Chapter 130: Bittersweet Reunion-2

Chapter 130: Bittersweet Reunion-2
Before we can begin, Seraphina tries to sneak into the room, her mischievous eyes wide with curiosity. Anya's gaze narrows, and she waves a hand dismissively. "Seraphina, this discussion is not for your ears. Go and find something else to occupy yourself with."

Seraphina pouts but obeys, her small figure slipping out of the room with a dramatic sigh. The door closes behind her, and the room falls into a heavy silence, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on us.

Anya is the first to break the silence, her voice tinged with bitterness. "So, Aleksandr and Arianna, the star-crossed lovers. You’ve certainly earned your right to be together after everything you’ve been through."

Her words are sharp, almost sarcastic, but there’s an underlying acknowledgment of the trials we’ve faced. Aleksandr’s grip tightens on my hand, a silent promise of support.

Sandra looks at me, her eyes wide with shock. "Arianna, you and Aleksandr?" She shakes her head, as if trying to comprehend the idea. "I had no idea…"

"I know it’s a lot to take in, Mom," I say softly, meeting her gaze. "But Aleksandr and I… we love each other."

“But… the age gap…” My mom murmurs, before laughing to herself as she realises the absurdity of it.

“Which age gap?” I ask with a mischievous smile. “Aleksandr was thirty five when he was turned - so do you mean the seventeen year age gap, or the seven hundred year one? And anyway, you and Konstantin have what - a nine hundred and sixty year age gap, am I right?”

My mother giggles and sighs, and her expression softens as she reaches across the table to take my other hand. "You’re right. If you’re happy, then I’m happy for you, Arianna. You’ve always followed your heart, and I trust you."

Anya's eyes flicker with a mix of emotions, and she leans forward, her tone growing serious. "There is something you need to understand, Arianna. To truly be with Aleksandr, to heal his heart, you must make a great sacrifice."

I look at her, confusion swirling in my mind. "What do you mean?"

Anya's gaze is piercing, her voice unwavering. "Being a Blood Wraith is not enough. Your heart still beats, and as long as it does, Aleksandr's heart will never heal. He will carry this unhealing wound for decades."

An unhealing wound? What does she mean?

I search my memory, trying to understand what she’s saying. Suddenly, Aleksandr’s words from months ago come rushing back to me, burned into my memory like an undying fire.

I hear the echo of each word in my mind, as if spoken by him at that very moment.

"After you were burned at the stake and left for dead, I thought I lost you," he had said, his words burning with intensity. "I had no choice. I gave you my life’s blood - the most precious gift that an immortal can give. The last remaining blood in my undead, unbeating heart, capable of bringing back even the most hopeless case from the brink of death. So long as you live - so long as your own mortal heart keeps beating - mine will never heal. I will carry this unhealing wound, this pain, for decades. But I don’t regret it. I would endure it a million years, I would stab into my frozen heart a million times over, if it meant another second with you. Because I love you…"

Realization dawns on me, and my heart clenches with the weight of it. To heal Aleksandr, to truly be with him, I would have to become a vampire. But I’m already a blood wraith. The idea of combining both natures is daunting, almost impossible.

Anya’s eyes soften slightly, as if she understands the turmoil I’m feeling. "You will have to do something no one has ever done before, Arianna. You must become a blood wraith vampire hybrid. It’s a risky transformation, one that requires great strength and courage."

The room falls silent, the enormity of what she’s saying sinking in. I look at Aleksandr, his eyes filled with love and worry. "Are you sure about this?" he asks softly, his voice trembling with emotion. “I can deal with the pain of the wound. It’s nothing compared to the love I feel for you. Please, don’t be hasty, my love. This is dangerous.”

“And if I don’t do this,” I ask him, “if I stay a Blood Wraith, supernatural but mortal, I will live how long?”

“The lifespan of Blood Wraiths is longer than that of humans, but as you know, they are not immortal,” Konstantin says, his voice solemn. “You will live three hundred years, at best. You will age slowly, but you will age.”

“While Aleksandr continues to live on in ageless perpetuity, never growing old, never changing, watching my hair grow grey and my bones growing weak and brittle,” I say, tears welling up in my eyes at the thought of it.

I take a deep breath, my resolve hardening as I squeeze Aleksandr’s hand. "I don’t want that future. I’ll do whatever it takes to be with you, to heal your heart, and to be by your side forever."

My mother gives me a quick hug, her green eyes shining with unshed tears. "I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried, but still - I believe in you, Arianna. You’re the strongest person I know. You’ve got this."

Konstantin nods, his expression serious. "We’ll be with you every step of the way."

Anya leans back, her gaze thoughtful. "Then it’s settled. We will begin preparations for the transformation immediately. There is much to do, and time is of the essence - the next blood moon is just two weeks ago, and we can’t wait much longer . But before the Blood Moon Ceremony - we have a wedding to plan.”

A… wedding? What?