Bedding My Vampire Mate

Kayden lifted his hand and placed it on her right cheek. "I need to at least know what you are up to so I won't end up suffering or getting swept off my feet…,"

"It's a secret and also a surprise too. You will know exactly what I have planned in three nights so just be patient hmm," Joanna said. The wicked grin never left her face as she spoke.

"Just wait and see how I will give everyone the most amazing surprises of their lives. I am sure that all of them will have no choice but to testify that this year's anniversary is the most memorable of all the anniversaries…,"

"Trust me on this hmm," Joanna tapped Kayden on the shoulder.

Kayden bent and tried to kiss Joanna but the slippery girl managed to slip away as she has always done.

"I thought you wanted to kiss me so where are you running off to. Come and let's continue with what we were doing," Kayden said as he stared at the lady who was about five steps from where he stood.

"Your wish," Joanna said before she started running away.

"It is you who is having wishful thinking by assuming you can outrun me," Kayden said as he pursued her.

As they ran around the forest their laughter echoed in the dense forest mixing with the birds chirping to form a magical sound.

For hours Kayden and Joanna made the forest their playground.

Kayden was so free and jovial just like every other time he visited her in the forest.

Just like he vowed, he was more like a  lover when with her compared to the King he was and this made Joanna very happy even though she would never admit that.

After running for a long time Kayden finally caught up to her. He embraced her from the back tightly.

"Joan, when you finally reveal yourself you are not gonna keep your distance as you did in the past right?" Kayden asked, refusing to release her.

"You are not gonna treat me like a stranger. We are gonna be like we are right now hmm?"

There was fear in his voice as he spoke and Joanna could sense that fear notwithstanding how hard he tried to hide it.

"No matter how much the two of us love how we are now, the fact that you are the King. The number one person in the Kingdom will never change…," Joanna trailed in a tone that contained mixed feelings.

"We are never gonna remain the same way and that is a fact we all know…,"

"I know you are right but Joan promised me that you will not ignore me as you did in the past. I will be very happy if you don't treat me like a stranger," Kayden sounded desperate.

He bent and kissed her bare neck. " I don't think I will be able to handle the pain of being treated like a stranger after what we shared these past days".

Joanna pulled away and turned to face him. "That will depend on how you behave and my mood," Joanna said playfully.

"I am confident that instead of making you love me less I will make you fall head over heels for me…,"

"You and your confidence. I think that is the next thing I need to get used to," Joanna said as she turned to leave.

She didn't take up to three steps before Kayden stretched his hand and pulled her to himself.

She falls back on him with her hands on his chest. She lifts her eyes and looks into his eyeballs.

"You know as much as I do that this is not mere confidence. The look in your eyes while staring at me gives me this confidence and I have faith in what I see," Kayden said as he bent and kissed her on the lips.

Joanna pushed his chest away, not letting the kiss get intense. "Are you aware that you keep taking advantage of me lately?"

"I can't seem to stop myself from touching you whenever you are around me so you can't blame me for that," Kayden said as he lifted his right hand and touched her face.

"If you don't like it then I don't mind taking responsibility…,"

"Your wish," Joanna remarked firmly before she turned and walked towards the direction of the hut.

The hut was just in front of her when Kayden appeared right behind her and held her hand.

"What is it?" Joanna asked meekly when she saw that he wasn't looking as playful as he was earlier.

"I am leaving now…,"

"Now?" Joanna remarked in shock. "But why?" Joanna asked, looking unhappy.

She was so used to having Kayden around her to the point that even she didn't realize this fact.

"Don't you want me to leave?" Kayden asked. He took advantage of her absentmindedness and pulled her closer so that there was no space in between them.

He lifts his right hand and plays with her face flirtatiously. "If you don't want me to leave then you just have to say the word…,"

"Cut out with it already," Joanna pushed him away when he tried to kiss her.

"I am really leaving. Are you not gonna see me off?" Kayden stared at her departing back.

He watched as she waved her right hand in the air without turning to look at him for the last time.

"She is just right before my eyes and I am already missing her. I wonder how I am gonna deal with not being able to spend the entire day with her after she has revealed herself," Kayden muttered sadly.

He stood there and stared at the hut for a few minutes.

He left not long after.

On sighting the King from afar, Chris waiting beside the car went and opened the door of the car for him.

He took his position on the driver's seat after Kayden had sat down.

While driving Chris repeatedly steals glances at Kayden who was playing with his cellphone, acting like Chris didn't exist.

The silence and awkwardness were killing Chris from within so he initiated a conversation.

"Everyone is so terrified by the story of Miss Joanna's ghost haunting many people in the Kingdom…," Chris trailed as he looked at the rear camera to see whether Kayden was listening.

"The story has graduated from a mere joke to something very serious. I will organise some men and make sure that whoever is pulling this prank is caught…,"

"Let it be. Don't do anything about it," Kayden said without diverting his attention from the cellphone in his hand.

"But this is not right…

"Didn't you always want to avenge her grievances when she was alive?" Kayden asked, lifting his gaze to stare at Chris' face through the mirror.