Tonight, I met up with Lucian again, and he chose the worst possible moment to tell this truth.
We were alone in an abandoned observatory located inside our campus, the city lights blending with the cracked glass, looking like stars. I finished telling him about the artifacts, the rituals, and the word Descendant condensed.
He listened. Actually listened. There wasn't any interruption or sarcasm.
"You are actually shaking," he said.
"No, I am fine."
"Celestia, I can clearly see you're lying. Why don't you accept it?"
"Stop doing that."
He exhaled really slowly, as if about to say something.
"There's something you need to know," Lucian said.
I turned to look at him. "If this is another warning your going to say in riddles, don't bother telling me."
"It's not that," he replied. "It's the reason I know what I know."
"And what's that?" I asked.
"I am a vampire," he said.
I stared at him.
Once.
Twice.
Then I laughed.
Not the nervous type, but the hysterical one.
"You saved me from a cult attack, not a renaissance fair," I said. "Could you please try again?"
Lucian didn't smile.
Or blink.
"Celestia," he said, his voice steady, "I never joke about serious things like this."
"Congratulations," I replied. "That makes it a very unfunny joke."
He stepped closer.
I stepped back.
"Stop," I warned. "You're exhausted, and I'm grieving, and this is not the right time to—"
"For a joke or for the truth?" he cut in.
That made me believe him.
"Okay, if you're a vampire, how can you walk under the sun?" I asked.
"I was cursed," he replied.
"Cursed by whom?" I asked.
"The Blood King," he replied.
"Why did he curse you?" I asked.
"I went to the cult to take revenge on them, but I wasn't able to take them down. So they cursed me. Now I am neither alive nor dead. I have a heartbeat, but I can live a long life," he said.
That convinced me.
"Okay, but sorry to ask, why did you want revenge on them?"
His eyes widened before anger snapped and lashed out at me. "It's none of your business, Celestia. That's enough detail for now."
Saying this, he left the place and went back to the dorm room.
What did I do to offend him so much? I wondered as I began walking toward my dorm…