Chapter nine
1231 Words
Elara’s POV.
The next morning marked exactly two weeks since I had stepped foot in Kaden’s home.
Two weeks since I’d arrived bruised, broken and burning with nothing but revenge.
Now… I was still burning only this time, I knew how to control the fire.
My muscles screamed as I drove my fist toward Kaden. He caught my wrist.
I twisted beneath his grip, swept his legs and shoved him backward. He stumbled a few steps before regaining his balance.
Progress. A week ago I wouldn’t have managed even that, a proud smile tugged at his lips.
“Better.”
I pressed a hand to my chest dramatically.
“Was that… a compliment?”
“It was an observation.”
“So you admit I’m improving.”
“I admit you’re becoming slightly less terrible.”
I gasped, “Luna!” I called toward the porch. “Did you hear that? Your guardian just insulted me.”
Luna giggled around a mouthful of bread swinging her legs as she did, “He likes you.” She sang.
Kaden nearly choked, “I tolerate her.” He murmured
“Sure you do.” I scoffed.
For reasons I couldn’t explain, teasing him had become my favorite part of the day.
The man who barely looked at me when I first arrived now actually held conversations with me. Granted, half of them involved him criticizing my stance or correcting my technique.
Still… Progress, by evening he finally lowered his sword.
“Enough.”
I blinked.
“That’s it?”
“For today.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“You’re ending training early.”
“You’ve earned it.”
I stared, who was this man? And what had he done with the grumpy, old vampire who’d barked orders at me for two weeks?
As if reading my thoughts, one corner of his mouth lifted.
“Don’t look so surprised.”
“I think I preferred you grumpy.”
“Liar.”
I laughed, genuinely laughed. The sound caught both of us off guard.
For a second… neither of us moved, his eyes stayed on mine a little longer than they should have, heat crept into my cheeks.
Luna’s tiny voice broke whatever strange spell had settled between us.
“Dinner!”
That evening, after Luna had fallen asleep, a knock sounded on my bedroom door.
“Kaden?”
“The study.”
That was all he said before walking away. Curiosity prickled beneath my skin as I followed him almost immediately.
The study was quieter than usual.
The fire had burned low, casting long shadows across the room. Kaden stood by the window, his back to me, one hand resting against the wooden frame.
“You wanted to see me?”
He didn’t answer immediately. After a long moment, he turned.
“Tomorrow you leave.”
The words settled heavily between us.
“I know.”
“You’ve completed your training.”
A smile tugged at my lips.
“So… that’s your way of saying you’re impressed?”
A faint smile ghosted across his face.
“You survived me.”
“I did more than survive.”
“You complained every day.”
“I complained with determination.”I replied defensive.
A quiet chuckle escaped him before he caught himself.
“There it is!” I pointed accusingly. “You laughed.”
“It was an accident.”
“I’ll make a note of it.”
“You do that.”
The silence that followed wasn’t awkward, It was… different, dare I say comfortable.
I wasn’t sure when we’d stopped feeling like strangers.
Or when teasing him had become so easy.
“I wanted to thank you,” I said softly.
“For what?”
“For not giving up on me.”
Something flickered in those icy blue eyes.
“You gave me plenty of reasons to.”
“And yet…”
“I stayed.”
My chest tightened.
“You did.”
His gaze lingered on me.
Long enough that I became painfully aware of the distance between us.
Or rather… How little of it remained.
He took one step forward, then another, until he stood close enough for me to catch the cool scent of cedar and winter that always clung to him.
“Kaden?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he lifted a hand slowly, carefully. His fingertips brushed against my cheek, my breath caught.
His touch was Gentle, almost hesitant, his thumb traced the curve of my cheekbone as though committing it to memory.
My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
Then his expression changed, the careful composure I’d grown used to was gone. In its place was something raw, something that looked dangerously close to longing.
His eyes drifted to my lips, then traced slowly back to my eyes.
He leaned closer. I should have stepped away, Instead… my eyes slipped shut.
I wasn’t sure what I was waiting for, perhaps a kiss? Or an explanation? I only knew I couldn’t move.
His forehead rested lightly against mine.
A shaky breath left him.… His nose brushed mine, once, softly, his body rocking back and forth slightly.
The tiny movement sent an unexpected shiver racing through me, the air suddenly cold, in a way that made me feel good
I waited for him to move just one inch, one, but he didn’t.
His fingers trembled lightly and I felt his hand tighten against my cheek for the briefest moment.
I felt him struggling with something I couldn’t see, His breathing uneven.
“No…” he whispered.
The word barely reached my ears, I knew It wasn’t directed at me. It sounded more like a plea to himself.
Slowly…. He pulled away, His hand falling to his side.
When I opened my eyes, he had already taken several steps back. The warmth… whatever it had been… was gone and the familiar mask had returned.
“You should leave.”
I frowned.
“What? Kaden… I…”
“Go.”
I searched his face for an answer, for any sign of what had just happened, there was nothing.
Only the same unreadable vampire who had spent the last two weeks barking orders at me.
Annoyance replaced my confusion.
“If you’re going to start acting strange, at least have the decency to explain why.”
He looked away.
“I can’t.”
The answer irritated me more than it should have.
I threw my hands into the air.
“Fine.”
I turned sharply and marched toward the door.
“Goodnight.”
No reply. The door closed behind me with a soft click.
As I walked down the hallway, I touched my cheek without thinking, It still felt cold.
I frowned.
“What was that about?”
The question followed me all the way to my room. Yet somehow… by the time I lay in bed, I wasn’t thinking about the almost kiss.
I was thinking about the look in his eyes, I’d never seen Kaden lose control before and for reasons I couldn’t explain… I couldn’t stop wondering what, or who, had caused it.
I pressed my fingers against my lips and sighed into the darkness. Tomorrow I’d leave, I’d return to Adelaide, and I’d begin destroying the Blackwood name.
I couldn’t afford to get distracted, not even by a man as breathtaking as Kaden.
- Writer
