THE HIDDEN BLOODLINE

Chapter 2

Pain.

It was the first thing Elara felt.

A sharp ache spread through her head as though someone had struck her from behind.

She groaned softly.

Her eyelids felt too heavy to open.

For several moments, she simply lay still, trying to remember what had happened.

The rain...

Her bedroom...

The crimson eyes...

Her eyes snapped open.

The ceiling above her was nothing like the one in her bedroom.

Instead of plain white paint, enormous black stone arches stretched high above her. Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, each holding hundreds of candles whose flames burned without flickering.

She quickly sat upright.

The bed beneath her was enormous, covered with black silk sheets embroidered with silver patterns.

"This isn't my room..."

Her voice echoed through the large chamber.

Fear tightened around her chest.

She jumped off the bed.

The floor was cold marble.

Massive windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling, hidden behind dark crimson curtains.

Everything looked... expensive.

Too expensive.

She slowly backed away from the bed.

"Where am I?"

No one answered.

She hurried toward the doors.

They were almost twice her height.

Made of polished black wood.

She grabbed one of the golden handles.

Locked.

"No..."

She pulled harder.

Nothing.

Panic began rising inside her.

She hurried to the windows instead.

The curtains were heavier than they looked.

With all her strength, she pulled one aside.

Her breath caught.

Outside stood a castle unlike anything she had ever imagined.

Tower after tower pierced the cloudy sky.

Stone bridges connected enormous buildings.

Countless statues stood in silent rows.

Far below, a dark forest stretched as far as the eye could see.

There were no roads.

No cars.

No nearby town.

Only endless wilderness.

"This... this can't be real."

She touched the glass.

It was freezing.

Then she noticed something else.

The moon.

It looked enormous.

Larger than it had ever looked from Earth.

A shiver ran through her body.

"I'm dreaming."

That had to be it.

None of this was possible.

She pinched her arm.

Hard.

"Ow!"

The pain was real.

Very real.

Before she could think further...

Click.

The door behind her unlocked.

Elara spun around.

The heavy doors slowly opened by themselves.

A young woman entered first.

She wore a long black dress with a white apron tied around her waist.

Her silver hair was neatly tied behind her head.

She couldn't have been older than twenty-five.

She bowed respectfully.

"My lady."

Elara blinked.

"...Me?"

"Yes."

The woman smiled politely.

"My name is Lyra."

"I've been instructed to prepare you."

Elara frowned.

"Prepare me?"

"For dinner."

"Dinner?"

She stared at the woman as if she'd lost her mind.

"I don't even know where I am!"

"I want to go home!"

Lyra's smile faded slightly.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible."

"What do you mean it isn't possible?"

"My parents will be looking for me!"

Even as the words left her mouth, she knew they weren't true.

Her parents probably hadn't even noticed she was gone.

Still...

Home was home.

"I need to leave."

She hurried toward the doorway.

Lyra stepped in front of her.

"My lady..."

"Please don't."

"I don't want to hurt you."

Elara's heartbeat quickened.

"Hurt me?"

"You?"

Lyra sighed.

"If you leave this room without permission..."

"...the guards will stop you."

"I don't care!"

Elara pushed past her.

She ran into the hallway.

The corridor outside was breathtaking.

Massive pillars lined both sides.

Red carpets stretched endlessly ahead.

Paintings of unfamiliar men and women covered the walls.

Everyone in the paintings had the same unnaturally pale skin.

The same piercing eyes.

The same elegant clothes.

She didn't stop running.

She rounded a corner.

Then another.

She had no idea where she was going.

She only knew she had to escape.

Her footsteps echoed loudly through the silent castle.

Suddenly...

Someone appeared in front of her.

She gasped and stopped so suddenly she nearly fell.

The man was enormous.

Well over six feet tall.

His black uniform fitted him perfectly.

A silver sword hung at his waist.

His face was expressionless.

His crimson eyes weren't.

They watched her carefully.

"My lady."

His voice was deep.

"Please return to your room."

Elara backed away.

"No."

"I just want to go home."

"You cannot."

"Why?"

He remained silent.

Another guard stepped out behind her.

Then another.

Within seconds...

She was surrounded.

Fear gripped her again.

"What do you people want from me?"

None of them answered.

The first guard simply extended one hand.

"Please."

"Return."

She shook her head.

"I won't."

Without warning, she turned and sprinted down another corridor.

The guards immediately chased after her.

Her lungs burned.

She had never run this fast before.

She slipped around another corner—

And crashed straight into someone.

Strong arms caught her before she could hit the floor.

Warm.

Steady.

For a brief moment...

She felt strangely safe.

"I'm sorry," she breathed.

Then she looked up.

Her words died in her throat.

The man holding her was breathtakingly handsome.

Jet-black hair framed a perfectly sculpted face.

His pale skin seemed almost untouched by sunlight.

But it was his eyes that stole her breath.

One was silver.

The other...

Deep crimson.

He stared down at her without speaking.

The guards immediately stopped running.

Every one of them bowed their heads.

"My Lord."

The mysterious man slowly looked away from Elara and toward the guards.

His voice was calm.

Cold.

"Leave."

The guards hesitated.

"But—"

"I said..."

His crimson eye glowed faintly.

"Leave."

Without another word, every guard disappeared.

Silence filled the corridor.

Elara quickly stepped out of his arms.

"T-Thank you."

He continued watching her.

His expression never changed.

Finally...

He spoke.

"So..."

His voice was almost a whisper.

"You're finally awake."

Elara stared at him.

Her heart refused to slow down.

He looked no older than twenty-five, yet there was something about him that felt... ancient.

His black coat fell neatly over broad shoulders, embroidered with silver patterns that shimmered under the candlelight. A crimson gemstone rested against his chest, and despite the warmth of the castle, an icy chill surrounded him.

He watched her quietly.

Not with anger.

Not with curiosity.

Almost...

With relief.

"So..." he repeated softly.

"You're finally awake."

Elara took a cautious step backward.

"Who are you?"

The stranger didn't answer immediately.

Instead, his eyes searched her face as though he were looking for something.

Something he had lost long ago.

"You don't remember."

It wasn't a question.

It was a statement.

Elara frowned.

"Remember what?"

A faint smile touched his lips before disappearing almost instantly.

"Nothing."

She folded her arms.

"I don't even know where I am."

"You've brought me here against my will."

"I deserve some answers."

The man remained silent for a few moments.

Finally, he spoke.

"My name is Kael."

His voice was calm.

"Kael Duskryn."

Elara repeated the name in her mind.

It sounded strange.

Powerful.

Almost royal.

"Am I your prisoner?"

Kael's expression hardened.

"No."

"Then why can't I leave?"

Before he could answer—

Footsteps echoed through the corridor.

Slow.

Confident.

A smile spread across Kael's face, though it wasn't a happy one.

It was the smile of someone expecting trouble.

Another man appeared at the end of the hallway.

He looked almost identical to Kael.

The same height.

The same sharp jawline.

The same black hair.

But his eyes...

Both were crimson.

Unlike Kael's calm presence, this man carried danger with every step.

He smiled lazily as he approached.

"So..."

His gaze settled on Elara.

"She's even prettier than I imagined."

Elara instinctively moved behind Kael.

The stranger chuckled.

"Interesting."

"You already trust him."

"I don't trust anyone," Elara answered quickly.

The man laughed.

"I like her."

Kael's voice turned icy.

"Soren."

"Behave."

"So serious as always."

Soren stopped only a few feet away.

His crimson eyes never left Elara.

He studied her openly.

As though she were a rare treasure.

"You've spent years searching for her," Soren said.

"And now that she's here..."

He smiled.

"...you're pretending not to care."

"I said enough."

The air around Kael suddenly grew colder.

Even Elara felt it.

Soren only laughed again.

"Fine."

He turned toward Elara and gave a slight bow.

"My name is Soren Duskryn."

"Kael's younger twin."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Elara hesitated.

"Finally?"

Soren's smile widened.

"Oh..."

"You really don't remember."

Before she could ask another question, Soren suddenly stood directly in front of her.

She hadn't even seen him move.

He gently lifted a strand of her dark hair.

"So human..."

he murmured.

"And yet..."

His smile slowly faded.

"...your scent says otherwise."

Elara quickly stepped away.

"Don't touch me."

Soren raised both hands in surrender.

"My apologies."

Kael moved between them.

"That's enough."

"You've frightened her."

"I haven't even started."

"Soren."

The warning in Kael's voice was unmistakable.

Soren rolled his eyes dramatically.

"You've always been overprotective."

His gaze returned to Elara.

"You should know something."

"Everyone inside this castle has been waiting for you."

Elara's stomach tightened.

"Waiting for me?"

"Why?"

Soren tilted his head.

"Because you're the only one who can awaken it."

"Awaken what?"

He smiled.

"The truth."

Before she could ask another question, a loud bell echoed throughout the castle.

One...

Two...

Three deep chimes.

Every servant in the hallway immediately stopped what they were doing.

Every guard bowed their head.

Soren sighed dramatically.

"Dinner."

Kael looked toward Elara.

"You should eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten since yesterday morning."

Elara blinked.

How did he know that?

Kael noticed her confusion but said nothing.

Instead, he turned toward Lyra, who had quietly arrived behind them.

"Take her to the dining hall."

Lyra bowed.

"Yes, my lord."

Elara looked between the two brothers.

"I still don't understand what's happening."

Kael met her eyes.

"You will."

"In time."

She wanted to refuse.

She wanted to demand answers.

But deep down...

She knew she wouldn't get any tonight.

Lyra gently motioned for her to follow.

Reluctantly, Elara did.

They walked through endless corridors decorated with enormous paintings and glittering chandeliers.

Every servant they passed lowered their head respectfully.

None of them looked directly at her.

"Why are they bowing?" Elara whispered.

Lyra smiled politely.

"They're showing respect."

"But why?"

Lyra remained silent.

After several minutes, they reached two gigantic golden doors.

Four guards stood outside.

As soon as they saw Elara, they opened the doors.

The dining hall stole her breath away.

A table stretched almost the entire length of the room.

Hundreds of candles illuminated the hall.

Crystal glasses sparkled beside silver plates.

Portraits of unfamiliar nobles covered the walls.

At the far end of the table sat dozens of men and women.

Every single one of them looked impossibly beautiful.

Every single one of them had pale skin.

And every single pair of eyes turned toward her at the exact same moment.

The room fell completely silent.

Elara's heart began pounding again.

Then...

One by one...

Every person in the hall slowly stood to their feet.

Without saying a word.

Without breaking eye contact.

They bowed.

Not to Kael.

Not to Soren.

To her.

A frightened whisper escaped Elara's lips.

"Why... are they bowing to me?"

No one answered.

Then an elderly vampire stepped forward, his voice echoing through the hall.

"...She's finally returned."