Not Safe

Chapter 9

Maybe it was a sign that something inside her was finally asking for what it had been missing.

Blood.

Daniel remained silent for a while.

His eyes moved from Amelia to the hallway.

Then back to her.

Finally, he sighed.

"Fine."

Amelia looked at him.

"But we give her some more time first," he continued. "Maybe she'll wake up on her own."

Amelia nodded slowly.

It wasn't the answer she wanted, but she understood.

Daniel grabbed his keys.

"I'll get food."

"Be careful."

He gave her a brief look.

"I will."

He left the kitchen.

But Daniel didn't simply walk onto the road.

He knew better.

The safe house was hidden for a reason.

He moved through the forest instead, keeping low and staying beneath the cover of the trees.

Every few steps, he stopped.

Listened.

Watched.

Then continued.

When he finally reached the main road, he didn't immediately step out.

He stayed behind the trees and observed the area.

Cars passed.

People walked along the roadside.

A motorcycle slowed near a junction before speeding away.

Daniel waited.

He had learned to move like this long before he ever became Elara's father.

There had been a time when this had been natural to him.

A time when he had hunted.

He had been one of the people sent out to track vampires.

He knew how to read footprints.

How to recognize disturbed branches.

How to tell when someone had recently passed through an area.

He knew how to stay hidden.

How to follow without being noticed.

Back then, hunting had been a thrill.

He had believed he was protecting people.

Every creature they captured had been another successful mission.

Another victory.

Until he started noticing something.

Not every vampire was a monster.

Some were simply trying to survive.

Some lived quietly.

Some followed rules.

Some even protected humans.

The more he saw, the harder it became to believe everything he had been taught.

Eventually, the thrill disappeared.

His conscience became louder.

And then he met Amelia.

Everything changed after that.

Daniel pushed the memories away.

He crossed the road carefully and disappeared into the crowd.

He kept his head down and avoided drawing attention to himself.

By the time he returned to the safe house, the sun was already beginning to disappear.

It was late evening.

He carried several bags of food into the kitchen.

Amelia was still with Elara.

She hadn't moved from the bedside.

Daniel entered the room quietly.

"She's still asleep."

Amelia nodded.

"Nothing has changed."

Daniel looked at Elara.

He had hoped she would wake.

She hadn't.

Hours had passed.

Too many hours.

His eyes moved toward Amelia.

Then toward Elara.

Finally, he exhaled.

"Maybe..."

He stopped.

Amelia waited.

"Maybe you're right."

Amelia's eyes narrowed slightly.

"About the blood."

Daniel looked uncomfortable.

"I don't know if it'll work."

He reached into one of the bags.

Earlier, while getting the food, he had managed to find a syringe.

It hadn't been easy.

But he had gotten one.

He took it out and stared at it for a moment.

Then he looked at Amelia suspiciously.

He knew exactly what she was.

And he knew exactly what he was about to do.

Daniel carefully drew some of his own blood into the syringe.

The sight of it made Amelia's eyes flicker.

Daniel quickly pressed a piece of cloth against the small wound.

He had already cleaned the area and covered it.

He didn't want his scent lingering in the room.

Not with Elara in this state.

He held the syringe out to Amelia.

"Just in case."

Amelia looked at it.

Then at him.

She understood what he was worried about.

Daniel had no idea what Elara would do if she smelled fresh blood, not in this condition.

Neither did Amelia.

But Amelia didn't hesitate.

She took the syringe from him.

Daniel stepped back.

Amelia turned toward Elara.

She carefully removed the needle.

Then she held the syringe upright, watching the dark red liquid inside.

Elara didn't move.

Amelia opened her daughter's mouth gently.

Then she positioned the syringe.

Daniel watched closely.

Amelia pressed the plunger.

The blood flowed into Elara's mouth.

She swallowed.

Amelia continued until every drop was gone.

Then she lowered the empty syringe.

Nothing happened.

For several seconds, the room remained completely still.

Daniel looked at Elara.

Amelia watched her daughter's face.

Neither of them knew whether it had worked.

Then

Elara's fingers moved.

Amelia froze.

Daniel stepped closer.

A faint breath escaped Elara's lips.

Her heartbeat changed.

Once.

Twice.

Then it suddenly became stronger.

Something had changed.

Elara's fingers twitched again.

Her breathing became deeper.

The pale color in her face slowly began to return.

Amelia moved closer to the bed.

"Elara?"

There was no response.

Her eyes remained closed.

Then a soft moan escaped her lips.

"Mm..."

Amelia's heart jumped.

She took her daughter's hand.

"I'm here."

Elara's fingers curled slightly around hers.

Another moan escaped her.

She seemed trapped in a deep sleep, restless and uncomfortable.

Her eyebrows pulled together.

Her head moved slightly from side to side.

Daniel watched her carefully.

"Is she waking up?"

"I don't know."

Elara suddenly inhaled sharply.

Her body tensed.

Then relaxed.

The room went quiet again.

Daniel looked at Amelia.

"Maybe it worked."

Amelia didn't answer.

She was staring at Elara's arm.

The wound was changing.

The cut that had been there earlier was slowly closing.

The skin pulled itself together as though something beneath it was repairing the damage.

Daniel noticed it too.

"Amelia..."

"I see it."

Within moments, the wound had almost completely disappeared.

Daniel took a step back.

"What is happening?"

Amelia looked at her daughter.

"The blood is giving her what she needs."

"But that's not all it's doing."

Amelia knew that.

She could feel it.

Something inside Elara was changing.

The air around them seemed different.

Heavier.

Warmer.

The small lamp beside the bed flickered.

Daniel turned toward it.

Then back to Elara.

The lamp flickered again.

Elara moaned softly in her sleep.

The curtains moved.

Daniel frowned.

"The windows are closed."

Amelia didn't answer.

A glass on the bedside table trembled.

Just slightly.

Then stopped.

Daniel stared at it.

Elara's breathing became faster.

The glass trembled again.

This time, it moved several inches.

Daniel immediately looked at Amelia.

"She's doing that?"

"Not intentionally."

The glass suddenly fell from the table and shattered on the floor.

Elara didn't wake.

Amelia's expression became serious.

Her daughter was awakening.

Not completely.

But enough.

Amelia had always known this day would come.

She had spent years keeping Elara hidden.

Years making sure no one discovered what she was.

But now...

Elara's presence was growing.

Amelia could feel it spreading beyond the room.

She closed her eyes briefly.

Please don't let anyone sense her.

Not yet.

She looked at Elara again.

"She's almost finished."

Daniel looked at her.

"What does that mean?"

"Her awakening."

He was silent.

Amelia gently brushed Elara's hair away from her face.

"When she wakes up completely, I'll teach her."

"Teach her what?"

"How to control it."

She looked toward the window.

"How to hide her presence."

Daniel understood immediately.

If Amelia could already sense Elara this strongly, then there was a chance others could too.

And the people hunting them wouldn't need to see Elara to know she was nearby.

They would only need to feel her.

Elara suddenly moaned again.

Her grip tightened around Amelia's hand.

"Mother..."

The word was barely audible.

Amelia's eyes widened.

"I'm here."

Elara's breathing slowly settled.

But she still didn't open her eyes.

Amelia leaned closer.

"You'll be safe."

She looked at Daniel.

"Once she wakes, I have to teach her before she does anything else."

Daniel nodded.

Then suddenly, he stopped.

His expression changed.

"Amelia."

She looked at him.

"What?"

He was staring toward the door.

Amelia listened.

At first, she heard nothing.

Then she felt it.

A strange pressure in the air.

Her heart dropped.

Someone or something had noticed.

Not exactly where they were.

But close enough.

Elara's awakening had sent something out.

A signal.

A presence.

And now...

Something out there was responding, something else had felt her presence too maybe not enough to guess their location but with time that could happen.

She wished whatever was happening could be over quickly, her growing presence would only put them in danger again

But the faint glow beneath her eyelids grew stronger.

Amelia's face tightened.

Her awakening was almost over.

And someone had already begun to feel her.