• Chapter 1
    Dream
    He stared at me with his gleaming eyes as my tears started to overflow. “Don’t worry, it’s okay to cry,” he whispered softly into my ears as his beautiful, ruby eyes were locked on mine. Kindly, he laid his tender arms around my cold shoulders while I sobbed. We sat quietly beneath a grayish, lofty tree brightened by the moon light. A northern blew across my face and made my spine shivered. He notices my chillness and hugged me tighter with his tepid arms. “I like this place. It’s dark and no can order us around,” I said with a gloomy smile as tears strolled from my eyes. One of his hands smoothly slid down my frosty arm and grasped my hand, as for the other, brushed into my hair, holding the back of my head. Amazing, I thought to myself.
    He lightly tilted my head so he could see my teary, flushed face. “You’re not scared of the dark?” he asked with a teasing smirk.
    “Of course I’m not scared. As long as you’re by my side, I’ll never be afraid of anything,” I said, running out of breath quickly because the knot in my throat seems to get tense every time I shed a tear.
    He beamed at me as our hands began to get clammy. He held me tenderly while his demonic red eyes met mine. My heart was beating rapidly as he leaned towards my mouth. Oh crap, I thought nervously. I stared at his full pink lips getting closer and closer. I shut my eyes as he kissed me blissfully. His lips were soft as silk and I loved it. Continuing to weep, tears streamed from my face and dripped onto his pale cheeks. He tilted his head to kiss me more deeply while his solid hand slithered down my spine. I could hear him breathing, in and out intensely, as his breath hit my skin like a summer breeze. His lips smoothly glided downward, reaching my neck like a vampire would, but instead of biting, he rested his forehead on my bony shoulder, and sighed.
    The creamy blonde hair of his head grazed against the dry skin of my nose. “Um…did I make you weary?” I asked him with uneasiness in my tone. He immediately raised his head, placed his hand on my blushed cheeks, and gazed deeply into my dark brown eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. I’m just frail tonight,” he answered swiftly. He leaned back alongside the rough tree bark, pulling me back with him, and positioned my head on his muscular chest. I could hear his heart beating and his lungs breathing beside my ear. My tears rolled off my face and soaked into his dark blue t-shirt.
    I was too shy to look at him directly so I glanced at his exquisite red eyes and instantly looked away when he noticed me peeking at him. He beamed at me with his glossy white teeth and cupped my chin with his slick fingers to make me face at his direction. He gave me a soft kiss on my forehead and slipped down to my wet, swollen cheeks, and stopped on my lips. Damn, I thought. He’s awesome. He departed from the passionate kiss and combed my bangs out of my eyes.
    I opened my mouth so I can speak but no words flew out. His expression was puzzled and he asked me, “Did you wanted to say something to me?”
    “I was about to. But it’s probably useless to ask you,” I said falsely.
    “No,” he said, putting both of his hands firmly on my face, forcing me to look straight at him. “Whatever you say to me will never be useless. If you ask me to do something, I’ll do it. Even if it’s a waste of my time, I’ll still do so to make you happy,” he said, so deep and delightful. “So tell me, what did you want ask?” he questioned, waiting patiently for me to tell him.
    I wiped my tears away as I stopped crying. Clutching onto his shirt, drenched with my tears, I gazed at him. “Say…say my name.” I said, gasping for air between each word. He grinned and held my head close enough for his forehead to touch mine. His warmth shifted and dropped through my hair, reaching my skin. He stared intensely into my soul and faintly moved his mouth. “Morana,” he said, with his deep angelic voice, echoed throughout the darkness of the woods. His tone was so lovely and divine, my heart could’ve burst. I loved it. I loved him.
    He embraced me strappingly, kissed me deep and tenderly as before. I rested my head back on his balmy chest that now felt more like a pillow. I was joyful in a dazed, my vision became hazy, and I was knocked out in an instant. I thought I had passed out because of my lengthy cry, but I was mistaken. I opened my eyelids, expecting him to still hold me in the dark forest.
    Soon, my eyes were in pain. A bright light blinded me from everything in my surroundings and there was a loud noise that was annoying to my ears. Irritated, I slowly sat up from the ground, unexpectedly feeling softer and less grassy. My beloved vanished and the trees transformed into vivid white walls. I realized that whole event was just a romantic dream of mine. I reached out stiffly to hush my alarm, stretched my arms high in the air, and let out an exhausted yawn. Rubbing my eyes, I looked out the window, and observed the crowded city streets.
    It took me a while to let the dream sink in and the image of him popped into my head with millions of thoughts gradually filled my head. For once, I would like to have a sweet dream with some mentioning of his name so I can reply properly. Disappointment and guilt filled me like a rain bucket. It’s rare for me to have a nice dream like this one, particularly with another person beside my brother. Ever since my brother had left, my dreams were mainly pitch black, as if I dreamt of nothing. Sometime I would picture myself falling with fear in my eyes, screaming for help, and reaching out in the emptiness until I wake up.
    I placed those thoughts away as I swung my legs off my bed and started into my usual mornings. I stripped off my night clothes and slipped into my black shirt, dim skinny jeans, thin pair of socks, and my dark unzipped jacket. I brushed my tangled layered hair and hurriedly slid into my worn out pair of converse. I bashed out of my front door, holding a hot breakfast toast between my lips. The frosty air sunk into the skin of my face as I ran through the packed streets of Phantom.