85Please respect copyright.PENANAcBuhB80eSC
Elias wasn't wearing his glow-wired mask... it was a black masquerade mask that had golden embroidery and feathers peeking out from the side.
But I knew it was him... I could always recognize those black eyes.
I saw his mouth for the first time... those thin but reddened lips, and his olive skin. Although he was wearing a cloak, so the color and style of his hair was concealed with a hood.
He just kneeled next to me, remaining quiet as I stared at him helplessly.
He never talked... I only heard his voice last night, but I was so tired I couldn't remember it.
He gazed up to my hairline and stared at it for a moment, brushing his thumb along my forehead before he drew back.
And looked at the blood on his hand.
He then gazed back up at me, remaining silent, but I could see the anger swelling in his eyes.
But my voice cracked. "E... Elias."
He just pressed his finger to his lips, smiling softly as he gazed up at my door.
He stood, silent and quick like a cat, and locked the door, immediately kneeling beside me and holding out his hand.
I took it, letting his fingers thread through mine as he helped me up, and he guided me over to my bed.
I stumbled over my rug and fell forward, but he caught me.
I gazed up at him then, feeling my eyes sparkling as he helped me into my bed.
He was so quiet... it was... soothing.
But everyone found it alarming.
I then stared at him, completely tranced as he pulled the covers over me, sitting on the bed seconds later.
I watched curiously as he brushed my hair away from my face, looking into my sparkling eyes.
He just smiled—as if amused—and ran his hands down my arms, scanning my form for other wounds.
When he found the blood on my neck, his brows drew together.
He lightly pulled me, and I listened to his silent desire, turning over and tucking my face in his chest.
I felt his fingers on my neck, and I had to resist shivering.
But he touched the wounds my father created, and I whimpered, curling into him.
He then pulled away, lightly tugging my collar up to conceal them.
And he stood, making my brows draw together when he wandered off.
What...? No! No, he couldn't leave yet!
"Elias, no!" I begged. "A little longer! Please!"
He turned toward me, a small smile curling his lips.
He just pressed his fingers to his mouth again, making my breath shake.
And he turned away.
I quickly scrambled off my bed, trying to reach him, but I got tangled in the covers somehow and fell off the bed.
I cried out when I clashed with the ground, and tears slipped down my cheeks.
I felt another wound slice open on my arm, but I tried to ignore it.
I struggled to get up, breathing shakily.
But I fell again, my arms buckling.
I started sobbing then, the sheets staining with my tears as I remained on the ground, helpless.
But footsteps padded toward me, and I heard a small sigh.
I watched as a figure placed a bucket of water on the ground and stepped over to me.
"You're going to be the death of me, Angel," a voice said.
I gazed up immediately, breath shaking as Elias came toward me, kneeling to my level as I watched him.
"You talked..." I said, voice wavering.
"Well, get used to it," he replied, smirking.
He helped me up then, sliding his arms under my upper body and guiding me.
I liked his voice though... it was dark and low but also... soothing and calm. It reminded me of an angel, an angel and a demon. Like a ruthless monster who found he actually cared about something.
"Here," he said. "Sit here for a moment, okay?"
I nodded, immediately wincing as the wounds on my neck burned, but he just stepped over to his water bucket and made his way over to me.
But where did he get the...?
A knock sounded on my bedroom door, and I cried out, shuffling away from the sound.
Elias just kneeled down in front of me and set the water beside us, and he pulled a rag out of the bucket before looking back up at me.
He wasn't... afraid...?
Oh, right... he locked it, but what if that didn't stop them?
Elias just motioned me to come forward, and I listened, shuffling toward him.
But he pulled my arm, and I fell onto him, whimpering when my face buried in his shoulder.
"Alice!" father yelled, making my blood run cold. "You better have ten cuts right now!"
Elias just lightly dabbed my neck with the water and I winced when something started sizzling.
My wounds burned, and I cried out, clutching onto him.
"Shhh..." he soothed, brushing his fingers through my hair. "It'll help you. I'll get rid of the bacteria."
What was... bacteria...?
"Good," father said then, making Elias glance at the door. "You're doing that all night, Alice. ALL NIGHT."
And his footsteps stormed away.
He must've not heard Elias... that was odd.
Elias then glanced down at me. "Better?"
I nodded, staring at his chest.
He just helped me sit up, and I watched him curiously as he pulled the rag out again and lightly dabbed it against my forehead.
I closed my eyes tightly as the wound on my forehead sizzled and burned, and I gazed up to Elias and found him shaking out two weird shapes from a bottle.
"What is that?" I asked him.
He smiled slightly. "You're fallen. You don't know?"
I felt my cheeks shade a little. "I fell... a long time ago."
He looked back down at the pills, pulling a cup of water I left on my nightstand. "I know."
He then handed me the shapes and gave me the water before he said, "It's called a pill. It's a form of medicine. Angelic medicine. It heals you instantly."
I stared down at it before I took it from his hand. "Wow... I don't remember this being a thing when I... fell." I gazed up. "How do I... use it?"
His smile tilted, clearly seeing that I didn't have a slight doubt that he was lying. "You swallow them. With water. Try it."
I gazed down at them, plopping them in my mouth before I took the cup from him.
I then swigged water and forced myself to swallow them.
Only one went down at first, and I chugged more water.
But the other one went down.
I gazed up. "I did it!"
He chuckled. "Yes, you did."
And he placed the cup back on my nightstand.
But I started feeling dizzy.
I placed my hand on my forehead as my world spun around like a hurricane, and I finally fell forward.
He caught me again.
But the pain stopped, and I didn't feel so sticky anymore.
"Tired?" he said.
I nodded, struggling to stay up.
"Yeah," he replied, "that's a side effect of the medicine."
I felt myself drifting. "Please... don't leave."
He brushed his hand along my back. "I can't stay forever, Alice."
"But I don't want to... be here... without you."
He slid his fingers along my knuckles. "You don't have to, my princess. Just leave. Leave here and come to the forest."
I struggled to stay awake. "Take me... there."
"You have to come willingly," he replied smoothly. "And I will gladly accept your decision."
"Why?" I asked him.
He just smiled. "Because once you go there, you're not coming back."
85Please respect copyright.PENANAK1eqbpHZhV