Xiran groggily opened his eyes and found himself in the basement. He was lying down on the stone cold floor and his hands were tied behind his back with a special string. It was piercing his skin and whatever it was laced with was causing him excruciating pain.

He felt like all the strength had been drained from his body. He couldn’t use his vampiric powers. He knew hunters had invented serums that temporarily disabled vampiric powers. His father was most probably using something similar on him.

He got up with much difficulty and sat up with his back against the wall. His whole body ached and he faced difficulty in breathing, a lot of his veins were frozen, which meant less oxygen. His father had left adequate veins untouched so he could breathe, he was an expert in carrying out this practice without killing Xiran.

Every breath was agonizing, every second was misery while every memory of this place was pure torture.

He remembered a time when he was six and he had found a stray puppy outside his house. It was brownish-white. He rushed in with it in his arms and shouted:

"Mom!!! Look what I found." He took the puppy straight to his mother. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Wow, that’s such a cute little doggie you have. Where did you find it?" His mother smiled at him and the puppy in his hands as she patted it.

"Outside, he is hungry. Can you please give him something to eat?" Xiran pleaded with his own puppy eyes.

"Woof!" and the puppy agreed.

"Of course my dear. Let’s give him some chicken to eat." His mother went to the kitchen and brought small pieces of chicken in a container. They placed the puppy and the container on the floor and it waddled on its small paws and started eating.

"Thank you, you are the best mom in the world." Xiran hugged his mom with a smile and she hugged him back with her love and affection.

"And you are the best son in the whole universe." She smiled at him, her grey eyes shining.

"Really?"

"Really and absolutely." She smoothed out his silver hair with her fingers.

"Mom, can we keep him?" Xiran pointed to the puppy.

"Well, animals are a lot of responsibility. Are you sure you are ready to take all his responsibility?" His mom inquired politely, bending down so that her face was level with his.

"Yes, yes I promise. I will take good care of him. Pleaseee." He clasped his tiny hands and pouted.

His mother laughed lightly at his action and said: "Alright, little one you can keep him." Little Xiran hugged his mom again.

"Woof, woof!" the little puppy approved as well as he stared at Xiran and his mom with his cute beady eyes.

"What should we name you?" Xiran drummed his small finger on his temple. "How about Rony? You look like a little Rony to me."

"Woof," the puppy barked with his tail wagging behind him in excitement.

"I think it likes the name you have given him. Let’s build him a small house as well, where he could sleep." Xiran jumped up and down in excitement at his mother’s words.

They spent the rest of the day making a kennel for him. And, by the nighttime, they had prepared a dark brown one with a front entrance for the puppy. Xiran arranged for a small blanket so the puppy won’t feel cold.

His father was away for a few days on his business trip. They didn’t know what business he carried out. He returned that night as Xiran and Xifin were playing with the puppy.

A hushed silence fell in the living area of the mansion as he entered and stared at the boys. Their smiles completely vanished and they stood with their hands behind their backs and heads bowed down.

But the puppy, the poor puppy began to bark at his father, its hair standing up. His father wore a disdainful look as he thundered: "Who brought this???"

Xiran’s mother came running out of the room, hearing her husband’s voice.

"Hello! You are back. Let me fix you a drink." She tried to change the topic.

"I asked something." He was getting annoyed by every ticking second, Rony kept barking while Xiran wanted to disappear from there.

"I permitted them to play, I gave them the puppy. It’s my fault." His mother lied so he wouldn’t hurt Xiran.

He strode toward her and grabbed her arm: "I am trying to make them tough and what are you trying to do woman? Making them soft by letting them play with puppies. They are my sons, they are destined to follow in my footsteps not become dog breeders. Don’t give them unnecessary distractions." His grip tightened on her arm as she winced in pain. The anger seeped from every inch of his body.

"I...apologize, I will... be more careful." She spoke weakly.

"I brought the puppy, don’t hurt my mom," Xiran spoke, looking directly into his father’s eyes. His gaze held defiance.

"Is that true?" His father glanced at him and then back at his mom. She gulped hard.

"Smack..." the air filled with the sound of his slap as the force threw her a few meters away.

"Mommmm..." Xiran shouted as he ran to his mom on his tiny feet. Tears trickled down his cheeks.

But his father grabbed him before he could reach her. Rony growled at the man and lunched forward to bite his leg. A kick from Xiran’s father sent it flying and it smashed against the wall, never to bark or defend Xiran again. Its blood splattered on the wall and left it crimson.

"Nooooo!!!" Xiran’s anguished scream filled the night air as he tried to kick his father. Xifin watched this scene unfold, rooted to his spot. There were no emotions on his face. His mother rushed to save him but...

"Smack..." the impact of his father’s hand blinded Xiran for a few seconds. The resounding pain and anguish it brought burnt his skin and he couldn’t stop his tears from flowing freely.

He then threw him toward his mother, who collected him in her loving arms, trying to shield him from the cruel world.

"No more dogs in this house." He shouted angrily before walking away to his study. Xifin walked back to his room. While Xiran cried in his mother’s lap for a long time. She caressed his cheek and kissed him to soothe his pain and suffering.

Later Xiran picked up Rony and took him outside in the flower bed. It looked peaceful in its eternal sleep. Xiran dug a small hole and buried it there. That night he didn’t sleep at all. Agony and fear clutched his heart.

Back to the present day, Xiran pulled his legs closer to his chest and placed his head on them. Nothing had changed, he was still as weak as he was so many years ago. He still couldn’t face his father, the abuse had developed a fear in his heart and he couldn’t get rid of it.

This wretched place and the memories it held were driving him insane. He wanted to scream but he didn’t want to give his father the satisfaction that he had broken him once again.

His thoughts went to Aselia and warmth filled him. She was like a ray of hope in his wretched life. And he knew he was extremely selfish when it came down to her. Wanting to keep her when he knew how dangerous his world was, how vile his father was. He needed to make a decision, a final decision.

But was he strong enough to do that? He kept love away from his life but he didn’t even realize when she crept into his heart and now she refused to leave. He didn’t want her to leave, his tormented heart will not recover from the loss. He might lose his humanity, his good side. That’s what his father wanted, to turn him into a killing machine.

"Stop...." he squealed, hoping the pain and anguish will lessen but they didn’t.

"Aselia..." he murmured her name softly. So softly, it was a mere whisper; which held his torments and plights. His eyes closed as he imagined himself hugging her and calmness washed over him.

--------------------

Thousands of miles away Aselia woke up from another nightmare, a scream escaped her throat.

"Nooo..." she sat up straight in her bed. Her breathing was irregular and her heart was beating abnormally fast. Although it was cold she was drenched in her sweat.

Melori knocked on her door and entered. "Are you alright? I heard you scream." She inquired with concern.

"Oh! Yes, it was just a nightmare." Aselia tried to calm her heart down. Melori handed her a glass of water from the nightstand. Aselia gulped it down in one go and handed it back.

"Thank you, I am alright now." Melori nodded and said: "Good night, I am nearby if you need me." She then left the room, closing the door behind her.

Once she was gone Aselia dropped back on her pillow and whispered: "Xiran...are you in pain..."