Vampire Love

Chapter 4

Zhan POV:

My mood isn't much better when I reach the house that evening. It kept whirling around the stranger who saved my life when I fell from the cliff. However, as I try, I can't stop thinking about him. How can I when I'm breathing now because of him? It's what I'm stuck with. I try not to dwell too much on it, but I can't. My stomach becomes a confusing, tumultuous mix of emotions.

After spending a couple of hours in my bedroom, I've decided to go out for a walk to pass the time. It may help to clear my mind. Yeah... I grab my jacket from the closet and run down the stairs while putting it on. Watching my sudden change in behavior, my aunt gets surprised and approaches me. "Where are you going, A-Zhan?"

"I'm just going out for a walk. I won't be long," I reply, crossing over to my aunt and reaching the front door.

"All right, but make sure you come back soon. It's getting dark." She warns, trying not to show concern and worry on her face. Even though I can sense it. Hesitantly, she clasps her hands and moves toward me. "Hmm... Why don't you take A-Cheng with you?"

I turn to look at her and give her a small smile before waving a hand at her. "I'll be fine." With that, I step out of the house and close the door behind me. I can understand the concern that she's having for me, but I don't want to take advantage of it. Maybe my cousin would have other work to do, and I didn't want to disturb him for my own thing. 

I put my earphones in my ears before I begin to walk down the street. I don't really care about where I'm going because I want to pass the time and clear my head. After several minutes of walking, I turn round a corner to find Haoxuan and his friends standing there and laughing at something. I curse silently when they turn around and notice me. They all grin in amusement because I don't have my cousin or friends with me this time.

"Well, look who it is," Haoxuan, the leader of the group, appreciates. "All alone, too. Shouldn't you be all warm in your bed, gorgeous?"

"He must have a feeling for you, so he comes out to search for you." His friend Yao Shuhao chuckles, and the others join in with his laughter.

"Why are you standing there, gorgeous? Just come here and sit on my lap." Haoxuan says, patting his lap and trying to flirt with me. "My legs hurt if you stand!" He whines, faking while checking me out shamelessly. Under his gaze, I feel suffocated because my body is burning like a fire.

The laughter increases, and I breathe in deeply as I try to stop the tears from forming in my eyes. I slowly take a few steps back, wanting to go away from them.

"Oh, where are you going?" He says, walking forward. "I haven't finished talking to you yet."

But I have finished listening. My pace quickens to a run as I try to get away from them as soon as possible. I'm a fast runner despite my size, but it doesn't matter anyway because they don't bother to chase after me, and I can hear their laughter in the distance. I still keep running, however, with the intention of getting as far away as possible. I run down the streets, ignoring the stares from people walking by, before entering the red forest and stopping halfway, catching my breath. 

Panic goes through me when I realize I have no idea where I've actually run into. I don't know how I'm going to get out of this forest with no one's help, even if I'm used to it on my first day here. It seems a lot different from before. Thankfully, the night is unusually clear, the moon a full, round sphere in the sky. The added light is really an advantage for me to walk carefully, at least. I breathe deeply before getting into a single mind and invading further until I hear a guy and a girl talking.

My feet halt at the talking because there's someone also wandering around like me. I pluck up my courage to walk closer to the sound to ask them if they can give me directions but stop again when I hear footsteps behind me. How could it be possible? Is someone tricking me? The back of my neck prickles in fear, so I turn around to spot someone, but no one gets caught in my eyes.

I turn back in confusion as I think about the footsteps and find a man with a strong jawline, high cheekbones, and golden eyes, wearing a completely black dress, standing in front of me. It feels as if time has slowed down all of a sudden. My feet start to sink into the ground. Even in the dark, I can see his face without any denial. It is unfairly attractive!

"Go.." He growls while holding his hand out and pointing in a particular direction.

I let out a terrified shriek at his harsh tone and seek to move, but I can't. I was stuck in place and looked at him with a mixed expression of shock and confusion about what he was doing in this red forest late at night. It's not my job to think about it, so I sigh and walk away, not wanting to get into trouble.

After running for a while, I realize I've seen him somewhere, so I stop and try to figure it out. There's a feeling that something left unsaid is creating an itch under my skin. It doesn't sound good at all. I look back over my shoulder with my heart unsure and startled when he's standing behind me. How?! I take a step back slowly and try to say something, but before I can, I'm being pressed against the tree by him.

I look at him with wide eyes because I haven't expected this. I swallow the lump in my throat and try to slow down the cogs spinning in my brain. "W-What.." I cry out in pain as he's pressed me further harder. I wish for somebody, anybody, to see what is happening, but no one comes and helps me.

"You didn't do what I told you." He growls. His voice is deep and cold. He roughly covers my mouth with his large hand and smirks coldly, which makes my body shiver. "What are you doing here so late at night?" He asks, releasing his hand from my mouth.

I gulp, too scared to say a word. "I-I ran accidentally into the forest." I breathe out and look away, not having the guts to face him, but out of the corner of my eye, I can still see him.

He stares solemnly into my eyes before yelling, "Just go... before I change my mind.." With that, he steps aside and lets me go.

What is that supposed to mean? I stare at him for a second before I nod stiffly. There's no need to think about anything. Having my heart in my throat, I ran as much as possible and reached the street finally. "Thank God!" I bend down and breathe heavily, trying to calm my racing heart. Before leaving for the house, I cast a glance over my shoulder at the red forest and gulp hard. It's really dangerous!

With a few quick turns, I finally reach my house, where I will feel safe. Rushing up the stairs, I get into my room and shut the door behind me. I breathe a sigh of relief and lean against the door for a bit, eyes closed and head tipped back. This course of action isn't giving me anything useful, anyway. It's making me even more confused about what's real and what's not. After taking a moment to regain my strength to move, I make my way to my bed and lay on it with my eyes closed.