Bloodlines of the Damned

Unlikely Allies

The following day at Valerian Academy, the atmosphere is thick with whispers. Students walk the marble halls with a mix of excitement and fear, some talking in hushed tones about the events from yesterday-how Vane, the heir to the powerful bloodline of House Erebus, had defended Lyra. It was unheard of, shocking even. A pureblood vampire openly intervening on behalf of a half-blood. There are rumors swirling that Vane might be trying to rebel against the established order... or perhaps, he's testing something new.

POV: Lyra's perspective

Lyra sat in the back of the Blood and Alchemy lecture hall, staring out of the tall, arched windows that overlooked the dark courtyard. It was the same every day. The lecture was a dull drone of ancient blood spells and potion-making, but Lyra's mind kept drifting back to the previous afternoon.

Why did he help me?

Vane's intervention had been unexpected. After he'd sent Selena and Ariana packing with nothing more than a glance, the whole school seemed to shift in their perception of her. She wasn't invisible anymore. It wasn't just the girls she had to worry about now-there were murmurs everywhere. Eyes watching her at every turn.

Was it because of what Vane had done-or was it because she had finally shown she wasn't going to take it lying down anymore?

She flinched when the door at the front of the classroom creaked open. Vane walked in.

The entire room went quiet. Even the professor, a stoic and intimidating vampire named Professor Sabine, didn't say anything as he entered. He was the last person anyone expected to show up in a class like this-after all, he was more than capable of passing without ever lifting a finger. Yet, here he was, casually strolling into the room, his presence commanding the attention of everyone around him.

Vane's eyes swept over the room, briefly meeting Lyra's gaze. Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly looked away. He didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he gave no indication. Instead, he took a seat in the row beside hers, the one furthest from the professor's desk. The air seemed to thicken as he settled in.

The pureblood prince was here. And the tension in the room was palpable.

"Focus, students," Professor Sabine's cold voice cut through the silence. "Today, we will be discussing the binding rituals of vampire bloodlines. Vane, I assume you've already reviewed the material?"

Vane didn't respond immediately. He merely leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "I'm sure I'll manage."

Lyra couldn't help but steal glances at him as the class went on. He seemed distant, disinterested. But the way he sat there, with an air of untouchable authority, was both intimidating and fascinating.

POV: Vane's perspective

Vane's fingers tapped lightly against the wooden desk, his mind elsewhere. He had never been one for school, but today... there was something different. He had heard the whispers-heard how his sudden defense of Lyra had sent shockwaves through the school. It wasn't like him to get involved in the affairs of others, especially not the half-bloods. But there was something about her that... distracted him. Something that bothered him more than he cared to admit.

Her defiance was unexpected. Most half-bloods cowered. They knew their place in the hierarchy. But Lyra-she hadn't bowed, hadn't begged. She stood tall when he least expected it. And he respected that, maybe even admired it.

His gaze flickered over to her. She was sitting in the back of the room, her eyes downcast, seemingly lost in thought. Her posture, though hunched slightly, was still confident, as if she had a purpose she wasn't ready to share with the world.

Stop thinking about it, he told himself. She's just a half-blood.

But the nagging thought wouldn't leave.

Vane sighed inwardly and adjusted his posture. He was supposed to be here to learn, not to play some ridiculous game of self-reflection.

POV: Lyra's perspective

The rest of the class passed by in a blur, but Lyra couldn't shake the feeling that Vane's gaze lingered on her more than once. Whenever she dared to look his way, he was either staring at the desk in front of him or deep in thought. It was confusing.

After class, she was heading toward the exit when she heard a voice call her name.

"Lyra."

She froze. It was Vane. He was standing by the doorway, leaning against the stone wall, as though waiting for her.

"You're not running off in the opposite direction this time?" Vane asked, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"I-I wasn't running..." she stammered, feeling a bit defensive. "I just..."

"Just trying to avoid me?" he finished for her, his smile widening. It was teasing, but there was something else behind it. Something more curious than malicious. "Don't worry. I'm not here to bite you again."

Her cheeks flushed. "I wasn't worried about that."

"Sure you weren't." His tone was light, but his eyes were serious. "Listen, I wanted to... apologize."

"Apologize?" She blinked in surprise.

"For what happened yesterday. I shouldn't have stepped in like that. It was... out of line," Vane said, his eyes meeting hers now with a rare sincerity. "But they had no right to treat you like that."

Lyra didn't know how to respond. It wasn't what she had expected. Vane apologizing? The prince of the purebloods?

"I don't need your pity," she said sharply, surprised at her own words. "You think because you helped me once, I'm suddenly going to be grateful? I don't need anyone's help, least of all yours."

Vane raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you still standing here?"

Lyra's mouth went dry. She wasn't sure. Why was she standing here?

"I just... I wanted to say that I don't need your apology either. I didn't ask for it."

Vane's eyes softened, just a fraction, before he turned away. "Fair enough."

Just as he was about to leave, a voice called out from behind them.

"Vane! There you are."

Lyra tensed. She turned around and saw Selena, flanked by Ariana and another girl, Camille, a tall, blonde vampire with a reputation for being both manipulative and dangerous.

"Busy day, I see," Selena said with a smirk, her eyes narrowing as she glanced between Lyra and Vane. "Making new friends, I hope?"

Vane didn't acknowledge Selena's jab, but Lyra could see the tension in his jaw. He wasn't interested in entertaining them, not anymore. But Selena wasn't going to let it slide.

"Let me make this clear," Selena said, her voice dripping with venom. "You might think you can protect the half-blood, but the rest of us won't just stand by and let this... abomination walk around without consequences. Not while you're at our academy."

Vane's eyes flashed with barely contained anger, but he didn't react. Instead, he gave Lyra one last glance, his expression unreadable, before turning to face Selena.

"Watch your mouth, Selena," he warned, his tone suddenly cold. "You're testing my patience."

The air grew heavier with tension as the confrontation between the two purebloods intensified, and for the first time, Lyra realized: Vane wasn't just a bystander in the politics of this academy. He was a player. And whether he liked it or not, she was now tangled in his web.