A Perfect Chance

Lea had goosebumps all over her body when she heard that raspy voice. Cold sweat dripped on her forehead and temples. She was terror-stricken as her pulse tensed, making her tremble slightly. She couldn't move as her body froze. It felt like there's a strange and mysterious energy that dragged her down to the ground. Thus, she didn't dare to take a glance to see the one who was caught red-handed.

That voice terrified her.

She closed her eyes, trying to calm her pounding heart, but when only blackness she could see, the chilling sensation that was on her back was getting sharper and chillier.

"Hm ... you don't want to answer?" His deep and masculine voice made her flinch.

She took deep breaths, again and again, but no matter how many times she did that she couldn't relax. She just wanted to run away from there. Tears had flooded in her eyes and seconds later, it rolled down on her pale, white cheeks as her body shook uncontrollably.

She was afraid that the man would kidnap her and put her on a slavery auction instead of loving her like vampires did, but after minutes passed by like water, he did nothing as if patiently waiting to what kind of reaction she would show.

"Ah ... did I scare you?"

His voice sounded gentler, but she was too occupied with her fear that her mind was slightly disoriented. Thus, no matter what he said, from her point of view, he looked like he was trying to lure her into a trap.

The man was walking past her, then stood in front of her with his towering frame when fireworks boomed in the sky. That's when she could clearly see who the man was. He was the very same young man she had stalked, that she wanted to meet sincerely.

A perfect creature who poured out a vampire's noble aura.

"My lady, I didn't mean to bring harm to you."

The fireworks boomed again loudly, deafening her ears, but her gaze remained on him. The spark of the fireworks illuminated part of the young man's attractive face. He stared so deeply into her eyes as a faint and soothing smile etched in his lips, catching her breath away.

He looked harmless, indeed, so how could he give off a very different vibe before which is strongly the opposite of him?

"It's ... you," she mumbled, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Following someone like this ... you know that it's a crime, right, my lady?" The young man smiled wickedly, giving Lea a strange feeling that made her flinch and back away.

She felt like a little rabbit laying face down before a predator. He looked approachable, but the air around him made her think she shouldn't act recklessly.

"You are ... are you a vampire?" She braced herself and asked what was on her mind politely.

"Hm? Why do you think like that?" He took one step towards her and slightly lowered his head to meet her vision.

"It's ... " Cat caught her tongue. She was struggling to answer him because her sole reason for approaching him was because he was undoubtedly the perfect description of a vampire in the stories she had read thousands of times since she was a teenager. It would be too embarrassing to say it out loud, but ... "With a perfect face like that, you don't look like a human." She decided to be honest.

Although she said it like it was nothing special and to be as indifferent as possible, it still sounded that she praised and admitted that he was attractive. Hence, the heat tickled on her face, reddening his delicate cheeks.

The smile on the young man's lips widened and he laughed softly with low pitched of his. He seemed amused as his jade-coloured eyes twinkled gracefully. "You're so blunt, my lady."

"Still ..." He took steps forward and leaned closer to her as his sweet and intoxicated scent teased her nostrils. "Lowering your guard in front of a dominant alpha male when you're this ... clueless and powerless. That's absolutely dangerous, my lady."

He was so close that the tip of his nose lightly brushed her feverish skin. She didn't back away like before, but bravely glared at him with a confident smile that made her looking greatly tempting. "You're looking down at me?" Her hands were trembling with excitement as her heart pounded like crazy.

How strange ... bantering with him had triggered something deep buried within her and she enjoyed that. Besides, he sounded like he was worried about her which made her on cloud nine.

"No, I didn't dare to. Who am I in front of you, my lady?" The young man straightened her back, giving her a room to take breaths as she held it unconsciously because of their closeness.

"Did I give you a really powerful impression to make you follow me so recklessly?" The way he said that seemed like she had made a grave mistake which she agreed with.

When she thought thoroughly, following some stranger she met on the street for the first time was foolish. How could she be so naive? She threw herself into Lion's den voluntarily.

"I thought ... you're a vampire."

He said something, but she couldn't hear it because of the fireworks exploding in the night sky of Rowedna Kingdom and the cheering of the citizens. The colour of the fireworks was brilliant scarlet, different from the previous ones which were mostly yellowish. Those colours was a sign that the vampire had started their hunt and the fated lady had been kidnapped by them.

"Nonetheless, following someone like this ... you know it's a crime, right, my lady?" He copied his previous words down.

And she frowned while he was smirking. She found herself growing more nervously, but hid it well to make him not realise her nervousness up to the hilt. She lifted her head, glanced at him, and said, "Yes, I know." She admitted it shamelessly, ready to bear the consequences.

He sighed in admiration. "I started to love your dauntless bravery, my lady."

"Um ... thank you," she said, almost whispering with a reddened tint on her cheeks.

"As a token of gratitude because I let your unladylike behaviour slide, why don't you accompany me through the festival?"

It was an unexpected demand. She had had an indecent thought about him that he was going to use this to abuse his will, but it turned out he was truly noble. She liked it and she could use this to get to know him deeply.

"Don't worry. I won't eat you, my lady, but ... " His eyes glimmering intensely with the deviousness of his mind.

"I cannot guarantee not to bite you," he added as a wicked smile formed on his lips.

She took back what she said before. He was unquestionably a predator.

***