Book 2: Seven Demon's Hearts

Episode 65: One Day

Episode 65: O n e  D a y

Damien looked down at Natella, tucked under the covers as he released his hair from the low ponytail he kept it in. 

"Wasn't this a long day?"

No response. 

With a small sigh, he threw the hairband on the dresser and leaned his hands against it, staring back at a reflection of the room without his image. 

"You look like I kidnapped you and then forced you to do bad things with me." He cracked a dark joke, releasing a small scoff as he shut his eyes. 

"Given that I'm not in the best of moods, we should expedite this night so I don't have to be awake any longer." She snarkily replied back. His head snapped up and a warm blush took over his face before he shook away his dirty thoughts and turned his head to stare back at her some more. "I'd also appreciate it if you stopped staring at me like you feel bad about this whole thing. You've worn my face out at the altar enough. A reminder, I might permanently be stuck in my 17-year-old body but we're both over a hundred years old and that brings a whole new meaning to what 'we're adults' is."

"I don't mean to stare so much." He stood up straight and ran his hands through his hair, looking away bashfully as he whispered, "you're just too pretty."

Natella's brows furrowed and her lips parted with surprise as she lifted her glaring face up. "Hearing that from you somehow makes my skin crawl."

"Oh, come on." He sighed, rolling his eyes and looking back at the metal bracelet around his wrist. "I bet if Aiko told you that you'd be on cloud nine by now." 

Her face twisted up into a deeper look of annoyance. "Seriously? Do you really want to do this right now? Just remember, you're the one who started it by bringing up someone's name when they have zero relevance to our business right now."

Damien placed his hands up and shrugged, rolling his eyes again. "You win. My bad."

"Doesn't really sound sincere." She frowned, looking away from him. 

"Well, what else do you want me to do Natella?" He sighed, sounding a little frustrated. "It's my long-awaited wedding night and the bride can barely stand my presence. I'm not exactly overjoyed by this situation either."

"Oh, so it's my fault now."

"No, it isn't." Damien quickly replied back in a serious tone. "No one said it was your fault. After all, you can't control who you love." With a slight glance, Natella finally looked up at his sincere face. 

She felt bad. It's not like she was a completely heartless or a cold person--in fact, she was the opposite. As much as she worked hard on showing that exterior imagine of herself to stay strong under Damien's domineering presence, she had always carried a softer interior. And in this situation, she was trying her best to adapt but she couldn't help but feel like a hypocrite. Even though she'd lived so long, it was still the first time she's gotten into a relationship like this. Love was something that had expired when she'd turned into a vampire. It was only recently that her heart stirred, but she knew deep down that it would be a futile feeling to delve into. 

Still, at heart, she was no more than an old and over-grown teenager who had never experienced the adult world of love.

"I don't even understand why they're having us stay together in one room." He looked around the room, scratching his head. With a step forward, he unbuttoned his shirt glancing back at Natella's horrified face. Her hands gripped onto the bedcovers tightly as he continued to strip his shirt off to reveal his slender and fit torso.