Should Have Walked Away | Aarmau Vampire AU

𝔱 𝔴 𝔢 𝔫 𝔱 𝔶

• ѕєνєи ωєєкѕ, fσυя ∂αуѕ •

Over the last week, I've been drinking both animal and human blood.

I'd rather just drink animal blood, but people bled into jars and cups behind my back. . . I guess it wasn't that bad of a tactic when I thought about it -- what else was the blood going to do?

My only condition was that I was healed slowly and not all at once. Not only would that run the risk of addiction, but it gave the city time to think and heal.

We'd lost twelve men.

Even while the city was very large and it barely made a dent in the population, it still hurt to lose loved ones and guards loyal to protecting the people of Falcon Claw.

Now I was fully healed, and it wasn't a secret.

Just yesterday, Aaron had expressed an invitation from his parents for me to partake in a conference.

I think everyone was hesitant for me to accept, but I did regardless. Then Aaron and Cadenza suggested I dress differently.

Simply staring, I had no clue what to say. "Huh?"

Aaron smiled and Cadenza stepped forward to sit on the bed with me. I wasn't on bed rest anymore, thank god, but I sat on the bed a minute ago when the conversation first came up.

"First impressions are important to the royal family, and dressing better will show that you made an effort to appeal to their efforts."

"Better?" I raised a brow.

Cadenza just looked at me with a funny smile, and I sighed.

Zoey pitched in to help even though Cadenza never needs the extra hands.

The redhead brought over some purple and black fabrics and made a skirt where it was short in the front and became longer in the back. Underneath I wore black pants and boots I already owned prior but was passed a corset when I moved to my long sleeve shirt.

The bodice was fashionable in black and purple to match the skirt, with a sweetheart neckline and short sleeves on my shoulders. The zipper was on the front with stitches and strings to lace up the back.

I was also glad to find it came with a utility belt, a welcome familiarity.

Of course,e I couldn't go without my cloak, so Laurence grabbed it from the courtyard for me. He was also kind enough to escort Aaron and I to the castle, and we met four guards at the fountain.

"Follow."

They were all tense and jumpy, save for Laurence who had long since gotten used to my vampirism.

Everyone's eyes were on me as we walked to a room deep in the castle.

Even with my memory, I couldn't keep track of our route — or rather, I didn't try. I wasn't scared of a threat, and if any part of me anticipated one, I accepted it.

I had never had a reason to be afraid of pain or death, and I wasn't going to start now.

Once we arrived, one guard moved to the side while two opened the large wooden doors and one stayed in front of us as a guide. Laurence stood behind Aaron and me.