Time has passed and Valen's stomach growled. The sound was deep and unmistakable, almost as if his very body was reminding him of his hunger. The scent of fresh blood hung thick in the air, but not a single animal in sight. The more he walked, the more desperate the gnawing in his gut became.
He stumbled upon a clearing, and it wasn't long before the presence of another being registered in his senses. Her. Fel. The fairy princess who had run away from her responsibilities.
She stood before him again, her wings radiating a soft, dangerous light. The tension in the air was so thick, it almost felt like it was pressing against his chest. For a brief moment, neither of them moved, both aware of the other's power.
But then, his hunger twisted his mind.
"I SAID Stay away!" Fel's voice broke the silence, her wings unfurling as if to shield herself.
Valen didn't flinch. His eyes narrowed as he noticed her defensive posture. She was scared of him. And the feeling was mutual. He'd heard the stories about fairies how their magic could tear down mountains, and how a vampire like him would be utterly powerless against it.
But he was hungry.
"I'm not here for trouble," he said slowly, his voice calm but edged with hunger. "I'm just... hungry."
Fel eyed him suspiciously, her body tensing. "You don't look like you're just hungry." Her gaze flickered to his fangs, and then his hands. He knew what she was thinking knew that she assumed he'd attack.
She was right to be scared.
Valen's fangs itched to sink into something. Anything. His hands clenched, but he controlled himself. He could feel the blood pulsing through his veins, an intoxicating rhythm begging to be used, to be manipulated.
"I don't bite unless invited," he growled, trying to reassure her with a soft laugh that sounded more like a low rumble.
Fel's eyes narrowed further, distrust radiating from her. "You're not getting an invitation, vampire."
That was it.
Valen's hunger flared, and without warning, he spun around. His hands moved with a speed that even surprised him, drawing the blood from his own body. A dark crimson mist swirled around his fingertips, forming into a jagged, blood-red blade. The air grew heavier as his power surged, the sensation of life in every drop of blood, the power to create from it.
"I'm not here for a fight," he said again, though this time the words held a threat behind them.
Fel's wings fluttered as her fear intensified. But she didn't back down. She had her own power. And she wasn't going to let this vampire intimidate her.
"You Will leave my side of the forest," Fel snapped, her voice icy as she raised one hand, her fingers glowing with magic.
The ground beneath Valen's feet trembled as the wind picked up. She was preparing something. The moonlight around her seemed to bend, an ethereal glow wrapping around her like a cloak of power.
Valen's eyes glinted. He could sense her magic it was command magic, pure and forceful. Whatever she said, it would happen.
"You're not the only one with power, fairy," Valen sneered, before raising his sword of blood and slashing the air in front of him. Blood splattered like a mist, swirling around him in a protective shield.
Fel didn't hesitate. "Blow!" she commanded.
The wind howled with her power, crashing into Valen with enough force to knock him off his feet. He stumbled, but in an instant, his blood twisted into a large whip, snapping out toward the air, slicing through the wind with ease. He recovered quickly, his body shifting like liquid, morphing into a cloud of mist as he evaded her next strike.
Fel's eyes widened. He could morph. That wasn't normal. No vampire could do that.
"I will get you to leave," Fel warned, her voice unwavering as she raised both hands toward the sky, summoning the full force of the moonlight. The forest seemed to react to her call, shadows warping and bending in her favor.
Valen gritted his teeth. He couldn't afford to let her control the terrain. "Kneel," he muttered, his blood magic swirling again. His eyes locked with hers, sending a wave of pressure toward her mind, trying to force her into submission. But Fel was no ordinary fairy.
Her wings flared, and with a fierce cry, she cut through his magical influence. "No!" She twisted her hands again, and the very moonlight that surrounded her coiled into chains of silver light, aiming to bind him.
Valen's eyes flashed red, the hunger inside him making his magic all the more dangerous. With a roar, he reformed, shifting back into his solid form, and raised his blood weapon to defend against her attack.
They were both stronger than they'd realized. Fel was powerful, her command magic giving her control over the world itself, while Valen's blood magic let him create anything, weaponize his own body. Their fight was a dance of destruction, neither willing to back down. Both terrified of what the other could do, but unable to stop themselves.
"STOP," Valen growled, his voice seething with both frustration and hunger.
Fel glared at him. "I will never stop protecting myself."
The moonlight continued to swirl around them, and Valen's blood weapon morphed into a massive spear, one he hurled straight for Fel, intending to get her to move. Fel raised her hand to the sky, summoning the full force of the moon's light to shield herself, the spear clashing against the ethereal barrier with a thunderous crack.
For a moment, neither of them moved. They were both standing in the center of the clearing, breathing heavily, realizing for the first time that neither of them had won.
But then, Valen's hunger gnawed at him again, reminding him of why he was here.
"I'll go," he muttered, voice tight. He wasn't sure if he could keep up this fight not without putting them both at risk.
Fel hesitated, her gaze cold but thoughtful. "Good," she said, her wings settling. "And don't come back."
With a last, lingering glance, Valen turned, his steps slow and deliberate, his body still humming with magic, and a growing sense of both hunger and relief. He didn't trust her. But for now, he had to leave.
As he walked away, he couldn't help but wonder if the fairy had been just as terrified as he had been.