Arelia's POV

"Your name." His voice was hesitant and heavy as I limped beside him.

Maybe it was a type of unknown connection that we made. And for what's it's worth...I was actually really afraid of what this meant between us.

A vampire? To even touch me revolted me.
So why did it have the opposite effect this time with him?

Why didn't he try and rip my throat out like all the other vampires?
Why was he any different?

"Your name." He then demanded of me as I returned from my thoughts.

If I were to answer him not, he might just have these floors of grass painted in my blood if I chose to keep quiet.
I did not wish to die, not today. Not yet.

"Arelia."

"Hmm. A pleasant name for a human."

Human.

I felt as though he was mocking me. Saying what I was aloud like he did made me feel small. And I never felt small with a vampire before today...that was besides my past when my own brother and father were murdered by one in cold blood.

Other than that unfortunate night, I never truly feared vampires.

With this vampire before me now... he seemed fickle in his ways.
The fact that one second he was chasing me, and the next I was something to be looked upon as more than just a 'human' to him was odd.

I felt as though he was meaning more than what he was letting on when he spoke to me.

"What did you mean when you said I was more than just a human? And what are we?"

His long look at me alone told me even he wasn't quite sure but still had a good idea to what was happening.

"We'll find out eventually, for now you must act as my prisoner as to raise no suspicion. And I promise no harm will come to you."

I took a glance at his soaked shirt to see toned muscle, muscle that could be the doing of my death if I wasn't careful enough.

Even though he mentioned of no harm coming to me...I couldn't trust those words entirely.

But I wondered why he even considered himself with my wellbeing.
Why me?

Why not kill me and drink my blood?

"And if I don't obey?"

"Then I'll have no choice but to take you prisoner anyway. The only difference is, you have a choice to go willingly with the first option."

"Fine-agh-!" My foot twisted from an uneven root as I about tumbled over.

Luckily I was caught by him as his hand had caught my wrist.

Then a wave of something unexplainable went over him and I, making me feel as though I wanted him to be a part of my life.

Not only now, but forever.

I jerked my arm away as I walked on.

"Are you afraid of me?" He suddenly asked walking behind me.
That seemed to make me snap back into reality with anger.

My bare feet became raw from not having any fabric to keep my feet from the rough insides of my boots as I pushed past the pain.

"I'm weary of you. I would never be afraid when hatred fills my ever being against your kind on the daily."

He smiled as if he wasn't surprised at my answer but kept a solemn look after.

"Reasonable enough."

"Come now, you are to be my captive until I am able to speak with my Queen."

"Why must you do that?"

"Put this on."

It irritated me that he wasn't answering any of my questions.

He looked at me seriously, putting a ripped piece of cloth that was long enough to tie around my head.

He then picked me up over his shoulders with little to no effort.
I couldn't tell if I should have taken offense to it or not.

And I hated how I wasn't resisting him right now.

He could be lying for all I know and yet, here we are...with me trusting him like the idiot I thought I wasn't.

"She has the only word to free you from being a prisoner. And once she knows who you are, she'll set you free on one condition."

Even if I wanted to ask, I felt as though he wouldn't answer.
So I kept silent, and for a while I heard his feet on pebbles and earth until they connected with stone flooring.

A bustle of noises filled my ears...sounds of carts hitting uneven stone, women giggling at men.

Sellers rallying fools to their 'fair prices', that would eventually leave their buyers pocket dry by the end of each bargain.

The smell of sweet cake and steaming bread also filled my noise, allowing me to imagine what they must have tasted like.

The vampire holding me tightened his grip on me even more so as the crowd felt denser the more we ventured in whatever direction he was going in.

It was as if he didn't want to lose me in the crowd. Not like he was going to with his death grip on me though.

Once I heard a gate close and what I'd assume to be guards talking to the vampire holding me, he continued with me until I was laid down.

He lifted off the cover from my face as I probably appeared flushed to him.
I felt hot and light, as if energy had been drained from me.

"Here, drink this."

I took the small glass bottle from him as I smelled it for any poison.

"It's not poisoned. It's just broth. It'll help you feel better."

The thick liquid was warm against my throat but left a bitter taste causing me to clench my teeth together.

I then handed it back to him as I looked at him for a while.

"You haven't told me your name."

"Ambrose, Captain of the guard. Thrasher of dreams."

I looked at him with weary.

His face appeared empty and absent from himself.

And then he looked down.

"Remember, you have a choice. But before that time comes, you'll be with me. And no harm will befall you while I look after you. That is until you are free. Just for now, stay hidden from everyone. And I mean 'everyone'."

He then shut the door as I stayed on the bed of furs he settled me on.

I felt tired and exhausted so I decided to sleep right then and there.

When I awoke sunlight glimmered on my face from the glass window that was decorated as though it was of crystal, causing the light to fracture and become fainter once it entered the room.

Definitely a vampire thing.

When I got up I had noticed neatly folded clothes at the end of the bed as well as a steamy bath that was probably prepared for me in the next room.

There was also a pair of black boots on the floor.

So I brushed my hair out with my fingers making sure to rid any knots I had in my hair.

I slowly peeled off my clothes and took a nice warm bath, scrubbing away any and all dirt I could possibly find.

Once all the heat was gone from the tub I then got out with whatever cloth I could find to dry myself with as to change into my new clothes.
      He was thoughtful, I'll give him that.

And as I had just finished changing, Ambrose walked in while I was in the middle of changing socks.

All he did was walk up to me.
His thumb tracing small circles on my smooth skin on the top of my shoulder.

He kept his eyes away from me as I let my hand guide its way to his face.

How could Ambrose be a vampire when he looked and acted more human than any vampire I've seen before.

The spark from when we first met was flickering and growing stronger every second we were together.

And I wondered if that was what was encouraging such a trace of thought.
To allow myself to be comfortable with a vampire like him...was lunacy.

I immediately dropped my hand from his face from the thought.

"I fear I am under a spell. I can't come to hate you like the rest." I finally spoke to him.

"You are not under a spell. We are what you'd call destined partners. Usually it's only ever happened with vampires...but it seems you are an exception."

"Then we're indeed a sick joke...a joke made to make someone feel better about themselves." I wanted to laugh, because this couldn't be what fate had in store, giving me the shortest end of the stick possible.

I didn't want to laugh because it was funny. I wanted to laugh because it was just how my luck went. And it was starting to drive me to lose a part of my humanity.

Insanity maybe.

I don't know.

And just then as I wondered about my own strange thoughts, he looked at me with a slack of pity.

"It is said that before we were born into this world, as stars we had crossed paths before being born anew. And somehow connects us to now."

My eyes dropped their gaze to the wooden planks on the floor.

I didn't want to look at his piercing eyes.
Those dangerous yet soft eyes that screamed vampire but he just wasn't what I was expecting...at all.

He was honestly quite the romantic despite our predicament of playing the captured and captor.

"Don't you hate me?"