I peeled my eyes open and stiffened when I felt someoneʼs arm tighten around my waist from behind, causing a shiver down my spine. Oh, god no.

Taking a deep breath, I turned my head and glanced at Omkara , who was still closing his eyes, fast asleep with one of his arms wrapped around my waist.

I slowly removed his arm and sat up on the bed before tossing the sheets off my lap and quickly getting out of the bed, brushing away my messy hair.

"Did anything happen last night?" I pondered, picking up my cardigan and tiptoeing out of the room, praying he wouldnʼt wake up anytime soon.

As soon as I opened the door, my face came to contact with someoneʼs chest and I looked up to face Shivaay , whose eyes widened in complete and utter shock as I gently closed the door behind us.

"Morning." I mumbled, walking past him and stopped when he appeared in front of me, confusion written all over his face as he scanned me from head to toe.

"Di-did you sleep with Omkara last night?" he asked, baffled and I simply nodded, not really wanting to explain the situation.

"I have to go bath." I said shortly, brushing past him and walking towards my room, my pulse racing upon hearing the heavy footsteps behind me.

"Did anything happen last night?" Shivaay questioned, easily catching up to my fast pace and I narrowed my eyes at him before stopping near my room.

"As-as in with you and Om ..." he added with a stammer and I stared at him in confusion before sighing.

"Why do you act like you care Shivaay ...?" I murmured, turning around and was about to open the door when two cold hands grabbed my shoulders before turning me around to meet his piercing blue eyes.

"I do care." He said, emphasizing each word and I frowned at him before going silent at his lie.

"Why?" I asked, fixating my gaze on his and I watched his body tense up at my question.

"Why do you care Shivaay ?" I asked again and he gave me another look before going silent. What was up with him? Donʼt tell me he actually had feelings for me?

"Shivaay , I donʼt want you to misunderstand..." I started, opening the door slightly and he raised a brow at me in confusion.

"I donʼt see you that way, so I donʼt want you to either..." I trailed off, slightly blushing at my words. It sounded so much better in my head.

"Excuse me?" his eyebrows shot up before his eyes widened in realization and I watched him take a step forward, decreasing the space between us.

"Wait, you think I like you or something?" he asked, his expressions suddenly turning appalled and I frowned slightly, a soft shade of pink creeping up my cheeks.

Please tell me he did, because it would be so damn embarrassing if he didnʼt.

"Any-anyways," I quickly opened the door and was about to close the door on his face when he stepped inside, a grin spreading on his face.

"Iʼm just saying..." I choked out, taking a few steps back and turning away.

"Really? So you donʼt even want to clear the misunderstanding thatʼs been going on in your little head?" his voice sounded amused and my eyes widened before I went silent.

"I need to bath, please get out." I raised my voice, turning around and pushing him towards the door.

The grin on his face didnʼt fade away until I gave him one last push, sending him out and closed the door, quickly locking it.

"Oh god, please save me from this nightmare." I groaned, opening the wardrobe and picking out a turquoise green colored crop top and short skirt, not even bothering to pick a decent outfit today.

After taking a long bath and slipping on my clothes, I hurried downstairs and greeted Abhay and Parth on the way as we passed by.

They gave me a small wave before I practically ran downstairs to enter the dining room.

"Where the hell were you last night?! I was looking for you!" Ananya snapped as I slowly made my way towards the table.

"I was in my room." I lied and was about to take a seat when I noticed Omkara sitting in his chair before shooting me a grin at my obvious lie.

"Are you certain you were in your room last night?" he asked and my eyes widened when everyone looked at us in confusion.

Was he playing with me? Why would he want the vampires to know that we slept together?

"Y-Yes." I slightly stammered and I heard Shivaay clear his throat before Ajay started questioning my behavior.

"What did she do now?" Ajay asked and I watched Omkara smirk at his question before shifting his gaze back at me.

"What didnʼt she do?" he corrected and I blushed slightly before frowning at him.

"Nothing." I emphasized, giving him a pleading look to which he responded with a shrug. What was he planning to gain out of embarrassing me every five seconds?

"I didnʼt do anything-"

"She slept with me." As soon as these words slipped out of Omkara's mouth, the guys started cooing and my jaws dropped open at his words.

"We didnʼt sleep together! As in, we just went to sleep together in his room but nothing happened or-"

"Are you sure "nothing" happened last night?" Omkara cut in and I blushed furiously before shooting him a glare.

"What did you guys do?"

"Are you serious? Why does it have to be her?"
"Omkara , youʼre not possibly interested in her right?"

Everyone started bombarding him with questions and I went silent, my whole body stiffening at their words.

"Gauri , is that true? You said nothing happened." Shivaay said, his voice slightly turning annoyed and somewhat hurt but I remained silent. I mean, what was I supposed to say anyways?

It was one kiss, why was he taunting me like this?

"Nothing happened!" I defended myself and I heard Neha scoff at my words.

"How far did you guys go?" Parth teased and I noticed Omkara placing his hands on the table before glancing at me, the corner of his lips curling upwards.

"We kissed and-" before he could finish, I bolted up to him and clutched his mouth, my whole face flushing as I tightened the grip around his mouth.

What does he mean by "and" anyways? We didnʼt do anything else!

"Gauri , Gauri , darling!" Parth  sang and I blushed harder, my mouth refusing to utter another word.

"I didnʼt know you had it in you, sweetheart." Raj grinned and I was about to say something when Omkara grabbed my waist before pulling me down.

With a small squeal, I landed on his lap and was about to stand up when he snaked an arm around my waist, holding me in place.

"Oh, she has it in her." He mumbled in a sweet voice and due to our height difference, I was still forced to look up in order to meet his eyes.

"Stop..." I trailed away and he moved closer to peck my cheek, softly chuckling at my reaction.

I remained dumbstruck by his "sweet" gesture and I heard the guys coo again before I turned away in embarrassment. What was up with him?

"Gauri met some stranger last night." Shivaay said and the whole room suddenly grew quiet.

My eyes widened at his words before I turned to look at Shivaay, who was now taking a sip out of his wine, his face knotted in annoyance.

What the hell was that for?!

"Met who?" Omkara's voice turned from pure sweet to his normal cold one and I gulped softly before giving Shivaay a pleading look but he didnʼt even bother to look at me now.

"Thatʼs what I wanna know." He muttered instead and I gasped when I felt Omkara's hand squeezing my thighs, a sign that he was mad.

"Explain." He said shortly, his voice remaining soft yet harsh.

"We-well, I actually..." I trailed away, not daring to face him as I brushed his hands away before standing up.

"I didnʼt give you permission to get up!" He suddenly snapped, grasping my waist and jerking me back down.

I gasped and landed back on his lap before everyone cleared their throat nervously.

"Who did you meet up with, Gauri ?" Omkara questioned, more like demanded this time, and I bit my bottom lip, tears slightly glistening in my eyes.

His eyes flickered on my lips for a few seconds before he met my eyes again and we both went silent for a few seconds.

"Everyone, get out," Omkara finally said softly and I heard a few groans in the room as the girls scoffed at his command.

"I said, get the fuck out!" he growled impatiently and it didnʼt even take seconds for everyone to disappear out of the room, leaving only Omkara and I behind.

My whole body started trembling and I rested my gaze on my hands that were now placed on my lap as I tried to avoid his face. Just lie, lie till the end!

"Gauri ," he whispered in my ears and I shuddered in fear.

"Tell me the truth now." He said in such a sweet tone, I started to question whether I was talking to the real Omkara or his lost twin, who I assumed would be surprisingly sweet and kind.

"I didnʼt meet anyone..." I lied, clutching my hands together to stop myself from trembling.

An arm wrapped around my shoulders as Omkara pulled me closer to his chest and I stiffened at his reaction.

"Stop shaking," he muttered and I closed my eyes before taking a few deep breathes. At least he was calming me down which gave me enough time to come up with a better lie.

"Now stop lying and tell me." He raised his voice and I bit my bottom lip helplessly.

How can I keep lying though? Itʼs not like I can even get away with it.

"Stop biting your lip." He mumbled and I stopped nibbling before going silent again.

"I really didnʼt see anyone Omkara ...Shivaay misunderstood. He asked me if I was fine last night and I told him that I was scared that I met him. Him, as in you..." I twisted up the truth with a small lie and Omkara gave me another look before closing his face to mine.

"He compelled you?" he questioned and I nodded.

"But, I donʼt want to be compelled anymore because I am willing to tell the truth so..." I paused to meet his gaze. "So please donʼt compel me." I pleaded weakly. Okay, so half of what Iʼm saying was the truth. I was getting kind of tired with the whole compelling power these guys possessed.

"So youʼre asking me not to compel you right now into telling the truth, is that it?" he asked and I gulped softly before looking away, trying to find the right words to say.

"I-" I froze when I felt something wet and hot slide against my neck and gasped, leaning my neck away from Omkara's lips. Did he just...lick my neck?!

"Donʼt!" I snapped, pressing my hands firmly on his chest and was about to start getting up when he gripped my waist tighter, digging his nails into my bone and I whimpered before staying still, waiting for the pain to ease.

"Youʼre lucky that I have somewhere to be right now, doll face," he whispered into my ears, grazing his lips against my earlobes, causing goosebumps to rise all over my body.

"But youʼre not getting away with another lie so expect me to pay another visit tonight in your room. And this time," he paused, squeezing my thighs so hard, I bit my bottom lip to stop myself from whimpering. "Donʼt lie." He said through gritted teeth before releasing me and I slowly stood up before nodding.

"I was telling the truth." I decided to keep lying and I watched him stand up before poking my forehead sharply, sending me stumbling back with a hiss.

"Go to your room." He muttered before turning away and disappearing out of the room. What was that for?

******

"Iʼm sorry okay." Shivaay almost whined for the tenth time tonight and I kept silent.

"He had to know." He started defending and I held back the urge to roll my eyes.

"He didnʼt have to know Shivaay , you lied and now Omkara is paranoid that I was lying about the whole incident." I lied, not feeling even a bit bad or ashamed for lying.

He deserved it.

Shivaay ran his fingers through his hair and then sighed before walking up to the bed and sitting down next to me.

"Alright, how can I make it up for you?" he asked softly, boring his eyes into mine and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Let me go for a walk. A quick one." I suggested and he immediately shook his head.

"Not when Omkara is not around. I canʼt allow that." He said sternly and I frowned at him.

"Then donʼt bother trying to make it up for me." I muttered, plopping down on the bed and I heard him groan in frustration.

"Come on,Gauri ." His voice was laced with annoyance and I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" he barely muttered under his breath and I shot up from my position.

"Letʼs not forget who ratted out on me today and almost got me punished for no reason!" I raised my voice, poking my index finger on his chest and he let out a nervous chuckle before averting his gaze in fake guilt.

"You." I said through gritted teeth and poked his chest harder.

"Geez, alright. Iʼll make a deal. Iʼll distract Omkara at midnight while you go out for a quick walk." He said and I couldnʼt help but smile a little.

"A very quick walk, Gauri ." He said, grabbing my wrist and I made a face.

"Yes, dad." I mumbled and I heard Shivaay's chuckle before I let out a long sigh.

"Whatʼs wrong?" he asked, noticing my exhaustion and I shook my head before smiling weakly.

"I just feel tired, thatʼs all." I said softly, trying to ignore the body ache thatʼs been there since this afternoon. I donʼt want to make it a big deal, it was probably because I havenʼt been eating well lately.

"Are you sure?" Shivaay asked as if heʼs already read my mind before touching my forehead. His eyes widened and I watched him frown down at me.

"You have a fever, why didnʼt you tell me?" he asked, raising his voice in concern and I narrowed my eyes at him before brushing his hand away, feeling a little uncomfortable that he was actually worrying about me. Sure, I am kind of used to his company now but that doesnʼt mean that I want him to actually start caring about me.

"I do?" I asked, touching my forehead and sure enough, it was burning hot now. No wonder Iʼve been in bed the whole day.

Usually, Iʼd be too uncomfortable to even rest throughout the day and would pace around the room or try to figure out some sort of dumb escape plan that was eventually going to fail miserably.

"Iʼll get you some medicine. Your fever is too high." He started getting up and I grabbed his wrist before shaking my head.

"I donʼt want-" before I could finish, the door flew open and both Shivaay and I turned to look at Omkara , who was now glaring at the two of us.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, furrowing his eyebrows at Shivaay , who look at him in confusion. Why was he mad again? Did Shivaay do something wrong?

"Gauri  is having a fever. She needs medicine." He said and I watched Omkara's confused expression fade away and get replaced with a more serious gesture.

"Iʼll take care of it." He said, his eyes not ripping away from my hand that was still holding Shivaay's wrist.

Was he mad that I was talking to Shivaay?

"Itʼs fine-"

"You can continue to keep your mouth shut, doll face." Omkara cut me off and I looked at him in surprise.

What the hell was his problem? What did I even do wrong for him to be so rude right now?

"Iʼm really fine, Omkara -"

"Leave, Iʼll take care of it." He said and I watched Shivaay nod hesitantly. He gave me a last look before disappearing out of the room and I sat on my bed quietly, wiping away a sweat that had run down my forehead.

"Did you eat while I was gone?" he questioned and I slowly shook my head nervously. Omkara hissed in annoyance and walked up to me as I averted my gaze.

"Why not? Do I have to force you to eat now? Is that it?!" he suddenly spat and I jolted up in my position before shaking my head. He gave me one last final glare before a sigh of exasperation escaped through his lips as he sat down next to me on the bed. I flinched when he suddenly reached up to touch my forehead and gulped softly when he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Why are you always so careless?" he questioned with a mutter before rolling up his sleeves and I let out a small sigh, my body feeling even weaker than it was before.

"I wasnʼt. I just didnʼt think it would get this worse okay..." I trailed away when I noticed him bringing his wrist closer to his mouth. My jaws dropped open when I noticed his fangs as he opened his mouth before digging them into his skin.

The blood immediately started oozing down his wrist and onto the bed sheets and I moved away when he brought his hand closer to my face, my heart racing faster than ever.

"Lick it off, it will heal you." He stated, inching closer and I shook my head, my hair dancing around my face.

"Thatʼs going to turn me into a vampire!" I said out loud, crawling further away from him.

"Thatʼs not how it works, stop moving!" he snapped, leaping forward and grabbing my wrists.

"No, No! I donʼt want to turn into a vampire!" I yelled, tears streaming down my face at the thought. Itʼs not like Iʼm dumb! Drinking the blood from a pure blood will turn me into a vampire and Omkara's of all people, knows that!

"Calm the fuck down, I am trying to help!" he spat, bringing both my wrists over my head and pressing them down on the bed with only one of his hands. Sadly, I was too weak to free myself from his grip so I stayed still before bringing my legs up in an attempt to kick him but he was too strong.

He towered over me and before I could even realize what was going on, my whole body had stopped moving, causing my breath to hitch in fear.

"Damn, doll face, you need to fcking chill." He said softly yet harshly and I shook my head as he leaned his face closer to mine, his hot minty breath fanning against my lips now.

"Drink, itʼs not going to do anything." He tried to reassure me with a soft voice but I shook my head in protest.

I donʼt believe him. He was lying. He brought his wrist closer to my lips and I whimpered when I felt the blood dripping down on my cheeks but I decided to press my lips together tightly in order to avoid tasting the blood.

"Iʼm trying to fcking help here, Gauri !" he snapped, tightening the grip he hand on my wrists and I swallowed the lump in my throat. If only I had a dollar for every time he cursed at me.

"Please," I started softly, fixating my gaze on his. "I donʼt want to become a monster." I choked out before I could even stop myself and I watched his eyes widen at my words before they returned back to their normal, cold ones.

"Iʼm done playing nice with you." He mumbled, suddenly bringing up his wrist towards his lips and sucking on his own blood.

"Wh-what are you going to do-" before I could finish, he leaned into a harsh kiss and I opened my mouth to beg him to stop, my heart pounding loudly against my chest. Instead of listening to my pleads, Omkara used this chance to slide his tongue inside my mouth as he released me from his grip before grabbing my cheeks and lifting them up roughly.

I tried to push him away but he was a lot stronger than me and I stiffened in my position when I felt some warm liquid pour down my throat, almost making me gag.

No, no, anything but this!

I donʼt want to become a vampire.

"Get off me!" I snapped with the last ounce of courage I had and pushed Omkara off my body. He stood up, his face unfazed from everything that just happened and I wiped away my tears before glaring at him in hatred.

"How could you-"

"Do you feel better?" he interrupted with a mumble and I stopped to think for a minute.

"Your fever should be gone by now." He assured, walking up to my dressing table and taking a tissue before wiping off the blood from his lips.

My eyes widened and I placed a hand on my forehead, just to make sure he was telling the truth and sure enough, the fever was almost gone by now.

"How did you do that?" I asked softly, sitting up straight now that I regained all my energy back. I felt so much better to be honest.

"My blood healed you." He was clearly rubbing that statement on my face, giving me an annoyed look and I went silent.

"I thought Iʼd turn into a-"

"A monster?" he cut me off, his voice laced with venom and I pressed my lips together into a thin line.

"Only if I wanted to. Like I said, it doesnʼt work that way. You can only turn into a vampire if you have my consent." He explained, slipping off his shirt and I blushed slightly before turning away.

"I didnʼt know..." I said softly and I heard him mutter something to himself before sighing.

"You didnʼt bother to listen." He said with a hint of annoyance in his voice and I gave him a fake-guilty look. Itʼs not like I asked for his help but then again, itʼs also kind of selfish not to be grateful. After all, he did it with good intentions right? Right.

"Thank you Omk-"

"Donʼt!" he snapped and I gasped when he appeared in front of the bed, leaning down to grab my cheeks roughly.

"I told you, doll face, I am done playing nice with you." He squeezed my cheeks and lifted them up to meet his cold, icy blue eyes.

"But I-" before I could start, Omkara hissed and I immediately shut my mouth before he released me from his grip.

"Get ready for the party tomorrow." He said shortly before walking up to the door, carrying his shirt around his shoulder. Iʼm guessing he stripped it off because there was blood smudged all over it?

"What party?" I asked and he turned to glance at me, giving me an expressionless look.

"Figure it out." He grumbled impatiently before leaving the room, leaving me confused.

At midnight, I slipped on a black ripped jeans with a long sleeved black crop top before rushing out of my room to meet Shivaay . I practically ran downstairs and my eyes instantly caught on Shivaay, who was waiting for me near the main door, his face knotting up in concern as soon as he noticed me.

"Gauri , heʼs not here. I donʼt think itʼs safe for you to go out right now." He started changing his mind the moment I walked up to him and I shook my head.

"Whoʼs not here? And you promised Shivaay! I was looking forward to it the whole night." I whined, putting my hands on my hips in frustration and he ruffled up his hair nervously.

"I think Omkara went out, I couldn't find him. What if you bump into him? And why do you want to go out for a walk anyways? Are you planning to run away again because you know itʼs impossible-"

"I am not Shivaay , I just want to get some fresh air, thatʼs it." I cut him off, brushing away my hair impatiently and he gave me another look before sighing.

"Please, just a small walk. Iʼve been stuck here for two weeks, Shivaay . Itʼs driving me insane." I started using the sympathy card, hoping he would let me go and luckily for me, Shivaay was the type of guy to fall for my little pity act.

"Fine, but if something happens to you-"

"Shivaay!" I whisper-shouted, cutting him off impatiently and I saw something flash in his eyes before it disappeared.

"Be back in ten minutes. And be careful," He smiled a little, walking past me and opening the door.

"Everyoneʼs in the dining room. Feeding time is about to begin and Iʼll distract them for as long as I can." He mumbled and I quickly nodded before rushing out of the mansion, a cold breeze greeting me as I stepped out on the lawn.

"Should I take a quick walk or go visit my parents?" I wondered as I passed through the gate and outside. I noticed only a few people around the area and shuddered as the darkness surrounded my figure.

"Maybe this wasnʼt such a good idea." I mumbled to myself, looking up at the full moon and hugging myself.

"Fancy meeting you here, sweetheart." A familiar voice called and I spun around to face Veer , his blue eyes penetrating into mine as I took not one but several steps back.

"What the hell, Veer? What are you doing here?!" I whisper-shouted, darting my head around, praying nobody noticed his presence yet.

"Why are you always so jumpy?" he teased, slipping his hand inside the hoodie and walking up to me as I took another step back.

"I donʼt trust you!" I blabbered out, narrowing my eyes as he laughed a short-laugh before scratching the side of his jawline.

"You donʼt say..." he mumbled, sarcasm clearly evident in his voice and I kept my mouth shut for a while, contemplating to whether I should just go back inside or stay and have a decent conversation with this weirdo.

"Take a deep breath first." He suggested with a chuckle, walking up to me and I was about to back up when he cupped my face, lifting them up to fixate his gaze on mine.

"Let go-"

"Breathe, Iʼm not going to hurt you. You have my word." He said softly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips and I couldnʼt help but shudder at his touch.

"Iʼm not afraid of you, Veer. I just want some answers." I lied, brushing away his hands and he raised a brow before walking up to the huge oak tree and leaning against it.

"Go ahead." He said shortly, tilting his head to a side as I walked closer, making sure I kept a safe distance between us. Like I said, I don't trust this guy anymore.

"Who are you? What have you against vampires? Why did you give me that bracelet? How did we meet up that night? Why do you keep stalking me?" I started pouring down all my questions and he kept nodding his head at every one of them, his expression remaining indifferent at all of my questions.

"I already told you my name. I gave you that bracelet because I wanted to protect you. I followed you that night and met up near your tent. You were already drunk." He answered after a while and I walked closer to him, folding my hands across my chest.

"Where was everybody when you gave me that bracelet? How were you not seen?" I asked, feeling a little impatient and he simply shrugged at my question.

"They werenʼt around when I saw you. I was cautious enough, sweetheart." He confirmed, slipping his hands inside the jeans and picking out another bracelet that looked very familiar to the one he gave me. The only difference was the red stone that was embedded in the middle of it.

"What have you against vampires? Why are you helping me, Veer?" I hugged myself tightly as he slipped the bracelet back inside. Why is it so cold tonight?

"I donʼt have anything against vampires, I just have some unfinished business with Omkara Singh Oberoi ." He raised his voice, walking towards me and I took a few steps back, my heart racing at his words.

"Wh-why?" I stammered a little, clearly intimidated by his presence and he gave me an expressionless look before a grin crept up on his face.

"Now that, I canʼt spill," he said, scratching the back of his hair. "Have I finally gained your trust now?" he cooed and I simply shook my head.

"Iʼm sorry but your story doesnʼt add up. The vampires would have been able to sense your presence, heck, your heartbeat itself would have given you away that night" I protested, shaking my head and I watched him flinch a little before letting out a sigh.

"Guess youʼre not as dumb as I thought youʼd be." He barely muttered under his breath and my eyes widened at his blunt words.

"Excuse me?" I took another step back
and he scratched the back of his hair again.

"Why donʼt you put the pieces together and figure it out, sweetheart," he started, walking up to me and this time, I didnʼt back away.

"How was I able to get away if I was surrounded by blood thirsty vampires?" he returned the question at me and I looked at him in confusion.

Damn!How was I supposed to know?

"Thatʼs what Iʼm asking you, so tell me." I demanded out loud, not even bothering to conceal my voice anymore.

"Tick tock, tick tock, think fast, beautiful ." He sang, tapping the watch on his wrist and I let out a frustrated sigh. Okay, this guy was definitely playing with my head now.

"There is no way you would have been able to get away unless-" I started to blabber but then froze when it hit me.

No-no, no way. That was out of the question.

"Unless what?" he asked, clearly amused with my surprised expression and I let out a nervous laugh before shaking my head in disbelief.

"Nothing, itʼs out of the question..." I trailed away but stiffened when he took a step forward, decreasing the only space left between us.

"I wouldnʼt be so sure about that, beautiful ," he whispered, leaning closer to my ears and my breath hitched at his words.

"Are-are you saying th-that youʼre a-" before I could finish, Veer pressed his index finger on my lips and hushed me before shaking his head, another grin appearing on his face.

"Another time then, yeah?" he suggested and I was about to say something when he turned around and started running.

"Wait!" I yelled but he didnʼt stop. With a sigh, I turned around and let out a groan when I realized that it had been almost ten minutes by now.

What the hell was up with that guy? Was he planning to help me or not?

I quickly rushed inside and slowly opened the door to the mansion before walking in, feeling a little irritated that the only few minutes I got to spend alone was ruined by that creepy stalker.

"Thank god." I breathed, realizing that nobody was around and started heading back upstairs to my room. Just as I walked inside my room, my eyes caught on the familiar figure standing near my wardrobe and my pulse started racing instantly, my whole body almost trembling upon seeing Omkara's furious expression.

"Where the heck have you been?!" He snapped, bolting up to me in such a speed, I mentally squealed before backing away and bumping against the door.

"I-I just went out for a quick-"

"Who the fuck gave you permission to go out?!" he yelled, slamming his hands on either side of my neck on the door and I whimpered before taking in a shaky breath, trying to even my heartbeats.

"I-Iʼm sorry-"

"I donʼt want another fucking apology! I already warned you Gauri , I am done playing your little games." He spat with venom in his voice, his breath fanning against my lips and I clutched my hands together to stop myself from shaking any further.

"I promise it was nothing more than a walk, I would never run away again-"

"Perhaps I should pay another visit to your parents." He interrupted, giving me his usual cold glare and I shook my head, my eyes widening the size of saucers.

"I didnʼt do anything! It was just a walk, if I knew that..." I trailed away, swallowing down the lump in my throat.

"Too late, doll face." His voice turned all soft before he grabbed my shoulders, roughly pushing me to a side and opening the door.

No, not my parents again!

"Omkara , stop! Iʼm sorry!" I cried, running through the hallways and catching up to his fast pace before grabbing his hands, tears already threatening to fall.

"Donʼt waste your breath!" he spat, jerking his hand away and was about to start walking when I stepped in front of him, tightly grabbing his black leathered and shaking my head.

"Iʼll do anything! Please, donʼt hurt them Omkara ! Anything but that, you canʼt do that again, I would never forgive you!" I cried, hitting his chest and gasped when he grabbed my wrists before slamming me against the wall. I winced in pain and was about to apologize again when Omkara glared at me, causing my breath to hitch in fear.

"What makes you think I need your fcking -forgiveness, doll face?" he asked through gritted teeth, squeezing my wrists and I took in his words.

"Iʼll make it up for you, anything! I promise, Omkara , please-" I decided to go to my last resort and start begging again.

"Anything?" his voice turned all soft at my words and I watched him close his face to mine before I nodded quickly.

"I promise..." I choked out and he gave me another look before inching his lips so close to mine, I had to press them both together, just in case they grazed against mine.

"Kiss me, doll face." He whispered, his lips barely touching mine now and my mouth slightly hung open at his words.

"Wh-why? Why would you want me to...?"

"Because I know how much you hate it," he started, pressing his lips on my cheeks and guiding them to my ears, causing my whole body to freeze.

"And I want you to know just how much I enjoy seeing you like this." His words were as sick as ever and I shuddered when his breath hit against my earlobes, an uncontrollable whimper escaping through my lips.

I know for a fact that Omkara was enjoying this because I felt him smirk against my jawline before he met my gaze, the tension on his face fading away and getting replaced with a more serious gesture.

"Omkara -"

"You want forgiveness?" he asked, releasing his grip and grabbing my waist before jerking my body closer to his. "Then,Kiss me." He mumbled, leaning his face closer and I bit my bottom lip, brushing away my tears as I took in a shaky breath.

There was no time to think or compromise. I know what Omkara was capable of, it was always best to never question him.

"O-okay but promise me that-"

"Screw it." I heard Omkara say before grabbing my cheeks and leaning into a rough kiss, covering his lips perfectly on mine before pressing my body against the wall.

I grabbed his shirt and was about to pull away when he bit my bottom lip so hard, I gasped in pain. Omkara being Omkara , used this chance to slip his tongue inside and press his body against mine and I tried my best not to give in and break down on the floor.

Just as he deepened the kiss, someone cleared their voice and I instantly pulled away, parting our lips before quickly rubbing the back of my palm on my lips in disgust.

I heard Omkara growl in frustration before turning to face Jai, who was now walking up to us with a small smirk on his face and I felt a blush creep up on my face before I turned away.

"What is it?" Omkara asked and I was about to slip past him when he tangled an arm around my waist, holding me in place.

"Itʼs about the Rathore's-"

"What about them?" Omkara interrupted and Jai ruffled up his hair before sighing, the color on his face fading away within seconds.

"I donʼt know the details either but apparently, they came back to our town in order to find something," he started, glancing at me with his sterling grey eyes and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Someone." He corrected, looking at Omkara and then back at me, his eyes slightly flickering in suspicion and confusion.

"Iʼm assuming they already found this person?" Omkara questioned with no emotion in his voice and Jai slowly nodded before shifting his gaze back at me as he leaned against the nearest wall, folding his arms across his chest in a serious manner.

"Theyʼre looking for her." He said softly, pointing his index finger at me and my jaws dropped open at his words before I turned to look at Omkara , who flinched a little.

"I-I donʼt un-understand-"

"Theyʼre looking for you, Gauri ," Jai cut me off, his voice remaining serious as he took a step forward.

"They want you."

"But ,Why me-"

"You can tell them to fuck off because she is not going anywhere." Omkara cut me off, squeezing my waist and I heard Parth  chuckle deeply before shaking his head.

"As you wish," he mumbled, his grin growing wider at my confused expression. "But you do understand that theyʼd be attending the ball tomorrow right? Theyʼre going to look for her." Parth brushed a hand through his hair and I looked up at Om , who glanced down at me before returning his gaze back at Parth .

"Sheʼll be fine." Omkara assured, gently pulling my body closer to him. "Iʼll keep an eye on her." He mumbled, causing my heart to skip a beat.

Donʼt tell me he was actually worried for me right now? And why is the Rathore's family looking for me? Why do they want me?

"Omkara , I-"

"No questions, go to your room and sleep." He interrupted with a mutter and I bit my bottom lip angrily but decided to keep quiet.

I caught a glimpse of Omkara staring down at me and averted my gaze before brushing his arm away.

After mumbling a small "Goodnight", I marched back to my room, my mind filling with a lot of questions about tonight.

I donʼt understand, did they make a mistake? It has to be a mistake, there has to be another explanation. There is no way they were looking for me.

*****

I stared at the elegant, short, red and almost backless dress and bit my bottom lip before turning away from the mirror.

Guess this ball dance was really happening. I didnʼt even know it was taking place until earlier today, when I met Soumya , who confirmed that there really was a ball dance tonight.

Apparently, these annual events allowed the vampires and humans to get along well. Yeah, right.

"Hurry up!" I heard Irene snap near my door and I quickly slipped on my black bandage sandals before rushing out of the room.

I brushed my loosened hair a few times and stopped halfway through the hallway when I noticed Abhay, Parth, Shivaay and Raj waiting near the staircase.

Were they really waiting for me?

"Be careful tonight." Abhay mumbled, tugging on his suit and I nodded hesitantly, knowing exactly what he meant.

The Rathore's family would attend the party as well, which means that they would be looking for me. I donʼt understand why they want me but I didnʼt bother to ponder on the thought, considering the fact that there is a high chance that they were looking for the wrong person.

I had nothing against them and I certainly wouldnʼt be of any use to them or any vampire for that matter.

As I entered the ball room, my stomach turned itself into a knot upon seeing the crowded room. People were dancing to the music, the ladies flaunting their stunning dresses along with the well-dressed men. I glanced up at the chandeliers one more time before walking inside, making my way to the appetizer table.

Cheerful laughs filled the entire room as people kept talking and dancing, causing goosebumps to rise all over my body.

"Have a drink, maʼam." I heard a voice and spun around to face a butler, who was now holding two glasses of champagne.

"She wouldnʼt have anything tonight," Shivaay spoke and I watched him walk up to the butler with a smile.

"She never does." He said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice and I raised a brow before narrowing my eyes at him.

"Guess you were wrong." I sneered, reaching up to take a glass of champagne from the butler as he smiled.

"How nice." Shivaay cooed and I simply rolled my eyes before taking a sip out of my drink.

"What are you, my personal body guard tonight?" I mumbled, darting my eyes around the people and he simply nodded with a smile.

"Wasnʼt I always?" he grinned and I scoffed before smiling a little. "Do you know why theyʼre looking for you?" Shivaay questioned and I shook my head before going silent.

"Maybe theyʼre mistaken." I murmured, my hands beginning to feel sweaty. And here I thought I was handling this pretty well.

"No ,Theyʼre never mistaken Gauri ," Shivaay muttered, adjusting his tie and I licked my lips before looking up at him.

"Iʼll be back, donʼt wander about." He said and I nodded before watching him leave. I was about to take another sip from my glass when the girls started squealing and I stopped to look at Omkara , who was now walking inside the ball room.

He was well dressed, wearing a black suit that fitted him all-too-well and I gulped softly when the music changed to a softer one.

Girls started surrounding him the minute he took a step forward, pouring down all kinds of questions and begging him to dance with them.

I watched him let out a frustrated sigh before slipping his hands inside his pockets and darting his eyes around the room, as if he was searching for someone now.

My heart skipped a beat when his gaze finally landed on me and we shared a small moment together before I quickly turned away, my hands beginning to tremble.

Why was I so nervous?

"Dance with me." I heard Omkara's voice as he appeared in front of me and I gasped before taking a step back, the grip I had on the glass tightening at his words.

"I-I donʼt know how to dance!" I blabbered out the first lie that popped into my head, trying my very best to ignore the angry girls, who were now shooting me a million glares.

"Itʼs fine." Omkara's mumbled, taking my hand and I froze in my position, refusing to go along with his offer.

"I still havenʼt finished my drink..." I trailed away, my voice barely above a whisper now and I watched Omkara's raise a brow at me before taking a step forward and grabbing the glass away from me.

"Itʼs-fine." He emphasized each word softly before placing the glass on the table and practically dragging me along with him. Before long, I was slow dancing next to him, my fingers interlocked with his while my other hand having a firm grip on his shoulder.

"Did anyone talk to you?" he whispered, leaning closer to my ears and I shivered upon hearing his voice but managed to shake my head.

"Good, stay close to me and donʼt wander about tonight." He instructed, meeting my eyes and I nodded again, quickly ripping away our eye contact.

"Gauri ," I heard him whisper again but this time, I didnʼt bother to look at him and instead, continued dancing, praying that the dance would end already.

"Look at me." His voice sounded impatient and I looked up to fixate my gaze on his. There was something about the way he was looking at me now, that was different from before. I canʼt really put my finger on it but it made me feel very uncomfortable. There was no anger or hatred filling inside them anymore, just a bunch of mixed up emotions and it was getting very hard to read any of them.

My feet suddenly froze when I noticed his lips moving closer to mine and I was about to take a step back when a voice interrupted us, causing me to sigh in relief. Was he about to just kiss me? In front of all these people?!
Is he out of his mind ?

"Rithesh is looking for you." Jai said and I watched Omkara nod before turning to look at me again.

"Stay here, I wonʼt be long." He said and I slowly nodded before they both disappeared.

As soon as I turned around, I came face to face with a bunch of girls, who were now looking at me with so much hatred, I started to take some small steps back out of fear.

They looked furious beyond words and I was about to open my mouth to say something when one of them walked up to me before folding her arms across her chest.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!"

"Were you about to kiss him just now?"

"Youʼre not anything special, Gauri Kumari Sharma."

"Sheʼs playing the innocent card just to gain pity from them."

They all started snapping at once and I lowered my eyelashes on the ground, holding back any rude comments.

I cannot create another scene here, it will only result in me becoming the center of attention again.

"Talk, bitch!" one of them snapped, before marching up to me and giving my shoulders a hard push. I gasped and stumbled back before bumping into someone and quickly turned to apologize but stopped to look up at Ajay.

"Ladies, ladies, whatʼs going on here?" he sang and my eyes widened when I noticed Parth, Shivaay , Rudra and Abhay suddenly appearing next to Ajay, huddling around me.

"We-we-"

"Donʼt tell me you were actually trying to hurt our precious little angel here." Rudra said with a fake gasp and I watched the girls go silent at his words.

"She doesnʼt even want to be here!" one of them finally managed to say out loud and I pressed my lips together into a thin line.

"I heard she was attempting to run away and-"

"Thatʼs none of your business, you little brat." Shivaay's sweet voice turned all cold and I gulped softly, dreading over the fact that everyone in the room was now slowly starting to notice the commotion.

"Itʼs fine, Shivaay, I promi-"

"Only we get to bully our toy." Abhay cut me off and his words pricked my nerves.

Excuse me?
Yes
"True, true." Parth agreed with a chuckle and I mentally scoffed at them.

"So, next time," Rudra started with a smile, then glared at the girls before appearing in front of the nearest girl, who gasped before stiffening on the very spot

"Donʼt Fck around with her." His voice was now laced with venom and I watched the girls quickly nod their heads before walking away.

"Th-thank you..." I managed to mumble and gasped when Rudra wrapped an arm around my shoulders before pulling me closer to him.

"Of course, letʼs kiss now." He cooed, leaning his face closer to mine but it wasnʼt long before Ajay roughly grabbed his shoulders, jerking him away from me.

"Stop acting all clingy around her!" Ajay hissed and I stared at them in surprise.

"Youʼre just jealous, you little dipshit!" Rudra shot back and I couldnʼt help but chuckle at their behavior. It was so childish but cute at the same time.

"Gauri , come here." Omkara's voice cut our little act and we all turned to watch him nod at me.

I hurried over to him and glanced back at the boys, giving them a small smile of gratitude before following behind Omkara as he guided me out of the ball room.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked softly and he kept silent before entering the dining room.

"No," he said shortly, closing the door behind us and I fiddled with my fingers to stop myself from panicking any further.

"Itʼs safe in here." He said, walking up to me and I slowly nodded before lowering my gaze back on the ground.

"About the Rathore's family, I was wondering if you could tell me-" before I could finish, Omkara grabbed my face, closing into a kiss and I gasped, stumbling back a little but he managed to follow my movement as he pressed me against the wall, slipping in his tongue and using this chance to explore my mouth.

"Omkara ," I breathed pulling away, tears glistening in my eyes and I watched him slightly flinch at my reaction before turning away.

"Sorr-"

"Tsk, tsk, still the same as ever, arenʼt you Omkara ?" A familiar voice cut off Omkara and we both turned to watch Veer walk inside the room, making my jaws drop open.

My eyes lingered on him for a few seconds before I looked up at Omkara and was about to start explaining myself but stopped when I saw the expression on his face.

The color on his face had faded away and I watched them both glare at each other in hatred before Veer broke into another laugh, causing my eyes to widen.

"What the heck  are you doing here?" Omkara spat, stepping in front of me and I watched Veer take a step back before waving his hands in fake surrender.

"Veer, get out of here!" I snapped and I watched Omkara spun around to face me, his eyes widening at my words.

"Ho-how do you know him?" his words stumbled for the first time before he gripped my shoulders tightly and I looked at him, fear rushing through my face as I tried to come up with a lie.

"Oh, donʼt sweat it, sheʼs been seeing me for quite a while now." Veer said calmly and I watched Omkara flinch before turning around again.

Wait, they know each other?! How?!

"Get the fuck out of here before I rip your heart out, right here, right now!" Omkara spat with so much hatred and anger, I took a step back out of fear. What the hell was going on?

"I came for the girl,buddy ." Veer sang and I glared at him, hating the fact that he was only making the situation worse by acting so confident and ignorant.

Was he not aware of what Omkara Singh Oberoi was capable of?

"You have some fucking nerve to come into my town," Omkara started, his voice getting even colder than usual, if that was even possible.

"And trying to take whatʼs rightfully mine!" he finished off with a growl and I fought back the tears as the tension clouded around us more.

"Ah, but you missed a point there," Veer started and I watched Omkara take a step forward.

"You cannot claim her as yours. After all, you didnʼt even feed on her yet." He chuckled deeply, sending shivers down my spine.

What the hell was he talking about?!

"Iʼll give you five fucking seconds to leave." Omkara warned, and I heard Veer sigh before waving his hand again.

"Iʼll be leaving anyways. Just came to see her before I claim her as mine." Veer stated and my jaws dropped open in surprise and confusion, my heart pounding loudly against my chest.

Before I could ask him anything, Veer disappeared, leaving only Omkara and I alone in the room and I gulped softly before looking at Omkara , my heart racing ten times faster than it was before.

"You," he started, his voice laced with venom and hatred before he turned to face me, his eyes burning holes through my face now, causing my breath to hitch in fear.

"Have a lot fcking explanation  to do, Gauri."