CHAPTER VII
Kael, his mind racing, devised a plan. His heart pounded in his chest as he set off, his destination: Aria. He had to convince her to join forces, to strike a deal, because the burning desire to become King consumed him. It wasn't about power; it was about survival. He had to save his mother from the clutches of Kaal, no matter the cost.
Alisa, ever loyal, wanted to stand by her brother's side. But Kael, his voice laced with a mixture of affection and desperation, urged her to go to Austin. "Talk to him," he pleaded, "We need his help." Alisa, her brow furrowed with worry, hesitated. "Brother, what if he's stronger than me? What if he turns on us?" Kael's face fell, regret washing over him. "I'm sorry, sister. I didn't think about that. We need to know what we're dealing with first."
With a surge of determination, Kael delved into the depths of his power, seeking answers about Austin. The truth, when it surfaced, was a bitter pill to swallow. Austin was the son of his father's old friend, a man who had once come seeking a "special human," a sacrifice to elevate him to the throne. But Kael's father, in a twist of fate, had outmaneuvered him, taking the special human and ascending to the Kingship himself. The revelation hung in the air, a dark cloud of mistrust. Austin might never help them.
Then, a glimmer of hope emerged. If they could rescue Austin's wife, Kim, from Lena's grasp, perhaps they could sway him. It was a dangerous gamble, a desperate plea. But with his mother's life hanging in the balance, Kael knew he had to try. The weight of his decisions pressed upon him, the future uncertain, but his resolve remained unbroken. He would do whatever it took to protect his family.
Kim, a vampire unlike any other, lived with a constant, gnawing fear, always seeking to shield herself from the world's harsh realities. For two long centuries, she had shared her life with Austin, their souls intertwined in a bond that transcended time itself. Now, a wave of icy terror washed over her, threatening to drown her as she found herself ensnared by Lena. The past felt like a distant dream, a sepia-toned memory of a time when capturing these special humans was a straightforward battle of vampire against vampire. But this was different, a nightmare unfolding in vivid, horrifying detail. Lena, the vampire hunter, wielded a power that sent shivers down Kael and Alisa's spines, a power that made their fight feel not just difficult, but utterly impossible.
Desperation clawed at Kael, a raw, primal emotion, as he turned to Alisa, his voice tight with a desperate plea to seek Aria's aid. The weight of the situation threatened to crush him, the thought of losing Kim a constant, agonizing ache in his chest. Relief flooded Alisa as she agreed, her own fear momentarily eclipsed by the need to act, knowing they would have to offer Aria a king's ransom of power for her help. Kael's heart hammered in his chest, a frantic drum against his ribs, as he acknowledged this, a knot of worry twisting in his gut as he cautioned Alisa: Aria must remain blind to the true reason for needing Lena. If Aria uncovered the truth, the potential for betrayal loomed like a dark cloud, and she might steal Lena away, vanishing into the shadows of Vampireland, leaving them to face their doom alone. Alisa, her expression hardening with grim determination, vowed to handle the situation with the utmost care, her mind already racing, calculating the best way to navigate this treacherous path.
They knew Aria's help was their only hope, a flickering candle in the overwhelming darkness, but the weight of the risks pressed down on them, suffocating. Aria's power was a double-edged sword, capable of both salvation and utter destruction. She was a force of nature, unpredictable and potentially volatile. The stakes were impossibly high, and the thought of Kim's fate, of the life they had built together, sent a cold dread, a paralyzing fear, through them. They prepared to tread a path of deception, knowing that the fragile balance of trust and manipulation would determine whether they could rescue Kim from Lena's grasp, or if their world would crumble around them, leaving them to wander the earth, lost and alone, forever haunted by their failure. The air crackled with unspoken tension, a silent promise of the battles to come, both physical and emotional, as they prepared to fight for the one they loved.
Kael and Alisa approached Aria, their faces a canvas of hope and desperation, the flickering gaslight of the alleyway casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to mirror their own internal turmoil. "Aria, we need your help," Kael pleaded, his voice a raw plea that echoed in the confined space. His earnest gaze met hers, and in that moment, Aria felt a strange pull, a sense of familiarity that defied logic. Aria's eyes widened in shock, a wave of confusion washing over her like a sudden, icy tide. How did they know her name? She hadn't shared it with anyone, not even her closest confidantes. The name felt like a secret, carefully guarded, now exposed in the cold, unforgiving night. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice laced with suspicion, the words sharp and defensive, a shield against the unknown. "And how do you know my name?"
Kael's expression turned grave, the lines around his eyes deepening with a weight of unspoken burdens. He exchanged a look with Alisa, a silent conversation passing between them, before turning back to Aria. "Aria, we come from Vampireland. I am Kael, and this is my sister, Alisa. We desperately need your help. Our world... it's fading."
Aria burst into laughter, a sound that shattered the tense atmosphere, echoing with disbelief and a touch of hysteria. It was a sound born of shock, a desperate attempt to ward off the unsettling reality that was unfolding before her. "Vampires? You think I'm an idiot?" The words were sharp, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her unease. Alisa's face fell, her features softening with a hint of sadness, a vulnerability that tugged at Aria's heart. "You don't believe us?" she whispered, her voice barely audible above the city's distant hum. Aria shook her head firmly, her denial a desperate attempt to cling to the familiar, the rational.
Kael's jaw tightened, a muscle flexing in his cheek. A steely resolve hardened his gaze. "Very well," he said, a touch of steel entering his tone, the words precise and deliberate, "We'll show you." With a shared glance, a silent pact passing between them, Kael and Alisa began to transform. Aria's laughter died in her throat, replaced by a gasp as she watched, her eyes widening in a mixture of fear and awe. The air crackled with an unseen energy, a tangible force that sent a shiver down her spine. Their features shifted, the subtle changes at first almost imperceptible, a slight paleness creeping over their skin, the delicate arch of their eyebrows sharpening. Then, the transformation accelerated. Their skin became as white as moonlight, their eyes glowing with an eerie, unearthly light, the color shifting from human hues to a mesmerizing crimson. Fangs extended, gleaming in the dim light, and shadows danced around them, twisting and contorting, the very essence of the room seeming to change, the air growing heavy with an ancient, unknown power. Aria's breath hitched, her initial disbelief replaced with a chilling realization, a cold dread that settled in the pit of her stomach. The fantasy had become reality, and she was standing face-to-face with the creatures of the night. A primal fear, cold and absolute, gripped her heart, and she knew, with a certainty that transcended reason, that her life was about to change forever.
Aria is shocked to see the form of both of them, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What... what do you both want from me?" she stammers, her voice trembling slightly. "I... I'm just a simple human." Kael's voice is smooth, yet laced with a predatory edge as he says, "We are both vampires, and we recognize our own kind by the scent of their blood." Aria's brow furrows, confusion clouding her features. "What do you mean?"
Kael's eyes gleam with an unsettling intensity. "I'm stating it plainly," he clarifies, his voice taking on a commanding tone. "You are a hybrid vampire. I can secure your entry into Vampireland, for I will soon be its King. But in return, you will perform a task for us." Aria's voice drips with a mixture of defiance and disbelief. "Me? A vampire? Who said that?" Alisa's voice snaps, laced with irritation. "Why do you always make us prove it? Don't you know you are a vampire?" Kael cuts her off with a sharp, "Silence, Alisa! I am speaking."
Turning back to Aria, Kael's voice softens, attempting to sound reassuring. "Aria, I know you are more powerful than us. I tried to delve into your past, but only your name surfaced. So, tell us, what do you want from us? And how can we help you?" Aria's lips curve into a sly smile. "You both know so much," she admits, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You are right. I know I am a vampire hunter. I've come to capture Lena, take her to Vampireland, and free my mother. I want to prove to Kaal that a half-human, half-vampire is more powerful than any pureblood." Kael's eyes widen in surprise. "Kaal? How do you know them?" Aria's smile widens. "I am Aina, Kaal's daughter... and your sister." Kael's breath hitches, a look of shock washing over his face. "That means... you..."
To be continue.....