LOGIN"And what precisely is it that you want?" She didn't need him to spell it out, the truth was already a heavy weight in the air. He wanted the secret, the buried, knowledge of his own hidden power she had within her Across the chamber, the news that Cassie was pregnant hit Leonardo like a physical blow, compounding the dread he already felt. A wave of profound unease washed over him. The thought of Vlad harming her, or the innocent child she carried, was intolerable. Yet, the stark, brutal reality was that he was completely and utterly paralyzed. He was a captive, his limbs as useless as a mouse caught in a crude, inescapable trap. "We both understand my motives," Vlad retorted, his tone edged with a weary impatience, as if addressing a willful, obtuse child. Cassie frowned, her brows knitting together in genuine protest. "I genuinely do not possess the answer you seek. The power you believe I have has not been awakened," she insisted, trying to hold firm against his unnervin
"Leo... Leonardo, is that truly you?" Cassie's voice, though hushed, carried a sharp edge of desperate hope. She took a hesitant step closer to the cold, unyielding steel barrier that separated them, her gaze intensely fixed on the darkness beyond. The air was thick with the smell of damp stone and something metallic, like old blood and fear. She strained her eyes, attempting to pierce the profound blackness, searching for any sign of him, but the countless, identical cell doors made the task impossible. It felt like peering into an abyss where hope struggled to survive. In the cell opposite, Leonardo painfully dragged himself upright. Every movement was a chore, a protest from his body. Despite the separation of a few cells and the encompassing gloom, his enhanced senses immediately recognized her unique scent a comforting, familiar anchor in this desolate pit. "Cassie? What the fuck happened? why are you here?, shouldn't you be with Lorenzo?" His voice was a low, strained growl,
"You! Take her to the castle! Now!" Vlad ordered pointing a long, menacing finger at one of the silent, heavily armed guards standing nearby. The man, a hulking figure cloaked in dark, rough cloth, needed no further urging. He immediately strode towards the trembling cassie. Cassie was seized gently, yet firmly, by the guard. A visible wave of fear and worry washed over her face. Her eyes, wide and distressed, immediately locked onto Lorenzo. As the guard began to guide her away, moving quickly toward the dense, shadowed edge of the woods, Lorenzo fought to maintain his composure. He watched her go, a tempest of emotion raging within his chest, but forced a warm, encouraging smile onto his face. It was a difficult mask to wear. "Don't worry, my love. Hold on for me," he said, his voice surprisingly steady. "I will come for you. I swear it." His outward assurance was a stark contrast to the turmoil and savage rage churning inside him. Every fiber of his being screamed to rip the gu
Lorenzo’s expression was a mask of cold fury, his posture radiating coiled power, a stark contrast to Vlad’s nonchalant, theatrical demeanor. He was an imposing figure, even when facing down a pack of ancient predators. "Vlad," Lorenzo spat the name like a curse, his hands flexing, ready for violence. "Your timing, as always, is utterly contemptible. But I see you brought your blood sucking mosquitos. Do you fear facing an Alpha on your own, or is this just for show?" Vlad chuckled, a dry, unpleasant sound that did not reach his cold eyes. "Such bravado, Lorenzo. Always so predictable. Arrogant And foolish. I don't fear you, Alpha. I merely believe in efficiency," he said, gesturing to the line of vampires behind him. They were a formidable force, pale, silent, and radiating lethal hunger. He could tell these were the vampires that had swore alliegance to Vlad after Thana was defeated and killed. "My '"Mosquitos,' as you call them, are here to ensure you don't waste my valuab
The car's engine hummed a low, steady rhythm, cutting through the silence of the night. Cassie was perched in the passenger seat, right at the front, her gaze frequently drifting towards Lorenzo. His focus, however, was rigidly fixed on the winding road ahead. They had left the mansion a while back taking a different route from Silvia's and Gia's to check out one of the possible hideouts belonging to the nefarious vampire, Vlad. Lorenzo hadn't put all his eggs in one basket, he'd also dispatched a message to Kai, instructing him to scour the other potential locations simultaneously. Inside the quiet confines of the car, Cassie's anxiety was palpable. Her hands, resting in her lap, clenched repeatedly into tight fists, a silent manifestation of her worry. She couldn't help but wonder if Leonardo was still even alive. Lorenzo, sensing the quiet storm brewing beside him, offered a comforting presence. "You truly don't need to fret so much," he said, his voice a steadying anchor. He
Leonardo lay stretched out flat on the icy, hard floor of his prison cell. The stone felt like a sheet of ice against his already chilled skin. The deep cuts and terrible wounds he’d suffered when he was first captured had finally healed, or at least they were closed now. But the lack of care had taken its own kind of toll. Day after day, he’d received almost no food or water, and this starvation had drained him completely. He was terrifyingly weak, every bone in his body felt heavy, and moving even a finger took tremendous effort. To make his torment even worse, the prison guards had made sure the dungeon was laced with wolfsbane. The dangerous plant, which is poisonous to his kind, was everywhere, perhaps even mixed into the air he breathed or covering the rough stone walls. This constant exposure was an invisible enemy, tirelessly chipping away at his strength. It felt like a slow poison in his veins, weakening him until even the simple act of breathing felt like a fierce, sh







