Under the vampire Lord's protection-Chapter 205: At all times

Flinch after flinch the unforgiving thunder wrenched out of her with each blast. The storm that was brewing bore its fruits and served them right down on that sorrowful little roof.

The clattering of every drop against those smoothened tiles announced the plentiful size of them all the while the howling of the wind did its own number.

Silas had flashed past and shut every window in his path in order to prevent the water from forcing its way inside, but the wood threatened to cave in under the immense pressure it was put under.

Arabella, on the other hand, was asked to cover her body and warm up on one of the beds. She’d practically curled into a ball, tugging at the thin, cold sheets that did not live up to their task.

Though despite the shivers crawling all around between her flesh and skin, something kept her core cozy.

Her hand cupped her cheek where the tingles from Silas’ touch lingered. The ghost of his stroking haunted her senses, eclipsing multiple facets of the world surrounding her, a veil of bliss that mingled with confusion only wrecked whenever lightning and thunder boomed so unpredictably.

So odd it was how the remanence of his graze reminded her of the many hands that were laid on her body, very much against her will, throughout the recent events and yet... His was welcome.

If it was a sign, then what sort of sign was it for?

The manner in which it so easily rendered her witless before him terrified her. It distantly resembled the surge of ungovernable whims that overtook her whenever his fangs would be buried in her, but only in a far-removed sense as that action aroused a new part of her body, encouraging her to surrender control over her being in a different way.

"Do you fear thunder?"

Arabella hadn’t even registered his presence until his voice reached her.

She brought her knees even closer to her chest and wrapped both arms further around them.

"I never had a steady or strong core," she murmured.

His eyes went through the pitiable window that held on to dear life, begging for mercy to no avail, "The ship won’t sail this way in a weather like this. Not even when steered by vampires"

"That is understandable," she nodded.

Silas walked closer to the bed and stood over her for a few seconds before sitting on the edge.

"You are shivering and yet the heat that radiates from you is quite strong," his hand ventured closer to her cheek again, but that time around, the young woman leaned away from it.

The vampire took the hint and with it, his hand back as well. He unbuttoned his vest before wrapping it around her shoulders, bundling her within it with much care.

"There is something I want you to keep on your person at all times,"

From his belt he pulled a sheathed, much smaller dagger than the usual he used and presented it towards her.

"It is made of the same material mine is, only it is smaller and lighter for you to wield," he added.

"I can wield no weapon," her head shook slowly. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

"This blade can still cut through my skin as though it’s butter. It’ll come in handy when time needs it to,"

Her hands peaked through the layers of fabric shielding her and held the dagger. Cold to the touch and as he’d claimed it, light for someone of her calibre to carry.

Through the phantom of a meek smile, she whispered, "I fear, it still won’t do any good in hands such as mine. I never even learned how to hold one properly," she paused, "Besides... If I encounter any foes like the wolf folk I’ve had the misfortune of facing, then any efforts of mine to fight them off would be vain. The speed at which they move alone is...," Arabella trailed off, her voice drawing nearer to extinction with every syllable before that.

As quick as the lightning that intruded through the window, the image of Cynric’s claws plunging into Vali’s throat flashed behind her eyes, stiffening every fiber in her being.

"You do not have to fight them, all you need is a moment of negligence on their part for you to strike. You’ll recognize it when you’ll see it,"

A strange moment of quietude followed during which Arabella kept staring at the dagger she cradled in her hands, "I heard you once fought back-to-back with Alpha Cynric in the war,"

That half question took him aback, "And what of it?"

The young woman retrieved her hands back beneath his vest and sheets before plopping her nose against her own knees, "I understand my attitude might come across as fretful and whiny to a centuries old warrior but, I’d never witnessed such bloodshed, such savagery and lack of consideration for life until...," nothing else came out, instead, she picked a new thread of talk, "Out of everything else, those images are the ones that haunt my nightmares and almost every waking moment of my days the most," her lips connected then parted again, "Forgive me. Inner thoughts belong inside and should never be uttered out loud. It seems I am getting too comfortable for my own sake,"

"That is exactly what I expect from you," he declared without elaborating.

"To keep my thoughts to myself?" she half asked.

"To get comfortable," he breathed in deeply, "I want you to say more than just my name. Be it in my presence or otherwise,"

As her train of thoughts veered off tracks, Silas did not allow her the time to dwell on his last words.

Indeed, he immediately continued, "The second thing I’d like you to keep on yourself at all times is this,"

From the pouch that always hung on his belt, the vampire pulled a small vial. Decorative at first glance, but upon closer inspection, something stirred in its heart. A crimson tinted liquid, obviously thicker than water in consistency.

"Is this... Blood?" eyes wide, tracking the vial that swayed, hanging by a silver chain before her face.

"My blood,"

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