Beyond the surface

Raphael moved swiftly, his arms tightening around Larissa's frail form as he carried her down the dimly lit corridor. The weight of her was negligible in his arms, but the momentary, searing pain that had shot through his body still lingered. His jaw clenched , yet his expression remained untreadable, his steps steady and composed despite the questions storming on his thoughts.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door of the nearest guest chamber, he stepped inside, the room bathed in golden glow of a single lantern. Carefully, he laid Larissa down on the bed, his hands lingering for the briefest of moments before he pulled away abruptly, his gaze sharpening as he observed her.

Her breathing was shallow, her skin pale, beads of sweat forming along her hairline. "What the hell was wrong with her?"

As soon as he had placed her onto the soft mattress of the guest room, he took a step back, his jaw tightening as he fought the searing pain coursing through his body. The sensation was unlike anything he had ever experienced - it was as if his very being had been scorched upon touching her. His vision blurred for a split second before he clenched his fists and forced himself to remain composed.

Without hesitation, he turned sharply on his heel and strode into the adjoining washroom. The moment he reached the basin, his body rejected whatever strength he had left, and he doubled over, coughing violently. Thick dark blood splattered against the pristine white porcelain, the taste of iron sharp on his tongue. His breathing came ragged, his fangs involuntarily elongating as his body reacted to whatever strange force had just assaulted him.

Straightening, Raphael wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hands and narrowed his eyes at his reflection in the mirror. He looked as composed as ever- no one would suspect he had just been reduced to this state. But that was the nature of his existence, no matter what, he would never let anyone see his weakness.

With a slow inhale, he exhaled deliberately, regaining control before returning to the room.

The girl remained where he had left her, her breathing steady but faint. Her delicate features looked even softer under the dim glow of the candlelight . But Raphael knew better than to be fooled by appearances. There was something about her. Something unnatural.

Curiosity flickered on his gaze as he knelt beside the bed slowly, almost hesitantly, he extended a hand and let his fingers brush against her wrist. The warmth of her skin was evident, but this time, nothing. No pain. No rejection. Just the subtle thrum of life beneath her skin.

His eyes darkened.

"Strange." He murmured to himself.

A man like Raphael did not leave mysteries unsolved. He did not allow himself to be unsettled by things beyond his comprehension. If something had caused him pain, he would uncover why.

Without another thought, he pressed a single clawed nail against the inside of her wrist. The sharp edge of his nail barely broke the surface, and a single drop of crimson welled up.

His gaze fixated on it.

Raphael lifted his finger, watching as the drop clung to his nail before he brought it to his lips.

The taste on his tongue was unlike any he had ever encountered in his long existence - rich, potent, laced with something ancient. It was not just the iron and warmth of human blood. No, it carried something far more complex, something that sent a deep vibration through his very core.

His eyes flickered with recognition, his mind racing through centuries of knowledge, of books he had devoured in pursuit of understanding the old world. And then, realization struck him like a thunderbolt.

His fingers curled slightly as he stared at her unconsciousness form.

"Impossible," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, yet weighted with disbelief.

His gaze darkened, scanning her features with renewed scrutiny. Nothing about her had suggested such a truth before. She looked human - mortal. Yet the undeniable evidence lay on his tongue, seeping into his very being like a forbidden elixir.

He straightened, exhaling through his nose as his mind pieced together the fragments of forgotten history.

Fae.

The word alone sent an unsettling thrill through him. They were myths. Stories buried in ancient texts. Beings said to have vanished from this world centuries ago, hunted, slaughtered, their existence wiped from the annals of time. And yet- here she was. One of them.

His lips curled into a slow, humorless smirk, but there was no amusement in his expression. Only calculation.

"You're a long way from extinction, little fae," he murmured, brushing his thumb absently over the spot where he had drawn her blood.

Raphael had lived long enough to know that nothing was ever truly gone. The powerful, the rare- those with magic in their veins- always found a way to endure.

A secret like this would shake the world if it were known. There were those would hunt her, who would pay fortunes for a single drop of her blood. The idea of it made his fingers twitch with a possessive instinct he hadn't expected.

He leaned in slightly, studying her with a mix of fascination and something far darker.

"You have no idea of what you are, do you?" His voice was low, almost a whisper meant only for the sleeping girl before him.

She remained still, her breath soft, unaware of revelation that had just unraveled in the mind of the man watching her.

Raphael leaned back, his sharp gaze never leaving her face. A slow exhale left his lips, barely a sound in the stillness of the room. He knew- without a shadow of doubt - that she had no idea what she was.

If she did, she would never have set foot inside a vampire's domain.

No fae, no matter how desperate, would willingly walk into the home of the greatest predators. Their blood intoxicating, powerful- some ancient texts even claimed it could heighten vampires abilities. It was no wonder they had been hunted to extinction.

And yet, this girl had come here. Unaware. Unprotected.

Raphael's jaw tightened. How had she survived this long without anyone noticing? Had she been hidden among humans her entire life, oblivious to her true nature?

His eyes swept over her, taking in the delicate shape of her nose, the faint flutter of her lashes against her cheeks.., she looked human- entirely, frustratingly human. But now that he knew, he could feel it in the air around her. A subtle hum, like something just beneath the surface, waiting to be awakened..