As they broke away from each other Aerilyn couldn't figure out what Solenne was thinking and she wasn't going to ask either. Aerilyn was coming to terms with her attraction towards Solenne, she felt a pull towards the Queen of vampires for some strange reason and she was tired of trying to fight it.

She wasn't sure she wanted to leave anymore.

"tu nescis quam diu exspectavi te"

(You don't know how long I've been waiting for you)

Solenne confessed as she felt the excitement radiating off of Aerilyn, the girls heart was racing.

Aerilyn took a deep breath trying to process everything almost caught up in her own head, what had she done! "What are you saying?" She raised her eye brow.

"Many things" Solenne smirked.

Aerilyn's face hovered above the Queen's. "why were you not at dinner?" She couldn't help but ask.

Solenne closed her eyes and sighed. "I had things to attend to"

"can't you just be honest with me" Aerilyn pressured her for once, she needed answers as they both sat up.

Aerilyn raised a hand to Solenne's face cautiously, she didn't know whether she was allowed to touch her or not and the Queen sensed this.

"you should know by now I would never hurt you, you can look me in the eyes, you can touch me amica mea" (my love) Solenne smiled and leant in to kiss the side of Aerilyn's head.

"and so the ice Queen melted" Aerilyn spoke.

"and so she did" Solenne replied, taking a step back to look at Aerilyn with her hand still around her waist not wanting to let go. Her eyes were shining brightly, like sparkling champagne.

"why weren't you at dinner?" Aerilyn whispered lowly.

"I heard what Eli said" Solenne admitted truthfully.

"what about it?" Aerilyn still was unsure what was bothering the Queen so much.

"you have an Aunt obviously high up in the resistance, who are my enemies, your brother hates my kind and I know I said you were free to leave, but I don't think I can let you go, this has become far too complicated" Solenne rubbed her temples.

Aerilyn placed her hand on Solenne's cheek, rubbing it softly "I know I will have to face them one day, but for now I'm not leaving" Solenne released a sigh of relief.

Queen Solenne rested her forehead against Aerilyn's and then leant forward to capture her lips, the urge to mark her and claim the girl as hers was growing painfully. Aerilyn kissed back as their hands slowly explored the others body, Solenne picked Aerilyn up with ease, her legs wrapping around the Queen's waist as the kiss deepened.

Through ragged breaths, they kissed back and forth, their tongues exploring this new world for the first time. Aerilyn ran her hands through Solenne's soft blonde hair, not caring that she was messing it up. Solenne lowered them onto the bed, hovering over Aerilyn's body, but careful not to touch the girls intimate places without her consent.

Aerilyn flipped them over, not that she had the strength too, Solenne let her as always, as much as she hated being in a vulnerable position like this, she would do anything for Aerilyn.

They kissed a few more times before Aerilyn pulled her face away as she had felt Solenne's fangs come out whilst kissing her. She was still straddling Queen Solenne, giving her a sheepish smile as she was shocked she felt them, had Solenne lost control.

"Faex"

(shit)

"Sorry, I got a bit carried away" The Queen apologised.

Aerilyn bent down and kissed her forehead and then proceeded to play with her long blonde hair, it was such an innocent but intimate position and gesture that they were in. "do they always come out like that?" Solenne knew what she was implying.

"That is the first time it has ever happened" She admitted.

"is it because i'm human?" Aerilyn was inquisitive.

"Yes" that wasn't actually true but she couldn't tell her that.

"Have you been with a human before?" the more she thought about it, the more she didn't like the thought of Solenne being with anyone, human or vampire.

"No, I have never been interested" Aerilyn was starting to think that this might be a mistake, she remembered well about vampire's mates, was she just a bit of fun until Solenne found her mate?

"Is it my blood?" Aerilyn was insecure.

Solenne hated this, she wanted to tell her everything but Aerilyn wasn't ready, she had barely just begun opening up to her. "So many questions little one...your blood may be insatiable but that's not enough to warrant my interest in you...Aerilyn"

The human girl felt her legs go weak at the way the Queen said her name.

Solenne decided to change the subject and pulled Aerilyn into her arms, feeling very content as they cuddled, with Aerilyn's head on Solenne's chest.

Aerilyn fell asleep not too long after and Solenne held her the whole night, stroking her hair and kissing her head and inhaling her scent.

The next morning Aerilyn woke up, feeling warmth next to her, she was confused for a second until she realised where she was. Did Solenne sleep or just stay still the whole night whilst she slept?

"Good morning" Solenne beamed, her eyes bright as day.

"Morning" she mumbled back. "You didn't have to hold me the whole night, you could have got up" she clarified.

Solenne grinned at her and she thought she was dreaming, it was like a completely different vampire. "Who are you and what have you done with the Queen?"

Solenne laughed as Aerilyn pulled away from her grasp and got up as she started to feel awkward.

As usual they headed to breakfast, everyone was there this morning, she sat next to Eli this time and opposite Solenne. "I will take you to look at the records after breakfast to find your parents" she advised.

Eli just nodded his head, he wanted to find out the information and then leave, things had become quite strained and tense since he arrived.

"Any news on General Talc?" Richard asked.

"Not yet, we are working on it" Solenne responded sadly.

"They seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth" Prince Matheus

After breakfast Luanna led Eli and Aerilyn to a private library to go through the archives of around the time her parents were killed. It had been about two hours of searching the records before they gave up. "they aren't here, I bet their details were never recorded in the first place" Eli argued.

Aerilyn tried to calm him down "we will figure it out, she wouldn't hide it from us"

Eli's temper was short, he didn't have the time for this "how well do you think you know her"

Luanna just watched the siblings argue, she knew it wasn't her place to say anything on family matters. Aerilyn didn't reply, she just hung her head"that's it, i'm going to confront her" she wasn't sure how well she knew Solenne, they didn't talk about their past much or personal things.

Aerilyn tried to stop him by grabbing him but he swiftly pulled his arm away, making his intentions known. Aerilyn strayed behind him as he stormed into Queen Solenne's office, which of course she had heard the commotion already and was expecting them.

Solenne lifted her head to look at him, her eyes piercing into his angry eyes, she knew he was going to cause them trouble, his head was all over the place. Nilsa had arrived to start her shift, which was to basically keep Aerilyn safe, she stood in the doorway and said "good morning".

Eli slammed his fists on Solenne's desk "you wiped our parents records, tell us the truth what happened to them" he demanded, but he was in no position to speak like that. Solenne who did not anger easily was becoming irritated by his ignorance and lack of respect, something which Aerilyn noticed.

Solenne had to use her power to stop his behaviour, as soon as she stood up with her eyes flashing red, Eli gulped realising she was not someone you ever messed with. "Like I have told you before, I had nothing to do with it and your lack of respect is wearing thin. Choose your words wisely" the power radiating off of her scared everyone in the room apart from Aerilyn who stepped forward.

"what my brother means to say is, is there any way you could find out what happened?" she put the puppy dog eyes on and Solenne immediately melted.

"I will look into it myself if that is what you wish" Solenne confirmed as her eyes returned gold and she relaxed.

Aerilyn grabbed Eli by the wrist and pulled him out of the room before giving him a whack to the back of the head. "you're so stupid, you could have got us all killed" meanwhile Nilsa was laughing at the interaction.

Eli calmed down considerably "God if I had known all it would take is for you to give her puppy dog eyes I would have suggested that from the start" he mumbled.

"What are you talking about?" Aerilyn was curious as to what he meant.

"don't be so naïve, she would literally do anything you asked i'm sure" he half joked.

Solenne had been pressured by other lords to throw a party that evening to celebrate defeating the wolves, Luanna and Prince Matheus were up for it as well as it helps keep morale high, the only problem was her pet was no longer a pet and she did not know how well that would sit with everyone. She did not wear a collar anymore and neither was she marked, she would have to speak to Aerilyn before the party.

Solenne was not at lunch as she had been too busy with work, head drowned in paper work, her standing in general Rufus was definitely not as good as Talc.

It was not long before the party when she stepped into the grand hall to check the preparations were okay, she had Nilsa bring Aerilyn into the hall to speak to her, the girl was trying not to ogle at the Queen and she wasn't even dressed in her outfit yet. "I need to speak with you" Solenne eyed Aerilyn who now appeared very nervous with a rapid heart rate.

Aerilyn didn't know where to look as she spoke "I know I asked a lot of you earlier and you don't actually have to do it, i'm also really sor.."

"That's not what I want to talk to you about, tonight I have told hold a party and everyone expects my pet to be there" Aerilyn hung her head thinking she was going to have to kneel all night on the floor like last time.

"It won't be like last time" Solenne stepped closer not caring that anyone else was in the hall. She lifted Aerilyn's chin up to make her meet her eyes.

"You aren't my pet, I am just worried that because you do not wear a collar and are not marked, should anyone try to take advantage of you, I have no claim on you, I don't want you to get hurt, I want to keep you safe" Aerilyn breathed in, trying to read between the lines of what she was saying, it was then that she felt her neck pulse and burn.

"you want to drink from my neck?" Aerilyn asked so innocently, that it hurt Solenne to even think about having to do it. For vampires they would drink from the neck if it was someone they cared about and were close to, it could be taken one way or another.

Solenne cupped Aerilyn's cheeks "You can say no, it is your choice"

"it's okay, you won't hurt me" Aerilyn wanted to trust her, she just couldn't admit it yet and this was the best way to tell her that she did.

"Never" Solenne whispered closely to Aerilyn.

"Your majesty" a guard came running in and bowing urgently.

"You need to see this" he spoke fast, Solenne urged him to bring whatever it was to her. In vampire speed he was in and out with the other guards.

It was then she smelt it, she couldn't believe it.

The guard brought a bag in and held his arm out to her. "Turn around Aerilyn, you don't need to see this" Aerilyn could tell from the tone in her voice that she was not asking.

She waited for her to turn around before she opened the bag, there was General Talcs head. He was gone.

Solenne handed the bag back to the guard losing her temper. Richard and Luanna appeared and came to her side. "We just heard" Aerilyn stepped back from Solenne as she could feel the Queen was about to blow and she was scared, Solenne noticed this and felt hurt. The human had nothing to fear.

"There is a note your majesty" the guard said again.

"What does it say?" She asked, she was in shock but she expected it, this came with the territory.

"An eye for an eye, enjoy your party, signed Alpha Kinley"

"I am going to rip his throat out, find out whatever information you can on him and get in touch with the mole that we have in the resistance"

Luanna stepped closer, "the mole might be compromised, they never came through the last time and the wolves know about the party"

"Just try" Solenne demanded.

Solenne took Aerilyn's hand and led her back to her room. Once they got in Solenne's shoulders relaxed as it was just the two of them. They sat down on the bed together.

She was waiting to see what Aerilyn would do next, as she looked at her, Aerilyn leaned her head back slightly, inviting the vampire Queen in.

"You should mark me before the party" Aerilyn asked, she was scared and she didn't need to add not being marked as an invite for other vampires to mess with her.

Solenne leaned closer as she honed in on the pulse in Aerilyn's neck, she would have to keep herself in check as to not take too much blood or lose her senses in the process.

Solenne placed her hands around the girl, enveloping her, before moving her hair from behind her neck. Her fangs elongated as she moved in, both were breathing steadily. Solenne knew it would hurt for a moment but other than that she would feel no pain, just a slight dizziness depending on how much blood was taken.

Solenne kissed Aerilyn's neck causing goosebumps to erupt all over the girl, the vampire Queen's fangs grazed her neck until she found her spot.

At that she bit the girl, her fangs piercing her, what was a tense Aerilyn had now become a relaxed human, it didn't hurt as much as she expected it too, but that was because it wasn't against her will and Solenne didn't want it to be painful.

As Aerilyn's sweet nectar poured into Solenne, the vampire Queen struggled to remain composed as her grip tightened. Aerilyn began to feel as though she was taking too much "Solenne, you need to stop"

At Aerilyn's command something in Solenne snapped and she managed to stop, then wiping her mouth. "Are you okay love" the word slipped out being the first endearing term she had ever used, the confused Aerilyn more. Aerilyn cocked her eye brow at her as she blushed and Solenne just smirked at the reaction she got.

Aerilyn nodded slowly, "I'm okay, I just didn't want to be in a haze tonight" and she didn't, she needed to be fully alert.

"You taste out of this world" Aerilyn shivered as Solenne's infamous charm was wooing her. Whispering in her ear, one minute she was an angry vampire and the next she could charm her socks off.

Aerilyn couldn't think straight, she was officially marked for the time being, what she didn't know was that to be marked properly it would have to be done through an intimate setting almost like a ritual, where they both feed from each other, like a confirmation of their bond.

Solenne kissed Aerilyn's neck again as she struggled to hold herself back. "tam pulchra es amica mea"

(You are so beautiful my love)

Aerilyn recognised the last two words, she made a mental note to look them up tomorrow.

"Your impeccable latin that I don't understand is frustrating and..."

"Hot" Solenne said.

"What?" Aerilyn didn't know what she meant.

"You think it's hot" Solenne hovered over Aerilyn pushing her back on to the bed.

She leant down, closer and closer, testing the waters and ready to pounce "Can I kiss you Aerilyn?"

Aerilyn was not just a hookup and she wasn't about to be used. "Can I know more about you?"

Aerilyn didn't just want to jump in bed with her, she wanted more than that and she wasn't sure Solenne could offer it to her.

"What is it you want to know" Solenne retorted as she meant closer, she was on top of Aerilyn, legs wrapped around her waist, she would be unable to escape the vampires grip.

"Everything, I feel like I know nothing about you" Solenne really searched Aerilyn's eyes back and forth as if she was searching for the truth.

Solenne lay down on her side facing Aerilyn. "You will in time"

In time was not now nor was it quick enough "If I'm not killed beforehand" she shrugged her shoulders.

Solenne couldn't bare the thought as she placed a tender kiss on Aerilyn's nose "Don't say such things"

Changing the subject Solenne had to prepare for tonight "Nilsa has invited your brother tonight, he would be under her protection if he does want to come and Evelyn will be with her mate" Solenne grimaced at the word.

Aerilyn brushed a hair out of Solenne's face "What will you introduce me as if I'm not a pet?" Their eyes not breaking eye contact.

Solenne lowly whispered "I won't have to introduce you, I have marked you, they will all know, you are Aerilyn" she smiled with her toothy grin.

The human girl desired more but that wouldn't happen, she was merely a peasant in the vampire world and her princess charming was a Queen, a royal one. "So they will still just presume I'm a pet"

Solenne could tell Aerilyn was frustrated as she tried to ease her mind, "Not at all, they won't question anything, they will be able to smell my scent all over you, that will be enough" Other vampires would not go near her once they smelt her especially because she was Queen Solenne's.

For some reason that comforted her.