Little Book Of Red Lies | Shubman Gill ✓

18. I'm afraid of all I am

Kavya studied Shubman with her jaw dropped. His fists were so tight that his knuckles had started turning a little white. He was gasping for breath with his chest heaving. What she did not know was that her blood had the most tantalizing scent he had ever smelled. It almost took him back to that night three years ago when he had just been turned.

He was in Bangalore when Poornima found him during her vengeful phase. As a thirsty newly turned Vampire, his nose picked up on a lot of scents, especially the scent of blood. He had lost control of himself when a very similar tantalizing smell came to him.

It was a girl. Without a thought, he grabbed her by her neck. But for some reason he couldn't bite her. When he came in contact with her, his urge to hurt her vanished. According to Poornima, there is no way a newly turned Vampire could have controlled his thirst. Unless….unless the girl was his soul mate. Legend believes that if a vampire came in contact with their human soulmate they would Never be able to hurt them.

And that was precisely the reason why Poornima had asked him if Sara had a birthmark on the shoulder like that girl.

He allows himself to be tortured by the smell and sniffs again. He finds the resemblance uncanny. Could Kavya be the girl? He shakes his head… of course not. What would she be doing in Bangalore on 16th October?

He risks a glance of her face. She is trying to look less terrified but her eyes reflect morbid fear. Imprinting her fearful face in his mind, Shubman Gill finds another reason to despise who he has become.

He waits for her to leave, using every ounce of his will power to put as much distance between them as the dressing room would allow.

"Everything okay in here?" Thank God for Ishan, he thinks. It was a wise decision to let some people know that he was a….monster.

"Yes. I'm done cleaning my wound." His head jerks back to her. With the appealing sight being covered now, he feels a bit under control.

"Good thinking, Kavya. I'm right outside, if you uh need anything." Shubman's nostrils flare. As if he would ever hurt her. As if he'd ever want to rip her flesh apart. As if he'd ever think of - he was thinking of it wasn't he? Shubman sighed. It was true. And the irony stared at him in his face.

The reason why he had moved in with her was - He wanted to protect Kavya. But he himself was a threat to her being.

******

He drove in silence. A chuckle escaped his throat. Before leaving, Kavya had asked him if he was okay. And he had nearly snarled at her. Okay? No he was far from being okay! He was miserable. He had desires that best remained unspoken. But he had managed to give her a nod and relieve the tension off her face. This girl was unbelievable. He would have to tell her that it was a stupid thing to ask a vampire  who was craving your blood. Stupid but very Kavya-like. And holding on to that thought, Shubman smiled.

*****

Kavya paced up and down the hall trying to process the unbelievably eventful day. Shubman was a vampire? A lot made sense to her now…. aren't vampires supposed to have unnaturally sharp ears? Maybe that was why he could hear her wake up every morning despite the doors. Ahhh so that's why he insisted on taking the couch to sleep because he doesn't sleep! Damn. And those jars…those jars of pickles…by any chance could they be….were they ….oh my god…. Yuck.

Shubman studied her with an amused expression. He guessed that she had figured the new him out.

"I'll understand if you don't want to talk about it." He says.

"Okay Mr. Gill we are going to need some ground rules. Firstly, no sneaking up like that out of nowhere, okay. I have a very fragile heart. Give it a break!" Shubman cannot believe how light-hearted he feels when she speaks with a smile. He was expecting her to freak out.

"You're taking it way more calmly than I had expected…" he admits.

"Yeah I've watched The Vampire Diaries during the lockdown so…I guess I can handle one overconfident annoying hot vampire."

"Hot?" He asks, grateful to fall back in their routine of bantering.

"I also used the adjectives overconfident and annoying." Says Kavya as she rolls her eyes.

"No but I would rather focus on the positives."

"Oh my God you're an insufferable guy."

"You should have thought that before calling me hot."

They both end up laughing. One is relieved that his friendship remains intact whereas the other is certain that he would never hurt her.