Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Elena stiffened as she realized the danger she was in. Her head snapped up, and she stared into his deep red eyes, fearfully taking two steps backward, pressing her body against the wall. He would attack her. It would be horribly painful, just like last time, and if she was unlucky, she might even—

“Elena,” he said. And even though there was a slight strain in his tone, he didn’t approach her, staying on the other side of the counter. His iris was of the same color as the roses in between them, and if she hadn’t been scared out of her mind, she might have called the sight beautiful, but it reminded her too much of the vampire who had ambushed her family.

“Calm down,” he continued, and only then did she realize she was shaking. “I’m not doing anything, see?”

He held up his hands with his palms facing her, and for the first time since she had known him, his voice warmed. It became sugary sweet like honey, hard to resist. She stood with her back pressed against the wall and did not take her eyes off him. Her pulse raced, and it felt like her heart wanted to jump out of her throat. Ryder frowned, cocking his head.

“A small drop of your blood won’t turn me into a mindless monster if that is what you are fearing,” he said as he knitted his brows. “You should clean it and put a band-aid on it,” he stated nonchalantly, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.

“Right,” she mumbled and slowly turned away from him, hurrying to the back of the shop where she kept her first aid box. She took care of the cut and wrapped it with a Band-Aid before she returned to the counter. As she arrived, she noted that his eye color had returned to a stormy blue. Only a barely noticeable red hue remained.

“I will finish this quickly,” she said without looking at him anymore, lowering her head. She reached for one of the thorny roses, but his hand caught hers.

When their skin touched for the first time, a warm sensation spread through her body. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced, a welcoming kind of magic that made her feel like she was enveloped in a soft blanket. It promised safety. Her shocked gaze met his, confusion reflecting within it.

“What was that?”

His eyes twinkled amusedly at her reaction. “Our soulmate bond.”

“Oh…” she stuttered, astonished that it would feel so positive and inviting. Her hand tingled from their brief contact, and she wondered if the same thing would happen every time they touched. Elena was compelled to try it, battling the apprehension that befell her. It was just a simple touch, no need to be afraid. She gnawed on her bottom lip. Her green eyes were fixed on his hand that now rested on the counter.

“Can I touch your hand?” she asked reluctantly, catching him off guard. His blue eyes widened a tad, though it didn’t take long for a smirk to grow on his lips.

“Of course you can,” he replied in that silken tone of voice that was dangerously attractive. He held out his hand to her with the palm turned up and waited for what she would do. Elena reached out to him. Her fingers quaked. The distance between them slimmed, and she closed it slowly when she put her hand in his open palm.

Once more, a spark of pleasantly warm magic was set off. In awe, she stared at their connected hands. Ryder’s thumb brushed over the back of her hand while he curiously watched her reaction.

It was a relief she didn’t shy away from his touch—he knew that this was a big step, and he hoped she would learn to trust him enough to take it further in the future. He had long since understood that she had a trauma that prevented her from opening up to him. Therefore, he was very careful around her, trying his hardest not to spook her. He didn’t want her to go back into her shell. If she shut him out, it would be hard to reach her.

“It’s not so bad, is it?” he whispered.

“No, it’s… It’s okay.”

She moved a little, brushing her palm against his before she retracted her hand. Once they separated, a sense of loss overcame her. She wondrously glanced at her hand. Elena decided that she needed to find out more about soulmate bonds and their peculiar magic—she had never experienced anything like this, and it roused her curiosity.

As her gaze wandered over the countertop, she remembered what she had been doing. The roses still lay on the table, and the bouquet was far from finished. Time was ticking.

“Let me help you before you cut yourself again,” Ryder said sternly. “For a witch, you are rather clumsy.”

She flushed in mortification. “I am not clumsy.”

His lips twitched. “Not at all,” he answered sarcastically and gathered the flowers to cut off the thorns. He worked nimbly and finished the task within record time. She watched in surprise while he put together a pretty bouquet, bundling up the plants expertly.

“Is this to your liking?” he asked and winked at her.

“Something is missing,” she uttered, taking the bouquet from his hands. Pursing her lips, she stared at it since she wasn’t quite satisfied yet. It didn’t look cute enough, so she took a few of the silver hearts she had prepared and decorated the flowers with them.

“Now it’s perfect,” she smiled, putting it in a vase with water until the customer would arrive to pick it up.

“Do you have a favorite kind of flower?” Ryder asked curiously.

She only needed to think for a second, and then she knew her answer. “Yes,” she nodded. “I love camellias. My parents used to have them in our garden. They bloomed beautifully every year. I miss them a lot… whenever I see these flowers, I’m reminded of home.”

She blinked a few times, just to make sure her glossy eyes would stay unnoticed by him, but it was impossible to hide something like that from a vampire.

“Camellias are beautiful indeed,” he said quietly. “Where are your parents? I have never seen them around.”

A lump formed in her throat, and her chest became heavy with grief. “They aren’t here. They left me behind.”

“Why would they leave their own daughter?”

She gritted her teeth and connected his upset gaze with her own. “Because they were murdered by a vampire. They are dead.”

Her words were followed by silence. Ryder was stunned, and his shock melted the ice in his eyes. For once, he looked truly blindsided. And when his shock faded, what remained was uneasiness. She knew that he connected the dots—and finally realized why she was reluctant to trust him.