Chapter 3: Prisoner

Kharis woke up early in the morning. Her headaches like someone punch her head into the wall. Caressing her head, she remembered something. Something happened. 'Is it just a dream?' she thought. Last night, a near-death experience happened to her house. 'My house!' she exclaimed to her mind. Looking around where she currently is, she seems like in a fairytale. 'This bedroom is magnificent. Looks like a queen used this bedroom.' she thought to herself. "Where am I?" she asked aloud. "At last, you're awake" someone spoked from a dark corner of the room, a man. "Who are you? Why am I here? Where am I?" "One question at a time, Young lady" he answered. "Ciro? Is that you? Were we kidnapped?" after Kharis saying those words, Ciro came out from the darkness. "Are you all right?" Kharis asked when she felt that there is something, changed. Kharis walked right up to Ciro holding his face and asked "Are you hurt?". Ciro felt the love through Kharis's touch which made him stiffened for a moment. "Answer me, Ciro? Are we going to die here? If we are, I don't want to be violated." She said with teary eyes looking straight to Ciro's. That moment, Ciro remembered the rogue vampire molesting his beloved his eyes turned crimson. Yes, beloved. He couldn't believe at first that after a millennium he found his beloved but a human. Might cause a lot of disagreement from the jury. However, no one can touch what is his. Kharis saw Ciro's eyes changed. Her memories began to flashback at her. 'A vampire' she thought. 'Will he hurt me? A vampire killed my parents. A vampire will end my life as well?' she keeps on talking to herself without knowing that her thoughts are not hers any longer.

Kharis keeps on stepping back away from Ciro. While Ciro is just looking straight to her eyes with the crimson eyes glowing. "Please, don't-" Kharis's words were cut off when in one snapped, Ciro is holding her waist and her face. Caressing them. Making her feel that's she's safe with him, forever. "I will never hurt my Deity," Ciro said while deeply looking at Kharis's eyes with longing. "You are mine. Mine alone. Nothing in this world can hurt you now" he added. Kharis frown in confusion and once more, stepping back from Ciro which made him frown as well. 'Don't step away from me' he thought. Kharis covered her mouth in shock. "What did you-but how?" Kharis asked out of confusion. "I can hear your thoughts? If that-" "I can hear yours as well" Ciro cut off. "I-I don't understand" "You will soon enough" Ciro tried to reach for Kharis's hand but she moved away. Ciro felt his heart ached a little seeing Kharis avoid him. Scared. Kharis looked at him as if she felt it too. "I will give you time," he said. "I want to go home. Now." Kharis protested.

Ciro is just looking at Kharis's eyes and answered coldly "No." "What?! Why?!" Kharis angrily asked. "This is your home now-" "No! This is not my home. This is YOUR home! My home is where you took me from!" with that said, Ciro cornered her and pushed her against the wall. "Leaving me will leave a hole in your heart. Sorrow will kill you, My Deity. Our life is now tied together. So, you are mine" Ciro whispered in Kharis's ears making her shiver. Kharis can't push Ciro away. He's too strong for her. Ciro started to roam her body. Kissing her neck. Kharis trying her best to push Ciro away is no good. Ciro holds her hand and pinned it against the wall above her head. "Do you know what will make you stay?" Ciro said and without a second thought, he bit Kharis's neck "Hmp" she cried and tried not to make a sound to not to satisfy the man in front of her. Ciro embraces her waist and pulls her more and leads her to the bed. Lay her down while feeding on her. Kharis doesn't know why she felt aroused while Ciro is feeding on her. It felt like she's made for that purpose. Satisfying him. "Please, stop" she cried. Ciro just ignored her plead and lick her neck. "Desire. That is what will make you stay. Uncontrollable desire. For me" Ciro said while caressing her shoulder down her hand. Ciro licked her pulse and gently bit it. A moan escaped her mouth. She was going to cover her mouth to avoid it but Ciro stopped him. Ciro feeds on her pulse while looking at her eyes. Kharis is losing her consciousness from feeding since she is just a human. Ciro stopped and lick her pulse.

Ciro liked what he is seeing. A smirk formed on his lips. He kissed Kharis's lips and moved above her for dominance. Kharis is too weak to say a word while Ciro is roaming her body without her consent. Tears escaped from her eyes. Ciro stiffed for a moment. He felt what Kharis do. He stopped and looked at her face. She was crying. His face softened and hugged Kharis. They were sitting up on the bed. "I am so sorry" Ciro's words made Kharis cry even more. She hugged him back when she felt the sincerity of Ciro's apology. Ciro went to the head bed and placed Kharis on his chest.

"I can't let you go, My Deity. I can't" almost a whisper but enough for Kharis to hear. "Can you tell me why?" she softly asked him "For now, I can't explain why but please, consider" he pleaded. "What is going on, Ciro?" she asked again. "I know you're confused. I am too. I never thought I would find you. My soulmate" he answered.

"A vampire's soulmate? But I'm just a human, Ciro. Why me?"

"No one knows, My Deity. But know this, my heart started to beat when I first saw you. When you opened the door and sheltered me" Ciro stated with a smile on his face.

"My apologies." He said with a regretful tone.

"For what, My Lord?" She asked while her eyes closed. She felt him frozen for what she said. A chuckle escaped her mouth. "Your heart skipped a beat"

"Say it again." He asked. "Say what?"

"You know what?" He protested. This time Kharis faced Ciro while laughing.

Amusement can see in Ciro's eyes. Seeing Kharis laugh. He made her laugh. "What are you laughing at?" He asked in confusion.

"I think I know now," Kharis stated. "Know what?."

Looking deeply into Ciro's eyes. Without knowing, her hands caressed Ciro's face "For a vampire, you are so beautiful, My Lord. I bet girls are wishing my place to be with you. Not just girls but vampiresses" she stated still caressing his face with love. Ciro's overwhelmed, happy, and contented. "However, I know that you will look for me. Even if this entire coven of yours will be filled but pretty vampiresses"

"How do you know that?" he asked with confidence in his tone.

"Because what you are feeling right now for me will cause you to be scared, happy, lonely, and loved" She answered holding Ciro's hand.

"You'll be scared to lose me, happy to have me, lonely without me. The last one is for you to find out" She added.

"How do you know these things?"

"I just know, My Lord," She said and kissed Ciro's lips. Ciro was too shocked to react to the kiss. "A kiss for now. One step at a time" she stated with a smile.

Kharis moved out of the bed and walked forward to the window to see the outside. "You will stay, right?" a doubt from Ciro's tone was felt by Kharis.

"Hmm. I'll consider" she smiled. "You can explore my palace. I will not make you my prisoner but please do not run away from me"

"I promise. As if I can run and you can't find me" she laughed "I am a prisoner, My Lord. A prisoner without a jail" she added which made Ciro chuckle.

She faced him and hold out his hand. She placed Ciro's hand into her chest where her heart was buried. "I want to make a pledge, My Lord. A pledge that I can't break but you." Ciro's eyes were widened by the words of Kharis. "I may be human but I know a little about you. I may be poor but I know how to observe and think about what's coming. I'm an artist, My Lord. I am sensitive to things"

"A pledge. It is like you are giving sanction for me to own you but are you prepared for that?" Ciro asked with amusement in his eyes.

"I am, My Lord" she answered back. "Do as you pleased, My Deity"

Kharis closed her eyes and the sky began to change, the moon appeared and eloped with the sun.

"For this moment, I am offering my soul to this ruler and hold the key of my heart that is buried in my chest. No one will break nevertheless you, My Lord. Sealed by blood" Kharis showed her neck to Ciro. Without a second thought, he bit it.

With the pledge done by a mere human, a bolt of lightning struck down from heaven with the eclipse.

"I wonder what you did, My Deity?" He asked while

"Letting you in, My Lord" she asnwered