As the carriage rolled out of the palace gates, Bella became painfully aware of Damien's brooding presence beside her. He looked relaxed, yet his quiet dominance seemed to fill the space, pressing down on her like invisible weight.
She shifted closer to the window, putting as much distance between them as possible. Damien's eyes narrowed, a faintly displeased look crossing his face.
"The ride back to Remorvia is quite a long one," he said at last, breaking the silence. "You'd better make yourself comfortable."
"I'm very comfortable, Your Majesty," Bella replied politely, her voice a little too quick.
"Damien," he corrected, his tone low but firm.
Bella blinked, startled. Had she heard him right? "Huh?" she murmured, confused, her green eyes slightly widening.
"I said, call me by my name when we're alone," he repeated, irritation creeping into his voice.
"I...I can't, Your Maje–" she began, only to stop when he clicked his tongue in annoyance.
The sound was sharp and commanding, cutting her words short. The air between them thickened again, heavy with unspoken tension.
"Say my name," he demanded, turning his head toward her. His crimson eyes lingered on her flustered face–her head bowed as though in submission, exposing the delicate curve of her neck. He wasn't sure what unsettled her more–his presence, or his command–but the thought of her discomfort left an unpleasant twist in his chest.
"Say it," he repeated, this time more gently, his gaze never leaving her.
Bella nervously wet her lips, unaware that the small, innocent gesture made the vampire's throat tighten.
"Damien?" she said softly, almost like a question, a faint frown creasing her brow.
He let out a low chuckle, his voice laced with amusement. "Now that wasn't so difficult, was it?"
The sound startled her–it was the first time she had heard him laugh genuinely.Raising her head, she met his gaze, and the intensity in his crimson eyes made her gasp and instinctively shift closer to the window.
"Move anymore closer to that window," he said sharply, his voice suddenly stripped of humor, "and I'll have you sit on my lap for the rest of ride.
Bella froze, then sniffed quietly, turning her face back to the window. Her eyes followed the scenery outside, the endless stretch of trees and rolling hills, and soon the world beyond the glass began to pull her thoughts away from him.
A smirk curved Damien's lips as he watched her, amused by how quickly her heart had steadied. She stared out the window like a curious child, eyes wide with wonder. He almost expected her to lean out if the window were open.
His fingers twitched, fighting the sudden urge to brush the curls at the nape of her neck. With a quiet sigh, he closed his eyes and leaned back, forcing the impulse down—restraining the instinct to frighten the little fish any further.
She turned her head, looking at the vampire who was asleep. Her eyes took in his features, which were undeniably handsome. Her gaze briefly paused on his lips; she wondered if they were red because of the blood he drank. He could easily pass as the most good-looking man she had ever seen–but then again, she hadn't really gone out her entire life.
"Better than the scenery outside, right?"
Bella jumped at the sound of his voice in her head. She blinked her big eyes in confusion–his lips hadn't moved an inch. Had she imagined it? She moved closer to the window, just to hear him again.
"What did I say about moving away from me?" Damien asked. Despite his eyes being closed, he could feel everything–her gaze on him, her confusion at hearing his voice without seeing his lips move. Opening his eyes, he met her wide, confused ones.
"Didn't I warn you not to move an inch, fish?" he asked lazily, his eyes half-lidded, looking sleepy though he hadn't slept a wink.
"You scared me," Bella said in her defense, her tone slightly accusing, her lips pouting—a sign Damien noticed she did whenever she was angry.
"How?" he asked, one brow raised, giving her a confused look that almost made Bella doubt herself.
"I thought I heard your voice in my head," she said in a tiny voice, though her eyes still held suspicion.
"You must've been thinking about me then," Damien said plainly.
Bella's face turned red in embarrassment. She had merely been looking at him–how was that thinking about him?
"So," he said after a moment, amusement clear in his tone, "what did I say would be the consequence for moving away from me, fish?"
Bella suspected now that he had wanted her to move away just to tease her. This crazy vampire seemed to delight in making her uncomfortable.
"I heard your voice say something–that was why I moved in fright!" she defended firmly.
"So what exactly did that voice of mine say that scared you?" Damien asked, his eyes challenging her to repeat it. Bella knew that doing so would mean admitting she had been thinking about him. Her red lips pushed forward as she looked at him, clearly aggrieved.
"You could've moved towards me instead of backward if you were frightened," he said.
"It was your voice that scared me, so it's only reasonable I moved backwards," Bella argued, wondering if the vampire was even in his right senses. How was she supposed to move towards what frightened her?
"The deal is–you moved backwards," Damien said simply, a smirk tugging at his lips. "So now, you'll have to sit on my lap for the entire ride. Hurry." He patted his lap. "Many would kill for the opportunity," he added matter-of-factly.
Bella moved closer reluctantly, shifting her weight with a glare that Damien found amusing. Raising his arm, he drew her the rest of the way, pulling her easily onto his lap.