BAFFLED-E

`How was your day, Astrid?', he held her hands and eyes her lips, licking his lips hungrily.

Astrid nervously chewed her bottom lips, and told him she quit her work, citing last term of her school.

`Why work and quit less than a month'?, Ace eyed her suspiciously.

`Enlil, he says I need to build up my stamina and fighting skills', she accidently told him the truth.

`Astrid, are you hiding something from me? You don't need to fight. Just stay with me-'

`Ace, with due respect, you've yet to confirm our relationship, meeting in places like this and your work, my safety, I thought you said you wanted discretion?' Astrid was confused with the direction of their relationship.

`This damn heart is adamant to lock you up and keep you for my eyes only.' Ace kissed her palm lovingly.

`Don't stress over it, I prefer going at a slower pace, at least I get to know you better', she pinched his cheek.

`Does this mean we have more time to date and cuddle?' Ace flirted. `Keep your damn ears covered Gordon, I heard that', he turned to Gordon who had snickered. Gordon did as told.

`You are intimidating', she pointed at him. Ace closed the gap between them and asked `Am I intimidating you now?' his arms around her now.

Ace nudged her closer, when his driver parked the car at Grand Park's secluded parking area and both ejected themselves, standing guard outside of his car before Ace snaps at them.

`You made a mouse of them. They scurried away before you trap them', Astrid chuckled, her voice like a sweet melody of nightingale.

Ace brought his fingers close to her chin, his other hands drawing her waist to sit on his lap, startling her. `May I?' he brushed his lips against hers. She pecked his lips hurriedly.

`Oh, no no no. You are doing it all wrong. Let me do the work, you just relax', he flashed a seductive smirk at her before smashing his lips onto hers. His expert mouth claimed her lips in a series of tantalizing soft kisses, his warm mouth sending jolts of electricity to her brain, turning it mushy.

Astrid never got tired of his kisses, they hooked her like a drug fix, giving in to his demanding kisses to feel high on cloud nine. His teeth grazed her lips and his sharp canine bit on her bottom lip, and she gasped. He slid his tongue inside her mouth and drank in her sweetness.

She felt fireworks explode in her belly, and held his neck, encouraging him to kiss her harder and rougher. Her heart lurched madly; pulse increased erratically. His hands roamed all over her body, squeezing her waist, forcing her to straddle him and feel his bulge.

Astrid was reeling from his passionate kiss, too stumped to notice anything. She tried to match his fervour, but Ace kept control, doing things with his tongue inside her mouth, arousing her desire from the pit of her stomach.

Astrid's knees buckled under his tantalizing kiss and he gripped her butt cheeks in place. She moaned at his touch, the warmness of his lips, his hot breath fanning her cheeks in contrast to his cold long fingers. She moved closed to him until their heartbeat in rhythm, each fall and rise in tandem.

Her soft lips and intoxicating scent obliterated every thought and focused solely on the angel sitting on his lap. The worries of work evaporated like water puddles under the scorching hot sun.

When his lips ravaged hers without mercy, he did it with no wish for it to end. His knuckles, gripping her butt cheeks turned white when his fingers dug further into her skin and she flinched slightly. Ace slowed his pace and she pulled back; passion evident in her eyes.

He smiled and flashed his white canines, before tugging her lips with his teeth as she tried to compose herself. Unsatisfied with his sexy mouth touting her, she unbuttons his shirt. His eyes brows stretched upwards and his eyes glinted with lust, wondering what this kitty had in mind. His large hands ran up and down her spine in comforting strokes.

She pushed his shirt apart and stared at his chiselled chest, her fingers ran through every indention, feeling his tout muscles. Without warning she started kissing and biting his chest before soothing it with her tongue. Ace groaned and close his eyes with his palm. She was teasing him.

Astrid moved upwards and gave him open mouthed kisses starting from collar bone to his Adam apple, tracing his jaw with the tip of her tongue, she felt a sudden urge to bite him, her canines elongated slightly without her knowing and she bit him hard at his neck, just below his ears. She clamped down and drew blood.

Ace froze as if a bucket of cold water poured over him. He held her wrists. Wasn't she a human? Why is she drawing my blood? Astrid slowly let go, eyes glazed and darken. When she saw the 2 puncture holes on his neck, she almost dropped from his lap.

`Astrid, what did you do?', Ace pulled her chin up to look at her. Astrid looked at him in horror.

`Your eyes, Ace', she was terrified. Ace quickly looked at his reflection on the mirror and cursed under his breath. His pupils were dilated, and his irises had streaks of dark amber contrasting with violet. He blinked and rubbed his eyes several times, but it remained the same.

`Ace…', she helped him to button up and he knocked on the passenger window twice to notify Gordon to come inside the car and drive.

`Shhhhhh...We will figure this out ok', he hugged her snugly, lost for words. His heartbeat was anything but calm. He dropped her at Route 3 bus stop and kissed her goodbye, both eyeing each other with worry at the recent turn of events.

Astrid reached home only to find Enlil missing. She regretted quitting her work, wondering when Enlil will get a mobile. With his caveman attitude she wondered how he still manage to attract the fairer sex.

`Astrid, as soon as you finish your dinner, study the books I got for you. Enlil is out. He left for town', pop laid on the rocking chair and rocked himself to sleep.

Astrid ate her dinner of fried rice and chocolate milk before going to her storage room. She needed distraction. She could not help to wonder what made her bite him? I hope not the lust. But we have kissed many times before? I thought I was human. Her mind started running a mile a minute. She went to her storage room to divert her attention.

She looked at her jars of oils and started mixing and matching some for sale tomorrow. She tried a new formula of eucalyptus oil and tea tree oil for cold and allergy symptoms. She made another complex mixture of eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, lavender oil, grapeseed carrier oil and sweet almond carrier oil. After smelling them, she made several batches.

Astrid refuse to go near the jasmine and rose oil, her mind involuntary going back to Enki, bringing up all unwanted thoughts.

She started reading a book on controlling the winds, types of weapons that can me made from wind, including animals in shape of winds. She was astonished that the wind can conjure such things. To her amazement, wind can me made into shapes of arrow to attack enemies.

Enlil, reached home and passed by Astrid's room, who was immersed in a book at hand.

`Astrid? Aren't you asleep?'

Astrid jumped of shock.

`Can't you be more human like? I didn't even hear you', she glowered at him.

Enlil was amused at her reaction. `I am light at my feet'.

`I got a new phone. And a new number.' Enlil saved his name under Wind God Enlil.

Enlil noticed her silent stare and her biting her lower lips nervously.

`I..I have something to say, but don't judge me. You mentioned my father as a vampire. Does that mean I am half vampire-half human?'

`Yes. But your vampires genes has been dormant-'

Astrid cut him off `Not anymore'.

`What??!', Enlil was taken aback.

`I met Ace after work and we were you know making out in his car', she spoke just above a whisper and looked away from him, embarrassment creeping at her cheeks.

`And?', Enlil did not look happy. His jaw was tight.

`And I bit him, maybe I drew his blood in the process. Just a tiny wee bit', she tried to make herself small because by the look Enlil was giving her, her gut told her she was in trouble.

`But you know what his eyes changed to amber. I mean when I left him, the amber stripes were still visible.' She concluded quickly.

Enlil took a moment to digest this fact and rubbed his face with his palms. He went quiet after that.

`Enlil', she touched his arms.

`Sleep well, kiddo. We talk tomorrow', he patted her head and took long strides to his room, leaving Astrid with an open mouth and a bagful of questions.