OWNED BY THE VAMPIRE KING.

Sensitive.

"The scariest part wasn't the vampires anymore..... it was my own body."

The next morning felt wrong from the moment I opened my eyes.

My body was heavy-like I had run for miles in my sleep without ever moving from the bed.

A dull ache pressed behind my eyes the moment I tried to sit up.

I winced softly, fingers pressing against my forehead.

Something wasn't right.

Not pain from injury.

Not exhaustion from lack of rest.

Something else.

Something unfamiliar.

I pushed myself up slowly, but the moment I did, a wave of dizziness made me pause.

My breathing slowed.

"...what is happening to me?" I whispered under my breath.

The door opened.

Lucien stepped inside.

And instantly, his eyes locked onto me.

He didn't speak at first.

Just looked.

Too focused.

Too still.

Then his expression shifted slightly.

Not cold.

Not distant.

Concerned.

That alone made my chest tighten in a strange way.

"You're awake," he said quietly.

"I don't feel well," I admitted honestly, my voice weaker than I intended.

His gaze sharpened immediately, scanning me like he was trying to read something I couldn't explain.

Without another word, he reached for the phone on the nearby table.

I watched him.

He didn't hesitate.

Didn't ask anyone.

Just dialed.

His voice lowered as he spoke into the receiver.

"I need a doctor in my chamber. Immediately."

There was a pause as he listened.

Then his tone darkened slightly.

"No delays."

He ended the call.

Silence returned.

But it didn't feel empty.

It felt... heavy.

Like something unspoken was sitting between us.

Lucien's eyes came back to me again.

"You will be checked," he said simply.

I nodded slowly.

A few minutes later, the doctor arrived.

He entered quickly-too quickly.

As if he already knew who was calling and why it mattered.

But the moment his eyes landed on Lucien, something strange happened.

He stopped.

Just for a second.

And bowed slightly deeper than necessary.

"Your Majesty," he greeted.

Lucien didn't return the gesture.

He only stepped aside slightly, gesturing toward me.

"Examine her."

The doctor moved toward me.

His hands were professional as he checked my pulse, my temperature, my eyes.

I stayed quiet.

Confused.

Uncomfortable.

The doctor frowned slightly as he worked.

Then after a few moments, he straightened.

"She is physically stable," he said carefully.

Lucien's eyes narrowed slightly.

"But she feels unwell," he replied.

The doctor hesitated.

Just for a second too long.

Then lowered his voice slightly.

"She is experiencing early signs of her monthly cycle. It can cause fatigue, dizziness, and discomfort."

My cheeks warmed slightly at the explanation, but I said nothing.

It sounded... normal.

Human.

Simple.

But the way he said it-

something about it felt incomplete.

Like he wasn't saying everything.

Like there was more he understood but chose not to explain.

I frowned slightly but stayed quiet.

Lucien didn't react immediately either.

He just watched the doctor.

Silently.

Carefully.

Then slowly, he spoke.

"Leave."

The doctor nodded quickly.

But before he turned fully away, his eyes flicked briefly toward Lucien again.

And something passed between them.

Something quiet.

Something sharp.

The doctor leaned in slightly-just enough that I couldn't hear what he said.

A whisper.

Low.

Quick.

Lucien didn't respond immediately.

His expression barely changed.

But the air in the room felt different after that.

He dismissed the doctor with a small motion of his hand.

The doctor left quickly.

Too quickly.

The moment the door closed, silence returned again.

But this time...

it felt heavier.

I shifted slightly on the bed, uneasiness crawling slowly beneath my skin.

Part of me wanted to ask him.

No-

I needed to ask him.

The way the doctor had leaned closer before whispering into Lucien's ear...

the serious look on Lucien's face afterward...

none of it felt normal.

Something was wrong.

And somehow I felt like they both knew exactly what it was while I remained completely clueless.

But at the same time...

I hesitated.

Lucien had been fair towards me ever since I arrived at the castle.

Too fair honestly.

He gave me a room.

Protected me.

Fed me.

Allowed me things most humans here would never experience.

And sometimes I worried I was beginning to forget what we truly were.

A vampire king...

and his human pet.

Nothing more.

Just because he treated me kindly didn't mean I suddenly had the right to question him however I wanted.

Didn't mean we were equals.

Didn't mean I should start acting too comfortable around him.

One wrong move.

One wrong question.

And maybe all this kindness would disappear.

The thought alone made my stomach tighten nervously.

I lowered my gaze briefly, debating whether to stay quiet.

But before I could stop myself-

curiosity won.

I shifted slightly on the bed, uneasy.

"What did he say to you?" I asked softly.

The moment the words left my mouth-

regret hit instantly.

Shit.

I quickly looked down.

"I-I'm sorry," I added quickly. "You don't have to answer that. I shouldn't have asked."

My heartbeat sped up slightly as silence filled the room.

I half expected irritation.

Or coldness.

Maybe even anger.

But much to my surprise-

Lucien didn't react badly at all.

He simply stared at the door the doctor had left through for a few seconds longer than necessary.

Then finally-

"Nothing important," he said coldly.

More controlled.

And somehow...

that made me feel even more uneasy.

Because whatever that whisper was-

it clearly wasn't nothing.

***

The entire day felt strange after the doctor left.

Not strange in the normal way.

Not the kind of strange caused by living in a castle filled with blood-drinking monsters.

This felt deeper.

Heavier.

Like something was wrong with me and everyone knew except me.

After the doctor whispered something to Lucien before leaving, everything changed.

Lucien became quieter.

More distant.

Not cold exactly...

just distracted.

Like his mind was somewhere else entirely.

And somehow that terrified me more than anger ever could.

Several times throughout the day, I caught him staring at me.

Not speaking.

Not blinking much either.

Just staring blankly like he was trying to figure something out inside his head.

And every single time our eyes met, he looked away almost immediately.

That alone made my stomach twist nervously.

Something was definitely wrong.

And he wasn't telling me.

At first I tried convincing myself I was overthinking.

Maybe it really was nothing.

Maybe I was just sick.

I mean...

after spending eight years inside a filthy pet shop, getting some horrible infection honestly wouldn't even be surprising anymore.

The cages there were disgusting.

Cold floors.

Rusty chains.

Dirty corners.

Half the time we barely had enough water to clean ourselves properly.

And though Madam Virallela made sure girls were treated monthly to avoid infections spreading around the shop, it still didn't change how terrible that place was.

So yes...

maybe I was actually sick.

Maybe the doctor simply didn't want to scare me.

Maybe Lucien was acting weird because humans disgusted vampires whenever they got ill.

That thought made my chest tighten painfully.

Later in the day, Lucien suggested I take a walk around the castle.

He said fresh air and movement might help me feel better.

At first I was surprised he even suggested it.

Lately, I had barely been allowed anywhere alone.

There were always guards nearby.

Always a maid beside me.

Always eyes watching.

Ever since my failed escape attempt, Lucien had become ridiculously protective.

Possessive even.

At first it honestly disgusted me a little.

Everywhere I went there were guards outside the doors and maids around me like I was some dangerous prisoner waiting for another opportunity to run.

But eventually...

I stopped complaining.

Because deep down, I knew the castle itself wasn't safe either.

So that evening, one of the maids walked beside me through the endless hallways while I tried distracting myself from my thoughts.

The castle was quiet.

Cold.

Beautiful in a haunting kind of way.

Tall black walls.

Golden candle holders.

Massive windows letting in the dark evening light.

Everything inside Lucien's castle looked expensive enough to belong in another world.

Still...

my body refused to relax.

Everything felt too sharp.

The sound of heels clicking against marble floors echoed painfully in my ears.

The scent of flowers decorating the hallways smelled stronger than before.

Even the cold evening breeze slipping through the windows felt strangely intense against my skin.

Then-

voices.

I slowed slightly.

A few maids stood at the end of another hallway whispering amongst themselves while arranging flowers.

At first I ignored them.

Until suddenly-

their whispers became clear.

Too clear.

"...the king has been spending too much time with that human girl."

"Do you think he's having an affair with her?"

A soft laugh followed.

"That would be embarrassing."

"Still... I heard her blood is rare."

"Rare or not, she's still human."

My steps slowed completely.

My heartbeat quickened instantly.

How...

how was I hearing them this clearly?

They weren't even close.

And they were whispering.

Actually whispering.

Yet their voices sounded almost directly beside my ears.

Fear crept slowly into my chest.

I turned quickly toward the maid walking beside me.

"Did you hear that?" I asked immediately.

She blinked in confusion.

"Hear what?"

"The maids," I said slowly. "What they were whispering."

The maid frowned slightly before glancing toward the far hallway.

"I can't hear them from here."

My stomach dropped instantly.

"What do you mean you can't hear them?"

"They're too far," she answered carefully.

My fingers curled slightly at my sides.

Too far?

Then how was I hearing every single word so clearly?

Suddenly the hallway felt colder.

My breathing slowed unevenly.

No.

No, no, no.

Something was definitely wrong with me.

This wasn't normal.

Not the hearing.

Not the smells.

Not the strange sensitivity overwhelming my body since morning.

For the rest of the walk, I stayed unusually quiet.

And by the time I returned to the room-

fear had already rooted itself deeply inside my chest.

Night eventually came.

The room had darkened by the time the door finally opened.

I looked up immediately.

Lucien stepped inside.

Dressed completely in black as usual.

Perfect.

Untouchable.

Dangerous.

But tonight he looked exhausted somehow.

The moment his eyes landed on me, his steps slowed slightly.

I stood from the bed almost instantly.

"I need to tell you something," I said quickly.

His expression remained unreadable.

"What is it?"

I hesitated briefly before speaking.

"My body feels strange."

That got his full attention immediately.

I continued before I lost courage.

"My hearing is different now... and my sense of smell too. I can hear people from far away. Everything smells stronger and it's starting to scare me."

Silence filled the room.

Lucien stared at me for a few seconds too long.

Then finally-

"It's because of my blood."

I blinked.

"What?"

"The blood I gave you during your injury," he said calmly. "Your body is reacting to it."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"So... this is normal?"

"For now."

That answer did not comfort me at all.

I swallowed nervously.

Then the terrifying thought finally escaped my lips.

"Am I turning into a vampire?"

The room went quiet.

Lucien's gaze locked onto mine instantly.

"No."

The answer came too fast.

Too firm.

I relaxed slightly but still felt unsure.

"Then why is this happening to me?"

He walked closer slowly before stopping in front of me.

"My blood is powerful," he said calmly. "Human bodies sometimes react strongly after taking it. Temporary heightened senses are possible."

Temporary.

I held onto that word tightly.

"So it'll stop?"

"Yes."

But something about the way he answered felt forced.

Like he wanted me to stop asking questions.

And maybe I should have.

But my mind refused to calm down.

Because deep down...

I knew something bigger was happening to me.

Something nobody wanted to explain.

And somehow that terrified me more than the vampires themselves.

That night, long after Lucien fell silent and the room became quiet again, I laid awake staring at the ceiling unable to sleep.

My hearing still felt sharp.

Too sharp.

Every tiny sound inside the castle reached me too clearly.

The crackling fire.

The footsteps outside.

The distant whispers somewhere far beyond the hallway.

It felt wrong.

Like my body no longer belonged entirely to me anymore.

Slowly, my fingers curled tightly around the blanket.

What if this never stopped?

What if Lucien was lying?

What if I was truly changing into something else?

Something dangerous.

Something inhuman.

My chest tightened painfully at the thought.

And for the first time since arriving at the castle-

I found myself genuinely terrified of my own body.