IMPRESS. [Book 1]

Chapter Three: The Road To Aeralin Part 2

[NEXT MORNING]

"Natalya, a royal carriage has arrived to take you to Aeralin!" Lord Redwell, Harrison's father called from the other side of Harrison's bedroom door.

"Ok!! I'll be outside in a minute!"

I stood up, shaking my head, feeling the panic rise within me, "I can't Harrison, I'm scared. What if Alaric can't protect me?"

The dark, floor-length, midnight blue dress that Aunt Roslin had bought me trailed behind me as I paced back and forth.

Harrison jumped up from the edge of his bed and rushed in front of me, he brought his hand to my cheek and gently lifted my face up. "Shushhhh, you'll be fine Natalya. I know you will, you've survived this far in a village full of vampires. I am almost certain you can live a little longer."

I smiled and then frowned when I saw Harrison's attention drift off to my neck, noticing a darkness fog up his beautiful ocean blue eyes. "You are hungry, aren't you?"

"N- n-" Before Harrison could even lie, his eye veins began to pop out from beneath his skin and reveal the truth that he was, in fact, thirsty.

I pushed his hand down to my shoulder and exposed my neck to him, "drink Harrison, drink." I spoke confidently as if to say I was used to it...which I was.

"I can't do that to you, you'll feel dizzy and faint during your ride to the castle." Harrison softly warned and I faintly smiled at his thoughtfulness.

"As you said, I am a survivor Harrison and I won't leave until you drink." I assertively stated and kept my neck temptingly bare as his eyes wandered over my skin.

Harrison moved closer to me with protruding fangs; he held the side of my head with one hand and gently gripped my shoulder with the other.

His blue eye colour had completely vanished, turning completely black. His tongue swept over his top lip as he hungrily burned his pupils into my skin. "Forgive me."

I bit my bottom lip as Harrison violently sank his sharp canines into my neck and ripped open a pool of blood that had been flowing within me. I whimpered at the familiar pain and concealed a scream of agony by swallowing continuously.

It hurt. It hurt every time someone drank from me, but I knew how to control myself from shrieking. I knew how not to easily slip into darkness whilst I lost blood, and I knew that if I moved, it would piss off the vampire drinking from me.

When my eyes began to tear up, Harrison instinctively pulled out his fangs and breathed out. He immediately bit into his wrist and pushed it towards my mouth.

"Drink so you'll heal quickly, I doubt my father and mother can buy us any more time by talking to the carriage drivers." I nodded and let out the quietest hum as the overwhelmingly delicious liquid hit my tongue.

I indulged in his blood until I had fully healed and moved his arm away. I groaned slightly and pouted, "I am going to miss you Harrison, but I will try my best to see you again."

"And same to you princess." Harrison wiped the corner of my lip and brushed my neck from any bloodstains, before wiping his own mouth right after.

Once he was done, we hugged and went outside to be greeted by a royal carriage driver, a royal guard and a superbly decorated horse carriage, draped in all kinds of expensive materials.

I hugged Lord and Lady Redwell and thanked them for their generosity and warm welcome into their home. They happily smiled back at me and bid their farewells.

"Lady Ascelyn?"

The royal guard bowed his head with one hand spread out on his chest, as the carriage driver stored my stuff into the carriage.