Chapter 20: Secrets of the Past
In a silent instant, Emilia let this revelation hang in the air while she stood in the middle of Dorian's world, surrounded by relics and weird symbols, with the weighty press of centuries-old power heavy in the air. Life seemed to pulse through the room-energy foreign and unsettling. She felt the starkness of the contrast between her world and the one Dorian resided in with every new look around.
Dorian stood beside her, his presence an anchor of stability in the whirlwind of questions that swirled through her mind. He had told her he was a vampire, but the reality of it-the true depth of his existence-was far more than she had anticipated.
I know this is a lot to take in," Dorian said, his voice low and calm. "But this is my world. This is who I am, who I've always been. The power you feel in this room? It's a part of me, a part of everything I've ever known.
She turned to him, her eyes delving into his as if seeking some sign of reservation, some glimmer of doubt. But all she saw was quiet certainty-a determination as deep as the ancient stones that hemmed them in.
"Where. where do you come from?" Emilia asked, her voice barely in a whisper. "How long have you been. this way?"
Dorian's face darkened, and he took a step toward the altar. He laid his hand on its cold surface, his fingers tracing the carved symbols with reverence.
"I was born into this," Dorian said, his voice sounding almost far away, like recalling memories he had long buried. "My family, my bloodline, is ancient. We are among the first of our kind, and we have walked in the shadows for centuries. The world you see, the one you think you know, is just a tiny part of an even bigger, darker reality. We don't obey the same rules as human beings do. Our lives. our existence. depends on forces you can't even imagine.
Emilia's heart was racing as Dorian continued to speak. With every word, it became evident that the life he had lived was anything but ordinary. It was a life steeped in darkness, in power, and in secrets. She had always known he was different, but now she realized just how much he had kept from her.
Do you regret it?" Emilia asked, her voice soft but laced with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Being this way? Living in the shadows?"
Dorian's eyes met hers, dark and filled with the unspoken. For a moment, he said nothing. But then, in a slow and measured cadence, he spoke.
"No, I don't regret it," he said, his voice firm. "I've done what I had to do to survive. But I've never wanted this life for anyone else, especially not for you. When you came into my life, I wanted to protect you from everything this world has to offer. It's not a place for someone like you."
Emilia felt the sudden pang. She saw there, deep inside, that war that was in him, to protect her from the world that had raised him. She had known, since she met him, that more lay behind Dorian than the cold, unreachable man who first captured her interest, but this-this was a side of him she had never seen.
"Then why. why are you showing me all of this?" Emilia asked, her voice shaking slightly. "Why now?"
Dorian looked at her, his features softening. "Because you deserve to know the truth. You deserve to understand what you're walking into. And I want you to make your own choice, Emilia. You're not bound to me by fate, or by blood. If you want to walk away from this life, I will let you. No questions asked.
Emilia stared at him, her mind whirling with the enormity of his words. Could she walk away from him? From everything they had built together? The thought felt impossible, but the reality of the situation was beginning to sink in.
I don't know that I can walk away," she whispered, her voice quaking. "I'm scared, Dorian. I'm scared of what this means, of what you are. But.I don't want to lose you either.
Dorian stepped closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers. "You don't have to lose me," he said softly, his voice low with an intensity that made Emilia's heart skip a beat. "But you have to understand this life, Emilia. You have to know what you're getting into. I'm not asking you to change who you are, but you have to know the consequences of being with me.
Emilia nodded slowly, trying to absorb everything he was saying. She knew there was so much more to Dorian than what she had seen so far, but the idea of stepping deeper into his world sent a thrill of fear down her spine.
"What do you mean, 'the consequences'?" she asked, her voice filled with uncertainty.
Dorian's gaze turned darker, and his jaw would work as he looked aside. "There are stronger powers, other vampires and still other creatures, against us. There are factions to begin with, centuries-long enmities. The enemies of my family won't keep from using you to take revenge on me. Nor would they relent in our ultimate destruction.
A chill ran down her spine at the thought. She had always known there was danger in Dorian's world, but to hear him speak of it so openly-to hear of the threats that hung over them like a storm cloud-made everything so much more real.
"Then. what do we do?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Dorian's eyes softened and he reached for her hand, his fingers curling around hers in a possessiveness that made her shiver. "We fight. Together. I won't let anything happen to you. I'll protect you, Emilia, even if it means facing everything that's been hidden from me for centuries.
As he said those words, something inside Emilia shifted. She had always known Dorian was different, but this-this connection, this shared determination-was something new. It was a bond forged not just in love, but in the strength of their commitment to one another.
Dorian's world was dark and dangerous, but with him by her side, Emilia knew she wasn't alone. Whatever challenges lay ahead, whatever enemies they would have to face, they would face them together.
"I trust you," she said softly, her voice steady as she looked up at him. "I'm not afraid anymore."
Dorian's lips curved into a rare smile, one that reached his eyes. It wasn't the cold, detached smile he often wore, but one that was warm, genuine, and full of hope.
"Then we'll face it all, Emilia. Together."