Chapter 3 The Forgotten Bloodline
The next day, the entire academy knew her name.
Whispers followed every student through Ravenwood's halls.
A human had overpowered Lucien Draven.
No one talked about anything else.
Groups of students gathered in corners, their voices hushed but excited.
"I heard she knocked him to the floor."
"That's impossible."
"Lucien Draven has never lost to anyone."
"They say she's not human."
"Maybe she's a demon."
Even the oldest vampire families had heard the rumors before noon.
Messages traveled quickly among the elite bloodlines, carrying one impossible question.
Who was Selene Vale?
Meanwhile, Selene sat alone in the academy prison.
The cell was cold and windowless, with gray stone walls and a narrow metal bed bolted to the floor. A single dim light flickered overhead, casting shadows across the tiled floor.
She sat with her knees pulled tightly against her chest.
Everything hurts, her head, her throat, and her heart.
Tears streamed silently down her face.
"What have I done?" she whispered.
Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her skirt.
"I should never have signed that contract."
A sob escaped her lips. "I should've stayed home."
She buried her face in her knees.
"What was I thinking? A scholarship? Blood donations?" she choked out bitterly. "Mom warned me not to trust things that sound too good to be true."
Her shoulders trembled. "I just wanted a better life."
The silence that followed felt unbearable.
At the top floor of the Vampire Wing, Lucien stood beside the massive windows of his apartment, staring out at the academy grounds below.
His friends gathered behind him.
Kael leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Who do you think she is?" he asked.
Lucien remained silent.
Another boy stepped forward. "She couldn't be human."
"She is human," Lucien said quietly.
Everyone looked at him.
Kael frowned. "Then explain what happened yesterday."
Lucien's jaw tightened.
For the first time in his life, he didn't have an answer.
He remembered the golden light. The invisible force that had pushed him back. The way his compulsion had shattered against her.
None of it made sense.
"I don't know who she is," he admitted.
The room fell silent.
Kael's eyes widened slightly.
Lucien’s expression hardened, his silver eyes darkened with determination.
"But I'll find out."
Night settled over Ravenwood Academy.
Moonlight spilled through the narrow windows of the prison corridor.
Selene sat curled up on the thin mattress, unable to sleep.
Suddenly footsteps echoed outside her cell.
She froze for a moment, then she scrambled backward until her back hit the wall.
A figure emerged from the darkness.
Her breathing quickened, then she recognized him.
The boy from yesterday.
Cassian Thorn.
He stopped a few feet from the bars and raised both hands slightly.
"Easy," he said softly. "I'm not here to hurt you."
Selene's trembling eased just a little.
Cassian glanced around the empty corridor before stepping closer.
The silver light from the hallway illuminated his face.
"How are you holding up?" he asked quietly.
Selene let out a shaky laugh. "Does it look like I'm okay?"
Cassian's expression softened. "No."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Cassian asked the question everyone seemed desperate to know.
"Who are you?”
Her eyes widened.
She shook her head immediately."I don't know."
Her voice cracked. "I swear, I don't know what's happening to me."
Cassian studied her carefully. "Are you sure?"
Selene looked down at her hands.
The memory of the golden light flashed through her mind.
"I've never seen anything like that before yesterday." Tears filled her eyes again. "I don't understand any of this."
Cassian remained silent for a moment.
Then he asked quietly, "You're not a demon, are you?"
Selene's head snapped up. "What? No."
Her voice trembled. "I'm not." She wiped at her tears desperately. "I'm just a normal person."
Her composure finally broke. She stepped closer to the bars and grabbed his hand.
"Please." She pleaded, her voice cracking with desperation. "Please help me out of here."
Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please help me. I don't want to die."
Cassian looked down at her trembling fingers wrapped around his hand.
Something twisted painfully inside his chest.
He wished he could promise her freedom. But this was Lucien Draven's problem now, and getting involved with Lucien never ended well.
Cassian gently squeezed her hand. "I honestly wish I could help."
Regret flickered across his face. "But I don't want to get involved in Lucien's issues."
Selene's shoulders slumped, disappointment clouding her eyes.
Cassian forced a small smile. "But I'll try."
A tiny spark of hope flickered across her face.
"For now, I'll make sure you're treated well here."
He slowly pulled his hand away and stepped back. "Try to get some rest."
Selene watched him turn and walk down the corridor.
The sound of his footsteps gradually faded into the darkness.
The next morning, Selene woke to the sound of metal scraping against metal.
The heavy cell door swung open.
Two academy guards stepped inside.
Unlike the supervisors she had seen before, these men wore black uniforms with silver insignias stitched onto their collars. Their expressions were cold and unreadable.
"Get up," one of them ordered.
Selene pushed herself off the narrow bed, her legs trembling beneath her.
“Where are you taking me?" she asked.
Neither of them answered.
The taller one grabbed her arm and pulled her into the corridor.
"Please," Selene said, trying to keep up with their long strides. "Can someone just tell me what's happening?"
Fear coiled tighter in her chest.
They stopped abruptly.
Before she could react, a strip of black cloth covered her eyes.
Selene gasped. "No….wait!"
The blindfold tightened around her head.
Darkness swallowed her whole, panic exploding inside her.
"Please, don't do this!" she cried.
A hand clamped over her mouth.
Something rough pressed against her lips, muffling her screams.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as the guards dragged her forward.
She couldn't see.
Couldn't tell where they were taking her.
All she heard were footsteps echoing through endless hallways, the distant hum of elevators, and the frantic pounding of her own heart.
After what felt like forever, they finally stopped.
A door creaked open.
She was guided forward several steps before strong hands forced her to her knees.
The room fell silent.
Then a deep male voice spoke. "Remove the blindfold."
The cloth loosened, as light flooded Selene's vision.
She blinked repeatedly, raising a trembling hand to shield her eyes as they adjusted.
Slowly, the blurry shapes around her sharpened.
Her breath caught.
She was inside a massive circular chamber.
A long black table curved around the room, occupied by men and women dressed in elegant dark clothing.
Their eyes never left her.
At the head of the table sat a woman whose presence commanded the entire room.
Lady Seraphine Draven.
Founder of Ravenwood Academy, and Matriarch of the ancient Draven bloodline.
Though her silver hair was swept into an elegant knot, there was nothing fragile about her. Her sharp features, piercing silver eyes, and regal posture radiated authority.
Power rolled off her in waves.
Selene's gaze shifted, as she saw Lucien sitting close to Seraphine.
His expression was unreadable, as his silver eyes remained fixed on her.
Every instinct told Selene to run, but there was nowhere to go.
Her hands trembled violently at her sides.
"Who are you?"
Lady Seraphine's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
Selene swallowed hard. "I…I'm just a normal human being."
One elegant brow lifted. "Really?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Seraphine turned her head slightly and gave a single nod.
A man standing behind her stepped forward.
He was enormous, with broad shoulders, and cold eyes.
Selene's pulse quickened.
The man stopped in front of her, then his eyes flashed crimson.
Dark veins spread beneath his skin, and his fangs descended.
Selene's breath caught in her throat. "No!"
She stumbled backward, falling onto the cold floor.
The vampire lunged.
A brilliant golden light exploded around her.
The force hit the vampire like a moving wall.
His body flew across the room and crashed into the far wall with a deafening impact.
Gasps erupted around the table.
Selene curled into herself, shielding her face.
The golden shield pulsed around her body, brighter than ever before.
The vampire groaned and pushed himself upright. A growl tore from his throat as he charged again.
The shield reacted instantly, as the golden light surged outward. This time, it struck him with enough force to send him sprawling across the polished floor.
Then something changed. Thin strands of golden light extended from the shield and connected to the vampire.
His eyes widened in horror. The color drained from his face, and his knees buckled.
Selene gasped, as warmth flooded through her body, not painful but powerful.
The vampire struggled desperately, clawing at the invisible connection.
"What is happening?" someone whispered.
The room erupted into shocked murmurs.
The vampire tore himself free and staggered backward.
Fear flashed across his face.
Without waiting for permission, he turned and fled the chamber.
Silence crashed over the room.
The golden light faded, and the shield vanished.
Selene sat frozen on the floor, staring at her trembling hands. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. She had no idea what had just happened.
Around the table, the council members exchanged alarmed looks.
"She's not human," one of them said.
Lucien's eyes narrowed.
Lady Seraphi
ne stared at Selene as if she were looking at a ghost.
For the first time since Selene had entered the room, the powerful vampire matriarch looked shaken.
"It can't be," Seraphine whispered.
Shock flickered across her face, as her silver eyes locked onto Selene.
As if she had just seen a secret buried for centuries come back to life.
