It's been 2 days since we returned to Michael's castle.

He and Gilbert have been acting strange ever since - ignoring and not talking to me. Well, when it came to Gilbert, this behavior wasn't something new, but Michael... he would never act like this! He used to be so talkative and I felt like he was enjoying my company to the point where he wouldn't let me sleep until 3am! He loved talking! He was showering me with his attention, we'd have dinner together, then stroll out in the gardens, but the last few days, when I came downstairs at the usual hour for supper, I would find the table set with warm food for me, however, there was no sign of Michael or Gilbert.

I would dine alone and then roam the castle with the hope to see his eyes but in the end, I'd go to bed after I've grown tired of walking, lie down and fall asleep with tears in my eyes.

The only company I had was coming from all those people in the paintings on the walls, and from the animal statues, which I used to find quite scary, but now they seemed to be my best friends.

What was going on? Why would he ignore me like this? Didn't he want me anymore? Was he going to get rid of me? Did my father say something bad to upset him?

These questions were burning inside me and I couldn't wait no more. I had to find out what was going on, so in the morning, after I got out of bed, I gathered my courage and went up the last floor in his own room to talk to him.

When I first came to live here, I would have never dared do that but now because of the situation, that I could no longer endure, I decided I would take that risk no matter what.

Besides, I was curious to know what was he doing in his room during day time?

I checked myself out in the mirror to make sure I looked decent and made my way to the elevator. I hit the button for the last floor and waited.

The corridors were so empty and quiet. Only the pictures on the walls and the animal statues accompanied me on the way. I had forgotten how cold the air was up here. I was approaching the big door of his room more and more with each step, until I was finally standing in front of it.

I gulped down my fear and knocked. No matter what happened, no matter how angry this would make him, I had to talk to him and find out the reasons for the sudden and unpleasant change in his attitude towards me.

The door was so thick and heavy that I had the feeling the sound of my knock that came from my small, weak hand, couldn't penetrate the stone, so I decided to just push the door open.

I placed my both arms on the stone and used my legs for support and strength to open the heavy door.

I entered the room without windows. It was so cold and dark but in the distance, where his bed was, I noticed a few candles, placed on the floor around his bed, burning. I followed their light slowly and carefully so as to not trip over something.

When I reached it, I saw the thick curtains of the bed were hanging from the ceiling, covering the bed in a round form like a circle... It was already so dark, why curtains too?

I carefully stepped further towards the bed, wondering if he was there,  but I couldn't see because of the thick curtains. Then suddenly, a gentle wind or more like a breeze, blew my hair and the curtains. I noticed Michael laying on the bed with his eyes closed and hands in one another resting on his chest.

I wondered where did the wind come from in a room without any windows?!

I stepped further until I was inside the circle of curtains, right in front of his bed.

He looked like...

a dead man.

Even his chest didn't heave up and down. Was he sleeping? I thought he said vampires never slept... was he okay then? Oh God! Was there something wrong with him?

I extended my hand to touch him but stopped halfway when he said

"I thought I told you this part of the castle was forbidden." he suddenly opened his eyes, looking straight into mine.
"I.. I.." I didn't know what to say. He scared me. He knew I was here all along.
"What are you doing here, YN?"
"I want to talk to you..." I didn't know if it was because of the cold or because of him, but I was shivering.
"And you dared disturb me because you want to talk?" he was sharp.
"Well, you wouldn't show up so I thought I should come here and-"
"And you thought it was okay to disobey my orders?"
"No, I didn't mean that I just-" he cut me off again.
"Don't talk. It doesn't matter now. We'll talk tonight when we meet for supper and I'll have to explain to you the rules of this castle once again."
"I'm sorry, Michael.." then I felt the wind again but this time much stronger.

So strong that next thing I knew, I was out of the circle, closer to the door. It blew me away from him. Was he the cause of the mysterious wind? But he was only a vampire... he couldn't have been the cause of it, could he? He never mentioned having other powers!

I decided to stop thinking and focus on leaving the dark hall because it looked like I had gotten him very angry. He has never before treated me like that. What was going on with him???

Tonight I was going to find out, no matter what.

After I returned in my room, I begun to wait impatiently until it was finally time to go downstairs for dinner. I made sure to wear one of the dresses he had given me since I wanted to look beautiful for him.

I entered the dining room to find the table set, the fireplace burning, and he standing next to the table, with his back facing me.

"Good afternoon." he said and spun around in a very delicate way. He was beautifully dressed too and looked like a king.

"So you've finally decided to wear one of the dresses I had left for you."
"Yes." he didn't say anything which made me wonder... he didn't like it?? "Don't you like it?" I broke the silence. He sighed deeply with his mouth closed and said
"Red is my favorite color. Shall we dine?" he extended his arm to invite me to the table, quickly changing the topic I was so interested in. Tonight I wanted the truth - did he like me or not.

We did the usual dining "routine" with me eating, he drinking his wine and not taking his eyes off of me, with the slightest difference, that this time, we were silent. Not even one single word. He seemed angry, sad, confused and other feelings that I couldn't read in his eyes.

I finished eating and he drunk the last drop of his "wine" and that was when I couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"You didn't say if you like the dress..." I reminded him.
"I told you that red was my favorite color."

Red. Just like blood.

"Yes, but I think you misunderstood my question... I meant did you like the way the dress looks on me." I was beginning to sweat for I have never talked to a man like this before. I didn't even know where I got this courage from.
"If I thought I wouldn't like the way it looked on you, I would have never given it to you."
"Then why are you ignoring me all the time?"
"I see you're getting bolder with every hour. Highly improper for a young lady, in my opinion."
"A young lady who's only trying to find out why her dearest friend has abandoned her."
"By breaking my rules? Forgetting all about my warnings?? Going places you shouldn't!?"
"Anything! I'll do anything!"
"You're playing with fire, YN, but as you wish. After all, it's your own safety you're putting at risk." what did he mean by that?
"Of course I am! You and Gilbert are nowhere to be found in the last 2 days! You've left me completely alone!"
"We haven't."
"Yes, you have! Why?"
"What why?"

This made me angry. He knew very well why! I walked over to him, grabbed his hand and looked deeply into his eyes.

"You know why and you know better than me what I mean! Don't pretend you don't! I want answ-" suddenly I felt something very strange. The strength in my body, the one that would keep me up, left my legs and hands. I felt so weak, weightless, my balance got bad and I didn't know what was happening.
"YN!" I felt him wrap his arms around me to keep me up because I was going to collapse on the floor. "This is all  my fault! Forgive me!" his face was so close to mine..
"Michael.." I whispered and then pressed my lips against his.

What happened to you? And why did Michael say it was his fault? How is your conversation gonna end? The answers you wanted? How is he gonna react to the kiss?

Find out in next chapter :)