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As the figure stepped into the light, he saw that it was the human female, Cara. Seeing her made Kiel's face to crumpled down in a tight frown, clearly displeased at the sight of her — or probably the other way round.
Cara's brown hair was pulled back in a loose braid, and her dark brown eyes were wide with shock as she saw him — and she find it hard to breath for a moment with her breath caught in her throat.
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words seems to be coming out. "I..." She trailed off, unsure of what to say.
Kiel, on the other hand, fought against the urge to feed — to mark her, his hands clenching into fists. "What are you doing here?" He managed to growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Cara took a step back as she felt as though she snapped out of a trance, her hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "I... I'm sorry..." She stammered, her voice shaking. "I was just looking for Lord Lothanna. I didn't know anyone else was up so early."
Kiel's gaze raked over her, taking in every detail. She was petite, with delicate features and a dusting of freckles across her nose. Her heart was beating fast, and he could smell the fear and adrenaline in her blood.
Kiel took a deep breath, struggling to control his hunger and the emotion that was starting to consume him. He took another step towards Cara, and she reflexively backed away, her eyes fixed on him with fear.
Instinctively, she knew what to do as she felt his strong aura that can't be denied. "P — please..." Her voice came out as a low whispered, but was audible to the latter's hearing. "Please don't hurt me."
Her plea was like a bucket of ice water to Kiel. He froze, the beast within him snarling in protest. "I won't hurt you..." He uttered in a hoarse voice. "But you must leave. Now!" It wasn't a suggestion but an order.
Cara nodded almost immediately, turning and dashing away, her footsteps echoing in the empty courtyard — and within couple of seconds she was gone!
Kiel watched as Cara disappeared around the corner, then turned back to the training ground. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm the beast within him as her scent slowly faded.
He had resisted the urge to feed, but he knew that he was walking on a razor's edge. If he let himself go, if he gave in to his thirst, there was no telling what he might do. He knew he needed to find a way to control the hunger, to keep himself from hurting Cara or anyone else. But how?
As Kiel stood in the empty courtyard, the sun continuing to rise over the horizon, he knew that he needed to find a solution.
He knew that his obsession with Cara was dangerous, not just for her, but for him as well. If the coven found out about her, or about his attraction to her, there would be hell to pay.
But he couldn't bring himself to simply walk away. There was something about her that drew him in, that made him want to protect her — even though he had just met her. He knew he couldn't continue like this. This was his first time seeing her — but his urges are huge and uncontrollable, which is driving him nuts.
Kiel turned back to the training ground, his fists clenched at his sides. "This can't continue...!" He muttered under his breath. "I have to find a way to control this, and break this bond."
He knew that he needed to get to the bottom of his attraction to Cara. He needed to understand why she was affecting him so deeply, why his thirst was out of control — why she is his mate among multitude of vampires!
But he also knew that if he didn't get a handle on his emotions soon, it wouldn't just be his own life at risk. It would be hers, too.
***
Lothanna had just finished his own morning routine when he saw Cara coming down the corridor, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide. She nearly ran into him, and he caught her by the arm to steady her.
"Cara, what's wrong?" He asked as his brow furrowing in concern, his grip still on her arm. "Are you alright?"
Cara glanced around as if she expected someone to be following her, then met Lothanna's gaze. "I'm sorry, Lord Lothanna." She said, her voice breathless. "I was just on my way back to my room."
Lothanna was not convinced as he suspected something must have been off. "Cara..." He said, his voice soft but insistent. "I can see that something has upset you. Was it one of the servants? Or perhaps... Did you encounter someone on your way here?"
If there's someone... but Lothanna didn't want to suspect Kiel.
Cara's eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. "No, Lord Lothanna, it's nothing like that." She find herself saying instead. "I was just... I thought I saw something. I must have been imagining it. I'm sorry."
Lothanna studied her face, looking for any signs of deception but she seems to have conceal whatever reaction he's looking for. He sighed slowly as he let it slide — for that moment at least.
"And why are you up so early?" Lothanna asked, his eyes still searching hers. "The sun has barely risen. You should still be sleeping, especially after the long journey you took yesterday."
Cara hesitated, then sighed. "I was... restless." She admitted slowly, taking her gaze off his. "I couldn't sleep, and I thought a walk might help clear my head."
Lothanna nodded slowly, his expression still thoughtful. "A walk in the early morning, in a strange place, alone?" He pressed; he's barely the type to convince. "I think there's something you're not telling me, Cara."
Cara shook her head slowly. "What could I possibly be hiding?" She countered, wearing a smile — but not wide enough to reach her eyes. "It's not even up to a day since I got here."
Lothanna sensed another presence and look far towards the end of the corridor; he need no one to tell him who it is — Kiel. This made air stood on Lothanna's back as he grabbed Cara's shoulders almost immediately.
"Tell me, Cara...!" Lothanna find himself half yelling at her — his sudden outburst sending chills down Cara's spine. "Did you meet him?"