Streets of Ravetham

Kaelen was exhausted as he pulled up to Elara's place, a narrow, three-story building nestled between a pawn shop and a dive bar in the Seed District. The area had a gritty, lived-in feel, with flickering streetlights casting long shadows and the scent of stale beer lingering in the air. Elara’s apartment was on the top floor, and as Kaelen parked the car, she shot him a tired glance, her voice heavy with the weight of the night’s events.

"Just drop me here," she murmured, already halfway out the door before Kaelen could respond.

He handed her the duffle bag of cash, watching her sling it over her shoulder and disappear into the building without another word. A wave of relief washed over him, but not enough to dull the persistent exhaustion clinging to his body.

The Midnight Mirage Motel was calling his name. The drive back was quick, his Audi cutting through the quiet streets, but by the time he pulled into the motel parking lot, his limbs felt heavier than ever. Loren, ever dutiful, followed him silently into the room, her movements graceful but eerily calm.

Kaelen barely registered her presence as he began undressing, his mind foggy. His jacket hit the floor with a soft thud, followed by his shirt and boots. All he wanted was to collapse onto the bed and forget the chaos of the day.

Loren, however, had other plans. She disappeared into the bathroom for a moment and returned, now dressed only in her underwear, her skin glowing faintly under the dim motel light. Her lips curved into an innocent smile. “I’ve got the shower running hot. Let me wash your back.”

Kaelen’s heart stuttered. He felt his face flush, blood rushing in his ears as he bolted into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He leaned against the sink, staring at his reflection in the foggy mirror, his breath shallow and quick. He was too tired for this.

A soft whoosh of air broke the silence. Loren had shadow-stepped into the bathroom, her presence thick in the steamy air. Kaelen sighed in defeat, his voice barely a whisper. “Fine. Do what you want.”

That night, Kaelen crossed a line he hadn’t expected, a line blurred by exhaustion and need.

The next morning, Kaelen was awoken by a soft knock on the door. Groggy, he barely registered the sound of Loren answering it. The motel manager stood outside, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise at the sight of a maid greeting him. Loren paid him for the day’s stay, sending him off to deal with the other tenants. Moments later, she returned, switching on the TV.

Kaelen blinked his bleary eyes open, rubbing the sleep from them as the screen flickered to life. The news was on, and to his surprise, the anchor was interviewing Delphinus asking about Warptor’s claim that Delphinus was responsible for wiping out the dinosaurs. Delphinus responded with his signature dolphin noises, but the telepathic translation turned it into comprehensible English.

“I don’t even know what a dinosaur is,” Delphinus said, his voice a strange mix of playful and serious. “If I did kill them, it was in self-defense.”

The anchor laughed, brushing off the absurdity. “There you have it, folks! Our most adorable hero couldn’t possibly be responsible for something like that!”

Kaelen snorted in disbelief. The media ate it up, turning even the most absurd claims into entertainment. Loren approached with a warm cup, handing it to him as he instinctively popped one of his pills and took a gulp. Expecting the usual bitter taste of coffee, he nearly choked when the rich, metallic flavor hit his tongue.

Blood.

Yet, something in him kept drinking, the taste awakening something deep inside. He finished the cup without realizing, feeling more awake and alert than he had in days. The question that had gnawed at him for years suddenly surfaced.

“Am I... part vampire?” he wondered aloud, his eyes narrowing. Had this been the reason for the pills? Was Mason hiding this truth from him?

Before he could dwell on it further, another knock came at the door. Loren opened it to reveal Mason standing there, dressed in a pristine white tuxedo, his blond hair perfectly styled, and his piercing blue eyes as sharp as ever. He looked every bit the refined businessman and high elf aristocrat.

Kaelen’s confusion deepened when Mason’s gaze landed on Loren, his expression flickering with surprise at her undisguised appearance. High elves were rare in Ravetham, and Loren’s lack of a druidic disguise made her presence all the more striking.

“I came by at Rachel’s request,” Mason said smoothly. “She wants us to have breakfast together.”

His eyes lingered on Loren a moment longer, his tone curious. “It’s an honor to meet you, Ex-Princess Loren. I heard you were working for Valerian Drakov. How did you come into my son's service, if I may ask?”

Loren, ever poised, curtsied gracefully. “Valerian wanted me to hone my skills by working for Kaelen.”

Mason’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, suspicion flashing behind them, but he said nothing more. He turned back to Kaelen, offering a faint smile. “We’ll see you at the diner.”

As they got ready to leave for the diner, Kaelen finally broke the silence.

“So... you’re an ex-princess?” he asked, slipping on his jacket as Loren casually tied her hair up, as if this conversation was just another mundane exchange.

Loren, who had already dressed herself in her usual maid attire, met his eyes through the mirror with a small smile. “Yes, I was once a princess. But that title means little now. It’s just part of my past.”

Kaelen scoffed, pulling his Audi keys from the nightstand. “It sounds like more than just the past if my father knows who you are. What’s your game, Loren? What aren’t you telling me?”

Loren walked up to him, her expression softening. “Kaelen, I’ve been tasked with keeping you safe. That’s all you need to know for now. Valerian has... complicated interests in you. But my loyalty is to you, not him.”

Kaelen frowned, but he let it drop for the time being. There were bigger concerns to deal with, and the diner wasn’t far. He grabbed his jacket and nodded toward the door. “Come on, let’s not keep them waiting.”

The morning sun barely pierced through the cloudy sky as Kaelen pulled up to Always Home Diner. It was a modest place, but familiar and comforting. Inside, Rachel sat in the far corner of the diner, her presence immediately catching Kaelen’s attention. She was as graceful as ever, her platinum blonde hair cascading down her back in soft waves, and her emerald-green eyes gleamed with warmth when she saw them enter. She was dressed simply, a cream-colored dress that hugged her slender frame, but it was her elven features that stood out—ageless, ethereal, and beautiful.

Jason was already halfway through his breakfast, moving over in the booth to make space for Kaelen as they approached. “Took you long enough,” he teased, his blue eyes gleaming mischievously. His blond hair was tousled, as if he’d just rolled out of bed, but he looked more awake than Kaelen felt.

Loren slid into the booth beside Kaelen, her eyes darting between Rachel and Mason, who had just sat down, dressed impeccably as always in his all-white tuxedo. The air was thick with something unspoken, and it didn’t take long for Rachel to break the tension.

“Should we be worried about Valerian spying on our son?” she asked quietly, her voice soft but filled with an undercurrent of concern.

Mason leaned back, his hands folding in front of him, as he shook his head. “No. Valerian is... dangerous, yes, but not stupid. He wouldn’t use Loren as a spy. He has too much respect for her. Besides, there are other... factors at play that even Valerian doesn’t fully grasp.” His gaze lingered on Kaelen, and for a moment, the room felt colder.

Rachel sighed, clearly not satisfied with the answer but trusting Mason’s judgment nonetheless.

Jason, picking up on the tension, looked up from his plate. “Who the hell is Valerian, anyway? Why’s he so important?”

Mason’s expression darkened slightly as he turned to his son. “Valerian Drakov is a billionaire. He’s old, powerful, and extremely dangerous. He’s built an empire on secrecy. He... has an interest in Kaelen that I haven’t fully understood yet.” He eyed Loren suspiciously as he said that, but said nothing more.

Kaelen felt his chest tighten, the weight of the morning’s revelations sinking in. “Is it because I’m part vampire?” he blurted out, his voice a mix of anger and confusion. “Is that why he’s interested in me?”

The table went silent, but before Mason could respond, Loren stepped in, her voice calm and controlled. “Yes, Lord Valerian has taken an interest in you because you are a Dhampyr. I am here to make sure you are kept safe and... fed, in my Lord’s stead.”

Kaelen felt a chill run down his spine. “I’m just some... experiment to him? A pawn?”

Loren shook her head. “No, not a pawn. You are something important. But what, exactly, I cannot say.”

Mason remained silent, his face betraying none of his thoughts as Kaelen processed what he’d just learned.

Jason, ever the pragmatic one, finally broke the silence, grinning as he leaned forward. “What’s next, you gonna start turning into a bat?”

Kaelen groaned, rubbing his temples.