Chapter 39: Proposal

**ALICIA**

“Alicia, love…are you okay?”

I woke up with Akihiro caressing my cheeks while I am lying on his shoulder. My eyes were blurry and I couldn’t raise my arms nor move my feet. There’s a throbbing pain on my hand like it was cut. Then, I could feel the handkerchief covering it.

“I am so sorry, love.” Akihiro whispered, placing his forehead on mine…and still hugging me.

I couldn’t understand what was happening right now. I was a bit weak to say something but I wasn’t sure what made me weak. I could only remember Hades pulling the trigger. The bullet landed on my body, but it didn’t kill me.

I am still alive. What was that?

“Akihiro…” I blinked, adjusting my eyes to the lights, but it was so dark that there’s only the crescent moon that is giving us light. “Where are…we?” I asked. “What is happening?”

“I am sorry.” He said again. “I’ll explain later…but for now, we have to go. We have to leave this place. I am so sorry because you got hurt.” Akihiro held me tight as he stood up.

My instinct told me to wrap my arms in his neck. He positioned himself…as he started running. It felt like we were flying because of how fast he was. I closed my eyes because the wind is starting to make my eyes dry.

I could only hear the sound of Akihiro’s footsteps until there’s gun firing and arrow shots towards us.

“Alicia, please bear with it. I am so sorry for putting you in this mess.” He said, while we are still running. “We just need to get out of this place…and—fuck!” He yelled and I saw the arrow fired in his back.

“Akihiro…” I said, concerned.

“Don’t mind me…” He said, still running from whoever is following us until we reached the main road. He stopped and was finally relieved upon seeing the vehicles in front of us.

I was blinded by the light when I opened it so I closed it again. Akihiro dropped me on my feet while he removed the arrow in his back.

“Finally, it healed…” He sighed as he threw the arrow on the side. When he looked back, there’s no one looking at us.

“Akihiro? What was that?” I was about to walk but lost my balance. He immediately caught me off.

“I am very sorry. Did Hades scare you?” He checked up on me while still holding me. “I will reprimand him when I come back home. For now, we have to go back to your house before they can follow us on the main road.”

“Who are they? Why am I so weak…” I said, feeling dizzy.

Akihir lowered his back asking me to ride on it. “It’s my fault. I am taking responsibility right now.”

I stared at him, even though I no longer have the energy, just to make sure that he is Akihiro. I found that certain feeling deep inside my heart whenever he is with me.

He caught me smiling when he stared at me.

“It’s me, Alicia. If you are wondering, it’s me. Your greatest enemy, Alicia.” He made faces like he used to whenever we were arguing.

“You’re back.” I whispered as I got on his back. “What did you do to me? Are you okay now?”

“Yes. I am fully healed now. Thanks to your blood. I must have sipped a lot of your blood. That is why you are weak. You can kill me after you get all your energy. I will let you hurt me.” He replied to me. “I am sorry again.”

“Sorry isn’t enough.” I whispered, feeling sleepy now. I really couldn’t feel my body like I have drained every energy I have. “You have to do something about it.”

That was the last thing I said before closing my eyes. I woke up when the sun entered my room. I covered my face, not wanting to open my eyes. I smelled brewed coffee and fresh flowers beside my bed.

“Good morning, Alicia.”

I automatically opened my eyes upon hearing his voice. I caressed my head when I felt the pain after quickly getting up. Oh, damn! I felt like vomiting again.

“How are you feeling? Still, a headache?”

“Akihiro!” I was shocked to see him standing on the balcony, the white curtain swaying until he stopped it with his hands and I saw him smiling. “What are you doing–ah, right! You don’t have an invitation to get in.”

“It’s okay. It’s better than that, Alicia. You don’t need to invite me…but allow me to stay here to watch over you.”

“They will see you outside. You shouldn’t be staying there. It feels so weird if my parents will see you.” I responded. “I should invite you in. After all—” I paused. I don’t want to regret my actions, so I decided not to invite him yet. My family’s life should be my first priority.

“You should continue to take a rest. I drank a lot of your blood.” He started explaining what happened. “I didn’t know Hades would kidnap you just to save me. After what happened with the hunters, I wasn’t able to heal properly because of what they put in me. I am glad that they didn’t harm you.”

Akihiro titled his head so survey me and made sure that I was okay as I stood up and walked to his direction.

“I wasn’t able to come back when my grandfather locked me in a room and tortured me due to some reasons. As I wasn’t healing, Hades might have figured out you can help me. So, while you are unconscious he brought you to me…and—”

“Did you bite me?” I immediately asked, looking at my wrists. I felt relieved seeing that it was just a slit and there’s no bite marks. “Wait, what did you do? Will this make me a vampire?”

“I am not going to make you a vampire unless you give me permission to do so.” He replied to me. “That is if you want to become a vampire.”

“Why would I want to become a vampire? You guys actually ruin my life because of your existence! I want to live a normal life but each time…I am faced with this situation. What’s next?” I scoffed.

“I am sorry. I don’t want to put you at risk but it’s inevitable, Alicia. All I can do now is to protect you.”

“How can you protect me when you cannot even protect yourself from your grandfather? Akihiro, I am not only protecting myself…I am also protecting myself. So, tell me…what should we do for this whole thing to be in place again?”

“Marry me, Alicia.”