Vampire Love

Chapter 5

Zhan POV:

The cold air brings a sandalwood scent from somewhere and spreads it all around my room. The aroma swallows me, low and slow. In every inhale of an alluring smell, my skin feels crazy about wanting something I don't know. My thoughts are rising from the depths and trying to unravel the enchanting mystery. It feels like a moment of scrimmage, a burning sensation of carrying.. love! What kind of love?

Red leaves rain past my window as the world has turned dark around me. The faint tapping hums against the darkened window and branches knock against the glass. The never-ending rain of red leaves flutters by the window as twigs rasp against the glass like an unbidden visitor begging to be allowed entry.

I shake my head as an unbidden shiver crawls down my spine. It's so quiet that I briefly consider getting up from the bed and strolling around the room until something in me settles over. My head turns sharply at the window when I hear the tapping again. I can feel the shadow of someone on the other side! Is it true?

I flinch and step back when the tapping sound gets heavier and almost scares me to the core. What is it? My chest rises and falls rapidly while thinking about it. Trying to calm my racing heart, I keep reassuring myself that it's nothing. Yeah... It's nothing! But the continuing tapping and the shadow of someone outside the window say otherwise.

I need to do something. I have to be a man myself and face it. Bringing courage into my system, I approach the window slowly and open the doors hesitantly. My fingers clutch the handle as I find no one outside. Knowing there's no one doesn't really make me feel better because it's something that I don't know how to explain. It's deep in my heart! 

My eyes glance at the moon above, which is full and bright, illuminating the dark clouds and stars in its pale light. It's beautiful. There are no words in my heart to describe this beauty, and it brings peace to me. Sighing, I lose myself in it and stare at it. Nothing gets to my attention until a twig swings in the wind and is about to hit my eye.

My eyes widen in shock, not even blinking a little. It's unexpected. But suddenly, a stranger appears out of nowhere and holds the twig, preventing it from stabbing my eye. My heart flutters in my chest when my eyes glance up slowly from the twig to the man's face. He's tall and handsome with an impassive face and piercing golden eyes. My breath hitches in my throat because he has stunning golden eyes!

To bring me out of my stupor, a faint tapping appears again and gets my attention. I blink and find myself in the golden eyes, which are directed at me, before finding he's standing outside with only the support of the windowsill. For what? Thinking about it, I feel a crawling wrongness in my heart as his hand hovers over mine, so I pull my hand off the handle before he's placed on top of it.

"I have come to own mine! Will you let me?" He asks, voice deep and smooth.

We stand like this in silence for a moment. My mouth feels dry, and I don't understand it. I'm staring, and I realize, the tall man, who is still looking at me, head slightly tilted, waiting for my answer. "I.. What?" Looking at him makes my brain feel fuzzy.

"Will you let me?" He repeats, moving closer. His eyes are beautiful, so pale, almost like a glass.

I swallow hard and open my mouth, ready to nod and smile and let him do whatever he wishes, even if I have no idea about it. But something in me bothered when I saw the cunning and calculating look in his eyes. It will be no good, I know. It urges me to tell him to go away, and I'll never let him do whatever it is, but I can't. Instead, I avert my eyes and move back, wanting to close the window and find I can't.

My heart is beating hard against my chest when his hand clutches the door and halts it from moving. Soon enough, I find myself against the frame, and he's trapping me there with his hands resting on either side of my head. I shake my head in fear, but my body sways to his side, almost past the window.

Cold fingers ghost over my cheek before trailing downward, so close to my sensitive neck, and stop short to tip my chin upward. "You will let me, even if you don't want to." His voice is almost a whisper, ghosting over my face. "So tell me."

I feel a large hand slide down my side, settling on my waist. I hope he doesn't notice my shiver. Those cunning, golden eyes pin me in place, like the teeth of a steel trap digging into my skin, ready to tear me apart if I try to get away. My cheeks feel hot. It's when this instinct makes me do it, makes me bare my neck in submission like a small prey animal that has already surrendered in the presence of a predator.

I should be fighting this, should thrash and struggle and claw with all my strength to move away. But my body has already lost all fight, threatening to slump into his waiting arms. It will be so easy to let go and let myself sink into the gentle numbness of the thrall. I shake my head, trying to clear my mind, but he seems to take it as another refusal of his request. It's hard to tell if he looks displeased, but the strange look in his eyes seems to grow stronger. Those fingers on my chin move to brush over my cheek gently. It might have been soothing if not for how icy cold it feels.

"Why are you afraid," He says. It should be a question, but it's not. It's like I'm being toyed with, and I'm sure I can see some hidden amusement behind that cold face that gives away nothing. Cold breath ghosts over the sensitive skin of my ear. "Tell me. Will you let me?"

My breath hitches, eyes flutter closed. A tiny humming sound escapes my mouth as I tilt my head back, baring my neck in submission. I don't know what answer I've provided, but I can tell that he's satisfied with it. I can feel his breath on my neck before getting a small kiss there. Breathing heavily, I open my eyes and find the moon is blood red in the sky. What does it symbolize? 

"A-Zhan! A-Zhan, wake up," A different voice rings out, ripping me away from the dream.

My eyes flow open and land on the beautiful faces of my aunt and cousin, settling into an uneasy peace. A heavy confusion crawls into my mind as I don't get what's going on. I look around and find myself lying on the bed. How? It seems unreal. I get up and lean against the headboard while rubbing my neck, and it reminds me of something. The kiss!

I close my eyes and try to recall the dream, which felt real. Each moment was etched into my mind so it replayed thoroughly except for the stranger's face. I try hard to visualize him clearly, but I can't. His golden eyes only stuck in my heart, while his other features were blurry. It's strange. I force myself to find something but get interrupted when my cousin punches me in the arm and reminds me that there are still people in the room with me.

He frowns. "We have college today as well. What were you thinking, anyway?"

"Nothing, Cheng ge. A weird dream, that's it." I smile softly. "Don't worry about me. I'll be in college on time with my friends. I promise."

He smiles and ruffles my hair before leaning down to press a kiss on my forehead. Following him, my aunt also does the same. Then they both leave my room with satisfaction. Well, thanks for not digging into my dream when I'm totally confused about it.

Clasping my hands together, I turn my head toward the window and stare at it. The morning light illuminates the room with its power and wishes me luck for the day. It's strange. There's something missing, like a shade of the tree. I need to check it out. I get up from the bed and walk over to the window, still bothered by the dream. Hesitantly, I look outside and find the tupelo tree has fallen across the side. Why?