Chapter 4

4

ARIA

I sat in one of the plush armchairs in the communal area, my legs tucked under me as Christopher explained the intricacies of the supernatural world. I absently twirled a strand of my hair around my finger as I tried to absorb the flood of information about vampires, werewolves, fae, and a dozen other creatures I'd thought existed only in fiction. Shifters of all kinds were real, mainly predator types, and I'd asked about centaurs and whatnot, but he was sure they were a real myth.

The soft glow of the ambient lighting cast shadows across Christopher's face, emphasizing the sharp angles of his jawline and the intensity in his hazel eyes as he spoke. Looking at him more now, it would be difficult to lie about how damn handsome he looked in a rugged way. His jaw was littered with stubble, and I vaguely wondered if they'd provide a razor for him. Hell, would they give me one for my legs and whatnot?

"So, wait," I said, holding up a hand. "You're telling me that not only do all these... supes exist, but they've been living among humans this whole time?"

Christopher nodded, a wry smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Pretty much. We've gotten pretty good at hiding in plain sight over the centuries." He ran a hand through his shaggy hair. The movement drew my attention to his biceps and pecs, his shirt pulling tight over the muscles beneath. With his broad, linebacker-like build, he cut an impressive figure. "It's not always easy, but it's necessary for our survival."

I was about to ask more when a movement caught my eye. I looked up to see a lithe, almost ethereal-looking man enter the communal area. His pointed ears and otherworldly grace immediately made me think 'fae.' He moved with a fluid grace that seemed almost unnatural, his feet barely seeming to touch the ground. His clean-shaven face accentuated his otherworldly features, making him look even more mystical. My old love for Legolas flared, and I watched him approach.

"Ah, I see a werewolf is giving the human a crash course in Supernatural 101," he said, his voice musical and light, with an accent I couldn't quite place. "Mind if I join? I'm Zephyr, by the way."

"Aria," I replied, still entranced by his looks. "And please, join us. I have a feeling I need all the help I can get to understand... well, everything." He hadn't been the only one with that mystical beauty, hell, most of them were incredibly good-looking to the point I was feeling slightly self-conscious. The only reason I wasn't feeling it more was because of how overwhelmed I was.

Zephyr perched on the arm of a nearby sofa, his movements as graceful as a cat's. "Well, you've come to the right place. Between a werewolf and a fae, we should be able to cover most of your questions." His eyes, I noticed, were an impossible shade of green, with flecks of gold that seemed to shift and dance in the light. The effect was mesmerizing, especially against his smooth, unblemished skin.

Just then, another figure entered the room. Tall, dark, and impossibly handsome, he moved with a predatory grace that sent a shiver down my spine. I noticed both Christopher and Zephyr tense up, their casual postures suddenly alert and wary. The newcomer passed by without so much as a glance in our direction, heading straight for the dining hall.

As soon as he was out of sight, I turned to my companions. "Okay, what was that about? What was he?"

Christopher and Zephyr exchanged a puzzled look. "That was one of the vampires," Christopher said, his voice low, almost a growl. The sudden change in his demeanor was startling. "I wonder why he's going to the dining hall? Surely he's seen that there's no way out that way."

"Maybe he's checking out what options there are for his... kind?" Zephyr said carefully as he looked in the direction said vampire had gone.

The implication made me uneasy. I hugged my knees closer to my chest, trying to shake off the chill that had settled over me. "How many of us are here, anyway?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

Zephyr shrugged, his earlier tension melting away as he lounged back on the sofa arm. "I saw Elowen bring in one other big group after ours, about fifteen minutes after. It seems that might be it for now." He twirled a strand of his silvery hair around his finger, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Though who knows? This place seems full of surprises."

"God, I can't even imagine what it must be like back on Earth right now," I mused, my thoughts turning to the world I'd left behind. "I mean, people saw actual dragons. How do you think they're handling it?"

Christopher ran a hand through his hair, looking troubled. The gesture was becoming familiar, and I found it oddly comforting in its humanity. "It's hard to say. I mean, we've spent centuries keeping the supernatural world hidden, and now... dragons are flying around in broad daylight. It must be chaos."

Zephyr nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I wonder if they'll try to explain it away somehow. Weather balloons, mass hallucinations, that sort of thing." He chuckled, but there was a hint of bitterness in it. "Humans can be remarkably adept at denying the extraordinary, even when it's right in front of them."

"Where were you guys when you were picked up?" I asked, curious about their last moments on Earth. It felt important somehow, to know these little details about their lives before everything changed. Or maybe it was just me trying to connect with them, since I had no human companions to speak with.

"I was in our communal garden," Zephyr said, a hint of wistfulness in his voice. His eyes took on a faraway look, as if he was seeing something beyond the room. "It was just a normal day, tending to the flowers, and then... whoosh. Dragon." He shook his head at the absurdity of it all.

Christopher chuckled, the sound warm and rich. "At least you were somewhere peaceful. I was on my coffee break at work. Stepped out of the office for five minutes and ended up in another world. My coworkers must be losing their minds." His smile faded a bit. "I hope they're okay. Things must be pretty crazy back there."

I winced, thinking about Dana and my dad. The memory of their voices, the normalcy of our last conversations. They'd be freaking out. I just wanted to reach out to them and tell them I was okay. But truthfully, I had no idea what was in store for me. Would the world be looking for us? Trying to figure out what those portals were and where the dragons came from?

"Yeah, I was just walking down the street, talking to my best friend on the phone. She probably thinks I'm dead in all honesty." I paused, remembering the terrifying moment before the dragon appeared. A chill coursed through me at the memory. "But there was something else... this shadow creature attacked me right before the dragon showed up. Did that happen to you guys?"

Christopher and Zephyr exchanged alarmed glances.

"Shadow creature?" Christopher asked, his voice tense. "What do you mean?"

Before I could answer, a woman dressed in gothic attire approached our group. Her presence was striking – all pale skin and dark fabric, with intricate silver jewelry adorning her neck and wrists. "It's nice to see so many shifters here," she said, her voice rich and smooth, like dark honey. "I'm Lydia, a panther shifter." Her gaze landed on me, dark emerald eyes sharp and assessing. "And you must be the human. Interesting that you're the only one so far." She then directed her attention back to Christopher and Zephyr. "Have you noticed the lack of witches as well?"

I nodded, still processing the casual way she'd mentioned being a panther shifter. It was one thing to hear about these creatures in abstract, another entirely to have one standing right in front of me.

Zephyr tilted his head thoughtfully, his silvery hair catching the light. "Perhaps witches don't have the chance to carry the Dracarian bloodline? They might be something completely different?"

"But then how could I possibly be here?" I wondered aloud, voicing the doubt that had been nagging at me since I arrived. "I'm nothing special."

"Clearly, you are," Christopher said softly, his hazel eyes meeting mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. Why did I feel an odd connection to him? Was it because he was the first person here to try to speak with me and help me understand?

Lydia nodded in agreement, her dark emerald eyes glinting with curiosity. "There aren't many vampires either, just a small cluster. It seems the groups are made up mostly of fae and shifters."

I couldn't help but ask, "How do you all know what each other are? I mean, you all look human to me." I gestured vaguely at the four of us, feeling a bit foolish.

Lydia smiled, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Supernatural beings can sense one another and their natures. It's like... an aura, I suppose you could say. Each type of creature has a distinct energy signature. Or we can scent it, as shifters."

"Fascinating," I murmured, trying to imagine what that must be like. To look at someone and just know what they were, to see beyond the human facade or smell them.

Zephyr nodded, his eyes twinkling. "It's how we've managed to coexist with humans for so long. We can recognize our own kind, even when they're blending in. It's why none of us questioned the dragons outright like you did. We could see that they were powerful, with old magic we've never even seen."

"Thanks for the heads up, wished I'd known that," I muttered.

"You knew he was a dragon and yet you still stood up to him and demanded answers. That's damn ballsy, especially for a human. Hence why I wanted to come chat to you. You have fire," Lydia said with a wide grin.

Christopher steered the conversation back, his expression serious. "Aria, you mentioned a shadow creature? What exactly happened?"

I took a deep breath, trying to organize my thoughts. The memory was still vivid, terrifyingly so. "It was right before the dragon appeared. This... thing just seemed to materialize out of nowhere. It was like a piece of darkness had come to life. Its eyes... they glowed, but not with light. It was more like they were sucking in all the light around them." I shuddered, wrapping my arms around myself. "And it had claws. I remember thinking how wrong they looked, like they didn't belong in our world."

Christopher's jaw was clenched, his hazel eyes dark with concern. Zephyr had gone very still, all his usual fluid grace frozen in tension. Even Lydia, who had seemed so composed, looked troubled.

Lydia frowned, her brow furrowed. "That's... concerning. I didn't experience anything like that when I was brought here. Did either of you?" she asked, looking at Christopher and Zephyr. They both shook their heads, exchanging worried glances.

"Why just me?" I wondered aloud, fear creeping into my voice. "Is it because I'm human? Or..." I trailed off, not sure how to even frame the questions swirling in my mind. The idea that I might have been specifically targeted was terrifying.

"Add it to the list of things to ask about when we get the chance," Christopher said, his tone reassuring but his eyes betraying his concern. He leaned forward, his posture protective. "We'll figure this out, Aria. You're not alone in this."

Just then, the vampire from earlier returned from the dining hall. This time, he glanced our way as he passed, his dark eyes lingering on me for a moment. I felt a shudder course through me, a mix of unease and... something else. Now that I had a better chance to look at him, I couldn't help but notice how strikingly handsome he was, with sharp cheekbones and an air of ancient mystery about him. His gaze was intense, almost predatory, and I found myself unable to look away.

As he disappeared down the vampire corridor, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. The tension in the group eased slightly, but an undercurrent of wariness remained.

"Okay," I said, turning back to the others, my voice a bit shaky. "I think I'm going to need a lot more information about vampires, too."

Zephyr grinned, a mischievous glint returning to his eye. "Oh, that's a whole other crash course, my dear. But don't worry, we've got time." His lighthearted tone seemed to break some of the tension, and I found myself smiling despite everything.

As our conversation continued, I couldn't help but feel a mix of fear and excitement. I was in over my head, that much was clear. But I was also at the threshold of something extraordinary. And as I looked at the faces around me - Christopher's steadfast concern, Zephyr's ethereal otherworldly air, Lydia's calm curiosity - I realized that whatever came next, I wouldn't be facing it alone.

"Alright then," I said, leaning forward with renewed determination. My fear was still there, but alongside it was a growing sense of purpose. Whatever was going on here, whatever I was part of now, I was determined to understand it. "Tell me everything. I've got a lot of catching up to do."

As they began to delve deeper into the intricacies of their hidden world, I settled in, ready to learn. This was just the beginning, I realized. The start of a journey that would change everything I thought I knew about the world – and myself.