The silence in the study was suffocating.
Leila stood frozen, her mind racing with the weight of Adrian's confession. A hybrid. Half-vampire, half-demon. It was something unnatural—something that shouldn't exist. And yet, here he was, standing before her, his dark gaze unreadable.
Adrian had always been different, but now she understood why the covenant feared him. Why Raphael had been so eager to provoke him.
The room still bore the scars of their fight—shattered furniture, broken glass, and deep claw marks in the wooden floor. Adrian's wound had mostly healed, but the bloodstains on his shirt told her just how close the fight had been.
He was dangerous.
But not to her.
Leila swallowed hard, pushing away the fear threatening to creep in. "How long were you going to keep this from me?" she finally asked.
Adrian exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair. "As long as I could."
Her chest tightened. "And if I never found out?"
Adrian's jaw clenched. "Then you'd be safe."
Safe. That word felt hollow now. She had stepped into his world the moment she met him, and there was no turning back.
"The covenant wants you dead," she said quietly. "They won't stop, will they?"
Adrian shook his head. "No." His gaze darkened. "And now that Raphael knows about you, he'll come for you too."
A chill ran down her spine, but she forced herself to stand tall. "Then we fight."
Adrian stared at her, something flickering in his expression. "You don't know what you're saying, Leila."
"I know exactly what I'm saying," she countered. "I'm not going to run."
His fingers twitched, as if fighting the urge to reach for her. "You should."
Leila took a step closer. "And leave you to face them alone?" She shook her head. "No. I won't do that."
Adrian let out a hollow laugh. "You don't understand what you're up against."
"Then make me understand."
His gaze held hers for a long moment before he turned away, walking toward the massive bookshelf against the wall. With a flick of his wrist, he pressed a hidden panel, and the shelf groaned as it slid open, revealing a dark passageway.
Leila's breath hitched. "What is this?"
"The truth," Adrian murmured.
She hesitated only for a second before following him inside.
---
The passage was narrow and cold, lined with old stone walls. Dim lanterns flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows as Adrian led her deeper underground.
The air smelled of damp earth and something else—something ancient.
Finally, they emerged into a hidden chamber.
Leila's eyes widened. The room was filled with artifacts, scrolls, and weapons—things that looked centuries old. In the center of the chamber stood a stone altar, its surface etched with strange markings.
Adrian stopped beside it, his fingers tracing the symbols. "This is where it all began."
Leila took a cautious step forward. "What do you mean?"
He turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "My creation wasn't an accident, Leila. I was made."
Her heart pounded. "Made?"
Adrian nodded. "The covenant tried to create the perfect weapon. A being with the strength of a vampire and the darkness of a demon. They experimented for years, using dark magic, blood rituals—whatever it took."
Leila's stomach twisted. "And you were the result."
Adrian's gaze darkened. "The only one who survived."
She felt sick. The covenant hadn't just been hunting him—they had created him.
She shook her head. "Then why do they want you dead?"
Adrian's expression hardened. "Because they lost control. They thought they could bind me, make me their servant. But I broke free."
Leila swallowed. "And now they see you as a threat."
"Exactly." His fingers curled into fists. "They won't stop until I'm erased from existence."
A heavy silence settled between them.
Leila's mind raced, trying to piece everything together. The covenant wasn't just a group of hunters—they were something much worse. And now, she was caught in the middle.
"Why tell me this now?" she asked.
Adrian exhaled. "Because if you stay, you need to know what you're fighting for."
She took a deep breath. "And if I leave?"
His expression darkened, but he didn't answer.
Leila stepped closer, her fingers brushing against his. "I'm not leaving."
Adrian tensed but didn't pull away. For the first time, something unspoken passed between them—a silent understanding.
They weren't just fighting for survival anymore.
They were fighting for each other.
And the covenant would soon learn that they had made a grave mistake.
---