Sold To My Fated Enemy

Chapter 5

Nyra's POV

I sat frozen on the bed like a statue, staring wide-eyed at the man watching me. His dark grey eyes remained fixed on mine, heavy and unblinking, making my skin crawl.

“Who is 'him'?" he demanded again, arching his eyebrow.

“I... I..." My voice broke, the words dissolving before they could form. I racked my head, desperately scavenging for a lie, but my mind remained a chaotic haze.

Instantly, I bolted from the bed. I scrambled back, putting as much distance between us as the small room allowed. He’s a vampire. I couldn't afford to let my guard down for a second.

“What are you doing here?" I demanded, my breath hitching in my chest.

“Well... this room belonged to me once. I come here sometimes to clear my head," he replied, a timid smile playing on his lips. “But who knew I would meet you here?"

“Hmmm." I gave a stiff, awkward nod, my own smile feeling like a mask.

“You were talking about my cousin, weren't you?" he asked. My brows deepened, and my lips parted in disbelief. How could he possibly know?

“Are you afraid of me?" he questioned. My brows shot up in surprise at the bluntness of it. The question was random, yet it struck me with the force of a blow.

“There's no need to be. I won't hurt you. I'm not my cousin," he said, his lips spreading into a wide, reassuring smile. All I could manage was a small, hesitant nod. He was trying to convince me, but I knew better. He was a vampire; there was no universe in which I would trust him. They were all the same—all filled with the same venom.

The silence between us dragged on, heavy and suffocating. I stared at him, muscles coiled, making sure I stayed on my toes.

“Since you just got to the kingdom, I'm sure you don't know your way around anywhere..." He paused, his gaze boring into me. “Do you mind following me to my garden?" His voice had shifted, dropping into a tone of soft, deceptive warmth.

“No," I declined immediately. “I'm okay here—"

“Don't be an indoor person," he pushed. I wanted to snap back that being an indoor person was exactly who I was, but I kept my mouth shut. “It will be boring sitting here by yourself. Just follow me. Like I said—I don't bite." He added the last part with a finality that left no room for a second refusal.

I stood still, contemplating whether to follow him or not.

“Come on, Nyra," he said.

My eyes snapped wide. He knew my name? How?

“How do you know that's my name?" I demanded, my brows furrowing in perplexity. I could sense something strange vibrating off him, a hidden frequency I couldn't quite decode.

His lips pulled up into a smirk. “It's a secret. But trust me when I say I won't hurt you. I definitely won't." He assured me, and for a fleeting second, the sharp edge of my insecurity eased—but only slightly.

I watched him walk to the door and signal for me to follow. Reluctantly, I moved. I knew I had to be extra careful, but I didn't want to provoke him by appearing rude.

“You are my cousin's bride?" he asked—though it sounded more like a statement than a question—as we made our way through the halls to only Moon-Goddess-knows-where.

“Not willingly," I answered, shrugging my shoulders to hide their trembling.

“I know," he replied. I glanced at him, a mix of confusion and curiosity flaring within me. It was weird; he seemed to know everything about me. Who exactly is he?

“No sensible lady would want to be with a cold man like him," he added, letting out a low chuckle.

“Who are you?" The question slipped off my tongue before I could catch it.

“I already answered that," he stated, arching his brow again. “You don't want to be here, do you?"

I stopped instantly, staring at him. I stood rigid, wondering if it was a trap or if it was safe to speak the truth. He seemed so nice, but "nice" was a dangerous word in this castle.

“No. I wish I could get out of here," I whispered.

We resumed walking.

“But unfortunately, you can't. Once my cousin gets his hands on something, he doesn't let go easily." There was a sudden darkness laced at the edge of his words that made the hair on my arms stand up.

We reached the back of the castle and stepped into a garden overflowing with vibrant flowers. The scent hit me, it's refreshing, soothing, and entirely unexpected.

“These are my plants," he said randomly.

I blinked, struggling to reconcile the image. How could a monster like him spend time planting something so delicate?

“We are not totally the monsters you think we are," he said, causing me to scoff in disbelief. It was as if he was reading my thoughts directly from my mind. While that might have been amazing to some, to me, it was a warning. Someone like him couldn't be trusted. None of them could.

He picked up a watering can, and I watched silently as he tended to the flowers.

“Do you know why I love planting these flowers?" he asked, but before I could answer, he continued. “It's because they are therapeutic. They reduce stress and boost energy." He set the can down and began caressing a petal, shutting his eyes. His nose flared as he took in the floral scent, his expression softening.

This was the total opposite of everything I believed about vampires. He was a walking contradiction.

“You want to try it?" he offered, his voice shattering my thoughts.

“No, I'm not—"

“No, you should try it," he cut me off. He reached for my hand, but I jerked away instantly, taking a sharp step back.

His face distorted, a flash of disappointment and hurt crossing his features. “You still don't believe me, do you?" he asked, his eyes searching for mine. “I understand that you feel insecure about us. But trust me, I won't hurt you."

“Why should I believe you?" I countered.

His face froze for a moment, as if the question were a puzzle he hadn't prepared for.

“Because I said so," he finally replied, his gaze locking onto mine in a silent contest of wills. The silence stretched until the air felt thick and awkward.

To break the tension, I moved closer to the plants. I reached out and caressed the soft petals, let the scent hit my nose, and for a moment, I actually felt a sense of relief.

“Since you have a lot on your shoulders, I will allow you to come and touch them every morning. They will make your day lively," he said, smiling. I only gave a small nod.

I didn't know what he was trying to achieve. His actions were questionable. I watched him continue his work, my mind spinning. Maybe this was how vampires hunted—tricking their prey with kindness before devouring them.

Surprisingly, nothing happened until we finished. He remained perfectly nice, yet the discomfort in my gut wouldn't fade. Vampires were supposed to be enemies, not friends.

When we arrived back at my room, we found Nickolas standing by the entrance. His gaze snapped up to us, anger etched into every line of his face. He looked like he's ready to pounce on his prey.

The memory of how he had almost bitten me the other night flashed through my mind, leaving me breathless for a moment.

“Why are you here, Lord Nickolas?" Silas asked.

“Leave us," Nickolas ordered, his voice as cold as a winter grave. “I need to speak with Nyra. Alone."

The way he looked at Silas... it was as if he couldn't wait to rip his head off. At that moment, I mistook them for being sworn enemies instead of family.

As I looked into Vampire King's blazing eyes, I could only imagine what was going to happen once I was left alone with him.