Scarlet

4. Truth

The following day was silent. Kira didn't step out of her room at all, neither for meals nor to see what Gouenji was up to. She sat down at her desk and focused on finishing her book.

The day after that was also similar. Kira did eat but Gouenji didn't accompany her. He was nowhere to be seen. She assumed he was still sick from that night and that was the reason for his absence.

However, late evening, he finally appeared. Kira was reading as usual in her room when there was a knock on her open door. She turned to look and found Gouenji standing at the threshold. She approached the door and stood in front of him quietly.

"I...want to apologise for my behavior that night. May I come in?" He spoke hesitantly.

"Sure. " She approached him and answered in an unenthused manner and then made her way back in.

"I shouldn't have shouted at you. " He began.

" I am still trying to understand what happened that day. " Kira answered, staring at him with questioning eyes.

"The important thing is, I shouldn't have treated you that way and I regret that. " He reiterated.

"No, tell me. " Kira almost cut him off, " Explain to me. I want to know."

"What does it matter..." Gouenji tried to deflect it again but the next moment Kira came closer.

"Tell me, am I being presumptuous to think you were going to kiss me?" She asked softly as she put her hand on his cheek.

Once again, Gouenji was agitated.

"Kira, please step away. " He said again.

"Why? Why are you doing this again?" She asked.

"I can't...say. Just...stay back. " He warned.

"If you wanted me away from you then why did you pull me close? I won't go away until you tell me. " Kira was also irritated now as she remained close to him peering straight into his eyes.

The next moment she was thrown on the bed with Gouenji on top of her pinning her hands down on either side of her head. It all happened too fast to be humanly possible. She didn't even have time to scream or gasp let alone understand what had happened.

She immediately looked at him in shock but was met with even more of it. Gouenji's eyes were glowing like white embers. As he opened his mouth in a growl, he revealed his two sharp fangs as he glared at her.

Kira's eyes widened in horror. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She had heard countless myths and stories about vampires from all corners of the country but she had been so sure that they were merely fables for entertainment and could never be real.

Gouenji bent his head down close to her face as she turned her head and looked away.

"I do want to kiss you," He whispered. His voice sounded breathless, as if he was under a great strain, " but every time you come close," He paused to attempt to compose himself, " all I can think about...is the scent of your blood. I can smell it in the blush of your cheeks. " He then ran his thumb across her wrist, "I can hear it dripping down your veins."

Kira faced him once again, staring straight at him. She was trying her best not to panic and appear calm even though she was even afraid to breathe and her lips quivered as she tried to speak.

" Are you going to kiss me or kill me? " She finally spoke.

A look of hurt shot across his face as she said so.

"How can you think that?" He exclaimed.

"You have me restrained, what else am I supposed to think?"