Page 15 of Blood Lord

"How many battles have been lost in recent years?" He presses. "How many have you seen?"

I laugh. "Battles? I hear the dark elves fight the orcs and naga a lot, but I haven't seen anything."

He sinks back, looking more annoyed than ever. "You know nothing of the dark elves' fighting capabilities then?"

Shaking my head, I let out a soft laugh. "I just know the circus. I mean, I know they have magic because Nielmor loses it on us sometimes, but that's all I've seen."

He runs his hand down his face, muttering to himself in that soft lilting language that seems molded perfectly to his tongue. It must be his native language and why he has such a strong accent.

I don't know what else to do to calm him as he starts to grow more agitated so I ask, "Do you want to hear me sing?"

He pauses, turning toward me slowly, and his features notably soften. Even a smile plays on his lips, and it is heartbreakingly beautiful. I'd do anything to see his lips split into a full grin.

"Yes," he says to my surprise. "I'd like that very much."

A thrill shoots through me. I'm excited that I have a way to bond with him and it is over something that I deeply love. It fills me with pride for someone to appreciate my gift, and I settle back, drawing myself up so that my diaphragm is appropriately expanded.

I choose one of my favorites, one I've never sang for anyone else, and he sinks back, watching me with wonderment as I weave a tale through the sad melody. And as I hold his gaze, I feel something click inside of me.

This just feels right.

9

Raziel

Selene's voice soothes my growing agitation, and I sink back against the cave wall as I listen to her, the melody swelling in the cave. The acoustics in here complement her voice, and the quartz flows with her, weaving her tale with their magic lights.

I know that I'm getting off track from my mission again, but it is very difficult around her. It has become abundantly clear that she has no information on the dark elves. Her world revolves around her music and that circus, and given that I am trying to find as much information as possible, I should just move on.

But I can't. I am drawn to her despite her lack of knowledge. The only way I can even justify her usefulness is by saying she is human. That has taught me at least one thing about the surface.

And the Council would have to understand my distraction around a human. It's been so long since any of us have been around humans, and my throat burns incessantly as I eye her pulsing artery. Her skin is so pale I can see the map of her veins, and it is driving me mad to resist her taste.

What makes it worse is how attractive I find her. I've never been attracted to my prey before, but as much as she makes my fangs ache, she makes my cock harden. Oddly, it seems the two are connected, and I can't help but wonder what it would feel like to bite her as I skewer her on my cock.

I shift, trying to hide how hard I am just from the thought of tasting her. I don't want to hurt her and I definitely don't want to scare her, but the idea of giving her a light bite, of her blood filling my mouth, feels erotic.

I try to push the thoughts away, knowing that I need to focus on my questions, but I am so taken with her voice that I can think of only her: of how beautiful she is and sounds, of what I want to do to her, of how her scent draws me in.

When she asked to sing for me, it caught me off-guard, but I agreed. Her voice mesmerized me before, and I had wanted to revel in it.

I also wanted to know what she would choose if she wasn't performing for dark elves. If she loves her music as much as she says, I wanted to see if she would give me something special, not the same song I had heard the night before.

And she does. This song feels personal and deep, and it wipes all the thoughts—except my raging boner—off my mind as I take her in.

It feels different as she sings for me. Maybe it's because it is for me. Her gaze is locked on me as she weaves a tale with her melodic voice, and even though she is in her dirty, day-old costume and not dazzling under bright lights, I can't take my eyes off of her.

This feels more real than her covered in makeup and gems; it feels more personal, especially with just the two of us tucked away together for no one else to see.

The first time I saw her perform it was just that—a performance. She was dressed for the occasion, and she commanded that stage well. She was perfect up there, glittering beneath her spotlight, but it wasn't truly her.

This is. This is the raw, authentic Selene, when her features are allowed to be admired, not dusted in glitter to force a perspective, and she doesn't have to force a smile on her face.

It makes my heart pound as I stare at her, and I can't reconcile all the reactions she's drawing out of my body. I feel protective, and like I want to crash her body against mine right now. She makes me thirsty and lustful, and yet, somehow complete.

It's so overwhelming after thousands of years of feeling nothing, and I'm starting to grow uncomfortable under her gaze. It confuses me how she is pulling all of this out of me just by singing, and for a second, I wonder if it's purposefully. Does she know what she's doing to me? Is she manipulating me?

I'm growing agitated again as I am bombarded with thoughts and emotions, and I feel like screaming. I can't manage the whirlwind inside of me, and I nearly feel like I'm drowning in it all.

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