Valeria’s world was nothing but pain. She couldn’t move, couldn’t scream, couldn’t even beg for mercy aloud. Her body felt as if it were being ripped apart from the inside, every nerve ablaze with torment. Is this what death feels like? She wondered, but death should be peaceful, an end to suffering. This… this was something else entirely.
The agony was unrelenting, an unending tide that surged through her, making her feel as though her very essence was being torn apart. If she could cry, she would. If she could scream, the sound would shatter glass. But all she could do was endure, trapped in her mind, spiraling into despair.
Please let me die, she pleaded silently, the words echoing endlessly in her thoughts. Reincarnate me as a Slave begging for bread! I don’t care! Just please… stop this pain!
Time lost all meaning. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, none of it mattered. She floated in an endless sea of torment, untethered from reality. For all she knew, she had been here for years, centuries, an eternity of suffering that refused to release its grip.
The pain was too much, grinding her resolve into dust. She felt herself cracking, breaking, not just physically, but mentally. Her thoughts spiraled into incoherent mutterings, looping in a desperate chant. “Please make it stop, please make it stop, please make it stop…” Over and over again, the words tumbled through her mind like a prayer to a god who wasn’t listening.
Her blood felt like it was boiling, every drop coursing through her veins like molten lava. A sudden surge of anger burst forth from the depths of her soul, an emotion she rarely allowed herself to feel. "Why do I have to suffer like this? Why me?" she screamed inwardly, the rawness of her rage consuming her.
"All I ever did was help people. I saved lives, healed wounds, gave everything I had for others. What did I do to deserve this?!"
The injustice of it burned brighter than the pain itself. Her mind clawed at any reason, any scapegoat. She latched onto the thought that someone, anyone must be at fault for this hell. The rage simmered, then boiled, feeding on her agony and despair, twisting her thoughts further. This isn’t fair. It’s their fault. All of them. Why should I suffer for their mistakes?
As the pain continued to tear at her, so too did her sanity begin to fracture. The healer who had always dedicated herself to kindness and compassion was slipping, lost in a storm of fury and anguish. Every scream in her mind, every thought of blame, brought her closer to a breaking point she couldn’t return from.
But just as she teetered on the edge of breaking, the agony began to ebb away, fading like the last whispers of a storm. The searing fire coursing through her veins extinguished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of emptiness, a strange quiet after the unrelenting chaos.
Valeria took a tentative breath, her chest rising and falling freely. She could move again, her limbs no longer bound by invisible chains of torment. Her fingers brushed against the surface beneath her, a rough, uneven texture. Stone? It was hard and cold, grounding her in the present, pulling her away from the dark abyss she had nearly succumbed to.
As her senses began to return, she opened her eyes slowly. The flood of light stung, sending sharp pangs of discomfort through her skull. She winced, raising a shaky hand to shield her face. For a moment, it felt as though she were being blinded, but the pain quickly faded, and her vision adjusted.
She blinked a few times, and the blurred shapes around her sharpened. A cave. She was in a cave, its rough, grey walls illuminated by faint beams of sunlight filtering through cracks near the entrance. It wasn’t large, but it had an almost cozy quality, its space just wide enough to house several people comfortably.
Her gaze drifted toward the cave's entrance, where she could see sunlight streaming through, casting golden hues on the stone floor. Beyond the opening lay a vast forest, the tops of towering trees swaying gently in the breeze far below. The cliff upon which the cave was perched loomed high above the treetops, offering a breathtaking, yet slightly unnerving, view of the world below.
Valeria struggled to prop herself into a sitting position. To her surprise, her body moved with an unusual ease, almost as if she were lighter than before. But before she could process the sensation fully, a voice broke the stillness of the cave.
“You’re finally awake. … I almost thought you’d never wake up.”
The voice was cold, monotone, yet entirely devoid of malice. Instead, it carried an undertone of something almost foreign to its sharpness, relief.
Valeria froze. She knew that voice. Turning her head cautiously toward its source, her gaze fell on Aria. The vampire sat near a charred firepit, its embers long dead, her posture relaxed yet somehow alert. Aria’s crimson eyes glinted faintly in the dim light as they locked with Valeria’s.
“It’s strange,” Aria began, her tone as steady as ever. “Usually, it only takes about thirty minutes for someone to transform. … But you, ... you were out cold for ten days.”
Ten days. Valeria’s mind reeled at the revelation. Ten days gone, as if swallowed into a void of unrelenting agony and darkness. Her heart raced as fragmented memories of the unbearable pain flashed before her. But it wasn’t just the time lost that unnerved her.
“Transform?” Valeria repeated, her voice hoarse and scratchy, as if the mere act of speaking tore at her throat. The word clung to her, ominous and alien. “What do you mean, transform? What happened? What … did you do to me? How, ...how am I even alive?”
Her questions tumbled out, each more desperate than the last. She fixed her gaze on Aria, searching for clarity. The vampire, now seated against the wall opposite Valeria, stared back.
Aria’s expression softened, though not enough to betray the carefully composed mask she wore. There was something in her eyes, something Valeria had never thought she’d see in the cold, calculating vampire. Was it pity?
“You don’t remember,” Aria stated, though it was less a question and more a confirmation of what she already knew. She glanced away briefly, as if gathering her thoughts before speaking again.
“What I did … was save your life,” Aria said bluntly. “You wouldn’t have survived otherwise. But the method…” She trailed off, her gaze returning to Valeria, her crimson eyes dark with something that might have been regret. “It’s not something I would have chosen, had there been another way.”
Valeria’s chest tightened. Her breathing became shallow as her mind raced, pieces of a puzzle she didn’t want to solve beginning to slot together. “Save me? What did you do to save me?” she pressed, her voice breaking slightly.
Aria hesitated, a rare crack in her unshakable demeanor. Her crimson eyes flickered to Valeria’s blank ones, and for the first time, she saw what she had done reflected back at her.
“It’s normal to feel strange after a transformation,” Aria said finally, her tone softening just a fraction. “Some even feel euphoric, like they’ve been reborn.” She paused, her gaze lingering on Valeria’s expression—blank and fragile, like the shell of someone who had been broken and hastily pieced back together. “But you…” Aria’s voice dropped lower, almost inaudible. “You didn’t feel that, did you?”
Valeria shook her head slowly, the motion sluggish and strained. “I don’t feel … anything,” she whispered. “Not like I should. I feel … wrong.”
The weight of her words hung in the air between them. Aria looked at her with a mixture of pity and guilt that she wasn’t sure how to express. Valeria might not have noticed, but to Aria, her eyes were a clear sign. They weren’t just blank, they were hollow, as if they had been emptied of everything she once was.
“... Aria ... what did you do to me?” Valeria’s voice trembled, almost pleading, as if desperately clinging to the hope that what she feared wasn’t true.
Aria didn’t respond immediately. Her crimson eyes held Valeria’s gaze, unwavering but filled with something heavy, regret, perhaps, or a burden too great to name. She exhaled slowly, the sound carrying an unnatural weight in the silent cave.
“I saved you,” Aria repeated, her voice steady but quieter now, as though saying it too loudly might shatter what little composure Valeria had left.
Valeria’s hands curled into fists on the rough stone floor. “Saved me? How?” she demanded, her tone sharper now, edged with panic. “What did you do, Aria?”
The vampire remained silent for a moment longer, her expression unreadable. Finally, she stood, the motion deliberate and slow, as if giving Valeria time to brace herself. Aria stepped closer, stopping just out of reach, and knelt, so their eyes were level.
“You were dying,” she began, her voice uncharacteristically gentle, though the usual coldness remained beneath it. “That monster’s blow should have killed you instantly, but somehow, you held on. Even then, you were barely alive.”
Valeria’s breathing quickened as the pieces began to click into place, each one falling like a stone into her gut.
“I did the only thing I could to keep you from slipping away completely,” Aria continued, her tone hardening slightly as if to steel herself for what she had to say next. “I gave you my blood.”
Valeria’s breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest. “No … no,” she whispered, shaking her head as if denying it could undo what had been done.
“It was the only way,” Aria pressed, her gaze unwavering. “Your body was too broken to heal naturally. Even magic wouldn’t have been enough. My blood was the only thing that could save you.”
Valeria stared at her, horror dawning across her face. “Your blood? You mean…” She trailed off, her voice failing her as the truth hit her like a blow.
“Yes,” Aria said, her tone now firm but tinged with an odd sadness. “You’ve been turned. You’re no longer human, Valeria. You’re a vampire.”
The words hung in the air, suffocatingly heavy. Valeria’s mind reeled, the world around her spinning as if the cave itself had come alive to mock her. Her hands shot to her neck, trembling as she felt the faint, tender marks where Aria’s fangs had pierced her skin.
“No,” she choked out, her voice breaking. “This this can’t be real. I’m a healer. I save lives. I can’t be” She stopped, her chest tightening as if all the air had been stolen from her lungs.
Aria’s expression didn’t change, but her eyes softened slightly. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. It’s not what I wanted for you either,” she said quietly. “But it was this … or let you die.”
Valeria’s gaze snapped to Aria, anger flaring through the fog of her shock. “You should’ve let me die!” she shouted, her voice raw with a mix of grief and rage. “You had no right to”
“To save you?” Aria interrupted sharply, her voice cutting through Valeria’s outburst like a blade. “Maybe I didn’t. But I wasn’t about to stand there and watch you die after you risked your life to save someone else. I made a choice, Valeria. A hard one. And now we both have to live with it.”
Valeria stared at her, her emotions warring within her. She wanted to scream, to cry, to lash out, but the weight of her exhaustion and the remnants of her pain held her back. She sank back against the cave wall, her body trembling.
Aria remained silent, watching her carefully. “It’s going to take time,” she said after a moment, her voice softer again. “You’ll feel strange, stronger, faster, but also … different. Your instincts will change. Your senses already have.”
Valeria didn’t respond, her mind too clouded with fear and confusion. She felt like a stranger in her own skin, and worse, she had no idea who, or what, she was anymore.
Valeria closed her eyes, leaning back against the cold stone wall, her thoughts spinning like a whirlpool. What was she going to do now? Was it even worth living if she had become a monster? And worst of all, was it truly her fault? She had only tried to help someone, only done what her instincts as a healer compelled her to do. But because of that choice, because she saved Aria, she had endured unimaginable agony.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Her fists clenched against her thighs, but no anger welled up when she thought of Aria. Somehow, she couldn’t bring herself to hate the vampire who had given her this new existence.
As if sensing her turmoil, Aria’s gaze shifted toward her. Her expression held no malice, only a quiet sadness. “Take your time,” she said softly, her voice barely louder than the crackle of embers from the now-dead fire.
Aria stood, moving back to the extinguished fireplace. She began to gather wood from a small pile near the wall, preparing to rekindle the flames. Though vampires had no need for light, Aria seemed to find comfort in its warmth. The soft, rhythmic sounds of her movements echoed faintly through the cave, leaving Valeria alone with her thoughts.
She took a deep breath, focusing on one question at a time, desperate for some semblance of clarity amidst the chaos in her mind.
Is it still worth living this life?
The answer didn’t come immediately. At first, her mind raced with images of what she knew vampires were capable of, the horrifying stories of bloodshed and terror she’d heard since childhood. Vampires were monsters. Beasts. They did horrible things to survive.
But … that was the key, wasn’t it? To survive.
Her thoughts wandered back to Aria. When Valeria had saved her, the vampire’s astonishment and gratitude had been genuine, almost painfully so. Was it possible that if vampires didn’t need blood to survive, they wouldn’t be seen as monsters? Could it be that evolution itself had cursed them, forcing them to take lives just to endure?
The more Valeria thought about it, the less evil vampires seemed. They weren’t inherently cruel, they were desperate. The world hated them for it. Maybe, just maybe, she could help.
Her mind latched onto the idea. She had saved Aria. Perhaps she could do more. Perhaps, as a healer, her mission wasn’t over. Even if her body had changed, her purpose hadn’t.
Her lips parted slightly, and a shaky breath escaped her. The answer to her first question was clear.
Yes. It’s worth living.
Her heart, or whatever now pulsed in its place, felt a spark of determination. And with that, another answer became clear.
What is she going to do now?
Help them. Help the vampires, no, her own kind, survive.
A faint resolve began to take root within her.
But then her thoughts turned darker, sharper, circling the last question that gnawed at her fragile mind like a persistent itch.
Who is to blame for my agony?
Valeria knew how unreasonable the question was. And yet, she couldn’t stop the burning in her chest, like an ember of revenge threatening to ignite into a wildfire. Something inside her had broken, fractured in a way that couldn’t be undone.
Aria wasn’t to blame. That much was clear. The vampire had acted out of gratitude, not malice. She’d wanted to save her life, not condemn her to suffering.
But Lucan...
Her thoughts twisted. If Lucan hadn’t let his guard down, she wouldn’t have needed to intervene. She wouldn’t have taken the full brunt of that Orc King’s blow.
But even that didn’t sit right. It wasn’t just Lucan’s fault.
Her mind dug deeper, further back. Memories surfaced of a letter they had sent to the capital almost a year ago. It had been a plea for help, asking the kingdom to send knights to deal with a nearby orc village. They had received a confirmation, a promise of aid.
But no one had come.
Her breathing quickened as her thoughts spiraled. If the kingdom had sent those knights as promised, the Orc King would have been killed long before this could have happened. She wouldn’t have been there. She wouldn’t have had to fight.
“It’s their fault,” she whispered under her breath, her voice venomous.
Her hands trembled as the ember of revenge in her heart flared into a roaring inferno. “It’s the kingdom’s fault,” she thought bitterly. “They abandoned us. They left us to fend for ourselves. They let this happen.”
Her body trembled, her teeth clenched as the fire within her consumed what was left of her reason.
“I will make them pay.”
The thought echoed in her mind, growing louder, more insistent, until it drowned out everything else. Her already broken mind fractured further, her rage and grief twisting into something darker, more dangerous.
As the last shred of her old self faded, a single tear slid down her cheek, unnoticed.
Across the cave, Aria glanced toward her, sensing the change but remaining silent, her crimson eyes watching warily as the healer she had saved teetered on the edge of something neither of them could foresee.
At that moment, Valeria's fractured mind anchored itself to two unshakable thoughts.
Help the vampires survive.
Destroy the Empire.
It didn’t matter how many soldiers, adventurers, or innocents would have to die to accomplish this. The clarity of her purpose came with a haunting finality, a curse she would carry for eternity. Her resolve burned like a brand on her soul, searing away doubt and hesitation.
When she finally opened her eyes, the cave was bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. The silvery light streamed through the entrance, illuminating the jagged stone walls. The stars twinkled faintly in the night sky, and the moon hung low and radiant, its pale light striking Valeria as almost cruel in its beauty.
The faint crackle of flames drew her attention to the fire. It burned steadily again, casting flickering shadows on the cave walls. The light painted Aria’s pale skin in warm tones as she sat near the flames, lost in her own thoughts.
Valeria rose to her feet, the movement steady and unnaturally quiet, her bare feet making no sound against the stone floor. She crossed the small space to the fire and sat down next to Aria, her presence acknowledged only by the slight shift of the vampire’s crimson gaze.
“... Hey,” Valeria murmured. Her voice was soft, hesitant, unsure of how to begin after their last conversation.
Aria looked at her, tilting her head slightly. Her sharp features were illuminated by the firelight, but her expression was unreadable. “Hey,” she replied simply, her voice calm, almost gentle.
For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by the crackling of the flames. Aria studied Valeria’s face, her gaze lingering on her eyes. The once-blank stare that had unnerved her before was gone, replaced by something entirely different, a blazing fire of determination, both captivating and terrifying.
“Done with your thinking?” Aria asked at last, her tone measured but edged with curiosity.
Valeria nodded silently, her gaze briefly flicking to the flames before returning to Aria.
Aria shifted slightly, leaning back against the rough stone wall. “So... what now?” she asked, her voice low but steady. “What conclusion did you come to?”
Valeria hesitated, not out of doubt, but because the enormity of her resolve felt almost too heavy to put into words. She turned her gaze to the fire, watching the flames dance and sway. Then, finally, she spoke.
“I’ve decided,” Valeria began, her voice quiet but unwavering. “I’ll help you, help all of you survive.” Her hands clenched into fists on her lap. “I’ll make sure vampires don’t have to live in fear, don’t have to suffer just to exist.”
Aria’s expression flickered, a mixture of surprise and guarded hope. “That’s... unexpected,” she said softly, but there was no mockery in her tone, only genuine curiosity.
“But,” Valeria continued, her voice darkening, “that’s only half of it.” She lifted her gaze to meet Aria’s. “The Empire, the kingdom that abandoned us, that condemned us to this fate, I’ll destroy it. No matter what it takes.”
Aria’s crimson eyes narrowed, and for a moment, she said nothing. The weight of Valeria’s words hung heavily in the air. Then she spoke, her voice laced with caution. “You understand what that means, don’t you? The Empire isn’t just soldiers and kings. There are innocent people, farmers, children, families.”
Valeria’s lips tightened, but her resolve didn’t waver. “Innocent or not, they live under a system that lets this happen. That ignored us when we needed them most. If they stand in my way, they’re no different than the soldiers and adventurers who will come for us.”
Aria leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharp and probing. “This isn’t something you can take back, Valeria. Once you walk this path, there’s no going back to who you were.”
Valeria’s eyes burned brighter, the fire within her unrelenting. “I know. I’ve already lost who I was. There’s nothing left for me to go back to.”
For a moment, the two women sat in silence, the fire between them casting shifting shadows across their faces.
Finally, Aria leaned back again, her expression softening. “If that’s your decision, then I’ll stand by you. But don’t think for a second that this will be easy. The Empire is vast, and its reach is long.”
Valeria nodded, her gaze fixed on the flames. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Aria’s lips, though it held no joy, only a grim understanding. “Then we’ll begin tomorrow. For now, you should rest. You’ve been through more than anyone should endure.”
Valeria didn’t respond immediately, her thoughts already racing ahead to the battles and sacrifices that awaited her. But as she glanced at Aria, she felt a flicker of gratitude. For better or worse, she wasn’t alone in this.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, surprising even herself with the sincerity in her voice.
Aria tilted her head, her smile faint but genuine. “Don’t thank me yet.”
As the fire crackled between them, Valeria felt the weight of her decision settle fully on her shoulders. There was no turning back now.
Valeria was settling down for the night, her mind still a tempest of new convictions and burning purpose. Just as her eyes began to close, Aria’s voice cut through the quiet.
“Oh, and before you sleep…” Aria began, her tone light but carrying an undercurrent of curiosity, “I need to test something.”
Valeria sat up slightly, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. “Test something?” she repeated, her brow furrowing.
“Yes,” Aria replied, shifting closer to the firelight so her pale features became more pronounced. “While you were... deliberating, I was trying to figure out why your transformation took so long. And I think I might have an answer.”
Valeria straightened, her curiosity piqued. “Alright, I’m listening.”
Aria nodded, her crimson eyes gleaming faintly in the flickering firelight. “As you know, there are three primary types of vampires. The first and most common are simply called vampires. They make up about 90% of our population. They’re the ones most people associate with our kind, stronger and faster than humans, but not particularly exceptional.”
Valeria nodded, silently following along.
“Then,” Aria continued, “there are greater vampires. They’re far more powerful and make up about 8% of the vampire population. Their abilities are sharper, their lifespan even longer, and they’re often seen as leaders or elite warriors among us.”
“And the third?” Valeria asked, leaning forward.
“The third type,” Aria said, her tone softening, “are the vampire lords. They’re incredibly rare, only about 2% of us are born or ascend to this rank. Lords are unmatched in power, capable of feats that even greater vampires can only dream of. I am one, for instance.”
Valeria’s eyes widened slightly, a flicker of awe and disbelief crossing her face.
Aria continued, her gaze steady, “Now, here’s why this matters. Normally, when a human or another being transforms, they start as a common vampire. Over time, if they survive long enough, grow stronger, and prove themselves, they might ascend to a greater rank. It’s a slow and arduous process.” She paused, her expression growing serious. “But what happened to you… might be different.”
Valeria blinked, a strange unease settling in her chest. “Different how?”
Aria’s voice was calm but carried a weight that sent a shiver down Valeria’s spine. “It’s exceedingly rare, but there are cases of some transforming directly into a higher rank. And based on how long your transformation took, and the sheer energy I felt emanating from you during it…” She trailed off for a moment before locking eyes with Valeria. “I think you might be one of those cases.”
Valeria stared at her, her confusion evident. “Hold on. Are you saying I’m… some kind of high-rank vampire?”
“Yes, I am,” Aria said firmly, her expression unyielding.
Valeria opened her mouth to respond, but Aria cut her off, holding up a small, glowing blue stone.
“Do you know what this is?” Aria asked.
Valeria nodded slowly. “Yes, it’s a StatStone. They’re rare, but they can show species-specific stats and abilities. I’ve seen adventurers use them before.”
“Exactly,” Aria said, her tone shifting slightly, an excited edge creeping into her voice. “If you use this, we can confirm my theory. It will show us your rank, your skills, and more. It’s the quickest way to find out exactly what kind of vampire you are.”
She extended the stone toward Valeria, her movements deliberate. The firelight caught the surface of the stone, making it shimmer like liquid sapphire.
Valeria hesitated for a moment before taking the stone. The moment her fingers closed around it, a faint warmth spread through her hand, and then a red, translucent panel materialized before her eyes.
She scanned the information on the panel, her gaze skimming over her name, age, and species. But when her eyes landed on the rank, her breath hitched, and her heart seemed to stop.
“Aria,” she said, her voice trembling slightly, “you said there were only three ranks, right?”
“Yes,” Aria replied, her brows furrowing as they focused on the glowing text. “What’s wrong?”
Wordlessly, Valeria turned the panel toward Aria.
Aria leaned closer, her eyes narrowing as they focused on the glowing red text. And then she froze. Her breath caught, and for a moment, she was utterly still.
“Vampire… Queen?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
The two women stared at the panel in silence, the words seeming to pulse with an almost ominous energy.
----------------------------------------
Name: Valeria
Age: 20
Species: Vampire
Rank: Vampire Queen
Magic Rank: Bronze (Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Diamond, Platinum, Divine)
Blood Ingested: 0 Liters
Blood Lust Level: 0 (0 to 10)
Skills:
* Health Appraisal (Class B)
* Healing Hand (Class B)
* Potion Mixing (Class A)
* Blood Control (Class SSS)
----------------------------------------
Aria was silent for a moment longer, her crimson eyes darting between Valeria and the panel. Then she spoke, her tone a mix of awe and unease.
“It means,” she said slowly, “you’re something the world hasn’t seen in centuries. Vampire Queens are… myths. Legends. They’re said to be rulers by nature, unmatched in power, and… dangerous.”
“...What do you mean by dangerous?” Valeria asked, her voice tinged with a mix of panic and uncertainty.
Aria’s expression darkened, her eyes distant as if recalling a memory too vivid to forget. “I mean exactly that,” she said quietly, her tone heavy. “I lived long enough to witness the last Vampire Queen. I saw her rise… and her inevitable fall.”
Valeria leaned forward, her breath catching as Aria continued.
“She was powerful, unimaginably so, but with that power came a terrible price. Her thirst for blood consumed her until it was all she could think about, all she could crave. She lost her mind, and in her madness, she dragged her followers down with her. Every vampire who swore allegiance to her succumbed to the same insanity, their minds unraveling as they drowned in bloodlust.”
Aria paused, her voice dropping to a bitter whisper. “I refused to submit to her. Something about her felt... wrong. Unstable. My instincts screamed at me to keep my distance. And I was right.”
She turned her gaze back to Valeria, her crimson eyes burning with emotion. “They got careless in their frenzy. Her reign was a disaster that ended in blood. Five thousand vampires, an entire army of them, were slaughtered in one decisive blow. But it wasn’t just them who paid the price.”
Valeria’s heart raced as Aria’s voice grew heavier with grief and anger. “Twenty thousand humans and elves perished in the chaos. Entire villages and cities were wiped off the map. It was a massacre the likes of which the world hasn’t seen since. And when it was all over… there were no victors. Only ruins and corpses.”
A cold chill ran down Valeria’s spine, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched at the hem of her cloak. “Am I… am I going to be like that?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aria’s gaze softened as she studied Valeria’s face. After a moment, she snorted, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “You? Maybe. But you’re already different. You’re far more stable than she ever was. You might go insane, sure, but you’re certainly not dumb.”
The faint humor in Aria’s voice brought a small measure of relief to Valeria, though her chest still felt tight. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and then, as if struck by inspiration, her eyes lit up with a fiery determination.
“If I’m the queen…” she began slowly, her voice gaining strength with each word, “then I could unite all the vampires. We could destroy the Empire. And in its place… we could build an empire of vampires.”
Her lips curled into a smile, excitement flickering in her eyes like the firelight before them.
“Huh…” Aria murmured, tilting her head thoughtfully. “It’s not a bad idea. Ambitious, certainly. But do you really think you’ll succeed where so many others have failed?”
Valeria frowned, considering the question carefully. Her mind raced with possibilities, strategies, and risks, but she felt a growing certainty. “If we take it one step at a time,” she said firmly, “I think we can pull it off.”
“We?” Aria asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. “You do realize I didn’t submit to the last queen. Why should I submit to you?”
Valeria’s expression softened, though her resolve didn’t waver. “Because you care about me,” she said simply. Her voice was steady, but there was a raw honesty in her words. “And because you need something to make your life feel worth living again.”
Aria blinked, caught off guard.
“The first time we met, your eyes were dull, like you were just going through the motions,” Valeria continued. “But the second time we met… they were different. They were filled with purpose, with fire.”
She leaned forward, her gaze locking onto Aria’s. “Please,” she said, her voice almost desperate. “Don’t leave me alone in this. I can’t do it without you.”
For a moment, Aria was silent, her expression unreadable. Valeria’s words struck a chord deep within her, a truth she couldn’t deny. She had been wandering aimlessly for decades, clinging to nothing, and now, for the first time in centuries, she felt a spark of something she thought she had lost, hope.
A faint smile tugged at Aria’s lips, and she lowered herself to one knee. “Very well,” she said, her voice soft but resolute. “Your Majesty.”
Valeria’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected Aria to kneel, and for a moment, she was too stunned to respond. But then a smile spread across her face, warm and grateful.
“Thank you… Aria,” Valeria said, her voice full of emotion. “Now, please… rise.”
Aria stood, meeting Valeria’s gaze with a renewed sense of purpose. “We’ll make a paradise for vampires,” she said firmly. “I promise it to you, not just as your subject, but as your friend.”
The two women shared a look of understanding, their fates now bound together by a common goal. The path ahead would be treacherous, but for the first time, they felt ready to face it.