Chapter 82: The Vampire Restaurant

After not seeing Jane for so many days, Sophie spent the entire evening in a state of restless anxiety. Every passing hour only made her thoughts more chaotic, until the moon finally climbed to its highest point. Only then did she realize she had overlooked something equally important. What exactly did hunting involve? 

The method, the prey, the rules, the taboos, every question that should have been asked had completely slipped her mind because all she had been able to think about was Jane.

Ever since her transformation, Sophie had grown accustomed to surviving on the bags of blood stored in the underground cold room. Although every other vampire looked down on those refrigerated supplies, she had never been particularly picky. 

As long as they keep my body functioning, isn't that enough? she always thought. There was no need, in her opinion, to fuss over taste when survival was all that mattered.

She knew Demetri had organized hunting trips to Florence before. From the way everyone talked about them, they sounded thrilling, dangerous, and strangely exhilarating all at once. Otherwise, Felix would never bring them up so often with such enthusiasm. It should have been something to look forward to, yet for reasons she couldn't explain, an inexplicable sense of dread continued to tighten around her heart.

Knock. Knock-knock.

Three knocks of different rhythms suddenly echoed through the room, abruptly scattering her wandering thoughts.

Who could possibly be looking for her?

She hadn't arranged to meet anyone tonight. Frowning in confusion, Sophie crossed the room and pulled open the heavy brass door. Standing outside was a tall, slender young man, his delicate features gradually emerging from the darkness beyond the doorway.

The unexpected visitor is Alec.

His expression was far from friendly.

He delivered a single item into her hands, followed immediately by a warning that carried unmistakable killing intent.

"If you ever hurt Jane again..." His voice was calm, but every word landed like ice. "I will kill you."

Dark mist slowly seeped from Alec's left palm, coiling upward like living smoke. The oppressive aura radiating from him was overwhelming. When murderous intent surfaced on his face, his expression resembled Jane's so closely that it was almost unsettling. 

In truth, Alec's Gift had always been the more lethal of the twins' abilities. His naturally gentle personality and quiet demeanor simply caused most people to overlook the terrifying strength hidden beneath that calm exterior.

The twins had always been inseparable. Where one stood, the other was never far behind.

Sophie shuddered violently. Every instinct born from her vampire nature screamed at her to flee from the young man before her. The exposed skin along her neck prickled as every hair stood on end. Her fingers unconsciously tightened against the brass door, accidentally crushing part of the metal panel beneath her grip. She immediately tried to slam the door shut. There was still the window inside her room. If she escaped through it, perhaps, perhaps Alec wouldn't be able to catch her in time.

Unfortunately, Alec had already seen through her intentions. He braced one hand against the door, effortlessly preventing it from closing. At the same time, the black mist spread outward, silently surrounding Sophie from every direction. If she dared move even a single step, she would immediately walk straight into the paralyzing fog.

As expected of the vampire capable of annihilating an entire newborn army by himself. The overwhelming physical strength that newborn vampires prided themselves on became utterly meaningless in front of Alec's Gift. No wonder Jane was always praising him. She had simply been stating a fact.

Sophie swallowed hard, forcing herself to suppress the fear threatening to overwhelm her. She knew Alec was not someone who made empty threats. If he said he would kill her, then he truly would. Their first meeting beside the river outside Volterra had already established their roles. He had been the hunter. She had been the prey.

Only afterward had she realized just how miraculous her survival that day had been. Compared to the murderous expression Alec wore now, the cold look he'd given her while twisting her head off back then almost seemed merciful.

"Y, yes, Alec." She instinctively addressed him the same way the other guards did. "I promise, I really won't do it again. Last time was only because I hadn't fed for so long, so."

"Don't make excuses." Alec cut her off before she could finish. "Figure out how to suppress your instincts yourself." His red eyes remained fixed on her without the slightest warmth. "Otherwise, I have plenty of ways to personally send you to hell."

Satisfied that the warning had taken effect, Alec finally withdrew the dense black mist. He had seen through Sophie's obedient, harmless appearance long ago. Beneath that gentle exterior lurked someone remarkably gifted at causing trouble. As long as Jane continued favoring her, Alec had tolerated every outrageous stunt Sophie pulled with remarkable patience and courtesy.

But Jane's indulgence had already gone too far. If necessary, Alec had no objection to overstepping his place and carrying out his sister's duties himself. Someone had to teach this newborn what true fear looked like.

"There's one more thing." Just as Sophie finally began relaxing, Alec suddenly spoke again, instantly sending her heart racing once more. This time, however, he merely raised his right hand and tossed her the object he had been carrying all along. It was surprisingly light.

Startled, Sophie hurriedly caught it before it fell. It was an ordinary notebook. Its pages were perfectly blank, carrying the fresh scent of newly printed paper mixed with the faint fragrance of human cosmetics. Holding it in both hands, Sophie looked up at Alec in utter confusion, silently asking what this meant.

Alec offered no explanation. "Keep it safe." Leaving behind only those four words, he turned and walked away without another glance.

After closing the door, Sophie leaned heavily against the brass surface behind her. Her legs slowly gave out beneath her. She slid helplessly to the floor.

A vampire's instincts excelled at recognizing danger. Even though Alec had already left, every fiber of her body continued warning her to remain alert. After such a confrontation, her legs felt completely drained of strength.

Back when she had been human, her awareness of danger had been almost nonexistent. Becoming a vampire had compensated for that flaw by granting her razor-sharp instincts. Unfortunately, that improvement seemed almost meaningless. The dangers faced by vampires were not the kind one could simply avoid. Especially not when the enemies she had provoked belonged to the royal family of the vampire world, the very people who wrote the laws, and enforced them.

Am I really supposed to spend the rest of my existence living like this?

The notebook Alec had thrown rested quietly across her lap. By the faint starlight filtering through the window, Sophie slowly opened the cover. The title page is completely blank.

She turned another page. Then another. Then another. Every single page is empty.