New road

While that was happening someone spoke to Dark in his head.

-Are you okay with this, to end up like this?

A woman's voice echoes in Dark's head.

[I... I don't want to...]

Dark cursed his weakness, even in his last moments of life he couldn't do something he was proud of himself.

-If you want to wake up, say my name, call me from the bottom of your heart...]

[But... I don't know your name...]

-That doesn't matter, I am yours, I will be whoever you want me to be, so say my name, shout it!

A warm energy was beginning to stir inside Dark.

***

Marcus had Dark's heart between his fingers, he was about to destroy it with his hand, suddenly he began to hear slight murmurs from Dark, he seemed ecstatic at the sudden action, Stella watched helplessly as they were about to kill him, tears came out of her eyes.

-Tell me your last words.

-...-

-What do you say?" Marcus brought his face closer to Dark.

-Co..me To...me.... Ra-

Marcus' eyes snapped open and he tried to crush Dark's heart, but a great torrent of crimson red energy burst out sending Marcus flying, a pillar of crimson energy forms around Dark, the wounds he had on his body closed as if they never existed, the color of his right eye changes, turning to a blood red color.

***

Stella was stunned by such a situation, she could only see Dark wrapped in a pillar of energy and Marcus rolling on the ground before crashing into a nearby bridge.

-What happened?" Stella was stunned, seeing Dark wrapped in a crimson energy pillar.

When the energy pillar disappeared, there was Dark, standing there as if nothing had happened, his clothes torn full of blood, but without a single wound on his body, his amethyst colored eyes now his right eye now had a blood red color.

He looked taller, more defined, it was as if he was a better version of himself.

Dark extends his right hand towards a downed Marcus, a small orb of crimson energy shoots out of his palm and impacts Marcus.

Stella still can't believe what she's seeing, Dark incapacitating Marcus.

-D-Dark..." Stella speaks nervously.

Dark turns to look at Stella and smiles to see that she is ok, he approaches her slowly and hugs her saying

-I'm glad I was able to protect you...- Stella blushes because of Dark's sudden embrace.

As if the strength left Dark's body, he fell unconscious in Stella's arms after confirming her safety.

***

[Well done Dark]

Before he loses his consciousness a female voice echoes in Dark's head.

***

Stella who was holding Dark's unconscious body, still couldn't believe what she saw, a torrent of crimson light, Marcus unconscious.

-I knew you were something special but this.... It's just unbelievable- Stella is in total disbelief.

She wanted to find him, it was pure chance that she found him lying on the bank of that river, but she never wanted to involve him in something like that.

-We'd better go now.

Stella carries an unconscious Dark in her arms and disappears into the dark night.

***

-Dark-

Someone is calling Dark

[What's that?]

A light touch on his cheeks, makes Dark react quickly.

-Dark, wake up-

-ah...

I open my eyes but... I see an unfamiliar ceiling, I was lying down and I notice that next to me was Stella calling out to me

-She seemed relieved to see Dark waking up.

I try to get up but, my whole body hurts.

-Ouch-

Stella notices me trying to get up and helps me to lie down.

[Now that I can see her calmly, she's really beautiful, that blond hair and those Blue eyes...]

-Try not to move too much, you hurt yourself too much-

-Thanks-

Thanking Stella, I look to the sides, trying to understand what place I'm in, but the only thing that comes to my mind is, this place is... expensive... not only that, it's bed, it's big and it has curtains, this I've only seen in the movies

[Where am I?]

Stella seemed anxious for some reason

-Hum, is something wrong?

She seemed reluctant but finally answered me

-You got hurt because of me," Stella felt guilty seeing the way he had been hurt.

[Now that you mention it, there was this man named Marcus What happened to him, he was trying to attack us and then... he ran me through?]

My eyes were fixed on my abdomen

[Abdomen? Why am I shirtless?]

I bring my attention back to the place where I should have a hole, touch it gently with one of my hands but....

-it's intact-

[More than that am I in better shape? Did I have a defined abdomen, I wasn't skinny but, I didn't have the muscles like this?]

Stella blushes when she sees that I'm touching my belly

-ah... sorry, don't worry about that, it was my decision in the end after all, don't feel guilty about it- says Dark trying to calm Stella down

-but...

-All right, leaving that aside -Where am I? -

She didn't seem to be convinced but...

-This is my home-

[Well this is weird...]

He's in a place totally unknown to him.

-What am I doing here?

[I remember something wrapped around me, but after that, I don't remember anymore.]

-A few hours ago when you fainted in front of me, I didn't know where to go, so I brought you to the place where I'm staying- Stella says scratching her cheek with the index finger of her right hand.

[So we're at your house, I guess when I can move I'll go back to my house]

-Thanks for helping me, when I can move I'll go back to my house- Dark says with an uncomfortable smile on his face.

Stella shakes her head strongly

-Don't worry about that... well to tell you the truth... I would like you to stay here, at least until the problem with Marcus is fixed, I already talked to my father, so it should be solved in no time- Insisting that Dark doesn't leave, Stella tries to make him stay with her.

[True.... that guy wanted to marry Stella although I didn't understand why, he didn't say it after all]

-Hum Stella?

-Yes?

-Why did he want to marry you?

Stella She got nervous, her eyes look everywhere, she scratches her cheek then takes a deep breath and seems determined for some reason.

-My name is Stella Tepes, daughter of the progenitor of the vampires and the princess of the same race.

[Vampi, huh? Princess, I don't know what kind of face I'm showing but, this is absurd, even though that guy was flying... assuming it's true..., ah I don't want to think, let's just believe him].

Deciding internally, to put logic aside, Dark looks Stella straight in her eyes.

-Are you a vampire?

-Yesi-

[Okay let's think slowly...]

-Then why did he want to marry you?

Stella's expression trembled a little

-He has an obsessive idea about the purity of the race, me being a direct descendant of the progenitor and him being a pureblood of high Rank within the Kingdom, he wants to marry me, to keep the lineage "pure"," says Stella speaking with disdain.

[Ooh he's like a supremacist]

-ooh now I get it, does your race like to do that," Dark asks a bit confused by the vampire culture.

Stella looks a little annoyed after hearing my question.

-No, the ones that actually seek that, they are a minority, but they are powerful, that's why they have quite a lot of repercussions?

[Ooh it's like a guild with political power I think, you see it a lot in the series and movies].

Dark wasn't aware yet but being seen with the vampire princess and defeating a high ranking pureblood would upset that order, which had been in place for thousands of years.

-Now that I think about it, did you know me," Dark's expression hardened as he remembered Stella's words.

Stella froze, her expression changed 180 degrees, she avoided looking me in the eyes and started to play with her hands.

-Hum yes..." She says nodding shyly.

[So if she knew me from somewhere, but from where? If it's someone like her, I'm pretty sure I would remember her].

Trying to strain his brain, Dark does his best to recall Stella in his memory, but he doesn't succeed.

-Where do you know me from?" without finding an answer in his memories Dark decides to ask Stella.

Stella's face began to blush, her gaze was fixed on the floor.

-A few years ago I saw you in the street and well... your blood caught my attention," she says embarrassed.

[My blood? She's a stalker] -Dark's eyes narrowed as she looked at Stella.

-Wait, don't get me wrong- Stella panicked and started to deny with force and adds

-I noticed your blood but I never stalked you or anything like that, I was here today to distract myself and meeting you was purely by chance.

[Chance? Suspicious, definitely suspicious].

-Hum it's okay I guess-

[Well she never attacked me or anything like that, nor did she harass me I think... anyway she didn't do anything wrong... she even helped me, besides she's cute, she can be forgiven...]

Suddenly the image of a certain woman comes to Dark's mind

[Emma... I had forgotten about it because of the things that happened but... she tricked me] A sad expression forms on Dark's face.

-Stella speaks to Dark because of the sudden change in his expression.

-Yeah, don't worry- Smiling a little to calm Stella down.

She was hesitant but accepted Dark's answer

-Right, here." She takes something out of her pocket and hands it to Dark.

-Thanks- A slightly damaged cell phone is in Dark's hands.

I turn on the screen, only to find several messages and missed calls from Emma.

-It's 2:30 am- a faint murmur leaves Dark's lips.

[Later I have to work...] -involuntarily he sighs heavily.

Opening the cell phone gallery to see the pictures taken of Emma in her apartment, Dark still didn't know what to do, Stella was watching him attentively in silence, he looks directly into her eyes.

[Her eyes are different from Emma's...Okay, I have to do it, I have to love me first right?] Opening the messaging app on the cell phone, looking at the messages received from Emma.

<< Where are you? >>

<< Why aren't you answering? >>

<< Are you cheating on me? >>

Reading the last message, the missing determination in his heart surged, Dark is not upset, he is disappointed, but not in her, but in himself, believing that the fault is his for trusting her, 7 years of relationship thrown away, he loves her, that's true, but he must love himself

Before he even thinks of repenting, he sends her the pictures he had taken in her apartment.