Chapter 3. A deal

Lars looked down at the woman who had been his wife of three years. The hair obscured the red pupils, unable to see the emotions.

Just as Lars was about to open his mouth, a gentle breeze blew in from the window, causing the delicate curtains to be lifted, opening the way for moonlight, the only source of light now.

Under those white rays, a mysterious blue appeared right in front of Keelin's chest.

Lars did not push her away, he got down on one knee, reaching for her neck.

Noticing Lars' unusual behavior, Keelin jumped. She let go of his hand, and hurriedly stepped back, looking at the person in front of her with warning eyes.

“Lars… you… what are you going to do to me? I tell you, even if I die, I wouldn't choose to die that way." Keelin said panicking. Her mind automatically recreated the footage of the other man being grabbed by Lars and sucked his blood to death.

Keelin's face was white.

She did not want to die, and she did not want to die like that.

“Calm down.” Lars' voice turned unusually gentle.

“How can I be calm right now!” Keelin almost shouted.

 The person she loved with all her heart, the husband who lived with her for three years was a vampire, a bloodsucker to maintain life. So, tell her how to calm down.

Keelin sobbed in helplessness.

“Please Lars… I know I was wrong, I shouldn't have seduced you, shouldn't have tied you up, shouldn't have used that first night to take away your freedom… shouldn’t love you…”

“Stop, Keelin Morales ... please stop!” Lars snapped.

“I do not allow you to say those words. Keelin, I'm not going to kill you, how could I do that to you?” Lars' arms wrapped around Keelin's shoulders, his voice carrying an undetectable tremor.

Keelin forgot to cry because of Lars's words just now. She opened her glittering, watery eyes and looked at the man opposite with amazement.

He never told her that. Never before.

Lars lowered his head slightly to hide his red eyes, he took a deep breath and said,

"So that, Keelin, can you calm down now?"

Keelin nodded slightly. Her panic had passed. No matter what, Lars is still the person she once loved and trusted the most in this world, the moment she was close to death, it didn't matter if she believed one more time.

As if sensing that nod, Lars loosened his grip.

“Tell me, where did you get this necklace?” Lars held up the teardrop necklace.

Keelin subconsciously put his hand in front of her chest, not knowing how he managed to get her necklace.

But it doesn't matter how and for whatever reason, what matters now is Keelin's little life. She did not dare to hesitate, but immediately replied:

“This is… when I was ten years old, a man gave it to me”

“Why did he give it to you?”

“Because I saved his life.”

Lars was silent.

His face was covered by his hair so Keelin couldn't see his expression. Because of that, she was extremely worried, just afraid that she would say something wrong and then immediately draw blood.

Suddenly, Lars looked up at Keelin, a familiar face with a strange expression that Keelin had never seen before.

He smiles, smiling mouth, smiling eyes, a light smile that comes from the heart and carries affection. The red color of his eyes seemed to become brighter because of the joy in his heart.

Keelin stopped in surprise, whole body still in a statue-like posture.

"Kee, I'm not going to kill you, this is Lars Ramos' oath of honor," Lars said, the smile still not completely gone but the words carrying a surprisingly firm look.

Keelin seemed to have received an amnesty, her whole body breathed a sigh of relief.

But before Keelin could regain her usual composure, she suddenly fell into an embrace. A familiar scent hit her nose.

Keelin immediately felt tense:

“Lars, you… you said you wouldn't kill me”

“Yes, but I did not say I would let you go.”

Keelin raised an eyebrow, her eyes barely meeting the lips that she had been infatuated with day and night.

"What do you mean?" Keelin asked

“You already know my true identity. You think I'll let you run around after this happens? No, of course not” Lars whispered in Keelin's ear.

Keelin shrank back involuntarily.

Lars laughed lightly, he tilted his head, bit Keelin's earlobe lightly, and said:

"Kee, you've taken three years of my marriage. From today, give it back.”

Keelin pushed Lars away, who shivered in disbelief:

"What did you say?"

Lars stood up, straightening his collar, and said:

“Now, I can open the door and let you out right away, instead, you have to agree with me on three conditions.”

“Three conditions?” Keelin was starting to feel like she was being tricked. She forced herself to stand up.

Lars nodded:

"Right. First, don't tell anyone about my true identity."

"Okay" Keelin immediately agreed, she was lucky to be able to save her life, without him reminding her, she did not intend to say it.

“Secondly, you will continue to be my wife for another three years.”

Without giving Keelin time to refute, Lars continued:

“This is just an oral promise, it's not certain that I can control your mouth at all. If I don't let you be by my side, I'm really insecure."

Keelin silently looked into the darkness. What Lars said was not without foundation, she really couldn't control her mouth. Whenever something happened, even if it was a shocking secret, she couldn't help but tell it all to Eira.

For life, Keelin finally nodded.

She's been here for three years now, three more years won't matter.

Lars smiled with satisfaction.

“And the third thing?” Keelin asked.

“I can't think of it right now, I'll tell you later.”

Lars took a step forward, and Keelin took a step back. Until her back hit the door, he raised his hand, perfectly forming an angle around her.

Feeling the familiar scent of perfume mixed with the smell of blood, Keelin began to tense up again.

“You… what are you doing? stay away from me for a bit. Didn't we make it clear already?”

Lars leaned down slightly, his eyes looking straight at her eyes’ height.

“Kee, remember. If you break this deal, I'll keep you locked up in this room for the rest of your life. You won't be able to see friends and family, won't be able to shop freely. You know ‘what’ I am, so you know what I can do.”

Keelin nodded vigorously

At this point, Lars just left her. He took a step back and said:

“Everything will be the same, now you can go.”

“You… keep calm. I'm leaving now," Keelin said quickly and immediately opened the door and ran out.

Watching the shadow of the girl running away, Lars's lips curled up slightly:

"Kee, I have given you the freedom you want. You want to get into this cage yourself. Can't blame me."

Finn glanced back and forth, he breathed a sigh of relief before carefully walking to the side of the half-open door of the room.

Seeing Lars standing silently looking in the direction Keelin had just left, Finn asked worriedly,

"Sir, how are we going to handle this?"