“Someone’s coming.” Aro stated, his voice calm and collected.

It was the first time he has heard someone, meaning it wasn’t the guard that has been bringing them food. This could be their first real chance to gather some information, or the first time they would find out why exactly they have been taken.

Moments pass before an older looking man enters the cells with three metal covered guards. His hair was light brown with a few grey strands, there were a few wrinkles around his mouth and a messy stubble. The man wore small glasses that rested on his nose, dark brown pants, white shirt and a dark leather coat that reached his ankles.

The man didn’t say anything, just took a quick look at both of them before nodding towards the guards.

First they rushed into Selene’s cell, smashing their bodies against hers, holding her firmly against the wall. Any struggle she tried to do was pointless. With not enough food, or any contact with the spirits her body was growing weak. When the man entered the cell, they pressed her head to the side away from him, covering her mouth and rendering her speechless. The hold was so strong it would cause deep bruises.

Selene tried her best to look and get more details about the man, but the only new thing that came into view was the large syringe in his hands. She hissed as the needle was pushed into her arm, and her blood was taken in.

But then it happened again.

And again.

And again.

Everything started to look blurry, and when they were finally done with her, Selene didn’t have enough energy to stand without support and collapsed on the ground.

Then the same happened to Aro. Neither did he have enough strength to put up a fight.

Collecting vampire blood made some sense. It did have healing properties and could help humans get better rapidly. Certain individuals also gained control over temporary powers, similar to those that the vampire possessed, but they stopped the moment the blood left their system. However, most humans would not be willing to take a risk on drinking vampire blood. Drinking a quantity of blood that could grant them powers, had a much higher chance of killing them in minutes. Their bodies were not made to hold blood with such properties.

Yet the thing that made the least sense, was why take her blood? As far as the coven was aware, witch blood had no special effects. It was not their blood that granted them the ability to perform magic, but their spirit that was blessed by nature. Only the blood witches could wield magic with blood, but then it was only their own.

The only thing they have gained from this interaction is that it was indeed humans behind this scheme.

Before Selene thought of anything more, she needed rest.

She was so tired.

A shiver ran through her body and Selene shook so violently, she awoke.

“Are you alright little hag?” Aro asked, his voice sounded almost as tired as she felt, but she heard that little hint of worry in his voice.

“There is little magic left in me, vampire.” Selene chuckled weakly. “I give it a couple days before they will have to drag my body out. No magic means my body is becoming more human. The ground is wet and cold, my wounds look infected, and I can feel my body shutting down.”

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“Well you’re very optimistic aren’t you.” His voice was so soft even when he made the most irritating of comments.

“It is hard to be optimistic when one knows they are dying.”

“Well then it’s good I have a plan don’t I?”

“And what plan is that? Irritate the guards till they let you out?” Selene mocked.

“Well, if you didn’t notice yesterday I was unusually quiet, most likely due to the fact I almost starved out.” Aro explained. “I thought if I delayed my blood rations enough, I would get to the point of being able to skip one. Which I did manage to do. So during the next meal time, I will have more energy than they would expect.”

“And what are you going to do? Rip out the bars and attack a guard covered in metal?”

“Well that would be interesting, but I think I would need about ten vials to achieve that.” He replied. “Instead, I will sacrifice a dear friend of mine.”

“Explain.” Selene still didn’t know where he was going with this, and was too tired to listen to his rambling.

“I have a few rather useful abilities. The first is my ability to materialise in different places, unfortunately it requires a lot of strength. The second most useful one, is the summoning of ravens. They are all rather dear to me, and are technically a piece of my existence. My companions since the day I was born. With two vials, I should be able to summon one outside of the cell, and get it to set itself alight, producing enough flame for you to get a spark of magic.”

“It will not be enough flame for me to gain enough power to get out of this cell. Not in the state that I am in.” It felt shameful for Selene to admit that. Never before was she so pathetic.

“Our cells are right next to each other.” Aro continued. “All you need to do is get enough magic to get one or two bars out of your cell, whatever to get your arm out and to me.”

“Excuse me?” Now she was just baffled? Did he really expect her to offer herself to him? Trust him enough to feed on her? Yes, over the last few days Selene has grown rather comfortable around this vampire, just not to that extent.

“I will get enough strength to get both of us out.” The vampire reasoned. “There is no other option and you know it.”

“What I know is that the starvation must have caused you severe brain damage if you think I would go along with that.” It was hard for Selene not to scream at him. “For all I know you would feed till the last drop of my blood and leave me here to rot.”

“And what would I do then?” Aro questioned. “How am I to get past guards made of iron? To wander around a human city without getting shot down on sight? I can immobilise the guards and you can perform your little spells, but we both know neither of us is getting out of here without the other. Actually neither of us is probably getting out of the whole kingdom of Theria without the other's help!”

Everything he said made sense. It was a better plan than she has managed to come up with so far, although if she knew of the vampire powers he possessed it might have been different. Either way it was too late now, this was most likely her only shot before unavoidable death.

“Fine.” Selene agreed. “However, if I suspect that even for a moment you are going to betray me, I promise that I will curse you with all the power I have in me.”

“I didn’t expect anything less.” Aro sounded pleased. “Next meal time be ready.”