Vampire Love

Chapter 31

Zhan POV:

I find myself in the red forest, which is growing strange and beautiful around me. Moss grows under my feet, winking with soft lights. Sometimes the layout seems changed, but the dangerous and threatening aura at its heart never shifts. I don't know what's going on in Yibo's mind. What had he planned for our first date? I want to know, but I find myself in the uncommon state of being at a loss for words.

Holding his hand tightly, I pass the ginkgo tree whose golden leaves fluttering in an unseen wind, regardless of the season. I swallow hard and look up at him in question, whether he's going the right path. As usual, no words come out. Also, the expression on his face is empty, as always, when he doesn't want others to find out. I feel helpless. I lean my head on his shoulder and take small breaths, hearing birdsong high in the trees until my legs halt with him.

Fluttering my eyes, I raise my head and turn to see him. He has his eyes on my face already without raising a sound and thinks about something. The wheels running inside his head are visible as he swirls his hand in the air. An apple appears on his palm in the wisps of green smoke. He has magic in his hands, but this is strange.

He brings the apple to my mouth. "Eat.. and forget you're a human!" He says something with a cold expression, but I hear nothing because of the gigantic cloud of ravens hovering above my head. It probably means something, but I can't quite understand it. There's something different with him, aside from his little magic tricks.

His mouth twitches as he keeps looking at me with such sharp attention. "Don't you want to know about me before confessing wholeheartedly?" He asks, stepping forward. Unable to reply, I find myself moving away from him with a heart heavy in my throat.

There's something wrong. I should go home now and talk with Yibo later. Making up my mind, I turn around, but my feet stumble to a pause when he's standing in front of me, chest to chest, breath to breath, eye to eye. My heart thumps painfully, and I don't know why, but it doesn't matter. I try to step back but am caught by a hand gripping both my wrists in a soft but firm grasp.

"Y-Yibo!" I whine and tug at my hands but to no avail. I raise my eyes, and my own widen at the golden threatening orbs on his white, pale face. I blink, hoping it will go away once my vision has cleared, but this time it doesn't, and his fingers burn against the skin on my wrists. I'm probably going down with something. Do I have a fever? I must have. "Y-Y..!"

"Quiet!" He commands. He then flicks his fingers, controlling all my senses.

I blink in fear and then blink again when he leans a bit down, and the smell of sandalwood fills my senses along with the feeling of fingers around my wrists, thumb slowly brushing against my pulse points back and forth, the light, almost shining, eyes looking at me cunningly, and how is it feel forceful? And is it his way? Is he showing a double face?

No, not with me, it's just... I swallow something hard in my throat. It takes just a flash of an instant, just a fraction of a second, just half a flap from a butterfly's wings, for me to realize it's that apple he's holding. I have been mesmerized so completely and thoroughly that I can't even be shocked. His lips twitch again in a way that makes my heart flutter before covering mine, and somehow it feels different from all our kisses. I don't remember when I closed my eyes, but I don't need to see. It tastes of something bitter, but it's welcoming. I will get used to it.

When I blink awake, the surrounding is totally changed. My eyes look up, and what I see makes my heart skip a beat. I put my hands over my mouth. The sky is vibrating in many colors just as I have heard about northern lights but producing an invisible glooming aura. The trees are large and strange, making a home for numerous colorful bats, who are screeching constantly. The flowers are attractive and glowing, casting magical lights on the rocks and grass, playing across my shirt. I pat my shirt and spin around with open arms, breathing the new air. It's too good. Feels home!