Chapter 10: If You Were, Then I am

"Are you alright?" Leonardo asked as he placed a cup of hot cocoa beside Hazel while smiling approvingly at the art she painted. "It's beautiful. What inspired such a painting?" he asked as he sat beside her on the rooftop.

The painting was of a red flower with a diamond hanging in its middle. Surrounding the flower were countless werewolves howling towards the bright full moon.

"It's something I keep seeing in my dreams. I wanted to repaint it to see if it would bring back some memories, but it didn't," Hazel explained and walked away from the canvas. She picked up the hot cocoa and placed both hands around it to warm herself up. She took a sip while her eyes remained glued to the painting.

Leonardo studied the painting, trying to see if there was any record of such a painting in any of Dylan's many art books, but he came up with none. He made a mental note to ask his twin about it later.

"How often do you see it, and since when?" he probed.

"I can't remember the specific time, since my memories are all jumbled up, but it has been a while now, and I dream about it at least once a week. Do you think the universe is trying to pass a message to me?" Hazel asked curiously.

Leonardo smiled and patted her head lightly. "It probably is, but it has to make the message more clear if it wants you to understand," he replied fondly.

"Are you calling me dumb?" Hazel narrowed her eyes at him playfully, and he laughed, making her smile.

"I'm not calling you dumb. If you were, then I am too since I don't understand anything from the painting," he explained.

They fell into a comfortable silence while basking under the moon. "The winter arrived so soon this year," Hazel commented, and Leonardo hummed.

"Do you think it will snow heavily this year?" she added.

"It might, and it might not; we really can't tell," Leonardo replied. "Do you like snow a lot?"

"Yes, I've always preferred winter to any other season. I like it when everywhere is all white and cold—the morning cocoa or coffee, the cosy outfit, and all. Call me lazy, but I enjoy snuggling under the blanket to sketch," she chuckled.

"Then I better prepare more blankets and sketch pads for you."

As the two continued their casual conversation, Leonardo's phone beeped. He frowned after checking it and stood up. 

"Let's go down now. Dylan is back. I will have the servants take this into Dylan's studio for it to dry."

"Okay, thank you," she smiled and followed him down the stairs.

"How did it go?" Leonardo asked Dylan, who was busy smoking by the window. He stubbed the cigarette butt and turned to face Leonardo.

"They freaked out. It was just as predicted," he replied and pointed to the file that contained the minutes of the Alpha's meeting. "They all looked pale and scared when I mentioned the dragon pearl and the angel's tears. Hopefully, that will keep them quiet for a while," he explained.

"So, how did the meeting with Athan go? What does he want in exchange for the blood?" Dylan asked.

"They want the blue moonstone in exchange for a vial of thousand-year-old vampire essence," Leonardo explained, and Dylan nodded.

"Fair trade, to be honest. The blue moonstone takes a thousand years to fully transform, and it holds so much natural power of the moon. I get why they would want a moonstone, but why the blue one instead of the red one that soothes their nature the best?" he asked curiously.

Blue moonstones are gems with pure properties; they are used to purify dark energies and suppress inner demons. While the red moonstones are used to invoke dark energies, they can grant whoever possesses them strength and power, which is something the vampire clans are always obsessed with.

"A grand elder of the clan has been suffering from inner demon possession, and they need the blue moonstone to suppress it," Leonardo clarified. "But I'm afraid we can't give the blue moonstone this time," he added, and Dylan frowned. It may be rare, but it's something they have in their possession.

"Why?"

"The grand elder they need it for is Lucas." Upon hearing the name, Dylan growled. "Athan has been able to control him for so many years due to him having an inner demon. We all know what he is like when he is normal, and to prevent any mishap from happening, Athan doesn't want us to give the blue moonstone as an exchange item," Leonardo explained. He felt a headache from all the piled-up stress and politics, but there was nothing he could do; it was their duty and responsibility.

"If he doesn't want us to give it, why ask for it? Is this a way for them to reject us without making it seem they are doing so?"

"I had the meeting with the vampire king and representatives from the elder council of their clan. You should know how messed up their politics are. They have two factions, and unfortunately for us, the faction that supports grand elder Lucas was more than the opposing faction," Leonardo explained.

"Fuck! I would have put this down as some inner politics on their side, but it's not. Lucas regaining his reasoning is worse than him not having it. What does Athan intend to do?" Dylan questioned, having the urge to light another stick of cigarette except Leonardo hated the smell of them.

"He proposed I get it through the vampire black market. He would make sure it was available there, but then I would have to compete with others to get it."

Dylan sighed heavily. He poured both of them a glass of red wine, handing Leonardo a cup while he took the other. He sat at the table thinking about another option they had.

"There is another way we can acquire it, instead of using the black market," he proposed, and Leonardo raised his brow in question.

"You should know the vampire black market that would sell the blood essence is on a different level than the regular ones."

"I know, which is why I'm sceptical about Athan's intentions," Leonardo groaned. Vampires were cunning ones to deal with. "Only noble vampires are allowed in such places, and any other races or minor vampires seen are killed on sight. I'm starting to think Athan doesn't want to give us the blood essence."

"What other way do you have?"

"We can ask Mergec," Dylan offered.

Leonardo immediately shot him down, "No way! I'm not in support!"