Chapter 34- The Truth

"Can you get off me first, please?" Elio asked. The position they were in was brutal for his mental state. Being this close to this seductive woman was a test to his very being. Especially when her body was pressed against him in such a manner.

"Mmm, let me stay like this for a bit. You are so warm." She said as she rubbed her face into his clothes.

’I didn’t even take a shower before sleeping...’ He frowned. However, surprisingly, he didn’t smell bad for some reason. He actually smelled quite pleasant. ’Hm? Is this the doing of my Blood Energy?’

He wouldn’t be surprised if that energy somehow dealt with his body odor. He also didn’t feel sticky with sweat whatsoever, so he assumed that he was somewhat clean. He still wanted a shower quickly after.

For the next few minutes, Melissa just hugged him tightly while he fought for his life inwardly. It took all his willpower to remain motionless and not react in any way. Eventually, Melissa got enough as she rose from the ground.

"I’m satisfied now!" She said with a smile as she sat down on the bed. "Fuuuh, that was so terrifying. For a second, I truly thought that would be our farewell. I was going to cry."

"..."

"I’m sorry for all of this. It was all very sudden and unexpected." She said.

"Yeah, I still can’t believe you’re a vampire... And the queen of vampires of all things." He scratched the back of his head, staring at Melissa. He didn’t know if he was supposed to treat her differently now that he knew who she truly was.

’Judging from her attitude, she is probably not that far off from normal Melissa.’ He thought to himself.

"Come here, sit down, let’s talk," Melissa said as she tapped on the bed next to her. Elio blinked a few times, contemplating before he finally nodded and walked toward her, sitting on her right.

Then, silence took over the room for a while. Neither side knew what to say as they just looked at the wall. Eventually, Melissa broke the silence with an awkward cough.

"So, you awakened today, Elio?" She asked.

"Yeah..."

’She probably already knew that, so it’s pointless to try and hide it.’ He mused. ’It’s better not to lie too much to her.’

"I see... That girl convinced you, huh?"

"Is she your enemy...?" He asked with a wary look. "Are you intending to hurt her?"

"Hm." Melissa thought for a second before she spoke. "You’re my friend, and I would never lie to you."

"..."

"Yes, I would kill her and her entire family. The Vaylors are my enemy, and so are most of the other Vampire Hunter clans." She said calmly with a hint of sharpness that sent a chill down Elio’s spine. He could tell she wasn’t messing around anymore.

"You said that they aren’t the heroes they pretend to be. What did you mean by that?" He asked.

"Sigh, well, the reality of things is that humans and vampires are both culprits. The conflict she told you about was never one-sided. We have never invaded this world or come here with the intention of killing humans."

"Wait, what?!"

"When we first found the portals that led us to Earth, we came here to explore this world that we knew nothing about. At the time, Eternal Sirene was in complete turmoil, and there was really not even enough Vampires alive to form a cohesive group to invade Earth. However, once we landed here and encountered humans, they immediately took us for hostile enemies and attacked us. With the language barrier and the lack of communication, neither side decided to talk."

"So you’re saying that... You weren’t there to drink their blood?"

"We vampires are very picky when it comes to the things we would drink blood from. To us, not all humans are good prey. Strong vampires could easily control their urge to drink blood. It’s the weaker ones, which we call Rogue Vampires are the ones causing trouble."

To say that all the reality Elio imagined in his head was flipped upside down in a minute was an understatement. He had just barely learned about everything from Fiona, only for Melissa to tell him a completely different story.

His mind was in complete shambles, trying to understand the truth from the lies.

"Many years have passed, and the conflict only grew. Now, we are enemies. The clans would hunt me down to death if they knew of my existence in this world, and it is never for the sake of humanity. Their desire is political, fueled by hunger for power and influence. The same for us vampires, killing these Vampire Hunters is what gives us more prestige and honor."

"..."

"All the wars, bloodshed, death, and pain... It is all fueled by hunger for power and not for peace."

"Could you not stop it... Being their queen?" Elio asked.

"I have tried, countless times. I have come here many times before to try and negotiate peace treaties with the Vampire Hunters. Yet, all I got were their swords aimed at me. I couldn’t have any choice but to end their lives." She said coldly. "My people, on the other hand, do not think what I want to do is right. That is why I couldn’t stay in Eternal Sirene. It is now completely out of my control."

"Did they become hostile toward you?" Elio asked. It wasn’t hard to realize the kind of outcome she had.

"Yes. Very much so. I was antagonized by all Vampires, and they ended up starting a revolution and taking me down. I had to escape, and I found myself on Earth, living amongst humans. That has been the case for years now."

"..."

"I have tried, countless times, to choose peace. But when both sides do not want peace, then I have nothing I can do. I got sick and tired of choosing peace. Both sides have hurt me and caused me a lot of suffering. They don’t deserve benevolence." She said, her tone as cold as ice. Elio could even feel the hatred bubbling within her heart at that moment.

Yet, he couldn’t blame her. Being turned into an enemy by her own people, and getting attacked by the humans she tried to make peace with. It was no wonder she would hate both sides.

"You’re the very first person I could truly make friends with. Even now, seeing you here, talking to me and not treating me as a monster... It truly makes me happy." She smiled as she touched his hand. Her beauty is mesmerizing as ever.

"And I will keep my promise regarding your little Vaylor brat. She won’t be harmed as long as she doesn’t try to put her nose where it doesn’t belong."

"I won’t tell her about you," Elio replied, looking down. "I... It’s probably something that would anger her greatly. But, I don’t want you to kill her or for her to kill you."

"Are you sure you could keep it a secret?" Melissa asked, her eyes beaming with curiosity. "What if you had to choose between us? Which side would you take?"