MIDNIGHT PRINCE: Empire of Sin

Sitting alone in the living room, Cecilia was absentmindedly staring at the TV while holding onto a can of unopened beer. She had brought the bear out to help her in calming down her nerves but she didn't have the mind to drink it. Thinking about what was going on downstairs was enough to muddle out all her thoughts.

Right then… As if on cue…

A scream filled with pain and unbridled rage and unfiltered despair reached her ears and lashed at her heart, inflicting pain that was far different from any complications her heart had shown thus far. However, all she did as a response was to close her eyes and unconsciously tighten her grip around the can, crushing it along the way.

Looking down as the amber-colored liquid stained her clothes and seeing her hand dripping with the juices contained inside the can, she couldn't help but sigh out loud and stood up before searching for the mop.

She was feeling like a robot programmed to do a limited set of tasks and unable to do anything else.

Whenever a sound of agony would come out from downstairs she would tighten her jaw to its limits and persevere, doing nothing. She was using all her might and willpower to fight the desire to go down and tell him to stop.

This was the first and most important step to assure that Adam could survive in this dangerous world. Only by using Prana would he be able to bring out the true powers of his skills and only then will he be able to fight against those who want to hurt him.

As a mother, it was very excruciating to experience something like this. She wished for nothing more than to go down there and comfort him. Tell him that he did not have to suffer, that everything would be alright in the world, and that she would take care of everything for him so that he could just relax and enjoy life.

But she did not do that. She had run away from reality for twenty-one long years already. His awakening should have happened long ago if she did not intervene and then it could have been less painful for him.

His suffering was her fault and trying to stop him now would only push back the inevitable.

'What the hell am I doing here?'

She threw away the can of beer into the trash can. She could take care of the drink spilled on the ground later. She needed to take care of some important matters.

Walking upstairs to her room, she searched for something in one of her old shirts and took out a piece of paper with a phone number written on it in a way that only skilled hunters or people who were aware of the methods could identify it.

Once the call started, she waited for a few seconds, anxiously wondering if someone would really answer or not after all these years,

[Hello.]

A gruff and deep voice sounded from the other side, making Cecilia let out a sigh of relief that the number still worked.

"It's Cecilia."

[...]

"Hello? Someone still there?"

[Fuck! You crazy bitch! You are still alive!?]

She gave a bitter smile after hearing the plethora of curses the man on the other side threw her way, "Yeah. Still hanging onto these old bones. I guess the underworld doesn't want to offer a residency to me yet."

[Hahaha! I am sure even the great grim reaper themselves would think twice before taking your soul.]

The joy blatantly revealed in his voice was unmistakable and Cecilia was happy to hear that her old friend was still alive and well. At least, that was what she could infer from his jovial voice.

[So. Why did you call me? You went deep into hiding one day and there was no contact from you ever since. Pretty sure everyone thought you kicked the bucket already.]

"I need your help."

[Ohoh? You aren't even ordering me this time? Where is the real Cecilia and what have you done to her?]

"I am not that shameless you know."

The snort coming from the other was pretty loud and clearly telling that she was spouting absolute bullshit. Knowing herself and her deeds of the past, she didn't have it in herself to make a retort.

[I won't go into detail about how much you owe me. So what is it? Do you want a new weapon? That is the only thing I am good at after all.]

She hesitated for a few seconds about what to say.

This was a determining step for her. A step she knew she needed to take but didn't know how she should take it or if it was even right to do so.

Ever since she began raising Adam, she had been determined to not even introduce the slightest bits of the supernatural world into her life and, in essence, Adams's.

She made sure to vanish completely off the grid and erased all her traces before beginning to live a normal life here in LA with her precious son.

But now? Now she was about to go back to her old life— and she was not at her peak. Not even close to it now that her heart was such a mess.

Did she have a choice, though? She didn't believe that she did.

Her sister would find her or Adam sooner or later since he was implicated in the vampire case. Once this happened, the Kaminari family would learn of Adam's existence.

She could lie and say he was her biological son. But she was tired of lying all the time. Adam had the right to reach his true family and she had no right to hide him from them any further.

"I want something sharp. Hidden weapons that can be easily carried in everyday life without raising suspicions. Also, something that conducts Prana easily. Ideally, it should be quite light as well."

[Huh? Hidden weapons and Cladding? This isn't really your style.]

"It isn't for me."

[...]

She could hear the man groaning slightly on the other side of the phone.

[Okay. *Pheww* Even though you owe me quite a bit of money, I owe you even more for saving me all those years ago. Can I ask who is it for?]

"My son."

She chuckled at the trail of curses that followed after her declaration. She could imagine just how surprised her friend must be after hearing this news.

But she would hide no more.

She would not hide his true ancestry anymore.

But no matter what anyone said. She was a mother in all but blood.

She was not always the best. She may have made many mistakes in her life and she without a doubt had many regrets.

But at the end of the day— Adam was her beloved son. Nothing more, nothing less.

Once she finished her call and thanked her old friend for helping her despite all the years she vanished, she walked down and was about to finally reach for the mop to wash away that stain she caused when she realized that no more screams came from the basement.

She gulped down a little in nervousness and with a hint of anticipation and dread, she took one step after another and finally stopped in her tracks when she reached the closed door of the basement floor.

"Adam?"

She called out softly, wondering what she expected when *Clack* the door opened by itself, giving her a view of the room beyond.

The first thing she noticed was that, even though the room was spotless, the odor of blood was beyond overpowering. She could not even imagine how much blood had to be spent to reach such a level of metallic scent.

But all of this paled in comparison to the second thing she noticed,

"Adam…"

Sitting in a lotus pose, her son was quietly floating a few centimeters above the ground.

His right eye shone with a golden luster, while a grin full of happiness was plastered on his face.

"I succeeded."

Two simple words. But Cecilia heard none of them as she rushed and hugged her son tightly before he fell down in her arms— unconscious. The toll had been too much for him and seeing his mother had been the last straw for him.

"I am proud of you. Congratulations."

Cecilia did not even tear up when she was told by the doctor that her body was deteriorating and that she might die soon if she was not given a heart.

But right here, right now, she was crying tears of joy and relief.

The only times she had felt like this was when Adam took his first steps and called her mom for the first time.

Today was a good day.