"You're not as human as you think, Eleanor."
The words echoed in her head like a deafening bell.
Eleanor felt her heartbeat falter. She took a step back, shaking her head. "That… that doesn’t make any sense."
Her father’s eyes darkened with something heavy. "It does. And you need to listen, Eleanor. There’s no time."
"No time?" she scoffed, voice rising. "No time for what? Another lie? Another secret?" She clenched her fists. "After everything you put me through, you don’t just get to walk in here and—"
"Eleanor," he cut in sharply. "You are not just a sacrifice. You are the key."
Her breath hitched.
"The key?" she repeated. "To what?"
Her father exhaled. "To their salvation… or their doom."
Silence.
A chill crept up her spine.
She wanted to call him a liar, to tell him he was insane—but something inside her already knew.
The way the Valerian brothers had looked at her. The way their bite felt different. The way Silas had made her feel.
This was more than a ritual. More than just a debt being paid.
She swallowed hard. "What am I?"
Her father hesitated, then took a slow step forward. "You're part of something much older than you know, Eleanor. Your blood—"
"My blood?" she cut in.
He nodded grimly. "It’s not human. Not fully."
A sick feeling coiled in her stomach.
"Then what the hell am I?"
Her father sighed. "You are the last of the Voss bloodline. A descendant of an ancient lineage tied to the Valerian brothers' curse. The girl who came before you…" He trailed off. "She was supposed to break it."
Eleanor’s head spun. "What… what happened to her?"
Her father’s face hardened. "She failed."
A cold shudder ran through Eleanor’s body.
She licked her lips, suddenly parched. "And what happened to her?"
Her father’s jaw tensed. "She died."
Everything inside her froze.
Died.
Eleanor took another step back, shaking her head. "No."
"Yes," he said solemnly. “And if you don't accept this fate, the same fate may befall on you.”
Her breath came in sharp gasps.
"So that’s why they wanted me," she whispered. "That’s why they claimed me."
"Yes."
She squeezed her eyes shut. "Why are you telling me all of this now?"
Her father’s expression turned grim. "Because the rival vampire clans have just found out about you."
Eleanor’s blood ran cold.
"What?"
"They know, Eleanor," he pressed. "They know who you are. What you are. And they’re coming for you."
A heavyweight dropped into her stomach.
This couldn’t be happening.
It was too much.
Too fast.
BOOM!
A deafening explosion shook the room, making Eleanor stumble.
Shouts erupted outside.
The walls trembled.
Glass shattered.
Screams filled the air.
Eleanor turned, eyes wide with panic. "What was that?"
Her father grabbed her wrist.
"Hide, my child," he whispered urgently. His fingers dug into her skin. "They must not get you."
Eleanor’s breath hitched.
Another loud crash sounded in the distance.
The sound of footsteps.
Coming closer.
Faster.
Her father squeezed her hand one last time, his expression desperate. "Hide."
But her legs wouldn't budge.