Finally, she fully emerged from the darkness.
Tall. Towering. Dressed in a gothic gown that hugged every inch of her silhouette like it was made for her alone.
Her crimson eyes glowed faintly, and her lips curled into a knowing smirk. Pale skin, sharp features — elegant yet dangerous.
I gulped hard.
"A-Are you… Vanessa?"
The woman stepped closer, her presence nearly suffocating.
"Of course, it's me," she said softly, cupping my cheek.
"The real Vampire Queen — Vanessa Tepes."
Her tall figure loomed over me like I was prey.
I instinctively closed my eyes, trying to connect with Alita.
"Alita…" I murmured.
Silence.
No response.
Vanessa chuckled coldly, circling around me like a predator with a smile.
"Your little companion won't respond. I've already shut her down."
I shivered.
"No… No, this can't be… System!"
But no window appeared. No blue screen. Nothing.
Vanessa laughed again, her voice dark and sweet. She stopped behind me and leaned close to my ear.
"You're helpless, my dear Kelvin."
At that moment… I truly was.
No Alita.
No system.
Nothing.
I was vulnerable. And I knew it.
"W-What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice trembling.
I couldn't look her in the eye. For the first time, I felt… powerless.
Vanessa leaned in front of me, her breath brushing my skin.
"I want your blood," she whispered, "to awaken my true power. And I know I could take it anytime I want…"
Then, her finger pointed directly at my chest.
"But right now… I want this."
"M-My heart…?" I said, stunned.
"Yes, Kelvin," she said softly. "Your heart. You may have changed… but your soul and heart remain the same."
I slowly looked up, my eyes meeting hers — those same haunting crimson eyes.
"The way you gaze at me," she whispered, brushing her lips to my cheek, "it's still the same… as before."
I shuddered.
That kiss. That chill.
"What do you mean I've changed?" I asked, breathless. "And what… past are you talking about?"
Vanessa tilted my chin, forcing me to look at her.
"When the time comes, you'll know everything," she said. "But for now, remember only this — you are mine. You belong to me. I don't care if Gaia sent you here to destroy me."
Her voice turned cold, possessive.
"You'll stay with me. I'll make sure you always remain in my arms."
I opened my mouth to protest, but she pressed her finger to my lips.
"Shhh… Stay silent, Kelvin. You don't need to speak."
She leaned down… her lips brushed my neck.
"Let me take what I've longed for…"
I knew.
Right then, I knew exactly what she was going to do.
And I couldn't stop it.
Suddenly—her fangs sank deep into my neck. Piercing. Burning.
She drank from me, greedily… like she'd been waiting a lifetime.
"Mmm… You still taste the same as before," she whispered.
My hands trembled, but I wrapped them around her for support.
The pain… slowly… turned into a strange, warm pleasure.
But I was growing weaker. My eyes fluttered. My knees trembled.
Then, everything changed.
The dungeon around us trembled, and wind began to howl violently.
"It's time… to reclaim everything," Vanessa said.
She pulled back, standing tall, eyes closed.
A powerful yellow aura erupted around her — radiant, blinding.
Then… it shifted. Grew darker… deeper. The air became heavy.
"What's… happening?" I muttered, barely able to stand.
I could barely hear now. My head spun. My vision blurred.
Then — silence.
Vanessa stood, her body wrapped in a storm of dark, raging power.
She'd done it.
She'd returned to her full strength.
I collapsed to the ground.
But just before I lost consciousness… I felt arms wrap around me. A soft touch. Warm.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally open my eyes. My vision was blurry at first, but as it cleared, I realized I was sitting on something smooth... Vanessa's lap. She had her arms wrapped around me, pressing my head against her ample chest.
I try to look around and noticed we were in an abandoned mansion filled with dust and cobwebs.
Vanessa noticed my movement and looked down at me with a soft smile while stroking my back.
"Darling, you woke up," she purred in a gentle tone.
I attempted to get off her lap but she tightened her grip possessively.
"Stay quiet," she commanded firmly.
I clamped my lips shut but then tried to call out to Alita mentally: "Alita..."
But there was no response from her.
Vanessa laughed knowingly. "No matter how much you call your 'Alita', she won't respond."
How could she read my thoughts? I was stunned by this revelation.
She adjusted our position so that I was facing her directly, looking into her piercing eyes.
"You've always been mine," she declared, running her thumb along my lips. "That time in the past, we couldn't share our first kiss because of this world that opposed us."
Her tone turned cold and angry for a moment before softening again.
"But now here you are with me once more...and I love it."
I tried to speak up with my heart pounding wildly at what was to come next.
"What are you talking about—"
Before I could finish my sentence, Vanessa leaned in and captured my lips in a passionate first kiss. She ran her hands through my hair, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us.
"You're mine," she murmured between kisses. "Remember that."
I felt utterly submissive under her spell as the intensity of the moment overwhelmed me.
After what felt like an eternity, she slowly pulled back from the kiss—but her arms stayed wrapped firmly around my neck.
"Kelvin..."
Her voice was low... almost lustful.
I froze. Her eyes burned into mine.
"H-Hold on... we can't do this," I said, my voice trembling slightly.
But Vanessa's hands moved down, wrapping around my waist with a tight grip.
"My love, I've waited too long. I won't wait any longer. I finally have you back…"
I shook my head, heart racing.
"Please… just hold on. I—I'll only let this happen if…"
I paused, looking directly into her eyes.
"If you tell me the truth. What did you mean when you said we already knew each other in the past?"
There was silence.
Then, a soft chuckle escaped her lips, and she pulled me gently back into her embrace, pressing my head against her chest again.
She kissed my cheek.
"You're too stubborn... but fine, I'll tell you everything."
She gazed into my eyes, a hint of nostalgia clouding her voice.
"I've known you before, Kelvin. From long ago..."
My eyes widened.
"You knew me in the past? How's that even possible...?"
She smiled, a soft, almost broken laugh escaping her lips.
"It was 10,000 years ago… You and I… we were lovers."
I stared at her, breath caught in my throat.
"Lovers…?"
Vanessa continued, her voice quieter now.
"Yes. We were bound together—inseparable. But everything fell apart."
Her eyes darkened.
"I committed sins. I killed mortals… too many. The Goddess of Death came for me."
She looked away for a moment, then back at me.
"But you... you stepped forward. You chose to sacrifice yourself in my place."
"I tried to stop you. I begged you not to. But you didn't listen..."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"And then… she took your soul."
There was silence between us for a moment.
Then I whispered, "Does that mean… you've always loved me?"
She nodded, eyes glistening.
"Not only now, Kelvin. I've loved you across lifetimes."
"That's why I refused to lose you again."
I stayed still, trying to process it all.
"But… what about the stories I've heard? The ones that say you tried to enslave the Four Nations… started a war to make the world worship you?"
Vanessa sighed, a bitter chuckle escaping her lips.
"Those tales are true. But they happened after I lost you."
"When the Goddess took you from me, my rage consumed me. I let the world burn because I had nothing left."
I sat in silence.
Slowly… everything began to make sense.
So Gaia didn't just summon me here to live freely in another world...
She sent me here to be reunited with Vanessa.
To finish what had been left incomplete.
After a long silence, I finally spoke, my voice soft but certain.
"Darling... I'm back."
With those words, I accepted it all—my fate, my past, and the love that destiny had tied me to.
Vanessa's eyes widened in disbelief. Her breath hitched as tears welled up and rolled silently down her cheeks.
"Y-Yes... You're back, my love..."
She threw her arms around me, hugging me tight.
"Please… say it again. Call me darling… one more time."
I held her close, my voice filled with warmth.
"Yes, darling. I'm yours."
"I love you, my love."
For the first time in this life... or maybe not the first—maybe I had already loved her in the past—I felt my heart fully surrender to someone.
I gently pulled back just enough to look into her eyes.
"I want to give you something."
She blinked through her tears.
"What is it…?"
I leaned in slowly, pressing my lips to hers in a deep, heartfelt kiss.
Unlike before—this time, it wasn't her who reached for me.
It was me.
This kiss wasn't stolen or forced.
It was freely given.
My first kiss—one I had unknowingly saved just for her.
"I love you, Vanessa," I whispered between the kiss.
Vanessa melted into it, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck as she kissed me back with just as much passion.
"Mhm... I love you, Kelvin... I love you..." she whispered between kisses, her voice trembling.
Tears still flowed—this time not from sadness, but from joy too long buried.
"Thank you, Mother... It all happened because of you. After everything I sacrificed in the past, I've finally found my love again in this new life. Every plan you made... it was all worth it."
I whispered the words in my heart, a silent prayer of gratitude to Gaia.