Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The following day, in his office, Mark answered his phone.

“Sir, everything is going according to plan,” Julian said on the other end of the line.

“Excellent, Julian. Thank you. You’re the best,” Mark replied. A faint smile curved his lips, without the need for exaggerated gestures.

Mark hung up and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes for a moment.

“Now, yes. Everything is perfect,” he murmured to himself, satisfied with the direction things were taking.

Before lunch, Elena answered an unexpected phone call. On the other end of the line, a detective sounded anxious.

“Miss Lancaster, I need to speak with Mr. Darkmoor immediately. I believe I’ve found a man who may be his son.”

Elena was left speechless. Impossible. She had heard that the magnate had no descendants.

She transferred the call to her boss and returned to work. It was unbelievable how all that intense desire she had felt in the previous days had vanished as soon as she left the company and went home the day before. That sudden, uncontrollable heat no longer existed, but the memory of it still made her blush.

The other secretary had retired and left the position. Now, in the office, it was just her and Mr. Darkmoor.

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Mark stood up and adjusted his jacket before heading toward the door.

“I’m going to see my lawyer and then stop by a clinic for a paternity test. If you need me, call my cell phone.”

Elena listened attentively and nodded.

“Of course, sir.”

She sighed, trying to return to work after he left.

Mark completed all the tasks he needed to that day and, by late afternoon, went home. That evening, he dressed with impeccable elegance to attend his own birthday party at his sister’s mansion.

Upon arrival, Valkyrie’s mansion was filled with guests, not only vampires in search of blood, but also visitors seduced by the power and supernatural aura she exuded.

Valkyrie appeared immediately, wearing the seductive smile that always defined her. She walked up to him and greeted him warmly.

“Vlad… or should I say, brother, it’s good to have you here.”

Mark simply smiled and looked around again. There, seduction and desire mingled with power and blood. He, in turn, remained restrained.

Mark enjoyed the party until the end. When he was about to leave, Valkyrie reappeared at his side, this time accompanied by a woman with a confident smile, who watched him with desire.

“Vlad, a little gift for you before you go,” Valkyrie said.

“Valkyrie…” he murmured, surprised and irritated at the same time.

“Oh, come on,” she continued with a provocative smile. “She wants it, and you need it. Not feeding properly leaves you like this, aging. Have sex with her… and take her blood.”

Mark remained calm. A faint smile curved his lips.

“You never miss an opportunity, do you?”

At first, Mark tried to manipulate the situation, but Valkyrie’s persistence and boldness were hard to ignore. With a light sigh, he decided to give in, moving with the predatory grace that had always defined him.

The woman confidently offered her neck. Vlad leaned in slowly, his dark eyes fixed on her.

As his fingers touched her soft skin, he felt her life energy pulsing beneath his touch, and his fangs extended briefly, just enough to mark his power and satisfy the primal need that had burned for so long.

With calculated movements, he drank superficially, absorbing the blood while maintaining control over himself and the situation.

The woman shuddered, fascinated, as Vlad pulled back, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief his sister handed him.

Valkyrie smiled, satisfied, and Vlad remained still for a few seconds, feeling the pleasure and energy the blood restored to him.

“You should drink more,” Valkyrie said, crossing her arms and maintaining her provocative gaze. “Sleep with her…”

“I don’t want her, Valkyrie,” Vlad replied firmly.

“Really?” his sister raised an eyebrow, curious. “And who do you want, then?”

He sighed, his eyes drifting for a moment into memories and thoughts only he knew.

“I met someone,” he murmured.

“And why aren’t you with her?” Valkyrie insisted.

“She’s engaged.”

“That’s not an obstacle. I can sit on him and drain all his blood, and she’d be free for you. What do you think?”

“Thank you, but I’ll do it my way,” he said with a slight corner smile. “I always do.”

Valkyrie laughed, admiring her brother’s determination. She knew that no game of seduction or manipulation could bend him once he had made up his mind.

He returned home and, without wasting time, went straight to the mirror. The reflection took a few seconds to form, first revealing the image he had earlier that day, then a version of himself rejuvenated by ten years. Smoother skin, impeccable hair, a firm posture… he looked ten years younger, flawless in every detail.

“Not yet…” he murmured to himself.

Then the reflection disappeared and reappeared, this time showing Vlad’s true image, as everyone knew him. Tall, charming, strong, and seductive, with hair as black as night and slightly pale skin. But it was his eyes that truly captivated—deep, penetrating, capable of seeing into anyone’s soul, of dominating without force, of seducing without touch.

Vlad remained before the mirror, absorbing every detail of himself, recalling the power he carried, the immortality that defined him, and the aura that always kept everyone around him on edge. Inside, he was a predator, relentless and fully aware of his dominion over the world around him.

“Tomorrow, my dear… tomorrow I will touch you…” his low, deep voice slipped into the wind, reaching Elena even in her dreams.

She woke immediately, her body on fire. She looked to the side, finding her fiancé asleep beside her.

“Darling… what if we…” she murmured hesitantly, still wrapped in the excitement coursing through her body.

He opened his eyes, frowned, and growled impatiently.

“For fuck’s sake, Elena… find someone else for that.”

He turned his back and went back to sleep, leaving her stunned.

“What did you say?” she asked, surprised and frustrated, but received no answer. She took a deep breath, pushing away the thoughts consuming her, and decided to get up. Time to get ready.

As soon as she entered the office, she noticed a blood-red rose carefully placed on her desk. She gently touched the petals and smiled; it had been a long time since she’d received a flower. She found a small vase, placed the rose inside it, and left it there so she could admire it all day.

Suddenly, the intercom rang, making her jump. With her heart racing, she answered.

“Mr. Darkmoor?”

“Come to my office.”

She felt the same shiver that always appeared whenever he called her.