Chapter 9

Chapter 9

IT FELT WEIRD. Sitting on the couch with a saucer of cake while Roam was next to me just gave me goosebumps for reasons I could not decipher. My fear subsided earlier at the sight of his sweet smile, as if my memory of him being a monster I should be scared of suddenly went blurry.

I swallowed the piece of cake in my mouth before I threw him another glance. He was busy eating like me when I noticed the icing left on the corner of his lips. When he licked it off before he chewed, I felt my throat went dry as I watched his jaw moved. 

Dear God, I know my points in heaven have been decreasing eversince I got here, but for once, I'd like to blame you for sculpting such well-defined jaw...

I looked away instantly when he gazed at me. My heart did the crazy drum roll-like beat again as I pretend to be admiring the cake I was slicing with my fork. This organ better behave before I volunteer for a transplant once I was out of here.

"What's on your mind, Jemimah?" he asked when he noticed that I was uncomfortable.

You. I almost answered. "N--Nothing." I put my fork down and stole a glance at his now worried face. "How did... how did you know it's my birthday?"

Putting his saucer on the table, he heaved a sigh then rested his palms on his thighs. "Is that the question you really wanna ask?"

No. I had lots of things in my head but I was sure he wouldn't bother answering me. "Why are you keeping me here? My father's probably looking for me and..." My chest went heavy as I remembered my dad. "We had a fight before all of these happened. This is my first birthday that I don't get to spend with him."

I noticed how his eyes turned soft. He bowed his head and clenched his fists until his knuckles were white before he answered me. "I told you, I'm just trying to keep you safe."

"Safe from who? Because I don't remember I ever had a death threat."

"Jem." His head lifted and he leaned towards me again, his arm rested on the couch behind my shoulders. "It's hard to explain right now but I need you to stay here with me."

I breathed in deeply. Hesitating at first, I looked him straight in the eye and asked him one of the many questions that were creeping in my head. "What are you, Roam?"

His pools became one shade darker and his lips pursed hardly together. "I'm a lycan."

My heart almost stopped as I blinked twice. "A w--what?"

He shut his eyes for a moment, his adam's apply bobbed up and down when he swallowed hard. "I said I'm a lycan," he repeated before he opened his eyes again and looked at me.

I swore I almost felt my blood left my body as I stared back at him, realizing he was telling the truth. His pools were now golden like the morning sun painted with his fear to be judged, of his plea to be understood and accepted.

I knew I must scream and show him fear, but in that moment that he let me see a softer side of a real monster, I found nothing in my heart but the urge to ease away the worry in his eyes.

"In case you're not getting it, he's part wolfie," a man in the doorstep said, startling me. 

Roam and I looked at the stranger. I heard Roam curse under his breath as he narrowed his pools at the man with a silly red hair, dressed like a nineteenth century aristocrat. His skin was even paler than mine and his eyes... why was it like the shade of blood?

"What are you doing here, Yzmael?" Roam asked in an irritated tone, his inky brows almost meeting each other.

"Relax." The man he called Yzmael straightened his back before he pulled out something from his tux's pocket. "I just came here to hand my gift." His eyes looked at me before he smiled, showing off his perfect set of pearl-white teeth. "Happy birthday, sweetness!"

My forehead wrinkled. "W--Who's that?" I glanced at Roam. "What is he?"

"Oh!" Yzmael chuckled then grinned. "I'm a vampire and I like warm blood," he said, mimicking Elsa's younger voice in the movie "Frozen".

Roam groaned. "Get outta here, fucker."

My breathing hitched. "A... a... a vampire?" I blinked. "Why aren't you turning into ashes?"

Yzmael burst into a laugh like what I said was the most hilarious thing he had ever heard. "Ah, books and movies vampire references get me crackling all the time."

A sigh escaped Roam's lips before he turned to me. "He's one of the first vampires in history. His resistance to the sun is way stronger than ordinary vampires," he said in a low tone as if he's trying to break it to me in a way that would not freak me out.

Great. I just found out what he truly was and now there's a vampire standing at the door. Why would I freak out, right?

"Aren't you gonna invite me in? I'm immune with the sun but it still burns, you know."

Roam glared at him. "No."

"But I came here for the cake." He pouted in purpose then did a ridiculous puppy eyes.

"I said get the fuck out of here. I don't want the others to sniff your arse and find us here."

My eyes widened. "The others? Oh my gosh, Roam is it the vampires who are after me?"

Roam looked at me, worried. "No, no, no it's..." He sighed. "It's not like that."

"He's right. They aren't after you. They're after him." Yzmael pointed at Roam before he faked a Mona Lisa smile. "Can I have my piece of cake now so I can leave?"

With his head shaking, Roam took the rest of the cake and walked towards the door. "Here. Now erase your tracks and leave." He pushed the guy and slammed the door before turning to me again. "Sorry about that."

I jerked my head up then pressed my trembling knees together. I didn't even realize how shaky I already was until now. What kind of world did I get sucked into? Seriously, did I magically get trapped inside a gothic book?

The couch waved when Roam settled next to me. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know," I said with a heavy breath. "I wish you're just pulling a birthday prank here."

"You have nothing to be scared of, Ahuvi. Yzmael is a nice guy. He just happened to have some loose screw in his head but he's a good friend."

Yeah, right. As if Yzmael was the only one I should be worried about.

"Do you want another cup of coffee?" Roam asked but I only answered him with a slight nod.

I gasped when he leaned towards me and held me by my chin. My eyes widened as I trapped the air in my throat, trying not to squeal like a flattered penguin in Antartica. 

My cheeks threatened to blush when he gently stroke the corner of my lips to wipe off the mess on my face. He then stared into my eyes as he brought his thumb to his mouth to suck it. The butterflies in my stomach turned into cheerleaders as my heart beat loudly again.

He grabbed my empty cup and stood up. "Stay here. I'll get you more."

Maybe I should ask for a glass of pesticides instead, because these stupid butterflies weren't behaving well whenever my heart was betraying me.

I bowed my head to hide my reddened face before I took a larger piece of cake and shove it inside my mouth, stopping myself from engaging in a conversation with him which might lead to me getting controlled again by a demon inside me called heart.

He patted my shoulder, his gesture sent a wave of electricity all throughout my body. Now the butterflies were back to life, ready to bug me again. I shook my head. What a great way to celebrate my birthday. 

When we finished eating, I hurried back inside the room and dipped myself in the tub. It was too early for a warm bath but if I wouldn't do anything to calm myself, I would end up doing something stupid, like falling for Roam's dangerous trap.

My eyes stared at the white ceiling as I leaned my head on the edge of the tub. Roam was a lycan, a beast to be exact. That only meant that my dream could possibly come true. He could kill me someday despite his promises that he'd never hurt me. 

I heaved a sigh and shut my eyes. I would need to get out of here before he would lose control but in order to do that, I would need him to trust me. He should believe that I could never attempt to leave him while he wasn't home.

But how?

My lips pursed together when I realized there was only one way to earn his trust. I must make him think that I was falling for him...