She had a scared look on her face, like she was ready to run away from here. But Calhoun could tell that she was trying not to do it as it wasn't a good idea.

Madeline was beautiful, and she didn't have to run away for him to chase as the girl's very presence entranced Calhoun. He was holding back himself with a very fragile leash which if broke, it would only pounce and ravish the girl. It was possible that Madeline who wasn't familiar with men would resist him, but Calhoun was a skilful lover in bed, and he knew how to make her give in. But at the same time, he didn't want to use that approach. She was more than precious and not something to throw away later but to keep with him forever.

"Let's keep some distance between us," suggested Madeline, her eyes warily looking at him but it would be so unlike Calhoun, if he listened to her.

In quick footsteps, Calhoun stood right in front of her, and he had a scowl on his face, "I will not allow it. Don't test my patience, Maddie," he said to her, the expression on his face changed to a calmer one, "You keep refusing, I will have to use other measures for you to understand."

Madeline stared at him, not going to utter another word, and she looked at the ground.

She then heard Calhoun say, "You might not know anyone in the castle, but you know me. You have my word that you can come to me anytime, and I will always make time for you, to sit and listen. Even now," he said, raising both his hands up.

"How can I talk to you, about you," Madeline frowned and Calhoun's lips twisted into a smile.

"You can bad mouth me, in front of me," he said, not minding to hear ill words or complaints that she had in regards to him, but it was given. Calhoun enjoyed all those things, and Madeline sighed, "Don't look like a lost puppy. With me here, your day will never go dull. If you are missing the routine life that you had back in the village, I can give you my clothes and me to wash."

Her cheeks turned red at what he said, and she said, "Where are we going?"

"I thought you would not ask and would like to stand here and talk," stated Calhoun, a mischievous smile appeared on his lips and when he started to walk, Madeline followed him. He had not told her where they were going, a surprise that was enough to have her worried because she didn't know what kind of surprise laid ahead of her.

Madeline, who was walking behind Calhoun noticed how his shirt was intact again, without the wings ripping it apart, and she bit her lips, "Walk next to me, Madeline."

She quickly moved her feet to walk fast, so that they could walk beside each other, "Can I ask you something?" when Calhoun turned to look at her, awaiting her question, she asked, "How do those- wings work, I mean how do they come out from your back?"

Madeline had never heard about vampires having wings and Calhoun had told it was just him, but how did the wings disappear? Birds didn't make their wings disappear. She frowned thinking about it.

"From my back," came the simple answer from Calhoun.

Madeline shook her head, "I mean, they don't come through your shirt because they are not torn."

"Do you want to know?" asked Calhoun, and she gave him a nod.

"Sure?" he asked her, lowering his voice as if it was some secret.

Madeline, who was extremely curious while fascinated with those wings of his, answered, "Yes."

"Come to my room, and I will show you."

She blinked at his answer. What kind of answer was that?! "You can explain it to me. I don't need to see anything."

"Anything?" Calhoun raised his eyebrow, his lips broadening, "My, what are you thinking about, that you think I will let you see?" his words only turned Madeline redder than before who muttered,

"Forget it. I don't need to know, Milord," she bowed her head, but Calhoun was not ready to let her go.

"How rude to dismiss the King when you were the one who was curious about it. Don't be shy, not many are brave enough to ask me directly what they want," said Calhoun, his eyes looking at her before he moved to look ahead with the smirk still plastered on his face.

Madeline was sure that people didn't ask because they feared that their head would be the next one to roll on the floor.

"What do you think about the offer?" asked Calhoun.

"I refuse," came the quick answer that left Madeline's lips to hear Calhoun sigh, one that was fake.

"Looks like you are not brave. Scared little kitten."

Madeline wanted to retort, but then she realised how childish it would be. She decided to be civil and composed instead of feeding coal into his already existing excitement of seeing her flare-up.

They continued to walk, to wherever Calhoun was planning to take her. The walk through the forest was a quiet one where Calhoun didn't poke her any further or try to tease her. It made the walk bearable where Madeline felt like there was no need to lock horns with each other.

She still hadn't got a reply about his wings, and for now, she decided to let it go, as she didn't want to take a trip to his bedroom. Especially now that it was evening, there was no guarantee that Calhoun would not invite her to his room at the time of night. But then would morning be any different? She asked herself.

When they finally reached the place, Madeline's eyes furrowed looking at the barbed wire and fencing in front of her. Calhoun stopped walking, but Madeline took herself to walk until she was able to place her hands on the fence. Inside the fence were little creatures of fur that hopped around. There were rabbits of white, black, brown and a few mixed colours. A little confused, she turned around to meet Calhoun's eyes.

"There are many animals in this forest. The wild creatures have been killing these small ones, leaving the bodies everywhere on the ground a year ago. A request had been put to save them," Calhoun said, he walked up to her, coming to stand beside her, and said, "What are your thoughts on it?"

Tearing her eyes away from him, Madeline looked at the rabbits- some seated and some hopping around. One came as close to where they stood, "They are protected?" she asked him. It was only right that the creatures were placed here, to save their lives from being eaten.

"Yes," agreed Calhoun, "They are protected, inside the fencing, which is no less to the cage you spoke about."

This caught her attention and Madeline looked at Calhoun. This is what he meant by mentioning about the cage earlier this morning.

"Just because something looks like a cage it doesn't mean that it is bad but it is for your ownsake, to protect you," explained Calhoun, his eyes shifted to look at the rabbit that had come close to them. He bent down, bringing his hand forward for the rabbit to move its nose, sniffing his hand before getting close and he caught hold of it, "There are a lot of bad things outside, and when one wants to protect something, they will keep it safe and sound near them. Don't you agree?"

Madeline looked down at the rabbit that he was holding, the big bad wolf with a rabbit. How odd, thought Madeline to herself. She had thought the worse thing when Calhoun had dragged her away from the horses, ready to see floating heads or people being tortured. It seemed that she was wrong.

She had misjudged him on it.

"Humans are not rabbits though," her voice was soft and gentle, "I was living fine when I was in my village. No harm ever came upon me."

"Can you speak with guarantee, that it would be the same in the future too?" on Calhoun's question, Madeline furrowed her brows.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

Calhoun shrugged his shoulders, his hand going to pat the head of the rabbit, "Who knows. There can always be ambush from neighbouring lands or villages or towns."

"You are the King of Devon. I don't think you would let any harm come to befall on us," Madeline had indirectly praised him, and Calhoun chuckled, seeing how Madeline was smart and not a naive girl.

"I would like to take better care of things that are precious to me. Haven't you heard about it- precaution is better than cure," he then handed the rabbit forward, if she wanted to hold it, and Madeline was quick to take it.

Holding the rabbit in her arms like she was carrying a child, her eyes softened and so did her entire demeanour, that she had been carrying in front of the King to show the vulnerable side to Calhoun who was watching her.

Madeline looked at the rabbit that was healthy and well-fed. Her thoughts went to what Calhoun said before, but it didn't justify him keeping her in the castle.

"Have you ever thought that you can win me by letting me go back home," she asked him, her voice lower than before, not knowing if he would snap at her.

"You want the King to move back and forth between the castle and your house? Do you think the King has nothing else to do?" Calhoun asked her. His hands slipped into the pockets of his trouser.

"No…"

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