Rendezvous At Night

"Do you even know how much courage it took me to be here?" her voice rose an inch, her frustration and helplessness dripping through it. Finally she raised her head enough to meet his eyes.

But he was stunned to see the accusation. His eyes narrowed. He had misunderstood. The girl was not here because she wanted him to apply medicine on her wound. But for him. But this thought was much more ridiculous than the first one.

"Why are you here, Olivia?" Olivia flinched. This was the first time he had taken her name. Her first name! It left a strange sense of fear and thrill in her at the same time. 

He noticed how she shivered. Her eyes flickered with a dark ray of light. She was wearing a thin gown with only a strap holding it on her body. It was not revealing much yet it was designed so seductively. Recently, she has been wearing more and more revealing clothes at parties and social gatherings too. As if she was announcing to the world that she had come of age.

Did she not notice how every man was looking at her at the party? How their eyes were filled with desire. Was the count not a good lesson? He should not have interfered in the first place! This woman needed more lessons.

"If you are using it as an excuse, you would regret it." he warned her in a cold voice. She could feel that he was furious now and understand it. After all, she was not speaking after coming here and standing like a log for a long time.

But his gray eyes were like two vortex sucking her soul. Even if she tried… she sucked in a deep breath, hungrily devouring it.

"I saw you limping in the party. I thought.. You might need it." there! She had said it.

"..." and it had left him stunned. The large wound on his calf did not heal well because he could not ask for treatment.

If he did, he had to explain how he was wounded. And then his mother would conveniently announce that he must have failed in his practice. He could not give her a chance to find a flaw in him. 

His father was losing his interest in him. If this continued.. A dark and bleak future would be awaiting him. No, he still needed a few months. That was why he was lying low. But this girl..

"What do you mean? Why would I limp?" his voice was harsher. "Leave the room right now, miss Witherland. If others saw you here in the middle of the night, rumors would spread." 

"....." rumors? Her cheeks burnt as she realized he was a man. He was twenty three right? Only five years younger to Oriana. He had always called Oriana mother and her witherland, that she had forgotten for a second that he was a man too.

"You can not ask the physician for it. I know. I have only.."

"I do not understand what you're talking about." the voice came through gritting teeth. He let her know that he was barely holding his anger. If she did not listen, he would not care anymore.

"I will not tell anyone. You do not need to be wary of me. This is.. In return for the favor you have done in the party."

"...." Damon did not reply. He only stared at her coldly as if he was trying to pierce her soul with his cold gaze. Olivia did not move. She did not look away. She let him stare at her for a long time. It was hard to trust her. After all, she was the sister of the one who sent assassins to kill him. How could she bring ointments for his wound then?

"Have you mixed poison in it?" he finally asked but before she could react, he had taken the ointment from her palm.

It felt like a huge weight had lifted. The small bottle had felt like quintals. She closed her eyes, making sure that she did not stagger now.

"You can test it on me first. I have an open wound here." she pointed at her cheeks as if he would miss it if she did not inform him.

He laughed helplessly. "So in the end, you do want me to apply ointment on your wound!!"

"... pardon?" Olivia blinked. She looked so innocent at that moment. Her green eyes, her red hair.. It resembles Oriana so much. Yet, the look in her eyes.

"Forget it" he shook his head. He had nothing to do with her. If his plan worked well, he would get rid of all of them soon.

He could not weaken his heart now. 

"I have helped you and you have returned the favor. Though I do not need it, I will keep it. Now we do not owe anything to each other. You can leave before the maids see you here." Olivia hesitated. He had saved her from the count in the party and now she had brought him an ointment. Should it not bring them closer?

Why did it feel like she was even farther than before? Now she regrets not talking to him in all these years.

"Young lord.." she started again, "i.." I apologize for my sister's deed! Or.. I am not part of my sister's deed! What must she say?!? Olivia played with her dress. If she left now, she would neither have the chance or reason to approach him again. She must find a result from this meeting even if it was a minor success! 

"You should.." his eyes widened and in the next second his hands wrapped around her body and pulled her in an embrace. His strong and wide hand covered her lips with his hand. The touch felt like a jolt of electricity and she stiffened. This.. she had never expected this kind of progress.

What is happening here?