the fallen queen

Chapter 2: A Strange New World

Chapter 2: A Strange New World

Eve’s consciousness flickered between wakefulness and darkness. Faint beeping sounds, muffled voices, and an overwhelming scent of chemicals filled her senses. Something soft cushioned her back, and for the first time in over a century, her body felt… weak.

Where am I?

She forced her heavy eyelids open, and the unfamiliar sight of a white ceiling greeted her. Tubes were attached to her arm, and a strange device emitted rhythmic beeps beside her. A thin sheet covered her, and bright artificial lights cast a sterile glow over the room.

This was not the Vampire Court. This was not even the supernatural realm.

A sense of wrongness settled deep within her.

This place… it’s human.

A movement at the edge of her vision made her snap her head to the side—too fast. Pain shot through her skull, and she barely managed to suppress a wince.

"You’re awake!"

A man in his late forties or early fifties stood at her bedside, dressed in a white coat. His graying brown hair and warm blue eyes gave him a trustworthy appearance. He wasn’t an enemy, but she remained on guard.

"You had me worried for a moment," he continued, offering a small smile. "Do you remember anything?"

Eve remained silent, her mind racing. What happened? Where am I?

She tried to summon her power, to feel the vast, overwhelming energy that had always been a part of her… Nothing.

A chill ran down her spine. Sealed? No… this is something else. It wasn’t just that her abilities were being suppressed. It felt as though they had been completely stripped away.

Her fingers curled into the sheets. I am powerless.

"Miss?" the man prompted gently.

She forced herself to focus, pushing aside her rising unease. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice hoarse.

He seemed relieved that she could speak. "I’m Dr. Carter. I found you unconscious on the roadside last night. No ID, no phone, nothing." His gaze was kind, but filled with curiosity. "Do you remember what happened?"

The betrayal. The lightning strike. The space rift. And then… falling.

Eve’s crimson eyes flickered. "I… don’t remember much."

It was the safest answer. Telling a human she was a vampire queen from another world would only lead to trouble.

Dr. Carter sighed. "That’s not uncommon after trauma. But it’s a relief that you’re awake. You were severely dehydrated and exhausted, but otherwise, no serious injuries."

Eve absorbed the information in silence. If she had lost consciousness from something as simple as exhaustion, her body had truly fallen to human limitations. The thought made her stomach twist.

"Do you remember your name?"

She hesitated. Revealing her full identity was out of the question. She needed time to assess the situation and find a way back.

"...Eve."

Dr. Carter smiled. "Eve. That’s a beautiful name."

She didn’t respond. Her name had once been spoken with reverence and fear. Now, it was reduced to nothing more than a human girl’s name.

"Do you have any family we can contact?"

Family? The vampire race was her family. Her subjects. Her kingdom. She had spent a century and a half ensuring their dominance. But here, in this strange world, she had no one.

"No," she said simply.

Dr. Carter’s expression softened with sympathy. "Then, until we figure things out, why don’t you stay with me and my family?"

Eve stiffened slightly, caught off guard. Why would a human offer such a thing to a complete stranger?

She searched his face for deception, but there was none.

Strange creatures, these humans.

"It’s just temporary," he added, as if sensing her hesitation. "At least until you recover and figure out what to do next."

She didn’t have many options. If she refused, she would be thrown into the human system—police, social workers, authorities. The last thing she needed was unnecessary attention.

"...Alright," she finally said.

Dr. Carter smiled. "Good. I’ll take care of the discharge paperwork. We’ll leave in an hour."

As he stepped out of the room, Eve leaned back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling.

For the first time in her existence, she was powerless, stranded in an unknown world.

And she had no idea how to return home