"Mmmm, Mom,"
Sebastain's eyes flew open when he heard the sweet angelic voice in the middle of the night.
He looked at the girl, curled up on his side, hugging him like her life depended on it, almost over his body, and narrowed his eyes.
He clearly remembered placing her on her side of the bed once Lucas left. When did she shift so close to him, or should he say over him?
Why did he not feel anything?
It was unlikely for him to be unaware of his surroundings. Did he really fall asleep so deeply that he didn't feel any movement at all? Or did she deliberately come with hushed movements so he doesn't find out?
"Please, save me, Mom," Elliana's voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he looked at her trembling lips with scrunched brows.
Because of her presence, he now has to wear the mask even when he was in his space so that she doesn't find what he looks like.
"Mom," Elliana whimpered, and a tear rolled down the corner of her eyes before her fist on his chest clenched even more.
It almost looked like she wanted to claw his chest with her kitten-like nails, and Sebastian grumbled when he felt strangely good about it.
He remembered what Lucas told him about her getting bullied and wondered if she was having a nightmare about some traumatic incident.
He had many of them.
"Hey, what is wrong? Are you having a nightmare?" Sebastian asked without shaking her, proceeding to only look at her.
Seeing her still whimpering, he sighed and placed her straight on her back. He looked at her for a few seconds and then did something he never expected himself to do.
"Sssshhh, it's just a nightmare. You don't have to worry about anything," Sebastian ran his hand through her hair soothingly.
He sighed loudly when he noticed her breathing finally evening after a few minutes and her heart returning to its normal speed.
As if his earlier softness wasn't enough, he kissed her forehead and lay back on the bed on his back before pulling her under his arm so that her head was on his forearm once again.
Sebastian closed his eyes calmly before opening them with a jerk when he realized what he just did.
The hell! What was wrong with him? He wasn't supposed to be so supportive and caring of her! If she was having a nightmare, wasn't it good? He grumbled before clenching the arm that was wrapped around her.
These hunters deserve to suffer for how cunning they are, no?
'Maybe it's because she was calling for her mom, and it felt like home?' his conscience reasoned, and Sebastian nodded at himself.
That must be the case. There is no way he would be so caring towards a hunter. Bride or no bride, illegitimate or legitimate, she belonged to the hunter's family, and that was enough for him to want her to be hurt, no?
Sebastian was harshly brought out of his thoughts when Elliana snuggled her face into his chest, placing her lips on the shirt he was wearing right above his heart, and he felt his heart skipping a beat at her innocent action.
His heart skipped a beat? He groaned inwardly, barely controlling the urge to throw this woman out of the window and see her blood ooze out of her body slowly until the last drop for confusing him.
Bewitching woman! He scoffed before forcing his eyes shut to forget about whatever happened tonight. He will just deal with her later.
In the morning ~~~~
Sebastian opened his eyes and looked at the goofball still curled up by his side and sighed.
It was already 6 in the morning, and look at how peacefully she was sleeping. So much for being in the palace of her predators. She looks like she is having the best sleep of her life. He scoffed.
He suddenly had this strong urge to kick her out of bed and let her know he doesn't like staying in bed for such a long duration.
As if she heard his silent cursing, Elliana opened her eyes, blinking them twice to get used to the environment before she rubbed her eyes like a little girl into the unknown.
Elliana looked around, patting the area around her in a daze.
She grabbed a fistful of his shirt before closing her eyes and smiling, unaware of the demon glaring at her.
Wait. She remembered sleeping on the carpet. How did she end up on the bed? And why is this bed so tough and -
Her eyes flew open before she looked up, gulping loudly when her eyes met with the prince's dark ones.
"Did you have fun assaulting me in your sleep?" Sebastian crossed his hands behind his head to support his head as he looked at her, and Elliana felt her heart drumming loudly at his voice before the position she was in with the Prince registered in her mind.
Her left hand was half hugging Prince, her legs entangled with his legs, with her left leg pressing him under her, and her head was partially on his chest, under his neck.
Not even a part of the prince was pressing her in any way. It was all her. The more Elliana observed their position, the redder her cheeks went, and she bit the inside of her cheeks, not knowing what to say in a situation like this.
"I… I…" She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, not coming up with anything.
Seeing her so flustered and looking for answers, it was obvious she had no idea how she ended up on the bed.
Remembering the information Lucas gave him about her innocence and naivety, Sebastian had an impulsive desire to tease her again, and he couldn't help himself as he supported his hand on his palm before looking at her with his dark gaze.
She was looking anywhere but at him, and her scared-kitten act ignited a fire inside him that he didn't know was even there.
"If you wanted to touch me so badly, you could've just said so," Sebastian grabbed her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.
"What were you doing, climbing on the bed in the middle of the night and jumping on me like this? Do you have some kind of misconception that I don't touch humans? Do you want to start our first night as a married couple?" Sebastian asked further, the meaning behind her words making her choke on her saliva.
He bent towards her as if he wanted to kiss her and smiled. He could hear her fast beating heart that looked like it was playing some bass tempo.
Getting the reaction he wanted from her as revenge for what she made him do last night, Sebastian breathed into her ear softly before distancing himself enough for their lips to be a few inches apart.
"Get ready soon and come down for breakfast. We have a timed schedule for everything here," He moved out of the bed before Elliana could blink her eyes, going straight to the bathroom.
As if someone pumped oxygen into her lungs with force, Elliana breathed heavily before looking at the ceiling, catching the marvelous drawing for the first time.
That was a close call. She almost felt like she would lose her life by not breathing for so long.
But the question remained. How did she end up in bed? Elliana narrowed her eyes, following the pattern uselessly before sighing and standing from the lush bed.
It was the same dream again.
The same dream where she is stuck in a burning forest with nowhere to go.
It's funny how she doesn't know who her mom is and how she looks, but every time she sees this dream, she keeps calling for her mom to come and save her. It was a weird feeling, and Elliana didn't know what to feel about it.
She never saw the girl in the dream calling for her mom. The only familiar thing about her was her voice which matched Elliana's.
Sometimes, it feels like it was a memory engraved deep inside her heart. Then again, how is that even possible? Was this some rebirth mystery, or was her overthinking paired with her paranoia?
Elliana walked to the balcony and closed her eyes for a few seconds, letting the wind from outside soothe her aching heart that felt hollow.
Happiness is not a luxury. It is a battle only the strongest warriors can fight for. Elliana told herself before biting her lips to control her overbearing emotions.
She placed her hand over her chest before walking to her bag to take out the pair of clothes for the day.
She placed her clothes neatly in order on the ground so she didn't have to fold them again while keeping them back inside the bag.
Sebastian walked out of the bathroom and looked at her on the ground, sitting Indian style as she chose what to wear, and he scrunched his brows.
She looked like a little girl playing with her Barbie's clothes.
"Why are your clothes still in your bag? Have you asked the maid to arrange them? What is Miss Zoya doing?" Sebastian was about to call Zoya when Elliana shook her head slightly.
"I don't want to intrude in your space. Living with me might already be strange for you. However, I assure you that I will minimize my presence around you the best I can. I know you hate me, I mean, hate the humans and are forced to live with me because of this peace treaty. Don't worry. I won't make your life harder. I promise," Elliana said in a single breath, and Sebastian quirked his brows.
What was wrong with this woman? Does she not have any dignity or self-value? Why was she down regarding herself like this? He didn't even -
Sebastian paused when he remembered all the time he huffed and sighed around her. Does she think he is annoyed and irritated by her?
Well, he technically was, but it's - uhhh, how does he explain it? Sebastian sighed in annoyance again.
"Haven't you checked the closet even once?" Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose from above the mask before walking to the closet.
"Even an animal looks around to get familiar with the place it is going to live in," Sebastian scoffed, and Elliana looked down in shame.
It was an insult. There was no doubt about that. But she was cautious of not bothering the prince and crossing boundaries, no? Elliana felt slightly wronged, and when Sebastian noticed the expression on her face, he sighed.
"Come here and have a proper look," Sebastian grabbed the handle and jerked it open for Elliana to see clearly.
To say she was amazed would be an understatement.
"Is this... Is this all for me?" She looked at the prince, flabbergasted.
"I assure you I have no interest in dressing up like a woman. I have better things to do," Sebastian leaned on the door.
Elliana looked at the number of dresses ranging from beautiful expensive ones to comfortable ones. There were even nightgowns of different styles, and a red tint rose to her cheeks when she saw the lingerie hanging in the corner.
The closet even had multiple footwear along with jade and stones embedded clutches and purses along with high-quality makeup material.
"This closet is yours. You can use whatever you want or throw whatever you don't like. I know this place and species is new for you, but don't give others the impression that I don't treat you well," Sebastian said, and though he was casually saying these things, he meant every word he spoke.
He can't have his grandpa think otherwise and find another nook in him.
"My grandpa will arrive later in the afternoon. I want you to look presentable. I don't care what you think of our species or how innocent or powerful you are," Sebastian walked to Elliana.
"In front of my family, you will act like a -" Sebastian paused to find a suitable word.
And Elliana, who saw him pausing, was sure he meant to say 'slave' and was trying to find a suitable word now.
"Queen," Sebastian ended his statement, and Elliana looked at him, shocked. However, she only nodded in return.
Sebastian turned to leave the room, and Elliana looked at him earnestly. She wanted to talk about the money, but what should she call him now?
"Mr. Mar...Mr. Seb... Mr. Prince," Elliana breathed softly before closing her eyes.
She really tried hard to call his name, but it didn't roll off her tongue like yesterday. She will have to practice a bit.
"What is it?" Sebastian didn't comment and asked without turning to her.
"Can I get some money?" Elliana's sudden demand made Sebastian quirk his brows.
"Money? How much?" Sebastian asked.
"A- Around 20 lakhs," Elliana whispered, and Sebastian raised his brows before turning around and looking at her closely.
Has she started to show her colors already?
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
"That's a good amount. What are you planning to buy with that? Dresses? Jewelry?" Sebastian paused.
Elliana had his full attention now, and the latter looked at her feet, unsure if she should tell him the real reason. The memories of Miss Zoya mentioned that the prince would kill her before she would be able to utter a word.
Elliana has known the prince for what? 24 hours? What if the prince really has a temper and kills Miss Zoya? She has no one in this place to call an acquaintance.
Elliana hummed and nodded at herself, feeling satisfied with her thought process.
"It's a wedding gift," Elliana blurted out, the first thing that came to her mind, and Sebastian quirked his brows.
"Wedding gift? For who? Your family?"
"Me," Elliana ran her tongue over her lower lip to wet her chapped lips.
This won't do. Elliana narrowed her eyes. She should act confidently rather than being nervous 24/7. She clenched and unclenched her fists before she looked up at the prince daringly, her eyes confident and full of zest. Sebastian was taken aback by her aura once again.
"I will be asking for more gifts in the future. I hope it's fine with you. You said you don't want others to have the impression that you treat me badly, right? You are royalty. I am royalty. You should know what kind of expenses girls have," Elliana stared back at him.
From her last conversation with him, she figured he wanted to keep her alive. The reason could be anything, but that was a fact. Or judging from how annoyed he gets and with his monstrous reputation, she would've ended up in that alligator's pond or 6 feet under the ground already.
She was done living like a mouse all her life. It didn't get her anywhere anyways. The only thing it brought her way was misery and humiliation. If she hadn't been so hung up and desperate about finding her biological mom, she would've never stayed in the palace for so long, at least not after the last time they punished her before going to prison, where she almost got molested.
If death is inevitable, the least she can do is stay comfortable in her skin.
The more nervous she acts around him, the more he will act like a predator.
"I didn't know you had this side to you too," Sebastian said before he took out his wallet and pulled out a black card from it.
"You haven't seen anything of me," Elliana said, and though she was sounding confident, her gaze still shook at the end, and Sebastian felt his lips twitching at her strong facade.
"Well, I intend to change this statement soon," Sebastian stepped ahead before grabbing her collar.
His gaze fell on her clear olive skin, and he was amazed at how she had such beautiful skin even after living in prison for a year.
She looked almost celestial.
He bent and placed his lips on her exposed neck before taking a deep whiff, scaring Elliana out of her wits as she almost lost her balance, if not for Sebastian, who held her in place.
Maybe she should start being confident slowly if she doesn't want to get herself killed.
"Easy there. I won't bite you. Not yet," Sebastian grinned before running his tongue over his lower lip.
He wanted to show her a hint of his fangs to scare her even more and ensure she stayed in line, but that would require him to take out his mask, and it wasn't worth the hassle.
Elliana gulped and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the prince leaving before looking at the card in her hand.
She hoped he would give her the amount in cash or a check. However, now that he has given her the card with the pin, she will have to ensure that she doesn't let this card go into the wrong hands.
'Why did I have to meddle in other businesses again? Right. Because I am the so-called innocent kind person who can't help herself from sticking her nose in everyone's matters,' Elliana gritted her teeth and stomped her foot in annoyance before she felt a weird heat clouding her mind.
'Aaaa,' She gripped her head and suddenly felt like some hot liquid rushed into her nerve veins.
"Elliana, take deep calming breaths. Don't let it take over you. Anger is not good for health. You can control your emotions," Elliana whispered what 'G' had asked her to whisper whenever she felt like this before she went inside the bathroom to cool down so that she doesn't end up doing something that would put her in an even bigger problem.
Meanwhile, Sebastian walked out and looked at the door one last time before going to his office.
"Sir -" Lucas stopped when he saw Sebastian looking at the trees thoughtfully.
"Did something happen?" Lucas couldn't help but ask, remembering the last night's events, and Sebastian hummed.
"Have you arranged for a personal spy from the S-class team to keep a look over Elliana? It would be better if it's a female. That way, she won't suspect the girl," Sebastian said, and Lucas nodded.
"Three candidates would be arriving after breakfast. You can choose whoever you feel fit for the position," Lucas wanted to ask what exactly happened, but he didn't want to provoke the devil, and thus he sighed.
"She asked me for money. Twenty lakhs," Sebastian said after a long pause, and Lucas, who was arranging the files for Sebastian to sign, paused and looked at him with raised brows.
"That much?"
"She says it's a wedding gift. She would be asking more in the future if she felt like it. She even said that if I don't want people to think I am treating her badly, I should keep giving in to her requests," Sebastian's words amazed Lucas.
Did she have some major change last night? Where did the sweet, kind, and naive girl described in the documents suddenly go?
But wait. Sebastian was too calm for it. He wouldn't be acting this calm if some random human threatened him like that, whether she was his bride or not. Why was it becoming hard to believe?
"She threatened you, and you just stood there and did nothing?" Lucas asked, and Sebastian hummed.
"Well, the words weren't exactly these. One thing led to another, and Elliana ended up saying this. I gave her my black card. Let's see what she will be using so much money for. I want you to keep a close look at her," Sebastian walked around the table before making a cross with the red pen over the map displayed on the noticeboard.
"You suspect she will try to give this money to the human royals and help them strengthen their armies?" Lucas asked, and Sebastian shook his head.
"No. Those royals are rich. They don't need our money. If they are indeed planning something against us, there is no way they would risk it for some petty money. This could be bigger or way different than our minds can think about. Her demeanor was different. She actually pretended to be confident when asking for money. I want you to keep a keen look at Elliana with the new spy. She could be meeting someone else for all I care," Sebastian looked at his phone, which rang with an incoming call.
Seeing the name of the caller ID, his jaws ticked, and he looked at Lucas, who went to the door and closed it.
"Hello?"
"Well, isn't this my favorite brother in the family? I just returned from the Canada trip, and guess what I found? Did you get sacrificed? That's a pity," Stephano, Sebastian's cousin, said, and Sebastian looked at the map with pointers on where they would be setting up the base with a thoughtful look.
"What can I say to that? Grandpa knew only the most diligent kid of the family could be trusted with a task as important as maintaining the peace that he had wanted for years. He can't trust just any man who*re with a loose character to have a human bride, no?" Sebastian answered in a fake concerned tone, and Lucas almost choked on his saliva.
Sebastian was indeed getting better with his insults these days, no?
Though Sebastian was the infamous rude vampire prince among all, Stephano was his best competitor and many years older. He was the first grandson of Abramo, the former Vampire king, while Sebastian was the youngest one.
"What did you say?" Stephano's voice turned cold, laced with malice, promising nothing good.
"I said that Grandpa should've chosen you instead. You are the most diligent among us. Unfortunately, you weren't in the kingdom," Sebastian smirked inside the mask, and Lucas sighed before walking to the balcony, scrunching his brows when he saw Elliana standing on the balcony again.
What was this girl's obsession with looking at the forest?
The entire forest was under the jurisdiction of the vampires, and a major part of it was part of the kingdom and royal palace, so there was no question of her looking for her human partners if there were any.
She was quite obsessed with it. She has been here for around 24 hours, and he bet she has spent most of her time standing there.
Her body posture was elegant and screamed loyalty, but it also showed the prime trait of being a royal. Loneliness.
She looked lonely and sad. Was she thinking about her parents? Her family?
But she doesn't have a reason to.
Shouldn't she be happy that she is out of a place where she was the scapegoat for all the crimes again and again?
Lucas hadn't mentioned the extent of the abuse Elliana suffered in that household, but it even included getting whipped by her aunt in place of Madeline because the latter broke an expensive vase.
How cruel could they be? Weren't humans supposed to be the kind ones? Then again, they have shown nothing but hostility.
What kind of pain must her soft skin have gone under for something she didn't even do? Lucas sighed when he saw her humming some lonely words and was about to turn around when something caught his eye.
What the hell was she doing? Lucas widened his eyes when he saw her climbing over the railings.
"Sir!" Lucas shouted, catching Sebastian's attention, who wasn't too far from him.
Seeing the scared look on his face, Sebastian immediately rushed to the balcony to see what it was.
Seeing the girl climbing over the railing of the balcony, Sebastian's eyes widened, and he immediately threw the phone and jumped down from the balcony from the seventh floor, rushing under the balcony of his room.
Standing under the area, he looked up at the third floor with wide eyes.
The girl was sitting on the railing with her eyes closed. What the hell was she thinking? If she wanted to die, why did she go through such a hassle?
No. He can't let her do anything that will jeopardize his plans of becoming the king. Sebastian clenched his fists.
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
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