A Truth Unveiled

The fire crackled softly, casting long shadows across the stone walls of the safehouse. The air between them felt heavier than before, thick with unspoken truths. Helena watched Xavier carefully, her heart pounding in anticipation.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice steady despite the unease creeping through her.

Xavier hesitated, his fingers curling into fists. He had been preparing for this moment, rehearsing the words in his mind, but now that she sat before him, staring into his soul, he wasn't sure if he could do it.

"Helena… I need you to understand that I never wanted to hurt you," he began, his voice quiet but firm.

She frowned, shifting in her seat. "What are you talking about?"

A muscle ticked in his jaw. He inhaled sharply.

"I'm not human, Helena."

The words hung in the air, as if the universe itself had stilled to let them settle.

Helena's breath caught in her throat. She had suspected it—felt it—but hearing him admit it sent a cold shiver down her spine. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Then… what are you?"

Xavier exhaled slowly. When he spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.

"I'm a vampire."

The room seemed to darken around her. The crackling fire became distant, drowned out by the rushing of blood in her ears.

"No," she murmured, shaking her head. "That's not—"

Before she could finish, Xavier moved. In one swift motion, he was in front of her, his movements too fast for human eyes to track. He knelt before her, his eyes burning like molten gold in the dim light. Then, he tilted his head slightly… and let his fangs descend.

Helena sucked in a sharp breath, her stomach twisting.

"I never wanted you to find out this way," Xavier admitted, his voice full of regret. "I tried to keep you safe, but my brother—he's coming for you, and you need to know the truth before it's too late."

Helena pressed herself against the chair, her heart slamming against her ribs. Her body screamed at her to run. To get as far away as possible. But something inside her—something deep and ancient—kept her rooted to the spot.

"You're lying," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"You know I'm not."

She did.

Deep down, she had known for a while now. His unnatural grace, the way he moved like a shadow, the way his touch sent a jolt of something otherworldly through her veins. She had ignored the signs. She had told herself it was impossible.

But it wasn't.

"And me?" she asked, gripping the armrests. "What do I have to do with any of this?"

Xavier hesitated again, as if debating how much to reveal.

"You're not ordinary either, Helena."

Before she could respond, a sudden blast of cold air swept through the room, sending the flames flickering wildly. The air crackled with an unseen force, a pulse of energy rippling through the space between them.

Xavier's head snapped toward the window. His muscles tensed.

"He's here."

The words were barely out of his mouth before the door burst open, a figure silhouetted against the night.

Lucian.

His silver eyes gleamed as he stepped forward, a slow, predatory smile stretching across his face.

"Ah," he purred, his gaze locking onto Helena. "So the little princess finally knows the truth."

Helena's blood ran cold.

"What—"

Before she could react, a sudden, searing pain shot through her skull. A scream tore from her throat as a flood of memories—or visions—rushed through her mind like a tidal wave.

A woman with Helena's eyes, standing in the midst of a burning forest. A crown of glowing silver resting atop her head. A baby—Helena—hidden away in the arms of a dying warrior.

A voice, whispering in her mind. "They will come for you, my love. But you must never let them take what is yours."

Her mother's voice.

Then, darkness.

Helena collapsed, gasping for breath, her vision swimming as she clutched her head. Xavier caught her just before she hit the ground.

"Helena!" he called, shaking her gently. "What's happening?"

Lucian chuckled darkly from the doorway.

"Ah… it seems she's finally waking up."

Xavier's grip on her tightened.

"What did you do to her?"

Lucian smirked, his silver eyes glinting.

"I didn't do anything. Her blood remembers."

Helena's entire world tilted as her mind finally grasped the truth.

She wasn't just anyone.

She was the last descendant of the Blood Goddess.

And she was more powerful than she had ever imagined.