Chapter 10: A Date

Seraphina’s POV

“No... No, help me... someone, anyone! Help me!”

Seraphina jolted awake with a scream, her chest heaving violently. Her back was soaked in cold sweat, her damp hair clinging to her flushed face, and warm tears were streaming down her cheeks like silent rivers of agony.

Another nightmare.

The same nightmare.

The scene of her death.

If nothing reminded her of that cursed night, it was these damned dreams. Reliving it every time her eyes closed, like some cruel movie on loop that never ceased tormenting her. The pain. The betrayal. The blood.

She wiped her tears hurriedly, her hands trembling slightly. Her breathing was still ragged, and her heart hadn’t stopped racing. As she sat frozen in bed, her mind drifted again—like it often did—to plans of revenge. Thoughts darker than midnight shadows that crept into her soul when she was alone.

But just then, the door creaked open.

She jumped, startled.

Kaelion walked in, his face lighting up as he spotted her. He looked happy, oddly content, but the moment his eyes landed on her dishevelled state—tear-streaked face, tangled hair, heaving chest—his expression turned into one of concern.

“Hey babe… what happened? Are you okay?”

He rushed to her side and climbed onto the bed, cupping her face gently as his eyes scanned her body in worry. His hands caressed her shoulders, her cheeks, her arms—checking for wounds, for bruises—an act that only made her heart pound harder… not with affection, but with dread.

Those hands.

Those cursed hands.

These were the same hands that had once killed her. The same hands that had broken her. How dare he touch her now? How dare he act like he cared?

“Just a nightmare,” she replied in a whisper, trying to steady her voice, masking the disgust rising in her throat. She forced herself to sound soft. Fragile. She couldn’t let him see the loathing behind her eyes. Not yet.

She needed to play this game smart.

Kaelion’s presence always made her nauseous now, but she had to act. So, she did what was needed. She hugged him lightly—like she was still scared, like she was seeking his warmth and protection.

And as expected, Kaelion immediately pulled her into a tighter embrace.

“Hush, don’t worry. I’m here,” he murmured softly, wrapping his arms around her possessively, kissing her forehead as if he were the saviour and not the executioner. “No one’s going to hurt you while I’m around, baby.”

His words were meant to console her—but they only made her want to scream.

How would it feel for someone’s nightmare to become their comfort? How twisted could fate be, that the very devil who killed her now whispered sweet nothings to ease her pain?

She blinked back the fresh tears that threatened to fall, unwilling to let him see even a sliver of her truth.

Time passed.

Long, unbearable minutes of being held in the arms of her murderer. He hadn't loosened his grip, still thinking she was the same meek little lamb—scared, broken, dependent on his strength. But Seraphina… Seraphina was no longer that girl.

She was reborn.

And though she played the part well, her mind was already painting the canvas of vengeance. A vengeance so beautiful it would leave them both gasping.

Finally, she pulled away, giving him a weak smile. “I’m feeling okay now. Thanks to you.”

She kept her tone soft, her gaze warm. She knew how to wear innocence like a second skin.

Kaelion gazed at her, completely enamoured. Her tear-streaked face, those swollen red eyes, her soft lips trembling slightly, and her cheeks tinged pink—it all made her look heartbreakingly beautiful. Like a porcelain doll on the edge of shattering.

“You’re too precious for this world, Seraphina,” he said softly, brushing a few strands of hair away from her face. He leaned in and placed a tender kiss on her lips, a gesture that made her want to recoil but she didn’t. Not yet.

“I was thinking,” he continued, still caressing her cheek with a thumb, “we could go out today. Just the two of us. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

She blinked at him, still pretending to be dazed. “A date?”

“Yeah,” he smiled, clearly excited. “A proper one. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere cold. It’ll do you some good. What do you say?”

“Where are we going?” she asked, tilting her head just a little, offering him that sweet, infatuated expression she knew he adored.

“It’s a surprise,” he replied with a wink. “I know you love surprises, don’t you?”

She nodded slowly. “Yes… I do.”

“Good,” he said, his smile widening. “Then get ready. Wear something warm and cute. You’ve got an hour.”

He leaned in, pressing another kiss to her lips, and with that, he left the room—whistling as he closed the door behind him.

And the moment the door shut… the mask fell.

The soft smile disappeared.

Her eyes, once filled with fake warmth, darkened like a thunderstorm.

She let out a shaky breath and rubbed her arms, trying to chase away the cold that clung to her skin. She hated this. Hated pretending. Hated him. But she had to do it.

God gave me a second chance, she reminded herself. I’m not going to waste it. I will get my revenge, but I won’t let myself turn into a monster in the process.

She had learned one thing from Selene—the art of seduction. The power of appearing fragile. Pity and meekness could bend the strongest warriors, make them believe they were in control, when in reality, they were the puppets.

Now, it was her turn to pull the strings.

“Let the game begin,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, like a prayer made to the goddess of vengeance.

She quickly rose from the bed and headed into the bathroom. She needed to look perfect. Disarming.

After a long, hot shower, she stood in front of her wardrobe. She chose a baby pink cardigan that ended just above her navel, revealing just a sliver of her toned belly. Paired with high-waisted white bell-bottom jeans that hugged her hips and made her legs look impossibly long, she looked every bit like the innocent girl she used to be… with a seductive twist.

Soft. Sweet. Dangerous.

She let her black-brown tresses fall down her back in loose waves and dabbed on some makeup—just enough to highlight her natural beauty. A tint of pink on her lips, a dusting of blush on her cheeks, and a subtle shimmer on her lids.

She rarely wore makeup. She never needed it. But today wasn’t about beauty.

It was about power.

And power needed presentation.

As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she felt something stir within her chest.

Not fear. Not love.

Focus.

She smiled at herself—cold, confident.

“Let’s see how long you last, Kaelion,” she whispered. “You took my life once. Now I’ll destroy yours… piece by piece.”