"Where are you taking me?"758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5hqyb6QQQ
He looked over his shoulder past me, as if to make sure nobody was following. Then he looked back front and continued to run while his hand gripped mine tightly, dragging me along with him, not stopping even if I stumbled every now and then. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMhUpVIjIW
"Somewhere safe." 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnnJWt0GJ2
I frowned at his response. Was someone really chasing us? I attempted to look around my surroundings, but only to see the blurry fast-moving images of trees passing by. I pried my eyes off them and stared at our entwined hands instead, furrowing my eyebrows more.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbkFi8wTOn
His hand was always cold. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxLCTbIMek
Suddenly, he stopped, and I bumped onto his back, glory to my clumsiness. "Sorry," I squeaked. I grimaced inwardly. That sounded pathetic.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIfCSX7MqC
But he turned around with a slight smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, and his hand around mine starting to get clammy. We didn't let go, though.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8Be4LkW5R
"It's okay...My fault there," he said between pants, his chest heaving for air, and his face looked paler—if that was even possible. It was then I realized I wasn't panting as hard as him; we didn't run that far. So why did he look like his lungs were squeezed out of air?758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwt5VzW3mj
I snapped out of my thoughts and looked around as he did too. We were in a small clearing where tall trees with big green leaves shaded the place. Only a little sunlight passed through the gaps; otherwise, it was dark, but not in the scary way—in the comforting way, where you could relax your body and be at ease. The atmosphere of the place felt harmless, and calm wind blew—unlike the hot weather in the academy.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kOHkuurvS
"So," I started to say, as his strong, yet seeming torpid, hand dragged me under a tree and let go when he sat down, the chilliness fading from my skin, "why are we here again?" Sliding down the tree to the soft grassy ground, I copied his posture—stretching my legs out and leaning my head against the trunk—feeling the breeze blew while leaves swayed from it.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWZLiq4Okl
I heard him breathe out a sigh and try to calm his breathing. I glanced at him then, seeing his eyes closed while his chest kept on heaving, his hair flowing with the breeze. He opened his faint-red eyes and saw me, before sighing again.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFXIMyGHKF
"I guess it's time for you to know the truth." He sat up straight, running his hand through his soft black hair and looking away from me. I looked at him with a blank stare.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOV5mf27yT7
I spoke. "Like why your hands are always cold? Why you always act weird against the sun? Why your skin is paler than normal? Why you have a pair of odd red eyes? If you are referring to those, I think I've figured it out, although it's kind of...unbelievable. Fictional."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNoSYo2H2h
When I finished, his red eyes immediately fixed on me for a long time, studying me. I bit my bottom lip. Did I speak too much?758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡis1AGYGFR5
Then, he sighed for the third time today, tearing his gaze away from me. I noticed his breathing had gone calmer. "You know, then."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Mbl8j4VFk
I said nothing. Awkward silence filled the air between us for a moment before I spoke again. "Say it." He looked at me befuddle. I repeated. "Say it. Say what you are."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKQdJ74NTH
"But you—"758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95tYMrKnmV
"I know. I want to hear it from you, so it will be more...believable."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGU5n6foyM
He studied me again, before huffing through his nose and muttering, "I'm a vampire."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWbLGvWeMg
"Yeah? I can't really hear you," I teased.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqsWE5It85
Groaning, louder he said, "I'm a vampire, you fart knocker." He crossed his arms and glared at me playfully.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDeKnIASq1k
I laughed. "My name is Valerie, thank you very much." He rolled his eyes at my response. I asked again, "What exactly is the reason you brought me here?" 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQTb16SEby
As though reminded, his body went stiff for a moment and he looked to where we just came from.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6bBfgVdJQ
"I'm being chased" was his short reply.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6B6KtkfQdH
"Chased from—?"758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQt3rgsq8vK
I stopped myself as I felt my ear tickle suddenly, my breathing hitched. An unfamiliar, deep yet smexy voice whispered, "Me." I opened my mouth to scream; but before I could, a cold hand—but not as cold as Kevin's—clamped my mouth shut—probably belonging to that voice. Beside me, I felt Kevin stiffened and tension building up. "Don't shout," the voice whispered softly against my ear before freeing my mouth, leaving me breathing again and my heart pounding. I didn't notice I was holding my breath.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGe8ByPS3Gs
A figure moved out of the shadows. Kevin immediately jumped up, standing in a defending posture, though sweat slid down his forehead. The mysterious man stood dangerously close to me. I could see his glowing red eyes scanning me up and down, his sandy brown hair disheveled. He wore a thin white shirt that showed off his lean body and he wore a pair of old dark jeans. He was barefooted. Nevertheless, I admitted he was good-looking.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIa8FSYDEx
When I looked back up to his face, he had a smirk played on his lips. "Already charmed by me, eh?"758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvS54WnNF0
I felt my cheeks heat up and I scoffed. "As if. You're ugly as tarnation."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5d5IMfp7S
He chuckled, and my body, for some reason, shivered hearing it. "Are you seriously censoring yourself?" He started to bend over to me, but stopped when Kevin stood between us. Feeling that this wouldn't end good—and just realizing that he was the one who Kevin was running from—I scrambled to my feet.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHVO55FJJg
"Zakron, I suggest you leave now." Kevin's glower on the man intensified the already tense atmosphere between them, his voice low and threatening.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyLyrcY2x6
"Or, what?" Zakron stayed relaxed, his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans, still wearing that gorgeous smirk of his. I'll slam my head on a brick wall multiple times if I survive this. "I know you've not been drinking these past weeks, Anders. I'm surprised you're still able to stand on your feet now." His gaze flicked to me. "And I see now the reason why."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy07MW7y8Fr
"Don't lay a finger on her, Wilde, I'm warning you," Kevin growled. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7ekMD7B8x
Oh, so his last name is Wilde? Like Nick Wilde from Zootopia? Ah, a—Get yourself focus here, Val. He's not Good. He's Evil. Curse that gorgeous face.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupa47Jnb81
Over Kevin's shoulders, the man called Zakron had a mischievous glint in his eyes, and in a flash, he was next to me, gripping me by the arm tightly and his face close to my neck, showing off his fangs. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FrZ2JOeeL
It happened so fast I couldn't react in time when he was pushed away from me and sent flying through the trees behind me, leaving them tumbling to the ground with groans, and a gust of wind passed by me from the impact.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZ1TCUKoby
My whole body went cold and my heart pounded vigorously in my chest. Kevin swished to Zakron's direction. Even if I 'd read a lot of vampire books, I never thought their speed would be this fast.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwaCPMfRUm
I forced myself to look back and saw Kevin pinning Zakron by his neck, choking his air out of him. They weren't that far as I'd thought they would be—and at ear's shot.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14VDm6Sy00
"What I've been waiting for," I heard Zakron utter, but his voice didn't sound strained at all. In a quick motion, he had his foot on Kevin's chest, sending him flying back through the fallen trees and onto the tree I just leaned on, the wind whooshed beside me once again. He slammed hard and tumbled to the ground just beside me with a thud. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYPFqQiriA
Oh, gosh. I'm really putting myself in the middle of a nonsensical battle.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNLShoJqcD
Zakron started to get up from his position as Kevin coughed up...nothing—but seemingly supposed to be blood. I crouched down, placing a hand on his shoulder as panic fleeted through me.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuikbIxKpR
"Are you okay?" Worry dripped in my voice. And just as soon as I asked that, Kevin started coughing harder and wheezed. Then I really panicked. I realized my hand on his shoulder was shaking.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQ8Nu0T1W4
Was the hit too strong for him to take? Or had he really gone weak as what that Zakron man said, because he hadn't been drinking human's blood for a long time? 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2iRwk54iq
As soon as I felt a presence directly behind me, my heartbeat quickened and my mind went blank.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQvhXrzdA9
"See? You've gone weak. Very weak. You can't even damage me in one hit like you used to, and your speed has gone way slower. Why don't you drink that girl's blood and fight fairly, Anders? Look at you now, already injured just by a push. Drink, Kevin Anders. And fight me."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV88rsaMkLG
"Shut...up." Kevin managed to look up feebly as he gasped for air. "Like Hell am I going to."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jjoRAzTCY
Zakron shoved me away hard enough to make me move away from Kevin's side, and he landed a strike on Kevin's chest once more. His breathing started to get ragged. Zakron grabbed full of his shirt, lifting him above ground. I felt useless. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxG1dKrrkqn
"Drink, Anders," Zakron said. If I disregarded the fact that he was Evil, I would've thought there was concern in his voice.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtnn6RqrBY
Kevin chuckled dryly, though it sounded more of a wheeze. "Make me." 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Tz1wHoaDb
Zakron slammed him against the tree, and as he was about to hit him in the chest again, and as I couldn't bear seeing my best friend getting hurt again, with all my strength I shouted, "Stop!" And surprisingly, the said man did, but eyes still glowering at Kevin. I looked at my best friend. "Kev, I give you the permission."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfru5s932jX
Clearly knowing what I meant, he managed, "No. Valerie...no. I won't." But I was already sauntering to them, stopping just near Zakron. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0pojNwtLM
"If you don't, he will," I said casually. Panic gleamed in his eyes, so I walked up to Kevin and gave him a small smile. "It's okay, Kev. I'm sure this won't hurt as badly as I see you getting beat up." When Zakron's grip on him released, I inclined my head, gesturing for him.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMeK03wvOJ
"Val..."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzQmN3ZBzh
By then my patience exploded. "Just do it, Kevin! You know once I make a decision, nothing stops me from breaking it. So do it while I'm at it!"758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3xcSNMkp8
Kevin hesitated for a moment. Zakron remained silent and unmoving. After a while, Kevin held my shoulders and pulled me closer, engulfing me in a hug. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrE5dBeMsJ
"Are you sure?" he murmured against my hair, his voice shaky. "You might not be able to...hold it. I might not be able to stop."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJ42aNURkH
I nodded. "I'm fine as long as you don't get hurt too much. Plus, you haven't filled your hunger since the day I met you, have you? And it's all my fault."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrFMsXcTyN
"This is nothing, Val..."758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8s1pM4kKbc
"Liar. You can't even run for five minutes. Just do it now, you fart knocker." I felt him smile a bit at that. Surprisingly, Zakron still remained silent.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzqHAkqnZX
Kevin pulled away then and leaned toward me. I closed my eyes, preparing for the pain to come. But instead of feeling his teeth digging in my flesh, his soft lips pressed against mine, before trailing down to my neck. 758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQMlgI6P1a
"Kev—?"758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtvi5cnnlK
His teeth sunk in my flesh, and the last thing I heard was his voice murmuring, "I love, you, Valerie Starks," before everything went black.758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSslzSY12ZN
[Apologies 'tis crappiness once more...]758Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGpLbqOThd
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