The Blood Contract

A long breath of heaviness escaped Serena's nostrils as she sat, crossed legged on the comfortable sofa in a different office. Two out of the three guards, who spent the night at her house flanked her.

Having had one of the worst nights of her life, she was brought back to the research center the next evening, looking more presentable. Well, as presentable as she wanted at least, having decided to wear a blue oversized T-shirt paired with black sweatpants. Her hair was tied in a tight ponytail and her face had not a single makeup on it.

A few minutes more and Lucian walked in, dressed in a black, long, business style trench coat. With him was a severe-looking woman dressed in a crisp white lab coat.

Shock registered on both their faces when they saw her, but Lucian was quick to regain composure. He wanted to laugh but he held it in. For someone who was getting married, she sure put in a lot of effort to look very unattractive.

"I hope we didn't keep you waiting for too long, Ms Alaric. Please come with me as we proceed to the lab." The woman spoke, after recovering from her shock.

Serena didn't respond. She eyed the woman, then eyed Lucian. Satisfied, she stood up without a word and followed as the woman led the way.

Lucian walked beside her, his towering presence exuding an unyielding authority that both intrigued and irritated her. His cold gaze flicked around the halls, assessing every detail, every shadow.

"This way," the guide instructed, her voice clipped and professional. She led them into a vast room filled with rows of glass chambers and complex machines humming with quiet energy.

Serena's eyes darted around, trying to absorb everything at once. Inside the glass chambers were rows of glowing vials filled with dark red liquid—blood. Beside each chamber stood a digital panel displaying data she couldn't decipher.

"What is all this?" Serena asked, her voice coming out slightly irritated.

The guide turned, her expression impassive. "This is one of our blood analysis labs. The Council's research focuses on genetic anomalies, bloodline traits, and immunities. Our work is essential for maintaining balance and order."

Serena didn't like the way the woman said "balance." It sounded too much like "control."

Lucian stepped forward, his voice low and laced with suspicion. "So what are we supposed to do here?"

The guide's lips curved into a faint, unreadable smile. "I'll need to take a small quantity of your blood for our final analysis, Mr. Draven. Both of you."

Serena and Lucian asked no further questions. They followed the woman's instructions and had their blood taken.

After that, they continued down another hallway, this one darker and more foreboding. The air grew colder, and the hum of machinery grew louder. They passed rooms with windows that offered glimpses of strange experiments: scientists hunched over microscopes, technicians handling vials of glowing substances, and—most unsettling of all—figures strapped to tables, their faces obscured by masks and wires.

Serena's stomach churned. "This is insane," she muttered under her breath.

They stopped in front of a large observation window overlooking a chamber below. Inside, a group of scientists was gathered around a table where a metallic device was being calibrated. It pulsed with an eerie blue light, casting shadows across the room.

"What is that?" Lucian asked, narrowing his eyes. His question made the guide pause, not realizing they had stopped walking at the observation window.

"That," the guide said, walking back toward them and gesturing to the scene below, "is one of our most advanced inventions. It's a weapon that targets specific genetic markers, ensuring precision and minimizing collateral damage."

Serena's blood ran cold. "You're making weapons?"

"Better to call them tools," the guide corrected. "Tools for maintaining order."

"Order," Serena repeated, her voice trembling with barely contained anger. "You mean control. You're playing god with people's lives."

The guide's expression didn't waver. "We ensure survival. The world is more fragile than you realize."

"The world? I thought this concerns just the Mafia."

"We need to keep moving," The guide spoke, evading the question.

As they continued through the facility, Serena felt her unease grow. The deeper they went, the more apparent it became that the Council's interest in her wasn't as simple as they made it sound. But they give her no choice.

Lucian, for all his icy demeanor, seemed to share her unease. His sharp eyes missed nothing, and his jaw tightened each time they passed another unsettling experiment.

Their guide finally led them to a smaller room, lined with monitors displaying streams of data.

"This is where we'll conduct your final assessments," the guide said.

"Assessments?" Serena echoed.

"Physical examinations, genetic mapping," the guide listed off casually, as if she were discussing a routine doctor's visit. "The joining will take place in an hour, so this will be quick."

Before the guide could say anything more, a scientist entered the room, whispering something in her ear. The guide's eyes flicked to Serena, her expression briefly tense before smoothing into neutrality.

"Excuse me," she said, leaving with the scientist.

The door clicked shut, leaving Serena and Lucian alone.

"Great," Serena muttered, letting out a frustrated sigh. "This just keeps getting better."

Lucian leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. He set his eyes on the monitors, trying to understand the complicated writings on them.

Serena, however, set her gaze on Lucian. She had not forgotten what he did the day before. She still didn't understand why he would go to such great lengths to punish the one who hit her, when she head him clearly say she wasn't his type. Since their first encounter up till that moment, he hadn't spoken a word directly to her. She didn't know whether to be happy or sad about it.

Before she could ponder more on it, faint voices drifted through the air. Serena froze, realizing they were coming from the other side of the door. She moved closer, straining to hear.

"…her immunity is remarkable," one voice said. "If we can isolate the gene, the applications are limitless."

Serena tried to hear more, but the door opened and the guide returned.