Petals from the flowery trees continued falling around me as I walked in this white long satin dress holding a bouquet of red and pink roses in my hands. Soft sweet music fluttered around the horizon and as I lifted my head, everyone was present. All smiles and no tears...
My eyes searched for one person and there he stood in the distance. Leo was in a gray tux.
I gulped. He was just seven feet away… but everything soon turned black and Leo’s face disappeared in my sight. It became pitch black.
“Leo! Someone!”
“Death awaits you, Princess Selene.”
I turned around and saw the same man staring at me hungrily with his fangs ready to piece me coldly. He had something shiny on his hand, and as my eyes slowly crept into it—a blade filled with strong intoxicating blood.
My eyes flinched and I realized how short my breath was. I slapped my cheeks which became damp with sweat and tears. My human side was awake which enabled me to fall asleep and have nightmares.
I sat up and listened to my breathing relax as I calmed down. I looked at the mirror across the room and my face was filled with fear. Who was that man?! Who was he?!
I pulled the ring which I made into a necklace and gripped hard on it. Where was Leo?
A knock came and it was Leo who entered. A heavy burden seemed to have been lifted off my shoulders seeing him.
“You okay?” He entered and grabbed my hand.
I nodded making sure I had no signs of tears on my face. “How’d you know I’m awake?”
“I was watching you a while ago before your sister called me out an hour ago. Are you really okay?” I nodded pulling him to my side.
“So what did you guys talk about?” He made me lean on his chest.
“Lady Thana said that you’re visiting the U-clan’s land from tomorrow till next week. I’m coming with you when you stay over their territory.”
“That’s sweet of you, but you don’t have to. I know you’re also busy with shootings and meetings so I’ll be fine.” Leo placed a distance for him to see my face better in the dark where our eyes mustered red light.
“Selene, I’ve decided. I will come with you. I don’t want anyone to freely look at you. And I had a month and a half leave at work to stay with you until the coronation and our marriage.”
I raised my brow at her and laughed. “I love you, Leo!” I jumped up and hugged him.
But I know deep inside why he has to come.
Thana told me the other day that since U-clans are napping for a long period in the morning, they were fierce creatures in the night and some of them were not so much into liking the royal family and the R-clan wholly. Apparently, they think that the gods, ancestors of the royal family, despised them only for making them awake at night.
Leo helped me pack up some clothes for the days I would be staying over and around ten, I was sleeping on his arms on my bed. I knew he was keeping me and our baby safe at all costs especially since it was still a secret until the coronation.
I smelled pancakes making me open my eyes and head downstairs. Leo was cooking, making me smile to myself.
“Good morning, babe,” he greeted me, still mending and flipping the pancakes.
“Good morning," I yawned.
“Ready for the trip?” He plated and added the chocolate syrup and strawberry toppings. He served it in front of me.
“Yeah, thanks. What time do we leave?” I started chomping on the pancakes.
“In an hour. We can’t risk your safety so we’re meeting their representatives in secret.” I stopped chewing.
“Are there assassins?” Leo looked away from my eyes.
I stood up and pulled him to face me. “There is… or maybe there are, right?” He turned to me brushing his hair past his hands. I bit my lip waiting for his reply.
“Listen, I promised Lady Thana so let it slide for now. I can only say that you need to arrive there safely. Now finish your breakfast so you can change.” But my stomach started flipping and I had to run to the kitchen sink, throwing up what I had for dinner and a bit of breakfast. “You okay, babe?” He started massaging my back as I conditioned myself back listening to the water rushing. I rinsed my mouth before facing Leo again.
“Dr. Lira said morning sickness is very common during pregnancy on R-clans.”
He pulled me into a tight hug, caressing my back “It’s okay then. But do tell me if you feel anything horrible when we get there ok?”
I nodded. “But what about me attending school?”
“James Smythe has been informed about your busy schedule and has requested for you to approve his idea.”
“Which is—?”
“You’ll stop attending as you already have more than enough knowledge and studies done. The papers would just be stating that you’ll be doing homeschool for health reasons. I honestly didn’t expect him to say those things right when you two dated before...”
I smirked seeing Leo’s facial pouting. I circled my arms around his neck pressing my body against his.
“Leo, anything between James and I… it’s all in the past for us. I’m not focusing on what he and I had but I’m happy with what I have now. Soon… we’ll be starting our family and it’ll be perfect.” I touched my womb feeling a small bump starting to curve. “What’s important to me are you... and our baby. Besides, frankly speaking, I’m like two hundred thousand years older than you so it’s not exactly fair.” I crossed my arms together.
Leo finally laughed burying his face in my neck sniffing me making me turned on.
“Looks are very deceiving, hey? And I should also be adding that age doesn’t matter to me because I love the way you already are.” He kissed my nose and we were soon laughing. After eating breakfast and getting in my semi-formal attire, Leo made me secretly ride on this black Nissan pulsar with dark tinted windows. We had one car in front and behind and Leo sat on the passenger seat with one R-clan as our driver. I sat alone in the back staring out of the window.
I held onto my belly and massage it feeling the small bump. I would probably give birth in December since it’s only 6 months of pregnancy.
I slid my back relaxing but I sat up straight seeing what I think is what I saw. I rotated my body to look behind making sure the seat belt is not wrapping me tightly... But no one was there at the roadside.
“Is something wrong, Selene?” Leo called me up. I sat properly again facing him.
“N-no. Everything’s alright.”
“Ok.” He faced the front. I silently slapped my cheeks.
‘Wake up, Selene! You are not hallucinating that scary vampire!’ I repeated to myself.
After three long hours of the drive, we entered a big walled mountain by the end of the country. The place was a perfect place to hide everything about vampires from human eyes. Thick willow trees shed an aura of fear and not permitting sunlight to pass through. I saw Leo press on the heater as we went deeper into the cave-like territory.
The cars stopped in one tall steel gate hidden in the thick forest. There was a man, who looked like twenty, standing on the side. He was in a grand tux with a peculiar smile in him. “I presume that she is her highness?” he asked.
Leo steps before me with the bodyguards surrounding us.
‘Is it really this dangerous?’
“Yes, she is. Are you Sir Beau Whei?” Leo asked, holding my hand behind him.
“Yes... I am here to escort your party inside. Come inside vampires of the R-clan and especially to Her Highness.” He bowed then pulled out a key inside his pocket turning to the gate’s lock.
The gates opened and we followed Sir Whei inside.
I was so surprised to see what’s inside! Trees stood on great alignment and there was this small town hidden.
“Welcome to the U-clan lair. I suppose you were expecting grander houses?”
“In a way, yes," I answered, admiring the beautiful bends of trees and the small cottages and buildings blocked away from civilization. “With due respect, how many is the population of the U-clan Sir Whei?”
“Exact figures?”
I got a bit of a confused feeling with that question. “Y-yes.”
"Eighty-four.”
“Oh my…”
“We have secluded ourselves from the world as we only live during the night. We are different from the R-clan even if we’re both vampires.”
Different emotions and questions filled me inside.
“Setting that aside, Princess, are you carrying a child by any chance?” Sir Whei asked. Leo stood in front of me and I felt this heavy pressure from him. My hands were shaking as I held the hem of his shirt.
“Is there a problem if I am pregnant, Sir Whei?”
He suddenly chuckles. “Not at all, Milady. I’m thrilled to hear the soft heartbeat from the future heir.” So that was how he knew but now… the bodyguards also knew the secret.
“Sir Whei, are all U-clan vampires capable of hearing even the faintest sounds?” Leo asked, holding my hand behind him. He definitely knew that I was gripping on him.
“Yes Lord Heathly. Unlike you R-clans, we have consistent abilities making us unite as one clan as we all know our strengths and weaknesses if that makes any sense to you all.”
“Yes, it does. I definitely need to learn more things about you guys if I want to be the rightful leader.” I replied, sighing.
“I know you will be, Princess... We know you will...” All the doors opened and all the vampires were waving from their houses.
“Welcome, Princess Selene Vlad Ambrogio. Welcome to Unaria" They said in sync throwing flower petals prettily. I smiled and secretly looked at the time. It’s past five in the afternoon already... They woke up but everyone knew I was here.
I looked up the lamp-lit streets watching the rose petals dance in the air.
Suddenly, the wedding dream replayed in my head at a very fast pace and...
“Death awaits you, Princess Selene.”
Why was it ringing in my ears again? My chest suddenly felt a big bounce and my womb clenched in pain. I gripped on Leo.
“You okay, babe?” His words went blurry to my ears. He held me to make me not fall as my hands held my womb. It hurts.
“Princess?” I heard Sir Whei but his voice seemed kilometers away. Even the bodyguards beside me felt they were a hundred feet away.
“Leo, our baby...”