Hellbound Heart

It was a struggle for Elle to finish her meal. She did not know how she even took bite after bite of the food that was before her. Every mouthful tasted like cardboard on her tongue. But somehow, she forced herself and tried her best to at least relax a little for her to take in the food. She knew she needed it.

To her relief, Elijah did not push her to finish her meal quickly as she had expected him to do. So, Elle took the opportunity to stall for time. She ate as slowly as she could, thinking that every minute that passed would probably give the others just that extra time to find them. At the same time, perhaps she might experience some lightbulb moment to give her that one brilliant idea to escape this situation they were in.

Elle was at least certain that Sebastian and Alex's men must be definitely on the lookout for them by now. Though she felt a little scared that the help would take a long time to arrive, based on how long it took for Sebastian to finally locate her when she went missing, she repeatedly told herself that it should not take that long this time around. Their situations were completely different! Because Sebastian was this country's very own Crown Prince! Everyone should be doing everything they can to find him right now. She also believed that Lucas had escaped to inform everyone about what had happened to them.

While she was slowly and carefully eating, munching slowly as though she was truly savoring the food, she kept on sneaking furtive glances at Elijah. But not at his face. She was trying to avoid looking directly at his face so as to not distract herself. She truly did not have the luxury to think about his face right now.

He was preparing something by the sink. She was certain it was not for himself though.

Soon, he glanced at her over his shoulder. Their eyes met and Elle could only clench her jaws once again. She could never ever get used to this. It was just so weird, so uncanny, that her body was not sure what to even feel.

His gaze fell to her food and Elle swallowed. Somehow, the look in his eyes seemed to tell her that he knew she was deliberately dragging her meal to pass time.

"Since you're not done yet, I'll go –"

"Wait!" Elle rose in an instant, cutting him off. She must not let him go back to the underground cell without her! "I'm done." She could only say as she pushed back her chair when...

"No." Elijah's voice was a little commanding. "You're not done yet. Make sure you're completely finished with your food when I'm back. Or else I'll force feed you myself. Got it, Sunshine?"

Elle clenched her fists. She hated that she could not take his threats lightly because it always felt like he would really do what he had threatened once she did disobey.

"W-where are you going? Are you going to go feed... Sebastian with that?" she asked, her eyes darting to the small bowl he was holding. She could not see what was inside it, but she found it suspicious.

"Ah..." he looked down at the bowl in his hand before he replied. "This is not for Sebastian, Sunshine. You can't be thinking I'm feeding the person I hated the most with the same food I prepared for you, can you?"

"Y-you could've put... something in it."

He smiled. A quick and amused smile. Seeing his smile for the first time, Elle found herself feeling utterly relieved.

She would really not know what to even do anymore if Elijah had a dimple in the same spot Sebastian had too. But thank god he did not have it! And that was all that mattered to her at that moment.

"And what if you're right? What would you do, Sunshine?" one of his brows raised a little and Elle focused her gaze to the moles that were right below his eyes. All because she hated how similar that expression was with Sebastian's.

"I'll have to... fight you to death right here, right now." She replied and a short silence passed before his laughter echoed in the spacious dining area.

Again, though Elijah's laughter was as dark and sultry as his voice, Elle was just thankful nothing in his laughter and voice were the same or even remotely similar with Sebastian's.

"Really... Sunshine... there's never a dull moment with you!" He commented with laughter in his voice, shaking his head.

"Stop calling me that already!" she glared at him. But he had already turned to leave.

"Finish your food." He said before turning around and abruptly left, leaving no chance for Elle to object.

Elle rushed to eat more food on her plate. Then she stuffed the remaining food in her mouth until her cheeks were bulging out like a squirrel's, finishing her meal in a very short while.

She then rushed to the cabinet Elijah had opened a while back. All the knives were not small enough for her to hide. And there were no sheaths. How could she hide them on her body? She might end up getting wounded!

So she picked the kitchen shears instead, tucked it into the back of her clothes and ran out of the kitchen and rushed towards the secret passage. She was too afraid Elijah would lock the secret door to keep her out!

But she halted the moment she spotted Elijah squatting on the floor of the living room. She almost did not notice him as she passed.

Still trying to chew on the food she had hastily stuffed into her mouth, she faced towards him only to see him feeding a... squirrel on the floor.

Elijah glanced up at her and his eyes widened for a moment before he burst out with laughter once again, eyes curving into narrow crescents as his mirth poured from him.

Knowing exactly what had made him laugh, Elle shot him a deadly glare as she struggled to chew the food in her mouth. She tried to look around to find anything she could probably use to hit him. But could a vampire even pass out from getting hit?

Picking up the cute little squirrel he was feeding, Elijah lifted it towards her. "I think I know now what to name her. I'll name her Sunny. After you, Sunshine. What do you think? I picked her up from the roadside last night, so she's new here and still nameless." He spoke, all the while chortling at how similar both squirrel and lady were to each other.

Without waiting for Elle's response, Elijah turned again and continued watching the squirrel gobbling up the food he had fed it.

"You look adorable with your squirrel cheeks. But go back and drink some water first, before you choke, Sunshine. Also, you might want to use the bathroom. I can only give you twenty minutes to do everything you need to do before we get back down there." His tone changed when he said that last sentence without looking her way. "I'm not certain when I can let you out again. So you'd better grab this opportunity now."