CHAPTER 2 – Unusual Blood
The rain continued to pour, its steady rhythm blending with Elara’s ragged breathing. She stood frozen, her body still buzzing with adrenaline from what had just happened.
Then she saw it.
A small cut on her palm.
Blood seeped from the wound, mixing with the rain as it trickled down her skin.
And at that moment, she realized something.
The way those creatures had reacted earlier—
They had smelled her blood.
They wanted it.
A single drop fell to the ground.
Lucien, still standing in front of her, suddenly tensed.
His gaze, usually sharp and composed, shifted. There was something there—something rare, an emotion she had never seen on his unreadable face before.
Shock.
“Elara…” His voice was lower now, deeper—almost a whisper. Like someone who had just uncovered a truth that was never meant to be found.
Elara bit her lip. “What is it?”
Lucien didn’t answer right away.
Instead, his eyes remained fixed on the blood. Then, in one swift movement, he reached for her wrist, his grip careful but firm. His fingers were cold—a stark contrast to her warm skin.
“Don’t move,” he murmured.
Elara couldn’t help but stare at him, searching for answers in his expression. But all she found was something unreadable—a mix of shock, caution, and something else.
Fear?
Lucien touched the blood on her palm, studying its color with his golden eyes, which now looked darker, almost burning. Then he inhaled slowly, as if holding something back.
“Elara,” his voice was softer this time, but there was a clear tension in it. “You need to come with me. Now.”
Elara frowned, pulling her hand away. “What? Why?”
Lucien closed his eyes briefly before meeting her gaze again.
“I can’t explain everything here. But you’re in danger.”
A chill ran down Elara’s spine—not from the rain, but from the way he said it.
It wasn’t just an order.
It wasn’t just a request.
It was a warning.
Elara shook her head. “I—I can’t just leave with you without knowing why. What’s going on? What did I just see? And why did they…” she swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper, “…why did they react like that to my blood?”
Lucien hesitated, as if weighing his words carefully.
Then, finally, he said, “Because your blood isn’t ordinary.”
Elara’s heart pounded in her chest.
“What do you mean?”
Lucien’s gaze bore into hers. “They’re not just drawn to human blood, Elara. They can sense something… rarer.”
Elara’s confusion deepened. “And that means…?”
Lucien exhaled slowly before whispering, “Your blood… is something they’ve been searching for—for centuries.”
The world around Elara seemed to stop.
She wanted to believe this was all just coincidence. That she was just an ordinary girl who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But Lucien’s expression—serious, intense, and tense—told her otherwise.
Elara bit her lip. “And what does that mean for me?”
Lucien didn’t answer immediately. But when he finally did, his voice w
as barely audible over the rain.
“It means they won’t stop until they have you.”
Elara felt her body tense. Lucien’s words lingered in the air, mixing with the sound of rain pouring even harder.
They won’t stop until they have you.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she muttered, trying to suppress the wave of fear creeping up inside her. “I’m nobody. I’m just—”
“You’re not ‘nobody,’ Elara,” Lucien cut in. “Not if your blood holds something they’ve been searching for.”
Elara swallowed hard. “I don’t understand. What’s different about my blood?”
Lucien didn’t answer right away. His eyes remained fixed on her wrist, where blood was slowly mixing with the rain. Then, in one swift motion, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around the wound.
“We can’t talk here,” he said firmly. “If even one of them is still around, you’ll be in danger.”
Elara hesitated, her gaze locked onto his. “I can’t just leave with you, Lucien.”
Lucien stepped closer. His breath was warm in the cold night air, and there was something in his expression—urgent, but careful.
“I know this is hard to believe,” he said, his voice softer this time. “But trust me, Elara. I’m trying to keep you safe.”
Elara bit her lip. This felt like an impossible nightmare. But deep down—somehow—she believed him.
She finally nodded. “Alright. Where are we going?”
Lucien didn’t answer. He simply grabbed her wrist and led her away from the narrow alley, past the old buildings of Astraea University that now looked even more eerie under the flashes of lightning.
They moved quickly, almost running. Elara struggled to keep up, her mind racing with questions.
Who exactly is Lucien D’Arcy?
How can he fight those creatures?
And what exactly is in my blood?
They finally stopped in front of a sleek black car parked near the main road. Lucien pulled out his keys, unlocked the door, and turned to her.
“Get in,” he ordered.
Elara hesitated. This was probably the dumbest decision of her life—getting into a car with a man she had just seen kill inhuman creatures with a silver blade.
But what other choice did she have?
Taking a deep breath, she got in. Lucien slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
The car sped through the rain.
Elara watched as the streets became emptier. They had left the city center and were heading toward a more isolated area. Tall trees lined the road, their dark silhouettes shifting with every streetlight they passed.
“You still haven’t answered my question,” Elara finally said, breaking the silence. “Why is my blood so special?”
Lucien kept his eyes on the road. A few moments passed before he replied.
“Because your blood doesn’t just attract them,” he said at last. “Your blood… holds something even I don’t fully understand.”
Elara frowned. “What do you mean?”
Lucien inhaled deeply, as if carefully choosing his words.
“A long time ago, before the world became what it is now,” he began, “there were legends about blood with certain powers. Blood that could grant life… or death. Blood that could bind, control, or even destroy creatures like them.”
A shiver ran down Elara’s spine. “And you think… my blood is like that?”
Lucien glanced at her, his golden eyes sharp.
“I don’t think, Elara.” He emphasized every word. “I know.”
Elara said nothing.
She had never thought of herself as special. She was just an ordinary college student with an ordinary life.
But now—the world she thought she knew was crumbling before her eyes.
The car finally pulled up in front of a large house, hidden behind towering iron gates and thick trees.
“We’re here,” Lucien said.
Elara stared at the building with uncertainty. “This is your house?”
Lucien didn’t answer. He simply stepped out of the car, motioning for her to follow.
With a deep breath, Elara stepped out as well, standing before the grand estate. The night air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and something else—something unfamiliar.
And for some reason, she had the unsettling feeling that once she crossed this threshold, there would be no turning back.