At her words, Richard couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She had seen through him so quickly. Yet, he still held her waist, unwilling to let go.
He replied, "You weren't ready for me to drink your blood either."
Anran defended herself, "Who… who said that? I just—"
"Hmm?" Richard raised an eyebrow, questioning her.
Anran pouted her red lips, reluctant to admit, "Fine, I'll admit I was a little scared."
Her kitten-like demeanor was too adorable, and Richard couldn't help but chuckle softly. At this moment, more than her blood, he craved her lips. He still remembered the irresistible sensation of their first kiss...
The intensity of his gaze made Anran's heart race, and her face felt as if it were on fire. She couldn't help but ask, "Richard, what… what are you doing now?"
"Shh—be quiet—"
Richard pressed a finger to her lips. The hand around her waist slid upward until it reached her back. With a gentle press, he pulled their bodies even closer. Then, in a low, husky voice, he said, "Anran, right now, I just want to kiss you."
Before Anran could react, his other hand cradled her head. A cold yet fervent kiss rained down on her face, as Richard carefully kissed her brows, the tip of her nose, and finally, the lips he had longed for...
This was their second passionate kiss. She was still inexperienced, but he had already mastered it.
Only when the girl in his arms became soft and pliant did he finally let go of her lips, wrapping his arm around her slender waist. He let out a satisfied sigh.
Anran could finally catch her breath. She was now relying on his arm to keep her upright. If he let go, she might collapse to the ground from the weakness in her legs.
Why do humans need to breathe? Richard thought with dissatisfaction.
It took a while for Anran to regain her composure.
How had she been kissed again! They had been discussing the serious matter of whether or not he would drink her blood, and yet…
That vampire had bewitched her once more!
"What? You're still not satisfied?" Richard raised an eyebrow, smiling.
"N-no…" Anran quickly replied.
"Good, then let's do it again."
Before Anran could protest, she saw his lips approaching again.
In the end, she could only obediently close her eyes.
This kiss was tender, lacking the previous aggression. After the kiss, they leaned against each other, and at some point, her hands had found their way to his back.
It was Richard who broke the silence first. "Oh! I just remembered, we seem to have forgotten something."
"Huh? What is it?" Anran asked, still dazed.
"You forgot, we came here to practice our dance steps," Richard said with a smile, gently tapping the tip of her nose.
At his reminder, Anran finally remembered. She had indeed completely forgotten about it, only wanting to lose herself in his tenderness.
"Speaking of which, what are we going to dress as for the Halloween ball?" Anran asked, her cheeks still flushed.
Richard thought for a moment and said, "I'm not sure yet. This is my first time attending a ball."
"What?" Anran was puzzled.
"Is that strange?" Richard chuckled softly. "It's because I've never found a dance partner before."
Hearing this, Anran was momentarily stunned. Could she interpret this to mean that she was Richard's first dance partner? Just the thought of it filled her heart to the brim.
Later.
They danced on the clock tower for what felt like an eternity, until the setting sun dipped behind the mountains...