Chapter 32

Liam chased Federica wherever the girl went—passing through bushes, jumping from tree to tree, until finally, they stopped at the territory's border with the civet clan on the southern side of the Whakarewarewa forest. Federica climbed a pine tree and then sat staring at the light of the night goddess with confused thoughts.

Her tears flowed profusely; she hit her chest with her fist because she had to accept the harsh reality of Liam's background. Why doesn't she realize that vampires are still vampires who are directly related to the Grim Ripper? What was more painful for the girl was that when she opened her heart to Liam, the man tore it down in the blink of an eye.

Liam managed to climb the tree, stepping slowly between the pine trunks, which were large enough to support her and Federica's weight. Seeing the girl sobbing, it was like she was slicing Liam's heart with a silver knife. If he could choose, it would be better for his heart to be forcibly removed than to see the girl he likes wailing because of her stupidity.

Federica turned her head, staring intently at the face of Liam sitting on her right while brandishing a silver knife at the man. Liam's hands rose as he moved backward.

"I know...."

"Why did you lie to me?" Federica asked, interrupting Liam's sentence.

Liam shook his head. “No. I don't—”

"You're fucking lying! You're in the same bloodline as Blake. Did you deliberately approach me to become an intruder? Then kill me, hah!"

Federica stood up and approached Liam while brandishing the weapon gleaming in the moonlight. Liam didn't move; he knew it would end up like this. It was not easy for him to gain other people's trust because the name Blake was always associated with him.

The girl, whose heart was in chaos, plunged her knife into Liam's left chest, making him scream through the silence of the forest. Her red irises glowed as if begging for mercy, but Federica didn't care if it were like this; Federica would choose to kill the man before he knew that Federica was half-blood, the primary key to awakening the Grim Ripper—their leader.

"If it makes you happy, you can kill me, Fed. Bring my head to Ethan but I swear I didn't kill Blake's sister," Liam defended holding back the pain in his chest.

His breath hitched, the tip of the knife tried to tear his heart apart, and sweat dripped down the man's forehead. Her trembling hand wanted to take Federica's hand, but the girl just deepened her thrust into Liam's chest. Suddenly Liam's voice became more and more incoherent; his life and death were now before his eyes, and Liam resigned himself to Federica killing him.

"We are one family, but they have torn us apart, Fed," said Liam in a hoarse voice; even his head was starting to feel dizzy. He felt like his death would come once again.

The girl forcefully pulled her silver knife until Liam's body collapsed and hit the ground quite hard. Federica came down from the tree, grabbed Liam by the collar, and beat him mercilessly. The man was helpless and unable to respond to the blows he received. Liam felt he deserved punishment from his girlfriend, who was already disappointed.

Liam's body bounced until it hit a tree trunk when Federica kicked the man in the stomach as hard as she could. Blackish-red blood spurted from Liam's mouth. He felt his ribs broken, and perhaps his internal organs were also bruised from Federica's punches and kicks. He coughed; blood was still coming out of his throat, indicating that the bleeding inside Liam's body was severe. With shallow breaths and blurred vision, his reddened irises looked at Federica. The mixed-blood girl stepped closer to Liam's battered body, clenching her hands, which felt painful after venting her anger.

"If you're not a traitor, then what are you?" Federica's voice was still dominant, piercing Liam's chest with thousands of questions with impossible answers.

Liam shook his head, trying to regain consciousness. He looked up, looking at his lover who was furious with the knife now being pointed at him again. The girl's eyes looked slightly different, so Liam had to squint his eyes. Whether this is her feeling or not, Federica's eyes are a different color at first glance. However, for a moment, Federica's irises were still the same as before, hazel brown.

"My family was at odds with the Blake family long before the death of the Grim Ripper because of their greed for human blood. That violated the ancestral agreement. You know that, right? And what Ethan said was true, but I was there and tried to save his sister, but Blake's strength was truly beyond "My abilities, Fed. He even killed my mother that day," Liam honestly locked Federica's eyes. He didn't lie; he still clearly remembers how his mother tried to save the wolf clan but ended up being killed by her nephew.

"What makes you different from Blake?"

"I can be killed with an oak tree. But not Blake, in him the blood of the Grim Ripper flows, which—"

“He couldn't have been killed just like that, even with an Oak tree?” Federica interrupted, to which Liam nodded. "Can he find out who is a half-blood?"

Liam shook his head. "I don't know, but what is certain is that he can smell the scent of Half-Blood blood that other vampires don't know about. He could die if Oak wood, the weapon they destroyed worldwide, were mixed with the blood of the half-blood and the Grim Ripper. That weapon will destroy all vampire descendants who are followers of Blake.”

"Why is he looking for half-blood?"

Liam laughed while coughing, adjusting his sitting position while holding his aching stomach. "Of course, he wants to revive his father even if he only has a tailbone left, Fed. A drop of his blood or half-blood can awaken the Grim Ripper. If he gets that blood, the world will certainly be destroyed."

Federica's body felt like it had fallen to the bottom of the earth; it could be that Blake was interested in her all this time because the vampire already knew who Federica was. But why didn't that man kill her when he had the chance? She looked at Liam to look for something he might still be hiding, but Liam's inner voice said it was true. The aura on his body didn't show that the man was lying.

"If Blake was interested in you, would you...."

Before Liam could finish his sentence, Federica grabbed Liam by the collar of his shirt, covering the man's lips with hers, making all the words in Liam's head evaporate instantly. A strange feeling vibrated within Liam when the girl in front of him kissed him gently on the lips. There is a feeling of anxiety and worry, but there is also a feeling of disappointment. Liam was surprised when he felt Federica's cheeks streak with tears.

Liam broke the kiss, cupped Federica's face, and was surprised. The girl's eyes lit up again with a very different color. He knew the meaning of that eye color. The eye color has always been on the lips of all vampire clans. The eye color that Blake always looked for, even the Grim Ripper, before he died. And tonight, he had no idea this ginger-haired girl was the girl his clan had been looking for.

"You are..." Liam didn't dare continue his sentence for fear of being overheard by Blake, who could lurk everywhere.

Federica nodded. "Yeah, that's me. So, are you going to kill me?"