Aerilyn sobbed into the Queen's chest, but at least she felt safe now with Solenne's cloak and smell encompassing her.

Solenne wanted to kill the human herself but she knew she had to be there for Aerilyn right now. That was more important.

While her back was turned, Solenne nodded silently for Luanna to take him out of sight and kill him. Her main focus was the girl in front of her, she began to stroke her back and soothe her.

Solenne even kissed the top of Aerilyn's head but she was too upset to notice.

"It's okay, you are safe now, I won't let anybody take you again, I have you" Eli watched on not believing what he was seeing.

Nilsa approached and stood next to him and spoke "she doesn't know yet, she needs to figure it out on her own, I know it's a lot to take in but she will need you, please come with us, it's safe there" he just nodded in confirmation.

"Come let's go" Solenne pulled away and reached for the girls hand to hold. They were all tired after the past 24 hours and decided to head back even with Eli too.

Solenne wrapped an arm around Aerilyn's shoulder keeping her close, more guards had arrived to protect them all as they headed back which would take a few hours because of human speed and the vampires were worn out.

"your majesty" they bowed.

Solenne sensed something was off, "what is it?" she asked them impatiently.

One of the older guards stepped forward with courage "It's General Talc, he got ambushed in the woods where he was fighting, they have taken him"

This wasn't good, one of her generals had been caught, it made them look weak and it infuriated Queen Solenne to no end, they would most likely kill him. She closed her eyes thinking. "try and find out where they have taken him, but stay back, we do not want anyone else getting caught" she rubbed her temples.

They began to head back to the castle in silence, they were all tired and worn out from today's events, but the pace of the human's was too slow for them, even Solenne was impatient.

"Would you mind if we maybe went a little faster?" Solenne cautiously asked. Aerilyn knew what she meant but she wasn't sure how her brother would feel.

"What does that mean?" Eli asked.

Aerilyn laughed because she knew he would probably throw up but she wasn't going to mention that.

"We will get back faster if we go on their backs, climb on to Nilsa's, she won't hurt you I promise, she's protected me and looked after me this whole time, I owe her my life" Aerilyn spoke proudly.

She climbed on to Solenne's back and watched as he apprehensively stepped closer to Nilsa.

Nilsa lowered herself for him to climb on and once they were both secure, the vampires ran side by side to ease both human's anxiety.

Aerilyn had her breath taken out of her as they ran at that speed but inhaled the Queen's scent not getting enough of it, her face was buried into Solenne's neck.

Sure enough, they reached the castle in less than half the time. Solenne and Nilsa set both human's down and Eli was sick very quickly as predicted.

Aerilyn wanted to laugh but also felt bad as she climbed off of Solenne's back, "Sorry Eli, I didn't want to tell you otherwise you wouldn't do it"

"It's okay, I get why you didn't tell me" he was fascinated even though he still hated vampires.

As they walked in through the main doors Evelyn ran to the both of them and jumped up and wrapped her arms and legs around Eli. She saw what Aerilyn looked like and grimaced before Solenne gave her a stern look to not make a big deal out of how badly the human was hurt.

"You don't know how happy I am to see vampires and my two favourite humans" Evelyn was beaming.

Solenne stood to the side to examine the bite in her shoulder and other damage that had been caused. She had already torn the armour off back at the camp which her guards carried home and now tore the shirt off her shoulder to have a look. It was sore she knew that much, but not fatal for her.

Aerilyn felt something in the pit of her stomach which caused her to turn around and look at the vampire. She had to have a look for herself because she was worried.

She knew what would fix it. "Please take my blood" she offered herself up willingly.

"You don't need to keep offering it to me, I will be fine pet, you have lost far too much already" Aerilyn had grown to like the nickname, she knew she wasn't actually her pet, it was almost sarcastically said really.

Aerilyn grabbed Solenne's hand who helped steady her and walked up to Eli and Evelyn, "I'll be back I'm just going to sort this mess out" she clarified.

They looked at Solenne's shoulder and grimaced.

"There is a room set up for you both, Nilsa will take you and we can have dinner together later" Solenne was softly spoken.

"Actually about that, I've met someone and I'm going to stay with him, he doesn't live far" Solenne and the others had smelt a vampire on her but had chosen to stay quiet, it wasn't their secret to tell.

"You have to give me more details omg, bring him to dinner tomorrow, get some rest and I will see you at breakfast" she dragged Solenne off like a puppy. The Queen was completely opposite to what she was earlier, her gold eyes returned and she had calmed down, melting for the girl.

They reached Solenne's room where Solenne dropped Aerilyn down on the bed.

"What you said about me not being a prisoner...is that true?" The girl asked.

"Yes, but I'd much rather you didn't leave, for your safety and out of my own selfish reasons" Solenne reached over to place her hand on the girls face, taking a deep breath. Aerilyn's heart started to race at the gesture.

"Are you going to collar me again?" Aerilyn was unsure where she stood in regards to their relationship.

Solenne sighed sadly. "No, I know it was wrong, but it was to protect you" her hands travelled to the girls neck, stroking in circles over the fading marks that were still there.

The Queen still couldn't understand why Aerilyn hadn't figured everything out yet, but then again she was still a bit apprehensive. She needed to fully trust her to feel the bond, that and some blood.

"I want you to drink my blood I can't stand to see your bruised face and these marks and cuts", Solenne admitted.

"Why would you want to share your blood with me, you would give it up to a human so quickly?" Aerilyn questioned.

"You're not just any human" Solenne breathed.

Solenne placed a hand onto Aerilyn's cheek softly rubbing it, "I'm not even your lover, I mean I'm barely your friend, I don't even know where I stand to be honest and you're just so confusing" Solenne knew how Aerilyn felt, still confused, but she couldn't bring herself to say it, that would make her weak, or so she thought.

Instead she was smart about "Aerilyn, how is it any different that you give your blood to me willingly and I would do the same for you" Aerilyn unconsciously leant in close to the vampire, everything about her invited her in, she yearned for her when she let herself.

Her brows furrowed in thought "I suppose when you put it like that"

Solenne leant in and kissed Aerilyn's cheek "I can sense how you feel about me, you just need to let go of your preconceptions about my kind, maybe then you will stop being so confused" Solenne leant back slightly to look in her eyes.

Aerilyn turned very red.

Solenne leaned over Aerilyn to grab a knife off the night stand, she cut her wrist and held it up to Aerilyn, pulling her into her lap, Aerilyn then began to drink.

The Queen's blood made her feel so much better, better than it had done previously, she never thought in a million years she would find herself drinking blood, previously it would have made her sick, but some how it just felt so right.

Aerilyn was sat in Solenne's lap, in her embrace, she didn't want to be anywhere else, it was at that point when she decided she couldn't stand to see the bite mark on Solenne's shoulder any longer.

Her sworn natural enemy once, she found that hard to believe but nevertheless she couldn't deny that her curiosity and attraction for Solenne was growing. "I want you to drink" Aerilyn held her wrist out in front of her. Solenne was hesitant, she didn't just want to take from the human girl.

"It's okay I promise" Aerilyn spoke again.

Solenne pulled her wrist closer and pierced it to allow that sweet nectar to enter.

Solenne didn't take too much blood, she pulled away from Aerilyn "thank you for doing that" she looked into the girls eyes.

Aerilyn looked down at her wrist to make sure it had healed, she felt something had changed between the two of them, but she wasn't sure how to deal with it. She then looked back at Solenne's shoulder and sure enough it began to heal very quickly.

Slowly but surely Aerilyn had begun to trust the vampire, who had saved her on multiple occasions, she realised she cared about her too. They lay for a while, not talking, Solenne was holding Aerilyn, enjoying each other's company.

Later on in the evening when they were feeling better, they both went to have a shower in their own rooms, Aerilyn was thinking about what was said before, could she let go of what she thought about vampires, was that even possible.

It wasn't long before there was a knock on Aerilyn's door, she opened the door to reveal Solenne stood behind in a low cut dress, surprised to see her again.

Aerilyn looked her up and down, before realising what she was doing, she couldn't look at her like that no, even if they were now in tune with each other after drinking each other's blood.

"Like what you see" Solenne purred, stepping into the room, not being able to control herself.

They were much more in tune with how the other felt, Aerilyn could feel for the first time the Queen's sexual frustration and Solenne could feel the girls lust and mild confusion.

Aerilyn wondered how it all worked.

Solenne must have her guard dropped without knowing. "Are you feeling better?" Solenne came closer to Aerilyn, wrapping an arm around her waist and lifting her up.

Aerilyn began blushing uncontrollably, as she looked in Solenne's now sparkling gold eyes. "much better thank you" they were both cleaned up now and looking ten times better, Solenne's blood helped heal Aerilyn's eye quickly.

Meanwhile, Aerilyn's eyes fell to Solenne's lips, the Queen noticed and smirked as she let her stand on her feet again.

Aerilyn looked back up to Solenne's eyes, leaning in slightly.

"Have you ever been kissed before Aerilyn?" Solenne stepped much closer as Aerilyn stepped back towards the bed.

Solenne grabbed the girls waist keeping her standing, it was amusing to see the girl like this.

Aerilyn couldn't look at her out of embarrassment, she felt the Queen's hands lift her chin up to make her look at her.

"No" the girl mumbled.

"You don't really get a chance for that kind of thing in my situation" Solenne leaned closer, they were almost nose to nose, her breath hit the girl, it was hard being this close to her, she was more so testing herself and her restraint.

Solenne lay her forehead against Aerilyn's, "What makes you think I'm into girls?" Aerilyn chirped.

"Aren't you?" Solenne tilted her head teasingly. All Aerilyn would have to do is move forward and their lips would meet, but the Queen wouldn't force it upon her. It had to be the girls choice and Solenne needed to seduce her.

The Queen's hand slowly made its way up the girls arm to cup her cheek as she pulled her head back.

"I...um" Aerilyn didn't know how to respond, she was a mess right now.

"Every part of you is focused on me, you may not accept me yet but you will, you will want me to kiss you and all you'll have to do is ask. But do try to remember that beneath the title and my species, I'm just a girl, I have feelings just like you do" Solenne took a step back, Aerilyn had wanted to kiss her but she wasn't ready.

The words Solenne spoke impacted her massively, more than she could begin to realise.

The Queen dismissed herself and went back to her room to rest, part of her wanted to stay in the Aerilyn's room, however, they both needed time alone to process everything that had gone on the last couple of days.

Aerilyn lay in bed mulling things over, she was exhausted, mentally and physically.

She struggled to fall asleep, especially after what had happened with the wolves, it had scared her and there was nothing she could do to stop them.

Queen Solenne decided to leave the girl tonight, she wasn't going to go to her room like she usually did, she could sense Aerilyn needed space and time to process things.

The Queen also stood in her room looking out the window, wondering how this had happened.

It was the middle of the night when she heard whimpers and cries coming from Aeriyln's room, she couldn't help but enter to see if she was okay.

As she opened the door, there Aerilyn was crying in her sleep saying "no no" in fear. It broke Solenne's heart, she was having a nightmare because of the wolves.

Solenne approached the girl, climbing on to the bed and scooping her into her arms. "Shhh, I've got you little one, it's okay" she rubbed her back.

Aerilyn awoke abruptly at this, she felt arms around her, when she realised who it was she knew she was safe in those warm arms, her sanctuary.

Aerilyn sleepily looked up already knowing who it was, to see Solenne's golden orbs looking back at her, she was sat in the Queen of Vampires arms and as much as she felt safe it did undeniably make her uneasy.

"It's okay, I just wanted to check on you, I can go now" Solenne brought her hand up to the girls arm, slowly tracing her skin.

Aerilyn was quite amused by the shyness the Queen was now showing, but she was still half asleep. "please don't leave me" the girl whimpered.

Before Solenne could reply, Aerilyn had fallen back to sleep. The vampire decided to stay for a few hours but decided it wouldn't be best to be there when she wakes up in the morning.

She soaked up the moments of being able to watch the girl, stroke her hair and face and hold her close.

The next morning, Nilsa knocked on Aerilyn's door as usual and walked in. She inhaled deeply.

"Well I know what you were up to last night" Nilsa winked at Aerilyn.

"And what was that?" Aerilyn ruffled her eyebrows.

"I can smell her majesty and you, very strongly may I add" Nilsa smirked, it was hard for the vampires because they could smell a lot, they could smell the Queen's sexual frustration, her anger and her desire, but they couldn't say anything.

Aerilyn rolled her eyes "You vampires and your big noses, I don't even remember her being here last night"

Aerilyn tried to rack her mind.

A light went off in her head, "Oh wait, I had a nightmare and when I woke up she was there, but she wasn't when I woke up this morning"

Nilsa leant against the door smiling. "Come on"

Aerilyn followed her down to breakfast, unsure to where she stood with the Queen, after all they hadn't spoken about her holding the sword up to her, she hadn't been punished for running away either.

She warily made her way down to breakfast.

Seated at the table was Evelyn and Eli, there was no sign of the Queen.

"I'll leave you guys to it, I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do, just stay out of trouble" Nilsa waved and smiled at the others and closed the door behind her.

Aerilyn just stood there unsure what to do. Evelyn and Eli ran over and hugged her immediately.

"We are so happy you are okay" Eli and Ev said at the same time.

"I'm happy you guys are still alive, I heard what happened to Alex, I thought you had died or been taken as a slave too Eli" Aerilyn put her arm around him.

"No we escaped with Saryn and was taken to the resistance camp, till Evelyn ran away to try and find you" Eli confirmed. It had been hard for them, Evelyn felt as though there was no reason for her to stay at the camp without Aerilyn.

She had nothing left to lose and so she got herself captured.

"We still need to get out of here, you are free to leave now we have Evelyn, I'm sure of it" Eli tried to assure her.

The problem was Evelyn wasn't her only reason for returning to the castle, it had become her home, it was stable. There was no reason for her to go to the resistants camp not that Solenne would let her anyway.

There was no reason for Evelyn to leave, unless her human boyfriend would.

They went to sit down at the table, the food hadn't arrived yet.

"Where is her majesty anyways?" Evelyn was curious to what Aerilyn's life was like here.

"She never misses breakfast, maybe she wants to give us space" Aerilyn muttered.

"Are you two okay now?" Evelyn hadn't quite wrapped her head around everything and certainly her brother was in denial.

The girl just shrugged her shoulders, she wasn't sure about her new feelings.

She took Evelyn's hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't do it Ev" she hinted to the other day when they were stood in the field, looking down in disgrace.

"It's okay Lyn, I shouldn't have pressured you to do it. Besides, you wouldn't have been able to, she was testing you"

"I could have, I really could have if I just..."

Evelyn cut her off. "Don't fret, you care about her Lyn, we see that and it's okay, we are just happy that you are alive" Ev held her hand from across the table.

Aerilyn's eyes were watery, but she was strong. "I'm a disgrace to my own kind, I can never go back"

"You can trust me, we can explain everything, but don't worry about that right now"

The food was brought in at this point, Ev and Eli's eyes lit up, they hadn't seen this type of food in year, if ever. They quickly began to delve in, Aerilyn wondered where the Queen was, it wasn't the same without her, she had become settled in their stable routine.