Latina’s soft breathing could be heard like a melody played in the middle of the night. It was gentle in Sebastian’s ears. Nobody would have thought the lady with a frail body could kill someone with her bare hands.

‘Her memories might be altered but the pain of being betrayed once must have a deep impression in her heart, lending her strength to protect herself from any harm. Even when she hasn’t awakened her true power,’ the vampire lord thought to himself. “Come out,” he ordered. Two men came out from the shadows, bent their heads in reverence for their master.

“My lord, your humble servants pay their respects,” they greeted.

Sebastian turned around and led to the exit. He took a glance at the beauty sleeping on his bed before ushering out of the chamber, accompanied by his servants.

The stench of blood grew stronger as Sebastian approached the room at the end of the corridor. He raised an eyebrow when he found the door sealed.

“So she learned to be cautious of her crimes now,” he smiled while shaking his head.

One servant stepped forward and opened the lock with its key, the other was holding a candle.

“Who’s the guy?” Sebastian asked. He doesn’t recognize the pale face of the person, bound on the chair, lifeless.
He searched for any marks left on the corpse's neck, but there was none.

Sebastian could only see large wounds and cuts all around his body. His skull almost broke into halves. ‘She didn’t drink his blood,’ he thought.

“A traveler. He’s not from the empire, must be a wandering hunter who got lost in the woods.” Sebastian glared at the servant who just spoke. He couldn't believe his ears.

Someone sneaked inside the empire and almost discovered Latina.

“You let an outsider inside my territory?” He asked. “How many times do I have to tell you? Don’t let anyone outside the empire get near her!” His irate voice resounded inside the room.

The servants went on their knees and begged for pity as they explained what happened.

“My lord, have mercy! The fellow was just an ordinary mortal, and he’s dead. We won’t let this happen again. Please spare our humble lives!”

“I rarely allow second chances, don’t disappoint me again or you’ll pay with your heads.” Sebastian turned his back, ready to leave the room, he ordered, “Bury the remains on the same spot. Don’t forget to engrave his number on the tomb.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Sebastian clenched his fist as he left the room. Three months have passed and there's still no progress at all.

“Sweet Latina, how long will you deny the fact that you’re one of us? No, you’re more powerful than any of us, unless you consume human blood, that is.”

It was only a few minutes before midnight ended. The sky turned darker when clouds gathered around the moon.

“Another hell night with the elders' huh,” Sebastian pushed the main door wide open only to be approached by his mate. Despite her pretty face, Sebastian spared no attention to her. Though disheartened, the vampire lord's mate bowed her head in respect.

“Greetings, my lord.” The lady said in her charming voice.

“There’s no need for you to come and pick me up. I know where the elders live,” Sebastian stated coldly.

He refused to wait for the lady’s response. Jumping higher than the trees, he remained floating in the air for a while before speeding up. Sebastian headed to his destination, the elders’ estate.

“So why did I even bring in a carriage?” Claudia, the lady who was left behind, murmured, asking herself. She rolled her eyes heavenwards and followed the young lord.

In the Vacil Empire, other than the emperor, there was a man known for his riches. Owning almost half of the lands in the whole empire, the emperor granted him the title of a “Duke of Vacil.” They treated him with respect wherever he went.

People couldn’t raise their heads when talking to him. Some nobles even called him the ‘second emperor.’ His name may sound great, but that was just in human eyes. In the world of the vampire, he was a mere ‘elder’, someone who may seem to lead the blood race but still have to listen to what the ‘lord’ would say.

“Lorenzo!” Sebastian yelled the moment he landed his feet in front of the Duke’s mansion. Dozens of servants rushed to the door to open it for their lord. Bowing their heads, they lined up as the lord entered the hall.

“My lord,” Lorenzo Arturo, the duke of Vacil, and the head of the vampire elder bowed his head in the presence of Sebastian.

“So you could tell who’s the lord,” Sebastian grabbed Lorenzo on his neck. “Then why would you send a disgusting woman in front of my door?”

Sebastian buried his nails deeper. Blood oozed out from the elder’s neck.

“My lord, have pity!” Claudia who just arrived pleaded while on her knees.

“My lord, have mercy!” The servants joined Claudia and begged altogether.

Lorenzo coughed blood after being thrown a few meters away from where the young lord stood. He bowed his head while muttering his thanks for sparing his life.

“Get changed. Your blood smells disgusting,” Sebastian ordered and walked past the elder. Most of the servants followed the lord, waiting for his further orders, some remained to assist the elder.

Lorenzo had no choice but to move as swiftly as he could while changing. It was rather quick to finish within a minute, he also managed to reach the grand hall where they’ll be discussing their agenda. He doesn’t want to displease the lord any longer, the fact that his plan of sending to be noticed by the lord has failed. He needed support from the other elders.

“Greetings to the magnificent lord of the blood race,” the elders said in chorus.
Sebastian, who paid no heed to their repetitive greetings, in which he's started to get annoyed, sat on the seat prepared for him.

“TALK,” he ordered in his monotone voice.
The three elders stared at each other, after what happened to Lorenzo, the other two were hesitant to even start a discussion.

“My lord,” Landro, one of the elders and the head of the Lachouves started, “The beast tribe usurped the cities outside the empire. Time is running, and the king has not been born yet.”

Sebastian sneered, “And so?”

“We beg you to let Claudia conceive your child.”