Everyone was running frantically. It wasn't a normal run or dash. They all had fear instilled in them and they only knew one thing—the need to survive. I didn’t know anyone but I only knew that they were vampires. That was for sure.
I woke up feeling the sunlight penetrating my skin. The smell of logs was all over the place. I looked around and the girls from my class were still sleeping soundly. I wiped the sweat covering my body using my arms.
It was the first day of the five days of camping since we arrived late yesterday. I grabbed my clothes and changed inside the bathroom. I then returned to the room, placing the clothes in my bag. I tied my hair up, letting some to freely fall down my forehead then went out.
The cabins were big for 2-1 to use alone but it was okay. I actually liked it because it was not that crowded. I stretched my arms before stopping by a flowery area. It was peaceful and serene.
I saw James playing with a large dog. He was not alone though. He was with the old man who welcomed us yesterday. I approached them discreetly. It felt wrong but here I was, chasing up answers.
“Isn’t the girl from yesterday the one who played with you here when you were young?” The man stated as he played with his dog.
“Not too sure. She doesn’t seem to remember anything. I didn’t hear a thing about her after that incident"
I didn’t want to say it, but yes, I’m eavesdropping behind a tree. My intuition was pretty sure that they were talking about me.
“So she could have forgotten them after the fire?”
Fire? What fire?
“I think so. I am so worried that all her memories of the fire will return to her since we’re in this place. After we lost both our parents… I lost her, too.”
“You two were also engaged, right?”
James nodded. “Our parents wanted us to be.” He looked up at the sky. “But apparently, I can’t hold on to that. If she’s the Selene from before then I’ll have to forget her as soon as I can with our parents’ memories.”
“Must be tough, young man.” The old man scrambled James’ hair. I walked away silently mesmerized with what I just heard.
If I were the Selene he was looking for then…
Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around me tightly when I reached a dark area in the forest. I tried removing the arms and was about to scream when a frozen hand covered my mouth.
“It’s me, Selene!” I turned and saw Leo’s exhausted face after almost a week of complete silence.
“Leo…”
His hands wrapped around me again, but this time in front of me, squeezing me chest to chest. "Leo, what are you do—?"
“I missed you.”
My eyes widened with great surprise with his sudden words. I felt my eyes start to get watery. I imagined myself getting mad at my master for leaving me behind. But seeing him after what seemed like forever, I could not bring myself to be mad at him.
“Nobody harmed you right?” He shook my frame, checking me from head to toe. Like a porcelain doll that needed to be perfect.
“Leo! Leo!” I called out and he flinched. “Where have you been?” He looked away. “As your personal food, you can’t tell me? Is that what you’re trying to say?” He slowly nodded.
“It’s fine but… please answer my query then.”
“What?”
“When… Until when can we remain together? When will I lose my memories? When will you alter my memories?” I gripped on his shirt tightly, almost making it crumbly.
“June 19.”
“Directly right after you turn eighteen? Oh, right, vampires turn as adults at eighteen. But that soon for marriage?”
“It’s Mother’s orders…”
I was speechless. I wanted to strangle Leo out of being pissed. But I knew my place. He was my master. I needed to fulfill my role and serve not only Leo, but also the Heathly family.
“Fine... As Madam Heathly said, I am just a human feeder and you are the master whom I cannot say no to. But Leo, can I ask for… something in return?”
“Tell me.”
“A day. Just give me one day that you won’t be my master and I won’t just be your blood donor, please?” Leo was utterly speechless as his face drew mixed emotions all in one go. “Please, Leo?” I gripped on his shirt again, then to his arm. I seemed desperate, but I am actually.
“Okay,” he replied and I sighed in complete relief.
I smiled, letting him go and leaning on the tree.
“And did you know that Miss von Klein went to my condo last week?”
“That’s how you knew?” I nodded as I slowly felt his hands wrapped around me nearing his face to my neck. And just like always, my cheeks turned red. I didn’t need to anticipate what was to happen next because it would never change.
“Don’t drink too much because the class will go mountain climbing today.”
“Are you?” He licked the crook of my neck before biting and sucking on it smoothly. I gasped when I felt euphoria through his bite. I could not control myself from moaning with his act. My fingers combed his hair as well.
It did not take long before his fangs were gone from my skin. I found myself breathing heavily as if I was the one doing all the work.
“Y-you’re not coming?” I asked exhaustingly.
He licked the open wound covering his bite marks with a bandage he pulled from his pocket. “Yeah, I was allowed to, but…”
“You don’t know anyone as you’ve skipped one whole week of transferring.” I poked his side and he chuckled like how I remembered. He was always that goofball that everyone thought was only serious and handsome.
“What are you two doing in there?”
We turned around and saw the old man and James walking in our direction. James’ eyes seemed very displeased with what he was seeing.
“We were… Ugh…just talking.” I replied.
“You must be Leo, aren’t you, young man?” The old man raised a brow at him, not responding to my answer.
“Yes, Sir.” Leo replied, scanning both the man and James.
“Come, you kids, and have breakfast. Everyone’s almost awake and gathering in the hall.” He pulled us and we followed silently.
Our classmates started turning and whispering when they saw Leo appear from nowhere early in the morning. It was not just towards him though. Their eyes also wandered to us.
“You three, sit here with me.” The old man pointed to a set of four chairs in the middle.
“Gramps.” James shrugged.
“It’s fine, James. It’s just breakfast.”
Leo and I looked at each other then smilingly sat down with them. Yes, we were the center of attention… literally.
“Oh, my gosh! I’ll definitely take a picture with Leo!”
“That Selene bitch is sticking with him when she’s just a P.A.”
I wish I could cover my ears right now with all the things I was currently hearing. The old man’s helper started placing our meals and I looked at Leo who had a garlic soup in front of him while I got a meat platter. I didn't want to think that there was favoritism, but I was certain that was the case. He covered his nose with the closeness of the bowl.
“Exchange?” I volunteered and he nodded.
“Does he not like garlic soup?”
“Unfortunately not.” Because he’s a vampire… I thought.
Leo pulled my arm. “But if you eat that, your blood will get mixed with that stink.”
“Leo… so what do you expect me to do? Throw the garlic soup away? It’s embarrassing, you know!” I whispered and glared at him.
“Is something wrong, , kiddos?” One of the servers asked.
“Ah… No, we’re just not hungry,” I lied. I am actually very hungry.
“I’ll just go ahead now, Selene.” Leo stood up and I was about to protest but he hushed me. “You should eat.” There was a tad of warning in his voice. I knew he was still warning me about the garlic soup.
He wasn’t allergic to garlic, nor would it kill a vampire like the stories other humans know. Vampires have a sensitive sense of smell that garlic irritates them. Once it is attached to their system, it may affect their smelling prowess and increase the risk of danger from their enemies.
“Don’t like the food here?” James stood up, getting everyone’s attention.
Leo turned with an emotionless face, glaring at James. It may have been my imagination, but I thought I saw them shooting daggers from their eyes. “I did say that I was not hungry.”
“What’s going on there?”
Whispers started to flutter as the atmosphere went intense every minute. “Mr. Heathly and Mr. Smythe, what seems to be the problem?” Our teacher approached us. I gripped on Leo’s arm and shook my head signalling him to let it pass, but I knew he would not listen to me. When did this prideful master listen to his human feeder anyway? He would always get his way.
“Nothing Sir," Leo replied, grabbing my hand tightly. I suddenly shrugged as I got pulled.
“You are not taking her anywhere!” James glared at him.
Leo approached James with a prideful look and I could see that his eyes were slowly turning red. His fangs were also about to pop out with annoyance.
“L-Leo,” I called out, trying to warn him about his surroundings.
“Let her go!” he demanded.
“Leo… stop. No…” I pleaded, both their hands squeezing me tightly that I feared it would break my arms. “Guys, let me go!” I pleaded but both didn’t move from their deadly stares.
“The girl said to let her go boys…”
Everyone turned to the doorway and a blonde-haired girl entered. She was wearing foreign clothes, revealing her cleavage. She also had deep aquamarine eyes.
“Selene Carmen…”
Both Leo and James released my hands as she approached me. Their eyes were locked on the lady which made me wonder if they knew her. She pulled my hands to her direction then faced me. She was cold like Leo. Definitely a vampire.
“You get bruised easily, don’t you?” I looked at my hands and there were deep bruises around my wrist. I didn’t notice it at all.
“Come!” The blonde girl pulled me away from the room as I saw the last glimpse of Leo, surprised and worried.
“Where are you taking me?” I tried resisting her pull, but she was a vampire. She was much stronger than me.
“A tea party up the mountain!” she exclaimed happily. She pointed at the utmost top of the mountain we were going to climb later.
“Huh? Are you insa—?!” She grabbed me and leapt from tree to tree in not even a split second! I felt like my heart was also going to go out of my chest. “Slo—w down! This is a human area!”
“That’s what makes it exciting, Selene!” She giggled and her eyes sparkled with excitement. We reached the top and the rays from the sun almost blinded my eyes. But as I grew accustomed to the view, everything became pleasant. It was extravagant and it left me speechless.
“Wow…” I couldn’t help but cover my mouth to hide my amazement.
“Your master has never brought you to different places, huh?”
My forehead scrunched with her remark. “He is busy and… he is the heir of the third family so…”
“Has no one ever told you about what happens at every council meeting? I mean… what the Young Lord Heathly fight for in every meeting?” She sat on a higher branch handing me an apple to munch on.
“Before anything else, if I can ask… from which family are you?”
“Hm? What do you mean?” she innocently asked, hiding a grin from appearing.
“Well… your hand was frozen like Leo’s but”—I gulped—“Your aura was different from vampires that I had met before.”
“Oh? Keen observation.” She stood properly. “I’m Thana Ambrogio.”
My eyes widened with disbelief with the name she muttered. Did she just say that name?
“Then you’re… the Queen of both Vampire worlds, right? The Queen Thana Ambrogio of the Magistrate of the Vampiric Council?”
She smiled, slipping her hair to the back of her shoulders. “You’re well-informed, Selene, but I do not highly think of myself as a queen.”
“Why?”
“Because…” She paused, sighing with a small smile drawn on her face. “You’ll know when the day comes.”
“But why would a royalty like yourself be in a human lair?” I bit on the sweet juicy apple, not removing my eyes at her. It was the perfect combination of sweet and sour. I liked it.
“I want to see what Leo is fighting for with my own eyes.” She raised my hands and I felt her cold soft lips touch my bruised hands lightly, and like magic, the bruise disappeared. “Let’s get back to your master’s topic. Tell me something, has it occurred to you to become a vampire? Tell me honestly, Selene.”
A gush of blood suddenly swirled in my head making me flinch. “Are you alright, dear?”
“Huh? Ah, yes,” I smiled. “Becoming a vampire? I haven’t given much thought about that,” I admitted.
“Is that so?”
“Well, I know that it has lots of advantages, but being in a vampire household for a long period has its mishaps as well. I don’t know about the other clan but being with the R-clan… I think it’s mainly about being able to cope and survive, to hide your identity to the public, and know your limitations.”
“And not to fall in love?”
“...”
Queen Thana giggled like an angel. That thought made me laugh. Why would she be an angel when she’s the queen of the Vampire Clan?
“I know how you feel. I once fell for a human though I was carrying both bloodlines within me. Everyone was against it… except for my sister.”
“Your sister?” My eyes widened in disbelief. “All writings about you say you were the only daughter and heiress to the throne! I’ve never heard of another royal!” I abruptly stopped talking, realizing my mistake. I covered my mouth with the lot I had been saying.
“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness!”
“No. No. It’s fine. She is my pureblooded sister but she carries thirds of blood.”
“Thirds… Thirds-of-blood?”
“Yes, she carries three different bloodlines within her—the R-vampire, the U-vampire and… human blood.” She smirked seeing my confused expression. “I wonder why I wanted to meet you that badly?” She moved swiftly to another branch. “I wonder why I wanted to tell you everything.”
“Everything?” I stood up in the branch holding on tightly, scared to fall though I knew she would catch me. We were, I think, a hundred feet above the ground.
“Selene…”
“Y-yes, Your Highness?”
“What would you do if everything you believed in were not true?”
“What do you mean, Your Highness?”
“I’m just asking… what if the life you thought was real was twice the fallacy, and the life you had before had been altered and was continuously being altered? How do you think it would feel?”
“I… I had never thought of those things. I’d been living the same life as I have.”
“Do you?” she asked, pulling her face close to mine. What was she trying to say? What was she trying to imply?
"I… If it ever happens, I’ll surely be devastated, and lost but I won’t lose hope because there’s always going to be a reason that needs to be heard. That’s what I think of, Your Highness.”
“Selene! Lady Thana!” Leo jumped from branch to branch, looking straight at us. So he was aware of her identity after all! “Why are you her, Your Majesty?” He huffed standing in front of me. “What did you tell her?”
“Don’t worry, Young Lord Heathly. The Queen does not interfere with personal affairs.” She grinned at him. “I just wanted to invite her to attend the ball.”
“Ball?” Was she inviting me? I could not remember her mentioning anything.
“She’s not going.” Leo insisted with no doubt in himself.
The Queen linked her arms and stared at Leo intently. “I’m not talking to you, heir of the Heathly family. I’m talking to her.” She turned to me as the wind brushed our state. “A ball will be held in the palace after twilight and I want you to be there, Selene… please? You can think of it as a Queen’s order.”
“Uhm… Okay. When is it, Your Highness?”
“On June nineteen. I’ll see you then!” Queen Thana left, taking one huge leap hundred feet down, leaving Leo and me on the trees.
“Ju—June 19?” I reached for Leo’s arm and he kept silent before turning to me. The date was familiar. It was nostalgic. And I remembered Jane’s words.
“Let’s go down now.” He wrapped his arms around my waist as I scrunched myself, holding on to his chest.
“I’m not supposed to know that it’s your wedding ball, right?”
He remained silent as we went down from the trees. I felt frozen, cold and hurt.