𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 | 𝐃𝐃 𝐒𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐥

𝐄 𝐋 𝐄 𝐕 𝐄 𝐍

Mattie

I curled up on the library couch, my favorite grey blanket wrapped tightly around me like a burrito. The warmth of it soothed me, and I was so lost in my book that the rest of the world faded into the background. It was a romance, the kind that made my heart race and my thoughts swirl in dreams. The story was about a Queen and her female guard, their love forbidden yet undeniable. Every time they were together, I felt the tension, the longing, the need for something that wasn't meant to be.

My fingers gripped the pages tightly as I read on, completely absorbed. I loved stories like this, ones where love was complicated and dangerous. There was something so raw and real about it, like their love wasn't just sweet, but also hard-fought and intense. My heart ached for the Queen and the female guard, and I found myself hoping, despite everything, that they would somehow find a way to be together.

I was so caught up in the world of the book that I didn't hear the soft footsteps approaching me. It wasn't until I heard the distinct sound of heels clicking against the library's floor that I snapped out of my reverie. I froze, my breath catching. Those heels... they belonged to one of two people. Either Queen Arabella or...

I looked up slowly, my heart already pounding as I tried to guess who it might be.

Evangeline.

My breath caught when I saw her standing a few feet away, her tall figure outlined by the soft light of the library. She was watching me, her gaze soft and, was that admiration I saw in her eyes? I immediately felt a flush crawl up my neck and into my cheeks. I wasn't sure why, but something about the way she was looking at me made me feel so vulnerable, like she could see right through me.

The pull in my chest hit me again, stronger than ever. It was that same feeling I had every time I saw her, that undeniable tug that made it hard to breathe. I tried to push it down, to keep myself calm, but it was impossible when she was near.

Evangeline's lips curved into a small smile as she took a few steps closer. "What are you reading, little pup?" she asked, her voice smooth and rich, like silk against my skin.

I fumbled with the book in my lap, my fingers trembling as I showed her the cover. "It's, um... a romance." I swallowed, trying to find my voice. "It's about a Queen and her female guard. They're... they're in love, but it's forbidden."

Evangeline's smile deepened, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "A forbidden romance? Interesting choice." She moved toward the couch, her presence commanding the room as she sat down beside me. "Mind if I join you?"

I blinked, my heart racing so fast I thought it might burst. She wanted to sit with me? Join me? My thoughts scrambled, and before I could stop myself, I nodded eagerly. "Y-Yeah, of course. I mean, I don't mind."

To my utter shock, Evangeline didn't just sit next to me. She threw her left arm around my shoulders, pulling me into her side with ease, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I stiffened at first, unsure of how to react, but the warmth of her body quickly melted my nerves. Her scent, something soft and floral, yet undeniably hers, wrapped around me, making my head spin.

She was cuddling me. Evangeline, the Princess of Vampires, was cuddling me on the library couch, and I didn't know how to function.

I tried to focus on the book again, but it was impossible with her so close. My body felt like it was on fire, my skin tingling everywhere we touched. I glanced up at her out of the corner of my eye, but she was already looking down at the book, as if nothing about this situation was unusual. She seemed so calm, so composed, while I felt like I was on the verge of passing out from how flustered I was.

"What part are you at?" she asked, her voice a soothing hum in my ear.

I blinked, trying to remember what I had just read. "Um, the Queen and the female guard... they just confessed their feelings for each other. But they know they can't be together because of her position."

Evangeline hummed thoughtfully. "Sounds familiar," she said with a teasing smile.

I stared at her, wide-eyed. "F-Familiar?"

She turned her head slightly to look at me, her gaze intense but playful. "The idea of a Queen falling in love with someone below her status. It's not exactly unheard of."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I just nodded, feeling my face grow hotter by the second. The way she was looking at me, the way she was so close, it was too much. I felt like I was about to explode, my heart hammering against my ribcage.

Evangeline chuckled softly, clearly amused by my reaction. "You're adorable when you blush, you know that?"

I sputtered, my face now undoubtedly the color of a tomato. "I-I'm not blushing."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced, but she didn't push it. Instead, she shifted slightly, pulling me even closer into her side. I felt her fingers brush against my shoulder, soft and gentle, and I had to fight the urge to shiver at the contact.

For a while, we just sat there like that, her arm around me, the warmth of her body against mine, as we read the book together. I tried to focus on the story again, but it was nearly impossible with her so close. Every time I turned a page, I was hyper-aware of her next to me, the way her hand rested so casually on my shoulder, the way her breath was steady and calm while mine was erratic and shaky.

"I like this," she said after a while, her voice low. "Sitting here with you. It's... nice."

I swallowed hard, trying to calm the butterflies that were raging in my stomach. "Y-Yeah. It's... nice."

She chuckled again, that rich sound filling the quiet library. "You're such a sweet little pup, Mattie."

I didn't know what to say to that. All I knew was that I never wanted this moment to end. Sitting here with her, wrapped in her warmth, it felt... perfect. Like nothing else mattered except the two of us.

For the first time in a long while, I felt truly content.

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~ R