The heat coursed through my veins like wildfire, a pulsing, relentless burn that I couldn't ignore. My skin felt tight, too hot, like it was stretched over an inferno I had no way of putting out.
I tried to steady my breath, to keep my voice even, but Aeliana's presence so close was like a damn spark to a powder keg. Every part of me felt on edge, desperate, and starved in a way I hadn't been for a long time.
I felt my fangs slide out, sharp against my tongue. Fuck, not now. Not in front of her.
I clenched my fists, feeling the nails bite into my palms, grounding myself in the pain. I needed to keep her away, to get her out of here before… before I lost whatever was left of my control. "Go," I muttered through clenched teeth. My voice was harsher than I intended, laced with an edge that made her flinch. "Aeliana, get the hell out."
But of course, she didn't move. Damn stubborn woman. She stood her ground, brows furrowing in that way she always did when she was determined to get answers. "Why did you beat up Nathaniel?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. "Why, Ciara?"
I felt a snarl forming in my throat, a primal, frustrated sound that vibrated through me. Her scent, the warmth of her skin, the way she looked at me with those piercing eyes… it was all too much.
My instincts screamed at me to take her, to claim her in ways that had nothing to do with conversation. I moved before I even realized it, crossing the distance between us in a heartbeat and tackling her onto the bed, pinning her beneath me.
Her breath hitched, eyes wide with shock, but she didn't push me away. "If you don't leave," I growled, voice low and dangerous, "I swear, Aeliana, we're going to end up doing something we can't take back. So please, leave. I can't… I can't control myself."
The words were a mix of desperation and threat, and I could feel the air between us crackling with something electric, something almost alive.
Her body was so close, so damn inviting, and my fangs ached with the need to sink into her soft skin. I wanted her in every way that mattered, and I was two seconds away from letting that hunger win.
But she didn't back down. Instead, she studied me, those eyes flicking between mine as if searching for something deeper, something hidden beneath the surface. "Ciara…" she began, her voice softer now, almost a whisper.
I leaned in closer, our noses nearly touching, my breath hot against her lips. "I'm serious, Aeliana. Get. Out."
Aeliana swallowed hard, but I saw the resolve in her eyes. For a moment, I thought she might push me further, ask more questions, demand more answers. But then, finally, she nodded, a small, reluctant motion.
She slowly slid out from under me, standing up, her movements careful and deliberate. "Fine," she said quietly. "I'll go."
The moment she turned to leave, the tension snapped like a rubber band pulled too tight. I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding, feeling a mix of frustration and relief wash over me.
The second she was out the door, I rushed to the bathroom, wrenching the cold tap on full blast. The icy water hit my skin like a slap, shocking me out of the haze of hunger and heat that had clouded my mind.
I leaned against the tiled wall, letting the water cascade over me, willing it to cool the fire that still burned in my veins.
Fuck. Why did it have to be her?
I stayed under the freezing spray until my fingers were numb, until the heat in my body subsided to a dull roar. I turned off the water, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around myself. My skin was still buzzing, still too sensitive, like every nerve was on high alert.
I needed blood. I hadn't fed properly in too long, and tonight was definitely not the time to be pushing my luck. I called for one of the servants, a young woman who hurried into the room with a pitcher of fresh blood.
Normally, just the sight of it would calm me, the scent alone enough to soothe the ache in my fangs. But tonight… tonight it smelled wrong. Off.
I took the glass she handed me and brought it to my lips, taking a cautious sip. The moment it hit my tongue, I gagged, the taste bitter, metallic, almost like ashes. I spat it out, feeling a surge of anger flare in my chest. "What the fuck is this?" I snapped at the servant.
Her eyes widened, fear flickering across her face. "I-I'm sorry, Your Highness, it's fresh… it's from the kitchens. I swear—"
I waved her off, frustrated more with myself than with her. "Get out," I growled, my voice low and threatening. "Leave."
She fled, and I threw the glass against the wall, watching it shatter into a million pieces, blood splattering across the floor like some macabre piece of art. Nothing felt right. My body, my mind… even the damn blood tasted like shit.
I sank onto the edge of the bed, wiping a hand across my face. What the hell was happening to me? Why did everything feel so wrong? I thought of Aeliana's face, the way she looked at me before she left. There was something there, something I couldn't quite place.
And that, more than anything, scared me.
I stared up at the ceiling, my eyes tracing the familiar patterns of shadows cast by the moonlight filtering through the curtains. My body felt like a live wire, every muscle tense and aching, my mind racing too fast to even consider the possibility of sleep. The taste of that damn blood still lingered on my tongue, metallic and wrong, and I couldn't shake the memory of Aeliana's face as she walked out of the room.
I tossed and turned, kicking off the sheets in frustration. "Fuck this," I muttered under my breath, running a hand through my damp hair. My skin was still too hot, still buzzing with an electric current I couldn't seem to discharge. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her, felt her, and the hunger clawed at my insides like a beast desperate to be fed.
A soft creak cut through the silence of my thoughts, and I bolted upright, my body tensing instinctively. The door to my room opened slowly, and I relaxed only slightly when I saw who it was—my mother, Lucie. She stood in the doorway, her long silver hair cascading down her back, a calm expression on her face that I knew too well.
"Ciara," she said softly, her voice like a soothing balm against the chaos in my head. "What's wrong, my dear?"
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I don't feel great, Mother," I admitted, my voice hoarse. "Something… something isn't right. It's like my body is on fire, and nothing is helping. I tried blood, but it tasted like shit." I paused, glancing at her. "I can't… I can't calm down."
Lucie moved closer, her eyes filled with concern and a hint of understanding. She reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. The warmth of her touch spread through me, and for a moment, I felt a flicker of relief, like a cool breeze on a scorching day. "Close your eyes," she whispered, "and breathe."
I did as she asked, feeling her magic begin to flow into me. It was a gentle energy, soft and calming, like a lullaby sung in the quiet of the night. My muscles began to loosen, the tension slowly ebbing away with each passing second. Her magic had always had this effect on me, like being wrapped in a cocoon of peace.
"There," she murmured, her voice soothing. "Better?"
"A little," I admitted, opening my eyes to look at her. "But… it still feels wrong, like something's missing."
Lucie sighed, her gaze piercing through me with that knowing look she always had. "Ciara, my love, you need to drink from Aeliana."
I blinked, caught off guard by the directness of her statement. "What? Why would—?"
"Because," she interrupted gently, "you and Aeliana are a perfect match. Your bond… it's more than just physical. It's magical, elemental. If you go too long without feeding from her, it could become dangerous, not just for you, but for her as well."
My heart skipped a beat at her words, the implications sinking in slowly. "Dangerous… how?"
Lucie brushed a strand of hair from my forehead, her touch tender. "Your magic, your power, it's unique, Ciara. It craves balance. Aeliana provides that balance. Without it, you'll continue to feel this way restless, hot, unable to control your hunger. If you don't feed from her soon, it could spiral out of control."
I swallowed, the weight of her words pressing down on me. "But… Aeliana doesn't know. And I don't want to force her into something she doesn't understand."
Lucie smiled softly, her eyes filled with a mother's endless patience. "You don't have to force her, Ciara. Trust in the bond you share. She cares for you, perhaps more than you realize. But you must be honest with her… and with yourself."
I felt my body relax further, her magic still working its way through me, easing the turmoil that had been raging for hours. I nodded slowly, exhaustion finally creeping in, my eyelids growing heavy. "I… I'll talk to her," I mumbled, my voice fading as sleep began to claim me.
Lucie leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "Good," she whispered. "Now rest, my love. You need your strength."
I felt her presence begin to fade, her magic lingering like a comforting blanket around me. My breathing slowed, my muscles loosened, and for the first time that night, I felt the pull of sleep dragging me under. As I drifted off, I heard her voice one last time, soft and reassuring, a promise in the dark.
"Everything will be okay, Ciara. Trust in that."
And then, finally, I was gone, lost to the deep, dreamless sleep that I had been craving all night.