Chapter 10: Who am I ?

The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by small golden-hued lights hanging from the low ceiling. The air was thick with the scent of herbs, mingling with the rich aroma of aged wood, creating an atmosphere that felt like a cross between a healer’s home and an alchemist’s laboratory. Along the walls, wooden shelves were packed with glass bottles containing liquids of various colors—some as clear as water, others a deep, ominous purple. Ancient scrolls were scattered across a long wooden table in the center of the room, marked with strange symbols that seemed to belong to a forgotten language.

In the corner, a small furnace held a metal pot, wisps of steam curling into the air. Nearby, a table was cluttered with dried leaves, oddly shaped roots, and neatly arranged powders in small ceramic bowls. Elara looked around, curiosity evident in her eyes.

"So... this is where you make your potions?" she asked, stepping slowly toward the table.

Adeline nodded, glancing at her briefly before returning her attention to one of the glass bottles. “Yeah. I’m not as strong as they are, so I have to survive in other ways.”

Elara reached for a bottle filled with a greenish liquid. “And this?”

"That one masks my presence from pureblood vampires," Adeline replied without looking up. "Not just my scent, but any trace of my existence. That’s how I’ve managed to stay alive this long."

Lucien, who had remained silent, walked over to the shelves and picked up one of the bottles. He studied the liquid inside with a thoughtful expression before speaking. “But it doesn’t last forever, does it?”

Adeline sighed, placing the bottle in her hand back on the table. “No. The effect wears off after a few hours, depending on how strong the vampire tracking me is. That’s why I have to keep making more.”

Elara tilted her head, her gaze sweeping over the room. "You’ve been living like this for years?"

Adeline finally turned to look at her, her expression unreadable. “My whole life.”

Silence settled between them.

Lucien set the bottle back on the shelf, then leaned against the table, arms crossed. “And you think this potion will be enough to hide Elara too?”

Adeline hesitated, glancing at Elara as if weighing her options. “I can try… but her blood is different. Stronger. I don’t know if it will work on her.”

A quiet tension filled the room, as if Elara herself was an unsolved mystery.

"So what’s the plan?" she finally asked, her voice quieter now.

Lucien exchanged a glance with Adeline before turning his serious gaze back to Elara. “We can’t just hide forever. They’ll come back.”

And when they did, Elara knew one thing for sure—she couldn’t keep relying on others. She needed to figure out who she was… and why the vampires wanted her blood so badly.

Elara bit her lip, glancing back and forth between Adeline and Lucien. Her throat felt dry. Ever since that night—when she first saw Lucien fighting those monstrous creatures—her life had turned into something straight out of a dark fairytale. But the more she learned, the more questions filled her mind.

"I need to know," Elara finally said, her voice quiet but firm. "Who am I really?"

Adeline and Lucien exchanged looks. It was as if they had been expecting this question, yet hesitation still lingered in their eyes.

Elara took a deep breath and continued. "How is my blood different? What makes it so special that they want it? And..." She swallowed hard. "My lineage—I want to know everything. You said you understand it, Adeline."

Adeline let out a long sigh. She walked over to a shelf, pulling out an ancient scroll. Its edges were browned, as if time itself had burned them. She carefully unrolled it on the table and pointed to a name etched in ink that had almost faded.

"Elara Valerius," she said softly, her gaze locking onto Elara’s. "You may not realize this, but your family name is written in vampire history. Your bloodline is not an ordinary one."

Elara’s heart pounded. "What do you mean?"

Lucien, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "You come from a Pureblood lineage."

Elara frowned. "Pureblood?"

Adeline looked at her intently. "The rarest, most powerful, and most coveted blood in vampire history. A bloodline that once ruled the night."

Elara shook her head in disbelief. "Wait… you’re talking about royalty? I’m not even a vampire!"

Adeline nodded. "True. But you’re not just an ordinary human, Elara. You are the last descendant of a bloodline that was thought to be wiped out centuries ago. That’s why your blood stands out to them."

The room suddenly felt smaller. Her breaths came faster, her head pounded. None of this made sense. She was just a regular college student. There was nothing special about her… right?

Lucien leaned against the table, his sharp eyes locked onto hers. "Do you really think they’re after you just for sport? That they’re simply hunting you down to kill you? No, Elara. They want your blood for something much bigger."

Elara gripped the edge of the table, her hands trembling. "For what?"

Adeline exhaled, as if the next words would change everything.

"To awaken the Vampire King who has long been asleep."

Elara froze. In an instant, the air in the room shifted—colder, heavier.

"You’re joking, right?" she murmured, hoping this was just some sick joke.

But the grim expressions on Adeline and Lucien’s faces said otherwise.

"Your blood is the key," Adeline continued. "That’s why they’re after you. And if they succeed…"

Lucien’s voice was ice-cold. "The world will never be the same again."

"Don't try to scare me, Lucien."

"Do you think I look like I'm joking?"

Elara looked at Adeline who was now nodding slowly, that what Lucien said was true, there were no lies there.

"So what should I do? I won't let them catch me."

"There are two ways, Elara. The first is to use the potion made by Adeline, but it has a drawback. As Adeline said before, the potion only lasts for a few hours."

"Then the second one?"

"I'm sure you won't agree with the second one."

"What? Just say it."

"We're married."

"WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"