The Bald Princess

~Twenty Eight~

And they were like the fire and water. He was fierce and she was cold. Only his warmth could've saved her and only her water could've tamed him. They were like the wild souls, meant to be one but not before taming each other's wildest form.

Atarah

"When was the last time you had blood?" I asked curiously. Concern kept bubbling inside me. His eyes— they were so red as if he was thirsty.

He looked up from the blades, he had on his palms. I watched as his palm blazed dangerously and the blades were burned down to ashes, making my eyes to widen. I didn't need them. But his power didn't made me feel at ease. He dumped the ash down before he looked at me. His dark red orbs were gazing at me with a smile, not the predatory smile but the one that made my knees to go weak. That kind of smile.

"You shouldn't concern yourself with my drinking desires, Atarah. I'm fine and when I'll be in need of blood, your King will provide me some." He said, trying to calm my worry but deep down his eyes, I saw how thirsty he really was. The desire to drink from warm flesh, alive host must be tempting. His smile was hiding his thirst but kind of mate would I be, if I wouldn't see through his smile.

"A very gorgeous mate, Atarah. And besides, I have learnt my ways to control my desires. I'll have my blood when my body will need it. Why don't you sleep, it's getting really late." I looked up at him. My fingers were itching to touch his face, his hair. They looked so soft. I missed my hair. I missed the soft touch of them.

"Now, that wasn't the answer of my question, Ansel. When was the last time you fed?" I asked again, this time firmly and he chuckled. His red eyes looking at me with amusement.

"Getting demanding now, are we?" He teased me, taking a step forward, his upper torso touching my chest. My eyes gazed down at the minimal distance amid us, swallowing nervously.

"I've learnt from the best." I said with a sweet smile and he laughed— he laughed, throwing his head back as he shook his head. I froze for a whole minute. His laughter messed with my insides, leaving me wild. Like an untamed desire, I looked into his dark orbs. My fingers were gripping so tightly on my dress that it hurt.

"Hm. True. But like I said before, my crown, you don't need to be concerned about me. I'm in control, ain't I?" He asked softly, almost like he wanted to prove me a point and I snorted.

"Your eyes are red, Ansel. No matter how much you smile or try to act gentle, I can see your thirst behind your eyes. I may not be in your mind, my Warrior, but I'm indeed in your heart. If my mind is your loyal companion, your heart is mine. Now, tell me, when was the last time you had drank the blood?"

"A month ago." He mumbled as he gripped my palms, I bit my lips. A month. That's a very long time. No wonder, he couldn't heal on his own every time he was been attacked.

"Don't overthink, my love. Thirty days are no big deal. I'm used to even larger time gaps. Do you want me to warm up the room for you? It's getting cold out there." He spoke, looking out of my window and I shook my head. I liked cold nights.

"You...... you can drink from me. I am allowing you to. Thirty days are too long for a vampire to go without blood." I said after a long period of silence and I saw his eyes snapping up to meet mine. His canines elongated, salivating as I asked him to drink from me. A low, menacing growl escaped his mouth, making me jump.

"You don't say shits like this to a vampire, Atarah. Those words can evoke the desire into a demon. Such words are dangerous, Atarah, very dangerous."

"But won't you have to drink from me to even seal the bond? Think of it as my permission to seal the bond. Feed from me." His eyebrows furrowed as he leaned a little closer to my face, confused.

"Seal the bond?" He asked, astounded and I slowly nodded my head.

"Yes. Like marking." He chuckled darkly, his dark eyes boring into mine, making my throat to go dry.

"Oh, my love. Where did you hear that? There's no such thing like sealing of a bond. Or me marking you. You're no territory, my crown. A human doesn't need to be marked. But who gave you these false information?" He asked, amused and color filled my cheeks as my neck heated up in embarrassment.

"I.... I had read it somewhere." I mumbled and he smiled, shaking his head.

"It's a myth, Atarah. Bond is the most sacred part of this universe. There's neither a beginning to it, nor it has any ending. This bond got life when I was born and it got meaning when I met you. In your language, the bond was sealed the day you were born. There's no marking, no sealing of bond. Our bond is eternal, with no beginning and no end. Okay?"

I nodded my head, my heart soaring inside my chest as I wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face in his stomach and he chuckled, rubbing my back.

"Go to sleep now, hm?"

"I'm not sleepy." I mumbled, my eyes focused on his red eyes and he smiled.

"I can make you sleep in a snap of my fingers. Do you want me to?" I, for once wasn't sure if he was threatening me or offering me like a gentleman. Either way, I shook my head.

"I'm not sleepy." I repeated again. My eyes were unwavering. I was finally learning to hold gazes. "Please stay."

"Will you take a leave from work tomorrow?" He asked and I shook my head. I have patients to look after. There are people who come to my infirmary, getting their hopes on me. I can't break their trust.

"I have patients to look after, Ansel."

"Then, my love, you're not staying awake. If you can't sleep, I can use my spell on you. But, you had a very long day, you should rest. You need rest. How is your cheek now? It doesn't look like you have iced it after I left." He said with a sigh and I shook my head.

"The pain is barely there. It just stings when I touch it but it's better. And anyway, the sun is going to rise in a few hours. It won't matter."

"I can make you fall in a deep sleep. That way, you will feel relaxed and fresh even when you'll wake up after a few hours of sleep. Lie down, Atarah."

"Even you would need your sleep, no?" I asked and he shook his head. I rose my brows but lied down on the cot, my body still craving for his presence, his cold fingers and his warm embrace. But we can't always get what we want. Sometimes, we also need to live without our comfort.

"Vampires are basically dead. We belong to the dead family. And dead feels no urge to sleep. Now look into my eyes. Sleep, my crown." And I did and slowly, every muscle in my body relaxed as sleep embraced me with open arms.

~~~~~~

"Good morning, my child." Father greeted me as soon as I entered the kitchen. My eyes fell on his frame, sitting on the chair. I could see his urge to read one of his books but he wasn't. He had promised to himself to devote his morning to his daughter— me.

I smiled at him, gripping the washed pot before filling it with water as I turned the stove on.

"Good morning, father. How did you sleep? I hope the medicines are working well for you." I said as I started dicing carrots and beans. He looked up, his eyes focused on mine. He nodded his head, his eyes were looking at me carefully. As if he was inspecting something.

"Hm. I don't have to stay awake for hours now to fall asleep. How's your cheek? There's no more swelling, just the fingerprints." He mumbled, standing up from the chair and I sighed, smiling sadly at him.

"They don't hurt now, father. Besides these fingerprints remind me of how I rose my voice against the abuse. I am proud of these marks." I said as I started preparing porridge as I put the vegetables in the water along with the rice to cook.

"But they are painful to me, daughter. Anything that hurts you hurts me. Did you sleep well?" He asked and the events from past night flashed in front of my eyes.

Ansel was here. He was there with me all the time. He embraced me more than thirty seconds. He burned my blades. He made me fall asleep. He refused to drink from me. But above everything he did, he took my heart along with him. My heart, my soul. Everything.

I cleared my throat as I saw father waiting for my answer. I smiled at him as I placed a glass of water down on another stove for him to drink.

"Better than I had ever slept before." I said, pouring the warm water in a glass before handing it to him and he took it. His old eyes were staring at me intently but a smile graced his face as he let out an airy chuckle.

"So, Warrior Duncan's spell really did work, huh?" He said, making me choke on my breath. My face whipped towards him so fast that, it gave my neck a sprain. I hissed in pain, feeling the sharp, stabbing pain in my neck. Freaking Lord of Hell!

"Oh God, child! You didn't had to be so dramatic about turning your neck. Looks like, you sprained it." He rebuked me sharply, making me look at him with an exasperated look.

"What did you say?" I asked softly and he rose his brows, his old fingers gingerly holding the side of my neck but I only took a step back. I'll need Bailey to fix this. Damn it! It hurts like hell.

"You didn't had to be so dramatic about ........" I shook my head, looking at him with my still tilted neck.

"No, before that. About Warrior Duncan." I asked and he sighed, though there was an impish look in his eyes. He suddenly didn't look like an old man but a teenager with teasing glint.

"Your father may be getting old now but always remember, your cries will always wake me up. Even from my deepest sleep and probably in the future, it will wake me up from my coffin too." He joked and I frowned at his joke, not really liking it a bit.

"I had almost opened your door when I heard you crying but then stopped when I heard Warrior Duncan's voice. I knew, you had your cure with you." He continued, making me gulp.

Could it get any more embarrassing than this?

"Aren't you angry? After all he sneaked in my room." I asked and he rose his brows, taking a sip of his warm water.

"You certainly weren't angry with him sneaking in your room, daughter. Why would I be? And besides, he calmed my daughter down. He threw your blades out. And I'm not a man who controls the women of his family." He said and I didn't had any words to answer. My eyes gazed up at my father, he was smiling softly as if a pleasant memory flashed in front of his eyes.

"Your mother was a wild woman." He said with a soft chuckle, his eyes moistened at the memory of a woman, I didn't get to spend much time in my life with. The woman I always looked up to— my mother.

"My mother was scared of your mother. Can you believe that? That's how fiery your mother was. And that was the only thing that attracted me towards her. Her fierce and lively attitude. And how fair would it be to control the daughter of that lively mother?"