stairs and he followed her. I then took Zian to a side: "Zian go make sure Kilamin has made necessary arrangements for Arlo. And, bring it here I will serve him in his room."

"Does he only drink blood?" Zian asked me in a hushed voice. "Yes, Zian we have read about vampires. Why it’s so shocking to you?" I shook my head in disbelief.

"Well reading and seeing in person are two very different experiences. Can I see him drink it? Zian asked me sheepishly." Absolutely not, don’t be weird. Go now."

"Ok, ok" He went away muttering under his breath. While Crimzon and I decided to go to my room so I could take a bath and change. As I entered my room it seemed like I had never left. Everything was just as I had left it. My study table was lined neatly with books as I had left it. My purple dressing table, window seat, sofas, coffee table, mirrors and bed all looked the same. My luggage was lying on one side. I went ahead and just flopped on my four-poster bed. Crimzon sat down on the armchair.

"You look really tired." She said quietly. "I haven’t been sleeping well." I skipped the nightmare part, I didn’t want to scare her just yet. There was a knock on the door. "Come in" I ordered and Agatha entered the room.

"Was Mr Arlo comfortable? I asked her. "Yes, Princess he went to take a bath and I have asked Aris to bring him some fresh clothes, not sure if they will be the right size though. My apologies." She bowed her head.

"It’s not your fault, everything happened at the last minute. Are my clothes ready? I would like to take a bath."

"Yes, my princess. I will place them on your bed." I always dressed and undressed on my own. I never liked the idea of anyone else doing it. So, although Agatha helped me with my attire, I managed mostly on my own.

"I will wait for you in the dining hall." Crimzon smiled at me before leaving so I could have some privacy. I stepped inside the bathroom took off my clothes and stood under the hot shower for a long time. The hot water helped me relax and put my mind at ease.

Once I was done with the shower and had dried my hair I wore my towel gown and stepped inside the room to see what clothes Agatha has chosen for me. It was an off-the-shoulder champagne-coloured evening gown with white pearls adorned on it. What was she thinking? Am I attending a ball or something? I picked it up and placed it back in the cupboard.

I took out a mauve-coloured full-skirt dress with a belt at my waist and wore it. I took out a fresh purple flower from one of the vases on my nightstand and wore it in my freshly combed hair. As I was applying a little bit of make-up I heard a knock on my door.

"Yes!" the door opened and Zian stepped in with a disgusted look on his face. "What happened?" I asked him. "We arranged the blood, it belongs to a goat, yukkkhhh!!!!" He made disgusting sounds.

"Zian, you haven’t seen blood before?" I asked him narrowing my eyes at him. "I have but never thought that someone would drink it in front of me. He is so handsome but this seems so creepy. Didn’t you get weirded out when he used to drink in front of you?" Zian asked me curiously.

"That’s the thing, he is very considerate. He never drank in front of us." I shrugged my shoulders. "Ohh, I see. Why you never told me about him in your letters?" Zian asked suspiciously. "Because I wanted to tell you everything in person." I got up and pinched his nose.

"Well, you better." He eyed me suspiciously. "I think I should sit with Arlo for a while so he won’t feel awkward in new surroundings. Send the blood to his room, I will see you in a while." I got up and left the room and made my way to the guest room. Once outside, I knocked. "Come in," his voice was as soft as ever.

I opened the door and stepped in. Arlo was standing by the window, his crimson hair was still damp with water droplets hanging like beads from the ends of a few stray strands as he turned toward me. He was wearing a royal blue shirt which was unbuttoned from the top and black pants. The clothes seemed to be a perfect fit for him.

"Are you feeling comfortable? I hope things are not too awkward for you." I asked him as I stepped inside the room.

"Not really, I was hoping for more hatred. Seems like your kind doesn’t hate us as much as I thought they would." He tried to comb his hair with his hand and moved them away from his eyes which were fixated on me.

"No one would dare to say anything to you as long as I am here, we highly respect our guests," I reassured him as he crossed his arms across his chest. "Thanks, I know how difficult it must be for you people to have a vampire in your midst. That’s why I wanted to leave early. By the way, you look beautiful." That was the first time he complimented me or maybe it was the first time he got a chance to say it. Back at the institute, everything was so complicated and I was always pushing him away.

"Thank you, I have arranged some blood for you. They will bring it here shortly." The tiny smile he had playing on his lips vanished. "You shouldn’t have done that Serene, it’s rude to expect people to serve you something they are not comfortable with. You should have asked me first." His tone was slightly angry.

"Relax, Arlo. Don’t be such a stickler now. You have done so much for me and I was always a source of pain for you. Let me do this small thing for you." He opened his mouth to say something but we heard a knock on the door.