"I NEVER THOUGHT HUMANS WERE SO AMUSING." Now that the lights were on, the voice was much less threatening to Jack.
"I'm not here for your amusement."
"Yet, you have failed to do nothing but amuse me, Jackson."
There was something about the way the man said his name. It was silky and smooth; Jack wanted to hear him say it, again.
"I'm no expert at humans," he started to say, walking closer towards him. "But you are very small for one with such bravery..."
"I'm not brave," the boy mumbled.
"You did have the courage to speak out against me," the man pointed out. "The last person to enter my castle left the instant I began to recite my verse." Now that he was a lot closer, he could see the man properly.
He was beautiful.
Maybe it was the wrong to describe a man in such a way, but Jack could not think of any other word to describe him with.
His skin was ghostly pale - as if he had never been exposed to the sun before. His hair was a deep shade of bronze and his eyes were a dark gold that allured Jack towards him. He wore plain, dark clothes, which were a frightening contrast to his light complexion. The way his features stood out flawlessly made him seem more deady than real.
He wasn't just beautiful, Jack realised. There was so much to him.
He was dangerously beautiful.
"F-for someone with such an intimidating tone, you are surprisingly plain looking," Jack retorted, the lie falling from his lips before he could stop it.
"Really?" he smirked. "I admire your spirit, Jackson."
Damn his smirk... Jack was already too captivated by him. His playful expression only made it harder for him to look away.
"Tell me, Jackson... Do you have anyone back at home?" The man was closer, now - almost too close.
"W-what?" he stammered, the proximity of him making his heart race.
"Do you have someone you love, Jackson?" The smirk disappeared from his face and he suddenly looked serious.
"No... It's just my mother and I."
The boy didn't know what to think. It was as if he was being torn apart; half of him wanting to run as far away as possible and the other half... Yearning to stay by him for an eternity.
"Perfect."
The man gently pressed his lips against his. At first, Jack was frozen. He was overwhelmed by the emotions that flowed from the man: anger, hate, happiness, grief, pain... And love.
But then, he felt it.
A burning sensation that was both hot and cold... That scorched his skin like fire and ice.
Jack kissed him back, tangling his fingers into the man's hair and releasing the beast within him. He no longer knew he was. He, the man before him, had consumed everything.
They pulled away after what seemed like both an instant and forever, with Jack's face flushed. He stepped away from the man and timidly averted his eyes.
"I thought you didn't have a girlfriend," the man said, his smouldering gaze lingering on him.
It was his first kiss, he wanted to reply. But he was too shy to admit it to him. Not to him... Never to someone so deep and mature.
Jack sneaked a glance up at him, only to shrink back at what he saw.
The man's eyes were no longer golden... But red; an unnaturally bright, crimson red.
"W-what are you?" His fingers instinctively moved towards the wooden stake in his pocket.
"Strange, isn't it?" the creature asked. "The most important question is usually the last to be asked."
He gave him sad smile, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim light. He had pale skin, red eyes and sharp teeth - fangs... There was only one thing he could be.
Only, Jack didn't believe it. He couldn't and he wouldn't.
"I thought you were a fairytale."
"I'm as real as you are, Jackson."
"I ought to go," Jack muttered, turning to leave. "My mother will be worried about me."
The creature's fingers wrapped around his wrist. The wooden stake fell from his hand and cluttered to the floor, but they were both too entranced in one another to notice it.
"Jackson, forget my Love..."
"You are beast," Jack mouthed, his voice stolen. The creature lifted his chin up to meet his face.
"Jackson," he murmured softly. "Forget it all." His eyes darkened, as he stared directly at Jack. "Forget everything... Your mother, father; your life before me - forget all of it."
The blonde-haired boy was dumbstruck. He opened his mouth to object but found that he could not. Instead, he found himself nodding.
"And stay with me, Jackson."
ns216.73.216.129da2
