Fire crackled gently in the background while amber and silver rays fought to illuminate the small space where Emrys stood facing a breathtaking Adaliah.

Her hair was tousled, locks cascading down her back. She had changed out of her significant red into black – exchanging blood for death, burying herself below swathes of darkness – and stood before him hiding behind heaps of fabric.

The dress hugged her body in all the right places. It pushed her breasts up and left her dainty shoulders exposed for his shameless gaze to admire while its lacey sleeves stretched and flared until her hands were swallowed. 

His body was set ablaze, responding to her gaze that roamed all over him. When her garnets glimmered, his flickered like waves crashing on shore.

Emrys stepped forward and watched as she swallowed before lifting her head. Has she been crying? His fingers grazed her jaw, running over Kohl smears that blemished her face, before they continued their journey to her parted, cherry mouth. His thumb ran over her lower lip and felt her lean into his touch.

He was hypnotized, following the gentle slope of her nose and the tantalizing bow of her lips with his eager eyes.

With a shaky inhale, Emrys resumed his outrageous exploration and his hand traced the necklace that wrapped around her neck like a choker before it spread and covered her sternum. Its beads shimmered under the faint lights. 

Her chest rose and fell rapidly when he lingered on a gem in the center, right above the swell of her mounds.

It was the same as the one on his ring.

A quiver overtook him and her breath hitched as his index grazed her skin, running down the valley between her breasts until it reached the golden edge of her corset that pinched her waist and framed the beginning of her hips.

"That is enough, Emrys," Adaliah breathed out, her hand resting atop his.

What was he doing? He exhaled deeply. Why was he so drawn to her?

Her hand cupped his neck for a moment before it slid down over the opening in his shirt. With a shaky inhale, she fought to regain control over her slipping composure. "You cleaned up well."

"Adaliah."

She sighed, stepping away from him. Before she could turn around, however, Emrys grabbed her elbow.

"Please, I have questions."

She stared at him for a couple of wild heartbeats before slowly removing his hand and placing it atop his torso then placing hers in the crook of his elbow.

"Walk with me, Emrys."

The castle seemed to hum with life as they strolled. The curtains swayed fervently despite the lack of wind and the walls stood taller. It was as if they were vying for her attention after being deprived of it for too long.

"Do you live here alone?"

"Yes."

"Isn't it hard to maintain a place such as this?" He glanced at her. "It's huge."

"I do not require any help."

His brows shot up at her response, automatic and stiff. He looked around at the dilapidated surroundings before placing his other hand atop hers. "Doesn't it get lonely?"

Her steps faltered but she quickly resumed her pace, still not looking his way. "At times."

Tosdach enveloped the whole place for a while after that. The curtains stilled and bleakness painted the walls. The eerie atmosphere continued until they arrived at one of the dining halls. It was spacious and he assumed she used it often for it was left intact compared to the rest of the castle.

A chandelier hung low from the ceiling, its crystals twinkling to life when Adaliah clicked her fingers.

A large table, rich mahogany, was set in the middle right below it with crimson draped over it. Endless chairs were placed along its length but they were covered in dust that was blown away with a soft breeze when Adaliah flicked her wrist.

Emrys blinked, taking everything in, before walking over and guiding her to the head of the table. He took a seat beside her.

"Adaliah."

She hummed in response and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on dark wood and interlocking his fingers.

"Why are you avoiding me?"

Taken aback by his straightforwardness, Adaliah jolted slightly. Quickly masking her feelings, she cleared her throat, leaning sideways to rest her head atop her palm.

She stared at him, impressed he wasn't squirming under the intensity of her gaze. Emrys didn't yield despite the sweating of his palms and the dryness of his throat. He needed answers. When he didn't look away, Adaliah smiled.

If he wasn't giving up, why would she? She wasn't a coward.

"Forgive me for I am yet to get used to having company."

Her voice caressed his ears and Emrys relaxed.

He frowned. "How do you maintain this place if it's just you?"

Her shoulders lifted in a shrug before scarlet mist floated around them and gathered atop the table until it became a condensed cloud. With a quick snap of her fingers, it was blown away and in its place were endless plates of all kinds of food.

"Magic."

Her murmur faded away as Emrys was too preoccupied with gaping at the mouthwatering meals before him.

Amused, Adaliah urged him to eat but he stared at the foreign and sheer number of cutlery, plates, and cups in front of him.

"What's all this for?" His brows were furrowed as he looked at her. "It's just the two of us."

Adaliah couldn't help the laughter that slipped out, bending forward as she shook. With a sigh, she smiled at him.

"To eat with. It is all for etiquette de table."

He crossed his arms. "Etiquette? What's that?"

Her irises glinted with mirth. "The conduct or code of polite behavior in society. It is a set of norms of personal behavior, including table manners."

"Society?" His head was tilted to the side. "It's just you and I."

His face was pinched in confusion and she trembled slightly, trying to hold back her chuckles.

"Indeed. Eat however you wish, Emrys. Just, do not make a mess."

"Mess?" He huffed. "What do you take me for? I'm not a savage." One brow rose and he recalled the unseemly sight he was in when they met. His cheeks reddened. "It's different this time."

"We shall see."

Irked, Emrys reached for the spoon and chose soup as the safest option. As soon as he took a sip, Adaliah smirked and he nearly choked but didn't stop until she tutted.

"No slurping."

His jaw ticked and, instead, reached for some bread and what resembled chicken. He's never seen it cooked this way.

"Roasted turkey with sautéed vegetables."

"Turkey?"

Red mist appeared atop her palm in the shape of the animal. "It bears resemblance to chickens but is bigger in size. I will show it to you one day."

He nodded. "What is sa-," he paused, "satied?"

"Sautéed," she smiled, "fried. When you sauté something, you fry it in a little fat, oil for example." Emrys kept nodding, absorbing everything. "You have a lot to learn still."

A sheepish expression spread across his face. "It's a miracle that I'm able to understand what you say and speak as you do." Her brows rose slightly. "Everything is very different fro-," his voice faltered and he cleared his throat, "from back when I was alive." Then, he added as an afterthought, "before. When I was alive before."

Adaliah hummed. "It is different indeed."

"Do you," he started, "do you think I'm able to understand everything because you brought me to life? Because I've drunk your blood?"

Adaliah didn't speak and only moved her head up and down slightly in confirmation. 

Even if she wasn't sharing anything with him, Emrys was no fool. This woman had most definitely lived for a long time. She wielded magic like it was nothing and, despite being shrouded in mystery, he wasn't threatened by her but rather impossibly drawn to her.

"People have changed a lot as well. They're smaller in size than they used to be and have grown in numbers. Their words are more pronounced and they speak a lot clearer and faster than before." He recalled the way the villagers conversed. "They are much cleaner too."

"Indeed. There were not as many humans before and, thus, their speech evolved to accommodate their need for communication." Her fingers tapped the arm of her chair lightly. "As long as there is life, everything will keep evolving. Nothing is exempt from change."

Adaliah bit the inside of her cheek. In a world of variability, she's been a constant, immune to all change. Now, however, since Emrys appeared, things have shifted and she found herself vacillating.

"Well then..." Emrys set his spoon down and, with a smoldering look, set her aflame. "I'm not human anymore, Adaliah. So, what am I? What have I become?"

His eyes flickered, a quick flash of red before blue settled. She watched his tilted head, his tousled raven locks, and his sharp jaw before her gaze rested atop his mouth. It was slightly parted, revealing sharp fangs.

"Vampyr."

Word count: 1524.

Total word count: 12449.

MEANING OF THE WORDS USED:

Tosdach: marked by the absence of sound; failing to speak or communicate when expected to.

Vampyr: or vampyre, is an alternative form of vampire which means "undead creature", the reanimated body of a dead person or a corpse believed to leave its grave at night to drink the blood of the living by biting their necks with long pointed canine teeth.