Chapter 5

Eva's POV

"AHHH!" My alarming scream could wake up the moon! It was close to dawn, I could tell. The person beside me didn't smell familiar!

At once, the man tumbled over and collapsed on the ground with my bedsheet!

"Who are you!?" I screamed, covering myself up. As if standing up with a dizzy head helped, I was covering myself with my dainty arms. I glared down at him.

"Urgh..." he groaned, clutching his head.

I stared at him in stunned silence.

The moonlight...it does wonders for our kind, doesn't it? Especially so when it cascades through the windows, shining brightly upon the creatures of the night like himself.

For the span of him rubbing his head and getting over the initial confusion, I stared at him. Deep and hard.

My head tilted to the side.

Who was he? And...

"Why- why are you in my room? Get your own. Leave, right now." I demanded.

"Darling," My eyes widened. It felt as though his silky smooth voice was soaking into my ears like... warm chocolate.

"In any case, you're in MY room. The elders don't think I wouldn't have come back from the mission, eh?" He joked and laughed to himself.

"Hey. It's rude to not laugh at a joke, you know?" Saying, the man rose to his feet at last. I've stopped hearing after the first word.

Because...Holy Goddess...

He had no clothes on!

"If I'm rude...y-you're shameless!" I exclaimed! Walking around the bed, I tried to hide myself in the bathroom. His confused expression didn't make sense to me.

"Hey, wait! I don't understand. Were you not brought here for...me? The elders said—"

"I don't care what the elders said, mister! I don't know you!" His eyebrows furrowed. Confusion flashed through his eyes but was replaced with mischief just as quickly.

"Well...I like it when they play hard to get." My eyes widened. His words triggered something in me. Someone's memories.

"Why don't we..." he approached closer and closer, my body stiffened the closer he got, "...Take a shower together. I'm dying to see how you look—"

I let go of my goody side several times and punched the hell out of people in my life. But for the first time ever, I slapped a man hard enough to silence him. I slapped him my dignity intact.

"Get. Out." I seethed.

The man was stunned. Reasonably.

He walked to the door silently, but I knew he wasn't the kind to back down with just a slap. He turned around, gazing at me from over his broad, built shoulders.

"That packed quite a punch, miss. Don't forget whose room this is. And...goodnight, kitten." My eyes widened again. He didn't have to make me feel funny things in my stomach like that.

But at least...he left.

Damien would've begged to stay. Pleaded until I agreed. I didn't realize I was manipulated into having sex with Damien until that moment.

Who was this stranger anyway!? So annoying!

The next morning, I woke up with the blanket around me like a cocoon. I knew I couldn't trust the bolt of these doors anymore. On the hot summer morning, I woke up being boiled alive in my own cocoon and sweat.

"Ugh, fuck." I cursed, kicking the blankets off of me. Rubbing my eyes and glancing at the door, I found it safe to unclothe myself and observe.

"Ouch..." I hissed at myself, and my appearance.

It looked like I had craters on my back. All the way from my shoulders to the lower back. They were deeply infected. My bandages have changed colors from pale white to crimson.

"All because of him. Couldn't he smell my blood either? What a desperate—" I was talking to myself, cussing him out, when I heard the knock.

"Miss. I'm your healer. I hope you're awake." She said. It was a mature, commanding, and warm voice of a woman.

"Good morning," She gleamed with a smile as I opened the door. With a curt nod, I let her in.

I was positioned in front of the windows, a different set. It was the French windows, or whatever that was called. I could see our reflections in there.

"The bed is going to ruin." My voice was meek.

"We can change the sheets, no big deal. And you smell hungry." Her last sentence embarrassed me. She could smell it from my breath. I covered my mouth in shame.

"Haha, dear. It's alright. You may eat as I fix you up. You moved a lot, didn't you?"

"I'm a rough sleeper," I answered her. She chuckled again.

The way they treat me like a guest...I was so new to this.

After patching me up as I ate bread and soup, the nice lady walked away.

I felt full to the brim. The cream of the soup was surely added intentionally, so I'd gain weight. There was a lot of meat in there too. I couldn't help but feel drowsy.

And when I woke up again, I had realized I spent the whole day snoozing!

"Ugh..." The headache that followed was eminent.

"I shouldn't have napped for so long..." I scolded myself. With a dizzy head and numb limbs, I managed to get out of bed. Washing my face, I realized cold water wouldn't do me any better.

So I marched out of the room, for the first time, by my own will.

"...and then I got slapped, guys! Oh, ho ho! I loved her feistiness." My eyebrows were crushed. It was a distant, muffled male voice. Tracking it down, I realized it was from the huge open balcony.

It was lit up traditionally - hanging lanterns on the walls and candles by the railing.

I snuck up on them, trying to eavesdrop.

My eyes widened when I saw all three men assembled across. They sat on the table, smiling and joking.

The brunette, who wrapped himself around me last night was narrating...about me!

"I don't like her. She's feisty, but she could also be a traitor." The other condescending male spoke up. Alexander remained unbiased.

But what was this funny feeling stemming from my heart?

Why were the two brothers ruffling the brunette's hair like he was someone close?

Don't tell me…