Lethal Beauty

XV - Bound

In the wild, leopards were known to climb trees to avoid conflicts with other predators and so they could eat their prey in peace. However, Iris was more than just a predatory cat that stalked and pounced at his prey. He was a vampire and a shifter.

Climbing trees gave him some sort of relaxation, to tame his bloodlust and kept his sanity intact. Lately, that sanity was being challenged by the existence of a new prey. Unable to soothe his temper, he gave up lying on the trunk and sat down instead. His forehead creased as he gritted his teeth. Madness! But the worst emotion of it all was the pain in his chest.

Abel. His name just exploded out of nowhere, and with it came all the horrible mood swings such as anger, and bitterness, and...there was something else. Something else that he declined to believe. For now.

As the sky grew painfully dark, followed by the appearance of the full moon. Iris found himself contemplating. A strange phenomenon since Iris never had to contemplate. In their world, he was known for only three things---clever, self-serving, and ruthless.

Until Abel turned those qualities against him...

⛧☾༺♰༻☽⛧

I won't be calling him!

Abel stubbornly told himself as he hid underneath a blanket and waited for the sky to turn black as ink. "I would be fine as long as I don't open the door..." he was telling himself. He can't let his guard down now.

Tap. Tap.

The sound almost startled him so he put both hands over his mouth. Don't open the door. Don't open the door...

Are they outside?

"Little lamb," said a mellow voice, almost serenading him to sleep. "Come open the door. Let's play..."

There goes the answer to his question...

Abel shuddered as he listened to more footsteps outside. More voices beckoning him, ranging from sweet, and charming to almost endearing. Nevertheless, Abel knew that these were all predators. Hungry and waiting.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Let us in, little lamb!"

"Open the door."

"OPEN THE DOOR!"

Fuck! Abel cursed and wondered hazily if he was being surrounded. There was no denying that he was on the verge of tears and the only weapon he could find was a piece of wood and a bread knife. He has no idea how many of these bloodsucking fiends were outside. Please, stop...

"Call Iris, if you're afraid," Abel recalled Milo telling him before they parted.

Even Lexus said, "We can only do so much. If they are too many, they'll be harder to drive away."

"Iris..." he whispered as the corner of his eyes swam with tears. What am I thinking?! Why should I call him---

"LITTLE LAMB, ke, ke, ke..."

Even the female vampires that he remembered being beautiful and sensual in the class now sounded like a group of witches! Abel continued to hide under the blanket, shivering and murmuring all kinds of prayers in different languages. Who would've thought that a tall guy like him would try to appear smaller and insignificant in his bed? This was not only mortifying on his part; it was also traumatizing!

Knock. Knock. KNOCK.

Dong. Dong.

HAHAAHAHAHHAHAHA

"Oh God, Buddha, Amitabha, Allah, anyone!" Abel cried. "PLEASE SAVE ME!"