After two hours a maid came in and offers her food once again and she had already changed her torn clothes into one that maid brought for her before as per her master's will. He surely had noticed the pathetic condition of her dress. Anyway, now she had freshened up and changed her red gown into a simple off shoulder black dress up to her knees which was strangely a perfect fit. She combed her hair and leaves them loose to her back with a front braid. Elena had food thrice in these two hours and now this was the fourth time. She was not feeling hungry so she denied. But maid insisted. She offered her several items every time more delicious, rare fruits or the expensive dry fruits. But she denied them all.
When the maid leaves she was once again alone in her room. Her mind was still wondering about her feelings towards him. She sat on her bed and kept thinking about it for long. Lost in thoughts her eyes shifted from floor to the door. The door was open and there stood the man. His arms crossed and a soft smile on his lips as he was looking at her. She could not resist herself and looking into his eyes got lost again. She got up from bed staring directly in his eyes and went on moving towards him until she stood in front of him. Elena was admiring him with so much affection that even he was not able to stop himself from enjoying her presence. They both were silent for a long time mesmerized by one another and enjoying each other's company and affections.
A plate slipped from a servant's hand and sound of it broke his revelry. He felt strange but smiled at the fact that Elena had no impact of this sound. Now also she was not in her senses. He lovingly came closer and after putting his lips closer to her ear whispered;
"How lucky I am that the most beautiful lady ever walked on earth who have face more brighter than moon, hair more darker than night, eyes like pearls protected by shell of eyelids, or lips as rose petals… is a captive of my charm. All of my regrets of being an immortal being ended in the bliss of this moment. It is worthy to live so many years to meet, to look, and to feel your presence. Even the angels up in the sky are surely envy of me this time as heaven is too deprived of such a fairy."
He took some steps back. She, hypnotized, put her left hand on his cheeks and feels his skin. With the felt of its warmth she realized that he was real and it was not a dream. At the realization she regained her senses and pulled her hand back nervously.
"Thee, here. In real, oh Jesus! What will be of me? So, you are here for me.... I mean for blood??? Oh! Foolish me….. Of course…" she murmured nervously.
She was unable to make eye contact as she feared that his inner emotions will surely get reflected by her eyes.
He moved inside the room. He walked while uttering the words;
"Today I'm not here for blood… I mean it is another reason but not the main reason of my arrival. Well! I think it's just an excuse to meet you. You have asked questions about my life and I answered it. I realized that I didn't have any information of you except your name. Now, I want to know about you...…"
"I don't know what you are saying...I mean why you are bothering to know about a feedbag of yours ….." She tried to be innocent.
"Oh! Please..... You are really different. And I said it before. That's the reason I suspected that you are not a citizen of Woodsow. Then where are you from? Why did you come here in this hell?" He asked.
"You are right. I didn't belong from here. I am from nearby town. I wish I have never set a foot on this land. I am here from some nine to ten hours. Actually, I am a rising singer hence; I am invited here to a party to sing. This is my first opportunity. I don't want to miss it. I came here and my life sucks." She screamed.
"You are a singer… nice. Well, wait a minute it is important to know who invited you as all the citizens of Woodsow knew it very well that once a human enters here can never go out. Who are they?" He concerned.
"What! Really then why the hell they invited me. Oh! Jesus is it a trap? Why anyone want me to be a prey of the monsters? I don't know anyone in Woodsow." She doubted.
"This is really important for us to know. You are not the only who is being invited to that party. Many mortals are invited and they are all outsiders. It is like someone knows about today's night before and planned all this. You need to get out of here soon. We have to find some way." The man spoke firmly.
"We? I don't even your name. You never consider me that important to tell. And how will I get out of here when no one can?" She complained.
"Oh! I never realized. I am so sorry. It's not like that. My name is Louis." He answered.
"Prince Louis. Wow, (people says what's in a name, it's simply they never listened the same. Oh! Your name.)" She sings it like a song.
"You surely have a voice as gentle as wind. But sorry we don't have time. Can you please take me to the place of the party?" He interrupted.
"Oh! I shouldn't ask it from you. Forget it. You are already very scared. Also I don't want you to get hurt. Pardon me." He quickly apologized.
She didn't say anything for a while. Then she changed the topic as if she won't like his words. She said;
"Now you get to know what you want. Have your food then." She herself clanged his dress's shoulder to her arms.
As he came nearer she got disheartened at the thought that she has to suffer the pain of bite again. Also, she don't like that he gulp her blood.
He stood in front of her. She closed her eyes to feel the pain but instead feel his hands putting the shoulders of her dress back into position. She opened her eyes and he slowly caresses her cheek and said;
"I know you are not doing this willingly but out of the deal. I rescued more mortals this time who are ready to give their blood to me happily for mankind. So, you don't need to do this anymore. You are free from the deal and you can stay here till the time you want."
He turned to go outside. But she stopped him;
"Wait! do you think I don't care for mankind. Yes I don't want you to suck my blood because I want you to...….. I mean but I can help you in another way. I really want to save them all. Even firstly when I got to know that you are rescuing mortals I felt grateful towards you. I will show you the place where party held to help you in saving humans."
"No, there is death dancing over the streets. I want you to be safe here. I do have some more people who knew about that house." He denied.
"They are also mortals like me. Are they some supernatural creatures who can protect themselves while I can't?" She taunted.
"They're not but I will always be there with them to protect. I save them even if it costs my life and the most important thing they know it and trust me with their lives." He explained.
She felt disheartened as his words cut her heart in pieces. Almost about to cry she in a sobbed tone spoke;
"If they trust you with their lives, I trust you with all my heart and soul. Even in the whole life my soul never intends to trust anyone else with this passion. Faith is hard to get but thee, like a magician got it so easily with all my heart just with the magic laid in your eyes. At first I feared from these two deep seas as they failed my movements, my words. I got hypnotized like drowned in them but now in this whole universe I only have belief in them. I can easily flow in them as it gives me strength; I forgot my surroundings and fears related to it while looking at them."
As a tear rolled down her cheek he quickly came to her and wipes the tear softly with his finger.
"I promise I will never fail your trust. Stop crying, we will go together on this adventure and I will make sure to amuse you with my bad sense of humor so that I made this right. Can I ever forgive myself to let tears rolled down on such an innocent face?" He realized his mistake.
After some time they started their journey by bidding farewell to all the people in the house. He also drank enough blood from a man. She had her food as well and they held each other's hand tightly as both were ready to face it all together.
Setting a foot outside made her realize that it was more difficult than she thought. The chaos and ruin increased per second. There were no humans and more beasts. They were attacking one another as there were no mortals to kill. Hence, it became more horrible to look at all these. Feral move towards them and Louis cared for them very well. Also he never dropped her hand from his in these small fights. As a vampire came towards Elena he started to act like she was his prey by pulling her close and put his lips on her neck. She felt uneasy but immediately understood the reason. As the journey continues, feral increased in number and even vampires noticed Elena and craving for her blood started chasing them. Watched the situation they started to run smashing all in the way.
This all was unexpectedly being more and more hard. It was almost impossible to reach the destination. She was extremely tired and exhausted. She was unable to run so he carried her in his arms and as per her instructions moved to the way. He hid her behind a tree and sat besides her breathing heavily. She saw his condition and concerned;
"You are not looking well. What happened?"
"It's nothing." He lied.
"Then why we stopped here? We have to reach there fast." She investigated.
"Because I swear to protect you and it is the only way left to do this. We have crossed some distance you just gave me directions from here. I continue the journey alone after covering you with the leaves." He narrated the plan.
"What had happened? Just tell me." She insisted.
"I am out of energy. I drank enough blood but these monsters are more than expected. I can't take me with you as I am unable to fight them both. I hardly can fight with some feral. Vampires attack made it more difficult and they are after you." He replied.
"But what if you lost your senses in between. Feral are more dangerous than their horrible face. What are you thinking? No I am not going to let you do this. You can simply have my blood. I know I am exhausted but you can easily handle and protect me whether I will be awake or not. Just have it." She proposed.
"No, I know you are not doing this willingly. Also I don't want to hurt you anymore. Don't worry about me. I can do this alone. Stay here and wait for me." He denied.
She tried to convince;
"You are thinking about my wish in this situation. I really didn't want to but don't be that kind. This is the matter of both our lives. Okay I won't stop you. But what if one of them finds me here? I got killed surely...…..
He stops her angrily and nervously;
"Don't talk such nonsense. I will hide you carefully. I swear to protect you with my life."
"You can't do this while you are not around me. There is no other way. I am unable to understand why are you not doing this? You had done it two times before than what's changed? Answer me." She insisted.
"Everything has changed. I won't harm you in any case. I can't I just can't...." He hesitated.
"Why? Did you want us both to be dead? Answer me. Why?" She screamed.
"I can't...…. I can't...…. because... because I have fallen for you. Now your pains, your sorrows, your feelings it all affects me. I am unable to hurt you. I don't know when it starts but I think it is just like this from the beginning. When I first saw you I forgot myself admiring you as I know you from a long time. It's not an attraction Elena, it is love. You are my destiny. I meant to be yours. A vampire's heart never beats hence; I can only offer you my soul that is waiting for you for so many years. It might be the reason I changed after my death so I can live to meet you one day. All my struggles of immortality are just some ways to find you. You are my peace that's why I never got it in almost from decades. You are mesmerized by me for what I am, so it intends to be. But I really felt something for you that is extraordinary without any limits. I want to change this whole world in favor of you. I promised to myself I won't give you any pain, sorrow or fear but only happiness, joy and freedom. I will make this right and find some way for you to get out from here safely. Let me go alone." He speaks lovingly looking straight in her eyes.
They stared at each other for a long time under the vision of full moon and swift movements of spine-chilling wind. Then she looked away nervously. And as she was about to spoke they got interrupted with sudden footsteps. They peeped from behind the tree to see lots of feral coming forward in their direction. Suddenly vampires jumped out of somewhere and joined them. They started quarreling and the survivor surely gets its prize by reaching them. They were not so slow but the war only gave much time. Louis and Elena decided to run but they both know it's not possible. Both were not in a condition to escape through chase.
"I really appreciate your feelings. But this is not the correct time. There is no way we can escape our fate. You need to do this if you want us to be alive. Only you can do this, Louis. You alone can protect me and you swear that, right. I know you don't want to hurt me but if you won't they'll do it. You have to do this -for me, Elena, your love. Lovers, while proposed, exchange tokens of love such as, rings, watches etc. as memories of those moments for the whole life. You bragged so much about your feelings and now, you need to prove it. Your beloved demands evidence as a token of your love." She insisted firmly.
What will Louis do? Do he prove his love to his beloved or find some another way? What will be the answer of Elena to Louis's proposal? What will be the fate of the couple? Tune in for next chapter of the novel. Find answers to your queries in chapter six.....
Thanks for reading....