Scarlet sighed helplessly. Then she spoke, " You, can you come down already? We are on the ground for a while now."
Edwyn was at first confused and then he froze as if he was thunderstruck. He stared at Scarlet for a moment as his whole face turned bright red at a rate visible to the naked eye. Afterwards he mechanically loosened his legs which were previously winded around Scarlet's waist tightly and came down from her embrace. At this moment the tip of Edwyn's ears and even his neck at the back had also reddened. Inside his head there was only one word repeating itself loudly enough to blast it. ' Shameful, Shameful, Shameful, Shameful.....'
Edwyn really didn't know what to do in this situation, so he went into daze.
Scarlet found this dazed youth....very cute?!
There was a moment of awkward silence in the atmosphere when Scarlet calmly spoke to Edwyn, " So, how did you get here?"
Edwyn woke up from his daze as her voice reached his ear. In extreme embarrassment he stammered and jumbled up everything he wanted to say.
"I....you....my bonded partner.....wife..."
"Stop!!" Scarlet hurriedly halted him, her brows were slightly frowned as she said, " First of all, don't call me wife. Secondly calm down. Talk clearly."
Although Scarlet appeared calm and emotionless on the surface, inside she was really feeling flustered at this moment. Heck!! In her previous life, many have pursued her and she even accepted some of them as boyfriends but no one dared to call her by any endearing nicknames because she felt nauseated at those words like, 'baby', 'darling', 'dear' and many more. Today this stupidly shy boy had just called her directly 'wife'. She should be very angry right? right?...but, she didn't get angry, instead Scarlet got flustered. Scarlet herself was secretly dumbfounded. 'Damn! What is wrong with me today?'
At the same time, Edwyn was both nervous and embarrassed. The girl he liked, his very first love had seen him in his most miserable condition. He wanted to impress her but now it seemed it was impossible. He even made her to carry him...on the top of that it was a princess carry.....and he also shamelessly rode her like a ruffian. When Edwyn recalled how he tightly clutched her around her waist, he really wanted to dig up a hole and bury himself into it. Edwyn looked at his future lifelong partner awkwardly and accidentally their gazes met. Both of them froze, although Scarlet didn't show any change on her face.
Edwyn only at this point noticed many small to big changes on Scarlet. Before, because of his shame he overlooked all those changes and mainly recognized her by her unique bright red eyes and by relying on the natural connection between two bonded partners.
'Ah...she has changed. She is more sexy.....ahem..more mature. Oh, she has gotten taller. How did she get so tall in just a few days anyway? She is almost as tall as me.....almost....anyway I will grow a little more later on. Hmm....her hair is white now....but it suits her.....Oh...she is not alone now. She got two cute twin children. They even look a little bit like her...wait..children!!...ah!'
Edwyn hurriedly stopped his train of thinking and was about to ask," You..." but stopped. He didn't know her name!
Scarlet understood him and recalled they hadn't introduced themselves till now. So she initiated the conversation and extended her hand while speaking, "Hello, I am Scarlet."
'Scarlet!' Edwyn excitedly repeated this name in his mind numerous time as if he was engraving it into the deepest part of his heart. This was after all the precious name of the one who had managed to sit on the most secretive throne of his heart. And the more he repeated it, the more he liked it.
Seeing the extended hand of Scarlet, Edwyn hurriedly took hold of her hand in a gentlemanly way. He had already lost enough face before her and didn't want to loose any more. He looked at her passionately and said," Hello, I am Edwyn. You have really honored me with your presence today...."
Scarlet,"....."
Edwyn,"....."
Edwyn wanted to cry. He was so used to giving this same response to the countless ladies in his birthday party every year, that he habitually blurted out this nonsense while introducing himself. Actually besides those birthday parties and excluding some special circumstances his experience in handling ladies was almost nonexistent. Thus he messed up. He really wanted to be cool in front of her. And now that he had already spoken, he not only thought that there were so many good sentences to start up the conversation but he also knew some of them from Louis, like....'Hey~. we meet again.' or ' What a wonderful coincidence to met again, it seems we are fated.' or 'I think we are fated. Let's get to know each other.'....etc, etc. But no, he had to go and embarrass himself in front of her again. He just couldn't keep his calm before her.
Edwyn awkwardly looked up to see Scarlet's reaction. His passionate gaze, which he had quickly withdrawn as soon as his introduction finished, was filled with nervousness at this moment. He hoped Scarlet didn't think of him as a pretentious hypocrite. But when their gazes met, Edwyn was greeted with an calm, expressionless face.
"Eh?"Edwyn was surprised. 'So, what does she think of me? Pretentious? or not. Or simply stupid?'
Edwyn was confused. He really couldn't tell anything from her face.
Edwyn,"...."
Truth to be told, at this moment Scarlet was not calm at all. Behind her calm facade, she was actually trying her best to control her laughter from escaping her mouth. After forming contract with Dax and Nina Scarlet could feel the force that was obstructing her emotions to run wild, had significantly reduced. She had gained immense control over her inner demons even while surviving with purely demonic energy. Thus Scarlet could indulge herself in myriads of emotions. So, seeing Edwyn's such exasperated look, although her vampire blood forced her to remain emotionless on the surface but the effect of contract with Dax and Nina made her laugh in the inside.
'Extremely cute~' Scarlet thought in her heart. But she didn't know that one day she would have to withdraw the given 'cute' title from this innocent and shy youth. But, that's for later.
After some time Scarlet asked her previous question again, " So, Edwyn, how did you get here? And..." She added, " Why are you calling me...er...'wife'?....that..that night what happened between us, just forget about it....you don't have to take responsibility....anyway I forced you after all..." Her voice was a little strange as she was trying to supress her laughter.
Scarlet's latter words froze Edwyn. He panicked. The nervousness in his eyes had turned into fear and untold pain. His voice was trembling while he spoke.
"How can I forget? I..I..really like you. I have fallen for you....the first time I saw you. I know it sounds fake but it's...true. Can't..can't you give me a chance. I know I am a lot weaker than you. But I am trying...I am trying my best to get strong so that I can stand beside you! Please, just give me a chance! " Edwyn stared at Scarlet lovingly with his clear ocean blue eyes without blinking.
Scarlet was speechless. She didn't expect to get such a pure confession from this shy boy. Again, the same gaze, the same emotions that was overflowing with love, that was completely pure and innocent, without any motive. Scarlet heart tightened. She really didn't want to break his heart. But some things were needed to make clear.
Scarlet solemnly said," I am not human. you will still continue to love me?"
Edwyn didn't even hesitate for a moment when he answered, " I will. And I already knew you are a vampiress."
The time it was Scarlet, who was stunned. Her unchanging calm eyes widened a little.
"Despite knowing this you still want to jump into the pit?" Scarlet questioned. She had seen movies, had read stories about the vampire race in her previous life. No matter where, she had never found harmonious relationship between humans and vampires. Humans hated vampires, they would burn them if they could. Likewise vampires treated humans as nothing but food.
"Loving you is a wonderful feeling and I treasure it. I have never treated it as digging a pit for myself and even if it means jumping into eternal darkness I will still do it." Edward answered resolutely. His entire face was infected with a simple smile that is shiner than any gem. There was no traces of falsehood or pretention in that smile. It was so bright that Scarlet felt hot in her somewhat cold cheeks.
Scarlet was again speechless. This boy! Where had his shyness and nervousness from earlier gone? How could he utter such heavy words so smoothly when he stammered uttering simple words? Scarlet questioned inside her mind. 'And what should she say him right now?'
But Scarlet didn't have to speak as Edwyn continued his speech, the content of which eventually made her thunderstruck.
"Er... that night when we did it, well, it was my first time after turning into an adult."
'So, do you want me to be responsible?' Scarlet rolled her eyes in her mind.
Edwyn continued, "...and our family had gotten the blessings of the goddess of love. Therefore if we mated with our fated partner in our adulthood we will be bonded with them for life. And we have been already bonded, look! We have the same flower tattoo on our wrist. You are my fated partner! And....and I think this bonded tattoo is the reason which transported me here while you are in danger. So.."
"Wait! wait!..." Scarlet hurriedly stopped him as took Edwyn's both hands to examine. Sure enough, in his left hand's wrist a red coloured small flower tattoo was clearly visible. Scarlet looked at her own right wrist's blue flower tattoo and was left shocked. Everything was happening too fast. She needed some time. Scarlet looked at Edwyn and said with her ever so unchanging calm face," So, we are fated partners?"
"Yes!!" Edwyn answered enthusiastically.
"But, I have children already."
"Huh?!"
"These two twins are my children. Don't they look similar to me? Will you still accept me?"
Actually, Edwyn had long ago noticed the similarity between these twins and Scarlet. He sincerely hoped that they would be her siblings. But the truth... indeed was bitter. 'YOU HAVE CHILDREN, SO WHAT?! I AM THE ONE YOU ARE BONDED'
"I can. I will still love you!!"
Scarlet's expression cracked a little but she hurriedly controlled herself. Her straight lips raised a little. She chuckled. Her smile bloomed like a single rose in the midst of countless vines and thorns, which made her look like an unfathomable beauty that could only be watched, not touched. Edwyn was momentarily dazed by her smile. He wished Scarlet would smile all the time.
" Well then, try to win the heart of them. After all.." Scarlet paused. Then said," After all, you would be their father in the future."
Edwyn was surprised. He said excitedly, " So, you accept me?"
'How can I not? You are such a cute little thing!' Scarlet thought, but she didn't said it aloud. She only said calmly, " I will give you a chance."
"Alright!!!" Edwyn exclaimed.
He naively thought, 'Let's win the heart of the two children. How hard it can be? I am the hero of many children in the capital. And they all like me. Ha..ha...my Scarlet and I will soon become your family. And I will even become father...ha..ha...', then another thought came to him, ' What if the real father comes to claim the children in the future? Will Scarlet leave me to be with him?' His eyes darkened, 'No! Never! I won't let it happen! Scarlet is my fated partner! She can't leave me! The children...the children are the key. I have to let them recognize me as father as soon as possible. Right!'
Edwyn didn't know that at this moment a tiny little blackish red ball slowly approached him as if it was attracted by an unknown thing inside him. The blackish red ball was as small as one grain of wheat. No one noticed as this small ball penetrated through the smallest gap of his clothes and eventually blended with the left side of his chest. Edwyn himself didn't feel anything.
Anyway Edwyn looked at Dax and Nina, who were silent for a long time and was shocked to see the unhidden hostility in their small faces towards himself.
Edwyn,"....."
'Eh?! What did I do?', Edwyn was very puzzled. 'Are they angry because I am stealing their father's position? But, they are only five or six. How are they so sharp?'
At this moment, Dax and Nina were chatting vigorously inside their minds with telepathy.
Dax, ' How should we subjugate this pest?'
Nina, ' This stupid seemed to truly love our mom.'
Dax, ' But, I am not convinced!'
Nina, 'Neither am I!'
Dax, 'He is not worthy of our mom!'
Nina, 'He is weak!'
'He is so foolish!'
'He is not good looking enough!'
'He is so naive!'
'He is still the mother's baby!'
'He doesn't know the world!'
....
...
Edwyn didn't know that while he was thinking of if a vampire's child was smarter than a human's child, Dax and Nina had already found more than hundreds of faults in him. Thus two children and one adult stared at each other while their minds flew in completely different direction. Scarlet on the other side could only watch in amusement. Finally she stepped in between and introduced the twins to Edwyn. Otherwise she was afraid that they would stare at each other for eternity.
"Here is my son Dax and here is my cutest daughter Nina. Now that you know each other, let's go forward. I want to exit this peculiar realm as soon as possible."
Scarlet let Edwyn know about the Nightmare realm and cautioned him not to touch the red balls. Then, they began the journey.
The nightmare realm is always the same. There was no night and day. So they couldn't tell the exact time. Scarlet had already contacted Dax and Nina through her mind and had come to know the method about how to leave the place. They had to reach the centre of the nightmare realm, the exact point surrounding which the entire negativity of nightmare realm were circling. In this single small point equal amount of positive energy was condensed densely to maintain equilibrium in the nightmare realm. Surrounding this point negative and positive energy were constantly transforming into each other and thus creating an unstable zone. In this zone countless dimension holes were often formed connecting the nightmare realm to the living realm. These dimension holes were their target to reach the living realm.