Bride To His Darkness
Chapter 246: Stellarnook

Chapter 246: Stellarnook

Taking Samantha down through her window, he landed stealthily on the ground. When he carefully dropped her to her feet, she looked as excited to see Tobias and Alistair. The brothers could almost picture bunny ears growing at both sides of her head, wagging happily as she tried to contain her excitement– she looked adorable, but unknown to her, a certain vampire wasn’t fancying the same treatment being showered on his cousins.

"From the looks of it, I’d say you’re being treated well here." Alistair dared to step forward as he ruffled her hair in front of Ivan’s presence, deliberately. He could see his cousin’s eyes switch instantly, eyebrows taut, lips straight, but he pretended not to notice and continued to butter his cousin’s little lamb.

"Did you miss us too?"

"I missed everyone." Samantha answered carefully, and her eyes glanced between the two brothers, "but... you two are here as well?"

"Ask the vampire who dragged us here with him." Tobias eyed his cousin underneath his fair lashes, and he returned his softened gaze in Samantha’s direction. "Is anyone else in your Chamber? I need to ensure my safety before I take your bed until your return."

"No, Lucy stays in the chamber next to mine so you’re safe. I locked the doors... wait, you two are staying over?"

"They need to keep watch to make sure no one notices you’re gone." Ivan answered before holding her hand in his, "if someone notices, they’ll take care of it until we return." He assured Samantha.

"You two have fun, I suppose a lonely night doesn’t have much more to offer but you two do you." Alistair hung his dangerous scythe on his shoulder as he flashed a harmless smile, his fangs visible. Tobias simply rolled his eyes and kicked one of the guards body aside so he could pass. Noticing his brother’s retreating figure, Alistair followed, knowing he would surely lose sight of him if he took his eyes away from his elder brother for another minute.

Samantha and Ivan were left alone, and to Samantha’s surprise, he squatted in front of her, urging her to climb his back so he could carry her. The first time he brought up this suggestion, she had been completely against it, but now, there was nothing holding her back, whilst she adjusted her blue gown and got on his back. When she didn’t argue, Ivan’s lips curled to a smile as he carried her, and with his eyes scanning for the quickest way out of the Palace, with a blur of speed, he was gone.

Already away from the Palace, he came to a stop in front of the ancient forest that was nowhere near the town. He had only stopped because his little lamb told him to, and when she came down from his back, she moved to his side and looked at him.

"Can we... hold hands and sprint instead?" She suggested bashfully, "I want to experience what it’s like running through..." she pressed her lips into a thin line, too flustered to continue. Would she try this on a normal day, absolutely not! She would think twice about going into the woods alone, most especially at midnight, but with Ivan by her side, and knowing he brought her here, she wanted to make the most of it before he leaves, and they have only a few hours to spend with each other.

"You want us to run down the path like a couple?" He inquired after getting the message, and when the color on her pale cheeks deepened, he held her hand, to her surprise.

"I can’t guarantee my speed level to be fixed, but I’ll try my best to slow down, tell me if I’m close to running past your limits." Without waiting for her response, he took her through the Woody path. Samantha used her free hand to hold onto the hem of her nightdress as Ivan fulfilled her wish of sprinting down the path with him.

The moonlight bathed the ancient trees in its silvery glow, casting sublime shadows that danced around them. As they ran, Samantha’s laughter echoed through the woods, a symphony of joy and exhilaration, whilst Ivan kept toying with her along the way.

Without warning, the forest responded to Samantha’s excitement. The flowers sprang up in their wake, their petals opening to greet the night. Leaves rustled with delight, and fireflies illuminated their path. When they came to a tranquil glade bathed in the gentle radiance of the moon and stars, Ivan was the first to descend on the soft grass, and Samantha, who was breathless but still brimming with joy, chose to use her powers yet again.

Rubbing her palms together, her connection with nature allowed her to weave her powers seamlessly with the elements around her. She concentrated, her eyes aligned with an inner glow, to Ivan’s fascination. With tiny sparks of green dancing around her fingertips, she conjured a makeshift gazebo with a soft, mossy ground to lie on.

The air was filled with a gentle hum as Samantha’s powers flowed into the earth, coaxing vines and branches to magically intertwine and form a protective canopy overhead. Leaves unfurled, creating intricate patterns of green and silver to mimic the starry night. Pillows of soft moss emerged, arranged like a celestial bed, providing a comfortable place to recline and gaze at the stars.

"Welcome to stellarnook, a sanctuary beneath the stars." Samantha whispered to Ivan who arched an eyebrow at her.

"You named it?"

"Of course!" She helped him up to his feet, gesturing for him to lie down where it was more comfortable, her eyes sparkling with the magic of her creation.

"I could get used to this." He commented, "what’s more satisfying is the positive aura your powers bring... aside from those man-eating plants, your powers are pretty much harmless."

"I haven’t discovered the depths of it yet, it feels like baby steps. Have you seen my viney recently? He’s big now!" She informed Ivan about her hand-sized vine. Aside from the smaller vines, she had a favorite one, and presently, it has been growing bigger than the rest. Its rapid growth was also another mystery, but she didn’t want to ponder on such matters on a beautiful night like this.

Going into Ivan’s arms, the gazebo cradled them both, and they settled in to watch the stars twinkle in the night sky.

"I haven’t seen so many stars before.* She commented, visibly mesmerized by it. "It’s beautiful."

"The sky is full of stars, but I see one beauty."

"Hmm?" Confused, Samantha lifted her head to see he was staring at her. His unyielding gaze had her retracting her attention back to the stars, cheeks flushed, but he made her look at him, whilst his thumb caressed her smooth cheek.

"I can’t wait for the day you publicly belong to me. When that is done, there’s nothing holding me back."

"Holding you back from what?"

"From doing this." He kissed the corner of her mouth, eliciting a surprised gasp from her.

"Or this." He repeated the action along her jawline, and he felt her tense against him. A smile curved his lips at her body’s responses, and he knew his little lamb was as needy for him as he was for her. Only four days, and his little lamb seemed to have changed so much. He had been trying to bottle up his desires, but seeing her all flushed, and her body giving him a heads-up, his restraints were slowly slipping.

"Did you always sleep with a knife since your arrival here, hmm?" He whispered as he made her sit on his lap, his movement swift before she could dare to protest. "From the look of things, you seemed rather prepared, as if you were expecting someone. Are you troubled?" He asked, and although his features had softened, his tone was a contrast to it.

Samantha tried to get off his legs, but he did not give her that chance to slip away. When she met his eyes, he cocked his head, unaware of the intimidation that look brought. However, Samantha couldn’t stop the blush that crept up her cheeks, and it was true, that no matter what mood he appeared to be in, he looked devastatingly handsome wearing those looks.

"I... sleep with a knife for safety." She answered, lowering her gaze.

"What kind of safety? Is someone troubling you? " was the first question he asked, his eyes slimmed, his expression unchanged as he waited for her to answer, and Samantha placed her hands on either side of his shoulder. The question he was asking her, she hardly knew the answer herself, but to avoid creating a false alarm when it could still be her imagination, she said,

"I assumed that there was someone watching me." She let him know, "but, now I’ve confirmed that it’s all probably in my head. No one’s troubling me, I must have felt insecure since you weren’t here with me."

"And now that I am?"

She smiled, cupping his face in her hands, "it’s like I never felt those feelings."

"Little Lamb," taking one of her hands away from his face, he kissed her knuckles, "Promise me you’ll only have eyes for me, and no one else. I want your heart for myself, I’m selfish, I’m addicted, and I’d hate to see what is mine in the caress of another. Are we clear, or do I need to be a little more understanding." And his hands delved under her dress to touch the bare skin of her creamy thighs, drawing circles that made her gasp subconsciously.

Her wavy blonde hair was let loose, and they spilled in a hypnotizing manner on his shoulders. Her skin, smooth and creamy made his fingers itch to touch them, his fangs tempted to mark them as his territory. Her emerald green eyes, innocently shy at most times, can change, depending on her mood, and those soft lips, they looked redder tonight, like the fresh petal of a rose with water droplets on them– they appeared more enticing that he was yearning to have a taste of them. If she knew how difficult it was to cage his lower member, she wouldn’t seduce him like this.

The way he was gazing at her, Samantha eventually escaped from the possession of his hold, but unbeknownst to her, she was doing exactly what he wanted her to do, whilst he followed her and ended up trapping her against the makeshift bed she had created. Upon realizing his move, it was too late to react as she had fallen right into it.

"Promise me." He smooth-talked, tentatively leaving open-mouthed kisses on her skin, and Samantha nodded her head.

"I promise." She breathed, "but... you must also promise not to give your heart to anyone else." She proposed, looking straight into his eyes, "I want you to love me, and only me."