Chapter 1

“Honey, I had a dream last night. The baby in my belly told me he wanted to see his big brother play with wheels of flame.”

“Then let’s send that freak to the circus! He’s going through the fire hoop tonight.”

Their voices came through the special intercom loud and clear.

I pounded desperately on the window. “No, Liam’s only three! Let me go instead!”

My former blood servant, Stella Luciado, stared at me with a mocking smile. “Sonia seems awfully desperate.”

One look from Stella’s husband, Stefan Ferrano, and his assistant yanked me up and slapped me across the face several times.

“How dare you glare at Madam Stella? Who do you think you are?”

He didn’t stop until I was coughing up blood.

I shielded the tiny cardboard shelter with my body, but they still dragged my son, Liam Ferrano, out of it and away by force.

“It’s okay, Mom. I can do it.”

Hearing my child speak so maturely shattered my heart.

Stefan ignored it all and turned back to the bed, entangling himself with Stella.

“Slow down, babe. I can’t take it.”

I dropped to my knees and begged, bowing and slamming my forehead against the ground. “Please, I’m begging you. Let Liam go.”

Stefan walked over and looked down at me. “Now you know what loss feels like? When you humiliated my sister, did you think about how I felt?"

“I’m sorry. It was all my fault.”

He grabbed me by my jaw and flung me onto the bed.

Looking at his face that was twisted with lust, I couldn’t help but reach for his eyes.

He snapped my right hand without hesitation.

“Disgusting vampire. Don’t you dare touch me.”

Just as he reached his climax, a four-inch needle was thrust into my spine.

“I heard a vampire's spinal fluid prolongs human life,” he said.

The pain nearly tore me apart.

“Liam can’t handle the wheels of flame,” I gasped.

“A vampire can’t take a little fire? Drop the act, Sonia.”

Three years ago, Stefan forced me to take a drug. It was the only reason I could conceive his child. Otherwise, how could a vampire give birth like a human? I was Sonia Warhammer, a vampire queen.

I blacked out on the bed, but Stella woke me by pouring scalding water over me. Stefan was gone.

“If sunlight can’t burn your skin, maybe boiling water can! You think I didn’t see you throwing yourself at my husband? Vixen!”

I sneered. “Why don’t you come closer, Stella? Don’t forget. You’re my blood servant.”

Ten years ago, I was purchasing ingredients for synthetic blood in the human world. That’s when I saw Stella about to be assaulted.

I revealed my true form to scare the attackers away.

Obsessed with my power, Stella had offered herself as my blood servant.

I’d already been off human blood for decades. I had only agreed to protect her. But after forming a contract, her presence constantly triggered my bloodlust.

Stella yanked the silver chain tighter and increased the electric voltage.

"You wretch! Don’t bring up such disgusting crap!” she shrieked. “You think saving me means I owe you forever?”

Five years ago, vampires, who were immortal and powerful, had reigned over humans.

Stefan had invented tools to suppress us. Now, vampires were treated like lab rats.

“You fell in love with the wrong man! You dared set your sights on Stefan. For that, you deserve to die!” Stella shouted.

I withstood the pain and asked calmly, “Is it fun?”

“What?”

“Stealing my bone necklace and pretending to be Stefan’s savior so he’d marry you. What if he found out the truth that I was the one who saved him ten years ago?”

Stella's expression turned sour.

She grabbed a pair of scissors and jabbed them into her collarbone.

“Sonia, my husband would never believe you!” she hissed.

Of course, I knew he wouldn’t. I just wanted to see her crack.

Blood poured down her neck as she threw herself into Stefan’s arms when he arrived.

“I was just bringing her some water, but she lunged at me and bit my neck!”