He finally said, still staring out my window, "So that’s what has been eating you alive these past few days."Hmmm.It was very interesting, he had murmured.You know far too much for a young girl, but I wouldn't have it any other way.He then turned around and leaned lightly against the wall to face me.He had stated, "I am not the news animal."I don't like chaos, and I feed very neatly.“Catelyn, ripping my meal apart and leaving its torn limbs and carcass out there for any passers-by to see is really too uncivilized for my taste,” he said with a slight scrunch of his nose.I never was and never will be a part of that messy business.He had spoken with an emotionless, flat voice.It almost seemed as though he was making a comment about the weather because his face had appeared so serene and peaceful."I will try to explain as simply as I can because your other concern is a little more complicated than the matter of human corpses."He then pushed away from the wall and started walking toward me

Valerian replied, "Yes, it is," which was a little creepy considering that I hadn't asked the question out loud.He had previously informed me that the lapis lazuli was worn by his people as a symbol of eternal love.I was certain that just this box would bring me a lot of money at the pawn shop.Then, to see what was inside, I opened its latch.A necklace was on a small pillow inside.Not any ordinary necklace.The front half of the necklace was adorned with sixteen diamonds cut in the emerald shape, and the other side was adorned with emeralds.The colorless diamond that was worn as a pendant was probably one of the rarest and most valuable types.Additionally, it came with flawless earrings that perfectly complemented the necklace's main stones.The most stunning thing I had ever seen, it was stunning.It's a real shame because I had already planned to sell it for cash.That was his sixth present to me thus far:Since either my sale to him or our "engagement," there was one for each birthday.E

With a sigh, I bowed my head and allowed my forehead to touch the mirror.I had given a lot of thought to the idea of showing Valerian who he really was in the first few months after our engagement.I had attempted to make plans despite not having a cellphone at the time.As a 13-year-old girl, I had even ventured out after school to the subway train station in the hope that I would be taken seriously.A portion of the money I had saved by selling off Valerian's birthday present to me was held in my right palm.I thought as I walked that my parents might have been content to act like nothing was wrong.I wouldn't if they hadn't sold me off.My brilliant plan had been to make a movie-like 911 call from the subway payphone.I was going to tell the police what had happened that first night, give them my location, and wait for them to come get me when a police officer answered the phone.That day, I hadn't come very far.Selina had caught up to me once I was sufficiently far from school, standing si

I was going up the front stairs after crossing the school lawn.Every student in the corridor was embracing their friends, laughing, and, well, being teenagers.When I heard the mischievous giggles of four huddled girls behind me, I immediately went to my locker.Unsure of what I was going to see, I abruptly turned around.When I saw Selina's and her friends' equally mean-spirited faces, I immediately realized that I was a nobody in this sea of teenagers.I had already endured incessant taunting, bullying, beatings, and imaginatively crafted lies told to my favorite teachers.I had been sold to a vampire who couldn't wait to get his hands on me forever, and I already felt lost, something that Selina might never have felt.Until it isn't, being a teenager is cool, I tell myself.At that point, I let out a sigh, put both of my hands in the straps of my school bag, turned away from Selina, and continued with my life."Are you not pleased to see me?"Behind me, Selina makes fun of me.I walk on, com

Relax in the venom of your ancestors who were vampires!"A student yelled."Man, I got it all on video!"As he showed his phone to his friend next to him, another man yelled.Selina approached me, crossed her arms, and shifted her hip to the side as I stood up.I ought to put a stake in your heart.She grunted.Her threat appeared genuine.I didn't want to hate myself At first, I don't think anyone really does.It gradually creeps up on you day by day.With each punch, smirk, slap, and beating that comes at once.Each time, you shrink a little inside of yourself until you realize that you are gradually disappearing.And you begin to despise the remaining parts of yourself.Trust me, I know.When Selina started bullying me when I was about ten, I started to avoid her in addition to everything else that was going on around me.Through all of those years, I tried to ignore her by sneaking into empty bathrooms, taking different routes home from school, and so on.Yet I was there.Seventeen, empty, humi