If someone had told Amara a few hours ago that she would willingly allow a vampire to blindfold her and lea d her up an unknown staircase—
She would have laughed. Then called them insane. Yet here she was.
Walking completely blind.
A black silk blindfold covered her eyes securely.
The soft fabric blocked everything. Absolutely everything.
Which meant she couldn't see the stairs. Couldn't see the walls. Couldn't see where Lucien was taking her. Couldn't even see her own feet.
Naturally—
She was annoyed.
"Lucien."
The vampire walking behind her smiled.
"Yes, darling?"
"Who blindfolds someone while they're climbing stairs?"
Lucien looked entirely unrepentant.
"I do."
Amara nearly tripped.
Immediately Lucien's hands steadied her shoulders.
"Careful."
"Careful?" Amara repeated.
"CAREFUL?"
She pointed randomly into the darkness. "I am literally walking around blind!"
Lucien laughed softly. "You haven't fallen yet."
"That isn't reassuring."
"It should be."
"It isn't."
Lucien's smile widened.
Amara couldn't see it.
Which somehow made it worse.
The two continued climbing.
One slow step after another.
Amara was currently using Lucien as a living walking stick.
Any dignity she once possessed had long disappeared.
Every few minutes she repeated the same question.
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
Five minutes later—
"Are we there yet?"
"Almost."
Three minutes later—
"Are we there yet?"
Lucien sighed dramatically.
"Darling."
"What?"
"We've been climbing stairs for less than ten minutes."
"It feels like forty years."
Lucien laughed again. Amara wanted to push him. Unfortunately she couldn't see him. Or the stairs. Or anything.
Eventually the staircase ended.
Amara felt the floor level out beneath her boots.
A few moments later—
Cold air brushed against her face.
She paused.
The temperature had changed.
The air felt fresher.
Cleaner.
Almost magical.
"Where are we?" she asked.
Lucien's voice softened.
"Patience, love."
Amara groaned.
"I am running out of patience."
"We're almost there."
A few more minutes passed.Then finally—
They stopped.
Amara immediately perked up.
"Are we there?"
Behind her, Lucien smiled.
A peaceful smile.
One completely different from his usual teasing grin.
For a moment he simply looked at her.
At the girl who had spent an entire week unknowingly suffering because of his ridiculous surprise.
At the girl who somehow managed to occupy every thought in his immortal head.
Then quietly.. Very gently..
He leaned forward.
And pressed a small kiss against the back of her head. A soft sigh escaped him. "Yes, darling."
His voice was almost affectionate enough to make up for the blindfold situation. "Now hold still."
Amara crossed her arms. "Make it fast."
Lucien chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."
Carefully, he untied the silk blindfold. "It's done."
Slowly—
Amara opened her eyes.
The world came back into focus. But her first instinct wasn't looking forward.
It was looking behind her. At Lucien.
She turned immediately. And found him standing there. Golden hair. Gentle smile. Eyes fixed entirely on her.
His expression was calm.Warm.Hopeful.
As if he was waiting for her reaction.
Then he tilted his head slightly.
Silently encouraging her to look ahead.
Amara turned.
And froze.
For a moment—
She forgot how to breathe.
Rose petals covered the floor.Hundreds of them.
Maybe thousands.
Creating a beautiful path leading forward.
The petals guided her eyes toward a round dining table covered with elegant white cloth. Two chairs waited beside it. Candles flickered softly across the table.
An expensive silver candle stand stood proudly in the center. Beside it rested a bucket filled with ice with a wine bottle resting there.
The entire place looked like something from a movie.A very expensive movie.A very romantic movie.
Amara blinked.Then blinked again.
Because she genuinely couldn't believe what she was seeing.
The room itself was dimly lit.Not dark.Just soft.
Warm candlelight glowed from enormous candle stands positioned around the room.
Their flames danced gently.
Red flowers decorated every corner.Roses.Lilies.Other flowers Amara couldn't even identify.
Everywhere she looked—
Beauty.Elegance.Effort.So much effort.
And then—
She noticed something else.
Her eyes widened.
"Wait."
There wasn't a wall.
Not really.
One entire side of the room was made of glass.
Massive floor-to-ceiling windows.
Beyond them—
Dark forest.
And floating through the darkness—
Fireflies.
Dozens of them. Maybe hundreds.
The tiny lights drifted lazily through the darkness outside.
Moving between the trees like floating stars.
The forest beyond the glass seemed endless. Mysterious. Peaceful.
The contrast between the warm candlelit room and the cool night beyond the windows made the entire place feel magical.
Almost enchanted.
Amara pressed a hand lightly against her chest.
"Okay..."
She whispered.
"That's actually ridiculous."
Lucien smiled proudly.
"It is."
"I mean ridiculously beautiful."
His smile immediately widened.
The sight was breathtaking.Absolutely breathtaking.Then her brain caught up.
Amara narrowed her eyes.
"Hold on."
Lucien immediately looked suspicious.
"What?"
"The flowers make sense."
"Good."
"The candles make sense."
"Excellent."
"The table makes sense."
Lucien nodded.
"Wonderful."
Amara pointed dramatically toward the window."The fireflies don't."
Lucien blinked.
"How?"
Lucien looked amused.
Amara crossed her arms.
"No seriously."
She pointed again.
"Everything else I understand."
Another point.
"But where did the fireflies come from?"
Lucien stared.Then laughed.Actually laughed."That's your concern?"
"Yes."
"Not the candles?"
"No."
"The flowers?"
"No."
"The romantic atmosphere?"
"No."
"The fireflies?"
"Exactly."
Lucien rubbed his forehead.
Sometimes she was impossible. Then Amara turned back toward him.
And suddenly—
Her expression softened.
A faint blush appeared.
Because now she was noticing something else.All of this.Everything.
Had been done for her.
"Did Alice help?" she asked quietly.
Immediately Lucien's expression soured.
Amara blinked."...That bad?"
"You have no idea."
"What happened?"
Lucien sighed heavily.
"Alice attempted to help."
"Attempted?"
"Repeatedly."
Amara laughed.
"I can imagine."
"Every day...."Lucien sounded traumatized."Every single day."
"What did she do?"
"Everything."
Amara smiled.
Lucien pointed accusingly into the distance.
"She tried choosing the flowers."
Pause.
"The candles."
Pause.
"The table."
Pause.
"The music."
Pause.
"My clothes...like who does that"
Amara burst out laughing.
Lucien looked genuinely offended. "She even had opinions about my hairstyle."
That somehow made Amara laugh harder.
Lucien sighed dramatically. "I wanted this surprise to be from me."
His voice softened. "Not everyone else."
The laughter slowly faded from Amara's face.
A warmth spread through her chest.
Because she could tell he meant it. Every flower. Every candle. Every detail.
He had chosen it himself.
For her.
The realization made her cheeks turn pink. Lucien immediately noticed.
And looked far too pleased about it. Before she could hide her embarrassment—
Lucien gently took her hand. His fingers wrapped around hers. Warm. Steady. Comforting.
Then he guided her toward the table. When they reached it..
He pulled out her chair. Lucien held the chair for her with perfect gentlemanly grace.
Amara sat down slowly.
Still trying to process everything.
Like an old-fashioned gentleman.
Amara sat down.
Trying very hard not to smile. Failing miserably. Lucien moved toward the ice bucket.
With entirely too much confidence. He picked up the wine bottle.
Opened it smoothly. As if he'd practiced. Which honestly , Knowing Lucien he probably had.
Amara watched the entire performance.
Not even pretending she wasn't.
Lucien poured the wine carefully.
Dark red liquid filled the crystal glass.
Then he placed it before her. Proudly.
"This wine is very special."
Amara looked interested.
Lucien immediately launched into explanation mode. Something he loved doing.
"I collected this many years ago."
Amara nodded.
"It is extremely rare."
Another nod.
"Very expensive."
Nod.
"Almost impossible to find."
Nod.
"One of my most treasured collections."
Amara stared at the wine. Then stared at Lucien. Then stared back at the wine.
A thoughtful expression appeared on her face.
Lucien waited. Expecting admiration. Expecting amazement. Expecting literally anything romantic.
Instead—
Amara frowned. Lucien felt concern.
"What?"
Amara pointed at the glass. "Lucien."
"...Yes?"
"How old is this?"
Lucien proudly told her how old this wine is....
Silence.
Amara stared. Then stared harder. Then looked at the wine. Then at Lucien. Then back at the wine.
"Darling?"
Amara leaned closer to the glass suspiciously.
Lucien blinked. "What are you doing?"
She lowered her voice. "What if it's gone bad?"
Lucien froze. Completely. Utterly. Frozen.
The romantic atmosphere suffered catastrophic damage.
And Amara remained completely serious.
To be continued....
Yo yo yo sorry for updating slow i kindof procrastinate things alot like...alot (dont hate me )plus the heat is like killing me but still thanks for supporting this and liking it means alot to me and if you want to support more or read behind the scenes of Cullen gang it's on patreon ...do support it please 🥺 👉 👈 well lots of love 😘