CHAPTER 174: COMPEL THEM

Kaelric’s POV

"You talk too much."

"I overthink when I’m nervous," she said. "It’s a coping mechanism."

I almost smiled, I thought right, because Aria wasn’t one to talk, I’m surprised to get this version of her.

We reached the western archive. The air there was colder and heavier, and I could sense something was definitely wrong here.

The bookshelf was precisely as described, mahogany, with gold lettering that read ’History of the First Bloodline’.

But before we got closer, I saw them.

Three men in plain black attire stood by the corner, pretending to polish artifacts. Their movements were too synchronized, their eyes were too still.

"Guards," I murmured under my breath.

Aria’s brows furrowed. "They look normal to me, but like he said, we are expected to see guards disguised as normal wolves."

"Exactly Aria, They are guards in disguise. I can read their thoughts, remember?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "I know sir Kaelric, aren’t you not just a show-off."

"Yeah, Dravari ability," I said, smirking down at her. "Selective telepathic extraction. They are not just guards, they are enforcers, placed here to kill anyone who gets too close to the archives."

"Well, that’s lovely," she muttered, giving me a wry smile and then rolling her eyes at me. "So, what’s the plan, your royal telepathicness?"

"I might need your help," I said.

That made her smirk again. "Oh, now you need my help? Didn’t you just tell me I would be a liability if I came?"

"I said you would be a distraction, because I knew this was a very risky movement."

She folded her arms, tilting her head playfully. "Semantics, they both mean almost the same thing, Sir."

"Aria." My voice dropped to the tone I knew would get her attention. The one that made her pulse quicken even when she tried to hide it. "Listen carefully. I need you to access your vampire side."

Her face changed instantly. "What?"

"You heard me. Compel them. Make them forget we were ever here, we don’t want anyone tracing you or me after this. And only this can let us in for good."

Her eyes widened with something between fear and disbelief. "Sir Kaelric, I haven’t fed that part of me in months. I don’t even know if I can compel anyone right now, let alone three wolves. My control..."

"You will manage, Aria. I trust you, you just don’t know your ability yet. If you have to drink their blood before compelling them, then that’s alright." I interrupted gently.

Her lips parted in protest. "If I taste wolf blood, I might not stop. You know what that means. I could get addicted, and once that happens..."

"I’ll stop you," I said firmly, stepping closer. "You wanted to come with me; now make yourself useful. I trust you to control it. And after this, you will go on an animal blood diet until the cravings fade."

Her jaw tightened. "You sound awfully confident for someone asking a hybrid vampire-wolf to drink blood in the middle of a museum, what if they die, because I can’t have enough, wouldn’t it be noticed, wouldn’t we be traced?."

"Aria I would stop you. Just go on, we need to get out of here. I’m confident because I know what you are capable of."

Something flickered in her expression, surprise, maybe. Then she let out a quiet laugh. "Fine. But if this goes wrong, you will be the one I bite next."

"Noted, but you know how badly my blood would taste." I replied her.

She stepped forward, the air around her shifting. She moved gracefully toward the disguised guards.

I could feel her energy pulse, her power wasn’t wild like most vampires; it was precise, almost melodic, before she suddenly disappeared, moving with the speed of lightening, standing in front of one of them. She whispered something I couldn’t hear, her voice low and commanding.

Within seconds, the guards’ postures slackened. Their eyes went glassy, like weird statues. It was beautiful, yet scary, witnessing her power.

Aria turned slightly, her voice calm but layered with that unnatural echo. "You will see nothing. Remember nothing. You will return to your duties when the moon rises again."

They nodded in eerie unison.

She stepped back, her breath shaky. I caught her before she stumbled.

"Easy," I murmured.

"I...I’m fine," she said, though her hand gripped my arm tightly. Her pupils were still tinted red, and I could smell faint traces of wolf’s blood on her tongue.

"You did well," I said.

"Don’t say that," she muttered. "It makes it sound like I’ll do it again."

"You will," I replied simply, pushing the bookshelf and the door was revealed.

I inputted the code IV-7-13

into code bar.

A soft click echoed. The door shifted, revealing a narrow tunnel spiraling downwards into darkness. What a weird place

Aria stared, as if reading my mind, she said, "A secret tunnel. Inside a museum. Who builds these things?"

"Was supposed to be used for something much more useful, until the manager to the museum got corrupt," I said.

She gave a low whistle. "Well, that checks out."

We stepped inside. The air grew colder, and damp stone brushed against our shoulders as the path narrowed.

"This place feels wrong," she murmured. "Like... something ancient is watching us."

"It’s the enchantments," I said. "Old wards. Protective, or they used to be."

"And now?"

"Now, they are probably corrupted."

She shivered, hugging herself. "I can’t believe Liara would come down here. Not unless..."

"She is being controlled," I finished for her.

"By Jackson?."

"Maybe Jackson or something else feasting on the both of them. But we are here to find that out, Aren’t we?."

We walked deeper until the tunnel widened into a vast underground chamber lit by flickering torches, giving off the ancient look.

Aria’s voice was barely a whisper. "Sir Kaelric, this is so unique and beautiful, I haven’t seen this kind of site before, ever in my life."

"Of course," I said grimly. "But unfortunately, you aren’t here for an adventure, you are here for a mission."

I moved forward, scanning the markings, my Dravari senses all alert, something wasn’t right.

"Sir Kaelric," she said suddenly, her tone sharp.

"What’s that Aria?"

"Look," she said pointing towards the far end of the room. "That’s a door."