CHAPTER 8

　　Dracul pov

　　I leaned against my desk, feeling the smooth wood beneath my hands.

　　The door shut behind me and I listen to the footsteps echo down the stairs. After a few minutes, the noise vanished.

　　What am I doing?

　　I felt the thick knot of tension at my back, between my shoulder blade and I rolled my shoulder to reduce the pain.

　　I had been tense lately, more than normal.

　　Running a kingdom and keeping my people safe for thousands of years had been no small feat and it had taken a lot of planning, strategy, and smarts.

　　But more than anything, it had taken strength. When the mortal saw the slightest inkling of weakness, they pounced on it.

　　But other dragons were the same. All hopping on weakness like it was a great big meal and they were famished.

　　I hated it, I despised every part of this facade, this game, the terrible role that I took. But I did what I had to do. I would keep my people safe no matter what the cost is.