CHAPTER 6 – SHADOWS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT
Elara stood frozen in front of the car door, her hand hesitating to reach for the handle. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, studying every corner of the street, every shadow reflected on the damp pavement.
Were they still here? Lurking in the darkness?
The thought sent a chill down her spine. She could still vividly remember how they had emerged from the night—glowing red eyes, razor-sharp fangs, and the way they moved, unnaturally fast, as if unbound by the laws of nature.
Inside the car, Lucien tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, watching the girl who remained motionless outside. "Elara." His voice was flat, laced with a hint of impatience. "What are you doing? Get in."
Elara snapped her head toward him, as if suddenly realizing she was still standing there. But just before her hand touched the door handle, she whispered, "What if they’re still around?"
Lucien let out a slow, controlled sigh, his expression bordering on exasperation. "They won’t come out in broad daylight."
Elara frowned. "Are you sure?"
Lucien leaned forward slightly, his golden eyes softening just a fraction—but there was still an undeniable firmness in them. "Trust me, they fear the sun more than you fear them."
Elara bit her lower lip, weighing his words. In the stories she had read, vampires were always portrayed as vulnerable to sunlight. But after witnessing what they were capable of last night, she was no longer sure what was myth and what was reality.
"You’re absolutely sure?" she repeated, still uncertain.
Lucien sighed again, this time longer. "If they could walk freely under the sun, I wouldn’t be letting you step outside this house, Elara."
Something about the way he said it—with complete certainty—oddly reassured her. For a brief moment, she felt safe.
Reluctantly, she finally opened the car door and got in. As soon as she settled into the seat, Lucien started the engine.
"Where are we going?" Elara asked, glancing at him.
Lucien kept his gaze fixed ahead. "To make sure you stay alive."
The way he said it sounded more like a warning than reassurance.
And somehow, it only made Elara more curious.
Elara stared at Lucien intently. Not with fear like before, but with growing suspicion.
Lucien, sensing her gaze, let out a long sigh. One hand remained on the steering wheel while the other rested on the armrest. He glanced at her briefly before asking in a flat tone, "What?"
Elara leaned back against her seat, crossing her arms. "Are you really a vampire?" she asked skeptically.
Lucien raised an eyebrow, as if the question amused him. "What do you think?"
"I don’t know," Elara shrugged. "If you are, then why can you walk in daylight when they can’t?"
Lucien fell silent. His fingers tapped slowly against the steering wheel, as if weighing his response.
Elara narrowed her eyes, realizing he was holding something back. "What makes you different from them, Lucien?"
Lucien turned his attention back to the road and, in a low voice, finally answered, "A lot of things."
"Like?" Elara pressed.
Lucien sighed again, this time heavier, as though his patience was wearing thin. "I’m older. Stronger. And I’m not like them."
"That’s not an answer," Elara squinted at him. "Being older and stronger doesn’t explain why you can walk in the sun while they can’t."
Lucien glanced at her for a moment longer, his golden eyes sharp. "And since when did you become so interested in vampire anatomy?"
"Since I found out I’m living with one, and my blood is being hunted by creatures like them," Elara shot back.
Lucien held her gaze for a few more seconds before exhaling and focusing back on the road. "Because I’m different, Elara. I’m not bound by the same limitations as they are. I’ve lived long enough to surpass those weaknesses."
Elara still wasn’t satisfied. "So… you’re some kind of special vampire?"
Lucien smirked, but there was no amusement in it. "Call it that if you want."
Elara studied him closely. There was something in the way he spoke—a weight in his voice, something he didn’t want to share.
But Elara wasn’t the type to give up easily.
"Were you always like this?" she asked, pushing further. "Or did something change you?"
Lucien didn’t answer. This time, his silence lasted longer.
And when he finally spoke, his voice was lower, almost a whisper.
"I am a mistake that was never supposed to exist."
A shiver ran down Elara’s spine. There was something in his tone—a darkness she didn’t yet understand.
She swallowed, but didn’t look away. "What do you mean?"
Lucien didn’t respond. He only gave a small, hollow smile—one devoid of warmth—before pressing his foot on the gas.
As if trying to outrun the question.
Inside the towering Gothic castle, a group of vampires gathered beneath the dim glow of an antique chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. The air was thick with the scent of burning candles and an ancient presence that seemed to grip the entire room.
Among them, a vampire with glowing red eyes stood rigid in the center of the chamber. He looked restless, his hands clenched tightly at his sides.
"I found it," he said, his voice rough.
Several pairs of eyes turned toward him.
A man seated on a black marble throne leaned back slightly, his fingers tapping against the armrest in a slow, deliberate rhythm. His presence was far more commanding than anyone else in the room. His silver eyes gleamed as he spoke. "Are you certain?"
The vampire who had spoken nodded quickly, almost too eagerly. "I smelled it myself. It’s the blood we’ve been searching for."
The once-still room shifted. Whispers broke out from the corners, some vampires exchanging glances while others tensed.
The clan leader, the man on the throne, let a faint smile cross his lips. "Interesting."
Slowly, he rose to his feet, letting silence settle over the room.
"We have waited centuries for this," he continued, his voice quiet yet laced with danger. "If what you say is true… then that blood is finally returning to its rightful owner."
The vampire in the center swallowed hard. "I can find it again. I can bring them here."
The leader’s smile widened. "There’s no need to rush."
Stepping down from his throne, he moved toward the vampire who had reported the discovery. In a blur of motion, his hand shot out, gripping the man’s lower jaw so tightly that his teeth nearly clashed together.
"We will not make mistakes," he whispered, his voice sharp as a blade. "This time, we will make sure that blood belongs to us."
He released his grip and turned to face the room.
"Prepare our best hunters."
His silver eyes gleamed, predatory and ruthless.
"Bring her to me. Alive."