Not edited. Long af.

***

Christian's POV

"Alright." I told Dimitri ready to hang up, but he continued talking from the other line.

"It's not alright, Christian. The only other people that know the situation during the war is our father who I'm not even considering waking, and the witch that cast the boundary spell between Zaria and I." I ran a hand down my face. He was right. Since Jessica too refused to speak up, tell Amelia the real story, those were the only two that could know.. "And she's probably dead by now.."

"No she's not.." I cursed myself a million times for not thinking of this earlier.. Before I visited the werewolves' ball, that night when I met Lana, Vanessa and I firstly went to that witch.. Lycia. Christ, how didn't I think of this? She helped my father during the war and when I saw her after so many years, the only thing I asked was if she knew something about the necklace.. But hell, how could I have known about the things that I know now..

"She's,- she's alive?" He lowered his voice, like he was whispering to the phone. "Christian what the hell do you have to do with that? Do you not know how damn dangerous that witch is?" She was my father's helped for a reason.. Coming from one of the most powerful witch covens the world has seen, she was a miracle worker.

"I needed information about the necklace. That's why I searched for her a few months ago.." I exhaled a sharp breath.. How could this get so complicated? How could I let it get so complicated? "I know where she is. I'll send someone to get her."

"And you seriously believe she'll agree on seeing you again?"

"Fine, I'll come up with something else.. I'll call you." I hung up, looking outside the window. I had left the room not wanting to wake up Lana..

That night.. Nothing really happened after we arrived at the house. Firstly, what happened in the car was something that we didn't discuss much, and I was glad that we didn't since it was embarrassing enough that I let a woman have such control over me, for the first time in my life losing that resistance and letting her push me off the edge.. Her simple kiss or touch would've made me come in my pants, let alone having her on top of me and taking her pleasure seriously.. I couldn't blame myself for not being able to find resistance. She was damn perfect.

On the other hand, there were still so many things that we had to handle. I didn't want to preoccupy her, she had already been through too damn much that night.. And now that her family knew I had her, they were definitely going to try and find her, and soon.. Not that I wanted to hide, but I was not planning on willingly giving her up nor letting her marry some bastard that was up to no damn good.

Even though I was in the hallway outside my room, I could hear that she was awake. We both overslept that morning, and I couldn't help but think of it was because she was in the bed with me that I felt some sooth and slept longer, or was I just overly exhausted.. She did sleep longer than me though.. She took a shower quicker than I did and when I got out she was already asleep. And then she slept longer.. Sneaky.

Walking back in the bedroom, I saw her standing there, in that long ass shirt that covered way too much.. I just couldn't understand how she still managed to rock that baggy old shirt, even though I did prefer her with less than that even.

Standing near one of the bookshelves, I watched how focus on one book then another, running her fingers over them and touching every souvenir there was with such astonishment, it was just a pleasant picture to look at in the morning. I knew she heard me yet she didn't give a crap and continued doing her thing.

"I wouldn't read those books if I were you.. They're boring." I told her as I walked deeper in the room, watching her turn around and flash me a wide smile.

"Good morning to you too." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned on the desk that was now behind her. "I'm not exactly a book person, but it's always good to know what you're into."

Her naturally slightly curly and unkempt hair have me life in that moment. It was that bark chocolate color yet it had goldish highlight from the early light. It was truly a picture to get mesmerized by.. Her eyes were the clearest green color, swirling with dark ocean blue and wild dots of ember that made them seem crystal from the bright light. And her lips.. Oh it took me everything not to kiss her right then. How could it be even possible for them to hold such a dark cherry color against that fair skin?

Books. We were talking about books. I mentally shook my head and looked up at the shelves as I walked closer. "That's a collection of all Edgar Allen Poe's poems. The last time I touched those books was when I moved in."

"Poems? Really? I would've never guessed." Right. She would've never guessed that a guy like me would have poem books..

"They were a gift. And you'd be surprised." She laughed when she looked at me, taking a few steps closer.. It was an instinct to pull her closer by her waist when she pressed her hands against my chest, and when I looked at her, I was left speechless, completely senseless yet flooded with each and every realization of how damn beautiful she was.

I would've never guessed that I would have her in my bedroom at morning, discussing old poetry books and looking damn perfect in an old oversized shirt with a smile that flamed each and every part of me.. That pretty girl in the white dress I met at the Morpher's ball. Lana. With her feisty nature and wild eyes, leaving me completely breath taken and lost in the storm that was trapped behind those greens. What was it about her.. What was it other than the beauty of Morpher's daughter that had me so compelled?

She seemed just as quiet scanning my face as I did hers for a few seconds before she went serious, looked down at her hands pressed against my chest as she tapped her fingers. She seemed to follow the material of my shirt towards my shoulders before she finally looked at me. The concentration in her eyes made me smile.

"What is it?" I had to ask, still unable to keep the grin off my lips after seeing how serious she suddenly went. It was usually a laughing Lana or a feisty Lana.

"You know, the house has plenty of bedrooms. I could still go back to the one I stayed before."

"Why?"

She looked down again for a second before taking a small step back and running a hand through her hair. "Well, you don't want a girl to disturb your privacy, trust me. Besides, what happens when the others come back? We said we'd keep this a secret." Those wide eyes staring back at mine gave me the most delightful struck each time she looked at me.. When she looked away, I just wanted to direct so our gazes would lock again. "Whatever it is that we have going on.."

Alright, uncertainty was normal. She was away from her family.. And I was the so called enemy. She grew up with such thoughts. But I could still tell that she was only curious on what I felt like.

  "Well, to start off, no you do not disturb any privacy of mine. I haven't slept so peaceful for years. That's why I asked you to stay here." I moved back away, making that few feet space between the two of us, watching her lean back on the desk. I crossed my arms. "Secondly, Amelia and Dimitri won't be coming back for another few days, and Calliope will call, eventually tomorrow.." I explained. "No one will bust our little secret as long as you want it to stay that way.."

Silence fell over for a few seconds. She blinked a few times, looked on the side, then back at me. Slowly pushing herself off the desk, she walked towards me with focus on whatever it was that was going through her head, seeming awfully distracted, yet still wild in her eyes, like a cat ready to attack.

  "What is it that we have?" And the question was finally out there.. With only less then a feet away from me, she stopped and waited for an answer.

"Whatever you want it to be."

"Friends?" I laughed.

"Lana, we've seen each other naked in more ways than one.. I think I would rate us more than that." She bit her lower lip and looked on the side.

"-with a few benefits? That are supposed to be enemies.. Is that too complicated?" I reached over just to pull her closer, but it never seemed enough. She was something else.

  I rubbed the sides of her arms. "It's not."

"And it stays between the two of us?"

"All everyone has to know is that I kidnapped you." The laugh that escaped her was the best sound I had heard.. She was too stressed.. Too occupied these few days. And every urge inside me was pushing me to make things easier for her. It came to the point where it was no longer up to me to care or not.. I just did and there wasn't much I could do about it.

I watched that smile disappear from her face as she pressed her hands over her forehead and shook her head slightly. "That messes things up so much.. What you did last night.. I still don't think it was okay." And hell, the simple mention of that idiot angered me to the core.

"Oh come on, if I didn't do it, you would've done it."

"Christian." With saying my name, she pressed her hands against my chest again almost like she was intending to make it sound and seem meaningful. "Why did you do it?"

I took a grip of her hands and pulled them aside. "It doesn't matter.. It's not like I killed him." The slight confusion on her face told me that she was definitely not thinking everything through.

"Did you intend to?" Of course I did. It took me everything to hold back.

I took a step back, taking the phone from my nightstand and checking it. "I didn't start a war, Lana, the bastard will heal." My only intention at that point was not to give much meaning to this and stop the conversation. However, she still kept staring at me with her arms crossed and couldn't focus on anything else. I knew she was.

  Looking up from my phone, I saw that exact picture that I thought I would, a meaningful look.. I was a fool to think that Lana would drop a subject like that. She was too curious to. Trowing my phone on the bed, I released a breath that seemed to choke me from how little ways I knew to explain this to her.. She would never understand why it bothered me so much.. Hell, I didn't even..

  When my gaze landed on her again, I knew.. Christ, I knew it was going to be harder than anything I had ever done, because I could not explain why that situation last night bothered me so damn much to myself either.

  "He called you his." And just the damned thought about it caused little control to slip from me. I should've ripped his heart. It would've been easier for everyone.. Cross one problem off the list.

However, that didn't seem to surprise her as much. She only frowned slightly. "So?" What the heck did she mean 'so'?

"So, you're not." With Lana, I never preferred thinking of her as mine either, because there was this habit my life had of losing things that I was damn insane about.. And there was no other way to explain what she caused inside me.

"And we all know that.." She confirmed. However she didn't seem very aware why I hated that statement.. Was I not clear enough when I tried explaining that it bothered me because she was supposed to be damn mine?

"It doesn't bother you?"

Taking a few steps towards me, she let a dry chuckle of irony escape her throat. "No. It won't ever be true." The squeak and annoyance in her voice was clear. A second passed.. Two. Come on Lana, you'll get it. She stopped in front of me, looked on the side and frowned in somewhat realization before she glanced back at me. "Why does it bother you though?" She wanted me to serve every word and thought for her..

"Because."

"Because?"

I stared at her.. How could be so pushed off track? I saved her once, twice, and I was living for that.. To keep her safe and protected.. Cherished and away from those that tried hurting her.. And no it wasn't because of some damn deal. It was because she was her. And it was hard not to want her.. It was the hardest thing I had to do.

  Wide green eyes stared back at mine, dark unkempt hair that made an insane contrast with her skin, and those lips.. Once again slightly parted, cherry red.. It took me everything not to kiss her senseless right there.

  It was hard to focus back on my words. "Because you're mine to have."

  The distraction that she was.. It was unreal. She disturbed every and each one of my emotions in the harshest way possible, yet I loved every second of it. It was,- it was something that I haven't felt in years.. A confusion that I had to deal with such a long time ago.. And no she was bringing it back.. So damn effortlessly.

  She never allowed me to read her, not at that point either, other than the slight hidden smile that curled her lips. She bit down on her lower lip to hide it, but I saw every and each spark of amusement that my words seemed to bring.. With a simple step closer, she slide her hands over my waist and pressed her body against mine in that simple way of hugging.

  It took her a little effort to het on her tiptoes and reach my face, but there was nothing better in that moment than to see a hidden smile of that perfect face of hers from up close, a look in her eyes that always seemed to flame a strange fire inside me. It was not normal to be drawn to someone as much as I was drawn to her.

  If it was someone else, a human, or someone that lived away from this twisted world, perhaps my possessiveness would've drawn her away.. But it was Lana. She was the little wolf I knew found amusement in such protection, having grown up in the same wicked world that I did. That's what I loved about her. She understood my madness. Cause sometimes she could be even crazier than me.

  I pushed every urge in my body not to move my head just a little towards her and take her lips.. Instead, she moved closer until I felt her breath against the side of my face and left the most innocent butterfly kiss ever. In moments, it was hard to believe she had a side like she did the previous night. Wicked and feisty in one moment, innocent and sweet the next. Real toxic for my soul.

  I could help but pull her closer my her waist when I felt her leave another few kisses down my jaw and neck, before she simply leaned into that hug she preformed earlier and stood back in her full height. Without any boots or shoes she was just a pretty small feisty lass, reaching somewhere around my shoulders..

  With that simple hug, she pressed her head right where my heartbeat was and stood still for a few seconds. I closed my eyes.. God, she soothed every burning fire inside me at times.. The same one she flamed herself. And I never felt calmer than I did in that moment.

  I kissed the top of her head.. The scent of fresh spring, roses.. It was my new favorite smell. "Next time, he dies."

  I would've expected a laugh, but she knew I was being serious.. She just stayed in my arms allowing me to listen and follow each one of her calmed breaths, steady heartbeat..

"I won't be going back. Not anytime soon." She mumbled with the side of her face still pressed against my chest..

  The faintness in her voice took me by surprise.. In that moment, I knew what she was going through.. Every bit of it. Family wasn't always there for comfort. It was sometimes the very people that could hurt you the most.

  I was just glad I had her in my arms.. For myself. And I didn't care what others would think. I just knew that I could breathe as long as I had her close.. Which was the absurd, foolish even, but even in all that foolishness, it could hardly be denied.

"Good.." I pressed my lips against her hair one more time.. I could never get enough of her smell. "Good."

~

  Lana's POV

The leaves and branches underneath my boots cracked, the millions of birds from the woods chirping and singing, and the slight wind caused the shadows from the sun to move in the most delightful was. I never knew that the backyard of the house was directly connected to the woods.

Christian of course didn't really pay much attention to it, but the yard was decorated with the nature's most loving colors, all shades of green, yellow and the little white dots here and there on the grass.. I had just walked out of the house when I heard the backyard doors closing from behind me and those intimidating footsteps over the wooden porch.

He stopped beside me and even though I didn't look at him, I knew he followed my gaze and looked up towards the tree that was somewhat blocking the sun I was looking at.

  "Is this all your property?"

"Two miles from here, yes." Wow so he bought half the forest. Not that my father did any different. I was used to having the woods to myself. "It's not the best time for you to explore, Lana. You know, since two of the largest packs are on the look for you."

I started walking as he followed beside me. "Well, since I'm staying here, I still wanna know the neighborhood. Besides, anyone from the Vesnetsovs that tries to come close will wind up dead."

  And yes, I knew that Christian had showed himself with the smaller temper but I could get pretty irritated myself. Those that knew me knew that they should never cross me.

I glanced at him, noticing how he focused on my phone I was holding. "You called someone?" I looked back in front of myself.. The woods seemed endless. We had plenty of time for talking..

For starters, I wanted to call my brothers and let them know I was alright.. To text them at least. I mean, they too had no idea that Christian didn't really kidnap me.. They were probably dying worried, more than my parents were for sure. They sure showed how much they cared about me when they chose Alexander over me..

I released a heavy breath. "I wanted to text my brothers that I was okay.."

"But?" He looked over at me, knowing that there was more to this story.

"But, I can't. I don't want them lying because of me. It's better if they're not involved. I'd rather have them thinking that I was kidnapped, than—"

"Than that you're sleeping with the enemy." I instantly looked at him..

"That's not where I was heading."

  And I could spent hours and hours telling him how thankful I was. Even though he did things in the brutal way, he did do them with a good intention. I trusted him. I wasn't planning on even considering any kind of regret on choosing him instead of a so called family that was ready to sell my whole life for whatever deal they had with that fool Alexander.

He seemed focused in front of him, that perfect strong jaw of his as always slightly clenched, a profile that was splendid, and even in the brightest daylight, his eyes a pitch black.

  "It's alright. We both agreed on it being a secret." He confirmed.

  I looked down the path, walking over a fallen tree.. I didn't even know where we were heading.. I suppose a simple walk that would had been easier if it was a quiet one.. Christian and I always headed in the wrong direction when we over talked.

But he was right. We did both agree on keeping whatever we had a secret. I couldn't lie, staying with him had woken up that trust inside me, some unbearable allurement towards him that I could obviously not deny.. Just the previous night. But it was just that.. For both of us. Lust. We knew it was just that.

I cleared my throat, doing my best to keep my gaze in front of myself. "Yea, we both have benefits from it and that's what matters." I somewhat explained, my voice trailing from the thoughts that seemed to somewhat block my mind.. I could feel his eyes on me from the side. It caused all kinds of tingles in my stomach. He was a damn distraction.

"And if someone sees us?"

  I glanced back at him. So, it wasn't just me that cared.. It would mean a bad reputation if it was heard that one of the royals was being friends, and God forbid, even more than that, with Khan Morpher's daughter. I knew what it meant being enemies. I grew up with all kinds of disturbing stories about the powerful vampire family. My father despised them.

But how could I hate someone that saved me so many times? Christian was just not like that.. And no matter what the rules were, there seemed to be nothing that could hold me away from him. Not now.. Not when it all became so deep. I trusted him more than I did anyone else, and I simply saw him with different eyes than my family did.

But I still cared to keep that a secret. For the sake of others. We both knew of the consequences.. We both knew what could happen if we were seen together. It meant war.

  And neither of us was that selfish to throw everyone in fire because of an affair. I could not put my people in danger it came to that, and neither could he. So if that little secret stayed between the two of us, only the two of us were going to carry whatever consequences it could bring.

And now he had a fair point.. What if someone saw us?

"You said it yourself. It's private property." I tried easing the situation since both of us were thinking about the same thing.. Both of us knew how heavy the subject about what we had could get. So I smiled and looked at him. "And if that doesn't stop them, then this time I'll be the one snapping a neck or two."

The black pearl eyes looked at me, wildness in them clearer than the sunlight that made it's way through the branches.. A smile reflecting back on his lips caused heat from underneath my skin to rush up my cheeks.. And then I got the arrogant response I was hoping for, still glad that I managed to change the subject into something lighter.

"Yea? Well, I'm faster. You should stay behind me." Oh. So that's how he's going to play?

"Oh you think?"

"Please, Lana. I know. Remember the last time we were in the woods?" Sneaky little vamp knew exactly what bothered me to the core.. The annoyance that rushed inside me was mixed with this urge to laugh, yet nothing but seriousness reflected on my face. He was daring me.

I stopped and rose my finger. "Hey, that only happened because I was in front of you. It easily could've been you that got shot." He laughed. He fricking laughed!

Like a bubble of hot lava exploding underneath my cheeks, I knew I went pink with frustration. How dare he underestimate my skills? Vampires did have more abilities and some advantages, but hey I could kick his arrogant ass any time.

  "And that's why you should stay behind me." The seriousness in his voice was clear, and the amusement in his eyes blooming.. He loved making me angry didn't he?

A gasp escaped me as I widen my eyes in disbelief.. He did not— Oh he did not just say that! Thank goodness I was wearing black shorts and a tank top. I had the mobility I needed to show him what he asked for.

"Okay that's enough." I looked on the side as I took a small step back and gestured for him to come at me. "Try me, big guy, come on."

Again, his response was a laugh, that was actually a damn distracting sound, and that charming grin on his face almost made me forget what we were talking about.

  "Lana, I'm not going to fight you." Oh really? So, now the next stage was pretending that he was going to let me be, because 'he didn't want to hurt me'. I could handle him like a dang fly!

But hey, I knew how to prove a point. And it was my time to provoke. "Because you know damn well you will lose to a girl." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest and fleshed him a wide smile. He dared me, now it was my turn.

He seemed to go a little bit more serious this time, but he was still convinced that I could get hurt. "You won't even see it coming." Was all he said wanting to continue walking.

  "Fight me."

  My insist turned into a demand, so quickly getting a positive response that I felt slightly dizzy. His arm went towards me and I was quick to stop it with mine, before he repeated that with his other arm as well.

I didn't even realize that in the X I had with my arms, defending myself in some sort of way, he had taken a grip over my wrist and with just a slight tightening he pulled me closer.. If he went harsher on my wrist, it would've cracked, but instead he only pulled until my body pressed against his.

  There was a smile in his eyes. "Really?" His deep voice filled my ears, having me into this frenzy of thoughts. But I was still aware that he was holding back.. He thought he could hurt me. And I wanted a real fight.

  I pulled myself away in a quick motion, going at him with the same methods I was taught. On arm, he defended, the other - he caught as well, letting go and letting me continue.

  I could already feel my breaths cutting, but I knew what I was doing, even though he defended my moves and my 'attempted punches' with nothing but the simple moves of his arms and hands, very lightly pushing me back.

  "Don't. Hold. Back." I told him with each little move I made against him, my forearm coming at him yet once again defended this time by a sudden grip over it instead of his forearm as well..

  Like something snapped inside him, he took a grip of my forearm, and my body was turned in a way that I could not control. I closed my eyes instinctively when I lost balance, ready to crush to the ground, yet instead I was flipped and turned until I felt myself pressed against something solid, causing me to open my eyes and realize that he had turned me in a way so that my back was pressed against his chest. His hand from behind was over my neck, and his face was right at the side of mine.

"Dead." His lips very slightly brushed against the side of my face, and that deep whisper caused chills over my spine. Show off. "And I didn't even use my speed on you." He mumbled somewhere near my hair, causing me to very slightly turn my head towards him, at least attempt to, since he was holding me as tight as a real predator would.

  I managed to look him in the eyes, the arrogance and satisfaction clear, and a slight smirk that definitely proved that he found amusement.

  Silence fell over for a second, two.. We both scanned each other's faces, and I could tell he followed every breath that escaped me, every heartbeat that thumped.

I cleared my throat. "Well, I won't be fighting you." He slightly released the grip he had over my body, and it was enough for me to move..

  Slowly, I turned to face him, but he just stayed quiet and let me be, following every gaze, every inch of my face.. The seriousness on his face caused chills down my spine, burning underneath my cheeks. And at some point we were both just scanning each other's faces, as I mumbled a small 'um' and took a small step closer, attempting to say something when all it came out was,

  "I just might—" kiss you.

And that was enough of a sign that something had flamed inside us.. Within a second, his hands were over my waist, pulling me closer while his lips moved over mine, in a way that we both never practiced, yet knew oh so well..

We were in the middle of the woods, taken over by some desire that neither of us could contain, risking everything that we fought to keep a secret till then. I seemed to hold his face with my hands just so I could touch more of him, one hand sliding down his chest before within a second, I felt myself being slightly pushed, our lips separating and the ground underneath my feet disappearing for a second.

My back was pushed against something solid, a tree, and when I opened my eyes I saw every bit of that lust reflected back in his. How could it be even possible for us to be taken over by something so strong, so suddenly?

Only minutes ago I was frustrated by his arrogance and confidence. He won the little bet, the little fight, and instead of getting angry, I was just drawn by this unbelievable yearning, something both of us struggled with keeping in control.

Our breaths were deep, our gazes locked for a few seconds almost as if both of us were clueless on how we allowed it to start. And as if once again we both thought 'screw it', his lips connected right back with mine in a movement that seemed to knock all air away from my lungs, yet I only kissed him back deeper, not even knowing what came upon my senses.

My mind was black, my hands moving on their own, taking a grip over his shirt and pulling on it.. I was burning up not even noticing the strength in my hands, that I actually ripped it.. I now understood what came upon him the previous night when he ripped mine..

Now he pulled away enough to let me rip it fully, a very serious look of satisfaction on his face.. I only had a second to admire every lined muscle on his chest and stomach, and God he was so perfect. I just wanted to lick him all over.

He pushed me back within a second, leaving such a quick wet kiss on my lips that I couldn't even respond to, and gliding his lips down my jaw and neck, leaving this demanding trace of kisses that caused all kinds of tingles between my legs, my knees to go weak and my lips to part in the need for more oxygen as for it was him that left me breathless.. Lost and completely submitted to the power he had over me.. Completely drawn and ready to worship at his alter at any times..

And Christ, with him.. Oh with him it was insanity of pleasure with just a simple touch.. Just a simple kiss. No one could cause all that inside me so quickly.. Make me lost and ready to do whatever it took just to make him feel the pleasure he caused in me so damn effortlessly.

Our moves were quick, the kisses he left on my neck wet and unfinished.. When he moved away a bit, it seemed like we were both programed to know exactly what we were doing. I lifted my arms very slightly as he pulled the shirt over my head, attacking my lips with his within just a second, and leaving me motionless, breathless with the same eager response.

His hands were all over my body, my bare legs, pulling very slightly and lifting me enough for me to straddle him.. Mine were in his hair, down his back, then his arms and chest, and oh God, his skin was so smooth and perfect, I felt tremors how silky it felt underneath my fingers.. I couldn't get enough.

My hands shook from how much I wanted at the same time, the demand in his lips, his tongue distracting me even more.. I wanted to go for his pants as I felt his hands over my shorts, but all that I managed to do was breathe out a few sharp breath when his lips went down my jaw and neck, letting out a sharp 'Oh my God' as for it wasn't up to either of us. I could not believe that we were letting ourselves lose every sense, fall so deeply into each other in the middle of the damn woods, at two in the afternoon.

And from the few groans he let out, from his sharp breaths, from the way he only pushed himself against me and pulled me tighter against him, I could tell that he was just as lost as well.

His lips against my neck, my chest had me in some holy grail. I held onto him, running my fingers over his hair and completely losing my mind for him. Everything around us muted.. The birds, the leaves.. I could just heard our deep breaths filling my ears..

  Then only his sharp breaths, slight groans against my skin echoing in my head.. I could also hear my own blood furiously rushing underneath my veins, like it was never closer to my ears.. Our heartbeats were mixing in my head, like they were finding the same rhythm and thumping as one.. Quicker and quicker.

The more sensations his lips against my neck gave me, the more I lost all my other senses and focused on the shallow breaths and heartbeats that echoed in my head.. Turning into one.. One breath, one heartbeat..

My eyes were closed, my lips parted, my breathing shallow and my heartbeat rapid.. My blood was literally boiling in my veins, and I could physically fee the heat from Christian's body as well, his rapid heartbeat against my chest.. But in my ears, there was only one heartbeat.. And it was slowing down.. Steady and normal.. Only one breath.. Steady and normal..

My eyes slightly opened.. My throat was dry from how sharply I was breathing.. It wasn't my heartbeat.. Not my breaths.. And neither were Christian's.. I could feel how sharp he was breathing, I could feel how quick his heart thumped against my chest.. No, the beat and he breaths I was listening to were neither of ours..

I opened my eyes, still feeing his lips over my skin yet the sensations that they caused fading away as a result of me focusing on something completely different. I pressed my hands against his shoulders, shifting slightly, wanting him to stop and let go so I could hear more closely.. But the feel of his lips coming up my jaw had me a bit unfocused..

The heartbeat I was listening to was near.. The steady breaths too. Yet it wasn't me.. And it wasn't Christian..

I felt his lips over my lips, but I was so concentrated on the sound that was the only thing in my head in that moment, that I didn't even return the kiss, not closing my eyes whatsoever.. The sound was still fricking there! Closer and closer.

I unstraddled him, jumping down on my feet, yet he still kept close, moving very slightly away and mumbling against my jaw.. "What,- what is it?" His voice was faint, breathless.. And the sound I was the listening to was the opposite. Loud, steady heartbeats and a normal breaths..

Christian looked at me, but my eyes were roaming behind him, turning my head to the side and trying to see of there was someone there.. No. Only us.

  "I,-" He moved slightly, releasing me a bit and following my gaze. "Don't you hear that?"

  I managed to mumble, looking back at him and seeing a confused frown on his face. His breaths were still deep as he tried steadying them, attempting to listen to what I was hearing as he looked on the side, but instead he just looked back at me and frowned some more.

"No, what?"

  I pressed my hands against his shoulder and pushed him away slightly, taking a step to the side and looking around.. I was in a black bra and shorts, and on top of that bizarre look, I had black military boots on my feet..

  Christian was shirtless and his hair was a soft mess, making him seem damn irresistible, but still unkempt from me running my hands through it.. Whoever it was that was out there better come out because I was not planning on chasing around the woods in a bra.

  "Lana, what is it?" Christian insisted from now behind me as I stood like a solid rock and tried listening.

The sound was still there! I could hear breathing and a steady heartbeat. Just like that night when I ran away.. Just like that night when I met Christian in front of that old house.. I could hear the same steady heartbeat, the same steady breathing coming from inside the old house and I would've gotten in if it wasn't for Christian.

Now.. Now, I was hearing the exact same thing, but there was nothing but threes around us, the sun still shining and the next miles and miles from here clear on the opening, empty and filled with nothing but thin rows of trees.

"I can hear a heartbeat.. And someone breathing." I told him, not bothering to turn around.

"Yes, mine." His sarcasm was the last thing I needed int hat moment, especially now that I was starting to panic..

I relied on my scent of smell, and I was really good at sensing someone when they were near me, but in that moment I only smelled Christian's sharp scent of some manly yet sweet cologne that for some reason soothed me each time I was close to him, and the dry mud that was underneath the even drier leaves. Nothing else..

  The nature's scents weren't the same as a person's.. And I couldn't smell anyone even miles close.. Yet the sound was still there. Loud even.. Apparently only in my ears, cause Christian couldn't relate.

"It's not yours, Christian.. Can't you hear it?" I turned around to face him. "The steady heartbeat, the— the breathing.."

I tried focusing again as I looked on the side, but the sound was still there and when I looked back at Christian he just had those dark brows of his furrowed in the most serious manner, his jaw clenched and his face serious as he tried listening as well.

"No, just yours." Of course, I could hear that too but that wasn't what I was talking about. "And yours is pretty damn rapid, are you okay?"

  He took a few steps towards him but I shushed him, telling him to stay there.. With the same loudness, I could hear the breathing and the heartbeat, exactly the same as that night in front of the old house. No scent, just sounds.

Was it all in my head? Was I really losing my mind, because there was no one miles from here, and Christian claimed he heard nothing.

Suddenly, just like it came, it suddenly stopped.. Silence filled my ears, and the normal sounds were back. I looked at Christian and heard his breaths, his heartbeat.. I could tell the difference. It wasn't the same thing. I looked up the trees and I could once again hear the birds, the leaves underneath my feet as I shifted.

"It's gone." I said, seeing how much confusion was washing over his face in those few minutes, now even more. "A sound of a heartbeat and breathing cannot just disappear. What is this?"

  The slight panic in my voice was clear. A person's heartbeat and breathing cannot instantly disappear like nothing happened because people didn't disappear, they walked or ran away. This one.. This just banished like nothing happened.. Like someone teleported away even though there was no one near.

Christian rushed towards me with that super speed of his and I almost got a heart attack. I was still not used to vampires that much.

However, he stopped in front of me in a protective manner. He was like a building shadowing over me. My shirt was in his hand and of course he didn't even bother taking his cause I ripped it in two pieces, but from the frown on his face I could tell that he for once believed me, and acted like whatever it was that I heard represented danger.

"I'm not crazy, right? No one can disappear so quickly.." He still looked over my head like he was scanning the territory around us.. "Christian, there's no one there, don't bother searching." My voice came out harshly and he instantly looked at me. But I was panicking. The moment was gone, there was nothing he could hear now.. He just had to listen to me now.

"No, you're not crazy," His voice faded as he looked on the side, not even concentrating on his words. He pressed his hand over my waist, pulling me closer to him. "Come on, it's not safe here."

  And with those few words, once again the ground underneath my feet disappeared as he used his speed and led me along with him, causing me to close my eyes and open them when I felt solid ground back underneath my boots.

Just like that, we were back at the house with the back yard door closing behind us.. I was slightly dizzy in the middle of the kitchen as I looked at him, and he seemed awfully focused on me in that second. And it wasn't because I was still in my bra.

"Are you alright?"

  I nodded my head. Why did he seem just as panicked as me? He said he didn't hear anything, but did he believe that the fact that I was the only one hearing something as bizarre as that, meant danger? Cause he acted like it meant exactly that.

He walked towards me and handed me the shirt. "What is it? Did you hear something too?" I asked quickly, but he walked back a few steps and shook his head slightly before crossing his arms over his bare chest. He looked like some hot lost warrior and again, he was a damn distraction.

I pulled the shirt over my head and focused back on the topic we were discussing. "No, the only explanation for it that it was all in your head." Okay, so he thinks that I lost my mind.. Great.

"Christian, I'm not crazy, it was not in my head." I was ready to protest some more, but he spoke right after.

"If it wasn't in your head, I would've heard it too." I ran my hands through my hair in frustration.. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was going insane. Maybe,- "And I'm not saying that you're crazy, it just can easily be some kind of a mind game.." Oh.

I frowned as I looked back at him. "A mind game? What are you talking about?"

"Witch craft, Lana." Hell, maybe he lost his mind.

"But there was no one out there."

I could clearly see the same concern in his eyes, the same frustration that was reflected back in. I was just glad he took me seriously because Christian didn't have a habit on really trusting on anyone but himself.

  "Witches can do long distance spells from continents away, it doesn't matter." He explained, putting his hands on his hips and looking on the side. He was quite the view to look at, but God I had to focus.

I shook my head slightly, crossing my arms over my chest and clearing my throat. "So you're saying that some witch was doing a spell on me?"

"Not a spell.. Just a mind game perhaps." Right. He knew about witches and those stuff much more than I did. He had a witch for a lover. Just now, Calliope wasn't here to explain this to us. And what was this pressure I felt in my chest with the thought of them together? Ugh.

I pressed my hand over my stomach. I felt even slightly sick. "Oh my God." Who the hell was playing mind games with me?! I had nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing to do with witches.

He must've heard the slight panic in my voice. Walking towards me, I looked at him, watching how he pressed his hands at the sides of my shoulder and with that same serious concerned face just scanned me, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.. It did help feeling him close.

"Hey, it's okay, it's good that I was there with you." He moved his hands up my face, directing me to look at him. The few circles he preformed with his thumbs over my cheeks had me melting.. I closed my eyes for a second. "And this is why I don't want you leaving the house without me anymore."

  I looked at him, and saw that same slight anger that was probably cause day whoever was playing with us— well, playing with me mostly.. The same possessiveness I saw the previous night when he furiously snapped Alexander's neck..

I nodded my head in return. I could easily listen to whatever he had to say, it was insane.. He made another few circles on my face, caressing it for a second before he moved his hands down and over mine, saying a few clear words that I hoped would clear out what the hell just happened.

"Now tell me everything."

~

I don't think there's anything a shirtless Christian can't get 😉

  But hey, tell me what you guys think, how is this connected to the night at the old house? Definitely creepy, that's for sure..

  Don't forget to give this chap some love by clicking that little star, and comment you thoughts babes! Kisses 😘