There were a couple of things that Lukas surmised from how the Vampires operated:
First of all, they were not Undead or any species related to it. Sure, they needed blood to live, but they still rested and slept like ordinary humans.
Second of all, they held no Immortality. Or rather, they no longer held the capacity to live forever. A lot of Vampire Overlords were killed by humans even, based on how they referred to the war in the past.
Third of all, all things considered–there was still a chance that he was wrong. That maybe his accumulation of knowledge would contain discrepancies and inaccuracies.
Lukas held the dagger that contained Drusilla, ancestor of the Sanguise House. She had spoken about Dragons, Demons and the court of the Fae and even had a powerful aura ability while she was trapped within the weapon.
'Who could have trapped her here? Did Vampires also have masters of sealing and weaponry?' Lukas silently asked himself. He realized that if he chose to, he could keep his thoughts to himself away from Drusilla and the Dream Eater.
For a flicker of a moment, Lukas met the gaze of Stacy and her gaze lingered not on his face but the weapon in his hand. One reason or another, she had discovered Drusilla and she undoubtedly had questions.
'Why did you have to speak with her?' Lukas sighed inwardly.
"Would you prefer to have stayed in the desert forever? It may not be obvious, but the sands sweep and change in that former paradise, and if the sands will it–you and your companion could have been lost forever."
'Former paradise?' Lukas raised a brow at those words and tried to imagine a lush world.
"None of your concern, unless you can unearth more than a hundred feet into the sands–far beyond the little Dream Eater's prison you've found." Drusilla replied with a touch of arrogance.
For a moment, Lukas glanced back towards the direction of the desert. If he was more powerful, maybe if he was some sort of Mage–maybe he could have unearthed ancient ruins and such?
But that was something that he did not know at the moment.
"Besides, is it not better to have a true ally who understands the depths of your power and control due to my presence?" Drusilla added. "... If I were somehow given the chance to return before my capture, I would have made it that I had people to trust and care about me."
Lukas blinked at those words spoken with a touch of regret and reluctance.
Until now, Lukas had mostly kept the truth from everyone. He found it unnecessary to speak about his past as a human, much less anything else. His choice was to keep it simple, but wasn't that a bit lonely too?
Well, Lukas was unsure if he'd be accepted by anyone if they knew his past.
Except for…
'Drusilla?'
"How you discovered my name when I have not given it is annoying–but I suppose it comes with the fact that you are a special being. I cannot believe that I've gotten myself involved in this. You had me fooled."
'... And you're not interested in killing me?' Lukas silently asked.
"It's a little too late for that. You and I are bound in one way or another. Besides, I am sure that it is not I whom you seek to know of your true nature." Drusilla spoke evenly. "Do not tarry too long with conversations with me–you are attracting too much attention."
Lukas snapped back to attention and noticed how time passed by.
"Mmm…" Chaerin's eyes were closed and she had rested her head on his shoulder.
The 'NEET' Vampire that he met and loved seemed lazy, but Lukas had a feeling that it was more or less her energy getting sapped by the sun. They had gone through a lot of stuff during the desert situation.
If anything, it made Lukas feel guilty.
There was something that changed about Vampires… made them weaker and he shouldn't have brought Chaerin if it brought her to danger. Could feeding her more of his blood resolve it?
"You should probably put her in the van now." Stacy spoke quietly.
Lukas looked up and noticed that Alexei and Theodore were having a conversation and it was Stacy who sat at the end of their little group. He glanced down at his girlfriend and thought that it was a wise decision.
"Good idea." Lukas gently picked Chaerin up and brought her to the van.
As he laid her down on the van's seat and gently brushed her hair, he couldn't help but remember something. His expression turned a little colder as he addressed another individual.
'Rhea?'
"... yes?"
'Don't attempt to eat Chaerin's dreams or anything.'
"I-I wouldn't dream of it!" Rhea laughed nervously while Lukas sighed inwardly. The threat with the Sanguise House dagger seemed to work more or less, and there was also the fact that he was starting to have telepathic strength and such.
'Once everyone is preoccupied or asleep, I'll find a good place to set you free from your crystal prison. Does that sound good?'
"...um, yes?"
'That doesn't seem like a resounding yes.' Lukas pointed out. The two communicated via thoughts now, but it was almost as if she sounded nervous and not necessarily glad.
"Haha, well you see–"
"Lukas?" Stacy poked her head in the van.
"Oh, Stacy–what's up?" Lukas immediately turned to the Vampire girl and effectively shut down the Dream Eater. As much as he wanted to talk and discuss things with Rhea to finally reach a conclusion, he also wanted to speak with Stacy.
"Do you want to talk?" she asked. "Or are you going to rest up with Chaerin now?"
Lukas glanced momentarily at his girlfriend who was fast asleep and came to a conclusion. "I'll come back a little later to rest up with her. I want to digest what I ate first though… and there's some stuff we have to talk about, right?"
"It seems like we do." Stacy carefully said. "But I also know how to respect someone's secrets. You don't have to necessarily tell me anything, I trust that you know what you're doing."
Lukas managed a laugh.
Oh gods, he wished that he actually knew–but who really did? He was in a situation that he barely thought he'd find himself in and while he did have goals and everything… the world was far more bigger than him.
"What's so funny?" Stacy raised a brow at him.
"Oh, sorry."
"Nah. You should share what's making you chuckle–I want to laugh too." Stacy smiled a little bit as she stepped down from the van.
Lukas kissed Chaerin's forehead and then followed after her.
"Can I ask if you know what you're doing? You seem like you're far more collected than me–but you somehow found yourself here." Lukas dug his hands into his pocket and stepped beside Stacy.
"Does it look like I have much of a choice?" Stacy turned to him with a look. "Remember how Miss… Weisse talked with me and so did the Councilman?"
"Right, right–"
"Well, to be fair, I did consider what my brother and I could obtain from doing this. But even I hadn't expected things to turn out the way things are." Stacy's look was serious as she looked at him. "And yet I guess that's to be expected from someone who's only worked as a clerk all her life."
"Hey, don't put yourself down. You're doing great."
"Really? I've mostly sat in the van while you've thrown yourself out of the van twice. And you… you're the one who woke the majority of us up, right? I don't think my brother or Theodore had said it, but it's clear that we owe you a lot. You're a natural at this."
"Natural… I only did what had to be done."
"And now you're downplaying yourself." Stacy shook her head. "Far more than I am–I at least know my actual contributions to the group."
"You're the one who'll find the blood gourd and make a cure for Lily. I don't think that's something Theodore or I can easily do… so keep your head up a little. You're worth more than you think and you guys found Chaerin and me when we were lost too."
"Well, that's got to do with…" Stacy didn't finish her sentence.
"Oi, what are the two of you talking about?" Alexei momentarily stopped his talk with Theodore to look at the two huddling by the van.
"You can come sit down with us at the fireplace if you wish." Theodore added. Somehow, his welcoming self made it all the more awkward and suspicious.
"Er, that's a bit unnecessary." Lukas waved off Theodore's offer and chose to avoid answering Stacy's brother. "You got a protective sibling, eh? He joined us all the way here."
"We should just go." Stacy pointedly looked away from her brother and tugged Lukas by the arm. "We still have to discuss… your dagger."
Lukas knew that was not an innuendo, but he couldn't help but cough.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦