I left the notebook on the table and sat on the bed that was closest to me. Still shocked, still taking in the whole story Darklion had just told me.

We stayed silent for a long time. I finally broke the silence we were both in.

- That boy in the notebook is...? I mean, is it really... Y-You?

- It was me...

- No... It can't be! You... You...

I could barely understand what he was trying to say.

- You mean you were a human before?

- Yes, I was human.

- WAIT!!!!! No, no, wait... If the boy in the notebook was Darklion Black and you're him... then...

I paused. I was having trouble speaking again. What I was hearing made my blood run cold. Darklion was still standing in the same spot. Not looking at me, silent.

- So if you are that boy... it means that you are the...

- I am the king of the vampires...

Darklion turned subtly towards me, he had a very soft worried expression on his face. But still with the same seriousness that always characterized him. He wanted to take a step towards me, but he didn't. I knew that it would be shocking news for me. I was still sitting on the bed; many thoughts were going through my mind. We stayed like that for a long time.

Then I whispered.

- That's why Lestat's curse was so powerful... The real king cursed him in person.

Darklion remained motionless, just watching me. He didn't move a single muscle; after all, vampires are so capable of remaining motionless for a long time.

- Was it always you?

- Your mere presence before me that day took me by surprise, no human had ever managed to see me...

- Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?

- I couldn't do it then.

- Why!?

- If I had told you, you would have run away from me.

- Liar!... You didn't trust me.

- It wasn't because of that Irhin.

- Then? Tell me?

- Everyone knows who I am, how evil I can be... I drink and feed on the blood of your kind. Tell me Irhin, knowing who I really am from the beginning... would you be with me now?

Darklion was right, I didn't answer right away. I knew he was a vampire; I know what kind of beings they are, and what they feed on... but being the king of vampires, basically is the first of all.

I was sitting on the bed, Darklion finally approached and crouched in front of me, he placed his hands on mine.

- I couldn't keep doing this to you, so I brought you here.

- You said it yourself; you are evil. You feed on human flesh and blood. You are vengeful and evil.

Darklion felt electricity run down his spine. Just hearing me talk about him was painful for him. He showed me his noble side, his human side overcame the beast inside after so many years of freeing him... and hearing me say those bad things about his kind, those words he had always bragged about.

- But you are not like that evil being...

Darklion looked up, I stood up and with that I gently pulled him so he could stand up too. At that moment I stared at his hands, he was wearing a beautiful black ring, that stood out twice as much because his hand was very white, so I stared at him while I spoke to him.

- You have a different soul, Darklion, the one you have shown me since we met; Taking care of me while I sleep and now talking about your past life with me; What else can I think of you? I have not had any bad thoughts about you, even knowing what you feed on, that these beautiful red lips have touched human flesh and the last traces of blood of each of your victims have slipped.

I slid my hands on his chest over his armor and raised my arms seeking to hug him. Darklion immediately returned the hug.

- You are what I always looked for... Your heart, even when you call it “an empty hole" is as warm as mine, my beloved vampire. I have loved you from the first moment my eyes met yours. You were the first person I drew, after so long that I stopped doing so, after the death of my mother.

- I hated your kindness for so many years and believe me I have lived long enough to know how bad humans can be. I classified them as inferior to my species… But I found you among them all, you have a soul as pure as my father's, so warm and with so much desire to help, to love. You calmed that wild beast in me, that beast that I released many years ago. I want to be what I am now…

Darklion paused…

– I don't want to lose you Irhin, you are the best thing I have had in this cursed life that I chose to live, or rather that I had to live. I held so much resentment against humans… and I swore that no one would ever know about my past.

Darklion paused again…

– I was upset with myself just thinking that at some point in my past I was a human. But I found in you everything opposite to what humans represent, it cost me so much work to understand everything that I was feeling, everything that happened to me since I was a child.

I hugged him tightly and felt his hands tremble.

- Tell me, what happened to you?

He looked me straight in the eyes, and placing his forehead on mine he let out a sigh.

- Not today my beloved princess. It's too late, and surely that lieutenant who defends your palace will be very worried about you.

It's true, I had to go back to the palace, but I didn't want to leave.

- I know, but is it wrong that I don't want to go back?

Darklion and I were facing each other, I hugged him and Darklion was also holding me tight. I searched with my eyes for the eyes of my beloved vampire, those beautiful hazel eyes. As he said those words, Darklion searched for mine. He leaned down and kissed me.

Those kisses were sweet, they were of true love. That evil beast inside Darklion was calm, his vengeful thoughts stopped. He just wanted to be calm now, to hold me tight and I wanted the same with him.

- I don't want you to go either. But, for now I can't have you with me. I must do many things before I even take you with me.

- Are you talking about the other vampires, the ones that are closest to you?

- They wouldn't touch you if you were with me. If you're mine, they won't get close to you. I'm their king, and they respect my laws. My orders.

- I understand my love, when will I be able to hear your full story as a human and as a vampire?

Darklion looked up at the sky, there he saw the Moon. He looked at me.

- Soon my beloved princess. I'll take you back to your home, and we'll see each other in a few days.

- I don't want to wait too long. I don't like missing you.

Darklion leaned back a little and kissed me again. I hugged him by the neck and stretched out to reach him; I was on tiptoe. and he buried his face in my neck, I know that when Darklion was very close to me, he had always controlled his thirst. That was even harder.

We left Darklion's house. I had the key with me; I took it and locked the door. I handed it to Darklion to take.