《Bloodstained soulbond》 Chapter 1 The icy winter air cut through my lungs like a blade. As if I were a hunted prey, about to be devoured by my own hunter. My head was pounding. In moments like these, memories dissolve, thoughts shut down, and only survival remains. I barely opened my eyes. Snowflakes, large and heavy, fell onto me. I tried to lift my head, but my entire body felt like lead. And then I felt it. A red, piercing gaze that drilled a hole into my memory. The snow swirled around me, and then¡­ that thing moved. It lunged toward me in an instant. Shit! I gasped and let out a scream as the crystal glass beside me shattered into pieces. ¡ª Come on, Lucy! ¡ª my friend, Ellie, clutched her chest, glaring at me. ¡ª You scared the hell out of me! I was still trying to steady my breath, pressing a hand against my forehead. ¡ª I swear, it felt like a vision. It was so real¡­ My eyes flickered to the remains of the glass. Ice-blue shards lay scattered across the marble floor. ¡ª Or maybe, ¡ª Ellie raised an eyebrow ¡ª you just haven¡¯t been sleeping again, and you dozed off while I was talking to you. I smirked. ¡ª Oh, right. Totally not the horror movies you¡¯ve all been forcing on me lately¡­ ¡ª Oh, don¡¯t be such a delicate soul! ¡ª Mary chimed in, fixing her lipstick in the massive, gold-framed mirror. I rolled my eyes. ¡ª Hilda, please clean this up. My housekeeper stepped forward wordlessly and got to work. ¡ª I think the nonstop partying is to blame, ¡ª Ellie crossed her arms. ¡ª I don¡¯t even remember the last time I had a proper night¡¯s sleep¡­ ¡ª I sighed. ¡ª Well, you won¡¯t get one tonight either! ¡ª Mary grinned, tucking her red lipstick back into her purse. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡ª Thank God three hours of sleep is enough to enjoy the finer things in life. ¡ª I adjusted my hair and got up from the bed. ¡ª Thanks for staying over, girls. See you tonight at the usual place! They were the best. Not because of my name, not because of my wealth, but because of me. Money makes life easier, but it doesn¡¯t make it perfect. And no amount of money could have bought the friendship we had since childhood. ¡ª I assume Scott and Dave are coming with us? ¡ª Ellie asked. ¡ª No¡­ Dave will be spending the night with Lucy¡¯s thighs instead! ¡ª Mary smirked and winked. I raised an eyebrow but then burst into laughter. ¡ª Ohhh, honestly, I¡¯d rather be spending the night with his thighs¡­ ¡ª Mary sighed, gazing out the huge window. Outside, my uncle was walking one of his business partners to the car. Our estate was massive, swarming with security. My uncle was obsessed with keeping me¡ª and his carefully built empire¡ª safe at all costs. ¡ª Oh, come on, Mary, stop messing around! ¡ª Ellie scolded, but then hesitated. ¡ª Although¡­ I kind of get it. The two of them were practically glued to the window like two love-struck flowers. Understandable. My uncle was a handsome, refined man. The kind that made women turn their heads. But they didn¡¯t know what I knew. His heart was full of love, and he gave me everything I ever wanted¡­ but he wasn¡¯t a saint. No one in our family was. We didn¡¯t consider ourselves ruthless or criminals, but over the years, we had learned how to seize every¡­ not-so-legal opportunity to build a seemingly clean fortune. ¡ª Alright, if you two are done drooling over my uncle, can we move on with the day? ¡ª Is this your fancy way of telling us to get lost? ¡ª Ellie laughed. ¡ª You can stay if you manage to peel yourselves off the window. ¡ª Alright, alright! See you tonight! They giggled as they left the room, their laughter echoing in the hallway. I, however, turned back to the window. My uncle¡¯s guest was driving away in a convoy of cars. Something about it caught my attention. As I adjusted my hair in the mirror, the door creaked open. ¡ª I see you had fun last night. ¡ª The man entered with a faint smile and settled into one of the leather armchairs. ¡ª Same plans for tonight? ¡ª I love when you answer your own questions, Uncle. ¡ª I grinned. The housekeeper entered. ¡ª Lunch is ready. The dining room is prepared. ¡ª Will you join me? ¡ª he asked. ¡ª Of course. ¡ª I nodded. At the table, as we ate, he looked up at me. ¡ª How¡¯s business? By ¡°business,¡± he meant the real estate company he had set up mainly for money laundering¡ª and put me in charge of. ¡ª Everything¡¯s going smoothly. After a moment of silence, I smiled. ¡ª But tonight, I want to celebrate something else. My interior design firm just got approved. My uncle nodded, genuinely pleased. ¡ª I¡¯m happy for you. Interesting direction¡­ I saw the pride in his eyes. I had always seen him as a father figure. He had always supported my ambitions. But I knew what was coming. ¡ª I just hope it won¡¯t distract you too much¡­ You know, if duty calls¡­ The air froze around me. My fingers tightened around the fork, as if I wanted to strangle the only piece of cutlery in my hand. He knew I didn¡¯t want this. He knew this wasn¡¯t my life. And yet, in our family, no one could escape their inheritance. Chapter 2 ¡ª I don¡¯t want to frustrate you with this. ¡ª My uncle¡¯s voice was remorseful, as if he himself regretted having to bring up this topic again. But I immediately replied: ¡ª I know. I didn¡¯t want to talk about it. It was better not to think about it, not to dwell on it. So I quickly changed the subject. ¡ª By the way, who was the person here earlier? The man sighed indulgently. ¡ª Just a client. I raised an eyebrow. ¡ª He must be quite the big shot. He was guarded better than the prime minister. ¡ª That happens around here. ¡ª A flicker of pride crossed his face before he quickly stood up. ¡ª Be careful not to dance your pretty little head off. You¡¯re going to need it. Before leaving, he pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. I just sat there at the table, my fork still in hand, but I no longer touched my food. The past few minutes had left a strange unease in me. That fleeting dream, the visitor¡­ And that peculiar feeling when I stood by the window. It¡¯s probably just exhaustion. I hadn¡¯t been sleeping much lately. But I had no time to dwell on it. It was time to get ready for the evening party. The emerald-studded heels of my shoes clicked hastily against the marble floor as I swept through the massive double doors. The guys were already waiting. Dave pulled me into a wide embrace, pressing a big kiss onto my lips. I couldn¡¯t help but smile. In that moment, it felt like I held all the happiness in the world. But the car that carried my happiness away would soon bring me my pain as well. The saying is true: trouble never comes alone¡­ And then it happened. My head throbbed. The air sliced through my lungs like a blade. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. And the snowflakes¡­ They fell in thick, heavy clusters, just like back then. Back when I first saw them. The stench of gasoline hit my nose instantly, mixing with the bitter aroma of burnt plastic. The freezing asphalt pressed coldly against my skin as I dug my nails into it, trying to push myself up. I failed. The rough surface tore at the skin of my fingers with effortless ease, and with a sharp hiss of pain, I collapsed back down. The ringing in my head grew louder, until finally, everything faded away. When I opened my eyes, the blinding glow of hospital lights greeted me. My lungs wheezed for air, my fingers trembled. Desperately, I tried to move, but two nurses were at my side in an instant. ¡ª Please, lie back down! ¡ª one of them said gently, yet firmly. ¡ª You can¡¯t get up yet, please, listen to us! ¡ª added the other as she gently held me back. But I didn¡¯t listen. ¡ª Let me go! ¡ª I shouted, my voice echoing sharply between them. I had never been the arrogant, spoiled type, but now¡­ now I used my power. I tore off every piece of equipment they had attached to me and rushed to the door. I knew a small army of bodyguards would be waiting outside, and I was right. ¡ª Where are they? ¡ª I snapped the question at them immediately. They just stood there in silence. No answer. My stomach clenched, my heart pounded wildly. I didn¡¯t wait. I started moving. I ran down the corridor, throwing open every door, only to be met with the same void of nothing. Then, I saw her. Mary¡­ She was lying on a stretcher in a distant hallway, an unfamiliar doctor pushing her into a room. ¡ª Stop! ¡ª I screamed, my voice cutting through the air in desperation. ¡ª Wait! What are you doing with her?! But the man didn¡¯t turn around. My legs wobbled, and in my frantic attempt to move faster, I tripped and crashed to the floor. As my bodyguards reached me, they helped me up in one swift motion, but I didn¡¯t care. ¡ª Bring the car. Now! The hospital staff swarmed around me, doctors and nurses trying to calm me down, but I ignored them. I turned to one of them. ¡ª I¡¯ll pay you if you tell me where they took them. The nurse looked at me, flustered, then quietly, regretfully, she whispered: ¡ª I¡¯m sorry¡­ they are no longer with us. My breath caught. My hands clenched into fists, the world spinning dizzyingly around me. No. That¡¯s not possible. Tears burned down my cheeks as I stormed towards the morgue. I tore through everything, demanding to see them. ¡ª Where are they? Tell me where they are! But all I got was headshakes and uneasy glances. ¡ª Please, go back to your room. You shouldn¡¯t be here. ¡ª Don¡¯t look for them here. ¡ª Please¡­ you¡¯re not well. But I didn¡¯t believe them. I was the kind of person who only believed what I saw. And now, I wanted to see them. But they wouldn¡¯t show me. They wouldn¡¯t tell me where they were. I was going insane¡­ It had all happened so fast. But I had learned how to control my emotions. How to prioritize cold, calculated reason, even in a horrific situation like this. A family as corrupt as mine had taught its members well how to handle such twisted circumstances. I closed my eyes. Took a deep breath, letting the chaos drift away for just a moment. Then, I opened my eyes and looked firmly at one of my bodyguards. ¡ª Didn¡¯t I tell you to bring the car? ¡ª Yes, ma¡¯am! ¡ª he responded immediately, moving without hesitation. ¡ª I¡¯m not done with you. ¡ª My gaze swept over the staff watching me. The white hospital walls felt suffocatingly tight, as if they, too, wanted to keep me trapped. The only sound breaking the silence was the sharp clap of my bare feet against the floor as I stormed out of the building. Chapter 3 The manor gate slammed loudly behind me as I stepped inside. The cold night air burned my skin, but I didn¡¯t care. The rough gravel pressed harshly against my bare feet, but I didn¡¯t slow down. My heart pounded, panic raged in my chest. ¡ª Uncle! ¡ª I cried out desperately, my voice breaking with emotion. The familiar surroundings of the manor now felt foreign. The guards stood in their places, but something was missing. That warmth, that sense of peace that always surrounded this place¡­ was gone. Hilda rushed to me immediately, her face filled with concern. ¡ª Madam, you are still unwell! Walking around like this, you¡¯ll catch a cold! ¡ª she urged the servants beside her. ¡ª Bring slippers and proper clothing! The servants hesitated, as if they feared my mere presence would bring misfortune. ¡ª Where is my uncle? ¡ª I demanded, my voice sharper than I had intended. ¡ª He left in a hurry this afternoon, but I am sure he will be here soon¡ª Her sentence was cut off by the roar of engines. Beams of light sliced through the night as a convoy sped down the gravel road. I knew it was him. I didn¡¯t think. Barefoot, still in my hospital gown, I ran toward the cars. The gravel bit into my feet cruelly, but I didn¡¯t care. The car screeched to a sudden halt, the door swung open, and he stepped out. I didn¡¯t hesitate. I didn¡¯t ask anything. I simply collapsed into his arms and started sobbing uncontrollably. ¡ª Did you hear? ¡ª I gasped. ¡ª They said they died¡­ I heard it¡­ the smell of oil, the crash, the fire¡­ and their bodies¡­ My uncle held me tightly, firm yet gentle. ¡ª Calm down. I¡¯m here ¡ª he whispered. ¡ª Bring water! ¡ª he ordered the servants. The pain was deep, so deep that I could barely cry anymore. I let the servants bathe me, wipe away the traces of the hospital, the dust, and the frozen tears. The water was hot, yet coldness seeped into my bones. The pain reached a level where it refused to fade, not even for a moment. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Hilda led me into the living room, where the fireplace crackled. The man sat on the long couch, and I lay down beside him, resting my head in his lap. His fingers slowly slid through my hair, just as he used to do when I was a child. ¡ª Was it an accident? ¡ª I asked quietly. A brief silence. ¡ª Probably. His voice was rough, measured. But I knew he was suffering too. ¡ª Whoever did this¡­ will pay for it ¡ª he said quietly. ¡ª No one harms my little flower. My heart clenched again. ¡ª They died¡­ ¡ª I repeated, as if saying the words would help me accept them. ¡ª Don¡¯t grieve. Grief is not for our kind. Pain can kill a person if they let it. Instead, be grateful that you survived. I looked up at him; his gaze was as hard as steel. ¡ª But how? ¡ª I whispered. ¡ª How am I still alive? I wish¡­ ¡ª We do not think like that! ¡ª he cut me off. ¡ª Mourning may weigh us down, but it must not take our minds. I saw the anger in his eyes. He wasn¡¯t angry at me¡­ but at the one who had done this. ¡ª I promise you, your friends will rest in peace ¡ª he said softly. ¡ª Your heart is young. It will love again. I knew who he meant. And I hated him for taking it so lightly. But I was glad I had him. However he was, he was my family, and family was the best refuge. The Next Morning Loud chatter woke me. The leather couch in the living room had molded under my weight. The servants rushed back and forth, packing. ¡ª What¡¯s going on? ¡ª I asked as Hilda placed a cup of tea in front of me. ¡ª The master has approved your departure ¡ª she said quietly. ¡ª You will be traveling for a while, to recover from the ordeal. ¡ª And no one thought to ask me about this? ¡ª I stared at her tensely, but she didn¡¯t answer. Just then, the door opened. My uncle. ¡ª I hope they didn¡¯t wake you ¡ª he said calmly. ¡ª We must leave as soon as possible. It will do you good. ¡ª It¡¯s too soon! ¡ª I glared at him. ¡ª Their bodies aren¡¯t even cold yet, and I¡¯m supposed to rest? My uncle¡¯s face remained impassive. ¡ª Sometimes it¡¯s better not to overcomplicate things, Lucy. I¡¯ve hired investigators; they will look into the matter. You need to rest. At that moment, one of the guards entered, carrying a pair of red velvet-adorned shoes. They were dirty, covered in scuff marks. My heart skipped a beat. ¡ª See? ¡ª my uncle said. ¡ª The investigators are already doing their job. They found your shoes. The doctors took them off your feet. My eyes locked onto the shoes. My body tensed with icy dread. Slowly, I reached out and took them. My fingers trembled. ¡ª That¡¯s not much of an achievement ¡ª I tried to mask my fear with sarcasm. My lungs struggled for air. My heart pounded as if it wanted to break free from my chest. Fear crept into me, silently. I gathered myself and looked up again. ¡ª Maybe this break isn¡¯t such a bad idea after all ¡ª I said, forcing a smile onto my face. My uncle smirked triumphantly. ¡ª Good. I have a few matters to attend to, then we¡¯ll leave. I nodded and watched as everyone left the room. When the cars roared to life again, I slipped out towards my uncle¡¯s basement entrance. And for the first time¡­ I did something I never had before. I started searching. Chapter 4 I didn¡¯t know if it was the pain driving me or my clear mind, but by the time I came to my senses, I was already trying to open the door. Maybe my uncle thought his system was perfect, but the secrets of our family never stayed hidden for long¡ªespecially not from me. As a child, I always figured out where he hid his things, like a treasure hunter. Back then, it seemed like an exciting game. But now, I was afraid of finding something I never wanted to see. The hallway was silent except for the echo of my footsteps as I ventured deeper. Then, at some point, I smelled something. A scent. A sharp, metallic odor filled the air, and as if pulled by an invisible thread, I knew exactly where to go. As I moved forward, the lights flickered on one by one, guiding my path until I reached a door. It was open. I knew something was wrong even before I stepped inside. Yet, the sight still hit me like a punch to the gut. The room was filled with shelves. Shelves packed with boxes and transparent bags. Inside the bags, a thick, red liquid shimmered under the dim light. Blood. I had to take a deep breath before stepping closer. Maybe I was still hoping I was mistaken. But when I examined them more carefully, all hope vanished. One box was slightly out of place, as if someone had put it there recently. I reached for it and pulled out four bags. Four letters were printed on them: E. M. D. S. My heart skipped a beat. Ellie. Mary. David. Scott. My hands trembled, and my eyes filled with tears. The letters blurred before me. I nearly collapsed, but one thought shot through my mind: I had to stay calm. If I wanted to uncover the truth, I couldn¡¯t let my emotions take over. I gripped the box tightly and stormed into the living room. My uncle was already there. He had been looking for me. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡ª Hilda, everyone out! ¡ª My voice was shaking, but firm. ¡ª Close the door! I hated myself for speaking to them like that, but I had no mercy left in me. The room fell silent as the heavy door shut behind them with a dull thud. Only the two of us remained. I slowly lifted my gaze to him, letting the silence stretch between us. ¡ª Where were you? ¡ª he asked quietly. ¡ª You know exactly where. My fists clenched. ¡ª What are you? A murderer? A lunatic? Answer me! I didn¡¯t wait. With a sharp motion, I overturned the box, its contents scattering across the floor. The bags landed softly, their red liquid gleaming in the dim light. Blood. Labeled, neatly marked, as if we were in some twisted experimental lab. ¡ª You can be a gangster, a boss, a high-ranking man who earns his wealth illegally¡­ but remember what Grandpa said! What your father said! ¡ª My voice shook, but not with fear. ¡ª The Scarlettes are not murderers! They don¡¯t kill! I had never spoken to him like this before. I had always treated him with respect, given him everything he expected. But now? Now, he didn¡¯t deserve it. For a moment, we just stood there, facing each other. His expression was unreadable, as if weighing his response. ¡ª Keep your cool, Lucy ¡ª he finally spoke. ¡ª Let me explain. I laughed. Bitterly. Cynically. ¡ª Explain what? That you store my friends¡¯ blood like bagged drinks? I picked up a bag from the floor and held it up to his face. ¡ª Take a good look! Is it just a coincidence that there are exactly four? And that these are the initials? ¡ª My voice wavered more and more. ¡ª Read them! Don¡¯t they look familiar? Or should I say the names out loud? Ellie¡­ ¡ª Stop it! ¡ª he cut in, his voice suddenly tense. ¡ª Don¡¯t let your emotions blind you! This situation¡­ is misleading. I let out a hollow laugh. ¡ª Misleading? You really are something. Then I confronted him. ¡ª My shoes¡­ the doctors took them off me, didn¡¯t they? I looked up at him, letting the pain break through my anger. ¡ª My shoes. The ones Mary was wearing last night. I gave them to her because they suited her perfectly. And now¡­ I felt my voice falter. He was silent. He looked at me with guilt, but his face remained emotionless. ¡ª I understand that it hurts ¡ª he stepped closer. ¡ª But you have to listen. I didn¡¯t kill them. I just stared at him. Shattered. ¡ª I¡¯m listening ¡ª I whispered. ¡ª Tell me something I can believe in¡­ After a long, tense pause, he spoke. ¡ª It was the vampires. I froze. ¡ª What? I didn¡¯t know whether to cry or laugh. ¡ª Vampires? ¡ª I repeated, trying to process what he had just said. His gaze was steady. He truly believed it. ¡ª My God ¡ª I whispered. ¡ª You¡¯re completely insane. I turned to leave, reaching for my phone, ready to call the police. That¡¯s when I heard Hilda¡¯s voice. ¡ª Sir¡­ the police are here. At the lower gate. For a moment, relief washed over me. But before I could move toward the door, my uncle grabbed my wrist. He looked into my eyes, and in a low, firm voice, he said: ¡ª You have to believe me, Lucy. It was the vampires. Chapter 5 I suddenly yanked my arm out of his grip. ¡ª Stop this nonsense! And don¡¯t talk so loudly¡ªsomeone might hear you. ¡ª My voice trembled with nervousness. ¡ª If anyone finds out what we¡¯re talking about, you won¡¯t end up in prison. You¡¯ll be locked in a mental asylum. And neither of us wants that. The man watched me with an unreadable expression. That cold, steady gaze he always gave me whenever I did something irrational. ¡ª Our family has served the vampires for millennia. ¡ª His words were calm, but their meaning sent a chill down my spine. ¡ª Their existence has never been in question. In today¡¯s world, the real surprise is that it¡¯s still a secret. We don¡¯t kill. We never have, and we never will. ¡ª Then why did they die? ¡ª I asked sharply. My uncle remained silent for a moment, as if weighing how much he could reveal. ¡ª My supply ran out. ¡ª The words left his lips slowly. ¡ª They wanted fresh blood. Not something that had been sitting for months, or even a week. We couldn¡¯t get any from the hospitals, and my contacts wouldn¡¯t have been able to provide any until tomorrow. They got angry¡­ ¡ª And for that? ¡ª I stepped closer, my face flushed with anger. ¡ª For that, they staged an accident? That¡¯s why my friends are dead? And me? Was I not fresh enough? Was my blood expired, or what the hell? Was I not on the menu? ¡ª It was a warning. ¡ª A warning for what? ¡ª My voice dropped to a whisper. ¡ª That if they don¡¯t get fresh blood, they¡¯ll slaughter everyone around us? My uncle looked deep into my eyes. ¡ª Lucy, they have existed far longer than we have. You have no idea what they¡¯re capable of. We are not innocent, but we are not heartless either. You know I would never do something like this. A sudden knock shattered the tense silence. ¡ª Sir, they¡¯re at the door. My uncle looked straight at me. ¡ª Watch their eyes. Look for the gleam. That statement raised more questions in my mind, but there was no time to dwell on them. I took a deep breath and opened the door. ¡ª Thank you, Hilda. You may go. The two officers were already seated in the foyer, waiting for me. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡ª Sorry for the wait. How can I help you? ¡ª I asked, trying to mask my unease. One of them leaned forward. ¡ª I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard the news. Four young people lost their lives¡­ I clenched my jaw. ¡ª And I was one of them. ¡ª We know. And you have our deepest condolences. ¡ª They stood up. ¡ª Did you experience anything unusual that night? Anything that might help the investigation? I should have told them. But my uncle¡¯s words echoed in my head: Watch their eyes. I looked at the officer who had spoken. For a split second, I thought I saw a glimmer in his gaze. A cold shiver ran down my spine. Was I imagining it? Or was it real? My heart pounded, but my lips formed the words before I could decide what was true. ¡ª I don¡¯t remember anything. The last place I was¡­ was the hospital. The officer nodded. ¡ª We heard about what happened at the hospital. It must not have been easy for you. The other man remained silent, just watching. They asked a few more questions, then stood up and said their goodbyes. My uncle never stepped out of the living room. I watched through the window as the officers left. For a moment, I hesitated. Had I made the right choice? Should I have told them everything? But even in the worst moments, there¡¯s an instinct to protect family. Even when¡­ maybe you shouldn¡¯t. Taking a deep breath, I turned to my housekeepers. ¡ª Hilda, Rosy, Eva, Clara. ¡ª My voice was clear and firm. ¡ª You all have the night off. Don¡¯t come home until evening. Murmurs of gratitude filled the air as they fetched their coats. And I stepped back into the living room, where my uncle was waiting. ¡ªThank you. I heard the man¡¯s quiet, calm voice. He was sitting in the living room with a glass of cognac in his hand, as if nothing had happened. ¡°Tell me one thing,¡± I spoke softly, but my voice trembled with emotion. ¡°Give me one reason why I shouldn¡¯t regret protecting you.¡± My uncle slowly lifted his gaze to me. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth,¡± he replied evenly. ¡°You know I would never lie to you.¡± I laughed¡ªa sharp, bitter sound escaped from my throat. ¡°But you did lie. Even if what you say is true, it was still a lie because I didn¡¯t know about it. And if it¡¯s not true, then it¡¯s obviously a lie. No matter how you look at it, you lied to me.¡± My uncle took a sip of his cognac and then placed the glass down. ¡°I had my reasons,¡± he said quietly. ¡°And you know that very well. Our family never acts without a reason.¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Yet you always seem to have a reason to sit here and sip cognac while everything falls apart around us.¡± His gaze darkened. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you, then why do you have the blood?¡± I demanded. ¡°Answer me.¡± Silence. That was all I got in return. My patience ran out. ¡°I¡¯m asking once,¡± I continued. ¡°If they truly exist, where are they now? I want to see them.¡± A barely noticeable smile tugged at my uncle¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll be meeting them much sooner than you think.¡± I was just about to respond when a composed, unwavering voice broke the silence. ¡°Here.¡± Two shadows moved across the room so quickly I could barely process it. Two men stood before me, motionless, dressed in black. Their suits were elegant, yet something about them felt¡­ unnatural. They were bodyguards. But not human ones. From outside, I heard the faint crunch of gravel. I turned toward the window. One car. Two. Three. Four. An entire convoy pulled into the estate. The blood in my veins turned to ice. How did these two get in unnoticed? And why are they looking at me like that? Their eyes¡­ they glistened in the cold winter light. My body tensed. Instinctively, I stepped back toward my uncle, who was already rising to his feet. With trembling hands, I reached for his. I expected shelter. Protection from these creatures. But deep down, I knew¡ªif they were who I thought they were¡­ Nothing could protect me now.