Chapter 1

I sat in the study of our castle, the yellowed parchment clutched in my hand, a bitter smile on my lips.

The ancient vampiric script glowed a deep crimson in the candlelight: "Should Augustine Slinter betray this pact, he shall suffer the pain of a thousand blades through the heart, and his family’s power, fortune, and title will pass in their entirety to Haley Nightshade."

In the bottom right corner was a single, blood-red thumbprint. Augustine’s.

All I had to do was press my own thumbprint beside it, and the pact would be sealed.

My finger hovered over the parchment. I’d already pricked the skin. A bead of crimson blood was about to fall.

Just then, a knock came at the study door.

"My lady?"

It was Clara, my most trusted confidante.

"What is it?"

She smiled. "I just wanted to remind you, my lady. Your birthday is in seven days."

"Prince Augustine will surely throw you a grand celebration, just like every year."

A celebration?

In that instant, my plans changed.

I decided I would prepare a gift for Augustine, too. One he would never forget.

I would bring our 500-year bond to a spectacular end at a party everyone was watching.

"I need you to prepare a few things for me. Something to be… revealed at the banquet," I said, then paused. "And I will be returning to the Nightshade Clan in seven days. Make the arrangements."

Clara stared, stunned for a moment, before trying to gently reason with me. "My lady, perhaps you should reconsider?"

There was another clause in the pact: "If he betrays his mate, Augustine shall be barred from Nightshade territory for all eternity."

Once this was done, there was no turning back.

But I nodded, my resolve firm. "I'm sure."

After Clara left, I glanced at my constantly vibrating phone.

On the vampire social network, everyone was buzzing about my 500-year anniversary with Augustine.

He had apparently covered the entire city in my favorite blood-red roses and had even opened his private blood bank for a full day, all to celebrate our union.

I walked to the massive floor-to-ceiling window.

The sight outside was indeed breathtaking.

A tide of blood-red roses flooded every street, glowing ethereally under the moonlight.

Comments scrolled by on the network feed.

【500 years and still so romantic!】

【Is this what being Mates looks like? I’m so jealous!】

【Prince Augustine is the definition of a perfect partner!】

A perfect partner?

Before I received those messages, I would have thought so too.

After all, Augustine remembered every important date. He planned thoughtful gifts. He even proposed a peace treaty to ease the tension between our clans…

But a month ago, on a night Augustine said he was away handling some unrest, I suddenly received a message from his phone. It was a woman's voice.

"The Prince says my blood is the best he's ever tasted."

"He got me blood-red roses tonight, but I don't like them. To avoid waste, he said he'd give them to you as an anniversary gift."

At the time, I didn't know who she was. I held on to a faint hope that it was all a misunderstanding.

A week later, I saw her at Augustine’s side. Lucy.

He introduced her with a calm expression. "Just a blood slave offered up by one of my vassals."

"Don't worry, my love," he had whispered to me. "I only had them draw blood for me. I can't stand touching those wretched things."

But I didn't miss the loaded glance they shared.

In that moment, my mind went blank.

And today, our anniversary, was the first one Augustine had ever missed.

I knew where he was.

Because I’d received another message from Lucy.

It was a photo. She was lounging on silk sheets in black lacy lingerie, her body covered in fresh love bites.

The most glaring detail was the blood-ruby ring on her hand. It was identical to the one on my ring finger.

A matched set Augustine had forged with his own heart’s blood. There were only two in the entire world.

【The Prince says he only feels true pleasure when he's fucking me.】

【He took me five times tonight. I'm afraid he won't have anything left for you. Sorry, Princess.】

Augustine’s phone call came right after.

"My dearest Haley, I'm so sorry I can't be with you tonight. I'm preparing a special surprise for you. You'll see it tomorrow, and I promise you'll love it. I love you, my queen."

In the background, I could hear the faint sound of a woman's laughter and the whisper of sheets.

"Of course," I heard myself say calmly. "I'll be waiting for your surprise."

After hanging up, I stared out at the sea of blood-red roses.

The vampires in the streets were still celebrating what they saw as "perfect love."

And Augustine? He probably whispered those sweet nothings to me from Lucy's arms.