"Aargh!!!" Holly screamed in pain.
Her shoulders were sore, and her body began to limp. Holly knew her shoulder must be bleeding.
"What are you doing?" asked Holly in a trembling voice.
Holly could feel Felix's fangs digging deep into her shoulder. She tried to push Felix, but it was useless because her strength had dwindled. Felix's hands held her waist and became her only support to stand still.
Finally, Felix let go of his bite. He helped Holly to sit on her bed.
"Sorry," he mumbled softly.
Holly wasn't thinking properly, but she could clearly see the worried look in Felix's eyes. After he bit her, then he felt sorry?
This was the first time Holly had seen that gentle look in his eyes. Felix's sharp glare was completely gone. He was like a different person.
Felix took a knife from the fruit basket on the table. He quickly slashed his palm. His blood splattered on the floor.
"No!" Holly spontaneously screamed, seeing Felix hurt himself.
Felix didn't say anything. He turned back to Holly. His bloody palm rested on Holly's shoulder. Their blood mixed together.
"It's called scenting. I give you my scent. Now everyone knows that you are mine, and no one dares to hurt you. Unless they want to be killed," Felix said quietly.
Holly swore she didn't hear the coldness in his voice. Was this really Felix, the beast that had stabbed her yesterday?
[He wants to protect me?] Holly was confused.
Yesterday Felix stabbed her, earlier he bit her. Now Felix said he will protect Holly. What kind of creature Felix was? Holly thought Felix was more than just a werewolf.
"So now I smelled flowery like you too?" asked Holly doubtfully.
"Flowers?"
Holly noded. "You smelled like flowers."
Sweet, floral and addictive scent. Felix's scent was more complicated than that, but flower was the easiest thing to explain. And there was no way Holly would be honest about it to say that Felix's smell was very addictive to her.
Felix was still pensive. He walked away without saying anything, even though his face looked like he was contemplating something.
Felix took a handkerchief and gave it to Holly so she could wipe the wound. "Your wound will heal on its own later. It might take an hour or two."
"Do you have to bite me? Your fangs are sharp." Holly didn't mean to protest. But the wound still stung.
"It's the only way. Because I'm sure, you wouldn't want to do the mating with me."
"What is mating?"
Felix hesitated to answer. He turned his back to Holly. "Having sex." He answered slowly.
Holly's face turned red. She regretted asking. This bite felt better than doing what Felix called as mating.
"Are everyone in your kind have that scent too?" Holly tried to change the topic of conversation.
"Sure."
"Do I have it too?"
Felix didn't answer right away. He looked back at Holly. "Yes."
Holly's eyes widened. It turned out that it wasn't only Felix who had such a strange smell, but herself too.
"How do I smell?"
Apple caramel, sweet and delicate. Felix could smell it very clearly. All humans have the same characteristic scent. But Holly was different. At least only for him. This was the first time Felix smelled humans with a scent like this.
"You smell like a sheep," Felix said, then quickly left Holly's room.
Meanwhile, Holly was stunned in disbelief. She sniffed her armpit. It doesn't smell like a sheep!
"Annoying!" She pouted.
***
Holly lay on her bed, stared at the ceiling. She was very bored. She wanted to go out again and look around, but her shoulders weren't completely healed yet.
Holly got out of bed. She took off her dress and looked at the mirror.
With a gentle touch, Holly checked her wound. What Felix said was true. The wound closed itself. In no time, she will recover completely.
"So I am really immortal?" asked Holly in the mirror.
She didn't know whether to be happy or sad. Now no one can kill her. But living forever wasn't a good choice either. She wanted to live in peace, ageing like fine wine and die in peace.
Holly massaged her forehead. Everything got messed up.
Blaam!
Holly's bedroom door suddenly opened, not giving Holly a chance to put her dress back on.
"I prepared-"
"Ah!" Holly spontaneously shouted when Felix suddenly entered without permission. Her hands quickly grabbed the blanket to cover her body.
Felix, who realized that Holly wasn't wearing any clothes, immediately turned his back on her. From behind, it was clear his ears were red.
"Sorry, I don't know...." Felix can't find an excuse.
"You should knock before entering!" Holly hastily put on another dress before Felix turned around.
"Sorry," Felix said quietly.
Holly frowned as she adjusted the dress she had put on again. [Why does he often apologize?]
"I'm ready," said Holly.
Felix looked back at her. The red tint was still visible on their cheeks. They were caught in a very awkward atmosphere.
"I want to take you to dinner."
Holly nodded. She was starving because she hadn't eaten since yesterday.
"Enter!" Felix gave the code.
Several maids walked in in neat rows. Each carried a tray of food. Some set the table in the middle of Holly's room, turning the room into a cosy-looking dinner place.
"Why do we eat here?" Holly was a little disappointed. She wanted to get out of this room.
"Because we have something to talk about," Felix ordered all the waiters out after the food was ready.
Felix told Holly to sit down first. Holly looked at the food on the table. No salads or vegetables, all of them were meats.
Felix took the spoon. He tasted a little of each dish on the table. Holly watched him in surprise.
"I have to make sure this food isn't poisonous," Felix said, nodding his head when he felt the food was safe.
Holly was getting more and more surprised. Felix wanted to make sure the food was safe for her? It turned out that Felix really tried to protect her. After everything Felix did to her, this behaviour looked ridiculous.
"I can't die, Your Majesty."
"Yes, you can't. But trust me, swallowing poison is more painful than being stabbed." Felix said calmly.
Holly wanted to protest, but she chose to ignore it. She was too hungry to argue.
"I haven't introduced myself properly." Felix took a seat in front of Holly after he finished tasting.
"My name is Felix Knox. I am the King of Grisia. I have ruled this kingdom since I was 20 years old." Felix looked at Holly with a serious gaze, but at the same time, it was soft.
Yes, soft. Holly almost gaped at the sight. She couldn't predict Felix's personality, sometimes he acted like a beast, but then he acted like a gentleman at the other time.
[Maybe he has two personalities.] Holly guessed in her mind.
"No need to introduce yourself. I know who you are," Felix said as Holly was about to open her mouth.
"So, are you the beast that many people talk about?"
Felix glared at Holly's question. "Do I look like a beast?"
Physically, there was not the slightest part of Felix's body that deserved to be called a beast. But Holly agreed that Felix's character reflected a wild beast.
"So you don't eat humans? You won't eat me?" Holly looked at the food on the table, suddenly shivering at the thought of what kind of meats were those.
Felix looked shocked. "I don't eat humans. And honestly, you didn't look appetizing at all."
Holly smiled stiffly, not sure if she should be grateful or revengeful. "I'll take that as a compliment, Your Majesty."
Felix told Holly to eat. He could see her eager to bite a turkey in front of her. Holly took a piece of turkey and devoured it in a hurry without hesitation.
Holly sighed as the savoury taste spread in her mouth. She had not eaten this good in five years.
Felix smiled. He doesn't touch his food. Seeing Holly eating was a pleasant scenery for him.
But his smile disappeared when he saw how skinny Holly was. No wonder she was so light when Felix carried her yesterday. Anger overtook him again. How dare those humans did terrible things to a woman as beautiful as her. They must be blind.
Holly was about to grab another piece of meat when she realized Felix's gaze on her. "You're not eating?"
"I'm full."
Holly put her turkey down. Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment because she must have looked very greedy.
Felix laughed softly. "It's okay. You can eat them all. No need to hesitate. I understand your situation."
Instead of continuing her eat, Holly froze. Felix smiles! And that was the most sincere smile Holly had ever seen.
[I'm right, he's got a lot of personalities,] thought Holly.
Holly shook her head to come back to her senses.
"What do you want to talk about?" asked Holly, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"Oh! Right!" Felix cleared his throat. He almost forgot.
"I want to talk about our marriage."