I went with him. I followed the king of vampires, hoping that I was not some foolish lamb being led to my slaughter. I no longer had my knife and I did my best to keep my eyes off the blade that I was being led away from. I had just tried to kill the king of the vampires with an inconsequential little dagger. And now I was being offered some kind of room and board. I felt like I had fallen into a deep fever, one where I couldn't retrieve reality from dreams.

We were just walking, up and out of the dungeon, into some kind of long hallway.

As Xion walked away from me, I allowed my gaze to run over the back of him. For so long, vampires were these predators that lurked in the dark, only appearing when the victims were incapacitated. My mind was filled with stories of jaws that unhinged, teeth that were so jagged that they tore flesh. Nothing more than leeches with slimy arms to pin you down. The images that my mind often conjured was enough to make a shiver run down my spine.

But Xion did not look like a leech. He didn't look like a bat or a flesh-eating fish either.

If anything, he looked like a man. I wished that I was blind to it, but there was no denying that he was a very handsome one at that. Tall, but not absurdly tall. Shoulders so wide they would protect someone from a rain of arrows. Legs that were long and strong and not the kind of strong that came from a hard life on a farm either.

And we were out and about with the sun high in the sky. I paused once, wondering if he would go up in flames when he stepped beside a glass-paned window. Nothing happened. Vampires were so feared and so shrouded in fear it was impossible what to know to believe.

"I hope that you find the rest of the castle more to your liking than your previous arrangements," Xion said.

His words were confident, but as he pushed an oversized door open, something about his movements didn't quite match. Like how the fine shirt didn't seem to sit on his body quite right, even though it had clearly been made for him.

I said nothing in response, not knowing what he wanted to hear, but not risking any words that would land me in hot water. Well, hotter water than being in the belly of the beast with a man who ruled over the predators that had already almost killed me.

But, even with fear gripping my heart and panic clenching the area around my heart, I had to actively repress the urge to gasp. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would have never been able to fathom such luxury. Just in the entry there were two massive mirrored staircases, curving along the walls and sweeping down to greet guests. Heavy, glittering chandeliers shone with low light, capturing the sun's rays and reflecting rainbows on the painted walls.

"It is a bit of a maze in here, best to stay close," Xion called over his shoulder. I must have imagined the pleased smirk on his arrogant mouth.

I think I was less likely to get lost so much as I was to be left behind because I was standing motionless with my mouth agape, trying to take in everything that my family could never obtain. Every time I turned my head, there was something utterly, disgustingly, vilely expensive and sought after. Carved cabinets, plush rugs, golden details on ceilings, overstuffed chairs and sofas. While some of us yearned for the security of a solid roof overhead and warm blankets, it appeared others were entered in a different race entirely.

I followed Xion in a mixture of wonder and horror. The wealth displayed was sickening and delightful all in one breath.

We ascended a set of rug-covered stairs and wove down hallways that seemed to be crossed together almost haphazardly. I would have felt like I could have walked forever if a low bark hadn't startled me out of my thoughts.

My first thought was that a farm dog had snuck inside. The little creature was small enough to avoid a kick from an unruly cow and dart laps around the bigger livestock dogs. The coat was mostly black, aside from brown accents over the eyes and little white boots coming up the spindly legs.

A king would have turned up his nose at having a mutt in their home, on their impeccable rugs. But Xion only crouched down and opened up his arms.

"Hello Croissant," Xion greeted. And the sweet looking dog, presumably Croissant, seemed to have a minor malfunction, wiggling its butt before it starting wagging the tail and leaping towards the king of vampires.

"Croissant?" I repeated, unable to keep my mouth shut. I was certain that it would get me in trouble one day.

"Yes, Croissant," Xion said back, his tone telling me that he had certainly had this conversation before. "They happen to be one of my favorite things and she happens to be one of my favorite things, too."

"Croissant isn't exactly a regal name," I pointed out. I didn't feel like I needed to add that it was not even really a name at all.

"She's not really a regal dog," he countered, smoothing a hand down her back until she dutifully fell over, exposing her belly.

His statement was true. She was rather adorable with her floppy ears and lolling tongue, but dignified was a stretch. She was not the creature I would envision to accompany a king on his many adventures, but in the same breath, she was not entirely fit to be a working farm dog. At least not here where the winters were savage and unforgiving and the wolves were even more merciless.

And here she was, groaning on her back as she got a belly rub from a man who could tear a human apart with just his fangs.

"Alright, you and I will go for a walk later, I promise," he told her seriously before rising. "I just have to show our guest around and get her settled."

If Croissant understood her master, she didn't seem to care. Xion gestured for me to follow him, and where he went, Croissant trailed a few paces behind.

"I suppose I should ask you your name now that you've agreed to staying with me," he said.

"I had no idea that kidnapping was a form of agreement. Especially when the kidnapping wasn't even done by your own hand," I responded. "Do you care to explain yourself?"

I might've dreamed it, but I swear his shoulders hiked up just the slightest amount. "We can talk about all of these things tomorrow, after you've eaten some good food and gotten some proper rest. But I would still like to know your name."

I closed my mouth for a brief second, reminding myself who I was talking to, then offered, "My name is Lark."

Xion said nothing, but something in him softened then. He didn't speak again until we reached a single door at the end of a hall. "This will be your private quarters. If you need any adjustments made, please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate them."

When the door was pushed open, I couldn't even fathom asking for a single thing. There were items in this room that were so luxurious I hadn't even been deluded enough to fantasize about them. The bed appeared to be made out of clouds with a mountain of clean blankets stacked upon it. That was a peasant's dream right there. The vanity with the flawless mirror and the huge floor to ceiling windows were not. Those were beyond my imagination.

"Is it to your liking?" Xion asked.

I forced my flopping mouth to click shut. "It is fine," I ground out.

He waited a beat, as if he expected me to do or say something else, then added. "There is a bath just inside that room there." He indicated a closed door. "If you would like to use it, just inform the maid that will be checking on you. There is also a natural hot spring that runs through the palace courtyard and into the town. We've fashioned little pools for bathing if you are more comfortable being outside. Aside from that, I will have the maid drop off food, but you will be unbothered for the rest of your night so you can get some rest. Do you have any special requests from the kitchen?"

I mutely shook my head.

"Very good, I will have something sent up to you. Preferably something that doesn't require knives of any sort."

He walked away with little Croissant in tow, laughing at his own joke. 

~~~Question of the Day~~~

What novel caused you the worst hangover? 

Over my life, probably twilight. Currently though, the books I think about the most are the ACOTAR series.