SPELLBOUND

The pounding in her heart became louder until it even echoed resoundingly in her ears as their eyes met. She could already feel the tension suddenly skyrocketing even though they were still at quite a distance from each other.

Last night, Zanya had been contemplating about everything that had happened since the very moment she stepped into his room. She could explain his reactions to her, but she ironically found that her reactions to him were quite inexplicable. She had no idea why she was even having such strong reactions to him. The bond was only supposed to affect the one who drank her blood. It was not supposed to be a two-way street. She had then repeatedly told herself that the bond must have some sort of effect on her somehow, even if does not make any sense. She kept reassuring herself this way because it was just ridiculous for her to think that it was her own heart and body that was reacting the way it was.

And now that it is happening again, even though he was doing nothing but just standing there and staring back at her. She felt as though she were being sucked in by that mesmerising purple gaze and all she could do was to stand there, paralyzed to her very fingers and toes. She had planned to yell at him the moment she saw him, but since she saw him, she could not do what she had intended to do and instead had gone on and played a mute. All because he was half naked, wet, and looking like the most seductive male she had ever seen as he stared back, all googly eyed at her. And in fact, he did not seem to realise he was doing so.

She swallowed, hard. Forcing herself to snap out of it and escape the grip of his stare, Zanya was about to clear her throat when he finally moved. He harshly raked both his hands into his hair then shook his head as though to clear some fogginess out of his brain.

Zanya waited for him to look at her again and prepared herself to speak but the man surprisingly just turned around without a single word edgewise before diving into the waters again. He did not even deign to spare her another glance before disappearing from her sights again.

Blinking, Zanya just stared at the water for a while. She did not quite know how to react – whether to feel confused or angry at his blatant disregard of her presence here. Did he not want to know why was she here in the first place? Even if he did know already, should he not at least ask what was she doing here?

After just a few moments, he emerged from the water again, throwing his wet bangs back with a sweep of his hand. He straight up looked her way and she saw his purple eyes widen again with some unnamed emotion. But again, as how he did previously, he mutely shook his head and dived back into the waters.

Speechless, Zanya finally realized that he was doing that most probably because he thought that he was hallucinating! She really did not know whether to laugh or cry as she put her hands akimbo on her slender waist, deciding to wait just like that for his next appearance.

Leon emerged from the waters again and she watched his expression turned from doubt to shock. Seems that she had guessed right.

"It's me. And I'm not in my spirit form or anything." Zanya finally spoke up and his face turned a few shades darker.

Zanya kept her expression neutral even though she felt a little offended that he looked totally angered now. Fuming within herself, she was questioning herself if it was supposed to be her or him that was supposed to get angry right now.

She watched his jaws worked as he gnashed his teeth. He turned around quickly as if he hated even the mere sight her. "What the hell, Zanya." He breathed out harshly. "Why are you here?!"

"You can forget about saying it. I am not going to leave even if you tell me to." She told him in an equally stubborn tone as she watched his body became even more stiff than before.

Then he was suddenly gone.

Zanya clenched her fists as she sat on top of the flat stone, never taking her gaze off the water. He did not emerge from the water for a long while. But she was seeing him coming up to the surface every now and again just to get a fresh lungful of air.

Then finally, she saw him emerged right across, on the other side of the lake. Zanya bit down on her lower lip before she spread out her wings to follow after him. She had told herself to leave this idiot alone but here she was, following doggedly after him even though she was not welcomed. What the hell is going on with you, Zanya! She yelled at herself. But what could she do? She could not make herself leave him alone no matter how or what she did!

Zanya landed next to him, and he stumbled until he was at least ten steps away from her.

If his back did not hit the trunk of a tree behind him, Zanya was certain he would have stepped back even further. Bending slightly as he pressed his palm over his forehead, Leon spoke in a hoarse voice, a pleading tone clearly evident. "Please Zanya… leave me alone. Don't do this to me." He almost choked out those words without looking at her.

And Zanya did not know why, but those words alone dissolved her anger at him. Maybe because he looked quite vulnerable now?

He was panting again, half-naked, wet and… barefooted.

"Where are your clothes? And shoes?" she asked instead, her voice turning warm and understanding.

"I… I don't know, I think I left them somewhe…" he trailed off and groaned hard. He turned and faced the tree, bracing his arms against the trunk as he dropped his head down, panting again. "You're driving me insane, damn it!"

"Well, that's only fair. You're driving me crazy too." She retorted and everything went quiet until Leon took a really sharp breath that was akin to the sound of an extremely sharp axe being swung downwards.

But then he leapt sideways and ran on ahead.

Zanya's gaze sharpened with determination. "Very well, Leon." she muttered determinedly as she spread out her wings and chased after him. "Let the chase continue. I am quite curious to know which one of us will be the one giving up first. However, I am pretty confident that I am not going to lose in this challenge."

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