Chapter Four - You can

Luxiana Sommeris

Damien was silent for a moment before a dark chuckle escaped his lips. “You can make me disappear once I’ve satisfied your desires,” he said, his voice low and filled with promise.

I shook my head, clenching my fists tightly as frustration rose. There were too many things about him that didn’t make sense—his existence, his presence in my life—but something he mentioned earlier lingered in my mind, something I couldn’t shake.

“My necklace…” I began, my voice faltering as I searched for the right words. “You said something before. You thought my bloodline was lost—what did you mean by that?”

Damien’s eyes darkened, his gaze sharp and intense as he interrupted me. “I can only tell you if you feed me,” he said, his tone smooth but carrying an unmistakable edge. His stormy blue eyes seemed to gleam with a dangerous hunger.

“I—I have food in the kitchen,” I stammered nervously, regretting my question almost instantly. “You can get something there.” 

My instincts screamed at me to back away, but something about him made me think he knew more than he let on, something I needed to understand.

He stepped closer, his calm demeanor unsettling. “I don’t need food from your kitchen. I need to be fed by your desire,” he said, his voice steady, as if this were the most natural thing in the world. “And to do that, I must do something to you.”

A chill ran down my spine. “I told you to stay away from me,” I bit out, my voice trembling as I bit down on my quivering lip. 

The night seemed to stretch endlessly before me, each moment dragging as I longed for this strange, terrifying encounter to end. I wanted him gone—wanted him to vanish like a bad dream.

“But I can’t,” he said, his voice soft yet unyielding as if my words held no power over him. He stopped in front of me, his presence overwhelming. 

“You called me here, Xiana. You’re the one who summoned me.” His gaze pierced through me, and for the first time, I felt something sharp tug at my heart—an unexpected pang of guilt.

It was then that I truly understood—no matter how dangerous he seemed, there was no escaping him now. My subconscious had led me down this path, drawing me to him, whether I was ready or not.

“C-Can you please just give me more time? I need to get to know you first... I-I also need to prepare myself,” I stammered, a heavy sigh escaping my lips as the weight of the situation settled in.

Damien's eyes gleamed with an intensity that made my pulse quicken. “Are you saying you're giving it a chance?” he asked.

I nodded slowly, fully aware that this moment, this decision, would linger in my thoughts, haunting the quiet of my peaceful nights. 

“Yes... just give me time to process all of this. I need to think it over.”

What happened next took me by surprise. In the blink of an eye, he was standing right in front of me, and before I could even react, I found myself gasping as his arms enveloped me in a tight embrace. 

His lips pressed gently against my forehead in a gesture so intimate, it made my heart stutter. I felt every beat of it, hard and fast, as if it was trying to break free from my chest. This was what happened when you had been single for what felt like your entire life.

“Can we at least start with a kiss?” Damien's voice was almost pleading, raw, and vulnerable in a way that tugged at something deep inside me. “I'd grow weak without feeding on you.”

I tried to step back, to push him away, but my strength faltered. It wasn’t enough—not against him. “I-I told you to give me time... I-I can’t—”

“Just a kiss,” he whispered, cutting me off. His tone softened, almost breaking through the barriers I had carefully built around my heart.

I stared into his stormy blue eyes and wished I hadn’t. The moment our gazes locked, it was as if I’d been hypnotized, every rational thought slipping away. 

I couldn’t speak or move, except for the inevitable pull of our faces moving closer together, an invisible force drawing us in.

My heart pounded harder, each beat ringing loudly in my ears. I wanted to run—to get away before he could hear how fast it was beating—but I didn’t. Instead, I closed my eyes, surrendering to the moment as our lips met.

For a while, the kiss was soft, still. Time seemed to stand still with our lips pressed together until he began to move against mine, the sensation stealing the breath from my lungs.

I parted my lips to protest, to say something—anything—but in that split second, he took advantage of it.

His tongue slipped inside, brushing against mine, and I was almost overwhelmed by the rush of pleasure it brought me. 

Bewildered, I found myself lost in the kiss, caught in a world I hadn’t been ready for yet couldn't escape from. He moved away before his hands started roaming around my body while I was catching my breath.

He made sure I saw the way he licked his bottom and upper lip as if he was telling me that he would savor what we shared a while ago.

“Tastes like strawberries. See you later, Xiana.” As those words left his lips, my eyes shot open wide, jolting me out of the dream.

I lay there, breathing heavily, the remnants of that surreal encounter still clinging to me. It felt too real, too vivid, like a lingering touch. 

This was enough to drive anyone mad. Shaking off the strange sensation, I decided to rise from bed. I had work today, and the last thing I wanted was to trouble Margaret again.

I slipped into my long white skirt, paired it with a cropped green blouse, and padded across the room to find my sandals. 

Pausing before the mirror, I caught my reflection—emerald eyes staring back, fair skin still faintly flushed from the dream. 

My deep chestnut curls tumbled down my back in soft waves, though I would have to tie them up for work soon. The thought of work grounded me, pulling me back to reality.

With a soft sigh, I slung my bag over my shoulder and went to the city library. On the way, I grabbed a quick breakfast, the familiar rhythm of the morning routine helping me shake off the lingering haze from the dream. 

When I arrived at the library, a small smile tugged at my lips. The familiar scent of books, ink, and parchment hit me like a comforting embrace, filling me with a sense of peace.

“Xiana, are you feeling better now?” Margaret’s voice floated from behind, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned to see her, a kind smile lighting up her face.

“Yes, I'm better now,” I replied, offering her a smile in return. “Sorry for causing you trouble the other day.”

Margaret chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Oh, don’t worry. You’ve been working so hard, you deserve a break or two.”

Her words were warm, and I couldn’t help but bite my lip, a bit embarrassed by the fuss. But Margaret’s kindness was like a balm, soothing the unease I hadn’t even realized I was carrying.

“By the way, we have a new hire starting today,” Margaret mentioned casually as we made our way toward the main office.

“Really?” I perked up, a spark of excitement flickering inside me. “Does that mean someone will be taking care of the second floor now?” The thought of having more time to tidy up the first floor was strangely satisfying.

“Yes, but not for long. He’s waiting for an offer, he has nothing to do so I let him work here for a while.” She explained. 

“And take note, he’s handsome,” Margaret added with a playful grin. “I’ll try to set you up with him.”

I shook my head, already tired of where this conversation was heading. “No, we are not going to that topic today,” I sighed, feeling the weight of her matchmaking attempts. Margaret only chuckled, her laughter light as she gave my shoulder a friendly tap.

“But you should start meeting people, Xiana,” she said, her voice carrying a trace of concern. I could tell she wanted to push the subject further, but instead, she kept it simple.

“If I wanted to meet someone, I’d have already tried,” I replied, my tone more honest than I intended. “It’s just not something I’m interested in.” 

I noticed that familiar look of worry flicker across her face again, the one that appeared whenever the topic of my love life came up.

“Are you sure you don’t want to give it a try? I swear, he’s very handsome,” Margaret pressed, but I simply shrugged, brushing off her comment.

As we arrived, I stashed my things in my locker, aware of a presence behind me. I could feel someone watching, quietly observing my every move.

“Hello, you must be Luxiana,” a velvety voice cut through the air, smooth and unexpectedly soft. I turned around to find a young man standing there, his blonde hair slightly tousled, and thick glasses framing his face.

“Hi, yes, that’s me. You must be the new hire...what’s your name?” I asked as I absentmindedly pulled my hair up into a bun.

“Antonio, but just call me Anton,” he replied, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I won’t be here long though. Madame Margaret was kind enough to let me work here while I wait for my job offer.”

“Yeah, I heard it from her. Nice to meet you, Anton,” I said, extending my hand. He shook it warmly, and I could feel the sincerity in his grip. 

“Margaret has a big heart like that. Just wait for me, let me show you around.”

Anton waited for me before I started showing him around, especially the tasks he needed to do while staying here.

“So if you get hungry, there’s food just near the library if you didn’t bring any snacks along with you,” I said while we were concluding our task distributions.

Anton nodded, “Thank you, Luxiana. I appreciate you for this. Would you like to grab some snacks right now?”

I was about to shake my head but thought about what Margaret said. Maybe…I should try to interact with people so I can meet them.

“Sure, why not? I’m famished.” I said, knowing that I had gone to buy a meal before I arrived at the city library an hour ago.

To be continued…