“Mother!” Asher could barely hear his own voice over the sounds of swords clashing and blood curdling screams. The entire village was up in flames, most structures barely standing or already destroyed beyond recognition. In the midst of all the chaos, he found himself digging through the rubble of the small cottage that once belonged to his family. His vision was blurry with tears, hands scraped raw as he continued to shovel rocks and mud in an attempt to search for the woman buried beneath it. 

Why? Why was this happening to them? The village had always remained peaceful and neutral in political affairs. They were promised protection by the empire that ruled over them, yet a single soldier couldn’t be seen bearing their emblem as they were suddenly attacked.

“Asher!” In that instant, relief flooded through the boy as he turned to find his mother running towards him, whom he immediately embraced. The gentle scent of lavender touched his nose, and for a moment, he felt as though everything would be alright. “We need to leave quickly. Come.” 

As they ran, the sounds of destruction slowly grew quieter and escape seemed to be possible. Upon reaching an opening, Asher could hear a sigh of relief from his mother, before it immediately caught in her throat. They weren’t alone.

“Stay behind me, Asher.” She spoke in a hushed voice, the fear masked behind a thin veil of reassurance. Slowly peeking out from behind his mother, Asher could see what stood before them. A tall and slender man, masked in armor so white it hurt to look at. In his hand stood a lance, which pointed directly at both of us. 

“A Royal Guard,” Asher murmured quietly, unable to tell if he was horrified or fascinated. They were renowned as the kingdom’s most elite warriors, serving directly under the crown, one which protected villages like theirs. “Mother, is he here to save us?” 

He felt blood splatter on his face as he looked up, her body collapsing to the floor and unmoving. 

“Mother?” He asked quietly, watching as the pool of crimson only continued to grow. Slowly looking up, he found himself staring at the Dawnbringer, the white armor now tainted with specks of crimson. A sudden and dull pain struck his chest as the realization hit him, causing the young boy to recoil slightly. Images of the slaughter continued to flash in his head, drowning out any and all noise. 

Murderer.

Anger. So much of it, he felt as though he was going to implode. His breaths turned raspy as any sense and reasoning slowly left his mind, only until one thought remained. 

“I’ll kill you.” What stood before the guard was no longer a boy, but rather a beast resembling a wolf. Though, it stood much taller and exhumed a bloodlust that far exceeded its natural counterpart. The guard seemed to shift slightly as he prepared to fight, his grip on the lance tightening. He was promised an easy patrol with maybe a few weak village warriors. There was no mention of a beast!

“Father said there wouldn’t be any of you here.” Letting out a mix between a snarl and a howl, the werewolf seemed to tense up before dashing towards the guard at a blinding speed. Barely able to react, the lance was lodged in between the pair of razor sharp teeth, stopping the werewolf inches away from taking his head. Snarling furiously, the werewolf thrashed his head, causing the lance to fly out of the guard’s hands, landing on the ground a good distance away. 

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“Truly amazing creatures, you are. Say, why don’t we make a deal? I shall spare you life, and in return you will be trained to become one of the finest soldiers for the kingdom. How does that sound?” The guard’s voice wavered ever so slightly, marking his final and fatal mistake. 

- - -

Fear. 

‘A feeling of terror one experiences when faced with a threatening or uncomfortable situation. Depending on the severity, it could have an effect on one’s ability to think and act clearly. As a result…’

A frustrated sigh left Evie as she set her quill down, crimson irises furiously staring down at the book she had been tasked with studying. While this would normally not be a problem, it was the beginning of a cycle she had dreaded dealing with for a while now. Her canines practically ached as she sat in silence, listening to the occasional flicker of the candle on her desk. 

“Your Highness?” A gentle voice could be heard from just outside the chamber, the discomfort in her head lessening considerably as she perked up, a warm smile forming on her usually cold exterior.

“Come in, Asher.” As commanded, the door slowly opened before a young man stepped through. His emerald orbs creased slightly as he offered a small smile to the princess, before setting down a tray of various sweets and tea. 

“Forgive me for disturbing your studies, but it must be hard not being able to feed. I figured, these may help take the edge off for some time.” Evie watched as the servant assembled a small plate before setting it before her. That was right. Eveana Ioral, the youngest member of the royal vampiric bloodline, was unable to fulfill her cravings for blood. It was discovered at a young age, she was unable to ingest human blood without falling ill. Attempting to drink the blood of various animals also led to the same result. While there was no direct risk in not feeding, it weakened her abilities as a vampire considerably. As a result, she was forced to stay within the castle walls. 

“It is quite alright, I was just about to take a moment of rest anyways.” Picking up a biscuit and taking a small bite, she glanced over at the man once more. For being a human and in the state he was found before arriving at the castle, he had grown remarkably well. After his village was destroyed, the young boy was remarkably found alive by her eldest brother who was traveling to survey the destruction. In perhaps a moment of sympathy, he was brought back and raised as a servant. Asher never seemed to recall what had happened back in the village, though if he did remember, he never spoke about it openly. Over time, his hard work and overall kindness had won the favor of those within the castle. Evie was no different. Shifting nervously in her seat, she suddenly cleared her throat before picking up an empty tea cup. 

“I suppose since you’re already here, there’s no reason for you to not join me.” Setting the cup down upright, she then reached before the kettle. As she lifted it up, the building heat retained in the pot caused her to drop it almost immediately, prompting a yelp of surprise. 

“Evie!” A crash, of both the porcelain shattering as well as the two bodies tumbling onto the floor. Opening her eyes slowly, she found herself resting atop Asher, where she was able to feel toned muscles beneath the servant’s thin garments. Heat rushed up her neck as she quickly sat up, opening her mouth to apologize before her heart dropped to her stomach. 

“You’re bleeding,” She murmured, immediately reaching out and cradling his hand, which had been sliced by one of the fragments. A thin line ran across his palm, drawing several drops of blood which glinted in the candlelight.

“Are you injured princess? Please don’t worry about my injuries…” Asher’s voice slowly faded to nothing as Evie felt her teeth beginning to ache, a primal craving she had experienced countless times before. In most cases she would be able to resist it knowing the consequences it would bring, yet this time, things felt different. An almost sweet aroma rose from Asher’s palm, practically calling towards her. Without another word, she traced a few crimson droplets with her finger before bringing it up to her mouth, her crimson irises almost immediately darkening in color. 

“Delicious.”