CHAPTER FOUR

Aric sat on a high tree branch at the edge of the arena, observing the others as they participated in the hunt by locating and killing the prey one after another.

A fool who thought hiding in the cages would trick the hunters was the first to be caught and killed. This was a very expensive mistake.

Not much time had passed when the second of the poisoned prey was finally brought down. She was fixated on the moonlight reflecting off the ice as it glistened on pine needles covered in frost.

The prey was brought down one at a time. Some were executed swiftly, and their blood was drunk on the spot. Others were restrained, branded, and fitted with collars before being led out of the woods by their new masters.

Aric watched everything going on with a visceral revulsion, and he detested that others of his type enjoyed participating in the blood sport.

His attention was drawn to some movement along the boundary fence. When he got a better look, he noticed that one of the female prey was grabbing handfuls of pine needles from the lower branches of a tree and frantically rubbing them against herself.

He focused all of his attention on her since he found her intriguing. She was stunning, even though she was a touch of pasty. After covering her face and exposed skin with dirt, he observed as she started digging holes in the earth.

After hearing the noises of a struggle, he turned his attention towards it and saw a target being captured not too far away from the location where the female was hiding.

Aric was taken aback when he looked back and realized he had been unable to locate her.

After making a very tiny movement, he was finally able to see her. She was lying in the hole she had dug, and the earth had completely covered her body.

He thought with a smirk playing at the corners of his lips that she did an excellent job of disguising herself.

If she was clever and could hold out for another half an hour, she would be rewarded with her freedom and a ticket to the free zone.

As he kept an eye on things, he noticed Moric moving closer to the spot where the prey was hiding.

While muttering an expletive, he tore a limb from the tree he was huddled in and hurled it in the opposite direction of where the woman was hiding.

Moric and the prey were both able to hear the disturbance.

Unfortunately for Moric, the victim let out a startled gasp, which brought his attention back to her as soon as he turned his head toward the sound.

Aric bolted from his cover and dashed toward where she was hiding before he could register what he had just done.

In what seemed like a blink of an eye, he was standing next to her, his hand wrapped around her wrist.

After yanking her away from the ground, she was pulled off it with her legs flailing around violently.

"Mine," he said in Moric's direction, who had just discovered where she had been hiding.

"The more experienced vampire smiled broadly and addressed the younger one, "My lord, you have secured the final prey." Good\sjob!!"

Moric gave Aric a pat on the back before looking between himself and the prey suspended in the air.

He asked the question in a humorous tone, "Do you plan to kill her now?"

"Or do you intend to take her with you and keep her as a slave?"

As Aric exhaled, he spoke the word "a pet" and immediately felt a knot form in the base of his throat as soon as the words left his mouth.

The question is, "Do you have a collar?" Moric questioned while gazing at the woman with eyes filled with lust.

Aric's response was "No," after which he helped the girl who was still struggling to sit down.

The more experienced vampire asked while he held up the leather neckband and said, "May I offer you mine?"

Aric mumbled a fake expression of gratitude before grabbing the item and turning to face the prey, who was standing as still as death. With his other hand, he continued to exert a firm iron grip on the prey's arm.

As he turned to face her, he let go of her, then fastened the collar so that it was snug around her neck.

Leaning in and acting as though they were checking the fit, Aric spoke to her in a whisper that was just audible to her and no one else.

He sincerely apologized and added, "I'm sorry."