A heart of the vampire

Chapter 20

Moonlight spilled into the cabin, bathing the room in a soft, ethereal glow. Serena snuggled deeper into the plush couch, a warm blanket draped over her legs, phone in hand. "Tonight, we're skipping the usual fluff," she declared, her mischievous grin breaking through the darkness.

Lucian leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "What exactly do you have in mind this time, love?"

"Horror movies," she replied, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "We're diving into the terrifying stuff tonight!"

"Horror?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You prefer to invite dread into our evening?"

"Absolutely!" she shot back, leaning forward, a playful challenge dancing in her gaze.

With a subtle shake of his head, Lucian finally stepped into the room, the soft creak of the floorboards barely audible. "Very well then, show me your selection."

Before they settled in, Serena sprang to her feet. "Hang on, I need popcorn!"

"Popcorn? Really?" he called after her, bemused.

"Yes! It's essential!" she shouted back, rummaging through the kitchen cabinets. Moments later, she returned triumphantly, bowl in hand, steam curling into the air. "Here it is!"

Lucian chuckled softly as he settled next to her on the couch, their bodies brushing against each other. "So, this is your strategy for facing fear—snacks?"

"Of course! You can't have a horror movie without popcorn!" she insisted, plopping down and placing the bowl in between them.

As the film began, suspenseful music filled the air, and Serena nestled into the couch, feeling the heat radiating from Lucian beside her. She grabbed a handful of popcorn. "Isn't this fantastic?"

He remained calm, his expression unreadable as he observed the screen. "You seem to thrive on this anxiety," he remarked, his gaze piercing yet playful.

"Yeah, it's thrilling! And it distracts me from... other thoughts," she confessed, glancing up at him, her breath catching slightly at the intensity in his eyes.

Lucian's gaze shifted, a shadow crossing his features. "What about Vlad pursuing us?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

"Honestly, I'm not thinking about him right now. It's just you and me here. I feel safe with you," she admitted, leaning into him, the blanket enveloping them in a cocoon of warmth.

"Flattery won't earn you extra points," he replied, a smirk betraying his amusement.

As the film unfolded, the first scene introduced a flock of ominous birds, circling above a quaint town. Serena's heart raced with excitement. "You know, The Birds is a classic. Hitchcock really knew how to build suspense without showing too much," she said, her excitement bubbling over.

Lucian's brow furrowed slightly as he absorbed the unfolding chaos on the screen. "Birds terrorizing people? How... fascinating. I never imagined a creature so small could invoke such fear," he mused, his voice laced with curiosity.

"Exactly! It's all about the buildup, the atmosphere," she replied, her eyes shining. "It's what makes horror so compelling. You never know when the next scare will come."

He chuckled softly, leaning back against the couch, his arm draping casually over her shoulders. "You enjoy this... dread, then?"

"More than you know," she said, her gaze shifting to meet his, a spark of challenge igniting between them. "After all, I can't wait for you to see Nosferatu. You might find it... familiar."