Can you understand us?

"I still think we should kill this girl and then eat her," a hoarse female voice speaks disdainfully. "Don't make that face; I bet you thought the same when you saw her unconscious body in the forest."

"Don't be stupid," another irritated female voice retorts. "You know Dylan will never allow anyone to touch his new human pet."

"So be it," the first voice says with disgust. "If no one devours her, she'll end up like all the others."

"I wouldn't say that if I were you, sis," a man speaks with enthusiasm. "She survived an attack by a bloodsucker; that alone is impressive. Now knowing it wasn't just any demon but..."

His voice is interrupted by a canine growl, as if he's about to reveal forbidden information.

A flash of memories passes through my mind, and I feel a pain in my chest remembering my family. They were dead, and it was my fault.

If not for my foolish actions, they would all still be alive, and I wouldn't be going through this.

I hear another growl, and my body shivers, going on high alert. It's the same growl as the giant wolves in the forest. Am I still there? It's unlikely, as I feel lying on something soft, and it's warm here. The smell is familiar, the scent of burning wood in the fireplace and hot chocolate with cookies. So, am I in a house? Whose house could it be?

Once again, a growl makes me tremble with fear, and I hear a female scream accompanied by a loud sound of something breaking.

"Enough! Get out, all of you," a male voice shouts, and I feel a chill in my stomach. His deep, gravely voice is frightening, but for some reason, I feel safer with his words. "I've said it before; no one touches the human!"

I open my eyes slowly, and my head spins. A pair of black eyes gaze at me attentively. The female face is delicate, though it bears a scar on her cheek. Her curly red hair frames her face, and her cheeks are freckled. As she realizes I'm analyzing her, she smiles in an adorable way.

"Come!" Her voice is sweet, angelic, unlike the other female voice. "The human has awakened."

A tall woman approaches, her imposing presence filling the room. Her short brown hair is shaved on the sides, and her charming honey-colored eyes radiate an intriguing mix of curiosity and suspicion. Her thick, firmly pressed lips give her an intimidating expression.

"Great, another brat for me to take care of... I don't understand why keeping this creature alive."

I recognize the authoritative voice as the same one I heard when I woke up. She looks at me with a superior look, as if I were an unwanted burden in her life.

A man approaches in short steps, exuding an aura of strength and security. He firmly holds the woman's wrist with visible determination. His jawline, slightly shadowed by a well-groomed beard, accentuates his virile features. Expressive eyes, the same honey color as the woman's, reflect a mixture of concern and firmness. Wavy brown hair elegantly frames his face, enhancing his striking appearance.

"I've told you, Ayla, you shouldn't lay a finger on this human, or I'll make you pay."

The woman growls like a beast, and he glares at her threateningly. He emits a strange sound, a grunt, making her shrink back.

"Enough!" He speaks coldly. "Get out before I lose my temper."

Without questioning, she quickly retreats, leaving the room.

Who he was, and why did she obey him without questioning? I had so many questions; my head was spinning from the pain.

"How is she?" His voice becomes sweet and concerned. "Will she be okay?"

The woman next to me looks at me confused.

"I can't say for sure... Her body is very different from ours. I think she may not speak our language, or maybe she's deaf."

I feel her pull my ear, and it hurts. I push her hand away, startling her. I sit on the bed, feeling a sharp pain in my leg, making me groan. A tear rolls down my face, but I quickly wipe it away.

"Can you let go, please?" I speak irritably, and the man looks at me strangely. "And, for your information, I'm not deaf!"

The woman widens her eyes and approaches cautiously, as if observing an alien emerging from its ship. I instinctively shrink; her cautious approach and curious expression make me afraid.

"Incredible, a human who understands our words..." She laughs incredulously. "How strange!"

I don't recognize this language, among any of the ones I've studied, and I've studied many. It's as if they speak in a disjointed and tangled way, but still, I understand them perfectly.

Something my dad always encouraged me to do was to study different languages. I didn't know why, but I always liked to please him.

Dad... remembering him, a tear falls down my face as I think of his body crawling on the floor. My whole family was dead, and now I had no one in the world.

"Can you understand us?"

I nod in affirmation, and he seems surprised, as if I were an exotic creature. I startle when his face approaches, and he begins to sniff me like an animal. His nose passes through my hair, my arms, wrist, and finally stops in the middle of my chest.

I scream when his hand enters my bra and pulls out the pendant of my necklace.

I try to retrieve it from his hand. My eyes were full of tears as I remember it was a gift from my dad in childhood. A black stone, so dark that it didn't reflect any light, made from one of the darkest materials on Earth, so rare that few people had the opportunity to see one form.

"Let go!" I shout with a hoarse voice, but I'm ignored. "Release that stone!"

I jump on top of his body, and he quickly grabs me by the waist.

"Who gave you this?" His deep voice is scary, as if he's about to attack me. "Tell me, human!"

I don't understand his reaction; it's just a common necklace, but it has great emotional significance for me.

"Give it back, please." I plead, looking into his honey-colored eyes. He seems unaffected; I feel his nose near my neck again, and it makes my hairs stand on end. "Stop smelling me!"

"She has no human scent. This stone disguised her odor." He says before pushing me roughly, making me fall on the bed. I scream as I feel his body jump on top of me, and his hands wrap around my neck. I try to get up, but he pushes me again. "Tell me, who sent you."

I don't understand these accusations, this crazy talk. It's as if he doesn't consider himself human, something bizarre and embarrassing. They all behave strangely, like animals.

The air is lacking in my lungs, and I push him. My effort is useless; he's undoubtedly stronger than me. I feel like this is the end. Looking into his honey-colored eyes, I feel my vision blur due to tears. For a moment, I see regret in his face, and his hands loosen slightly around my neck.

A fit of coughing starts as air fills my lungs; it's as if I've been given a second chance at birth. My hand touches his cheek, and he looks confused as I pull him closer, leaving our faces just inches apart. Before I realize it, I'm kissing him.

I don't know what came over me—whether it was a survival instinct or just his hypnotic eyes, but I'm kissing a completely unknown man.

His hands loosen, and he holds my face gently. I feel my face heat up as his hand gently touches my cheek.

I run my hand down his back, feeling his skin prickle. His hand tightens around my waist, bringing me back to reality.

I push him off the bed with force, making him fall to the floor. He looks at me confused for a few seconds, and then the murderous expression returns to his face.

I take advantage of his distraction to grab my necklace and put it around my neck. I try to run towards the door, but just a few steps later, I lose balance and fall to the ground, feeling a sharp pain in my leg.

"Don't you see, Dylan? She poses no threat," the woman speaks with a sweet tone. "This poor creature is injured."

I can't focus on their conversation; the pain is too intense, preventing me from controlling the situation. Tears roll down my face; I can't believe I was so useless that I couldn't escape.

I'm lifted off the ground gently; I look up, and our eyes meet. He gazes at me curiously, as if I were an exotic creature. Our eye contact is interrupted, and he places me back on the bed. I don't know why, but I couldn't help feeling frustrated when he steps away to talk to the red-haired woman.

Seconds later, he exits the room, leaving me with numerous confusing thoughts.