Four days had passed since Xiran was imprisoned. He was famished and starved his throat ached, it had been a long time since he had felt hunger like this. Although he possessed immense self-control and had gone hungry before. Now he was feeling extremely parched, they hadn’t given him any food or blood.

The white-haired butler only gave him some water to drink and that was also two days ago. He occasionally took him to the washroom to relieve himself. The hunger crept up in his eyes and all he could think of was drinking blood. The mind plays tricks on you when you have gone hungry for so long. He wasn’t sure how long he could hold himself together. He felt weak and disgusted with himself.

The black veins had significantly reduced and his skin was returning to normal. He was in less pain now. But his hunger had quadrupled and there was nothing he could do to sate it.

His mind constantly went to Aselia and he couldn’t stop thinking about how worried she might be. The mere notion that she was safe brought him relief. How he wished to be with her but did he deserve to be with her? He couldn’t even protect himself. How will he protect her?

The door to the basement finally opened and his father stepped in. His eyes held arrogance and pity as he looked down at his son. Hungry, broken and resentful Xiran stared back at him. He wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he could break him down. He would give his life rather than submit to his father.

"I hope you had plenty of time to ponder over your minuscule existence. The only reason I haven’t killed you so far is that you are my son. But that doesn’t mean you have free reins to do whatever you please. You will do things my way or I will raise your city to the ground." The menacing threat his voice held was seeping into Xiran’s heart. He had made a treaty with his father that he will not indulge in his business as long as his father left him alone. But seemed like the recent incident and developments have changed his mind.

"What do you want me to do?" Xiran asked him with a distasteful look.

"Change your rules. You will no longer prohibit Xifin and Sohlia from visiting you and having fun there. I want them to have free reins in your city or I will snatch it away from you. I want you to give more freedom to vampires as well. You have cornered your own species." His father spoke with both his hands in his pockets.

Xiran’s heart sank at his father’s words. He had given more than half of his life developing this city, making it his own. The hierarchy of Druhias respected Xiran for he had kept the city safe for everyone. And he just couldn’t let his father take all that away from him, so he said:

"I can’t do that. Rules are for everyone’s safety. My city doesn’t come under Vampire jurisdiction, it’s a free city located on the free continent of Druhias. People feel safe because of my rules. I can’t let thousands of innocent people be butchered by vampires. Especially not by my family. You know perfectly well what my stance is on the rules of my city."

"Well, then you will rot here until you come to your senses. Let me know when you change your mind." His father asserted with his cold blue eyes scanning him for any weakness he showed.

Instead, Xiran smiled at his father showing him he wasn’t deterred and said while staring back: "You realize Druhias hierarchy is a powerful one, and not even you with all your connections can change their mind about rules. A lot of Druhias cities follow the same rules. Some have even stricter rules. It’s exactly the reason why this particular continent is the most popular one and experiences the most tourists every year. Do you think they will give the reins of one of their most popular cities in your hands?"

Xiran’s father squinted at him, creases appeared on his forehead, and in his heart, he knew Xiran was not wrong. To do that he would have to go to war and soon other two continents would jump in as well. And, with hunters, they would surely shake hands with Druhias just to prevent another continent from falling under Vampire rule.

This was why he had let Xiran establish a city there that one day he will get hold of it and start establishing his rule all over Druhias. But Xiran was as stubborn as always and he would always stand in his way and his desire to acquire power.

"We will see about that in a few days. Hopefully, you will come to your senses and agree to operate according to my wishes." With these words, he turned to walk away from Xiran but as he reached the door Xiran spoke:

"Father! You and I both know that you need me in Fritez City and only I can manage it, or you would have taken it from me, way before. Xifin can’t do what I can and neither can you. That’s the only reason you keep me alive and will continue to do so." His father turned to face him at those words and saw Xiran had a small mocking smile on his face. He clenched his fists at his son and without a warning, he was onto him. Plummeting his face to the ground with his punches.

~CRACK~

Xiran heard his jaw break under the brutal punches of his father and since his hands were tied he couldn’t defend himself. His blood splattered on the concrete floor, painting it scarlet. His father pressed his face down with his knee and ensanguined his gorgeous hair.

The hatred, anguish and defiance filled the air between father and son. While the former had no mercy in his heart the latter’s obstinate nature always landed him in deep waters. For he had the habit of operating solely on emotions.

Xiran’s veins began to turn inky again but he didn’t let a whimper escape him. His stubborn eyes held animosity, reserved only for his father. He was yanked up by his hair as his father bore his hateful eyes in his and said:

"You think you can dictate to me how to run my affairs. No one can manipulate me Xiran not even you. I will get everything I desire and I will trample anyone who would dare stand in my way." Xiran jerked his head from his grasp, leaving a handful of his blood-stained hair in his father’s hand.

"Good luck, father." He said calmly before resting his head on the floor and closing his eyes. His father gave him one final look before storming out, shutting the door behind him.

Xiran was barely breathing, he felt cold, extremely cold. His heart was slowing down, some of the veins supplying blood to his heart had been frozen and he felt unbearable pain with every breath. Was he going to die here? Is that the end of his wretched, miserable and loveless life?

’No’ he thought to himself. ’I can’t die just yet, not like this, not before I kill him and rid this world of his atrocities. I have to be strong, for innocent people, for Aselia. Yes, she deserves better, she deserves freedom.’

Even if it meant working with enemies he would do it. Like they say: "Enemy of my enemy is my friend." And he knew what he needed to do once he was free from his father’s stronghold.

It was almost time for Rivan to place that call Xiran had instructed him and he was sure at the end of day 5, the call will be placed and if he was still alive by that time, his father will let him go. All he could do now was, wait.

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

Thousands of miles apart, Aselia inquired about Xiran every day. But his phone was switched off and there was no news. A few days ago she had seen him in her dream and he was in immense pain, she could feel it in every cell of her body. How? She had no clue but she was sure he was in deep trouble just because he wanted to keep her safe from his family.

She felt her resolve to break down with every passing day. Never had she imagined not even in her wildest dreams that she could miss someone so much, other than her parents. He was constantly on her mind, every minute, every second of the day.

She tried to keep herself busy but it was of no avail. All she wanted to do was hug him again, feel his warmth and bicker with him. For deep down in her heart, she knew only he could handle her, only he could accept her with all her flaws. And for the first time, she was afraid, afraid of losing him...