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HELLBOUND HEART
Chapter 191 Perfect Spot
When Sebastian's brows lifted and he did not immediately retort, it was a sign that what she said had at least done something to him and a pleased grin bloomed across Elle's face. Somehow, the feeling that she ended up having the last laugh was really amazing. And it made it all the more sweeter since it is such a rare occurrence.
"So, behave, Crown Prince Sebastian..." she added, even tipping her chin at him triumphantly. Though that move looked proud, the genuine bright smile that had flashed across her face made her move come across as more playful.
Sebastian opened his lips as though he was about to say something, but quickly closed it again as he simply stared at her. It was as if he had loved what he was seeing so much at the moment that he did not want even himself to distract her even for a moment.
He then watched her giggle, shaking her head a little. It was as though she had stumbled upon a key discovery about Sebastian. "Lord... I can't believe that's all it takes to stop you from being naughty, Sebastian. Do you hate sleeping on the couch that much?"
While she was still being ecstatic that she had in her opinion, for once, managed to render Sebastian speechless, Sebastian on the other hand, just continued to stare at her. He was seemingly spellbound at the sight of Izabelle's genuinely happy face and her light-hearted laughter. He was just standing there, looking as though he was just so glad to see her smiling so brightly again, as though she had no other cares on the world.
"Now I'm feeling bad for letting you sleep there for quite a few nights now." she then continued, but still grinning widely, not looking the slightest bit repentant at all. "You should've asked for another bed. Or even a mattress, at least." Her grin still hanging widely on her face as her eyes sparkled with mirth.
As the music slowed, Sebastian pulled her closer against his body. Their faces were now so close. The happy, blissful and beautiful moment very naturally shifted into something more romantic. Not that the couple were not already oozing romance ever since they stepped into the hall.
Elle's wide smile slowly faded as she realized their breaths were literally mingling due to their closeness. This dance, she realized, was so different from their first dance.
And as she continued to gaze at him, it was then the realization came on how this current Sebastian was so different from the man she had danced with that night on Elijah's birthday. He was still the same in many ways. And he still acts as usual around everyone else except for... her.
She had noticed many times how his gaze always seemed to soften up whenever he talked or looked at her, no matter how serious and grumpy as usual he looked while he was talking with others. It always made her heart flutter, more violently so, lately. And right now... lord... he was just so drop dead gorgeous... and warm... hot as hell in fact. Though he was always hot and gorgeous, this Sebastian right now, was melting her heart... her mind... her soul... and not just her body.
Deep inside her, she was wishing that this moment would last indefinitely. That he would keep looking at her this way, holding her in this particular manner... treating her as gently and patiently. She wanted this moment to last... forever.
That word 'forever' had her nibbling the inside of her lip. She was even surprised at her own thoughts.
Trying to distract herself for fear she might actually suddenly kiss him right there in public, Elle averted her gaze and stared instead at his throat.
"Is it just me, or is the dance..." She had finally noticed that the dance was much longer than usual.
He smiled. "This is your night, Izabelle. I saw that you're enjoying the dance, so I signaled for the musicians to keep on going for a bit longer. Let me know if you want to st a���"
"No!" She had said that a bit loudly, so she quickly snapped her mouth closed.
"Stop being worried about the audience, Iza. You don't need to whisper. Don't be afraid to talk normally like you used to."
"O... okay." She nodded.
"Good girl." He praised, flashing her that devastating smile again, made more lethal with the short appearance of his elusive dimple.
Elle blushed and she got lost in their slow dance and that pool of beautiful metallic grey eyes. Everything and everyone seemed to fade off into the background and there was only him and her. It was peaceful and just so good for her heart... this moment. She had never expected this night to be like this. Birthdays... she had hated it before. Because so far, ever since she was young, her birthdays were more like the gatherings of the socialites to further the political agenda of her father, rather than just celebrating and enjoying.
She had expected the same to happen tonight as well. In fact, she had thought that it would be something so nerve wracking and something so extraordinary in a bad way.
But none of what she had expected was happening. Everything felt normal. And everyone seemed to come just for the sole purpose of enjoying themselves and wishing her well for her birthday. There was truly nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, right now, she could tell that this was probably the most unforgettable and happiest birthday she had had since she was thirteen.
"What are you thinking?" his deep voice echoed.
"You?"
He raised his brow slightly. But he smiled and leaned in to whisper. "I'm thinking about the things I'd do with you later tonight."
Her lips parted before she smiled and uttered her threat ever so gently. "My husband. Did you forget what I had just said? Behave or else..."
"You really think you can threaten me with that, hmm... baby girl?"
His sexy voice and that teasing retort had Elle widening her eyes. And before she could process a reply in response to that statement, he continued. "It's not like the bed is the only place where I can screw your brains out, Iza. In fact, the couch is another perfect spot too, you know?"
As Elle fell utterly speechless once again, a woman standing in the veranda and drinking from a wine glass, had her eyes glued on the couple from afar and listened into their conversation secretly, her free hand clenching slightly. Her expression did not change, but her nails had grown long and her eyes turned red for a few moments.
HELLBOUND HEART
Chapter 192 Eat
Sebastian's eyes flew towards where the woman was and she flinched when his eyes locked onto hers, obviously shocked that she had been caught.
When his gaze had locked onto hers and even though it was just for a short moment, the warning in his eyes was all too clear. That split second flash of deep red, before the dark grey of his eyes glittered with something so predatory and dangerous, was enough to turn the blood in her veins into ice.
The woman stood there, frozen, as she watched him return his attention to the human princess in his arms. The warning in his eyes was completely gone, turning warm and gentle with no trace of the savagery and frostiness he had displayed when looking at her just seconds ago. She could not even begin to imagine that this was the same Prince Sebastian that she had known. He was becoming a completely different person when he was looking at that Princess.
The woman's jaws clenched slightly when a blond female spoke to her. Her shadowed and previously sullen face brightened up, with no trace of any other emotions but pure bliss.
'Wow. I can't believe you are so calm, Lady Kana.' The blonde told her through their eyes. 'If I were you, good god, I am not even sure if I could remain calm for even a few moments!'
Kana swirled her drink in the wine glass. Her gaze was innocent when she lifted them up to the blonde. 'Why shouldn't I be calm, Miss Jules? I don't think there is any reason for me not to be, right?'
'You're really amazing. But don't you feel jealous at all? After all, you were once chosen to serve His Highness...' Miss Jules stared rather enigmatically at Kana.
'Jealous...' she smiled and then she sipped on her glass elegantly. 'There's nothing to be jealous about, Miss Jules.' came her reply as she shrugged her slender shoulders.
The blonde glanced at the other females who had gathered around and were curious about the same issue. Everyone looked intrigued and confused until one of them butted in. 'But she stole the prince from you! You should be the one dancing with him right now. This is really alright with you?'
'Relax ladies...' Kana swept a proud gaze across everyone, her brow lifted as she pretended to be composed and in control of the situation. 'When did we vampires ever get jealous of humans?'
'Right!' another woman butted in with a sneer. 'Humans are always the ones jealous of us! Never the other way around. Because there is truly nothing worth getting jealous over about them. They grow old and die so quickly that they're like mist in the morning.'
When the ladies started to come up with their own conclusions, that there was no need for Kana to be jealous because Princess Izabelle was merely a temporary fixture in the prince's life. They even started to praise Kana as they pitied Izabelle, causing Kana's lips to tug upwards secretly.
...
The dinner was another blissful event.
Sebastian had finally let her speak with some guests as they dined. She had enjoyed the little chit chats she participated in over the course of the meal. And before she knew it, any uncertainties and doubts and insecurities disappeared from within her. Until she was able to speak confidently like how she usually did again.
While she was animatedly responding to a young girl, Elle slowly trailed off, realizing that everyone had their gaze shifted to someone else. They looked so dumbstruck that Elle curiously followed their gazes to where they were looking, only to see that it was Sebastian they were staring at.
Sebastian was resting his head on his knuckles while watching her. Elle was not sure why everyone seemed shocked until he spoke. "Eat. You haven't eaten anything yet." He reminded her. His voice sounded serious. And then Elle realized that his hand was outstretched, holding his fork. Her gaze then fell to her plate and saw there was already a mountain of food piled up there.
Her lips parted slightly and she discreetly glanced around again. Her cheeks turned pink.
"Eat." He once again spoke. "Or is this some kind of plot for you to get me feed you?"
Flustered, Elle cleared her throat and stabbed her fork into her food, smiling at him. "Please don't tease me..." was all she could say. But he did not get what she really meant, or perhaps, he understood but he did not care.
"I'm not teasing, Izabelle. I would happily feed you if a���"
Elle cut him off with an awkward 'haha, you tease' and then she immediately began to eat.
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Everything went so quiet after that. And even after that, Elle could still feel everyone's gaze on her and Sebastian.
Just as she was about to break the awkward silence, she felt Sebastian's warm and large hand landing gently on her head. He very casually tucked her hair behind her ear, as though this was a normal and daily occurrence between them.
A sound of metal falling echoed jarringly in the dining hall. It was most probably a fork falling into a plate.
Sebastian shifted his gaze from Elle to the source of the noise as his brows furrowed a little. Some of the other guests seemed to stiffen as the gleam in his eyes suddenly looked sort of intense.
Elle reached out and touched his arm, pulling his attention back to herself. When he looked back at her, Elle gave him a small calming smile which seemed to work on him.
"You should eat too." she whispered. And with Elle starting another topic, the stalemate ended and the blissful dinner continued.
Soon, Elle mouthed secretly to Sebastian. 'I need to go to the bathroom.'
When Sebastian nodded, Elle rose from her seat.
Sebastian silently stared at her as she took her leave. His gaze then roamed around and suddenly, he rose and left his seat as well, quickly heading towards where Elle had headed to.
HELLBOUND HEART
Chapter 193 Thank You Kiss
If he could choose the one-line advice from Alexander that he was most thankful for, it would be 'pay close attention to your wife's actions and emotions and pamper her'.
During the last few days, Sebastian had been calling Alexander every now and then. He had been asking about many things he had never once thought even mattered before. Most especially with this birthday event he had planned for her. He had called Alexander and Abigail for help and guidance, knowing that Abigail seemed to always know what Izabelle likes.
In fact, it was the couple who had told him about Izabelle's birthday. He did not even know when it was as he never had thought about such matters before. He himself never bothered about his own birthday and he had never celebrated even when everyone wanted to. He simply did not care about it. It did not matter at all as it was just another day to him.
However, he understood that this event was important to the humans and even for many vampires. Apparently, birthdays were something that they would remember and celebrate on a yearly basis.
Initially, Sebastian planned to deal with the circulating gossip his way without this event, but Alexander had discouraged him and suggested a more natural way to kill the issue. Abigail had also butted in and told him Izabelle would love to celebrate her special day with him.
Sebastian was skeptical because he knew that troubles always happen during big events. Sometimes, it was unavoidable. Izabelle was already doing so fine and recovering pretty well. Everything was peaceful for once. So, Sebastian would not want to do anything that could possibly disrupt this hard-to-come-by peace they had. He just wanted this tranquility to last as long as possible.
But he got the point that Alexander and Abigail were trying to make. And if this event would really make Izabelle happy, then, he would do it, sparing no expense. He would just need to watch her extra closely so that there would be no chance for any trouble to strike. Even if it did strike, at least he would be there to immediately deal with it. He would not let anything bad happen tonight.
To his relief, everything went according to plan so far. Sebastian had even dispatched his men to keep a close watch on everyone who were identified as having a possibility of causing trouble and most importantly to keep keen eyes on any cunning secret move from Elijah. Having Lucas and Raven for that matter was the reason he had allowed himself to relax the entire time.
Just before the dance, Rion came to report the situation to him secretly. It appeared that no trouble was brewing, but Sebastian still ordered everyone to continue to be on high alert. He knew he did not need to say it, but he did it anyway. And then to his surprise, Rion told him something unexpected. Rion had said that Lucas wanted him to spare some attention on Kana.
Sebastian simply raised his brow at that remark but during the dance, he could not believe he had actually caught her eavesdropping on his and Izabelle's conversation. He would know if someone was invading his privacy. He could sense if someone was eavesdropping. And he could pinpoint immediately who it was as long as there was no barrier blocking in between them.
Catching Kana eavesdropping was a surprise because she had never behaved in that way before. She was never a troublemaker. But then again, that did not mean that she would not cause any troubles now. Though he still thought that Kana stirring up trouble was very unlikely, Sebastian still warned her, just in case. Because he remembered what Abigail said during his last call with Alexander. She had reminded him to watch for the ladies and keep Iza away from hearing any gossip.
He was not certain why Abigail sounded a bit grave when she had mentioned that it was like something he needed to pay attention to the most. She even told him not to let her into the public bathroom alone which made Sebastian frown when he heard it. But since it was he who requested for advice, he had decided to just listen. All because he knew that Abigail had once been in Iza's shoes.
But for Sebastian, he was still more concerned about the possibility of lurking danger that Elijah had plotted than any gossip amongst the ladies.
So, he followed after her. No matter how secure everything was, Sebastian would never fully trust any security anymore. Most especially since they still could not figure out how did Iza disappear without any trace from Alexander's house.
...
Elle was speechless when she found Sebastian waiting for her right outside the doors of the ladies'.
"What are you doing here...?! Good lord, you didn't need to..." Elle blushed a little as she thought how he had been waiting here the entire time she was in there.
He lifted a brow. "You know... I should've even followed you all the way inside because you have a history of disappearing from supposedly secured places, Izabelle."
Elle bit on her lip to prevent the gasp that she almost let out. The disbelieving look on her face slowly faded. Though he said those words so casually, the thought that Sebastian was just that worried she would disappear again to the point of following her even to the ladies', had her heart melting. He must not realize how endearing his actions had been to her.
And before she knew it, she had already tiptoed and kissed his neck.
Sebastian cursed low under his breath as he held her shoulders. "Is this you telling me to go and just end the party now? Huh? Izabelle?" His eyes bored into hers with a seductive intensity that sent her mind reeling. It was so sudden that she was completely taken aback. Was that one little kiss enough to trigger him to this extent?
With wide eyes, she shook her head frantically even as her hands signaled 'no' to him. She would not want him to do that, or their guests would really wonder what must have happened! It could spark unnecessary gossip which was what they were hoping to avoid.
"That's... a thank you kiss." She told him with reddened cheeks and before he could respond, she grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
She heard him mutter out a low curse again but she ignored him, smiling a little at the frustration in his voice. However, contrasting to his frustrated tone, his hand held hers in a gentle and warm grip with no intentions of letting go.
"You better not think I'm letting you get away with this, Iza." He muttered as he followed along, his tone filled with delicious promises that sent shivers running down her spine.
...
Soon, Sebastian had let Elle mingling with the other ladies by herself. Of course, that was only after giving her multiple reminders on not to speak too much and strain her throat that had just healed.
The queen had gently told him to give Elle time to mingle with the other ladies without him sticking next to her. Sebastian thought that as long as he was looking at her directly, it should be alright. Nobody would be stupid enough to do anything outrageous on his watch.
While some officials finally approached him and spoke to him, Sebastian had kept his attention carefully on Elle, never keeping her out of his field of vision even as he listened and spoke with the officials.
He could see her smiling, enjoying her time as she accepted the gifts from the ladies. He, on the other hand, was responding to the officials as he usually does. Even as he kept glancing and watching over his wife, he could multitask and he was giving them just the right answer. That made the men he was talking to stop thinking that he was not actually listening to them and was utterly distracted. It amazed them how he was even engaging in the conversation like usual while his gaze was somewhere else.
Until the air suddenly changed.
Sebastian's hand that was about to lift his glass and take a drink of wine halted and a heavy and dark energy enveloped him.
"Your Highness? Is there a prob..." one of the dukes was brave enough to ask, but before he could even finish his question, Sebastian had vanished from sight.
HELLBOUND HEART
Chapter 194 Unless
Blood. He had smelt the scent of Iza's blood! Though faint, there was no way he could ever mistake it. No one had that unique scent but her!
His heartbeats were thundering loudly in his ears. He knew that he should not panic. She was right there. He could clearly still see her there. Standing. Looking alright. He should stay calm so he could assess everything with precision. But f**k. It was just not possible!
Reaching her in an instant, he seized her by her arms. Not caring about anything or anyone else at the moment.
"Sebastian?" she called out. Her eyes reflected her shock and confusion.
He did not respond. He could not. Because he too, was in shock that the scent was now suddenly gone. He had thought she got wounded hence the scent. But the scent was gone! How... just how was that possible?!
"Honey?" Iza's voice echoed again in his ears as her hand held onto his hand. "What is it?" The slight worry that tinted her voice brought him out of his contemplation.
Sebastian's eyes stretched slightly after realizing what she had just called him. What did she just say?!
His mind that was already reeling from that mystifying occurrence, was now threatening to blow up at that one word from her. That was the first time she had ever called him that!
But he tried his best to shift his focus back to the more pressing issue right now that was the scent of her blood. Thus, he surveyed her again, using all his senses to detect if there was any area on her that she might have been hurt and bleeding. Still, there was not even a trace of that heady scent of her blood anymore. It was as though the source of the scent did not even come from Izabelle, or more like it had actually never been there in the first place. Which was something Sebastian could not even begin to comprehend. What was happening?
"Pardon me, ladies." Sebastian said with a serious tone. "But I'm taking my wife now."
He then looked over at Izabelle to gauge her reaction. And when there were no signs of any protests from her, he scooped her up into his arms. He had expected her to be embarrassed and ask him to put her down as she usually did. But surprisingly, this time she did not. She instead held onto him so intimately. Which was another big surprise.
Everyone just stared at their public display of affection. Some ladies even had their lips parting open in shock as the crowd opened a path for Sebastian to walk freely through with his precious princess cradled in his arms.
But Sebastian could not care less about anyone else's reactions. His gaze subtly assessed the crowd as he slowly made his way out. Because he had just heard several guests whispering, asking their companions if they had picked up a scent. Someone even called it 'spellbinding scent'.
That had told Sebastian that he was not the only one who had caught it! And that made everything even more serious now.
When his gaze met Lucas', the man immediately reported.
Lucas had reported that they did not spot any signs of Elijah or any danger. However, Lucas too, smelt the scent.
'Tell me, can you still smell it?' Sebastian asked through their eye contact.
'Not anymore, Your Highness. It disappeared completely before we could even begin to trace where it came from.'
'F**k that.' Sebastian could not help the irritation that was blooming within him now. Whatever this game was, it was really getting on his nerves. 'Find something... anything about that scent.' He could only order. 'Also, find out if any witches are involved in this. No, I believe a witch must be involved.'
Lucas creased his brows at his last line, but the man still nodded, acknowledging the order given.
Sebastian knew why Lucas reacted that way. Witches no longer stick their noses to the vampire's business unless asked. The vampires and witches were no longer in a feud. However, that didn't mean that it was impossible for the witches to get involved now. There could still be a rogue witch. What happened just now... such a thing was... it was something that might only be possible with the help of magic. Witches' magic to be exact. No matter how intelligent Elijah was, there was no way he could perform such an improbable thing with just his vampiric ability. Witches might really be involved!
Fighting the urge to grit his teeth, Sebastian forced himself to appear calm. He needed to keep his anger and frustration under control as Iza was still in his arms. Then he glanced towards the queen and princesses. 'Keep the party going without us.' He told them and they nodded with understanding.
Once the couple was gone, the emcee spoke and distracted everyone, giving the excuse that the couple had some sort of private celebration going on with just the two of them. The guests nodded and clapped in understanding, some even laughed merrily with mischievous twinkles in their eyes. But of course, there were others who immediately gossiped secretly about the scene they had just witnessed.
'Did you see that? Good god... was that really our Prince Sebastian?' The ladies were in total shock.
'I bet they're just showing off. It's really weird to see the prince acting so unlike himself.'
'Right. He didn't need to scoop her up like that! She can walk! I bet that's scripted.'
'But for what? Why would Prince Sebastian bother doing any of those actions? You know His Highness was never the type to give a shit about things he didn't like doing. We all know he was a man who don't even bother to fake a smile.'
Silence reigned for a while until someone butted in. 'Unless, our prince has been put under the spell of a witch.'
The ladies' eyes widened after hearing that statement. 'Are you saying that the princess is a witch?!'
HELLBOUND HEART
Chapter 195 Inviting
Someone who caught the silent conversation due to the utter shock in that one ladies' eyes piped in with warning in her eyes. 'Watch what you are saying, Jules. The princess is not a witch. And if the prince ever finds out what you are gossiping about...'
'I never said that the princess is a witch.' Jules retorted, defending herself from being accused. 'She's the one who came up with that conclusion. Not me!' Though she never said it explicitly, however, she was hoping that someone would misinterpret that statement and lead the conversation in that direction. That would only lean in her favor.
'But you had implied it! Leave the princess alone. The prince is just in love with her. That's it. Stop being bitter about it.' The woman warned them again and then she turned around and left. Leaving Jules and the other girls with sour expressions.
....
Sebastian halted in the middle of their spacious room. He took a deep breath and then slowly put Izabelle down.
She had not spoken since the moment he scooped her up into his arms. Which was not like her at all. However, Sebastian thought that perhaps she could feel that something was going on with him and that was why she refrained from distracting him.
Stepping back, Sebastian put both his hands on either side of her shoulders. Bending down so he was more at her level, he searched her face slowly, and then down her entire body with a scrutinizing gaze. The way he was doing it was as though there was something important he needed to find. However, after a few moments, his gaze returned to her face and they locked gazes again.
"Tell me, Izabelle." His voice was grave as his hands squeezed her shoulders a little. "Are you harmed anywhere? If you are, don't hesitate to tell me."
Blinking at him for a couple of seconds, Elle stared at him rather uncomprehendingly. Her expression told him she was not hurt.
"You thought... I have been harmed?" she asked curiously. Her gaze searched his face as well. "Was that why you suddenly came to get me?"
"Yes." He replied and her blue eyes gleamed. It was as if she suddenly became emotional.
He reached out to brush her face with the backs of his fingers. His voice dropped low and grave but sexy as he continued. "I need to see it for myself, Izabelle. I needed to check and personally see to it that you truly weren't harmed anywhere. I needed to know that nothing had happened to you. That no one dared to a���" He suddenly stopped talking. It was as though his voice just gave way.
"I am fine, Sebastian." Her tone had changed into something deceptively firm. The look in her eyes turned a little... fierce.
The sudden change in her demeanor and that rare gleam in her eyes made Sebastian momentarily forget how to respond. It had lent her a look of a warrior princess that was so contradictory to her usual image of a slender, gentle and gracious princess. And it was that beautiful contrast in her that had took him by surprise and sent his mind in a whirl. While he was still in a daze, it was then that she reached out and grabbed the collar of his coat all the while pushing him backward.
Sebastian allowed himself to be pushed back by his little wife. Her actions, that were so unlike her and that compelling look in her eyes... had him silenced and spellbound. For some reason, it was sending his heart racing hard within him. Even so, he still did not want to do anything to distract her. He would like to see this other unique side of her that she had never shown to him before, even if it was only for a little while longer.
Neither of them spoke as she stepped forward and he stepped back. Their gazes never breaking, never letting the other go. Curiosity and yes... thrill surged within him as he waited in silence and anticipation. Her behavior right now was just so unexpected and so... refreshing. It truly was a surprise... a very welcomed one indeed! He never thought he would think of her being this fierce as adorable, as when she was obedient and blushing. In fact, f**k... she looks like an inviting inferno right now. Not that she was not always already hot but...
What had gotten into her? Did he miss out on something that had triggered her to suddenly behave like this?
No matter how he was enjoying this moment, he knew that there should always be a reason behind everything. Especially since it was really so sudden. Too sudden, in fact. She recently had only been blushing hard as always when he was teasing her not too long ago. So what had gotten into her, to so suddenly...
She pushed him on his chest hard. Again, Sebastian did not bother to maintain or keep his balance as he realized she had planned to fall down along with him.
He let himself fall back on the comfortably padded couch.
Izabelle was on top of him, her one knee kneeling between his legs while her hands were still gripping the collar of his shirt.
Sebastian fought the urge to speak or to raise his brow or to seize her again and pin her against him. He wanted to know what she was going to do next. The anticipation building within him was so great. He could feel and tell that she was about to do something that she had never done before. As to what it was, he was not quite certain. And he was not going to try figuring it out. He wanted to see for himself what this woman of his was going to do.
His heart started to beat with so much expectancy and suspense.
Her blue eyes dilated and finally, she opened her mouth. "You are mine, Sebastian." She declared.
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