Anna was taken aback when Leon had come to her room awhile ago and had told her that Xander wanted her in the garden.
She searched for the garden trying to remember where the garden was located.
After five minutes she came to stand before the garden. She sighed inwardly before she made her way inside.
She felt uneasy because she would have to stay in the company of her guardian alone for God knows how minutes. She couldn't help but wonder what he wanted to say to her.
His aura was frustratingly cold and his aura reeks of handsomely dangerous and compelling.
She didn't see him when she entered the garden.
She had thought the garden was small because Leon had only showed her the outside. She then noticed a path that she had not noticed when she was given a tour to the garden the first time.
She walked a considerable distance into the garden before she spotted him standing before rose flowers.
She stopped in her tracks as she contemplated walking any further or retreating her steps.
She was about to retreat when she heard his hoarse, majestic voice ask, "Are you going to stand there all day?"
She released a low gasp as he startled her and she was suprised he could sense her presence without turning his head. She had been very careful with her steps so he wouldn't detect her presence but he still did.
Anna walked to him, dragging her feet on the ground and her head bent downward so she would avoid looking at him.
"Leon said you sent for me" She muttered
"How was your day?" The question seemed casual and light but it felt so awkward coming from him.
Her answer came out as a murmur, "Fine,"
"Seems perfectly fine after being attacked by a casted demon" His words holding a hidden taunt as one side of his lips pulled up into a smirk.
She had almost forgotten about the casted demon that attacked her. His words were what reminded her of what happened in the morning.
Her eyes lifted a little and fell on the blue flower that stood out among every other flower in the garden.
Sensing her gaze on the flower, Xander squatted as his hand reached to touch a red rose.
"It's called a blue rose" Xander said as Anna's interest piqued more.
"A blue rose?" Anna asked and he hummed.
The blue rose was surrounded by red roses
which made it stand out.
The blue rose stood out because it was shorter and smaller compared to the other red roses and even without bathed in sunlight the flower emitted a gentle, pulsing light, illuminating the vibrant color.
"It is an ancient rose planted by strong bloodlines of demons or royal demons." He explained seeing how fascinated she was about the flower.
"The light..."
"It is a distinct feature of the flower," Anna had never seen anything like this before. She never really liked flowers but this flower piqued her interest.
Xander continued explaining, "Demons are one of the darkest creatures ever lived, the flower signifies the amount of light in a demon. Showing no matter dark a demon is there is still a little light in there" He pointed to the left side of his chest where his heart resided.
"Are you a demon?" Anna decided to ask after seconds of contemplation.
"Half demon, half supernatural," He answered her.
He wasn't a full supernatural. This information was really surprising.
No wonder his aura was very dark and he could apparate unlike the other supernaturals who didn't have this ability. She began to wonder how many more abilities does he have.
Anna squatted next to Xander as her hand reached out to stroke the flower but her hand was caught by Xander. She was caught off guard and a gasp escaped from her lips as she felt Xander's cold hands gripping her wrist firmly.
She looked at him and their blue eyes locked which Anna was quick to break. That was the first time they had ever made skin contact with each other.
She felt his hand loosen around her wrist and she dropped her hands. Anna was quick to rise to his feet as she unconsciously held her wrist where he had grasped still feeling his cold hands that held her wrist awhile ago
"Humans or any other creatures aren't supposed to touch it" came his words
She found herself stuttering a bit,"I-I didn't know."
She saw Xander's hand reach out for the rose as he stroke it.
She saw the flower flicker from blue to red. She thought she had blinked and had seen wrong but when Xander's hand went again to touch the flower, his hand lingered three seconds more than last time, she didn't fail to see how it turned from blue to rose for only three seconds.
But what Anna failed to notice was when Xander's hands made contact with the rose his eyes also changed from blue to red but was quick to return to his normal dazzling blue.
"Why did it change?" Anna asked
He rose to his feet and then answered, "Because my hand is stained with blood,"
Anna thought maybe there was blood on his hands and he needed to wash his hands so the flower wouldn't change again but she didn't know it meant something else.
She didn't know it meant he had killed people and not just anybody but innocent ones.
"The flower is fascinating and beautiful," Anna complimented the flower with a smile on her face.
"Were you bored today?" He quickly changed the subject.
"No" She lied
Her little lie didn't get unnoticed by Xander as he clicked his tongue.
"Then why don't you stay in the quarters all by yourself tomorrow?" Xander words were taunting which sent a shiver down her spine.
"No" Her reply was slow but a hint of sharpness lazed on her word.
"No?":Xander asked one of his eyebrows raised questioning.
"It was boring" She quickly admitted.
"It would surely be when you just sit in your room without looking for something to occupy yourself with"
'Like what?' Anna asked herself internally
As if hearing her thoughts he said "There are some fun places in the quarters that Leon did not show you"
"Places?" She was bewildered by his words.She couldn't help but feel uneasy at his words
"Yes, like the library" Anna's unease dissipated hearing his words.
And for the second time she had missed the underlying words of Xander.
"I heard you met your friend today" Anna was surprised that Leon had told Xander already about she meeting her friend.
She wondered if he also told him about the lunch she wanted to attend tomorrow.
"Yes" She made her voice as low as possible so that she would look very innocent but she was sure Xander wasn't the type that gets fazed by anyone's innocence
Xander commented, "It seems Leon had fulfilled your wish of going to the city"
Anna contemplated if she should ask him now. She raised her eyes to glance at him and saw his expression wasn't cold like when she had arrived from the city awhile ago or when she had met him yesterday or when he had refused her this morning.
This morning?
What if he refuses like this morning? Her heart began to beat loudly in her chest, thinking about the possibility of him refusing.
But this was the right moment. He had called her to strike a conversation with her and he also told her about the blue rose and she discovered he was just a supernatural but also a demon.
They had made progress with their relationship a little. Yes, this was the right moment
She looked up and at him, she clasped her hands into a fist and shut her eyes.
"I would like to attend dinner with my friends" Her voice came out louder than she expected.
Xander who had noticed the girl was struggling with words was about to dismiss her but was surprised when she finally spoke. A smug smirk appeared on his lips and was soon to vanish.
Xander refused, "No"
Anna whose eyes were shut, snapped her eyes opened at his refusal for the second time, today. Her tightened fist loosened as she had lost all hope.
Xander's next words gave her a reek of hope, "That was to get your attention. I don't like to talk to someone whose eyes are shut"
"So, you agree?" Anna asked already getting excited.
"Never said I had" Xander answered which made Anna tighten her fist again, unconsciously.
"Your knuckles are white already" She quickly untightened her fists at Xander's observation.
She didn't waste time to plead, "Please, just for a few hours and nothing else. It's a french restaurant and I love French cuisines."
"I promise I'll be good, I won't cause trouble. Leon would follow me o-or youu can" Her last words came out as a stutter.
"Follow you?" He asked like that was the only thing he heard.
She nodded her head.
Xander observed the anxious look on her face, he listened to every single beat of her heart beating very loud in her chest. He noticed how badly she wanted his yes.
"Alright"
Anna was stunned on hearing his answer as she almost screamed out of joy. She smiled and her smile only broadened more when she thought about savouring the taste of the dishes tomorrow.
She asked, "Really?"
Xander hummed and reminded her, "Don't forget your words. Don't get into trouble"
She nodded her head and thanked him.
He announced to her, "It's time for dinner. You should go now" He dismissed her as he needed time alone.
"Okay" She muttered before she left the garden. "
Xander watched her leave and then walked back to the little blue rose.
He saw the vibrant colour turn dull as his eyebrow raised
"I wonder why the colour was more vibrant than before and suddenly became dull again"