Chapter III: The First Encounter

The loud music of the nightclub greeted Akira as soon as she walked in, which is expected for a lounge. As she scanned the area, she found luxurious interiors and wealthy individuals, as well as different lights that seemed to dance in time with the music, with the occasional dimming of the surroundings, which she liked.

‘Asaiah night bar.’

Raikan City's only famous nightclub. It is notable because it cannot be touched by authorities, even though numerous criminal activities occur here. Name it; it doesn't matter if it is drugs, violence, or human trafficking.

Akira walked right up to the bar counter and glanced at the men and women shouting and dancing in the center of the bar. They're behaving strangely, which she finds enticing as the smoke causes the surroundings to become hazier over time.

“What's yours, Miss?” the bartender asked.

“Ten glasses of manhattan.”

After a few minutes of receiving her order, the bartender handed her the glasses of liquor she had asked for. Akira stared at it and drank it, causing a burning sensation in her throat. She groaned while sliding the glass onto the table, licking her lower lips that tasted blood. She bit her lips so hard in anger that it became an open wound.

Akira sighed and muttered, “It's not even sweet. What the hell is with those vampires saying our blood is sweet? It tastes like fucking iron rust!”

When she heard a scream, she turned around—people had become even wilder than before. They were shouting and dancing as if there was no tomorrow. Akira smiled bitterly.

‘I’ll strip you of your rights as the successor of the next clan leader.’

She furrowed her brows. The striking statement of her grandfather earlier still can’t leave her head. She can’t believe that her grandfather will resort to that decision just to make her marry a vampire! He knows she can’t give up her rights as his successor no matter what, and he also knows that she despises vampires.

‘Grandfather… why would you?’

Akira shook her head, trying not to make her headache much worse. “Fuck.” She cursed and took a glass, and drank it once again. 

“Now, what should I do?” She muttered and breathed in deeply. 

They still hold on to their belief in this "fate" that was passed down to them. Back then, vampires wreaked havoc, and the three clans established an ordinance to end their viciousness. A human and vampire ordinance is a law that prohibits vampires from hunting humans as food. However, in exchange for peace, the clan must offer the vampires one human with "Sweet Blood," There are three clans that possess Sweet Blood: Clemente, Rihiko, and Adelaide. Every 20 years, each clan takes turns offering one woman to the vampires as the bride. And this time, it’s Akira’s turn.

She had initially thought that this ‘fate’ was already over because of the battle between humans and vampires five years ago. The greed of vampires was so immense that humans had to take action, and the clans established another law. It was to keep the vampires in their territory, the Riparian zone. They had built Eliad wire to restrict their abilities and make the Raikan city an enclosed fortress.

And yet…

Akira swore, “Fucking vampires.” She took two glasses herself and drank them immediately. Then, her vision started to become a little bit fuzzy.

Akira is supposedly hunting vampires if they ever get out of their coven, yet there she is, waiting to be wed to their damn vampire prince! She promised to eliminate all vampires because of what those vampires did to her family. She promised revenge. She trained like there was no tomorrow as if her life depended on it. She became one of the strong people in the three clans in just four years. 

And now, her long-awaited plan is a mess because of this ‘fate.’ She had planned to become the clan leader this year and eradicate the vampires so they would cease to exist, yet her grandfather presented her with a dilemma.

Her eyes widened when a brilliant thought suddenly came to mind. Her lips rose and formed an irresistible smirk.

“Right! I’ll enter the enemy's den, and there... I will attack their king.” She whispered, convincing herself it was a perfect plan. Although it is a little dangerous, the success rate is almost perfect.

Going into the Riparian zone is a hassle and requires a lot of procedures because it is situated in the middle of a dense forest where the sun never shines and is enclosed by the Eliad wire. Only the clan leader can go in and out of it, and it only happens when there is a need to negotiate. But there is another way to go, the day of the marriage.

If Akira were to marry that vampire prince, all of the important figures of the three clans would also attend the marriage. If so, she can plan her next move of attacking the prince and the current king of the vampires. 

“Vampire prince…I'll use you.”

Akira drank the remaining alcohol she ordered and made her way to the dance floor. Now that she's had a change of plan, she's going to give herself a break and enjoy this night without worry.

She stepped onto the stage and danced with the crowd. Maybe because of her drunken state, she didn’t notice how sexy her movements were in the eyes of the men surrounding her, specifically the man who had been eyeing her since she entered the club.

She’s wearing a pink, slim halter dress; her almost porcelain skin is exposed, and her straight black hair is in a messy bun. 

The loud music started to give way to slow music. Then, men began to line up to advance on her, but when one man noticed her back, they began to back off. They were anxious and confused about why the "Villain of Clemente" was in the nightclub infamous for illegal activities. They know her because of the black butterfly tattoo on her back—Akira's signature mark.

“Come on~ let's dance together.” Akira encouraged them but was immediately declined as she's famous for her villainous behavior. No one would want to deal with her, especially since she's the successor of a well-known clan.

Her expression started to change into a gloomy one. And as she was about to exit the dance floor, a hand grabbed her arm, halting her from leaving.

“May I have this dance, Milady?” A deep yet cold voice made her look back immediately. Her vision is a bit hazy, but she still sees the clear blue eyes staring intensely at her. 

“...”

“Milady?” The voice coming from the man woke her up. 

“Y-yeah, sure.” She replied in her tipsy voice. The man smiled and slowly led Akira into the middle of the dance floor. They were facing each other, only Akira couldn't see the face of the man she was dancing with, but the scent of a flavored strawberry cigarette was coming from the man.

The man held Akira's hands and placed them on his shoulder while he swiftly placed his hands on the hourglass waist of his partner. Since there was a height gap, their bodies were much closer. There's only an inch apart. 

The two started to dance; their attention was only on each other's presence, the way they breathed, and the way they were both perfectly fit as if they had known each other for a long time.

“What's your name?” Akira asked. Despite her bad public image, she doesn't want to forget the man who had the guts to ask her for a dance. And it's her first dance, after all.

The man leaned forward, whispering his answer in her ears. “Leon.” 

For some reason, that made Akira precarious and a bit tired. “Leon…” She whispered loud enough for the man named Leon to hear.

It was only then that Akira had another thought. 

“Can I... kiss you?” Akira blurted it out without much thought. No, she had her reason. She looked up at Leon and waited for his response. 

He didn't respond; instead, he pushed in closer and had to stop an inch away from her; their lips were almost in contact. Akira had to hold her breath. 

Leon moved his hand from Akira's waist to her nape. “My kiss is not for free...but tonight, I'll make an exception.” He said before their lips finally met.

‘Now...my first kiss is a man named Leon. Not that fucking vampire crown prince!’ 

There was a triumphant celebration in Akira's thoughts without knowing that this night, the kiss she had requested—triggered the wheel of the fate of her life with so many unexpected turns. 

*****

Leon's face immediately flushed red. His fingertips were hot as he softly caressed the nape of the woman he was dancing with. He's taken aback by what the woman he's looking for asked of him—a kiss.

‘Soft and sweet...’

He thought as soon as their lips met. It felt like sudden electricity woke his well-being, or maybe the fact that he had never kissed and held a woman before made his situation more enticing.

His clear blue eyes burned with a desire to make the woman his at all costs. As he was about to deepen their kiss, the head of the woman fell into his chest. His eyes widened with shock that the woman seemed to lose consciousness.

His mouth formed a smirk, followed by a slight chuckle, “After kissing me, you're passing out?” 

Leon shook his head at how hilarious his situation was. He then hugged the woman in his arms tightly. 

“Even so… I finally found you.” He whispered in the ears of the passed-out woman. “Thanks to the wound on your lips, I found your scent.”

They stayed still in that position until the slow music stopped. People on the dance floor moved out of the way and surrounded the two, perhaps captivated by the bold guy who dared to embrace Clemente's successor.

“Damn, lucky guy.” The man with blonde hair said, looking at Leon.

“Tsk! He's lucky since that woman is drunk. Look, she passed out. That man would end up on the ground if she's in her normal state.” The man with the blonde responded, lighting the cigarette in his hand.

“Stop being bitter, dude! Don't tell me you're acting like that because you had experienced it yourself?” The other guy said jokingly.

The groups of men bickered in jealousy, watching how Leon hugged the heir of Clemente, Akira. Leon heard of it but ignored it since he was focused on the woman he's been longing for.

Leon carried Akira, and when he was about to step out off the dance floor, he heard the conversation of those guys once more.

“But, still, that man has no luck.” The blonde retorted while shaking his head.

“Why?” 

“Oh! Didn't you hear the rumor? The heir of Clemente is to be wed to the vampire prince.”

Leon, instead of leaving, walked to the group of men, which startled the group of men. 

‘The heir of Clemente?’

“Tell me, what is this woman's name?” Leon asked in his cold voice. 

“What the hell? Do you dare touch her without knowing who she is? She's the heir of the Clemente clan, Akira Yumi Clemente.” The man with the cigarette said, puffing the smoke on Leon's shocked face. 

Leon's heart beat loudly. He then looked at Akira, who was soundly sleeping in his arms. It was that moment when he immediately left the group of men. 

“The woman in the old times ‘fate’ is you all along?” He whispered to himself.

Leon couldn't believe that the woman he's been longing for was the woman in the ‘fate’ he's been avoiding for so long. He's happy at the thought that it seems like they're fated with each other. However, the anxiousness in him couldn't leave him be. 

Knowing who she is even made things dangerous since it means that all vampires covet Akira, her fiance. It is said that there's nothing sweeter in the fangs of vampires but the noble blood of the three clans. 

Leon exited the club and stopped, looking at the moonlight. He then gazes at Akira with his eyes forming like a crescent moon. He smiled.

“But, still, I am with you in this so-called fate.”

Under the moonlight, Leon kissed Akira's forehead as if it was to seal a promise he had made but never spoke.