"Mmmp..." Ella struggled against his grip as the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.
His kiss was violent, feverish, and fueled by something darker.
Ella winced when the sharp edge of his canines grazed her lower lip, drawing more blood.
Her hands braced against his chest, trying to push him back, but it was like pressing against a wall of steel.
Adrian seemed to be strong at other times but at this moment, she felt like he had a monstrous strength.
Her palms trembled, her nails digging in, but he didn’t even flinch.
"Adrian," she choked between the bruising pressure of his lips, her voice muffled, cracking. "Stop... you’re hurting me—"
But his arms only locked tighter around her, as he kissed her roughly, bruising her everywhere he touched.
The sharp pain made tears well up in her eyes.
Ella went still for a moment before she cupped his face and bit down his lips, hard.
At this moment, the taste of blood lingered in their mouths, barely distinguishable.
His breath hitched against her lips. His grip went slack.
He pulled back a little, still holding her but no longer crushing her. And then, his gaze dropped to her face.
Adrian’s pupils dilated as if something finally snapped into place.
His blank expressions were slowly replaced by disbelief, shame and rage.
Ella’s eyes widened, "You... You are awake..." She pulled back from him, wiping the blood off his lips, "I am sorry I bit you too hard just now I didn’t..."
She had not even finished speaking when the man pushed her away from him.
If not for her fast reflexes, Ella nearly fell back on the bed by the force with which he pushed her away.
Her jaws dropped. He was... still not conscious?
Doubtfully, she peeked at the man. But he was no longer looking at her.
His fingers were clenched into fists by his side, and his brows were tugged together.
Ella pushed herself to her feet and approached him again, "Are you not feeling well somewhere...?"
His voice landed as a snarl, reverberating in the silent room.
Adrian did not look at Ella as he continued sitting there aloofly, as if waiting for her to leave the room.
Seconds turned into minutes yet Ella did not budge from her spot.
Instead, she reached out to his forehead, "I still need to check your temperature..."
Adrian grabbed her wrist, and met her gaze.
His red eyes softened, nowhere matching his fierce aura, "Leave," His voice was lower this time, almost helpless.
Ella yanked her hand out of his grip.
Adrian broke the eye-contact, looking away from her.
But in the next moment, he was enveloped in warmth as Ella pulled him into her arms.
She stood next to the bed, holding him firmly. Her idle fingers gently caressed his hair.
Adrian was stunned. The softness of her hands seemed to ease the aching tension rippling across his body.
And then, he heard her speak—
"I don’t know why you always think that everything will go as per your wishes," Ella mumbled softly.
"I have been scheming to leave your side for years but you didn’t let me go."
"Now... I want to stay by your side, and you are trying to chase me away?" Those words unconsciously escaped Ella’s mouth, even before she realized it.
Perhaps, this was the first time she had admitted it in front of him. Or perhaps not.
But something about it removed a knot from her chest. The grudges, the regrets of her previous lives seemed to be undoing themselves.
A life they spent at each other’s throats... Had they ever tried to understand each other, would things have been any better?
Ella stepped back from the man before she sat beside him on the bed.
Adrian looked into her eyes closely, yet hesitantly as if afraid of what he would see.
"I hurt you," The sight of dried tear stains, her swollen and bloodied lips...
Ella grabbed a tissue and wiped her lips, "I know you didn’t do it on purpose. But even if you did, I hurt you back as well. We are even."
She grabbed another tissue and dabbed at his lips.
Adrian frowned, watching her as if he couldn’t decipher many things.
But Ella calmly wiped away the blood before she cupped his face and met his gaze, "I might not say this again so listen closely."
Adrian narrowed his eyes.
Ella opened her mouth and then closed it. Has she claimed to be a lover girl before? Yes.
Has she ever had a heart-to-heart with a guy? No.
"Are you listening, baby?"
Ella froze. She expected him to ignore her.
Adrian was watching her with focus, waiting for what she had to say.
But for the longest time, she did not say anything.
Instead, her face changed colors like seasons. Sometimes, red, sometimes black, and white... Like, she was angry, shy, offended... all at the same time.
"You don’t have to..." He had barely spoken when her palm covered his eyes.
The sweet fragrance of magnolias invaded his senses. And he stopped speaking.
"I am not leaving your side, Adrian."
Adrian’s heart skipped a beat, then another.
"I don’t know why you want to chase me away now. All I can think of is you do not want me to see you . Maybe you are not as comfortable with me as you are with the people who have been familiar with you for years and I respect that..."
"I don’t want to scare you," Adrian interrupted, his voice even.
There was a long pause before Ella spoke again, "I am not scared of you. You have seen me at my worsts and still stayed by my side. You don’t need to show me only your bests."
"So..." Ella inhaled a deep breath.
"I am not leaving you. Not now. Not ever. Not unless you sincerely want to get rid of me..." she added in a joking voice.
Adrian grabbed her wrist, removing it from his eyes, "What makes you think I would?"