Chapter 6: Blood and Bruise

Natasha's POV

The feeling of a hot breath touched the skin in my neck woke me up from my sleep. I opened my eyes and I flinched when I saw Valerian leaning on me with his eyes staring deep into my soul.

"W-what are you doing?" I stuttered as I moved away from him.

I don't want to be scared of him or even show signs of weakness but the way he's staring at me makes my knees wobble. He makes me nervous and I don't know if it's because of his aura or the way he looks at me or both. He's just really intimidating.

I just woke up and yet he managed to make my heartbeat erratic.

Everything about him screams danger in an unexplainable way.

"Are you hungry?" he asked as he stood up straight and put his hand inside his pocket.

I studied him and noticed that he was wearing formal office attire except his coat.

I shook my head.

I don't know what time is it already but I can see the rays of the sun shining through the window. And surprisingly, I'm not hungry. I don't feel any hunger or thirst-- the exact opposite of what I felt earlier at dawn.

When Valerian took me inside his mansion and told me that I couldn't leave, I protested at first because I don't want to be here but I eventually just go with the flow when I realized something; I can't go home because I don't have his head so I came to terms with living in his mansion and plotting his death until I successfully execute it.

I think I should be even truly thankful that he made it easier for me to plot.

His mansion is hella huge with a lot of things-- vintage things that look like it's been here centuries ago. And since he made me live here without asking for my consent, I get to choose what room to occupy and mind you, I chose a really pretty and big one. That's the least he can do to me after poisoning me with his blood and lying to me saying he's my mate.

He told me that he doesn't live here but his house looks so maintained. It's so clean and neat and looks like it's been really taken care of. The mansion has a unique style of old-fashioned style-like which makes it so elegant and beautiful. And I think the idea of Valerian Fenrir living in a home like this added to his devilish aura.

"Where are you going?" I asked when he turned his back at me and walked towards the door.

Valerian didn't answer and just directly went out of the room.

I gritted my teeth.

I honestly don't care about his whereabouts, where is he going, or the sh*ts he's going to do with his life but I'm still as clueless as a child to what I am supposed to do now in these times.

I hurriedly fixed myself and stood up from the bed and followed him.

Now, that I can clearly see the inside of his mansion, I was in total awe.

It's so breathtaking.

This place managed to dazzle me when it was dark and now that I can see everything crystal clear-- wow.

My mother used to tell us stories about our pack living in a cage and places that are not so flattering a hundred decades ago when there was still chaos between our kind, vampires, and humans. And, now that we're in civilization, I can't help but think how lucky we are because we didn't get to experience those.

We may be living in a small town now with a simple life and don't have the luxury like what Valerian Fenrir has, I will still choose that kind of life. With my family and friends. Every day may not be a good day but it's my life that I get to live.

"Where are you going?" I asked once again when I found Valerian in the dining room.

He didn't answer. He just continued to do his thing.

Why isn't he talking to me now?

Damn this bastard.

Valerian wiped his mouth using the table napkin when he was done eating and I just watched him.

He had steak on his plate that he finished now and a red liquid on his wine glass.

"Is that--?" I trailed off as I pointed to his wine glass.

He just simply nodded and drank from the wine glass like it wasn't a big deal. Of course, it's not a big deal, drinking blood is normal for their kind. It is their nature.

Now, I can't help but wonder where are his other kind. Seems like there's no one living here in this mansion and that means he doesn't have his family here.

I sat on one of the chairs at the long table. "Do you kill humans for your food?"

Valerian looked at me because of what I just asked.

I was hesitant to ask him that but I badly want to know where do they get the blood they're drinking. Do they just kill humans like it's a normal thing to do? That's horrible. And besides, we're already in a modern time, if someone goes missing nowadays or murdered, it will be a hot topic so I wonder how do they do what they do.

My gaze landed on his hand. It has a bite mark- my bite. And because I don't have a pair of sharp fangs like him, it looks so bad. It is bruising so bad and has like a yellowish and purple color. And it became more visible because his skin is as white as snow.

I shouldn't feel remorse. It's just a bite. It's nothing compares to the things he does; like kill human and drink their blood.

Valerian noticed that I was looking at his hand. "I usually can heal myself with ease but I can't heal your bite," he said as he quickly put his hand under the table.

"That just means you marked me, Natasha," he added.

I suddenly fell silent as my hand automatically touched the bite mark on my neck. So it won't go away? It will be here forever?

This can't be.

Valerian stood up from his chair and wore his coat.

He walked towards me and brought his face close to mine. "Yes, I kill humans and drink their blood but I don't mind drinking the blood of a wolf girl if I'm provoked. I go both ways."

I gulped unable to find the right words to say.

He stood up straight and fixed his coat.

"I'm leaving. If you're thinking of stepping out of this place, don't bother. I'm going to hunt you down, Natasha." He looked straight into my eyes. "Be good and don't tempt me to tie you in the basement," he warned before he turned his back at me like he didn't just say sh*t.

~*~

If my calculations are right, I was staring at the ceiling for about two and a half hours now.

When Valerian left after he said those words to me, I can't help but realized that I have nothing that guarantees my safety around him. He basically held me captive here in his lair and I have no idea what's going on in his mind which makes everything more dangerous for me.

Now, all I gotta do is obey him. Obey everything he's going to say and try to be close with him so I could know his weaknesses. And in able for me to do that, I have to pretend. I have to submit to him.

Sh*t.

I can't think of any other way- that is the only way.

My hearing is triggered when I heard the front door open downstairs.

I quickly stood up from the bed and walked towards the door.

It can't be Valerian because he doesn't even use doors here in his mansion. He would just always pop out giving me a heart attack.

"Valerian, are you here?!"

A voice of a woman filled my ears as she repeatedly call Valerian's name.

Who is she?

"F*CK!" I exclaimed when all of the sudden the woman is inside the room with me.

"Who are you?" she asked as she creased her forehead in confusion.

She stares into my eyes and tilted her head.

The confusion in her face grew further as seconds passed.

"You're not a human," she stated. "Why can't I read your mind?"

I can.

She directly looked into my eyes which made it easier for me to read her mind. She did the job for me.

"Valerian Fenrir's sister," I muttered.

"Who are you?" she asked once again as a smirk formed on her lips.

In a blink, she used her speed and tried to grab my neck but I was quick to hold her hand and cornered her in the wall.

Fear and shock strike her face when I successfully choked her and she failed.

"A-are you a vampire?" she asked stuttering. "But you don't smell like you are."

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

I didn't even get to answer her first few questions because she showered me with a few more new ones.

I gritted my teeth at her when I read nothing but violence in her mind.

And with that, I got triggered and my mind got clouded.

She started whimpering when my hand tightened around her neck.

"S-stop," she begged and tried to break free from me but she failed to.

"Let her go."

I heard someone speak behind me but my mind is locked into her thoughts.

My blood. She wants my blood.

"Let her go, Natasha." Hearing Valerian's voice snapped me back to reality.

She fell on the ground as she desperately gasped for air when I let go of her neck.

"Who the hell is she?!" she asked as she hissed at Valerian.

"What are you doing here, Elyse?" Valerian asked her back as he help her stand up.

Elyse. His sister.

"Who the hell is she?!" she asked once again. She's looking straight at me with her eyes piercing.

Valerian didn't answer. He grabbed his sister by the arm and they went out of the room leaving me just standing there.

Great, just when I thought my life is in danger by being around Valerian Fenrir, here's another one.