Under the vampire Lord's protection

Behind her and right by her face, the books floated. Some took their sweet time while others zoomed to a designated place, leaving but a woosh and a cool breeze in their wake. 

The sole of Arabella's heels clacked against the brilliant marble flooring that reflected every light cast upon it. The young woman's neck ached as she couldn't decide which wonderful part turned her head before the next better thing whisked her attention away from it.

Arabella finally put her foot down and stopped, thinking if she continued to walk around and marvel, there would be no end to it. She had to start somewhere in that library. 

Her very first pick was a book that had the words "Sanguis venenosus" embossed on its spine. Tucked among others on a shelf that was simply too high for her to reach, Arabella looked around for a tool that could have helped grab it. 

When none turned up, her gaze shifted onto the floating books instead. After all, if the books were enchanted, perhaps there was no need for a physical tool in order to take one. 

Her cheeks flushed pink at the plan she had come up with. Looking around very sheepishly before setting her eyes back on the chosen book, Arabella opened her hands and extended her arms upwards towards it, declaring with much determination and clarity in her tone, "Come to me, book," 

She stood in place for a good moment, expecting the book to fly out of its nook into her hands, and the longer she spent in that position the more blood that rose to her face, burning it from the inside out. 

Every fiber in her body spared no words, unanimously carping about how ridiculous and humiliating it was for them to participate in the execution of such an idea.

"You must utter the title of the book first," 

Arabella's heart almost leapt out of her chest. Briskly, she flipped around, yanking her extended arms down to face the owner of the voice. Although her gaze dared not rise beyond his chest as knowing his cold diamond eyes had witnessed her silliness was hefty enough. Arabella's only wish right that second was for the ground to open and swallow her whole.

For a moment, Silas merely stood there, staring at her abashed figure before turning and walking away.

Even thanking him had escaped her mind. In fact, in response, she'd said absolutely nothing and simply bowed as he went about his business. 

Well, Silas did try to go about his business, however, as he neared one of the long tables posted all across the library, the burning feeling on his back urged him to turn around and meet the pair of gemstones causing it.

Immediately, Arabella broke eye contact, facing down, but remaining in her spot as though something prevented her from moving.

It was painfully obvious that the gears in her head were spinning and yet she uttered not a single word. 

Silas walked her way only to stop mere inches from her frame before declaring, "Sanguis venenosus," all the while never letting her out of sight. 

Arabella shuddered due to how close to her his voice had blared and glanced up just in time to watch as the book flew from its original place straight towards his stretched-out arm, right into his hand. 

In the end, even though timidly, she did manage to take the book from him when he offered it, completely forgetting to thank him again. 

"It speaks of the various ways blood becomes venomous to our kind," his breath feathered her hair and brushed from her forehead down to her chin, forcing her to blink more than needed. 

How could her cheeks ever recover their natural color if he continued to stand so close to her? She wondered.

After many attempts to speak as her lips parted ways only to reconnect within a second multiple times, Arabella gave up and muttered a tiny, "Oh…,"

With little patience left in him, Silas inhaled deeply before exhaling from his nose, for the warm air to fall on her again, "Speak up," he demanded a tad too firmly which caused her to flinch a little.

Arabella finally gathered the courage to lift her gaze, her sight first landed upon his chin, connected to his well- defined and satisfyingly symmetrical jawline, his lips came with not much warmth but their shape alone sufficed to hold attention, then there were the sculpted cheekbones that stood from each side of his fittingly proportionate nose, but his diamond eyes were what stole her. The manner in which they sparkled when refracting light was most captivating. 

The fabric of time seemed to stretch around them but oddly enough, neither of them appeared to mind it. 

As she unblinkingly stared back into his eyes, a more intelligible mutter escaped her, "Apologies, Master. I do not wish to take time from your day," 

At those words, the glare he'd been offering softened a tad, "I know," he spoke in a much calmer tone, "Speak your mind," he added. Silas was the one to tell her that if she had questions, she should address the source during their first ever meeting.

Arabella threw a quick glance out the window before looking down at her fingers where she kept on flicking her fingernails together while still holding the book under her arm, "From what I've been taught on vampires, they are exclusively nightwalkers… I suppose what I mean to say is…," it all came out above a whisper, and she still trailed off towards the end, not daring to ask her actual question.

"I do not know of any other vampire capable of walking under the sun," he paused, "Some call it a gift, while others see it as a curse. The doctors called it a mutation," 

She contemplated his eyes, seemingly fascinated by every word he'd uttered, Arabella took no time to weigh her next question before it'd escaped her lips, "How do you see it?" 

Seeing the faint twitch on his eyebrow, wiped away the small bit of confidence she'd built up. 

"Why did you flee the prince?" 

Arabella's breath hitched in her throat. Eyes wide as saucers, she only remembered to blink when the air stung them. Her bottom lip quivered a tad and pressed further against its counterpart, earning her mouth a downturned curve from the corners. 

The shimmer in her eyes from the gathering tears urged him to shift topics, "Did someone help you cross to Umbraria safely?"

"No," she shook her head, "I told no one of my plans to escape," 

An eyebrow raised; Silas listened to her heart. Perhaps it'd volunteer more than she'd have ever been willing to, but he quickly realized it couldn't be trusted any more than her words since it'd been hammering her chest from the moment she'd laid eyes on him.

"You reached the manor in the dead of night. While the forest serving as a fence to the property is relatively safe, beyond that, the land crawls with predators of all kinds. A young woman such as you would have been snatched in a heartbeat. Do you follow?"

Surprisingly, Arabella's entire face lit up as though she'd been dying to hear that question, "I did cross the border, yes. Only… I did so underground. I exploited one of the tunnels that had been dug up during the great war," the ghost of a smile appeared on her features as she gazed into the void, "According to the history books I've read, many had been sealed shut after the war, however, the number of tunnels accounted for in the history logs in my father's possession said otherwise, some were forgotten or spared on purpose. The maps confirmed it," 

Arabella seemed enamored with her own tale, and from the look of it, she could have gone on and on about it if given the freedom to.

"That is quite the accomplishment," he remarked. 

If Arabella's cheeks had blushed any harder, her face would have, no doubt, begun to glow red. The smile she harbored only grew brighter after his comment. 

"Did your father grant you permission to consult those history logs and maps?" his voice had turned cold again. 

Silas watched her smile vanish the instant he spoke. The mischief in her eyes as they traveled around without ever remaining on anything they'd landed on was quite the entertaining sight. Something he'd never admit out loud.

Silas turned around to glare at the library doors before they opened. A tall, dark haired man, dressed in a classy all black attire walked straight towards the both of them before halting a few feet away and bowing slightly, "Master, My Lady," he greeted them, "Pardon my intrusion, Master. I am here to inform you that a good portion of the supplies for the occasion has arrived. Your presence is needed for the supervision of the reception," the man then bowed a second time before taking his leave.

Silas gave Arabella a little nod while she bowed until he turned around and walked after the servant. 

"Thank you…," once he disappeared behind the door, and in a subdued voice, she finally uttered what she thought she should have had already said, hoping it had reached the vampire's ears, nonetheless.