I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on Lucian's face as he gazed back at me with an unreadable expression. The words tumbled out of my mouth in a barely audible whisper, "What...what are you?" I couldn't believe I was asking, but everything about him seemed so...impossible.
Lucian's lips curled into a lazy smile, and he replied, "I'm a vampire." His words hung in the air, like a challenge, daring me to believe him. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my breath caught in my throat as I struggled to process what he was telling me.
Vampire. The word echoed in my mind, refusing to compute. It was a myth, a legend, a monster from horror stories. But Lucian was standing right in front of me, his eyes gleaming with a supernatural intensity that made my skin prickle.
As Lucian's words hung in the air, the weight of everything that had happened crashed down on me like a tidal wave. The woman's probing, the pain, the fear, the desperation – it all came flooding back, and my body seemed to give up. I slumped forward, my head spinning, and everything went dark. I felt myself falling, but I couldn't catch myself. The last thing I remembered was Lucian's voice, distant and fading, before everything went black.
I watched in alarm as Eleanor's face went pale, her eyes rolling back in her head. She slumped forward, her body limp, and I reacted instinctively, catching her before she could hit the floor. I scooped her up into my arms, cradling her like a child, and felt a surge of concern. She was fragile, vulnerable, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd pushed her too far.
I glared at the lifeless body on the floor, a mixture of anger and disgust swirling in my gut. The man had been a pawn, a mere obstacle to be eliminated, but Eleanor's reaction was what concerned me now. She'd been through too much already, and I needed to get her to safety, to a place where she could rest and recover.
I looked around the room, my eyes scanning the space for any signs of danger. The woman was gone, vanished into thin air, but I knew she could return at any moment. I needed to move, to get Eleanor out of here before things got any worse.
With a gentle touch, I brushed a strand of hair out of Eleanor's face, feeling a pang of tenderness that caught me off guard. I wasn't used to feeling this way, to caring for someone beyond mere survival. But there was something about Eleanor that drew me in, something that made me want to protect her, to keep her safe.
I stood up, cradling her in my arms, and made my way out of the room, determined to find a place where we could be alone, where I could tend to her needs and keep her safe.
As I navigated through the night, the city's neon lights casting a kaleidoscope of colors on the wet pavement, I couldn't help but think back to how I found Eleanor. It had taken me three attempts, each one draining my energy, but my determination had paid off. The first two times, I'd tried to picture her, to teleport to her location, but it seemed those pesky witches had cast a spell that interfered with my powers. But I was no ordinary vampire. As a 2nd generation vampire, my abilities far surpassed those of the average bloodsucker. I'd broken through the spell's weak defenses, and finally, I'd materialized in that dimly lit room.
My eyes had landed on Eleanor, and my heart had twisted with a mix of emotions. She looked so fragile, so vulnerable, slumped in that chair like a rag doll. The signs of torture were evident, the bruises, the cuts, the look of despair in her eyes. I'd felt a rage unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. It was as if my very existence had been threatened, and I knew I had to act fast.
The young witch had been smart, sensing the danger and fleeing the scene immediately. But the man...oh, the man had been a different story altogether. I'd drained his blood, feeling the life force ebb out of him, and as I did, I'd peeked into his memories. The images that flashed before my eyes were disturbing – Eleanor, bound and helpless, subjected to all manner of cruelty. My anger had reached a boiling point, and I'd lost control, draining him in front of Eleanor.
But as I'd siphoned his memories, I'd learned something crucial. They were after a pendant that Eleanor owned, a pendant that seemed to hold great significance. And Eleanor, poor Eleanor, had no idea where it was or what it was worth. The memories of how they'd treated her, the pain and the fear they'd inflicted...it had been too much to bear. I'd lost control, and I'd finished him off right there in front of her.
Now, as I carried her through the night, I knew I had to tell her the truth. She needed to know about the supernatural creatures that lurked in the shadows, about the world she was unwittingly a part of. It was no longer safe to keep her in the dark. The pendant, the witches, the vampires – it all seemed to be connected, and Eleanor was right in the middle of it. I just hoped she could handle the truth.
As I slowly came to, I felt a wave of disorientation wash over me. My head was foggy, and my body felt heavy, like I'd been drugged. I tried to lift my head, but it felt like it was weighed down by a ton of bricks. Finally, I managed to pry my eyes open, and the first thing I saw was a white ceiling staring back at me. I had to squint, the light pouring in from the window was like a knife to my eyes, and I closed them again, letting out a soft groan.
When my eyes adjusted to the light, I opened them again, and this time, I took in my surroundings. I was in a room, a nice room, with cream-colored walls and a large window that let in a flood of natural light. I followed the line of the window, and my gaze landed on the sky outside, a brilliant blue that seemed to sparkle with dew. It was daybreak.
I tried to sit up, and a wave of memories washed over me. The events of the previous day came flooding back – the woman, the pain, the fear, and Lucian. Vampires. The word echoed in my mind like a mantra. Vampires exist. I felt like I was living in a dream, a dream that was rapidly becoming a nightmare.
As I sat up, my mind was racing with questions. What did it all mean? What did Lucian want from me? And what was this pendant that everyone seemed to be after? I was still trying to process everything when I heard a voice, a low, husky voice that sent shivers down my spine.
"Well, good morning, kitten," Lucian said, his voice dripping with amusement.
I turned my head so fast, I felt like I was going to get a whiplash. And then, I came face to face with Lucian. He was sitting in a chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him, a lazy smile playing on his lips. His eyes sparkled with amusement, and I felt my heart skip a beat. He looked...different, in the daylight. More human, yet less human at the same time.