Chapter Nine

LOTUS

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at myself. Serefina changed my hair color to red, and she advised me to avoid exposing my hair to water, as my mother had advised me since I was a child. I asked Serefina why, and she informed me that anyone with silver blonde hair was considered an abomination, and I would be slaughtered if discovered. I'll be extra cautious so I don't get caught, especially since I'm raising a new family inside of me. I smiled at the prospect of carrying my own child.

I wasn't barren the whole time. Arthur would be overjoyed right now if he found out I'm having his child. Why am I thinking about him at all? He had already decided on his path. Looking at it today, the red hair fits me perfectly and contrasts nicely with my sea blue eyes. I had requested Serefina to alter it back to brown, but she claimed this one was better, and I believe she was correct.

"Lotus," I heard my name, and turned to find Serefina glaring at me."Are you going to spend the entire day admiring yourself?" "Come on, it's time for the fight," she urged.

"Okay" I murmured as I followed her out of my room to the training ground.

For the past one month, Serefina has been training me in combat and how to control powers I had no idea I possessed. She has also given me a lot of important information regarding the supernatural world. I was grateful that she assisted me in discovering myself. I shall be forever grateful to her and my adopted father, Lucas.

The ringing of the bell drew me back to my thoughts. Serefina's red hair cascaded over her shoulders, accentuating her piercing emerald green eyes, which radiated unwavering confidence.

I wasted little time in launching into action with lightning-fast attacks that effortlessly combined martial arts and acrobatics. I escaped Serefina's ferocious force attack by flipping and twirling through the air with unrivaled agility.

Serefina lunges at me with a thunderous fist. Each strike she throws has a bone-crushing force. Serefina's tremendous power, despite my agility, poses a daunting obstacle as she unleashes a volley of crushing strikes.

The fight was a study in contrast, as I relied on my speed, precision, and calculated movements, while Serefina responded with sheer might and brute force. As the fight progressed, tiredness crept in because neither of us wanted to lose.

I parry one of Serefina's attacks in the last moments, swiftly sweeping her feet beneath her and bringing her crashing to the ground. As she struggled to rise up, I took advantage of the moment to execute a series of strikes that rendered Serefina unable to move, allowing me to win the fight.

I grinned before reaching out my hands to her, which she grasped and pushed herself up from the ground. I felt extremely pleased with myself since I have finally defeated Serefina.

"Don't flatter yourself, you just got lucky today," she remarked, and I grinned back. Serefina will never concede defeat.

When I opened my mouth to speak to Serefina, I sensed something behind me. I moved quickly away and turned to find Lucas Ford holding a sword. I noticed blood dripping from my face and understood the sword had sliced me.

"You are excellent at detecting danger." He shouted this to me before tossing a sword at me, which I caught.

"Serefina taught me to always be alert," I told him before turning to face Serefina, who smiled for the first time since I'd met her."She also taught me not to trust anyone, and it appears that my father wants to kill me." "This is the biggest betrayal," I continued, smirking.

"Prove to me that you are a good student," he urged.

I tightened my grip on the sword, putting myself in a fighting stance. We pushed forward, swords clashing, metal shuddering through the air, sparks igniting, indicating the ferocity of the conflict. Lucas pushes forward, his blade slicing with accuracy, attempting to overpower me with brute force, but I evade his assaults with my graceful dance, my extraordinary speed rivaling him.

I take advantage of every opportunity, using my agility to avoid his lightning-fast punches. I respond with planned precision, aiming for his weak places. My blade slices into his flesh, causing him to groan in agony and his blood to soak the ground. He intensifies his efforts, throwing his dark zeal into the fight. He strikes his enormous sword with amazing vigor, intent on bringing me down.

My agility and planned strikes steadily erode his defenses as I anticipate his every move. As the struggle neared its conclusion, I tumbled in the air and delivered a fast and powerful stroke that snapped his sword in two and knocked his sword out of his grasp. When I placed my blade around his neck, his crimson eyes opened in surprise.

He raised his hands above his head in surrender. I smirked before laying down my sword. He came over to me and hugged me, caressing my back.

"A woman defeated me for the first time in history, and the woman happens to be my daughter." "I'm so proud of you," he added, and my heart skipped a beat. Growing up, I never knew the love of a father. It's always been just me and my mother.I turned to see his men, who were watching us from the opposite side of the practice field. Their faces were lit up with a smile.

"Today will be a special day. I'd like to introduce you to everyone in my fief as my daughter. "It's time for everyone to get to know you," he told me.

The night began with a celebration after Lucas Ford revealed me to the audience as his loving daughter, whom he had no idea existed all along. I had no idea Lucas had this kind of power until now. A large number of nobles attended, and I had the opportunity to meet other vampire Lords. The vampire Lords were similar to the alphas of different packs in the werewolf country. Each of these vampire Lords was given a fief to administer and serfs to serve them. In the werewolf kingdom, these serfs are equivalent to omegas. The vampires' rule system is similar to that of werewolves.

There was plenty of food and wine to go around. A large cow was being roasted, and people were dancing and having a good time. I was pleased to see how vibrant everything was.

I felt a pat on the back and turned to see Lucas beaming at me."What are you doing standing here?" "You should join the dance," he suggested, and I grinned."Thank you so much, Lucas, for everything"

"When will you stop calling me by name?" he inquired, and I was at a loss for words.

"I don't see Serefina around" I tried to change the subject.

"She's probably getting ready to return to her Kingdom," he stated, leaving me stunned.

"I'll catch up with you later." "I'll go greet some people now," he said to me as he walked away.

I was relieved that he didn't drag me along. I was already exhausted from meeting so many new people.

I dashed inside Serefina's room and luckily for me,I saw her. She was carrying a bag on her back.``So you intend to go without informing me. "I was a fool to think we were friends," I lamented to her.

"You seem to forget my lessons so quickly." " Don't have any friends," she said to me."Even if you have, be cautious," I added as she approached me, patting my shoulders."You've certainly learned a lot. I'm delighted you've changed from the Lotus who was motionless on the bed two months ago"

" Don't forget all I taught you. Don't put your trust in anyone, especially myself and Lucas. Only do what your heart tells you to do. Don't let your emotions rule your life. "You have to be strong to win what's in front of you," she whispered as tears welled up in my eyes. Despite her strictness, I felt a connection with her that I couldn't explain. I loved her and knew she loved me even if she didn't express it.

"I'd like you to be my child's godmother," I told her, and she smiled. "We'll meet again, don't act like I'm dying," she replied.

"I always thought we looked like twins with our red hair, and every time I look at it, it reminds me of you," I told her, and she laughed. It was the first time I had seen her laugh like this.

I hugged her, and she hugged me back before we parted ways."Take care," she added as she walked towards the door.She came to a halt and looked at me." I forgot to inform you that you performed admirably in the fight today. "Your mother would be so proud of you," she said to me as she walked away.

I returned to my room and sat on my bed as loneliness overwhelmed me.When my door opened with a loud bang and I saw Noah (Lucas's son), the silence in my room was broken. As he gazed at me, I could see the hatred in his eyes. I knew he disliked me and avoided him like the plague, but seeing him in my room made me wonder what he was up to.

When he approached me, I could smell alcohol on his skin. He was drunk."What are you doing here?" Standing up from my bed, I inquired.

"What am I doing here?" he asked again, laughing loudly before turning serious and looking into my eyes."This is my father's domain, and I am the rightful heir." "I should have asked you that," he added. He shouted, "What are you doing here?"

I tried to leave the room because I didn't want any trouble, but he grabbed my hand and drew me back. As our breaths touched each other's faces, we were now facing one another.

" I know you despise me, and I'm not thinking of making you my enemy because I understand how you feel." "Don't worry, I have no intention of taking your place," I told him.

"My place?" I have no place. You've taken my place. My father clearly adores you. "I wish you didn't exist," he muttered, his face flushed.

"I learned one thing about life.Don't let other people's opinions affect you. I've seen you fight, and you're fantastic. "Any father would be proud of you, and I'm sure Lucas knows that, and thank you for wishing I didn't exist," I replied to him as I tried to break away from him.

"Why are you acting as if you know how I'm feeling?" Because you are my father's favorite and he treats you like a princess, you know nothing."

Now,I'm really angry with his words.

"You have no idea how much I've been through. I understand how it feels to be treated as an outcast. You have no idea, so don't act as if your troubles are more important than mine. I'm sorry if I made you feel inferior, but I'm just concerned with being stronger and better for my own well-being, not the well-being of others, so instead of shouting like a child about how your father doesn't appreciate you.Work on being better for yourself rather than your father. Be a man of your own. I'm a woman of my own and that's the huge difference between us." I said to him,

I could see the change in his eyes as he moved his head forward to kiss me, but I hit him with my head before our lips could meet.

"Get out of my room before I lose my cool," I yelled, scooping up the glass cup and hurling it at the door, and it cracked into pieces.

"I..." he began to say, but was cut off by Lucas, who was standing at the door.

"What is going on here?" he inquired, and Noah disregarded him before fleeing my room.

"What happened?" he inquired as he approached me, but I waved my hands."It's nothing"

"Are you okay?" he asked, and I nodded before taking a seat on the bed.

"I'll get right to the point so you can rest," he said.

"With all of your training, you have gained mental, physical, and emotional strength." It's time for you to achieve power because I can't give you the kind of power you need to exact revenge on those who have wronged you," he stated.

"How will I obtain this power you speak of?"I inquired.

"It's time you meet the royal family of Giacommenti, the only vampires ruling this Kingdom,they are the ones that will give you this power you need" he replied.