Chapter 9: RACING HEARTS

With an amused expression on his face and his burning crimson eyes glistening with mirth at her sight, Nikolai concentrated on the back of the cloaked girl in front of him. Her shining black brown hair, which dangled down her back, shimmered dimly in the sunlight that peaked through the gloomy clouds in the sky. Suddenly, she took a hurried step forward to maintain a large distance between them, but he followed her with long yet slow strides that brought him closer to her, but she surprised him by turning around to look at him. Her hair was blown by the wind across her face, and her dangerously blazing, warning-like golden reptile eyes were making his heart beat at an unusually fast rate. Nikolai had a clear view of her gorgeous face as the wind blew her hair out of her face. Her oval face, big fierce eyes with long thick lashes, petite nose that made him feel the urge to pull and luminous, seductive pink heart shaped lips. It was almost as if he was staring at an angel who shouldn't exist. Although he couldn't see her clearly in the dream, he managed to catch a good glimpse of her before the darkness turned her into a silhouette. Seeing her this clearly, he found it hard to believe that the moon goddess would forbid him from approaching such a remarkable beauty with such intimidating eyes. He could see shock and fear in those fierce eyes of her, which prompted a devious smirk on his lips. She had the appearance of a forbidden fruit, but wouldn't that depend on how she tasted? She distanced herself from him by taking a large step while glaring angrily at him. "Do not come any closer." She forewarned him. She was looking at him with fear in her eyes, swallowing to squelch that fear, and this act of hers only roused his excitement even more. "You do not have the authority to order me around, fire storm," he clicked his tongue and shook his head as if mocking her, "You should know that you are going to be mine soon. I intend to enrage some beings, and I need you for that." "Touch me, and you will drop dead by my hands." Ophelia threatened, and her firm tone indicated that it wasn't a bluff. He tsked, his crimson eyes rolling lazily before collapsing on her like fire on fire. They could both get burned, couldn't they? "I need you to be well behaved or I might end up taking you by force. I intend to handle you rationally. As he finished his sentence, he poked his own brow. "What?" Ophelia questioned in utter disbelief. "Unfortunately, I do not intend to take you now, but rather to invite you to the unnecessary masquerade ball that will take place tomorrow at Celestia's imperial castle." His voice became even more sinister than it already was, and he turned his gaze to the snow-covered ground. "It's to commemorate my return.” What makes you think I'll go to this ball?" She inquired, taking two steps back to increase the distance between them. Nikolai lifted his head, his eyes assessing her, and his smile faded as if it had never existed. "Because if you don't, I'll kill everyone you care about." Ophelia's eyes widened with panic. "I.." "Cliche, isn't it?" Nikolai tilted his head, a bright unnatural smile appeared on his face, and his gaze was fixed on her. "I just want you to know that I can take any life precious to you with the snap of my finger." He caught his pearly whites between his lips to see her eyes widen and a creepy smile stretch across his lips. Ophelia scoffed, shaking her head, unable to believe she was being threatened by a psychopath. Even though he hadn't invited her, she was already planning on attending the ball and making him regret threatening her. He was absolutely terrifying, and he was acting with ease. It was unusual for someone to render her speechless as he had done; neither Sheldon, no matter how strict he was, nor her father, who treated her like the murderer he had made her into, could do it. The lycan had a way with words, and they deeply irritated her, causing her to scoff once more. She then fixed her gaze on him, where she noticed that his eyes sparkled with perilous amusement. He was breathtakingly beautiful, and his features matched his menacing demeanor. His long, dark hair was braided at the side, leaving the back and side sections unbraided hanging loosely. She could see three black rings on each of his ears, and his nicely chiseled face and sharply defined cheekbones moved in tandem with the unnatural smile on his lips. He was towering over her, dressed in a thick black cloak that covered his entire body but couldn't hide his perfectly built physique. "Do you think your threats will instill fear in me?" Ophelia arched her eyebrow. I can see your fear oozing out of you like a polluted air fire storm," He gave a cold smile. "No need to deny," "Do not call me that," Ophelia snapped, her heart pounding violently against her ribcage as she narrowed her eyes at him. "You do not scare me like you think you do Nikolai Novikov, I can easily crush you." Nikolai hardened his stare while still keeping that creepy smile on his lips. One could tell he wanted to crush her, but he couldn't intimidate her like he could earlier. He took his time as he walked towards her, and as not a single muscle in her body moved, his smile started to fade. Although she was a firestorm, it appeared that she was lighting up a storm cloud over his head. He was hoping to detect fear in those seductively fierce eyes of hers. His gaze was hot and threatening, and Ophelia didn't know how long she could keep her fear of him at bay. When he suddenly leaned his face close to hers, like a predator cycing his prey, she caught her breath unconsciously, and her heart betrayed her horribly by racing in fear, eliciting a devious smirk on his face. "I just realized something, Firestorm," He chuckled softly. Her spine stiffened, but not her hands. The closer he leaned to her, the faster her heart beat, and she smelled him... he smelled like mint for a split second, then like tonka bean. "W.. what." She faltered and swallowed. Hard. "I can't get a scent from you." His words echoed in her ears like a fading whisper, and he could hear her heart racing erratically. Unbeknownst to Ophelia, Nikolai's heart was beating a million times faster than hers. At the rate his heart was beating, he had a tinge of fear that it would rip out of his chest. Her hand momentarily slipped into her cloak, but he stepped away, his eyes crimson eyes glistening with uncertainty and then a wide smile that was identical to that of a predatory animal on the prowl stretched on his lips. "I await you, my intruging fire storm," Ophelia blinked and he was gone from sight with darkness lingering in the cold air. She then put her hand on her chest and heaved for air, realizing she had been holding her breath the entire time.