Chapter 2: Bloodline
Back in my old Brooklyn home, I sat alone in my study, trying to sort out everything that had happened that night.
Marcus brewed me a pot of black tea and then tactfully withdrew. This old butler had served my family for over fifty years and was one of the few people who knew my true identity.
I picked up the teacup, but my hand trembled slightly. Not from fear, but from anger. The sealed power within me was restless, like a wild beast trapped in a cage.
"Damn Victor..." I said through gritted teeth.
Just then, the study door was kicked open violently. Three men dressed in black burst in, exuding a strong stench of blood—they were vampires.
"Alexander Dracula," the leading man sneered, "Master Victoire sent us to send you on your way."
I put down my teacup and slowly stood up. "He really can't wait."
"Enough with the nonsense!" Another vampire drew a silver dagger. "Since you're already useless, then die!"
They pounced on me at the same time, moving with lightning speed. In the world of vampires, that kind of speed is considered quite impressive.
But to me, their movements were as slow as snails.
At the critical moment, the seal within me loosened once more. An ancient and terrifying power surged from my blood vessels, and my pupils instantly turned deep red.
"Get out of here!"
A low roar erupted, accompanied by a terrifying primordial pressure. Before the three vampire assassins could react, they were blasted away by this force, crashing heavily into the wall.
My figure flashed like a ghost, instantly appearing in front of the leading vampire. I grabbed his neck and lifted him up.
"Tell me, how many more men did Victor send?" My voice was as low as if it came from hell.
"No...impossible..." The vampire's eyes widened, filled with terror. "How could you possibly possess such power? The bloodline analysis clearly shows..."
"Answer my question!" I increased the pressure on my hands.
"Just...just the three of us..." he said with difficulty, "Master Vic thought you had really lost your abilities..."
I sneered and squeezed hard. With a snap, his neck broke.
The other two vampires tried to escape, but I was faster. Almost instantly, I appeared in front of them and ripped their hearts out with a single palm strike.
Three corpses lay on the ground, their blood staining the carpet. But strangely, I felt no excitement or satisfaction. Instead, a sharp pain shot through my chest.
"Ah!" I collapsed to my knees in agony, feeling as if countless knives were cutting into my internal organs.
This is the backlash from the seal! Every time I use the bloodline of the progenitor, the seal becomes stronger, causing me even greater pain.
I struggled to climb to the desk and opened a hidden drawer. Inside was an ancient parchment book, a secret manual passed down in my family for hundreds of years.
Turning the pages, I found records about seals:
"The Triple Blood Oath Seal is the strongest restriction created by the ancient elders of the vampire clan. Those sealed by this seal will have their power bound by three layers of chains. To break this seal, three conditions must be met: First, gain the true recognition of the vampire council; second, receive the sincere affection of a pure-blooded human; and third, complete the redemption of one's bloodline in despair."
"Warning: Each time the sealed power is forcibly used, the seal will automatically strengthen until it completely locks the host's bloodline."
After reading this, my heart felt as heavy as lead. So that's how it is. No wonder I always suffered a backlash whenever I used my power. This seal is like a vicious cycle; the more you resist, the tighter the restraints become.
But what exactly do these three conditions for lifting the lockdown mean?
The first condition, "genuine recognition from the Vampire Council," seems understandable, but given my current situation, gaining the recognition of those snobs is almost impossible.
The second condition, "the sincere emotions of pure-blooded humans," is even more perplexing. What does "pure-blooded humans" mean? Does it refer to ordinary people who are completely unaware of the existence of the supernatural world?
As for the third condition, "bloodline redemption," it baffled me even more. Redemption? What do I need to redeem?
Just as I was lost in thought, my phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Alexander? I'm a nurse at St. Mary's Hospital. Your guardian, Mr. John Smith, has just been brought to the emergency room..."
What? I jumped to my feet. John Smith was my adoptive father in Brooklyn; he and his wife Mary took me in three years ago when I lost my memory.
"What's wrong with him?" I asked anxiously.
"He's been beaten up, and his injuries are serious. Can you come right away?"
"I'll be right there!"
I hung up the phone, a sense of foreboding washing over me. That bastard Victor, wouldn't he even spare innocent old people?
I rushed out of the study, and Marcus had already prepared the car.
"Master, what happened?"
"To St. Mary's Hospital, quick!"
The car sped through the night, and my anxiety grew. John and Mary were my only source of warmth in this world; if anything happened to them...
When I arrived at the hospital, I saw Mary sitting on a chair outside the emergency room, crying. She had bruises on her face, and had obviously been beaten.
"Mary!" I ran over and helped her up. "How's John?"
"Alexander..." she cried even harder when she saw me, "Some strangers broke into our house, saying they were looking for you. John tried to protect me, and they beat him badly..."
My heart skipped a beat. They were definitely after me.
"The doctor said John's condition is critical," Mary continued, sobbing, "They broke several of his ribs and kicked his internal organs..."
A fire of rage burned within me. These damned bastards, how dare they hurt my family!
Just then, the emergency room door opened, and a female doctor in a white coat walked out. She had long blonde hair, delicate features, and looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
"Mr. Smith's family?" she asked as she approached us.
"Yes, I am his son," I stood up, "How is my father?"
The female doctor glanced at me, a strange glint in her eyes, but quickly returned to normal.
"The patient's condition has stabilized, but he needs to be hospitalized for observation for a few days. His rib fractures were quite severe, and he also had minor internal bleeding, but after surgery, he should be out of danger."
Upon hearing this news, Mary and I both breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, doctor..." I glanced at the name tag on her chest, "Dr. Emily Hart."
"You're welcome, it's my pleasure," she smiled. "However, I suggest you call the police, since this is a case of malicious assault."
"I'll handle it." I nodded.
Dr. Emily gave some more instructions and then left. But I noticed that she looked back at me as she left, her eyes holding an indescribable meaning.
After sitting with Mary for a while and confirming that John's condition was indeed stable, I asked Marcus to take her home to rest, while I stayed at the hospital to keep watch.
Sitting in the corridor outside the hospital room, I was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. John and Mary were my only support during my amnesia; they gave me the warmth of home. Now, however, they were hurt because of me.
I must become stronger, I must break this damn seal!
But how exactly are those three conditions met? Especially the second condition, "the sincere emotions of a pure-blooded human"...
Thinking about this, the image of the female doctor named Emily from earlier involuntarily came to mind. The way she looked at me was special; unlike others, her gaze wasn't filled with fear or greed, but rather with pure concern.
Could it be... that she is the person I've been looking for?
I shook my head, realizing I was overthinking things. The most important thing now is to figure out the secret of the seal and then find a way to break it.
Only by regaining my true power can I protect those I care about and make those bastards who hurt them pay the price.
Victor, you just wait. I'll settle this score with you sooner or later.
