Bride To His Darkness
Chapter 64: Looking Through The Glass Mirror

Chapter 64: Looking Through The Glass Mirror

Rising from his unhealthy slumbers, Ivan’s lashes fluttered briefly before they subconsciously snapped open, revealing a pair of crimson orbs that looked ominously darker than their initial form. His body automatically tensed as he sat up on the chaise lounge, his eyes raking the delineate of his room as if coming to terms with the fact that he was merely having the same dream again, and only then did his mind cease to be antsy - if only those dreams weren’t one of the most embarrassing revisitation of what he used to be in the past.

"Argh! Sssss!" He winced in a hushed tone as he placed his palm to his chest, feeling a painful prickling sensation in the spot where Eamon had ruthlessly stabbed him with the dagger blade. The stinging pain never once failed to remind him that there was a piece of the orb that had been deliberately implanted in his heart region, for reasons he was still unaware of, and unfortunately, he’s been unable to get it out ever since.

When he dared to try it, he nearly lost his life.

Closing his eyes, he tried to regain his mental stability and took a slow deep breath. When he opened his eyes, a cold hypnotic gaze swept across the room to the transparent black curtains that filtered the bright sunlight into his room. The lights on his chandelier had been extinguished, leaving his Chamber at the mercy of the bright filtering sunlight.

"How long did I sleep?" He mumbled in deep puzzlement, but when his gaze moved to his dressing table, what greeted him was the sight of his little lamb, standing near the ornate mirror with his silver comb in her hand. She had undid the ribbons in her hair, letting her long golden locks cascade down her small back like a blistering waterfall.

Ivan, who was at loss, observed the young woman silently, his impassive expression concealing the emotions that stirred within him. Meanwhile, his self-conscious mind kept asking the question, ’what the hell is she doing with my stuff?’

Instinctively, his gaze diverted to her swan neck, delicately exposed as she swept her hair up, intending to tie it in a sleek ponytail, but the Vampire who watched her felt he was being beckoned like a tantalizing invitation, and something unusual gleamed in his eyes.

Samantha, who was unaware of her master’s presence, remained engrossed in her task as she combed her barely disentangled hair before reaching for the blue ribbon on the table. She felt her pulse quicken, and strangely, she couldn’t quite explain why. A slight shiver mysteriously ran down her spine as if an invisible thread connected her to the powerful being in the room.

Rising from the chaise lounge with his hands tucked in the pocket of his every morning dark loose pants, Ivan moved soundlessly, his tall and imposing figure gliding closer to the mirror where his little lamb stood. The room seemed to grow colder in its wake, the air thick with anticipation as he observed her, listening to her sweet humming tune and how her alluring neck was fully exposed to his gaze.

He watched her reflection intently, a predatory glint in his eyes, but his movements were slow, deliberate, as if taking his time to savor the moment without having to admit it.

In the mirror’s reflection, their gazes met, and Samantha’s breath caught in her throat.

"Lord Ivan?!" Spinning around to look at him as she had been unaware of his awake, she tried to explain herself when he, in one swift move, closed the distance between them, and Samantha nearly jumped out of her skin as her back hit the dressers table, the things at the top rolled and fell to the ground as her hands had unintentionally swept them away from the surface. But neither of them seemed to notice it.

Good gracious! Why is he so close?!

"Lord Ivan... I...my hair was frustratingly tangled and I–" Samantha tried to explain in the best way possible why he had caught her using his things, but her lips refused to defend her. Rather, she felt an inexplicable mix of fear and fascination, unable to look away from the penetrating intensity of his eyes that appeared....!!

’They look darker than last time! Oh no! Is he angry?!!’ panicked Samantha as she brainstormed her moment of escapade in her mind. He was sleeping so soundly a few minutes ago, when did he wake? To be sincere, she had thought of every possible way to escape if he eventually caught her using his amazing hair oil and brushes, but she never imagined it to be like this.

Trapped at the table, before a tall shirtless Lord Ivan. Has he always looked this terrifying up close? More appetizing? But why isn’t he saying anything?

’Get your senses together! You’re in a hot pan, young lady!’ she mentally scolded herself.

"For a lamb, you’re becoming a bit too bold." He said, and her breath hitched in fear when he slammed his hands at each side of the table, his fingers gripping the edge and trapping her in the middle.

Samantha could hear her heart pound in her chest, a rhythmic drumbeat that seemed to echo throughout the chamber.

"Are you.... Going... going to punish me for this?" She asked, swallowing hard as she was acutely aware of the proximity between them, of the dangerous allure that escaped from this enigmatic being.

Ivan’s lips curled subtly into a sadistic smile, unsure of why he felt pleased when she mentioned punishment. He had seen this reaction countless times before, but there was something rather unique about his innocent little Lamb’s vulnerability that always captivated him.

Was it a skill?

He was silently fighting the primal urge that compelled him to mark that flawless neck she was carelessly flaunting, to taste the life force that pulsed within her veins. Instead, he savored the forbidden desire, the tantalizing dance of temptation and restraint.

She was mindlessly taunting him, and he was starting to lose it.

"Fuck." With a barely audible sigh, he brought his lips to her ear and whispered. "I need you to listen to me, and I need you to listen attentively, little lamb. Don’t ’ever’ try to get inside my head again."

The snarl in his tone sent her body jolting as he moved back to meet her Jade green eyes, and then his cold gaze unexplainably softened. "It’s too dark for you."

Gazing into each other’s eyes for what felt like an eternity, Ivan broke the spell as he stepped back from the woman. He left her frozen as he went to pick a new towel from his wardrobe, and then he glanced at her briefly before going into the bathroom to have a proper bath.

When she heard the sound of the bathroom door closing shut, she blinked. Her fragile heart still raced from what just happened, unsure of if she had imagined the intensity of the moment.

"No no." She shook her head slightly, trying to dispel the enchantment that seemed to envelope her in his presence. Turning to the ornate mirror, she gazed at her reflection, the mirror now devoid of the piercing gaze that once held her captive.

But what did he mean by getting inside his head? Thought Samantha.

"He must be trying to frighten me on purpose, it’s not possible there could be more to it." Shaking off the effect he had left on her skin, Samantha stooped down to pick up the apparatus from the floor.

Setting the things back on the dressers table, a gentle knock on the door had swayed her mind from thinking any further about what had happened.

Reaching for the door knob, Samantha twisted it open, and she locked gaze with an unknown guard who wasn’t expecting a lady to answer the door.

"Where is Lord Ivan?" He asked straightaway, and Samantha had to look back inside to see if Ivan had stepped out from his bathing chamber before returning her gaze to the poker-faced guard.

"Lord Ivan is having his bath, and it might take some time before he steps out." She answered the guard who nodded in understanding, and he was about to leave when Samantha noticed the brown parchment in his hand.

"Hold on," she called after the guard who stopped to look at her. "Did you perhaps have something to return? I am his personal servant so you can count on me to hand it to him once he’s done."

"Personal servant?" The guard’s eyes expressed his surprise, but it only lasted for a second before he walked back to Samantha, handing her rolled-up parchment. "Here, give this to him when he’s done, it’s important he receives it."

"I will." She received the brown parchment from the guard and watched him exit the corridor. Closing the door, Samantha went to place the brown parchment on his nightstand, using the small jug to keep it in place so it wouldn’t be blown away by the breeze.

Turning around to leave, Samantha wasn’t sure why, but her feet halted when her mind wondered what could be written on the parchment. It wouldn’t hurt if she stole a peek would it?

Glancing at the door that led to the bathroom chamber, Samantha had to confirm that he wasn’t going to step out anytime soon before crouching down and taking hold of the parchment.

Rolling it up, her inquisitive eyes diverted to the wonderful calligraphy. Thanks to the educational teachings she got from the brothel, Samantha was able to read the words on the paper, although not everything, but the ones she understood had made her eyes grow wide when saw the names of different slave establishments written down on the paper.

What... What is he doing with a list of slave establishments???

"Do you have trouble learning not to touch my stuff?" Ivan’s booming voice made the parchment slip from her grip.