Enslaved

Chapter 30

I took my time gliding through the maze, no hurry in the world. Glad to have some peaceful time to myself, I strolled wherever the citrusy wind carried me. The ground was a little mushy from a night's rain but the air wasn't as heavy as I would have expected it to be. Now that my confidence had worn off, I wasn't sure why I agreed to give Dorian a chance, it just seemed as a waste of time.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and let my senses take over. A smile graced my lips as the sound around me grew more refined, it was soothing to let the song of the nature dominate my hearing. I paused when I heard a mild rippling sound, flaring my nostrils I searched for any trace of wetness or scent of the algae that grew by the water. Once I found it, I moved letting my predator take over, eyes still closed.

Soon enough I was standing at the entrance of the small pond, in the heart of the maze. It had a single huge willow tree on its edge as the only means of shade against the scorching sun, a wooden swing idly hanging from its lower branch; moving with the wind. Vine had started to grow over the ropes supporting it, which in a way, added to the essence of the whole place.

I climbed the tree and sat on the same branch, leaning my head on its trunk. Sighing, I closed my eyes, letting my muscles loosen. But the sound of footstep broke me out of my reverie.

I smelt him before I saw him. His rainy scent hitting me with strength unmatched. The nagging desire to nestle in his arms was back and stronger than before. It was as if he knew where I was, his eyes searching for me at the precise place on the tree. I knew that he was looking at me even though I myself had my concentration fixed on the water, because I felt the weight of his gaze. I was afraid to look at him, in his eyes. He always looked so amazing in the sun

and seeing his vampire form? No

It would leave me weak and yearning. I didn't need that. But I also knew I couldn't avoid him like a coward forever. Taking a deep breath, I met his gaze.

The emerald of his eyes shined like brilliant stars, reflecting much more sunlight than the moist leaves in the background. The gold of his eyes was now more prominent, earlier they were merely flecks; now rimmed the interior of his iris. Keeping my untamed appreciation in check, I supressed a shiver of pleasure as I took in the rest of him.

All this while he hadn't moved, standing at the entrance, he just stared at me; silently. It reminded me of my first encounter with him when he was brought to my room after grooming. But it was far from it. The man in front of me now wasn't a human I had saved; he was a vampire.

One of the strongest to walk the earth

His hair appeared glossier, longer and much more inviting. A part of me was jealous of the wind that played and ruffled through them. And his face strikingly resembled his mother's, posh nose, defined cheeks, flawless skin. But his jaws were strong like his father, so was his build. He appeared taller and his muscles more defined through the tight emerald shirt he wore.

I realised distastefully that I had been accessing him, checking him out.

How shameful! Get a grip over yourself! Kissing Byron and now this? Good gracious!

But hadn't he been doing the same? How was it that he got to take me in to his satisfaction but I couldn't look at him without feeling bad about it, when he was the one who was responsible for all my sufferings?

Clenching my jaw in irritation, I glared at him. This seemed to bring him to his senses. Blinking, he strode towards me and effortlessly pulled himself on the branch, next to me. His nearness made me feel things I didn't dare speak about, not without wishing to stab myself.