We walked out of the castle with him holding my hand affectionately, the moon was bright to its fullest as the stars complemented the beauty of the moon. The breeze blew its wind gently making me rubbed my shoulder to keep me warm. Zaccheus noticed this and removed his jacket before putting it on me. I drown in his jacket as his scent a.s.saulted my tiny nose. I closed my eyes and sighed in satisfaction because I felt warm and comfortable.

When he saw me snuggled his jacket, his face beamed with happiness before we continued our journey to the woods. The rustling of the leaves were soothing as the crackling of the dry leaves made me giggled.

"Where are we going?" I asked again, I tried to touch a beautiful leaf to feel the texture but he swatted my hand gently while I stared as him for an explanation.

"These leaves were beautiful yet dangerously poisonous, just a touch, the person is turning into a Lumad*, a beast that the witches use for their dirty work" he explained.

"Then why is it so beautiful?".

"To attract, to lure people into touching it as nectars attract b.u.t.terflies".

"Okay" I found myself nodding my head.

"Then why is it all around this place?".

"Because the young sprouts are medicine or cure for all poisons".

"Are Lumad also supernatural creatures?"

He laughed, "they are stuck between human and supernatural. There are either alive or dead".

"But.." he tapped my nose gentle while I wrinkled my nose.

"You are too inquisitive little mate" I grumbled and pouted, "but I'm not little mate" I replied while he smiled while we fell in silence.

"We will soon be there" his voice brought me out of my thoughts as I was squealing inside.

When we reached a certain place, there was no way, the place was blocked but with the wave of his hand and a little mumbled, the place opened and revelled a beautiful blue sea.

The blue sea was calm with serenity as the waves were crawling gently to its bank. The reflection of the moon brightens the Sprankle crystals in the water. The leaves of the trees were dancing to the sounds of the cool breeze. Everything looked magical and surreal. It looked enchanting as the fireflies danced around the sea. It was breathtaking.

Zaccheus walked to me and hugged me from behind, putting his head at the crook of my neck as his breath tickled me, "I hope you like it?" he asked slowly as he took his time nibbling my neck softly.

"It is beautiful" I moaned softly, closing my eyes to feel the sensation only him could provide.

"Good" he chuckled, "but it's not beautiful as you" he turned my face to him as he stared at my eyes. He brought his head closer to me as I closed my eyes expectedly to feel his warm lips on mine, only for his lips to descend on my nose and I huffed in annoyance while he chuckled at me.

"Why?" I pouted while he lifted me on the ground, walking towards the sh.o.r.e. He sat at the sh.o.r.e before he set me on his thigh.

"If I kiss you, I don't think I would be able to control myself" he replied as he played with my hair.

"How do you discover this  place?" I asked curiously, putting my hand inside the water, the coldness seeped through my body.

"It has been long, maybe when I was ten years old" he knitted his brows. "Since then I've put spell on it so that no one can see this place because it's mine," he said.

"Woah, possessive much?" I scrunched my nose playfully, "it's cool" I clapped my hands.

"Yeah, but it's now yours, something mine is yours" he kissed my nose.

"Why here of all places?".

"Because the breeze, sounds and waves calm me down" he responded.

We were silent, both of us lost in our thoughts. I felt contented in his arms without no worries or concerns.

This man was mine, mine alone.

Holy Santa of Claus!.

"See" he nudged my side gently as he showed me his hand which was lit with a small fire.

"Woah" my eyes widen in wonders as I watched how the fire danced on his palm. I looked at him, asking with my eyes could I touch it and he nodded his head. I touched the fire, it was warm and tingled. The fire caught the tip of my finger which I panic but when I didn't feel any burnt, I giggled out before playing with it.

After I was done with fake controlling the fire, we went to the apple tree and plucked some juicy apple. As I devoured it like a starved animal, I ate it unladylike as he stared at me before wiped the juice on my lips with his hand and brought it to his lips, "it tastes better now" he hummed.

"Nadazhda" he called me softly, I was surprised to hear my name from his mouth because he never called me by my name except for endearment.

"Uh?" I turned my full concentrations on him.

"Do you really want me to mate and mark you?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied meekly with my cheeks flaming red.

"Good, I want you to know that I'm not a Saint that" he paused before looking at me as his eyes shown pain, "I've killed many".

"What?" I stuttered.

"I've killed many that I don't regret. I'm a murderer, I killed for fun. I killed the other half just to watch the other half in pain. I killed kids, innocent people. I've.. " he stopped a little, "wiped a whole clan just because a person wronged me" I moved a step back a little in horror which didn't go unnoticed by him as his eyes shown pained.

I didn't hate him, it just that my brain could not comprehend it. The sweet caring man was a murderer who killed for fun.

"Please don't walk away from me, don't hate me" he whimpered like a pained animal.

"I have a very dark past that I'm not proud of after I was bullied because I was human before I became what I am, my father made me do his nasty work. I was his killer machine until my mom was killed by a rogue and I snapped. I killed him with my hands, his blood was drenched with my hand" he cried as the beautiful dark sky looked gloomy. The rain started to pour as he was crying. The climate and weather were decided by his emotions.

"I killed because I've no purpose in life, I've no one to love or take care but all change the moment I inhaled your heavenly scent at the throne room. My stone-cold heart begins to beat, I look for purpose in everything, I regret everything I've done and felt remorse. And for the first time, I was afraid. I was scared to lose you" his voice crackled with tears as I walked towards me and wrapped myself to him, comforting him.

"You are not alone again, I'm with you. I promise to never leave you because you are my home which gives me warmth, hope, wish, comfort and serenity" I rea.s.sured him as I wiped the tears on his face.

"Do you hate me?" he asked in a small voice while I kissed his right cheek, left cheek, his forehead, his jaw before settling on his lips. I tasted the salty taste of tears in his mouth.

"I can never hate you, I can't judge you because your past doesn't define you. Your past may be nasty but don't let it affect your present and have an effect on your future".

"Thank you," he said in a hoa.r.s.e voice.

"It's okay Zacchy" I pecked his lips again while he stared at me.

"Zacchy?" he asked while I nodded and fumbled with my hands.

"Don't you want the nickname?".

"No, I love it" he replied excited laughing as he carried me up and twirled me around which made me laughed out. Feeling happy.

"I love you" everything was frozen as I heard him utter three words which made my toes to curled and my stomach to flip with delight.

His eyes flashed with sadness before he tried to a.s.sure me, "It's okay if you don't.." I put my small index finger on his lips which shut him up.

"I don't know know what I am feeling or what it is what I am feeling, but what I know is that I don't want it to stop because you've become everything I ever wish for and that, I love it. And if it is a love I am feeling, then I love you" I responded while his eyes shone with tears as he smiled to the fullest before he crashed his lips to mine and electric sparks exploded all over my body.

~

~

~

"I'm scared" The younger man's panic voice blared around the dark forest as he stared at the older man.

"Fret not my boy, nothing is going to happen," the older man said, patting the younger one.

"But... What if he finds out or suspects us?" he stuttered, shaking in fear for the King.

"He can never suspect anything now because he didn't know when his mate wasn't there but now he has a mate, he would be distracted with his mate" the older man rea.s.sured him.

"So do you pledge your loyalty to me?" the older man asked.

"mmm, if I can have his head then yes, you've my loyalty".

"Then when should we strike?" the younger man asked impatiently.

"Not so soon boy, let him enjoy his short time with his mate".

"Okay," The little man replied.

***