Four months drifted by. Ri was now six months pregnant, and the weight of the pregnancy was beginning to take its toll. Morning sickness morphed into all-day exhaustion. Shu, surprisingly, had become her constant companion, a watchful guardian. Even though Shu remembered nothing of Raven, she instinctually cared for Ri. She was their protector, their anchor, except when it came to the gaping wound in their collective heart.
Jihu and Fang, during their brief interaction with the old Vampire King, Raven's father, gleaned some information about Raven's life. He was consumed by his duties, dedicating every waking moment to his kingdom. He barely ate, barely slept, pushing himself to the brink. Jihu and Fang both understood why. Raven was trying to bury himself in work, desperately trying to outrun the guilt, the regret, the memory of Shu. The memory of violating her that night continued to haunt him. He was punishing himself.
But the question remained, a silent, unspoken fear hanging in the air. Would Shu ever truly forgive Raven? More importantly, could Raven ever forgive himself?
The royal court of Freedonia, usually a space filled with the measured cadence of vampire bureaucracy, was thrown into disarray. Vampire King Raven, whose sharp eyes missed nothing, observed the young spy burst into the room, a whirlwind of apologies and panic.
"Your Majesty, forgive me, I didn't mean to come like this during your work time!" the spy stammered, his crimson eyes darting around nervously.
Raven, a being of immense power and ancient blood, pushed himself up from his elaborately carved chair. His movements, usually fluid and graceful, were now imbued with a barely contained tension. "What is it? What's the problem?"
The spy swallowed hard. "Melody has been found. I got the news… she's gone back to Earth."
The pronouncement hit Raven like a physical blow. His face, usually a controlled mask of regal authority, tightened. Worry, raw and primal, threatened to overwhelm him. He was no longer just a vampire, but a king, and kings couldn't afford to be ruled by emotion. He forced himself to breathe, pushing the fear down. But the thought wouldn't be banished: Earth. Shu. What if Melody, twisted by whatever drove her back, harmed Shu?
He clenched his jaw. "Prepare our army," he commanded, his voice resonating with suppressed power. "We will go to Earth."
The spy recoiled. "But Your Majesty, what will we do when we go to Earth? They are not attacking us."
A dangerous glint sharpened Raven's eyes. "How dare you question my decisions?" he hissed, his voice dropping to a low, menacing growl. The spy paled, his fidgeting movements becoming more pronounced.
Before the situation escalated, a voice, laced with age and authority, cut through the tension. "Enough, boy," boomed the voice of the Old Vampire King, Raven's father, as he entered the room. He fixed the trembling spy with a stern gaze. "Send word to the soldiers. We will go to Earth because the future queen of this kingdom is on Earth. Her safety comes first."
The spy, visibly relieved to escape the King's wrath, scurried away to relay the orders.
Raven stared at his father, a flicker of surprise in his crimson eyes. He'd never heard such words of acceptance, of protection, from the man who had always seemed so distant, so critical. He simply nodded, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at his lips, before turning and striding towards his private chambers.
As Raven disappeared, the Old Vampire King watched him, his face etched with a lifetime of regret. He sighed, a deep, rattling sound. "I have made so many mistakes over the years," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible. "I won't make them again. I have been a thorn in your path for so long, but today I will be the shield of your life, my son."
That night, under the cloak of darkness, Raven didn't wait for the army. He couldn't. With meticulous instructions left for his troops, ordering them to arrive on Earth by morning, he opened a shimmering portal and stepped through, drawn by an invisible thread that connected him to Shu.
He materialized in her room, a haven of peace and gentle light. He found her sleeping soundly in her bed, her face serene and untroubled. Raven felt a lump form in his throat, tears pricking at his eyes. Seeing her after so long, safe and unaware of the looming threat… it was almost too much to bear.
He knelt beside her bed, his voice a soft whisper, lost in the quiet of the room. "How are you, Shu? Are you okay?" But Shu was asleep, lost in her dreams, unable to respond.
For what felt like an eternity, he simply gazed at her, captivated by her beauty, a beauty that seemed to nourish his very soul. It was then, as he drank in her presence, that he sensed something else, something profound and unexpected.
He felt it first as a subtle stirring within her, a faint energy that resonated with his own. He gently placed his hand on Shu's stomach, his fingers barely touching her skin. And then he knew. A wave of pure, unadulterated joy washed over him, almost overwhelming in its intensity.
It wasn't just Shu. It was… them. A part of him and her was growing within her womb. Their child.
Overwhelmed with happiness and protective instinct, he longed to gather Shu in his arms, to hold her close and whisper his love. But he couldn't risk waking her, couldn't risk exposing her to the danger that was surely coming.
He swallowed the lump in his throat, forcing down the emotions that threatened to spill over. He spent a few more precious moments gazing at her, imprinting her image on his mind, knowing that the peace wouldn't last.
With a final, lingering look, filled with love and a silent vow of protection, Raven turned and left, disappearing back into the night, leaving Shu to her peaceful slumber, unknowingly carrying the future of his kingdom within her.
The morning sun cast long shadows as Shu bounded from her house towards Ri's. Her mind was already filled with plans for their day together, a lazy morning of tea and laughter. But before she could even cross the small patch of grass that separated their homes, an invisible force slammed into her. She staggered back, disoriented, a sense of suffocating pressure building around her. Panic flared.
"Ri!" The scream tore from her throat, born of pure, instinctive fear.
Across the street, doors burst open. Ri, Jihu, Ash, and Fang spilled out, their faces etched with concern. They all felt it – a tremor in the usually steady flow of magic that hummed beneath their quiet neighbourhood. They saw Shu, struggling against an unseen barrier, her face contorted in pain.
Without hesitation, Jihu and Fang channelled
their magic, weaving intricate spells of disruption and force. The air crackled, the invisible wall shimmering and then shattering under their combined assault. They pulled Shu free, delivering her into the protective arms of Ri and Ash.
Jihu and Fang remained vigilant, their eyes scanning the surroundings. And then they saw her. A figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked in an aura of dark energy, a cruel smile twisting her lips. Melody.
The name hung heavy in the air, a ghost from a past they desperately tried to bury. One of the siren sisters, a harbinger of chaos and destruction, escaped from the war three years ago. They had hunted her relentlessly, combing every corner of the realm, but she had vanished without a trace.
"Ri, you all need to leave," Jihu said, his voice grim. "I don't think she's here for power this time. This feels personal. She's after revenge. She wants to destroy us all."
Fang, her face pale with concern, gripped Shu's arm. "Take Ri and Ash, get out of here. I'm not at my best right now. We need to protect Ri… and the child."
As Shu gently guided Ri away, a volley of dark energy erupted from Melody's hands. Shu barely had time to react when a figure moved in front of them, intercepting the blast. Raven.
Surprise warred with resentment in Shu's eyes as she stared at him. Six months. Six months since she had woken up, her memories of the three years prior fragmented and incomplete. Six months since that night… the night Raven, in his grief and desperation, had violated her. She saw him as a rapist, a betrayer. He had left, consumed by guilt, but the scar he left on her soul remained fresh.
Ignoring the fury in Shu's gaze, Raven created a shield of pure energy, deflecting another attack from Melody. He moved swiftly, positioning himself between the women and the siren. "Ri, sit down. I'm creating a magic circle around you." He spoke calmly, his voice laced with an authority Shu had never heard before.
Shu bristled. Suspicion clouded her features. Ri, sensing the tension, gave Shu a firm look. "Shu, let Raven do his work."
Reluctantly, Shu and Ash stepped back, their faces tight with distrust. Raven swiftly etched a complex pattern into the ground around Ri, a shimmering barrier of protection.
"Take care of her," Raven instructed Ash, his gaze unwavering. "I'm going to help Jihu and Fang."
Before anyone could protest, Raven was gone, a blur of motion moving towards the epicentre of the fight.
"I'm not just going to sit here, holding hands!" Shu exclaimed, her voice laced with defiance. Her pride wouldn't allow her to stand idly by. "I'll help Jihu and Fang."
Despite Ri and Ash's desperate pleas, she marched towards the battle.
Raven saw her coming and felt a wave of panic wash over him. He couldn't restrain himself. "Shu, why are you here? You should be with Ri. It's not safe for you here… and for…" He faltered, desperate to bite back the words that threatened to spill from his lips. He couldn't tell her, not now. Not that a part of him, a part of them, was growing within her womb. She hated him. She would never accept it.
He swallowed hard, forcing himself to regain control. "Jihu, tell Shu to go back inside! She shouldn't be here!"
But Shu ignored them, her eyes fixed on Melody, her hands crackling with raw energy. She hurled a bolt of lightning at the siren, joining the fray.
Raven watched with a knot of dread tightening in his stomach. Her power, her impulsiveness… she was a danger to herself. But more than that, she was carrying his child. A child he would protect with his life, even if it meant facing her hatred for the rest of his days.
The salt stung Raven's eyes, a harsh reminder of the battle raging around them. The air thrummed with the sirens' unnatural song, a hypnotic melody designed to shatter their resolve. Shu, predictably, had ignored every warning, every carefully laid plan. Fuelled by a potent mix of recklessness and stubborn pride, Shu was already locked in a furious dance with the shimmering, ethereal figures.