No time was wasted, as Ian freed himself from his shoes and slipped into her bed with her.
Camelia was not very comfortable with Ian sleeping in her bed, but she made no attempt to voice her complaint, seeing as he had already made himself comfortable.
She laid down too. Her eyes were fixed on Ian's sleeping form, calm and unmoving, with only the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed.
He was lying on the side of the bed close to where the candle was placed, so she could see his face clearly.
'Has he fallen asleep already?' she thought as she watched him intently.
Adjusting on the bed, she laid on her side, eyes still fixed on him.
The candle's flickering flame danced across his features. She studied him, her gaze tracing the sharp lines of his jaw, the curve of his lips.
He looked less like a predator, more vulnerable, almost kind, when he slept.
Her eyes began to grow heavy, sleep gently drawing her in, as she blinked softly, stealing one final glance at the man, then finally letting her eyes close.
"I'm sorry."
Already on the verge of sleep, her eyes snapped open at those words.
Looking over at Ian, his eyes were now open, and he was also lying on his side, his arm propped on the bed supporting his head, his gaze pinned on her.
She blinked at him in confusion, amidst her tired yawn.
"What are you apologizing for?" she asked in a low and tired voice.
"I called you a whore, and I'm apologizing for that," Ian explained.
It took her a moment to process his words before she was able to form a reply.
"I'll only accept that apology on one condition..." she murmured, closing her tired eyes.
Avoiding his gaze was necessary if she needed the resolve to say what she was about to say.
"What condition?" Ian inquired, curiosity reverberating through his tone.
"I want you to give me permission to slap you if you ever insult me in the future, Ian," she said.
Ian raised a brow at her bold request. She had completely gone from calling him sir and Master Ian to calling him by just his name.
"To ask for such a thing," Ian chuckled, his laugh vibrating with amusement. "Fine," he said when he stopped laughing.
"You have my permission."
Camelia was slightly surprised that he accepted so easily. She smiled as she slowly welcomed sleep.
Seeing the peaceful smile on her lips as she fell asleep, Ian's heart skipped a beat.
Clutching his chest, he frowned, mostly in confusion at his reaction to a mere smile and the fact that his heart actually skipped.
Even as he laid down on his back, facing the ceiling, his mind flowed with questions he couldn't answer.
The rain outside had not ceased its heavy descending, still falling rapidly. But as the day started to break, it reduced significantly, now just drizzling.
Ian sat up from the bed, cracking his neck. He hadn't slept at all. Considering the fact that vampires didn't need much sleep, he was filled with almost inexorable energy.
It was still dark outside, but he wanted to leave before she woke up for the day.
He glanced at the girl on the bed still sleeping soundly, her breathing steady. He got up and went over to her side, staring down at her as she slept, with calculative eyes.
He got down on one knee beside the bed and took hold of her palm, gently caressing her fingers. She stirred in her sleep, causing him to still for a moment, thinking she was waking up.
But when she relaxed again, he resumed, this time bringing her hand close to his face, taking in her scent.
His pupils turned red, and his fangs snapped out.
After contemplating it for hours, Ian had come to one simple conclusion to solve his problem: his strange attraction to this girl.
He would taste her blood, just a small sip and no more. He would lose interest in her scent, her presence, and even her voice.
He had a unique feeding condition. He couldn't feed from the same source more than once. After the first time, the scent and blood would become disgusting to his taste.
Without wasting another second, Ian sank his fangs into her wrist as gently as he possibly could to avoid waking her.
Camelia winced, but did not move or awaken.
As the first drop of blood touched his tongue, Ian's eyes widened in shock. He had expected the usual rush of hunger like the one he felt before, but instead, he felt... different.
The blood was sweet, intoxicating, and familiar. He couldn't quite place it, but it felt like it was drawing him in... into her very soul.
Ian's mind reeled as he processed the sensation. He had never tasted blood like this before. It was as if his body was recognizing something, something ineffable.
He took another sip, and another, unable to stop himself. The more he drank, the more he wanted. He felt a connection to Camelia, a bond he couldn't explain.
And then it hit him. The realization slammed into him like a tidal wave. Camelia was his mate.
Ian's eyes snapped open, and he stumbled backward, releasing her wrist. He stared at her in almost horror, his mind reeling with the implications.
She was his mate, and he had just marked her.
What had his foolish impulse led him to do? He couldn't believe it. He had never expected this, but he should have known.
He should have known, before he made the stupid mistake of even coming here.
Of even allowing himself within her space.
He quickly put on his shoes, taking one last glance at her as she turned in her sleep, before he vanished from the room with a blur of speed.
As the morning sun rose, Camelia woke up to find the other side of the bed empty.
'He already left,' she mused as she sat up.
She sighed in discomfort when she felt a small sting on her wrist, but upon examining it, she saw that it had two small red dots.
Ignoring it, she got up and began preparing for work. She was fully dressed not long after and went downstairs, a smile on her face.
But when she recalled that her mother had not returned the previous day, her smile immediately dropped.
She stared at the empty, quiet kitchen, her worry from yesterday returning.
There was a sudden knock on the door, and she immediately went to answer it.
When she opened the door, Dart was standing there, his face filled with worry.
Camelia smiled upon seeing him.
"Hey—"
Dart pulled her into a tight hug, immediately silencing her.
"I was so worried about you," Dart said, holding her tightly, like she would disappear from his arms the next second.
Camelia's smile only deepened as she hugged him back. She had missed her dearest and only friend.
"Is it true?" Dart asked as he finally pulled away. "I heard you're working at the Draven residence. Please tell me it isn't true."
"Yes, I'm working there. I started yesterday," Camelia responded with enthusiasm.
Dart's face turned grim immediately.
"Listen to me, Camelia, you have to quit the job," he said as he took hold of her hands.