Inside the restaurant was dimly lit, giving it a romantic, exotic feel. It was warm and comfrotable with each table having its own private booth.
Avilas and Aurelia sat right at the back, the booths around them empty, allowing then to talk freely.
"What would you like to eat, my love?", Avilas asked Aurelia, her eyes looking in every direcrion taking in her surroundings.
"Umm.. I don't know. I have never been to a place like this before", Aurelia was so confused. She had never been inside a restaurant, nor waited upon, except for the meals Avilas left in the room for her.
"I will sort something for us", Avilas rose from the booth and left her there for a few moments. He spoke quietly with a staff member who looked over at Aurelia.
Avilas pulled the mans attention back to him and gave a warning look before returning to the booth with a water jug and glass.
"We shan't wait long, my love", he said as he set the glass down for Aurelia.
"What happened?", Aurelia asked, remembering the look the man gave her. He had an excitemenr in his eyes. Aurelia recognised that look; he looked at her like she was a meal.
"The gentleman whom I asked for our meal realised you are not our kind. The humans of this town are usually the catch of the day, so to speak", Avilas face remained stoic.
"I had to remind him that you are my guest and not to be harmed."
"This place is for Vampires!?", Aurelia exclaimed in a hushed tone. Afraid that if they were found out she would surely be in trouble.
"In short. Yes. But we don't refer to that name for ourselves. We are the Draugr.", Avilas hated the term vampire. But was aware that this is the name known amongst the other creatures and did not berate Aurelia for her ignorance.
"But aren't we in Downstride? How do the Humans not know?", Aurelia was truly flabbergasted. She remembered how that dreadful woman tested her when she entered the town. She also remembered that Nightshade was a poison to Vampires. Or the Draugr.
"Yes. But Humans aren't as smart as they think. A small test at the gates cannot keep out any creatures. There are plenty that walk among us, Draugr, Mutts, Fae and countless witches too." Avilas noticed the man walking to their table with food and a chalice.
He shot the man a warning look, as his gaze did not leave Aurelia.
"Thank you", Aurelia looked at the man as he set down her plate full of various meats, cheese and fruits. She peeked over the chalices edge to find it filled with a thick red liquid and she gulped.
Blood.
"You are welcome, utsökt", the man gave her a stomach churning sneer.
Avilas hissed at him and he retreated, leaving the couple alone.
"What did he call me?", Aurelias already white face had turned ashen. She had been called names for most of her life but never that.
"Pay him no mind. You are safe with me.", Avilas reached for Aurelias hand a have it a squeeze. He then gestured to her plate for her to tuck in.
Aurelias began to eat the food before her, while Avilas reached for the chalice and drank from it. Aurelia watched him tentatively.
"Is that...?", she couldn't bring herself to say the word.
"Yes. This place provides a service where humans may offer themselves for a price. They get paid, we get a meal. Its all very modern." Avilas gave her a small smile before finishing the contents pf the chalice. He made sure to not leave remnants pf blood around his mouth as to not scare or disgust Aurelia.
"Bur they are dead! How can they be paid?", Aurelia shuddered. Just knowing that there were corpses laying around someplace near her made her blood run cold. Perhaps that would make the man who brought their food less interested in her.
Avilas chuckled at Aurelia to her utter confusion.
"We do not have to kill a human for their blood. We can blood let. This is draining a certain amount so that they may live afterwards. We then offer out blood to heal their wounds, pay them and off they go. There is also the option of transition, where instead of money they can become Draugr."
Avilas watched Aurelia as she pushed her food around.
"Enough about this, it is putting you off your meal", Avilas brow furrowed at her not maintaining her strength.
"But why would anyone want to become Draugr?", Aurelia asked the realised her tone. Avilas looked pained at her sidden distain for his kind but her understood.
"I mean, you have to drink blood and from what I read you are poisoned by Nightshade, cannot venture in the sunlight and can be killed by wolfbite." Aurelia tried to save herself from seeming utterly insensitive toward Avilas. She was his destined after all, he had taken care of her and made her body do some fanstatic things a few hours ago.
"Draugr can compell, we are stronger and faster than the shifters and out bite is just as lethal, we also have allies in the Fae but most of all..." A saddness reached Avilas's eyes when he looked into Aurelias' as he revealed the most coveted reason of all.
"Draugr are immortal, Aurelia"