Chapter 38: .•15•.

Diana's parched throat vibrated as a displeased moan bubbled up within. It hurt. It hurt so much. She hadn't even properly woken up yet and she could already feel how bad her head was pounding. It felt like someone was drilling a machine into her skull.

She languidly stretched out her limbs, feeling that lingering soreness in her muscles. She felt really tired. Even if she had just woken up. And she couldn't even understand why.

Her eyelids slowly fluttered open, meeting the unfamiliar ceiling. Where was she? She quickly sat up to have a look around, instantly regretting it as a stronger wave of pain washed over her. She almost wanted to cry.

She slapped a hand against her forehead, throwing the room she was in a cursory glance. Right before all those memories of what happened to her last night suddenly hit her with an unrelenting force, making her whimper with terror. The memory of his fangs sinking into her. That sickening feeling of growing weaker, with every drop that he'd stolen from her veins.

Tears filled her eyes, almost failing to notice that silhouette slumped into a comfy chair close to the bed. Intently watching her.

She blinked away her tears, her gaze focusing on Nicholas. Noticing him sitting there with a deadly serious look on his face as he stared at her. Chest bare. His lower half only covered by a pair of black silken trousers.

"W-what did you do to me?" She weakly cried. Eyes widening as soon as she noticed that she was still wearing only her bra and those thin purple leggings. She pulled at the comforter, quickly covering her body.

He didn't answer. Continuing to regard her with that scarily somber look on his face.

She quickly took a glance at her wrist, surprised to notice that it was completely healed. There was no sign of any puncture wounds. It was as if he'd never even bitten her. But she knew better. She could remember. All of it. How he'd touched her. Kissed her body. That intense feeling that washed over her. That odd sensation that coursed through her as soon as he sunk his fangs into her. She could feel her cheeks burn so brightly now. He'd touched her. In a way that no other man ever had. And she hadn't even been able to reject him. To say no. It was almost as if her body had welcomed him. So eager to receive his every touch. It scared the hell out of her.

She rushed to climb down from his bed, her arms protectively wrapping around her cleavage. She needed to get away from there. Away from him, before he-

She shrieked as soon as she felt that hand wrapping around her arm, forcefully twirling her around. Making her smack right into his muscled chest.

She placed a hand against his firm abs in an attempt to steady herself, her heart jolting with embarrassment and even fear as she lastly noticed how close they were now. The way that she was touching him.

"Where are you going?" Her gaze rose to meet his, meekly staring up at him.

"T-to wash and change?" She stuttered uneasily, eyelids fluttering at the sight of that intense look in his eyes. His jaw clenched. That hand still refusing to let go of her arm.

"Fine. Let's go," he started to tug at her arm, dragging her after him straight towards his bedroom door.

"Wha-wait!" She tried to pull herself free, making him abruptly stop and turn to face her again.

"W-why are you..." she felt her face heating up so furiously again, growing so nervous and equally scared. Why was he even dragging her like that? Was he planning to-

Her eyes widened, staring up at him with what could only be described as horror and revulsion.

He rolled his eyes, looking rather annoyed upon noticing that look on her face.

"I need to make sure that you won't fall into the shower. You're still weak and you could hurt yourself," he flatly explained with an air of impatience, giving her one last look from head to toe before proceeding to drag her after him again.

Wait...

What?!?

She reluctantly stumbled after him, struggling to keep up with his long strides. That pounding headache was long forgotten now, replaced by that gnawing fear and mortification that made its crib within her chest. He couldn't be serious! Was he actually planning to keep her company in there as she washed, watch her undress?!? Surely not! She wasn't going to allow him that! He had already seen enough and taken enough from her! She was definitely not going to let him do that!

She shrieked as she suddenly found herself dangling in between his arms, the world blurring all around them for the briefest moment before she lastly found herself in her own bedroom, still cradled between his strong and very naked arms.

"What! Why..." she sputtered out, her head still spinning a little.

"You were walking way too slow," he casually replied with a shrug, gently settling her back on her own two feet.

She swayed a little, unconsciously gripping onto his arm for support. Nicholas placed his hand on her waist to steady her, the girl immediately tensing under his warm and gentle touch.

She pried his hands off of her with her own, taking a step back.

"Thanks, but I got it from here," she tersely gazed up at him, shocked to notice him not moving an inch. Vehemently refusing to leave.

"Can you please go now?" She meekly pleaded with an uneasy grimace. Anxiously biting her lower lip.

"Nope. Like I said, I gotta make sure that you don't hurt yourself," he simply said after a quick glance to her mouth, effectively making her stomach drop.

"B-but...why? Why would you even care? You already got what you wanted, can't you just let me crack my skull open in peace?" She whined, making him let out amused chuckle at the sound of her words.

"Hahah, nice try but that's not how it works and I'm willing to bet that you already know it very well," he replied with a pointed look into her eyes, the girl feeling like throwing a fit and starting to cry at the sound of that.

"I've fed from you once, but that doesn't mean that I'll stop. Very far from it," he said with conviction. She could only gulp in return.

"And I will definitely be seeing you naked in the near future, so why not just do it now?" He rose one brow.

"You know, rip the band-aid right off," he added with a cheeky grin and she let out a gasp, her stomach though doing a flip at the mere thought of that. Of him seeing her naked.

"You sound so sure of yourself," she blurted out, turning her back to him.

"I am," he swiftly replied.

She couldn't help but let out a small and defeated sigh.

"So what, you're just gonna start assaulting me from now on?" She said as she whirled around to face him again.

"Force yourself on me, aside from stealing my blood on a regular basis?" She lightly shook her head, forcibly swallowing that lump that was forming into her throat.

His gaze seemed to darken as he simply stared at her for a moment.

"I will not resort to such vile and degrading artifices," he lastly replied, brow raising defiantly.

"Because you, my darling, will be giving yourself to me willingly,"