25 her human guardian

Hilda

I slammed my hand against the table, the sound echoing through the stark, sterile room. The subject before me flinched, their faces pale with fear.

“You all useless! Seriously, you lost to a human? Are you kidding me? Or are you just plain stupid? It’s not hard to kill one human girl!”

"Ma’am, the human we fought was skilled, he could fight back. I think he was a hunter.”

“Ahhhh! Too many explanations! Get lost!” I roared, my frustration boiling over. They scattered, scrambling out of the room like terrified rabbits.

This was my secret base, known only to my vassals and a handful of close friends. The elders didn’t even know about this place.

“Seems like the brat princess was defeated, huh? How ridiculous, a weak human versus a bunch of vampires? Why should I even say ‘bunch of idiots’ like you said earlier?”

I spun around, my temper flaring even higher. Rojan was leaning against the wall, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Ugh! Is it you again? How many times have I told you to stay away from me?”

My frustration was reaching a new peak. Rojan had been my fling, but the King had noticed me and made me the fiancée of his heir. I had cut all ties with Rojan, but here he was again, popping up like a bad penny. He’d returned after finding out his brother had come back, no plans to leave again, a thorn in Raige’s side. Just like Rojan was a thorn in mine.

"I wonder what my brother would say about your little plan for his precious one," Rojan said, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.

I raised an eyebrow, my gaze hardening. “You won’t tell a soul if I were you,” I warned, my voice low and dangerous.

“Hmm, why would you think I wouldn’t tell someone about it?” he countered, his eyes glinting with challenge.

He moved closer, his presence a heavy weight in the room. I gritted my teeth, trying to mask the growing unease that was creeping into my heart.

“He won’t believe you,” I said, forcing a facade of bravado. But deep down, the nervousness was starting to gnaw at me.

******
Raige

“Now, let’s start by saying what you are. What did you need from her?” I demanded, my tone sharp.

“What’s the connection between my best friend and Aliyah?” Rojan countered, his voice a smooth, dangerous purr.

I narrowed my eyes, a flicker of annoyance crossing my face. “Do you know it’s bad form to answer a question with another question? We definitely won’t be done discussing this until you answer.”

“I told you, I’ll tell you what I know if I’m sure you can be trusted. How about you tell me what the connection is between the two people in your life?”

I sighed. I couldn’t blame him. I was a vampire, and humans, by nature, wouldn’t trust us.

“Sierra and Aliyah are one. You see, my best friend was a vampire a long time ago, before she drank the elixir that I stole to fulfill her dream of being a human. She wanted to escape her cruel life as a vampire, a daughter of a cruel, powerful vampire family.”





“As her best friend, after finding out how cruel her life was, I managed to steal the elixir and let her drink it. I knew she’d be back again, reincarnated as a human, just like she wanted. But what I didn’t know is that it would take this long, and that she wouldn’t remember her past life, anything about it, including me, her family, everything. I just met her after all these years of waiting. And now that she’s alive again, I’ll do everything in my power to protect her from my kin. Because I know if they find out she drank the elixir, she’ll be punished for the sin she doesn’t even remember. Now, tell me, what are you, and what do you want from her? You’re a human, so I’m sure you’re not one of my kind, trying to punish someone who drank the elixir.”

Ryan stared at me, his eyes wide with disbelief. I’d said something that had clearly stretched the boundaries of his imagination.

“Wow, you’re really into her. I thought it was just some kind of vampire infatuation, a little game before you fed on your prey.”

I shook my head, a wry smile tugging at my lips. “We vampires aren’t just cruel, you know. We can love someone more deeply than you humans can. Our feelings, like our senses, are more intense.”

Ryan’s expression softened, a flicker of understanding passing over his face.

“I see. Okay, since I think your story might be a continuation of our ancestors’ story, maybe the first chapter of a book that was never written. Obviously, you’re the only one who knows.”

“What do you mean by that? What book? Your ancestors?” I pressed, my curiosity piqued.

“I’m a member of the Guardians, tasked with protecting the woman who drinks the elixir. She’s precious because her blood could give your kind more power. If that happens, our world would be in grave danger. So if the girl, Aliyah, is important to you, she’s even more important to us. Because technically, she could be the reason for the destruction of all human souls. But she can't be killed

"Because we're not as cruel as you think. Aliyah is human, and somehow she's connected to me. Our group is bound, no one can break it. If the chosen guardian is killed by your kind, I mean vampires, we'll all be dead. And as of now, I think I’m the chosen one to be Aliyah's guardian, so we have to protect each other.”

“I haven’t heard of your group. Maybe I was too busy looking for Sierra’s reincarnated human body for my entire life. But I don’t regret a single second of it. I have vowed to dedicate myself to her since I was a child.”