The spirit of Èowyn

Chapter 9

Èowyn

My brain had short circuited the second he touched my bottom lip. We had reached the end of a long hallway before my brain cells caught up. I stole a glance up at his tall figure and couldn't stop a pleasurable shudder rushing like electricity through my body. His collar-length, raven-black hair made you want to run your hands through it. Gah, where were my thoughts going!? I stopped short. I couldn't trust this guy. He was a vampire, who I also knew nothing about except that he seemed to live in a gothic castle of some kind, was extremely handsome and with an accent that probably melted every girl's heart. But he wasn't mine and probably never would be. It would be foolish of me to fall for his elegant charm. I should know better by now. He stopped abruptly as my hand almost slipped from his as he looked at me questioningly. “Is everything okay? You have goosebumps. Are you cold?” You have no idea. Cold? I wish.. “Uhm, yeah.” I said awkwardly as I looked down at my bare feet. His gaze followed mine. He looked guilty. A look I've never seen directed at me before. Was he playing me?

“I´m sorry Angel. I didn't think. Come here.” I didn't have time to react before he pulled me into his arms and bent down to sweep me up in his arms. "No-o.. wait, I can, uhm, walk, perfectly. Not cold. At all, in fact.” I stuttered out as I felt the most embarrassing blush rise on my cheeks. Lucien continued walking purposefully down the hall while looking down at me with the most devastating smile. That smile. Could no one have prepared me for that? “You look adorable when you blush, angel.” He said as he continued to smile. Why did that nickname give me butterflies in my stomach? It made me think of all the other nicknames I've had over the years. The not so nice ones. Bug, dirty half-breed, Dumbo and... My heart grew cold in an instant. “Put me down." He looked down at me. His facial expression was now serious. "Why?" Was all he asked with an arrogant eyebrow raised. "Because.. because I'm heavy. I can walk by myself perfectly fine." He just kept walking without listening to my command. "You're light as a feather. Your feet are bare and you're freezing. So not a chance." I let out an indignant huff and crossed my arms as I pretended not to enjoy all the sparks traveling through my body wherever our bodies touched.

He entered through a door that led to a beautifully lit dining room. The chandeliers shone over a long wooden dining room table. Large arched windows covered one side, while the short side at the far end had a large, beautiful fireplace. The dining room table was already set with a plethora of mouth-watering food. That's when I realized how hungry I actually was. Lucien pulled out a green velvet chair that fit the classic elegance this place exuded and sat down with me still on his lap. That's when I discovered that the table was only set for one. "You got tense again. what's the matter?” Thoughts were flying around in my head like a tornado. What would he eat or, rather, who would he eat? “Uhm..” How do you ask this question without sounding like a fool or a scared mouse? “W-what do you eat? Can you eat normal food?” I said in a stream of words as I nervously started to pick up all the food I wanted and put it on my plate without getting up from his lap. He seemed perfectly content to have me there and I didn't want to upset him. He stroked me slowly up and down my back, as if trying to reassure me. A concept completely foreign to me, but which I had quickly come to love when he did it. "Absolutely, we can eat regular food. It doesn't do much for us, though. But I can still enjoy a nice juicy steak or a well-cooked dinner. Otherwise, I live on animal blood. Some vampires live on donated human blood bags. But we who believe in waiting for our beloved do not taste human blood until we are mated and marked.” I turned to face him. Surprised by his answer. Was he trying to gaslight me? The goddess knew I had been fooled a lot easier when I was younger and more naïve.

“You seem surprised, angel. Why is that, hmm?” I could only read honesty in his eyes. My other half. The one I had hidden well from everyone, seemed to agree. “It's just that, quite frankly, you seem too good to be true. I am just looking for the catch. And why do you keep calling me Angel?” I uttered a little more harshly than I intended. In all honesty, he hadn't done anything to deserve it. He had been nothing but a true gentleman since he found me. The thought made me feel a little ashamed. I turned around again and started to pick at my food. I didn't dare meet his gaze anymore, afraid of what I might see. His hand caressing my back faltered, but that was the only reaction I got that he had heard me.

“Èowyn, look at me.” His voice was soft when he said it, but the fear of being punished for my outspokenness still flared up. When I didn't obey, I felt his hand on my cheek gently trying to shift my gaze towards his. I tensed up but turned my gaze as he had asked. He looked at me with such compassion that my suspicion turned to sadness. Sadness over the memories where all my doubt came from and over how much I wanted to believe him, but still didn't quite dare. I closed my eyes and leaned my cheek into his hand as I bit my lip hard to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. I felt him brush away the first tear that fell, but I couldn't bear to open my eyes. I felt him pull me closer and I let him. He leaned me against his strong body, and I couldn't resist burying my face in the crook of his neck. I took deep breaths to control my emotions, which were all over the place. We sat in comfortable silence for I don't know how long, while he played with strands of my hair. I was grateful for the respite and for the soft purring he made. It calmed my mind.

“I know you've been through hell. And I know you don't know me. So you have no reason to trust me yet. All I can say is that my words and my actions always go hand in hand. But with your story, I understand if words hold no weight. All I ask is time to prove it.” His words made my heart expand and beat faster. Dare I hope? "And the reason I call you angel is because that's what you are to me. This might sound unbelievable and might make your trust in me waver even more. But I want to be honest.” His words made me tense again. What was he saying exactly? I straightened up and met his gaze. “Èowyn, I've dreamed of you for several months. I have seen you as real as you are now and that's how I know your name. I didn't know you were my mate. All I knew was that you were the most beautiful woman I had ever laid my eyes on and that I had to find you.” How was that even possible? And he thought I was beautiful? It was almost laughable. I've been called many things but never that. Still, his gaze held such honesty, such hunger, that it was hard not to believe him. No man had ever looked at me the way he looked at me. I could get addicted to that look. But did I dare? In the midst of my mesmerized haze of this man it hit me. “If you dreamed about me for months, does that mean you know?” My gaze widened, horrified, as I tried to pull back, away from his embrace. His gaze turned deadly dangerous. “Yes, Angel. I know everything.”