"Freeze,"
That was the first word that came to Dahlia's mind when she witnessed the changes in Tobias. From the little she knew from movies, vampires were unruly creatures, and attempting to run would only arouse the hunting nature in them. Also, it was not like she could outrun him - she learned from her first encounter at the party.
So Dahlia stood still, incredibly still, but didn't break eye contact with him. She can't show she was scared of him else that would excite him. This plan of hers better works.
Tobias took slow predatory steps towards her, eyeing her all the while but her bruised arms were the center of attention.
"You're not bleeding much," He said in a tone that didn't sound like his, it was almost foxy - and certainly predatory like the big bad wolf.
Yeah, I bet you want me to bleed more, Dahlia said in her mind. She can't lower her guard.
In no time he was standing right in front of her and Dahlia forgot how to breathe.
"I should lick that, it would help you heal faster,"
Right now, Tobias looked like a conman to Dahlia. Who was he kidding? Lick what better? He only wanted a taste of her blood. Does blood make them lose their rationality? Or maybe just her.....?
That was when it hit Dahlia.
At the party, everyone's gaze rested on her with their snarling and hissing as if she was dinner and the best thing they had ever tasted. God, could it be that her blood had some sort of hypnotic effect on them? Was that why Tobias was suddenly this way? Was that what badbloods could do?
But then if that was the cause, Tobias can't take her blood. The name Badblood doesn't sound good and she recalled what happened to the last vampire that drank from her; he looked poisoned.
At once, Dahlia took a step back but Tobias was quick to grab her injured arm.
"Where are you going?" There was a sadistic grin at the corner of his lips.
Dahlia's heart began to pound hard, she didn't like where this was heading. If Tobias was to take her blood, something bad would happen to him and Dahlia didn't know how lethal that would prove to be. She can't take any chances with him because he was the only key to getting her to the capital.
Moreover, what if he takes too much blood and she ends up dying before he does. She could remember the way that vampire had greedily suckled on her neck as if he couldn't get enough of her. That experience was as painful as hell, she wouldn't want to go through it a second time. Nor was she ready to die, she had to get back to her earth.
"Tobias…."
"I would take just a taste,"
As if! Dahlia was not deceived by his lies. His eyes hardly left her arm even as he spoke. Tobias would suck her dry.
"No, you can't -"
But he already grabbed her arm and lifted it to his face, taking a deep sniff of her blood and looking like a fucking addict. Dahlia was scared for her life.
"Listen, Tobias, you can't take my blood, it's poisoned!" She yelled, hoping that would bring him back to his senses. But those warnings fell on deaf ears because Tobias was not listening.
He was close to bringing her arm to his lips when Dahlia pulled it out of his grip with all of her strength and then without warning, bit down on his arm instead so hard that she was close to tearing his flesh off. That is if his skin could be referred to as flesh because it was harder than the average human's.
But that inflicted enough pain on Tobias enough to wake him from the spell her blood induced him into. And one should see the confused and embarrassed look on his face when he realized what he almost did.
That embarrassment quickly morphed into anger and for a moment when he stepped forward, Dahlia blanched, thinking he was about to hit her or something. But all he did was growl a warning to her, "Stay away from me!"
And then, he strode away to wherever he came from leaving Dahlia stupefied and her heart banging hard in her throat.
Dahlia stood at that spot unmoving for a few minutes before she had the sense to run into the house else another demonic animal came after her nor was the furious Tobias here to protect her.
Once Dahlia returned to her room, she summoned the system in her mind immediately.
'Please tell me I completed the mission successfully'
[You failed woefully]
But she shook her head stubbornly, 'No, that's impossible. You said to spend time with him and I did that exactly. We conversed, that's progress.' she claimed.
[You spent time fighting with him. The purpose of this mission is to establish a good relationship between the both of you and hasten your departure from here]
But now, she ruined it all.
Wonderful Dahlia, you're as good as dead.
The rest of the day went by slowly but Dahlia didn't notice it because she was eaten up with regret, coming up with numerous ways things would have gone better.
Even at dinner, she didn't have the appetite to relish the delicious foods Juliet prepared for her and went back to her room.
In this world, Dahlia realized time flowed slowly because she literally had nothing to do. She just laid on her bed, staring up at the ceiling when a knock came on the door.
Lost in her thought, she didn't hear it the first time until the figure stepped inside after the second rasp and she sat up with a startle upon seeing Tobias. That was unexpected?
"I'm sorry for my behavior earlier," An apology was the first word he rendered to her leaving her dumbfounded.
It was hard to see men like him in her world and if he wasn't an NPC, she would have considered dating him.
Damn, where did that thought come from?!