Page 15 of Stolen By Dragons

But as I’d listened to them, pausing at the end of my hall, I’d sniffed and drawn in her tantalizing human aroma. The memory of her scent lingered in my mind - something uniquely... her. Most humans had a similar smell, some tarnished with negative emotions or poor health, but hers, it was oddly sweet. Women tended to smell sweeter, but this was something that tempted me more than usual.

Or perhaps I was just that hungry that it seemed more tempting, along with her being the only human.

Shaking off the recollection, I focused on the task at hand. I needed to feed, and soon. As I contemplated my next move, an idea began to form - one that sent a mixture of anticipation and guilt coursing through me.

But I needed to be honest with myself. If I didn’t feed soon, it’d put others at risk. I already had a habit of dragging out the time between feedings, wanting to keep my existence hidden in the human world, but now, I was paying the price of my caution.The bloodlust would make itself known in a week or so, my hunger growing until I lost control of it.

And losing control… no, I couldn’t allow that. Not here. These Dracarians would jump at the chance to put me down, not to mention the shifters and fae would be more than happy to handle me.

The only allies I had were the other vampires, and we were few in number compared to the rest.

Then there was Aria, the only human in our ranks. My fellow vampires had mentioned her at dinner when nothing had been given to us. How the need to feed would eventually hit, and she was the only thing available that we could target. Fae and shifters were a possible food source in a time of great need, but it would come with a fight. We preferred to stick with the easy prey, the prey we could compel.

It was wrong to view her as such a thing, but right now, I had very little choice.

We were unable to leave the Keep, which meant hunting the wildlife was impossible as well, which was always a last resort. We could survive on animal blood, but we needed more of it compared to human blood, and it didn’t quite curb the craving. It was like being desperate for steak and having only an endless supply of tasteless jerky.

Not to mention I had no clue what the wildlife here was like, if it was even similar to the things at home. I’d tried deer a few times when I’d travelled, along with other things as a younger vampire, but nothing ever compared to human.

It was unparalleled.

Hours later, when the Keep had fallen silent, I slipped out of my quarters. My feet carried me, almost of their own accord, towards the communal area. I had been hoping to sneak right into the human hall, unnoticed. I was going to see if the communal area was empty, then flit into her hall and slip intoher room. Vampires were gifted with many abilities, and the insane speed we could move at was one of them, it helped us be the perfect hunter.

The gnawing hunger had grown unbearable, and with no other options provided by our Dracarian hosts, I had convinced myself this was necessary for survival. But deep down, I knew there was more to it than that.

As I approached the communal area, I caught a flicker of movement.

I paused, annoyance washing over me, until her scent hit me.

Well, wasn’t I in luck.

There, curled up in a chair by the flickering blue fire, was Aria. Even from a distance, I could see the tears glistening on her cheeks, hear the soft hitches in her breath as she cried.

For a moment, I considered turning back, abandoning my plan. Seeing her like this, vulnerable and grief-stricken, made my intended actions feel even more predatory and wrong. But the hunger gnawed at me, and the scent of her - that intoxicating blend of fear, sadness, and something uniquely her - drew me in like a moth to a flame. Before I could think better of it, I stepped into the room, still clinging to the hope that I might achieve my original goal. I’d wipe her mind so she’d not even recall our moment, compelling her to be my blood-bag just to stave off the hunger.

"Trouble sleeping?" I asked softly, careful not to startle her.

Aria's head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of fear as she took me in. "I... yes," she admitted after a moment. "It's all just... a lot."

I moved closer, calling upon the compelling power that was as much a part of me as the thirst for blood. "You should rest," I said, my voice taking on a hypnotic quality. "Let me help you relax."

But to my shock, Aria's expression didn't change. There was no glazing of her eyes, no slackening of her features that usually accompanied a successful compulsion.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice sharp with suspicion.

I blinked, taken aback by her resistance. Was it something that was just her, or was it the Dracarian magic on this place? Fuck, if it was, I was royally screwed. "I... nothing," I said, struggling to regain my composure. "I just thought you could use some company."

Aria studied me for a long moment, her gaze far too perceptive for my comfort. Would she realize what I’d been trying to do?

"You're one of the vampires,” she stated quietly.

I nodded. "My name is Ossian."

"Ossian," she repeated, as if testing the name on her tongue. "I'm Aria. So you stood too at dinner, you got attacked by a shadow creature?”

“Yes, it came for me as I was… out for a walk. I flitted away, but it moved just as quickly, like shadows,” I shared, and her brow furrowed.

“Flitted?” she questioned as she wiped at her eyes.

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