ARIELLA'S POV

THE cold air stung my lungs, and I could see my breath coming out in icy clouds. As my eyes adjusted to the brightness, I began to make out the outlines of the village. The houses were small and simple, with thatched roofs and wooden walls.

A light breeze rustled the branches of the trees, and the sound was almost musical.

"Believe it or not, but this was where the Steels originated from," Sylaq said as we walked further.

"I've never seen any place like it. Do people still live here?" I asked, my eyes wide with wonder.

"Just a few natives and the very first vampire ever made," he replied, his voice solemn.

"What? Frederick Steel is still alive? But I thought he was created two thousand years ago!" I exclaimed, my disbelief evident in my voice.

Sylaq smiled at my reaction. "Yep, Pappy Fred is very much alive. But he chose to stay here for some sort of closure and to be closer to his late wife, Evie."

Now, I was more intrigued to know the whole story. Every single detail was crucial for my survival and escape from this whole vampiric world.

"Can you please tell me from the beginning?"

Though my clothes were thick and warm, I could still feel the cold seeping into my bones. Sylaq must have noticed because he wordlessly tugged at the sleeve of his jacket and held it open for me. He must have known it was big enough for both of us. Without hesitation, I slipped my arm through the sleeve and pressed myself close to his side.

The feeling of his warmth was like a blanket on a winter's night. Our bodies pressed together, sharing a gentle warmth that felt like a beacon of light in the night. We stood together, two people connected by something more than a jacket. For a moment, we were simply together, our thoughts and worries set aside. All that mattered was the warmth between us.

We continued to walk as Sylaq began to fill me in on their history. As he spoke, I noticed that his steps became slower, as if he were carefully choosing his words. It was almost as if he were savoring the story like it was something precious to him. And yet, there was a hint of sadness in his voice, a sense of loss that he couldn't quite conceal.

"So, this is Nayatah Island," he said, gazing out over the horizon. "Back then, they were all humans until a group of outsiders waged war against the Kingdom."

His eyes turned to me. "If you want, we could sit or I could continue the story when we reach the first Castle. It's up to you, sweetheart."

Sylaq was very sweet. And I'm not sure I like this cause it's gonna be harder for me to leave him. But I have to be clever. He's a vampire and he can fake emotions.

"No, I'm fine. I prefer walking so I can see everything clearer," I said, resting my head on his broad shoulders.

He gently ran his fingers through my hair before continuing. "King Frederick Steel and the rest thought it was like any normal war. They didn't know that they would be battling against witches and werewolves. As expected, they lost the war and that was how the supernatural dominated the humans. Most families were killed but they didn't touch the royals. Instead, they turned the Steels into servants."

Wow.

"Pappy Fred couldn't take it. He lost his confidence, power, wealth, and everything. He just couldn't watch his kingdom being destroyed and turning into a dark kingdom, but his wife, Grace Evelyn Steel wouldn't accept defeat. She devised a plan that would make them regain their power," he spoke as though he had been told the story so many times.

"She must have been very brave," I said, admiring her courage.

He nodded. "Indeed, she was. She turned the witches against the werewolves by telling them that they would lose their authority cause the werewolves were the major rulers. The witch Queen, Astrid decided to create a being more powerful than werewolves. A being that was ten times faster, stronger, that was immortal, and that could destroy the world."

Vampires. The way Sylaq spoke of the creation made me realize how much he adored being a vampire.

"They first tested it on a wizard but it failed. See, witches just can't be both vampires and witches. That's just magically impossible," he explained.

I have to admit that I enjoyed how Sylaq explained it to me. One could never get tired of his dazzling voice and the unique expressions he made whenever he was speaking.

"They tested it on Pappy Fred and it worked. At first, he was insatiable, unstoppable, and as you like to say, monstrous."

I laughed. But you can't blame me for calling them monsters.

He smirked at me and then went on, "Later, he stabilized by feeding from Evie. Bla, bla, bla, he turned his children and that was how they started increasing the population of vampires. There was another war and this time, the Steels won. Evelyn never transformed though."

"Why?" I asked in haste. Nathan had told me this part but he didn't tell me everything,

"Cause her blood stabilized her husband. If she had turned, they would have had an insatiable King."

"Oh, that is....," I stopped, not knowing what to say.

"A mistake," Sylaq filled in for me.

I shook my head. "I don't think it was a mistake. She made a sacrifice for her husband and everyone. Besides, it's not as if being a vampire is amazing."

"Maybe not for you but for me it's the most amazing thing ever. Of course, after you," he stated, gazing deep into my eyes, earning a blush from me. "Later, we had a new witch Queen, Aluta and she never approved of our creation. So she was the one who burnt Evelyn on a mountain."

"And then your great-grandfather destroyed everyone. He took over a land and called it Mount Evie to honor her, right?" I added based on the information Nathan had told me prior.

"Let me guess, Nathan."

I nodded.

"Pappy Fred did consider her to be a mountain. After her death, he devoted his life to increasing the population of vampires across the globe."

I noticed we turned in a different direction.

"I read somewhere in Evie's Diaries that there are seven Vampire kingdoms," I pointed out.

"Yep and there's even a special night to celebrate the United Nations of Vampires short for UNV," Sylaq replied, his hand caressing my wrist, causing me to tingle with excitement.

"Haha!" I laughed at the acronym, UNV.

"It's pretty pathetic but I love the celebration more than the rest of the festivities. It's called the Sacred Night. All seven kingdoms will gather in Mount Evie and celebrate our unity," Sylaq said with amusement.

I still found it very hard to believe a world like this existed. Even when I watched The Vampire Diaries, I never thought for once that those creatures were fucking real. Oh God, please help me.

I was gonna ask more questions but got distracted by the spectacular sight of the castle.

We reached the edge of the island and I saw the castle in all its glory. It was ancient and yet beautifully preserved, with turrets that reached high into the sky and walls that seemed to be made of pure stone. The island itself was lush and green, with trees that bent and swayed in the wind. But it was the castle itself that captured my attention, with its imposing size and mysterious aura.

"MRS. Steel, ready to see the very first vampire?" Sylaq asked.

I raised my head from his comforting shoulders. I was actually anxious to see him. What if he was gonna slaughter me into tiny bits? But then, something occurred to me. Sylaq would protect me. Ugh, was I seeing Sylaq as my protector? What's wrong with me? Why am I trusting this vampire?

Maybe because he hasn't done anything to harm you. My inner self answered. Ugh, I'm so confused.

"You can trust Pappy Fred," Sylaq whispered to me. How did he know What was going on in my mind?

When we entered the castle, I was struck by the simple but elegant furniture. The chairs and tables were carved from the finest wood, polished to a shine that seemed to glow in the light from the large windows. The walls were adorned with tapestries depicting scenes of battles and triumphs.

The stone floors beneath my feet were smooth and cool as if they had been polished just that morning. And yet, there was a sense of age and history to the castle. It felt like we had stepped back in time, into a world where magic was real and anything was possible.

The air was heavy with the weight of history, and I could almost imagine knights in shining armor riding through the halls. Everything about the castle seemed timeless, as if it had existed for centuries and would continue to exist for centuries more. I could have spent hours exploring every nook and cranny, but my attention quickly drifted to the album of photos hung on the wall.

Intrigued, I moved closer, obviously dragging Sylaq along since we were still in the same jacket.

Being a lover of photographs, I couldn't help but stare at every picture. Most were in black and white. I blushed when I saw Sylaq. He looked the same in the photo. He hadn't aged at all but the photo was very old. He looked so cute in leather clothing. There was someone beside him, a lady, a very beautiful lady who looked exactly like him. Was that his sister?

"Is she......?"

"She was my twin, Sylexia Steel. We call her Lexie though," he responded, trying to hide the hurt in his eyes.

Sylexia was a very beautiful name. I had never heard the name before. Sylaq and Sylexia just sounded out of the world.

I still had many questions but I didn't know the one to ask next. I thought I'd ask him about the oval-shaped scar on his back but I chose not and decided to ask him about Lexie. How did she die? Wasn't she a vampire?

I asked delicately, "Can I know more about your twin?"

"No!"

He answered coldly. He had never spoken to me like that before. I could tell that this was super sensitive for him. So, I was not gonna press it further.

"Fine," I simply said not trying to drag the topic further.

"Ariella, I'm sorry," I felt the sincerity in those three words.

I smiled, signaling to him that it was fine. I looked up at the gallery and thought I saw a familiar face. Jade? Why was Jade, Sylaq's friend's photo here?

Suddenly, a white bat with large wings swooped across the room, and I gasped in surprise. The bat's fur was almost iridescent, with a shimmering quality that made it seem almost otherworldly. Its wings were outstretched, and as it flew, I could see how impossibly large they were - easily twice the size of a normal bat's wings. I couldn't take my eyes off it, and as it came closer, I saw something else that made my heart skip a beat. Its eyes were a shade of dark green, so intense that they seemed to glow with an inner light. I could feel its gaze on me like it was examining me with a keen intelligence that was far beyond any ordinary bat.

I didn't need anyone to tell me that was Pappy Fred, the very first vampire made. The bat's demeanor was more than enough to reveal that he was Former King Frederick Steel but I didn't get why he wasn't in his human form.

"My great-grandpa just prefers to be in his bat form. Hello, Pappy Fred. Meet Ariella, my wife," Sylaq always introduced me with so much pride.

I couldn't ever introduce him as my husband though cause I just couldn't accept him. No matter how much he tries to show me that I can survive here, I just can't accept my fate.

If the great Evelyn Steel ended up being burnt then how much more me. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice that the bat had flown to us. He kissed me on my forehead and I almost fell but Sylaq held my hand, assuring me that it was okay.

"I don't get it. What was that For?" I managed to ask.

"Oh MRS. Steel, that just means that he accepts you," Sylaq said, chuckling.