9 Are you sure?

When I wake up it is ten pm already, looks like Hades let me sleep in today,"Morning sleepy head. "Ahhhhh!" I yell,"It's just me ,scaredy cat." Hades says while laughing. "How was your night?" He asks after his laughing fit."Great." I say in a cheerful voice, I feel happy than usual, I think it has something to do with yesterday. "Great, get ready we are going for a ride." I almost squeal with excitement,"thank you, thank you, thank you."I say while changing to my riding outfit.

After breakfast, we both get on our horses and head to the river.

When we get there, this time I undress in front of Hades and get into the stream after him.

"You look so beautiful," he moves closer to me, and before I know it, he is already landing a kiss on my lips.

The sun reflects on the water giving it a diamond effect, I'm lying flat on my back on the grass as I watch Hades swim back and forth. "Come back in." I concede since I'm tired of just sitting down on the grass.

I dive into the cold lake and swim to Hades, when I reach where he previously was I can't see him anywhere, "Hades? Hades?" No answer, "this is not funny." I hate this, he knows I hate horror movies and honestly this is starting to feel like one, what's next, someone pulling me from under the water? "Aaah." I'm sorry, I was being sarcastic I didn't think it would actually happen. It's actually happening guys, this is how I die, tell my auntie I love her. As I close my eyes accepting my fate bubbles tickle my face and when I open my eyes I'm face to face with the stupid vampire king.

I'm about to swim back to the surface but Hades apparently decides my need for oxygen is below his need to hold me under water. I go to push him back when his eyes meet mine, the rays from the sun hit the water, straight to his eyes lighting them up in a way I've never seen before. They are full of an emotion I can't name and for the first in my life, the thoughts in my head come to a halt and I'm mesmerized. For the first time I find peace and all the voices inside quieten.

When the oxygen in my lungs finally depletes I swim up and soon Hades' head pops up next to me. "You know with you being a vampire I thought you would be more creative with your killing methods." "I wasn't trying to kill you, just wanted you to see the view from under the water, the silence." He looks at me with those intense eyes that make me melt.

"Yeah, I felt it, it was so peaceful under there." What he does't know is that it had nothing with being under the lake but with the feeling his eyes gave me, I've never felt anything like it, I don't even know what it was.

"Let's get back." I'm pulled to the horse's direction after putting my clothes back on.

I jump on the mares back and we head back to the castle.

"I had so much fun today." I enter his study when it's close to my bed time, I couldn't go to sleep without seeing him and expressing all that he made me feel today.

"Yeah? Good, just as I was hoping." He smiles warmly and it almost knocks me of my feet, he should definitely smile more, it feels like he's gifted me with something precious since he rarely smiles.

"You have a beautiful smile, you should definitely show it more." I blurt out unable to keep my amazement to myself. "Ummm... Thanks?" His tone makes it seem more like a question as he rubs the back of his neck, the top of his ears tinge with a pink hue as he refuses to make eye contact. Oh my goodness is he...blushing? He is blushing! I have seen it all! I can now die in peace! No need to see the seven wonders, they just won't compare.

"Oh my God! Are you blushing?!" The pink turns into a bloody red and now his whole face is almost meeting the floor. "Is this even possible? You're a vampire." "First of all it is possible it's not like I'm only made of flesh and second tell anyone of this and you won't live to see tomorrow." He finally looks up and his eyes are full of mirth and a sliver of embarassment, "my lips are sealed." I do the whole zipping my lips and throwing key away routine before throwing a very smug smile to the blushing king. "You will never let me live this down, will you?" Hr sighs as if resigned to the fact that he will definitely have to endure months or maybe even years of merciless teasing from moi. "Of course, it would be a crime not to." He pinches the bridge of his nose whilst shaking his head, I can almost hear his thoughts 'of all the humans I could kidnap, I just had to get this crazy one.' They say, well too bad, we don't always get what we want.

"Anyway it's good that you're here, I actually wanted to ask you something." He looks nervous and today seems to be a day of what I've dubbed as ' The wonders of the Hades.' Not very creative but it works, he is a wonder after all.

"Yeah?" I encourage when the silence carries on for an uncomfortable bit of time. "Would you like to go to a party with me tomorrow?" I'm sorry come again for big fudge?('seriously Jules, is this really the time for 'How I met your mother references?' The voice pipes up again but this time I'm too excited to pay attention to it) Did I just hear right?! He wants me...to go to a party with...him and actually socialise with his little vampire buddies?!

I must have said all that out loud since he proceeds to gift me with an eye roll, a very dramatic one might I add. "Yes I mean it, I would very much like it if you accompanied me to this gathering." "Ummm... Ok sure, but..." I can't possibly say the next words without the littlest of shame. "Go on, what were you going to say." His soft tone encourages the words out of my mouth. "I don't really have something to wear." The mumble doesn't really count since his ears hear me perfectly well. "Oh, is that all? Well I wanted to gift you this on your birthday but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get an early birthday gift." He takes my hand and with a swish I find myself on what I presume is his bed.

The room is huge almost as big as my aunt's whole house, the room has a red and gold theme with red drapes, gold bed sheets and a red bed cover. There's a walk in closet and a door to what I assume leads to a bathroom.

He exits the walk in closet with a black parcel in his hands, "here." The same blush graces his face once more but I chose to let it go since he's being so generous and kind. I open the wraps only to find a thick red fabric folded neatly. It feels soft in my hands and I immediately know it's made of velvet fabric, I carefully unfold it and it reveals a beautiful dress, it seems long, long enough to reach my ankles with an of shoulder design and a slit that must reach my thighs. "Wow." I remark unable to find a more suitable word, "thank you so much, Hades." Tears fill my eyes surprising the both of us, it takes a lot to make me cry but it seems I'm turnimg into a cry baby. "It's nothing really, I'm just glad you find it to your liking." "Can you stop downgrading this, I love it really and I've never been more grateful than at this moment." It frustrates me how he thinks this isn't a big thing.

He caresses my cheeks before wiping the tears that run down them, "how did you even know my birthday is soon?" "I have my ways." The atmosphere changes as he gives me a cocky smile.

"Well thank you." I smile before impulsively kissing him on the cheek. "You're welcome, now can you stop thanking me?" "Ok." I sniff putting the dress back in its wraps.

"You should head to bed, we have a long day ahead of us." He takes my hand and this time I'm in front of my bedroom door. "Good night Hades." I give him a tight hug before pulling back, "good night, baby." I close the door behind me and head to the bed. I place the dress in a box under my bed before changing into my night dress. I dive under the covers and sleep comes easy for the first time in days.