The Last Offering

Fascinating little thing

Novak

From the first moment she appeared through the portal I saw that she was different. But my suspicion got confirmed when we arrived back to my son's office and this little human, cut her veins to make us literally bloody teas. After she did that we both forgot our discussion with Asier. The once heated arguing calmed down and we both looked at the girl, who fall asleep looking at the pouring rain. Asier fall back into his chair and looked at he totally confused.

- Dad... This is weird.

- Certainly, but isn't it interesting? - Asier buried his face in his hands and leaned on the desk murmuring.

- Please don't start this again...

- Come on! - I hopped on top of his desk and pat his head.

- I'm just getting started! - he lifted his glance at me and looked at the offering, than at the tea cups.

- Dad, are every human like this one?

- I haven't seen many before either, but from what I've learned and heard this is not normal behavior. I wanted to keep one, but apart from her, all of them died.

- Keep one?! Like a pet or something? - he asked surprised and I grabbed the cup. I looked at the weird cocktail and shrugged.

- Yeah, sort of. But, I gave you the decision to do whatever you want with her after the week is over. - I sniffed the tea and smelled a familiar scent. Not the blood, nor the tea. There was something that reminded me of a warmth of the sun which we barely saw here.

- What if I decide to kill her in the end? - Asier asked and I smiled at my silly son. I wished I had more time with his mother, or that we could've had one more kid together. I looked at the peacefully sleeping girl and sighed.

- Faith is a traitorous lover. She can either give you the world, or destroy all you have and you can do nothing about it, except to hope that things will go according to your dreams. Will you drink that? - I asked and his jaw dropped looking at the tea cup.

- It smells nice! - I said but Asier pushed the cup away.

- There is no way to drink this.

- Up to you! - I said and lifted the cup sending the tea down with one glup.

- I'm on my way! Don't forget to wrap that thing into something warm! Humans tend to get sick easily when the weather is cold! You don't want her to die before you learn the answer, do you?

Asier

Dad waltzed out again after stirring up mind. Just a few minutes ago we were arguing and then this little snack came and served us her blood then went back and fall asleep. Just what the bloody hell?! And that crazy father of mine... Drinks her blood?! What if she has her blood poisoned, and that's why she is so calm? What if the humans found out about our weaknesses and this is trap? - My thoughts rushed all around in my head. I looked at the human and she was shivering.

- For f***s sake... Really? - I groaned and got up. I walked to her and picked her up. She was light as a feather and kept sleeping in my arms unbothered.

- What a nuisance! - I mumbled and headed to my bedroom with it. On my way I met a few of the palace's workers, along with the black elf Laffale and his friend that disgusting ogre. When their eyes met mine they bowed down, but I saw fear in their eyes.

- What's wrong? - I asked. They were wary of me but never scared. I preferred to keep far away from bloodshed, I didn't want to loose my mind and turn into a killing machine, like my grandfather did.

- Nothing your Highness! - Laffale answered but I saw the glance he took at the human sleeping in my arms, and it immediately clicked into place.

- Were you two who attacked her? - I asked and they fall on their knees asking for mercy. I looked at the human's back and recognized the type of claws that cut her flesh. From how the wounds looked she was probably in lots of pain for a human. I turned to the ogre and with the movement of my hand a black smoke surrounded him. He gasped for air and begged for mercy but my mist suffocated him and I couldn't help but smile at his corpse.

- If you disrespect my property, you are disrespectful towards your future king. Get rid of the body. - I told and Laffale bowed obeying my order. I felt a slight movement in my arms and saw that the human was awake.

- How long have you been awake? - I asked and she looked into my eyes. Her eyes were beautiful, the color resembled to those flowers in the territory of Adanford that bloomed in summer and always turned their heads towards the sun.

- After your Highness touched my wound I woke up.

- So you saw it. - I said and although the color of her eyes was gorgeous, her glance was empty. A shiver ran down on my spine, this human looked like a lifeless vessel, a doll that could be broken into pieces at any moment. And I was holding it in my arms. With one single move , just a little force and life really is going to leave this body of hers. Then why am I not killing her? The blood she poured into our cups had a really enchanting scent. I didn't want to give it a taste because I was certain that I won't be able to stop and I'd kill her at that spot. But wasn't her blood the same for father?

- Yes. - she answered and I didn't know what to say or do. If she was crying or screaming or begging me to let her go, I'd know what to do. But not this way. She just looked at me, in my arms like a cat and waited for me to do something or say something. I've grinned at her and decided to give a shot.

- Aren't you afraid? It could happen to you too! - That's it! Fear! Show some emotions!

- I'm completely aware of that, your Highness. - Just what's wrong with this human?! - I sighed and headed to my room again. When we arrived I kicked the door open and heard some giggling form the direction of the door.

- So this is what you've decided to do with her? I see... - I roared at my father who closed the door with a cheeky grin. I closed my eyes and hang my head back for a few seconds. What did I do to deserve this? I thought and put the human on the sofa. I walked to the wardrobe and picked a thick blanket, as well as a pillow, throwing them at her.

- That's your place. - I said and for the first time, there was a slight sparkle of happiness in her eyes. It lasted a single second before she started to build her little nest on my sofa, but that single glance made my heart skip a beat. I felt my blood rushing and I headed to the bathroom for a shower. When I came back, I picked her up from the sofa and said.

- Go wash yourself. - I gave her a towel and she bowed before she went to the bathroom. She scent of her blood mixing with the water filled the room and it smelled like a wildflower meadow. I groaned and opened the windows to get rid of the scent. She came out in the towel and just looked at me.

- What? - I asked and she said.

- Nothing. - she took the towel back to the bathroom and walked out naked. My jaw dropped when I saw the wounds on her body not only the new ones, but really old ones as well.

- Hey! Put on something! - I screamed and threw a shirt at her. She quickly got in it and climbed to the sofa. I leaned on my bed and tired to fall asleep when I heard a soft voice saying calmly.

"- So comfortable and warm. - I sat up but there was no one in my room apart from the little human. I walked to the sofa and saw that she was asleep, curled up into a little ball like a kitten, and my mouth curved to a smile that even shocked me.