Chapter 12: The Crossroads
Aarav felt the weight of the decision pressing down on him. The silence in the mansion was deafening, every eye fixed on him. Seraphina and Selene radiated tension, their bodies coiled like vipers ready to strike. Veyron, on the other hand, stood calm and poised, as if he already knew how this would play out.
"Take your time," Veyron said smoothly. "Decisions like these shape eternity."
Aarav exhaled sharply. His mind was at war with itself. He had only just begun to grasp what he was becoming, and now he was being told he wasn't just any vampire—he was the last of an ancient bloodline. And these Elders, whoever they were, either wanted him as an ally… or a corpse.
Seraphina stepped forward, her voice low but urgent. "You don't have to go with him. We can train you. Protect you."
Selene scoffed. "If he even can be protected. If the Elders want him dead, hiding won't work."
Aarav turned to them. "So what do you think I should do? Just trust him?" He gestured toward Veyron, who remained unfazed.
"You shouldn't trust anyone," Seraphina replied. "Especially him."
Veyron chuckled. "Oh, Seraphina. Your paranoia is charming as ever." His expression grew serious. "But she's not entirely wrong. Trust is dangerous. Which is why I offer you something better—knowledge."
Aarav clenched his fists. "And what exactly would I be agreeing to?"
Veyron's smirk returned. "To leave this place with me. To learn what you truly are. To become what you were meant to be." His ember-like eyes glowed. "You've felt it, haven't you? The power stirring inside you. The instincts sharpening. But right now, you are like a blade yet to be honed. If you stay here, you'll never understand your full potential."
Seraphina's jaw tightened. "He's manipulating you."
Veyron turned to her. "And you're not?"
Selene folded her arms. "Let's be real—either way, he's in danger. The Order won't stop hunting him. The Elders won't stop watching him. At least with Veyron, he'll have answers."
Aarav's head spun. It felt like a trap either way. But deep in his gut, he knew that staying here, pretending he could just survive without knowing the truth, wasn't an option anymore.
He looked Veyron in the eye. "And if I say no?"
Veyron sighed dramatically. "Then you are free to remain here, wandering blind, waiting for the next assassin to come for your head. And the next. And the next. But make no mistake—your bloodline is too important. One way or another, the night will claim you."
The words sent a chill through Aarav's spine.
Seraphina grabbed his arm. "If you go with him, there's no turning back."
Aarav met her gaze. "If I don't go, I might never know the truth."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Veyron extended his hand. "Come, Kairos. Choose."
Aarav stared at the outstretched hand, feeling the weight of eternity in that moment.
He had made his decision.
And there was no turning back.
To be continued…