ã€ŠCoven Of The Cursed Forestã€‹


 Chapter 1

    "Good morning sunshine! Well, as much of a sunshine as you can be in a dark dungeon." A deep voice mumbled. "Either way I''m glad to finally talk to someone, a few more days would have driven me to insanity."

    Selene¡¯s head throbbed as she slowly took in her surroundings. The male voice was right. It was near pitch black in the room. All that she could see was her hands and the metal bars right in front of her.

    "You have been out for approximately 4 days." He paused. "That is if I haven''t lost count. Which I must say the chances of that are rather high, so it might have been longer than that."

    How could one person be so stupidly loud and irritating? Was he unable to shut up or sense her discomfort from her silence.

    "No widows, no guards, no food or drink. It''s been rather pitiful really."

    "Would you shut up?" She grunted.

    "Well that''s rather rude for an introduction don''t you think?"

    "What I think is that I''ve never met someone who loved the sound of their voice so much."

    "Can you blame me? My voice is sweet like an angels¡¯." He chuckled.

    "Where am I?"

    Selena''s mind was blank. Her last memories were of her going to check on the riverside entrance. A place where she should have been safe, the guardian still within reach to protect her.

    "Well I was hoping you could answer that. Don''t you witches come with some built in magical navigation or something."

    As if she didn''t have enough questions on her mind already, now more of them formed towards who the stranger was.

    Even if he saw her while being dragged into his cell, there is no way to tell her apart from a human.

    "How do you know I''m a witch?" Selene snapped.

    A low sigh barely reached her ears. "Because you reek like one."

    Vampire. Great. Today really couldn''t get better.

    Unlike werewolfs, who had a great sense of smell in a large radius, and great memory of scents of people they met before. Vampires, and their peculiar tastes, could distinguish between races.

    "Well? Where are we? Is it the big, bad werewolves?" He pushed for an answer.

    "It''s not like that." Selene raised her voice. "It''s the spirits that give us guidance, and if you haven''t noticed, there is no nature or access to the outside from here."

    For the first time in her life, Selene was completely disconnected. There was no spirit calling her, no nature around that could fuel her magic. Here she was useless.

    Without any contact, there was no way to call for help. No way out.

    "How long have you been awake?" Selene''s voice trembled.

    She didn''t want the panic to seep into her voice and let the vampire know of that vulnerability, but by the brief silence it was too late.

    "As I''ve said earlier, give or take 4 days." He said. "I woke up in this miserable cell, got dragged out and had my blood drained, till I went unconscious. After I regained consciousness, I sensed your presence in the next cell."

    "Any idea who drained your blood?"

    "No. There was no scent on them."

    Any hope of information was crushed almost immediately. Neither of them remember how they got there, who it might be, or where they are. Honestly the idea of kidnapping a vampire and a witch sounded more like the start of a bad joke.

    Yet the reality was very different. This must have taken months to plan. The identity of a vampire was unknown, but to take out a high coven witch for about 4 days was unheard of. The amount of magic and power that would take is something even the coven leader would struggle with.

    Then there was a question of how did a being have no scent? Everything dead and alive had one. Something a vampire could not miss. If only he woke up quicker, maybe he would have caught something. Vampires and their regeneration was the best of all species, he should have been up in minutes.

    "What''s your name, witch?" He asked.

    "Nothing you should interest yourself with." Selene knew she was acting cold, but the circumstances they were in did not change the relationship that was between witches and vampires. The less private information they knew of the other the better. They just needed to find a way out.

    "Fine, shall I call you a hag then?" The vampire said coldly.

    "As you wish leech." Selene replied.

    How long would it be before the coven noticed she was gone? Days? Maybe even weeks? It¡¯s not like it would be out of the norm for her to wander off outside the border, gathering herbs, or looking into something suspicious. Sometimes it would be days before Selene would send out a message with information of her location to the mother or Esther.

    Maybe the guardian will talk of her disappearance. Yet, Selene wasn¡¯t sure if that¡¯s what she wanted. It would send the coven into panic, searching and most likely accusing the vampires. Which would just result in another pointless war. And as much as she wanted to hope, Selene knew the witches would not consider searching anywhere else but Vralin, the one place she was sure they weren¡¯t in.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Vampires were too loyal, they would not harm one of their own.

    ¡°Call me Aro.¡± The deep voice interrupted her trail of thought. ¡°You might not wish to share your name, but I refuse to be referred to as a leech. And saints know I will need a reminder of my humanity while stuck here.¡±

    ¡°Aro the leech, got it.¡±

    He gave a sigh of defeat at that, really the vampire should appreciate her acknowledging the name at all. It was only because Selene understood where he was coming from. How long they would be stuck in darkness was unclear. How quickly would they start forgetting parts of themselves or need reminders of their life?

    Honestly, she wished there was a name that could be shared with Aro. That maybe she could have that reminder of home, but the chances of a vampire knowing the names of the high coven daughters was too high.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t so bad you know.¡± Aro stated.

    ¡°Your kind are a creation of a witch that lived in sin.¡± Selene replied. ¡°You kill with no mercy and hunt for pleasure. There is nothing that is not bad about you.¡±

    ¡°And am I to be blamed for the way my kind was created? For the way I have to survive.¡± He questioned.

    The emotion and pain behind his voice gave her a moment of shock. Yet, with what she has been through, what every witch has had to live through, the emotions of one vampire did not change that.

    ¡°No.¡± Selene paused. ¡°Your creation is to be blamed on my kind, and we live with that sin everyday, and every breath we take. As my sisters burn and are hunted for trying to undo the magic placed upon your land.¡±

    After a brief pause Aro started talking in a low whisper. ¡°Is it so bad for us to want to live? That hard for you to comprehend that not everything is bad?¡±

    ¡°Explain it to me then.¡± Selene demanded.

    So, Aro did. At first he continued to speak in a whisper, some parts so quiet, Selene could barely hear. Almost sounded as it pained him to recall Vralin and its habitants.

    ¡°First is the land itself. You might describe it as cursed, but I think of it as my home. The sun might not bless us, but the moon shines every second of the day. We can feel its light with every breath we take, on every inch of our skin, and so does the land. The earth has adapted, whether it is because of time or some of the magic behind it I do not know, but it thrives. The trees have all but changed colour to their beautiful ash, they have grown strong and filled the land. Other plants too vary in their shades from white to grey, yet the land does not look ghastly or dead, it looks kissed by the moon itself.¡± At this point Aro started to sound more confident as he spoke. Admiration filled his voice.

    ¡°You would think the animals might struggle with no sunlight, yet they remain. Nature still provides all that they might need. If anything it seems as if there are more of them. They live alongside us and are not banished to the forests and out of towns. We are grateful to them and treat them with respect, after all they provide a safe way for us to feed, a way in which we do not have to kill them. The animals that are put to work are well taken care of. You could have released my horse into the wild and it would have come back if only for the sugar cubes and the warm stables.¡±

    ¡°You are fond of this horse.¡± Selene noted.

    A soft laugh escaped Aro, a sound that was surprisingly pleasant. ¡°I¡¯ve had her for close to two decades. Picked her myself when I first learnt to ride. I was not so creative when I was five, thought she was the colour of night itself, so I proudly declared her name to be Night.¡±

    ¡°It could have been a worse name.¡± She laughed.

    The vampire had to be around her age, rather young for his kind. Thankfully, fertility was one thing that vampires struggled with, and with no other means of increasing their population, it has kept them in check. They still have a large population, but that was bound to happen when they could live for an infinite amount of time.

    That was something Selene wished she was not cursed with, but the matron was her mother, so naturally she is part of the high coven. The only witches that time could not take. Selene was still young, but just the thought of watching the rest of the coven wither pained her.

    She didn¡¯t know how to feel about the things Aro had said. That was not how she remembered Vrelin. The ash trees, pale nature and the constant night was a reminder of death, the lack of warmth that comes with life. Yet, his perspective did not paint that, and it was something she wasn¡¯t sure yet if she would try to forget.

    The story did raise unwanted questions about vampires. Topics that Selene refused to think about while her head still pounded.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I am too tired to continue listening to your tales.¡± They might have put her down for a few days, but Selene was still exhausted and needed proper sleep. With a well rested mind, a possible escape plan might become clearer.

    Aro did not get a chance to reply before the exhaustion took over.

 Chapter 2

    A heavy metal slam jolted Selene awake and a fire from a small torch blinded her after so long in darkness.

    It was a guard. They were covered head to toe in metal armour, not a place on their body that exposed skin or cloth underneath. If not for the first door slamming open, there would be no way for them to tell someone has entered. The guard moved in utter silence. Unnatural for any species that walked the planet.

    The torch was placed on a small hanger, providing a soft glow in the room. Even with all this new information, there was nothing for Selene to piece together as to where this cell is. It was already clear it was deep underground from the darkness and the cold stone, and the armour did not give any details for the kingdom or the lord that owned this place.

    The guard softly placed a mash of unknown food in front of her cell, and then stepped towards Aro to pass a small vial of blood. The amounts were perfect to just keep them alive, but not enough for either of them to regain any strength.

    ¡°Take me to your master.¡± Selene demanded.

    Silence filled the air, and the guard did not even look towards her when he left.

    ¡°They are not very chatty.¡± Aro sighed. ¡°I usually have quite the skill on getting people to talk, however I do doubt those guards are human.¡±

    ¡°Someone will come down sooner or later.¡± Selene insisted. ¡°There is no point keeping us here, feeding us and making sure we stay alive, if they do not want something.¡±

    ¡°Really? I always like to feed my prisoners as my daily entertainment.¡± The vampire teased.

    If it was not for his obvious tone, Selene would have been really concerned about who she is really next to.

    ¡°If that is the peak of your entertainment, then I should be more worried about vampires than I thought.¡±

    The gentle noise of the vial being popped open echoed through the cell, and soon after it was thrown hard towards the entrance door, smashing into a thousand little pieces.

    ¡°Did you not perhaps consider that the glass from the vial could have been used?¡± Selene questioned between bites of her mysterious food.

    It was harder than she thought not to gag. The consistency was that of porridge that was left out for a few days and the flavour was of dirt.

    ¡°And what would you have used the smallest piece of glass for?¡± Aro grunted. ¡°Unless you are a fire witch, the torch is not going to grant you powers to enchant the glass and turn it into a key for these cells. Now at least one of the guards can step on it and experience a fraction of pain that I am feeling.¡±

    ¡°I am no fire witch but as I¡¯ve said, spirits guide me. A fire is alive, it breathes, it consumes, it illuminates light.¡± Selene continued. ¡°A fire of that size is not big enough to carry energy for me to use, but if it gets bigger for even a second, I might be able to do something.¡±

    A brief silence followed, and she could sense something was not quite right.

    ¡°A specialty of spirits is rather rare for a witch is it not?¡± The vampire asked.

    ¡°Not as rare as one might think¡± She insisted.

    Which was a complete lie. Only the high coven did not hold an affinity for something and could control most things to an extent. Some were better than others, and the matron could have escaped with even the smallest spark of a flame, but Selene was still too young and growing into her power. Maybe in a thousand years, she too could have already planned her escape.

    It was concerning that the vampire knew that. It was information only the witches knew and maybe the vampire royals, unless they started to share that information more freely. Last they checked, the king stated that unlimited power of a witch would cause unnecessary panic in Vrelin.

    There was no royal named Aro, and no one who was so young either. Maybe it was a son of a lord? It would make sense to kidnap a vampire of at least slight importance.

    ¡°Believe it or not, but us getting a second of my magic back would be better than nothing.¡± Selene could sense that he did not believe a word that she said.

    There was no trust between them.

    Hours passed and the light eventually dwindled. With more rest and a clear mind, Selene found herself in more discomfort. The ground was a bit colder and rough, the clothes that clung to her skin were damp from the moisture in the cell, and she was filthy. The dress that Esther picked out for their monthly feast was ripped near the bottom, it exposed the pale skin of her legs, covered in cuts and mud just like her hands. If she was not part of the high coven, then she would have frozen to death at this point.

    A day must have passed since she woke up. The full moon feast was done, her absence must have been noticed. Ayah must be concerned by now.

    The vampire must be experiencing similar emotions, as even he has not said anything for a while. It was hard for Selene to imagine the pain of blood thirst. The books described it as a burning sensation throughout the whole body, a pain so bad it was maddening.

    The cell was just big enough for Selene to stand up and walk small circles, contemplate on what else could be done. Yet, no matter how much she walked or how much skin came off her feet, no new idea formed.

    ¡°Would you stop pacing, I can smell the blood on your feet.¡± Aro¡¯s voice was not demanding, but more pleading and pained.

    ¡°My apologies.¡± Selene stopped in her place and sat down on the ground, the cold immediately caused a shiver up her spine and her own hunger made itself known. ¡°Would you tell me more?¡± She asked quietly.

    ¡°More what?¡± Aro sounded confused.

    ¡°More reasons why your kind is not so bad.¡±

    Something needed to fill the maddening silence of the cell, and distract both of them from their empty stomachs.

    ¡°Only if this time you share why the witches aren¡¯t the monsters.¡± The vampire replied. ¡°I already told you of my land, and I would like to hear of yours.¡±

    ¡°I never claimed for witches not to be monsters. Most of us aren¡¯t, but magic can be tempting, and spirits even more so.¡± Selene stated sadly as she thought of the past. ¡°Sometimes it is hard to resist, and those witches need to be punished.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.¡°You are not really helping with the whole witches aren¡¯t monsters thing you know.¡± Aro stated.

    ¡°There is no point of lying.¡± Selene sighed. ¡°And as for my home, it is different from what people expect. The coven might be part of the cursed forest, but at the same time it is not there. We are protected by nature itself from the evil born in the woods. For those who do not know the way, the trees are a maze, but for witches, the path is clear as day.¡±

    ¡°The moment you enter, you can feel the magic all around you. You can see it. The trees are bigger, the grass is greener, the water is clear and glitters in the light. The houses are in the trees so it all blends with nature. You can only really tell there is a house there in the first place, because of the large glass windows, or the bridges that connect places together. A river runs through the coven with water so fresh, any other does not compare. And the lakes and ponds that are scattered around the forest are what we bathe in, they are always as warm as the kiss of the sun on your skin.¡± Selene continued. ¡°It is hard to describe to someone that has never seen it.¡±

    ¡°I would say you have done rather well.¡± Aro laughed. ¡°Even if the witches are bad, I would love to see the nature surrounding your home.¡±

    It felt good to tell someone about the forest. Especially when she missed it so dearly.

    ¡°Well it¡¯s your turn.¡± Selene said. ¡°Tell me of your cities and extravagant castles.¡±

    ¡°You speak of it as if you have seen it before.¡±

    ¡°I have once in the past. But I can assure you I did not have enough time to admire the castles.¡±

    ¡°Well what a shame that is.¡± He said mockingly. ¡°Let me tell you about them. I will say though, you might be just a little disappointed. A city is just that, a city. Most of them look the same, and the beauty lies either in the villages or nature.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to tell me the famous castle of Yllyndria would disappoint me?¡± The information shocked her. Everyone has heard of the tales of the royal castle in the middle of the capital. Not many have had the privilege to see it, but as of that moment it was the oldest building standing, and it was something to be admired.

    ¡°Personally, I would say it is rather outdated and not very suitable for permanent residency for anyone.¡± Aro sighed. ¡°If you were to go to Yllyndria there are much better places to see. There is the Riverside Tavern that serves the most exquisite ale you would ever taste, or the Lythari park with the ash willow trees and the sacred golden fountain in the middle. The way the lanterns shine in between the trees snatches my breath every time. Every city looks unique, the architecture after all is hundreds of years old, the houses always have those pointed roofs and windows that are too large or small, every building is just slightly too large.

    It¡¯s almost like every vampire craves to live in something extravagant, as if they are trying to prove something about their life and immortality. And it¡¯s so common that I find the small, almost normal places the ones that hold the most beauty.¡±

    ¡°I must admit I would kill someone for ale right at this moment.¡± Selene groaned.

    ¡°Out of all I¡¯ve just said it is the ale that caught your attention.¡± The vampire laughed.

    ¡°Surely you must understand how I am feeling? I am perched and a bit of alcohol might make time go a bit faster.¡±

    ¡°I am glad there is something we agree on.¡±

    Time was getting lost. Another day or two might have passed. Maybe more. It really depended on how often their host wanted them fed. They have gotten another 4 meals since, the same disgusting mash of food that Selene suspected was given every morning and night.

    Sometimes hours would pass in silence. The thoughts of the coven, the witches, and possible assailants just circled her mind. Selene came to the conclusion that this must be the work of humans. The werewolves, while they hated both witches and vampires, kept too much to themselves, as long as no one bothered their part of the forest or endangered one of their own, they did not strike. Anything else that lived in that cursed forest, while they were wicked, none of the creatures were bright enough to plan out an attack. So humans were the only ones left, but the answer on how they managed to pull this off was still far away. With no access to magic, they were usually the most vulnerable kingdom. Always signed some treaty to the other kingdoms or leaders. Why they would change their mind out of nowhere, made no sense.

    At other moments, Selene and Aro would speak for hours, given that they were each other''s only entertainment. Not much of it had any significance. So far she found out that the vampire¡¯s favourite pastime activity is horse riding, he had no siblings but grew up alongside a cousin, who according to him had an attitude problem. And best of all, apparently Aro¡¯s secret talent was that he was unbeatable at any card game, which she suspected involved some form of cheating.

    Aro on the other hand could not stop laughing when Selene said her favourite pastime was following the people that entered the cursed forest. Stated it was creepier than any hunting a vampire could do. There was a brief mention of having a sister, but talking in too much detail about Esther could give away who she was.

    ¡°So, are you really trying to tell me that you don¡¯t have a single secret talent?¡± Aro said in disbelief.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t think I possess any abilities that are out of the norm.¡± Selene confirmed.

    ¡°I do not believe that.¡±

    After a few moments of silence that allowed Selene to think, she said. ¡°Well I guess I¡¯m rather good at finding people. Although it is hard to say if it¡¯s me or Ayah.¡±

    ¡°Ayah?¡± He questioned.

    ¡°Yes my hawk.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you forgot to mention you have a pet hawk?¡± His voice was full of amusement.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that uncommon for witches to have a bird or a different familiar.¡± She said. ¡°Ayah is a graceful creature. Found her as a small bird, and she followed me back home. Beautiful silver feathers, and the largest hawk my coven has ever seen. Clever thing can track anything.¡±

    ¡°Well befriending a hawk should be a talent in itself.¡± Aro commented.

    Even if this vampire spoke too much, Selene has grown to be thankful for his presence.

 Chapter 3

    ¡°Someone¡¯s coming.¡± Aro stated, his voice calm and collected.

    It was the first time he has heard someone, meaning it wasn¡¯t the guard that has been bringing them food. This could be their first real chance to gather some information, or the first time they would find out why exactly they have been taken.

    Moments pass before an older looking man enters the cells with three metal covered guards. His hair was light brown with a few grey strands, there were a few wrinkles around his mouth and a messy stubble. The man wore small glasses that rested on his nose, dark brown pants, white shirt and a dark leather coat that reached his ankles.

    The man didn¡¯t say anything, just took a quick look at both of them before nodding towards the guards.

    First they rushed into Selene¡¯s cell, smashing their bodies against hers, holding her firmly against the wall. Any struggle she tried to do was pointless. With not enough food, or any contact with the spirits her body was growing weak. When the man entered the cell, they pressed her head to the side away from him, covering her mouth and rendering her speechless. The hold was so strong it would cause deep bruises.

    Selene tried her best to look and get more details about the man, but the only new thing that came into view was the large syringe in his hands. She hissed as the needle was pushed into her arm, and her blood was taken in.

    But then it happened again.

    And again.

    And again.

    Everything started to look blurry, and when they were finally done with her, Selene didn¡¯t have enough energy to stand without support and collapsed on the ground.

    Then the same happened to Aro. Neither did he have enough strength to put up a fight.

    Collecting vampire blood made some sense. It did have healing properties and could help humans get better rapidly. Certain individuals also gained control over temporary powers, similar to those that the vampire possessed, but they stopped the moment the blood left their system. However, most humans would not be willing to take a risk on drinking vampire blood. Drinking a quantity of blood that could grant them powers, had a much higher chance of killing them in minutes. Their bodies were not made to hold blood with such properties.

    Yet the thing that made the least sense, was why take her blood? As far as the coven was aware, witch blood had no special effects. It was not their blood that granted them the ability to perform magic, but their spirit that was blessed by nature. Only the blood witches could wield magic with blood, but then it was only their own.

    The only thing they have gained from this interaction is that it was indeed humans behind this scheme.

    Before Selene thought of anything more, she needed rest.

    She was so tired.

    A shiver ran through her body and Selene shook so violently, she awoke.

    ¡°Are you alright little hag?¡± Aro asked, his voice sounded almost as tired as she felt, but she heard that little hint of worry in his voice.

    ¡°There is little magic left in me, vampire.¡± Selene chuckled weakly. ¡°I give it a couple days before they will have to drag my body out. No magic means my body is becoming more human. The ground is wet and cold, my wounds look infected, and I can feel my body shutting down.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.¡°Well you¡¯re very optimistic aren¡¯t you.¡± His voice was so soft even when he made the most irritating of comments.

    ¡°It is hard to be optimistic when one knows they are dying.¡±

    ¡°Well then it¡¯s good I have a plan don¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°And what plan is that? Irritate the guards till they let you out?¡± Selene mocked.

    ¡°Well, if you didn¡¯t notice yesterday I was unusually quiet, most likely due to the fact I almost starved out.¡± Aro explained. ¡°I thought if I delayed my blood rations enough, I would get to the point of being able to skip one. Which I did manage to do. So during the next meal time, I will have more energy than they would expect.¡±

    ¡°And what are you going to do? Rip out the bars and attack a guard covered in metal?¡±

    ¡°Well that would be interesting, but I think I would need about ten vials to achieve that.¡± He replied. ¡°Instead, I will sacrifice a dear friend of mine.¡±

    ¡°Explain.¡± Selene still didn¡¯t know where he was going with this, and was too tired to listen to his rambling.

    ¡°I have a few rather useful abilities. The first is my ability to materialise in different places, unfortunately it requires a lot of strength. The second most useful one, is the summoning of ravens. They are all rather dear to me, and are technically a piece of my existence. My companions since the day I was born. With two vials, I should be able to summon one outside of the cell, and get it to set itself alight, producing enough flame for you to get a spark of magic.¡±

    ¡°It will not be enough flame for me to gain enough power to get out of this cell. Not in the state that I am in.¡± It felt shameful for Selene to admit that. Never before was she so pathetic.

    ¡°Our cells are right next to each other.¡± Aro continued. ¡°All you need to do is get enough magic to get one or two bars out of your cell, whatever to get your arm out and to me.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Now she was just baffled? Did he really expect her to offer herself to him? Trust him enough to feed on her? Yes, over the last few days Selene has grown rather comfortable around this vampire, just not to that extent.

    ¡°I will get enough strength to get both of us out.¡± The vampire reasoned. ¡°There is no other option and you know it.¡±

    ¡°What I know is that the starvation must have caused you severe brain damage if you think I would go along with that.¡± It was hard for Selene not to scream at him. ¡°For all I know you would feed till the last drop of my blood and leave me here to rot.¡±

    ¡°And what would I do then?¡± Aro questioned. ¡°How am I to get past guards made of iron? To wander around a human city without getting shot down on sight? I can immobilise the guards and you can perform your little spells, but we both know neither of us is getting out of here without the other. Actually neither of us is probably getting out of the whole kingdom of Theria without the other''s help!¡±

    Everything he said made sense. It was a better plan than she has managed to come up with so far, although if she knew of the vampire powers he possessed it might have been different. Either way it was too late now, this was most likely her only shot before unavoidable death.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Selene agreed. ¡°However, if I suspect that even for a moment you are going to betray me, I promise that I will curse you with all the power I have in me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anything less.¡± Aro sounded pleased. ¡°Next meal time be ready.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Now that there was a plan, the wait dragged on and on. It got to the point where Selene questioned if they were going to bring more food, after all they got their blood and they didn¡¯t know if they would need more.

    The wait also affected the damned vampire, or he lost his mind right before their escape. At first, he spoke random tales of monsters in the forest, to hero¡¯s with magical weapons, but it got worse when he started singing ballads. Aro was worse than a drunk in a tavern. If Selene could have strangled him, she would have, she needed to sleep and there was no way to do so with a whining vampire as your neighbour.

    Just when her ears were going to start to bleed, the guard arrived with the portions. As usual, the guard placed the mash in front of Selene, took a step to the side and put down the vial. The fresh torch was bright and ready for their plan. It felt wrong for her to have so much hope, but this was the only shot.

    They waited a few minutes after the guard left, made sure no one would enter to disturb their plan.

    ¡°You ready witch?¡± Aro questioned.

    ¡°As ready as I could be.¡± She muttered.

    The first vial popped open, then the second. Aro took a deep breath in and out, momentarily causing Selene to panic and think maybe two vials were not enough. But the worry disappeared when a pitch-black raven appeared from the shadows.

    It was beautiful and magnificent, a creature like no other. It caused Selene deep sorrow to think it would now have to burn, just like she was once meant to. The raven hopped over to Aro¡¯s cell, squawking happily at the sight. There was no exchange of words between them, but the bird understood what it was meant to do and looked over towards her.

    Then everything started to happen so quickly. The raven launched itself towards the flames, and the fire grew rapidly. The magic flooded into Selene, and for the first time in days she felt like she could breathe again, but they didn¡¯t have the time for the temporary relief. She focused as hard as she could and took whatever power the flames gave her, directing it all towards the metal bars of the cell.

    Three bars cracked then shattered from the power and exhaustion flooded her body. The space was just enough to fit her shoulder through, and Selene could have cried with relief. She extended her arm out to the side until she felt the bars. With a deep breath she put as much of her arm as she could in the cell.

    ¡°Enjoy your meal vampire.¡± Selene muttered.

    ¡°I won¡¯t take more than needed.¡± Aro promised.

    She hissed as his fangs sank into her wrist causing momentary pain. She could feel his lips on her as he drank. It quickly became apparent that her body was not prepared to give much away as it started to collapse under her. Just when Selene thought she would pass out, he pulled out his fangs and released her wrist.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Aro to rip out the cell door and throw it to the side, and with a couple of steps he was in front of her. The only issue was that they both knew each other and both of them flinched and the sight of the other.

    Aro was no son of a lord close to the royal family. He was part of the royal family. He was the cursed prince who tried to burn her alive and murdered a dozen of her sisters in cold blood. The cruel prince who actively hunted witches throughout all land. He already tried to kill her once, and now it was a matter of time before he would try again.

    His lips were pressed into a thin line as he stared at her with those pale blue eyes, impossible to tell what was going on in his mind. The prince¡¯s hair was longer than she last saw him, now it reached his waist, the black strands were clumped together with what looked like blood. His face also changed and his features were no longer as soft with the cheeks, jaw and nose now much more defined. A line of her blood dripped from his lips down the throat. The loose black top and pants were in a similar state as her dress, if not a tiny bit more intact.

    The prince looked away before ripping out the cell door.

    "We don''t have time for this."  Aro whispered.

    "Time for what? A trip down memory lane on how you tried to burn me alive prince?" She hissed. "Should I refer to you as Kaelan now? Maybe his majesty?"

    "You know I could not give you my first name without raising suspicion, most likely the exact same reason you did not give me yours. I chose to give my middle and what you call me is your choice" He snapped.

    With another step inside the cell, Kaelan bit down on his wrist and moved it towards her. Selene already struggled with the idea of having to drink vampire blood, but to do it now from someone she had such deep burning hatred for made it that much harder.

    It was the only way to heal fast enough and regain her magic.

    Selene took his wrist in her mouth and drank, the iron taste flooded her mouth and made her nauseous. With each sip, her body was getting better. The wounds and cuts started to close, her vision became sharper, and her body started to feel less weak, at last magic returned to her. She would have felt even better with a few more sips if Kaelan didn''t take his hand back and moved towards the door.

    "Do you have a way to take down the guards?" He questioned.

    "The only spell I can think of is to simply freeze them for a few hours. Without access to any part of their body I cannot kill them."

    Which was a shame as it was something that Selene would like to do. They held her captive, and they should suffer, but a spell cannot get to them without an entrance in the armour. So, the only thing left is to freeze them whole.

    "Good enough."

    The tunnel leading out of the room was pitch black with steep stairs leading upwards. For now, no guard in sight.

    The vampire prince grabbed the still burning torch and headed out, Selene followed right behind him. The light would not hold out for long, so they needed to hurry. While Kaelan could see fine in the darkness, her weaker eyes would slow them down significantly.

    They rushed upwards in silence. Selene had no kind words to share and was full of anticipation for the guards. The unease only increased when they reached an old wooden door that led straight to a courtyard.

    There was only one guard further out next to a tower. Kaelan was swift to show off his favoured skill and disappeared without a word just to appear back again next to the guard. Punching the iron armour so hard it dented, and a loud snap was heard throughout the grounds. Selene rushed towards them, and as the guard was getting back up she thought up her spell and pulled her magic forwards. The guard froze in place.

    ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± She screamed at him as quietly as she could. ¡°You just let every guard know that something is wrong!¡±

    ¡°This guard was turning towards us.¡± The prince explained, his voice irritated. ¡°If he saw us, we would have even more problems, and I wanted to test something.¡±

    ¡°Was that test worth it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, those things are not human. Well at least not anymore.¡± Kaelan grumbled ¡°That was a punch at my full strength, it would have killed even a werewolf on the spot, yet this thing got up like I just tickled it.¡±

    No one managed to make Selene as furious as this blood sucking leech before her. There were no words to describe that stupid and reckless behaviour, or his damned attitude towards it.

    In that moment two more guards ran towards them and the fallen guard. With the anger that has built inside her, Selene lifted her hand and froze the men. Their positions were less than ideal and easy to spot by others. They needed to leave.

    ¡°The more of them I stop, the less time it will hold.¡± Selene explained with a ragged breath.

    Kaelan nodded and looked down at her. ¡°I could¡­ Try something.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She has also decided he was a master at causing confusion. She despised it.

    ¡°Through the entrances and holes in the walls I can see the outside of this palace.¡± He explained.

    ¡°I beg you, this is not the time to ramble on! Just say it.¡±

    ¡°I can try to get us to materialise outside the grounds.¡± Kaelan groaned. ¡°I¡¯ve just never done it to someone else. It might work since we both have each other¡¯s blood, but I am not sure.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.A guard that stood on the wall screamed for help in the background.

    ¡°Just fucking do it!¡± Selene hurried him.

    With a quick nod, the vampire stepped closer and grabbed her in his arms, lifting her off the ground as he moved forward. For a split second everything around them became darkness, the ground itself disappeared into shadows, and when things started to appear again, they were in a different location. Just at the entrance of an alleyway, the courtyard so far away Selene had to squint to see where they stood seconds ago.

    Kaelan slowly put her back down on the ground, his head resting on her shoulder as he regained his breath.

    ¡°You did it.¡± Selene laughed in disbelief. ¡°You got us out.¡±

    ¡°I hope you enjoyed that express transport service.¡± His voice was still unsteady. ¡°But the joy ride is unlikely to happen again for some time, unless you are willing to volunteer as my afternoon lunch.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, I think I need to have a proper meal myself before that prince.¡± She put her arm up and gently stroked his hair. ¡°They will start searching for us. We need to move and find a place to stay.¡±

    The prince stood up straight and moved back to rest against the alleyway wall, his pale eyes moved up and down her body. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve seen us, but we look like two wet dogs, one practically naked from a wet, ripped white dress, the other covered in blood and sticking out like a sore thumb for being a vampire.¡±

    Selene could feel her face heat up, she didn¡¯t forget about the state of her attire, but she just assumed the vampire would not notice. ¡°Well, no one told you to look.¡±

    ¡°Who said I didn¡¯t want to look?¡± He asked with a small smirk on his face.

    ¡°Leech.¡± She said with disgust. ¡°Is there any way you could do your thing and steal some clothes?¡±

    ¡°My thing?¡± The smug look on his face grew.

    ¡°Yes, your thing! Step into someone¡¯s wardrobe and take their clothing and come back or something.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the witch.¡± He replied. ¡°Is there no spell for clothing creation or to at least make us look decent?¡±

    ¡°Glamour is far from my specialty.¡± Selene explained. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever done it once before and got found out in less than ten minutes. I could hold it for both of us, but if anyone gets too close, they will see through it. And I don¡¯t stand a chance with your hair, it¡¯s too long for me to know constantly about its placement for the glamour.¡±

    ¡°What did you need glamour for before? Did your human stalking not go to plan?¡± The vampires laughed. ¡°And your hair is longer than mine, witch, can you not glamour yourself?¡±

    ¡°I tried to sneak into the eclipse ceremony when I was young.¡± She stopped for a second. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! And yes, I will struggle with my own glamour too, but I¡¯m a woman so I won¡¯t stick out.¡±

    ¡°Human men are rather irritating, aren¡¯t they?¡± He pondered. ¡°Cut it.¡±

    ¡°How are you so confusing?¡± Selene asked.

    ¡°You can pass as a human, to them you look normal, odd hair for sure but maybe you have a disease or a genetic disorder. I can see you are a witch, your eyes shine differently, and the light reflects from you. But they have poor human eyesight, so you are nothing different.¡± Kaelan trailed off. ¡°To them I look unnatural. Their response to me is fear since I am their predator. My eyes have a strange glow, my voice is not quite right, and I have fangs that are rather hard to miss. Humans don¡¯t tolerate hair this long on a man, and it¡¯s something that can be fixed. So cut it.¡±

    Selene blinked at him slowly in disbelief. The more he spoke the less sense he made. This was not a time for a makeover.

    ¡°Even if we do that, my glamour will still not be good from anything but a distance.¡± She warned. ¡°Also, what would I cut your hair with?¡±

    ¡°I stole a dagger from the first guard I punched.¡± Kaelan pulled out a dagger from his trousers and handed it to her with a smile.

    She looked at the blade in her hand and groaned, questioning how exactly she got to a point in her life where she was cutting the hair of a vampire that tried to burn her on the stake.

    ¡°At least lower yourself.¡± Selene ordered. ¡°You are stupidly tall.¡±

    Kaelan chuckled as he lowered himself to his knees. She rotated the blade into a more comfortable position and began her work. Selene tried to be precise, but she never cut someone¡¯s hair, and a fighting dagger did not make it any easier. She aimed to make the hair fall just past his ear, like some of the men that wandered the forest. Slowly the locks fell to the ground and the hair resembled something that would be more acceptable. His pale blue eyes gently followed her movements around him.

    The onyx hair mostly reached his ear, and the shorter locks at the front gently grazed the ends of his eyebrows. It certainly wasn¡¯t the best hair cut she has seen, could do with a touch up from someone who knows what they are doing, but good enough for now.

    He got up from his knees and looked at the strands of hair on the ground, a moment of sadness passed his eyes. ¡°Well, Nymira and Eryndor will get a laugh out of this.¡± He ran his fingers through the hair. ¡°It¡¯s never been this short.¡±

    ¡°It will grow back.¡± Selene smiled gently. ¡°You have the time for that.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure who the people mentioned were, however it most likely someone important to him. If there needed to be a dramatic change in her appearance, without Esther present, Selene would have been upset about it too. The prince response was just to nod.

    ¡°Could you put the glamour on?¡±  He asked. ¡°Make us look important, then we can get a place quicker, from there we can look for clothes and food.¡±

    Glamours really were her worst nightmare. This was one of the things Esther excelled at, and since their abilities have always been polar opposites, it was something she was doomed to fail in. Selene has mastered the arts of animals, summons, attacks and defence, while Esther dealt with illusions, positions, healing and creation. It was something that both of them would eventually overcome, as their power grew stronger, they would move past those struggles.

    Illusions and creation were Esther¡¯s favourite. She always said, you needed to picture what you wanted to create, or for others to see, and to leave a mark of yourself on it, that way it would be stronger and hold out better. Selene just couldn¡¯t remember if the mark was hypothetical or not.

    Magic was mostly guess work, but it was better to be safe.  Selene jabbed her index finger on the tip of the dagger, the tip of the finger spilled some blood.

    ¡°Give me your arm.¡± She demanded.

    The vampire prince was quick to roll up the damaged sleeve and expose his pale skin. Selene drew a small version of her family symbol as she imagined Kaelan more human. For the eyes to be closer to the colour of the sky, the skin to have a touch of colour to it, and for his teeth to not have the fangs. The clothes were the easy part since she just had to imagine them without the filth and holes. Once the imagine was finished, Selene took a step back to look at her work.

    ¡°And?¡± Kaelan questioned. ¡°Do I look more plain and boring?¡±

    It was just like she suspected. From a few steps away, he looked just like she wanted him too. But from three steps away, one could notice something was not right, the glamour looked fuzzy. And just one step away, the spell was completely gone.

    ¡°As long as you keep people about four steps away, the glamour works.¡± Selene said with a hint of disappointment. If Esther has done this spell, no one would have been able to tell a difference.

    Now it was her turn, which felt a lot easier. Again, just to be safe, Selene drew the same symbol on her arm, and thought of herself as she looked of the night of the ceremony. For her golden skin to no longer be covered in filth and blood, the white dress no longer ripped and stained, her silver hair to be clean and not matted. Selene would not have been able to tell if the spell worked on her, but Kaelan gave a small nod toward her and started to walk out of the alleyway.

 Chapter 5

    The human kingdom was vastly different to what Selene has seen before. Unlike the cursed forest, the humans followed the vampires and preferred to live in towns. However, unlike the vampires, there was very little nature around, the buildings were not as spectacular or big. It was all rather dull. Half the buildings were made with a red brick, the other half was made of wood that looked as if a stronger gust of wind would make them fall apart. For anyone to live in such conditions seemed unnecessarily cruel.

    After some time of walking, they made it to a location that was filled with humans walking on the street, most in a big enough rush to not spare them a second glance. The more people surrounded them, the harder it was to keep that distance of four steps.

    Selene though even the fashion was an odd choice. There was such a lack of colours everywhere. Both men and woman wore creams, beige and browns. The buildings were dull, the clothes plain and the environment cold. How could someone bare to live like that?

    Kaelan tugged gently on her arm and leaned forward. ¡°I think that¡¯s an inn.¡± He whispered. ¡°By what we have seen so far, I would take a wild guess at the fact most people cannot afford such luxuries unless they are born in the upper class. And since you are basically a wildling, please just follow my lead on this one.¡±

    A huff escaped her lips as she glared at the vampire. To be called a wildling was considered a grave insult for those who resided in the forest. It was to be considered as something less than the kingdom folk, someone not civilised enough. Yet in this situation, Selene could hardly disagree. The expectations and beliefs of humans were foreign to her. Her accent wasn¡¯t as polished, the words she used might be considered to direct. Both of them already stood out, there was no point drawing even more attention to them.

    With a stiff nod and a quick glance at the building they made their way in. The building outside was plain just like the others, the only reason why someone might have guessed this was an inn was from the large, damaged wooden sign at the front. The moment the entry doors creaked open, and they stepped inside, the place transformed.

    The brick was decorated with paintings and dark wooden pillars, there were a few tables by the windows and a couple closer to the centre and the innkeeper¡¯s desk. Each of the tables had a deep red cloth on top, which Selene suspected was to cover any damages. To their left was the stairs leading upstairs, to the right a large fireplace, and in the middle the innkeeper who watched them closely.

    The vampire prince stopped a few steps short from the desk and smiled at the keeper. ¡°Hello good sir, me and my wife were wondering if there are any rooms available for a night.¡±

    ¡°Aye we do for 2 silvers.¡± The man grunted as he leaned back on the chair. ¡°Cheapest in this part of town, you won¡¯t find a better price.¡±

    ¡°That sounds just fine to me.¡± Kaelan agreed. ¡°I must ask you if we could pay upon our departure. The journey has exhausted my lady, and I am worried if she doesn¡¯t rest, she might fall ill.¡±

    ¡°You pay or you can- ¡°

    ¡°I must insist.¡± Kaelan said softly.

    The innkeeper starred blankly bank at them, and only after a few seconds he nodded and handed them a key to a room.

    Kaelan smiled and grabbed the key, leading Selene towards the stairs.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± She hissed quietly.

    ¡°Just some light encouragement.¡± The vampire¡¯s voice was so innocent, but Selene knew exactly what he has done. Kaelan forced his will on that poor man.

    Better that then not having a place to stay the night, or the guards being informed of their location. She would have done the same if she was rested well enough to play with someone¡¯s mind.

    At the top of the stairs, Kaelan stopped and looked at a young couple that was exiting a room.

    ¡°They look close enough.¡±  He murmured as he approached them with the same soft smile. ¡°Let me take care of this for you, looks way to heavy for one like you to carry. I will make sure it gets back to your home.¡±

    The woman giggled and the man handed over their large luggage to him, in moments they disappeared downstairs. All Selene could do was stare at him in disbelief. Was it really that easy for him to just get people to bend to his will?

    Kaelan dragged the case with one hand and opened a door at the end of the hall with the other. The room inside wasn¡¯t large but it was enough. There was a small coffee table by the window, with two lounge chairs, a wardrobe close to the entrance and a double bed on the right, next to it a door leading to a small bathroom.

    Selene honestly wanted to cry at the thought of being able to have a bath, even in a tub as small as that. They did not know how long they spent in captivity, or how long the filth covered their skin. With a deep breath, she released the glamour that still held onto them. Selene was flooded with exhaustion, nothing else matter at that moment. The questions of what they would do next could wait until tomorrow. They could try to figure out how to get out of the human kingdom or gather more information as to why they were kidnapped in the first place. But for now, she needed rest, and by the look on the prince¡¯s face, he needed it too.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.¡°Ready to see our loot?¡± Kaelan said excitedly as he knelt before the case.

    The excitement didn¡¯t last long, when the case opened it revealed similar plain clothing that was present on the streets. Not like they could afford to be picky at that moment, or risk getting unnecessary attention of others. The case contained a few pairs of shoes, couple of dresses, a number of men¡¯s clothing, as well as nightwear for them both. All different shades of that dull brown.

    After they both exchanged a disappointing glance, Selene picked up a long, nightgown and made her way towards the bath, closing the door behind her. She took her time getting all the filth off her skin and hair, she let the hot water wash over her. A feeling she didn¡¯t realise she missed so dearly. The small marks on her wrist, left by the bite of the prince stung when the water touched it. She inspected the puncture wound closely. Selene could only hope she wouldn¡¯t have to serve as his meal again.

    After she stepped out, she put on that painfully nightgown, wondered who in their right mind thought this would be comfortable to sleep in. The ripped ceremonial dress laid on the floor. Selene picked it up and thrown it in the trash, there is no way for her to salvage it.

    When Selene opened the door and stepped out of the bathroom, Kaelan still hasn¡¯t moved from his previous position, looking deep in thought. She was too tired to care or to question him right now. The moment she felt the bed and laid down in it, her eyes drifted closed, and the exhaustion took over.

    The heat of the room felt suffocating, and the thick nightgown clung to her skin. Selene slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room. Darkness covered every corner and the moon shined outside the window. It was already in its third quarter, meaning around 3 weeks have passed since she was taken and imprisoned. The coven must have noticed at that point. There wasn¡¯t any doubt in her mind they would be attempting to locate her.

    The sudden movement in the corner of her eye startled her. Kaelan was sound asleep next to her. The prince apparently didn¡¯t wish to sleep on the floor or the couch and deemed it safe enough to sleep next to her. She didn¡¯t realise what a fool he was.

    Selene quickly spotted the dagger from earlier resting on the bedside table. She swiftly grabbed it and sat up, one of her knees resting on the vampire¡¯s chest and pressing down on him, while the hand that held the dagger presses into his neck.

    The prince lazily opens his eyes when he feels the pressure on his chest and neck, and his eyes wander up from her knee on him to her face, his brow slightly raised in question. ¡°Well, I must admit, this is not how I thought I would wake up today.¡±

    ¡°This is not the time for jokes.¡± Selene says while glaring down at him. ¡°Prince or not, the sin of my coven must be cleansed.¡±

    ¡°Can this not wait till the morning?¡± Kaelan asked while yawning.

    The dagger pressed more into his throat, causing a small cut. ¡°No, it may not. I don¡¯t trust you, and you¡¯re an idiot if you thought you would be safe sleeping next to me.¡±

    ¡°To be fair, women usually have a much more pleasant reaction when waking up next to me.¡± After a moment, the vampire quickly gets a hold of Selene¡¯s wrist and twists it, throwing the dagger to the other side of the room. ¡°Now would you behave wildling?¡±

    ¡°You dare insult me?¡±

    ¡°If you do not wish to be called a wildling then I recommend not acting like one.¡± His voice held a hint of a warning, and the facade of the calm and collected prince was off.

    ¡°Says the man who tried to burn me at the stake.¡± Selene got her knee off him and moved away. Stepping outside of the bed.

    ¡°And I thought I succeeded.¡±

    ¡°A high coven witch cannot burn, just like the royal lineage of the vampires doesn¡¯t burn in the sun.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the tip, I will try harder next time.¡± The prince''s voice was cold and mocking as he sat up and looked at her.

    It was painfully obvious neither of them trusted the other. Even if the prince did promise to be on his best behaviour, their past cannot be buried. He tried to kill her, and he did succeed in killing multiple other members of her coven. Selene would eventually get her revenge, but first they have to get out of this mess.

    ¡°We need a plan.¡± Selene said that through gritted teeth. The idea of having to work with him for a minute longer was torturous, yet she knew it was unavoidable. ¡°Either to get out of Theria or find out what King Flurin is up to.¡±

    Kaelan only gave her a nod, then their planning began.

 Chapter 6

    They spent the better part of the night planning, and by the time the sun started to shine through the windows, Selene started to feel tired again. Being locked underground has completely ruined her sleep schedule, but there are bigger matters at hand for her to worry over.

    Their first part of the plan was simple enough. Notify their respective families of what happened and that they are safe, then to try and blend in with the humans, which will hopefully allow them to manoeuvre around Theria a bit easier. From what they have gathered yesterday from their brief outing, they must be in Orlon, the capital of the human kingdom. Which makes things a bit more complicated.

    Orlon is located in what humans deemed the safest area, away from the cursed forest and the Vralin. It is much closer to the cursed forest than the vampire kingdom, but it is still a two-week horse ride to the border. Then it comes to the matter of making it through the forest without meeting the creatures that reside there, or werewolves. They would worry about that when they got there, for now it was time to play pretend as best as they could and blend in with the human society.

    Selene also reluctantly agreed for the prince to feed on her once a day, a decision she only made due to knowing Kaelan would be able to get them both out of trouble with her blood in his system. It will also allow her to keep an eye out for him. If she really focuses on her own blood, she will be able to tell where he is, and hopefully not cause the poor humans any trouble. He was still a sin, therefore a witches responsibility and the death of innocents will not be on Selene¡¯s hands.

    For a while now, they both eyed each other, unsure how to proceed or act anymore knowing who they are. Selene realised having to work with the prince was daunting, and she was pretty sure he thought the same. They were both stalling the inevitable, having to leave this room and rely on one another. And what certainly didn¡¯t help is feeling the assessing glare of the prince, each time she looked away.

    ¡°We should get going.¡± Selene¡¯s voice was firm as she sat up.

    ¡°We should.¡± Kaelan hummed in agreement, his gaze never leaving hers as he let the silence sink in, his eyes spoke a million questions but only one left his mouth. ¡°Are we going to have a problem?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you should be asking that question to yourself.¡±

    The prince¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line, and after a few moments, he got up from the chair and made his way towards the door. That was his only indication that he was ready to move.

    Now that they were clean and wore clothing that wasn¡¯t basically falling apart, it would be much easier for Selene to conceal the prince''s identity, and she didn¡¯t have to focus on herself at all. Kaelan found himself a dark brown, long sleeved shirt, that he didn¡¯t bother to button all the way up, and matching pants. The clothes hang loosely on his body, the fitting was ill at best, but perhaps that would make him blend in better with the humans. His black hair was no longer knotted with filth, and gracefully fell down to his shoulders.

    For herself, she found a simple beige dress that reached the floor. Not enough that it did nothing for her figure, it would also make it difficult to fight in, in case of conflict. But it was better than nothing.

    As the prince left through the door, Selene quickly cast the glamour to conceal his pale skin and the soft glow of his eyes. That with the addition of it being early morning and the light not being as bright, they will not have to worry about someone finding out who they were.

    The innkeeper was nowhere in sight, and whether that was something Kaelan planned for or not, they did manage to leave without a hitch.

    The chill air bit Selene''s skin and a small shiver run down her spine as she looked around their surroundings. The early morning sun and the shadows made this place look more bearable, hiding away the filth in darkness. There was less people around too, the only ones that were left were those setting up their stalls for the day, too busy to pay the two strangers any mind.

    They walked for a while, mostly aimlessly as they took in all the corners and alleyways. Any place that they could use to hide or runaway in case of an emergency. The only thing that surprised Selene during their stroll is how no matter how far they went, the building and streets remained as plain and destroyed. She couldn''t help but feel a tang of pity for these poor humans and how their king did not care how they lived. It was no wonder their hatred for the other species ran so deep when they though of how witches, vampires or even the werewolves lived in much better conditions than them. That those that lived in the wild hand a better roof over their head. Selene would feel resentment too.

    Eventually they arrived in a spot that started to look similar, until they saw the large walls of the castle and the guards that were changing their rotations. Selene didn''t have time to react before Kaelan grabbed her arm and pulled her into the shadows and away from the guards view.

    ¡°You know speaking would have been just fine.¡± She sent him a deep glare as his hand still lingered on her skin.

    ¡°Oh I''m sorry. Next time I will let them spot you and haul you back to the underground. Would that be better, witch?¡±

    He always knew what to say to make her blood boil. As if looking at him wasn''t enough, she had to listen to those snarky comments and wish she could burn him during daylight. Selene glared at him a long moment, their proximity making her magic vanish and revealing all his terrifying, vampire self before her.

    ¡°I know my charms can be overwhelming for some, but if you could look for a suitable guard to kidnap that would be great.¡± The prince''s eyes met her for a second, and she swore there was a hint of amusement in them.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.The best way to deal with the vampire was to ignore him, at least that¡¯s what she has told herself. Selene took a deep breath to calm herself down again and went back to observing the guards. It became apparent that they rotated their positions every 15 minutes and stayed just a few metres apart. Taking one of them without the other''s noticing would be more difficult than she had anticipated.

    ¡°Any vampire tricks to lure him here?¡± She asked cautiously, while eyeing the guard.

    ¡°Now you want to use it?¡± Kaelan sighed but his eyes took a faint glow that not even her magic could cover.

    The vampire prince set his eyes on the guard and without having to utter a single word he lured the man away from his post and towards them. A natural predator at its finest. Selene wouldn¡¯t take this time to be useless and rely on someone like this, so she focused on the other guards. They needed a distraction, to look anywhere but towards them and notice one of their own walking away from their post.

    Thankfully one of Selene¡¯s specialty was summons. Sure some were more difficult then others and could probably kill all the guards around the castle, but those were tricky to control. One distraction and the summon could run away towards the city and wreck havoc on anyone in it¡¯s path. So something simple like rats will have to do.

    Spirits surrounded her unlike when she was locked away god knows how many feet underground. It was the morning sun, the breeze, movement from others, a fire place lit in someones home around the corner. Spirits were everywhere and they were willing to help her. Selene lifted her arm and muttered a few soft words as the rats began to gather around the guards back at the castle, making them kick out and swear in panic as the animals climbed their feet.

    Selene¡¯s mind was so focused on the act she didn¡¯t notice, Kaelan¡¯s hand wrapped around her waist, leading her deeper into the alleyway as the guard followed them mindlessly. When they were far away enough and she noticed the close contact to the vampire she quickly took a step away, taking her frustrations out on the guard, uttering a few words and sending him falling to his knees. The pressure of the magic should be strong enough to render him unable to move while they interrogate him.

    ¡°Can you persuade him to speak the truth or should I see what I could do?¡± Selene asked as she looked carefully over the guard. Unlike the beasts they saw previously, this one was most definitely human. The silver armour didn¡¯t cover his whole body, instead just like one would expect it exposed the clothes under it where they would bend their joints.

    It was only further confirmed the guard was human when the prince walked over the guard and ripped the helmet off their face, revealing a rather young man underneath. He must have been a few years younger then her, perhaps he just turned twenty. His auburn hair was messy from the helmet and big hazel eyes looked between his captors in panic.

    Before the guard had the opportunity to scream and alert the others a soft ¡°Shhh¡± came from Kaelan. The vampire squatted down before the guard, tilting his head curiously. If Selene had to compare the sight to anything it would be to a cat playing games with a mouse.

    ¡°You will listen to us very carefully, OK?¡± Kaelan¡¯s voice was almost mocking and the darkness behind it made her shiver. No doubt he was using the powers of persuasion. ¡°You will answer each one of our questions, and if you do, we just might set you free.¡±

    Selene didn¡¯t waste anytime before she started to speak. ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°Orlon.¡± The guard answered swiftly with a dead tone, whatever the prince was doing was working efficiently enough.

    ¡°Are you aware of any recent kidnappings of witches or vampires?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Are you aware of any guards in the kings service that are not human?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Are you aware of any attacks the king might have planned on the other species?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Selene groaned loudly as the guard was quickly proving to be useless, unable to provide an answer to a single one of her questions.

    ¡°Have there been any changes to the royal guard recently?¡± It was the vampires turn to ask.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°The fool doesn¡¯t know anything. He¡¯s useless.¡± Selene¡¯s tone was irritated as she pointed at the guard.

    ¡°Then it means the king doesn¡¯t even want to know his people to know what he¡¯s plotting.¡±

    ¡°And what do you suggest we do now? Question each one of the guards in hopes one knows something?¡±

    ¡°We sneak into the palace.¡± Kaelan said it as a matter of a fact, ignoring the look Selene has given him and the obvious matter that she thought the plan was pure stupidity.

    ¡°They will kill us on sight!¡± Her glare focused on the prince as he stood up and completely ignored her.

    ¡°Give me your weapons and keys.¡± He said to the guard. Just like that the guard stood up and handed over his sword, two hidden daggers and a large set of rusted keys he was carrying. ¡°Forget everything and go.¡±

    With that the guard was off and without looking back made his way to his post, looking dazed and confused when he arrived.

    ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware neither of us has ever been in the palace of Orlon and we don¡¯t know what we¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°Have a bit more confidence in me witch.¡± Kaelan said as a small grin appeared on his lips, no doubt from the irritation he knew he has caused her. ¡°We¡¯ll go during the night, my powers are stronger then and there will be less guards.¡±

    It was hard not to roll her eyes at him, at his stupid cocky attitude. ¡°And once we get there?¡±

    ¡°We look for an office, or a research facility. Anything that could have information on what they are doing.¡±

    ¡°This plan is madness.¡± Selene muttered as she shook her head in disbelief.

    This only made his grin grow and his voice became even more cocky. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a saying that there is no great genius without a touch of madness?¡±

 Chapter 7

    There was no point bickering with the prince. Selene might not have know him for long but it was apparent that once he had set his eyes on something there was no talking him out of it. And for better or for worse, she was now stuck with him and those stupid ideologies. So in silence they made their way back to the inn.

    Now that the sun has made it¡¯s way into the sky, more people filled the streets, the stalls were set up and waiting for someone to go up to them. Selene had to admit she was struggling not to just do that when so many of the stalls were filled with pastries that her stomach was crying out for. Alas she had no money so there was no point stopping.

    The vampire walked confidently, and Selene couldn¡¯t help but wonder how long it has been since the sun kissed his skin. No doubt something he wouldn¡¯t share with her. So they continued to walk in silence.

    Hungry and bored.

    This was not a good morning.

    Or that was what she thought until the prince suddenly tossed something her way which she barely managed to catch in time before it would have went tumbling down on the floor.

    ¡°I can¡¯t feed on you if you¡¯re starved.¡± Kaelan explained as he stopped walking, leaning against a nearby wall, closing his eyes without a care.

    ¡°Oddly thoughtful.¡± She muttered as a silver coin rested in her palm.

    Without a further complaint, Selene quickly grabbed a few pastries she¡¯s never seen before and quickly got to work with them. Even though the market place was rundown and the people there looked miserable, humans knew what they were doing with their baked goods.

    Before they got back, the pastries were no more and Kaelan held the inn door open for her, still playing along the marriage act for the keeper who again didn¡¯t bothered spare them with a single glance.

    ¡°What have you done to him?¡± Selene asked once they enter back into their room, sitting down on the bed as she wrestled those stupidly tight shoes off her feet.

    ¡°The keeper?¡± The prince asks before shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I told him to ignore us and if anyone asks about us, then he hasn¡¯t seen anything.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that exhausting?¡± If she were to cast a spell with similar effects it would constantly drain her, leaving her exhausted at all times of the day and the prince didn¡¯t seem bothered at all.

    ¡°Since you so nicely offered yourself as my daily meal and your blood is rich with magic¡­ things have became easier.¡± His tone was cocky again, she didn¡¯t have to look to know there was that irritating smirk written on his lips again, so she decided to just ignore that.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. I would rather be rested for our suicide mission.¡±

    ¡°Do as you wish, witch.¡±

    When Selene woke up she felt a little groggy, not wanting to go ahead with this plan and it irritated her the prince looked so calm and happy while he read a book he got god knows where from as he sat in the arm chair.

    ¡°Where did you get that?¡± She asked as she walked over, ready to snatch the book out of his hand if necessary.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you want to know? Not what it is or why I¡¯m reading it?¡± The prince¡¯s voice was disinterested and his pale blue eyes tracing the lines on the paper.

    ¡°Both. Where did you get it and what is it?¡± Selene leaned against the table as she looked down at him.

    ¡°I got it from a nice lady who I met in the lounge while you were sleeping. I think her name was Caelia.¡± Kaelan finally paused reading as he pondered. ¡°Maybe Laelia. Doesn¡¯t matter. She was a historian for a local school and had a few books of note, and when I saw one specifically on the recent royal lineage I thought it would be worth a read. The lady didn¡¯t even need convincing to hand it over, although I doubt she was satisfied when I didn¡¯t offer anything in return.¡±

    ¡°Are you always this much of a fool?¡± Selene looked at him in utter disbelief. ¡°I was asleep. The spell hiding away your appearance could have snapped at any moment and you would have alerted all the guards near.¡±

    Kaelan closed the book and put it down on the table. In a moment he was before her, placing his hands on either side of her body on the table behind her and leaned forward. An odd emotion was written on his face and it was impossible to pinpoint if it was amusement, challenge or perhaps just pure hatred. Maybe it was all of them at once. Either way Selene wasn¡¯t impressed by the new position she found herself in and was tempted to call on her magic to get him away, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she wouldn¡¯t accidentally hurt him too much and cause him to accompany her around the kingdom. So she did all she could and glared up at him with as much irritation and hatred that she could muster.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.¡°Are you always this insecure about your abilities?¡± His voice was like poison, so falsely sweet it made her feel sick.

    ¡°And are you always this rash and idiotic?¡± Selene asked right back, but she couldn¡¯t hide the contempt in her voice like he did.

    ¡°I can feel your magic touching every inch of my skin. A constant layer that is impossible to forget, and I can tell you that while it is wearing thin, I am confident it will still last another couple of hours.¡±

    She wishes to curse him. Perhaps she should. Selene could have sworn he leaned closer, and when she tried to lean further away she was just reminded of the fact her body would just tumble down on the table.

    ¡°Do they not teach vampires the concept of personal space?¡± Her voice came out sharper than she had anticipated.

    ¡°Why am I bothering you?¡± Kaelan laughed, his voice surprisingly light. ¡°Will you magic me away?¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t move perhaps I should.¡±

    ¡°It is time for my next meal.¡± The vampire smiled and due to the proximity of them, the illusion spell was rendered useless, revealing the fangs that made her breath stop in fear.

    ¡°Get it over and done with.¡±

    Selene knew it was something she would have to get used to. Becoming a meal for something her magic called to end, and yet she had no choice unless she wanted to have death of innocent humans on her consciousness. Yet the thought of having those fangs sink into her skin terrified her. At any moment the vampire could decide to either snap her neck like a twig or bleed her dry and Selene wouldn¡¯t know until it was too late.

    Kaelan lifted one of his hands and gently moved away the long strands of hair that covered her neck. His face leaned down and his nose brushed against her skin, soon followed by a gentle touch of his lips. The movements were so slow and deliberate, it caused Selene¡¯s cheeks to flush involuntarily and her breath to come out more shaky than she intended. Before she could utter a single word, telling him to hurry up, the fangs pierced her skin and a wince escaped her lips. She could feel the prince¡¯s lips form a smirk against her skin, no doubt enjoying the pain she was in.

    As the blood made it¡¯s way out, the sharp pain disappeared and it turned into something else. Something Selene didn¡¯t want to admit as her breath quickened and she gripped tightly onto the table edge. One moment she felt repulsed by how close she found herself to the vampire and the next it wasn¡¯t close enough. It took all her willpower to not drag him closer, to tangle her hands in his hair and whisper what else she would so much like him to do in that moment.

    When the thoughts were becoming overwhelming, Kaelan bit down hard and snapped Selene out of whatever trance she was experiencing. Her hands immediately found their way to his shoulders, ready to shove him as hard as she could, desperate for that bit of space. But the prince didn¡¯t budge and instead pulled out his fangs, making blood trickle down her skin. He took that moment to lick it off and run his tongue over the wound. There was no need to ask why he did such a thing when Selene felt the two puncture wounds close right after.

    ¡°Can¡¯t have you enjoying yourself too much can we?¡± The vampire took a few steps away and sat back down in the arm chair. His voice teasing to the point it was sure to make anyone¡¯s blood boil.

    ¡°What did you do to me?¡± Selene¡¯s voice was sharp and she quickly made her way back to the other side of the room and sat on the bed. Even that didn¡¯t feel far away enough.

    ¡°Ah, that.¡± Kaelan obviously planned whatever happened, his eyes revealed as much as they carefully watched her. ¡°It¡¯s a little side effect of when one feeds on another.¡±

    ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± She scoffed. ¡°You fed on me before and I can assure you nothing like that happened.¡±

    ¡°Last time I stopped drinking before the pain could disappear. This time I took enough to actually give me my fill.¡± His laugh filled the room as he rested his chin on his hand.

    ¡°Something you couldn¡¯t have warned me about?¡±

    ¡°Was it not a pleasant surprise?¡±

    ¡°Keep something like that from me again and I will not hesitate on killing you, leach.¡± Selene¡¯s words were harsh and she knew that, but her emotions were a turmoil that wouldn¡¯t calm down and she was never the best and keeping her feelings in check.

    The prince¡¯s cocky smile fell off and instead his lips formed a thin line, making his features uncharacteristically harsh. ¡°I guess we will see which one of us would be faster.¡±

 Chapter 8

    The silence between them was deafening the rest of the time at the inn as she redid the concealment spell, as they got ready for the mission and now as they made their way to the castle. Whatever happened between them seemed to have made things worse. Sometimes Selene caught the prince looking at her in a way it made her afraid to close her eyes at night, she was sure there was pure hatred and murder in those eyes.

    Although he probably felt the same. After all, unlike Kaelan she did express her hatred and went as far as pressing a dagger against his throat while he slept.

    Their relationship was truly beyond repaid.

    The castle looked eerie at night. The stone walls were towering over them as they slowly approached an area that was not covered by guards. No doubt they thought this part was impenetrable, no door or windows in sight but they didn¡¯t think about teleporting vampires.   Not that she could blame them since it was not something the witches knew either.

    ¡°Are you ready?¡± The vampire took a step closer as he spoke.

    Selene nodded, almost trying to convince herself that she was. They needed information and it¡¯s not like the humans around Orlon had it, it was something locked away in the castle and the only way to get it was to do it themselves. She¡¯s never infiltrated anything of this size with so little people, and it scared her. But just the thought of what happened to her, happening to anyone else from the coven made her skin crawl and King Flurin had to be stopped.

    Kaelan wrapped an arm around her waist, his eyes focusing on the top side of the wall, searching for a suitable place for them to land, and it would have been nice to get a warning when he did.

    Again the odd feeling of everything disappearing took over and the next moment they both stood on top of one of the walls with the castle in full view. It had that same boring look as the rest of the buildings in the capital, only difference being the fact this was made of stone. So old and not taken care of that most of the outer walls were covered in moss and vines, only the windows were left fully uncovered. Most of the castle appeared to have been left unoccupied, with only a few rooms left lit by soft candle light.

    Only the guards were left standing around the courtyard, following the same pattern they did when Selene and Kaelan last came to visit. Selene would feel frightened about getting caught but there was no guards near them and the night covered them in shadows.

    The prince quickly reached out his hand, summoning a couple of ravens that flew away and start patrolling the area. Selene was starting to feel a little bit useless with how much she had to rely on the vampire, but her specialty were not helpful at the moment. There were no animals for her to speak to, her summons were large creatures of the forest that would cause chaos in moments, and most of her magic was for attacking and defending herself. Either of those would cause more trouble than good.

    From the wall, Kaelan teleported them inside the castle. This time Selene could tell it took a toll on his body. The prince¡¯s breath was quicker and the hand on her waist trembled lightly.

    ¡°If you overdo it, we won¡¯t get out.¡± Selene whispered, conscious of the unknown surroundings.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Kaelan whispered back and took a long step away from her. ¡°There are two guards at the end of the hall and a person in the end room on the right side.¡±

    ¡°And you know this how?¡± At this point Selene would have to report to her mother how little they actually knew about vampires since this one left her with more questions than answers.

    ¡°I can smell them.¡± He said simply as he entered the first door.

    ¡°Creepy but alright.¡±

    The moon was the only light that illuminated the hall. It was stupidly long as expected of a castle, with a long dark red carpet running through it. The left side was mostly windows with ornate candle holders and on the right side between the doors hang portraits of what could only be the members of the royal family.

    Selene followed the prince into the first room, just to find what looked like a receiving room. Nothing but a couple of coffee tables with furniture around them. Even then, they both checked the room thoroughly, making sure there is nothing in between the cushions or any papers left on the tables. The second room was a guest bed chamber and a third storage room for the servants. Neither had anything of use and Selene was growing more impatient and filled with worry that this has been a waste of their time. However the fourth room was an office.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.There were to large windows at the back with a desk in front of them that was stacked with papers and correspondence. The two side walls were shelves stacked with books to the point they were almost falling off. Not to mention the large couch that looked so tempting to lay on after how tired Selene felt with digging through the previous rooms. This room would be her dream to stay in for a few days if only it wasn¡¯t filled with the same dull colours as the rest of the kingdom. She was starting to think that Theria was allergic to anything bright and exciting.

    Kaelan quickly began to search through the papers at the desk, sorting them through what might be of interest or not, while Selene started to look through books, setting off any that mentioned conflict with the other lands or history of humans.

    ¡°This is locked.¡± The prince mutters with annoyance as he yanks of a drawer.

    ¡°Here.¡± Selene walked towards where the vampire stood and placed her hand on the lock, willing it to open.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s useful.¡± Kaelan said as he grabbed the papers from inside, his tone showing slight amusement.

    ¡°I learnt it much to my mothers displeasure when I was young and wanted to sneak out.¡± She said as she eyed the new pieces of information, those had the royal seal meaning it will be coming back with them.

    What did catch her eye is the printed letters on the top of one of the papers.

    The undead.

    In moments, Selene started to question if such things were possible. While yes, the witches did create the vampires who were on a brink of being called the undead, the creatures still had a beating heart and had to drink blood to provide for it, and she didn¡¯t think the papers were calling the vampires the undead.

    Her momentary panic was interrupted by the prince grabbing the top of her head and pulling her down under the desk.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± He explained.

    Right on time the door creaked open and steps sounded through the room. Whatever panic Selene felt a few seconds ago no longer seemed important. If they were caught and dragged back to those awful cells, they won¡¯t be able to read through this, won¡¯t be able to warn the others of what might be coming.

    Kaelan pressed a hand to her mouth, and pulled her closer to him. The sound of her breathing must of been louder than she thought and even though she wanted to move away, Selene was thankful that she could rely on the prince at least in that moment.

    She started to count in her head to distract herself, trying and failing to not think about the possibility of the human moving towards the desk. After a few minutes the steps left the room and both of them slowly peaked their heads out.

    Whoever came here seemed to only have grabbed a few books from the shelves and return to wherever they came from.

    ¡°We have enough, we should leave.¡± She said as she looked back at him.

    ¡°Grab what you can.¡± Kaelan said as he began to gather the papers, rolling them up and putting them inside his pockets, when there was no room he held as much as he could in one hand. It was a shame Selene couldn¡¯t teleport herself, that way they could carry out so much more.

    Selene held the books close to her chest and they began to sneak out the room and to the spot they entered from. Kaelan pulled her close again and shadowed them away to the tower, then to the street, dismissing the ravens once they were out. For a moment she thought she would have to carry him back, his steps were unsteady and his face somehow paler than it already was, but when she tried to reach out he moved away from her as if repulsed by the idea of her help. So she didn¡¯t bother him again.

    Back at the inn they settled down the papers and spread them across the table. Unfortunately Selene was right, the humans were not talking about vampires but about the dead corpses of soldiers.