Death's smile

Adaliah sat in the library, reading a few of the vampire's books. She started by reading a vampire romance novel only to shut it with red cheeks after a couple of chapters. She tried skipping those 'parts' but they came frequently so she traded it for a vampiric anatomy book. She learned about the origins of vampires which was very different from what they had thought her. Apparently, vampires were descendants of demons and cursed by witches, hence their hatred for each other.

Witches said that vampires were demons coming straight from hell, to destroy the world so they had no other choice than to cast a spell on them. Obviously one of these two versions was a lie. She also read that vampires were very sexual creatures. It wasn't really a surprised since she once worked at a pleasure house.

Vampires all had heightened senses, strength, and speed but needed blood to survive. Resisting blood cravings was the worse torture one could inflict on a vampire.

Also, vampires were said to have a cold bodies and an incredibly slow heartbeat. She frowned. True she had never been in very close contact with a vampire and had never really felt their bodies but she was pretty sure Kieran was warm.

Suddenly, someone appeared out of nowhere and shut her book close. She lifted her glare to find Joel. He smiled at her again.

"Good evening Adaliah. Sorry to interrupt you but I think it is time to postpone your reading"

"And why is that?" He nodded at the window only for her to notice it was dark. She smiled sheepishly and followed after him.

As they walked into the corridor, she decide to strike the conversation first.

"I noticed you are kind of cool, except when you train me"

"Your mother never thought you never to mix work and pleasure?" He asked and she frowned.

"My mother never thought me anything" Her frown deepened. What was she saying? Her mother thought her almost everything she knew. "Is there a way, I can do something else other than staying cooped in here?"

"You do go out when we train"

"Yes, but I always end up tired, so I don't really breathe fresh air."

"Okay then. We'll go on a walk in the woods before training" He said, smiling and she smiled back, nodding.

"What is your story?" She asked out of the blue and he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise. At this point they were leaving the domain and walking through the forest

"Why are you suddenly interested?"

"Because you are nice to me. You are surely the only person I don't feel like killing" she said and he chuckled. But she was very serious.

"I still remember you tried to shoot me with an arrow."

"I'm sorry but you were annoying"

"No worries really. But I think you have the wrong opinion of Kieran" He said and she arched a brow. "He might not behave like a good person but he always acts for the greater good, no matter how crazy it seems. I know a few vague sentences won't help you clear that hatred in your heart, but I think you should learn about people first before drawing a conclusion"

"What do you mean?" She asked and he smiled. She already came to this conclusion without his help but was kind of curious of what he was going to say to back up his point.

"All you know about him is what he has shown you."

"I know he is doing it on purpose. And after much thought, I have to admit I don't hate him because he'd asked to kill Vera. Of course, I still think it was despicable and she was just a kid who wanted to survive. Not even because he help destroy Luxia, because, well, I don't remember many things about the place. To be sincere I don't even know if I hate him. I think I am just confused and I focus on hatred to give myself a purpose" She said pensively as they walked through the forest. She plucked a leaf before her, picking at it, while he observed her.

"His majesty had to go through many losses and failures. I wasn't there in the castle back when he was still a child. I met him when he decided to come back. He had always been gloomy and had that air around him. He was scary, far scarier than the King, and cunning. The hatred around him scared me, but he didn't even care indicating he went through this a hundred times and he was now numb. He may ruthlessly kill his enemies, but the fact is that he saved me and saved other people alike. He is not a saint I admit, but he is not a villain either" He said with a small smile, but that just confused her even more.

She never knew he was hated. Rumors once said he started standing out when he came back, but if he was hated before that, then, she had judged him too soon. She thought it was rather hard to see it otherwise without another input. It could be a trap as well, for her to lower her guard.

Her head throbbed all of a sudden and she let out a yelp, Joel catching her immediately. It was gone as soon as it came.

"Are you alright?" He asked and she nodded hesitantly, scared it would come back again.

Adaliah was starting to get scared. What were all these happening to her at the same time? First her magic fluctuations, secondly, her memories playing tricks with her, shooting someone accurately when she never held a bow in her life, the shadow in the corridors, feeling a vampire's warmth, and now, this pain in her head. She was starting to question all these events in her life, but to be truthful, she didn't want to know. She was scared about the prospect of finding out the truth especially when she had the ominous feeling that this truth will not leave her the same.

"Jo..." He cut her off by placing a finger on his lips. The forest was eerily quiet if not for the sounds of the winds slowly brushing the leaves. Not a bird could be heard. Goosebumps crawled on her skin and she shuddered.

Her heartbeat immediately picked up its pace and she felt anticipation coursing through her veins, but more importantly, she felt something getting close.

Joel pulled out the set of their daggers he carried on him and handed them to her. He lowered to her level and whispered.

"See that oak tree over there, run straight behind me and about a hundred meters, you'll see a similar one. I'll be there shortly. Don't look back and stab whatever hinders you with this" He pushed the daggers towards her and pushed her away, silently beckoning her to obey. She did as told and ran into the forest. At first, her steps were sluggish but then she heard the thumping of not only one but several footsteps behind her.

All of a sudden, her speed picked up and she ran as if she did that all her life. Her labored breaths, her throbbing heart, the anxious sweat trickling down her back, and that feeling of danger only managed to fuel a certain feeling in her.

She skipped over fallen trees and roots with a newfound dexterity and dodged the tree branches with an agility she didn't know she possessed and she felt a certain joy, knowing the training was not in vain.

Of course, her happiness didn't last for long when she heard the steps were

She couldn't rely on her sight since the bright moonlight was filtered by the trees and leaves, giving an eerie vibe to the already dark forest. She focused on her hearing, trying to decipher where exactly it came from.

Her heartbeat thumped extra hard as she cursed under her breath. Having the vampire's hearing would come in handy in a situation like this.

'Where? Where?'

She searched while she heard the steps closing in on her like an army chasing her down, no, more like she was the prey amid feral wolves.

'From above' Just as she halted to dodge it, a mass fell from the branch to where she would have been if she continued running. She didn't have time to celebrate her perception that she was already surrounded by five or so vampires. They were extremely thin and at the same time scary. They growled at her and she tightened her grip on her daggers.

"Calm down boys, I have a personal vendetta with this... woman," said a man, tall and burly, slowly making his way out of the darkness and shadows of the trees.

That voice, she couldn't be mistaken, her knee threatened to give up and she fought the rising bile in her throat. His eyes widened in fear as she finally took in the person standing before her.

"Dan" She stuttered while he gave her a crooked fanged smile.

"Hello, welcome to your meeting with your grim reaper"