Chapter 85 - You're a Fool
The next morning, Adeline was under scrutinizing watch. She was seated at the dining table for breakfast. His eyes intensely watched her, taking in every action, the smallest and biggest. As long as she moved, his attention was on her.
Adeline felt like a lab rat under a magnifying glass. What was so interesting about her eating? She had touched her face on many occasions, wondering if there was a piece of food or sauce stuck somewhere.
Finally, five minutes into the staredown, she dropped her utensils. "What is it?" she asked.
"Would you like a bite of my food?" Adeline scooped the soup, ready to feed him if he said yes.
"I'd rather you take a bite of it," Elias said. He heard from Easton that Adeline had eaten well under his watch. But speaking to the maids revealed her plate was messy and it seemed the food was played with.
"But I did drink it?" Adeline said, lifting the spoon to her mouth. Instantly, the creamy clam chowder's umami flavor burst on her tongue. It was delicious and she took another mouthful.
Elias warily glanced at the white sauce on her lips. Perhaps he would have her drink more white soups… He reached forward and wiped her mouth.
"No, don't lick it!" Adeline exasperated when he licked his thumb, his eyes flickering with amus.e.m.e.nt.
She was mortified that he'd do something like this, even though her e.r.o.t.i.cas always had a scene like this. She didn't think it'd happen in real life!
"I'd rather lick something else, truth to be told, but since we can't have that, I'd have to opt for this." Elias gestured for her to take another spoonful of her clam chowder.
Adeline's grip tightened on her large soup spoon. She wondered how shameless one had to be to say words like that without flinching. Thus, she dropped her gaze and carefully lifted another spoonful. This time, she widened her mouth a bit more to ensure nothing would stain her mouth.
"I'm sure your mouth can go a bit wider, my sweet. Give it a try." Elias leaned his chin on his propped up arm, his eyes twinkling with mirth. She nearly choked on the white soup, a droplet dribbling down the side of her mouth. Before he could even react, she wiped it with a handkerchief.
"You're unbelievable," Adeline chided. She pushed the soup away, deciding his mind was going places she wasn't ready for.
"I'm not sure what you're saying," Elias cooed. He placed an egg salad sandwich with freshly harvested romaine lettuce and steak tomatoes grown in the castle garden. She had no way to play with sandwiches.
"But seeing as you have a different idea, do tell what it is." Elias gestured for her to take a bite of the large sandwich. It was stuffed to its fullest with topping, which would force her to open her mouth a bit more.
"It's n-nothing of your concern," Adeline stammered out. She didn't need him to find out her thoughts went to e.r.o.t.i.cas and the thing's a woman's mouth could do. She reluctantly lifted the sandwich, then wryly looked at it. Why was it so huge?
"I don't want it," Adeline suddenly told him. She pushed the plate away and reached for a salad.
Elias narrowed his eyes. "You better not play with the salad. It's not a toy, and it better go into your mouth."
"You're strangely obedient today." Elias was suspicious. She usually didn't behave like this during meals. And he knew it wasn't because of a random change of heart.
Elias c.a.r.e.s.sed her hair, moving it behind her shoulders, revealing her long, pale neck. The spot he had nipped had long healed, with nothing but a small wound there. He watched her swallow the food, his eyes flickering to her mouth and then her throat.
"Don't just eat the lettuce. Eat the toppings too," Elias said. He had become an expert in observing her tiny actions. Whoever taught her these techniques was going to die a cruel, painful death.
Vampires rarely ate food, but that didn't mean they didn't like the taste. The trick was to cook with blood tablets sprinkled onto the dishes. It was precisely why Elias's plates were decorated with golden ringlets to indicate it was his meal.
But with Adeline seated directly beside him, he wasn't focused on the food. He was focused on her and what that little mouth of hers did.
"Oh my, my disobedient pet is finally behaving," Elias taunted. She had begrudgingly obliged to his orders and ate the toppings, starting from the beets to the eggs.
"Your words make it difficult for me to listen," Adeline mumbled. She pushed the salad away after eating half of it. "It's like telling someone to do something when they already plan on doing it."
Elias hummed at her comparison. He brought another plate of food towards her, this time, it was lemon tarts. He saw her eyes wonderfully spark with delight. She settled her salad fork down to eat with the small dessert fork.
"Elias," Adeline said as she stabbed the lemon tart.
Elias's smile widened. She must be imaging that was his pretty face. He could see the intent in her eyes when she stabbed through the butter biscuit crust.
"What is it, my sweet?" Elias drawled out. He took a sip out of the wine glass, with fresh rabbit blood. Somehow, he had outgrown deer blood, mainly because he viewed Adeline as a small fawn [1]. Why drink the blood of a fawn when he could just drink her instead?
He remembered the delightful shiver of her spine yesterday when he nipped at her. She was terrified. He heard her quickened heartbeat, and the tightening grip on his suit. He had nearly lost control yesterday. It wouldn't have been difficult to touch her on the table. He wanted her squirming and begging for release again.
"I'd like to go to the Marden's Estate. There is a pressing matter that I must deal with," Adeline said.
"What's the issue?" Elias asked.
Elias pushed the plate closer to her, indicating he wanted her to take another bite. The chefs always worked hard on the lemon desserts, putting on two layers of gloves and plugging their noses to prevent the horrible stench from filling their s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e nostrils.
"I… I have a contract with Viscount Marden," Adeline vaguely explained.
Adeline placed the dessert into her mouth, her shoulders dropping in p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e. She closed her eyes, savoring the delicious sour yet sweet dessert. It was a lovely tang on her tongue and a refreshing taste from the chowder and salad.
"No wonder you're so obedient today. You want something from me," Elias noted.
He stopped playing with her hair. He stroked the side of her face with the back of his knuckle. She wriggled on the chair, trying to move away from his c.a.r.e.s.s.
Elias nearly laughed. There were not many people in this world who had received a loving touch like his. He couldn't remember a single person he had touched with this much affection. He had long outgrown his indulgence in women two decades ago.
"I don't want anything from you," Adeline said. "I just want to go and settle that contract—"
"Hmm, I'd like to believe otherwise," Elias said. He held up his hand for her to see and began counting down with his fingers. "You want a car to travel to their estate, a chauffeur to take you there, guards to follow you, and people to dress you."
Adeline blinked. "I just—"
"And I believe the contract is your negotiation for killing me?" Elias teased.
Adeline's mouth dried up. How did he know that?
"Tell me what the contract is about, and I'll debate about letting you go." Elias nudged her wrist to continue bringing the cake into her mouth. He didn't have his chefs go through all of that pain just for her to nitpick at this and that. She needed to properly eat, and he'd gladly take over that responsibility. There was plenty of things for her to eat and taste in this castle.
"I gambled everything for my freedom from them," Adeline finally confessed. "I took the first offer my Uncle gave me, no matter how impossible it was."
Elias clicked his tongue. "No doubt, you're a fool. The first rule of thumb is to never accept the first offer. But oh well, no point in crying over spilled milk."
Adeline didn't respond. She slid her fork through the yellow tart and placed it into her mouth, chewing with a slight frown.
"I'll have the car ready for you, darling."
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