“You do know this is an enchanted forest, do you?” He smirked at me while holding my hand to kiss it. His pale hands and thin lips felt soft but cold to the touch.719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gWIO306iT
I could have slapped him on the cheek cold-hearted, but what difference would that make. I need his help—he who knows the forest like the back of his hand. I need to get to the river to save my friends and family. “What do you want in return if you help me find the river of the sun?”719Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAp692fwbB
He still smirked at me as before. “Hmm. Like many others before you. Well, how far are you willing to give?”
“All the money that I have with me. Everything.” I paused. “I would even give my life. My friends and family are at stake.”
“If your family and friends are at stake, depending on your return with a few drops of the river. How will you achieve it when offering your life and I want it first?” He whispered in my ear while stroking my jawline gently.
A shiver went through my entire body and stepped away from him. I bit my tongue to conquer my fear and took a deep breath. “I’m sure we can come to a deal where each holds their part of the bargain. If it is my life you want, then I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until I’ve done what I need to do. After that, you can do what you want with me.”
“No worries. I don’t want your life, but something else. I believe it could not be any more obvious than that. Your blood.” He smiled at me, and I noticed a flash of a white set of teeth, including two pairs of sharp fangs. Reminding me of a cat’s yaw, a pair on the upper and a pair on lower yaw.
“What difference does that?” I wondered with narrowed eyes of suspicion.
“A great deal. I only want your blood, and hence you need to live to keep it fresh. Wanting your life means ending it to a certain point, does it not?” He stepped up closer with his hands folded behind his back.
He teasing manner is tipping me off from the beginning, but I guess I have to get over with it. I cannot stop thinking of Alice in Wonderland, stuck with Cheshire, the cat. In this case, a vampire. How trustworthy does that sound? Oh wait, not at all, but I have no other choice. Lives are at stake and especially those I care.
“Do we have a deal? Leading you to the river and saving those people you care in exchange for your blood.” He offered me his hand to shake on the deal.
Hesitantly I gave my hand and shook on the deal. He gave the nod with a satisfied grin as he and I shook on it. Soon he and I were walking into the large dense enchanted forest. Not knowing what might come across the path until reaching the river of the sun. Will I ever make it out alive? Is it smart to be guided by a vampire, or should I have ventured alone? Only truth and time will tell now the outcome.
After a while walking in silence, I took a closer look at the vampire as he walked ahead. The way he walked had no teasing hint, but it was silent, elegant and secure. His arms slightly swung along with the walking rhythm of his feet. He wore nothing spectacular; they were not a rich man’s clothes nor that of a beggar. They resembled more that of a hunter only without a coat, hat and some weapon at hand. His long wavy copper-brown hair was open and lose, reached beyond his shoulders but was not long enough to reach the elbows. He had a long slim hawk-like nose that can smell everything near and far with a pair of large almond-shaped eyes that saw everything. If he were not teasing and a vampire, I might have liked him and admired his good looks besides the offer to help.
I believe he teases me because I am a human and then so young like many people say. My size has remained the same since the age of 17, and now I am 20. An accomplished trainee as a weaver in my small village, but my real passion lies with gardening and medicinal herbs.
“So you mentioned before that those you care are at stake, in stake from what?” Asked the vampire who suddenly walked beside me in the same fashion as before.
I gasped to his sudden appearance beside me and blinked. “A rare disease has spread through the village. I am the only one immune to it for mysterious reasons while everyone around me falls ill and dies within the week. I figured out that it has something to do with the nourishment. Sadly I did not have much time to figure further out because more were dying and began to suspect me. I knew I had to act fast, and here I am.”
“Uh-huh.” He gave in a tone as if he were not convinced of my story and regrets to have asked in the first place. “I never got your name, by the by.”
“I never mentioned. What yours?” I kept a cool façade and forced a grin.
“The name’s Adam.” He smirked and looked at me.
“I’m Selma.”
“Selma? How did your parents come to that name?”
“I’m not so sure.”
“What do you mean?”
“My parents died when I was very young, and my uncle took me in. He believes it was inspired by a special myth and the time when I was born.”
“A myth? I know many, but one with the name Selma is new to me.”
“Perhaps I’ll care to tell, at another time.” I teased with a smirk. Why the sudden interest?
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