Chapter 11 Chapter 11
Valerie quietly left the bedroom and held her breath. Maxwell sat on the sofa and kept his back to her, the TV still on. He completely ignored her and refused to turn around. Thus, she saw her chance and tiptoed into the kitchen, disappearing. From there, reaching the front door and slipping outside was relatively easy.
Hastily running down the stairs, she almost tripped and caught herself at the last second. If she hurt herself by accident, the jerk would know something was up.
Leaving the apartment building behind, Valerie grinned in victory and threw a glance over her shoulder. This time, she had won. She wouldn’t allow Maxwell to take control of her life.
Her steps were fast, eager to get away from her apartment. Valerie’s destination was the subway station, about five minutes from her home. The moment she reached it, she slowed down.
Maxwell would have difficulty following her at this point, so there was no need to hurry anymore. Valerie took the next train and arrived at the cinema just in time. Reed already awaited her—his tall frame and broad shoulders were easily recognizable even from afar.
“Hi, Reed,” she smiled.
“Hello, Valerie, it’s great to see you,” he grinned and embraced her. “Let’s go inside. The movie is starting soon.”
They bought tickets and popcorn and sat down in the cinema hall. During the movie, they inched closer and closer to each other until they ended up sharing a kiss.
Valerie was happy to be with him, feeling comfortable in his proximity. She would forget everything around her whenever she looked into his soft eyes. It felt like a dream.
A rush of excitement overcame her, and she soon got addicted to the feeling, craving more of it. As the movie ended and the hall was flooded with light, they still sat close to each other, Reed kissing the corner of her lips. He smirked amusedly when she pouted at him, wanting more than just a peck.
After they left the cinema, they lingered on the square in front of it. “Do you want to have dinner now?” he asked.
“I’m not hungry anymore after I ate so much popcorn, but maybe next time,” she grinned, prompting him to laugh.
“Well, that’s understandable,” he replied. He smiled and took her hand, the sleeve of her shirt sliding up. He noticed the black crest on her wrist, studying it with interest. “Oh, you have a tattoo. May I see?”
Valerie was a bit puzzled until she got what he meant. She turned her wrist, giving him a better view of the star. “Wow, that looks good. Can you recommend the tattoo artist?” he asked curiously.
“Not really, it was… uh… too expensive,” she said, covering it up.
“Ah, that’s a shame. I wanted to get one too and don’t know any good artists,” he sighed, but his smile stayed.
“Do you want to come over to my place now? I don’t live far from here; it’s just around the corner, actually,” he asked with a certain glint in his eyes that betrayed his intentions.
Valerie wasn’t sure what to answer since she did like him, yet she didn’t want to rush things. This was their second date, and she didn’t know him well enough.
“I’m sorry, Reed. Maybe next time,” she said, and his smile dimmed.
“Are you sure?” he tried again, taking her hand. Abruptly, a stinging pain shot through her wrist, making her wince. She broke eye contact and clutched her wrist, gritting her teeth. Where had this come from? And more importantly, had Maxwell felt it too?
“Sorry, I have to go home now, Reed,” Valerie said, smiling apologetically.
“Alright, then I hope to see you soon, sweetheart,” he mirrored her smile, leaning in for one last kiss.
“See you,” she said and turned around to walk back to the subway station.
Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long for the train to arrive and sat down in a corner. She leaned her head against the window, momentarily closing her eyes.
Where had that intense ache originated from just now? She hadn’t experienced this before. Was this another side effect of the bond? If so, then she desperately needed to get rid of it at all costs. She couldn’t live like this.
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When Valerie entered her apartment, Maxwell awaited her—and he was in a bad mood. He exploded as soon as he laid eyes on her, his shoulders rigid as he curled his hands into fists.
“What were you thinking, sneaking off without telling me? You’re endangering my life!” he spat.
She frowned. This guy really couldn’t give her a break—she couldn’t even spend the evening on a date without him throwing a tantrum. It was ridiculous. She intended to walk past and ignore him, but he was persistent and didn’t let her pass.
“Answer me!” he hissed, the anger within him rising. Valerie glanced at him, astonished by his disheveled appearance. His white hair was messy, and even the chain on his face was askew. Why was he this upset all of a sudden? Because she’d been gone for a while?
“I met up with someone,” she mumbled quietly, not ready for another drawn-out argument with him.
“Such a smart idea, human,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. “Who was it?”
“Uh… just a guy I got to know a few days ago,” she answered reluctantly.
Maxwell’s irises changed colors like the sky during sunset, scarlet overtaking the natural blue of his eyes. “What did he do?” he scowled.
“Nothing. We just watched a movie, that’s all,” she explained, not understanding why he got so worked up over it. “Besides, you'd better tell me why my mark hurt so badly! What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything.” His bloodred eyes darkened, and he clenched his jaw. “It was a warning. You were in grave danger, and that’s why it hurt. It seems like you were unaware of what you got yourself into. This guy you met, whoever the hell he is, don’t ever go near him again.”
Her anger surged at the idea of never seeing Reed again, and she scowled at the demon. He had no right to decide who she spent time with—she would see Reed as often as she wanted, and Maxwell couldn’t stop her.
“I’m keeping a closer eye on you from now on, human,” he decided. “I’m planning to live on for at least another century.”