A Deal with Darkness
The drive back from the mansion was a blur. Nara's hands trembled on the steering wheel, her mind a whirlwind of fear, betrayal, and confusion. The truth was undeniable now—Adrian was a vampire. Worse, he was involved in something much larger, something that threatened not only her marriage but her life.
The words echoed in her head: "Join us... or perish."
As soon as she reached home, she locked every door and window, even though she knew, deep down, that if Adrian wanted to get in, nothing would stop him.
Sleep was out of the question. She paced the apartment like a prisoner, jumping at every sound. Every flicker of shadow felt like a threat.
When Adrian returned just before dawn, he found her awake, eyes wild, clutching a kitchen knife.
"Put that down, Nara," he said softly, as if talking to a frightened animal. "I'm not here to hurt you."
"Then what are you, Adrian?" she snapped, the knife shaking in her grip. "Tell me the truth. All of it."
He looked at her for a long time before answering. "You already know what I am. You just want to hear it from me."
"Say it."
He exhaled slowly. "I'm a vampire."
Silence.
The word hung in the air, heavy and cold.
"How long?"
"Over two hundred years."
She sank into a chair, the knife dropping to the floor with a clatter.
Adrian knelt in front of her. "I never meant to lie to you. I just... wanted a normal life, even if it was temporary."
"Temporary? What does that mean?"
"I can't age. You can. I knew one day you'd notice. But I fell in love with you, Nara. Truly. That part was never a lie."
She looked into his eyes and saw something unexpected—pain. Real, aching sorrow.
"The others... they said I have to choose."
"You do. They're afraid you'll expose us. But if you join us—if you let me turn you—you'll be safe. You'll be mine forever."
"And if I don't?"
His voice turned grave. "Then they will see you as a threat."
---
The next days were a blur of silent tension. Adrian kept his distance, giving her space, while Nara tried to process the impossible. She researched obsessively—vampire legends, myths, folklore—but none of it prepared her for the truth.
Adrian belonged to an ancient lineage, the Sang Adiratna, a secret vampire society rooted in Southeast Asia's forgotten royal bloodlines. They controlled wealth, politics, and influence through shadows, hiding in plain sight.
But something was stirring. A power struggle within the council. Whispers of rebellion, of purging old bloodlines, of war.
And she, a human married to one of the oldest, was at the center of it.
---
One evening, a package arrived at their apartment. No return address. Inside was a blood-red envelope sealed with wax.
Nara opened it with trembling fingers.
You are summoned.
The Council will decide your fate.
Adrian read it and cursed under his breath. "They're moving faster than I thought."
"What do they want from me?"
"To test you. To see if you're worthy to join... or if you're too dangerous to keep alive."
---
They traveled to a hidden estate in Bali, where the council convened once every generation. The compound was a blend of ancient Javanese architecture and gothic grandeur, with towering spires, koi-filled moats, and ritualistic carvings on every surface.
The council members—seven of them—were all terrifying in their beauty and stillness. They sat around a stone circle, each wearing garments that shimmered like black velvet under moonlight.
The leader, a regal woman named Suryanita, spoke first. Her voice echoed unnaturally.
"You, Nara Kusuma, have been chosen. Not because you are exceptional, but because fate has placed you beside one of our own."
"I didn't ask for any of this," Nara replied.
Suryanita smiled. "And yet, here you are."
"What do you want from me?"
"A choice," said another council member. "Drink, and live eternally with Adrian. Or walk away—and never speak of us again."
"And if I do? Walk away?"
"Then you will die. Not now. Not tomorrow. But soon."
Adrian stepped forward. "She needs time."
"Time is a luxury we no longer have," Suryanita said. "The Crimson Eclipse approaches. When it does, the veil between this world and the spirit realm will thin. Old enemies will return. We need unity. No weaknesses."
---
That night, Nara stood alone on a cliff overlooking the sea. The moon bled red in the sky, a sign of the coming eclipse. Her heart was torn.
She loved Adrian. But could she give up her humanity? Could she trust a world that saw her as either a weapon or a liability?
Behind her, Adrian spoke quietly. "If you don't want this, I'll protect you. Even from them. But if you choose to stay... I swear, I'll never let you walk alone."
Nara turned to face him. Her decision burned in her chest.
Bloodlines and Betrayals
The sun rose slowly over the Balinese horizon, casting long shadows across the marble terrace of the Sang Adiratna compound. Nara hadn't slept. Her decision still lingered in her mouth like ashes. She stood barefoot, arms wrapped around herself, staring at the ocean.
Adrian joined her silently. He didn't need to ask what she was thinking. He could feel it—her doubt, her fear, the unbearable pressure of choice.
"They'll demand your answer by tonight," he said gently.
"I know."
He reached out and touched her arm. His touch was cold, but it no longer startled her. "You don't have to do this. We can run. Disappear."
She turned to him. "And they'll chase us. They'll kill us both."
He didn't deny it.
---
Later that morning, Suryanita summoned her alone. The council matriarch's private chamber was draped in black silk and smelled faintly of lotus and blood. She stood by a window, her silhouette tall and commanding.
"Do you understand what we offer you?" she asked without turning.
"Immortality," Nara replied. "Power. Eternal love."
"No. We offer you responsibility. To become one of us is to become protector, judge, and soldier. You would no longer belong to the human world."
"Then why do you let your kind marry humans?"
Suryanita turned. Her eyes were like obsidian. "Because love is the only thing that keeps our kind from becoming monsters. Adrian remembered who he was when he met you. But even love has limits."
"And if I say no?"
"Then your death will be swift. Painful, perhaps. But swift."
---
That afternoon, Nara wandered the estate gardens alone. The lush foliage did little to soothe her. That was when she met him—a young man seated near a koi pond, his skin pale but eyes warm.
"You're Nara, right? Adrian's wife."
She hesitated. "Yes. And you are?"
"Elan. I was like you once. Human. In love. Confused."
She sat beside him cautiously. "You were turned?"
He nodded. "Fifty years ago. My partner—Rama—was part of the Eastern court. We wanted to be together. But once I turned... I wasn't ready for what came with it."
"Do you regret it?"
Elan's smile was bittersweet. "Every day. And yet, I wouldn't undo it. Because loving him, even now, is the only thing that reminds me of who I was."
Nara looked away. "I'm scared."
"Good. You should be. Becoming one of them means watching everyone you love die. Over and over. Until the only thing you recognize is the hunger."
---
As night fell, the ceremonial court prepared for her answer. The chamber was filled with torches and the council robed in crimson. Adrian stood by her side, eyes unwavering.
Suryanita raised her hand. "Nara Kusuma. Have you made your choice?"
The room fell silent.
Nara stepped forward. Her voice did not tremble.
"I choose to join."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Adrian's eyes closed in relief. Suryanita nodded solemnly.
"Then the Rite shall begin."
---
The Rite of Blood was both terrifying and beautiful. She lay on a stone altar, surrounded by chanting vampires. Adrian knelt beside her, his eyes full of sorrow and devotion.
"This will hurt," he warned.
"I know."
He bit into his wrist, blood pooling like liquid ruby. He held it to her lips.
"Drink, Nara. And live forever."
She drank.
Fire coursed through her veins. She screamed. Her body convulsed as her heart stopped. Everything blurred. Pain. Light. Darkness.
And then silence.
---
When she woke, the world was sharper. Every color more vivid. Every sound more intense. She could hear insects buzzing miles away, feel the heartbeat of a guard on the other side of the compound.
Adrian was there, smiling.
"Welcome back."
But something was wrong.
She felt a rage within her. A thirst. A hunger she couldn't control.
She lunged.
Adrian caught her, holding her tightly as she snarled and thrashed.
"It's okay. You're reborn. The bloodlust will pass. I've got you."
And she wept.
Not because she was a monster.
But because she had chosen this.
---
The days that followed were brutal. Nara trained with the oldest among the Sang Adiratna. She learned to suppress the bloodlust, to fight with claw and blade, to manipulate her heightened senses.
She learned that being a vampire meant more than just survival—it meant politics, war, and sacrifice.
She also learned of a growing threat. A rival faction called the Darah Hitam—vampires who rejected the council's rule and sought to dominate humans openly. They believed the old ways were weak.
And they knew about her.
They wanted her dead.
Or worse—on their side.
---
One night, as she meditated alone, a shadow crept into her chamber. She reacted instinctively, pinning the intruder against the wall.
"You've grown strong," the figure said. It was Elan.
"What are you doing here?"
He looked grim. "There's a traitor in the council. One of them is feeding information to the Darah Hitam. And they're planning an attack during the Crimson Eclipse."
Nara's blood ran cold.
"Who?"
Elan shook his head. "I don't know yet. But it's someone high. Someone close to Suryanita. Maybe even Adrian."
She stepped back. "No. Adrian would never—"
"Are you sure? You've only known him for three years. We've all known him for centuries."
The seed of doubt was planted.
---
The next evening, she confronted Adrian. "Did you know? About the Darah Hitam's plan? About a traitor?"
He looked shocked. Then his face darkened. "Who told you?"
"Does it matter? Answer me."
He hesitated. "There are whispers. But I didn't want to worry you."
"Not telling me is worrying me."
He reached for her hand. "Nara, I love you. You're my strength. But in this world, secrets are protection."
She pulled away.
"Or betrayal."
---
The council convened in secret. Tensions ran high. Evidence of sabotage surfaced—maps stolen, guard patrols compromised.
Suryanita's voice was like thunder. "The traitor will be found. And when they are, there will be no mercy."
But as Nara stood in that chamber, she realized something terrible.
All evidence pointed to Elan.
The friend who had warned her.
The only other human-turned-vampire in the council's inner circle.
And he was gone.
Vanished.
Without a trace.