Chapter One
____________
Dorin
The scent is the first thing that draws me out of my slumber. It is the scent of sweetness, innocence, and summer sunshine. All the things I have not had in...centuries. The scent of hot passion flowing through the blood. Something I know a little about.
If whatever that is tastes as good as it smells I might be encouraged to wake up and come out of hid...er, my slumber. It might be interesting enough that I even make an appearance. This thing...promises to be delightful indeed.
The next thing to awaken...my sense of hearing. The sound of a visitor in my home. I, of course, have 'helpers' who live with me... but this is different. Not the same as their voices. This voice doesn't speak my native language naturally. Not that she doesn’t do a beautiful job when she speaks Romanian. It just doesn't have the same cadence as someone who has been speaking the language for years would have.
Even then, there is something else different about this woman speaking. Something...more. Her voice... is soft and lyrical, almost like it is designed to lull someone into a sense of peace and comfort without even trying. This voice...is dangerous. It is...something more...something intriguing. I must hear more!
I find myself holding my breath as she talks to my caretaker, Sofia. Her soft lilt courses through the air and causes a shiver to run down my body.
"Oh, I would love to stay longer but...um, I'm meeting someone in Prague in two weeks."
Meeting someone? I lay and wonder if someone is a man. Surely a woman that smells this good and sounds like the wind blowing through flower petals during summer would have a man attached to her. Things couldn't have changed all that much while I've been sleeping...could they?
I wait for her to say more.
"Well, if you want to stay longer, just tell me. We would be happy to have you stay longer. We very seldom get visitors and I worry I am horribly out of practice where my manners are concerned." Sofia would never be so free to open my home to just anyone. The fact that she is trying to make this woman stay even longer tells me there is something special about her.
"Oh no, you've been more than gracious to allow me into your home and offer me the use of your library."
My library? I know Sofia is not thinking of allowing this...person into my library. She must be talking about the library on the second floor and not the one that resides in my office. Those books are not for everyone's eyes. And I can already tell - just by the delicious scent of the woman upstairs - that she is not my kind.
My kind seldom sire female children and most of us take human mates if we mate at all. It seems like a fairy tale they tell us so we don't end our own existence if you ask me. I've never known someone who has found their mate. I've never met a mate to one of my brothers. I personally think the idea of a mate is nonsense told to keep us under control. God knows if they don't use something we might set the world on fire.
Not that it needs any fucking help from us. Humans seem to be doing a fine job of ending their short pathetic little lives. I huff and roll over at the disgust I feel. I went to sleep decades ago. Because of all the senseless death surrounding me. All the death they wanted me to be a part of. It was past time that I checked out for a little while. And now...I'm woken by the very thing I snarl my nose at.
A human.
In my home. Talking to my staff about God knows what. Trying to do things that shouldn't be done and meddle in things that need not be messed with. And why the hell does she have to smell so utterly delicious? Have I finally lost all sense of honor and dignity? Have I finally been pushed to do the thing that is so taboo for our kind...snacking on the human race?
I huff again and steam rises as my temper reaches a new high. What's a dragon to do when someone smells good enough to eat?
Chapter Two
____________
Lillie
To say that I am excited would be the understatement of the century. I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm doing it. I'm in Europe! I'm in Romania! I'm in a freaking castle! I'm so freaking excited I can barely sit still. My cell phone rings and I roll over to reach where I flung it higher up on the bed.
"Hey girl, did you get there safe?"
"Yes, and you'll never believe where they put me. They literally put me in the Master's Bedroom! It's huge, Jossie."
"Is there like some stipulation that you have to sleep with the 'Master' to stay in it or something?"
I giggle. "No. According to Sofia he travels a lot and hasn't been here in years."
"How is she?"
"Just like I hoped! She's cute and tiny with jet-black hair and her accent is beautiful. God, I hope I'm not butchering her language every time I open my mouth. She makes it sound like a song, Jossie."
"You are one of the most gifted linguists I know." I don't bother pointing out the obvious to my best friend - I'm the only linguist Jossie knows. "You sounded better than our teacher when she tried. It's why she was such a bitch to us."