Raige
“Valerian College?” I asked, tilting my head as I confirmed with Mike, my private investigator and dear friend. “Is that where she’s been studying?”
Once I’d confirmed that Jammy was taking care of Sierra, or rather say, Aliyah, a sense of relief washed over me. I couldn’t believe it. After a century of relentless searching worldwide, I’d finally located her reincarnated body.
I didn’t want to scare Sierra, and fortunately, my father had called, giving me a reason to step back, to not shadow her constantly.
Originally, I had no intention of returning. But my mother’s deteriorating health had changed my plans. With her wolf blood, her lifespan was running short. Wolves could live for millennia, but my mother’s union with a vampire had resulted in my existence as a hybrid. Our kind was strictly forbidden from interbreeding, and the consequences of doing so were severe.
“Yes, sir, she is,” Mike said, his voice laced with amusement. “Is she your latest plaything? You’ve invested both time and resources in following her track since she stepped out of your mansion.”
I sighed deeply. No one should know about my search for her, my relentless pursuit that spanned centuries. My clan believed I was merely living a life of indulgence, oblivious to the weight of responsibility that awaited me. When my father eventually passed the throne to me, my life would change drastically.
The memory of Sierra’s death haunted me. I’d stolen the elixir, a powerful potion that could transform a vampire into a human, and given it to her, hoping to help her escape her cruel father. Since then, I had patiently awaited her reincarnation, my heart yearning for her return.
“Yes, and no one can touch her from now on,” I said, my voice laced with a possessive certainty. “She’s mine.”
“Ok sir, copy,” Mike replied, his voice professional. “I’ll pass through the lowest rank. What’s your order?”
I nodded, dismissing him, and then headed to the meeting room where my father was currently situated.
As I took a seat beside my father, he delved into a discussion concerning a low-class vampire. It was hard to focus on the conversation, my mind preoccupied with Sierra, with Aliyah.
Artenio, King of Vampires, my father, sighed. “Raige,” he said, his voice filled with concern, “Are you paying attention?”
The guards, standing at attention, echoed his concern. “My king,” one of them said, “There’s been a rise in human fatalities attributed to low-class vampires in recent years. Despite the relentless efforts of our generals to contain them, these vampires have evolved, due to an incident centuries ago. Somehow, they have gained the ability to roam the human world at night, leading to an increase in victims.”
My father continued, his voice laced with frustration. “We’ve been trying to figure out how to stop them… what’s causing their mutation…”
His words sparked a memory, a painful one. He was talking about the elixir, unaware that I was the one who’d stolen it. Once a vampire consumed the elixir, they would die, but be reborn as a human. It was Sierra’s desire. At that time, it was the only solution I knew to help her evade her tragic destiny.
“My king,” I said, my voice steady, “Don’t fret over that matter. While those low-class vampires may venture out at night, we pure-blooded vampires can walk in daylight, albeit with limitations. This ability is sufficient for our needs. As you mentioned, our generals are diligently patrolling in the human realm, capable of rectifying any chaos caused by these low-class vampires. Furthermore, our feeding on humans is a natural occurrence and part of our existence.”
“Yeah,” my father said, a somber expression on his face. “For the past few years, we’ve been changing due to losing the elixir. Our craving for blood is higher, to the point we need human blood as well. But we have control. Unlike those low class. Raige, those creatures would surely end human life if we won’t stop them.”
“This situation is the fault of the damn person who stole the elixir,” my father said, his voice laced with frustration. “If it continues to circulate and emit its scent, our relentless hunger for blood will persist.”
I couldn’t focus on his words, my mind consumed by a wave of guilt and anxiety. What if they discovered the truth? What if they found out that I’d stolen the elixir? What if they discovered its whereabouts and Sierra was captured? I was unfamiliar with the specifics of the ongoing meeting, my absence leaving me oblivious to the ramifications of my actions.
Demetre, the general, and Sierra’s father, spoke up, his voice strong and authoritative. “It seems it’s time for us to launch a thorough investigation into the theft of the elixir,” he said. “The person responsible disrupted the peace and harmony of our world. We must retrieve it. I believe Raige, with his formidable strength and abilities, is capable of prolonged stays in the human realm due to his powers. Why not assign him to investigate? It’s possible that one of the low-class vampires acquired the elixir, thus explaining their heightened power.”
Demetre’s insights were accurate. While many pure-blooded vampires could only remain in the human world for about a week before needing to return to our domain for the unique air it provided, I, as a hybrid, possessed the ability to travel the world indefinitely. My unparalleled power set me apart. While other vampires had standard abilities, like speed and heightened senses, my capabilities exceeded those norms. This is why my father had selected me as his heir over my half-brother.
They knew about my extended power to stay in the human world and my remarkable strength, but if they were to discover my ability to halt time and become invincible, their astonishment would be beyond measure.
My father gazed at me, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes. He seemed to know. But he didn’t say anything, understanding that my involvement in such a significant transgression could jeopardize his throne. If he truly had suspicions, why hadn’t he confronted me about it?
Perhaps he merely harbored suspicions. Or maybe it was related to Lothian, my servant, who had vanished around the time of the elixir’s disappearance. I exhaled heavily, realizing that if they were aware that Lothian had sacrificed himself to save me, they would understand his absence.
“Alright, Raige,” my father said, outlining the task he and the general had discussed, one of the reasons for my mandated return. I was instructed to investigate the source of the low-class vampires’ newfound abilities to traverse the human world and determine if they were connected to the elixir theft. I nodded, a resigned tilt of my head acknowledging the command. I already knew what happened to the elixir.
Despite knowing the truth, the sooner I embarked on this mission, the sooner I might be with her.