CHAPTER 26

"Love?" Felix repeated after her as if she had just said a strange word and he smirked. He looked a bit mischievous with the smirk on his face even though it was completely serene.

"What's wrong with that?" She asked feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Nothing at all. You should know that Lothaire is too heartless for that, it's only the mating bond that's at work here." He said and she felt her chest tighten.

If he was right, then neither of them were in love but what was she thinking anyway, she couldn't just fall in love with someone she met a couple of weeks ago. But still, what she felt for him was...Undescribable. Felix watched as sweat garnished her forehead and he wondered if he shouldn't have told her that but it was the truth anyway.

"He's not heartless." She managed to say with a firm but small voice as she looked at the plants.

"He lies without a heart yet you don't label him heartless." He said as he ran his fingers through his blonde white hair. His words stuck deep in her head, he was truly heartless but to her he was just her Lothaire who grew up without love which was incredibly unfair for him. She immediately felt awful about what she had said to Lothaire earlier, it must have hurt him deeply and his speechlessness after what she told him made her even more awful because he was obviously hurt.

"It's not his fault...He'll be able to love if he finds someone who loves him back." She said with confidence.

"I think you don't understand how it works." Felix said with a small smile.

"What do you mean?" She said as she fluttered her eyelashes like butterfly wings.

"Love is a human feeling and it's really not as strong as they perceive it to be. People who claim they're in love still end up cheating or betraying their partners, it doesn't last long, it's not a hundred percent trustworthy and it's nothing compared to the mating bond." Felix explained with a serious look on his face and her facial reaction changed a bit.

"I thought love was supposed to be forever and stronger..." She trailed off wondering if he was trying to make her feel better about the whole situation or if he was really honest. At her words, Felix threw his head back as he laughed, revealing his perfect white teeth which made him look even more serene.

"You've probably watched a lot of romance movies or fairytale but the love in real life is very different. The mating bond lets you both connect in a deeper level, the trust is hundred percent, it's so strong to the extent that if your mate dies, you're left completely broken and in a lifetime of pain, you're never able to get over it unlike humans when a loved one dies. The mating bond connects your souls together so you're even able to feel what the other feels, so to be honest I don't know why you're looking for love when you already have something greater." He said as he looked into space aimlessly with a small smile on his face as if he was day dreaming.

She watched him for a bit, she wondered if it was normal for a vampire to have blonde hair and light features and look so peaceful and harmless almost like...an Angel even though she had never seen one before, but Vampires mostly had dark features and pale skin unlike Zion who was a half human. His sapphire blue gaze fell on her staring at him and she immediately looked away. A grin appeared on his face as he caught her staring.

"So if I or Lothaire dies, what's going to happen?" She asked curiously and it was definitely not her question in mind.

"If he dies you'll probably commit suicide and if you die he'll probably burn the whole world down to the ground." He said with a straight face and she immediately knew it was not a joke, her heart raced in her chest as rapidly she heard him.

So he wanted to make her immortal which was potentially dangerous to avoid another dangerous situation like what would happen when she died from old age.

Nothing benefitted the situation in anyway since either choices were dangerous so the only solution was for her to leave.

"It's.." Her words were interrupted by the sudden movement of Lothaire's hand grabbing the collars of Felix's shirt violently as he raised him a bit above the ground and pulled him close in inhumane speed.

Lothaire hadn't want to invade because Felix wasn't a threat but seeing him talk to Larisa was unbearably annoying and even more annoying when he heard what they talked about.

Larisa was startled by his action as she watched Lothaire's arm grabbing Felix's shirt but his calm demeanour didn't change anyway. Lothaire's sharp jaws clenched in anger as his face was barely two inches away from Felix. His golden eyes burned deeply into his blue ones.

"Who gave you the right to spout nonsense to her?!" Lothaire growled at the still very calm Felix.

"Would you rather I lied to her and told her you were both in love? Or that you wouldn't burn the world down if she died? Besides she asked me questions first and I only replied to the best of my abilities." Felix said with a calm voice and it just made Lothaire a lot angrier than he already was, he hated how calm he was even in the face of death.

Felix and Avian were the only ones that lacked fear when it came to him or anything else and Lothaire loved to cause havoc and wrath to be feared as the prince of darkness because that was all he was and Felix gave him the opposite of that.

"I'll rip out your little wings if you..." Lothaire was interrupted by Larisa.

"Stop it Lothaire! He didn't do anything wrong." She yelled at him and he averted his gaze to her as he pushed Felix aside violently.

She could feel the spine shilling look from him and his darkness filled demeanour and she gulped because she was afraid, she admitted to herself that she'd always be afraid of him when he became this way.

"Are you guys best friends now?" His face was hard and she could hear the sarcasm in his voice.

"I want to go home Lothaire." She said with a low voice as she avoided looking at him. She felt it would be better to go back, that way they would both be in less pain. That way no one would get hurt from making her immortal or if she died. She had to put her selfishness aside if she wanted the dangers to end. Immediately she said those words Lothaire gave a sarcastic smirk on his face.

"You're not going anywhere Angel." He said lazily but firmly and her brows creased. She should have known better that the Lothaire she knew would never let her leave.

"I think it'll be better if she leaves, that way everyone will be safe." Felix said and Lothaire gave him a threatening look.

"Do I look like I care about anyone's safety? You can all rot in hell!" Lothaire's voice sounded like darkness himself with no hint of emotion in his eyes. Felix kept quiet, he'd rather not say anything to anger him even though he wasn't scared of him since his anger didn't do any good.

"I care..I have people I care about too and if I stay here I feel like I'm going to die. I know you're stronger than anyone here but still, one mistake and I'm gone." She said in a low gloomy voice.

"Nothing will happen to you, I'll make sure of it." His words were strongly assuring but still she couldn't help but feel like something was haunting her down to kill her.

"Go In and take some rest you'll feel better when you wake up." He said and tried to take her hands but she stepped back voluntarily.

"No I want to go home." She said making her solid decision.

"You're not going anywhere whether you like it or not." Lothaire's words were hard as he tried to grab her but she turned around and took off towards the large golden gates but she had barely taken five steps before he caught her with one hand. He wrapped one strong arm around her waist and carried her as he took her off the ground with her back facing him. She kicked her legs in the air as he took her into the palace.

"Let go of me!" She yelled as she drove futile punches into his arms. He ignored her all through till they arrived at the room.

"Stop being so stubborn." He said as he put her down gently on the bed.

"You told me I could leave if I wanted! You lied to me!" She yelled angrily.

"Well...things have changed now. I can't and won't let you go...Ever."