Page 30 of Stolen By Dragons

Why was I getting aroused by this? It felt so different to anything else I’d ever felt, even with Jason. Was I inexperienced in the bedroom? Possibly, considering I’d only been with two guys, my high school boyfriend and then Jason. But this? This was something incredible, a bliss unlike anything else.

Time seemed to lose all meaning. I wasn't sure if seconds or hours had passed when Ossian finally pulled away, and the pleasure dissipated. His face looked less pale now, his eyes brighter and more alert. He quickly bit his thumb and gently brushed the blood over the puncture marks on my neck.

I swallowed, trying to quell the heat that had risen inside me. This was not supposed to be anything more than me helping him, and yet, I’d felt something I’d not expected.

"There," he said softly. "All healed. How do you feel?"

My cheeks burned for a moment, but I forced myself to keep my expression masked. He didn’t need to know how I’d truly felt. Not right now… then again, supes had heightened senses. Could he smell me and my excitement? Surely not…

I took a moment to assess myself otherwise, stomping down the pleasure that had coursed through me as I pulled myself back to reality. To my surprise, I felt energized, almost buzzing. It was as if every cell in my body had been supercharged. "I feel... good. Really good, actually. Is that normal?"

Ossian smiled, although there was an odd glint in his eye now. "Yes, it's a common reaction. Thank you, Aria. You have no idea how much this means to me."

As I stood up, finding myself a bit unsteady on my feet, I realized the full weight of what had just happened. I'd willingly let a vampire feed on me, and even more surprisingly, I didn't regret it. In fact, part of me – a part I wasn't quite ready to examine too closely – had enjoyed it, far more than I should have.

"I should go," I said, moving towards the door as the confusion set in. "But... I'm glad I could help."

Ossian nodded, a look of gratitude and something else - was it longing? - in his eyes. "Goodnight, Aria. And thank you again."

As I stepped into the hallway, I saw Valeria's door open slightly. She smirked at me, her eyes gleaming in the dim light. Had she been listening the whole time?

"Well, well," she purred. "At least one of us has found their fix here. Be careful, little human. Not every vampire is as nice as Ossian."

I swallowed hard, suddenly very aware of how vulnerable I was. "Should I be afraid of you?"

Valeria's smirk widened. "No, I'm a new vampire. I still remember what being human was like." With that, she shut her door, leaving me alone in the hallway.

As I made my way back to my room, my mind whirled with everything that had happened. The euphoria from Ossian's bite was starting to fade, replaced by a mix of emotions I couldn't quite sort out. Part of me felt empowered – I'd faced my fear and helped someone in need, challenged him and gotten answers, although whether or not I was okay with that knowledge, I still wasn’t sure. But another part felt guilty, as if I'd betrayed Chris somehow. Then again, despite me thinking we’d had a connection, he’d pulled back, shutting me out.

I shook my head. If he was so willing to cast me aside and ignore me, then screw him. If I felt something for Ossian, then so be it. Although, given he was a six-hundred-year-old vampire, a romance didn’t seem quite possible.

No, it had to be some silly little crush.

Back in my room, I caught sight of myself in the mirror. I looked... different. My cheeks were flushed, my eyes bright. I touched the spot on my neck where Ossian had bitten me, but there was no mark, no evidence of what had transpired.

As I crawled into bed, exhaustion finally catching up with me, one thing was certain – life in Dracaria was going to be far more complicated than I'd ever imagined. Between the looming threat of the Void, our magical training, and these new, confusing feelings, I was in for quite a ride.

But as sleep claimed me, I couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, someway, I was exactly where I was meant to be.

11

CHRISTOPHER

The training arena echoed with the sounds of exertion – grunts, the thud of bodies hitting the mossy flooring, and the occasional crackle of newly awakened magic. I wiped sweat from my brow, watching as Aria sparred with Zephyr. Her movements were becoming more fluid, more confident with each passing day. Pride swelled in my chest, followed quickly by a pang of longing.

Since our kiss, things had been... complicated. I couldn't shake the memory of her lips on mine, the way her body had fit perfectly against me. But more than that, I couldn't forget the spark I'd felt – a connection that went beyond physical attraction. It reminded me of the stories I'd heard growing up, tales of werewolves finding their true mates. I'd always dismissed them, not thinking I’d ever find such a thing, but now...

"You're staring again," Lydia's voice broke through my thoughts. I turned to find her watching me, a knowing smile on her face.

I shrugged, trying for nonchalance. "Just keeping an eye on everyone's progress."

Lydia raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. And I suppose Aria's progress is of particular interest?"

Heat crept up my neck. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, come on, Chris," Lydia said, her voice softening. "I've seen the way you look at her. And the way she looks at you, for that matter. What's holding you back?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It's complicated."

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