19 Uncovering Draco's secrets

When Amber opened her eyes the next morning, she found herself on the bed. A quick peek at the window told her the day was just dawning. The sky was still a deep blue, and the chirping sounds of birds reached her ears.

She was out of her wedding dress, now wearing a pink coloured pajamas. Draco must have undressed her while she slept.

Stretching languidly, she turned around and froze instantly.

Draco lay on her other side, staring at her silently. One hand was placed on her waist and the other supported his head.

His torso was bare and she felt her mouth water at the mass of muscles that made up his taut shoulders and chest. The lower part of his body disappeared into the duvet and she fleetingly hoped he was at least wearing something underneath.

"Good morning",Draco said brightly.

Amber frowned and drew back from him. Though she couldn't go far because of his hand that held her waist firmly, she still tried to move back, to give herself some space.

"Good morning",she responded tentatively. Then she narrowed her eyes at him. "Someone's awfully happy this morning"

Draco chuckled at her. Then his eyes fell on her warily.

"Do you remember anything from yesterday?", he asked.

Amber could see a tinge of apprehension in his eyes. She frowned and thought hard about it before shaking her head.

"Nothing",she said finally. "Which is strange because after our wedding, did we come home instantly?"

Draco released the breath he had been holding.

"You were a little tipsy from all the wine you took",he told her with a smile. "I had to bring you home straightaway"

"That's strange",Amber mumbled.

"What is?",asked Draco, staring at her carefully.

"I don't remember drinking anything",Amber said. "And my father, I didn't get to see him after the wedding"

The light in Draco's eyes dimmed when she mentioned her father.

"Your father is out of town",he told her quickly. "Running one of my numerous businesses. It may take a while before you see him again"

This news saddened Amber. Her father was the only family she had. She missed him already.

"Did... did anything happen... at the wedding?", she asked. The look appeared in Draco's eyes again, a look of apprehension. Or was it dread?

"Nothing happened",he said in a flat voice. "The wedding ended happily, you had so much to drink, and I brought you home"

Amber thought about it for a while. Then she smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you for taking care of me",she said lightly. "And helping me with my wedding dress"

Draco was taken aback for a second. He didn't expect her to act that way, or thank him for anything. He had nothing to fear anymore. The hypnosis worked just fine and she didn't remember anything.

His strong hands wrapped around her waist and he nuzzled her neck.

"You don't feel uncomfortable with me changing you out of your wedding dress?",he asked.

Amber shivered as his warm breath tickled her. "Why would I?",she asked rhetorically. "We're married now. So I have no fear of anything. Besides, I was asleep so there was no reason for me to be shy or uncomfortable"

Draco chuckled again and closed his eyes. Her body felt so warm and right against him.

He went over the rules he had given her for their marriage. It was true he didn't want love. He didn't want affection or any feeling whatsoever.

But holding Amber close to him now, he had a rethink. There might be no love between them.

Yet.

But it didn't mean they couldn't be intimate, like the way they were now. Amber was his wife now, and as he got to know her better each day, he would also find out why she was so alluring.

And what her father meant when he said he would protect her and keep her safe.

"Draco?",Amber whispered.

"Hmm"

"Now that we're married, and you're always going to be busy at work",Amber ventured out uncertainly. "I was wondering if I could go to college"

Draco frowned. His plans for Amber were totally different. He didn't think she would want to go to college.

"I don't know about that",he replied.

"Please",Amber persisted. "I've always wanted to go to college. It's my dream"

Draco shut his eyes, rubbing his nose on her neck and inhaling her sweet rosy scent. If she went to college, it would make things easier for him. She wouldn't get curious about the hole in the wall, the hole that led to the secret room where he tortured his victims before he fed from them. She wouldn't be aware of the strange things happening in the house.

Maybe she could go to college.

"I will talk to Wendy about it",he said finally. "And see the best college in the city that will take you in"

Amber smiled. Her dreams were finally coming true.

"Thank you",she whispered.

Draco kissed her neck softly, making shivers take over he body. Then he released her.

"Wendy and Arty will be around to help you with anything",he said as he got off the bed. "Stay indoors and don't wander on your own"

"Okay",Amber nodded like a little child, watching as he pulled on a shirt and then a dark jacket.

"I will be back at night",he told her. Before he left, he leaned over the bed and kissed her on the cheek.

Without another word, he turned and left the room, all the while thinking, 'Being married wasn't so bad'.

Amber stood at the terrace and watched him walked towards a Rolls-Royce waiting for him. One of his bodyguards opened the door for him and he got in.

Two other cars followed behind the sleek car and they drove out of the estate.

Amber waited until the cars were all gone before she turned around.

The smile on her face dropped and a murderous rage took over her expression.

Did Draco really think he could fool her?

After he tried to hypnotize her the previous night and erase her memories, she felt a tingling in her head and she collapsed.

But when she woke up this morning, her memories were still intact. She remembered everything that happened at their wedding the previous day.

She remembered the strange woman called Velma. She remembered the sharp fangs, the dark soulless eyes, the strange powers, the black blood.

She remembered her father, and it brought tears to her eyes. Her father was dead, and Draco had the guts to lie to her.

She fisted her hands as a burning rage took hold of her.

She remembered him dropping from the roof. And lastly, she remembered their conversation, Arty, Wendy and Draco.

She didn't know why, but whatever hypnosis he placed on her didn't work. When she saw the red ring of light in his eyes, she felt herself being pulled under.

But then it seemed something had snapped it and blocked his hypnosis from having a hold on her.

Now that Draco thought he succeeded in erasing her memories, she would be able to do her findings in secret.

She really wanted to go to college, but another reason why she asked was because she didn't want to be stuck in the house all day. If she were, attention would be on her at all times.

So starting college would take off everyone's attention from her. And while schooling, she would find out what Draco was actually hiding. She would uncover all his secrets.

And uncovering every secret started with finding where that hole in the wall led to, and where the screams came from.