Valaeria
Legacy Name: Valaeria

Seated beneath said tree was a woman, basking in the warmth. Her skin was pale and flawless, marred only by the long hair which was left to spill down her back, falling in gentle curls. Braided into the blond locks were multiple flowers, enveloping her in their sweet scent. Framed by long lashes were a set of seafoam green eyes, centuries worth of knowledge swimming beneath their depths. Sensuous red lips were set in an easy smile, painted with an unknown substance. She wore only a simple lace shift, falling off her shoulders and barely touching her knees.

The overall setting should have been relaxing and peaceful, but instead it was almost unnatural. Ominous, if you will. It was too manicured, too well cared for. Nothing was overgrown, nor was there a single dead thing in sight. Anyone with sense would have stopped and returned home, but not this poor man. He heard tales of a beautiful woman who lived alone in the forest, and had decided to try his luck.

He had gotten his wish. Now he lay alongside her, blood slowly leaking from a gaping hole in his chest. She peered down at him curiously, her fingers dancing along his flesh. “Oops,” she commented, her voice oddly dry. “A little too rough with this one.” With a sigh, she settled back against the tree, her tongue peeking out to lick the blood from her fingers. It had been so boring lately. Men seemed to have weaker will than even just a century earlier. They gave in so easily, so quickly. There was no fun in it anymore, no sport.

True, she was not the typical dryad. She cared for the earth, feasted on its energy and life force. But as the years wore on it just wasn’t as sustaining. Setting away from the normalcy of her species, she had turned to men. Now she fed on their love, their lust, and lastly, on their dying breath.