The road to Transylvania felt endless. With every mile, the tension grew, but inside the car, the silence was softened by exchanged glances and small comments that showed the quiet closeness between Alice and Kara.
"I didn't think it would feel like this…" Alice murmured, watching the scenery shift from urban to rustic as they neared the mountains.
"Feel like what?" Kara asked, hands steady on the wheel.
"This feeling… like we're heading straight into the wolf's mouth, but somehow I'm still… at peace because I'm with you."
Kara looked away for a second and smiled, unable to hide the warmth rising in her chest.
"You talk like it's easy to make me flustered," she said with a quiet laugh.
"But I feel the same. If it were with anyone else, I would've run already."
Their trip continued in that soft, intimate tone, between confessions and comfortable silences.
When they finally arrived in Brașov, the cold night air wrapped around them as soon as they stepped out of the car. The cobblestone streets, lit by old-fashioned lamps, gave the place an almost ghostly atmosphere. Alice pulled her coat tighter, shivering.
"Perfect place for vampires, don't you think?" she joked.
"Yeah… feels like we're in the middle of some legend," Kara replied, pulling her suitcase.
"I just hope our story doesn't turn into one of those tragedies."
They checked into a discreet hotel with an old facade and warm, cozy rooms. The exhaustion from the trip weighed on them, but something bigger kept them from sleeping right away. In the room, they sat side by side on the bed, exchanging shy touches that soon grew more intense.
Alice leaned her forehead against Kara's and whispered,
"Do you think we're gonna make it out of this alive?"
"I don't know," Kara answered honestly.
"But I know I'll fight till the end, and I'm not leaving you alone."
The silence that followed wasn't uncomfortable. It was loaded with meaning. Alice squeezed her hand, sealing a silent promise.
Later, with the moon high in the sky, they lay down but kept talking.
"About the hearing…" Kara began, staring at the ceiling.
"We have to be really careful with what we say. If we slip even a little, they can use it against us."
"I know…" Alice sighed.
"Maybe we should focus on proving we're not a threat. Show them… that there's something beyond those rules they cling to."
"They don't care about feelings," Kara said with bitterness.
"But maybe… maybe that's exactly our chance. Showing them we're not blood machines."
Alice turned to face her fully.
"Then if I have to, I'll speak. I'll tell them everything. Even… about us."
Kara's eyes widened in surprise.
"Alice… that could be dangerous."
"We're already in danger. But if I'm going to be judged, I want it to be for the truth."
Kara hesitated, but deep down, she knew Alice was right. She slowly nodded and pressed a brief, promise-filled kiss to Alice's lips.
Time passed too fast. When the clock hit 11:45 p.m. on Friday, they were already standing in front of the meeting place. The car stopped beside an old stone building covered in dark ivy. The whole place seemed to breathe mystery.
Albert stood at the entrance, wearing a long black coat, as if he'd been waiting for hours. His expression was stern, but oddly calm.
"You arrived right on time," he said, his voice echoing through the cold night.
"The Council doesn't tolerate delays."
Alice and Kara shared one last look, one filled with courage and fear, before stepping toward their inevitable fate.