The Curse Of A Stranger's Gift 23 Saving Her

The week after Vladimir had been punished with a great deal of pain, he promised to train himself and give the favor back to his father. Ever since, he did not go outside his room. All he'd do was call a maid, ordering them to get him some books or else blood.

Following Alic's advice, he had dedicated himself to reading informative books. In the long run, he found out that it's rare for a vampire to have a gift; only special ones were granted such privilege. According to the book, there weren't two vampires sharing the same gift as how twins wouldn't have the same attributes. Every vampire has a different way of thinking and that made the gifts unique. At some point, it's always connected to the brain; what one desires the most became his gift. Vladimir has no idea what his gift was. Maybe he hasn't got any, but he's not giving up. He knew he has it, he's just too weak to reach it.

It was when he's doing some push-ups did he realize something's wrong. He'd never seen Alic after the day she gave him a piece of advice. He had totally forgotten about her. She wasn't in their meet-up either. He's starting to wonder where she was. With a loud groan, he collapsed face down to the ground. She's really a big distraction.

"Alic," he called. If she's around the castle, she'll hear him. He waited for a full minute for the kid to come, but she did not.

His brows draw together. He wore his polo s.h.i.+rt and sprinted towards her room; he busted through the door, ruining its hinges. He looked left and right and saw nothing but glitters roaming around Alic's room. Her teddy bear was lying flat to the ground, specks of dirt stained its softness.

Vladimir grabbed the toy and pinched it. Alic wasn't the type to leave her things like this. She never likes a messy room.

He hit himself in the head. How could he ignore the signs? She has deep wounds and she's blubbering weird things. Her advice. Did it mean she's leaving him for good? He shook his head. No. He refused to believe that a powerful vampire such as his sister would die. She's probably somewhere safe.

His eyes widened. "Father's laboratory," he whispered. That's it. Last time, she was in there to get some false medication and she would probably be there now; agonizing over the pain of being a subject. The moment he'd seen her suffering that way, he wanted to relieve her pain, but he couldn't do anything. He's just a weak vampire, after all.

Before he could even decide to go there, he saw his father standing straight in the doorway. He swallowed what seemed like a lump in his throat when he remembered his brutality. However, he shut the fear in the back of his mind. "W—where is my sister?" he asked, clenching his fist to stop it from shaking.

"She's somewhere safe. You need not worry. Remember what I told you last time, son! Don't ever go against my order." The king glared at him before walking away.

For a moment, he just stood there, weighing down chances. He didn't want to disobey him yet. He's still training to reach his level, but it's his sister they're talking about. She might be on the verge of dying for all he knew.

He breathed heavily. He'll never believe his father unless he sees for himself that she's safe. She's important to him. Ever since, their mother died of giving birth to her, she'd been the only one who showed him love. She was the one who colored his dull life while his father does his best to ruin it.

"It's time to be an idiot," he murmured, realizing that what he's up to do would merit him a V.I.P. ticket to h.e.l.l.

The king's laboratory was concealed to everyone. Only a few vampires knew it exists. Even the Elite guards haven't got any idea what's in there. They're just ordered to fence it without any questions and as they're loyal to the king, they never ever tried knowing what's inside. Vladimir was different. Every time he sees his sister faint, he would wonder where his father would take her. The king never disclosed anything to him; when Vladimir mastered the guts to question him, he would just look down at him, telling him he's being nosy.

It was one of his boring stroll in the castle. He noticed a strange room on the ground floor. It was heavily guarded. He tried walking towards it but an Elite stopped him. He's not the type to listen to them, though. So, he sprinted away from them and manage to see what's inside. It was a room full of a human-size tube containing various-colored liquids. Lying on a stretcher was Alic, and a vampire with a white coat was injecting her a purple liquid. Before he could scream, the Elite's already sealed his mouth with a cloth.

That recollection of his past was dreadful fo his young mind. Although, he didn't know what liquid was injected to her, he could feel that it's lethal. He arrived at the laboratory; as expected, Elite guards were guarding it. They were even too many unlike before. He squinted, trying to count them off. An idea popped in his head when he realized they were men. There's only one person who would be more than capable of distracting them.

Hurriedly, he dragged Zayne out of the maid's chamber. All he told her was that his sister was in trouble, and she responded the way he wanted to.

Zayne removed her uniform as they ran, revealing flawless skin. She's wearing a black bra and panty that made her skin even paler. She let her dark hair wave on her shoulders while she planned the seduction she'll do. Vladimir made sure not to take a glimpse of her body or he'll be doomed.

Back to the laboratory, he hid in the corner as Zayne prowled gracefully towards her prey. The moment the Elite's eyes landed on her, purple lines sparks through their irises. Zayne swayed her b.u.t.t and their mouth watered with l.u.s.t. It didn't take long before they desired to touch her. She ran away from them, and they followed like an idiot.

The moment they were out of earshot, Vladimir wasted no time. He was sweating profusely while he opened the door. It was giving off a creepy sound that made the hair on the back of his neck stood at its end.

The first thing he saw was big tubes in the corner. Like what he remembered, they were containing liquids that have different colors. What caught his attention was the tube with the red liquid. It gave off a familiar vibe as though he's been there.

He tried looking for Alic, but she couldn't see her anywhere. The room was full of apparatus lying on a long table in the center of the s.p.a.ce. There wasn't any significant thing that piqued his interest. His mind was still wandering over that red tube. He could not erase the creepy feeling that he's been there before.

Hurried footsteps rang in the air. He looked at the door with a wide eye. Someone's coming. His hand started twitching as he tries to find a place to hide. He was left with no choice but to lie below the table when the door creaked. His breath hitched as he anxiously waits for the vampire to reveal himself.

Pale feet walked inside, wearing sandals he knew to be Zayne's. He crawled out of the table and looked up at her with an awkward smile. She was now wearing a tight dress that hugged her curves. She offered her hand. "We have to hurry. The king is bound to notice what we've done. Have you seen your sister yet?"

"Not yet," he answered as he accepted her hand. "I think she's here somewhere. I just don't know where."

Zayne scratches her chin. "Hmm. I do feel her presence. That child. The first time we talk was when she told me you have things you want me to hear. She's so mature. She's even wiser than you are and... more powerful. Maybe that's why your father wants to get her soul." She looked down.

"What?" He touched the hem of his s.h.i.+rt to stop himself from hitting himself. How could he have let his father do these things to her sister?

"Those liquids. They're rare. Ancient vampires use it to make warriors. They extracted one soul of a powerful creature and stuff it inside a dead body."

Vladimir shook her shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

She looked at him straight in the eye. "Your father has changed greatly. He's hungry for power. Of course the moment I saw the wounds in your sister's body I realized she's been under a great feat. But I did not interfere. She didn't want me to. You see, your father's threatening your life to make her follow his orders."

He collapsed to the ground with tears trailing pa.s.sed his cheeks. "A—And sh—she told y—you this?" He felt like a worthless brother. All this time, she's been trying to protect him. He's the older guy, but he couldn't even do anything to save her.

"No. I saw it myself." She pats his shoulder. "One more thing, she wants me to tell you how much she loves you and that she apologizes for not telling you sooner."

That's when his walls broke through. All his emotions flared up, breaking all his limitations. He was sobbing for the first time in his life but as he did so, the brick walls caging his senses shattered 'till he could hear a whimper from below them. He looked back slowly. Although, his tears were making his vision hazy, he saw his sister; floating inside the red tube. Her body was as red as the liquid surrounding her.