Hate

Just like the other men in there, Storm's brows flew up in surprise. He wasn't expecting that. From her expression, he was expecting her to plead with him, but no. She just threatened him. 

That was a first for him. A human threatening him. A petite little female for that matter. One he could kill even without touching her. 

A low chuckle rumbled from within his chest as he looked down at her. There was an angry fire burning fiercely in those blue orbs that were glaring at him. He searched for that fear swirling in them just moments ago. It was still there, but compared to the fury burning in her heart, it was only a tiny fragment.

This made his twisted mind desire to watch her try to kill him.

"So our little thief is not only good at stealing. She also knows how to issue threats…" Storm spoke in an amused tone, although the look on his face was the opposite. "... I wonder, though, do you have what it takes to carry out your threat? Or…" He lowered himself to a squatting position and placed his palm on her cheek. His eyes slowly lowered from her eyes to her lips, as his thumb landed on her lower lip, pulling it down slightly. "...Are you all bark and no bite?" He completed the question.

Ellie froze, both out of fear and the invincible force he was using to hold her down. Seeing him squat confused her, but her confusion soon turned into shock when his hand landed softly on her cheek.

The smoldering look in his dark grey eyes, the sound of his voice, and the feel of his cold hands on her face, a stark contrast to the heat of the anger burning inside her heart, was making her body respond in a way she least expected. 

When he pulled down her lips, her teeth parted of their own accord, and that was when she scolded herself. He was toying with her and she couldn't believe her body was playing along without her permission.

Her brows knitted, and she shut her mouth by bringing her teeth together once more. That action released her lower lip from the hold Storm's thumb had on it.

One side of Storm's lips curled up ever so slightly as his eyes moved back to hers. 

Ellie's heart raced when she saw him smirk. He looked so devastatingly handsome, a sight she would feast on if she wasn't in her current position. But his smirk didn't only accentuate his beauty, it also granted her a peek at the sharp tip of one of his fangs. A real, vampire fang that could end her life in a matter of minutes. 

"You heard her, Asaph. She doesn't want to be a vampire." Storm pushed himself up, once again, towering over her. "Let's grant her wish. Take her back to her cell." Storm turned around and started walking away.

Asaph looked like he couldn't believe what he just heard. Grant her wish? What on earth had come over his master? When did he become a fairy godmother, or in this case, godfather, that grants wishes? And more, to a measly human?

This girl just threatened to kill him and all he could do was grant her a wish? Nobody in the entire royal house dared to speak carelessly because that could cost them their heads. But this little girl just threatened Storm, of all people, and she was getting away with it?

"Master Storm, we need to test this potion out," Asaph spoke, reminding Storm that they were there for serious business. 

"We'll test it out on someone else," Storm responded nonchalantly, still walking toward the door.

Asaph eyed Ellie unpleasantly, anger and jealousy burning in his eyes. The sudden urge to slap her again came over him, but he refrained from doing it because he knew that Storm would hear it, and ask his reason for doing it.

Ellie, on the other hand, panicked when she heard that they would use someone else for the testing they were talking about, recalling that he had initially said they would use Nicholas.

"No! Please leave my brother out of this." She pleaded this time. "He's just a child and he has not done anything wrong. Please, do whatever you want with me and leave him out of it." 

Storm's feet came to a halt just as he reached the door. His brows pulled together as her last words struck something inside of him. 

"Please, I'm begging you." Ellie continued with the pleas, blaming herself for bringing Nicholas into this mess. 

If she had not talked about him in the first instance, these people would not even know he exists. She had been so worried about how he would survive without her, she had mentioned his name to the wrong people.

"So, you're saying you will agree to become a vampire as long as I don't touch your brother?" Storm's voice rang out.

"I don't desire to become a vampire, but if you promise to leave my brother alone, then you can do anything you want with me," Ellie spoke in a defeated tone.

"Anything?" Storm's brows flew up.

"No. I mean, you could just free me and let me go. I promise to be a law-abiding citizen from now on." Ellie switched words, realizing from his tone that her last sentence was like shooting herself in the foot.

Storm smirked for the second time, then let out a low chuckle, his back, still turned against everyone. How she quickly switches her words to favor her was amusing to him, and strange.

"Take her to her cell." He ordered once more, then walked out of the lab afterward.

Ellie felt like she would go insane the very next second. He didn't tell her if he had decided to leave Nicholas alone. Saying they should take her back to her cell meant they wouldn't test anything on her. Does that mean he was still going to do it with Nick?

While the confusing questions were swirling around in her head, she didn't notice the hateful glare Asaph was throwing her way.

He looked like he wouldn't hesitate to end her life at the slightest opportunity.