Magnus looked at her through the mirror, she had her eyes shut tightly, feeling nervous. The fangs which had touched only the surface of her skin, he withdrew them slowly and lifted his face.
Alora opened her one eye and looked at his reflection. Why was he not biting her? "What happened, Your Highness?" she inquired. Fear of being abandoned by him too engulfed her. "Do I need to do something?" She turned to face him, wondering why he suddenly got silent.
"I don't wish to drink from you," Magnus said.
"Why?" Alora started doubting if he already had decided to throw her out. Quickly she got on her knees and lowered her head. "Please don't ask me to leave from here, Your Highness. You are the only one whom I can talk with. I don't have to feel scared around you. I beg you," she pleaded in her humble tone.
Magnus got down on his knees, his left hand rested on his left knee and he pulled her chin up. "Alora, you aren't leaving anywhere. I asked you a question before you urged me to drink from you," he reminded her. "How did you come to Elmswood?" He questioned again.
Withdrawing his hand from under her chin, he stood up. "Stand up and come out," Magnus stated and went out of the dressing room.
Alora got on her feet and rushed outside. She saw Magnus was seated on the chaise with his one leg over the other. "Let me be clear. I want truth only. It will take me a second to snap your neck and kill you if you lie," he warned her.
"Your Highness, because of me my sister's marriage couldn't happen. So, my family and I decided that I should live here in Elmswood in my father's old house. However, last night a werewolf attacked our caravan, killing everyone," Alora truthfully told him.
"And how did you get saved?" Magnus queried.
"I ended up looking into the eyes of the werewolf and he was burned into ashes," Alora said, again recalling the death of Sia right in front of her eyes.
"I don't trust that you can burn anyone. You need to show it to me," Magnus stated.
"What!? No! I-I cannot do that, Your Highness. It's scary for me," Alora refused to kill anyone with her gaze. She was already traumatized by them.
"But why did nothing happen to me?" Magnus arched his eyebrow at her. "I need to witness your power before deciding to keep you here," he affirmed.
"If because of me an innocent dies, then it will be wrong, Your Highness," Alora stated.
"I'll order to bring an evil human, who has committed many crimes in Elmswood," Magnus suggested. He was eager to know how Alora's powers worked and why she had such a power.
"I refuse," Alora declared firmly, her gaze dropping. "I'll depart from His Highness's palace if he insists I stay here solely to take someone's life." Her voice resonated with anger and frustration.
"My command stands absolute, Alora. There's no room for refusal," Magnus stated firmly. "Besides, I've made it clear that you are not to leave my presence," he continued with a hint of warning creeping into his tone. "Do not compel me to reveal my darker side. Carry out my instructions," he proclaimed.
"For the Vampire Prince, it may be fun to see someone losing his life, but I'm a human with strong emotions. Please understand my stance. I truly can burn anyone with my gaze. If His Highness doubts me, then he can even ask my father about it." Alora stood firm on her decision while countering with Magnus in an appropriate manner.
In her eyes, vampires lacked emotions. They didn't care about human lives, so they were unaware of the feelings that humans possessed.
Magnus chuckled. "You are not fun at all, Alora. You are quite bold to even speak so much with me. Don't I scare you?" he questioned with an amusing smile.
Alora blinked and he was in front of her– standing only an inch away from her. His cold hand cradled her neck, lifting it slightly, his thumb pressing her cheek. "Answer." He stared into her eyes.
"Perhaps I speak such boldly in front of His Highness because I could never get to look at anyone while speaking," Alora asserted after a careful thought.
"And what about the fear?"
"For now, I'm not scared of His Highness," Alora truthfully told him.
Magnus smiled to hear her response. "Interesting. I like you. Stay around me all the time," he let go of her neck and showed her his fangs. "You need to at least be scared of these sharp fangs," he muttered.
Alora lowered her eyes. "Will His Highness really not drink blood from me?" she inquired again.
"If you'll force me like this, then I'll have no option left," Magnus said. He didn't stop himself this time. Burying his neck in the crook of her neck, brushing away the hair from that side, his pointed canines were ready to pierce her skin.
Magnus placed his hand over Alora's eyes, making them close, and slowly pierced her skin with his fangs.
"Ahh!" A cry escaped Alora's mouth and she ended up holding Magnus's hand which was over her eyes. Her insides seemed to be ripping apart because of the pain.
Magnus' fangs were only halfway in her skin when he instantly pushed them further. Alora's cry fell into his ears, but it felt strange to him.
The taste of her blood was divine. He never tasted anything like this in such a long span. Alora's blood possessed a sweeter and remarkably delicious essence.
Normally, he would be mindful of his boundaries when feeding on a human, but with Alora, all such considerations seemed to slip his mind.
His eyes transformed into a fiery shade of blood-red and his body craved for more. Despite having already consumed from her, the thirst remained insatiable.
"Mag-nus," Alora uttered his name in a delirious state, her voice wavering amidst the haze.
That was the moment when Magnus pulled away from her and met his gaze. His lips, his fangs, and teeth were covered in her blood. The next moment, she fainted but before her head could meet the floor, Magnus caught her.
Magnus furrowed his brows together as he continued to stare at her face.