Bound to the vampire I must kill-Chapter 29: Confused

Readers alert, I’ll be using third person’s POV from now on, hope you-all don’t mind? And for those who already read the past Chapters, I’m changing those too, you can go back to read if you wish, but it’s the same content so it won’t matter much.

Chapter 29

Rhydian sat in his chambers, his brow furrowing as he regarded Irene with curiosity. "She sent you?" he asked, his voice calm yet laced with intrigue. If Seraphina wanted his permission to leave the city, why hadn’t she come herself?

"Yes, Your Majesty," Irene confirmed, bowing her head slightly.

"Where is she now?"

"She’s preparing for the trip."

Rhydian leaned back slightly, considering her words before making his decision. "Then I’ll prepare as well. I’m coming with you."

Irene’s expression faltered, surprise flashing across her face. "But, Your Majesty—"

"I know," he interrupted, his voice firm. "That’s exactly why I’m coming."

There was no way he was letting Seraphina go near the Dragon Kingdom alone—not after what happened last time. She wouldn’t appreciate him sending guards to escort her, so the best alternative was to accompany her himself.

---

Seraphina had just finished dressing, tightening the ropes of her gown when Irene rushed into the room, her breath coming in short, hurried gasps.

"Your Highness, His Majesty will accompany us," Irene blurted out, her voice filled with urgency. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Seraphina’s hands stilled mid-motion. "What?"

"He said he’s coming with us. I didn’t even get the chance to make an excuse."

Her heart lurched at the news, racing in an all-too-familiar rhythm that had become alarmingly frequent since last night. She had hoped for a brief reprieve from his presence, a moment of space to collect herself. But now... he was coming?

This had to be some sort of side effect from drinking his blood—because nothing about this reaction felt normal.

Pushing aside her swirling thoughts, she finished dressing and strapped her daggers securely to her sides. Her bag was packed with food for the journey—especially necessary since Irene, a human, would need sustenance along the way. The trip would take longer because of it, but she had already accounted for that.

As she stepped out of her quarters, her gaze immediately found Rhydian standing ahead, waiting.

He wasn’t wearing his royal attire, but it hardly mattered. No amount of plain clothing could conceal the commanding presence he carried. The authority in his stance, the power in his aura—it was unmistakable. Anyone who saw him would recognize instantly that he was not someone to be underestimated.

The moment their eyes met, his lips curved into a bright smile.

Seraphina’s pulse jumped in response, her breath catching for a split second. Damn it, not again. She quickly averted her gaze, pretending his smile hadn’t just sent an unsettling warmth through her. But was she being too obvious? If Rhydian realized just how much he affected her, things could take a dangerous turn.

Steeling herself, she made a decision.

Their eyes met once more, and this time, she didn’t look away. She held his gaze, unflinching, and as if understanding her unspoken challenge, he didn’t look away either. With calm, measured steps, she began approaching him.

---

Rhydian felt the weight of her gaze, but he couldn’t—wouldn’t—turn away. It was as if she had cast a spell on him the night before, an enchantment he had no power to break.

He had never been the type to linger his gaze on a woman for too long. But Seraphina... she wasn’t just any woman. She was his wife, the one woman he couldn’t dare lay a hand on, the one woman he craved but could never have.

"We should get going," Seraphina said coolly as she brushed past him without another word, her expression unreadable.

Rhydian, surprisingly, wasn’t offended. He wouldn’t have expected anything else from her.

Silently, he followed her lead.

The carriage waited in the courtyard, prepared for departure. Irene busied herself with final preparations while Seraphina approached the vehicle. Just as she reached for the door, a hand landed firmly on the frame, blocking her path.

She stopped, eyes narrowing as she turned to him. "What are you doing?"

Rhydian met her gaze without hesitation. "I’m riding with you."

Her fingers curled into her palms. "There’s another carriage. Take that one."

"I don’t want to."

Of course, he didn’t. He never made things easy.

Exhaling sharply, she stepped inside without another word, deciding it wasn’t worth the argument. If he wanted to sit in silence the entire way, fine. Irene settled in the other carriage.

Rhydian followed behind seraphina, shutting the door behind him. The space inside the carriage suddenly felt smaller, the air thick with unspoken tension.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The steady movement of the carriage filled the silence, the city fading into the distance.

Then, just as she started to believe he would let it go, Rhydian finally spoke.

"You’re still mad about last night."

Seraphina’s grip tightened on the fabric of her gown.

Mad? No, she wasn’t mad. She was unsettled. She was confused. She was everything except calm. Technically, she was supposed to thank him, for taking care of her, but she didn’t want to.

"You think too highly of yourself," she said calmly, not looking at him.

His lips twitched in amusement. "Then look me in the eye and tell me you haven’t been thinking about it."

Her head snapped toward him, her pulse jumping at the challenge in his voice. He was watching her closely, sharp as ever, waiting for her reaction.

She hated that he could see through her, like he always knew exactly what she was thinking.

"I don’t have time to think about things that don’t matter," she shot back.

Rhydian leaned in slightly, his voice lowering. "That’s funny. Because you’re tense right now."

Seraphina swallowed, refusing to back down. "I’m tense because you’re being annoying."

He smirked. "I think it’s more than that."

The worst part? He was right. She knew it. And by the look in his eyes, so did he.

She bit her bottom lip in frustration and turned her gaze back to the window. "I don’t want to talk about this."

For a moment, he was silent, as if deciding whether to push further. Then, suddenly, he leaned forward, so close that seraphina turned to face him, flustered by his sudden closeness....her heart skipped a bit, racing with unusual excitement.

"Quit biting your lips Sera, you’re bleeding." He said softly, his eyes suddenly darkening with desire.