+ Daze +

Luna had always imagined that making contact with the Vampire King would spell her end. Yet, as their skins met, nothing of the sort transpired. The realization alleviated her panic, replaced by a rush of emotions she hadn't anticipated.

She drew in a shuddering breath, relief washing over her as his grip on her throat loosened. The sensations running through her were unexpected; the pressing warmth of an unfamiliar male against her, the intoxicating allure of his aura, and the lurking threat that he could, if he chose, crush her like delicate porcelain.

"What is your name, Concubine?" the Vampire King whispered.

His silence, when she failed to answer, was punctuated only by a provocative roll of his hips. The insistent press of his arousal against her made her eyes clench shut, desperate to ward off the flood of dangerous thoughts threatening to consume her.

The proximity of the Vampire King was inescapable. His lips, as delicate as the brush of a butterfly, ghosted over her neck. The warmth prompted her lips to part. "What is your name?"

His soft exhale sent shivers down her spine as he nuzzled her neck, followed by the unsettling sensation of his tongue tracing a path on her skin.

"I demand to know your name," he murmured, a trace of authority underlining his voice. "But fear not, we have all night."

He adjusted their positions, his thigh nudging hers apart, the movement teasing and intimate. The hand that had rested on her neck now traced a slow path downwards, stopping over her heart. "Your heart races, concubine."

She stammered, struggling to find her voice. "Th-that's because you act as if you possess me."

His chuckle was deep and resonant. "It seems you're under the same impression. Your hands..."

She realized then that her nails were embedded in his biceps, drawing him even closer.

She recoiled from his touch as though scorched by the heat of his skin. The Vampire King's expression shifted to one of slight affront.

"You may touch me," he said, his voice dripping with authority. "You have my permission, concubine."

Luna's throat tightened. What was she even thinking, entertaining whatever was transpiring between them? She was the High Priestess, bound by a sacred vow of chastity. She had ventured into perilous territory.

In her attempt to break free, Luna's movements were easily thwarted by the Vampire King. "You belong to me," he declared, his tone brooking no argument. "Do not defy me."

Her attempt to convey her disdain by turning away was foiled when his hand, previously resting on her chest, slid up to grasp her chin, compelling her to meet his gaze. Those heterochromatic eyes pierced through her. "You are a vision, my Concubine," he whispered. "Spend the night with me?"

His fingers tangled in her hair, tilting her head back, bringing her lips tantalizingly close to his own, which were redolent with the scent of heady wine. She felt herself tense anew. She couldn't let the Vampire King, of all beings, beguile her.

With a burst of strength, she pushed against him, but he was as immovable as a mountain.

A piercing note from a flute cut through the tension, soon followed by the explosive crescendo of drums. Then, silence filled the hall, broken only by Fei's impassioned exclamation. "How dare you, my King!" His voice echoed, strong and clear. "She is a consecrated maiden. You cannot sully the New High Priestess with your touch!"

Catriona's voice interjected, sharp and challenging. "She is the Chosen of Hecate, my King. How will the Blood Beast react to her enchantments?"

Luna's confusion deepened as an exchange in a language she didn't understand ensued between Fei and the Vampire King. His unwavering gaze remained on her, his thumb tracing soft patterns on her jaw. His touch was gentle and endearing, but his voice took on a steely edge with Fei.

The intensity lessened as Fei continued to reason, and then, without warning, the Vampire King released her. She staggered slightly, missing the weight of his presence. The realization that she might crave his closeness was unsettling.

"I apologize, High Priestess," he murmured, his fingers brushing her cheek in a fleeting touch. "This will not repeat." And with that, he turned away as if their charged encounter had never occurred.