Chapter 153: Crimson Into Abyssal Black
Eve and the others could practically see the man’s soul leaving his body, tethered only by a very thin thread. She let out a quiet sigh but chose not to interfere, as this was clearly Ivan’s way of blowing off steam. As long as it didn’t end with broken jaws or piles of ashes, she decided she’d let him have his moment.
"W-Well, Your Highness, you certainly have an eye for observation! Haha! I...I hadn’t quite seen things from that perspective. But I assure you, there is no issue for the women of this kingdom at all! They’ve always been shy and content as homemakers, while the men work hard to provide for their families." He forced a polite smile, though his voice trembled as he stood before one of the most dangerous men alive.
Ivan’s gaze lingered on him, watching the man squirm beneath his scrutiny, he felt the irritation that had sparked at the mention of Prince Valen ease at the slightest. Then, with a calmness more unnerving than anger, he said, "Hm...I see. If that’s the case, then."
The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on, and Mr. Warren’s relief was palpable when Professor Dante finally broke it.
"Well, since everything’s clear," Dante said lightly, "shall we move to our quarters? I’d rather rest and have lunch later, I’m absolutely famished!"
"C-Certainly!" Mr. Warren stammered, almost tripping over his own words. He looked at Dante as though he had just thrown him a lifeline before quickly turning to lead the group onward.
When Eve and Ivan entered their room, Eve took her time to gaze around her new accommodation, until, without a warning, a hand grabbed her arm and pushed her against the wall beside the door. She let out a startled gasp and squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the impact that never came because a firm hand cushioned it all entirely.
She opened her eyes, "Iv-"
She didn’t get to finish before her words were stolen by a searing, not-so-gentle kiss. Ivan pinned both her hands beside her head, intertwining her fingers with his as he pressed himself impossibly close. Eve didn’t know what had suddenly come over him; she could only champion herself to his way of loving.
She could feel his tumultuous emotions...wild, unrestrained and impossible to discern what triggered him so suddenly. As the kiss got deeper, he tangled his tongue with hers and a soft moan escaped her lips. He kissed her for what felt like forever, losing the sense of time until she grew breathless...only then did he finally pull away, trailing open-mouthed kisses along her jaw, all the way down her neck.
As she tried to get her breathing under control, he released her hands, only to slide his arms around her waist, pulling her closer enough for her back to arch, while her head still rested against the wall.
She felt him nuzzle his face into the crook of her neck, his breath hot against her skin and. Something about him felt off...something different. Now that she could finally breathe a little better, Eve realised just how strange he was behaving. Why was he acting this way? She knew he was a little irritated before, but this...this was something else entirely.
Testing the waters, she slowly wrapped her arms around his neck and asked in her sweet, breathless voice, "Ivan...what’s wrong?"
His grip on her tightened in response. He buried his face deeper into the curve of her neck but said nothing. Eve’s worry grew, so she began to stroke his hair in slow, soothing motions. "Talk to me...please," she coaxed gently.
He let out a low grunt, as though suppressing something. Her brows furrowed and she lowered her gaze, cupping his face in her hands. She tried to lift his chin to meet her eyes, but when he didn’t budge, her heart started to race for an entirely different reason.
"Ivan? Tell me...what’s bothering you?" she asked, her voice carrying an edge of concern.
Then, in almost a faint whisper, she heard him murmur against her skin, "You’re mine, Eve." He kissed her neck again and whispered again, "Only mine." A low, feral growl followed his words, reverberating through her.
Eve froze for a moment, confusion flickering through her chest before she managed to whisper back, "Yes...only yours."
He didn’t stop, his lips traced her jaw, her neck, marking every inch of her skin as though to prove his claim, making her heart pound in her chest. But she continued to caress his hair, hoping to calm whatever storm was brewing inside him.
"I won’t let you be taken from me," he murmured darkly, his voice came out rough against her ear. "Not by anyone. Not ever."
Her heart skipped a beat. There was something raw and unguarded in his words, laced with utter possessiveness.
"I’m right here, Ivan," she breathed, though her voice trembled.
He only responded by latching onto her neck, sucking the delicate skin until she gasped. Then, as if realising the pain he’d caused, he ran his tongue over the mark in a slow, languid motion that sent a shiver through her entire body.
Ivan didn’t know what was happening to him, only that the emotions he had always kept on a tight leash were slowly slipping...one thread at a time. His heartbeat drummed faster, and it felt as though something deep within him...something dark was whispering, Take. Claim. Keep.
A hunger that wasn’t entirely his own stirred restlessly beneath his skin, pushing against his restraint until it began to crack.
’What is happening to me?’ he thought, as his breath ghosted against her neck.
His eyes fluttered open, though his face stayed buried in the curve of her throat. Neither he nor Eve saw the brief change in his crimson irises darkening into abyssal black before bleeding back to red.
Then the burning in his throat that had urged him to sink his fangs into her flesh vanished as suddenly as it had come, leaving behind a chilling stillness in its wake.
Feeling himself regain his bearings, Ivan took a slow, deep breath before finally lifting his head to meet her worried gaze...those beautiful pools of blue he knew he could lose himself in, no matter how many times he looked into them.
Eve brushed her thumb against his cheeks and asked softly, "Are you feeling alright?"
"Hm," he leaned in and rested his head against hers, while enjoying her tender caresses, all the while maintaining eye contact with her.
Eve studied his face, trying to spot even the faintest trace of that strange, dark shift from moments ago. When she found nothing out of the ordinary, she exhaled softly, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips before whispering, "You know...you don’t have to worry about me leaving, right? Remember what you told me? We’ll stay with each other as long as we both want to. So, you have nothing to worry about."
Her hands trailed from his face down to his neck, deftly loosening his tie as she added with a teasing note, "Not about what my father wants...or my stepmother...or some deranged prince with perverted taste."
At that, Ivan’s lips curved into a smile that soon turned into a low, warm chuckle, the one that made her heart skip again. It was contagious enough that she found herself laughing softly too.
"Why are you so lovely?" Ivan asked, pressing a soft kiss against her flushed cheek. She merely shrugged her elegant shoulders, which made his smile widen even more.
After a moment, he asked quietly, "Did I hurt you?"
"No, you didn’t," she replied without hesitation, her fingers now unbuttoning the top of his white shirt.
Ivan stayed silent for a heartbeat before saying, his voice low and sincere, "I’m sorry for earlier...I don’t know what came over me. Maybe I’ve just been a little on edge since we stepped into this city. But even then, it doesn’t excuse my behaviour toward you."
He took her hands in his; hands that had already managed to undo the top three buttons of his shirt and pressed a lingering kiss to them. He then said with utmost sincerity, "So...forgive me, baby?"
To this, Eve gave him a soft smile, recognizing the Ivan she had come to know all this time. Though he often came across as unapologetic and aloof with his icy demeanor, yet here he was...apologizing, admitting that he might have hurt her, even if unintentionally.
And Eve wasn’t wrong, because Ivan would indeed do all the things she thought of him, but only for her. He was still the icy prince to everyone else...everyone except her.
"Apology accepted," she said, taking his hand back into hers. "Now...how about we take a nice nap as compensation?"
Ivan raised a brow and asked, "Should I take that as an invitation to something naughty, princess?"
"Hm...who knows," she murmured, feigning innocence as she slowly walked backward, taking him along with her and he happily complied. Soon, she reached the bed and, with a soft thud, fell onto the fluffy mattress, followed by Ivan hovering over her. The sparks he had ignited earlier came rushing back with full force. This time, they took their own sweet time to savor each other tenderly. And just like that, the two lovers melted into each other’s embrace once more, shutting out any thoughts or worries that dared to exist outside their room.
