GOLDEN BLOOD

"Did you speak with her, Master?" Terrance inquired, his brow furrowed in curiosity. "Did she agree?"

"Blood is all that interests me," the Master growled, his tone cold and detached. "I have no interest in getting tangled up in other emotions."

Terrance was taken aback by the Master's response. 'What other emotion could he possibly be referring to?' he thought to himself.

When Paris leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, a heaviness settled in his heart. He couldn't explain it, but something about the scene didn't sit well with him. It stirred up unfamiliar feelings within the Vampire, ones that were more painful than angering.

“You need to regain her trust if you want her blood.”

Terrance could see the tension in the Vampire's clenched jaw, a sign of his frustration.

“You just have to approach it carefully, Master.”

“She is frightened of me. How can I repair that?” The Vampire's vexed and worried expression was unfamiliar to Terrance.

“Perhaps a gentle approach would work best, like offering flowers. Paris strikes me as someone who would appreciate such gestures.” The Vampire pondered aloud.

Terrance was taken aback. In all his years of serving his Master, he had never known him to send flowers to anyone. It was a rare display of emotion for him to even consider such a gesture. “What type of flowers do you have in mind? Lilies, roses—”

“Bleeding hearts.” The Vampire interrupted, his tone decisive. “Red bleeding hearts.”

Once again, Terrance was surprised by the choice. It seemed quite out of character for the stoic and formidable Master to choose such an unusual and vulnerable bloom.

As Paris approached her front door, her eyes were drawn to a small plant resting on the stoop. Its vibrant red hearts stood out against the muted colors of the concrete and wood. Bending down, she plucked the card attached to it and read the words written in elegant cursive - they were sent by the Desmoudus. It stirred up both curiosity and apprehension in her mind.

‘Why would he send the bleeding flowers?’ They express feelings of compassion and love but also rejection.

Paris couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at the sight of the flowers sitting outside her doorstep. She wanted to ignore them, knowing they were from him - the man she despised.

But she couldn't resist picking up the delicate plant and carrying it inside her home. They were a deep shade of pink and red, and two white inner petals, with a white stamen protruding from the bottom., making it impossible to deny their beauty.

Despite her feelings towards the sender, she couldn't bear to let such a gorgeous thing go to waste. As much as she tried to blame the flower for reminding her of him, deep down it wasn't the plant's fault; it was his actions that had caused her loathing.

For the past seven days, the Vampire had been sending a constant stream of flowers to her apartment, each one different from the last, in an attempt to regain the girl's trust. It was getting a bit annoying and yet, at this moment, she couldn’t help but appreciate the fragrance that filled her home.

Paris tilted her head in curiosity at his persistent actions- Why would someone go to this length who truly felt remorseful, and trying to earn forgiveness? The thought lingered in Paris' mind, begging for attention and consideration. She couldn't ignore or dismiss it easily.

~*~

Paris had a date planned for the evening. She had met this guy at an event held at the restaurant where she worked, and they hit it off immediately. From the moment their eyes met, there was an undeniable spark between them and he had wasted no time in asking her out.

When Paris told her mother Pauline that she met a guy and was going on a date with him, Pauline couldn't help but feel worried.

As a mother, it was natural for her to be concerned about her daughter's well-being. On the one hand, she was happy that Paris had found someone she liked, but on the other hand, as a protective mother, she couldn't help feeling worried. She only hoped that this man would see Paris for who she truly was and take care of her.

While she cannot keep her daughter from finding love, Pauline can't shake off the uneasy feeling in her gut. She knew that dating could be unpredictable and she just wanted her daughter to be safe and happy.

Paris sat across from a handsome man, her heart fluttering with excitement. The flickering candlelight danced across their faces as they enjoyed a delicious meal together.

Her date had already asked her for a second outing, and she couldn't wait to get to know him better. His charming smile and easy conversation made her feel at ease.

However, she didn't want to rush things, so after the meal, she gracefully called for a cab to take her home. As they waited outside the restaurant, Paris felt a mixture of anticipation and nervousness for what the future might hold with this intriguing new person in her life.

In the distance, a black car could be seen approaching at a slow pace, passing by the couple who were lost in their own world. But suddenly, it came to a halt. From behind the dark-tinted window, someone was watching them intently.

Paris was smiling and she was genuinely interested in what he had to say.

Inside the car parked across the street, a pair of red eyes were glowing red with envy.

He couldn't believe it. She was actually on a date with some guy. The whole week he had been sending her flowers and she hadn't even bothered to reply. His hands tightened their grip on the door handle, as he struggled to keep his composure.

It bothered him seeing the other male hovering around Paris. He stayed inside his parked car, leaning against the door handle with a finger pressed to his lips, glaring down at them. The man Paris was with, the vampire, could sense his true intentions: unfortunately, they were pure, and his deep affection was growing for her.

The vampire didn’t like that a bit.

“Should we get going, Master?” Terence interrupted.

After his encounter with those two thugs in that dark alley, the vampire had made it his mission to protect her from any harm that may come her way. He was always on guard, using his disguise to keep a watchful eye and ensure her safety at all times.

He wasn't pleased about that, and now seeing her on a date, only added to his already simmering anger.

He was about to exit his car.

"Perhaps this isn't the best place, Master," Terence suggests as he notices the growing anger in the Vampire.

"To hell with that." The Vampire snarls, ignoring Terence's warning. But Terence only smirks, knowing he had been the one to inform the Vampire of Paris' whereabouts and deliberately bringing him here to cause chaos.

Everything was falling into place according to his plan; he was trying to bring them together.

He stepped out of his car, he couldn't help but fume at the situation.

The boy bent down to lightly kiss Paris's cheek.

"You touch her and I'll make sure to drain every last drop of blood from your body," The Vampire threatened the young man.

Anger simmered beneath the surface, but he knew he had to control it in order to get rid of the intruder without causing harm.

"What are you doing here?" Paris asked, shocked and furious.

"LEAVE NOW!" He growled, taking a few threatening steps towards the young man who quickly ran away.

A smirk crept across the Vampire's face, a feeling of pride swelling within him. Paris had turned to leave, clearly upset with him.

"Paris," he called after her.

She continued walking.

"Who was that man you were talking to?" he asked, following her to the cab.

"He is... none of your concern," Paris replied coolly as she opened the car door.

"And what about the flowers I sent you?"

"Please stop sending me flowers," she snapped as she slammed the door shut behind her.

She seethed with anger in the back of the cab as it drove away.

Meanwhile, he stood outside, wondering how to handle this situation. How could he possibly convince her to see things his way?

~X~