THE KING OF VAMPIRES

Cynthia woke up, staring at the ceiling as her thoughts wandered back to the past few weeks. Her best friend had left the country and stopped contacting her, leaving a void that Luke had gradually filled. Cynthia felt relieved that she wasn't entirely alone and rose to get ready for the day. "Is it Friday already?" she thought, glancing at her calendar. She was both bewildered and excited; the days had flown by, and she hadn't even noticed.

As she slipped into her school uniform, she promised herself to dedicate the weekend to sleep, hoping to avoid another ghostly encounter. She shuddered at the memory of the time a ghost had possessed her bathtub just to prank her, forcing her to drive it away with a salt circle. Her mother's voice, laced with anger, suddenly called her downstairs, snapping her out of her thoughts. Cynthia hurried down, her heart pounding, wondering what had happened.

"Can you explain this?" her mother asked, holding up her phone. Cynthia's blood ran cold as she saw a video of herself helping Kevin into the house.

"So, you've been inviting boys into this house?" her mother said, folding her arms, her eyes piercing into Cynthia.

"Mom, it's not what you think," Cynthia began, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Then what is it?" her mother interrupted, her tone sharp.

"Can you let me explain?" Cynthia replied, feeling a twinge of annoyance.

Her mother nodded, her expression stern. "Go on."

"Thank you. I found him in an alley, injured. I felt bad and brought him home to help him. I know I should have told you, and I'm sorry for that," Cynthia explained, her voice sincere.

Her mother's expression softened, surprised by the explanation. "So, there's nothing going on between you two?"

"No, absolutely not. I wouldn't dare start a relationship without your approval," Cynthia said, relieved to see her mother smile.

"Here's your breakfast, sweetie," her mom said, handing her a plate.

"Mom," Cynthia began slowly as she chewed, "Can you… not tell Dad about this?"

"Why not?" her mother asked, curious.

"You know how he is. He won't listen to me. He'll believe whatever he sees," Cynthia said, her eyes pleading.

Her mother smiled knowingly, and Cynthia sighed with relief, finishing her meal as her father walked in, looking unusually cheerful. Cynthia checked her phone and felt her stomach drop when she saw the reminder: DAD'S BIRTHDAY. "Happy birthday, Dad!" she exclaimed, her mind racing to think of where she could quickly buy a gift.

"Thanks," her father replied, sitting down to eat. Cynthia quickly excused herself, racing upstairs to grab all her allowance. She dashed out the door, school bag in hand, and hurried to the nearest gift shop.

After buying a gift for her dad, Cynthia stuffed it into her school bag, feeling proud of herself. Unbeknownst to her, someone was following her, lurking in the shadows as she made her way to school. When she arrived, she was greeted by an irritated Luke.

"I'm sorry, I had to get a gift for my dad. Today's his birthday," Cynthia said, pouting.

"Okay, but don't do that again. You could have been attacked or something," Luke said, his tone serious. Cynthia smiled, and they walked inside together.

The school day passed, and Cynthia found herself waiting outside for Luke. As she stood there, someone in a hooded cloak approached her from behind. At that moment, Luke emerged from the school. He was about to shout a warning when the hooded figure struck, knocking Cynthia out cold.

Luke ran toward her, but the hooded figure shoved him back effortlessly. "She's coming with me. Don't follow, or it'll end badly for both of you," the figure warned, their voice deep and unnervingly authoritative. Luke stumbled back, fear and fury warring within him. He knew he was outmatched; this person had powers beyond his understanding.

Without thinking, Luke raced toward Kevin, who had just left the school. "Please help! He took her!" Luke shouted.

"Who?" Kevin asked, alarmed.

"I don't know, but he took Cynthia," Luke replied, pointing in the direction they had gone. Without another word, Kevin took off after them, his speed almost inhuman. Luke clenched his fists in frustration, knowing he could do nothing more than hope Kevin would arrive in time.

In the forest, the hooded figure moved swiftly through the trees, carrying Cynthia as if she weighed nothing. They reached a secluded clearing and gently placed her on the ground. The figure removed their hood, revealing a face that was eerily familiar yet terrifyingly different. It was a face Cynthia had only seen in her nightmares—silver hair and red eyes like Kevin's, but with a far darker, more sinister aura.

Cynthia began to stir, groaning as she regained consciousness. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the man looming over her. She gasped and tried to scramble away, but he caught her wrist with a grip that was firm yet strangely gentle.

"Relax," the man said, his voice oozing with calm menace. "You're safe… for now."

"Who are you?" Cynthia managed to choke out, fear threading through her words.

The man smirked, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. "I'm sure you've guessed by now. I'm Kevin's brother. But you can call me Alaric."

Cynthia's heart raced. She remembered Kevin's warnings, the injuries he'd sustained, and his reluctance to share too much. Now, she was face to face with the very monster Kevin had been trying to protect her from.

"Why… why did you bring me here?" Cynthia stammered, trying to keep her voice steady.

Alaric's smirk widened. "Because, my dear, you're the key to getting what I want from my brother. You see, Kevin has always been the soft-hearted one. He thinks he can live among humans, drink animal blood, and pretend to be one of you. It's pathetic, really. But you… you're special to him. He saved you, didn't he? That makes you valuable."

Cynthia's blood ran cold. She was a pawn in a game between two powerful beings, and she had no idea how to escape. "What do you want from Kevin?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Alaric's eyes darkened, his expression growing more serious. "I want him to join me, to embrace his true nature as the heir to the throne of the Vampire King. Our father's throne. But he's too weak, too blinded by his foolish ideals. Perhaps with you in danger, he'll finally see reason."

Before Cynthia could respond, a gust of wind blew through the clearing, carrying with it a familiar scent. Alaric's eyes flicked to the treeline, his smirk returning. "Ah, speak of the devil."

Kevin emerged from the shadows, his red eyes blazing with anger. "Alaric, let her go."

Alaric chuckled darkly. "So predictable, little brother. Always rushing to save the damsel in distress. But this time, you won't get what you want so easily."

Kevin stepped forward, his gaze locked on Alaric. "This isn't about me, Alaric. Leave her out of this."

"She's already in it," Alaric said coldly. "And if you want her to stay alive, you'll have to make a choice."

Kevin's fists clenched, his mind racing. He knew Alaric wasn't bluffing. His brother was ruthless, willing to do whatever it took to achieve his goals. But Kevin also knew he couldn't let Alaric win—not like this.

"What do you want?" Kevin asked, his voice tense.

Alaric smiled, his fangs glinting in the fading light. "It's simple. Join me, and we can rule together. Refuse, and she dies."

Cynthia's heart pounded in her chest. She looked at Kevin, seeing the torment in his eyes. He was caught between his duty to protect her and his desire to resist Alaric's dark influence.

Kevin took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving his brother's. "I'll never join you, Alaric. But I won't let you hurt her either."

In a flash, Kevin launched himself at Alaric with a speed that caught even his brother off guard. The two clashed in a blur of motion, their supernatural strength causing the ground to tremble beneath them. Cynthia could only watch in terror as the brothers fought, their battle a whirlwind of speed, power, and fury.

As the fight raged on, Cynthia realized that this was about more than just her. It was a battle for Kevin's soul, a struggle between light and darkness, between the life he wanted to lead and the legacy he was born into. And as much as she feared for her own safety, she feared even more for Kevin.

Suddenly, Alaric gained the upper hand, pinning Kevin to the ground. "Enough of this!" he snarled, his fangs inches from Kevin's throat. "Make your choice, brother. Your life or hers."

Kevin's eyes locked with Cynthia's, and in that moment, she saw the depth of his resolve. "Cynthia," he whispered, "close your eyes."

Terrified but trusting him, Cynthia squeezed her eyes shut. A second later, she heard a deafening roar, followed by the sound of something crashing into the trees. When she opened her eyes, Alaric was gone, and Kevin was kneeling beside her, his breathing heavy, his clothes torn and bloodied.

"Are you okay?" Kevin asked, his voice soft, his hand gently touching her cheek.

Cynthia nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I… I think so. But Kevin, what about you?"

Kevin forced a smile, though she could see the pain in his eyes. "I'll be fine. But we need to get out of here. Alaric won't stay down for long."

He helped her to her feet, and together they left the clearing, the weight of what had just happened pressing heavily on both of them. Cynthia knew that this was far from over, that Alaric would return, and that Kevin would have to face him again. But for now, all that mattered was that they had each other, and they were alive.

As they made their way back to the safety of the town, Cynthia couldn't help but wonder what the future held. She knew that her life had changed forever, that she was now part of a world she barely understood. But with Kevin by her side, she felt a glimmer of hope—a hope that, no matter what came next, they would face it together.