Aurelia Shaw's eyes gradually regained clarity. The man's sturdy body was right in front of her, with a piece of firm flesh between her teeth. She froze, suddenly realizing what was happening, and looked up abruptly, only to find herself staring into Mason Nightshade's deep, burning black eyes.
Aurelia felt her heart skip two intense beats. Normally calm and collected, her fingers were trembling slightly, perhaps due to the alcohol or something else. Heat rose to her cheeks, coloring her beautiful face a rosy red, even tinting her ear tips pink.
"Mason Nightshade, what are you trying to do?" she preemptively questioned in a clear, crisp voice, though upon closer inspection, there was a hint of wavering guilt at the end of her words.
Mason Nightshade hadn't expected her to suddenly become sober and was momentarily taken aback.
Was her action just now intentional, or was it instinctual?
His dark eyes reflected her beautiful and serene face. Noticing her tongue quietly licking away a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth, Mason felt an itch in his heart, like a claw scratching, as his thin lips curved into an involuntary smile.
"What are you smiling at?" Aurelia raised an eyebrow. The heat hadn't left her cheeks, a faint pink cloud enveloping her, making her look both beautiful and alluring.
Yet she was unaware of it, her eyebrows arched, the corners of her eyes carrying a touch of wildness, her gaze sharp as she looked at Mason Nightshade.
But deep down, she herself felt guilty. Despite not showing it on her face, her heart continued to thump lightly in her chest.
She simply looked intoxicated.
Upon waking, she unintentionally bit him...
Shit!
Aurelia cursed in her mind.
A little Aurelia in her mind was throwing a tantrum, yet her face remained calm and composed, betraying nothing.
"Had enough of a hug?" she asked coldly, raising her voice as if to cover up her guilty conscience, "If you're done, let me down!"
Mason Nightshade feigned ignorance of her futile attempt to conceal her guilt but didn't tease her further. Carefully, he put her down, and as he stepped away, his hand brushed her waist, now holding a sharp dagger.
His mischievous eyes glanced at Aurelia, "Use dangerous things like this less often in the future."
Aurelia reached to her now-empty waist, her brows furrowing.
In that moment, she had indeed instinctively wanted to reach for her knife.
It wasn't the first time she did this, so it was no surprise he caught on.
But...
She extended her hand, her face marked with an innocent intoxication, "Give me back the knife, that's my knife!"
She looked like a child pouting over a beloved toy being taken away.
Mason Nightshade chuckled softly to himself. Instead of returning it, he turned and walked towards the study.
"Mason Nightshade, you—!" Aurelia was infuriated and stepped forward to catch up. But as soon as she took a step, a dizziness washed over her, and she plummeted toward the ground.
Mason Nightshade's expression changed drastically; he was by her side in just two strides, an arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her into his embrace. His gaze held both annoyance and disappointment, "Can't you even be careful walking? What if you hit your head on the stairs? Do you care so little for your face?!"
He knew how much she valued her appearance.
If her face were truly injured in any way, leaving scars, he'd expect she would cry for days and nights on end.
Even her beloved acting career would become much harder.
The thought of the scene just now still left Mason uneasy; his heart pounded with a lingering fear.
Aurelia was too drained to argue with Mason Nightshade. The effects of the alcohol hadn't worn off; standing was fine, but moving made her feel dizzy. She massaged her temples, frowning slightly.