17.

Finishing the last touches with my make-up and that fake vampire bite and blood over my neck, I set down my make-up tools at the vanity table and went to check my work in the floor-length mirror for a better and fuller view, finding myself quite satisfied with the way I looked.

My white bridal dress hugged my chest and waist so nicely, exposing my cleavage and legs as it had a corset with two thick straps that hung over the upper part of my arms, leaving my neck and shoulders completely bare and a skirt that was shorter at the front and longer at the back, the front part ending right above my knees.

My hair was styled into a messy updo, purposely leaving my neck bare so that those two fake punctured holes and blood on that spot between my neck and shoulder could be visible, covering the very real scar that existed underneath.

Three days.

It's been three fucking days since that crazy incident at the mall yet David still hasn't explained to me what was going on and what he meant by those words.

Luna...

I will protect Luna...

Those words echoed in my head for the thousandth time, goosebumps forming all over my skin as I couldn't stop myself from remembering the terror and helplesness I felt when I found myself trapped into that bathroom and alone with Satan himself, all vulnerable and at his mercy.

"You're mine, Carina. Only mine..."

His words echoed in my head like an ominous whisper, making me shiver.

What the fuck was his deal? Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

First he tormented me by doing mean things and even hurting me from time to time, but now he just went to a whole new level. Now he's trying to physically assault me too. And what I really couldn't understand was why.

Why was he doing this to me? What did he want from me? Why was he so hell-bent on toying with me like this?

What did I ever do to you to torture me like this?

A cold sensation of something wet trailing over my cheek brought me back to reality, lastly realizing that I was crying as my gaze refocused on the reflection in the mirror.

Quickly wiping those tears away I hurried to retrieve my black combat boots and white veil, putting them on as I didn't want to waste another moment sulking around in my room.

He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve my tears, nor my attention.

The sound of my phone making a short ding drew my attention, so I went to retrieve it from my nightstand and check it, noticing I had a new message from David.

"I'm downstairs with Dre and your mom. Ready whenever you are," x

My lips curled into a tiny smile, suddenly feeling a little bit giddy as I quickly checked myself into the mirror one last time, inhaling an encouraging breath before making my way straight towards the door.

And with a determined twist and pull I opened it and walked down the hallway, stopping for a short moment once I've reached the first step. And with another breath and a light smile plastered over my face I began descending the stairs, hearing the voices of my mom, Dre and David as they were already engaged into a light conversation.

"So what time are you guys coming back?" I heard my mom say, making me furrow my brows with surprise.

What the hell? Since when did you actually start caring? I thought to myself with a snort.

"Promise I will bring them back safe and sound before 00:00, ma-am," David curtly replied like the true gentleman he was, no doubt already having our mom charmed by his ever-so-sweet self.

"You better," She jokingly warned with a small laugh, their voices dying out though as soon as I came into view.

My gaze fleetingly passed over mom and Dre before it finally met David's, heat immediately flooding my cheeks as there was a look into his eyes that I could barely describe.

There was something so intense, brewing within as he took his time to sweep that burning gaze over me from head to toe, drinking in every inch of me as if he wanted to devour me.

And I must admit that he himself didn't look too bad either.

He was wearing a tight-fitted black shirt and black dress pants that hugged his tall and lean physique so perfectly, complemented by a crimson vest that added a dramatic effect to his royal vampire outfit, my gaze zeroing in on those delectable lips that were painted red now, a few drops of fake blood trailing to his cleanly-shaved chin.

Holy heavens.

Struggling to keep my composure and that shy smile over my lips, my knees lightly trembled as I descended the last few steps, meeting him at the bottom as he quickly approached too, closing the distance between us.

"Are you ready to be the vampire's bride tonight?" He sweetly whispered with a swoon-worthy smile, his words though sounding so sensual in my ears, actively managing to stir something within me.

Sweet Jesus.

"Oh my god you guys look so cute!" My mom's shrill and abrupt interjection felt like a slap back to reality, making me feel so embarrassed now by my own bodily reactions.

"Here, let me take a picture," She said, rushing to stand a few steps away from us as David moved away and positioned himself right next to me, gently wrapping his arm around my waist as he smiled at the camera.

"Aww, come on, don't be shy," My mom beckoned him with a small laugh, motioning for him to get closer to me so he moved to stand right behind me, his hands resting on the sides of my waist as he leaned closer, making me feel the heat of his body embracing me and the constant caress of his warm breath fanning over the side of my shoulder, right above my scar.

"Perfect,"

What the fuck are you doing, mom?

I forced out a smile, feeling so uncomfortably hot and bothered as I struggled to keep myself in check while she took her stupid photos, noticing Andrea smirking at me with a knowing look from over her shoulder.

Fuck off, I mouthed to her whilst keeping that stupid grin plastered over my face, unfortunately only spurring her on as her shit-eating smile broadened, biting her lower lip as she started to slowly nod her head and rock her hips back and forth, suggesting that we'd...

You little bitch!

I quietly gasped, completely mortified by the fact that David was right behind me and he could totally see what she was doing.

Oh my god!

"Okay, I think you have enough photos now, mom," I passingly told her as I didn't waste another second more and ran straight to my idiot of a sister, roughly grabbing her healthy arm before dragging her into the kitchen as she started to cackle like a stupid hyena.

"I am going to strangle you!"

"Ooh is that your kink?" She stopped to tell me with another smirk.

"But don't you think it would be better to ask David to do that to you as he pounds into that sweet little thing?"

I immediately gasped at the sound of her words,

"You little bitch!"

She let out a scream as I was about to pounce on her, breaking into a sprint around the island when mom and David entered the kitchen, giving her the opportunity to run and hide behind David's back, giving me a triumphant grin.

"Girls!"

"Behave! Is this a proper way to react in front of a gentleman?" Our mom scolded us, receiving an eye-roll from me.

Oh look at you trying to act all motherly.

"I'm sorry, David, they're not usually like this," She apologized with a chuckle, my gaze though still focused on my sister as she started performing sexually explicit gestures again from behind his back.

You dumb asshole.

Oh yes, she mouthed, making moany faces as she rocked her hips again until he suddenly turned aside to look at her, making her abruptly stop and stand still as if nothing happened, her gaze though plastered to the floor as she could barely contain that stupid laugh threatening to escape.

**

The sounds of Dre's incessant texting and casual laughs and giggles were the only ones filling the car from time to time as we drove in silence, I myself still feeling that tinge of embarrassment after that show we put on back home, wondering what could he be thinking as he hadn't said a word ever since we left.

Shit. What if he's mad now? I worried, barely noticing when the car had stopped as we'd arrived in the school's parking lot, watching him giving me a cute smile before he turned off the engine and got out of the car.

My dumb sister started to moan exactly as the door closed behind him, making me turn to give her an incredulous look.

"Oh yes, David, yes!"

"You really wanna die, don't you?"

She abruptly stopped again just as he opened my door, offering me his hand and another panty-dropping smile.

"Shall we?"

I timidly placed my hand in his, letting him help me get out of the car as my dress was actually kinda impractical and puffy, excusing himself for a moment as he then went to open the door and help my sister.

"Thanks," She grinned at him like the devilish little bitch she was, her witchy costume fitting her like a glove as it went hand in hand with her wretched personality.

She was about to say something more when her gaze abruptly darted somewhere past us and started to scream like a motherfucking banshee, effectively scaring the shit out of me.

"What the fuck!?!" I turned around as she broke into a sprint and flew right past us, noticing Kayla screaming from the other side of the parking lot as she ran to meet my sister halfway.

Five years. Five years and I still haven't gotten used to this, I muttered to myself with an eye-roll, lightly shaking my head before diverting my attention back to David.

"Look, I'm sorry for...you know," I timidly tried to apologize for our dumb behavior -well, mostly my sister's but whatever.

"It's okay. I actually thought it was kinda funny too," He confessed.

"Oh yes, David, yes!" He mimicked with a girly and an overly-exaggerated high-pitched voice, making me throw him an incredulous look before bursting into a fit of laugher.

"Oh my god! Wait, you heard that too?" I abruptly stopped to ask upon realization with a look of wonder.

"We actually have a much better hearing than an average human's," He casually said with a shrug, his gaze shifting back to them as he quietly stared in their direction, his brows furrowing.

"I can hear what they're saying right now,"

"You do?" My eyes went wide as saucers, completely mind-blown by the fact as my sister and Kayla were actually pretty far from us.

"Wait, what are they saying?" I asked as I suddenly noticed the way his cheeks started to gain a little bit of a pink tint as he kept gazing in their direction, making me feel a little bit anxious and uneasy, not to mention that Christian was somewhere close to them too as he was Kayla's date for tonight.

"Trust me, you don't wanna know," He replied, visible discomfort dancing on his features as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, making me feel even more alarmed.

What the fuck were they saying?

"Come on, tell me!" I urged him, anxiously tugging at his vest as I was so desperate to find out exactly what were those two idiots saying to make him react like this.

"Something along the lines of a popping cherry," He quietly said after a moment, making me stop and gawk at him like a total moron, feeling that burning heat creeping up my neck and face, my heart starting to pound faster and faster with every passing second.

Never in my life have I ever felt more embarrassed.

Those fucking blabbering bitches!

Awkwardly clearing my throat, I slowly let go of his vest and dragged my hands over it in a stupid attempt to smooth out the crinkles, giving him a forced smile as I sweetly said,

"Should we go inside?"