LIRA: Book I

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Compulsion

Lira couldn't believe she almost fell for that! What was Nicholas about to do? And why did she felt like letting him do it? It felt weird, like she was being compelled to do it. Was she? Or did she want it to happen herself? She took a step back and eyed him accusingly. "You were going to tap into my vein."

"I'm sorry" was all he said.

"I thought we were friends and that you will never hurt me."

"I didn't do it. I held back," Nicholas said defensively.

"But you were thinking about it the whole time. You wanted it to. If your brother and Miss Amara weren't here earlier, you were going to do it. In fact, I think you orchestrated everything. You were planning on this all along, weren't you? I have read many novels about characters like you. You tried to gain my trust so you could tap my veins easily!"

"No! I mean yes, I did plan something like that before. But I never thought about doing it when I asked you to come here. But things went out of hand when I was holding you. I'm not just a vampire—I'm also a guy."

"What does that supposed to mean?!"

"You're a girl, Lira; a pretty one. I wanted to kiss you—that was all. But then I scented your blood; I felt and heard every pulse in your body. I can even hear the rush of blood in your veins. I tried so hard to resist your blood, but your scent was too much for me not to give in. And when you leaned back on me, it was all the invitation I needed."

Wait. What? She just called her pretty. He wanted to kiss her? As she stared at him, she only then noticed his eyes staring back at her were black. Her heart suddenly beat faster as it finally sunk in to her what Nicholas had once told her about Sevastian: No matter how gentle he might seem he was still a vampire. And so was Nicholas. They might have become friends but Nicholas couldn't resist his nature as a vampire. "Well, you were so good at seducing me!"

He gave a hallow laugh. "Trust me Lira; I wasn't in the seducing part yet."

"I gave you my trust." I was starting to even like you more.

For a moment there was guilt in his eyes. But it took only a second before his face twisted into an exasperated look. "Why are you making a big deal out of this? It's not as if you will not be giving your blood to us when you turn twenty."

"Because it is my blood! And I'll be giving my blood through a needle someday; that seemed less animalistic than you tearing on my neck."

"You think I'm an animal?" he said almost quietly. He breached the gap between them with two strides and curled his fingers around Lira's throat, his nails turning into claws almost digging in to her skin; his fangs elongated. "You want to see me behave like a wild animal?" he roared, his angry eyes blazed black. "Being a vampire does not make me an animal."

Lira's eyes went wide as she stared at Nicholas' frightening face. Maybe she was a fool to seek the wrath of a vampire. She was scared of him; her heart says so as it beat wildly.

"Stop your goddamn heart from beating so fast!" he ordered.

"I can't slow it down!" She placed her hand on Nicholas' wrist and softly said. "You're hurting me, Nick." Nicholas looked at her as if he then only realized he was gripping Lira's throat. "Please let me go." He slowly released her and took a step back.

"Lira, I—"

"I want to go home now Nicholas," she said.

"You just called me Nick, a while ago."

"So I did."

"And now we're back to 'Nicholas'?""Please, I want to go home."

He let out a sigh. He went to the other side of the shelf, picked the books Lira had chosen to read earlier and handed it back to her. "I asked you to come here so you can read these books. Please, take them. Return it back when you finish. It doesn't matter how long you want to borrow it."