Trina's life had spiraled out of control. The uncertainty of who she was or what she had become had started to wear on her.
She constantly woke up in strange places, far from where she had been the night before. Blood was a common sight, staining her clothes and surroundings, becoming part of her unsettling new routine. It seemed she always killed something in her animalistic state, yet, thankfully, she had never harmed a human. But that didn't ease her growing fear. She needed to regain control of herself before something worse happened.
At first, it was just waking up with bloodied clothes, with no memory of the previous night. But soon, the clothes themselves would vanish, leaving her naked, with only small clumps of red fur scattered around her. What was happening to her?
Then, one day, she woke up outside the gates of those fiends—the ones who had stolen her memories. They had been kind and charming, and for a time, Trina had been taken in by their act. If she hadn't left their village and met Lady Reina, she would have believed their lies completely.
One of them had even claimed that she could be their salvation, addressing her as Trina and speaking to her as if they were familiar with each other. He called her a member of vampiric royalty, and for a moment, she had almost fallen for it. But now, she knew the truth. They were pure evil, and their only purpose was the destruction of all demonkind.
How could they be so evil, turning her into one of them and stripping her of her memories? Did they want to turn Lady Reina against her? It was despicable. Their kindness had been nothing but a façade. The truth was far darker than it seemed.
She vividly remembered the day she met Lady Reina. The woman had offered to restore her memories, and it was then that the pieces started falling into place.
It all began after a peaceful night spent in that vampire village. Everything had seemed perfect, but by morning, she found herself outside in the cold. She hadn't gone back, fearing that her animalistic side might harm them. She wished now that she had returned. If only she had, perhaps she would have learned the path to their village, and they would regret their actions.
For days, Trina wandered aimlessly, unsure of her direction, until one morning, she found herself caged like an animal.
"Interesting. Are you a Lycanthrope? But you have crimson hair. Maybe a lycanthropic vampire?"
The voice came from the one who had captured her, and he showed no compassion for her. Torture was entertainment for him. Perhaps this was her punishment for being such a vile creature. Night fell, and as usual, she lost her senses.
When morning came, she woke to find the man's body half-devoured, the other half torn into pieces. The cage that had held her was shattered, broken with such force that the bars lay scattered around her.
She didn't have the strength to leave. She had killed a human, and now that she had crossed that line, what would stop her from killing again?
She sat there, overwhelmed by guilt. Even though he had tortured her, he didn't deserve to die. She wallowed in her misery, unable to escape the weight of her actions.
But that night, something changed. When she woke, she didn't lose control as she usually did. Her senses were heightened, but this time, she could reason, think clearly, and control her movements. She walked out of the building, seeing the night sky for the first time in what felt like forever. It was beautiful.
There were buildings around her, and she wondered how no one had heard the noises from inside. Perhaps the walls had been too thick.
As she walked through the streets, hoping not to encounter any humans, she saw her—a figure descending from the sky. The sight was mesmerizing. She flew toward Trina, landing gracefully.
"Are you one of them?" the woman asked.
"One of who? I don't understand," Trina replied.
"Are you one of the vampires of royal blood?"
"I'm not sure. I don't have my memories."
"What kind of excuse is that? How can someone of your caliber lose their memories?"
Before Trina could react, a punch came flying toward her. She saw it coming and dodged, but the force of it was still immense.
"I see. So you are one of them," the woman said.
"One of who? I don't understand what you're talking about, young girl."
"How dare you... My name is Reina. I may be young, but I am not weak."
"Nice to meet you, Reina."
"Now, tell me your name. Isn't it customary to introduce yourself after the other party has introduced themselves?"
"As I said, I don't know my name. I've lost my memories."
"Is that so? Then..."
Reina paused, looking up at the sky. A beam of light pierced the clouds, landing on her. She held out a strange device.
"This will help you recover your memories. It's a gift from those above," Reina said.
Trina hesitated, skeptical, but something in Reina's eyes made her trust her. Reluctantly, she allowed Reina to use the device.
As soon as it was activated, her memories came rushing back. The bond she shared with Reina, the laughter, the joy, the sorrow—all of it returned, and with it, a new sense of clarity.
Her name was Hildebrand.
Now everything made sense. The vampires Reina despised were the ones who had turned her into one of them, altering her appearance and making her unrecognizable to Reina. But now that she remembered, Hildebrand would do whatever it took to prove her loyalty to Reina. The vampires would pay for their evil deeds.
And she would never bring sorrow to Reina, not the way those monsters had.
"I remember everything, my lady. My name is Hildebrand, and I am at your service. Use me as you see fit."