Jacquelyn gulped nervously, resigning herself to her fate. It was all over for her. Her cursed life would end in this cursed forest, and perhaps she'd become a lost soul, forever trapped. She hoped that in death, she would haunt those who had wronged her; her father, the ones who called her a cursed princess, and especially the cruel Governess, and-
"You look calm-"
Jacquelyn jolted back to reality at the sound of Kael's chilly voice, which sent shivers down her spine. She turned slowly to face the towering figure, his golden eyes blazing in the darkness. His gaze was fixed intently on her but then shifted to the dormouse, which squeaked annoyingly.
"For someone who is about to die..." Kael drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm, as he raised an eyebrow at the two tiny creatures.
Jacquelyn rubbed her eyes, trying to stop the tears, but they flowed freely as she spoke. "The lost souls...they were after me. If only you didn't kill anyone and tried to live a good life." Her sobs grew louder, and Kael's frown deepened, irritated by her crying and the dormouse's incessant squeaking.
He leaned forward, his face inches away from Jacquelyn's, causing her to take a cautious step back. But she didn't move further, trapped by Kael's hand, which now curled around her waist, holding her in place. "You were saying..."
Jacquelyn blinked, her heart pounding rapidly against her chest. She should have felt relief at seeing a familiar face, but instead, she was more terrified than ever. And to heighten her fear, the sky rumbled, showing signs of rain.
"T-that...I don't remember," Jacquelyn stuttered.
Kael's grin grew wider. "Well, you're in luck, because I do. Something about living a good life...let me hear you repeat it."
Feeling like the man in front of her was suffocating her, Jacquelyn tried to step back, but his grip around her waist tightened. She was trapped, unable to breathe.
The corner of Kael's lips curled up, amused by her struggles. Finally, he released her, but not before snatching the dormouse from her shoulder.
"I'm guessing this is what you got from hunting?" Kael taunted, dangling the tiny creature in front of her.
Jacquelyn exhaled shakily, relieved to have her space back. But her eyes widened in horror as she watched Kael hold the dormouse by its tail, raising it to his mouth.
"Yes...no..." she stammered, unsure how to respond.
Kael turned to look at her, with a small frown. "Yes or no?"
"I haven't seen Ballister..." she replied, avoiding the question. The truth was, she couldn't bear the guilt of feeding the innocent dormouse to her husband.
Kael hummed, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Ballister knows his way home," he said before opening his mouth wide, revealing his fangs. He was about to devour the dormouse whole.
"No!" Jacquelyn shouted, horrified by Kael's merciless actions. Even if she was going to feed him the dormouse, she hadn't expected him to devour it without hesitation.
Kael paused, still holding the small animal. He narrowed his eyes, "What?"
Jacquelyn pointed behind her. "There's something... chasing me... it looks scary... and..." She turned to glance over her shoulder, but the monster was nowhere to be seen. Jacquelyn's first thought was; what if Kael was the monster? How else could he have appeared in front of her, knowing their exact location? Turning her head slowly, she eyed him suspiciously.
Kael raised an eyebrow, sizing her up. "You don't appear scared to me," he remarked. Just as he raised the dormouse to his mouth again, a heavy flood of rain came pouring down, and the tiny creature slipped from his grasp, escaping into the forest.
Jacquelyn unknowingly breathed a sigh of relief as she closed her eyes, grateful that Kael didn't get to eat the innocent dormouse.
"You're grateful that my meal escaped..."
Jacquelyn blinked, wondering if he could read her thoughts now because if that was the case, she was bound to die by his hands after calling him a monster.
"That leaves me with just one option..." Kael's eyes locked with the sky, his face tilted upwards as the rain drenched him. His hair fell across his face, and droplets of water dripped down, soaking his shirt.
Jacquelyn rubbed her wet hands together, shivering in the cold. Her thin shirt offered little protection against the chill, and she could feel the cold seeping into her skin. "What option?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Kael smiled to himself, something evil lurking in his eyes. Without a word, he started walking.
Jacquelyn didn't need to be told that she had to follow him immediately. She trotted behind Kael closely, her eyes fixed on his broad figure as he walked through the rain-soaked forest. Despite the rain blurring her vision, she didn't let him out of sight. It was then she noticed the sharpness of his jawline and the way his black hair fell across his face. She had always acknowledged Kael to be handsome, but there was something about the way the rain framed his face that made her want to reach out and touch him.
As she struggled to keep up with his long strides, Jacquelyn splashed through puddles, sending water flying everywhere. Suddenly, another terrifying sound echoed through the forest, and she sprinted forward, her body almost touching Kael's as she desperately sought safety.
Upon reaching the castle gate, Jacquelyn couldn't tell how excited she was to see the castle again. She resolved in her mind that this was going to be her last attempt to do anything stupid, such as going hunting. She was going to find another way to stop her husband from taking blood.
Kael, sensing her presence behind him, could feel her wet skin almost touching his and her rapid heartbeat clearly audible despite the rain. As they entered the castle, he watched as the girl tried to dart past him to escape the rain, but his hand was quick to catch her by the neck.
"I don't think so," Kael whispered, his calm tone clearly heard through the rain. "Where is my meal going?" His honey-colored eyes glinted with sinister intent.
Jacquelyn's heart skipped a beat, feeling Kael's long fingers around her neck. She wiped the rain from her face. "M-eal?" the princess stammered, remembering his words in the forest; that he was left with one option. Her blue eyes widened in horror as the realization dawned on her.
"You were happy when my meal escaped...and that leaves me with...you." Kael's fingers curled around her neck, dragging her closer before she could react or understand her situation. They were inside the library room, where Jacquelyn had first witnessed Kael's bloodlust. She knew her fate was already sealed without needing to be told. As the thought of Kael's fangs sinking into her skin filled her mind, Jacquelyn shook her head, trying to dispel the image.
"I can't be your meal..." she pleaded, trying to reason with the man.
Kael's grin widened, amused by her desperation. "And why is that?" he asked.
Jacquelyn knew she had to use her brain with this one. "I am your wife...you can't eat me," she said, hoping to appeal to whatever humanity was left in him.
"Makes it even better," Kael's eyes darkened, his gaze fixed on Jacquelyn's chest as water from his hair dripped down, soaking into her already wet and transparent shirt.
Jacquelyn's legs trembled; she couldn't think of any culture or tradition where it was acceptable for a husband to eat his own wife.
"And...."
"And?" Kael asked, tilting his head, amused by the answers the girl was coming up with.
"And I'm wet..." Jacquelyn's voice trailed off, her words lost in the rhythmic beat of the rain against the rooftop.