"Now, now. You're making my bride so flustered."

A sigh of relief escaped my lips upon hearing Sam's chuckle. He smirked dangerously.

My hand trembled, struggling to go forth. Sam stopped my attack with a mere finger. The blade was against the nail of his forefinger.

Just how strudy was his nail that grew an inch longer? But that's not important. My hand was acting on its own.

I couldn't understand this feeling circling around my heart. But this murderous intent between us had shaken my core.

"Sam…" Just as I voiced out his name into a whisper, I withdrew lakresha and hopped backward.

I wanted to spar with him. However, the way the side of his lips twisted into a smirk tangled my emotions.

This wouldn't end as a simple sparring.

"My lady, withdraw lakresha now! This is not good!" Rufus yelled in urgency.

But just as he yelled, I swung lakresha towards Sam. I knew I'd been training for the past three months. However, I was not this agile or powerful.

It was as if this very weapon was slowly taking over me. Even though I didn't want to attack Sam, I couldn't help but merge with the thirst of Lakresha.

"Sam! Dodge!" I yelled as I attacked him continuously.

"My, my, Lilove." In contrast to my worries, Sam chuckled.

He kept dodging my attacks effortlessly. As if he was merely dancing into the rhythm. His hands on his back, hopping back as he chuckled.

While here I am, getting pale whenever the blades were approaching him. Stop…

I felt like I let another person to use me again. Was it you, Lara? Why would you give me such a dangerous weapon if I'll end up attacking Sam?

Sam… the reason I've been training for the past three months.

Why?

Why won't I stop? Why…? Lakresha.

After my incessant attack, I finally cornered Sam. He stood still, his back against me, the tip of the scythe on his jugular.

My hand trembled, clenching my teeth, until I felt my jaw locking. Sam slowly raised both his hands, conceding.

"Lakresha…" I whispered through my gritted teeth. My grip trembled.

Sam cocked his head back. His eyes fixed on me.

"You stopped it?" He muttered, catching my attention.

Despite the danger before him, despite having a scythe pointed in his throat, Sam remained calm. But my inner thoughts were in turmoil.

"I lost. You can drop lakresha now." He ordered calmly as he slowly faced me.

How could I do that…?

"You gain a bit of control. Can't you see?" Sam raised his finger and pushed away the blade a little.

Now that I looked at him, my attacks stopped. I thought he had stopped it like the first time.

However, he raised both his hands. That means…

"See, Rufus? My bride can subdue lakresha. Although it's temporary, it's better than I thought! Hahaha!" Sam boasted proudly, despite having a blade looming around his neck.

Wasn't he afraid? My eyes fixed on his neck and the blade around it.

Even from this distance, I knew how sharp the blades were. One wrong move and I'd hurt him.

Suddenly, an image of Sam's head rolling to my feet flashed before me. I gasped in panic and let go of lakresha.

My entire body shuddered at the foreboding thought that crossed my head. I gaped my mouth open, but no words came out.

Red mist streamed up around lakresha upon dropping it. It was as if the weapon was evaporating into thin air. Red particles made its way back to me.

Back to the necklace around my neck. And then it was gone.

It was as if it wasn't there in the first place. It was as if it didn't exist, and I didn't use it to harm Sam.

I gazed at my hand. It's trembling. Slowly, I curled my fingers and clasped my hands into a tight fist.

What was that all about? That feeling back when I was holding lakresha. The intent to kill Sam, the rage that I've bottled up ever since that night.

Holding lakresha had heightened just that anger within me. Mentally, I was scared to hurt Sam. But deep down, I knew I'd hurt him even against my will.

Vampires… just how twisted was their world?

"Come on. Don't sulk." Amidst my deep thoughts, Sam hooked his arms over my shoulder.

"This is not the time to sulk! See? You can wield lakresha faster than Rufus thought!"

Sam laughed out loud proudly. Slowly, I raised my head to him. Even without seeing myself, the coldness that seeped deep into my bones made me look pale.

How could he be so calm despite what I just did?

I knew… no; I felt it. Sam knew I intended to harm him. That's why he gave me that smirk of not backing down.

It was as if that fleeting moment, I glimpsed upon the side of him which he had been hiding. Not the sweet or unreasonable side of him. Not the terrifying or brutally honest side, either.

It was the twisted side of him who found the situation amusing. A situation where his life was in danger. He liked the thrill.

"Haha! Look at Rufus! He had gone pale!" Sam continued in jest.

All I could do was to stare at his side profile. Taking notice of my intense gaze, Sam turned to me with brows raised.

"Your head… it nearly roll to the ground." I muttered mindlessly.

His lips stretched from ear to ear. He leaned in and whispered in my ear.

"You felt it, did you?"

A shudder immediately ran down my spine. His tone was low, but he made it sound so dangerous. Just with his voice, I could tell how his eyes glinted.

But before I could react, Sam slowly drew his head away. I was right. His crimson eyes gazed differently than usual.

The sight of it made me gulp.

"What I am all along." He smirked, pulling a finger in front of his lips.

My lower lips trembled, staring at him, realizing I haven't truly known him. Until now, I've only seen what I wanted to see and hear what I wanted to hear.

Sam… he was the villain all along. No. I blinked my eyes, shaking my other thoughts away.

After clearing my thoughts, I raised both my hands and squeezed his cheek. A sharp exhaled escaped my nostrils, shutting my eyes as I tiptoed.

I drew away after leaving a light peck on his lips. It stunned Sam, as his eyes went wide.

When our gaze met, I bit my lower lip.

"So, what?"