LUNA ASTERBELLE'S POV
Out of all the people who gathered for this event, I was probably the only one who had doubts about Yve's response to what Dawn ordered her to do. Back when we still had our peaceful lives without those wolves bothering us, Yve always told me how much she despised vampires, since they sucked blood out of nowhere and she imagined them to be merciless. So hearing her say that she'd rather stay as a half-blooded vampire made it impossible for me to believe.
"Are you sure about that?" Dawn asked for clarification, his fingers pressing deep into her skin. "This is the only chance for you to be mortal and return to the human world where your safety is guaranteed," he added to persuade her.
Yve nodded as she attempted to get out of Dawn's grip. "Let go, King Dawn," she demanded with little to no emotion.
Dawn ignored her request as he held her even tighter than he had earlier, then he gestured to his men to lock her wrists and feet with a rope just by glancing at them. Yve wasn't able to resist, as they were obviously stronger than her. Yve laid her back to the ground, which immediately made the circle of candles light up with blue flames.
"I never gave you the option to disobey me, Yve," Dawn coldly mumbled with a stern gaze on the woman right below him. He pulled the edge of the rope that was tied to her wrists to lift her up.
Yve didn't yell, but her face clearly showed the amount of pain that she had to keep to herself. Her feet no longer touched the ground as Dawn stretched his arm to its highest point. "S-stop," she finally said. Her stuttered voice broke my heart.
Now I'm starting to think twice about whether this was actually what's best or if I was just being selfish again.
"I won't set you free unless you truthfully desire to be a human. Lying would get you nowhere," Dawn said.
My eyes were squinted by the sight of the king torturing my precious friend, so I stepped into the situation. I caught Yve's feet before Dawn noticed that I was beside him, then I forced her down. I kneeled to the floor as I removed the ropes from Yve. She might not say it out loud, but I can sense her appreciating my presence.
"Yve, do me a favor for once and be a human being for the last time, okay? I want us to be friends like before. You'd definitely remember every moment we shared together once you revert," I mumbled, slightly pinching the tip of her nose.
A few minutes later, Yve was finally convinced, which led Dawn to begin the process that he called resurrection. One who used to be undead would claim their life back, reviving their soul and all that had been lost and taken away from them involuntarily.
The candles that surrounded Yve lost their light one by one. Dawn slit his wrist, letting his blood drop on Yve's bare chest as he repeatedly said, "Begone, vampire."
Yve's body turned pale all of a sudden. She didn't move an inch away from her spot; even her hair wasn't getting blown away by the wind. It was like she was literally frozen there. Thanks to my power to see auras, I somehow got a faint glimpse of a dark silhouette that escaped from her mouth. It's probably the soul of a half-blooded vampire that lived deep inside her.
"It's over," Dawn whispered to himself as he endlessly panted to catch his breath, then glanced my way, showing me a small smile.
The king ordered the same men to bring Yve to the nearby couch that was L-shaped. They covered her in a thick-layered blanket to ensure that she wouldn't be cold from the air conditioning. I sat just near her head while I gently played with some strands of her hair.
"Is she going to wake up soon?" I asked Dawn, afraid that she wouldn't. "I can't leave her side until she does."
Dawn sighed as he gave me a glass of what I thought was red wine. I only realized that it was blood the instant that I drank it all. "I knew you were bloodthirsty." He laughed as he got the glass back from me. "Yve won't awaken for the next three days. It would be miraculous if she wakes up within the day. No one would have been able to withstand that much pain; your friend's strong will to live as a human really helped her," he answered.
I took one last glance at Yve before I decided to leave her alone. Dawn followed me to the window that was taller than the two of us as it almost reached the ceiling. I quietly observed the people who resumed their training outside, while some were just letting time pass by.
"I heard that Grimstone would soon come to an end," I randomly blurted out, in an attempt to determine if my guess was right.
"I know," he quickly replied with no hesitation.
My eyes widened in shock at the same time that I turned around to face him. "You..." I couldn't continue what I was about to say when I saw his flustered expression, as if he suddenly said something he shouldn't have; Dawn was still trying to keep his identity hidden. "S-sorry. Let's just pretend that I don't know anything," I uttered, avoiding direct eye contact.
Dawn's cold hand reached for mine as he prevented me from going away from his side. My eyes glued over to his, locking me away from any possible way to walk out.
"Whatever you have in mind right now, just believe it. I don't have the courage yet to explain how I got myself in this situation, but I am who you believe me to be. Don't doubt yourself any longer," he softly mumbled to my ears right after he pulled me into an embrace.
Unlike the other day, his heartbeat wasn't rapid anymore; it just indicates how he has finally calmed himself after almost revealing the truth—that both Dawn and Eman were the same person all along. All those that I've met weren't by coincidence.
Jerome Dawson literally found me and got me stuck with him in every dangerous scenario.