Continuing Benji's POV:
"Can I ask you something?" I whispered to Farlora as we walked down the cold dark halls continuing down another level in the basement. She was avoiding taking an elevator shaft on my behalf. I guess Vanitas already spoke to her about my simple scarce of small spaces.
"Go ahead," Farlora said as she squeezed my hand.
"What type of dragon is Vanitas? How important is he?" I looked around the vas space as a hint he had a massive fortune. Especially since he had so many mates.
"You don't know?" She gasped out and stopped us in our tracks. She gave a smirk as I shook my head. "Here I was told you knew everything about our kind. Vanitas, my dear darling, is a king. He is the Emerald Dragon king." I froze up from her words. Emerald Dragon King?! Vanitas is a king?! In the dragon realm from which dragons are born there is a king representing each jewel. They hold vast amount of riches and lands in the other realm. That explains his eyes. They're the color of emeralds. His family probably bred that genetic into his bloodline. Dragon Kings are said to be so powerful they come with supernatural abilities. Very uncommon to a typical dragon, they are the true magic wilders of the universe. The very thought he's one of them is terrifying alone.
To think that the warehouse I was working just accidentally acquired his offspring? I would like to meet the ones responsible in person for all of this. I would like to personally bash them in the head for their stupidity. It could have cost everyone's life in the warehouse!
"Vanitas?" I asked to be sure.
"Of course, my darling!" She cupped my cheeks in her hands. "You are securing a lap of luxury being in his favor. You will never need again!" Honestly I should have known from all the servants here... "You are so fortunate to be brought here to be his. Do not corrupt the trust he's placed in you. Just give in to the desires." Her eyes ventured downwards and I knew she was staring at my waist.
Dragons only bonded like this to wealthy dragons. I should have seen the signs last night! I don't know why I didn't connect the two sooner! I feel so stupid! My eyes landed on her appearance. I was beginning to admire her by every second I glanced at her. She was so sweet. Her hair fell across her face like wild grass. It was thick and from experience I had noticed hard to dry. It ran in wild curls down across her chest and shaped her hour glass look even more. Her eyes sparkled like wild violets in a field. Farlora was untamed to me. Wild as the first mysterious glance she had on me. She was an older dragon despite her young appearance. I knew by the knowledge she bore with power. She was the girls leader here. A strong leader I trusted. I think it was because somewhere she also had a motherly love to her nature of mannerism. I admired her dearly now. So what kind of dragon was Farlora?
"And, you?" I asked curiously. "What about you?"
"I am a storm dragon mixed with a poisonous small breed. I am a half breed. Vanitas took me in and gave me this form," she said as she looked down at her human form. I knew for fact only certain breeds- usually the most powerful were capable of shifting between forms. Vanitas used his magic to give her this body. Otherwise she would be stuck in her original form of a dragon. One day she will feel comfortable in showing it to me. It was rare to see a dragon shift forms. They were private with those things in this realm. They were actually protective. Since they have been hunted for centuries. To her evaluation she was capable of controlling the weather in great storms or she could have the ability to easily poison a victim. Both, was also a possibility. storm dragons were large creatures that once roamed the skies. While a poisonous small breed stuck to tropical habitats. They were best involved in those environments. "Don't you think it's rude to not explain yourself?" She asked me.
"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.
"You're a vampire. I already know you have the sun allergy," she determined. I nodded at her cleverness.
"I suppose..." I trailed off as I wasn't sure how to tell her. I didn't like to discuss this with just anyone. "I am a pureblood," I whispered. She clapped with amusement as her face lit up in delight.
"Really? You were born a vampire? How very amusing! Your species is a dying breed," she stated the obvious. It was due from my species mating out instead of inwards. Due to the great revolution of my kind we were now nomads. It was rare for me to find another kind like me. Though... there were many turned still roaming the streets. There will always be turned vampires, like a disease. "No wonder Vanitas took a liking to you." She pulled me with her down the hall as if to gesture we should keep moving now.
"I don't think that's why he took a liking to me," I told her softly. It was more like my knowledge and connivence it brought him that would lead to me being trapped here. "It was because of his tera mate's hatchlings that made him decide to bring me here."
"That tera dragon had a name," she spoke suddenly. "Not that it matters now. She was hard to get along with. She had a stubborn attitude. Far worse than Siollynth. Those two were two peas in a pod. I'm sure Siollynth will have a hard time warming up to you because of that. With you being the replacement and all. Vanitas ordered us to get along with you though so she won't do anything to cause you ill health. It will cause her to fall out of favor and be sent back to the realm of dragons in banishment." I nodded as I felt better with what she told me. It did bring me slight comfort to know she'll feel obligated to keep me alive. Siollynth was the pregnant red head from last night... The one that seemed to be his favorite in that moment.
"Where are we going?" I asked as we were now on our fifth floor down. It was beginning to feel unbearably cold down here. I thought she was bringing me to meet with Vanitas.
"To the hoard," she said quickly. I widened my eyes. The hoard? That's where their nests will be where they keep mountains of treasure. Not many hoards were still in this realm.
"Is that where the young are?" I asked curiously. I knew the answer. The eggs were as sacred as treasure to dragons. My eggs will be there waiting for me. This must be why I'm going, so I can know where to look for them.
"No," she said in amusement. "I know what you're thinking but that doesn't come yet." I frowned in confusion. So, when do I get my hands on those tera eggs? I thought I would be watching them by now! She laughed as she caught a glimpse of the look on my face. "You'll be with them soon," she promised as she placed her hand on my back now and rubbed it. "You are motherly." I blushed as I refused to think that about myself. It was almost insulting.
"I doubt that," I laughed out. "It's always been just a job to me." It was a quiet lie I slipped out. For it was truly enjoyable to work with their species.
We walked the rest of the way in silence before finally reaching our designated area as the stairwell dropped off into a massive cave. A mile spread of abyss dropped off as the opposite side held the entrance into the treasure hoard. Light would guide us into the other tunnel.
"I could teleport us over there if you take these off," I suggested to her. I moved my hands up in front of her face to reveal the cuffs. She looked at them in amusement.
"No, you'll teleport away. I've been warned about you. You're an escape artist." She would tune me out as she began to make a chirping sound like a mating call. It echoed through the cave system. I heard a rumbling purr let up through the cave as a response. I tensed up as I knew these sounds by heart. I clung to her quickly out of fear as I heard a large body moving through the other side's tunnel. The light darkened. My eyes adjusted to the natural dark of the cave. I spotted his form on the other side colorless in the dark as it grew in size. Dark wings spread out as it took off from the ledge. It flew through the darkness in seconds. I felt wind gush across my face before talons wrapped around me. I heard the cloth ripping against my body and I clung to the enormous claws wrapped around me. I felt her let me go as I lost balance with the ground and was swept over the ledge.
"Goodnight," I heard her whispering lovingly towards me. She's not coming?! I knew it was her final goodbye for my night. I was flown over to the other side and let go. I dropped to the ground with a heavy thud and moved out of his way as he dropped beside me. He wrapped a wing around me as if to protect me from the ledge and guide me into the new cave system. I don't know what lead me to instantly believe this was Vanitas. Fear erased from my feelings as I caught his new scent I couldn't smell before in his human form. He was strong scented of metals from his treasure hoard. I knew it was something that attracted dragons. It was their form of wealth.
"Va-," I whispered through the darkness as he prevented me from hitting the walls I barely could see. I heard him let out a purr. I caught myself from saying his name this time. I wouldn't call out to him that way. Not without his permission. "I can't see." He let out a gush of wind from his mouth. The wind blew outwards and suddenly the walls glowed as torches lit. I felt a smile creep across my face as he impressed me with his magic. A few turns and it opened up to their mass hoard. Gold coins clumped in mountains of other treasures scattered an endless seeming cave. I could hear a natural running waterfall that flowed close by. There was a huge nest close by big enough for his size and more. It was indented in the gold with sheep wool for bedding. Goose feathered pillows were decorated orderly around the nest for more comfort. Gold sheets were folded nearby with a buffet of food surrounding the nest. There was a chest sitting by the nest out of place from the rest.
I felt an arm wrap around my waist as I failed to notice him change. His scent covered me as he leaned into my ear. I could hear him purr to me as his other hand roamed the robe around my body. I could smell his curiosity.
"Did you come to pay me a visit?" He asked. I suddenly became aware he did not fall for me after all. I felt my throat knot up in nervousness. Why was I nervous? I had long ago gave away my virginity! So, Farlora tricked me here? I suppose she had her intention to get us well acquainted to ware off my newness as soon as possible. "Levine," he called out in my ear with amusement. "Answer me."
"Farlora," I said quickly as I gave a hint in my voice from my annoyance. "Told me you were calling for me."
"She's such a trickster," he chuckled out. "I should have known when she mentioned she would visit you when you woke." His fingers left my robe alone to wrap around my jaw and caress my lips with his index finger. "Were you fed when you woke up?"
"I don't know what they were trying to give me but it was strongly apparent in the blood they provided so I didn't drink any."
"You look healthier. What did you drink?"
"I was given another round that contained clean blood."
"It's hard to trick you," he said confidently as he leaned in and smelled my neck. "What's this? Oils?" Farlora! Scented oils? I leaned down and smelled my wrist as I brought it to my nose. Lavender strongly hit my nose. I instantly groaned her name with irritation. I must smell like a girl now! How did that slip past me? He's so much nicer than before too! Is he detoxed from stress? Did he ware out his mates during the day? "Farlora again?" He asked with no surprise written on the smirk he gave. "What else did she do to you?"
No fucking way would I tell him anymore!
"Nothing," I growled fiercely.
"Liar," he said in my ear before letting me go. "I won't punish you for now." I stumbled away and turned to face him. I kept my eyes above his chest as I remembered he would be naked now. He kept his chin high with confidence. "Go lay down," he gestured to the nest. I held my hands up that were still cuffed.
"When do I get these off?" I pestered.
"Soon," he promised. I groaned as I began the march around the gold as I crawled my way into the nest and rolled the rest of the way in. I was surrounded in plush sheep wool when I reached the center. I could hear him grabbing a grape vine before joining me. His entrance was a little more skillful. He came close to me and rested on his knees as he ate off the vine.
"Hey," I muttered as I looked into his eyes. I fixed the robe uneasily around me and sat up. "You can call me Benji," I told him sharply. It was too weird hearing Levine all the time. I wasn't used to hearing my last name used so much.
"Benji?" He asked in amusement.
"Yeah," I said as I blushed. I wouldn't try to explain my reasoning. "I want to call you Vanitas."
"Alright Benji," he said gently. "You can call me Vanitas. What's changed your attitude? Falora? You were so set on despising me yesterday." I also wanted to make him pay for bringing me here... but now that Falora told me who he is... I'm starting to feel a change of heart. Even if I'm only here under these rare circumstances. I know my debt to him will have me around for awhile. I might as well try to get along here. So, he's right... she's changed me.
"She's convincing," I laughed out. He nodded in agreement.
"Headstrong, that one." He had an agreeing nod about him. He seemed much better- happier at home. He finished the vine and threw it out of the nest. He patted for me to come closer. I figured it would be about the handcuffs and did as he asked.
He shoved me backwards as soon as I was off balance and climbed on top of me. His roughness alerted me as he managed to open up the front of my robe and expose my body to his. He kept his eyes on me. I was lost all of a sudden as I peered into his electric emerald sea of eyes. I could smell his normal dominating scent in this form that spread through the pheromones of scent surrounding us. One of his hands grabbed the chain of my cuffs and forced my arms above my head.
"Not now," I begged him.
"Relax," he purred out to me. "I have only one intention for this meeting." He gave me no reason to believe him as I was on high alert now. Anything could change his intentions and I wouldn't be positive how it would play out from that point forward. No way would I tell him what Farlora wants me to say to him. No matter how much he tries to get it out of me.