VAMPIRE’s QUEEN

She Could Be Your Mate

As I was about to take a step forward, the scent hit me, a scent so rich and intoxicating that it made my head spin.

I froze in place. Every instinct as a vampire suddenly heightened. Human blood. I could sense it, the distinct, warm aroma that only a human could possess. But this was different, unlike anything I'd ever smelled before. It was the most delicious scent, one that made my entire body react as if it had been set on fire.

My heart, which rarely beat anymore, began to pound uncontrollably in my chest, and a strange heat spread through my veins. What is this? I wondered, struggling to keep my composure.

The scent was pulling me, driving me wild. My fangs had extended before I even realized it, and when I caught sight of my reflection in the glass window nearby, I saw that my eyes were glowing a dangerous, deep red. Damn it. I wasn't supposed to lose control like this. Not here, not now. I quickly ducked into the nearest bathroom, slamming the door behind me. Leaning against the sink, I splashed cold water on my face, trying to cool the heat that was raging inside me. My mind raced with confusion. I'd never felt this way around a human before. Sure, their blood could be tempting, but this... this was different. It was primal and irresistible.

I couldn't stop thinking about it. About her. It took a few moments, but I finally managed to pull myself together. I couldn't let anyone see me like this. Especially not her. Whatever was happening, I needed to face it head-on. With one last deep breath, I left the bathroom and headed back out into the hallway, my focus locked on the human who had dared to enter our wing. Moving at vampire speed, I was in front of her in an instant.

The force of my arrival sent her tumbling to the floor, her phone clattering beside her.

“Ouchhh, what the f**k?" she groaned, rubbing her shoulder as she tried to sit up. I stood over her, my shadow looming large. "What are you doing here, human?" I demanded, my voice cold and clipped.

But as I looked at her, something shifted inside me.

She was breathtaking. She had long, wavy brown hair that tumbled down her back, framing a face that was both delicate and strong. Her skin was pale, almost translucent, dotted with light freckles across her nose and cheeks.

Her eyes, wide with a mix of fear and defiance, were a captivating shade of hazel. She was small compared to me, her slender figure accentuated by the simple jeans and top she wore. Yet, there was something about her that made her seem larger than life, more vibrant, more... alive. My heart started to race again, an unfamiliar sensation that I didn't know how to handle. I wanted her. Not just her blood, but her.

The thought terrified me, and I couldn't understand why it was happening. Why did this human girl, who should have meant nothing to me, feel like she was everything? She looked up at me, her eyes full of confusion and fear.

“I... I was just" she stammered, her voice soft and sweet, like music to my ears.

“Spare me your excuses," I cut her off, trying to ignore the way her voice made me feel.

"This place isn't for you scholarship students." The words felt hollow as I said them, just something the principal had instructed us to tell any human who wandered too close. But I knew that this place wasn't safe for her. Not with the way I was feeling, and certainly not with others of my kind lurking around. She bit her lip, trying to come up with an excuse.

“I didn't mean to, I was just..."

"Get up," I commanded, leaving no room for argument. My voice was harsher than I intended, but I couldn't afford to be gentle. She needed to leave, and quickly. If anyone else found her here, she'd be in serious danger. Not that anyone would dare to harm her in front of me, but still. But why did I care? Why did the thought of something happening to her fill me with dread? She scrambled to her feet, clutching her cracked phone in her hand. I could see the lie forming on her lips before she even said it.

“I... I just got lost," she mumbled.

Lost? Did she think I was a fool? I narrowed my eyes at her, feeling a surge of frustration. If it were anyone else, any other human, I would have drained them without a second thought. But her? I couldn't bring myself to even consider it.

“Lost?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow.

“You should be more careful where you wander, little human. You never know what you might stumble into. Now I want you to get the hell out of here." I took a step closer, inhaling her sweet, intoxicating scent one last time.

It was almost unbearable, the way it made me feel.

I wanted to reach out, to touch her, to claim her as mine. But I couldn't. Not here, not now. With a final glance at her wide, startled eyes, I turned on my heel and walked away, forcing myself to return to class as if nothing had happened. But inside, I knew something had. And whatever it was, it was going to change everything. As soon as class ended, I stormed out of the classroom, my mind racing.

My friends, Sebastian and Liam, followed close behind, sensing that something was off.

“Dude, we have 10 minutes until our next class. How about a quick drink?" Sebastian suggested, winking at me.

"Yeah, that's a cool idea. Let's sneak out to the east wing," Liam added, already grinning at the thought of it.

“Not right now," I snapped, my voice colder than I intended.

“I need to talk to you about something important. Let's go to the cafeteria." Without waiting for a response, I took off toward the cafeteria, needing to get this off my chest.

As we sat down, I couldn't shake the thoughts of the human girl I'd encountered an hour ago. Her image was burned into my mind, and the way she made me feel was unlike anything I'd ever experienced.

“So, what do you want to talk about?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow as he leaned back in his chair.

"Well... I met a human in our hallway, near the lockers," I began, trying to keep my tone even. Sebastian grinned wickedly.

“So, did you have a taste of them?"

“No," I replied sharply, cutting him off. My voice was cold, and I could tell he was taken aback by my response.

“But why? You ran from class, ready to drink," Liam said, clearly confused. I hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell them what had been bothering me.

“When I was near her, it was.. different. I don't know how to explain it, but she made it really hard for me to control my vampire side. My heart was pounding in my chest like it hadn't in years. The scent of her blood was driving me crazy, but it wasn't just that.

It was like my whole body was reacting to her, and I couldn't stop it. I've never felt like that before, not with anyone." Both Sebastian and Liam exchanged a look, their expressions turning serious.

"Dude, I think she's your mate," Liam said, breaking the silence.

“Mate?" The word echoed in my mind, sending a jolt of shock through me. I'd long since stopped thinking about finding my mate.

Most vampires choose their mates themselves, but some of us have destined mates, ones we don't choose but are bound to by fate. I never imagined I'd find my mate at 21. And a human mate? God, this is terrible.

"No, she's not my mate," I blurted out quickly, refusing to believe it. There was no way that could be true. Sebastian raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

“Look, the way you're describing her, and the way she's making you feel, it's obvious. Your vampire side isn't in control around her. It's simple. She might be your mate."

"No!" I snapped, my frustration boiling over. "Just shut your mouth. I need to feed from a human right now. Let's go."

"But we have a class right now," Liam reminded me, glancing at the clock.

“f**k this class. I'm out of here," I said, standing up abruptly. I couldn't deal with this right now. The need to feed was clawing at me, and I had to get away from them.

Without another word, I ran out of the cafeteria, my mind still swirling with confusion and denial.

After taking a deep breath, I entered the east wing, where all the human students studied. The scent of their blood was thick in the air, but I needed something easy, something quick to take the edge off. My eyes scanned the hallway until they landed on a girl at her locker, pulling out her books. She looked alone, distracted. Perfect. I started walking toward her, slowly and deliberately.

She didn't notice me at first, too focused on whatever she was doing. As I got closer, I put on my best charming smile, the one that usually got me whatever I wanted.

“Hey there," I said smoothly, leaning against the locker next to hers.

She looked up, startled at first, but then her expression softened as she took in my appearance.

"Oh, hi," she said, her voice a little breathless.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing all alone?" I asked, letting my voice drop to a low, seductive tone. She blushed, clearly flattered by the attention. "Just getting my stuff for class."

“Class can wait," I said, moving a little closer. "You should come hang out with me instead. I promise it'll be a lot more fun." She giggled, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger.

“I don't even know you."

"You can get to know me," I replied, flashing her a grin that I knew was irresistible.

"How about we go somewhere more private?" She hesitated for a moment but then nodded, clearly under my spell.

"Okay, lead the way."

As she followed me down the hall, I could feel my hunger rising. She was going to be an easy target.

But even as I led her away, I couldn't stop thinking about that other girl, the one who had completely messed with my head. I needed to get her out of my mind. Feeding would help. It had to.

As we slipped into the empty storage room, I felt the rush of adrenaline surging through my veins.

The room was dimly lit, and the air was thick with the scent of old books and cleaning supplies. I didn't care about any of that. My focus was solely on the girl who followed me so willingly.

The moment the door clicked shut behind us, I pushed her against the wall with a force that made her gasp. Without a second thought, I crushed my lips against hers. These humans are such easy targets, seduce them, have some fun, and then feed. That's all they were good for, I thought as I kissed her. My hands roamed her body, and I could feel her melting under my touch, completely unaware of the danger she was in. After a few moments, I pulled back, studying her face. Her eyes were half-closed, and she looked at me with a mixture of desire and confusion.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her voice a little breathless. Now. This is the time. I felt the familiar, exhilarating sensation of my fangs growing, the sharp points pressing against my bottom lip. My eyes burned as they turned crimson, my vampire side taking full control. The girl's expression shifted from desire to fear as she noticed the changes in me. Her eyes widened, and her breathing quickened.

"Wh-what are y-you?" she stuttered, her voice trembling. I smirked, relishing the terror in her eyes.

“Look into my eyes," I commanded, locking my gaze with hers. She froze, her body trembling as she stared at me in horror.

“I want you to stay quiet until I'm done with you," I continued, my voice smooth and commanding.

"After I'm done feeding, you will forget about me and everything that happened. You will go straight home, and when you wake up tomorrow, you'll have a slight pain in your neck. The mark will heal soon, and you'll think it was just an insect bite." Her body relaxed as the compulsion took hold. She nodded obediently, her fear melting away, replaced by a blank, glassy expression.

I smirked at how easy it was to control her. I leaned in closer, pressing my lips against her neck, kissing her soft skin. Her pulse quickened beneath my lips, the steady thump of her heartbeat driving my hunger to the edge. My fangs grazed her skin, moving up and down as I prepared to sink them in.

I could feel her shiver, but she didn't resist. She was under my control now. With a quick, smooth motion, I sank my fangs into her neck. The warm, metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth, and I felt a rush of power as I fed. It was intoxicating, the way her life force poured into me, filling the hunger that had been clawing at me all day. Her blood was sweet, rich, and full of energy, and I drank deeply, savouring every drop. As I fed, her body grew limp in my arms, her strength fading as I drained her.

Her breathing slowed, becoming shallow, and finally, her eyes fluttered shut as she passed out. I continued to drink until I felt satisfied, the hunger finally easing as her blood flowed through me, making me feel more alive and more powerful.

When I had my fill, I pulled back, licking the remaining blood from my lips.

I looked down at the girl, and her body slumped against the wall before she collapsed onto the cold floor. Her neck bore the twin puncture marks from my fangs, but they would heal soon enough. She would wake up with no memory of what happened, just as I commanded. Without another glance at her, I straightened my jacket and left the storage room. I could feel the blood pulsing through me, fueling me with new energy as I made my way back to my wing.

This had been a necessary distraction, but the memory of that other girl of her scent, her defiance, still lingered in the back of my mind. I needed to forget about her, to focus on what was important.

But somehow, I knew it wasn't going to be that easy.