5.

Holding the small novel in one hand, I lazily dragged my bare feet through the soft grass, feeling the warm breeze fluttering through my loose curls, the thin sunrays dancing in between the thick branches lightly caressing my bare shoulders and face as I strode straight towards my favorite, secluded place.

Sitting on the same fallen log, I opened the book once again from where I had left off, quickly losing myself in the beautiful romance story.

“...her heartbeat quickened, feeling his delicate fingers touch her bare skin, a burning fire erupting within her as his lips finally met hers, holding their passionate battle for dominance, his hard member-”

My lips escaped a small gasp, instantly closing the book in my lap, feeling my cheeks practically burn as I struggled to get rid of that sinful mental image, blankly staring somewhere in between the thick sea of trees.

A small, almost inaudible movement suddenly reached my ears, instantly drawing my attention and the moment I looked in the direction it came from, I saw her.

“Meliae...” I warmly smiled, gazing at the beautiful creature standing just a few feet away from me, her big dark eyes staring right back into mine as she simply stood still.

“Hi, beautiful...” I whispered, steadily walking straight to her then buried my hands in her soft, pure white short hair, feeling her warm muzzle rest on my shoulder as a sign of affection.

Closing my eyes, we then stayed planted like that for what seemed like an eternity, her warmth and positive energy seeping right through my skin, flowing inside my body like small rivers...

The soft flapping of wings suddenly disrupted the peaceful silence, my eyes instantly snapping open, seconds before that soft yet masculine voice reached my ears.

“Hi Red.”

Slowly turning around, my eyes met those jet black ones once again, noticing how he incessantly stared between her and I before so casually saying,

“That’s a very nice pet you have got there, Red.”

I frowned, feeling her also tense beside me as I quickly answered,

“She is not my pet.”

“She’s a forest spirit,” I then explained, taking a quick glance at her, my gaze softening as I gently caressed the side of her muzzle, earning an approving nod from her.

“Umm...She totally looks like a deer,” I heard him say, quickly turning my head to throw him a glare as I angrily shouted at him,

“She is not a deer!”

Insolent demon!

How dare he?

“Looks like a deer to me,” He repeated yet again, seemingly wishing to anger me even more, yet I did not give him that satisfaction. Instead, I simply closed my eyes, loudly exhaling before asking him,

“Why are you here? What do you want?”

“To hang out with my new friend,” He nonchalantly answered, giving out a small shrug, my features instantly contorting into a frown as I tried to say,

“What? I told you, we are not-”

“Not you, the deer,” He rudely interrupted, obviously trying to mock me even more as I noticed a tiny sign of amusement dancing on his finely carved features, my gaze lowering in defeat as I simply gave up, touching Meliae’s head once again before I quickly walked away, trying to get as far as possible away from his annoying self and as quickly as I could.

Only just as I was about to walk past him, warm, strong fingers curled around my arm, that same musky and spicy scent enveloping my senses just like the night I firstly met him, my eyes wide as two frying pans as I instantly realized he was touching me! Again!

Yet to my utter confusion, nothing happened. No weird visions, no nothing.

Thank the gods...

I breathed in relief, my head slowly turning to the side and upwards to meet those coal irises once again, almost cowering under their intensity, his hot breath fanning all over my face as he simply said,

“You haven’t told me yet what’s the other half, remember?”

I blinked a few times, watching him in complete silence, mentally contemplating whether to tell him or not...

If he keeps prying into my life like this, he’ll eventually find out anyway...

Letting out a small sigh, I took a small step back, creating that distance I so much needed between us, my gaze meeting his as I finally told him,

“I’m half fallen. My father was a fallen.”

Obvious surprise marred his features, watching me with pure interest as a single word tumbled out his lips,

“Was?”

“I don’t know anything about him. Not even his name...” I quietly admitted, lowering my gaze somewhere on the ground, before suddenly remembering,

“You seemed to know my mother though...How come?”

I stared up at him, gauging his reaction before he answered,

“Archangels often visit Olympus, having meetings with the gods...

Meetings that concern our common interest; humans.

She was only a child...the time I lastly saw her.”

Numbly giving him a slow nod, my mind travelled back to all those things I’ve read about him in that book I stole from mother -which I really have to place back before she finally notices, by the way- involuntarily letting my gaze travel all over his entire being.

kind... caring... affectionate...

“Seeing anything you like, Red?” His slightly amused, smooth voice instantly snapped me out of my drifting thoughts, lightly shaking my head, completely ignoring his annoying question as my own suddenly tumbled out my lips...

“What caused your fall? What did you do?”

Hurt. Sadness. Rage. All those strong emotions flashed in his eyes, faster than a lightning bolt and before I had the chance to take a second breath, his body was already so close to mine, finding myself suddenly pinned against the nearest tree, his strong hands firmly gripping both my wrists, efortlessly keeping them above my head.

“Don’t you ever ask that again,” He seethed, forcefully slamming my slender wrists against the rough, robust trunk, crushing them tighter in his palms, a small, yet audible whimper making its way out my lips at the stinging pain.

Suddenly, that weird look I only saw once before made its appearance once again on his angelic features, his breath hitching in his throat as he intensely stared at me for a few seconds, seemingly completely hypnotized before forcefully removing himself away from me.

“Fuck!” He growled, forcefully slamming his fist in one of the nearest trees, making it fall on the ground with a loud crash, my entire being now visibly trembling in pure fear, scared that he might try to hurt me as well.

Like a hungry predator, he then stalked right towards me, the intense look in those pitch black irises making my knees tremble even harder, my breathing becoming more and more labored as I carefully watched his evey move, too afraid to even make a single one of my own.

“Why is it every time I try to hurt you, I suddenly find myself wanting nothing more than fuck you senseless?” He asked between gritted teeth, standing way too close, my cheeks suddenly feeling so hot after that question, noticing the way his heated gaze switched between my eyes and lips.

Mighty gods...

My eyelids slowly fluttered closed, dreading of what could possibly happen next, his hot breath fanning all over my face being a constant reminder that he haven’t even moved an inch.

Seconds passed by, finding us standing rooted in our same spots, our mixed breathings being the only sounds disrupting the very tensed silence, until his smooth voice suddenly rang again in my ears,

“What are you? What is it about you that makes me feel so...attracted?”

No...I can’t tell him...I can’t...

My eyes slowly lowered somewhere on the ground, feeling a stray, small tear making its way down my cheek, all those horrible memories coming back to life inside my mind, causing even more tears to fall.

“Answer me!” He impatiently growled, roughly hitting the thick bark beside my head, my body giving away the slightest flinch at his actions. Yet, I did not dare to utter a single word...

“Listen, either you tell me what I want to know RIGHT NOW, or I’ll happily rip that dress off of you and fuck you so hard, that you won’t even be able to stand on your own feet.”

Hearing those words, my eyes instantly widened, letting out the tiniest gasp, my gaze now raising to meet those cold, hollow voids staring right back into mine, completely still.

No...he wouldn’t dare!

Would he?

Long, painful seconds passed by, neither of us making a single move, the strong, almost aggressive determination plastered all over his features ultimately making me realize he was definitely intending to fulfil his promise.

Gods...

Here goes nothing...

“I have... I...”

I finally opened my mouth, my entire body lightly trembling as I stared up at him, watching how his pitch black orbs incessantly roamed all over my face, expecting.

“I was born like this...My scent, my looks, are specially created to attract...to draw every living, breathing male straight to me...” I quietly started explaining, noticing how his thick, dark eyebrow rose, silently inviting me to elaborate.

“It’s a curse...” I numbly whispered, staring at my own reflection in those soulless obsidian gems.

“It’s like a monster living inside of me...

Like a bad spirit following me everywhere...”

“People are drawn to me...to the point where they lose their minds and actually try to hurt me...” My voice shook, feeling hot tears threatening to make their way all over my face once again as I recalled all those times I’ve been physically assaulted, all that because of this stupid curse.

“It’s always been like this...” I momentarily paused, choking out a small sob, balling my hands into fists at my sides as I struggled to continue.

“Everytime a human got close enough, they would always lose their mind, intoxicated by everything I represent...

And it would always end bad...

I never mean to do it...but I always end up hurting them...”

Small, hot rivers streamed down my face, unable to keep myself in check anymore as I slid down on the natural carpeted ground, hugging my knees to my chest as I loudly sobbed.

“And I hate it...I hate this!” I screamed between tears, pulling at my hair, not even minding about his presence anymore.

“I hate myself! I hate what I am...”

“Because I can’t stop it...I can’t...” Letting my head slump forward in defeat, I then rested my forehead against my knees, the sounds of my own sobs being the only ones disrupting the calm, silent air.

Long minutes passed by, my loud sobs gradually decreasing, until I finally managed to calm down just a little, raising my sight, only to notice he wasn’t there anymore.

Great.