《The Bride Of The Vampire King》


 Chapter 1 - THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING

    She stood there alone, her long white hair fluttering in the cold, dry night breeze.


    She was not an old woman, her face was as clear as moonlight and skin as smooth as jade ... body so petite with a slender waist and delicate fingers.??


    There was nothing strange about this woman until one took a closer look and noticed the blood dripping from her chin, staining her bare neck and chest.


    The girl''s front was covered in bloodstains which didn''t seem to be hers. It was too much blood for her to still be alive and stand steadily if it was her that was injured.


    The truth was, she wasn''t.


    However, right under her feet was a man, lying lifelessly and drenched in blood that was gushing out of the gaping wound on his neck ˇ­ as if someone had just plucked a chunk of flesh from it.


    Unfortunately, there was no one else aside from the white-haired girl. She stood there for a while staring at her own hands before slowly taking in her surroundings.


    Like a computer that had just been turned on, it seemed it would take her some time to understand why she was here with blood almost all over her body. It''s just that, there''s nothing she could remember. None whatsoever ... Not even her name.


    Who am I? Where did I come from? How can I be here? Where is this?


    No, there''s nothing she could recall. Should I leave this place? But to where? What can I do? And why aren''t I wearing any clothes?


    The girl started walking away from the corpse. The poor man had lost his life for reasons unknown.


    Once again she looked around with her wary gray eyes.


    This seemed to be the roof of a fairly tall building with a parapet made of iron around its edges. It served as a barrier between the final side of this building and nothingness.


    The white-haired girl then stepped closer to the guardrail, it was only now that she realized she was not wearing any footwear. However, this nakedness didn''t bother her at all, or she didn''t care that every inch of her skin was exposed for that matter.


    Either because no one would see her or because she was very comfortable in her current state. No one knew the answer for sure though.


    Well, the white-haired girl did not have an answer to this question either.


    While walking toward the guardrail, a thin, white vapor drifted from her nose and mouth merging as they rose heaven- ward, standing as a testimony to depict how cold the night was.


    Stomping her foot onto the railing, she lifted herself up to gauge how tall this building was. Her eyes narrowed slightly at the glare of lights down below. This was a busy road lined with brightly lit buildings.


    Once again, cold air blew and hit her bare skin ˇ­ making her shiver involuntarily.


    The girl then raised her head and looked up toward the gloomy night sky.


    Looks like it''s going to rain ...


    She knew this but not the most basic things about herself.


    Name ˇ­


    What is my name?


    Why is she even here?


    Every time the girl looked in to the corners of her memory, she would always hit a dead end. It was as if a incomprehensible barrier was blocking her mind from wandering further.


    Five minutesˇ­


    Ten minutesˇ­


    Thirty minutesˇ­


    And the girl then lost track of time, she no longer counted or estimated how long she had been standing still like that.


    Even when the rain began to fall, the girl still stood frozen on the edge of the building''s iron parapet, looking up at the sky as the soft droplets of water began to wet her face.


    What is my name?


    "Mila!"


    The girl immediately turned toward the source of the voice. There was a man, calling out a name ˇ­ She looked not because she assumed it was her name, but because she realized that someone else was here besides herself and the corpse of the man, on the rooftop of this building.


    Emerged, from a doorway, was a tall and very thin man, looking at her with a worried look. In his hand, was draped a brown coat.


    And what surprised the girl somewhat was that she realized she could see quite well from this distance and under such minimal lighting.


    "Mila, get down and come here." The man walked cautiously, but his steps suddenly stopped when his eyes caught a figure on the floor. "Sh*t!" He cursed under his breath.


    His voice was very low but the girl could hear it very clearly, this made her frown in displeasure.


    What made this man curse like that?


    The fact that a man had actually died there, didn''t seem to bother her at all.


    "Mila, did you do this?" He asked.


    He kept calling her by that name, so the girl assumed it was hers ... Right?


    "Don''t know," she replied in a soft voice, like a smooth piano melody. Even the girl herself was surprised to hear her own voice.


    From a distance, she could see the man talking to someone through a device attached to his white coat. His voice was very very low, but she could hear it without a problem.


    "Mila killed Steven," he said, "I need two more people on the roof of the building, NOW." The man paused before he spoke again, this time in a slightly more irritated tone, but he tried hard to hide it. "She really has come to her senses! You stop asking too many questions and come here quickly!"


    The frown on Mila''s forehead deepened when she heard the man, once again, swearing at whoever he was talking to.


    "Mila, come here. It''s okayˇ­ everything will be fine." The man took a timid step toward the white-haired girl.


    Under the descending raindrops, it was a little difficult for him to keep his eyes open, so Mila''s naked figure looked slightly blurry in his vision.


    "My name is Mila?" She asked, then hopped down from the guardrails and walked over to the man. Luckily, her long hair managed to cover her body pretty much from the sight of her interlocutor. "Then who are you?"

 Chapter 2 - CONFUSED

    For a moment the man didn''t answer Mila, he frowned and looked like someone who was deep in thought before he said a name.


    "I''m Roy," the man replied. "I''m your friend. I''ll escort you to a warmer place. Come hereˇ­"he said in a slightly trembling tone.??


    However, Mila could not be sure, whether Roy sounded a little uncertain because of the cold night that made his voice shudder like someone who was cold, or he was indeed hiding something from Mila.


    With watchful eyes, Mila walked closer. The distance between them was quite far with the man''s corpse in between.


    But, suddenly Mila stopped walking when she saw about five more people coming from the same door, where this man named Roy had come earlier.


    Her gray eyes stared at them with displeasure. From the gestures of the five people, Mila could feel that they were going to do something to her.


    "Come here Mila," Roy said.


    Only then could Mila see that Roy was actually looking at her timidly.


    Mila looked behind her and found nothing or anyone, that could make them behave like that.


    And an understanding crossed Mila''s mind; their body movements showed that she was the ones they were wary of.


    But why?


    Was she the one who killed the man?


    Now, the blood that soaked Mila''s chin and front of her body had been washed off, swept away by the rain that began to fall heavily and made her super long hair stick to her body, like a protective jacket.


    "Come here Mila, you will get sick if you stay in the rain like this," Roy said. However, even if that was what he said, the reality was; even if this girl got wetter all night or day, she wouldn''t get sick like a human.


    Yes, this girl wasn''t even human to begin with...


    Instead of advancing closer, Mila stepped back as Roy continued walking toward her with cautious steps.


    "Tell me, who killed that man?" Mila asked in a firmer voice.


    Roy glanced back at the corpse of the man, just a few meters in front of him. He was Stevan, a new worker who had only enjoyed working in this agency for three weeks, too bad, he didn''t even get to indulge himself with his first salary.


    "What do you mean Mila?" Roy asked, now walking past Stevan''s corpse, with five other people behind him, about ten steps away, waiting for the signal to ambush the naked girl. "Do you think we were the ones who killed him?"


    "Did you guys kill him?" Mila asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. The color of her misty eyes shifted from Roy, then toward the other five people behind him, much more alert now.


    "We?" Roy raised his eyebrows, his tone rose sharply, making Mila believe that it was a result of real surprise and nothing made up. "Of course we didn''t do that Mila."


    Roy shook his head in disbelief at the accusation.


    "Who is it, then?" Mila asked in a low voice. However, as if answering her question, Mila heard her own voice ringing in her head, which said that she had been the cause of that person''s death.


    Is that so? Is that true? Mila looked at her own hands. Her hands were thin and seemed to have no strength at all while the man was sure to be much taller and bigger than her.


    So, how could she possibly kill that man? After all, there weren''t any sharp objects or things that Mila could use as a weapon, so how could she beat him?


    All of that didn''t make sense, but Roy''s answer hinted that she was the culprit.


    However, that''s what Roy said.


    "You saw it yourself, right? I just arrived with some of my friends," Roy said, waving his hand at the people behind him, who didn''t seem like his friends at all. "So how can I kill him?"


    Mila was still walking backward while Roy moved forward, step by step.


    "You are the who were here Mila. You are the one with him, shouldn''t you tell us, who killed him?"


    "Are you trying to say that I killed him?" Mila asked defensively.


    Somehow, she knew that she had done it herself. She saw for herself how the man''s blood had drenched her hands and herself, as well as her mouth earlier...


    But why? And more importantly; How? How did Mila kill him?


    Regardless of the threat Mila felt from Roy and the five people in front of her, she felt a certain conflict within herself.


    "Come here Mila, we won''t hurt you," Roy said, this time it seemed like he was being impatient, when he walked so fast toward Mila, breaking through the rain curtain that had become so heavy.


    On the other hand, Mila who saw that, became even more panicked and tried to run away. Her instincts told her to get out of there and stay away from these men.


    But, where could she go? While she felt trapped at the top level of this building?


    Mila finally reached the iron fence that bordered the edge of the building. Holding the trellis very tightly, she then climbed up one bar, while standing unsteadily there.


    This turned out to be quite effective to make Roy stop, it''s just that the distance between them was as good as nothing.


    "Mila, come here, don''t be stupid." Roy stretched out his hand, which was trembling because the cold rain had soaked him to the bone.


    "Who killed that man?" Mila was repeating the same question.


    At first, she didn''t care about the death of this strange man, but as soon as she saw Roy and the others, she felt something rustling inside her, but it was definitely not fearˇ­ more ofˇ­ anger?


    She didn''t know... Mila was a little confused by how she felt now.


    "Whoever killed him, has nothing to do with us now, come here and I''ll take you somewhere warmer," Roy coaxed.


    It''s just that, when the man saw Mila become indecisive, he moved so fast and grabbed Mila''s body, knocking her to the floor while the other five people swarmed her quickly, injecting something into her body that made Mila lose her consciousness instantly.

 Chapter 3 - HE KISSED HER

    The thing that made Mila wake up from her long sleep was the crackling sounds and the voices of several people speaking nearby.


    Who are they???


    Mila couldn''t recognize a single voice and when she thought about it, Mila didn''t really meet many people besides a man named Roy and five other men who didn''t speak at all before they ambushed her.


    As well as another man that had died at her hands, it was certain that he could not speak either.


    After all the memories of that night returned, Mila still didn''t open her eyes, pretending to be asleep so she could hear more about what they were talking about.


    But, the clearer her consciousness came to her, the more voices she heard, they all sounded just like some bees buzzing right in her ears, getting louder and louder and more chaotic with each second.


    When the sounds became more annoying and made her head spin, Mila could no longer hold on to her pretense and groaned softly, trying to cover her ears.


    Only to find something hard and cold that was restraining her hands to her sides, keeping her from moving orˇ­ running away again?


    Mila wasn''t sure if she had run away before, but from what?


    The hum of the sounds grew louder and Mila opened her eyes, just at that moment, she heard a sound that was so close, a shrill scream that made all of her hair stand in alert. The sound was painful, but at least it managed to drown out all the other voices rumbling wildly in her head.


    After several people dressed in white came, Mila realized that the high, shrill sound was her own voice. She was screaming.


    Three men came with expressions varying from frowns to panicked ones.


    After the arrival of the three men, another man followed suit, but based on what Mila saw, it seemed that this last man had more authority than the others.


    He gave them orders, staring at Mila with a gaze so intense that Mila felt like he was staring right through her soul.


    So sharp, that Mila could swear that his brown eyes turned red for a split second before he blinked and his eye color returned to normal.


    What is that?


    Is it common for someone to change their eye color? Is that even possible?


    Mila didn''t understand, because when she no longer heard the shrill screams and her throat felt dry, consciousness slowly left her.


    However, before that, she could see the strange-eyed man leaning over to whisper something to Mila.


    "...don''t be afraid, I''m here..." he said.


    His voice was so low and intimate that Mila felt that this man knew her better than she knew herself.


    And strangely, Mila''s body reacted to his words, or maybe this was just her body''s reaction to whatever drug they have injected into her veins again, whatever it was, Mila welcomed the darkness that soon engulfed her.


    ==============


    When consciousness returned to greet her, the first thing Mila realized was that she was sleeping on her right side while curled up like a baby.


    There were no voices to disturb her peace now, everything was so quiet andˇ­ white.


    Mila opened her eyes quickly, as if she had not been sleeping for hours until now and what she found was a room so white, lined with soft foam that covered every wall.


    At first Mila didn''t realize what this was, but when her brain got back to work, she recognized what place she had been kept in.


    This is a padded room.


    A room that was used to create a calm and quiet atmosphere.


    This room was usually found as a facility in a psychiatric unit, used for patients who have the potential to do self-harm or were prone to suicide. Someone who has violent behaviorˇ­


    Mila wanted to laugh scornfully because she remembered all this, but she couldn''t remember herself at all.


    However, for whatever reasons Mila was kept here, they didn''t make any sense to her at all. She''s not in the mood to kill herself, or hurt herself ...


    Or maybe she was put here because of what she had done to that man who died on the roof?


    Mila didn''t even remember that she had done that. She didn''t believe that she had killed someone, especially if people like Roy had said it.


    She didn''t know who she could trust at this point.


    Mila massaged her forehead which wouldn''t stop throbbing and realized that there were no restraints on her hands. They no longer wanted to tie or handcuff her? Mila didn''t have time to notice what they used to hold back her movements before this.


    Right in the midst of her confusion, Mila heard the sound of the door opening and a few voices buzzing in background.


    Instinctively, Mila raised her hand to cover her sensitive ears, until the sound was gone and the door was closed again.


    However, whoever the person who had entered this room, was standing motionless by the door, waiting for Mila to lower her hand and raise her head so they could look at each other.


    "I''m glad you are finally awake," said the man.


    His voice was so pleasant, that Mila felt like she could hear his voice forever, but what she did afterward were spouting words she had absolutely no plan to say.


    "Said the person who made me unconscious," Mila replied sarcastically, she didn''t know where she got this courage, but just by looking at this man, she already felt an emotional turmoil that she couldn''t understand. "I can''t believe you''re happy to see me."


    A grin appeared on the man''s lips and somehow Mila wanted to grin along with him.


    What kind of stupid feeling is this?


    "Of course I''m happy, nothing can make me happier than this," he said, as he stepped forward and stood in front of Mila.


    His frame was so tall, as Mila was sitting on the edge of her bed, he could easily intimidate her.


    It''s just that, Mila couldn''t accept the situation well and stood up so that they were at equal level, or at least she didn''t have to raise her head.


    Yet, the thing that man did next made Mila widen her eyes in surprise.


    The man kissed her lips!

 Chapter 4 - A STRANGER

    Mila was shocked for a moment before she violently pushed the man''s body away from her.


    Apparently, the man didn''t intend to insist, as Mila could easily break free and jump away from such a dangerous person.??


    "Damn it! What are you doing?" Mila shouted angrily, she brushed the back of her hand against her lips roughly, annoyed that the man had treated her like this, especially when she noticed the grin on his lips, the same lips that had touched hers just a moment before.


    "Kissing what''s mine," he replied lightly, then sat on the edge of the bed, which Mila had been sitting on. "You don''t think I forgot to lock the door, do you?" He asked, as he followed Mila''s gaze, which was fixed on the door, brewing plans to run away.


    Knowing that she didn''t have a chance to escape, except by knocking the annoying man in front of her unconscious, Mila moved backward, until her back was pressed against the soft wall.


    "What is this place?" Mila asked, her eyes wary, in case he intended to approach her again and do the same thingˇ­ or more.


    "A research center," he replied.


    "What research center?" Mila asked, looking around her, this looked like one of the rehab rooms rather than a research lab.


    "A research center for people like us," he replied without hesitation, then put his finger on his lips and squinted. "But don''t tell anyone that I''m as weird as you, because I''ll get in trouble if they find out."


    Mila shook her head, not understanding what this man was saying, everything seemed foreign to her and she didn''t know the basis of the things she was experiencing now.


    "If you''re here just to make me think of the riddle in your answer, you better get going, because I don''t want to see you here." Mila nodded toward the door, indicating for this strange man to go and leave her alone.


    However, the man shook his head, rejecting the idea.


    "My purpose of being here, is the opposite," he said, then stood up.


    "Stay where you are, or I''ll scream," Mila said menacingly, as if she could keep the man in place with this simple method.


    If the strange man, who was wearing this white shirt, was one of the staff of this research center that he mentioned earlier, then it was certain that Mila''s threat wouldn''t be effective on him.


    However, the man seemed to respect her by indulging what she wanted and returned to sit on the edge of the bed again.


    "I''m here to answer your every question, but we have to do this quickly, because I don''t have much time before the next officer comes and restarts that thing," he said, nodding at the small object in the top corner of the room, which was a CCTV camera.


    Mila followed his line of sight and saw the small monitoring device.


    "You''ve already spent three minutes acting like that toward me and now we only have less than two minutes before I leave this room," he said, crossing his legs, as if this was his private room.


    Meanwhile, Mila was still paying attention and analyzing the situation before she threw the first question that crossed her mind.


    It seemed there was nothing wrong with following this man''s game. After all, she did want to know what was going on and this man was more than happy to answer her questions.


    "What is your name?" she asked.


    The man raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I didn''t expect you to be more interested in my name than every other thing confusing you right now," he laughed cheerfully.


    "Just answer my question!" Mila snapped, annoyed. She was thinking about the questions she should ask, but because there were so many, she chose the simplest one.


    "Aaric," he replied. "I didn''t mean to laugh at your question, it''s just that I''m flattered that you asked for my name first," Aaric said, nodding solemnly.


    Mila couldn''t tell if he was telling the truth, or if he was just mocking her, but at least he answered honestly.


    He looked honest when he answered...


    "But, you can''t call me by that name," Aaric said in a slightly more serious tone, although mirth was still evident in his eyes. "Because, this body''s owner name is Bryan."


    Mila frowned. What is with this guy? His words just made no sense.


    "I know you''re confused, but if you really lose all your memories, then this explanation will be very long and might sound more nonsense," Aaric said, as he then got up from the bed again.


    Seeing that, Mila glared at him, but Aaric raised his hand in a surrender gesture.


    "Two minutes is up, it''s time for me to go back," Aaric informed her, stepping toward the door and opening it easily.


    "You said the door was locked?" The question just slipped from Mila''s lips when she saw Aaric open the door without using any keys.


    Hearing such an innocent question, Aaric laughed and his voice sounded like a melody from a song that Mila likes. Hell, she doesn''t even remember a single song...


    "I didn''t say that the door was locked," Aaric turned around and looked at Mila with a mischievous look. "I''ve asked you; You don''t think I forgot to lock the door, do you? Always listen what I''m saying to you carefully." He glanced at Milla when he saw her stare at him fiercely, as if in the next second the girl was going to lose it and tear him apart.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll come again to answer your questions, therefore, to keep yourself sane in this damn room, you better start composing any questions you want to ask," Aaric said in a relaxed tone. "Oh, yes... as much as possible do not take the drugs they give you."


    Mila was too annoyed to answer, so she just leaned back and watched Aaric walk out of the room.


    But, after two seconds, the door was opened again and Aaric''s head appeared between the gap, speaking cheerfully.


    "Make sure your first question is; why I kissed you suddenly, okay?" He said with mirth in his eyes.

 Chapter 5 - DONT MOVE

    Even though Mila still felt a little strange and didn''t understand why Aaric forbade her from taking the drugs, which were given to her by the people here, but Mila was not stupid to let those people force her to swallow something she didn''t know either.


    Mila had just lost her memory, but that didn''t mean she would not stay vigilant with her surroundings.??


    One thing that was certain and she believed it as true, which Aaric had also confirmed with her was; this place was the center of their research and the object of their research was Mila herself, even though Mila didn''t understand what''s wrong with her until they made her an experimental subject, but whatever it was, she felt that it wouldn''t be good for her.


    However, avoiding their drugs intake wasn''t easy, they would make sure that Mila took her medicine properly and wouldn''t leave her until she swallowed the pills.


    Even after that, they would check Mila''s mouth to make sure that she didn''t hide any single of them under her tongue or the back of her throat.


    Only when they were sure, would they leave Mila alone again in this padding room.


    The medicinal effect would start only after a while, and there were even times when Mila would feel that she was as light as cotton. Sometimes she felt that her surroundings had become pitch black and she was unconscious for a period of time that she couldn''t tell how long.


    Sometimes Mila would woke up on her bed in the padding room, or often she would wake up surrounded by people wearing white uniforms, saying something she didn''t understand while examining her body.


    At times like now, this noise was so bewildering, that there was nothing Mila could do except to let them do what they wanted to do to her.


    No one knew how long Mila had been in this condition, but since Aaric had seen her, if she counted it, she had taken those damn pills thirteen times and always ended up in such a weak state.


    However, this time it was different...


    This time Mila woke up in the treatment room she was used to be in, it''s just that no one was around, except for her and Aaric himself.


    The man stood beside her bed, looking at her with a frown between his eyebrows, the look in his eyes was so sharp and Mila felt as if she was being stripped naked just by his gaze.


    Therefore, instinctively, Mila glanced down at her lower body, and was only able to breathe a sigh of relief when she noticed that she was wearing a simple light blue dress, which was able to cover her appropriately.


    For some reason Mila did not want Aaric to see her in an unclothed and pathetic state, even though before, she had no problem with these people seeing her nakedness.


    "Didn''t I tell you not to take the drugs? Why don''t you listen?" Aaric asked accusingly. He looked annoyed at this point. Completely different from his previous cheerful personality which made him seem easy to talk to.


    This time Aaric looked cold and somewhat distant, as if he was going to explode in anger the next second because Mila didn''t heed his warning.


    But, of course, it''s not like Mila deliberately didn''t listen to his words.


    "You think it''s easy for them to believe me when I pretend to take the drugs?" Mila snorted irritably. Her voice still sounded weak, but there was an angry edge to her words that Aaric would be able to catch, and Mila would love to let him knew how angry she was at his baseless accusation.


    For a moment, Aaric seemed to want to argue, but in the next second, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before he opened his eyes again and spoke more calmly.


    "You''re right," he said in a voice that was like someone trying to control the emotions raging in his mind. "Those bastards must have made sure you eat them."


    "Thank God, that you finally realized it," Mila said sarcastically, her head still a little dizzy and her consciousness still hadn''t fully recovered, but by holding on to her annoyance with Aaric, Mila managed to think more clearly.


    Aaric then mumbled something incoherent in an annoyed tone, but it seemed that this time his anger wasn''t aimed at Mila.


    Seeing Aaric getting busy with something on the stainless table above her head, Mila tried to get up from her bed.


    However, something was holding her neck and when Mila was about to raise her hands, she felt something cold tied around her wrists.


    "What is thisˇ­?" Mila hissed irritably, trying to get free, but of course she couldn''t.


    "Be quite," said Aaric.


    The man then walked over to the bed to which Mila had been tied to by carrying something in his hand, only after his figure was close to her, could Mila see what the man was carrying.


    A syringe.


    "What are you trying to do?" Mila asked sharply, her watchful eyes could not divert from the needle in Aaric''s hand.


    "Be still and try to cooperate with me," Aaric said, this time his voice was so low, even his lips barely moved, but strangely Mila could hear his words quite well.


    "What do you want?!" Mila exclaimed, this time in a louder voice, but of course it still didn''t work to get Aaric to stop pouring alcohol on cotton, the standard procedure one would do when one were about to give someone a shot.


    "I''m not going to inject this drug in you," Aaric whispered as he rubbed the cotton into Mila''s arm, where he would inject it. "But, you have to calm down. In the upper left corner, there''s a CCTV recording us, so if you don''t follow my cue, we''ll both be in trouble."


    Mila was about to glance at the spot about which Aaric was talking, but the man grabbed her arm in warning.


    "Don''t make any suspicious moves." He then prepared the injection.


    Aaric adjusted his position, so as to cover the CCTV camera he mentioned earlier, so that the people who were watching them, would not be able to see that Aaric was actually not doing his job.


    "Now close your eyes," Aaric said in the same low voice.


    Since Mila didn''t feel the invasion of the needle into her skin, it is safe to assume that Aaric stayed true to his words.

 Chapter 6 - MISS ME?

    A few minutes into closing her eyes, Mila felt the bed she was sleeping in, move slowly but steadily.


    It seemed like Aaric was going to take her somewhere else. But, where? To that padding room again???


    Mila didn''t understand, but she said nothing and did what Aaric asked her to do.


    After passing through several alleyways and greeting a few people, then door after door that creaked open and closed, Mila felt like being surrounded by a lot of light and this made her forehead wrinkle a little because the lighting was too glaring for her own comfort.


    "Don''t make any suspicious movements, otherwise the two of us will be finished."


    Mila heard Aaric''s voice again, it sounded soft to her ears and so low, that she was sure only the two of them could hear him.


    After they passed that room filled with bright light, Mila could relax again when they entered another room with less lighting compared to the earlier one.


    "Keep your eyes closed and pretend to be asleep."


    Aaric''s voice came back, and needless to say, Mila did well. There was no problem following his lead, when all he asked was to close her eyes and pretend like a dead person.


    "Whatever I do next, just stay still and don''t make any movements." Aaric, again, warned Mila. "We''re being watched."


    At this point Mila wanted to scream into this man''s ear that she got it, since he kept repeating the same statement again and again, but just like before, she didn''t do anything.


    At first Mila didn''t think much of it. Maybe, Aaric would just pretend to give her something again.


    But, when Aaric''s hand moved over her chest and Mila started to feel a cold wind blowing on her bare skin, she breathed sharply.


    Seeing this, Aaric returned with his warning. "Calm down. I''ll just change your clothes."


    What? Just ''change my clothes''?!


    For some reason, Mila began feeling utterly conscious when Aaric started stripping her clothes one by one. She felt every inch of her skin heating up, imagining this man staring at her nakedness, but Mila could only bite the bullet and do nothing. She didn''t know what consequences the two of them would face, if her pretense was exposed.


    Regardless, it was nothing compared to the thousands of questions that were swarming her head at this instant. If she couldn''t see Aaric again, then who else would be willing to answer her questions?


    Therefore, by trying to divert her mind to something else, Mila tried to stay calm.


    Now she was sure, whatever drug was injected into her, it should have an effect that made her unconscious, so she didn''t have to feel this awkwardness in a conscious state.


    But if she think about it again, Mila''s first memory was her being on the roof of a building, and even then, she didn''t wear a single thread that could cover her nakedness in front of six men.


    At that time, Mila didn''t mind it, but now she felt troubled with only Aaric staring at her. Strangeˇ­


    Mila could feel Aaric''s hand deftly rubbing every inch of her body, caressing her skin gently and quickly, as if he was being rushed for time.


    Then, having done all that, Aaric put Mila''s clothes on and trousers. And what Mila didn''t expect was; this man combed her hair as well, as if Mila was a doll the size of a human.


    Aaric did everything in silence. There was no interaction between the two of them at all. But, the intimacy of his touches felt real. It was as if this man had known every curve of her body very well.


    Who exactly was this man? And what secret did he have that Mila should know? Why didn''t he just start talking now?


    This curiosity almost made Mila go crazy.


    It didn''t take long for Aaric to finish everything and take Mila to another room.


    This time, before Aaric left, he whispered back to Mila. "Count down from a thousand, after which you can open your eyes."


    And Mila was left alone again...


    ==============


    Three days have passed since Aaric left Mila, and during that time, she never saw him again. Not even his shadow.


    During those three days, Mila just repeated her daily routine; taking medicines, because she couldn''t avoid them, taking injections, because she couldn''t refuse and after that, Mila wouldn''t be aware of what those people in white were doing to her because she would be in a dreamland where everything looked white. Not even able to realize what they were doing to her body.


    Maybe, they''re just doing what Aaric did, or they were doing something else.


    But, none of that mattered to Mila, because every time she woke up, she would be in this padding room again, feeling lightheaded.


    She wasn''t sure how she felt, but she certainly didn''t feel like she had enough strength to even push open a door.


    Until today.


    Aaric came back, with his usual smile.


    The man opened the door to Mila''s room, while carrying a bottle of water and two pills that she had to take every few hours.


    "Miss me?" Aaric asked with a big smile.


    Seeing Aaric looking so relaxed, even though he knew about the CCTV, made Mila unconsciously stare at the corner of the room, the place where the damn thing was.


    "No need to worry about it, I''ve already taken care of it, otherwise, there''s no way I could talk to you like this," Aaric said while sitting in front of Mila and handed the girl a bottle of water.


    Mila looked at the water bottle suspiciously and Aaric laughed at her reaction.


    "This is just ordinary mineral water, it will be okay if you take it with this too," Aaric said sarcastically, then lifted the two pink pills in his hand and crushed them into dust, which then fluttered in the air.


    "Can I ask you a question now?" Mila asked, she then grabbed the water bottle in Aaric''s hand and drank it to freshen up her foggy mind.


    "But, you have to answer my question first." Aaric looked at Mila with his red eyes.


    "Which question?" Mila didn''t remember Aaric asking her any questions since he stepped into this room a minute ago.


    "Miss me?" Aaric repeated, grinning at Mila.

 Chapter 7 - HE STABBED HER

    Mila rolled her eyes dramatically. What''s with this man? Why did he always act very strange?


    "Hey, you haven''t answered my question yet," Aaric said, reminding Mila while waving his hand in front of the girl''s face.??


    "Seriously Aaric!" Mila pushed the bottle back to the man''s hand, a little hard, but still this man didn''t budge.


    "Why? Just answer it." Aaric raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Miss me?"


    "No," Mila answered in a stern tone, as if she didn''t have to think twice about answering that stupid question.


    "Your words always hurt and don''t match what you feel," Aaric muttered when he heard Mila''s answer, as if that trivial thing really hurt his feelings.


    "Now, tell me. What''s all this?" Mila spread her hands, trying to show the whole place, where she has been held all this time.


    However, Aaric did not answer her immediately. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the floor, in front of Mila. Staring at the girl in front of him with innocent eyes.


    "Why are you silent?" Mila felt like her patience was always being tested when she had to face Aaric and all of his ridiculous acts.


    Although she still felt weak due to the effects of the medicine she took a few hours ago, thanks to her frustration at Aaric, Mila could think more clearly now.


    "You forgot, didn''t you?" He asked in a low voice.


    "Stop this Aaric, I don''t know what you''re talking about," Mila growled. "Forgot about what?"


    "I told you to ask a question when you were going to talk to me the next time after we parted the other day," Aaric said, recalling the incident a few days ago, when they talked for the first time.


    Mila groaned irritably. How could this guy be so annoying?! Of course Mila remembered that incident. Hell! Mila remembered everything clearly, even the incident three days ago when Aaric saw her fully naked.


    "Aaricˇ­" Mila was just starting out, she was ready to say something harsh if this man made another ridiculous excuse to buy time to answer the questions that had stuck in her chest.


    However, Aaric interrupted Mila''s sentence with the same innocent expression and gaze, which reminded her of a child who was lost. "I do not have much time. If you don''t start with the question I suggested the other day, I won''t answer your other questions." Aaric then added when he saw Mila was about to argue. "I have only fifteen minutes left."


    Hearing that, Mila had to swallow the defeat and resentment that tasted bitter on her tongue. Much more bitter than the medicines she took every day.


    Through her gritted teeth, Mila finally asked the question Aaric wanted to hear. "Why did you kiss me?"


    Hearing that question, a smile spread across Aaric''s face, because he managed to get this girl do his bidding.


    This man was not very handsome, nor did he look like someone who was holding an important position in this place, but there was something about him that made Mila feel comfortable around him, or even believe in him.


    This was just crazy, remembering that Mila had only met him three times and the interaction between them always left Mila fuming angry.


    But, strangely Mila felt that way toward Aaric, as if they had known each other for a long time and this was how they usually communicate.


    "Because you are my lover," Aaric replied, his smile still evident on his lips.


    "Wait... what?" Mila''s mind, which was assessing Aaric, immediately stopped and she looked at the man in front of her with a deep frown.


    "Because you are my lover," Aaric replied again, with the same answer, but this time he added, just in case Mila didn''t hear him again. "We are meant to be together, you and me."


    For a moment, Mila didn''t give any reaction and Aaric was silent, waiting. Until finally, Mila threw herself onto the bed and laid down with her face pressed into the only pillow she had.


    "Go," Mila said into her pillow, so her voice was a little muffled. "I don''t feel like hearing bullshit."


    Mila had imagined a million possibilities and made a list of questions in her head, repeating them every second for three nights, so that when she met Aaric, not a single question was missed or a second wasted.


    But, if these types of answers were to be presented to her, then Mila didn''t want to hear anything anymore.


    "Hey, I''m serious!" Aaric stood up, staring at Mila who was now lying on the bed with a frown on his forehead. "You think I''m kidding?"


    Mila snorted in annoyance and turned her head so she could see Aaric''s face with an angry expression.


    Why should he get angry? Mila should be the one who was frustrated right now.


    "I think, rather than me, you deserve more to be locked up in this room. Because, you are not only mentally disturbed, but your mind is a mess too. "Mila grumbled, but her words were very clear and she looked directly into Aaric''s eyes which turned red again.


    "Neither of us should be here." Aaric''s tone suddenly turned cold. "It''s not your mind the reason you are trapped in here, but it is because of your very existence."


    For a moment, because of that tone of voice, Mila believed what Aaric was saying, but then she shook her head and pushed her body so she could sit up.


    "Listen, Aaric. Just tell me, why am I kept here and what''s with your eyes? Why can they change into red color like that?"


    "Because you and I are not humans," Aaric replied lightly, as if it was general knowledge that Mila should already know.


    "If not humans, then what are we?" Mila laughed derisively. "Astral beings?"


    "You don''t believe me?" Aaric sighed heavily.


    "Should I believe that bullshit?" Mila responded fiercely.


    Aaric then took something out of his pocket, muttering, "I really don''t want to do this."


    At first, Mila didn''t realize what Aaric was pulling out, but when he lifted the small object into the air, that was glistening in the light, Mila widened her eyes.


    "Aaric! What do you intend to do?!" But, before Mila could move to evade, Aaric had slashed the penknife in his hand toward Mila.

 Chapter 8 - SHE STABBED HIM

    This guy often did unreasonable things, but what he''s doing right now was outright crazy!


    Aaric was trying to kill her!??


    What the hell was going on in his mind?!


    Mila screamed with all her might when she saw Aaric slashing the penknife, which he took out of his trouser pocket, at her swiftly.


    Mila was sure she didn''t have time to dodge it and the knife scratched her skin. The first thing she anticipated was; unbearable pain from her injured hand.


    Yes, as Mila wanted to protect her face, she raised her hands as a last resort instinctively.


    "Stop screaming," Aaric said in a lazy tone when he saw Mila''s exaggerated reaction. "Look carefully."


    Aaric''s words were not immediately digested by Mila, but when she realized that the pain she thought she was going to feel was not coming, Mila began to slowly lower her hand to see Aaric, who was still standing in front of her in the same position with the damned penknife still held in his hand.


    "What the hell..." Mila breathed out with difficulty, as her body was still shaking uncontrollably with fear, she then turned her attention to her arm and was stunned to realize that she was actually fine.


    No wounds, no blood, no scratches. This was very far from what Mila had imagined.


    Mila''s first thought was; Aaric didn''t really stab her, it was the only reasonable explanation that she could come up with now.


    But then, Mila saw the edge of her long sleeve, cut off. This indicated that Aaric had indeed stabbed her hand earlier, but somehow only her clothes were cut off, but her skin was not injured at all, which made no sense whatsoever.


    "You see it yourself just now," Aaric spoke in a triumphant tone after he presented irrefutable concrete proof for his words from a few minutes ago. "You are a non-human being."


    Mila didn''t know why, but she felt a sense of proudness and happy tone coming from Aaric, when he said that.


    "Whatˇ­?" Mila couldn''t continue her words, she felt her tongue go numb and all her vocabulary disappeared to somewhere. "Howˇ­?"


    Seeing the confusion in Mila''s facial expression, Aaric actually thought it was funny and worth laughing at, only when Mila looked at him fiercely, did he stop laughing and cleared his throat to swallow the rest of his laughter which annoyed this girl.


    "You think humans can do this?" Aaric asked, he knelt before Mila and blinked his eyes which then turned red again. "They will be very scared when they see this." Then Aaric blinked again and his eyes turned dark brown.


    "What is... all this?" Mila couldn''t find the right words to ask, but she was trying to understand the situation as best as she could.


    "Do you now believe that we are non-human beings?" Aaric asked, his eyes shining with joy, as if he was enjoying saying every single one of his words which made Mila flinch uncomfortably.


    Mila still didn''t say anything, but she squinted her eyes at Aaric with a still wary look.


    "You''re also a non-human being?" Mila asked in a cold voice, after a while she managed to think clearly again.


    "Yes," Aaric replied excitedly.


    "Then why am I in this room while you are free to roam around wearing the same uniform they wear?" Mila pointed out the main point of her disbelief.


    However, Aaric answered it easily. "Because they know you are a non-human being, while they don''t know that I am not human too."


    Mila snorted. "Then what am I?"


    "Vampire," Aaric replied, this time his silly expression turned serious and he no longer used the same lazy tone when he talked to Mila before. This change in his attitude was so drastic that Mila felt he was telling the truth.


    "Vampire?" Mila repeated the word, but it sounded strange and foreign to her ears. "Do you think I''m locked up here because they''re afraid I''ll suck blood?" Thick sarcasm was dripping in her voice as she threw that line at Aaric.


    After all, if this was one of Aaric''s jokes, it was not funny at all. It''s just Mila couldn''t see that this was just a joke for Aaric, because until now the man still had a serious expression etched on his face.


    He even stopped smiling altogether.


    So, was what Aaric said true? Should Mila believe him? However, Mila felt like she would be crazy to believe this man.


    "No," Aaric replied quickly. "You are locked up here as an object for experimentation and research. Didn''t I tell you that this was a research center? That''s why I always say not to take the drugs they gave you."


    Mila shook her head. "I can''t believe all of this," she muttered and hugged her own feet while staring at Aaric for a long time, letting her long white hair cover the sides of her face, before she asked another question. "How long have I been here? How old am I and where do I come from? Is there any other creature like me out there?"


    "Yes," corrected Aaric. "You and me."


    Mila didn''t have enough energy to argue with Aaric about this, because her mind was still trying to keep up with every piece of information she had just received. "We are non-human beings."


    Aaric nodded, as if by doing so, he could add a measure of Mila''s trust to what he had just said.


    "You were here for fifty years before I finally managed to find you," Aaric said, his tone serious again.


    "Fifty years!?" Mila stared. "How old am I really?"


    "I have no idea." Aaric shrugged nonchalantly. "Creatures like us don''t calculate age like that."


    Mila narrowed her eyes, and that''s when she saw the penknife Aaric had used to stab her just ten minutes ago.


    "You said you too are a non-human being?" Mila saw Aaric nod, and that''s when Mila grabbed the penknife from Aaric and slashed it at him instead.


    Mila thought, Aaric wouldn''t get hurt just like her, but the reality was different from what she expected...

 Chapter 9 - A FAREWELL

    Mila stared at the blood spreading on Aaric''s hand with wide eyes in disbelief.


    "You said, you and I are the same!!!" Mila exclaimed hysterically when she saw Aaric''s futile attempt to stop the bleeding, but it looked like the wound Mila had made was quite deep. "Then why are you bleeding now!?"??


    At first, Mila just wanted to make sure that Aaric wasn''t fooling her with stupid stories about non-human beings, or using a trick that could cut the hem of her shirt without injuring her at all, but now that she saw how Aaric was bleeding, Mila felt like she was indeed stupid to trust him.


    "Oh, shit!" Aaric cursed, the expression on his face was not one of a panic because of the pain from the wound on the back of his hand, as his eyes were staring warily at the door while the drops of blood continued to soak the special floor in this padding room. "Why did you attack me?" Aaric asked, sounding desperate.


    "You said you and I were non-human beings!" Mila exclaimed with a scared expression, because Aaric''s bleeding wouldn''t stop. "You have to go and stitch up the wound."


    "Too late," Aaric grumbled.


    "What?" Mila didn''t understand, but when her eyes followed Aaric''s line of sight, she heard rushed footsteps leading to this room.


    It seemed that Aaric''s time was up and the CCTV cameras in this room were working again, so that the supervisor in the monitor room could see that Aaric was injured, especially with blood splattered everywhere.


    "Mila," Aaric said hastily. "Listen to me. Mila!" He raised his voice to get the attention of the girl before him.


    "What?" Mila asked with a frown. She didn''t want to be blamed for this, but how could she explain it?


    "Tell them that I carried the knife with the intention of threatening you, because I wanted to molest you, but you managed to grab it and injured me," Aaric said hastily, his eyes turning back to the door as the sound of footsteps drew closer.


    "What?" The wrinkles between Mila''s eyebrows deepened. "No! I wouldn''t say something like that!"


    "Listen!" Aaric was now holding Mila''s shoulders tightly, making the blood in his hands run down the white dress she was wearing. "Do what I said or they will treat you worse than this and it will be hard for me to find you again."


    As the door to this room roughly opened, Aaric leaned over to forcefully kiss Mila while saying against her lips. "Do what I say."


    "What is this!?"Exclaimed one of the three men who entered the room.


    In the midst of the sudden upheaval, Mila''s brain was forced to work fast and she witnessed how Aaric was being pulled away from her by two men in gray uniform, while one other person walked up to Mila with an injection in his hand.


    "Shit! Whose blood is this?! Who''s injured!?" One of them looked confused by seeing so much blood.


    Everything was so messed up and the first thing Mila realized after the man who approached her injected something into her was; Aaric''s eyes turned red for an instant before returning to their original color.


    As if giving her one last warning to remind her; do as he asked.


    ==============


    It had been two days since the incident and Mila reluctantly complied with Aaric''s request to say that the man had come to harass her and had threatened her with the penknife he was carrying.


    That man is crazy!


    Mila could not understand why out of the hundreds of reasons they could think of, only that reason crossed his perverted mind, and he even kissed Mila for a second time.


    Of the four times they met, Aaric had already kissed her twice, really?!


    But, that''s not what bothered Mila right now...


    Mila stared at her room lights, while lying on her bed in this padding room, but a moment later, the lamp turned dim and darkness enveloped her.


    This was a routine every day that Mila must follow. She didn''t even know how many days had passed since she was ambushed on top of the building, next to the corpse of a man. Hell, Mila didn''t even know what time it is now...


    All she knew was; every time the light was turned off, she had to follow the unspoken order and go to sleep immediately.


    While staying here, Mila did not see other patients like her.


    Mila sighed and tried to close her eyes, trying to sleep. But couldn''t. Mila wanted to meet Aaric. The man had not answered her questions yet.


    Where is the man now?


    With the accusations that Mila made, he couldn''t possibly get away without receiving punishment, right? Knowing this, Mila was a little regretful for having complied with his ridiculous request.


    Right at that moment, Mila heard the sound of footsteps that were so low, but with a rhythm that she recognized.


    Impossibleˇ­


    Instinctively, Mila sat up, staring at the door, which was now moving, as someone pushed it open.


    And there he was, standing with a dazzling light behind his body. Even though Mila couldn''t see his face, but she was sure that it was him...


    "Aaric," Mila said his name.


    "Hi, miss me?" He asked in the same light voice.


    Mila snorted. "You wish." But, she felt relieved, if Aaric could still joke like this, it seemed that the situation he was facing was not as difficult as Mila imagined. "You are still alive?" she asked curtly.


    However, this actually made Aaric laugh softly. "Your character still hasn''t changed and your words are still very sharp." Mila saw Aaric shaking his head. "It would take more than just scratches to kill me." He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.


    "That''s great," Mila muttered, but then she realized that Aaric wasn''t going into her room as usual and chose to stand in the doorway. "Why are you standing there? Afraid that I''ll attack you again?"


    Aaric laughed again at this. "No, my dear." He shook his head, then glanced down the hall for a few moments. "I can''t be here for long, I just wanted to say goodbye."


    "Say goodbye?!? You''re leaving??" Hearing him, Mila widened her eyes.


    "Yes, just for a short period though. Maybe a few days or weeks, but I''ll see you again," Aaric spoke hastily. "Bye, Mila munchkin." And he closed the door.

 Chapter 10 - HE IS GONE

    That night, Aaric said goodbye to Mila in a strange and very quick way, as if he was being rushed by something, also became the last time Mila saw him.


    The first and second day Mila didn''t see him, she still didn''t feel disturbed. The third and fourth days, Mila started to wake up almost every night, hoping Aaric would come, sneak in to see her again, but after the fifth and sixth day the strange man didn''t come, Mila started to feel restless.??


    Did something happen to Aaric? Or was he punished and transferred to another section? So they couldn''t meet again?


    Mila began to blame herself for following Aaric''s advice by accusing him of harassment. Maybe, if Mila told the truth, Aaric wouldn''t have been punished too severelyˇ­


    But, maybe Aaric knew better about the situation here, so he chose that way to get out of the problem Mila has caused.


    Once again, Mila banged her head against the soft wall in this padding room and at this point, she began to feel that she deserved to be placed in this special place.


    Indeed, she needed protection, because Mila observed that she had a tendency to injure herself.


    However, stillˇ­ whatever Mila did wouldn''t make her feel any much better. She needed to see Aaric.


    Where is that man now?


    ==============


    A very boring week passed for Mila, which was only filled with a series of check ups. Sometimes, she would wake up with a heavy head in the padding room, but other days she would wake up in an examination room with an instrument attached to her head.


    The same went on every day...


    Until the seventh day since the last time Aaric met Mila, the researchers and some of the people in this place, who practically never spoke to Mila, decided that she was good enough to take a walk around her ward, giving the girl a little leniency and freedom.


    A doctor, or female researcher, Mila did not know how to call her, always accompanied Mila on her walk in the said ward area.


    Telling Mila about the places where she could visit and explained to what extent she could explore this place.


    However, in exchange for that apparent freedom, they put something on Mila''s ankle, a white light metal band was tied there.


    "Are you sure this thing is to be placed on my ankle? Isn''t it for my neck?" Mila asked sharply to a man who was squatting in front of her while putting the metal bracelet on.


    "Don''t mess around," the man growled as Mila shook her feet.


    "Or what?" Mila asked in a defiant tone, still moving her legs in a relaxed manner. It''s not like she could refuse either, it''s certain that Mila wouldn''t be able to reject the bracelet, but because she just wanted to make this burly man get into a little trouble.


    "Or you won''t get this little freedom and will rot in your prison room until the last day of your life," he replied in a flat tone, but from the way the man looked at her, Mila could conclude two things;


    She didn''t like this man, she even felt a strong desire to kick him, since his face was within the proximity of her kick range.


    And secondly, this man was telling the truth, if Mila threw a tantrum now, then her precious little freedom would disappear too.


    So, this time Mila said nothing. She didn''t want her chance, to find out more information to unravel the veil of mystery surrounding her identity, to get wasted just because of this annoying man.


    Therefore, Mila remained silent, not returning Jordan''s words. She knew this man''s name by the initials that were sewn onto his shirt.


    "Are you done?" Asked the female doctor named Ellen, she was the same woman, who had told Mila which paths she could pass or which places were accessible or forbidden to enter.


    Looks like Ellen was the one in charge of Mila.


    Even though their meetings were not intense and the time they spent together was brief, Mila felt that she didn''t have a problem with Ellen, because unlike most of them who always sedated her, Ellen didn''t do that.


    Ellen could be said to only observe Mila''s behavior and talk to her in moderation, which Mila really appreciated.


    "Yes, everything is over now," replied Jordan. He then stood up and looked at Mila triumphantly, as if winning an argument with Mila had him earned a trophy. "If you approach the restricted area, the light on the bracelet on your feet will turn green and if you keep going, it will turn red and when you are beyond a ten meter radius, then the alarm will go off, understood?" Jordan asked Mila.


    The lights the man was referring to were the small LEDs on Mila''s metal band.


    "If it''s finished, I''ll take you to see Drake," Ellen said. "He''s the one who will replace Lorensa for a while until she returns from her long vacation."


    Ellen waved her hand toward Mila so that the girl would follow her and Mila jumped from the high bed that she had been sitting on to follow Ellen to meet Drake, or whatever that person''s name was...


    She didn''t really care, to be honest.


    So far, they had never explained to Mila why she had to undergo intensive examinations every day without missing a single routine. But, after not getting an answer for a whole week, Mila finally came to the conclusion that; none of these people will give the answer she wanted.


    Therefore, Mila no longer asked and chose to follow what had been scheduled for her.


    Along the way to Doctor Drake''s place, Mila finally dared to ask Ellen again, because she looked quite communicative and also mostly because she couldn''t stop her curiosity.


    However, what she asked a moment later was a far different question from the one she always posted.


    "Do you know a nurse named Bryan?" Mila asked, as they turned in a corridor.


    "Oh, he..." Ellen muttered. "Too bad, you won''t see him again. He''s gone."

 Chapter 11 - MISS ME, MILLA MUNCHKIN?

    Mila was shocked when she heard Ellen''s words, she stopped walking and demanded more answers from the female doctor. "What do you mean by he''s gone?"


    It was then that Mila could see that it seemed like Ellen had spoken the wrong words as she immediately corrected herself. The words seemed to leave her lips automatically without her thinking about it carefully.??


    "It''s nothing," Ellen said, as she grabbed Mila''s hand back to walk. "He doesn''t work here anymore."


    But, unfortunately Mila had caught Ellen''s mistake and couldn''t help but overthink it. Her heart was beating so fast when a thought crossed her mind.


    Aaric is goneˇ­


    Mila wouldn''t get the answers she wanted anymore. Because even though they had allowed Mila to come out of her padding room and walk along the corridors, under strict regulations, these people had absolutely no intention of telling her anything about her condition or what this place really was.


    The only thing Mila came to learn during all this time she was here was; this place is a research center and the object of their research is none other than herself


    And that didn''t tell Mila anything, because Aaric had also informed Mila the same fact.


    The two of them walked down the corridor and before Mila crossed the permissible limit, Ellen stopped in front of a door to their right, which read the name of the Doctor who owned the room.


    "Don''t go beyond that door," Ellen said as she nodded toward the white, glassy, door before them. "Because any further, your anklet will start blaring."


    This time Mila looked down and saw her anklet, which was yellow, indicating that she was at the border between the areas that Mila was allowed and not allowed to visit.


    However, Mila didn''t say anything, she just remained silent while waiting for Ellen to knock on the door and heard a deep voice of a man who allowed them to enter inside.


    "Come in," Ellen said, opening the door to the room wide enough for Mila to enter first. After Mila walked inside, Ellen came in and closed the door behind her.


    The room was not that big and a little smaller than the examination room Mila had to visit every day, but the pungent smell of rubbing alcohol and some drugs mixed in the air was disgusting and made Mila''s nose twitch in displeasure.


    "This is Mila," Ellen said to the figure, who was turning his back, seemingly, he was Doctor Drake. And as if confirming Mila''s guess, Ellen continued this short and cold introduction. "Mila, this is Doctor Drake. He is here to replace Lorensa."


    When she heard his name, finally the man, who was wearing the same white uniform as Ellen, turned around and glared at Mila with an expressionless gaze before he turned his gaze to Ellen.


    "You''re late," Doctor Drake muttered, then he nodded at Mila and pointed to the empty chair beside Ellen. "Sit."


    Even though she was still confused, Mila did what this Doctor wanted and sat beside Ellen, who was chuckling.


    "We had to put the watchband around her ankle first," Ellen told Drake. "It turned out it took longer than expected."


    "Watchband?" Drake narrowed his eyes and cast a glance at Mila before he looked back at Ellen.


    "Yes," Ellen responded. "Doctor Miller asked for this standard procedure because from today she was allowed to roam outside her padding room without supervision."


    The doctor named Drake then got up and walked to Mila''s side, he squatted in front of the white-haired girl, staring at the bracelet on her leg.


    "I''ve never seen a gadget like this," Drake muttered and reached out his hand to touch Mila''s ankle.


    On the other hand, Mila frowned at what this man was doing in front of her. She felt uncomfortable and when Drake was about to touch her, Mila pulled her feet away, making him raise his head with a scowl.


    "What is wrong? You think I''ll hurt you?" He asked in a sarcastic tone and an annoying grin. However, somehow Mila felt familiar with that signature grin.


    "No," Mila replied with a flat face as she continued. "I thought I would kick you if you touched me."


    "Watch your words," Ellen chided in a muffled voice.


    Instead, Drake laughed and got up. "No problem, I like the way she talks." Drake waved his hand nonchalantly. Then his bright green eyes stared at Mila sharply. "We''ll see, who will hurt who."


    Hearing that, Ellen laughed sourly. "Don''t mess with her, Drake," she warned.


    Drake then circled his desk and sat back down in his chair. "Just kidding Ellen, don''t take it seriously. You know how I am." Drake winked at Ellen and Mila could see that the female doctor was blushing while feeling slightly embarrassed.


    Oh... an affair?


    Mila didn''t care about the relationship between the two, she knew for sure, she was getting an unpleasant impression from Drake.


    Just like the impression she got from Aaric when she first met the man.


    Aaricˇ­ him againˇ­


    Lately Mila''s thoughts had only revolved around the man and now that Ellen had accidentally uttered information that she shouldn''t have divulged in the first place, Mila became increasingly unable to get rid of the bad thoughts that had occupied her mind.


    "You can leave us both Ellen," Drake said.


    "Okay, there are some things I have to do," Ellen muttered and then stood up. "I''ll be back in an hour to get her."


    "Hm," Drake muttered.


    And when there were only the two of them in the room, a grin formed at the corner of Drake''s lips. He leaned his back against the back of the chair and stared at Mila with sharp eyes.


    Being stared at like that, Mila did not flinch, she spoke coldly.


    "Now what?" asked Mila sarcastically." Are we going to start hurting each other?"


    Hearing Mila''s sarcasm, Drake laughed softly and shook his head. "Even after several days of not seeing you, your tongue is still sharp. I should have known, not even decades would be able to change you." Then Drake said something that shook Mila literally. "Miss me, Mila munchkin?"

 Chapter 12 - PASSIONATE KISS

    Mila looked at Drake in front of her in disbelief.


    How could it be???


    This is absolutely impossible, right?


    This is something that can''t be happening!


    There was only one person who called her ''Mila munchkin'' and that person had been missing for over a week, but then this man called her with the same endearing name?


    But, wait...


    Mila was a hundred percent sure, Aaric did not look like this at all. No matter how long Mila hadn''t seen him, there''s no way Aaric could change this drastically.


    Who is this person, really?!


    "Who are you?" Mila turned defensive and tried to avoid the man in front of her.


    "You don''t know me?" Drake asked, as he folded his arms and winked playfully at Mila, causing the girl to gasp and shake her head violently.


    "No wayˇ­" Mila muttered to herself. Not sure if she believed what she was thinking now. "You can''t be Aaricˇ­" Mila''s voice was just a whisper, but Drake could hear it clearly.


    "Of course it''s possible." Aaric walked over and pulled Mila until their bodies were close to each other.


    On the other hand, Mila was too confused to be able to understand their current situation. She looked into Drake''s eyes which were now red, but when he blinked, they returned to their normal color, green.


    "You don''t want to say hello to me? Not even a kiss?" Drake asked, bringing his face closer to Mila''s and rubbing the tip of his nose against the girl''s jaw.


    "Aaric?" Even Mila could feel the questioning tone in her voice when she said the name, as if she still couldn''t believe what had really happened. "But, howˇ­ this is impossible. Iˇ­"Mila stuttered, many questions jumping in her head, but she was too confused to choose a question to ask first.


    "Shh." Aaric then pushed Mila until her back felt the cold wall and began to hug her tightly, burying his face between her neck and shoulders, inhaling her sweet scent. "I told you, right? That I am just like you, a non-human being."


    "But..." Mila felt her head heavy. She blinked her eyes several times.


    "I miss you, my munckinˇ­" Drake whispered into Mila''s ear and without waiting for her approval or answer, he started kissing Mila''s lips gently.


    At first, Mila still didn''t understand what was going on, her brain was still busy understanding the situation she was in, but as soon as she felt Drake''s lips pressed gently against hers, she could feel the feeling again.


    Yes, I missed Aaricˇ­


    Is this strange?


    However, ever since the beginning, Mila felt an unusual connection between herself and Aaric.


    So when Mila closed her eyes, she could feel her body giving the reaction Aaric wanted when she started kissing him back.


    Mila really can''t stop thinking about what happened between her and Aaric, but this feeling just came out of nowhere, as if she didn''t even want to focus on anything, but the touches of the man in front of her.


    As if, this was not the first time they had had such a passionate kiss. Mila might forget who Aaric really was, or maybe what Aaric said was true that she was his wowan before she lost his memory.


    But, it was clear to see that Mila''s body remembered everything, every touch of this man evoked a desire that Mila found hard to explain.


    The kiss was long and hot, until when they both had to stop short because they didn''t want the situation to lead to anything more complicated than this, and now both of them seemed to be having trouble breathing, but there was a smile on their lips.


    "I don''t know that you miss me so much," Aaric teased Mila, rubbing his nose along the girl''s jaw, smiling when Mila gasped softly upon his touch.


    "Why do you think that?" Mila mumbled with her eyes still closed, feeling the numbness he left on her lips from their kiss earlier.


    "You kissed me back," Aaric replied in a light tone.


    "Would you prefer if I stabbed you?" Mila asked, but there was a hint of smile in her tone.


    "No, of course I like how our meeting went so far." Aaric shook his head lightly, tucking Mila''s hair behind her ear.


    "Waitˇ­" Mila said in a weak voice when Aaric started kissing her on the neck, because she knew that she couldn''t hold back the turmoil inside her body, if this guy went any further. "I... I have a question for you..."


    Mila''s voice came out choked up when she made that statement, which was actually really embarrassing.


    "Hmˇ­ I knowˇ­" Aaric muttered, still solemnly tracing Mila''s neck and shoulders with his lips. "Just ask."


    D*mn!


    How could Mila ask something when his lips were right on her hot skin? While his warm breath was brushing against her sensitive spot?


    But, Mila tried. She cleared her throat to clear the lump of emotions choking her throat.


    "You are Aaric?" Even Mila couldn''t tell whether it was a question or just a statement because she felt her voice was too low to be heard.


    But, then Aaric started giggling softly right when the question came up, so she could be sure that he heard it quite clearly now.


    "Do you think you will kiss anyone other than me, Mila Munchkin?" Aaric asked in a voice that was so low and sexy, at least Aaric''s voice sounded like that in Mila''s ears.


    "Butˇ­ you are notˇ­ your figureˇ­" Mila closed her eyes again when she felt Aaric''s lips kiss the corners of hers.


    "I didn''t look like the man before?" Aaric asked, then kissed Mila on the lips quickly, before finally pulling away from her with great effort.


    They wouldn''t talk about anything if Aaric kept doing that and would waste his valuable time without actually reminding Mila about her forgotten memories.


    On the other hand, when Aaric''s heated touches disappeared, Mila felt she could breathe better, but also disliked the warmth that was lost from their closeness.

 Chapter 13 - I WILL GET YOU OUT OF HERE

    "You weren''t the man that I met before," Mila corrected Aaric''s words. She was very sure that the man in front of her was a different person.


    However, there was this feeling that said Drake was the same as the previous man and he was Aaric.??


    This was baffling. It even took Mila a few minutes longer to clear her head.


    It was also a good thing that Aaric gave Mila space so that she could think more rationally. For some reason, Mila''s body reacted strangely upon Aaric''s touch.


    And the longing that enveloped her seemed unstoppable after not seeing this man for so long, was that even normal?


    Mila was not sure how to explain that.


    "I am a soul penetrator, Mila," Aaric began to explain, now sitting on his desk with his legs crossed in a relaxed manner.


    "And, what is a soul penetrator...?" Mila asked carefully, her back still against the cold wall behind her and the distance between them was now perfect for the two of them to have a more serious chat.


    "I can possess any human body I like." Aaric shrugged his shoulders, as if he was proud of the fact that he just revealed. "That explains enough isn''t it? About how can I possess this body now?" He asked with a small smile on his lips, enjoying Mila''s bewildered expression and the crease between her eyebrows.


    "Wait a minute," Mila said, raising her hand, gesturing for Aaric to stop talking for a moment, while she needed time to discern this information.


    This sounded ridiculously weird, bizarre and absurd, but how could one explain this any other way.


    "Okay, let''s just say you possessed this human body." Mila waved her hand at the man in front of her whom Ellen introduced as Dr. Drake, but in reality has Aaric''s soul. "Then what happened to Dr. Drake?"


    "He is deadˇ­" Aaric shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "This body will die when I leave it."


    Mila narrowed her eyes. There was still a glint of disbelief in those eyes, but since Mila had no better explanation, then she couldn''t come up with any more plausible reason than this.


    "I want you to leave that body then," Mila said in a firm voice. She needed concrete evidence that she could see with her own eyes before she could really believe what Aaric was saying.


    Because last time Aaric said he wasn''t human and Mila stabbed him, he bled just like any other human.


    So, this time, Mila wanted to make sure that it wasn''t just a hallucination and Aaric was indeed saying the truth.


    "Prove to me that what you said is true." Her voice became firmer when she demanded for some solid evidence.


    However, when he heard Mila''s request, Aaric laughed and this made Mila narrow her eyes in displeasure.


    Knowing the mistake he had made, Aaric immediately apologized while raising his hands. "I am sorry, Mila munchkin. I didn''t mean to laugh at you."


    "Yeah, but you just did," Mila quipped.


    Mila crossed her arms in front of her chest, a defensive gesture, showing that she was quite annoyed for being laughed at.


    "Alright, alrightˇ­" Aaric raised his hand and his laughter quickly died down. "I can''t do that," he replied quickly at the end of his laugh.


    "And why can''t you do that?" Mila asked fiercely.


    "Because there''s no one else here besides you and I have been aiming for this body since a month ago, when I first heard that you have finally awoken," Aaric replied in a serious tone.


    "Fine," Mila said in a low voice, she then pushed herself off the wall behind her and started walking away from Aaric.


    "Where are you going?" Instantly Aaric jumped down from his desk and held Mila who was about to open the door.


    "You can''t prove to me what you are, so I want to get out of here." Mila tilted her head. "Talk to me again when you can prove it, because the last time I tried to prove that you are not human, you got a wound on your hand."


    Aaric then rolled his eyes and raised his right hand. "Can you see any wound here?" He asked.


    "No," Mila said casually. "But, that''s not enough to explain that you and Aaric are the same person."


    "But, you know that I am the same person, my munchkin," Aaric insisted on his opinion and for some reason, Mila felt that what he said was true.


    "Stop calling me that stupid name," Mila growled fiercely, and instead of pissing Aaric off, it made the man happy.


    "It is a cute name," Aaric replied with a happy expression. "I like that name."


    "I don''t," Mila answered quickly. She didn''t like that endearment at all.


    "Oh, you can call me Aaric munchkin if you want, to get back at me," Aaric suggested with an amused smile on his lips, seeing how Mila wrinkled her nose, indicating how disgusted she was with the idea.


    "Stop talking about this," Mila said and she looked serious again. "What is your purpose of being here?"


    When he heard the question, Aaric turned serious again and looked at Mila with a sharp gaze. "I am sure I told you this before. But, I will say it again now." Aaric then rubbed Mila''s head very gently, like someone who was touching something precious. "I will get you out of this research site."


    "And why do I have to get out of here?" Mila asked. "I mean, everything looks fine hereˇ­ so, why do I have to get out of here?"


    Aaric snorted. "You are only saying this so that I can explain further, right? There is no way you think you want to live forever in this damned place."


    And what Aaric said was true, what Mila asked was just a random question so that Aaric could explain further.


    "They have been treating you as a guinea pig," Aaric scoffed disdainfully.


    "What are guinea pigs?" Mila leaned her side against the door, now they were both facing each other.

 Chapter 14 - WHAT THE HELL!?

    One hundred years ago, somehow the veil covering the supernatural world suddenly disappeared and forced the world of vampires mingle with humans.


    Not only that was bad for humans, because the vampires started to hunt them down for the fresh blood that had been difficult to obtain at that time, but also it was the beginning of a long battle between humans and vampires.??


    Until finally, the two parties attacked and killed each other in so many wars that followed after that.


    And because vampires were designed differently from humans, where their lifespan were much longer and their bodies were much stronger, they were bound to have a upper hand for some wars.


    It was just that, their limited numbers and their low reproduction rate have led their kind to suffer a crisis when fighting humans continued for a longer period of time.


    Their population hit absurdly decreasing numbers. Because for vampires, not all women could conceive and give birth, only certain female vampires could do that.


    "So, you mean, I was chosen to reproduce?" Mila frowned deeply, her nose wrinkled, showing how disgusting the idea seemed for her.


    It was the worst thing that Mila had ever heard.


    "Yes, you can say that," Aaric replied in an uncertain voice, as if there was more story to it.


    "What do you mean? Say everything clearly," Mila demanded, not liking the feeling of him to continuing to keep something from her. His half-hearted words could not quench Mila''s thirst for her curiosity.


    "Most of the vampires that can reproduce are from the noble class." Aaric looked at Mila meaningfully. "Yes, Mila. You are a noble. The vampire king wanted you because the future queen, who was supposed to be his queen, had died in one of the attacks carried out by humans."


    "You mean, this vampire king wanted me as a substitute?" Mila snorted at that and she let out a groan, which showed that she was totally thrown off by the idea when she saw Aaric confirm her question. "That''s disgusting."


    "The bride, who should become the queen was your own sister," Aaric then added.


    "Ugh!" Mila groaned again. "It''s even worse."


    Even though Mila didn''t remember anything about what happened, still she really couldn''t imagine marrying the vampire king and becoming his queen just to produce off springs who will then fight against the humans. That''s really distasteful.


    And it got even worse when she learned that she was merely treated as a substitute for her sister, who died. Whoever her sister was, Mila felt bad for her...


    "That''s right,"Aaric confirmed, nodding and pulling Mila away from the door, making her lie down on the bed while taking some strange tools from the top of his desk.


    "What do you want to do?" Mila asked. She sat on the edge of the bed, her feet dangling off from the floor.


    "Lie down," Aaric said as he prepared his utensils on the metal tray. "Ellen will come soon and I don''t want her to see that I am not doing my job well."


    "What are you going to do to me?" Mila asked with a curious face, staring at the equipment.


    "Examination," Aaric said lightly as he glanced at her flirtatiously and Mila could only roll her eyes and obey what Aaric ordered.


    "Even though I heard what you told me silently, it does not mean I will fully believe in you," Mila said grumpily and then laid down on the bed.


    "You will know that what I said is true once we get out of here." Aaric then put the metal tray beside the bed and began to open the top two buttons of the simple dress that Mila was wearing.


    "What do you want to do?" Mila immediately grabbed her shirt and swatted Aaric''s hand away.


    "This is just for the show," Aaric said, his voice sounding like someone amused by Mila''s reaction. "Oh come on Mila, I have seen your body more than once. I will not do anything but attach the tool."


    Aaric then pointed to a flat metal device that has a cable, connecting it to the monitor screen.


    "Promise," Aaric raised his hand, indicating that he promised not to do anything ridiculous.


    With a sneer, Mila finally allowed Aaric to do what he wanted to do and asked another question.


    "Then how did I end up here?" Mila asked again when she felt the cold, flat metal against the skin of her bare chest.


    "I will tell you about that in our next session, because it will be a long explanation and I don''t want to leave you with an unfinished story." Aaric shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.


    And that was when Ellen walked into the room without knocking on the door.


    "Are you done?" Ellen asked, as she sank herself on the chair she had sat on earlier.


    "I would appreciate it more if you knocked on the door first Ellen," Aaric then detached the flat metal from Mila''s skin and put everything back on the metal tray.


    "Oops, I am sorry." Ellen scrunched up her face, showing an apologetic expression.


    However, Dr. Drake, or Aaric didn''t respond and spoke directly to Mila. "Okay, I am done, you are good to go."


    Mila immediately sat down and buttoned her clothes, jumped from the bed and immediately approached Ellen.


    "Where are we going after this?" Mila asked in a stiff and monotonous voice.


    "Oh, can you go back to your own room? There is something I want to discuss with Dr. Drake," Ellen said, shuffling nervously on the chair.


    Even though Mila was curious about what had happened, she didn''t want to bother and immediately walked out of the room.


    It was just that, even before the door had a chance to be closed completely, Mila could see Ellen starting to approach Aaric, swaying her body in a seductive rhythm and placing her hand on the man''s shoulder.


    For some reason, Mila could feel something rustling inside her and a brutal desire to tear that other woman apart with her bare hands, when she quickly and boldly tiptoed to kiss Aaric forcefully.


    What the hell was happening there!?

 Chapter 15 - ANGER

    Aaric did not think that Ellen would do something as reckless and bold as this, that too in his office room.


    He knew that Dr. Drake, the man whose body he was occupying now, was Ellen''s lover. They have been maintaining this secret relationship for a long time and Aaric only found out about it after he occupied this body and got all the memories about the two of them.??


    He was shocked, as he didn''t expect something like this to happen, but what else could he do now?


    They were good at keeping it secret from the others, because until to this day, no one knew about the affair between Dr. Drake and Ellen.


    But, who would have thought that Ellen would take such a bold approach when they were still within the scope of the facility, and moreover in his office room.


    First, Ellen just went up to him and touched his shoulder, she said something so seductive and slow, but Aaric didn''t really understand what she was actually saying, because right after that very moment, Ellen tiptoed and kissed his lips while wrapping her hands around his neck.


    This completely threw him off guard.


    "Ellen?!" Aaric immediately distanced himself from her and pushed her away. However, Ellen was so stubborn, she still clung to Aaric''s collar and didn''t allow herself to be shooed away from this man. "What are you doing?"


    Aaric looked at her fiercely and his words sounded very cold and sharp, making Ellen frown and her eyes reflected the pain in her heart at the treatment of her lover.


    "Drake, why did you change? What happened? Did I do something wrong?" Ellen began to ask questions in a row. She couldn''t take it anymore.


    Drake had been avoiding her for the past week, he even acted like they were just colleagues, be it in the research facility or outside.


    Even when Ellen came to his apartment, Drake always said that he wasn''t home, and what made Ellen even more clueless was when Drake changed the apartment passcode and didn''t allow her to get inside.


    Since when did Drake do that?


    Ellen couldn''t understand what had happened to the man she had been dating for almost two years now. If it weren''t for work, they would be married by now.


    The last time Drake acted normal was when he said there was something strange in his house and immediately ended the call while they were still on the phone.


    And the next morning, Drake began to treat her coldly.


    "Drake, did I do something wrong? Did I do something that made you angry? Tell me, what happened?" Ellen shook his hand violently while Aaric was still trying to free himself from Ellen''s grip.


    "Don''t be like this, if someone else sees us then we will be in big trouble," Aaric hissed, trying to warn Ellen.


    However, the two of them didn''t realize that someone else was already watching them with eyes full of hatred. Every inch of her body was shaking with the emotions that were churning inside her chest.


    An unfamiliar emotion, but it would turn into something fatal if no one realized it immediately. It was just that Aaric and Ellen were too busy with themselves to realize what dangers that were lurking just around the corner...


    "I don''t care, I will be like this until you explain what made you change!" Ellen lost control of herself and now she started forcing a hug on Aaric.


    Fortunately, in Aaric''s office, there was no active CCTV, he himself had confirmed this, if not what they were doing now, was sure to raise suspicion.


    What else, he did with Mila earlierˇ­


    "I will explain to you, but you have to let go of me first," Aaric tried to free himself from Ellen and pushed her to the bed that Mila slept in earlier.


    However, a low growl from the direction of the door made the two of them turn their heads toward it.


    And when they did that, their eyes found Mila, still standing there. Her misty gray eyes now darkened, as her nails elongated.


    Mila stared at the two of them with a strong killing intent, but that wasn''t what frightened Ellen, but the fact that Mila had reached this stage, left her at a loss for words.


    Supposedly, with the various medications and injections she received, Mila should not be as dangerous as she was now, but the reality Ellen saw said the complete opposite.


    And the next mistake Ellen did was, she hugged Aaric, trying to hide behind him, which only made Mila even angrier.


    A deep growl could be heard from her throat.


    "Drake, you have to call the guard..." Ellen said in a low voice, fear was clearly written on her face.


    But, Aaric was staring at Mila with a frown, he was not afraid but of course, seeing Mila regain her strength in this scenario didn''t benefit their situation either.


    In this case, if Mila got out of control, then things would only get worse.


    "Mila... listen to me." Aaric tried to get close to Mila, but Ellen, who didn''t know what kind of relationship existed between Aaric and this vampire girl, held him back.


    "No Drake, she is dangerous," Ellen warned him, worried that something might happen to her man.


    But of course Drake didn''t respond. Now the thing that was far more dangerous was; if Mila lost control now and took an action that could harm herself.


    Mila had just gotten a little freedom in the name of researching her behavior, but if she attacked Ellen, then things wouldn''t benefit her.


    Cautiously, Aaric took the sedative injection that was on the table, when Mila''s focus was only on Ellen.


    "Shut up Ellen," Aaric said irritably, because this woman was just a pain in the ars*.


    It was just that Ellen didn''t listen and pressed herself closer to Aaric, seeing that, Mila felt herself burning with anger and without thinking, she lunged at Ellen.


    Trying to tear her face with her razor- sharp nails.


    This, of course, made Ellen scream hysterically. Fortunately, before Mila could injure Ellen, Aaric quickly stabbed the syringe in his hand into Mila''s neck.

 Chapter 16 - CONFINEMENT

    The incident happened so fast and unexpected. Even Mila didn''t think that Aaric would do this to her.


    Damn it! She trusted this man! How could he just attack her???


    And again, what were the two of them actually doing? Seeming so intimate and very close to each other?


    Mila couldn''t explain the anger boiling in her chest and making it so hard for her to think straight.


    By seeing how Aaric was with Ellen alone, Mila could literally feel her chest burn with some indecipherable emotion.


    Whether it was a good feeling or not, Mila didn''t really like to see their closeness.


    However, when the medicine that Aaric had injected into her neck began to work, Mila could not think clearly any longer as darkness began to engulf her and made her very weak, until finally Mila had no other choice but to give in to helplessness.


    And the last thing Mila heard when her consciousness started to fade was Ellen''s voice screaming hysterically at Aaric.


    "She intends to kill me! Her true nature is starting to show and this is not a good sign to give her freedom, Dr. Miller is wrong. I will talk to Dr. Miller to let him know about this."


    Then the sound of distant footsteps and the hasty sound of a door opening could be heard.


    Meanwhile, Aaric looked at Mila''s eyes which were closed shut tightly, but with a frown in between, indicating the stress she was experiencing right now.


    The man then caressed the girl''s face very carefully and looked at her deeply.


    "What really happened?" Aaric whispered softly into her ear and pushed her white hair away from the side of her face. "Are you really starting to remember who you are?"


    ==============


    Mila didn''t know how long she had been unconscious, but the first thing she heard was the surrounding noise, which had awakened her from a deep sleep.


    What sound is that? How annoying!


    Mila growled and groaned softly, notifying the people around her that she had regained consciousness.


    And immediately the voices that had been bothering her became lower before complete silence greeted Mila again.


    Because the main factor that had awakened her was gone, Mila fell back into a dreamland.


    Although she was not sure if she was really dreaming, because not once did Mila see anything or something other than the white room which was so brightly lit.


    Whether it was a dream or not, but Mila was in the white room alone.


    Mila didn''t care, because her head felt so light and there was nothing she could do but stay still since her body was too weak to move.


    As if she had lost all of her energy.


    ==============


    "We have been learning about her for too long," Dr. Steve said. "I think this is enough, and if she really is a danger to our people, we better destroy her soon."


    "What do you mean?" Dr. Miller asked. He was the one who came up with the idea to give Mila freedom and research her behavior.


    "Destroy that creature of course," Dr. Steve said, frowning at the question. According to him, it was a question that did not need to be asked, as the answer was very clear.


    They had indeed made the girl an object of research, but because Mila was always unconscious, they couldn''t observe her behavior when she was awake.


    This was a good time to do that research. Just as when they were observing Mila''s body structure, knowledge of how the cold- blooded creatures interacted with one another or how their behavior patterns were equally important.


    Therefore Dr. Miller disagreed with Aaric, who was now known as Dr. Drake. He then lodged the same protest.


    "Then what about Dr. Ellen''s opinion?" Dr. Miller turned his attention to the woman who had not opened her mouth since the beginning of the conversation.


    She looked uncomfortable and hugged herself, as if she wanted to protect herself. After all, remembering Mila who intended to attack her three days ago made her shudder in horror, as it left a trauma on her.


    Before this, Ellen had never seen a vampire in a defensive or brutal condition. Therefore she was very scared to know what Mila could do to her if only Dr. Drake wasn''t there.


    Remembering the incident again, Ellen shivered with fear.


    Now, Mila was under strict surveillance and she was not allowed to be visited by anyone without permission from Steve or Miller.


    Unfortunately, that also applied to Aaric, because Dr. Drake was under Dr. Miller, so there was not much he could do to help Mila.


    D*mn!


    Aaric now had to figure out how he could get his hands on Dr. Miller or Dr. Steve''s body to save Mila.


    Because if Dr. Steve really did what he wanted to do to her, then Aaric would lose her forever.


    No. He couldn''t afford that.


    "What do you think?" Dr. Steve asked Ellen in a much firmer voice. "You are the one who underwent this attack."


    "Dr. Steve, I think you forgot one thing here," Aaric spoke up, his eyes fixed on Dr. Steve in front of him. "Just in case you forgot, I was in that room when the attack happenedˇ­ how can you assume Mila only attacked Dr. Ellen? It could be that she actually intended to attack me too."


    Dr. Steve met Aaric''s glare and he was silent for a few moments, before he finally said.


    "So you want to say that you don''t agree with my suggestion?" Dr. Steve raised an eyebrow.


    Aaric then gave a sweet smile to Steve, to ease the tension between them. "I didn''t mean to disagree with you, Dr. Steve. However, I agree with Dr. Miller if we can do further research into the basic behavior of these cold- blooded creatures," he replied diplomatically.


    On the other hand, after hearing Aaric''s answer, Steve laughed quite loudly, which made the other three people in the room frown. "It was a fancy way to say you don''t agree with me, Drake," he said derisively.

 Chapter 17 - ROYAL BLOOD

    Mila felt very weak and helpless.


    A soft groan left her lips when she felt someone buckling something around her wrists and feet, something hard, heavy and cold.??


    Like a metal object. However, there was no way she could check it when her head wouldn''t stop throbbing painfully and she didn''t have much energy to even lift a finger.


    Her head felt dizzy while her neck turned completely numb. She felt a syringe pierce her skin and she could do nothing but whimper in pain, but whatever she was feeling now, she didn''t know how long it would continue.


    Like before, she lost track of time, but this moment it was much worse.


    Mila was too weak to even wriggle a bit and the darkness seemed more promising for peace, so she gave up and let herself go back into the dark tunnel in her mind which swallowed her whole.


    Outside the glass door, there were three people who were observing Mila, and one of them was Aaric. He was with two other people who were also working as researchers at this place.


    "If you keep giving her sedatives, she will die and there won''t be any more specimens for us to research." Aaric glared at Steve next to him, while the other and third researcher, who looked older and was wearing round glasses, didn''t notice the slight fuss made by his two colleagues.


    "We can get other specimens, you know that we have lots of cold- blooded creatures just like her, right?" Steve said scornfully.


    Aaric who heard that then raised an eyebrow and snorted. "You think you can find a specimen like her among your stupid samples?" Aaric laughed derisively at Steve and mimicked the man''s voice, pissing him off.


    "She is dangerous and must be eliminated," Steve remained adamant. And now all he has to do now was to convince the other man inside the room, Professor Ben Kingstone, to support his opinion, so Drake wouldn''t be able to get into trouble with him anymore.


    "You know she won''t be allowed to live for more than fifty years and become the object of research if she is completely worthless." Aaric knew what he said was true. He had learned everything about the objects in this research center for quite a long time to be able to understand how valuable Mila was.


    This knowledge came in handy for him now to save Mila''s life.


    "She is from a noble family of the cold-blooded creatures," Ben said, his voice heavy and hoarse. The wrinkles on his face grew prominent as he frowned, watching Mila inside the room, surrounded with many people while she was unconscious.


    "Yes, she is the younger sister of the future queen of the vampire king," Aaric said, trying to hide his dislike when he mentioned the royal family. However, it couldn''t be denied, Mila''s blood as the royal family, really forced these researchers to place more value on herself.


    The noble families were very closely guarded, so it was very difficult for them to get a sample from among them.


    And as far as fifty years had passed, they could only get Mila, so how could they just eliminate her? They didn''t have any better achievement aside of Mila.


    "But, what triggered her earlier aggressive attitude?" Ben touched his chin, he thought deeply. "I will make a decision after I learn this further."


    He didn''t wait for Drake or Steve to answer him before he gave someone else orders to bring Mila''s medical report into his office. It seemed that Ben Kingstone would spend the night studying this.


    After Ben left, Steve, who didn''t want to stay in the same room with Drake for long, stepped outside as well, leaving Aaric alone there.


    The soul penetrator stood in place, not daring to move an inch as he stared intently at Mila''s body which was connected by several cables and needles that monitored developments in her body and displayed numerous graphic readings or numbers up on the monitor.


    Aaric was really angry to see this.


    He had to do something soon, so that this would end quickly and he could take Mila away from this damned place.


    ==============


    Aaric was walking toward his office, when he felt someone''s hand pull him hard enough to enter the empty medicine room on his left.


    Instinctively, Aaric raised his hand and prepared to deliver a punch or two to this person who had attacked him. It was just that when he saw Ellen''s familiar face, he immediately lowered his fist.


    "Don''t ever do that again," Aaric growled in annoyance.


    Meanwhile, on the other hand, Ellen ignored the fact that her lover; Drake, was only a step away from hitting her hard on the face and she also didn''t give credit at the anger in his eyes.


    "Why are you trying to save that damned creature?" Ellen hissed, she didn''t like it when Drake was more worried about the creature being killed than her, who had escaped being torn apart by a crazed vampire. "That damned thing nearly killed me!"


    "Lower your voice," Aaric warned. In Drake''s memory, he learnt that Ellen could do crazy things when she was jealous and Aaric didn''t need all that. The situation was already crazy enough without having to add Ellen''s nasty traits.


    "I don''t want to lower my voice!" Ellen exclaimed. "What happened to you? Why did you change?" She asked, squinting her eyes suspiciously.


    "I did not change, I am just fed up with you," Aaric said with eyes staring straight into Ellen''s, so that the woman in front of him knew that he meant every word he said.


    After all, there was no point in giving Ellen sweet hopes when the real Drake had already died, and if Aaric left this body to get a new one, this guy would no longer exist.


    There would be no more Drake.


    "You are lying!" Ellen cried and threw herself at Drake, putting her arms around the man''s neck and tried to kiss him again like what she did the last time, before Mila attacked her.

 Chapter 18 - I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU

    Aaric really couldn''t figure out how else he should deal with this woman. Anything about this woman just sucked in short. He couldn''t even imagine how the real Drake could put up with her all through their secret relationship.


    If it weren''t for the fact that Aaric still needed this body for a really long time, then he wouldn''t have bothered with a woman like Ellen.??


    This woman was unreasonably sensitive and difficult to control when emotions overwhelmed her. But maybe Aaric could take advantage of this, considering how much Ellen loved Drake.


    "You are lying!" Ellen shouted hysterically. Aaric frowned, he couldn''t let this woman attract unnecessary attention from their surroundings. "You are trying to avoid me! Tell me what I did wrong!"


    Aaric''s thoughts of using Ellen in this situation almost disappeared as soon as Ellen acted like a crazy woman and started behaving unreasonably yet again.


    Aaric felt himself almost going insane. The thought of saving Mila was the only thing that was helping him keep his sanity, and not to kill this woman right then and there.


    Therefore, to suppress Ellen''s growing emotions, as well as to silence her so that she would stop sulking and being irrational, Aaric hugged the woman tightly without wasting one more second.


    Gently, Aaric rubbed Ellen''s back and kissed the side of her head, whispering sweet nothings into her ear softly, which proved to be helpful in calming Ellen down.


    "Ellen," Aaric called out the woman''s name, this time with more emotion. "There has been a lot on my mind lately, so for the time being, I need some time to calm myself down."


    Ellen raised her head to look at Aaric. She still looked very shaken but no longer having an outburst like before. Her feelings became much better after her lover hugged her and rubbed her back gently, as he had always done before.


    Maybe Drake didn''t change, maybe Ellen just didn''t give him the space to move more freely.


    Realizing her mistake, Ellen wiped the tears that were streaming down her cheeks and kissed Drake''s cheek. "Have I been putting too much pressure on you lately?"


    "No,"Aaric said, but his body language was telling the opposite, so Ellen knew he was lying. "You are not putting any pressure on me, it is just that this job is sometimes too heavy and this secret relationship we have been in makes me uncomfortable if we get too close here. I don''t want anyone to get suspicious."


    It was the only reason Aaric could think of right now to save the situation between himself and Ellen while his head was filled with thoughts of; how to get Mila out of that damn room.


    Aaric didn''t have much time to take care of Ellen.


    "Therefore, give me some time to sort things out in this placeˇ­"


    "The problem with the vampire girl?" Ellen interrupted Aaric''s words in a mocking tone. She didn''t hide her distaste for Mila at all. Well, after all, her life was almost lost because of that girl, even though Ellen always treated her quite well compared to the other staff.


    Aaric smiled in order to cover up his urge to tear Ellen apart for her earlier comment. "Yes," he answered. "You know how important this is to me."


    Ellen knew that Mila was Drake''s first project. Therefore, since the object of the research was finally aware, Ellen could understand that Drake seemed obsessed with finishing what he started, and Ellen actually didn''t want to mess this up. "But, you said that you were fed up with me," she recalled Drake''s words that hurt her heart.


    Aaric closed his eyes and sighed heavily. This was the reason why he liked Mila''s personality. The girl would not sulk just to prove the other person''s guilt. Hell, Aaric couldn''t even imagine Mila sulking and being childish.


    However, that was precisely what attracted himˇ­ and it was for this reason that Aaric was willing to give up everything just to be with the woman he loved.


    However, not every plan could go smoothly and now Aaric had to go through fifty long years of long search, just to be able to meet Mila again.


    And he wasn''t going to let this opportunity go to waste, especially when he was at such a disadvantage.


    "Sorry," Aaric said, lowering his gaze, giving the impression that he really felt guilty for hurting Ellen with his irresponsible words.


    And indeed, Ellen looked guilty for bringing up the matter again. She then reached out and cupped Drake''s face in her palms.


    "It is all right, I understand," she said softly. "If you need anything, tell meˇ­ I will help you."


    Aaric slowly and dramatically raised his head and looked deeply at Ellen. "Are you really going to help me?" He asked carefully.


    Seeing the change in Drake''s expression and knowing that her lover needed her help, made Ellen happy because she felt needed. "Of course, I will help you with anything."


    Aaric then narrowed his eyes. "Are you really willing to do anything to help me?"

 Chapter 19 - WAKE UP

    Mila was returned to this phase again, where she didn''t even know when was the last time she was fully consciousness or where she was now.


    She felt that her head was very heavy while her vision became blurry due to the bright light that was unceremoniously directed at her.


    Her body felt stiff and she couldn''t move, but maybe it was because of the safety binds around her, which wrapped around Mila like a big snake or maybe it was because of the high doses of drugs that were continuously injected into her veins, making Mila unable to distinguish anything around her.


    Mila didn''t even know how long she had been in this state, that was in her coming and going back state of consciousness. She would occasionally see Aaric''s figure, in the form of a man named Dr. Drake.


    But, before she could think any further about this bewildering situation, the darkness would always engulf her like a cocoon and leave her paralyzed, unable to think of anything.


    Moreover, the exhaustion and frustration that surrounded her, made the girl unable to move or think.


    Sometimes Mila could hear Aaric talking to her, whispering something in a low voice, but in the midst of her unstable consciousness, Mila couldn''t catch a word.


    Mila''s situation was made worse by the fact that every few hours, someone would come to take samples of her blood, hair or whatever they could take from her.


    This situation had been continuing for who knew how long, but for sure, this time Mila had enough awareness to observe her surroundings and know that she had returned to her own room. Padding room.


    Mila didn''t know whether she should feel relieved or not, because right now she didn''t even know what she should be feeling. Confusion engulfed her entire being as her thoughts seemed to become foggy, making her unable to think clearly.


    For a full thirty minutes, all Mila did was lie motionless in her current position and accustom her eyes to the bright light in her room, until she felt confident enough to move her body. Then Mila squirmed and tilted her body, allowing herself to be able to stare at the door of the room that was closed.


    Groaning because she felt her muscles have turned to jelly, Mila then forced herself to take a sitting position, which apparently required a lot of extra effort to do so in her current condition.


    With her mind clouded, Mila tried to remember the last incident that happened to her and the scenes that followed, which she wasn''t sure if it really happened or if it was just a dream or her imagination.


    Mila remembered every detail of what happened before Aaric injected her with a powerful sedative.


    "Sh*t! That stupid man injected me! Again!" Mila grumbled in annoyance, but her voice came out soft because her throat was so dry. No one knew how long it had been since the last time water had wetted her throat.


    Mila recalled the anger that burned her chest from seeing how Ellen pressed her body so close to Aaric''s, she also recalled the extremely strong killing instinct that radiated off of her own body when she stepped into the room.


    Every glimmer of fear that flashed on Ellen''s face, and how that stupid woman reacted by standing between herself and Aaric.


    Mila felt her stomach churning, as she looked at her own hands, because the last thing she recalled was; sharp nails, like a freshly sharpened dagger, sticking out of her fingers.


    Mila was sure that at that time if it was only her and Ellen, then the woman would have been torn apart beyond recognition.


    But, what made Mila feel strange was, why did she feel such a feeling? It must be admitted that she didn''t like seeing Ellen''s advances toward Aaric, but that shouldn''t be an impetus for her to kill the woman, right?


    Her confused thoughts suddenly stopped when she heard the door creak softly, indicating that someone was about to enter the room and this made Mila even more alert.


    Although Mila did not feel that she would be able to fight anyone who would enter later, but that did not make Mila feel resigned and that she would just let it happen if they wanted to do something to her.


    This time, with sharper eyes and a stiff body, Mila prepared herself to see who would walk in through the door.


    And a moment later, a man came in. A strange man that Mila remembered seeing when she was in groggy state after being sedated.


    He was Dr. Steve.


    The man who was in his thirties and had the same psychic as Aaric when he was still in the body of someone named Bryan, Aaric''s first host that Mila met.


    "You are awake," Dr. Steve said in an even voice, his eyes fixed on Mila as he walked up to her.


    Not Dr. Drake or Aaric.


    But, the problem now was; Mila remembered Dr. Steve, the person who insisted for her to be exterminated.


    Or was that only her imagination?

 Chapter 20 - SOMETHING BIZARRE

    #TWENTY- FOUR HOURS BEFORE DR. STEVE MET MILA IN HER ROOM#


    Steve had just returned from the laboratory. Even after discussing this matter with several higher- ups from the research center that they should agree to exterminate the vampire woman, what he wanted did not go as smoothly as he had hoped.


    Because most of them agreed with Dr. Drake, that Mila was still very valuable to be the object of their research.


    She was the only noble member of vampires, whom they have managed to capture during these fifty years and now that the vampire woman had finally regained her consciousness, of course she had become more important as there were some things they couldn''t learn while Mila was unconscious.


    Like for example what was the nature and behavior of the vampires, how they would interact with each other, or how would they react in certain situations.


    Of course, this information was important. With this knowledge, they could find out their weak points and also dig deeper into what they should learn to deal with the vampires in the future.


    The war between humans and vampires was increasingly rampant, especially the attack from the vampires last time. Their massacre nearly swallowed all of the residents of two bigger towns, taking many lives.


    It happened because the humans cut off their energy supply, starving them and making them much more brutal and violent than usual.


    This war between vampires and humans didn''t seem to be coming to an end anytime soon, or maybe it would only end if one of them was wiped out of the face of the earth.


    "FUCK!" Steve cursed very loudly as soon as he was alone in the elevator.


    This research center was an underground unit and was heavily guarded, while the upper part of this research unit was a military base where no one or any creature could enter the security of this place. Well, at least that was what they thought, because they still weren''t aware of the existence of beings who had the ability to possess souls like Aaric didˇ­


    The elevator took Steve through several floors, but as soon as he reached the fourth floor, which was the floor Mila was being confined, Steve suddenly pressed the stop button and exited the floor.


    No one knew what he was thinking right now, but he certainly felt displeased with their decision to keep Mila alive just because she had royal blood running through her veins, which made her the best bargaining ''chip'' with the vampires, as they truly valued the vampires with that status.


    And even more so because they knew that the king of the vampires had been looking for a mate for decades, which turned to be Mila.


    "You bitch," Steve snorted with hatred as the idiots'' excuses rang in his ears again. They prefer to side with Dr. Miller and Dr. Drake. "Vampire king, my ass!"


    Steve''s anger seemed only getting worse as he walked down the hall which would lead him to the room where Mila was still unconscious.


    For some reason, his emotions grew out of control as he approached the research room which was at the end of this hallway.


    Maybe, for some people, who didn''t pay much attention, there was nothing strange about Steve. But if they looked closely, they would notice that there was something odd about his shadow. Steve''s shadow that fell on the wall, seemed to be chasing him, as if it was not the part of him, but something alive...


    After Steve arrived at the research room, there were only three people on guard there, one of whom was Dr. Drake, who was checking the monitor, which displayed Mila''s condition in complicated graphs.


    While the other two people were checking the papers, which were reports on the development of this female vampire''s condition.


    "Dr. Steve, what are you doing here?" One of them asked when he realized Steve had come. "Isn''t your time over already?"


    Steve ignored the man''s words and immediately walked toward the glass door that separated himself from the room where Mila was lying on the bed and Dr. Drake who stood beside her.


    The strange shadow was still following Steve...


    On the other hand, noticing there was a bit of commotion out there, Aaric raised his head and saw Steve''s figure having squabble with two people who asked him to come out, but were rudely refused.


    For a moment Aaric ignored the commotion, until his eyes caught the odd thing that was behind Steve and immediately pressed the intercom button to talk to the three people behind the glass door.


    "Leave him alone, you two can go out for a bit," Aaric said, his eyes glaring at Steve, or rather at the odd shadow following the man.

 Chapter 21 - VAMPIRE KINGS ORDER

    The two men stared at each other, then toward Aaric who was still standing behind the glass room where the female vampire was still lying unconscious, when they heard Dr. Drake''s voice echo in the room again.


    One of them then walked to the intercom to communicate with Dr. Drake. "But, Dr. Drake, Dr. Steve shouldn''t be here. This is a direct order from Dr. Miller."


    Yes, some of them were already aware of Dr. Steve''s intentions to get rid of the object of research, which was none other than Mila. Therefore, to avoid unwanted situations, they agreed to not allow Dr. Steve to interfere with the research team until further notice.


    "No problem," Aaric said in a low voice. "We will just talk for a moment."


    That was what Aaric said, but his eyes were still fixed on the odd shadow that followed Steve. His eyes narrowed sharply and when he saw the unusual subtle movement, he was immediately convinced that his suspicions were true.


    "Are you sure Dr. Drake?" The same man asked him again, not sure if they could just leave Steve there, especially given his current temperament which tended to be unstable.


    "Yes, I am sure, just leave us." Aaric reassured the two, but his eyes were still glued to the same object.


    Although, at first, the two men seemed hesitant, they eventually left the room and closed the door behind them after saying they would be back in ten minutes, indicating that they would not be far from the room.


    After the door was closed, Aaric spoke directly to Steve through the same intercom, without opening the glass door that separated the two of them.


    "What are you doing here?" Aaric asked in a much colder tone than usual. His eyes turned red for a second, but it seemed that this small detail escaped Steve''s attention because his focus was only on the figure of the woman asleep in bed.


    "Open this door," Steve said, anger returning to control his mind when he couldn''t push the door open.


    "You shouldn''t be here," Aaric warned him again. "I have to say that I am quite surprised you managed to find me here."


    "Of course, I managed to find you!" Steve exclaimed angrily, annoyed that Aaric was taking the time to talk about unimportant things. "I know every corner of this research site! Who do you think you are talking to?!" Steve''s anger escalated.


    Meanwhile, Aaric snorted, annoyed at Steve''s seemingly uncontrollable temper. "You can stop controlling him and talk to me directly. I am sick of being yelled at like this. "


    "What did you say?" Steve squinted his eyes, staring at Aaric with a confused look, but Aaric didn''t see him at all, his sharp gaze fell on something behind him, which made the man have to turn his body curiously.


    And that was when Steve could see it, something he had never seen beforeˇ­


    At first, Steve didn''t realize anything strange, but then he could see his own shadow which was slowly moving and writhing, like a living creature and dramatically, the shadow had a figure of its own, as it eventually transformed into a human form.


    A woman with beautiful long golden hair, very long until it reached her legs. Her hair was so long that it could cover her naked body.


    But, of all the things that caught Steve''s eye, the most important one was the bright red color of her eyes, which shone in the color of blood.


    The strange woman''s eyes seemed to make him forget his surroundings, sucking his focus and paralyzing his nerves until he could not speak or move.


    Steve was stuck there, unable to do anything as the strange woman walked past him, not even caring to look at him at all.


    "Arabella," Aaric greeted the woman. Although his voice sounded calm, but he could not hide his tension that began to spread between the two of them over the appearance of this creature.


    "Aaric,"Arabella replied to the greeting that Aaric gave in the same way. "How long will you wander around in that disgusting human body?" Her voice was full of mockery when she asked this and it was emphasized by the way she looked at Aaric.


    "Well, you know that he captured my real body and only in this way can I survive," Aaric said indifferently and shrugged his shoulders, then his calm attitude changed again. He looked deadly serious right now. "What are you doing here? On whose orders are you here? "


    Arabella smiled sourly when she heard the question. "Why? Are you worried that I came here on the orders of the vampire king? "


    Aaric stepped closer to the glass wall. The intercom was still on so they could communicate without much problems and Steve was still silent, unable to move, as if he was in an incredibly shocked state.


    "He gave you the order to look for me?" Aaric asked.

 Chapter 22 - TROUBLE AFTER TROUBLE

    "He gave you the order to look for me?" Aaric asked.


    Arabella raised an eyebrow and flashed a smile full of mystery. "What do you think?"


    Instead of giving him a response, she asked him another question in return and this only annoyed Aaric further.


    "Stop playing with words in front of me Arabella," Aaric growled, because he was not in a good mood to deal with his half- sister.


    But, it seemed that Arabella didn''t care at all about that fact and kept rubbing her annoying attitude on him like before.


    Then with her bloodshot eyes, Arabella glanced at Mila, who was lying unconscious on the bed. "So, she is still alive? I thought she was dead and my mission would be in vain."


    "What is your purpose in coming here?" This time, Aaric''s voice sounded more direct and deep, indicating seriousness in every word he spoke.


    On the other hand, Arabella shrugged nonchalantly, but her eyes were still glued to Mila with interest and curiosity which Aaric knew all too well would not end in any pretty way.


    "Answer me Arabella Mckeltar," Aaric said her full name and it meant he was dead serious. It wasn''t easy to get into this research center, so there was no way that Arabella was just idly searching for him and not having a mission more important than her high pride to receive an order.


    "Wow!" Arabella''s mouth formed a perfect ''O'', but then she giggled in amusement. "Now that you''re calling me by my full name, is this a threat? Are you angry? Well, my name is Arabella Santos. Or are you just reminding me that I am your step sister? Reiterating the reason why I can''t be with you?"


    This time Arabella looked at Aaric with defiant eyes.


    "Your mother married my father or not, is not a consideration for me not to choose you." Aaric turned around and checked Mila again. This girl had slept too long, he was afraid that the drugs that those stupid humans gave her would put Mila in a coma again. In that case, how much longer would Aaric have to wait? "Now get out of here."


    If Arabella managed to find this place, it meant that Aaric must immediately take Mila away from this research center, because it could be said that Aaric did not have any idea what was in Arabella''s mind, and the last time he remembered her, Arabella was a person who would do anything to get whatever she wanted.


    And since Aaric didn''t know what her mission was this time, it was no longer safe for him to hide from the vampire clan.


    D*mn!


    Why did problems keep coming? Aaric hadn''t even figured out a way to get Mila out of this place yet and now this girl was under intense scrutiny.


    "Why should I leave?" Arabella then found a seat and crossed her legs comfortably on the wooden chair there, her eyes turned to Steve who was still frozen, as if he had lost his soul. "I just found you. Don''t you miss me after so many years of not seeing each other?"


    "You will kill him if you don''t let him go." Aaric raised his head and cast an expressionless look at Steve whose face was now turning pale.


    One of the things that members of shadow clans could do was to follow human''s shadow and make them look like puppets. Like what Arabella did to Steve until now.


    "It doesn''t matter to me," she shrugged nonchalantly and glanced back at Steve with a scornful look.


    "But, you are going to cause trouble for me,"Aaric then continued his sentence and said in a firmer tone. "Let him go now."


    "You know that I don''t take orders." Arabella narrowed her eyes dangerously and flicked her hand lightly.


    And then out of the blue, as if time was ticking around Steve again, the Doctor was able to move his body and now his horrified gaze landed on Arabella.


    Arabella''s long hair and eccentric appearance made Steve take a step back, knowing the dangers lurking around him.


    "What are you?!" Steve exclaimed, his eyes quickly darting to the exit when he remembered the two guards waiting not far from this room. If Steve decided to shout, it was certain they wouldn''t hear him because the room was soundproof, but if Steve had managed to reach the door, they would definitely notice.


    "No. No." Arabella wiggled her index finger left and right, signaling for Steve not to act recklessly, whatever he was currently thinking. "You will not like the result at all if you insist on calling those two idiots here."


    Hearing that, Steve froze in his place, then his eyes turned to Aaric. "You are in cahoots with this creature!" he pointed his finger at Aaric, then ran toward the glass door, trying to open it again but to no avail.


    Aaric wrinkled his nose in displeasure. What kind of accusation was that?


    However, just at that moment, the door opened from the outside and a woman stepped in. Her steps stopped for a moment as soon as she saw Arabella''s figure there.


    "Oh, trouble againˇ­" Aaric grumbled.

 Chapter 23 - YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO GO

    Ellen, who couldn''t read the situation at hand clearly at all, immediately shouted for the two men who were on guard and this immediately broke a commotion in the entire corridor.


    Coupled with Arabella''s presence, of course the atmosphere that had been tense and full of sarcastic exchange between Arabella and Aaric, had now turned a hundred and eighty degrees, thanks to this commotion.


    "I told you to get out of here," Aaric hissed harshly at Arabella when he saw that several guards had now filed into the room, carrying stun devices to immobilize creatures that were so foreign to them.


    It wasn''t that Aaric wanted to help Arabella. He didn''t even care if his half-sister was caught by them and used as research material like they did with Mila, but what made Aaric feel very uncomfortable was the fact that their people would be exposed just like the vampires.


    It was enough that these stupid humans only know about the vampires existence without knowing their race, because then their situation wouldn''t be as peaceful as now, especially because of their small population. Humans, as curious creatures, would be very interested to know more about them as well.


    "I told you, didn''t I? I will take the girl with me," Arabella replied to Aaric''s words, tilting her head while looking at Aaric with innocent eyes. "And, I will not leave without bringing her with me."


    "Are you going to take Mila to the vampire king if you manage to get her out of here?" Aaric asked sarcastically. Even without an intercom, they were able to communicate well, past the glass barrier between them.


    "Of course," Arabella answered without thinking.


    "Then forget it." Aaric backed away from the glass door and watched from where he stood how Arabella coped with about ten guards who were determined to incapacitate her.


    There wasn''t much his half-sister did except move her hands left and right, like a strange dance no one had ever seen.


    "You are really not going to give up the girl?" Arabella asked Aaric, but got no answer from him. "You know that you can''t just run away from this place, don''t you?"


    Aaric still didn''t answer her question, his eyes were still focused on Ellen and Steve who were trying to call for more help.


    "Are you sure this glass can block me?" Arabella made another slashing motion and this time she cut off the head of one of the guards with great ease, causing Ellen to scream with all her might and run away from the room, while Steve fell to the ground, looking so frightened. He didn''t dare to move.


    "CALL MORE GUARDS!" One of the surviving guards immediately ran out and set off an alarm that echoed throughout the room in a loud and booming voice, calling for more guards to come and incapacitate Arabella.


    "You don''t really think I can''t break the glass door, do you? Should I prove it to you?" asked Arabella, glancing at Aaric over her shoulder.


    Aaric knew that any thick glass wouldn''t be able to hold Arabella back, but in this situation, what other choice did he have but to hope the humans would catch her soon and made his life easier.


    But then, when a battalion of guards came, Arabella''s body turned into a shadow that moved freely through the smallest gap of the glass doors, like a thin mist that managed to infiltrate the most guarded room.


    And in the blink of an eye, the figure of Arabella was now standing in front of Aaric, with Mila, who was still sleeping on the hospital bed, between the two of them.


    "Hi, Aaric, finally we can meet again. How do you feel about this meeting? Do you like it?" Arabella asked in her sweet voice, which was quite painful for Aaric''s ears.


    Then Arabella''s red eyes moved down to stare at Mila on the bed, her gaze filled with unquestionable interest and intensity.


    "Poor girl," she said, touching Mila''s cheek with her long fingers. "I will return you to your people now."


    "You will not do that Arabella," Aaric growled, he deftly grabbed Arabella''s wrist and pushed her away. "I will not let you take her away."


    While outside of the conservatory, several people had been trying to open the door, unfortunately the only way to open it was from the inside, so they could only scream at Aaric to open the door, but their voices were muffled and couldn''t be heard inside.


    "Then what are you going to do with her? Elope?" Arabella laughed sarcastically. "You can''t take her back to where the vampires are and this isn''t your territory either."


    "That is none of your business," Aaric growled angrily.


    However, instead of answering Aaric''s words, Arabella actually moved very fast, too fast for Aaric''s human body to dodge the attack, because a moment after that he could feel an excruciating pain in his chest as a scalpel lodged itself so deep, right in his heart.

 Chapter 24 - IT HAPPENED AGAIN

    "Arabellaˇ­" Aaric said in a quivering voice as the pain overwhelmed his senses and made his eyes glaze over while his breathing became erratic.


    This wasn''t the first time Aaric had experienced this kind of pain, as it wasn''t the first time he had been killed while still in a human body, but still, it wasn''t a pleasant experience to go through more than once.


    Especially when he was attacked suddenly without any prior preparation.


    "Yes, it''s me..." Arabella replied in a sweet whisper in the ear of Aaric who was dying, not only that, she twisted the scalpel which was still stuck right in Aaric''s heart, sending a wave of extreme pain shoot through his entire body. "I like it every time you call my name."


    "You are crazy," Aaric hissed, trying to push Arabella away, but sadly he couldn''t, because his hands couldn''t touch her, as if he was just trying to push away a wisp of thick smoke.


    "You know you can''t touch me with your pitiful human body," Arabella smiled triumphantly as she watched life slowly fade from Aaric''s eyes, or Dr. Drake''s in this case.


    On the other hand, outside of the glass room, many guards could only stand frozen after being flabbergasted and shocked to see the murder scene clearly displayed in front of their eyes.


    Especially Ellen, who was screaming hysterically because her lover was being killed right in front of her, she screamed until her body trembled when Dr. Drake''s body, slowly fell to the floor with a gaping wound on his chest and a corpse covered in blood, while Arabella looked at him with a cynical smile filled with satisfaction.


    In the midst of the chaos, no one realized that something was actually happening to Steve.


    The man felt numbness all over his body and slowly his vision blackened out, replaced by the darkness that surrounded him and made him unable to breathe.


    Steve tried to scream, trying his best not to sink into the darkness that was trying to swallow him up, but no sound could be heard, nor could he do anything when he finally lost the very short battle.


    And when Steve opened his eyes again, his eyes were the same color as the eyes of the mysterious creature that had infiltrated this research center.


    The mysterious female creature was now standing beside the object of their research, tilting her head in curiosity and consideration.


    Meanwhile, Steve moved forward at a brisk pace and turned off the electricity in the room by destroying the main power source inside the room.


    In that instant, the previously chaotic atmosphere became even more noisy due to the darkness that enveloped them, but at the same time the lock on the glass door, which separated them from Mila and Arabella, was unlocked.


    This opportunity, of course, was used by the guards to break in and try to apprehend Arabella.


    Unfortunately, when they got close and surrounded the woman, in the blink of an eye, her figure disappeared.


    "We have to move this research object!" Dr. Steve exclaimed, as he broke through the line of guards to reach where Mila was.


    Due to the power outage, the tools that were supporting Mila''s life also stopped, if she was not treated immediately, something worse than this would happen.


    In such a chaotic situation, they completely forgot the probationary order that mentioned Dr. Steve was not allowed to approach the object of this research and just followed the doctor''s instructions instead.


    Meanwhile, some of them were trying to evacuate Dr. Drake''s body accompanied by Ellen, who tried to revive her lover, of course it was a futile effort and would not give any satisfactory result. No matter how hard she tried, Dr. Drake was long dead.


    ================


    "You are awake," Dr. Steve said in an even voice, his eyes fixed on Mila as he walked up to her.


    Not Dr. Drake or Aaric.


    But, the problem now was; Mila remembered Dr. Steve as the person who insisted for herself to be destroyed.


    Were the words that came out of Dr. Steve''s mouth just her imagination? Because from the way he asked about Mila''s condition now, he looked harmless.


    And maybe this was also just Mila''s imagination, because now she saw the concern in Dr. Steve''s eyes.


    Or maybe Mila was still not in her right mind, she was still affected by the drugs she was given and was hallucinating.


    "Mila we have to get out of here right now, but you have to follow what I say," Steve said, then he knelt beside the bed of the confused girl.


    "Stay away from me," Mila said sternly in a voice that sounded still weak. "Where is Dr. Drake?" Mila wanted to meet Aaric and ask what really happened to her.


    But, then Dr. Steve smiled and took Mila''s hand, brought it to his lips and kissed it gently, whispering, "I am Aaric, Mila munchkin."

 Chapter 25 - CANT WE WAIT?

    "I am Aaric, Mila munchkin," Aaric said as he stared intently at Mila and watched the surprise flash through her beautiful eyes, which were the color of the mist. The eyebrows of the woman before him knitted in confusion, but Aaric didn''t let go of her hand at all, while Mila didn''t have the strength to resist.


    For a moment, when Mila heard how Dr. Steve called out to her, she felt very familiar with the figure in front of her, but at the same time she felt foreign.


    The first figure of Aaric that Mila met when he was a staff was the one that made the most impression on her mind, because after that, he possessed the body of Dr. Drake and Mila only saw him for a few moments before she lost control and the people knocked her unconscious for a time that Mila herself didn''t know how long.


    And now, she must see the face of Dr. Steve, what she remembered as a person who wanted herself to be exterminated, because he believed her to be a dangerous existence.


    But, now that Aaric had entered the doctor''s body and was being so gentle with her, Mila felt very confused, it was way too difficult for her to adapt to Aaric''s constantly changing identity.


    She didn''t know what happened until Aaric actually got the figure of Dr. Steve. Had anything big happened? Or a month had passed? As Aaric had said before, the longest it took him to swap bodies was one month.


    "What happened to your previous body?" Mila finally asked after overcoming her confusion and discomfort.


    Hearing that, Aaric couldn''t help but take a deep breath before smiling bitterly at Mila, "It is a long and quite complicated story, I will tell you after we get out of this place."


    Mila narrowed her eyes when she heard Aaric''s last sentence. "You are going to take me out of this research site now?" Mila wasn''t sure if she had enough energy to escape right now.


    "Yeah, we have to go now before it is too late," Aaric said, this time his voice was softer.


    "Late?" Mila looked around. She was still in the padding room, the room she was used to and there was no one else but the two of them, so what could make Aaric late. "Too late for what?"


    Aaric looked uneasy when he had to explain this, but then he explained the situation curtly. "Like I said before that you came from a vampire noble family and now they know you are here."


    Mila tilted her head. "Then? Isn''t that a good thing? We need help for getting out of this cursed place, right?"


    Aaric grimaced when Mila said that. "The problem is; they will capture you back to the palace, to marry the king of the vampires. Don''t you remember why we were on the run?"


    Mila didn''t really like the part where she was treated as a substitute for her sister or go through a marriage just to deliver an offspring, but Mila wouldn''t really refuse if the vampires came to free her from this place.


    But, seeing the expression on Aaric''s face now, or you could say the worry that was clearly evident on Dr. Steve''s countenance, now didn''t seem like the right time to argue about that.


    "So, you are planning to run away now, even though I have just regained consciousness and still can''t stand up properly?" Mila asked sarcastically. "Don''t you have a better plan than this? At least wait until I can tear someone''s body apart first, so I can be of some use in case a fight breaks out."


    Aaric laughed when he heard Mila''s dark humor, of course he understood very clearly what Mila''s condition was now, because after all, this woman had been under his care for a long time.


    "I wish we could wait until you get your powers back, but unfortunately we can''t." Aaric then stood up and extended his hand. "We have to go now."


    Mila didn''t take the hand right away, she looked at Aaric with a look that seemed to say; are you crazy?


    "Someone has managed to find out about this place and it will only be a matter of time until those vampires burst into this research center and make a fuss just to get you back," Aaric said a little tensely. A lot of time had passed when he waited until Mila came to her senses, as it would be difficult to carry an unconscious person. Aaric needed Mila to be able to run and hide herself well.


    "That sounds like a lot of trouble," Mila grumbled, holding her aching head while trying to stand up. Damn. Her current state was really weak and made her feel uncomfortable. "Do you have a plan on how we can get out of this place?"


    Mila refused the small help that Aaric offered to her and preferred to stand on her own. Seeing this, Aaric could only take a deep breath, understanding Mila''s attitude which was almost always like that.

 Chapter 26 - THEY ARE COMING

    "Not reallyˇ­" Aaric, or Dr. Steve in this case, spoke slowly. Probably being not so sure of his impromptu plan. But then, he grabbed Mila''s wrist and forced her to stand because she wouldn''t take his hand on her own accord. "But I certainly know a way out of this place."


    Mila who heard this could only roll her eyes. Of course Aaric knew the way out of this place, he must have been through this research building hundreds of times, but that wasn''t the problem they were facing right now.


    The problem was, could they get out of this research center without attracting the attention of so many people, while for now, Mila was one of the most important research objects they have.


    "And how are you going to bring me out without them knowing?" Mila asked again. "The thing is I am very popular in this place, don''t forget that particular fact."


    Aaric laughed when he heard Mila''s statement. "Yeah, it is a shame that you are so popular in this place and you can''t possess other people''s bodies like I do. Not to mention about your glaring white hair."


    Mila raised an eyebrow, as if waiting for what else Aaric would complain about her. "Well, or I can just wait here until the vampires come and save me, so that I can get out of here in a much safer way."


    "You want them to take you? How much do you want to marry the vampire king now?" Aaric frowned disapprovingly.


    This time Mila took two steps closer, leaving no distance between them, while she stared at Aaric with her deep, probing misty eyes. "Are you manipulating me so I don''t return to my own people? It is possible that you are the one who actually kidnapped me and the story about me, leaving my place with you fifty years ago wasn''t even my wish to begin with."


    If what Aaric said wasn''t entirely true, maybe this man had added spice to the story here and there to make Mila believe that they both loved each other and were on the run to avoid the arranged marriage. Meaning, the truth was not really like that...


    Anything was possible, right? And Mila couldn''t remember anything about what had happened, so she couldn''t decide upon which part was true and which wasn''t.


    "Don''t say something you don''t know for sure," Aaric rebuked Mila for speaking carelessly about this and immediately grabbed her wrist gently, guiding her outside.


    "Hey, now that I think about it, it might be possible." Mila touched her chin gently, looking at Aaric intently. "It could actually be you who kidnapped me and separated me from my people without my consent."


    The door that Aaric had opened was now closing again as he turned and looked back at Mila seriously, who was staring back at him with equal but opposite defiant gaze.


    Maybe Mila''s way of saying this was so careless that it sounded like a casual joke, but Aaric knew that Mila was seriously considering the possibility and he didn''t have anything to back up the things he had said to Mila.


    Mila did tend to be skeptical of things that she thought were against her. In the past, Aaric found this very cute because Mila never hesitated to express her own opinion freely, but not right at this particular moment. Now, Mila''s distrusting nature made him feel an urge to scratch his head really hard, even when it didn''t itch at all.


    "Do you have anything I can trust besides your words? Proof that I really wanted to run away from my own people and chose to be with you?" Mila asked, she tilted her head curiously. "Do you have any proof that we are together? That could show we are real lovers. Because now I don''t feel anything for you," Mila said honestly about how she really felt for Aaric now.


    If they really were a couple once, shouldn''t Mila at least feel that sweet feeling? But, Mila did not feel any of it.


    Did as her memory disappear, her feelings also disappeared? That was another question that must be seriously considered.


    "I can''t possibly risk my safety just for someone who means nothing to me," Aaric protested. He then glanced at the watch that was coiled nicely around his left wrist. They had spent a lot of time focusing on this measly argumentation.


    "Maybe it was a one sided love. You love me, but I don''t." Mila shrugged nonchalantly and this irritated Aaric. Maybe this was Mila''s way of getting revenge on Aaric, because he had been the one who had annoyed her to death recently, but now wasn''t the time for any of this.


    "Oh, please." Aaric rolled his eyes. "This is not the time to be annoying. I really want to prove that we love each other and I didn''t kidnap you, but I don''t know howˇ­"


    Aaric''s words were cut short when they heard a loud explosion sound as the floor beneath them shook from its aftershocks.


    "You blew up this place?" Mila asked accusingly.


    "No." Aaric''s voice sounded like a whisper as his expression changed. "They are comingˇ­"

 Chapter 27 - RUNNING AWAY

    The sound of a second explosion could be heard followed by the first one , only this time, it was much louder and was followed by the noise of many people running down the corridor. And a second later, the warning alarm sounds echoed in the entire building followed by instructions to leave the building through the emergency exit provided.


    "''They''? Whom do you mean?" Mila asked, tossing her long white hair while folding her arms across her chest. "You mean the vampires?" she asked nonchalantly.


    "Yes," Aaric answered briefly, he opened the door for Mila''s room a little, peeking from behind it. "They are here, we are late."


    "Should I greet them? At least they have come all the way to make a fuss like this. Honestly, I am a little flattered," Mila said with an amazed expression.


    If at first Mila still didn''t believe Aaric''s words which said that she came from a vampire noble family and was also a future queen of their kind, then by looking at the commotion now, Mila started to believe in her importance.


    Who would turn a place like this upside down just to save someone, right?


    "Save your flattery for later," Aaric said. "We have to get out of here, but before thatˇ­" Aaric said, hurriedly taking out a syringe from his pocket before he rolled up the sleeve of the shirt Mila was wearing in a frenzy.


    Mila saw him injecting a good amount of yellow coloured liquid into her body.


    "What are you trying to do?" Mila tried to pull her hand back, but Aaric''s grip was so strong that she still didn''t have enough strength to fight this man. "You are going to make me lose consciousness again because I doubted you?"


    "Don''t be stupid," Aaric grumbled, feeling greatly displeased. "This is to increase your stamina, I can''t carry you all the way out of here and I don''t think you have enough energy to run with me until we are in a safe place."


    Hearing that, Mila raised her eyebrows and looked at Aaric with meaningful eyes. "Give me one reason as to why I should follow you?" asked Mila. She made the situation even more difficult for Aaric with her question.


    And it seemed that what Aaric said was true, because when Aaric had finished injecting the yellow liquid, Mila felt herself getting refreshed with energy and her head didn''t feel as dizzy as before.


    "Because you didn''t like your previous life and you are happier with me," Aaric answered without thinking, then he opened the door, where many researchers were already running in the corridor to reach the emergency exit as per instructions.


    "Tch, that was a completely irrelevant reason," Mila protested, but then her words were swallowed up when Aaric kissed her deeply and briefly.


    "And also because you love me," Aaric replied while rolling his eyes at Mila who now looked ready to tear him apart.


    "Don''t do that again," Mila said in a deep voice, she growled dangerously in annoyance. "Or next time I will beat you up mercilessly."


    Hearing Mila''s threat, Aaric frowned. "I thought you liked it."


    Mila snorted in disgust as a response. "You are not even a good kisser, so don''t mistake that I like it."


    This time it was Mila, who stepped out of the room first and walked down the corridor with Aaric groaning, following her from behind. It seemed Mila''s words had just kicked his pride as a man.


    "I am a good kisser. It must be because of the body I possess. I know Dr. Steve has been alone for a long time, oh I don''t think he ever had a girlfriend beforeˇ­" Aaric grumbled as he followed Mila, trying to blend with the others who were evacuating from the place, following the instructions that were being announced.


    The current situation looked very bad...


    ================


    People were seen running in neat rows and occasionally glancing at Mila curiously.


    But, just like human nature, which was always selfish, so even in such a situation, they didn''t really care about the fact that the object of their research was where it shouldn''t be, especially when they saw Dr. Steve with Mila.


    On the other hand, Mila didn''t care at all about the sneaky glances these researchers were giving her, because the most important thing now was for her to get out of this place.


    Mila couldn''t wait to see the outside world and what life was like out there. It didn''t matter who managed to take her out. Whether it was Aaric or the vampires, who were pushing their way into the defenses of this building, it didn''t make a difference to her. Because, what Mila cared about right now was satisfying her curiosity.


    However, just as a plan that was not well prepared would encounter various obstacles, so did Mila.


    Because as soon as they passed through the first checkpoint, the alarm on Mila''s feet went off. This was the anklet that was put on her some time ago to keep herself from running away.


    Of course, the loud sound of the device invited unnecessary attention in the process.


    "Dr. Steve, I don''t think she can get past this post," said one of the guards in charge. "Did you get the permission to take her out of the building?"

 Chapter 28 - RUNNING AWAY (2)

    Hearing the guard''s question, Mila only glanced at Aaric, not at all intending to help the soul possessor in answering the question.


    "In this situation, I am required to bring this research object out of the building," Aaric said calmly. "Don''t you know the protocol?" Then, he narrowed his eyes slightly. "That the object of research also has the same priority as every other person in an emergency situation like this?"


    The guard looked confused in response to this, but he still insisted on seeing the permit that allowed Mila to leave the building.


    "I am sorry Dr. Steve, but I can''t let this research object out of the building until I see a letter of permit, stamped by the higher authorities," the guard replied, being annoyingly adamant. He actually did his job well.


    "How could I ask for such a permit under these circumstances?!" this time Aaric shouted angrily. "That is so unreasonable! Who will issue an evacuation permit for the research object when the research building itself is being attacked?"


    What Aaric said was quite reasonable too, but all the guards in the building of course already knew Mila and not to mention the recent incident that involved Mila. It went without saying that the security around her had been tightened, therefore, they didn''t want to risk losing their valuable object of research.


    Moreover, the credibility of Dr. Steve''s intentions toward Mila was still being questioned, even though the last time It was Dr.Steve, who saved Mila''s life when an intruder infiltrated the security system and tried to take her away.


    "Then, please confirm this," the guard said, looking for a better way to handle this situation. "You can contact Professor Ben Kingstone to confirm this."


    The guard then gave his communication device to Dr. Steve so he could contact his superior to confirm the situation.


    Seeing the persistence of the guard, Aaric frowned, what reason could he give for them to pass through this guard safely?


    Meanwhile, the alarm on Mila''s feet kept ringing, in rhythm with the warning alarm that indicated for the researchers and anyone else in the building to evacuate as soon as possible.


    Things were really rowdy and very noisy right now, forcing everyone to tense up.


    "Please contact Professor Ben Kingstone to confirm this," the guard again handed over the communication device that Aaric didn''t take.


    On the other hand, Mila was getting impatient with their situation and she wanted to quickly remove the anklet that was bothering her.


    Thus, she did something completely unexpected.


    Without a word, Mila clenched her fist and smacked it right into the guard''s face who was still asking Aaric to contact Professor Ben Kingstone to confirm permission to take Mila out of the building.


    "Mila! What are you doing?!" Aaric exclaimed, he was stunned at what this woman had just done.


    Not only did Mila beat up the guard, but she also made sure that the guard couldn''t get up in time to catch up to them.


    After the first blow, Mila took the taser that was on the guard''s waist with astonishing speed and used it to immobilize the guard.


    Of course, what Mila did made the people around them that were already panicking about the sudden attacks launched by the vampires, became even more terrified.


    However, Mila was not affected by it at all, she moved very deftly, solely based on her instincts.


    "Didn''t you tell yourself that we don''t have much time?" Mila asked back, she then took the communication device that the guard had offered to Dr. Steve, so that he could contact Professor Ben Kingstone, and gave it to Aaric. "Use it to find out the position of the other guards."


    Aaric then swiftly took the communicator into one hand and grabbed Mila''s hand with the other. He then pushed through the crowd of people who screamed in terror as they got near the female vampire.


    However, the nearby guards, realizing that their partner had been immobilized, immediately called for reinforcements to restrain Mila and Dr. Steve.


    "You are making the situation worse," Aaric grumbled as he pushed the people around them so the two of them could pass safely.


    "The situation is already not in our favour, so what else do you expect?" Mila shrugged nonchalantly. "I am just helping you make it simpler."


    "Tch, I seem to have forgotten how brutal you are," Aaric grumbled as they passed through the first door that would lead them to the second tier of security where there were already many other guards waiting for them. It would not be an easy fightˇ­


    "I am glad I am not weak," Mila said casually, then smiled sarcastically when she saw the guards who were ready to arrest the two of them. "Looks like I have to show my brutal side again."


    "Mila, don''t do anything," Aaric ordered Mila, then he stopped running, sending Mila crashing into his back.


    "What now? You want to have a nice talk with them like you did with the guard from earlier?" Mila sneered at Aaric. That would be the stupidest thing she would ever encounter, if that was his plan. "I thought I was being very naive, but looking at you, it seems that I am not that naive."

 Chapter 29 - RUNNING AWAY (3)

    Mila didn''t think that Aaric could negotiate with the guards and convince them to let her out of this building anymore, especially after what Mila did to the previous guard.


    "Don''t be stupid Aaric," Mila grumbled. "If you can''t finish them off, then I''ll do it for you."


    Mila was just about to step forward to face the guards head on when Aaric pulled her back and led her into another corridor situated in the opposite direction.


    "There is no need to act rashly," said Aaric. He gripped Mila''s hand tightly so that she wouldn''t be left behind while they ran in the dimly lit corridor. "I don''t like violence when it is not necessary."


    "Yes, yesˇ­" Mila rolled her eyes when she heard Aaric''s statement. "Well said by the man who has to kill a person every month to possess a new body."


    Aaric laughed when he heard what Mila said. "Yeah, you said that right. A little ironic, isn''t it?" he asked.


    "Before things get even more ironic," Mila said, changing the subject as they ran. "Could you please take this anklet off first?"


    No matter how far they ran off or how fast they were, the two of them would soon be found because this ridiculous anklet continuously made noises indicating their location loud and clear.


    And, it was proven by the footsteps of several people behind the two. There seemed to be about seven to ten people following them into this corridor.


    "Yeah, you got a point," Aaric thought hard before he glanced at Mila''s ankle for a second. "But, apart from cutting off your leg, I don''t know any other way to get that ridiculous anklet off."


    Mila pulled her hand out of Aaric''s grip and immediately stopped running. "Seriously?!"she exclaimed. "You think I can leave this building unnoticed while this anklet keeps making noises that can tell them where I am from hundreds of meters away? Are you crazy? You are the worst planner I have ever met!" Mila seethed, unable to understand what exactly was going through Aaric''s head.


    "Listen," Aaric tried to explain the situation, but his eyes were never stopped drifting over to the corridor behind Mila for every two seconds, especially as the footsteps of the guards following them grew closer and closer. "I don''t have much time to make plans, but I am good enough to improvise."


    "Then how do you plan to improvise with this?" Mila showed Aaric her ankle again. "You are going to cut off my leg and put it back together before we get out of here?" she asked sarcastically. "You think my feet are portable items that you can just take off and add on?"


    "We will think about it later. But for now, we have to escape first,"Aaric said hastily when he noticed that a few guards were already at the end of the corridor, running toward them.


    "No," Mila said firmly as she swatted Aaric''s hand away. "There is no point in running away with this alarm sounding on my feet. It would just be a waste of energy."


    "Don''t tell me you are going to beat them up," Aaric disagreed with Mila''s plan.


    "You can run first if you want, maybe the vampires can help me more than you," Mila said in a harsh tone. "If I am so important to them, that they would destroy this place just to get me, then I see no reason why I should run away."


    Yes, if one thought about it logically, then there was nothing wrong with what Mila said.


    "Mila," Aaric groaned, he didn''t know how to convince this woman anymore. He had known long ago that Mila was quite stubborn, but for now, Aaric didn''t need Mila to act like that. "I will explain in detail after we get out of this place."


    "Okay," Mila answered lightly. Whether it was Aaric or the vampires who managed to get her out of the building, Mila didn''t really care as long as she got to be free.


    And just at that moment, the guards chasing them managed to reach where the two of them were standing and surrounded the two immediately.


    "See, there is no other way right? Unless you resort to the way I proposed." Mila glanced at Aaric beside her, satisfied. "If you are afraid of seeing violence you can wait in..."


    But, before Mila could finish her sentence, Aaric had made his move first. He grabbed one of the guards and lifted his body with ease, then threw it at the other two guards, while he moved to attack a different guard.


    Aaric''s movements were so powerful, precise and fast, it was as if he was a killing machine that knew what he had to do.


    On the other hand, Mila didn''t expect Aaric to be so good at fighting like this. Meanwhile, she only felt a rush of adrenaline when she said she would take care of the guards who were chasing them. It was purely out of instinct.


    However, who would have thought that Aaric could clear them all up so quickly, surprising Mila with his speed.

 Chapter 30 - THE KING

    "I didn''t know that you could turn out to be reliable enough," Mila said as she walked over to Aaric who had taken care of the last guard and was taking some keys from the waist of one of them.


    "Of course I can be relied on," Aaric said, glancing at Mila mischievously. "You can count on me whenever you want."


    "I will agree with your statement once you remove this thing from my ankle." Mila again pointed at the anklet which was still wrapped around her ankle, and still made a very annoying noise.


    "For thatˇ­" Aaric laughed wryly, stuffing all the keys he could find from each of the guards'' bodies. Those keys would surely come in handy later. "As for that one, you will have to wait a little longer until I come up with a better idea than cutting off your leg."


    "Aaric!" Mila shouted while hitting the man''s arm hard enough, making him wince in pain.


    "Okay, okay." Aaric raised his hands, indicating he gave up. "Let''s go now, before the remaining guards also notice that something was wrong here."


    Mila wanted to grumble and remind Aaric that they had to worry about the noisy anklet first, but then she gave up and followed Aaric, running into the darkest part of the corridor.


    "I hope you know where this corridor will take us," Mila said suddenly. She looked around and it seemed that this was part of a neglected research site, as the place seemed to have been abandoned and forgotten for a long time.


    "I know, I have passed by this place a few times,"Aaric answered with certainty. Now, with the keys that Aaric had, he was confident that he could get Mila out of the research area, but as Mila said, their real problem was with the anklet on Mila''s ankle that would quickly give away where they were.


    Damn! Aaric should have thought of this first. He had forgotten about it completely and only remembered the damn thing after the alarm went off.


    ================


    A man stood under the moonlight, watching the smoke billowing from the distance and the commotion in the courtyard of a seemingly simple building with a pair of sharp eyes.


    His eyes that were dark and as jet black as a new moon night''s sky glinted with the hint of emotion he still had in their depths.


    "She is in there?" the man asked the woman beside him, a woman who appeared from a shadow.


    "Yes, I saw her myself," the woman answered with absolute certainty.


    "Together with the soul possessor." It was not a question, but a statement and was spoken so coldly that it made anyone who heard it tremble with fear.


    "Yes," the woman replied again.


    That woman was none other than Arabella. She immediately alerted the vampires after escaping the research center and confirmed that the woman they had been looking for, for fifty years was confined in there. The long lost vampire queen.


    "Your Majesty, you shouldn''t be in this place." A young man approached the first man carefully and reminded him in a low voice. "You can wait for the results back at the palace."


    The man who had just been called ''His Majesty'' stood unmoved. He didn''t answer the suggestion right away, but he didn''t ignore it either. "If that woman is indeed here, then I have to welcome her when she comes back to me."


    Hearing this answer, the man backed away. He couldn''t find a way to persuade his king to wait in a safer place if that was his decision.


    Liam Dageus.


    A name that not just anyone could call. He was the king of the vampires. He rarely appeared outside, especially when he was always surrounded by danger. And, he had to be in the palace at all times, because it was the safest place for him.


    But, tonight was an exception.


    Liam decided to get out of his safety haven and witness with his own eyes this whole process to get the woman, who would become his queen.


    Fifty years.


    For them, fifty years was just a number, for they would not age. Even so, fifty years was a long time.


    And Liam had been waiting for this moment since fifty years ago.


    "Make sure she doesn''t get hurt at all," the king said and it was an order that had to be obeyed.


    Seeing how the humans were still trying to fight the sudden attack, as well as the explosions that left half of the building to be burned down into ashes, it was very likely that Mila would also be injured in the rescue process.


    "What about Aaric?"Arabella asked. "What will His Majesty do if Aaric is caught?"


    Aaric was a soul possessor who was given the task of bringing back Mila when she fled fifty years ago, but not only did he disappear with the future queen, but Aaric had been negligent enough until Mila was caught by these humans.

 Chapter 31 - THE CROWN PRINCESS MILA

    Luckily for Milla as well as Aaric, they found a safer way to remove the bracelet on Mila''s ankle which kept making deafening noises.


    As it turned out, the corridor they were passing led them to Professor Ben Kingstone''s study, where the latter had kept the key to unlock Mila''s anklet.


    Of course, this could be done without the Professor''s permission because he had already evacuated himself along with the others.


    "See? I am very reliable, aren''t I?" Aaric said proudly, waving the bracelet, which he had managed to remove from Mila''s leg. "I remember, noˇ­" Aaric corrected himself. "The owner of this body, Steve, saw Professor Ben Kingstone put the key in his drawer..."


    "Enough with the explanation," Mila cut off Aaric''s words because she didn''t need to know the whole story. They had to get out of there quickly if they really wanted to escape, so the story of how Aaric found out the key to the anklet Mila was wearing, didn''t really matter. "We have to get out of here immediately."


    Groaning because Mila''s cut him off mid- sentence, Aaric stood up and gripped the woman''s hand tightly.


    "Okay, it''s time for us to leave this place." He then pulled Mila toward the door. "Are you ready to see the outside world?" he asked.


    Mila did not answer the rhetorical question and preferred to pull Aaric out of Professor Ben Kingstone''s room instead.


    "Where should we go?" she asked impatiently, turning to Aaric.


    "This way," Aaric said, as he pulled Mila, running along the corridor to their left. "We only need to go through the two main doors, after that we will head to the basement, Steve''s car is there."


    Thanks to the keys that Aaric had taken earlier, they were able to pass through the two doors he mentioned without any significant problems until they reached the basement. As it turned out, that place was already filled with vampires, who were looking for Mila.


    "Isn''t that the crown princess Mila?" one of them asked his partner.


    "Yes, that is her," replied the other with more certainty after seeing Mila''s face quite clearly.


    "Crown Princess?" Mila raised her eyebrows when she heard how they addressed her. "Are you sure I should run away from these people?" Mila glanced at Aaric. "Maybe I should follow them."


    "Mila, no." Aaric shook his head frantically. "You do not understand. You will regret it after you remember everything later."


    "Are you sure I will regret it? Looks like my life with my people is not as bad as you say," Mila said, starting to doubt Aaric''s words.


    "Mila, I will not risk my life just to lie to you," Aaric said desperately, trying to grab Mila''s hand, but the woman stood rooted where she was, refusing to follow him while the five vampires who had seen them, ran over.


    "Is it true?" Mila asked skeptically.


    From the moment she woke up and was on the roof of a building with the corpse of a man she didn''t know, the only person who could explain her unusual situation was Aaric.


    Only this man could tell her the answers Mila wanted to know about who she really was and how she came to be in this research center and become the object of their research.


    But now, it seemed that the one who could answer Mila''s questions was not only Aaric, but there were many people who could do that for her.


    Should Mila let go of the opportunity and trust Aaric like before?


    "Mila, you have to trust me," Aaric tried to grab Mila''s hand again, but the woman refused to cooperate with him. She stood there, frozen, as if waiting for the five vampires to approach them. "We have to get out of here immediately."


    Mila still didn''t respond to the request, but her eyes stared intently into Aaric''s, searching for the truth. Try to examine their circumstances and come to a decision that she felt was best.


    But, Mila herself didn''t know what is best for her right now...


    "Damn!" Aaric cursed as the five vampires now surrounded them, but then, they knelt before Mila respectfully.


    "Crown princess Mila." They bowed to Mila consequently. "Sorry for being late to find you."


    Mila, who saw how she was treated, was quite impressed by this.


    "We must leave immediately. His Majesty, the king is waiting for you." One of them informed Mila that Liam himself had come to fetch her.


    "There is no way the king himself came to this place," Aaric muttered in confusion. It was not uncommon for the King to come out of his palace.


    "Crown princess Mila, come follow us." The five of them stood and looked at Mila with determination in their eyes.


    Mila gave Aaric a small smile upon hearing that, "They don''t seem as bad as you say." She looked around her. "Even the king himself came to get me."

 Chapter 32 - A FIGHT

    Aaric didn''t know how to explain this to Mila anymore, but this girl had to understand that things weren''t as simple as they seemed.


    Of course the vampire king would also come to pick up his queen, although this was surprising, given the number of assassination threats against him and how the noble families were so opposed to their king leaving the palace, but if you knew Liam Dageus well enough, then you would know this was within predictions.


    Liam Dageus ascended the thrown when the previous king was killed in a battle against the human kind as well.


    So it could be said that the people who meant something to him were always killed whenever there was a war involved humans.


    For that reason, some of the elders of the vampires had forbidden him from stepping out of the palace or lead an attack personally, because they were worried that the same thing would happen to Liam.


    Unfortunately, Liam did not heed their ban this time and chose to stay as close to the attack at the research center as possible.


    "So, what do you want now? To leave with them?" Aaric asked grimly as the five vampires slowly approached Mila and him.


    Mila didn''t answer the question. Her misty eyes stared at the five vampires who were walking toward her, while she asked herself; did she trust them? How much did Mila trust them? Would she be locked up again in a place what they were calling the palace?


    If so, how was it any different from her current state?


    While Mila was still thinking and lost in her own dilemma, one of the vampires approached her and was about to take her hand, but Aaric held his hand and pushed the vampire away.


    Of course, Aaric''s actions looked aggressive and forced themselves to be defensive.


    "You are a human," said one of them after sniffing Aaric. They didn''t know that Aaric was the soul possessor they had been looking for. The soul possessor who had taken away their future queen.


    Upon hearing that, the other four vampires became more aggressive. They growled and hissed to scare Aaric away from Mila, but Aaric didn''t budge and this made the vampires view him as their enemy.


    "Mila, we have to get out of here right now, you can''t leave with them." Aaric glanced at the car that was parked not far from them. It was the blue four wheeler which was Steve''s. "Get in that car and start the engine." Aaric nodded toward the car he was referring to and handed the keys to Mila.


    "You know I can''t turn that thing on, don''t you?" Mila didn''t remember that she could drive a car before this.


    "No, you can drive it, you could even say that you are quite proficient at this," Aaric refuted Mila''s statement just now and immediately threw the car keys into Mila''s hands. "Go first, I will take care of these vampires."


    Mila snorted when she heard Aaric''s last sentence. "I am not sure you can handle the five of them on your own. They look vicious and brutal." She doubted the ability of Aaric who was only an ordinary human now. But, not worried about the possibility that Aaric could be killed.


    What for? He could possess the souls of other humans, so he wouldn''t really die, would he?


    "Why? Are you worried?" Aaric glanced mischievously at Mila. "Don''t worry, this is not the first time I have faced vampires."


    Mila rolled her eyes and turned around. "Okay, it is up to you. But, if you lose, I will leave with them," Mila said lightly. She herself didn''t really care, who she left this building with, because neither side had one hundred percent of her trust.


    "You are so cold," Aaric grumbled seeing how Mila responded to this, he looked at Mila''s back while she walked leisurely toward the blue car.


    On the other hand, two vampires who saw Mila leaving, immediately tried to chase after her, but Aaric held them back by pulling their bodies with all his might before throwing them to the other side of the parking lot.


    Even though he didn''t have the full power he had in his original body, but Aaric was still much stronger than an average human.


    "Who are you?" one of the vampires noticed this oddity and narrowed his eyes dangerously at Aaric. "You are no ordinary human."


    "He is the soul possessor," one of them again said, responding to his partner''s words. "He''s the soul-possessor who has taken our future queen away."


    Aaric grimaced when he heard the accusation. "You make it sound really bad, it is actually your future queen who wanted to get out of that world,"Aaric corrected them.


    But, who would take this sentence seriously? Because in the next second a fight broke out. The five vampires attacked Aaric brutally and viciously, baring their sharp claws and fangs.


    No matter how strong Aaric was, it was still not a balanced fight and it was proven when one of the vampires managed to tear his stomach apart.

 Chapter 33 - ELLEN

    Aaric roared loudly when he felt the warm blood soaking his clothes and the excruciating pain began to numb all his senses.


    His body swayed and fell to the ground. But it didn''t stop there, one of the vampires came up to him, the same vampire that Aaric had thrown to the other side of the parking lot earlier, and now the vampire was doing the same thing to him.


    Aaric''s body flew several meters before hitting the windshield of a car, making the safety alarm go off.


    Shard after shard of the car''s glass windshield scratched his body, making new wounds while blood flowed more profusely from the gaping wounds.


    For ordinary humans, it was unlikely that they could survive such an injury, much less be able to rise again and try to fight back.


    But, unfortunately for the vampires, Aaric was a soul possessor, so before his heart actually stopped, he would continue to live and that was what happened.


    Trembling and bleeding profusely, Aaric stood leaning against the car that had been hit by him, making the five vampires frown.


    There were not many soul- possessors that they knew, some even have never seen this type of creature at all, therefore they did not know the extent of the creature''s strength.


    "He is still alive?" one of the vampires muttered, looking amazed at the state of Aaric who was still able to move.


    And without waiting any longer, the five of them immediately moved forward, this time with the intention of finishing off Aaric at one collective strike. Their claws and fangs in a position ready to slash their foe at once and take Mila away from there, completing the mission their king had given them.


    On the other hand, Mila was seen sitting motionless in her seat behind the steering wheel of a luxurious car. She was watching intently as the five vampires continued beating up Aaric, not giving the soul- possessor a chance to catch his breath or defend himself.


    However, Mila didn''t have the slightest intention of helping Aaric, because she wanted to know what the soul- possessor would do. Would he die? Or would his soul seek the nearest human body and possess it, as he always did? Well, it was a shame Mila never saw the actual process...


    But, maybe this time it was her chance to see everything firsthand.


    When Mila was busy witnessing the brutality of the vampires, someone knocked on her car door which left her quite surprised.


    That was Dr. Ellen.


    Actually, the woman didn''t knock, but smacked her fist against the windshield with anger clearly visible on her face, as if she had given a chance, Mila would be dead in her hands by now.


    "Open! Open this damn door! Open!" Ellen shouted angrily. She kept pounding her fists against the closed car window, while occasionally trying to open the locked car door.


    Meanwhile, Mila who was inside did nothing, she turned her attention from Aaric to the female Doctor.


    "OPEN THIS DOOR!" Ellen exclaimed angrily, confusing Mila as to why was Ellen so angry with her in the process.


    And when Mila didn''t do what she wanted her to, Ellen looked around her, searching for something she could use.


    That was when she saw a large rock not far from her and immediately, she took the stone.


    "Oh, shit!" Mila''s instinct told her that Ellen would use the rock to force open the car she was in. "Why is this woman going crazy like this?!" Mila cursed loudly as she moved to the seat next to her because Ellen intended to destroy the window glass on the door beside the steering wheel.


    At first, Mila wanted to get out of the car, but then she realized that Ellen had suddenly stopped screaming.


    The woman stood transfixed with unfocused but wide open eyes as the stone in her hand fell down with a thud before shattering into five pieces.


    "What happened?" Mila mumbled to herself when she witnessed this strangeness. She didn''t get down from the car and instead leaned toward the window beside the steering wheel to have a closer look at what had really happened to Ellen.


    The woman was still in the same position, but a few seconds later, she lifted her head and Mila could see that Ellen''s eyes had turned red for a while before returning to their original color.


    This took Mila by surprise and she missed Ellen''s next move. Because after that, the latter smashed the rear windshield with her elbow, then reached in her hand to unlock the door beside the steering wheel from the rear glass she broke.


    After the driver''s door opened, Ellen got in and started the car, ignoring the still stunned Mila.


    "Aaric?" Mila asked finally, as Ellen drove the car backward, to avoid the five vampires in front of them.


    "Yes, Mila Munchkin?" Ellen smiled at her before returning her focus to driving the car.

 Chapter 34 - POSSESSING ANOTHER CREATURE

    With his stomach ripped open and blood gushing from his open wound, Aaric felt his vision beginning to blur, especially when the five vampires didn''t stop coming at him until he couldn''t even stand properly.


    Just because he wasn''t dead and his heart was still beating didn''t mean Aaric didn''t feel any pain. Of course, the pain he had to feel was almost unbearable.


    And when one of the vampires grabbed his neck and was about to rip his heart out with his sharp claws, that was when Aaric saw Ellen.


    The woman was trying to open the car that Mila was in. She was now about to slam a rock against its window to force the door open.


    At first, Aaric didn''t understand why Ellen was doing this. Shouldn''t she have escaped along with other doctors or researchers because of the vampire attack? But, what was she still doing here? And how did she manage to find them?


    But, all those questions were answered when Aaric possessed Ellen''s body just a second before the vampire shattered his heart and killed Steve''s soulless body.


    All the memories that belonged to Ellen flowed into Aaric''s mind as he entered the woman''s body.


    Apparently, Ellen found their whereabouts after looking for them through the CCTV cameras that were installed throughout the building. She went to the monitor room while everyone was busy running for their lives.


    And her intention, of course, was to avenge the death of her lover, Dr. Drake. Until now Ellen still thought that Drake''s death was Mila''s fault, and since the attack the other day, Ellen held a personal grudge against the object of their research.


    However, Ellen''s intentions would never come true, because the second Aaric entered her soul, she was as good as dead.


    Meanwhile, it seemed that the five vampires, who were swarming around Steve''s body, still didn''t seem to realize that Aaric was no longer there.


    They only realized it when the car''s engine roared in the parking lot and the sound of annoying squealing tires reached their ears. Only then did they realize that Aaric had taken away their future queen. Again.


    "It never occurred to me that you could possess a woman''s body," Mila commented. The look in her eyes told him that she was amazed by what she was seeing right now.


    Aaric was in Ellen''s body, and it was beyond absurd. Bizarre even.


    "My abilities are not limited by age or gender," Aaric said lightly, but his eyes were focused on the road in front of them, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror to make sure no one was following them.


    "Can you possess animals too?" Mila asked curiously, even at a critical moment like this, Mila''s attitude didn''t show any indication that she was tensed at all. She looked relaxed, as if what had just happened had nothing to do with her.


    "Why would I want to possess an animal?" Aaric frowned.


    "Just curious." Mila shrugged nonchalantly. "If your abilities are not limited by age or gender, it is possible that you can possess other beings. Can you do that?" Mila''s face was full of curiosity and Aaric couldn''t help but answer her.


    "I don''t know," he replied as he turned left and onto the busy highway. Aaric cursed under his breath as their journey slowed down. "Never tried."


    "You should try it sometime," Mila said, this time she turned her attention away from Aaric and stared at the road in front of her as their car breezed through the busy afternoon streets. "Try on a rabbit."


    "I will not," Aaric loudly answered. "Why should I possess an animal? And, if I had to possess an animal, of course, I would possess something like a tiger, a lion or a wolf. Why were rabbits even a choice here?"


    "Because rabbits don''t have well developed vocal cords, so you don''t have to say anything," Mila said, she glanced at Aaric and saw the man pursing his lips, displeased with her answer. "Where are we going now?" she asked.


    Now that they were able to get out of the research center which was under the attack of the vampires and no one was following them, it was evident after two hours of driving and not a single car around was suspicious, now Mila was curious where they were going, because she felt the research center was the only worldly thing she had known since she came to her senses.


    "We are going to my friend''s place," Aaric answered in a doubtful tone. Every now and then he had to toss Ellen''s long, annoying hair. This was one of the things he disliked about possessing a woman with long hair.


    "You have friends?" Mila raised her eyebrows, amazed. "What kind of creatures are they? Vampires? Soul possessors? Or is there another being that I don''t know about in this world?"


    Mila felt as if she were a newborn and seeing the world for the first time. There was so much she had to learn and so much she didn''t understand.


    Not to mention the added problem of her identity as a potential queen of the vampires. And, that fact alone was already complicated enough.


    "No, not my friend, but Ellen''s friend."

 Chapter 35 - HUNGER

    "How did you know this place?" Mila asked, staring at a fairly large house they were now entering into.


    Right now, Aaric was driving past its sturdy but very aesthetic looking gates.


    "Here." Aaric pointed his head. "All the memories and information that this mind chanced upon were in my possession now."


    "Yes, I remember you saying that," Mila replied nonchalantly.


    Yes, actually Aaric had said this before, but seeing it firsthand and witnessing it with her own eyes, still amazed Mila.


    All the way to this place, Mila couldn''t take her eyes off the outside world. The number of vehicles passing by, the height of the buildings they passed, the color of the sky that changed when the sun went down and other small things.


    All of that seemed new to Mila who saw it for the first time after successfully running away from that damned research center.


    While she was enjoying it all, she was a little relieved that Aaric had kept his word by being the one to take her away and not leaving her to the vampires.


    If what Aaric said was true, then maybe now Mila would be on her way to the vampire kingdom instead of enjoying her journey to freedom.


    Wait, Mila couldn''t say that she was free so soonˇ­ well, at least Aaric wouldn''t really stop her from doing this and that, right?


    "So, who is this person?" Mila asked as Aaric turned off the car engine and was about to get out.


    "Ellen''s childhood friend, they are quite close, but she doesn''t know the exact details of Ellen''s work line." Aaric then opened the door beside him, walked around the car and opened the door for Mila. "Let''s go out, we will stay here for a few days."


    Mila then got out of the car, but then, she realized that her legs were so weak in the next second and almost fell because her vision became blurry all of a sudden.


    Maybe she got up too fast?


    "You are okay?" Aaric asked, who swiftly grabbed Mila''s arm and helped her to stand more steadily. "How do you feel?" he asked worriedly.


    "A little dizzy," Mila replied in a hoarse voice. She then shook her head to regain her bearings.


    "This is badˇ­ I forgot about thisˇ­" Aaric muttered in a slightly panicked tone.


    "Forgot what?" Mila raised her head and again she saw Aaric slipping deeper in his thoughts, as if he had forgotten something. Damn, was there a plan this guy has worked out? What else had he forgotten now? Mila thought desperately.


    "I forgot that you need to eatˇ­" Aaric replied.


    After hearing that, Mila rolled her eyes in disbelief. So the dizziness she felt earlier was because she was hungry? Okay, that makes sense. "Aren''t we at your friend''s house? There is no way she will not give us food, right?"


    She knew humans ate food to replenish the energy they spent, and she saw the researchers eat some after she woke up as well. She would be fine as long as she ate something edible.


    However, Aaric shook his head violently. "No Mila, you are a vampire, of course what you eat will be different from humans."


    "Oh." Mila was not aware of this.


    However, before Aaric could discuss this any further, someone had opened the door of the house and exclaimed happily, while running toward Aaric, or Ellen for that matter.


    "Ellen!" cried a woman who had long, curly, and bright hair. She ran to Ellen and immediately hugged her tightly. "You surprised me."


    "Sorry, I didn''t have time to tell you ahead of time," Aaric said uncomfortably from being hugged like that by this woman.


    "If you had told me ahead of time, I could have prepared your favorite dish tonight, but now you have to settle for whatever I cook later," The woman said, half sulking at Ellen and then letting go of her embrace.


    "No problem, I will eat anything," Aaric mumbled.


    "It has been almost a year since you have last visited me. And, you were very difficult to contact as well. So, what brings you here and remember that I am still alive now?" she asked enthusiastically. "And who is this?" this time, the woman''s attention was distracted when she saw Mila.


    Mila only wore hospital clothes and a jacket, plus her white hair was very eye-catching, so of course, no one would be able to ignore her presence there.


    "Oh, it is Mila," Aaric introduced them, ''she'' grabbed Mila''s wrist for her to stand closer to ''her''. "And this is Claire."


    "Hi, Mila," Claire greeted in a friendly manner. "Wow! I have never seen someone with hair in this color," she said in amazement at Mila''s appearance. "Are you albino?"


    Mila didn''t know how to respond to this, but her head felt dizzy from having to stand there for so long. There was a feeling that bothered her and made her restless.


    Was she hungry?


    Aaric''s words rang in her ears again and this made her feel uncomfortable, because this was the first time Mila had felt this way.


    It was understandable though, because in the research center, all of her body''s needs could be taken care of without her realizing it, but this time it was different.


    "Can we go inside for a chat?" Aaric asked, distracting Claire from Mila.

 Chapter 36 - BITE ME

    Claire was living with a middle-aged maid in a house this big. But as of the moment the maid was taking two days off, so it could be said that there were only three of them in the house.


    Claire seemed to be Ellen''s childhood friend who had known her well, were it not for Ellen''s memories, then Aaric would have had a hard time keeping up with Claire''s conversations.


    Not only that, Claire''s kindness and how the two of them had been so close all this time, made Aaric feel a little uncomfortable because after he left this body, Claire would lose Ellen forever.


    Well, even now it could be said that Ellen had died after Aaric possessed her body.


    This was one of the things Aaric hated whenever he had to get a new body, because that person would no longer exist.


    "So you helped her escape?" Claire looked at Ellen with disbelief in her eyes. "I didn''t think, at this time and age, there are still parents who force marriage on their children..." Claire muttered, then she looked at Mila sympathetically.


    On the other hand, Mila could only remain silent, letting Aaric contort a story for her. However, the longer Aaric talked, the more Mila disagreed with this man''s imagination, which she thought was absurd.


    What did he mean by running away before the wedding? Was he trying to tell the truth? At least Aaric could make up a better story than that, right?


    "Yeah, I didn''t expect her family to treat her like that either," Aaric said sympathetically. He then cast a pitying glance at Mila to confirm his acting in front of Claire.


    Receiving a stare like that, made Mila feel a sudden urge to bare out her claws and fangs, then hurt this man to erase that annoying facial expression off his face.


    "So, what is your plan?" Claire turned her attention back to Mila while placing a plate of food in front of her.


    "For the starters, Mila and I will trouble you by staying here for a few days until I find a proper place to live for her, you are fine with that, right? I think this house has a lot of empty rooms," Aaric answered Claire''s question even though it was aimed at Mila.


    "You don''t have to worry about that," Claire said, waving her hand. "You can choose whichever room you want."


    On the other hand, Mila stared at a piece of smoked chicken that was covered in butter sauce, still emitting some faint vapor along with an appetizing smell.


    Of course seeing this delicious food, Aaric immediately ate it without shame, he was very hungry after the long journey and his attempt to escape from the research center and also the fight with the vampires.


    However, Mila did not feel the same way. She stared at the delicious food in front of her with a pair of furrowed brows and a look of disgust.


    To distract Claire from Mila''s expression, Aaric then said, "Could you give us a change of clothes? We didn''t bring anything with us when we came here," he said.


    "You don''t have to worry about clothes, you can wear mine," Claire offered, then devoured her food.


    And the dinner went on without anything significant happening, at least for Aaric and Claire, but the same thing couldn''t be said for Mila.


    Although Aaric didn''t say it directly, but from the way the man looked at her, it was clear what he wanted to say.


    Aaric hinted at Mila to eat the chicken, because otherwise Claire would suspect Mila and that was the last thing they wanted.


    But, the problem was; the chicken tasted like sand on Mila''s tongue. She couldn''t enjoy it at all and wanted to spit it out after the first bite itself.


    However, Aaric gripped her hand tightly, as a warning not to do so.


    The dinner was the worst moment Mila had ever experienced and now she was throwing up all the chicken she had eaten in the toilet bowl after their dinner was over. Now, she was in the room she was going to share with Aaric.


    "You are okay?" Aaric asked, he walked over to Mila, knelt beside her and pulled her hair to keep it from getting dirty. "Is that very bad?"


    Mila then pressed the flush button before she faced Aaric with a pair of fierce eyes. "I feel like I just ate sh*t," she hissed viciously.


    "Mila, you never eat sh*t," Aaric sighed when he heard Mila''s exaggerated analogy. "I don''t know how the food tastes to you, but is it really that bad?"


    "The food was terrible," Mila corrected Aaric.


    After finishing, Mila then washed her mouth and face. She felt very weak now. Maybe it was because she had just vomited or the fact that she was still hungryˇ­ or thirsty? Mila couldn''t decide which oneˇ­


    "What are you doing?" Mila frowned when she saw Aaric thrusting his arm in front of her.


    "Bite me, you need blood to replenish your energy," Aaric said.


    "You are crazy?" Mila pushed away Aaric''s hand and walked out of the bathroom with unsteady steps.

 Chapter 37 - SHE IS NOT CLAIRE

    Aaric understood what Mila was feeling right now, maybe now she felt weak and had no energy, but when her thirst took over her mind, then Mila would turn into a real monster.


    The same behavior she let out when she attacked Ellen a while ago and it was very dangerous.


    "I will not do that," Mila said in a hoarse voice, she slapped Aaric''s hand that was trying to hold hers.


    "You will not last long in your current condition," Aaric tried to explain. "This is the first time you are feeling this and I am not sure you can hold it in well."


    The experienced vampires may be able to survive weeks without blood, but for Mila who had always have her needs met, it would be a difficult thing for her to go through. She had never tried training her control over drinking blood.


    "I will be fine." Mila was still stubborn with her stance. "Bite and suck blood? That is disgusting," she grumbled, just imagining herself doing that made her flinch.


    Aaric rolled his eyes and threw his annoying hair behind his back. "Seriously Mila, I know that you are from a noble family, but don''t use that etiquette at a time like this."


    Mila frowned upon hearing Aaric''s words. "What does it mean?" She didn''t understand what Aaric meant by saying that.


    "Nobles don''t suck blood directly from humans, they get to it by having served it in a crystal glass and drinking it," Aaric explained, remembering how the vampire nobles drank blood so gracefully. Well, Mila also did that when she was with her people.


    "You know I don''t remember all that," Mila said sarcastically, then she took something from the top of the drawer and waved her hand at Aaric, motioning him to sit in the chair in front of her.


    "I know you don''t remember it all, but regardless, you need blood to survive." Aaric kept his opinion, he ignored Mila''s gesture and this made the girl unhappy.


    "Come and sit here," Mila said in an insisting voice.


    "What is wrong?" asked Aaric curiously, but he did as Mila ordered and sat in the chair Mila pointed out.


    After Aaric sat where she wanted him to, Mila then walked behind him and gathered Ellen''s hair in her hands and started twisting it to tie it up.


    Seeing Aaric so annoyed with Ellen''s long hair, made Mila feel annoyed as well, because he kept frowning.


    "Next time, take care of yourself," Mila said curtly after she finished tying Ellen''s hair and this made Aaric laugh.


    "Thanks for watching over me,"Aaric said, shaking his head happily. "This is much better."


    Mila couldn''t understand why Aaric didn''t think about this small solution, but then Mila remembered that there were many things that Aaric had neglected.


    "So, what are your plans after from here?" Mila changed the topic, because talking about blood and so on, made her feelings turn uncertain.


    However, before Aaric could answer that, Claire entered the room with two pairs of change of clothes for the two of them.


    "Here are the clothes for you the two of you," she said as she placed two sets of pajamas on the bed. "I am curious about the clothes you are wearing." Claire focused her attention on Mila and looked her up and down carefully.


    "What is wrong with my clothes?" Mila asked, her tone defensive and this made Aaric feel wary.


    "You are wearing the same clothes as a hospital patient," Claire said straightforwardly. "Perhaps, did you guys run away from a hospital?"


    In Ellen''s memory, Aaric understood Claire''s nature of being too candid about what she was thinking, but for now, it didn''t seem like a good thing to be overly curious about something.


    "Yes, you can say that," Mila replied nonchalantly. She then took out a set of pajamas and looked at Claire. "Can you go out? I want to change clothes."


    Aaric slapped his head mentally when he saw Mila''s attitude. It wasn''t normal for her to act like this. It was true that Mila almost always looked sinister at other people, but this time her attitude was really beyond reason.


    Mila and Claire had just met and the two of them weren''t even in any kind of conflict.


    "You don''t have to be so harsh with me," Claire was offended by the way Mila had answered her. She folded her arms in front of her chest and looked at Mila with defiant eyes. "I know that you have been going through bad things in your life, but that doesn''t mean you can treat other people as you please."


    "Okay, you two calm downˇ­ it''s just a misunderstandingˇ­" Aaric then stood up to separate the two women, but Mila pulled him away from Claire.


    "She is not Claire," Mila said quietly.


    "What do you mean she is not Claire?" Aaric looked at Mila confusedly, then at Claire in front of him and after a while he understood what Mila meant.

 Chapter 38 - BUT, I AM A WOMAN NOW

    As a soul possessor, Aaric didn''t have the same keen sense of smell as Mila''s or her super hearing, but right at that moment, Aaric could hear a rustling sound from outside the room, and the sound was very familiar to Aaric.


    They were under siege.


    "Claire, you called the special forces?" Aaric asked carefully, he looked at Claire in disbelief because Ellen''s own friend had done this to Ellen. But, how could Claire know that Mila was a non-human being?


    The special forces were people trained in the military who were tasked with dealing with non-human beings, such as vampires and they were formed just months after the shield that separated the two worlds mysteriously disappeared.


    "Ellen, come here," Claire commanded, because Mila was hiding Ellen behind her body. She stretched out her hand to her best friend, but her eyes were on Mila warily. "You didn''t know she was a vampire, did you?"


    Oh, of course Aaric knew, but he couldn''t possibly admit it. Apparently, Claire thought that Ellen had been tricked by Mila.


    "How do you know she is a vampire?" asked Aaric, he kept glancing at the window behind him. Luckily, apart from the window, there was no other way to get into this room, but it would have been a different story if the people from the special forces had broken the fairly large window.


    Damn it! Aaric cursed under his breath.


    "I just know," Claire answered firmly.


    "How did you know?" Aaric asked, slightly curious how a layman like Claire could tell the difference. Was it from the clothes that Mila was wearing? Because she brought it up the last time, didn''t she?


    For a while Claire didn''t answer the question, she seemed hesitant, but she also realized that she didn''t have much time to hesitate.


    "I shouldn''t have told you this." Claire looked worried about her decision. However, the commotion outside started to become loud and if Claire couldn''t convince Ellen to stay away from Mila, then it was very likely that her best friend would be hurt.


    "Tell me what happened?" Aaric urged Claire, he really hated this situation where someone seemed to be keeping a secret and was hesitating. "How can you tell that Mila is a non-human being?"


    Claire took a deep breath and her gaze was drawn toward the large window behind Aaric and Mila. She knew it was only a matter of time before the special forces members managed to get into the house and arrest Mila.


    "I am a member of that special forces," Claire admitted. "I am trained to distinguish between non-human beings, especially vampires."


    "Shit," Aaric hissed so quietly that only Mila could hear him. "I didn''t know about this."


    Mila snorted in disgust when she heard this. "You keep ruining your own plans with your recklessness."


    "How would I know that she was a member of special forces?" Aaric protested in a low voice. "All of that is not in Ellen''s memory. Ellen didn''t know about it either."


    So to say the least, these two friends have kept a big secret from each other about what they actually did.


    "Ellen come here, don''t be afraid," Claire walked over, but Mila stepped back, pushing Ellen with her.


    "Afraid? I am more afraid of her," Aaric whispered again into Mila''s ear, which she completely ignored, because right now, her focus was on Claire.


    No. Not only that. That was not the only secret that Claire had, because Mila could feel that there was something different about this woman.


    Things were different from when she first met Claire. The person in front of her was not the same anymore.


    But, what kind of creature was she? Mila was completely at a loss to describe this and it was also difficult to explain it to Aaric in their current situation.


    "Ellen, come here, get away from her," Claire said, this time, in a more firmer voice. She moved forward to approach them, but Mila stepped back again.


    "If you keep retreating, we will be finished if that special forces member breaks the glass and enters this room," Aaric warned Mila, as they continued to approach the window.


    Now they could even see a flash of light from behind the window.


    "Then why don''t you just step forward? I am acting like a shield that protects you from this woman," Mila grumbled, displeased.


    And just at that moment, Claire jumped to the side and grabbed something from under the bed, which she then pointed at Mila with a determined expression on her face.


    "Come here, Ellen," Claire said again.


    "Go to her, how long are you going to hide behind me?" Mila protested. Luckily, their conversation couldn''t be heard clearly by Claire.


    "She has a gun, what is wrong with taking cover behind you anyway?" Aaric replied. "You are stronger than me right now."


    "Behave like a man!" Mila hissed in a muffled voice.


    "But, I am a woman now." Aaric did not accept Mila''s statement.

 Chapter 39 - MILA PULLED THE TRIGGER

    Mila rolled her eyes when she heard Aaric''s answer which she thought was ridiculous.


    A woman?! Mila really wanted to brutally beat this man.


    Even though what Aaric said wasn''t wrong, since he was currently possessing a woman''s body, he still couldn''t say that with an innocent face, could he?


    "Go over there and get the gun she is holding, or do something before Ellen''s friend goes crazy and kills us both," Mila ordered Aaric, she grabbed the man''s wrist and pushed him forward.


    Even though Mila was suspicious of exactly what kind of a creature Claire was, because she felt that this woman in front of her was a different person, but now there was an even more urgent matter that had to be resolved first.


    Staggering, Aaric ended up moving toward Claire and stood beside her.


    Meanwhile, Claire was still in her original position, pointing a gun at Mila with a determined face. She only glanced at Aaric to make sure that her best friend was safe now.


    "You must be an escaped research object," Claire said, appraising Mila''s disheveled appearance. "They will take you back to the lab you came from."


    Mila snorted in disgust when she heard that. She folded her arms in front of her chest and still maintained her arrogant attitude. Even with a gun pointed at her head, she didn''t flinch a bit.


    "I am starting to regret my decision to leave with you now, I should have gone with the vampires," she said to Aaric, ignoring the questioning look Claire gave her.


    "Oh, come on, you change your mind so quickly," Aaric grumbled. "Just a moment ago you said you were happy to come with me."


    The frown on Claire''s forehead deepened as she listened to their conversation. What does they mean?


    "Well, not now. Now I have the potential to be injured and returned to that damned place again," Mila cursed. "And now there is a stupid creature that threatens my safety."


    "What does she mean?" Claire looked confused, but when she was about to glance at her best friend, Aaric had taken a swift action.


    With a very shrewd move, Aaric easily disarmed the weapon Claire was holding and snatched it from her. The moment Claire recovered, she saw her best friend pointing the same gun at her.


    "What the hell is this Ellen?" Claire tried to reclaim the gun, but Aaric pushed her away. "You are with her?"


    Claire looked at Ellen in disbelief, then her focus shifted to Mila, who moved closer to Aaric and stood beside him.


    "Don''t look at me like that, if you have any questions, ask her." Mila nodded toward Aaric, then she walked toward the door. "We have to get out of here."


    "Where do you keep your car keys?" Aaric asked Claire before he followed Mila out of the room.


    "You are really siding with that non-human being? Have you gone mad?" Claire questioned Ellen''s sanity. Every now and then she glanced at the window and realized that the house was completely surrounded. "You will not be able to escape from here," Claire hissed.


    "That one problem, you don''t have to worry about it, just tell me where you keep your car keys?" In Ellen''s memory, Aaric knew that Claire would always park her car in the basement. They needed it because he couldn''t possibly reach the car they had used earlier, as it was in the front courtyard that was now under siege.


    "Ellen, you are not really going to do this, are you?" Claire was still staring at Aaric in disbelief.


    Meanwhile, Mila, who was still standing in front of the door and preparing to leave the room, looked impatient to hear the two of them chat, but her eyes still narrowed suspiciously at Claire.


    What did Mila feel different about Claire?


    Mila re-analyzed and tried to remember what she had missed.


    But, just at that moment, they heard a loud explosion sound from the direction of the front door. It seemed that the special forces chose to break down the main door and entered from there, because they didn''t know for sure where Aaric and Mila were right now.


    However, if Mila could say, this was very strange, because Claire should have known where their exact position was and this fact added to Mila''s suspicion about Claire, that she was a different being.


    But what?


    And there was only one way that crossed Mila''s mind to test it...


    "We have to go now!" Aaric exclaimed, who then ran toward Mila, still with the gun in his hand. He didn''t care about Claire''s car keys anymore, he was going to find a way to start the engine without that damn key.


    "Didn''t I tell you earlier?" Mila grumbled, but as soon as Aaric was in front of her, she swatted away the man''s hand which was about to pull her out of the room. Instead, Mila snatched the gun from his other hand.


    It happened so fast and in the next second what Aaric heard was the sound of a gunshot from the gun in Mila''s hand. It was aimed at Claire.

 Chapter 40 - THE SHIFTER

    Mila remembered the first thing Aaric did to her when they met for the second time to prove that she was a vampire by slashing her wrist with a knife.


    However, since the current situation didn''t give Mila a chance to find a knife, what she did was to use the only weapon in the room, such as the gun in Aaric''s hand.


    If Claire didn''t die after Mila shot her, then her guess would be right. That this woman wasn''t the real Claire, but if she did dieˇ­ well, it was a shame thenˇ­


    Mila didn''t really care about Claire''s life. Whether she died or not, it didn''t matter to her, because right now all she needed was a proof.


    On the other hand, Aaric was dumbfounded when he heard a loud gunshot and realized that Mila had just shot Claire.


    "What are you doing?!" Aaric exclaimed frantically, the sound of the gunshots would giveaway their location to the special forces who were trying to find out where they were now.


    Mila didn''t even flinch when Aaric questioned her actions just now, but a cynical, triumphant smile curved on the corners of her lips, as she said in a low voice, "Just as I thought."


    Intrigued, Aaric turned to see what had happened and found Claire''s figure still standing unwaveringly even with a bullet through her head, not even a drop of blood had emerged from the hole in her head.


    "What the hell," Aaric hissed. But then he realized what kind of creature they were dealing with right now, because in the next instant, Claire''s figure was replaced with another. "The shifterˇ­" Aaric said.


    "So that is the name of their kind?" Mila asked curiously. She was intrigued to learn that there was such a creature. "Shifter?"


    "Yesˇ­they are not many of them, but they are very loyal to the nobles," Aaric informed Mila about this. "Damn. I didn''t think they managed to follow us all the way here."


    In front of them, stood the figure of a young man with a hollow forehead, but then something came out of the hole, which was none other than the bullet that Mila shot.


    "Crown princess Mila, forgive my impertinence for doing this to you," he said politely, bowing his head respectfully, like a noble with high morals.


    "Wow," Mila mumbled. "Now he is being really nice to me after I shot him."


    "Sorry, but this has to be done," said the man as he raised his head and looked at Mila. "You must return to the palace immediately, the king has been looking for you for decades."


    Mila raised her eyebrows when she heard this. She folded her arms across her chest, deep in thought. "Should I go with him?"


    "Mila! We have agreed on this," Aaric protested again as Mila began to consider her choice to return to the world of vampires.


    "I didn''t agree to anything with you," Mila corrected Aaric, as she remembered very well that she had not promised the soul possessor anything.


    "How are you going to bring her away after those special forces members broke into the house?!" this time Aaric called out to the shifter, while he seemed very calm in the face of the situation.


    Mila tilted her head, waiting for the man in front of her to answer.


    "You are not Ellen, are you?" the man analyzed Aaric. And at this point, he must have realized that even Ellen wasn''t really herself. "You are the soul possessor who has brought the crown princess away from our world."


    "You seem very famous," Mila said to Aaric, but no one could tell if she was praising the man or ridiculing him.


    "Yes, thanks to you, I am one of the most wanted people in our world," Aaric replied sarcastically.


    However, before the small debate could continue, the three of them turned their heads toward the door in unison when they heard the many footsteps approaching.


    "They are here," Aaric hissed.


    And when Aaric was about to turn to Mila again, he saw the shifter had changed back into Claire''s figure and took the gun from Mila''s hand deftly.


    "This is the only way to get out of here," said the shifter as he grabbed Mila and pointed the gun at her head. "Please cooperate so we can get out of here safely."


    Safely? Wasn''t he the one who created this commotion by summoning the special forces? How could he shamelessly give such a command? As if he was the savior of the situation.


    Meanwhile, Mila didn''t give any reaction, the only expression she showed was curiosity about how this would turn out.


    And when the special forces opened the door of the room, they found Claire had already secured the situation by arresting Mila.


    This creature was really cunning in carrying out his plans and it was a shame that the shifters were so loyal to the vampires.

 Chapter 41 - ARRESTED

    The moment the members of the special forces broke down the door of the room, what greeted their eyes was Mila, who had been caught by Claire with a gun pointed at her head while a woman was standing near them with a confused expression.


    But, of course they didn''t really care about Aaric because their focus now was solely on the vampire.


    The special forces have heard news about a lab being attacked by a group of vampires and received special orders to retrieve their escaped research object.


    "Good job, Lieutenant." A member of the special forces approached Claire, he seemed to be smiling with satisfaction as he removed the black mask that covered half of his face.


    "I will escort her myself," Claire said as the man who called her Lieutenant was about to take custody of Mila from her own hands. "Just get the car ready, I will take care of her."


    Meanwhile, two members of the special forces came up to Aaric and flanked him on either side to take him out of the room.


    "This way, please," one of them said, forcing Aaric to leave the place quite politely. "I know you are quite surprised, but things have been handled well."


    Handled well?! Aaric grumbled. There was nothing well about what was happening now!


    Aaric seemed reluctant to leave, but if he insisted on staying back then they would get suspicious and he wasn''t sure the shifter would be trustful enough to keep his true identity a secret, but what about Mila?


    "She is my friend." Aaric nodded toward Claire. "Can I stay with her? I feel assured with people I know." At last, Aaric tried using the only thing he could think of right now.


    "No, you can''t do that, there are things to be done here," replied the same man firmly. This time, he grabbed Aaric''s arm quite strongly, making him inevitably have to walk out of the room. "Come, over here."


    Aaric then glanced at Mila worriedly, but it didn''t seem like the girl felt the same way as him, as she looked calm under Claire''s watch, while the shifter was speaking seriously to the one who first approached them.


    After that, Aaric couldn''t see what they were doing anymore as he was forcibly taken out of the room and into a different room.


    "For a while, you can stay here," said the special forces member who brought him away. "Later there will be a doctor who will see if you are injured or not."


    "I am not injured," Aaric tried to explain himself. He didn''t want to be in this room while Mila was being watched by other beings.


    Damn! The girl didn''t even try to run away or stay with him. Does Mila really want to return to the vampire world? To a palace that was more like a prison?


    If only she had remembered everything, then this situation would have been much easier for both of them. Now she was under the protection of the shifter and it was only a matter of time until Mila was in the hands of the vampire king once again.


    This was not a good sign.


    Aaric paced back and forth inside the room, trying to hear what was going on outside, but there was nothing he could hear except the footsteps of the members of the special force, who were walking hastily in the corridor.


    Aaric grew more restless as the sound of the footsteps grew farther and farther away, indicating that they were already preparing to leave.


    And when Aaric decided to leave the room, someone entered the room he was locked in. It was a middle-aged man who was wearing the same black uniform as the special forces, but he was carrying a small bag which contained his medical equipment.


    "Sit down," he commanded as he walked into the room, nodding toward the only sofa there. "I will check your wounds."


    "I am not hurt at all," Aaric tried to protest, but the middle-aged man grabbed his arm and pulled him to sit on the sofa he pointed out.


    "Let me examine you so I can be sure that you are really not hurt, because otherwise you will get infected and I assure you that you don''t want to know what will happen to you later," the doctor said in a very firm tone.


    Meanwhile, Aaric obeyed the man''s words, but when the doctor was about to touch him, he grabbed his arm first and glared at him.


    "What are youˇ­" However, the doctor didn''t have time to finish his sentence when he felt that something was strange with his body.


    At first he didn''t understand, but when the darkness drowned his consciousness, it was too late for him to ask for help because after that, he couldn''t do anything anymore or even think clearly.


    And in the next second, Ellen closed her eyes and stopped breathing. Her body fell onto the back of the sofa and she would never move again.

 Chapter 42 - HARD CHOICE

    Aaric had a little trouble when he had to enter the doctor''s body. This was because his energy was completely drained when he had to enter Ellen''s, as this woman was so strong and in an unstable emotional state.


    Thus, when Aaric finally managed to get hold of the doctor''s body, for a moment, his vision turnedblurry and he fell on the floor with a gasp.


    Luckily, no one else was there except for him and Ellen''s soulless body.


    Ellen didn''t die afterAaric let her go, because she was still alive when Aaric possessed her, but her condition now wasn''t much different from that of a dead person. There would be no hope for her to be able to return to her normal state as before.


    Meanwhile, Aaric gathered his strength to stand up and carry the doctor''s medical bag, exiting the room in the figure of the doctor.


    This man was too old. Aaric grumbled in his heart, because he couldn''t move freely and felt his pace was hopelessly slow. However, what else could he do? This man was the only one who came to him at that time and was the only way for Aaric to escape the room.


    "How is her condition?" a member of the special unit that the doctor remembered as Dean, asked him. He was the same man, who had left Aaric in the room.


    "She is fine, in a bit of a shock, but I gave her a sedative and now she is resting,"Aaric answered very smoothly. "There are no injuries on her body, Lieutenant Claire must have secured the creature before it went berserk."


    "Hm," Dean mumbled, then walked toward the room.


    "Where are you going?"Aaric asked, stopping Dean in his tracks.


    "I am going to ask the woman how she got entangledherself with the creature," Dean replied.


    If only Ellen wasn''t a close friend of Claire, who was their Lieutenant, it was certain that Ellen would not have been treated as ''gently'' as before. She wouldhave been dragged out of the house directly and interrogated at their headquarters.


    Because after all, Mila was an important object of their research and if she came with Ellen then the special forces would be very interested in hearing her story.


    "No need, she must be asleep right now,"Aaricsaid hastily, he couldn''t find any right wordsto stop this man. "I told you before, didn''t I? She was in shock, so I had to give her a sedative."


    Dean frowned in confusion. "But she seemed fine when I left her in the room."


    He remembered that Ellen didn''t seem panicked or frightened. She only asked to be with Lieutenant Claire, which he refused, so there was no reason for the doctor to put her to sleep.


    "I am the doctor, I know more about the woman''s condition."Aaric raised his voice. "Or do you want to switch roles with me?"


    Seeing the doctor''s seriousness, Dean was speechless, but still he had rules to follow.


    "I will check on her for a bit," Dean said, then stepped into the room.


    The doctor didn''t follow Dean into the room, for he knew what the young man wouldfind in there; Ellen who was unconscious and it was impossible for anyone to wake her up again.


    Therefore, Aaric asked one of the members of the special unit nearby to find out where Mila was now.


    "Where is the female vampire?" the Doctor asked.


    "The vampire was taken by Lieutenant Claire, now they are heading to the car to take her back to the laboratory where she escaped from," he replied.


    "Is the raid over? Is it safe to bring the research object back to the research center?" Shouldn''t they take her somewhere else? How did the attack end so quickly?


    "Yes, the raid is over, the vampires suddenly left the research center and stopped the attack." The two of them walked to the front of the house, where there were several cars parked neatly in a row, but Aaric didn''t see Mila or Claire anywhere.


    "The vampires have retreated?"As it turned out, after knowing that Mila was no longer in the research facility, it seemed that they decided to leave as well.


    "Yes," he answered simply.


    Just then, a car passed by the two of them and inside, Aaric could clearly see Mila, sitting in the back seat beside Claire.


    At this point, it was impossible for Aaric to stop the car or take Mila back and he was in a verydifficult position now. However, there was still one way Aaric could think of, even though he wasn''t sure he could do this without consequences, but what other choice did he have? His choices were very limited.


    And without thinking, Aaric immediately possessed one of the special unit members who was sitting beside the driver''s seat, causing panic back in the yard as the doctor suddenly fell to the ground and didn''t move again.

 Chapter 43 - THIS IS REALLY BAD

    Mila allowed herself to be led away by the shifter who was posing as Claire again. For one reason she wasn''t sure, she felt familiar with this creature.


    Have they met before? But what was certain was that they did not meet when Mila was still at the research center. They must have met before then. In the vampire palace? Maybe, because Mila was originally from there, right?


    "Have we met before?" Mila asked, looking at the figure beside her. "I feel familiar to you."


    The shifter turned to Mila and smiled calmly. "You mean this figure?" He waved his hand to himself. "I do not think so."


    "No, but you," Mila confirmed.


    Claire smiled again. "Yes, we have met before. I will tell you everything once you are in a safe place. After we return to our world."


    On the other hand, the special forces member who was listening to the conversation, frowned. He glanced back at Claire, confirming that the one with him was his Lieutenant, and it was Claire''s figure that he saw.


    But, why were they talking like that? He was a little clueless, but then he ignored it, thinking that the Lieutenant was just responding to the madness of their target.


    After that, he refocused on the road in front of him, while his partner sat quietly with his eyes closed.


    "Hey, what is wrong?" he asked, nudging his partner''s arm. "Don''t sleep while on duty."


    The man he was rebuking just groaned softly before he opened his eyes. If the driver had thrown him a glance, he could have seen his red eyes, but unfortunately his friend missed the odd thing.


    "I am all right," he answered slowly. "Just lack of sleep." Then he corrected his sitting position so as not to be reprimanded again.


    Aaric who was inside the man''s body felt extremely exhausted. It had been a long time since he had to move from one body to another in the span of a single day. Not to mention their journey from the research center after escaping, to Claire''s place.


    Now Aaric regretted his decision to visit Ellen''s best friend. Who would have thought that she was a Lieutenant from the special forces? Damn.


    Through the rearview mirror, Aaric glanced at Mila who looked bored. The woman was just staring at the busy highway while propping her chin on one hand, looking uninterested in what might happen in the future.


    This woman didn''t really care where she would be taken...


    Aaric then glanced at the shifter''s figure beside Mila, who seemed to be very occupied with her, because he couldn''t take his eyes off the figure of the future vampire queen. Eyes full of adoration.


    The night was getting darker and the streets were no longer as crowded as before. And as an escort, there were about four more cars speeding around them, to ensure their safety.


    And for extra security, Mila''s hands were handcuffed with special handcuffs that she couldn''t possibly break. But, that was not a problem, because it was done only for the sake of tricking the special forces, when the time was right the shifter would certainly open it.


    "You are Dom," Mila said suddenly, then turned her attention from the streetlights and buildings to the shifter beside her, her gaze sharp and demanding.


    The words came out of nowhere, but sounded sure.


    "Your name is Dom, right?" Mila asked for reassurance.


    For a moment, Claire''s figure looked taken aback, but then a gentle smile spread across her lips. "It is an honor for me that you have remembered my name," he said politely. "Have you got all your memories back?"


    "No, I only remember some fleeting memories of me calling your name." Mila frowned. "Say more about yourself."


    Mila did lose her memory, but that didn''t mean her character had took a complete turn. She still had the aura and arrogance of a noble. Every word from her sounded like an order.


    "Back then, I was one of your bodyguards," Dom explained curtly. "But, for the full story, like I said earlier, you have to wait some more because I can''t say it here."


    Hearing that answer, Mila''s attitude turned cold again, showing her indifference.


    "It is time, hold on," Dom said in a low voice, he then quickly opened Mila''s handcuffs and hugged her tightly when suddenly the car shook and lost control.


    The screams and screeching of cars could be heard as the car hit the barrier on its left and slid into the lake beneath.


    Oh, shit! Did he have to possess another body again?! Aaric cursed in his heart.


    At this rate, there was little chance that he would survive. This human body would not last long such a severe accident.


    However, to possess another body, Aaric had already exhausted himself. This was terrible. Especially when the car was hurling very fast into the lake and then began to sink.


    Oh, not againˇ­

 Chapter 44 - INTERESTING

    When she was talking to the shifter, she felt a memory being pushed from the back of her head, showing a scene that Mila had never remembered doing, but oddly felt familiar to her.


    In the shadow, Mila was wearing a beautiful dress and she was in a magnificent old building.


    Mila looked around her until her eyes stopped on the figure of a man standing not far from her. The man turned his head when his name was called by Mila and the name was ''Dom''.


    It was from these pieces of memory that Mila was able to find out the name of the shifter and got an even more convincing evidence when he confirmed it.


    It meant that Mila had experienced these pieces of memories and indeed she was from a different world from the human world.


    It was just, too bad, apart from those fragments of memories, there was nothing else that Mila could remember, even if she tried.


    And when Mila was lost in her own thoughts, Dom suddenly opened her handcuffs and protected her body while Mila felt the car she was in, roll and hit the barrier.


    Everything happened so fast, that Mila didn''t realize what was really going on. The screams and screeching of car tires scraping the asphalt, as well as the deafening sounds of a car being crashed into something were all Mila could process until she heard a loud thud before water started to enter the car.


    Luckily, thanks to Dom, who was protecting her, Mila didn''t get seriously injured and also because her body was made differently from that of a human, it was not that easy to injure her.


    Still, Mila doubted that she could breathe underwater, and as the car continued to sink into the lake and the water began to fill in the car, Dom kicked hard at the car door beside him.


    This time Dom was no longer in Claire''s form, he was back to his true form; a young man with shoulder-length golden hair that was tied below the nape of his neck.


    If the situation wasn''t this critical, maybe Mila would be amazed to see how Dom could transform so easily, just like breathing, but unfortunately their situation didn''t allow Mila to admire that skill of his.


    Deftly, Dom pulled Mila to his arms and they easily got out of the sinking car.


    Maybe Mila had been able to swim before and her body remembered that, because instinctively, Mila started to move swiftly, kicking her legs in the water and bringing herself to the surface with Dom swimming not far from her.


    She resurfaced first and got busy with observing her surroundings, and Dom appeared not long after. While in the distance, Mila could see many cars stopping at the parapet that the car she was in hit at, while the members of the special forces rushed to the shore of the lake and began to give commands, which Mila couldn''t hear clearly.


    "I am glad you still remember how to swim," Dom said, then nodded in the opposite direction from the lake shore. "We will swim there."


    Mila then followed Dom while occasionally looking back. For some reason, she thought that maybe Aaric possessed one of the members of the special forces.


    Thinking about Aaric made Mila feel curious about her relationship with him again, but not so much that she wanted to be with him.


    For now, Mila would only follow what was in front of her eyes, while figuring things out.


    It took Mila and Dom a few minutes to get to the shore and when they were finally out of the water, Dom took a bag from the bushes and handed Mila a dress.


    "You can wear this," he said.


    Mila then took the clothes which consisted of a brown shirt, black trousers, a black hat and a jacket of the same color.


    "Have you prepared all this? Are you a fortune teller?" Mila raised her eyebrows. Apart from being a shifter, was Dom also a fortune teller? How could he have known in advance and prepared everything.


    Dom laughed when he heard that. "Of course not, but the king is meticulous in executing a plan and considering all possibilities," he explained. "When we couldn''t find you after attacking the research center, the king immediately came up with a new plan."


    "You know where I am going?" Mila then turned her body and began to strip the clothes she was wearing. While Dom, who saw her actions, immediately turned his body away so that he would  not see Mila''s body and began to change his own clothes.


    "We have a skilled hunter, so when we found out that the same soul possessor, who had taken you decades ago, was at the research center, we started tracking him down," he explained.


    Soul possessor, shifter, vampireˇ­


    Mila hoped that she would get her memory back quickly to find out if there were any other creatures around.


    "So all this was the king''s plan?" hmmˇ­ interesting.

 Chapter 45 - SHE NEEDS BLOOD

    If indeed all of this was the king''s plan, then Mila should give him a huge thumbs up, for having come up with a plan to such detail.


    And after what happened, it felt like Mila became curious about the man whom they were referring to as the vampire king. Perhaps, meeting him wouldn''t be such a bad ideaˇ­


    "Then where are we going now?" Mila asked after she finished putting on her clothes and turned around, while Dom was taking something else out of his bag, a pair of shoes.


    "Wear these, we still have a long way to go," he said, kneeling in front of Mila, and was about to put on the shoes for her as well.


    However, Mila bent over and put on her own shoes. A pair of black running shoes. Why did they choose gloomy colors like these?


    "I thought the king would pick me up," said Mila. "Since he wanted me so much, I thought he would come see me himself."


    Dom laughed softly. "It was very difficult for the king to get out of the palace, due to the assassination threats from the humans that never stopped aiming to take his life, but when we attacked the research center, the king ignored all that and stayed quite close to the battle area."


    Mila raised her eyebrows. "Who dares to forbid the king from leaving on his own accord?" Because Mila thought a king''s word was the supreme law, so who would dare to do that to him?


    "The elders," Dom answered as he stood up and surveyed their surroundings. "They are worried that there will be an attack when the king is not in the palace because the position as a leader can''t be vacant and besides, we are also worried if the king is far enough from the palace because we can''t protect him to the fullest."


    This made Mila think that what Aaric said, about her not being able to see the outside world when she became their queen, could be true. If the king himself had to face so many difficulties and pass some elders before leaving his throne then she, as the queen, would face the same problems.


    Mila''s frown deepened as the thought crossed her mind.


    "We have to get out of here before the special forces notice us," Dom said, holding out his hand to help Mila walk through the swamp.


    However, Mila refused his helping hand and walked ahead of Dom. "Which way are we going?" she asked.


    "We are going into town and there will be someone to pick us up," Dom replied, pointing to his left, where the city lights were shining brightly in the darkness of the night. "After that, you can meet the king."


    ================


    Mila and Dom walked quite a distance from the place where the accident occurred and half way to the pick-up point, a man popped in front of her.


    The man was quite short, only up to Mila''s shoulders and had a pointed nose and small eyes.


    His sudden appearance from the bushes startled Mila and made her stand on guard.


    "Don''t be afraid, he is Kyril, he is one of us," Dom said reassuringly.


    Meanwhile, the short man named Kyril stepped forward and bowed respectfully, crossing his right arm in front of his chest, with his hand closed into a fist. "I am Kyril, princess Mila," he introduced himself and stood up straight while looking at Mila curiously. "This is my first time seeing the future queen up close."


    Mila didn''t respond to the statement, as she was considering the current situation and in case another memory came back to her just like when she talked to Dom, but it didn''t. Maybe because they had never met before.


    "He was the one who blew up the car, making it lose control which then got it crashed into the rail," Dom explained.


    "What is he?" The word ''who'' did not seem to be appropriate, to be used in this sentence.


    "His ability is telekinesis, where he can move objects without touching them." Dom held out his hand, making a waving motion so Mila could walk first. They could discuss this as they walked because time was essential now.


    "Wow," Mila mumbled quietly, again amazed at the abilities of these creatures. "Awesome."


    "Thank you princess Mila," Kyril replied as he walked briskly beside her to keep up with their pace. "It is an honor for me to be able to join this rescue mission."


    Mila didn''t know how to respond to that statement, so she chose to remain silent.


    The night was very cold with the wind blowing, but strangely Mila didn''t feel that cold, or maybe it was because of the jacket she was wearing now, but when everything became quiet, Mila again remembered the thirst that tormented her and this time, the discomfort hit her twice as strong.


    From time to time Mila cleared her throat to get rid of the feeling, but to no avail.


    "Are you okay?" asked Dom.


    "No, I feel bad," Mila replied.


    "What is wrong?" Kyril walked in front of Mila and saw the pained expression on her contorted face. "Oh, noˇ­ she needs blood."

 Chapter 46 - THIRST FOR BLOOD

    Now that Mila had recalled the unbearable thirst again, she began to understand why Aaric had asked her to bite him to reduce her thirst. Because after all Mila needed blood to survive.


    Especially since she was used to drugs at the research center that didn''t require her to suck blood from humans. Somehow they managed to quench her thirst with those drugs alone, until she didn''t realize it at all.


    It was just that now the situation was different. Mila had to find a way to meet her physical needs and that was none other than drinking human blood. Mila had to bite them in the old fashioned way their kind was accustomed to doing.


    Even though it could be said to be a humiliation for a noble vampire like herself. But, what other ways did they have?


    Or, maybe there really was another way, that they were not aware of...


    "What should we do?" Kyril asked, glancing worriedly at Mila.


    Now Mila was on Dom''s back, with her head leaning on the shifter''s back while groaning in pain, clutching her neck which felt like it was on fire.


    "We have to get some blood for her," Dom answered the obvious question. The closer they got to the city, the more restless they became.


    Finding humans wasn''t that hard, but right now they had to act under the radar and not draw meaningless attention to themselves.


    However, it was very hard to do if they have to draw someone''s blood.


    Mila''s grunts grew louder as her thirst intensified, like a hot iron rod was being plunged into her throat.


    Especially as they got closer to the city center, where she could smell the blood from beneath the skin of the humans, as if she could feel the blood flowing in their veins and this was not a good thing.


    "Can''t princess Mila survive all the way to the pick-up point?" Kyril asked back in a doubtful voice. He glanced occasionally at Mila, who had now completely buried her face in Dom''s shoulder, her face was hidden by her white hair. "They will bring the blood that is needed."


    Dom glanced at Mila, assessing her condition. "I am not sure..." he had never seen a vampire this thirsty before and Mila''s growls just got more and more terrifying.


    After five minutes of walking, they finally reached the center of the city, out of a small alley beside a bustling bar.


    "Oh, this isn''t a good idea," Kyril looked around them which was filled with humans, then glanced at Mila, whose body was starting to convulse.


    "Where is the pick-up point?" Dom asked quickly. His eyes scanned his surroundings in a hurry.


    On the other hand, every passerby would turn his head once or twice, seeing something unusual.


    Dom carrying Mila on his back was already a strange thing, as if the man was kidnapping her, as well as the figure of Mila with her long white hair, especially when the girl''s growls got louder.


    "The pick-up point is two blocks from here," Kyril said, almost apologetically. The pick up point was not chosen to be here because this place was very crowded, so they went for a place that tended to be quieter.


    "Can''t they come and get us here?" Dom grumbled. He then started walking briskly, through the passersby, with Kyril running behind him.


    "I couldn''t reach them, I accidentally blew up the communication device when I blew up the car," Kyril answered breathlessly.


    They kept running through the crowds and whenever Mila came into contact with a human, a deep, terrifying growl could be heard reverberating from her throat, accompanied by her body convulsing.


    At this point, it seemed that Mila still had the consciousness not to act based on her wild instincts, but this state of course wouldn''t last long.


    And it didn''t take long for it to be  proven.


    After they had walked a few dozen meters and past a block, Mila stopped groaning and growling and this made Dom and Kyril frown.


    "Princess Mila?" Dom called anxiously. He stopped running.


    Meanwhile, Kyril tried to shake Mila''s body while pushing her hair aside to see if she was okay.


    But, at the same time, Mila let out a loud roar, like a sharp shriek that hurt the ears, before she finally sank her fangs in Dom''s neck and sent the man to the ground.


    Mila fell to the ground too, but she didn''t let Dom go. Her grip was so strong on the shifter''s neck that he was suffocating, not to mention she was sucking his blood. His vision quickly turned blurry and his ears started ringing.


    If things were allowed to continue like this, he could die. Meanwhile Kyril was so panicked that he forgot what he had to do.


    Kyril''s body froze watching what was happening in front of his eyes and the passersbys started screaming in terror at how ferocious Mila was in quenching her thirst.

 Chapter 47 - THE KING

    Dom''s heart pumped rapidly and his body began to feel cold, while his vision began to blur. This was really bad!


    In such a precarious situation, Dom had to get Mila off of him immediately before the princess sucked his body dry and finished him off in the process.


    Weakly, Dom tried to pull Mila''s body away from him, keeping himself out of her reach, but Mila was too strong and her instincts told her not to let go of her prey.


    Meanwhile, passersbys immediately got out of the way, screaming in terror and started picking up their cell phones to either record the incident or call the special forces, informing them that non-human beings were out in the open.


    And if the special forces arrived there before they could sort things out, no one could guarantee that Mila would survive the situation, because it was certain that they would arrest Mila by using any way possible, maybe even kill her if Mila refused, which was very likely to happen.


    With great efforts, Dom tried to pull Mila''s head away from his neck and this cut some of the flesh around that area. A strange, paralyzing pain brought Dom back to his senses.


    On the other hand, Kyril was starting to get over his shock and stepped forward in a hurry, helping Dom to pull Mila away from him.


    Their efforts paid off and Mila was pushed  off, releasing Dom in the process, and at the same time Dom threw Mila''s body away with the remaining strength he could  still muster up.


    That action certainly didn''t mean anything to the female vampire, as she landed smoothly a few meters away from the two of them and started looking for her next prey wildly.


    Mila snarled and groaned as her eyes darted wildly around her, making those close to her move away, running in terror.


    "What should we do?" Kyril''s voice sounded very low and quivering, as did his body when he supported Dom''s frail body up.


    Fresh blood flowed from the wound on Dom''s open neck, making a puddle under his feet as he tried to stand up but couldn''t.


    "Callˇ­ themˇ­" Dom breathlessly said, his words stuttering. Luckily Kyril understood what the shifter meant.


    "How to call them? They are a block away from hereˇ­" Kyril watched in horror as Mila grabbed a woman and started sucking her blood brutally. Was the blood she drew from Dom not enough to bring her to her senses a little? And the answer was no.


    Because after the woman stopped moving, Mila started looking for other targets. Her wild eyes looked around her hungrily.


    "Blowˇ­ thatˇ­ up.." Dom stammered, then raised his hand with difficulty toward a power pole not far from them. "Blow thatˇ­ to attract attention."


    Right.


    The people who would pick them up would notice something was wrong if they heard the explosion and would come over to check on them.


    Thus, without wasting another second, with trembling hands Kyril tried to do as Dom ordered. He detonated the power pole and caused the town''s electricity to go out and darkness enveloped them, making the people panic even more and the atmosphere was immediately filled with terror, as fear crawled over their beings like a dangerous snake.


    Only the light from the exploding power pole lit up the dark street, while people had taken cover in nearby shops, locking all doors until help arrived.


    On the other hand, Mila was still unaffected by the deafening explosion, because she had just gotten her hands on her third victim and was struggling with the poor man. Blood flooded the front of her body and her white hair was now dyed red.


    The only thing they could do now was to wait until the people who were going to pick them up realize this mess and came before the situation really got out of hand.


    Without any lighting, the place looked very tense coupled with the female vampire who had lost control of herself and was filled with thirst. The seconds seemed to go by so slowly.


    And when the people, who supposed to pick them up, arrived, in two black vans, which then stopped right in front of Kyril and Dom, a person got out of one of them. Someone they didn''t expect at all.


    "Your Majestyˇ­" Kyril and Dom said almost simultaneously while bowing their heads before the king.


    However, Liam''s attention was now not on them, but on the woman who should be his partner.


    Mila looked very messy and this would be a memorable first meeting for both of them after decades.


    With slow and firm steps, Liam approached Mila who looked still dissatisfied. Blood was dripping down her face and body and the scene was very chaotic.


    As if sensing that another creature was approaching her, Mila became alert. She turned away from the poor man who was no longer moving and bent over in an attacking stance, ready to pounce.

 Chapter 48 - THE RECOLLECTION OF MEMORIES

    This was the first time they saw each other after decades of not crossing paths and who would have thought that such a ''long-awaited'' meeting would take place like this.


    "It would be for the better if you retreat, your majesty," Andreas, the head of security and also a friend of Liam, whispered, as he placed himself before the king, blocking Liam''s line of sight effectively. "Please go back and let us take care of the problem here."


    Needless to say, this place would soon be besieged by special forces and if they were to find out that the vampire king was at the scene, then this place would turn into a battlefield, because in any case, the humans wouldn''t let go of such a rare opportunity.


    They had difficulty killing the current leader of the vampires because after the death of Liam''s father, the elders had forbidden their new king from leading any battle and locked him in the palace for his own safety.


    However, for now, Liam insisted on seeing Mila before picking her up himself.


    "Step back," Liam said as he pulled Andreas back and walked closer to Mila, who was beginning to lose her rationale while letting her wild instincts take control. "It will not be long."


    "Butˇ­" Andreas was about to protest, yet Liam had already issued another order.


    "I will kill anyone who touches her," Liam said in a low voice, but enough for the vampires near to hear him clearly.


    So, after hearing the warning, all the vampires surrounding Mila, took three steps back, away from the blood stained queen to be.


    On the other hand, Liam walked with determined steps to approach Mila, he knew what would happen next and he was ready to subdue her.


    And as it turned out, just as he had expected, Mila began to growl angrily when Liam continued to approach her regardless of the strong killing intent that was radiating off her body. It was a threat, and an ordinary vampire, who did that in front of the king, was sure to die tragically.


    But, that was not the case with Mila. She was no ordinary vampire and Liam wouldn''t kill the woman that was destined for him.


    Once again, Mila''s low, dangerous growling voice could be heard, her misty color eyes now turning red. Her claws and fangs were as sharp as a set of freshly sharpened knives, threatening the man who constantly ignored the warning.


    And when Liam was just a couple of pitiful feet away from her, too close to make her instinct to survive turn into an instinct to attack, Mila slashed her claws at him very quickly, at a speed that was hard for the ordinary human eye to follow.


    And now Mila was even further on her wild side than when she saw Ellen kiss Aaric, when the man was still in Dr. Drake''s body.


    However, Mila''s speed was still not comparable to Liam''s, because the king managed to grab her wrist firmly before they could even touch a single hair on his body while his other hand wrapped around Mila''s neck tightly, making the vampire feel uncomfortable and even angrier.


    Mila tried to make Liam loosen his grip around her neck with her left hand because her right hand was still held tightly by Liam, but no matter how hard she tried, Liam didn''t loosen his grip at all.


    He was so strong that even his skin felt like thick steel that was hard to penetrate, because no matter how hard Mila tried to claw at him, Liam didn''t respond to it.


    Whatever wounds she had managed to inflict on his hand would also heal in just a couple of seconds.


    But, because Liam strangled Mila and he lifted her body until the girl lost her footing, made things harder for her to fight now. The pressure around her neck became stronger gradually and numbed Mila''s whole body within a few seconds.


    This effect was almost the same as when Mila was given an anesthetic and was forced to fall into a deep slumber, because a moment later, Mila felt consciousness begin to leave her. Her claws and fangs started to draw back again.


    "Rest."


    That was the last thing Mila heard, as she closed her eyes and darkness enveloped her, but before that something else happened to Mila.


    As soon as her eyes were closed, from behind the darkness, all the memories and recollections that she had been trying to recall reappeared again and again, like a broken dam and now the memories flooded her mind.


    Mila remembered everything. She remembered the reason why she ended up with Aaric and also the reason why she ran away from the palace.


    And the main reason why she could end up being the replacement bride of her sister who had been killed in a war with humans.


    No. Her sister was not killed in the warˇ­


    This man, the king, Liam Dageus was the one who killed her sister. Mila watched it with her own eyes.


    When her sister''s lifeless body fell to the floor and the cold gaze of her sister who found Mila, who was snooping behind the door, making her the sole witness of the incident.


    No. Inside the room, it was not just the king, but also his bodyguard. Andreas.

 Chapter 49 - ARE YOU GOING TO KILL ME TOO?

    Liam unclasped Mila''s clenched hand, letting the still unconscious girl droop her head on his shoulder.


    Mila''s forehead wrinkled and her eyebrows furrowed, as if she was experiencing a terrifying nightmare.


    Earlier, Liam had been told by Arabella that it was possible that Mila had lost her memory after decades of experimentation on her by those bastard people.


    Arabella knew this because she had been observing Mila for quite a long time without Aaric knowing it. In fact, when she decided to appear before Aaric, it was her own impulsive decision that was not at all in line with Liam''s commands.


    And although their plan to pick Mila up almost failed because Aaric had taken her away, as long as Liam could get this girl again, he would use every possible  means to get her back to his side.


    So, by ignoring the strict prohibition of the elders, Liam broke all the rules they made and came for Mila.


    Who would have thought that at that critical moment, Mila actually lost control because her wild instincts took over?


    But, now things were better and Liam got what he needed.


    Once again, Liam glanced at Mila, whose body was now covered by his black robe to cover her blood stained shirt. It was Liam himself who had cleaned the blood stains on Mila''s cheeks and didn''t let anyone else touch her. This was a vampire''s possessive attitude toward something they consider to be theirs. Especially if this was about their partner.


    "There were thirteen vampires who died in clashes with humans," Andreas reported to Liam. He sat next to the driver, on the passenger seat while the other vampire drove the car, bringing them back to their territory. They needed to reach the castle as soon as possible. "The elders will be very angry."


    As they had expected, the special forces immediately flooded the place as soon as they got reports that there were vampires losing control and killing humans, as well as there were several vampires swarming the area in relatively large numbers.


    Thus, the only way to escape the situation was through a fierce fight, physical contact between the vampires and the humans with their weapons.


    All of that was inevitable and they were lucky that none of the humans were aware that the vampire king was among them, because otherwise, the special forces would not only be in a defensive position, but they would attack ruthlessly to get Liam killed.


    And if something bad happened to Liam and he died, then it was an end for the vampires, because Liam was their last king, the last descendant of the Dageus clan.


    "I will talk to them once we get there," Liam said calmly.


    Andreas, on the other hand, could only sigh heavily, facing Liam''s stubbornness.


    The king was notoriously quiet and never raised his voice like previous kings, but that did not mean he did not inherit their stubbornness.


    "At least, we got the queen back now." Andreas looked at Mila for a moment. "I think the elders will let it slide this time."


    Only Andreas could talk casually to Liam, when there were not many people around them.


    Liam did not respond to his concerns. The problems he would face with the elders would be a business he could deal with later, because now his mind was filled with other important thoughts.


    Since Mila had returned, it meant he would have to face the inevitable when she was awake.


    The journey to their castle and entering their territory took quite an enormous distance and a long time from the city center, but when they had reached the palace, Mila was still unconscious, the girl was still trapped in her nightmare.


    ==============


    Mila woke up with a trembling body, her breathing was ragged.


    At that very moment, Mila sat down to observe her surroundings and like a very old memory, she knew this room well.


    This was the room of Liam Dageus, the vampire king and now Mila was lying on his bed.


    How could she be here? Even according to the rules, the king and queen did not have a room together, moreover Mila''s status was not a queen yet.


    "How do you feel? Feeling better?" Liam asked, walking gracefully across the room, while behind him, thick curtains covered the window, but from the light behind it, Mila knew it was daytime, where the sun was shining brightly.


    For vampires with noble blood, sunlight might only slightly injure them, but not with ordinary vampires, they could be killed because of it. Their resistance was worlds apart.


    "I feel like I want to kill you," Mila replied briefly.


    Liam stopped walking, just a few steps from Mila, who was still sitting on the bed. "Other people will die for saying that."


    "Are you going to kill me like you did to my sister?" Mila asked fiercely.

 Chapter 50 - A WARNING

    "Are you going to kill me too like you did to my sister?" Mila asked fiercely, her eyes meeting Liam''s and there Mila could see the emotions Liam was trying to hide. "Was my guess wrong?" Mila asked again in a mocking tone.


    Now that Mila had regained her memories, she understood why Aaric had insisted that she didn''t want to return to this place.


    Of course, who would want to return to this cursed place and marry the murderer of your own sister?


    "You better watch your words and don''t let anyone else hear it," Liam warned Mila in a somber tone.


    "Or else?" Mila snorted, she pulled away the blanket that covered half of her body. "What if someone else heard about this? Are you afraid that your image will be ruined in front of your people? When they found out that their leader killed the rightful queen- to- be?"


    Liam didn''t respond to those words and just stood there, unmoving, with a calculated look at the woman in front of him.


    "Why are you silent? Are you lost for words? Or are you looking for a reasonable excuse for you to tell me?" Mila''s tone rose even higher as she was irritated by the silence she was receiving from Liam. "Tell me, why did you kill my sister?"


    Liam still chose to stick to a silent response.


    Meanwhile, Mila had lost her temper and intended to pounce on the king, no, she would kill the person who killed her sister.


    But, before she could set her feet on the floor, something held her hand back, something cold and hard.


    Instinctively, Mila turned her head to see what was happening and the sight she saw only made her think of one word to describe her current situation, such as; irony.


    Mila''s right hand was cuffed with a metal chain, which ended on the wall behind a large maroon wooden wardrobe.


    "You really make me feel at home," Mila said sarcastically, shaking the chain around her right wrist. "I think it was only a few days ago that I was treated like this and I thought that with my successful escape from the research center I wouldn''t have to experience such an embarrassing situation again, but I was hopelessly wrong."


    Mila hated when she had to be restrained like this and Liam was not helping at all to repair his damaged image in Mila''s eyes by doing all this.


    "Am I also a prisoner here? I thought I was a princess as well as your future queen?" Mila sneered, she wore a disgusted expression when she said ''your future queen''. "This was a wrong move to get my attention the first time we met. I am not sure even if we get married later, our marriage will last long if this is how you treat me."


    Liam then turned his attention away from Mila and walked toward the exit. "I will let you go when you are much calmer."


    Liam turned around and walked toward the door, but after only three steps, he turned quickly and caught a vase of flowers which Mila managed to reach before throwing it at his back.


    The poor flower vase then shattered to pieces when Liam gripped it too tightly.


    "Stop trying to hurt me." Liam threw the shards of the vase carelessly and dusted his hands to get rid of the tiny shards of glass. "It is fine if it is just you and me, but I hope you can keep your attitude in check in front of the elders. Looks like you have regained your memories, so I don''t have to tell you how to behave in front of them."


    Yes, if Mila remembered the incident fifty-five years ago regarding the murder of her sister, then it was certain that she had regained her memory as well.


    And after throwing that warning with a threatening tone, Liam turned around and continued walking toward the exit, ignoring Mila who growled angrily and tried to free herself from the shackles that bound her.


    Mila used her claws and fangs to break the iron chain, but this thing didn''t break or even got scratched at all.


    What was this thing that they actually used to shackle her?


    "Aarrgh!" Mila screamed desperately. That goddamn king had locked her up in this damned place!


    Maybe Mila''s screams could be heard in the corridor, or maybe she had intended to enter this room earlier, but not long after, a young woman opened the door and stepped into the room.


    From her distant memory, Mila could still remember who the woman that entered the room was.


    "Arabella," Mila hissed as she greeted Aaric''s half- sister.


    "Oh, I am glad you remembered my name," Arabella said cheerfully. "That means you have got your memories back. So, be nice to me since I brought you here."

 Chapter 51 - MEETING THE ELDERS

    There were about seven elders sitting in their designated chairs and staring at the king with disapproval for what he had just done.


    According to them, going to the human world just to save Mila was not a wise move, considering what had happened to the previous kings.


    Liam''s reckless actions shouldn''t be taken lightly because there were already several vampires and other creatures they could rely on and trust to bring the queen back.


    "The soul possessor had escaped with Princess Mila when we attacked the research center and if it wasn''t for the king''s quick order to change the strategy, it is certain that we would still be looking for Princess Mila''s whereabouts," Andreas tried to defend Liam in front of the elders. "Moreover, after what happened with the soul possessor, we can''t trust anyone a hundred percent." But his actions were labelled offensive in the eyes of the seven people.


    "You have no right to speak here!" Rang, one of the seven elders, rebuked Andreas loudly which made the man swallow back his protests, and he was left with no other choice but to take a step back when Liam waved his hand.


    "Go and check on Mila, in case she needs something," Liam said in a low voice.


    For a moment, Andreas felt a bit hesitant to leave the king in the hands of these arrogant elders, but he couldn''t possibly refuse a direct order from Liam in front of them either.


    Therefore, reluctantly, he walked out of the room to meet Mila.


    Meanwhile, after the door was closed, Rang resumed displaying his irritation at Andreas, for going against his words and daring enough to express his opinion in this meeting. He started protesting at Liam.


    "You shouldn''t let a guard like that stay beside you," Rang said sarcastically, but his tone was laced with unconcealable unhappiness.


    Rang was an old man with dull brown coloured hair. There was a wound on his left temple he got in a battle with humans decades ago. The wound couldn''t be healed completely no matter what treatment he tried. "The previous king would have imposed a severe punishment because he dared to express his own opinion in such an important meeting."


    Liam narrowed his eyes at Rang and leaned forward while resting his chin on his intertwined fingers.


    "I am the current king and I will not punish him just because he is telling the truth," Liam said firmly.


    Although Liam could be considered very young to ascend the throne to become their king, his sharp analytical skills and calm demeanor really made his interlocutors sometimes find it difficult to deal with him.


    People who were able to control their emotions were sometimes far more dangerous than those who were always using threatening words.


    "You still have to discipline him." Rang was still stubborn about his opinion, but this time his voice wasn''t as harsh as before.


    "We still don''t agree with your decision to leave the palace," Alena spoke up. She was the only woman among the seven elders and was the younger sister of the late king. So, it could be said that Liam and Alena still have a close blood relationship.


    Liam knew that the matter would eventually come to this and debating the matter with these stubborn elders would not lead this meeting anywhere near a mutually satisfactory outcome. Whilst, there were so many things for Liam to deal with.


    Therefore, there was no other way for Liam to end this useless meeting other than by showing his authority as the king.


    "You have the right to oppose something, but the final decision is still in my hands." Liam didn''t have to tell them again. It was as clear as day that if it wasn''t for him, Mila would still be out there and they would have lost track of her again, because Andreas had already explained this. "I am the king, it is my responsibility to keep my queen safe."


    "You guys haven''t even tied the knot yet, she is not the queen yet. You can choose another noblewoman to fill the position," Gregory added. He was sitting right next to Liam''s left, so the king could easily see the disdainful expression on his face. "Princess Mila has been the object of research for decades, we don''t know what side effects she is suffering from. I doubt she will even be able to give birth to the next successor after what those savage humans did to her."


    This time Liam stood up suddenly, his body towering over the seven. "Be careful of what you say," he said quietly, but authority dripped out of every word he said, forcing them to submit to their king and pay close attention.


    "I am just stating my opinion," Gregory tried to use the same line Liam had said moments ago to defend Andreas.


    "But what you are talking about is the future queen of this kingdom. Of course you don''t need me to remind you of the consequences for someone who tarnishes the royal family''s reputation, right?" Liam glared at Gregory for a moment before he turned his attention to the other elders. "This meeting is over."

 Chapter 52 - WHERE IS AARIC?

    "What do you want?" Mila asked calmly, a smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she stared at the woman before her with a condescending gaze.


    As a noblewoman, of course Mila''s status was far above compared to someone like Arabella.


    "I just wanted to ask you a few things," Arabella replied as she walked into the room.


    "How dare you enter this room without permission?" Mila knew that Arabella had entered this room by tricking the guards. Indeed, the lower your status, the weaker your defense would be with this kind of ruse. "Liam will kill you if he finds out about this."


    Arabella fiddled with her long golden hair, walking leisurely toward Mila.


    "Then he doesn''t need to know, I came here, jeopardizing my safety just to ask you one thing," Arabella said slowly, then pulled a chair closer to the king''s majestic bed so she could have a comfortable conversation with Mila.


    "Don''t you dare sit there, otherwise I will scream and when the guards come, you will not get the answer you want," Mila threatened her in a low voice. Even though her hands were tied, this didn''t put her at a disadvantage at all.


    "You haven''t changed!" Arabella grumbled angrily, but she did as Mila said and chose to stand beside the chair she had brought closer. "I can''t believe someone like you can fulfill the position of queen so well. You are not suited to be a queen."


    "If you think you are more qualified to be his queen, you can ask Liam, maybe he will consider you as a candidate the next time I run away," Mila said nonchalantly while shrugging her shoulders.


    But, of course that was impossible since there were two most unavoidable things that needed to be considered first, including the fact that Arabella was from a shadow clan and not a vampire, and the second was; this woman was not a royalty to begin with.


    "You!" Arabella hissed in mounting anger, but she didn''t dare to act rashly here.


    "Oh, you haven''t changed at all either," Mila giggled as she traced Arabella''s body from head to toe to her bare feet with her grey eyes. "You are still not wearing anything. Wear something to cover your body, otherwise people will misunderstand you and think that you are a prostitute that was ordered by the king to warm his bed."


    For the women of the shadow clan, it would be easier to use their power and disguise themselves as someone''s shadow when they weren''t wearing any clothes altogether, because the clothes wouldn''t be able to blend in with their abilities.


    Therefore, most of them wore nothing, while the men would still wear black robes, but would take them off before using their powers.


    "Shut up!" Arabella exclaimed, but then Mila put her finger to her own lips and whispered softly.


    "Shh! Keep your voice down, or someone will know you are here." After saying that, Mila laughed at Arabella''s expression. She was so frustrated at being tied to this bed like a prisoner and was beyond pissed off at Liam, but the man wasn''t here.


    But luckily Arabella happily came into the room and helped provide someone to Mila to vent her anger. Upsetting other people turned out to be powerful enough to reduce your own annoyance.


    "Enough," Mila said, raising her hand to make Arabella hold back her protest for being laughed at. "Tell me what you want to ask because I can sense someone else is coming to this room."


    Mila could smell Andreas'' scent faintly, that was gradually intensifying by the passing second and the king''s bodyguard would be here in less than two minutes now.


    Believing what Mila said, Arabella began to ask questions which had been her initial goal of coming to Mila.


    "Where is Aaric?" Arabela asked straight to the heart of the matter.


    "I don''t know where he is," Mila answered her honestly. "Last time I saw him, he was in the body of a doctor who works at the research center with the name Ellen."


    Arabella squinted her eyes, trying to look for any signs of deception from Mila.


    "I have nothing to gain from lying to you, moreover, stop chasing after him. He has already made it very clear that he doesn''t like you." Mila shook her head and gave her a sympathetic look that Arabela hated the most.


    "Isn''t it very well known that we, the shadow clan members, are very persistent when we make a decision," Arabella said proudly.


    But, Mila snorted when she heard that. "You are one level above being persistent, you are shameless."


    "Go die Mila!" Arabella shouted angrily.


    "Get lost! Now!" Mila replied, tilting her head toward the door. "Andreas will be here in a minute, I don''t want any drama here when he catches you in his king''s chambers, naked."


    Mila still found time to make jokes about the habits of the women in the shadow clan, but Arabella didn''t have enough time to be angry at her.

 Chapter 53 - THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT

    "Someone has been here," Andreas entered the room hastily when he sensed that someone else was in the king''s room until a few moments ago.


    And since the members of the shadow clan didn''t have a strong scent like normal human beings, the bodyguard could only feel that someone had entered the room without consent.


    Andreas then immediately approached Mila, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. What else could she do with her hands tied up like that?


    "There was someone here before I came." It was not a question but a statement.


    Reluctantly, Mila averted her eyes from the open window, and instead started staring at the beam of sunlight coming into the room through it. "Yeah, someone just walked into this room."


    "Who was it? Where are they now?" Andreas asked in alarm, while briefly checking the contents of the room.


    Mila didn''t answer, but just nodded toward the open window. Without wasting much time, Andreas rushed over to see if there was anyone outside the window, ignoring the stabbing pain of the sunlight hitting his bare skin.


    "You will not be able to find her, she must have disappeared," Mila said casually as she plopped down on the bed, putting her arms behind her head to be used as a pillow.


    "Who is the person that entered this room?" Andreas asked angrily, closing the bedroom window again and pulling the curtains violently so that no more sunlight could enter.


    This castle really looked gloomy during the day when all the windows were closed. This was simply like a haunted castle.


    "Arabella," Mila answered honestly without a second thought. "I think she tricked the guards out there, so she could get into this room."


    Hearing the name, Andreas clicked his tongue loudly, "I told him that girl can''t be trusted," he grumbled.


    "Right, don''t believe her. She even walked into this room wearing nothing, imagine what the elders would say when they found out about it?" Mila provoked Andreas.


    "No, the elders will not know about that," Andreas replied to Mila, his forehead wrinkled. He realized he had to be careful every time he faced this future queen, because Mila was always full of manipulation.


    And now that her memory had returned, Andreas was sure that her ability to twist words had also come back to her as well.


    "Of course they will know," Mila assured Andreas, she then rested her head on her fist as she lay on her side, her misty eyes staring straight at Andreas. "If I ever meet the elders, of course I will tell them this."


    "What?" Andreas felt that he had heard wrong.


    "I will complain to the elders that Arabella came into this room. Isn''t the king''s room very sacred? Even a queen should have her own room."


    Of course if the elders found out about this, the problems that Liam had to face would only increase. And although this was not something very crucial, some elders who wanted to bring Liam down and limit his movements, of course would be happy to raise an issue and make some unnecessary trouble for the king.


    But, then Andreas realized somethingˇ­


    "You have no proof that Arabella was in this room before and no one saw her enter either," Andreas denied Mila''s words.


    "Yes, that is right. Looks like I can''t use that threat to meet the elders," Mila said lightly. She didn''t want to meet those old hags either. "But, at least it''s nice to see your panicked expression even if it''s only for a moment."


    Andreas growled in annoyance.


    "Don''t growl at me, you know that action can be categorized as an offensive act, right? You can get punished for that," Mila warned Andreas. "Where is Liam?"


    Andreas'' hunch was right about Mila. This woman was very difficult to deal with.


    At this point, Andreas remembered Mila''s sister; the two of them were completely opposite in nature. Anna was the perfect queen figure to stand beside Liam, and if only that horrible problem didn''t come to light...


    "Where is Liam?" Mila waved her hand in front of Andreas'' face who seemed to zone out.


    "The king is meeting the elders," Andreas replied. "After he finishes, he will definitely come to see you."


    "Of course he will come to me, this is his room, where else will he sleep," Mila grumbled. "Can you take this off?" Mila shook her bound hands.


    "I can''t do it without the king''s approval." Andreas glanced at the special steel that was used for restraining vampires.


    Mila rolled her eyes when she heard that. "You are still the same, you haven''t changed at all." Then Mila''s attention turned toward the door. "I don''t think it''s necessary, he has returned."


    And not long after that, Liam''s figure appeared from behind the door. Liam walked gracefully through the room, approached Mila and stood beside Andreas.


    "You can go now, I have a lot of things to talk to her about," Liam ordered.

 Chapter 54 - FIGHTING

    "You can go now, I have a lot to talk to her about," Liam ordered him.


    Andreas then nodded in understanding and left the room, leaving two of them alone.


    "So, what punishment did you get from the elders for going against their will and leaving the palace?" Mila asked, shaking her legs, as she sat on the edge of the bed.


    "Are you worried?" Liam asked and got an answer in the form of a snort from Mila. "Unfortunately, I didn''t get any punishment for my actions to pick up my future queen."


    "Oh, it turns out that a lot has changed in this palace during my absence," Mila said curtly. She looked angry when Liam walked up to her. She didn''t like being around this man. "I will bite and claw you, so you better keep your distance from me."


    Meanwhile, Liam ignored the warning as he walked up to Mila and pulled her handcuffed hand. "If you attack me now, I will make sure you enjoy the company of these cuffs for the next few days." He then took out a small key from his pocket.


    "Does that mean I can attack you later?" Mila asked, but the king didn''t respond and unlocked the handcuffs that bound her wrists.


    "Promise to behave properly while you are here," Liam warned Mila. "The elders are watching."


    Mila narrowed her eyes when she heard those words from Liam. "Listen." Mila then stood up, rubbing her wrist which felt a little sore. "I didn''t come here because I wanted to, you brought me here, so if you are not satisfied with the way I am behaving, you better let me go my way."


    "Stop saying those words," Liam groaned in annoyance. He then plopped down on the bed, feeling very tired. Today felt so long.


    From the moment he returned after picking up Mila, Liam didn''t even get a second to rest. He was especially tired when it came to dealing with the elders and he could be sure that the meeting had not ended yet, they would continue to bombard him with other demands.


    Liam felt that he was not only fighting against humans out there, but also against his own people and this was very tiring.


    Liam needed a short nap.


    That was what Liam had in mind, but Mila didn''t give him that kind of leeway at all when she started attacking him.


    Yes, seeing Liam unprotected and defenseless like this, made Mila think this was her chance to avenge her sister.


    "Don''t show me your fangs and claws, Mila," Liam warned with his eyes closed, but even so he could still hear the muffled hiss as Mila''s claws started to lengthen. "You never won against me."


    Yes, when Liam and Anna were still together as the future king and queen, Mila would sometimes train with Liam. Or rather it was Liam who would train Mila how to fight when he had the time, while Anna would watch the two of them from the side of the training grounds.


    "Really? Decades have passed, so who knows who will win?" Mila then began to plunge her claws into Liam''s chest very fast.


    However, Liam moved faster and avoided the danger, so Mila''s claws ripped the mattress beneath him, sending white fluffy feathers out of the torn mattress flying into air.


    Liam rolled over to the other side of the bed and frowned disapprovingly when he saw what Mila had just done.


    "You spent your long decades being an experimenting subject for the humans. Did they give you a new skill?" Liam asked in a provocative tone and this managed to darken Mila''s eyes and attack him blindly.


    The words sounded like mockery in Mila''s ears. And it was probably true that Liam was mocking her. As it seemed the king was on the verge of losing his temper with the people around him at this point of time.


    Mila tried to reach Liam, but this man was really made to fight. His movements were so swift and precise that it was difficult for Mila to throw, even a single fist, at him.


    PRANG!


    There was the sound of a large vase being broken into small pieces before they  scattered on the floor of the room. The object that was originally hundreds of years old, and an aesthetic yet antique display, was now just a lump of worthless trash.


    "Stop avoiding me!" Mila exclaimed angrily. She tried to reach Liam again, but to no avail. So, she grabbed a horse- shaped display from the table and tossed it across the room.


    However, Liam only needed to shift his body to the side a little to dodge Mila''s attack, causing the horse display to hit the wall behind him, leaving a visible dent on the wall.


    On the other hand, upon hearing a commotion from within, the six guards guarding the room rushed inside. "Your Majesty!" They cried, preparing to fight whoever had attacked their king.


    But, upon seeing only Mila, their future queen other than their king, they all fell silent, not knowing what to do. Their eyes took in the now messy room with disbelief written all over their faces. What really happened?

 Chapter 55 - A TRAITOR

    "Everyone out," Liam ordered.


    The six bodyguards did not immediately respond to the order, because they were still shocked by what they saw, so Liam had to repeat his command once again.


    "Leave and regardless of whatever you hear later, don''t come in." Liam''s voice sounded much intense as every word he spoke screamed absolute authority.


    In the end, even though they were reluctant, a direct order from the king could not be ignored, therefore, they fell back and slowly closed the door again.


    On the other hand, on many occasions, Liam just dodged Mila''s attacks or pushed her away, but when he saw that his room was nothing like it was a few moments ago and there were a lot of shards of glass scattered on the floor, he deduced that it was time to end this fight once and for all.


    With one smooth move, Liam managed to sneak behind Mila''s body and grabbed her hands and crossed them across her chest before holding them on the girl''s shoulders, while Liam stood behind her.


    Since Mila''s arms were now crossed in front of her chest, she couldn''t free herself from Liam''s powerful grip very easily. Now the only way she could think of was to kick the man behind her with her heel.


    However, the plan proved to be not so efficient, because Liam had already anticipated this and with a slight nudge, he pushed Mila onto the bed. And, that was how the girl''s body ended up in a compromising position while Liam was on top of her, holding Mila''s waist with his knees.


    "We have a lot to talk about Mila," Liam said into her ear, but his grip on Mila''s hands was still so firm, despite his soft voice.


    "You think we can talk in a position like this?!" Mila rebuked angrily.


    Liam took a deep breath. "Do you promise to stop attacking me if I let you go?" he asked.


    "I want to kill you!" Mila shouted angrily and Liam covered her mouth, leaning over so he could whisper into Mila''s ear.


    "You can say that over and over again when it''s just the two of us, but you will get in trouble if someone hears you and I will not stay silent if you insult me ??in public," Liam warned Mila sternly.


    Liam understood the anger Mila was feeling and the reason why this sweet girl wanted to kill him, but he wouldn''t let Mila go easily if she did that in public. After all, Liam was a king and he wouldn''t let anyone look down on him.


    "Understood?" Liam wanted to make sure that Mila wouldn''t make such a fatal mistake again and leave him with no choice.


    Yes, Mila was a sweet little girl who couldn''t even bear to look at an injured animal, but because of what happened fifty- five years ago, something inside of her had changed.


    For a moment, Mila seemed stubbornly adamant, but a few seconds later she nodded.


    "Now let me go!" she grumbled when Liam had raised his hand that was holding her. "I don''t want to talk to you in this uncomfortable position. Get off me!"


    Liam snorted at Mila''s arrogance and slowly released his grip on Mila''s hands, but he didn''t lower his guard. Who would guarantee that this young vampire would keep her word?


    However, it turned out that Mila had enough integrity left in her system to keep her promise.


    Groaning, Mila rubbed her wrists and glared at Liam who was leaning against the headboard. Their gazes met and for a moment silence fell over them both.


    "I will not discuss anything with you until you explain to me the reason why you killed your supposed future queen. My sister." Mila could feel the pain in her heart when she said that, as the moment when her sister''s body fell to the floor and died flashed through her mind again.


    "That''s what I am going to tell you too," Liam said. "I think this is a good time to make you understand."


    Several years ago, Liam did not get a chance to explain this to Mila, mostly because the situation did not allow it.


    "The right moment for you to explain this to me is the time before I escaped from this palace and was caught by those humans," Mila cursed. "And whatever you explain to me, it will not make me tolerate the reason why you killed Anna, but at least you owe me this much."


    "The real issue isn''t what you think Mila," Liam began. He wasn''t very good with words because he was used to working in silence, so the task of explaining this was quite difficult and felt draining to him.


    "Okay, you can start defending yourself with your ''reasonable'' excuses, let me judge how they should be perceived," Mila said sarcastically.


    Liam looked at Mila''s grey eyes very intensely, before he said one sentence that took the girl by surprise. "Your sister was a traitor Mila, she betrayed our nation and you know what the consequences of her actions will be."


    Death.


    The consequence that must be faced by a traitor was death. Not only their death, but also the death of their entire family.


    But, if that was true, then could anyone explain why Mila is still alive today?

 Chapter 56 - I WILL SHOW YOU SOMETHING

    "A traitor?" Mila snorted when she heard what Liam said. Of the many reasonable excuses he could give, the king chose the reason of treason to tarnish her sister''s name. "You think I will just believe it if you say that my sister betrayed our people? Try to find a better excuse."


    Liam then got off the bed and walked to a drawer. He took out a wooden box that was covered with intricate carvings on the outside from it. With a twist, he unlocked the small box before pulling out a paper. After that, he walked over to Mila again and presented the open box to her.


    Mila yanked the paper out of the box roughly and began reading what was written on it.


    It turned out to be a brief report from a spy, who was ordered by Liam to follow Anna.


    "You kept my sister under surveillance," Mila said accusingly.


    "I have my reasons why I did that," Liam replied to her calmly. "I wouldn''t have done it if I didn''t have a good reason."


    "Then, what is your so-called good reason?" Mila had finished reading the letter in her hand, in which it was said that Anna was seen meeting a high- ranking human being and divulging an important secret of their own people. "What is the reason that made you suspect my sister?"


    Mila would not accept a reason that did not make any sense and so she couldn''t justify Liam''s reason for killing her sister.


    "Anna has been in an intimate relationship with that guy," Liam said.


    "You came up with a new lie?" Mila rolled her eyes. As time went on, Liam''s excuses became more and more unacceptable and this made Mila dislike the king even more. How could he have the heart to talk bad things about her sister? He even had the gall to say that Anna had become a traitor. Milla knew her sister very well, she wouldn''t do something like that.


    "I knew you wouldn''t believe this."


    "Of course. The words you speak are just like an illogical illusion in a cheap novel."


    After Mila finished saying that, Liam grabbed her wrist until the girl stood up. His towering body forced Mila to raise her head, as her height only reached the king''s shoulders.


    Mila knew if Liam had taken her seriously earlier when she attacked him, she wouldn''t have had a chance to defend herself.


    Without saying much, Liam pulled Mila toward the door, out of their room.


    Outside, the six guards who had entered the room earlier looked down and were about to follow Liam, but the king gave a signal that he didn''t want to be followed, so they returned to their original positions.


    However, Mila could still feel the questioning gazes from the guards, they were still confused as to what really conspired in the king''s bed chambers earlier.


    "Where are we going?" Mila asked breathlessly, Liam didn''t consider the fact that his one step was twice Mila''s. He didn''t even slow down at all. "Hey, I am asking you, where are we going?"


    However, only silence served as a reply to Mila. Liam chose not to answer her and, after a few failed attempts, she gave up trying altogether.


    The two of them walked down the stairs of the gloomy castle because every window was perfectly closed, preventing the sun from entering and making the atmosphere inside the old castle resemble a gathering place for ghosts.


    However, there were some things that made Mila feel calm. No matter what this place looked like or how terrifying it seemed to be, this castle was a place that Mila recognized.


    The damp air and dust that flew as they passed the rarely visited corner of the castle, or the railings that felt rough in her hands, and the sound of footsteps echoing along the walls. All of these felt very familiar to Mila. She felt at homeˇ­


    Especially when Mila encountered some familiar faces who then stared at her with wide eyes. However, they didn''t dare to approach her. Only just for saying hello because the king looked cold at the moment. The news of Mila''s return must have spread throughout the castle by nowˇ­


    "Thisˇ­" After letting go of the brief nostalgia, Mila began to realize where they were headed. "You brought me to the forbidden part of the castle?"


    The forbidden part of the castle was a place where not all vampires could roam about without the permission of the king or the elders.


    Mila once tried to sneak in there, out of curiosity, but ended up being punished. She was locked up in a room for seven whole days.


    "Yes," Liam replied, waving his hand at the lion- shaped statue with red stoned eyes. "Now you can satisfy your curiosity to see what is inside."


    The stone door opened and Liam pulled Mila in.


    Behind the stone door was a steep staircase that was made of stone. It led down to what looked like a basement. Mila could even see the moss covering its stone walls.


    It was as though they were entering a cave.


    "You want to lock me up here?" Mila asked, she was starting to worry that Liam would answer with a ''yes''.


    "I want to show you something."

 Chapter 57 - DARK MAGIC

    Mila felt that whatever Liam would show her later was something that would contradict everything she had believed so far.


    But, whatever it was, she must know what really happened to Anna and why Liam had to paint Anna as a traitor before ruthlessly killing her all those years ago.


    "I want to show you something," Liam finished speaking just as they stopped in front of a door made of ebony. It had a handle in the shape of an owl''s head.


    "A moment." Mila pulled her hand out of Liam''s grip and took a deep breath. She could feel the cold air from this place entering her lungs and making her body shiver slightly. "Tell me one thing first, what is behind this door?"


    Liam raised his eyebrows as if to ask; what for?


    "So I can prepare myself for whatever I will face later." Mila gritted her teeth as she voiced her concern.


    "Don''t tell me you are afraid to face the truth?" Liam grabbed the door handle again, but Mila held his hand.


    "Tell me first, what is behind that door?" Mila insisted on Liam answering her question first.


    "The answer to all your questions," Liam answered simply. Then he lowered his hand. "If you are not ready to see what is behind this door, then we can go back upstairs and you should behave like a future queen and stop making trouble."


    Stop making trouble?


    "I am not making trouble, what I did fifty years ago was to escape from a marriage arrangement with my sister''s killer," Mila shot back at Liam sharply and this time she grabbed the door handle. "If you want me to see the evidence of your heinous accusations, then let''s have a look together."


    Liam pushed the door open and allowed Mila to enter before he stepped inside as well and closed the door behind him.


    "What place is this?" Mila frowned because the place was much colder than outside.


    As a vampire, Mila should have a high tolerance for temperature changes, especially at low temperatures, but that didn''t seem to be the case now, because Mila''s teeth started to chatter already.


    And while Mila was hugging herself, Liam took off his robe and slung it over Mila''s shoulders.


    Inevitably, because of this uncomfortable cold air, Mila accepted the robe that was too big for her, which then engulfed her body with Liam''s signature scent.


    "Your immune power will really drop if you subject yourself to cold temperatures like that." Liam then walked ahead of her after saying this, leaving a grumbling Mila behind him.


    However, Mila didn''t have time to be annoyed by what Liam said, because what she was seeing right now completely consumed her attention instantly.


    Behind the black wooden door was a large, towering room. Mila thought this place had a tower of its own, because far up there, she could see the curtains covering the large windows that surrounded the spire.


    Meanwhile, the stone walls were lined with shelves displaying various types of books. There may be thousands or even tens of thousands of books in here.


    However, one thing that caught Mila''s attention wasˇ­


    "These are ancient magic scriptures" Mila mumbled, running her fingertips across each book spine that was neatly arranged. They were all written in an ancient script that only a few vampires could translate. "Thisˇ­ is dark magic."


    "Yes, these are all forbidden books that not just anyone can see." Liam confirmed Mila''s statement.


    Mila was amazed to see these books. It was appropriate that this place couldn''t be ventured by just anyone, because if anyone used these books for bad purposes, then disaster would befall.


    And, there was also this rule that forbade the vampires from using this dark magic against humans, as the consequences would be far more unfavorable to the users themselves. Nothing different from getting a backlash. It was simply not worth it.


    "Then, what do you want to show me by bringing me here?" After taking a brief look at this oval- shaped room, Mila reminded Liam of his original purpose for bringing her here. "What does this have to do with my sister?"


    "Come here," Liam waved his hand to follow him to the podium, which was located right in the middle of the room.


    Mila followed him and stood beside him. She saw a white stone, shining brightly and was only as high as Mila''s chest.


    "There is one book that is far more powerful than all the books in this room." Liam tapped his finger on the white rock in front of them. "That book should be here."


    "Don''t tell me now you are accusing my sister of stealing this book?" Mila narrowed her eyes at Liam.


    "That is not accusation, but fact," Liam said quietly, sounding tired of this argument.


    "Then prove to me that it''s a fact, then I''ll believe you." Mila insisted.


    Liam knew they would get to this point, so he wasted no more time and waved his hand at the red curtain covering one side of the walls.


    And as the curtain parted and revealed what was behind it, Mila gasped. Her breath caught in her throat in the next second.

 Chapter 58 - ANNAS MEMORIES

    Behind the parted curtains, Mila could see her sister, inside a large cylindrical shaped container made of glass and filled with light bluish liquid, while her sister was at the bottom of the big tube, sitting helplessly with her eyes closed.


    Was she dead? Or was she still alive? However, Mila saw with her own eyes how her sister had been killed by Liam. She saw all of those events so clearly. There was no way that her sister was still alive.


    Not that vampires needed air to breathe. No, they didn''t need such things, but the feeling of losing one of those senses was very annoying and would be uncomfortable for them, under which they tended to react more aggressively.


    "What did you do to my sister!?" Mila shouted as she ran to the container. She smacked her fists against the glass, hoping that she could wake her sister up. However, Anna remained motionless.


    She was no longer alive. But, why was her body kept in a place like this? Wasn''t this a heinous act? They were of royal blood and what the king did was an insult.


    "You kept Anna''s body here?" The question that escaped Mila''s lips sounded like a sharp hiss. Her angry eyes stared at Liam with the desire to kill him instantly. "You''re disgusting!"


    However, on the other hand, Liam didn''t seem to be affected by how Mila reacted or when he saw what she was pointing out. The king instead took a step closer and pressed his hand to the thick glass of the tube, staring at the woman inside with an unreadable emotion swirling in his otherwise calm eyes.


    "That''s not Anna''s body, Mila. It''s a part of her soul," Liam said, explaining this misunderstanding to Mila. "She was the one who asked me to do this."


    "You think I''ll trust you?" Mila asked, snorting in annoyance that Liam kept saying nonsensical things. "Why would Anna ask you, a murderer, to keep her soul in there?"


    The cynical tone shrouded in hatred from Mila, did not escape Liam''s ears, but he didn''t mind it, because there were bigger problems he had to deal with right now, such as; Mila''s reaction when she saw what her sister was about to show her.


    "Come here, I''ll show you," Liam said in the same gentle tone, despite how Mila kept wanting to attack him.


    Liam stretched out his hand, but Mila was skeptical. She just stared at the outstretched hand without wanting to take a step closer to Liam.


    "I can''t show you anything if you keep acting like this," Liam warned Mila. "If you''re not ready to do this now, we can come back whenever you want."


    Of course the sentence was just a bait to make Mila obey his words.


    Liam had known Mila since she was a child, so he understood about her stubbornness and it turned out that this trait had not left her even after all these years.


    With a frown and tightly set jaw, Mila finally reached out and grabbed Liam''s hand reluctantly.


    "Tell me first, what is this?" Mila waved her free hand toward the giant tube.


    After the initial shock had passed and Mila was able to take a closer look, she figured out that what Liam had said was true. Inside the tube, it was indeed not Anna''s body.


    That said, Anna''s image was like a hologram with excellent quality. Of course Mila knew this, because at the research center back then, she would often see those people using her hologram for their research purposes.


    "This is a soul tube," Liam replied curtly. "You may have been away from home for a long time, but I think you must still remember what a soul tube is."


    Liam turned to Mila and saw her forehead furrow in contemplation. "Of course I remember it. However, this is my first time seeing this thing with my own eyes."


    Mila knew what a soul tube was. They have this ancient object that was passed down from the previous king to the next king.


    Actually, it wasn''t just the soul tubes that were left over by the previous kings, there were several other items that had magical powers, which were well kept within this forbidden part of the castle.


    "What does Anna want to show me?" Mila said in a low voice, the question was asked more to herself than to Liam beside her.


    Liam stared at Mila for a moment, but then he grabbed her hand again and this time Mila didn''t struggle. "I''ll show it to you."


    After saying this, Liam touched the thick glass of the tube and from his palm could be seen a bright golden light, glowing and giving off a gloomy vibe that made Mila feel sadness for a reason she herself couldn''t understand.


    Seeing this, Mila recalled the piece of information regarding the soul tube. This mystical item could only be used by the descendants of the kings. There was something in their power that could make the ancient stuff function.


    And this was proven by the opening of the eyes of Anna''s soul.


    Mila was surprised when she saw her sister open her eyes and looked at her with the coldest and blankest gaze Mila had ever came across.


    That gaze was so binding, demanding Mila not to take her eyes off and a moment later Anna''s face turned into a mist, shadowed and blurry, as if she was starting to fade.


    But, along with Anna''s fading figure, Mila could feel what she saw was changing too. It wasn''t only the surrounding room that seemed to be shrouded in a light mist, but also Liam''s figure beside her started to disappear, and Mila no longer could feel his grip.


    A moment later the white mist enveloped Mila and she could see nothing but the monotonous color.


    This situation didn''t scare Mila, as this wasn''t the first time she''d been surrounded by this color. Instead, her current state reminded her of the padding room, the room where she was placed when she was still at the research center.


    It was like a d¨¦j¨¤ vu, just as Mila thought of the research center, she couldn''t help but think of Aaric as well. Where was he now? What was he doing? And was he looking for her?


    Mila''s thoughts about Aaric and those worried questions were interrupted when she saw that the white mist around her was starting to shrink before she found herself in a forest now.


    No...not a forest...


    Mila knew what this place wasˇ­


    When the white mist dissipated and she could clearly see what was really going on, Mila found herself in the garden behind the castle, where she could see its four towers from where she was standing.


    But, what was Mila doing here?


    Mila realized that this was a memory. Her sister''s memory. Then where was Anna?


    Mila started looking for Anna''s figure around her, until she saw her sister''s white hair, the same color as her own.


    Anna was walking in the opposite direction, she stepped hastily away from the castle.


    Mila didn''t know that her sister had ever left the castle groundsˇ­ because all she knew Anna as; an obedient older sister who tended to have less desire for adventure. Completely the opposite of her personality.


    In her memory, Anna seemed to be in a hurry, her brows furrowed as her hair swayed due to her fast pace.


    Like it or not, Mila also ran to be able to catch up to her sister.


    Is there someone chasing Anna? Mila looked over her shoulder, while running to make sure that no one else or other creature was chasing her and there really wasn''t.


    So, the only reason was; Anna was in a hurry to meet someone? Mila began to create her own assumptions while reading the situation.


    But, who would Anna meet at a time when the sun was still glaring? Granted, the noble vampires wouldn''t be too affected by the sun, but that didn''t mean they would be comfortable under the scorching light like now.


    Even in Anna''s memory alone, Mila felt uncomfortable with the bright light shining on her.


    Mila ran after Anna for about two minutes before her sister finally stopped, she looked calm and not breathless, even though she had run fast and far, Mila was not much different.


    Anna stood with her eyes closed, taking deep breaths of air as if she was searching for a familiar scent.


    The dry afternoon air blew and Mila could smell the leaves around them, feeling barren and tasted bad.


    However, Anna smiled and turned to her left. Her eyes, which were the same color as Mila''s, looked expectantly in that direction, as her smile grew wider.


    Who was Anna waiting for?


    Anna''s memory was so clear and sharp, that even Mila felt as if she was living in the present. Even though this was actually just a memory from fifty-five years ago that her sister had.


    Mila looked in the same direction and a moment later someone appeared from behind the shady trees. He wore a white t-shirt and blue jeans, and a matching hat.


    But, as soon as he saw Anna, the man took off his hat and spread his arms wide, as if inviting Anna to come into his arms.


    This was a scene that shocked Mila to her core. Not only because Anna secretly met a man outside the palace, but because the man was a human.


    How could Anna relate to humans? How could she meet one of them, when their people had been at war for decades and became irreconcilable enemies.


    "I''m glad you came," the man said with a happy smile on his lips, but those lips then touched Anna''s as he lowered his head and Anna didn''t seem to mind it.

 Chapter 59 - ANNAS MEMORIES (2)

    They kissed right in front of Mila. From the way the man embraced her sister and how Anna responded to the kiss, Mila could conclude that this was not the first time Anna had met this strange man.


    But, how can that be? And why would Anna do this? Weren''t Anna and Liam engaged? They would be the next king and queen.


    Anna and Liam have been together for as long as Mila could remember, so it was not exaggerating to say that what Anna did was an affair. Not only that, this was also a betrayal to the king and their people.


    Mila shook her head and tried not to see what the two of them were doing. She pressed her ears with her palms, to get rid of the sounds that made Mila''s anger rise, along with her disbelief at what her sister had the heart to do.


    Mila closed her eyes so what they were doing now could not be seen by her.


    If only this wasn''t a memory, where Mila couldn''t do anything but be a spectator, then what she would have done after this would have been one thing that Anna would have remembered for the rest of her life.


    Mila didn''t know how long she closed her eyes and ears, but when her sharp instincts sensed a significant change in her surroundings, slowly but surely, Mila opened her eyes again.


    In front of her, fully clothed and sitting on the grass while watching the sunset, was Anna, looking a little pale, maybe because she had been exposed to the sun for too long, but still that didn''t detract her beauty.


    Meanwhile, beside her, the man was hugging her from behind while Anna leaned against his chest.


    They seemed to be talking about something about the book that Anna had brought to the man''s hands.


    Mila walked over to them to listen more carefully to what they were really talking about.


    With a sharp gaze directed at Anna, Mila sat beside them to listen to what they were discussing. Not only anger, but she also felt the feelings of betrayal toward her sister.


    Despite her reckless attitude and stubbornness to run away from the palace, Mila loved her family more than anything, as well as their people, especially Anna. The two of them were so close, because Anna was the only family Mila had after the death of their parents at the hands of the humans.


    This was also what triggered Mila''s hatred of these humans. The war that had been going on for countless years, had not only cost time and energy, but also the emotions between the two sides.


    "How did you get this precious book?" the man asked Anna, kissing her forehead and this made Mila furious. "Didn''t you say this is the most heavily guarded book in the forbidden part of the palace?"


    Anna lowered her head, she stared at the book in her lap, her gaze wandering as if she was in conflict with herself. "I am their future queen and Liam trusts me so much."


    "Then why did you betray him?" Mila hissed. She hated this side of Anna in front of her, but on the other hand she also loved her sister.


    "So you lied to him?" The man concluded and Anna didn''t answer. "What if they get suspicious and find out that it was you who took this book."


    Of course, sooner or later Liam would realize that the book had disappeared and the options for the perpetrators of the theft could be said to be very few because only the descendants of the king could open the forbidden door and of course the future queen.


    "They will not suspect me," Anna answered in a slightly gloomy voice.


    However, even Mila could hear the uncertainty in her voice when she heard the answer, she knew her sister quite well.


    "How can you be sure?" the man asked worriedly. His fingers caressed the side of Anna''s face and made her close her eyes, enjoying the touch. "What if they find out?"


    What if they find out?


    It was very possible for Anna to be caught for her actions, because after all she would be on the list of suspected people, but if that were to happenˇ­


    "Liam will protect me," Anna said calmly, she opened her eyes and the misty color of her eyes reflected the glow of the setting sun which made her look like she had golden eyes.


    Anna was so beautiful, fragile, but also a calculating person at this point. A very complex personality and Mila had never seen this side of her sister before.


    "The future king seems to love you very much," the man snorted in a very visibly annoyed tone. "He''s even willing to suffer punishment for your sake."


    Anna smiled sarcastically when she heard those words, there was an irony in the way Anna responded to that statement. "Liam loves his people and he is carrying out his position as future king very well. If I wasn''t the chosen candidate to be queen, then he wouldn''t spare me his attention."


    "Isn''t that the same as him loving you?" the man raised his eyebrows in confusion. According to him, there was no difference between the two statements.


    "No," Anna objected firmly. "He''s just doing his job to the best of his ability."


    This may sound strange to some and difficult for Mila to understand, but for her who lived life with Liam, she knew very well that her position would never be a priority for him.


    Liam always put his political life first, his dealings with the elders, the issue of war with humans, his loyalty to the king, who was none other than his own father, because he must prepare himself as the next king.


    And after all these affairs were completed, then Anna would be the next option.


    Maybe Anna was too greedy and demanding, but there were times when she wanted all of Liam''s attention just for herself. Even when they were together, all Liam talked about was his boring responsibilities and Anna had to pretend to be enthusiastic about it.


    "Then how can you be sure he will help you?" The man asked again, but his eyes stared at the book in his hands with interest, as if he was contemplating a plan.


    And that gaze did not go unnoticed by Mila. Anna certainly didn''t see it, but Mila could clearly see a smile tugging at the corners of the man''s lips as he carefully turned each page of the old book.


    "I have my own way of persuading him. You don''t have to worry about me," Anna said lightly and tilted her head, just at the same time the look in the man''s eyes changed as he looked back at Anna. "Then, what are you going to do with this book?"


    Mila couldn''t hear what the man''s answer was because after that her surroundings changed again.


    Now, the sun was no longer shining and she was standing on the bridge connecting the east and north towers.


    Not far from Mila, Anna and Liam were talking, from the expressions on their faces, she knew that this was a serious conversation.


    "Why did you do that, Anna?" Liam asked. His voice was deep and low, but Mila could hear the deep disappointment in his voice.


    To hear more clearly and find out more about what really happened to the two, Mila walked over and stood beside Liam.


    Liam fifty years ago still looked the same as the Liam that Mila met moments ago. Nothing much has changed in this man.


    "You know what punishment you''re going to get, don''t you?" Liam looked at the woman in front of him with sharp eyes. If only this woman had not been his childhood friend and would soon become his queen, then Liam was certain to finish her off with his own hands.


    Too bad that can''t be done.


    "I know," replied Anna in a weak voice, she then knelt before Liam, causing the man to take a step back and stare at Anna with disgust.


    Even after seeing what Anna was doing now, it didn''t make him sympathize with her. This woman had made a fatal mistake and she should have realized it before starting all this mess.


    The patience of the future king was being tested at this point.


    "But you still did it?" Liam growled. "The elders already know about this and you will not be able to escape their punishment."


    Anna lifted her head, looked at Liam with pleading eyes. "I want that punishment to come from you."


    Liam shook his head and laughed grimly. "You think my punishment will be any different from theirs?"


    "You want to kill me?" The question sounded like a whisper on this quiet night.


    "I wish I could kill you." It was the strongest curse book ever and no one should touch it carelessly.


    Liam was utterly betrayed when he found out that it was Anna who had stolen the book and given it to his human lover.


    Liam trusted Anna and let her get permission to enter a restricted area within the palace, because of the many people he believed could betray him, Anna was never on the list.


    However, reality said otherwise and Liam didn''t know what to feel about this woman anymore.


    "You always put your business ahead of me." Anna wiped her tears and stood up straight. This time she looked at Liam more firmly. "You never think of me. Liam, you don''t deserve to be loved."


    And after the last sentence, Mila''s surroundings changed again, this time she was at the moment where Liam killed Anna and she was watching behind a slightly open door.

 Chapter 60 - ANNAS MEMORIES (3)

    "I know about the prophecy," Anna hissed, she glared at Liam, then at Andreas, the king''s loyal guard. Her eyes that were the color of the mist seemed to glint with a flash of anger as she tried to express what she was feeling. "You used that prophecy to save me? Is that the only way?"


    Anna''s body was shaking and Mila was having a hard time understanding what her sister was going through emotionally.


    Anna looked frightened, but there was also anger in her eyes. She looked helpless, but at the same time her sister was very stubborn about what she believed in.


    Exactly what kind of situation was this? Mila didn''t know that Anna had this kind of problem and she wasn''t as simple as she remembered.


    "Yes," Liam replied curtly. "You made an unforgivable mistake Anna, I don''t know how you could be so impulsive by betraying your people just because of your disappointment in me."


    Anna shook her head vigorously, she ignored Liam''s words. "Do you believe in the prophecy?"


    Liam was silent for a moment.


    "I know that you don''t believe in that kind of thing Liam, it''s just a letter that your father kept hidden. No one can validate the truth." Anna was adamant in her opinion, because now she could see how firm Liam was with his decision.


    "I don''t believe the prophecy." Anna''s eyes softened slightly after she heard Liam''s words, but those words had not ended yet. "But the elders believe it."


    Anna bit her lip tightly, her body was shaking. "They know about it? Did you tell them?"


    It was no secret that the elders were obsessed with prophecies, and it went without saying that they simply believed in it. Mainly because it was the final prophecy of the only fortune teller in their clan and no one knew about it until the king''s death some time ago due to war with humans.


    Maybe this was also what triggered Liam to act even colder toward Anna. Not only because of her betrayal by giving such an important book to the enemy, but also her affair with a human.


    It was disgusting in Liam''s eyes, but he still had a soft side to him for Anna. Because after all, Anna was once someone he trusted. Even when it was evident that she didn''t think so.


    "I told them," Liam said. "And they believe if you are removed, the prophecy will not come true and the actions you have taken have only strengthened their reason for getting rid of you."


    Anna laughed grimly, the sound of her laughter echoing in the empty hall. "Get rid of me? What do you mean get rid of me? By putting me in exile?" Anna asked, but then an understanding came to her. "By killing me? You will kill me."


    "You left me with no other choice," Liam then walked closer to Anna and the woman stepped back from him, looking terrified at the determined gaze in Liam''s unwavering eyes that were locked with hers.


    "You should think about our people too!" Anna cried desperately. "You must have realized why I was chosen as the future queen. I am the only best candidate for you and can give you the successor of this kingdom."


    Liam wanted this to end quickly, but he also didn''t want Anna to be in the dark without knowing what was really going on. "That is one of the reasons why the king did not expose the prophecy."


    Yes, because just like Liam, the previous king didn''t believe in things like this either. The two of them were more concerned about the existence of their nation, rather than thinking about what might happen, something that wasn''t even certain.


    Anna''s eyes were glazed over, her breath was hoarse as she tried to find a way to free herself from this complicated situation she had created herself.


    "You are the king now, whatever you say is an absolute order." Anna tried to make Liam see another point of view. "If you want me, then no one will dispute your words."


    Liam stared into Anna''s eyes for a long time, before he finally said, "I used to want you, but not now."


    Anna squinted her eyes, those were strong words and very cruel to her. "You want to kill me?"


    Liam clenched his jaw tightly. "I am the king, if I don''t enforce the existing rules, then am I still worthy to lead our people?"


    A grim snort and laughter erupted from Anna''s throat. She knew that the reason would be like this. "You always put things like that ahead of me."


    "You should have done the same since you are a queen." Liam didn''t understand why Anna didn''t understand this point. What other kind of attention should Liam give her? This woman was too demanding to an extent that Liam himself had difficulty understanding.


    Her thirst for attention made Anna unable to think properly and rationally, while those were the things she needed most as a future queen.


    "I don''t think I will be a queen any time soon. You are going to get rid of me," Anna said fiercely. She tried to make herself look brave, but failed. "So you think getting rid of me is the best way? Don''t you think about what will happen in the future?"


    What Anna meant was of course because she didn''t see any other better candidate than herself as a queen figure, who would provide a successor to this kingdom. Meanwhile, this was a very important point and can''t be ignored that easily.


    No matter what the elders decided and how Liam felt, they had to think of a potential successor.


    For this reason, Anna became arrogant in her decision to take the forbidden book, because she thought that no one would dare to touch her, even if she was found out.


    "No," Liam replied. "For the first time the elders and I came to the same agreement. You will be punished according to the terms of being a traitor."


    "Then you think by killing me you will be free from the prophecy?" Anna gritted her teeth. "You think there is a better woman than me?"


    Fangs and claws sprang from Anna''s slender fingers, her hands curved, indicating she was ready to attack to defend her life, even though the possibility of her being victorious against Liam and Andreas at the same time was impossible.


    On the other hand, Mila had never seen Anna like this, she had never even heard Anna raise her voice or be in a fighting position.


    Anna had been raised to be their queen for as long as Mila could remember and therefore she didn''t need any hard training to defend herself, as there would always be someone willing to lay down their lives for her.


    "Yes, we have decided on another candidate to fill your position," Liam replied curtly and he could see the surprise in Anna''s eyes.


    "Who''s that b*tch?!" Anna cried angrily and this made Mila flinch.


    She had never heard Anna curse before.


    "Mila," Liam replied in a firm voice.


    And when that name was finally uttered, a low but menacing growl erupted from Anna''s throat, echoing through the room, rattling the stone walls around them.


    "You can''t replace me with Mila! She has no eligibility to be a future queen!" Anna screamed in frustration.


    "Then you think after what you did, you have the eligibility to be a future queen?" Liam asked Anna back. "You have all the eligibility for a traitor."


    Liam''s anger seemed almost unstoppable because of his disappointment with Anna. He thought he could finally trust someone and have someone who would always be by his side no matter what.


    Liam was so stupid to think that Anna was always eager to listen to him whenever he told her about the royal problems he had to deal with, he thought that Anna had the same vision as him.


    But it turned out to be all just a pretense.


    It''s also possible that his decision to kill Anna was not solely due to her betrayal and infidelity but also mixed with a deep sense of disappointment and anger that Liam couldn''t express.


    "Liamˇ­ Liamˇ­ I am sorryˇ­" Anna knelt in front of Liam and held his feet tightly. "I promise I will be the queen you want me to be and not repeat my mistakes again. I will tell you everything I know about Rick, but I am sorryˇ­" Anna pleaded with tears streaming down her beautiful eyes.


    It turns out that death was so scary that it made Anna fall to her knees in front of Liam. Losing her position as queen by being replaced by her own sister was also a defeat that Anna could not accept.


    Liam flinched when he saw Anna''s tears, but the look in his eyes showed neither sympathy nor pity for the woman.


    But, in the next second Anna lunged at Liam with her sharp claws, aiming for the king''s neck.


    It was a desperate attack as Anna realized there was nothing she could do to save herself. For an unknown reason, she knew that Liam would not forgive her. She had gone too far and tested the king''s patience to the limit.


    Unfortunately, Anna''s efforts were fruitless, Andreas put himself between Liam and her.


    However, very quickly, Liam threw Andreas away and faced Anna head-on.


    And it was this moment that Mila remembered, when Liam stabbed his sharp and powerful claws into Anna''s chest and killed her instantly.


    Liam was a great fighter. He knew how to kill his enemy in just one swift attack, and that''s what he did to Anna.


    The future queen felt no excruciating pain and Mila could see her body fall into Liam''s arms, as he told Andreas. "Tell the elders about this."

 Chapter 61 - REVELATION

    Mila fell to her knees, her eyes empty as she looked around her. She was no longer in the main hall with her sister''s lifeless body collapsed into Liam''s arms. While the king was hugging her, there was no emotion in his eyes.


    No sadness, regret or anger, or maybe Mila didn''t sense and see all that because Liam was too good at keeping everything to himself? Because he was beyond capable of controlling himself that one would have difficulty reading his facial expressions to even understand how he really felt?


    After all, he was the king, if he couldn''t control himself, then someone else would do it for him. And if that happened, then he did not deserve to be called a leader for their people.


    It was a tremendous responsibility for Liam.


    Meanwhile, in front of her, Liam was still standing in the same position, staring at Mila with that annoying emotionless look that made Mila wonder what exactly he was feeling or thinking right now?


    And what was Liam''s real intentions in showing her her sister''s memories?


    Oh, of course Mila understood that Liam wanted to convince her that he was not entirely at fault and that what Mila saw fifty- five years ago wasn''t what she mistook.


    However, Mila felt that there was something else that she was not aware of, something that Mila had to ask directly to confirm the answer.


    "What is the prophecy?" Mila asked, her eyes glaring at Liam, while she was still sitting next to the thick glass of the cylindrical container that enclosed Anna''s soul.


    However, when Mila glanced at the tube, Mila couldn''t see her sister''s figure anymore. Anna''s soul had disappeared after showing Mila all these things.


    And that''s how it works.


    Some knowledge about forbidden objects in this restricted area was indeed informed as a basic knowledge for them about their past.


    However, they never saw the objects or tried the forbidden curses directly, because the effects would be terrible if they used them incorrectly.


    "What prophecy was Anna talking about?" Mila remembered that part.


    Although Mila was still in a state of disbelief that her sister had betrayed them, these memories were real facts that couldn''t be denied while Mila could only watch without being able to do anything when all that was recounted before her eyes.


    "That was the final prophecy from the Oracle." Liam took a step closer to Mila and knelt before her. He reached out his hand to brush Mila''s tangled hair, but his hand was pushed away roughly. Mila didn''t want to be touched and Liam respected her wishes. "He said that I was the last king and my queen would ruin my era of leadership."


    Liam didn''t tell Mila in detail about the prophecy and only gave the big picture, but that was enough to explain the whole thing.


    "You mean, my sister will ruin the lives of our people?" Mila narrowed her eyes in disbelief.


    "With what Anna did, wouldn''t that show the beginning of the truth of the prophecy?" Liam answered Mila with a sentence that made the girl think that what he said was true.


    "That was not solid evidence for you to kill her," Mila hissed fiercely.


    No. It was strong enough evidence for Liam to kill Anna, not only Anna but also Milla, because the punishment for the traitors would be implemented not only on the traitor, but also on their family.


    However, Mila was in a state where she would deny all of that. The fact she had just learned about Anna''s death had shaken her completely.


    Then how was Mila still alive till this day? Even being chosen to be the next queen to replace Anna?


    "You know that was more than enough evidence to claim your life as well, who doesn''t even know the real problem," Liam said in a calm voice. One of his traits that made him seem so in control.


    "Then what is the purpose of you telling me all this?" Mila raised her head and looked at Liam, who was now leaning against the large glass tube.


    For some reason, Mila felt that they had returned to the past, where Liam still often hung out with her and Anna, and the three of them looked happy together, just like the other normal people.


    At least, in Mila''s memory, because at that time she did not know anything about the complexity of their relationship.


    "To clear up a misunderstanding that has been going on for decades," Liam replied.


    Although the topic of their conversation was so dark and complicated, the calm and quiet atmosphere in the room, coupled with the presence of someone who was familiar to them, made the discussion about the tragedy of decades ago become more talkable.


    Maybe Liam didn''t show it, but he was relieved that Mila''s reaction was completely different from what he expected, as he had thought of the worst possible outcome of this truth being exposed.


    Mila was dealing with this fact rather well. Her reaction was even better than Anna''s in dealing with complicated situations. Even in her daily life, Mila tended to explode with overwhelming emotions.


    But, in critical moments and when needed, Mila would take time to think and that was a good trait to be a queen.


    "Did you manage to findˇ­ that man?" Mila asked hesitantly, glancing at Liam.


    She was still annoyed at Liam, but seeing what her sister had done to him, it seemed very unfair for Mila to judge this man as well.


    But, on the other hand, Mila was still trying to digest all this. The fact that she had just discovered, shook her and shattered all the things she had believed for decades, which was; Liam was guilty and he was the bastard and nasty king, who had killed her sister, but hid behind a lie that he himself spread to save his face by saying that his sister had been killed by a human.


    "No," Liam replied.


    "What book did Anna give him?" Mila then followed Liam''s gesture by leaning against the now empty glass tube behind her. Anna''s soul was no longer in there and Mila would never see her again.


    "That," Liam pointed at the empty podium, where a white stone stood proudly in the center of the room. "It''s a powerful magic scripture."


    Mila didn''t respond for a while and the silence that enveloped the two of them didn''t make them feel awkward, instead they seemed comfortable.


    "Did the last war actually happen because Anna gave the book?" Mila asked cautiously, but Liam''s gloomy chuckle made her glare at the man.


    What did he mean by laughing at a time like this?


    "You haven''t been in this palace for decades Mila," Liam said patiently, he turned to look at Mila. "There were three wars after that."


    Mila rolled her eyes in annoyance at him. "You know what I mean. My memories stopped when those bastard humans captured me fifty years ago."


    Immediately Liam''s laughter seized and his eyes darkened. Mila''s words reminded him again that he had failed to protect the people around him and allowed those humans to touch what was his.


    However, Liam didn''t say anything about it and chose to focus on Mila''s question.


    "Yes," Liam replied curtly. His face looked much calmer than before, but that only meant he was controlling himself and not showing his true self. Another fake side of himˇ­


    "That war killed the previous king." It was a powerful statement, one that reminded Liam of Anna''s betrayal.


    "Yes, and that means your sister not only betrayed us, but also killed the previous king indirectly." The sentence just came out and Mila was at a loss for words to respond.


    What happened to Anna? Why did she do all that?


    If Mila had not seen it with her two eyes, then she would not have believed that her sister had betrayed her and her people, not even now.


    "You killed Anna very quickly," Mila said after a moment of silence. She just wanted to say that Liam had gotten the revenge he needed.


    This was indeed the nature of vampires. They would be easily influenced by negative feelings such as revenge. They could even turn grudges into the only reason for survival.


    The vampires would not let go of those who owe them and demand full vengeance.


    "That''s the last favor I can do to her," Liam replied.


    If Liam handed Anna to the hands of the Elders to be executed, then she would experience suffering that was impossible for others to imagine and in the end she would also be killed by the vampire guards who have a lower status than those of the nobles.


    Wasn''t that an insult?


    Therefore, Liam took things into his own hands and ended Anna''s life. It was the last thing he could do for his best friend and woman who would be his life partner, if only Anna didn''t take the wrong step and stopped focusing solely on herself.


    "Thank you," Mila said quietly. She understood his decision. It was a tough one and she couldn''t blame Liam, even if she wanted to.


    "So you have stopped thinking about killing me?" Liam cracked a joke, but sounded gloomy when he said it.


    "No. I am just delaying my revenge on you for killing Anna," Mila stated. She needed time to think through all of this and of course to make up her mind about Liam. "But, why am I still alive? Shouldn''t you kill me too?"


    Mila looked at Liam through her misty eyes.

 Chapter 62 - STALEMATE

    "Shouldn''t you kill me too?" Mila asked the king beside her.


    Only now did Mila really realize that some information was very important, where it could change someone''s perspective on something.


    Just like what was happening now.


    After learning what really happened and the undeniable facts from Anna''s memory, Mila began to see Liam in a different light.


    One might say, she was starting to see Liam as he was a few decades ago, before all the drama and events that had occurred over the past fifty- five years.


    Before Anna''s death, when the three of them still had a good relationship and there was no prophecy, murder, conspiracy or war involved in it.


    Those were the beautiful times that Mila missed.


    "Wouldn''t the family of a traitor have to bear the punishment for the betrayal along with the traitor?" Mila leaned her head against the glass container behind her and turned to look at Liam, who was sitting right beside her.


    "Yes," Liam answered quietly. "But, I made a deal with the elders."


    "A deal?" Mila raised her eyebrows questioningly. "I am not sure those old people are into discussing things calmly, they seem very difficult to work with." Mila scowled. "Are they still the same?"


    Liam laughed softly, Mila always had something to say. She was always honest with what she felt or thought. "No. Perhaps it would be more appropriate for me to say that I forced this decision on them." Liam turned to Mila and smiled. "With a bit of a threat here and there," he added.


    Mila smiled with him, then snorted. "So, what exactly happened?"


    Liam was silent for a moment, he couldn''t believe that Mila had responded so well to the disclosure of this fact, maybe he was the only one who thought too much about this?


    "Me and the elders came to a conclusion that the prophecy only applies to Anna, because at the time the prophecy happened, Anna was the future queen of our people, and it didn''t apply to the women after that." The woman who would be the next queen candidate, which was none other than Mila.


    Mila understood what Liam meant without further explanation. "That doesn''t answer why I am still alive today."


    Liam snorted. "You seem very determined to find out why you weren''t sentenced to death, instead of thanking me for the life you have now," Liam criticized Mila''s response to the matter.


    How come Liam just realized this? It has been a long time since they knew each other. Mila always has this unusual way of responding to things, as if her mind ran in a different circuit and was difficult to predict.


    Mila rolled her eyes and sighed in disgust at the comment. "I just wanted to be on guard, knowing how much you''ve sacrificed to keep me alive." Mila shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Who knows, right? It''s possible that someday you will claim this kindness of yours and ask me for something unreasonable."


    Liam couldn''t help but shake his head at Mila''s logic.


    There were times when she seemed to fit all the criteria of a queen that their people should have, but there were also times when this girl simply didn''t deserve that status.


    Liam didn''t know what would happen next between the two of them, but at least he was a little relieved that they were able to talk quite well without involving fangs and claws, and possibly injuring each other.


    "Of course there are consequences." Liam was silent for a moment. "But, when you think about it, this isn''t a consequence, it''s an advantage."


    Mila turned her head quickly, showing her disapproving expression. She didn''t feel like she was getting any benefit from this situation. "What do you mean?"


    "You can be the queen," Liam replied curtly. "Isn''t that an advantage? Your status changed, from the sister of a traitor to the queen of the people that she betrayed." There was a tinge of irony and sarcasm in Liam''s way of saying this.


    Mila glared back at Liam. "Don''t make me regret thinking about being nice to you like when we were together."


    Liam exhaled heavily. "Looks like we will never go back to the time when we didn''t know anything about our surroundings like we used to."


    What Liam said was true. They would never go back to that time.


    After that, silence fell over them for a while before Liam decided to take Mila''s question more seriously.


    "Yes, I silenced them by choosing you as my queen, because that was the only way to save your life." He still clearly remembered how he tried to defend Mila and made the elders give up with their crazy idea of ??wanting Mila to be killed because of Anna''s actions.


    At that time, Liam''s influence was still not as great as it was now and he was still trying to adjust himself as a king. It was not an easy time.


    "And what exactly did you do?" Mila knew very well how the elders worked. They could be very stubborn in deciding something without any leeway.


    "I threatened them with myself." Liam frowned as he said this. He didn''t really want to talk about it. "After Anna, of course your status is the highest among the other noble families and I said; I wouldn''t choose any other woman but you."


    "You can do that?" Mila frowned.


    "That''s my prerogative as a king," Liam said in a simple manner, even though the process of it all made him seem like he was walking through hell. "After all I am the person to coexist with this woman, not them."


    But, in exchange, Liam must obey their orders, weakening his status as the king. One of their demands was not leaving the palace, because they were afraid that he would be killed.


    Liam was the last descendant of the previous king and that was understandable, just it was hard to live with.


    "I have to thank you for that," Mila said.


    "I don''t need your gratitude, I just need you to act like a queen," Liam voiced out what he was thinking.


    "I can''t," Mila refused. "I don''t intend to be a queen and I don''t love you anyway." That was honesty. As her memories returned, something else came back to herˇ­ her feelings toward Aaric.


    "That''s a painful statement," Liam said, but he didn''t feel that way. He knew that the feelings between them weren''t like that.


    "I had to tell you first so you wouldn''t be surprised," Mila replied.


    "Aaric," Liam said as he turned his head to Mila. "The soul- possessor, isn''t it?"


    Mila nodded. "Yes, he is."


    Now that she remembered everything, her feelings for Aaric also returned. He was the man Mila loved. That was also the reason why the two of them didn''t return, even after Aaric managed to find her.


    Because the two of them didn''t belong here and ironically, they couldn''t live among humans either.


    Strange indeed, but Mila could understand a little what Anna felt at that time. Only if her older sister did have genuine feelings for the man and not just to test Liam.


    "Where is his real body?" Mila asked, her tone sounded more serious now. She knew that Liam had separated Aaric''s body and soul so that the soul possessor would bring Mila back to this palace, but unfortunately the plan didn''t go well.


    "You didn''t think I would tell you, did you?" Liam knew that this was going to happen, the calm he had felt earlier, had only lasted for a very short time.


    Mila narrowed her eyes at the king. "I was thinking of finding out myself if you didn''t tell me about it."


    "No Mila, he can''t return to this palace. He has kidnapped you," Liam confirmed this point.


    "He didn''t kidnap me Liam. I decided to go with him." Mila emphasized her own point of view.


    "And you fell into human hands," Liam growled. "Spending fifty years of your time being their guinea pig."


    Liam managed to make Mila speechless, because he touched right where the wound was. It was an embarrassing topic to Mila and Liam shouldn''t have brought it up.


    Now, furious, Mila stood up and patted the dust off her long dress, then threw Liam a dagger- like glare.


    "I think my sister was right about one thing." Mila waited for Liam''s response, but since the king didn''t give a significant reaction, she would continue her words. "You don''t deserve to be loved, because all you think about is yourself."


    Liam clenched his jaw firmly upon hearing that statement.


    In the end, they didn''t seem to reach any agreement when they returned to the same corridor they had come from. Because nothing seemed to have changed or improved about their relationship.


    Mila walked in front of Liam while the king followed behind, but they were both so busy with their own thoughts that neither of them spoke.


    When they reached the top of the stairs, Mila struggled to push the stone door open, so she stood aside and gave Liam room to do so.


    There was a frown on Mila''s forehead as she watched how easily Liam opened the door.


    "This door will only respond to me and a few people I designate," Liam explained, although Mila didn''t ask.


    However, they didn''t have time to talk further when the two of them saw two guards wearing dark blue uniforms, which indicated they were messengers from the elders, standing at the exit.


    "Princess Mila, please come with us," said one of them politely, after bowing to both of them.


    "What if I don''t want to?" Mila had a bad feeling about this.

 Chapter 63 - THE OTHER CREATURES

    As it was well known, the seven elders could be beyond stubborn when they wanted something, and Mila couldn''t refuse them outrightly either. Her status as a princess did not give her the authority to do so.


    However, Liam didn''t help her to avoid the old people. He thought that Mila should go to the elders to find out what they wanted.


    "Nothing they want would be good," Mila mumbled when Liam said that.


    They walked down the corridors of the castle, while the sun was still shining brightly outside. This castle was actually a fortress for the lives of other vampires who didn''t have royal blood like them.


    During the day, the vampires would take cover in the shadow of the castle to escape the sun.


    Yes, sunlight could slowly kill them.


    "Do you have any idea on what they really want?" Mila asked Liam again. She had to be active in speaking, because if it wasn''t just the two of them, the king would tend to keep his mouth shut.


    Liam would only be talkative in front of certain people.


    "I guess so," Liam answered bluntly. Of course he knew what kind of trouble Mila had to face because of those elders.


    The seven of them were still not complacent with Liam''s decision to keep Mila as the future queen of their people.


    Since Mila had been held captive by the humans for a long time, they were worried that the mortals had done something to her.


    "Is that a bad thing?" Mila frowned, not liking what she had to face later. During her stay in the palace, she had always tried to avoid conflict with any of them.


    However, now she had to face all seven of them at onceˇ­


    "You have to face them yourself to find out," Liam said and his words didn''t help at all.


    Mila grumbled when she got an unclear answer.


    "Thank you for your help," Mila replied sarcastically.


    Not long after, the two guards dressed in dark blue opened a large door in front of them and let the king and Mila enter first.


    ================


    "How could you guys let them escape?!" Claire cried angrily, her eyes burning with fire when she heard their report.


    "The car they were in crashed into the guardrail and sank to the bottom of the lake," a young man reported to his commander.


    If they didn''t know Claire''s status as a commander in this special forces, they would have thought that this woman was an ordinary woman, but her appearance now seemed far from that.


    "They can''t just die from drowning at the bottom of the lake!" Claire hissed fiercely. She still couldn''t forget what those astral beings had done to her.


    She was unconscious when it all happened until the special forces team found her in the kitchen.


    And then Claire got the news that her best friend, Ellen, had passed away and it was very likely that those bastard creatures had killed her. It was an indisputable fact, there were no other suspects in this case.


    "Yeah, I guess so," said another man who was older and seemed to be of a higher rank than Claire. "I got reports that the vampires were spotted in the city center not far from where the car crashed."


    Claire clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "I want them dead. That bastard has killed my best friend." Claire''s voice sounded low and dangerous.


    "You know, don''t you, that you can''t mix personal matters with this?" the older man reminded Claire and waved his hand at the other man to leave the room.


    And when there were only the two of them in the room, Claire said in a hateful tone. "Whether this involves personal matters or not, you know that we have to kill them all, don''t you?" Then Claire turned and looked at the older man and added. "Father?"


    The man Claire called father was Danny White, one of the seven higher- ups in the special forces.


    "What is your plan?" Danny asked his daughter. He was furious because the savage creatures had touched Claire.


    If it wasn''t for luck or whatever it was called, it could have been Claire who was killed instead of Ellen tonight.


    It''s a pity that Ellen died in that way, because Danny had known her since they were little and didn''t imagine that Ellen actually worked for a research center.


    "I still haven''t decided what I am going to do, but I found something interesting," Claire said. "Come here, I will show you that astral beings aren''t just vampires."


    Danny narrowed his eyes when he heard that. "There are more creatures?"


    "Yeah, I didn''t notice this at first, but there was something odd about her when I saw her," Claire explained as they walked out of the meeting room at the special forces center. "I ordered this little girl to be restrained."


    "A small child?" The frown between Danny''s eyebrows deepened. What did Claire mean by locking up a child? Why did she involve civilians?


    But, before Danny could protest and criticize Claire''s actions, she seemed to know what was on his father''s mind. She raised her hand to ask Danny to stop, forcing him to swallow back his comment in the process.


    "You should see this kid first before you jump to conclusions." Claire took out a special card from her pocket to open the automatic door that separated the corridor from the earlier room, while the guards on duty there saluted the two of them as they passed. "You will agree with me and I think this creature can lead us to the vampire hideout."


    "What is this creature?" Danny did not get any information regarding the astral beings captured by Claire.


    They walked through the hallway where the glass walls of the rooms showed the activities of the people inside, where they were testing and observing something out.


    Claire led her father to the end of the corridor and stopped at a white door, outside which there were two guards waiting.


    Claire nodded at the two guards and let them open the door.


    "I don''t know for sure, but I am sure she has the ability to enter someone''s soul," Claire said in a calm tone and stepped into the room with iron bars, akin to a prison cell.


    Some of the rooms were filled with vampires who had been their captives for a long time, but huddled in a sitting position in the corner of this small prison- like room, there was a little girl around seven years old, away from the iron bars that locked her up.


    "Claire, what is this? Are you crazy?!" Danny cried in a muffled voice. Not only had his daughter detained civilians, but she had also detained a minor.


    "Look at this," Claire said quietly.


    ================


    As Mila expected, arguing with the elders was exhausting and during that long discussion, Mila felt that they had sucked out all of her energy.


    It was only after the sun had shone that the tough discussion could finally end. That''s also because Liam looked so angry that they had wasted his time, while he had already made it very clear; he chose Mila.


    And the decision was not something that needed to be discussed again.


    "I will see you after sunset," Liam said to Mila, as he ushered her into her room, which was not far from his own.


    "No need to see me," Mila grumbled.


    Mila was still annoyed that Liam was sticking with his decision, but also couldn''t be completely angry with the king, as her options were so limited; between herself being queen or being the sister of a traitor, which was a death sentence for her.


    Well, Mila didn''t want to die yet.


    "Have a good rest." Liam ignored Mila''s curt words and stepped away to return to his room. He also felt very tired, as if he could no longer walk. Because since he picked up Mila, Liam hadn''t got a single moment to rest, now his head felt very heavy.


    But, he still had to confirm something.


    "Andreas," Liam called him, as he entered his room followed by his loyal guard. "Watch the movements of the seven elders and report everything to me."


    Andreas frowned. "Isn''t spying on the elders against the rules?"


    There was a rule that referred to this, wherein the elders and the king were not allowed to spy on each other.


    "It''s against the rules if you get caught," Liam said curtly, removing his robes and layers of clothing afterward.


    Andreas had to avert his eyes when Liam took off all his clothes and put on more comfortable clothes for him to sleep in.


    "Don''t let them know what you are upto." Liam said in a tired voice, then he stumbled toward his bed.


    However, that was easier said than done...


    ================


    Mila entered her room with an uncomfortable feeling and a mind filled with many problems.


    It felt like her life in the research center was much better than here, at least even though her mind was blank and couldn''t remember anything, her head wasn''t troubled with so many headaches.


    And one more thingˇ­ she missed Aaricˇ­ where was that silly guy now?


    However, as soon as she thought of changing her clothes, her movements stopped because Mila realized that she wasn''t the only one in the room.


    "What do you want?" Mila asked, turning her body to face the two vampires who appeared from the shadows of the tightly closed curtains of her room. "What''s this? The elders are still not satisfied with the long argument just now?" Mila snorted when she saw the color of the uniforms they were wearing.

 Chapter 64 - AN IMPORTANT OFFER

    Mila looked around, she was now in a dark alley, being led to a place she had never been before.


    It turned out that, even though Mila had lived in the palace for decades, there were still places she hadn''t explored. Knowing about so many secret places in this palace made Mila feel amazed at the existence of such rooms.


    Did Liam know these places too?


    But, it seemed that now the more important question was; did Liam know that Mila was in a place like this?


    The guards who took Mila from her room managed to get into her room through a secret door behind an ancient painting, so Mila didn''t have a chance to tell Liam this unexpected visit or be seen by the guards who were on guard outside her room.


    What a cunning and clever way for the elders to get what they wanted.


    The journey in the dark alley was getting steeper and gloomier, as if Mila was walking toward the center of the earth as the air gradually turned humid.


    "Where are you taking me?" Mila asked in a light tone while noticing the stone walls around her which felt slippery and mossy.


    No answer.


    Mila had expected that they wouldn''t be so lenient in answering. But, when the two guards finally stopped at an oval- shaped space that could accommodate dozens of people, and made her stand right in the middle of the room, they spoke into the darkness.


    "We have brought princess Mila," one of them said as he turned his head to one side of the room, which Mila assumed was where the elders would appear from.


    Mila could have refused to go with them earlier, but her curiosity got the best of her.


    "You can leave." A woman''s voice echoed through the room before her figure could be seen.


    Mila then turned her attention to the direction of the voice and saw the figure of Alena who was walking toward her with a cold face, wearing a dark blue cloak.


    She was the younger sister of the previous king and could be said to be the only vampire who has a blood relationship with Liam. If she had been a man, a clash for the throne would have been unavoidable once the former king had died in the war.


    Alena walked toward Mila in slow steps which showed how confident she was in facing her.


    "I thought our chat was over half an hour ago when you guys finally withdrew to obey the king''s orders," Mila said sarcastically. She folded her arms across her chest and raised her chin to face the only female elder.


    "Our formal discussion ended half an hour ago, but that doesn''t mean we can''t have other discussions outside the meeting room, right?" Alena replied to Mila''s words, efficiently silencing the girl for a while.


    After Alena said this, Mila finally realized that this chat was only for the two of them because she didn''t see any other elders besides Alena.


    "So, what do you want to discuss with me separately?" Mila asked, since Alena didn''t intend to explain anything without being asked. "You know, my journey back here was long and tiring, so if you just want to stand there without saying anything, I don''t have time for that. Just like what Liam said, I am tired and need some rest."


    Those were Liam''s words to urge the elders to end the pointless discussion regarding Mila''s status, as Liam was adamant with his initial decision.


    "I want you to leave this place," said Alena without further ado. "I oppose your presence in the palace and disapprove of Liam''s decision to appoint you as his queen."


    Mila tilted her head. "I agree with you on this one, but as you know, Liam has no intention of letting me go and I can''t just walk out of this place."


    "If you really want to leave this palace, I can help you." Alena provided the best solution. "As you can see, this place has many secret passages. You don''t have to use the main door to leave from here."


    Mila narrowed her eyes at Alena. "What you say is true," she said slowly. "So you are going to show me the way?"


    "Of course it would not be me, but them." Alena nodded her head to her left and immediately five guards appeared from the darkness.


    Mila was quite impressed by these five guards, apparently they were not ordinary guards and were people who had been well trained, because even Mila herself could not sense their presence until the moment they appeared.


    "They will take you to the border and after that you can go wherever you want, but never set foot in this place again." Alena looked at Mila and smiled, as if she was the kindest person and an angel for the girl in front of her right now.


    "Easy as that?" Mila asked suspiciously, her instincts told her that something wasn''t right with all of this, but couldn''t pinpoint what it was.


    "Yes, easy as that," Alena confirmed Mila''s words for her.


    Mila looked at the five guards who were ordered by Alena to escort her out of the palace, observing them one by one.


    It could be said that their bodies were in the same height and size as Liam''s, which meant they were much taller than Mila and also much bigger.


    "Then what are you waiting for?" Alena asked with her voice as sweet as honey. "You don''t want to wait until Liam got suspicious and realized you had disappeared, do you? Because if that''s the case, then I can say with certainty that your words are lies. You want the status of a queen."


    Mila gave a small snort when she heard Alena''s statement. "Oh, please," Mila said in a reproachful tone that she didn''t hide at all. "Try a better way to provoke me. Your ways are too old- fashioned."


    Alena''s way of speaking was the same as if she was forcing Mila to get angry and do the opposite?


    But, of course Mila wasn''t easily provoked in such a cheap way.


    "I was just reminding you," replied Alena casually, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly.


    Mila was silent for a moment again, thinking. "Who are they?" she asked. "They were not bodyguards for noble families, nor were they bodyguards for elders and don''t tell me they were ordinary members of the guard either. So, who are they?"


    Alena laughed softly at Mila''s observations. "You are truly a true noble''s daughter, you can tell the guards apart even if you haven''t been here for a long time."


    Mila shrugged. "If you guys still have power, I don''t think things will change much even if I am not here for the next two hundred years."


    It was a hidden reproach, as it could be said that with the power of the elders, no progress could be expected, everything would stagnate, being in the original position without any significant changes.


    Alena snorted, angry flames burning behind her eyes. "Be careful with what you say."


    Mila didn''t reply to those words and glanced in the direction she had come from, she still remembered the way back to her room.


    "Thanks for your offer, but I think I should decline," Mila said in a calmer voice. She then walked back in the direction she came. "I really want to leave this place, but I am sorry I don''t trust you and them, so I have to refuse."


    Despite her desire to leave the palace, Mila would not go with people she did not trust.


    She was lying when she said nothing had changed with the elders. No. Something about them had changed. Mila realized they had more power than Liam. Mila felt they were more dominant and Liam seemed struggling to keep up with them.


    And again, Mila remembered Liam saying that during the fifty years she had gone missing, there had been three more wars with humans.


    Wars didn''t happen that often before.


    "If you have nothing more to say, I will take my leave," Mila said quietly, keeping her voice calm. Her focus now was to return to her room and confront Liam about this secret passage.


    Who would want to stay in a room that just anyone could enter at any time?


    "I don''t think you can just leave here after my offer." Alena nodded to the five guards and they moved to block Mila''s path, standing proudly in front of her.


    "Seriously?!" Mila grumbled.


    "It seems I was too careless because I didn''t consider that you would refuse my offer after seeing how adamant you were about leaving this place." Alena walked closer. "Leave Mila, while I ask you nicely."


    Mila glanced at Alena, then she tossed her white hair arrogantly. "How about you ask me unkindly."


    "We don''t want to lose any more noble family members, do we? So don''t force me to do that." Alena then walked past the five guards, toward the exit from this place. "Make sure she gets out of here."


    Mila looked at Alena''s departing figure until her back disappeared behind in dark shadow, only then did her focus return to the five guards in front of her who didn''t flinch at all.


    "I guess I have no other choice, do I?" Mila folded her arms in front of her chest. "So, don''t just stand there and start showing me the way out of this damned place."


    The five guards didn''t say anything, but one of them walked in front of Mila, while the other four walked behind her, making sure Mila wouldn''t run away, they were heading in a different direction from where Mila had come.


    Meanwhile, Mila looked very alert, she glanced at her ankle and felt the cold metal touch her skin.

 Chapter 65 - LIAMS INSTINCT

    Of course Mila wouldn''t just leave without arming herself, especially when she was picked up in an unusual way and had to face the elders.


    After Alena left, the five guards took Mila away from the door, from where she had come before, heading in the opposite direction.


    At this time, Mila still hadn''t found anything suspicious and she hoped these five people wouldn''t do anything stupid, because if that happened, then Mila would not hesitate.


    And since her memory came back, of course, Mila remembered everything again and these five people should know who they were dealing with.


    Mila might be a princess, but she didn''t look like that at all. Her soul was much tougher than just being a princess or a noble''s born.


    "Is it still far away?" Mila asked and her voice echoed through the dark passages of this secret way. They had walked for about twenty minutes, but Mila still didn''t see any change in her surroundings. "How long are we going to walk like this?"


    No answer.


    The five secret guards kept their mouths shut, not letting Mila find out more about them or answer any of her questions.


    It sucksˇ­ Mila cursed in her heart.


    Hopefully what Alena said was true and she just needed to go out of this palace, then Mila would gladly not come back again.


    The first thing Mila would do was go and find Aaric, after which they would decide what to do next.


    Too bad, while Mila was in the middle of her own plan, one of the guards behind Mila proved that her initial instincts were right, as he moved with the intention to attack Mila when they reached a dead end in the dark corridor.


    However, what they didn''t expect was; Milla was not anyone that they could beat easily. They should have asked further what kind of princess this one was.


    Because as soon as Mila felt one of them draw a sharp dagger out behind her back, she moved quickly to dodge the sudden attack.


    Mila jumped to her left side and caught the wrist of the guard and quickly twisted his hand, making the sharp edge of the dagger point to the man''s own chest, then without the slightest hesitation Mila pushed the dagger through his chest.


    After the dagger penetrated deep enough into the guard''s body and made him groan in pain, Mila kicked him away and prepared for the next attack.


    "I don''t think we can find a way out this way," Mila said as she grabbed her own dagger from her ankle.


    Okay, it''s time to fight back if that''s what they want.


    ================


    Liam felt restless in his sleep, he felt that something was wrong and somehow worried about Mila.


    He felt it was not right to leave the girl alone in her room.


    And even though the tiredness seemed to drain all of his energy, Liam still forced himself to get out of bed and head for Mila''s room. At least seeing her with his own eyes, would make him feel better.


    "I thought you were asleep," Andreas said when he saw Liam come out of his room. As usual, he was standing guard at the king''s door. "You have only been in for less than two hours." There was no way Liam just slept for such a short time. Andreas remembered well the last time he saw the king resting.


    "Don''t you feel something is wrong?" Liam asked, ignoring Andreas'' concerns and posting a question of his own.


    "Hmm?" Andreas frowned. "No, all is well." Andreas didn''t know where the question came from, but while he was on guard, he didn''t hear any sound from the direction of Mila''s room, which means that''s a good sign, right?


    But, the answer did not slow down Liam''s steps. Instead, he rushed to Mila''s room and ignored the respectful greetings from the two guards who were guarding in front of the princess'' bedroom.


    The elders were able to step over the line because of the matter just now and they seemed very determined to remove Mila from her position as the future queen.


    Ever since the case with Anna, the elders had become more arrogant with the decisions they made and had more control over this kingdom than Liam.


    Only because Liam felt guilty and also indebted regarding the matter about Anna that they kept Anna''s case closed and tricked everyone by saying that the future queen had died at the hands of humans, instead of telling the truth to protect Mila, that Liam felt his power was limited.


    But not this time, they should have listened to what Liam said, he was a king and it was their duty to obey his words.


    Liam opened the door to Mila''s room himself and quickly realized that the girl was no longer inside.


    The room was empty and the bed looked like it hadn''t been slept in at all.


    "Where is she?" Liam asked, looking around the room with his wild, fierce eyes.


    Two guards guarding in front of Mila''s room stammered, they couldn''t believe that the princess had disappeared. "We didn''t see anyone going in or out of this room."


    The two of them immediately looked around the spacious room, including Andreas, who ran toward the balcony and shouted at the guard who was on guard just below the balcony.


    However, the answer he received was the same, neither of them knew where Mila had gone, nor had they seen any strange things over the past few hours.


    Meanwhile, Liam didn''t have to check the whole room to know that Mila was no longer inside. Her scent faded and could only be smelled faintly. As a vampire from the royal family, of course Liam''s abilities far exceeded the average normal vampire''s, especially against people who were very familiar to him.


    "Your Majesty," Andreas approached Liam to report what he had found. "No one has seen anyone going in or out in the last few hours."


    Liam didn''t heed what Andreas said, because he had walked over to a painting and stood there for a while.


    "Your majesty?" Andreas asked in a low voice and raised his hand to signal for the other guards not to make a sound. "You found something?"


    Liam traced the edges of the painting with his fingers as he stared straight ahead.


    There was something bothering him about the painting, especially when Mila''s scent ended there. Not only the girl''s scent, but also the faint scent of two other vampires, which Liam didn''t recognize.


    "Take this painting down," Liam ordered. He then took a few steps back to let his men do the work.


    The painting was enormous, towering high, twice Liam''s height. Therefore it took at least two people to take it down, unless you wanted to destroy it.


    And it was also the same painting, where Mila disappeared with two other guards, the secret door leading to the secret passageˇ­


    ================


    Mila slashed the dagger in her hand into the neck of the third guard and forced herself to face the remaining two.


    Her breath caught and echoed in the middle of this gloomy corridor, but her eyes stared intently at her opponents. She wouldn''t stop until the five of them were dead.


    Because at the moment, the options were so limited for her; if she didn''t kill them, they would kill her.


    No more questions coming out of Mila''s lips because it would just be a waste of time.


    The five guards would not open their mouths even if they saw death right before their eyes.


    "You bastard, how dare you attack me," Mila grumbled in annoyance, a ghastly smile on her lips, while her hand gripped the dagger tightly as the two remaining guards stepped forward with galloping steps as their emotionless eyes stared at Mila.


    The two vampires were indeed much larger and taller than Mila, but they were not commensurate with Mila''s swift movements, as the girl was able to dodge their aggressive attacks efficiently while making counterattacks at the same time.


    Seeing that the fight was about to end quickly, one of them resorted to a cunning trick by throwing white powder at Mila which blinded her for a momentˇ­


    ================


    "Soul possessor?" Danny muttered when he heard his daughter''s explanation.


    Claire and Danny stood on the outside of the iron bars that confined a seven- year- old girl and stared at the child with probing eyes.


    "Yes, she is a soul possessor. A non-human being that coexists with the vampires." Claire then opened the prison door and stepped inside followed by her father. "I read about their species in an ancient book I found some time ago."


    "Is it safe for us to be here?" Danny looked at the girl who was still sitting in a huddled position in the corner of the room. Even though the little girl looked harmless, since she was an astral being, of course they had to be more vigilant.


    Mainly because there were no chains or anything to put her under control.


    "It does not matter. In the book I read, when a soul-possessor possessed another creature, its power would be on par with the creature that it possessed." Claire then walked over to the little girl and grabbed her hair so she could look into her eyes. "So, what can the soul possessor in this child''s body do?" she asked mockingly.


    "FUCK!" Suddenly the little girl cursed and at once, she didn''t look like a seven year old child anymore.


    On the other hand, seeing the anger of the soul possessor, Claire laughed loudly.

 Chapter 66 - AND YOU ARE JUST GOING TO STAY DUMB?!

    "Look?" Claire turned the little girl''s face toward her father, as the girl tried to hit her, but unfortunately, the little girl''s arm didn''t even reach her face so Claire could easily avoid it. "She''s very cute, isn''t she?"


    Aaric''s fury was completely ignited when he heard Claire say that in a scornful tone.


    Actually, Aaric didn''t want to possess this child''s body, because no matter how bad he was, he never resorted to killing the soul of an innocent child. It was just that at that time circumstances required him to find another body and only this child was closest to him.


    Meanwhile, in his then weak state, Aaric couldn''t possess the body of an adult human, hence the reason why his eyes were still red up until now and didn''t have the original color of this little girl''s eyes.


    "Amazing," Danny muttered, impressed by his daughter''s ability to analyze the non- human creatures she had caught. "How did you even notice her?"


    "She was near me and was behaving very strangely." Claire shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Then I saw her eyes. That''s when I knew she wasn''t human."


    "But, you are taking too much of a risk." Danny shook his head. Claire could be wrong and if this kid was a civilian, then they would be in big trouble.


    "I am sure I wasn''t wrong and I proved it efficiently." Claire didn''t care about such details at all. If she could get her hands on the non- human beings, then this small sacrifice would be nothing.


    It seemed that Claire''s ambition to eliminate non- human beings had blinded her logic.


    "Then what are we going to do with her?" Since Claire was the one who got the creature, she had full rights over her.


    "Hm," Claire hummed softly, she then let go of Aaric''s hair roughly, standing up. "Didn''t you say you would cooperate with me if I released you?"


    Aaric grimaced, clutching his aching head, he felt his scalp was torn after what Claire had done.


    "Let go of me, and I will tell you the vampires usual hideouts," Aaric said, his jaw clenched tightly in anger.


    Fucking woman!


    Aaric swore he would get his revenge on this woman later. Claire was too stupid to believe him and her knowledge of soul possessors was pitifully limited.


    She didn''t know what Aaric could do once he regained his full strength. It wouldn''t be difficult for Aaric to teach Claire a lesson or two and also to trap the vampires in order to get Mila back.


    He was just waiting for the right timeˇ­


    ================


    Mila cursed when the white powder that the last two vampires threw hit her eyes and made her unable to see.


    These damned creatures! Mila cursed in her heart.


    She tightly gripped the dagger in her right hand, right in front of her face, in a ready stance. This time Mila would not hesitate to slash their stupid heads.


    A roar broke the silence of the secret passage and echoed along its mossy walls.


    The echo disturbed Mila''s hearing and made it impossible for her to hear clearly when one of them dashed forward to stab her.


    Insolent elders! Elena is shameless! How could she use such a dirty trick on her?


    Mila couldn''t see and her hearing was messed up, but she could still feel the wind blowing against her face for a moment when one of the two vampires threw his fist at her.


    Mila''s body reacted to the attack automatically. She took a step to her left and raised her right leg to kick the vampire in the head.


    This time, Mila could hear the sound of something colliding against a stone wall, as a smile of satisfaction spread across her lips.


    Even without her sight, she could still overthrow a vampire whose body size was much bigger than her.


    However, the triumphant smile on Mila''s lips did not last long, because after that she felt a very strong blow from the back of her head and made her stagger forward. She felt that her skull was split in two.


    Mila grinded her teeth, and from her throat reverberated a dangerous growl, like the sound of a wounded animal.


    Quickly, Mila rolled her body forward before her head hit the hard ground, then kept as much distance as possible from the vampire.


    However, because the last blow that Mila received was so strong, she had a hard time concentrating and determining her direction, especially because her eyes couldn''t perceive anything.


    What powder did the vampire spread earlier? How could this damage her eyesight? Would this be permanent?


    Mila couldn''t imagine a life where she wouldn''t be able to see again.


    After that, Mila received several blows, most of which she could not parry and she had to endure excruciating pain all over her body.


    And in the end, the vampire strangled her neck and cornered her against the wall until Mila''s back was against the damp and mossy wall.


    Not only suffocating her, the vampire also lifted her high until she lost her footing.


    Unable to breathe, losing her sight and feeling her whole body aching, Mila felt she didn''t have the energy to fight anymore.


    Mila''s breath started to hitch, she felt that part of her neck was broken and her fingernails tried to claw at this creature, only the assailant didn''t move in a position that did not benefit Mila at all.


    And when Mila felt her consciousness begin to fade, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps accompanied with angry roars that rumbled through the secret passage.


    Then in the next second, Mila felt her body slide down the wall, but before she actually fell, someone grabbed her quickly.


    "Princess Mila, are you all right?" it was Andreas'' worried voice, but then his sturdy hand was replaced by another.


    "Are you hurt?" It was Liam. Looked like the king managed to finish off the vampire who attacked Mila, in one swift attack and immediately approached his future queen.


    If Mila could see, then she would witness Liam''s rarely seen worried expression.


    "I will take you back," Liam muttered as he lifted Mila up with ease.


    "I can''t see," Mila whimpered, wrapping her arms around Liam''s neck. "They threw some powder in my eyes and now I can''t see."


    In his arms, Mila could feel Liam''s muscles tensing up. While his chest rumbled with a muffled growl as he spoke to Andreas.


    "Call a healer to my room," he ordered, clear and firm.


    "Yes, your highness," Andreas answered obediently, then he ran ahead, leaving Liam and Mila and some of the bodyguards who had come with them earlier.


    ================


    Mila felt the healer''s cold hand against her eyes as she heard her voice, muttering some ancient spells.


    It went on for quite a while, maybe ten minutes had passed. Or was it thirty minutes? Mila couldn''t tell how much time had passed since Liam brought her to his room.


    Of course, Mila knew that this was Liam''s room, because the scent of this man was very strong in the air, especially on the pillow that Mila was sleeping on.


    "So?" Mila couldn''t wait to ask, thus as soon as the healer finished casting the spell and raised her hand, Mila immediately asked the question.


    "Princess Mila, you will get your eyesight back in a week, but during that time you should rest well and avoid staring directly at the sun," the healer explained. "I know that you nobles can stay out in the sun for quite a while, but it''s best if princess Mila avoids it under these conditions."


    Mila frowned. She was quite relieved that the worst thing she could imagine didn''t happen, which was to be permanently blind, but one week without being able to see anything, was a long timeˇ­


    "Alright, I will leave some medicine for princess Mila to use daily, after that I will come back the day after tomorrow to keep an eye on her progress." The healer then left.


    Mila heard Liam and the healer talk about something, but she couldn''t catch what they were saying, because their voices were too low.


    "I don''t want to go back to my room," Mila said in an irritated voice after she heard the door closing and Liam''s stagnant steps toward her.


    "I don''t plan on making you return to that room," Liam replied to Mila and walked over to his wardrobe to change. Since Mila couldn''t see, he didn''t need to cover his nakedness now.


    "Do you know about the secret passage?" From Mila''s tone of voice, Liam could tell that this girl was still annoyed with him and at what had happened.


    "No, I don''t," Liam replied, putting his pants and clean shirt back on. "I only found out after I checked your room."


    "Why do you check my room at night?" Mila tried to move her head in the direction from where Liam''s voice was coming, as if she could see the king, but then she heard Liam getting very close to her and the bed sinking slightly when Liam sat beside her.


    "I had a hunch," Liam replied lightly, then took a book from his bedside table.


    For a moment the atmosphere turned silent because no one made a sound.


    "Hey," Mila called out, even more annoyed that Liam didn''t ask the question she was waiting for. "Why didn''t you ask who brought me into that secret passage?"


    Hearing the question, Liam closed his book and looked at Mila. "I don''t need to ask, because I know for sure who did it."


    "And you are just going to stay silent?!" Mila screamed in disbelief.

 Chapter 67 - GET OUT OF MY WAY!

    "And you are just going to stay silent?!" Mila screamed in disbelief. Her eyes hurt when she felt too emotional like now.


    How could Liam stay silent knowing that the elders had blatantly disobeyed his orders? And as the king, he didn''t even want to take any action?! Mila didn''t believe this at all.


    "I will not stay silent Mila, but this is not the right time," Liam said in a tired voice, he looked at the girl beside him who looked furious.


    Even though Mila was not able to see, that didn''t stop her from showing how disappointed she was at the decision Liam made by not taking this matter seriously, at least that was what Mila thought right now.


    "Then when do you think is the right time?" Mila exclaimed angrily. She no longer cared about what she had to say, she just wanted Liam to take action against the elders'' outrageous insolence.


    If it wasn''t for Mila, Liam should have been able to give them a warning and give them a severe punishment that would deter them from trying to harm her, not just sit back and let this pass.


    Liam was a king, so it was only fitting that he had such an attitude when dealing with such things.


    Mila didn''t expect this and just realized that Liam had changed since the last time they met.


    "You have changed. This isn''t the old you I know," Mila hissed, she didn''t hesitate to voice out her disappointment. "Or is this the real you? A coward?"


    The king glared at her for the words Mila had just said. "Be careful of what you say, Mila."


    "You have changed Liam," Mila ignored Liam''s warning. She was feeling very angry right now. If she wasn''t in this state of being unable to see, she would definitely have burst into the elders'' residences and stabbed Elena for what she did to her.


    Actually, Elena didn''t have to have an intention to kill her, because Mila would be happy to leave this palace if the five guards really took her out of the palace grounds.


    Hell. Mila had even thought of what plans she would follow later. Of course starting with finding Aaric first, but unfortunately that plan couldn''t take shape.


    And it didn''t look like it was going to happen anytime soon.


    Based on the nature of the Vampires, Mila also liked to harbor grudges and would not be easily appeased if she did not feel that she got the justice that she deserved.


    "A lot of things have changed since you left Mila," Liam said quietly. "I am just adjusting to being able to put up with all this madness."


    Mila frowned, she didn''t understand what Liam meant, but with her eyes unable to see, she could somehow perceive more clearly how fragile the king was now. Something was not right with the situation in this placeˇ­


    "You can tell me what happened to this place," Mila lowered her voice, although her expression still showed anger.


    Liam didn''t answer Mila''s question for a moment, he just stared at the woman beside him. "I will tell you all the damned secrets of this place if you promise to be by my side."


    "By being your queen?" Mila folded her arms across her chest, not seeming to like Liam''s advice. "This won''t work Liam, our relationship won''t work because I don''t like you."


    Liam smiled grimly at Mila''s determined tone and shook his head. "You don''t have to like me to be my queen, you think the previous king and queen lived together because they loved each other?" Liam snorted. "What you saw was just an illusion, try to think more rationally. Your head is filled with the romantic stories Anna told you. Those stories are very unrealistic."


    Mila clenched her jaw tightly. She couldn''t understand why she and Liam were fighting over this matter? Did Mila ask for something that was very outrageous? Mila only demanded justice for what happened to her, so why was Liam acting as if he didn''t want to annoy the elders instead of defending her?


    "You asked me to be your queen when you couldn''t even protect me and give me the rights I deserve or be fair." Mila''s voice quivered from the annoyance she was trying to suppress. "You think I will accept your offer? Knowing my life would be in danger?"


    Mila then took the dagger she had used against the guards and secured it on her ankle again. She then pulled the blanket over her head.


    "You will be fine if you take my word for it." Liam glanced at Mila for a moment and rubbed his face roughly. "I request you not to act rashly for the next few days."


    No response from Mila.


    "And you don''t seem to need to sleep with that dagger." Liam frowned, staring at Mila''s legs which were covered by the blanket.


    "I need this to protect myself, considering you can''t do that for me, even though you are the king and this is your territory," Mila said this sentence in a very cynical tone. She seemed to belittle Liam with her words.


    Also, Mila didn''t want to lose this dagger, because not all types of knives managed to hurt the vampires and get them killed, there were only some types of knives that could scratch their very hard skin.


    Therefore, whatever the situation, Mila would not be far from the dagger, especially when she couldn''t see like now.


    Based on what Liam said, Mila wasn''t sure that by sleeping beside him, she would be safer than when she was sleeping in the room that had a secret passage.


    After all, Mila''s instinct for survival was quite strong.


    ================


    The day had changed and the curtains had been lowered as the morning sun shone on the old castle and Liam could hear the breathing of Mila sleeping next to him starting to sound smoother and more even.


    Slowly, Liam got off the bed and put on his robe. He then walked toward the door, but before leaving he looked back at Mila''s sleeping face.


    The expression on her face no longer looked so tense, although there were still traces of the girl''s annoyance at the injustice she had experienced.


    With slow steps, which could not even be heard, he walked out of his room, down a dark hallway. There wasn''t much activity going on during the day like this for them, therefore, only a few guards were on lookout, while all the vampires with higher status could definitely be in their respective rooms.


    However, what Liam didn''t know was, as soon as he closed the door to his room, Mila opened her eyes. Her gaze was very sharp and empty, although there was really nothing she could see, considering that it would take her a week to regain her sight.


    However, Mila realized that something was wrong with what was happening in this palace. The Liam she knew was not as cowardly as he appeared now.


    Then, what really happened and where did the brave Liam go?


    If only Mila had her eyesight, then it was certain that she would chase after Liam, following him to satisfy her curiosity.


    Too bad, the conditions didn''t allow her to do thatˇ­


    Therefore, Mila could only lie on the king''s bed thinking about what to do.


    Should she stay in this place and find out what happened or forget everything and get out of the realm of the vampires?


    ================


    The two guards guarding Elena''s room immediately stood before Liam when the king was about to open the door of one of the elders'' rooms.


    "Get out of my sight," Liam growled in a deep voice and made the two guards lower their eyes, but not enough to make them let Liam into Elena''s room.


    "Sorry Your Majesty, but Elder Elena mentioned to not be disturbed right now," said one of them with a bowed head and a voice mixed with fear, because after all, Liam was their king.


    "You dare stop me?" Liam asked in a warning tone. He had faced so many problems, therefore, he would not let two guards with low status like them add to his headache. "Get out of my sight if you still want to live."


    Maybe they really still loved their lives or maybe because they still had a fear of the king, they finally stepped aside and made way for Liam.


    The king then walked forward and opened the door to Elena''s room without knocking or announcing his arrival.


    When the bedroom door opened, immediately the sweet smell of flowers, which spread across the floor of the room stung Liam''s sense of smell.


    But apart from the sweet smell of the flowers, there was another smell that was much stronger. Blood.


    Yes. This room was filled with the strong smell of blood.


    And as if Liam had already predicted what he would see, he didn''t even flinch at the sight that was presented before his eyes.


    There, on Elena''s bed, was a young man lying limply with blood oozing from the open wound in his neck.


    His naked body indicated what had actually happened between them before the young man died.


    To noble vampires, sucking the blood directly from their victims was a lowly act, but Elena didn''t think so.


    The woman liked having her ''meal'' after intercourse, or during the act itself. This was one of the activities that Elena enjoyed and was an open secret among the elders.


    ==============


    Find my other books and meet me on Instagram @Jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 68 - YOU ARE DISGUSTING!

    Liam was utterly disgusted by what was happening in front of him and chose to avert his eyes when Elena, reluctantly, covered the body of the young man who had lost his life after she was finished playing with him.


    The man bled to death after a few days in this room, and it was time for Elena to find new prey.


    "Get that out of my sight," Liam said angrily. He looked at an antique flower vase that was on his left side.


    Meanwhile, Elena put on her clothes after covering the man with a blanket.


    "What do you want?" Elena asked in a lazy voice. She then tied the rope around the blue robe she was wearing, and got off the bed.


    Elena walked over to the dressing table and started to brush her tangled hair. She looked haughty and didn''t seem ashamed that Liam had seen her in such a situation.


    As if this was not a big deal to her, well, it was notˇ­


    Liam didn''t answer her question immediately, he glanced at the bed and looked at the mound formed by the blanket with a cold stare, before he finally walked over to Elena.


    Meanwhile, Elena , whose focus was still on her hair, not at all expected that Liam would walk up to her and grab her hair suddenly before throwing her across the room.


    Screams and the sound of falling glass displays echoed through the walls and attracted the attention of the guards stationed outside the room to come in and find out what had really happened.


    "GET OUT!" Liam roared with absolute fury, making the two guards freeze where in their places, but they didn''t budge and did not do as the king ordered.


    Seeing how the guards disobeyed his orders, Liam didn''t say anything else. He just walked over leisurely with slow and determined steps.


    Once in front of the two, Liam raised his hand at one of them and broke the guard''s neck.


    "Take him out." Liam''s voice sounded cold and dangerous, he didn''t even bother with the fact that he just killed someone, the king even ignored how the other guard was shocked and fell to the ground, he couldn''t take his eyes off his partner who just died in Liam''s hands. "Don''t make me repeat my orders."


    Hastily, the guard dragged his comrade''s dead body out of Elena''s room, his face was deathly pale while his body was shaking violently.


    "You killed my guard!" Elena screamed.


    There were indeed two different classes of guards, namely the guards of the elders who received orders directly from them and also the royal guards, who were the guards of the king and several other important nobles and they were under Liam''s orders.


    But, still, you shouldn''t completely ignore your king''s orders, no matter what.


    "Yeah, I just killed him, just like how the five guards you ordered to kill Mila were killed," Liam said, stepping closer to Elena.


    Elena gritted her teeth, then stood up. "She deserves it. She must be eliminated!" she exclaimed.


    "She should be eliminated?" Liam repeated the sentence slowly, walking toward Elena, like a hunter who had found his prey. "She is going to be queen of this land and you are saying she should be eliminated?"


    "She will not be a queen!" Elena cried. "She doesn''t deserve to be the queen!" Elena then stood up and faced Liam defiantly. She even dared to look the king in the eyes with hatred which she was not trying to hide at all.


    What an insolent behavior.


    On the other hand, Liam walked toward Elena and raised his hand. However, before the king''s enormous hand could deliver another blow to Elena''s face, the elder said fiercely.


    "If you dare to beat me, I will make sure Mila is executed today, in front of all people and you will appoint a queen from the women I choose."


    Liam''s hand stopped in mid- air, they were staring at each other very intensely now, but when Liam lowered his hand, he instead touched Elena''s cheek, tucking her messy hair behind her ear while saying in a threatening voice.


    "Do that and I will leak the secret you bunch of elders keeping from the vampires," a sly smile tugged at the corners of Liam''s lips as he said it, especially when he saw the realization in the elder''s eyes. "Listen, Elena, we both hold each other''s death cards, so think before you act or threaten me."


    Elena gritted her teeth when she heard him and shook off Liam''s hand roughly. She looked at the king as if she wanted to kill him.


    "She is going to be the queen, because that is what it is supposed to be." Liam reiterated his sentence, as it seemed that the elder couldn''t hear him well. "The position of queen is her birthright and I will make sure she gets it."


    Elena replied to those words fiercely. "You really are disgusting."


    "Says someone who follows disgusting rituals in her room," Liam replied, glancing at the bed. "Mind your own business and stop meddling in this kingdom''s affairs. Because it is my territory."


    "The business of the kingdom is the business of the elders as well!" Elena growled, she grabbed Liam''s arm when the king was about to turn away, as he had conveyed his threat well and felt there was nothing more to say. "Stop being so arrogant, you don''t have any power if it''s not for the elders behind you."


    "I don''t need you." Liam brushed Elena''s hand off his arm. It felt so disgusting when this woman touched him.


    "Oh, of course you need us. Who do you think you are?" Elena asked meaningfully and this made Liam clench his jaw tightly. "Don''t be afraid Liam, I won''t say anything until you cornered me and I have no other way but to use the information I have. You wouldn''t want people to know about this, would you?"


    After Elena finished saying that, Liam snorted and laughed softly, causing the younger sister of his father to furrow her brows in confusion at his reaction. What''s wrong with Liam? Was there anything funny about her words?


    "Oh, Elena, you are free to say that, but you know what? If I fall, then I will drag you down with me, so we can rot in hell together." The sentence was said in such a way that it made Elena shudder subconsciously.


    She stared intently at the man before her, but couldn''t find the fear in the king''s eyes and instead, she found an insane intent.


    Yes, Liam would do as he said. He would not let Elena off easily. If he had to fall, he would bring her down with him.


    And for the umpteenth time, even though the elders had succeeded in restraining the king, Elena believed Liam''s words.


    Would he be difficult to deal with this time?


    ================


    "Where did you go?" Mila asked with her eyes closed, as soon as Liam started treating her eyes with the medicine left by the healer,  thinking she was asleep.


    "I have something to do," Liam replied shortly after recovering from his shock. He then continued to rub the medicine around Mila''s eyes that felt very cold when it touched the skin.


    "And what exactly did you do?" Mila brushed off Liam''s hand and sat down. "I want to know the answer Liam, you can''t keep this from me forever."


    Liam sighed heavily. "I am not hiding this from you," he insisted. "I told you, didn''t I? That I will tell you anything as long as you fulfill my conditions."


    "By being your queen?" Mila snorted, she thought Liam was only getting weirder and unreasonable by the day. "You know my answer."


    "And then, you also know my answer," Liam replied calmly, he then reached out to clean the medicine off her face.


    However, the girl quickly grabbed the king''s hand, she just needed her instinct to do so.


    "Alright, I will be your queen, now tell me what are you hiding?" Mila changed her decision quickly and immediately promised that she would be willing to be what Liam wanted. "I am ready, now quickly tell me, what are you hiding."


    Liam raised his eyebrows, but instead of an answer to Mila''s question, what came from his lips was a laugh followed by a gentle caress on Mila''s head, as if she was a child who needed attention, something Liam was used to doing often in the past.


    "You are not serious about this Mila..." Liam said, and then walked away. "Think carefully, because your answer might change your life."


    After that, Mila heard the sound of the door closing, indicating that she was alone again in the room.


    Liam, this  annoying a**hole!


    Mila should have gotten her memories faster, then she wouldn''t have fallen in this cursed palace. Her memory loss must be due to the drugs she was administered when she was still at the research center.


    ================


    "Claire, are you seriously doing this? You think we can believe that creature?" Danny seemed unsure of the decision his daughter had made to trust the soul- possessor''s words. How could they trust such a creature? "This could be a trap."


    Meanwhile, Claire was glaring at her father scornfully. "Stop being such a coward, dad," she said sarcastically.


    Claire was fed up with her father''s words which she thought were very cowardly.


    "What are you saying!?" Danny cried angrily. "I am your superior!" Danny pounded the table. He didn''t expect that his daughter would insult him like this.


    "Then act like one!" Claired replied fiercely.

 Chapter 69 - I WILL TELL YOU

    The plan to attack the vampire''s hideout ran into some problems and Claire was not at all happy with the convoluted process and the pros and cons that were raised by the leaders of the special force.


    Not to mention the fact that there was a possibility that they couldn''t proceed with the operation because they didn''t believe that the little girl was another being who was a soul possessor.


    How could they possibly muster such a large army just based on a little girl''s words?


    It was completely unreasonable and they needed stronger evidence to be able to grant Claire''s request and this frustrated the female lieutenant to the core.


    F*ck them all!


    ================


    It was the fifth day since Mila had lost her sight and slowly, she was starting to see the light and could make out the shape of things like the outline of a person''s body. She still couldn''t recognize the faces of the people she was talking to until they started speaking though.


    And during this period of time Mila was locked up in Liam, the king''s bedroom, not being allowed to go out.


    Liam always said that this was a way to keep Mila safe, although she insisted that Liam could remove Elena from her position as an elder and with that, automatically, Mila would be safer.


    Not by confining her like this, because Liam''s actions were very annoying and did not at all reduce the hatred that Mila harbored for Elena.


    After all, Elena had tried to kill her, so it was only fair that Mila wanted to do the same to her.


    "So how was your day here?" Arabella asked while twirling her hair arrogantly, she glanced scornfully at Mila and thought that this girl couldn''t see her.


    Of course Mila couldn''t see the cynical look, but that didn''t mean she couldn''t sense the hateful gleam in Arabella''s eyes and also miss the condescending tone from the way she spoke.


    "You seem very comfortable." Arabella then got down from her perch on a large drawer and began to pace up and down the king''s chambers. "Just lying in this room and waiting for Liam to come, but still pretending to turn down his offer as a queen."


    With her abilities and as someone from the shadow clan, for Arabella, entering a building or room was not a difficult task, just like when she easily infiltrated the heavily guarded research center.


    The only way to get Arabella to stop walking into her room so casually was to tell Liam and this girl would be severely punished for doing this.


    It was just that Mila didn''t want to give her the satisfaction of reporting what she did to Liam. Because it would be used by the shadow bender to tease Mila for the rest of her life, saying that she could only survive only because Liam was by her side.


    How annoying is thatˇ­


    "Shut up and get out of here, or I will not be responsible for what I do after this." Mila then shifted her body slowly until Arabella didn''t notice what she was doing and grabbed something from under her pillow.


    "What if I refuse and don''t want to leave?" Again, Arabella made that annoying move; combing her long, golden hair with slender fingers, while some parts of her body were exposed.


    Mila''s current vision was limited, but she could still imagine Arabella''s face while she did so.


    "Get out of this room Arabella, as long as I am still nice to you," Mila said in an even voice, but her hands could already feel the cold metal of the dagger she always carried. Even though she was in the king''s room, it didn''t mean she was safe here.


    "Since when have you been so nice to me, I should haveˇ­" Arabella had not had time to finish her sentence when something crossed her cheek so fast that she didn''t have time to dodge it.


    With a muffled sound, the dagger that Mila threw pierced the wall at the back of Arabella''s head before grazing past her cheek, causing the shadow bender to flinch and shriek softly after the shock had passed, realizing what had just happened to her or, what could have happened to her.


    "Mila! You!" Arabella cried angrily. She jumped up from her seat and wiped the blood on her cheek with the back of her hand. Meanwhile, Mila just laughed excitedly at Arabella''s anger.


    "Looks like I missed it by a few inches, because the dagger should have stuck between your eyes," Mila said casually. "Alsoˇ­ lower your voice or the guards out there will hear us."


    This was a pleasant revenge for Mila. There was nothing happier than when you could make your enemies lose their minds because of the anger that engulfed them for your actions or words.


    Just before Arabella could approach Mila and teach her a lesson, both of them turned their heads toward the door because they heard the soft sound of the door opening.


    Luckily, from the direction of the door, the visitor couldn''t see directly toward the bed because it was positioned behind a wall. It took a few seconds for whoever entered the room to pass Arabella''s position.


    And that few seconds was enough for Arabella to escape.


    Mila could sense that Arabella was no longer in the room when Liam walked in and looked around with a frown.


    "There was someone here," he asked, but it sounded more like a statement. It''s really hard to fool the king, but also the creatures of the shadow clan had a very mild body scent, which made them almost imperceptible, so it''s hard for Liam to guess.


    "Who the hell could be here? You locked me up under heavy guard, remember?" Mila reminded him, trying to downplay Liam''s suspicions a little.


    The king then looked at Mila suspiciously. He wasn''t sure if what Mila said was true, because he felt that someone else was in this room before he came.


    However, he couldn''t worry about that now, because there were far more pressing matters that required the both of them to pay attention to.


    "Come with me," Liam said, then he pulled Mila''s hand to get her off the bed. "But, before that, you have to change first."


    Mila brushed off Liam''s hand and folded her arms in front of her chest, standing in front of the king. "I never said that I agreed to go with you, wherever it is," said Mila firmly. "I am not leaving until I get a definite explanation of what exactly you want."


    Again, Liam sighed in annoyance and took a deep breath, he wanted to pull Mila out of her nightgown, change her clothes and drag her out of this room, without listening to Mila''s comments who always refused any request from him.


    "Please don''t argue with me this time," Liam said in a tired voice. He just had an argument with the seven elders and now he didn''t have energy for another one.


    "Then just answer me," Mila said lightly.


    "I will announce the day you will be crowned my queen," Liam said bluntly. The king looked at Mila with his dark eyes, he was preparing for the emotional outburst that might result ensuing his declaration.


    And that was exactly what Mila did.


    "What the hell Liam?!" Didn''t she say very clearly and firmly that she didn''t want that? Then what was all this?!


    What did he say? He was going to announce the day she would be sworn in as a queen?


    "Are you asking for my approval before doing that?" Mila hissed very sharply. She couldn''t understand why a king like Liam would do something like this?


    Wasn''t forcing himself on Mila, even though he''s been rejected many times, something humiliating to him?


    However, Liam didn''t seem to think so. He preferred to lower himself even further by taking that extreme measure.


    "I have no other way Mila, because I know you will continue to reject me," Liam said apologetically.


    Damn! Mila didn''t need this guy to act like that?!


    Why did things come to this? And why does Liam seem like someone in despair?


    Mila didn''t understand what happened during her fifty years of absence that brought about such a significant change in him.


    "Then tell me what are you hiding? Isn''t that your promise?!" Mila screamed. Her body trembled with anger. If Mila''s vision had recovered, then she would have lunged at Liam and fled from this place, although the chances of her succeeding were slim.


    Liam fell silent and didn''t move from his position, his eyes were nailed on Mila with a complicated expression. The king seemed to be struggling with his own will and didn''t want to tell Mila any thing.


    It was justˇ­


    "If I tell you the truth, will you stay here and stop running away?" Liam thought he was such an asshole.


    On the other hand, Mila rolled her eyes, she was so tired of Liam''s rambling way of talking.


    "SAY IT NOW!" Mila bellowed. She then pushed Liam''s body, trying to hit the man in front of her, but the king easily caught her hand.


    Mila tried to escape by hitting him with her free fist, but Liam dodged her attack again and now, Mila had only one option, namely; to kick the King away from her.


    However, that choice was again ruled out by Liam when he pushed Mila''s body onto the bed and pinned her down until she couldn''t move.


    Of course Liam wasn''t going to put all his weight on Mila, but it was enough to keep this woman from moving.


    "I will tell you when you calm down."

 Chapter 70 - ASTONISHING FACT

    How could Mila calm down when Liam was being like this? She felt like kicking this man away from her, to make the king regret for treating her so badly and causing unnecessary confusion.


    A**hole king!


    But, since when did he become such a jerk? Mila growled dangerously, as if threatening the man who was pressing her down to get off of her body, but of course Liam didn''t budge and tightened his grip on Mila''s hand instead, making it harder for her to move.


    "OKAY!" Mila exclaimed angrily, her patience running out very quickly, but it looked like she still had to hold herself back from clawing Liam''s face. "I will calm down, now tell me!"


    Mila tried to muster up some forbearance not to attack Liam while refraining from fighting back, because after all, it was a difficult thing to do. Mila''s instinct to defend herself and fight was so strong that she had to tame her wild instincts.


    "Don''t fight me," Liam said, his tone sounding like pleading, but unfortunately, amid Mila''s unstoppable anger, she couldn''t hear him properly.


    "I am trying, okay?! This is difficult!" she growled. "You are asking me to calm down while all I want is to claw your face right now!"


    Liam sighed heavily and looked at Mila''s scrunched up face and closed eyes, it seemed this girl needed a lot of concentration, just to restrain herself.


    It took Mila a few more minutes before her body finally relaxed a bit and Liam was able to loosen the grip on her hands.


    It was only then that Mila opened her eyes. She looked at Liam coldly, as if to say; what are you waiting for?


    Liam frowned. "Maybe you will not believe this and even hate me."


    "Don''t worry Liam, I already hate you, there is no way I can hate you more than this," Mila replied very curtly and impatiently.


    Liam could only sigh out loud when he heard how Mila answered him.


    Wasn''t it too much for Mila to always be rude, as if she didn''t care about the other person at all?


    But maybe, if Liam were in Mila''s shoes right now, he would also behave the same and wouldn''t have the patience for anything long- winded. It''s meaningless after all.


    "But, before you start whatever you are going to say," Mila said in the same cold tone. "Can''t you just stay away from me? This position is so annoying and makes me feel tempted to fight you to death." Mila then pushed Liam away from her body and sat on the far side of the bed.


    Liam didn''t try to approach Mila anymore, because he understood that this girl needed space.


    "Then what are you going to say?" Mila asked impatiently, because Liam didn''t speak.


    "Actually, there''s one thing you don''t know about you, Milaˇ­" Liam started, but then he stopped again, and this frustrated Mila.


    Mila doesn''t like being kept in suspense where you need to pause every now and then from saying what you are supposed to say. That''s really annoying.


    "Tell me the truth Liam, you are driving me crazy," Mila grumbled and rolled her eyes. How could a king be so indecisive and often look confused like him?


    Mila couldn''t stop thinking about itˇ­.


    And in the end, Liam started what he should have told Mila a long time ago. Maybe he shouldn''t even be hiding this.


    However, disclosing this secret was not as easy as turning his palm, there were many things to consider and there were also consequences that he must bear.


    All of this was no longer just a matter of good and bad or right and wrong, but went much deeper than that.


    "Mila, actuallyˇ­" Liam stared at Mila. "The previous king and queen had no sons, but two daughters."


    Mila frowned. "What does it mean?"


    ================


    Mila was changing clothes, while Liam was standing behind her, his back to her.


    However, Mila didn''t care if Liam peeked at her changing clothes or not, as her visible nakedness was the last thing she was worried about given what information Liam had just dumped on her.


    What did Liam mean by saying that she was the biological daughter of the previous king and queen? All the information Mila got felt illogical and hard to believe.


    How could they not admit she and her sister as their children just because they were both girls?


    Mila knew that their people highly valued ??patriarchy, but if they threw away their own flesh and blood, wasn''t that something that was beyond reason and couldn''t be tolerated anymore?


    "They replaced Anna with me, because the previous king and queen really wanted their first born to succeed the kingdom. However, their first child turned out to be a girl and amid the pressure of the elders and the expectations of all vampires, they developed a view that Anna was a disgrace, therefore, they exchanged Anna for me."


    Those were Liam''s words as he began his long and very unexpected explanatory speech.


    Mila then listened to him with a rambling mind, because it all sounded like a fairy tale and it took her more than a few minutes to digest it all.


    To convince herself that it was true.


    Liam told her the reason why he was betrothed to Anna, because they still couldn''t let go of their daughters.


    And with Liam married to Anna, then things would return to the right path. They could get their daughters back and put them where they deserve.


    "Then what do you want from me?" Mila asked after she had gotten past her shock and digested what Liam had said better.


    "I want you to help me take down the seven elders," Liam replied straightforwardly. Mila could even see the sincerity in his eyes.


    "Why do you want to take them down?" Mila squinted her eyes, she felt that there was still something Liam hadn''t told her.


    "Because like Anna, the king and queen didn''t die in battle, they were killed by our own people."


    ================


    In the great hall were several vampires, representatives of each family. In total, there are twenty- three vampire families that exist till date, while other vampire families have moved to other places to escape war and live by hiding among humans and living like them, or have been killed in the wars with humans.


    The twenty- three vampire families have important positions after the seven elders, because their opinions were indispensable in case of a voting, if this kingdom was at a stalemate.


    Such was the case now. Liam took the desperate step of bringing Mila''s matter to a vote with the nobles of the twenty- three families.


    Meanwhile, other vampires, who are not of royal ancestry would get the last name Apple, which meant, they were at the bottom of the caste system of these vampires, and were usually manual laborers or warriors of war, who have no important status.


    When Mila and Liam walked into the great hall, Mila could feel almost all pairs of eyes were on her but couldn''t guess whether they liked what he was about to say or not, or how they would respond when they found out about Mila''s appointment as queen.


    Mila might face a negative and anarchic reaction, and she knew that anything was possible, considering how vehemently the elders were against Mila''s appointment as queen.


    Subconsciously, Mila took Liam''s hand and held it, as if searching for the strength within this man so that she could step up and be able to face what would come their way.


    On the other hand, Liam gripped Mila''s hand tightly when he realized how panicked the girl was, especially after what information Liam had just conveyed to her, of course it would not be easy for this girl to deal with such an uncertain situation.


    Liam led Mila up to the thrones for the king and queen, after which he waved his hand to signal that the people present could return to their seats.


    The hall was very large, with several benches systematically arranged inside where seven of them were on the left and right of the thrones for the king and queen, which were occupied by the elders.


    Mila glanced to her left, where she and Elena were only separated by two people. Instantly Mila''s blood started boiling with anger.


    Since Elena was the only woman in the line of elders, of course her body shape could be easily recognized by Mila and this brought a surge of emotions that were difficult to control.


    It''s still clear in Mila''s memory how this demonic woman tried to corner her and almost killed her if it were not for Liam, who came in time.


    Mila couldn''t see what kind of expression Elena was sporting now, but it seemed she didn''t need a reason to hate the elder.


    It''s just that the timing is not right, there are other things that are far more important that Mila has to do.


    Mila''s gray eyes stared straight ahead at the twenty-three representatives of the noble vampire families who were waiting in confusion as to what Liam would say.


    Liam then helped Mila to sit down while he stood facing them all.


    On Liam''s left and right, the elders looked restless, nor did they know what made Liam suddenly gather the nobles. However, they hid all of that perfectly, so that those who saw them could only see their cold expressions as usual.


    Mila sat comfortably, but her heart felt uneasy. This was something big and, as Liam said, it would change her life.

 Chapter 71 - MILAS UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOUR

    "Today I will announce that Mila, the daughter of a Nazec aristocrat, will be the queen of this nation," Liam said loudly and made everyone there silent for a while, trying to understand what situation they were really in.


    Almost everyone  in that room knew that Mila was the future queen who replaced her sister, Anna, who had been killed in an attack by humans.


    It was just that, after what happened and Mila had disappeared for quite a long period of time, with the reason that she strongly refused at the marriage that had been arranged.


    At this point, the nobles thought that Liam would rethink the plan, because after all, the position of queen was an important position and should not be taken lightly, as Mila did.


    They had been pressing for a long time to Liam to find another queen candidate and get rid of Mila, only the king was too stubborn to do that and stick with what he believed in.


    And now, not only was Mila not being punished for her indiscipline and rebellion against the existing rules, but Liam has also appointed her queen, which was still both a pro and a con.


    In the next minute after Liam announced this, voices of disapproval could be heard from various parties, especially from the seven elders, who were seated to the left and right of the king and queen''s thrones.


    The elders rose from their seats and hissed viciously at the king.


    "You can stop right now!" Liam hissed back at the four elders who were so bold and blatant in opposing his decision, Elena was one of the four. "Or I will take it as a threat to the king!" That was a serious matter.


    Immediately the four elders restrained themselves and the commotion among the twenty three nobles died down.


    On the other hand, although Mila couldn''t see it, she knew that she was the center of attention of the people present in this great hall, they were looking at her with anger and disapproval.


    This was also the first time Mila had appeared in public after returning to this palace.


    Maybe this decision seemed too hasty, but if what Liam said was true, then they didn''t have much time left.


    "The wedding ceremony will take place next week and for those who oppose, they can get out of my kingdom and my territory!" Liam said firmly and domineeringly. Whether he  was the biological son of the previous king and queen or not, but Liam looked like a real king now. He was well- versed in his role and also understood all kinds of ways to subdue their opponents.


    "At least princess Mila has something to say about this!" cried one of the nobles who opposed Mila''s appointment as their queen. "She has been back for a few days, but she has not shown himself at all while she is here."


    Liam looked at Mila over his shoulder, he was assessing whether Mila would say a word or two to these people or not, but since the girl was silent, then he assumed that she didn''t want to get involved any further.


    However, before Liam actually refused the request, Mila stood up and took two steps forward, so that she was in front of Liam, her shoulders straightened and her eyes sweeping the room, although not a single face she could see, but Mila knew that she knew them all.


    After all, when you were a vampire, who could live for thousands of years, there were not very often to see new faces around you.


    After all, she was born and raised in this kingdom, without knowing anything about her true identity.


    "Now that I show myself, so what do you want?" Mila asked coldly, her nervousness just disappearing when she was standing there, she felt that she could handle the situation.


    Having such a provocative question made the nobleman gasp, he didn''t expect Mila to appear with such an attitude.


    "I don''t want you to be queen," the noble said loudly. He looked around for the support of the other nobles who disagreed with what their king had just said.


    "Right."


    "You are not supposed to be queen."


    "We don''t know what that human did to you."


    "You are not part of ours anymore."


    So many protests were raised against Mila, that their voices filled the room and made things a little rowdy.


    Meanwhile, across the room, behind a slightly ajar door, Arabella could be seen peering at the situation with a sly smile on her lips. She loves this and would watch till the end.


    Since Arabella had Liam''s special permission, the guards outside the hall couldn''t stop her, even though she shouldn''t be there.


    "SILENCE!" Mila roared, her voice booming through the room and shocking everyone and forgetting their protests.


    Even Liam himself did not think that Mila could act like that, considering he had known this girl since she was a child.


    Not to mention the elders, they gasped and widened their eyes, when they heard the power behind Mila''s voice. How could someone hold such power? A power capable of even rivaling the domination of the kingˇ­


    What happened to Mila? She looked like someone that they didn''t know.


    On the other hand, Mila was no less surprised like the people around her when she heard her own voice, she trembled. Not because of fear, but as if there was such a great power, which trying to burst out from within her and it required strong control.


    What Liam said was true. The throne had magical powers that were difficult to describe. As if the throne could recognize its rulerˇ­


    Yes, Mila was the last descendant of the previous king and queen, therefore only Mila deserved this position.


    However, there seemed to be one person who was able to quickly overcome her shock and come forward to continue the nobles'' protests, and that person was Elena.


    "How dare you act so arrogantly when you are not even a queen!" Elena rebuked Mila harshly, she walked forward and showed herself, now the elder was only about three steps from Mila, causing Liam to pull the girl away and to put himself between the two of them.


    However, Mila refused to take a step back, she ignored Liam who was trying to block her and stood right in front of her, as though he was a shield.


    No, Mila didn''t need that.


    Liam had brought her into this situation and said what Mila should have heard years ago, therefore, she wouldn''t back down just because of an elder like Elena.


    Instead of Backing away, Mila took one step forward, bringing herself closer to Elena and making the elder even more furious with her defiant attitude.


    "Isn''t an elder is the position where you act as an advisor?" Mila asked sarcastically, she folded her arms across her chest and looked at Elena with a mocking expression, although she herself couldn''t see what kind of expression Elena was showing now. "Then why are you acting like you are the final decision maker?"


    Elena grew even more furious and the sharp whispers of the nobles started again.


    And the whispers were a form of their protest against Mila''s attitude. As if gaining support, Elena grew more confident, as she thought, she held more power than Mila.


    "You have to distinguish between an advice and an arrogant attitude," Elena said in a triumphant tone, she then opened her hand and pointed at the nobles. "They can judge, am I being arrogant?"


    Of course the crowd of nobles, who had opposed Liam''s decision to make Mila his queen from the start, supported her.


    "You can see, can''t you? I just voiced what they thought, nothing more and nothing less. Likewise the other elders who disagree with your appointment." Elena felt she had the upper hand with this situation.


    It was just that Mila was not done yet and her grudge against Elena was still burning in her chest.


    "Do not agree?" Mila snorted. "Does the disapproval of the elders, referring to your earlier words, who are representatives of these nobles, give you the right to get rid of me?"


    "What do you mean?" Elena squinted her eyes, she then glanced at Liam, who seemed surprised too, knowing which way Mila would take the conversation to.


    Hadn''t they agreed not to discuss matters with Elena? Especially in front of a crowd like this, because Liam knew that if the elder was cornered, she would be able to do anything she could to make things worse.


    "Mila, what are you doing?" Liam whispered sharply into Mila''s ear, but the girl didn''t seem to hear what he was saying and went on with her own plan.


    "You don''t know what I mean? Alright, I will explain my question more simply so you will understand." Mila raised her eyebrows. "What I want to ask is; is your disapproval on behalf of these nobles gives you the power to kill me?"


    There was a loud gasp and several elders growled angrily at Mila because she had insulted Elena.


    "That is slander!" exclaimed one of the elders. "We would never do such a thing?!"


    Mila grinned, showing off her hideous- looking smile. "Then what about my eyes? I can''t see because she ordered five guards to kill me in a secret tunnel that can be accessed from my room," Mila said in a calm voice.


    There was the commotion again and Mila continued her sentence.


    "You know what the punishment is for those who hurt noble families? Especially a future queen?"

 Chapter 72 - THE SITUATION IS GETTING WORSE

    "That is a lie! She can see well, if she can''t see, how can she stand there?!" exclaimed one of the nobles.


    Mila raised her eyebrows and looked at the noble man with a cold expression. "Oh, that incident happened less than a week ago and now, I have slowly regained my sight, you can call the healer who treated me," Mila said nonchalantly.


    "Healer who treated you?" asked one of the nobles. "Don''t slander the elders!" he cried angrily.


    Mila furrowed her brow. "Why would I slander them?" she then looked at Liam who was beside her. "Call the healer," she said firmly.


    "Mila," Liam moved closer and whispered softly into the girl''s ear, so only she could hear. "You can''t do this. We don''t agree to do this." This situation was out of hand now.


    Mila narrowed her eyes when she heard how Liam was reluctant to confront the elders and hoped that Mila would keep lowkey this time. "I don''t agree with anything Liam, you are the one who concluded that I agreed to your silly request."


    "Mila, this was not in the plan that we talked about earlier," Liam growled, he then grabbed Mila''s arm and made them both glare fiercely at each other.


    "I didn''t plan to follow your plan," Mila hissed sarcastically. "I have my own plans and if you don''t agree with this, I can leave this all behind and you can carry out your own plans."


    Liam was at a complete loss for words in the face of Mila, but he couldn''t refuse her request either.


    "Stop being so weak Liam," Mila said warningly. "How long are you going to act like that and give these bastard elders a chance to stomp on your pride? You are the king then act like one."


    "You risked my life and yours," Liam growled. If things went wrong, then the worst would happen to them both. He thought about Mila''s safety.


    But, Mila casually grinned at him. "Didn''t you say you were willing to give up your life to protect me?" Mila reminded Liam''s words a while ago.


    "Milaˇ­" Liam was really speechless to see how the turn of event before his eyes. He didn''t expect this girl to change her attitude so quickly. Didn''t she look a little scared and nervous earlier when they just entered the great hall?


    But, why did Mila seem to be the one who controlled the situation and took charge for all of this commotion?


    "Do it now Liam," Mila said in the same calm tone, yet demanding.


    On the other hand, Mila didn''t even know what made her capable of doing this, but she felt that she had more power to make those nobles and elders submit to her.


    Still looking at Mila, Liam said in a voice that was louder than the one he used with the girl. "Call the haler named Ariel here," he said, then he whispered back to Mila. "I hope you know what you are doing."


    "I know," Mila answered with certainty.


    No. Actually she didn''t  really know, Mila was just following her instincts and the only thought she has right now was to take revenge on Elena. She wasn''t going to let the elder walk away freely like that after what she did to herˇ­


    Oh, noˇ­ Mila isn''t that goodˇ­ she will count every penny for what she had done to her.


    There was something inside Mila that revolted when she sat on the throne, something rose up inside herˇ­ was it a power? Mila couldn''t say for sure, it was just that she fond of this feeling.


    A guard then heard Liam''s order and went out of the room to summon the healer mentioned by the king.


    "Why are you standing there? Come in here," Mila said as the door opened slightly and the sweet smell of Arabella perfume wafted into the great hall.


    Yes, the shadow controller liked to change her scent by disguising it with perfume, that was why Liam didn''t recognize who had entered his room when Arabella was there.


    It was just that Mila was starting to recognize what kind of scent Arabella always used.


    It had been mentioned earlier that the higher the status of the vampire, the sharper their senses, and Mila could easily find out where Arabella was now. "You don''t have to eavesdrop like that."


    The people in the room, didn''t notice Arabella''s presence because their focus was on Mila, but then when they saw the shadow bender, a surprised voice came from all of them. After all, it was unheard that there was someone else so bold to eavesdrop a meeting like this and the guard did nothing.


    "She shouldn''t be here!" said one of the elders.


    "It is a crime for eavesdropping our conversations!" one of the nobles protested and followed by another voices that disagreed with what Arabella did.


    "Right," Mila agreed. "Then what punishment do you think she deserves?" Mila asked casually, as a respond to them, which made Arabella and the others there taken aback.


    "Mila! You are not a queen yet! You don''t have any right to punish someone!" cried one of the nobles angrily.


    Mila ignored the harsh rebuke and instead looked at Liam, as if seeking his approval.


    "You will allow this offense?" Mila asked softly, as if she would obey and listen to whatever Liam decided. "She has been eavesdropping on this important meeting with the nobles and elders. Don''t you think her actions really deserve a punishment?"


    "Mila! Don''t be so impudent!" Arabella shouted from the center of the hall, as she walked frantically toward the thrones of the kings and queens, but was stopped by the guards, as they restrained her from going any closer than this. "Liam gave me special permission to be around this hall and I am free to go wherever I want!" Arabella was furious.


    "See?" Mila shrugged her shoulders at Arabella who looked like she was about to attack the guards who were holding her back. "She doesn''t even have the manners to respect you as a king."


    Mila''s provoking words made Arabella lose her mind even more, she rebelled and kept cursing her.


    "I am the future queen of our nation, but will you be silent when someone insults me like this? In front of the nobles and elders?" Although she didn''t use a loud tone, but the meaning of her words was very clear.


    "ENOUGH!" Liam exclaimed angrily. He fixed his eyes on Arabella who was still swearing, but then fell silent when she heard the king''s voice that sounded like thunder.


    Instantly the atmosphere in the great hall became quiet again.


    "I revoke the special permission I gave you and you are forbidden to go to certain areas within this castle," Liam said in a firm and domineering tone. It was a direct order from the king that you must obey.


    However, Mila was not satisfied with the light punishment. "Isn''t your punishment too light for someone who disrespects the king and queen?"


    "You are not a queen!" cried Arabella.


    Mila didn''t answer, she just grinned scornfully at the shadow bender. "So, is that the only punishment?" Mila muttered, loud enough for anyone to hear.


    "Shut up Mila," Liam growled and Mila covered her mouth with her palm. "And you, I will accept your apology if you kneel before your future queen. For the services you have done to find Mila again, then I will lighten your punishment for your impolite actions."


    "She''s not my queen!" Arabella still insisted on not acknowledging Mila, just like some of the nobles and the elders.


    Those who opposed Liam''s decision, tacitly supported what Arabella said, because it was too risky for them to speak out in this situation.


    "Or you can spend your three years in a dungeon. That is the lightest punishment for those who insult the king and queen." And of course the harshest punishment was death.


    Arabella widened her eyes in disbelief at what she had just heard. Liam going to jail her? In that terrible dungeon?


    Arabella had come to visit that stinky dungeon and she could still feel the horror and how the cold air pierced her skin.


    "What? Noˇ­" Arabella trembled in fear. Seeing how cold the king''s expression was now, it wasn''t impossible that he would do that.


    But, when Arabella saw the triumphant look on Mila''s face, at once she didn''t want to do it, it''s justˇ­


    "Take her away," Liam said curtly. He didn''t want to add to the problems that already existed. He still has a long conversation with Mila after this.


    Mila shouldn''t oppose Liam in public, especially in front of nobles and elders by questioning his power.


    "No!" Arabella exclaimed, then without a second thought, she immediately fell to her knees in front of Liam and Mila, suppressing all her ego and holding her tongue from uttering harsh words that could make things worse.


    Mila smiled sweetly when she saw this, especially when Arabella apologized in a trembling voice, from holding back his anger at Milla.


    "I am sorry, sorry for my impudence for saying such things earlier," Arabella said. "I promise I will not do it again."


    Liam clenched his jaw tightly and muttered. "Take her away and make sure she doesn''t roam freely in this castle."


    The two guards who had detained Arabella immediately took the shadow bender.


    And right at the same time, the guard who was ordered to bring the healer named Ariel, came.


    Ariel faced Liam and Mila and saluted them both in a formal manner, while Elena clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white.


    What exactly are these two planning? Doesn''t Liam care what kind of information she has?

 Chapter 73 - DO IT

    Elena really didn''t understand what was going on and why Mila and Liam looked like they were up to something.


    Swiftly, Elena immediately moved closer to Liam and said in a low tone to him. "You know what you are doing?" Elena hissed, she saw all pairs of eyes staring at Mila because now the future queen was walking straight to the healer named Ariel, who was assigned to take care of her before.


    "You didn''t give me another choice," Liam said in a calm tone, even though he wasn''t really sure what kind of game Mila was playing at the moment, but there was no way he could turn his body and oppose Mila in front of the crowd where they were like hungry wolves and were struggling, waiting for an opening to tear Mila to pieces and bring her down.


    Liam would have plenty of time to ask Mila this, not now, but later he would find out what this, unpredictable woman was really up to.


    "Liam! I am not messing with my warnings!" Elena said through gritted teeth. He looked at Mila very sharply when the girl stopped right in front of Ariel and asked her to explain her true condition.


    Elena didn''t take this into account at all. She would never have guessed that a careless girl like Mila could be so brave against the elders as well as the twenty three nobles.


    "Elena, I am not even playing with my words that you should stop meddling in royal affairs." Liam looked at Elena and he could see the anger in the elder''s eyes, while the other elders didn''t seem to pay much attention to what was going on between Elena and Liam, as their focus was now on Mila and the healer.


    "Tell them the truth, what happened to me one week ago," Mila ordered Ariel.


    The healer then looked at Mila, then at Liam, as if seeking his king''s approval to say so.


    "Tell the truth," Liam said. For now, he could only support Mila''s plan, although he didn''t know what she was up to.


    The change in Mila was so palpable and made, not only the people in the hall, but also Liam, very confused.


    After getting approval from the king, Ariel then began to tell the people gathered there about what actually happened to Mila''s eyes and what powder was used to injure her, not only that she also said that such powder was not easy to get and can only be accessed by people with high status, because it was very dangerous.


    Mila smiled with satisfaction when she heard, again, the whispering voices of the nobles, they were both shocked and disbelieving, it was just that, as a senior healer, Ariel couldn''t lie about this.


    And besides, there was no point for the healer to cover up that fact, because she didn''t really know for sure how Mila''s attacker got the powder and who were they.


    "That doesn''t prove the elders'' involvement!" Rang, one of the elders with dull brown hair, and a wound on his forehead, spoke up. He looked furious at Mila''s accusations and slander.


    "Oh, of course that proves the involvement of the elders," Mila said in a tone that seemed as if she was saying that; what Ariel said should have been very clear, why didn''t you pay attention? "Didn''t Ariel say that the powder can only be accessed by vampires with high status? That alone is proof enough."


    "That''s not proof!" Rang cried angrily. He had never faced someone as annoying as Mila before. Where did this girl come from?


    "If that''s not proof of the elders'' involvement, then you want to accuse the nobles of doing this?" Mila shifted her focus to the twenty three nobles there.


    Suddenly, her last sentence invited many protests and made the hall turned into chaos again.


    "Don''t talk carelessly!"


    "We don''t even know where you have been for the past week!"


    "You didn''t even appear before us to announce your arrival!"


    "What is the reason we did that?!"


    They all shouted loudly and boldly.


    Mila smiled triumphantly upon hearing their grumbling and said very calmly. "If it wasn''t the elders and it wasn''t the nobles, then you want to say that the king planned all of this?" asked Mila. "Isn''t it other than these three supreme stats, will not anyone else be able to obtain it?" This time, Mila''s question was addressed to Ariel.


    "Yes," Ariel said. "Only those three stats can access the powder."


    "Don''t be reckless!" Rang insisted. "It could be that the powder was stolen and not one of the nobles or elders did it. This requires further investigation!"


    "That means you are saying that the guard at the healers'' quarters is so bad that anyone would be able to break through it?" Mila glanced at Ariel and could clearly see that the healer didn''t like the idea.


    "I didn''t say anything like that," Rang growled. He glared at Mila who didn''t stop talking and only made things worse. She twisted her words in such a way until it sounded so wrong.


    "Then you want to say that there was a traitor among the healers who managed to smuggle the powder and give it to the five guards who tried to kill me?" Mila didn''t stop provoking them.


    Unbeknownst to them, Mila was leading their opinions and making each parties fight with each other, especially when Mila said her last sentence, Ariel immediately spoke up.


    "We can''t possibly do that!" she exclaimed. "That is a baseless accusation and I can guarantee the healers'' loyalty to this kingdom!"


    The commotion then happened again unavoidably.


    "SILENCE!" Liam roared as the situation was getting out of control. He glared annoyedly at Mila who had initiated the mess, while the girl just glanced at the king, mischievously and smiled scornfully at Elena.


    Mila would not let the elder out of this hall without getting any punishment.


    "Actually there is one way to prove who has held the powder before this," Ariel said in a low voice. He touched her chin in deep thought.


    "How to?" Mila asked enthusiastically. This is so amazing!


    "But this is very dangerous, I have to ask the king''s permission first," Ariel muttered hesitantly, then she looked at Liam who was still standing a few meters away from her, looking so majestic.


    Mila was about to agree to this, but then she restrained herself and reminded herself that this was not her place to say that. Therefore, Mila turned to Liam and approached him slowly.


    Liam knew what Mila would ask of him and this could be used to punish Elena, if Ariel can prove it.


    Elena then looked at Liam with a sharp gaze, as if dare the king to grant Mila''s request, but the girl stood right in front of Elena and held Liam''s hand tightly.


    "We will do this together." Mila looked at Liam to reassure him. "I know what I am doing and you just have to grant my wish."


    And now, dozens of pairs of eyes were looking at Liam with worry and curiosity. They wanted to know what Liam would decide.


    Will the king allow Ariel to find out who did it? And if it was indeed one of the elders, wouldn''t that tarnish the reputation of the kingdom as well?


    "Liam, you can''t do this?" Elena hissed in a low voice that only the three of them could hear.


    Mila then turned around and smiled triumphantly. "Then why don''t you just admit it? So that we can save time?" Mila then glanced at Elena''s hand which had curled up as her claws started to come out and her fangs extended. "Do it, you want to kill me? Do it. It will only prove the truth of my words. You can choose how you fall from your position as an elder."


    Mila had never felt this good since she arrived at the palace and now her heart was light.


    Revenge is always fun...


    "What would you do? Is it something dangerous?" Liam asked, he had to make sure first, how dangerous was Ariel''s action.


    "There is a grass that contradicts the powder, where if the person who has touched the powder touches the grass, thenˇ­" Ariel seemed hesitant to continue her sentence.


    "Then what?" Liam insisted, his eyes squinting at Ariel.


    Meanwhile the other people held their breaths and listened carefully, they didn''t want to miss a single sentence the healer said.


    "Then the part that has been touched by the powder will burn as soon as it touches the grass." Ariel ended her sentence.


    And as soon as the sentence was finished, voices of fear filled the hall.


    "What are you afraid of? If you are innocent, then this shouldn''t be a problem, right?" asked Mila in a loud voice to quell the protests of the elders and nobles. "We have to do this, unless the perpetrator is willing to admit their guilt." Mila glanced at Elena at the end of her sentence.


    Meanwhile, Liam seemed to be thinking about it.


    "Does that effect only apply to people who have touched the powder?" Liam asked. He didn''t want any unnecessary casualties.


    "Yes," answered Ariel with certainty.


    "Are you sure about this?"


    "I am very sure, Your Majesty."


    "Then do it," said Liam which made the atmosphere tensed up again. "Like Mila said, there is nothing to worry about if you are not the culprit."


    On the other hand, Elena was wide- eyed in disbelief at Liam''s decision. What is this!?


    **************


    THE ORIGINAL STORY BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 74 - BURNING SENSATION

    At first, Mila thought Liam would be very difficult to persuade to do what he should have done, but who would have thought that the king would just grant his request just like that.


    It wasn''t that Mila wasn''t happy that Liam was working with her so well, but from the way the man was looking at her, Mila could tell that he would demand an explanation for Mila''s behavior after they were alone.


    It didn''t matter to Mila, because she didn''t feel there was anything to hide, but she also felt very strangeˇ­ where did this courage come from?


    When she sat on the throne, her anxiety and fear instantly faded and she felt that she could solve every problem that existed, as if everything seemed so easy and meaningless.


    There were no significant problems that Mila couldn''t solveˇ­


    Mila then looked up at the throne, which looked majestic, luxurious and full of power, while Ariel was preparing the materials needed to test anyone who had touched the powder over the past two weeks.


    Yes, two weeks was the due time for the powder to no longer be detectable. This was knowledge that was rarely known and Mila was quite happy that Ariel seemed to be working well with her to find out who the culprit was.


    During the compounding process, Mila stood beside Liam, while Elena stood not far from them, staring at Mila with intensity that matched as if she wanted to kill her.


    Perhaps she would have done that if the elder had been given her the first chance to do so.


    "Thank you for cooperating with me," Mila said quietly so only the two of them could hear her. At least, Liam deserved a thank you from her.


    Liam glanced at Mila who was standing beside him. "You still owe me an explanation," he said lightly. "That will be the first thing you should do after all this madness is over."


    Mila gave a small grin, like a devil''s smile. "Yeah, I hope this all ends on something fair."


    What Mila means by fair was; Elena received the punishment she deserves and that would be a satisfying thing to see, considering how this woman nearly killed her and blinded her.


    It has been said before that Mila was a vengeful figure. She would not miss any opportunity to vent out her anger.


    "All preparations have been completed," said Ariel. She then looked at Mila and Liam, waiting for further orders.


    "I don''t agree with all of this!" cried Rang angrily. He still protested loudly. "This is an insult!"


    After saying that, he stepped towards the main door and was about to leave the great hall. However, Liam held him back.


    "Anyone who leaves this room, will be considered disobeying the direct orders of the king!" roared Liam in a very loud voice, which at that instant was able to make the steps of Rang and several other elders who were about to follow him stop, they turned around and looked at Liam angrily.


    During this time, it was true that Liam had not always followed what they said, but he had never publicly opposed them in public, as he was doing now.


    "Is that a threat?" Rang narrowed his eyes, and the tension in the air was palpable. Not a single person spoke, but they knew that things wouldn''t go well if Liam and the elders clashed with each other.


    "It''s not a threat," Liam said coldly, his voice echoing through the great silent hall. "But direct orders. I told you before."


    Mila glanced at Liam and was satisfied with this man''s firm attitude.


    The elders had gone too far and could no longer be said to be advisors within the kingdom when they no longer respected Liam as their king.


    The atmosphere grew tense and no one budge from their position, as if time had stopped when Liam and Rang stared at each other and neither of them wanted to cencede.


    While the twenty three nobles could do nothing but guess what would happen between the two, because they were too afraid to disturb the moment.


    The silence grew more terrifying with each passing second, until at last Rang walked back to his chair and sat there, discouraged from walking away and being rude to his king. At least, he still knew manners and how to respect Liam as a king in front of many people.


    Rang''s actions were then followed by two elders who had wanted to follow in Rang''s footsteps. They were sitting in their respective chairs with long faces, not looking happy at all.


    However, that was the last thing they needed to worry about, because now they had something to do.


    "All preparations completed?" Liam asked the healer and saw her nodded her head.


    "We can try it in the first person," said Ariel, while looking around at the nobles, who immediately tried not to make eye contact with her.


    "I will try it first," Liam said suddenly. "So they can see that it''s going to be okay and there''s nothing to worry about if you weren''t the culprit."


    Mila folded her arms and smiled with satisfaction that Liam took the initiative to do so first. This would be a good example.


    Meanwhile, Elena stood where she was, unmoved. Her eyes were fixed on a big cup filled with murky green water with a twig, which leaves were dipped in the water. He looked at her with hostile eyes, as if the cup had wronged her.


    Liam then descended three stairs from his throne with Mila trailing behind him, and walked towards Ariel to be the first, who tried this test.


    "What should I do?" Liam asked, looking at Ariel, then at the cup. Ariel then asked the king to stand before her.


    Liam did as Ariel said and stood in front of her, with a small round table, between them.


    Then while reciting some spells, Ariel took the twig, where the water from the cup dripped from the wet leaves.


    After that, Ariel splashed the water at Liam while muttering a spell that sounded like a song.


    Three times Ariel did this with her eyes closed and after that she looked at Liam, and said. "How do you feel, Your Highness?" he asked.


    Liam did not expect that the procession was just like that and said what he felt. "I feel nothing," he answered honestly.


    Ariel smiled. "Then there''s nothing to worry about. You never have contact with the powder."


    Then, after seeing that Liam was fine and that nothing had happened to him, the nobles seemed more relaxed and willing to be tested.


    It took less than half an hour for all the nobles to go through the procession, and none of them indicated that they had ever come into contact with the blinding powder.


    After all the nobles have tried it, start with the elders.


    Elder Rang took the initiative to try it first, followed by the other five elders, placing Elena as the last elder to be tested.


    During this fairly rapid process, each time Elena looked around the room looking for loopholes to escape or find excuses to avoid this, but she couldn''t find a single solution.


    "Elder Elena, now it''s your turn." Mila''s sweet voice touched her ears and made Elena even more panicked.


    She didn''t want to try any of the spells or the water in the cup. Her body was shaking and her legs didn''t want her to go anywhere from where she was standing.


    "Elder Elena?" called Mila again with a tone that was still very sweet, as if she was an innocent girl calling her mother. "Why are you silent? Now it''s your turn to prove your innocence."


    Elena gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as she stiffly stepped forward, towards Ariel, under the questioning eyes of everyone in the room.


    Of all the people who had been tested, none of them indicated any contact with the white powder and Elena was the last person, who was also the figure that Mila mentioned as the mastermind of her previous assassination plot.


    Not only that, if it was true that Elena was proven to have done this, then the consequences she would have to accept would be dire.


    With a face full of determination not to make a sound or react whatsoever, Elena then stood in front of Ariel and the healer did what she had been doing all along.


    In the first water splash, Elena didn''t feel anything, but when Ariel started chanting her spell, she could feel the heat from the water droplets sticking to her body.


    However, biting her own lip, she tried not to make a sound.


    Second splashˇ­


    The heat was like hot coals being rubbed against her body and made Elena hold her breath and bit her lips even tighter, she closed her eyes.


    The last splashˇ­


    As the spell was almost finished, Ariel suddenly stopped and spoke in an even voice. "Elder Elena had contact with the white powder before."


    Suddenly, that statement made Elena open her eyes. "No, she is talking nonsense, I am notˇ­" Elena shook her head at the crowd who were staring at her wide- eyed at what Ariel had told them. "I don''t feel anything!" she cried desperately.


    "No, but your bodyˇ­" one of the nobles pointed at Elena''s body, and only then did she realize that something had happened to her.


    Elena might be able to endure the burning sensation, but not her bodyˇ­


    **************


    THE ORIGINAL NOVEL BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 75 - INFATUATION

    Elena did manage to endure the heat and pain of splashing water and the spell that Ariel was chanting, but her body couldn''t stand it all.


    All over his body and face, black spots appeared, like burns that made everyone there gasp and mutter in disbelief.


    They didn''t expect it to have such an effect and couldn''t believe it even more because what Mila said was true and Elder Elena planned to kill her.


    Was she out of her mind? Why did Elder Elena intend to attack someone like Mila? Although Mila was not a future queen, she was a noble.


    And if it was true that Mila would be made a queen, then the consequence of the punishment that Elena would get was death.


    Elder Elena should have known that better than anyone else.


    "Elena?" Rang approached him and looked at the woman with disbelieving eyes. "How can you do all that?"


    Rang was one of the elders who was close to Elena and they were the elders who were the loudest in opposing Mila''s appointment as queen after the girl has disappeared for fifty years and was under the influence of humans.


    However, it did not occur to Rang to carry out such brutal and extreme actions as Elena did. No, he didn''t even believe that Elena could do such a thing.


    "It is time for you to decide, what are you going to do with all of this." Mila was standing very close to Liam, enjoying every scene that lay before her eyes, where the nobles and elders were shocked at the fact that had just been revealed. "This is a good opportunity to get rid of those bastard elders one by one."


    The words just slipped from Mila''s lips, as if she had planned all of this. What happened with her? She felt that she was not herself, but at the same time Mila was aware of every action she took and the words she spoke.


    Liam looked at Mila who said that very easily, not only that she seemed more confident, she also knew what she was doing, like a master of strategist.


    "Stop spacing out like that," Mila rebuked Liam, she nudged the king lightly because he didn''t seem to be focused on what he should be doing right now. "It''s time for you to decide the right punishment for her."


    Liam stared at Mila for a moment longer before his voice echoed through the great hall, giving orders in a very firm manner and silenced the commotion.


    "Take Elder Elena to the dungeon until the sentence is handed down in three days!" Liam said loudly.


    Immediately, three guards approached and immediately caught Elena''s elder who was still struggling, but Rang held her back, he said something to Elena and made the woman relent and allowed herself to be taken away.


    But, before she passed through the door and her figure disappeared into the corridor, Elena briefly shot Mila a hostile look, which was met with a lazy wave and a scornful smile, which infuriated the elder even more.


    Elena''s desire to kill Mila is getting stronger, but right now she has to worry about her life first.


    ================


    "So what is it?" Liam couldn''t wait to ask the question as soon as they were alone and the madness in the main hall had passed.


    The two of them were now in the backyard with Andreas and a few bodyguards following behind them, keeping their distance to give them privacy and not allowing them to overhear the conversation.


    "What is it? What?" Mila asked, her forehead furrowed, she looked at Liam confusedly at his incomplete question.


    "You are different Mila, I felt you were a different person when you were in the hall earlier," Liam said, he slowed his pace and they both walked under the shady tree that shaded above them, in the soft moonlight. "Did you plan all that long ago?"


    "No, of course not. I couldn''t have planned it all. I refused you repeatedly to attend the hall, remember?" Mila reminded Liam. "Who knowsˇ­"


    Mila pondered for a moment to feel the urge inside her, the strange urge that allowed her to stand on the throne and so dare to provoke the elders so openly, even giving advice to Liam and encouraging him to do what she wanted. Did it all make sense?


    "Probably like what you said earlier," Mila mumbled, she raised her head and they stopped walking. The cold night wind blew and played with Mila''s long white hair, the girl looked pale tonight.


    "What did I say?" Liam had said so many things and information to Mila today, so he was a little clueless, which words, Mila meant.


    "The throne holds magic," Mila said, reflecting on her own words. "I guess what I sensed earlier was the magic you were referring toˇ­"


    Liam was silent, he didn''t think like that at all, but if Mila thought so, maybe there was some truth to that too.


    "I heard that from people around me and the elders mentioned it in passing," Liam said, then the two of them continued walking to enjoy the night. "But, since I am not a direct descendant of the previous king and queen, then there is no possibility for me to know about it."


    Yes, the previous king and queen had made a bad move by swapping Anna and Liam''s baby, and also giving up Mila because she has the same hair color as Anna.


    It would raise suspicions if they took care of Mila as well, therefore, it was announced that the queen''s second child died shortly after she was born and was named Camelia. A beautiful name, which should belong to Mila.


    And one of the things that made Mila finally willing to do this was because she wanted to take revenge on Elena and also knew for sure the secret of the death of the previous king and queen.


    Indeed they had made a mistake by throwing her away, but as long as Mila could remember, the king and queen had always treated her well. At first, Mila thought that they were acting like that because Anna would be the next queen candidate, but now Mila understoodˇ­.


    "Perhaps it''s true that it''s a magicˇ­" ancient magic that could recognize the bloodlines of kings.


    The two of them walked in silence until they returned to the main castle again and Milla was still occupying Liam''s room, because it would be much safer if she stayed there.


    After all, it had been proven that Liam''s room didn''t have any secret passages at all.


    Mila initially disagrees with this proposal, considering they have locked Elena in the dungeon, but when Liam reminded Mila again that there were still six elders who might have the same idea, especially after seeing how Elena was dragged out of the hall, which was a an act of shame for the elders, then it was possible that other bad things will happen.


    "I will come with you tomorrow to interrogate Elena," Mila said before she walked to the bathroom and immersed herself in a bath filled with warm water that could relax her whole body.


    Mila didn''t hear what Liam said, but she didn''t think she needed to hear that, because she wasn''t asking for permission, but it was a statement.


    ================


    She only slept for a while, but felt restless, and despite her sleepiness from feeling tired from yesterday''s events, Mila could not sleep, she could not even close her eyes.


    Her mind was filled with the throne, there was something inside her that pushed her to come to the great hall again, where the throne was.


    Somehow, Mila wanted to come back to feel the confident feeling she felt when she knocked Elena down, the euphoria was hard to put into words.


    Slowly, Mila got out of bed and left the room carefully so as not to wake Liam, but without Mila knowing the king opened his eyes when he realized the sound of the door closing and following the girl.


    Liam walked through the dark corridors, keeping his distance from getting so close to Mila, so she wouldn''t notice his presence.


    However, Mila should still be able to realize that she was being followed, yet, the girl''s mind was too occupied with other problems, therefore she was not very aware of her surroundings and this was in Liam''s advantage to follow her.


    Mila walked down the stairs and turned a few corridors. It was only after walking for a few minutes that Liam began to realize where Mila was going.


    This girl headed for the throne room. What will she do there?


    Liam passed several guards who saluted him and gave orders in a hand gesture for them not to make a sound.


    Meanwhile, far in front of Liam, as expected, Mila entered the great hall, where yesterday''s meeting was held to announce the appointment of Mila as the future queen of their nation, but ended with the punishment of elder Elena.


    Liam looked into the hall through the gap in the door that wasn''t tightly closed.


    There were several guards also standing there, but since the rumors regarding Mila''s appointment as the future queen had spread, none of the guards dared to stop her.


    Liam gave orders to the guards who were there to leave the place.


    And in the room, Liam saw mila standing, staring at the throne, she looked at it with longing eyes, as if the girl really wanted that.


    **************


    THE ORIGINAL STORY BELONGS TO WEBNOVEL.


    meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare.

 Chapter 76 - COSMO

    Mila did not know what possessed her and made her want to go to the great hall, where the throne was.


    A strong desire, which prompted Mila to get out of bed and walk along the corridor which seemed almost deserted, except for the guards who were standing there looking confused to find Mila had come out of her room so early.


    They didn''t stop Mila as she walked into the great hall, but the questioning looks in their eyes, of course, couldn''t be ignored.


    It''s just that Mila didn''t want to pay attention to that right now, because her focus was only on what she wanted.


    Mila wanted to be on the throne again, sat in her chair and feel the emotional urge that made her feel capable of doing or solving any difficult problem.


    The feeling was like a very strong opium.


    Slowly, Mila entered the large, very deserted hall and walked across the black marble floor, to the throne before her, which was polished with gold and gemstones.


    Mila climbed three stairs and began to feel the strong aura pulling her closer. Closerˇ­ and closerˇ­


    Mila then stretched out her hand to touch the throne that felt cold on her finger, this was not an ordinary thing.


    Mila gasped when she felt a jolt like electricity running through her body, but that feeling only lasted for a moment before everything returned to normal and Mila turned over to sit there.


    From the throne she was sitting on, she could see a large empty hall in front of her, but when she closed her eyes, Mila could clearly see the scene that happened yesterday and it gave off a feeling of happiness that she couldn''t describe in words.


    The feeling gathered in her chest and then spread throughout her body, giving her a sense of warmth and satisfaction.


    It was as if Mila had completed an important mission or like a wanderer who had finally found their way home. Perhaps such an analogy could be used for Mila''s current state.


    ''It feels good, doesn''t it?''


    A voice rang out from his right, where a king should be sitting, the position that Liam had now.


    Immediately Mila opened her eyes and saw a girl sitting there. Her hair was long and dark black, as dark as night.


    But, Mila couldn''t see her face, because this girl wasn''t looking at her, she was staring at the window on their right.


    Who was so brave to sit on the throne? In the king''s seat? If someone else saw this, of course this girl''s reckless action could be interpreted as an act of grave offense.


    One could assume that she was planning to take possession of the throne, which could also mean that he was launching a coup d''etat.


    Because apart from the king and queen, of course no one was allowed to occupy it.


    How brave this girl was, especially when Mila was there too.


    "Whoˇ­" Mila''s voice was like a whisper, she looked straight at the side of the girl''s face, but before she could finish her question, the next words caught in her throat.


    The girl''s faceˇ­


    Even though the girl has black hair, that didn''t mean Mila didn''t recognize her own face.


    Yes, that girl has the exact same face as Mila. Starting from her grey eyes to her pale white skin. Not only that, even the way she smiledˇ­


    Did Mila look like that when she smiled? Mila asked herself quietly.


    "You?" Mila felt as if, all the oxygen in her burst out and made her choke with shock. "Howˇ­ impossible," Mila mumbled. She then stood up to look at the girl who was still sitting on the king''s throne and there was no other plausible explanation that Mila could think of as to why this girl looked so much like her.


    ''No need to be so surprised, I called you hereˇ­'' the girl stood up too, her long black hair flowing behind her back. ''How are you feeling now?'' she asked. ''Much better?''


    "Who are you?" Mila asked, but then she shook her head violently. "What exactly are you?" Mila wasn''t sure if she could touch the similar figure in front of her, because even though she looked like she could be touched, there was something inside Mila that firmly believed that this girl wasn''t real, as if she was only in her imagination.


    Was Mila''s mind not right, so she was hallucinating seeing herself?


    The figure then smiled. ''I am Cosmo,'' she said. ''You can call me the spirit for the heirs to the throne.''


    "What?" Mila frowned and from the expression on her face it was clear that she couldn''t believe what she just heard. "Then what does that mean?"


    Mila didn''t have time to hear the answer to her question, because just at that moment Liam walked into the hall and the sound of the door squeaking open startled her.


    Mila turned her attention away from Cosmo to see the figure of the king walking across the room, his eyes fixed on her.


    However, before that, Mila could hear Cosmo''s voice whispering to her, saying; I can help you to get what you want.


    "What do you do there?" Liam asked, his voice echoing through the great empty hall.


    Mila was confused by the question. Liam should have cared more about a person who resembled her and was on this throne, but why was the question like that?


    Mila then turned her attention to her left and found that the figure that looked like her had disappeared.


    "What is it?" Liam caught Mila''s confused face and looked around too, to make sure what she was looking for, but around them was empty and there was nothing that could attract Mila''s attention. "What are you looking for?" he asked again.


    Mila stuttered a little, but then she asked an odd question for Liam. "Don''t you see anyone here?" she asked.


    "Seeing who?" Liam looked around them again, but couldn''t find what Mila was really asking. "I don''t see anyone here."


    "Impossible," Mila mumbled. "She was here earlier when you entered the room, I even spoke to her. You can''t not see it?"


    It didn''t matter how quickly the girl disappeared from Mila''s sight, but there was no way she could just disappear into thin air.


    However, the fact that the closest distance from the throne to the exit was quite far, also made it impossible for Liam not to see the girl''s figure.


    "What exactly are you talking about?" Liam grew confused by Mila''s reaction. "What are you doing here?" Liam repeated his question again.


    "No, Iˇ­" Mila stuttered, she seemed lost for words and confused.


    "Maybe you''re just tired," Liam said as he gently tugged Mila''s arm. "I think you need some rest."


    Mila wanted to reject the idea but, she wasn''t sure what she was feeling either. Was it all just a hallucination? Dream?


    Sounded like something very unconvincingˇ­


    Liam then grabbed Mila''s hand to lead her out of the hall to return to their room.


    However, before Mila left the hall, he looked back at the throne and found a figure similar to Mila sitting in her throne.


    At the same time, Liam turned to see what Mila was looking at, but he found nothing there.


    Only then did Mila realize; only herself could see the figure. What is this figure and how can she resemble Mila''s face?


    ================


    In the evening, Mila really proves her words, when Liam is about to leave the room, Mila follows him.


    "I told you, didn''t I? that I''m going to join the interrogation this time," Mila answered straightforwardly when she felt Liam''s questioning gaze, as they walked down the corridor accompanied by several guards.


    "You really are stubborn," Liam grumbled. He couldn''t understand how Aaric could handle Mila with his attitude like this.


    "I contributed greatly to Elena''s capture, don''t you want to flatter me?" asked Mila, all she said was a fact, if it wasn''t for her bringing up the topic, maybe now Elena is planning another murder of Mila, after Liam''s announcement.


    "Yes, I must admit your contribution," said Liam finally relented.


    "It''s good that you understand this," Mila said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders.


    However, at the dungeon door he saw Cosmo''s figure againˇ­


    ''You have to kill him,'' Cosmo said as Mila and Liam walked past her.


    Mila then turned to Liam and saw that the man wasn''t bothered at all, he looked like he didn''t see anything.


    Seriously?


    Mila acted as if she hadn''t seen Cosmo either and walked past her with her eyes fixed on the front.


    However, Cosmo continued to follow them, she was on Mila''s left side when they walked through the first door of the dungeon.


    ''You have to make sure to kill that asshole.''


    Cosmo''s voice sounded very firm and as if demanding revenge. This was enough to make Mila wonder why this creature behaved like that, because after all, Elena was still a descendant of the previous king.


    No, when Mila thought about it, Elena was her aunt. They were family.


    "What do you think?" Liam asked as he looked at Mila, she was spacing out again.


    "Nothing," Mila replied curtly, she shook her head and looked to her left, where Cosmo was walking beside her. "You see? What''s that?" Mila asked, pointing at Cosmo.


    "What do you mean?" Liam frowned. "It''s a torch on the wall," he replied.


    Mila then looked at Cosmo, but the person who looked like her just smiled and didn''t say anything.


    ==============


    THE STORY WILL GO HIATUS FOR NEXT MONTH AND WILL BE UPLOADED AGAIN ON OCTOBER.

 Chapter 77 - ANOTHER SECRET

    Mila doesn''t understand why only she can see Cosmo. Was it because she was a descendant of the previous king? But, then Elena should be able to see this spiritual being too, right? But, why can''t she see it? Isn''t that a strange and a little unreasonable?


    However, Mila was reminded once again that she lived in a world full of magic where almost anything could be said to be absurdˇ­ magic, curses and all thatˇ­


    Mila then stared at Cosmo a little longer, the girl looked pale, when she smiled back at her.


    It was very strange to see her own reflection in black hair and smiling kindly like that, Mila never paid much attention to how she smiled. Therefore, she thought, that was what she looked like when she looked friendly.


    Not badˇ­


    Then Mila turned her attention away from Cosmo, she didn''t want Liam to suspect or find her strange, and moreover Mila couldn''t explain this anyway.


    They walked through the dark alleys of this dungeon to the room where they held Elena. The air in the passageway felt damp and stink, and also made her felt a little uncomfortable.


    "Please," said one of the guards, while opening the prison door and allowing the king and the future queen to enter the room.


    The cell that Elena was in, was quite large and not as scary as Mila thought, maybe it was because she was imagining something really bad, no, she was even imagining something beyond a nightmare.


    So, it was a little disappointing when she saw Elena''s prison cell was just dirty and cramped.


    "What do you want!?" Elena roared, quickly moving across the room to approach Mila, her claws sticking out from her fingers. "GET ME OUT OF HERE NOW!" she growled loudly.


    Reflexively, Liam pulled Mila behind him to protect the girl, but that didn''t seem necessary, as the chains wrapped around Elena''s ankles and hands were enough to stop the woman from reaching Mila.


    The middle- aged woman looked more wild and savage, perhaps because she wasn''t getting the blood she needed.


    "I will reveal all your secrets if you don''t release me soon!" Elena screamed with all her might, she was still clinging to her same threat, which was to tell the secret of this kingdom, which not many people knew, because that was the only tool for her to bargain with her freedom, or with her life...


    "Just say it," Mila said calmly.


    "I am not talking to you!" Elena cried angrily. She looked even more furious when her words were refuted by Mila.


    Meanwhile, Liam stood before Mila with an expressionless face. "She already knows about the secret," he said.


    It took Elena a while to process the information, before finally realization came to her.


    And that was when she finally looked at Mila with eyes full of hostility but also questions. "You knew that and you just kept quiet?" She squinted his eyes in disbelief at Mila.


    "Yes, I know it and I plan to ascend the throne with him," Mila answered spontaneously, even though the plan had not crossed her mind a minute ago at all.


    The words came out just like that and Mila was even confused with herself when she heard how confident she was when she said it so boldly and plainly.


    That was not her intention.


    Instinctively, Mila glanced at Cosmo and she could see a small smile tugging at the corners of the creature''s lips, as if to say that she agreed with Mila''s answer.


    However, that wasn''t Mila''s main focus, but the feeling of satisfaction at having managed to get Cosmo''s approval. What is this? Since when did Mila start to feel that she needed affirmation from others?


    This made her feel strangeˇ­


    "YOU!" Elena roared again, while the guards in this prison had been sent away, so that no one would hear what they were talking about. "YOU DON''T KNOW WHAT YOU SAY!"


    Elena was like crazy. He tried to grab Mila and clawed her face with her sharp nails and also tore her with her fangs.


    "You have no idea what kind of curse is on that throne!" she exclaimed. "You think it''s that easy to occupy the thrones of kings and queens? You will suffer from things you never imagined before!"


    Elena looked so furious when she said that and Mila couldn''t help but listen to what this woman really wanted to say.


    "What other curse?" Mila glanced at Liam. "What does she mean?" Now Mila glanced at Cosmo again.


    But, Cosmo didn''t seem to care what Elena had to say, she leaned her body against the wall behind her and said quietly, ''Kill her.''


    The words ''kill'' gave Mila its own effect, she felt a sensation that couldn''t be described in wordsˇ­


    Is it a pleasure? Did she feel very excited because she heard that word?


    But, how could she be happy just hearing that word?


    Mila knew she wasn''t good and she wasn''t a saint who had never seen or done murder before, but she felt really good at the thought of Elena kneeling under her feet and begging her for forgiveness for what she had done.


    Her attempted assassination was reason enough to kill her, wasn''t it?


    "You saw the creature, didn''t you?" Elena''s voice suddenly interrupted Mila''s thoughts of murder, which, not even Liam''s words, could pull her out of her mind.


    However, now Mila found herself frowning, looking at Elena questioningly, but not rejecting the statement she just said.


    "What creature do you mean?" asked Mila. She took one step forward and stepped out of Liam''s protection.


    Seeing that, the king restrained him from going any further because it would endanger herself, however, Mila refused, and she took another step closer, close enough that she was now face to face with Elena.


    "Mila!" Liam said. One more step, then Mila would be within Elena''s attack range. But, Mila wasn''t that stupid. She stopped walking.


    "What creature do you mean?" asked Mila in a calm voice, repeating the question that Elena had not answered.


    Hearing Mila being so interested in this topic, Elena laughed scornfully, she also looked down at the girl who was supposed to be her niece with a condescending look.


    "You are the descendant of a mad king and that madness will continue until your next generation." Elena clenched her jaw as she said that, as if it was a taboo subject and should not be disclosed.


    "What do you mean by that?" asked Mila. She looked intently into Elena''s eyes and saw her own reflection there.


    "You may not realize it now, but the creature will overwhelm you and you will be nothing more than a tool controlled by that lowly creature," growled Elena. "Just like what happened to that mad king. That''s the curse."


    ''Kill her, Mila,'' Cosmo ordered. ''She has gone mad,'' she said urgently.


    Mila turned her attention for a moment to Cosmo and Elena and Liam followed her gaze, but neither of them could see what Mila was looking at.


    "It''s true what I said, isn''t it?" Elena said in a triumphant tone. "You see it, you hear it, you follow what it says and later it will give you a power that will make you addicted and soon you are just an empty body controlled by that creature."


    ''Kill her Mila, remember, she intended to kill you before and now you are listening to her rambling,'' Cosmo said again.


    Elena suddenly calmed down and as if she had an epiphany on what had happened, she then looked at Liam.


    "You didn''t tell him about these details, did you?" asked Elena in a hoarse voice. She stared intently at Liam.


    And what Elena said caught Mila''s attention, she then turned her attention to Liam and narrowed her eyes.


    "Is there any secrets that you didn''t tell me?" Mila asked. She couldn''t believe what she heard.


    Secret? Again? How many secrets were there actually hiding from her? It''s not just a secret about who likes whom or a secret about where you hide what you have stolen, but it''s about the big secrets of life and there''s so much to it. How could Mila have missed every single one of these secrets and the people in this palace knew more than she ever imagined.


    "Yeah, why didn''t you tell her about such details?" Elena asked Liam mockingly. "You only told her about trivial things, but you forgot the details."


    Mila squinted her eyes, stared at these two people intently and waited for Liam''s explanation.


    Looked like it would take Mila a long time to peel all these secrets.


    "You said that the previous king and queen were killed by the elders," Mila said in a low tone and Elena''s laughter boomed in the small prison. "SILENCE!" Mila rebuked the woman which shocked her and instantly fell silent, but her eyes stared at Mila with a strong killing instinct.


    "Yes, indeed we killed him," Elena admitted proudly. "We killed the king and queen before, which for me I killed my own brother." There was no sadness in Elena''s voice, but she said this through clenched jaws. "It must be done because the throne is cursed."


    Mila furrowed her brows, she then looked at Cosmo, who was now looking at Elena with hateful eyes.


    It''s just that, Mila felt, Cosmo represented her deepest emotions very wellˇ­


    Mila wasn''t even bothered by the way Cosmo was staring at Elena, who seemed in the next second, she was going to tear her apart.


    ==============


    THE STORY WILL GO HIATUS FOR NEXT MONTH AND WILL BE UPLOADED AGAIN ON OCTOBER.

 Chapter 78 - THE REALITY IS NOT LIKE THAT

    "Stop Elena," Liam finally spoke up. He looked at Elena coldly and warned the woman not to continue her sentence.


    "No," said Mila. "Talk. Tell me what really happened in this palace." Mila ignored Cosmo''s protests asking her to kill Elena straight away and didn''t need to listen to the woman''s cheap explanation.


    "Mila, it is not something you need to understand. It is not about a curse," Liam said, trying to keep his voice from sounding like he was trying desperately to hide the truth from Mila.


    Mila then turned around to face Liam, her arms folded across her chest and she stared at the man with demanding eyes.


    "Then tell me what happened." Mila shrugged nonchalantly, then looked at Liam with defiant eyes. "Looks like you''re hiding a lot of secrets from me."


    "It''s not a secret. It''s just a rumour." Liam clenched his jaw tightly as he said this.


    "Okay, then I want to hear what the rumors are," Mila said calmly then added. "Because yes, I saw the creature. The creature''s name is Cosmo and she resembles me, except for her black hair."


    Mila then turned to her left side to look at Cosmo who was wide- eyed, looking at her in disbelief because she said it loud and clear.


    It was as if Mila had just told the world about the disgrace that should be brought to death.


    "You saw it?" Liam''s voice was so low it was like a hiss. He and Elena then turned their attention to an empty room, where Mila said that she saw a person who looked like her and named Cosmo. "Don''t joke about a serious matter like this Mila."


    Mila turned to Liam and narrowed her eyes sarcastically. "You think I am in the mood to joke with you?" she asked harshly. "Or maybe you think I am crazy?"


    Elena then laughed wryly, her laughter bouncing off the prison walls and creating a terrifying echo.


    "That''s what he thinks of you," Elena said between laughs. She looked at Mila scornfully then noticed how Liam looked very angry in the face of this situation. Liam totally disagreed with what Elena would say next. "Because he also thinks that the previous king has gone mad for trying to create a massacre within his own people."


    All these mysteries made Mila feel that she was exhausted of what was happening around her.


    Were they playing with her? Or were they just thinking it was okay to confuse her like this?


    All the things that happened made Mila question everything in her life again.


    "Now tell me why I can see Cosmo''s figure when you can''t?" Mila asked, and as she said this she was staring at Cosmo, asking for an answer from the creature as well.


    ''Because you are the next heir to the throne.'' Cosmo tossed her black hair impatiently, not only that, she also glared fiercely at Elena and Liam. ''You don''t have to listen to what they say, you just have to listen to what I say and you have to kill Elena, because she was the one who killed the king and queen before.''


    Cosmo kept telling Mila to kill Elena.


    However, the more Cosmo insisted on asking her to kill Elena, the more Mila''s curiosity grew about what story Elena would tell. Something unexpected had been hid by them and Mila was sure of it.


    "Speak, what are you going to tell me," Mila gave an order in an even voice and expressionless face, ignoring Cosmo''s angry stare. The creature did not agree with what Mila decided.


    ''You will regret wasting your time listening to her bullshit,'' Cosmo said and she didn''t get the response he wanted from Mila.


    "I will decide whether I am wasting my time or not," Mila said in a voice that sounded a little unconcerned about Cosmo''s response to this. The creature was invisible, except to Mila, therefore, she didn''t need to worry about its reaction.


    On the other hand, Liam and Elena stared at each other. Liam found it strange that Mila was talking to an empty space, while Elena looked wary.


    Though actually, this wasn''t the first time they had seen someone talk like that, as the previous king had done the same.


    "Now tell me everything." Mila emphasized the word ''everything'', because she didn''t want to hear any other secrets again. She wanted everything to be clear now, with nothing to hide.


    "You think I am going to tell you all the plans for free? For free?" Elena sneered at Mila, she then moved her arms and legs, making the chains that bound her jingle, indicating that she didn''t want to be interrogated under these conditions. This was an insult to her.


    Because after all, she was a respected elder.


    "You want freedom?" Mila asked in a voice that sounded like she was mocking this woman. "If it''s freedom you want, then I will give it to you." Mila shrugged.


    Only, her words were cut off by Liam. "I don''t agree to release her," Liam said.


    During the argument between Elena and Mila, Liam was mostly silent, but he wouldn''t have kept quiet any longer if what Elena wanted was freedom.


    The main goal was to bring down the elders and the opportunity was in front of his eyes, of course Liam will not waste this opportunity by agreeing to Mila''s words.


    He was the king, so his words should be the one that counted.


    Mila raised her eyebrows defiantly, it seemed like Cosmo''s influence was still so entrenched in her that it made her so bold in going against anyone who didn''t agree with her plan and Liam was no exception.


    Mila liked herself for being this way, brave and a little reckless, but she also couldn''t help but worry because this attitude she felt was too much.


    She shouldn''t be like this, right? Because there were some things she shouldn''t have crossed and she should also have known the limits where she could be so bold in her action.


    It''s just that Mila ignored all of that, because she liked the feeling of having complete control over her fears and more energy to face whatever comes her way.


    It didn''t make sense, but right now Mila didn''t want to dwell on that fact, because the only thing she wanted to hear now was; Elena''s explanation of all these crazy things and the secrets and prophecies that happened and surrounded this member of the royal family.


    "Speak," Mila said, ignoring the smug smile that tugged at the corners of Cosmo''s lips. She wondered. Could Cosmo hear the voice in her mind? Or did she just feel like she had won because she had such a big influence on Mila? And she knew that Mila liked the feeling.


    Mila would ask about it later, when she was alone with that astral being.


    But, for now, her main focus was on figuring out the secret that Elena was holding.


    "We killed the previous kings and queens because they were crazy. They want war and destroy this whole nation." Elena started her explanation which sounded absurd to Mila''s ears, but she listened intently, while Liam said nothing and glared fiercely at Elena.


    The atmosphere in the prison changed and Mila couldn''t explain this, only, she felt that Liam was holding back his anger. He was absolutely vehemently opposed for Mila to know the secret that Elena had told her, but why?


    "Why are the two of them like that?" Mila glanced at Cosmo and could see the figure of herself with black hair smiling happily. It was as if Elena was telling a thrilling fairy tale.


    "Because they saw another figure who was the embodiment of the curse on the yjrone, of course," answered Elena curtly. "You know what makes them so crazy?"


    Elena looked at Mila meaningfully, while Liam walked to Mila''s side and stood by the girl.


    "Don''t make my mood bad, and stop cutting your story like that, because it''s not fun at all," Mila replied sarcastically, she didn''t want to get involved in Elena''s game which she found very boring.


    Elena gritted her teeth, she felt that Mila was telling her to, even though that was what really happened.


    "He must have told you how you were traded back then," said Elena in a voice that sounded hoarse and made anyone who heard it feel the chill ran down their spines. Her body, which was still shackled by chains, didn''t stop her, just like her request earlier. Elena wanted Mila to learn the truth. "It''s not like that."


    Mila then listened carefully to the next words Elena was about to say.


    "The king and queen gave up on you and your sister, Anna, because they didn''t want to pass the curse on you," said Elena. "Well, at that time they were still sane enough to think about it, but in the years that followed, their obsession with murder, massacre and all sorts of horrible things, became unstoppable and they were like bloodthirsty monsters."


    Elena then laughed in amusement at her own joke and when no one else in the prison was laughing with her, she grumbled and continued her sentence.


    "You guys have absolutely no sense of humor," she grumbled. "And since you two are women, they found another reason to swap you and Liam. So, well, I can''t say what Liam told you is entirely true, but he left out the details."


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" Mila asked, her focus now on Liam, who was still standing quietly beside her.


    ==============


    THE STORY WILL GO HIATUS FOR NEXT MONTH AND WILL BE UPLOADED AGAIN ON OCTOBER.

 Chapter 103 - A LITTLE GIRL

    Tarsa''s parents at first did not agree with this, they strongly objected to Kairi Ariana''s decision to give their daughter an assignment and they were not allowed to know where Tarsa was going and what kind of things she would do in her assignment.


    It was really frustrating for both of them to not be allowed to know those details.


    Indeed Tarsa is their daughter, but now she is a Kairi, therefore things like this will continue to happen in the future and they don''t have a say in this matter.


    The person who was most against this was Tarsa''s mother, she was strongly against Tarsa''s sudden departure, especially when she knew that Damon would be coming with her, this made the First lady feel very objected.


    In her eyes, Damon didn''t have a good reputation. He had failed to keep the previous Kairi alive, so it was certain that he wouldn''t be able to take good care of her daughter either.


    But, after Raphael intervened and talked alone with Tarsa''s mother, her anger finally subsided a little and allowed Tarsa to live her new life as a Kairi.


    This was very strange, but this was what happenedˇ­


    Raphael seemed to be much better with words than Damon. And that''s quite a relief.


    Now, the three of them were at the station, about to go to the town of Ambarasi, which Tarsa only found out after she got hold of her own ticket and was forbidden to reveal their whereabouts.


    Now there are only three of them.


    "I''ll buy a drink for a while." Their train would be here in ten minutes, so there was still quite a bit of time for him to buy something. "You want something, Kairi?" asked Raphael.


    "I''ll come with you," Tarsa said, she didn''t want to be left with Damon and as much as possible not to have a conversation with him.


    Indeed her attitude she felt was very childish, but she couldn''t help but have an expressionless face that didn''t show her feelings at all like Damon did right now.


    "Okay, then you just wait here," said Raphael when he saw Damon was about to go with them. Since Tarsa was carrying one large suitcase, it would be very inconvenient to move around. "The supermarket is over there, you can see it."


    Raphael then showed him the small supermarket, which wasn''t too far from them so Damon wouldn''t worry too much.


    Even Raphael himself felt that Damon was too overprotective of Tarsa. But, on the other hand, that''s a good thing, isn''t it?


    Damon frowned and sat back down. He still didn''t say much.


    Seeing that, Raphael then grabbed Tarsa''s hand, just in case she got hit by passing people by accident. And behind them, Damon followed them with his eyes.


    Instinctively, Tarsa looked back and found Damon staring at her, their eyes met, but Tarsa immediately averted her eyes and went into the small supermarket there to buy some snacks.


    Like a gentleman, Raphael held the door for Tarsa and accompanied her to choose the food she wanted while he only took two bottles of cold drinks for himself and Damon, while Tarsa preferred the mango juice she liked.


    "Oh, I want to buy something," Tarsa said when they were in front of the cashier. "You can just stay here." Tarsa held Raphael back, who was about to get out of line to accompany her. "I''m just a moment."


    Tarsa didn''t want them to have to queue again and have to miss the train, because behind them there were already two people queuing up too.


    Since the supermarket tended to be small, wherever Tarsa moved, Raphael must be able to see her and with that in mind, he let Tarsa go.


    "You are very overprotective of your lover," said a woman who was standing in line behind Raphael. "Don''t be like that, give her some freedom, otherwise she will break away from you."


    Hearing this, Raphael just smiled. There was no point in refuting either, while out of the corner of his eye, he followed where Tarsa was moving, not wanting to lose the girl.


    On the other hand, Tarsa was engrossed in choosing her favorite chocolate when she saw a little girl about two years old, standing beside her and tugging at her shirt, as if she wanted to say something.


    Seeing the adorable little girl, Tarsa looked left and right, but didn''t see anyone else looking for this girl.


    Was she lost? Tarsa thoughtˇ­


    And because the little girl kept tugging at her clothes, Tarsa then crouched down, ducked between the food shelves and momentarily disappeared from Raphael''s sight.


    "Hey, little girl, are you lost?" Tarsa asked, while smiling gently at the little girl and rubbing her head. Her rosy cheeks look adorable.


    However, the girl didn''t answer. She just shook her head and looked sad.


    "Did you lose your parents?" Tarsa became confused because this girl, now starting to look like she wanted to cry. "What is it?" she asked worriedly.


    The little girl then pulled Tarsa''s jacket and whispered something in her ear. She then said one sentence that made Tarsa furrow her brows.


    The sentence the little girl spoke was an address. However, Tarsa didn''t really know where the address was since she didn''t tell her the exact location or which city it was.


    So, was she really lost?


    "Tarsa, what are you doing?" Raphael asked who was suddenly behind her. The protector looked at her worriedly and held out his hand to help her up.


    "Oh, I was just talking to this girl, she seems lost," Tarsa replied, but when she turned her head, the little girl had disappeared from there.


    "A little girl?" Raphael frowned. "I didn''t see anyone earlier."


    Tarsa then looked into another aisle in the supermarket. "But, the kid was right here earlierˇ­" Tarsa insisted and looked confused. "Maybe it''s because she''s covered in this shelf, that''s why you can''t see herˇ­"


    "Yeah, maybeˇ­" Raphael muttered.


    Luckily, when Tarsa and Raphael came back, their train came and the three of them get in and looked for their seats.


    The seats purchased by Raphael were of course for first class, where not many people were there and tended to be empty in this particular class.


    A male staff then approached their small group, offering to help Damon lift his suitcase to the luggage storage area above their heads, but Damon didn''t say anything and picked up Tarsa''s suitcase himself, while Raphael told the staff that they would call him if need help.


    It seemed pretty obvious who would be the spokesperson in this small group when Raphael was there.


    However, this role suited him perfectly. Raphael knew how to balance Damon''s taciturn.


    The division of their roles was very clear, where Raphael would be the spokesperson, Damon would be the one who did everything in silence and Tarsaˇ­ well, she didn''t feel like she could do anything but try to understand a new world that was so foreign to her nowˇ­


    Damon then gently pushed Tarsa''s body to be on the inside of the seats they were sitting on, while Raphael was in front of them, facing Tarsa, and Damon took his seat beside her.


    Actually, Tarsa wanted to sit beside Raphael, but Damon didn''t give her any other choice but to sit beside him.


    "Don''t take your hat off," Damon warned Tarsa as she took off her hat. "It would be a trouble if someone comes to recognize you."


    Tarsa didn''t want to reply, but she didn''t want to wear the hat on the train either, so before she could think about it, the words just slipped from her lips. "I am not that popular that everyone will recognize me."


    Yes, even though Tarsa is the daughter of the president of this country, she didn''t participate much in state events, because it drained her energy and was not good for her heart.


    Thanked to her weak body, she was so rare to be seen in public.


    So, it wasn''t an exaggeration for Tarsa to say she wasn''t popular, and Damon didn''t seem to mind it anymore, after the train started moving.


    For Damon and Raphael, the two didn''t need a suitcase to carry their gear, and just used a more practical black duffel bag.


    "So, what am I going to do?" Tarsa asked a little awkwardly. She still didn''t know what kind of task a Kairi would normally do and wasn''t sure if she could do this well.


    If the task required physical strength, maybe Tarsa wouldn''t mind too much, since her physique was now much better thanked to Kairi Xierra''s heart, but if the task required her to unleash spiritual power, Tarsa didn''t know where to start.


    "There was a strange case in the town of Ambarasi, where many children disappeared for several days and when they were found, they were not the same as themselves anymore.." Raphael started this narration.

 Chapter 104 - I WILL FINISH THIS ASSIGNMENT

    Usually, as a Kairi, of course it was Kairi who would inform her protectors of the task and give them an assignment on what to do, however, in Tarsa''s case this was an exception, because she too was an exception.


    She needed more time to adept with this.


    Never before had someone been appointed a Kairi because of a heart transplant. They were usually chosen because of their strong spiritual power, since a Kairi would be able to feel the power of another Kairiˇ­


    "What do you mean by not being the same as before?" asked Tarsa, she couldn''t help but recall her meeting with a small child in the supermarket that she had visited with Raphael earlier.


    "According to reports I received, they are much quieter, don''t want to socialize and whenever asked where they went, they all say that they don''t remember this," replied Raphael, he paused for a moment when a staff of the train came and offered a snack, which Raphael politely declined.


    "How many children are missing?" Tarsa then took out her water bottle, but because it was too hard, she had trouble opening it.


    Seeing that, Raphael was about to extend his hand when Damon quickly took the bottle from Tarsa''s hand and opened it for her, still not saying anything.


    "Thank you," Tarsa mumbled and drank her drink. She might still be annoyed with Damon, but still that didn''t stop her from feeling a little happy that Damon took care of her down to the smallest details like thisˇ­


    "There are about twenty children, from the last report I received," replied Raphael.


    And after that Raphael gave a little detail about what happened, and it seemed that all cases relate to a small forest near a temple that was no longer in use, where all the children played there and eventually disappeared.


    After this case, the area was finally closed and not allowed for anyone to pass through, not only that, the residents there also summoned someone with great spiritual power to find out what happened, but it was still a mystery, because no one knew what happened.


    And the worse was; they couldn''t find the person again when he entered the forest.


    Therefore, Duvessa who was in the city of Ambarasi asked them to come and see what beings were actually there.


    "Then, what should I do?" Tarsa asked, finally managing to ask the thing she was worried about. She felt herself not very useful to be in a place like thatˇ­ what could someone like her really do?


    "You don''t need to worry Kairi Tarsa, you just need to be there and study the situation, if the situation gets out of hand, Damon will take you to a safe place." Raphael smiled to calm Tarsa down.


    "Then what about you?" Tarsa asked because Raphael didn''t mention where he would be.


    "I will try to complete this task." Raphael didn''t think that Tarsa would be able to complete this task perfectly on her first assignment and Damon, certainly, wouldn''t leave her side.


    Damon was certain that he would not leave Tarsa''s side at all, but on the other hand, they had to complete this first assignment, therefore Raphael would volunteer to do it in Tarsa''s place, considering that she still had a lot to learn.


    Not only that, Raphael wasn''t sure that Tarsa could complete her first assignment well. It was not that he underestimated the girl''s abilities, but seeing how she was now and without knowing how to use her powers, of course that was just an honest assessment of his own.


    It almost felt like leaving a blind person to find their path in new environment.


    "But, we will not leave you alone against whatever creature we are going to face later, right?" Tarsa rejected Raphael''s proposal. She felt it was unfair to leave Raphael like that. Weren''t they supposed to fight the creature together?


    It felt like something was wrong for Tarsa if she had to leave Raphael.


    On the other hand, hearing Tarsa''s statement, Raphael laughed softly. He had never met a Kairi like her.


    Because the precious gait of a Kairi was a strong woman with the ability to know what to do. Even though it would be dangerous, but if it was for the best and the completion of a mission, they wouldn''t hesitate to do anything.


    By anything it meant they could be cruel and leave their protector to achieve their goal.


    Therefore, Tarsa who was worried about Raphael''s safety felt too soft for a Kairi to have such a heart.


    "Thanks for worrying about me," Raphael said with his usual warm smile. "But really, I will be fine," he replied, trying to calm Tarsa while the girl stared at him in disbelief.


    "Nothing bad will happen to him. He''s strong," Damon said. "Your worry is unnecessary."


    It''s true that Damon''s words sound a little harsh, but that''s the truth. Tarsa shouldn''t worry about her protector''s safety because it''s their job to protect her.


    "But, still I won''t agree if we leave him..." Tarsa muttered.


    And after that and some explanations given by Raphael, and occasionally Damon would chime in, they finally finished with the details of this first assignment and would head to a rest house where the next day they would visit the small forest.


    On the other hand, when Tarsa looked out her window, she saw that the sun was almost setting and the street lights were starting to come on.


    This is quite a sight to behold, considering Tarsa really likes this pre- twilight serenity.


    "You want to eat something?" Damon asked, interrupting her thoughts. "You have to take your medicine, you have to eat something." He confirmed his words, while giving the menu of the food that was there.


    Tarsa looked thoughtful and flipped through the menu of food Damon had given her and chose some snack for her, as she wasn''t very hungry.


    After giving back the menu, the protector went to buy the food Tarsa wanted, leaving herself and Raphael alone.


    "Are you guys making up?" Raphael asked when Damon had left. "I see that Damon seems a lot more reserved than usual."


    Tarsa didn''t know how to answer the question, or rather she didn''t want to answer the question, because she was not sure herself. "We are fine," she replied.


    In the end Tarsa chose the most diplomatic answer she could think of.


    Raphael wanted to ask further, but seeing that Tarsa was reluctant to answer any other questions, he finally didn''t say anything and just stayed silent.


    The trip ended up being filled with silence because not long after Tarsa ate her food and took her medicine, she fell asleep. Feeling very tired.


    Meanwhile, Raphael and Damon didn''t speak to each other until one of them finally broke the silence.


    "I saw the tree come back to life," Raphael said starting the conversation. Of course Damon understood which tree he was referring to. "Was Kairi Tarsa the one who did it?" he asked.


    Damon glanced at Raphael for a moment before he nodded and confirmed that.


    "Her power is truly extraordinaryˇ­" Raphael said that in a tone full of admiration. "I remember that the tree was first grown by Kairi Xierra and died when she died."


    Hearing that, Damon didn''t say anything, he just looked at Tarsa who was asleep in the seat beside him with her head drooping at her side, leaning against the hard train wall.


    Slowly, Damon reached out his hand and pulled Tarsa''s head to rest on his shoulder.


    Seeing that, Raphael slightly frowned and said in a warning tone. "I hope you don''t complicate things."


    "I am not complicating things."


    "You know what I mean." It was indeed there was no rule that a protector couldn''t love the Kairi he''s guarding, but that kind of emotional connection was very fragile and unprofessional.


    "I''ll take care of her." Damon confirmed this. "Even if I have to sacrifice my life and yours to keep her alive. Then I will do it."


    Those words held a million meanings for Damon. Where he felt very sorry for having failed in his first duty to protect Xierra, and now he was determined not to repeat the same incident to Tarsa.


    Whatever Damon''s current reason was, he couldn''t determine how he really felt about Tarsa.


    "I knew you would do that," Raphael said quietly. "I will do the same."


    "Hm," Damon mumbled in agreement.


    ================


    No one knew how long Tarsa had been asleep but, as soon as she woke up, the sun had set and they had arrived at their destination.


    Damon then handed Tarsa a glass of mineral water for her to wet her throat and led her out of the carriage while Raphael carried her suitcase.


    They had arrived at the town of Amabarsi and instantly Tarsa could sense something was different about the air in this placeˇ­ something was bothering her and she didn''t know what it was.


    "We will head to the inn and you can rest later," Raphael told her.

 Chapter 105 - THEY HAD ARRIVED

    Damon was certain that he would not leave Tarsa''s side at all, but on the other hand, they had to complete this first assignment, therefore Raphael would volunteer to do it in Tarsa''s place, considering that she still had a lot to learn.


    Not only that, Raphael wasn''t sure that Tarsa could complete her first assignment well. It was not that he underestimated the girl''s abilities, but seeing how she was now and without knowing how to use her powers, of course, that was just an honest assessment of his own.


    It almost felt like leaving a blind person to find their path in a new environment.


    "But, we will not leave you alone against whatever creature we are going to face later, right?" Tarsa rejected Raphael''s proposal. She felt it was unfair to leave Raphael like that. Weren''t they supposed to fight the creature together?


    It felt like something was wrong for Tarsa if she had to leave Raphael.


    On the other hand, hearing Tarsa''s statement, Raphael laughed softly. He had never met a Kairi like her.


    Because the precious gait of a Kairi was a strong woman with the ability to know what to do. Even though it would be dangerous, but if it was for the best and the completion of a mission, they wouldn''t hesitate to do anything.


    By anything, it meant they could be cruel and leave their protector to achieve their goal.


    Therefore, Tarsa who was worried about Raphael''s safety felt too soft for a Kairi to have such a heart.


    "Thanks for worrying about me," Raphael said with his usual warm smile. "But really, I will be fine," he replied, trying to calm Tarsa while the girl stared at him in disbelief.


    "Nothing bad will happen to him. He''s strong," Damon said. "Your worry is unnecessary."


    Damon''s words indeed sound a little harsh, but that''s the truth. Tarsa shouldn''t worry about her protector''s safety because it''s their job to protect her.


    "But, still I won''t agree if we leave him..." Tarsa muttered.


    And after that and some explanations given by Raphael, and occasionally Damon would chime in, they finally finished with the details of this first assignment and would head to a rest house where the next day they would visit the small forest.


    On the other hand, when Tarsa looked out her window, she saw that the sun was almost setting and the street lights were starting to come on.


    This is quite a sight to behold, considering Tarsa really likes this pre- twilight serenity.


    "You want to eat something?" Damon asked, interrupting her thoughts. "You have to take your medicine, you have to eat something." He confirmed his words while giving the menu of the food that was there.


    Tarsa looked thoughtful and flipped through the menu of food Damon had given her and chose some snacks for her, as she wasn''t very hungry.


    After giving back the menu, the protector went to buy the food Tarsa wanted, leaving herself and Raphael alone.


    "Are you guys making up?" Raphael asked when Damon had left. "I see that Damon seems a lot more reserved than usual."


    Tarsa didn''t know how to answer the question, or rather she didn''t want to answer the question, because she was not sure herself. "We are fine," she replied.


    In the end, Tarsa chose the most diplomatic answer she could think of.


    Raphael wanted to ask further, but seeing that Tarsa was reluctant to answer any other questions, he finally didn''t say anything and just stayed silent.


    The trip ended up being filled with silence because not long after Tarsa ate her food and took her medicine, she fell asleep. Feeling very tired.


    Meanwhile, Raphael and Damon didn''t speak to each other until one of them finally broke the silence.


    "I saw the tree come back to life," Raphael said, starting the conversation. Of course, Damon understood which tree he was referring to. "Was Kairi Tarsa the one who did it?" he asked.


    Damon glanced at Raphael for a moment before he nodded and confirmed that.


    "Her power is truly extraordinaryˇ­" Raphael said that in a tone full of admiration. "I remember that the tree was first grown by Kairi Xierra and died when she died."


    Hearing that, Damon didn''t say anything, he just looked at Tarsa who was asleep in the seat beside him with her head drooping at her side, leaning against the hard train wall.


    Slowly, Damon reached out his hand and pulled Tarsa''s head to rest on his shoulder.


    Seeing that, Raphael slightly frowned and said in a warning tone. "I hope you don''t complicate things."


    "I am not complicating things."


    "You know what I mean." It was indeed there was no rule that a protector couldn''t love the Kairi he''s guarding, but that kind of emotional connection was very fragile and unprofessional.


    "I''ll take care of her." Damon confirmed this. "Even if I have to sacrifice my life and yours to keep her alive. Then I will do it."


    Those words held a million meanings for Damon. Where he felt very sorry for having failed in his first duty to protect Xierra, and now he was determined not to repeat the same incident to Tarsa.


    Whatever Damon''s current reason was, he couldn''t determine how he really felt about Tarsa.


    "I knew you would do that," Raphael said quietly. "I will do the same."


    "Hm," Damon mumbled in agreement.


    ================


    No one knew how long Tarsa had been asleep but, as soon as she woke up, the sun had set and they had arrived at their destination.


    Damon then handed Tarsa a glass of mineral water for her to wet her throat and led her out of the carriage while Raphael carried her suitcase.


    They had arrived at the town of Amabarsi and instantly Tarsa could sense something was different about the air in this placeˇ­ something was bothering her and she didn''t know what it was.


    "We will head to the inn and you can rest later," Raphael told her.


    ********


    The inn was an ancient European- style house with many statues of gods and goddesses hanging along the corridors and the entrance of the house.


    "What place is this?" Tarsa didn''t feel that this place was an inn and looked more like a wealthy noble''s house that had been unused for a long time.


    It was so wonderful to see and she felt like she was in a different world.


    "This is Mr. Barbosa''s property, he is someone very close to the Duvessa. Actually, this house is an inn, but it has been neglected since ten years ago and turned into a resting place." Raphael briefly explained about it, while Damon didn''t really respond to it and went into Tarsa''s room, inspecting each room carefully and slightly frowning at the balcony there.


    "She can''t be in this room," Damon said in a somber voice, then walked over to the man who had taken them to this room. He asked him to change the Kairi''s room.


    A balcony could be a sign of danger. And it would be difficult for Damon if he was to protect Tarsa in this kind of room because there would be two points where he had to be alert; the bedroom door and balcony leading to the side garden.


    "Why?" Tarsa immediately stopped Damon. She liked this room and especially the balcony. She had it in her bedroom back to her house, therefore, she didn''t understand what this man''s problem was. "I like this room."


    "This place is too open for you," Damon replied, without taking his eyes off the man before him and ordering him to find another room.


    Tarsa frowned. She didn''t want to move out of this room.


    "I don''t want to move out of this room," Tarsa voiced how she felt, even though she knew it would be a wasted effort and most likely she wouldn''t be able to change Damon''s mind, but still she tried and the protector, as expected, didn''t budge.


    "I think this place is fine," Raphael spoke up finally when he saw Tarsa''s face, which was a little bit upset and very reluctant to follow what Damon had ordered her to do. "I will be strengthening protection spells around this place so you don''t have to worry. Kairi Tarsa will be fine."


    "No," Damon said firmly. He wasn''t messing with Tarsa''s security and he didn''t want anyone to interfere with his decision either.


    However, Tarsa looked hurt when he refused her request.


    "Damon, this place is fine, I didn''t even feel any strange feelings when I entered this place. This place is clean, you can feel it too, right?" Raphael was trying to persuade Damon.


    While Tarsa looked at Damon with pleading eyes, she didn''t want to move to another room. She liked this room.


    This room has an old European style with a large bed which has a mosquito net around the bed.


    Antique lamps that hang in the middle of the room and also gold-plated displays that become frames or handles on every door there.

 Chapter 106 - ASSIGNMENT

    It hurts when you have someone in your heart, but you can''t have them in your arms.


    -Curiano.com


    **************


    The cold night breeze blew from the open balcony and gave off its own coolness when the sound of rustling leaves could be heard softly.


    Not to mention the antique furniture that adorned the room. Mila really liked the atmosphere.


    It was serene to be hereˇ­


    "There is a room at the end of this corridor, we can go there to have a look," said the middle-aged man who was the caretaker of the house, who introduced himself as Michael.


    "Damon, I want to be in this room," Tarsa told him again. She didn''t want to talk to Damon, but they were together on this journey after all, so of course, talking to the protector was unavoidable.


    Damon didn''t answer, his eyes then looked at the balcony again and shook his head. "Show me the room." Damon then took Tarsa''s suitcase and slung his own backpack before he finally walked out of the room followed by Raphael and Tarsa.


    Both of them were defeated.


    Actually, Tarsa, as a Kairi, she could use her powers to make her own choices and Damon couldn''t dictate what she should do. It''s just, she didn''t have that kind of ability yet and Damon didn''t give her a chance to refuse.


    As for Raphael, since he wasn''t Tarsa''s true protector, he had no right to refute Damon''s words, as that was how they worked.


    And reluctantly, Tarsa walked out of the room to occupy a smaller room at the end of the corridor and only had one small window facing the street, while Damon and Raphael got a room right next to hers.


    Even before they started this first task, Tarsa already felt that this would not be easy.


    ================


    Tarsa woke up at night when she couldn''t sleep, maybe because something was bothering her.


    Tarsa needed fresh air, so she got out of bed and intended to take a walk around the house, or go to the park she had seen earlier.


    Raphael had already chanted protection spells around the house and had assured Damon that nothing had been missed, so Tarsa felt it was safe for her to come out and stretch her legs a little in the night air. Maybe then some sleepiness would overtake her.


    Although Tarsa did not really understand how the function or how the protection spell worked.


    However, when Tarsa was about to step out of the room, she found Damon sitting next to her bedroom door, he seemed to have fallen asleep, because when he heard Tarsa''s door open, and found the girl standing there, stunned, he opened her eyes and looked alert.


    "Where are you going?" he asked in a deep voice. He immediately stood up and not long after his body towered before Tarsa.


    "Iˇ­ I just wanted to take a short walk, I couldn''t sleep." Tarsa thought Damon would reject the idea, just like when he chose a room for her, but instead, he held out his hand.


    "I will keep you company."


    *****


    Tarsa thought Damon was going to scold her again because she intended to get out of the room, even though she only wanted to go for a walk at night, considering how overprotective he was of her, but that didn''t seem to be the case, as he was now accompanying her for a walk under the shining full moon.


    The light was so beautiful it cast Tarsa and Damon''s shadows behind them as the two walked down the path in the garden.


    Passed some trees and finally sat on a park bench under a garden lamp that emitted a soft light.


    Be it Damon or Tarsa, the two of them didn''t say anything at all during the thirty-minute walk, but then Tarsa could sense that Damon was actually just waiting for her to start a conversation.


    Ugh!


    Ignoring someone who was close to you and you would see every day was a difficult thing and Tarsa could not have the ability to do such a thing, so with a voice that trembled slightly due to the cold night air, Tarsa dared to speak to Damon.


    "I didn''t mean to ignore you," Tarsa said, starting their conversation, but then she realized she was being too open. Shouldn''t she have started this with one small talk to lighten the mood?


    However, since Tarsa had already said it and she couldn''t take her words back, she couldn''t help but have to face whatever Damon''s reaction would be.


    On the other hand, Damon seemed also surprised by Tarsa''s frankness. He turned his head and found the girl beside him was lowering her head and playing with the hem of her shirt nervously.


    "I can''t blame you if you want to avoid me," Damon said. He then leaned his body against the back of the park bench and lifted his head, looking up at the clear night sky. "I was in the wrong and made the atmosphere very uncomfortable for both of us."


    This was a rare occurrence, where Damon relented and instead of sticking with his own opinion as he always did, he apologized and looked sincere when he said it.


    "I also know what you did when you were in that old dead treeˇ­" Tarsa''s voice was only a low mumble as she said that. Since she had opened her voice and raised the topic of this matter, it would be a good idea for her to be honest about what really happened and what she knew from that night.


    Meanwhile, hearing Tarsa''s statement, Damon turned his head quickly, his sharp gaze and disbelief at what he had just heard could be seen. He didn''t expect Tarsa''s confession, because he thought that since Xierra possessed Tarsa''s body, she certainly wouldn''t notice it.


    "I was there, watching you two." Then Tarsa chuckled dryly, she shook her head. "No, I saw myself and you thereˇ­"


    Damon straightened up, he felt his tongue go numb and couldn''t say anything, especially when Tarsa stopped her fake laugh and turned to look at him.


    Tarsa''s eyes were soft, but there was sadness in them and it made Damon feel uncomfortable enough.


    "Do you love her?" Tarsa asked suddenly. She wanted to hear an answer straight from Damon''s lips, even though a large part of her was already screaming the answer Damon would give her.


    But, still, Tarsa hurt herself in this way. Tarsa couldn''t help but stand by and let this misunderstanding deepen.


    "You love her, right?" Tarsa asked in a soft voice, but she gripped the hem of her shirt tightly. Trying to brace herself for what she''s about to hear next. "You are not allowed to lie to me. I am the Kairi you protected."


    It was an absolute rule, where the protector was not allowed to tell lies in front of a Kairi. There is an ancient spell that makes them incapable of doing this.


    And although Tarsa hasn''t learned everything well, she knew the rules well. The only rule stuck in her head when she read the manuscript of the promise between the Kairi and her protector.


    "Yes," Damon answered in one short sentence, but it was also painful for Tarsa because she wished the answer was different.


    But, againˇ­ what kind of answer did she really expect from Damon? Wasn''t it all clear to Tarsa that there was something wrong with the way Damon saw and treated her?


    Because between the two of them there would always be Kairi Xierra''s shadow. Where Xierra''s heart, which was owned by Tarsa, was beating again in her body.


    "Thanks for answering honestly," Tarsa said, then she stood up and smiled sweetly at Damon. "I think this was the answer that will allow me to sleep peacefully tonight."


    Tarsa knew that the relationship between herself and Damon was only limited to Kairi and her protector, but when someone gave you their undivided attention and protected you with their life, of course, it was impossible for you not to feel anythingˇ­


    And the most trivial thing Tarsa could say was; she seemed to be starting to like Damon, despite his cold demeanor and sometimes seeming like an uncaring person, but he caredˇ­ it''s just that the way he cared for her was very differentˇ­


    And Tarsa doesn''t think this is wrong...


    "I''m sorry," Damon said. He apologized quite often these days to someone like himself.


    "Why are you apologizing?" asked Tarsa with a sweet smile on her lips. "I should be the one who apologizes because, with my presence, you are reminded of your love again."


    Tarsa was annoyed with herself because she could still smile at Damon when her heart said otherwise.


    This wasn''t the night chat she wanted...


    And Tarsa hated Damon because she cared about him so much.


    Damon took off the jacket he was wearing and draped it over Tarsa''s shoulders. "We''re going inside."


    ===============


    Meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 107 - SMART GIRL

    Liam felt Mila starting to turn into someone he didn''t recognize anymore.


    Is the figure of the girl in front of him really Mila? But, why does Liam feel that this girl is not the Mila he knows?


    It was as if another soul possessed Mila and turned her into a different personality. Very, very different from what Liam expected.


    "Mila, you can''t do this," Liam warned her. He couldn''t understand it, how could Mila still smile sweetly and look at him with such innocent eyes when she killed an elder a moment ago? Is there no remorse in her?


    "Why not? He wanted to kill me," Mila scowled when she said that. "No, not only Elder Rang, but all the elders and most of the nobles don''t like me, they don''t accept me and I can''t accept the rejection. Like you said, am I not the last descendant of the previous king and queen? Which means I am the most entitled to the throne. Not them, not you, but me."


    What Mila said was true, but the Mila that Liam knew was not this kind of person. Liam would swear and bet at anything, even his life, that Mila would never say such a thing.


    Since when did she care about the throne? Mila wasn''t like Anna who thought so much about their status as part of a noble family. The figure of Mila in Liam''s memory was a girl who was free and not bound by such rules.


    But, now Mila looked so ambitious to ascend the throne and put herself as a queen? Even when many people were against it, to the point of killing someone to do that, even though the first day she was here, Mila was vehemently opposed to being appointed as a queen.


    So, how could she now want it like it was her little dream and be so ambitious about it?


    "Mila, this isn''t the real you," Liam said. He emphasized every word he said and kept Mila away from him. Mila was getting too close to him and this made Liam feel uncomfortable with her sudden behavior. "You were influenced by that creature."


    Mila raised her eyebrows questioningly. "That creature?" she repeated. "Which creature? Didn''t you tell me yourself that you don''t believe in stories or curses about that creature?"


    Liam ignored that and then walked to his closet and took some clothes, also a dress for Mila to wear.


    "We''ll talk about this later." Liam then gave the dress in his hand to Mila and asked her to wear it. "We have to go to the throne room right now."


    Mila looked at the dress Liam gave her. The dress was dark in color with a few embellishments on it. "I''m not going to wear that pathetic dress," Mila said, brushing off the dress Liam had given her. "That dress is too pathetic for my mood."


    Mila wanted to celebrate Elder Rang''s death, instead of mourning for him, so she walked to the other side of the closet and took out a bright purple dress and took out some jewelry for her to wear.


    "You''re not wearing that dress Mila." Liam was wide-eyed when he saw Mila''s chosen dress and immediately took the dress from her hand.


    "Oh, of course I''ll wear it. Who are you to dare to forbid me from wearing that dress?" Mila looked displeased with Liam''s intervention, then immediately took the dress back from Liam''s hands.


    "You''re crazy," Liam hissed. "I am the king and you will not wear that dress."


    "I''m not crazy and yes, you are the king, but, am I not your queen?" Mila asks Liam defiantly, after which she turns around, but Liam held her arm.


    "You''re not my queen yet, Mila, so act like I tell you to," Liam said through gritted teeth. He couldn''t understand what was going on in Mila''s mind.


    "Oh, you''re such an asshole Liam. One time you said that I was your queen, but other times you said otherwise," Mila said loudly. She then glared fiercely at the king, challenging him.


    But, for this time, Liam would not stay silent and let Mila do as she pleased.


    "You won''t go out of this room wearing that dress, king or not, I won''t allow that and it''s the final decision." Liam then turned and left Mila. He wouldn''t accept Mila''s disobedience for something so ridiculous. "And we are still not done with you killing Elder Rang."


    That discussion would occur later after they went to the throne room and dealt with the problems that occurred there. For now, they would stop here first.


    Mila threw the purple dress in her hands and glared at Liam''s back fiercely. She didn''t like being told by Liam like this.


    "You jerk!" Mila shouted at Liam who ignored her and he stomped furiously when she had to walk back to pick up the pathetic black dress.


    Mila wanted to come to the throne room, not only to attend to a demand from people who wanted their leader to be present, but also because she wanted to sit on the throne again.


    There was a burning longing and obsession, which made Mila would not miss this opportunity, especially when she would be sitting in front of many people, where these people are her subjects. She felt powerful and very strong.


    And that feeling is something that was difficult to explain, which made Mila willing to wear the black dress and obey Liam''s wish this time.


    Only this time, Mila would obey the king''s wish...


    ================


    The throne room was already filled with a large number of people, not only the five elders as well as nobles, but there were also many ordinary vampires of low status gathered there, and even though the large hall where the throne was located was unable to accommodate all the vampires, it still just does not deny the fact that this news has spread so widely in such a short time.


    If it isn''t for someone with a strong influence doing that, then no one would know what really happened in such a short period of time.


    When Mila and Liam entered the room which was already filled with people who wanted to ask for an explanation and also justice from the king, suddenly Elder George pointed a finger at Mila.


    "You have killed Elder Elena as well as Elder Rang!" cried George angrily when he saw Mila walking beside Liam, heading for her throne. "You shouldn''t be on the queen''s throne. You''re not the queen!"


    Hearing this statement, Mila frowned. How dare the elder restrain her from reaching her throne which was now only a few steps away.


    If it wasn''t for them being in the public eye and lots of people like this, then Mila would be happy to make Elder George''s fate the same as Elder Rang''s.


    "Aren''t we here to discuss Elder Rang''s sudden death? Then what does that have to do with the position I''m sitting in?" asked Mila. "Hasn''t the king already said that I am the rightful future queen? Wherever I sit, that place will be mine, until the king says otherwise." Mila replied to Elder George''s call with a firm tone.


    Meanwhile Liam paid no heed to this and pulled Mila to sit beside him on the throne she wanted.


    "You''re not the queen!" Elder George insisted on his argument and glared at her as Mila sat beside Liam with a haughty face, facing the vampires present there.


    "Sit down, Elder George," Liam ordered impatiently. "This is not the right time to talk about that."


    Several nobles then uttered the same protest against Mila and they looked furious.


    But, Liam dealt with it all quite well.


    Liam then stood up, leaving Mila to sit on the throne alone. He then faced nobles and vampires of lower status.


    "We will start the matter with Elder Rang''s death now!" he said aloud. His resolute voice echoed through the hall walls and made anyone who had voiced his comments instantly fall silent.


    On the other hand, Elder George, who was sitting on Liam''s right side, which meant that he was only one seat away from Mila, looked at Mila scornfully.


    However, Mila just looked at him with a smile and blinked one eye secretly, as the other people focused on Liam and the four guards who brought Elder Rang''s corpse into the great hall.


    "You must have had a hand in this murder," Elder George said furiously at Mila, he said it in a low voice so only the two of them could hear.


    Mila turned her head, then looked back at Elder George with lazy eyes, as if this conversation didn''t interest her at all. "How can you accuse me like that? Do you have solid evidence?" she asked.


    "Oh, you killed Elder Elena so viciously, so it''s only natural that you are the first to be suspected in Elder Rang''s death," George said with full of anger, especially when he saw the mocking smile on Mila''s lips.


    And unexpectedly, Mila''s answer took George by surprise.


    "You''re pretty smart," she said.

 Chapter 108 - UNEXPECTED OUTCOME

    We should live our lives to the fullest, you never know we may be dead by tomorrow.


    -ayamirin.tumblr.com-


    **************


    What did they mean by cutting her? Do they want to stab her? Killed her?


    Tarsa gulped hard, she tried to move away from them but found herself too scared to even make a single movement.


    She looked at Damon, trying to gauge his reaction, though she was not sure if she could trust him or not, since her feelings for him were quite complicated.


    This protector came all the way to the president''s building with the intention of killing her, but he didn''t do it for the reason that Tarsa vaguely understood.


    He talked about Kairi Xierra''s spiritual power and her heart, but now he said that he couldn''t cut her with his sword.


    What is the meaning of that?


    Tarsa could feel her mind didn''t work properly just like she wanted to in a critical situation like this.


    "Let Raphael do it and we will witness how she survives the attack if she really has the power of Kairi," Arian spoke with so much authority that no one dared to raise their heads.


    Except for Damon, though he was kneeling before Kairi Ariana, he looked at the old lady straight in her eyes and then to the girl, whose body was shaking behind him.


    Tarsa wanted to hide behind him and look for protection, but she was not sure if Damon was safe for her or not.


    "Yes, do it, please," Damon said, he wanted to know whether Tarsa held the power of Kairi or not. It would make a tremendous change in her fate tonight.


    Damon could hear Tarsa''s breath hitched and her heart thumped wildly, the heart that belonged to Xierraˇ­


    "Good." Ariana took three steps back and let Raphael take charge. "Do it."


    Raphael looked hesitant when he walked forward, he stared straight into Damon''s eyes. It was only a few hours ago that they fought each other and he lost it to him.


    Not because he was weaker than him, but because he was too kind. Kairi Ariana would always say that he was too kind to be a protector, but on the other hand, he was very powerful when he wanted to, the moment he defeated the enemy.


    "Raphael," Ariana called his name, as she found hesitation in Raphael''s eyes. She knew what was going through the mind of her protector. Raphael was so against killing humans.


    It meant, if Tarsa didn''t have the power of Kairi like what Damon said, he would end up killing the innocent girl.


    However, the death punishment for Tarsa was not out of character, knowing what her parents had done for her, even though she knew nothing about it.


    But, to respect Kairi Xierra, Tarsa was not allowed to have her heart.


    It was a cruel ruler, but if they let it slide there would be a time this event would repeat in the future, and that was the last thing they wanted; someone, anyone disrespect this society, Duvessa.


    The law must be obeyed and it applied to both parties involved. All this time, no one was daring enough to disrespect one another, hence they would keep it that way.


    This punishment was also a warning for those who wanted or even thought to cross the line. They must see that the Duvessa would take this kind of thing seriously.


    Tarsa flinched when Raphael came closer to her. At this point, she was having a hard time breathing, especially when he gathered water in his hands from every flower vase in the room and created a water sword.


    The same thing as how Damon created the wind sword, but this time the sword looked more tangible. It was ice. A beautiful ice sword.


    Yet, Tarsa didn''t have time to admire it when she knew that beautiful thing could slice her and kill her right there and then.


    Tarsa tried to crawl away from the protector named Raphael, but the other protectors caught her hands and forced her to kneel before him, pushing her down very hard to expose her neck.


    At that moment, Tarsa felt like she was a chicken that was ready to be butchered.


    "No! Please, let me!" Tarsa sobs muffled in her throat, she struggled when Raphael was walking closer and the only thing that she could see was his feet and the tip of his blade.


    This is it?


    Tarsa closed her eyes, she willed her heart, waiting for it to happen, since she knew this was unavoidable, fighting against it only worsened her feelings.


    Was what Damon said was true? Was he not able to slice her? Then this time Raphael also couldn''t, right? Or, did it only apply to him? As this was the heart of the Kairi that he protected?


    Tarsa''s hope to stay alive was hanging on the thread. She thought everything would be better from now on, but things seemed only becoming more complicated than before. And this time her parents had to bear the consequences too.


    Were they regretting having her as their child? Tarsa felt she just brought bad luck to her little familyˇ­


    Ahˇ­ this was how she would die? She always thought she would die from a heart attack, but wasn''t this the same thing? Poor herˇ­


    It was her heart that would kill her most unexpectedlyˇ­ What an irony of lifeˇ­


    Tarsa didn''t know how she was held like that, but the next thing that she realized loud gasps filled the room and the hands that held her down loosened, allowing her to pick herself up.


    Tarsa sat there, raising her head and looking around her through her wet lashes, her vision was a little bit blurry due to her tears, as sobs escaped her lips.


    Meanwhile, around her, one by one people there fell to their knees and bowed their heads in respectful ways, including Raphael and Damon.


    What was happening?


    What happened to these people?


    ***


    Warm sunlight fell on her face and coaxed her to wake up, feeling the fresh air that blew from the opened window.


    Tarsa grunted softly, as she tried to move her body, but it felt very painful. All of her body was aching. It almost felt like she just fell from a high tower and hit the ground really hard. Well actually, she had never experienced such a thing. Or maybe it could be compared to someone who just finished running for a hundred kilometers, but this one was also one of the events that she had never experienced either.


    For as long as Tarsa could remember, the only moment when she was really running was when she heard the members of Duvessa attack the government building. She was running with all her might to find her parentsˇ­.


    This thought woke her up all of a sudden and she sat down, staring at her surroundings. She''s on alert now.


    As she remembered what was happening that night, she also remembered what was happening before she lost consciousness.


    It was scaryˇ­ horrible.


    Because Tarsa had never experienced being in an extreme situation, thus being on the verge of death with someone trying to behead her, had sucked all of her energy and finally took a toll on her.


    She remembered she felt something cold brush against her neck when the man named Raphael swung his ice sword and then a moment later, everyone in that hall bowed down to her.


    Tarsa didn''t have time to ask or even understand her situation when darkness engulfed her and she surrendered.


    Butˇ­


    Tarsa looked at her own two hands and touched her neck. She thought she would find a thick bandage, maybe they managed to sew her head and body togetherˇ­


    But, she found nothing. She was totally fine, only her aching body that made her slightly uncomfortable.


    "You are already awake." A man''s voice echoed through this bedroom, as someone was standing beside Tarsa''s bed.


    The girl was too engrossed with her own thoughts that she failed to realize there was someone else inside the room.


    "You?" Tarsa was shocked upon seeing Damon was there. The man was standing very close to her, as he stretched out his hand. "What are you doing?"


    Tarsa was afraid of this man''s intention. He looks so dangerous, when the first time she saw him and then nice when they were inside the car, speaking as if Tarsa could trust him, but then he changed again. This protector was very cold and aloof when someone suggested killing her.


    "Stay still," Damon spoke impatiently, as he reached out for Tarsa''s hand and pulled her closer to him. Nullified her attempt to run away.


    "No!" Tarsa thought he would strangle her to death because she was still alive. Well, she had every right to think like that.


    But then, she felt his cold hand against her forehead.


    "Good, your fever has subsided," he said in a low voice, most likely to himself rather than to inform Tarsa.

 Chapter 109 - CONSCIOUS

    Human relationships are chemical reactions. If you have a reaction then you can never return back to your previous state of being.


    -Kaneki Ken-


    **************


    "Hhaa?" Tarsa was confused.


    "Eat this." Damon then took a tray full of food and fruits and also a cup of hot tea, placed it in Tarsa''s lap for her to eat. "You need to restore your energy."


    Tarsa felt her brain was working at a slow pace at that moment. She was trying to discern what actually was happening.


    Did this man have a personality problem? Why did he always look different on many occasions? Their encounter could be said less than a day, but he already showed many different sides of him.


    Tarsa didn''t eat the food in front of her and watched as Damon opened the curtain and let the sunlight flourish in the room, sending warmth to every corner and lifting her mood.


    "Why don''t you eat it?" Damon stood beside Tarsa again when she squinted her eyes. "You don''t like the food?"


    Tarsa didn''t know how to start a conversation with this man, but at least he should explain a few things to her, right? He owed her this.


    "What is happening?" Her voice sounded very hoarse and it hurt her throat to speak. Tarsa felt like she just ate sand.


    As if he knew what Tarsa was going through at that moment, Damon took a glass of water and brought it to her lips. "Drink, you will feel better," he said. This time, his voice was soft.


    Did he just coax her? Maybe not. Tarsa must have thought too much about it, but she didn''t refuse the glass that touched her lips and drank half of it.


    Damon was right, she felt better when the liquid moistened her throat.


    "What is happening?" Tarsa repeated her question and her voice sounded better. "Where am I?"


    This room was very spacious and beautiful, with many paintings hanging on the wall. This room was even bigger than her room and seemingly held more value for everything here.


    "You are in Kairi''s room," Damon answered her and then put the glass. He took a bowl of warm soup, which the white steam was visible to see, indicating that it was still hot. He cooled it off for her and brought the spoon to her lips. "You are okay now."


    What is it? Does he intend to feed her? What happened with this sudden care?


    Tarsa shifted her head to refuse the food, though the smell of it was very appetizing. She needed another answer for her many questions.


    "Wait, how long have I been sleeping?" Tarsa looked at Damon intensely, as if she wanted to read his expression, which could help her to understand this man, yet she could read nothing.


    "You were unconscious for a week," Damon replied.


    "A week?!" Tarsa was shocked. "Butˇ­ whatˇ­" she stuttered.


    "I will answer your question, but you need to eat first." Damon made a deal that Tarsa couldn''t refuse. Well, it was a good way to make her eatˇ­


    Tarsa didn''t believe it. She was a Kairi now. She was still trying to wrap this fact around her head, even until now, she was still not used to it.


    It has been a month since the attack from Duvessa on the government and she went through that uncanny night when all of the people paid their respect to her.


    There were a lot of things that happened after that, more than Tarsa could imagine. And regarding the problem about the heart of the Kairi Xierra, she was forgiven, also both of her parents, since it was against their norm and rules to hurt any Kairi.


    Duvessa existed to protect all of the Kairi and assisted the government, aided them with help, concerning the problems with something that was out of the human world.


    Even though in this modern era, there were a few people who knew about the existence of the Duvessa and the story about Kairi, who has strong spiritual power, had turned into a myth, but definitely, people who worked with them wouldn''t think the same way.


    The Duvessa kept everything low-key and was out of the radar.


    However, the most obvious thing that happened to Tarsa was the existence of Damon in her daily life. The man would follow her everywhere. Literally everywhereˇ­


    "You don''t need to go inside too, don''t you?" Tarsa asked when Damon pulled her back, as soon as she wanted to enter the restroom.


    The deal was: Damon would walk in first and check the situation in every room that Tarsa would enter, only when he gave her a green signal, she was allowed to come in.


    It was so frustrating, especially when they were in a public area and Tarsa was with her friends.


    Yes, she started to make some friends now since she could join them to hang out in some nice caf¨¦ or simply just roamed around the mall, window shopping like a normal girl should be. The life that she always dreamed aboutˇ­


    Well, it was not really normal actually, since Damon and three other bodyguards would follow her everywhere.


    However, fortunately, Damon had a face that could make any woman shut their mouth and was more than happy to be followed by him.


    "Yes, I need to," Damon said simply, as he walked into the female restroom and checked it.


    The restroom was empty though, hence he could enter without worries, while the other three bodyguards would close the restroom and forbid anyone to go inside as long as Tarsa was there.


    Actually, this was not very comfortableˇ­


    "You can go." Damon appeared a minute later and let Tarsa and her two other friends use the restroom. They had just finished window shopping and were about to go to a nice caf¨¦ near this mall that was suggested by April.


    "Ugh, you are so lucky Tarsa, to be protected by someone as handsome as him!" Bianca squealed, she would do that every time she saw Damon in a close distance. "He is my dream man."


    "He can hear you," Tarsa reminded her friend. Wouldn''t it be awkward if Damon heard that too? However, Bianca didn''t think the same.


    "Let him hear me, so he could understand what I felt," she said dramatically and April just laughed at her.


    Meanwhile, Tarsa could only smile sheepishly. She didn''t really have any idea how to get along with Bianca and April, since she spent most of her years alone.


    But, when Bianca and April came to her after PA class and asked her to hang out with them, she was elated.


    Yet, nowˇ­ honestly, Tarsa preferred to be alone. The two of them were too loud for herˇ­


    ==============


    Tarsa stood in front of Damon''s bedroom, which was right beside hers.


    She had been standing there for almost ten minutes without making any progress to knock on his door, while in her hand, she was holding two boxes of chocolate.


    These chocolates were from Bianca, she bought them in the caf¨¦ where they went earlier and insisted on Tarsa giving them to Damon because she knew the man would refuse them straight away if she were giving them right at that time.


    Tarsa sighed. She didn''t want to do this. Why should she give this kind of thing to Damon, when this man had never looked her right in her eyes.


    Every time Tarsa was with him, he acted aloof, as if he was there out of his obligation to protect her, but he never tried to get close to her, even when Tarsa tried to make things better for the two of them, Damon always put a big distance between them.


    Suddenly the door swung open and Damon''s figure towered in front of her. He was very tall and, yes, Tarsa must admit it, handsome.


    "What are you doing in front of my door?" Damon asked.


    "Ah, it''sˇ­" Tarsa stuttered, then waved the box of chocolate in her hand. "My friend wants me to give this to you."


    Damon didn''t react to it, he just stared at the box and then said lightly. "I don''t eat sweets."


    "Owh," Tarsa bit her lips. "But, at least you can take it."


    "No," he said sternly.


    "It is not polite to reject someone''s present." Tarsa didn''t want to keep the chocolate too.


    "I didn''t ask for that," Damon replied curtly.


    Tarsa sighed. This would always be his response, cold and ignorance. It seemed the only thing in his mind was to keep Tarsa alive and he didn''t care for the rest.


    "Can you stop treating me like that? If you are going to be my protector, which means we will be often together, don''t you want to be nicer to me?" Tarsa frowned. "We can try to get to know each other. Don''t you find it frustrating?"


    "Don''t get close to me," Damon spoke rather harshly.


    ==============


    Meet me on instagram @jikan_yo_tomare

 Chapter 110 - ITS INEVITABLE

    Everyone wants happiness, no one wants pain.


    But, you can''t have a rainbow without a little rain.


    -Nico Edogawa-


    **************


    "Don''t get close to me," Damon spoke rather harshly.


    After saying that, he was in a rush to close the door since he didn''t want to have further questions from the girl in front of him. Damon still has this mixed feeling toward Tarsa, even after a month has passed.


    It was his duty to protect her, an obligation, yet that was it, he didn''t want to get close to her, or knew more about her.


    Aside from guarding her, he guarded himself up toward her.


    He knew it was not right because as the protector you should know more about the Kairi that you protected. Be present for her, body and soul, yet Damon''s soul was very heavy to accept Tarsa.


    "Why can''t I?" Tarsa stretched out her hand right at the same time when Damon closed the door, thus it was inevitable for her fingers to get caught in between the door and the door frames. "Aah!"


    Hearing Tarsa''s sharp scream and the sound of the boxes of chocolate falling to the floor, Damon turned his body quickly and saw Tarsa cradled her hand, in a split second he realized what he had done.


    "Are you okay?" Damon immediately came to her and gently took her hand. "Let me see it," he said, worried on his face.


    "I am fine," Tarsa muttered, she tried to push him away, because she felt irritated with his response earlier, but Damon held her hand firmly.


    The protector frowned when he saw the skin on the back of her hand was red, if not treated immediately then it would become a bruise.


    "Come here," Damon said, he pushed the door open and entered his room with Tarsa, who was still flustered with his sudden change.


    Damon talked to her rather harshly earlier, but the way he treated her now was a hundred and eighty percent very different. He touched her lightly and spoke to her softly.


    This was the first time Tarsa entered his room and watched how clean and tidy Damon''s living place was, which put her into shame, even as a girl, her room was not this neat.


    At first, the people in the Duvessa were adamant for her to stay there, but because Tarsa refused, as that place was totally strange for her, they relented and let her back to her own house.


    Yet, the thing that caught her attention the most was how this room smelled. The scent of Musk, which was the same scent that Tarsa smelled from Damon, lingered in the air and for some reason, this scent became her favorite. It smelled nice and calming.


    Damon let her sit on the single sofa, then went somewhere in his room and returned a minute later with a first aid box, he then knelt before her and took her hand gently.


    "You don''t need to do this, I am fine." It was her heart that was not fine. Her heart was beating so fast.


    Tarsa had never encountered a moment like this. Wasn''t this scene too romantic? She watched this kind of scene in the movie and could only imagine it, yet it happened to her now. Or, maybe she was just overthinking things when she saw concern in his dark eyes? He lookedˇ­ sad.


    "I am sorry, I didn''t mean to hurt you," he said, as he dabbed cotton, which had alcohol on it, against Tarsa''s back hand.


    "It''s okay, I know." And then silence, because Damon was too focused on treating her hand. "If we are going to see each other often, can you stop ignoring me?" Tarsa felt awkward every time Damon did that.


    It almost felt like Damon actually didn''t want to be with her, but because of his obligation, he was forced to do so, and for having someone who didn''t want to be with you, yet did it regardless, the feeling was so awful.


    "I didn''t ignore you," Damon replied plainly, he blew the back of her hand after he put some ointment.


    "Yes, you did." Tarsa retrieved her hand, she felt her heart would explode if he treated her any nicer than this. "You always did."


    Damon raised his head, but he was still kneeling before her, the way that they were at eye level proved how tall this man was.


    "I am sorry if you feel that way, but I never meant it." He stopped for a moment to gauge Tarsa''s reaction and then added. "I just don''t want us to get closer than this."


    "Why?" Tarsa''s voice was very soft, it almost sounded like a whisper. "Because I stole the heart of the previous Kairi?"


    Tarsa stared deep into his eyes, looking for some change when she mentioned the previous Kairi, but all she could see was only coldness.


    "No," Damon said, he stretched out his hand to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ears. "Because I don''t want to get attached to you."


    Damon didn''t get to see Xierra for the last time since he was detained at the time she was cremated and was not able to say even a single ''goodbye'' and how sorry he was for failing her.


    The attachment was something painful when you knew it wouldn''t last and there would be times it was severe.


    "It''s inevitable," Tarsa said, drowned in the sadness in his eyes. "Do you miss her?"


    "Whether I miss her or not, it will not change anything," Damon replied and he meant his words. "It''s time for you to go to bed." He stood up and stretched out his hand to help her. "Don''t get your hand wet."


    Tarsa took his hand, it felt warm and nice, and then stood up. Damon accompanied her until in front of her bedroom door.


    "Good night Damon," Tarsa said.


    "Good night Kairi," he replied.


    "Can you just call my name? I am not comfortable with that title."


    Damon did what she said. "Good night Tarsa."


    ***


    Tarsa didn''t know when it began, but the first scene that she remembered was seeing Damon''s back, the protector was standing in front of her, with his back facing her.


    She was unsure where they were at this moment, as far as she could see was only vast barren land with red sunlight shining brightly above their heads.


    Tarsa was amazed by the scene before her eyes, though it was scary to be in a place that she didn''t know, but since Damon was there, she thought they would be fine.


    "Where are we Damon?" Tarsa approached him and nudged his back. "Why are we here?"


    Damon didn''t answer her, nor did he turn around to see her.


    "Damon?" Tarsa called his name again. She pulled his shirt to get his attention, yet he didn''t budge. "Do you hear me?"


    In the end, Tarsa stepped aside to see his face and find out the reason why he didn''t answer her.


    However, as soon as she saw him, an eerie scream slipped off her lips. What she saw was very horrible. This man was not Damon.


    This man was a devil.


    Tarsa didn''t know how she came up with that conclusion, but her mind worked on its own, as if the information was already there and she was just being reminded again.


    She could see the horn in the middle of his forehead, fangs as sharp as a newly sharpened knife, dripping with blood, and his claws curled in such a way, ready to tear her apart.


    No.


    He was not Damon.


    Tarsa turned around and was about to run, but somehow, she couldn''t move her body. Her body was numb.


    She struggled to get away from him. She needed to run, as she felt malicious intention from this devil, yet no matter how hard her attempt, the result was not in her favor.


    Tarsa could feel his rough hand clasping her wrist and her shoulder, shaking her body, as his hot breath fanned her nape.


    The claws scratched her skin, dug deep into her flesh.


    "No!" Tarsa''s voice trembled in fear and something extraordinary happened. The red sun fell on the horizon and everything around her turned dark.


    All of that happened only a split second and Tarsa didn''t have time to grasp the sudden change when she shouted louder when she felt the rough hand wrapped around her neck, ready to strangle her to death.


    "NO!!!" Tarsa screamed at the top of her lungs and opened her eyes.


    For a moment, she thought she was only having a nightmare since she woke up in her own bed, but when she looked above her, she saw something unreal.


    There was thick black smoke above her head, floating like clouds, yet there was something vicious about this thing that made her shudder in fear.


    Tarsa was stupefied to see how the dark smoke moved and formed a face, with white eyes.

 Chapter 111 - YOU WILL GET HER KILLED

    Knowing a person is like music,


    What attract us to them is their melody,


    And as we get to know who they are,


    We learn their lyrics.


    -Pinterest-


    **************


    "DAMON!!!" she called his name subconsciously, as she closed her eyes tightly the moment the thick dark smoke descended to her.


    It didn''t take a long time after Tarsa called his name and the protector appeared. He dashed toward her and used his wind sword to cut the uncanny smoke.


    The smoke scattered and dispersed into thin air, leaving a burning smell inside the room.


    Damon stood beside the bed and scanned his surroundings, to make sure there was no more hidden threat. Only then did he put his focus on Tarsa, as a few guards came into the room and turned on the light, illuminating the room.


    "Are you okay?" Damon gathered Tarsa in his arms and checked on her quickly. His eyes darkened when he saw scratches along her right arm and shoulder.


    Four of the bodyguards came in and immediately checked all the corners of this room, especially the balcony.


    They used their communication device and asked if the other guards saw something bizarre, but everything was fine.


    "What happened here?" one of the bodyguards came to Damon and asked him in confusion since they found nothing.


    They heard Tarsa scream and saw Damon storm into the room, therefore they thought something bad must be happening to her.


    "You can''t find this thing," Damon said gloomily, while Tarsa was still crying in his arms.


    "What do you mean this ''thing''?" He frowned, but then realized what he was dealing with. Because it was the Duvessa people who said this, it must be something beyond their ability.


    "Get the car ready, I will bring her to Duvessa," Damon gave an order.


    At the same time, Claire and Russel entered the room, because they heard some commotion from the guards when they were communicating through the device.


    "What happened to her?" Claire rushed toward her daughter and pushed Damon away from Tarsa. She cradled her daughter in her arms.


    "What is it?" Russel stood beside the bad and stared at Damon, asking this young man to explain the situation.


    "It was Bourdox," he replied curtly.


    "And what did this Bourdox do to my daughter?" Claire was furious. She felt her heart almost stop beating when she heard something happening in Tarsa''s room.


    If she could, she didn''t want her daughter to be involved with anything that had to do with Duvessa. It was an ancient society and too dangerous for her. This was the kind of thing that she was afraid of the most.


    "Bourdoxˇ­" Russel muttered, "I heard about this creature somewhere."


    Bourdox was a dark creature that would inflict a nightmare on someone, but the dangerous part was; whatever happened in that dream, would happen in real life too.


    It meant, if you died in your dream, then you would die for real as well.


    "I need to bring her to Duvessa." Damon took Tarsa''s hand, but Claire swatted his hand harshly.


    "You will not bring my daughter anywhere!" she glared at the protector viciously. "You are not competent with what you do. You will get my daughter killed!"


    ****


    Claire couldn''t understand why these people wanted to separate her from her daughter? As she still had the same thought as before; they did nothing wrong by taking Kairi Xierra''s heart to save her daughter.


    The woman had died, so why did those people keep fussing over it? It didn''t seem she would wake up from her grave and search for her heart, right?


    They were just being unreasonable!


    "You will get my daughter killed, just like how you failed to protect the other woman!" Claire exclaimed, she shot a dagger look at the protector.


    Everyone gasped secretly when they heard the first lady''s words and waited with anxiety for Damon''s reaction.


    It goes without saying that the failure Damon had done was something that couldn''t be forgotten easily. In fact, no one would forget about it and the mistake was always on his shoulder, but it was very audacious to say it out loud like that, especially in front of everyone.


    Russel held his breath and took a step in front of Claire and his daughter. It was his instinct to protect his family from Damon''s outburst from being reminded of those scars.


    However, Damon didn''t do anything, he just stood there, with his eyes fixed on Tarsa, yet didn''t say anything or give any response to what Claire had just said, he turned deaf ears for those words.


    "We need to go to Duvessa," he repeated his words. "Or her condition will be worse than this. She needs to be purified."


    "What do you mean she needs to be purified?!" Claire couldn''t accept the way Damon phrased his words, it almost felt like her daughter was an evil creature.


    "She was touched by something dark and her spiritual power is not enough to repel it," Damon explained patiently, something that was so rare for him to show it in front of other people.


    "No! You will not take my daughter anywhere!" Claire insisted and Russel didn''t know what decision that he should take.


    Yet, at this time Tarsa saved the situation, she raised her head and looked at her mother with exhausted eyes. "I think I should goˇ­" she said with a small voice.


    "You will not go anywhere Tarsa, it''s okay, mother is here to protect you from them." Claire pushed Tarsa''s head to her shoulder lightly, but she held her hand and talked to her again.


    "I feel awful and I think he can help me." Tarsa then looked at Damon and saw the protector nodded his head. "He will keep me safe."


    ==============


    Tarsa didn''t know why she chose to go with Damon, but she knew that her decision was right.


    However, at this moment, she needed to push that matter behind her head since there was something more urgent that needed her attention.


    The uncomfortable feeling that she felt at this moment only became more vivid and it was expressed by the way she scrunched her brows as if she was in pain.


    Slowly, Tarsa could feel someone touching her arms and pulling her closer to them. It was Damon, the man who was sitting next to her in a black car that would take them to the Duvessa, after a long fight with Claire.


    Her mother didn''t have any other choice when she saw what her daughter was going through at that moment.


    Tears started to stream down her cheeks when she said that she was having trouble breathing. It almost felt like someone pushed her chest down and sucked all the air from her lungs.


    It was hard and almost unbearable.


    "It''s okay," Damon said in a shooting tone that calmed her a little, as his callous fingers touched her cheeks to wipe her tears, which Tarsa didn''t realize she started crying. "Everything will be alright once we reach Duvessa. They will elevate the pain, you will be okay." His voice was like a whisper in Tarsa''s ears.


    Yet, behind Damon''s calm demeanor, there was bigger than the word of anxiousness that Damon felt at that moment. He felt like he had failed again to protect her and now seeing Tarsa in pain, he started to doubt himself as the protector.


    "I am sorry for not protecting you well," Damon said again. He cradled the girl in his arms and was at a loss since he had never seen Xierra like this.


    Xierra always looked very strong and reliable. She was not as delicate as Tarsa, which made Damon worried to even touch her.


    "What do you mean?" Tarsa raised her head and watched how gloomy Damon''s expression was. She literally could see grief in his orbs'' eyes and this made her heart tighten, which had nothing to do with her discomfort. Tarsa then stretched out her hand and touched his face, as she softly whispered. "This is not your fault."


    ''This is not your fault.''


    Someone in the past said the same words to him and he could still feel how the words comforted him.


    ==============


    "You fail to protect the Kairi again," Amaro said sharply, as he shot a dagger look at Damon. "What is wrong with you? You are one of the best protectors that the Duvessa had., but now you keep failing on your mission."


    It was not that Damon didn''t protect Tarsa well, but the girl needed time to adjust herself with her new life and also because her spiritual power was still not stable, thus it rendered her situation more important to note.


    For now, Tarsa was handled by Kairi Ariana and Raphael to purify the dark sign that was left by the Bourdeux, while Damon was not allowed to come close to her.


    "I am sorry," Damon said, as he reciprocated his gaze. Even though he was in a critical position and had to face the wrath of the head protector, but he didn''t lower his head. "I will do it better."


    "No," Amaro said fiercely.

 Chapter 112 - I WILL PROTECT YOU

    We all have a past. We all made choices that maybe were not the best one. None of us are completely innocent.


    -Unknown-


    **************


    "No!" Amaro said fiercely. "There is no more chance for you. I will find another protector for Kairi Tarsa and you can continue with your training."


    Amaro''s words were like a cup of hot water splashed over Damon''s head. There was no way he would agree with that.


    There was something inside him that strongly resisted what he had just heard. Something inside his head screamed that no one could separate him and Tarsa. Not Amaro, nor any Kairi.


    The desire to protect Tarsa shook him to the core.


    Damon didn''t accept the decision and without realizing it, he had snarled very dangerously and viciously at Amaro, as if to challenge him to repeat the same sentence again.


    The look in Damon''s eyes was so dangerous, it was as if he could devour his interlocutor mercilessly and kill him savagely.


    Something horrible had just woken up behind the eyes of the protector. Something evil and not to be taken lightly.


    Not many people knew about this, but Amaro was one of the few who knew what really happened to him, the dark side inside Damon''s body.


    The thing that Kairi Xierra had been trying to suppress, so it would never resurface. However, what Amaro said seemed to provoke the beast within Damon, waking up that thing. The dark side of the protector, which should not exist and must be destroyedˇ­


    "DAMON!" Amaro rebuked loudly to awaken the protector from his darkest, deepest, and greatest desire Damon had, which rummaged in his head right now.


    The snap proved to be quite successful, Damon was slowly able to regain his own consciousness and made the dark shadow behind his savage eyes disappear.


    "I didn''t take that order," Damon said with determination. He refused to look Amaro in his eyes and rose to his feet, preparing to leave the room.


    "Don''t you dare turn your back on me," growled Amaro. He was trying to overcome his shock and anger at Damon''s behavior, which he thought had gone too far. "What we discussed here is still not finished."


    Damon gripped the door handle, faintly, the beast within the man was again visible, reflected through his eyes.


    There was such a strong urge to tear Amaro''s body and make the man howl in pain, leaving his body covered in blood and making him beg for forgiveness for his life.


    All of that sounded fun, but in the next second, the realization hit Damon very quickly.


    His breath hitched and he looked confused by the excitement he had just felt. He felt so excited just at the thought of brutally hurting Amaro. Does it make sense and reasonable enough to have that kind of thought?


    All these thoughts made Damon a little anxious.


    "What do you want?" Finally, after wrestling with his own dark side, Damon turned his body and faced Amaro. "I will fulfill all your wishes as long as you take back your stupid order to leave Tarsa."


    Amaro squinted his eyes, he stared at Damon intently, as if he was looking for the vicious beast within the protector he saw earlier.


    However, he couldn''t see it, and now all he could see was a man full of anger.


    Damon was serious with his words when he said he didn''t want to leave Tarsa.


    "Answer me," Amaro said in a low voice. "Why do you want Tarsa? What do you want from that girl? You should know, you have failed time and time again in your task to protect the Kairi. It''s only right that you step down from your position as her guard."


    "Don''t call her ''that girl'', she is a Kairi." Damon clenched his fists at his sides. So tight that his knuckles turned white. "I will not abandon her and I will not fail to protect her." Damon walked two steps until the two of them were face to face. "Even if there will be death later on, then it will be my death."


    No one would take Damon''s position, and he wouldn''t let anyone get close to Tarsa.


    "I hope what you say is true." Amaro clenched his jaw, trying to be as calm as possible. "Because I don''t want to hear of another Kairi dying anytime soon, especially when that Kairi died at the hands of the same protector."


    Amaro''s last words were like a dull dagger stabbed into Damon''s chest.


    He would be a dark note for these protectors in Duvessa, if something bad happened to Tarsa, how a protector failed to save a Kairi''s life twice.


    ================


    Tarsa felt her chest tighten and her breath hitched. She didn''t understand what was happening to her, but one thing she could hear amidst the darkness trying to drown her out was the voice of a woman speaking in a strange language in a humming tone.


    Who''s she? What''s wrong with her?


    Tarsa tried to open her heavy eyes, but it was difficult for her, and the exhaustion that engulfed her made Tarsa give up and let the sound of the humming tone lead her into the darkness that was waiting for her.


    ================


    Damon walked towards the room, where Tarsa was resting, but again Raphael stopped him. The man stood in front of the door of the Kairi''s room.


    "You are not allowed to go inside," he said firmly, but Damon brushed his hand away and opened the door to Tarsa''s room.


    At this point, Raphael let him in, because he could see through the protector''s eyes that nothing could stand in his way.


    He also didn''t want to cause a commotion in front of the Kairi''s room.


    After passing through the door, Damon closed and locked it, before he walked to the bed, where Tarsa was lying, then knelt on the edge of the bed, holding her hand.


    "I will protect you even if my life is at stake."


    ***


    Slowly, Tarsa opened her eyes. She furrowed her brows as the sunlight hit her face and felt her hands go numb.


    She couldn''t remember what happened the last time, but she did remember how the pain hit her hard and rendered her breathless.


    Slowly, Tarsa intended to sit down and see where she was now, because this room wasn''t her own bedroom, yet it looked familiar.


    Only, when Tarsa was about to move her hand, she couldn''t, because something heavy was holding her back.


    It was only when she turned her head that she could see the heavy ''something'' that restrained her from moving, was Damon.


    The man fell asleep beside her bed, holding her hand tightly. As if she didn''t want to let Tarsa go.


    For a teenager who had never been so close to a man, of course, seeing these sights made Tarsa''s heart beat fast. She swallowed hard and tried not to move so as not to wake Damon.


    Things would be awkward if Damon woke up and found himself hugging Tarsa''s arm. Although she was sure that this man did not do it on purpose.


    Tarsa then leaned back on her pillow and moved her body, looking for a more comfortable position for herself to see Damon directly.


    Very carefully, Tarsa moved her body to see Damon''s face. Now that their faces were so close, the girl could see how gorgeous this man''s features were, with his thin lips and thick eyebrows.


    Even Tarsa was sure that her eyebrows weren''t that pretty.


    At this point, Tarsa would argue with anyone who said Damon wasn''t good-looking. Even Tarsa was sure that she could look at Damon''s face all day and not get bored.


    Staring at Damon''s sleeping face was a far cry from looking at his face when he was fully awake, because at that time, this man had a very serious facial expression.


    However, when Damon fell asleep, he looked like an innocent little boy, so pure and sweet. All his cold and malicious aura disappeared just like that and this made Tarsa feel very happy, to find this man was not much different from other men.


    Just because Damon was a member of Duvessa and has such great supernatural powers, it turned out that there was a side inside him that still looked like a normal human.


    Tarsa was happy to see Damon, who was fast asleep.


    Then, from staring at it, another desire arises from Tarsa who wanted to do things even further.


    When the thought first crossed Tarsa''s mind, she could tell that her face had turned red with embarrassment.


    How could she think so boldly like that? Where did she throw her manner and courtesy?


    Well, she threw all of those through the window when she reached out her hand carefully and slowly, to touch Damon''s black, slightly curly hair.


    Tarsa thought Damon''s hair would feel so rough and stiff, just like his personality, but it turned out that this man''s hair felt so smooth and soft to the touch of her fingers.