Gabriel stepped into the room, his boots silent against the stone floor. The air was heavy—thick with something metallic and sour—and it made his stomach tighten. His gaze landed on the bed immediately.Elias lay there, pale and sweating, his chest heaving in shallow, ragged breaths.Lucian was standing beside him, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his face carved in stone."You said it was urgent," Gabriel said, voice low."It is." Lucian didn’t look away from Elias. "He's burning up. Fever hit out of nowhere. No wounds, no visible injuries. Nothing explains it."Gabriel took a step closer, nostrils flaring slightly. "Poison?""We thought so. It's not. I've tried everything." Lucian's jaw clenched. "And it’s getting worse."Gabriel moved to the edge of the bed, studying Elias with a critical eye. The boy flinched in his sleep, a broken whimper escaping his lips. Gabriel’s frown deepened."His scent..." Gabriel murmured.Lucian's gaze sharpened. "What about it?""It’s wrong." Gabrie
Lucian stood motionless, staring at the lifeless form of the creature that now lay crumpled on the floor. Its ethereal, glowing eyes were dim, its massive wings crushed beneath its twisted body. . He clenched his fists, pushing down the rage that simmered within him. This thing had been here, lurking in the shadows, trying to drain Elias’s life force—and for what? A mere pawn for Isadora? No. Lucian would make sure she regretted ever touching Elias.Turning on his heel, Lucian’s gaze shifted to the bed where Elias lay, his breathing still shallow. Elias’s face was pale, drenched in sweat, his lips parted.Lucian’s fingers twitched, the urge to touch him almost overwhelming. But instead, he stood at the edge of the bed, watching the rise and fall of Elias’s chest.Elias stirred, his eyes fluttering open. Lucian’s heart skipped a beat as their gazes met. Lucian couldn’t stand to see him like this. Elias had been through enough.Lucian leaned down, brushing his lips over Elias’s forehead
"You look so much like him," Tristan muttered, eyes narrowing as he took a step back. His heart thudded heavily in his chest, like his body already knew this was wrong—very wrong.The man standing before him chuckled, voice dripping with something oily and sweet. "Of course I do," he said. "I'm his twin brother.""Lucian’s... twin," Tristan repeated, tasting the words, trying to make sense of them. Impossible. Lucian had never mentioned a brother. Let alone a twin. And yet—the resemblance was uncanny. The same sharp jaw, the same storm-gray eyes. Except this man’s smile was wrong. Too easy. Too hungry."Luca," the man offered smoothly, as if reading Tristan’s mind. "It’s a pleasure to finally meet the famous Tristan."Tristan stiffened. "You know who I am.""I know everything about you," Luca said, voice dropping into a low purr. "How you loved Elias. How you lost him. How you want him back."Tristan’s breath hitched. His fists clenched. "Elias is mine," he said through gritted teeth.
CHAPTER 12The scent of blood filled the great hall.Lucian descended the staircase slowly, his boots clicking against the stone floor. The vampire informant.Or rather—what was left of him.Torn clothes. Skin flayed raw. Blood pooling beneath him, seeping into the cracks of the marble floor.Barely breathing.Lucian’s eyes darkened.A flick of his wrist, and one of his guards stepped forward, bowing. “We found him just outside the estate, my Lord. Barely alive.”Lucian didn’t respond immediately.He walked forward. The room was dead silent except for the wheezing of the informant, struggling to lift his head.Lucian crouched.Cold fingers gripped the man’s chin, tilting his face upward.Lucian’s grip tightened. “Who did this?”A painful swallow. Then—“Tristan,” the informant rasped. “Everstone.”Lucian’s expression didn’t change.The informant’s breath hitched, his broken body trembling.Lucian’s thumb brushed over a deep gash on his cheek. “And?”A shaky inhale. “He—he says…” The
CHAPTER 13Lucian wasted no time. After securing Elias in his room, he strode through the manor.“Double the security. No one comes in or out without my approval. If you see anything suspicious, eliminate it on sight.”The guards bowed, moving swiftly to carry out his orders.Then, without pausing, Lucian turned to another waiting soldier. “Get me Gabriel. Immediately.”The man hesitated. “My Lord, it’s nearly dawn—”Lucian’s gaze snapped to him. The soldier went rigid, eyes widening in fear.“Now.”The man didn’t need to be told twice. He vanished into the shadows, running as if his life depended on it.Lucian exhaled sharply and rubbed his temples. He was tired. More than tired. He had barely spent a week with the boy. A week.And yet—Lucian clenched his jaw.He didn’t want to finish that thought.Gabriel arrived faster than expected, stepping into Lucian’s study just as the first hints of dawn painted the sky. “You called for me, my Lord?”Lucian wasted no time. “Elias’ conditio
CHAPTER 14Lucian sat beside Elias’ bed, his sharp eyes not leaving the mortal’s face. For the first time in days, Elias wasn’t shaking. His breathing had steadied. His fever had subsided, at least for now.Lucian exhaled slowly.He didn’t understand why he felt so… relieved.Why did this fragile human affect him so much? Why did his suffering feel like claws digging into Lucian’s own chest?The door burst open.Matthew, one of his most trusted guards, stormed inside, his face grim. Two other guards followed closely behind him.Lucian was on his feet in an instant. “What is it?”Matthew inclined his head. “Trouble, my Lord.”Lucian’s eyes darkened. “Speak.”“Hunters,” Matthew said. “Tristan’s men. They’ve infiltrated deeper than before. One of our outposts was attacked an hour ago.”Lucian’s fangs lengthened instinctively.“How many?” he asked coldly.“Two dozen,” Matthew answered. “They killed six of our men before we got word. We sent reinforcements, but—”Lucian was already moving.
CHAPTER 15Elias’s knees buckled. A wave of dizziness crashed over him, his body suddenly too weak to hold itself up. He gasped, reaching for something—anything—to steady himself, but the moment his fingers grasped at the air, his legs gave out.Then—nothing.Darkness swallowed him whole.The world came back in a rush.Elias’s eyes snapped open. His breath hitched as his senses exploded to life.He sat up quickly—too quickly.His body felt... fine. No, more than fine. His limbs weren’t heavy. His head wasn’t swimming. If anything, he felt stronger than before.But then—A slow, burning heat coiled low in his stomach.Elias swallowed hard, shifting on the bed. A shiver crawled up his spine. He clenched his fists, his breathing uneven. He felt off. Like something inside him had been rewired.Why was it suddenly so hot?A sharp, metallic scent filled his nose. It was strong, intoxicating.Then the door opened.Lucian stepped inside, covered in blood.Elias’s breath caught in his throat
CHAPTER 16Lucian stirred. The moment his eyes opened, his first instinct was to find Elias.He turned his head—Elias was there, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching him with sharp, alert eyes.Lucian sat up slowly, rolling his shoulders. The last thing he remembered was the sharp pain of the blade—then darkness.“You’re awake,” Elias murmured.Lucian’s gaze swept over him, scanning for any sign of weakness. But Elias looked… healthy. Strong.“What happened?” Lucian asked.Elias crossed his arms. “The guards found you in your study this morning, unconscious. Someone attacked you, but there’s no wound.”Lucian pressed a hand to his side where the blade had pierced him. It was looking healed on the outside but he didn't feel okay.“Dark magic,” he muttered.Elias frowned but didn’t question it. Instead, he stood up. “I got you some food.”Lucian raised a brow. “You?”Elias rolled his eyes. “I went to the kitchen.”That caught Lucian’s attention. “The staff is back?”Elias nodded. “Y
CHAPTER 63Cassiel’s voice broke through the silence first. “Enough games, Serros. Tell us what you know.”Serros grinned, dark eyes gleaming. “Oh, I missed this... the fire in your voice, Cassiel. Still clinging to your high ground after all these years?”“Serros,” Amaria said firmly.That made him pause. He tilted his head toward her with a smirk that bordered on mocking. “Amaria. The only one here I might consider listening to. Fine.”He took a deep breath, running a hand through his silver hair, expression darkening. “Erethar is not just a snake. You all know that.”Murmurs rippled through the council.“He is incomplete,” Serros continued, “and that makes him desperate. What you saw—what now walks in the skin of that poor, dead boy Luca—is but a fraction of what Erethar once was.”Erelah narrowed her eyes. “What is he looking for?”Serros turned slowly toward her. “Power. A vessel. A key.”Then his gaze slid toward Amaria. “And I suspect... it’s our little Elias who holds what he
CHAPTER 62The Hall of Ascendancy was ancient, carved into the high cliffs of Seraph's Reach. Gleaming crystal pillars stretched to the heavens, casting prismatic shadows on the marble floor below. Amaria stood at the center, her eyes glowing faintly gold beneath her hood, the silken threads of her robes whispering as she turned to face the approaching footsteps.Cassiel arrived first, his silver armor reflecting the light of the sunstone. "You summoned us, Amaria?""Yes," she said simply.Raziel appeared next, his dark robes billowing like smoke, his expression unreadable. "I assumed this was another matter concerning Elias.""It isn't," Amaria said. "This is older. More dangerous."Erelah descended in near silence, her hair flowing like moonlight, her eyes wide and curious. "You look disturbed, Amaria. That rarely happens."Amaria nodded solemnly and extended her hand. A glowing orb hovered above her palm, and within it flickered an image—a man with dark hair and golden eyes, his ve
CHAPTER 61The castle's lower halls trembled with the aftermath of Tristan’s rage. Guards lay scattered—some unconscious, others groaning in pain—as he paced through the corridor, fire simmering beneath his skin."Stupid. Stupid!" he shouted, kicking over a pillar of armor with a loud clatter. "You're risking everything—*everything*—because you want to parade around like some cursed prince!"From the shadows, Luca emerged, seemingly unfazed. He moved with that calm, predatory grace, the kind that made your instincts scream before your mind could catch up."Watch your tone," Luca murmured, his voice smooth, but laced with venom.Tristan whirled on him, red in the face. "Don't give me that look. You're not even him. You're just wearing his fucking skin."A muscle ticked in Luca’s jaw."You think I don't know? You might fool them, but not me."Something shifted in the air, like all the oxygen had been sucked out. In the blink of an eye, Luca pinned Tristan to the stone wall, a clawed han
CHAPTER 60The wind was still howling when Kai opened the portal.It shimmered in the air like torn glass, the center pulsing with silver light. None of them spoke. The night—the celebration, the laughter, the peace—was gone.Ruined.Elias stood close to Lucian, casting glances at him every few seconds as if expecting him to disappear. The older vampire walked slower than usual, but his face was unreadable. Blank.He didn’t flinch as they all stepped through.The mansion swallowed them in familiar silence. The warmth of the wards felt suffocating now, too clean, too bright after everything they’d witnessed. Kai closed the portal behind them, and the noise from the outside world vanished entirely.Dorian ran a hand through his silver hair. “Well. That was a shitshow.”Lucian didn't reply. He was already heading toward the staircase.Elias followed him without a word.Kai gave Dorian a look but didn’t stop them.*****Lucian sat on the edge of his bed, his jacket peeled off and discarde
CHAPTER 59For a moment, the world held its breath.Lucian’s aura burned, cold fire crackling around him, blue and silver, ancient and furious. The kind of energy that made blood freeze and bone shiver. Even the shadows around them recoiled from it. He wasn’t just a vampire—he was something far older, something ascendant.But before anyone could move, Elias’s body lurched.His eyes rolled back, and a different voice came out of his mouth—not Elias’s, not even Thal’rean’s.It was Azazel.Low. Commanding. Otherworldly.“Enough. Bow.”The power in that word shattered the tension like glass.The Shadowborn froze, mid-step, their glowing eyes flickering uncertainly. Then—one by one—they dropped to their knees, faces bowed to the dirt.Luca stepped back, eyes wide. “What—?”Azazel, still in Elias’s body, tilted his head, dark eyes narrowing on the creatures. “I said bow. Obey.”And they did.Like whipped dogs, they pressed their grotesque forms into the earth, trembling before him.Azazel t
CHAPTER 58Lucian’s world tilted.He barely registered Elias gasping, or Kai inching forward with glowing hands. All he could see was him.Luca.His twin.Dead.Gone.Buried.“This isn’t real,” Lucian whispered, taking a step forward. “I watched you die. I saw your body—your blood—your empty fucking eyes.”Luca tilted his head, mockingly sympathetic. “I know. Wasn’t it tragic?”Lucian’s fists clenched. “You’re not him. You can’t be him.”“But I am,” Luca said, voice dipped in honey and venom. “Want proof? Remember that time we switched places for a week and not even Mother noticed? Or the scar you gave me—here—” he reached behind his left ear, brushing aside dark strands of hair “—after I snuck into the cellar and broke your favorite blade?”Lucian staggered back a step.No one else would know that.Only Luca.Elias looked between them, throat tight. The knife wasn’t at his neck anymore, but Luca still held him close, like a trophy he hadn't decided to destroy yet.Dorian’s voice was
CHAPTER 57The moment they stepped into the mansion, it felt like the air shifted.Elias didn’t say a word as he walked through the arched doorway. His steps were slower than usual, heavy with the weight of everything that had unfolded—powers awakened, secrets unearthed, and the unsettling truth that something darker was beginning to stir. The air inside was cooler, the scent of lavender oil and aged parchment wrapping around him like a familiar cloak.Dorian was the last to enter, his expression unreadable as he shut the door behind them. The place was his—his sanctuary, his home—but even it felt different now, as though touched by everything that had followed them inside.“Feels weird coming back here,” Kai muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.Dorian said nothing, but his gaze swept the hall like he was assessing it with new eyes.Just as Elias was about to head toward the stairs, footsteps echoed down the hallway. Martha, one of the longtime housekeepers, emerged from the shadow
CHAPTER 56The Hall of Ascendancy, once a sanctuary of harmony, now roared with divine fury.Samael’s voice cracked like thunder against the golden walls. “Who put Tzareth in that bulb?”The young scribe, barely out of his initiation rites, stood trembling beneath the weight of a thousand eyes. His robes, once pristine, clung to him in sweat-damp folds as he stammered, “I-I don’t know, Elder Samael. The records— They say it was sealed in Vault Four—”“Vault Four,” Zevran snarled, rising to his feet with a growl. “Tzareth was never meant to be in a prophecy vessel! You imbecile!”“Zevran,” Seraphiel snapped, his calm cracking, “it was not the scribe who sealed the bulb. You know this. None of us thought the vault would be compromised.”“We? Or you?” Zevran’s eyes blazed. “Your division was responsible for the Bulb Registry during that century!”“Enough!” Samael slammed his hand against the molten table. The impact sent ripples through the air, disturbing several of the remaining bulbs
CHAPTER 55Elias sat cross-legged on the ceremonial platform, wrapped in a thick, rune-stitched blanket. His hands still trembled, his fingers occasionally twitching like they remembered what it felt like to tear through a friend’s chest. Lucian had stepped out briefly, promising to be nearby. He hadn’t said much—just that he was proud of him, that he wasn’t alone. That… had been enough to keep Elias anchored for the past ten minutes.The chamber door creaked open.Gabriel strode in first, followed by Dorian and Kai. The air shifted slightly as the wards recognized their presence, humming faintly around the room’s perimeter.Elias looked up, brow furrowed. “Did the Oracle say anything else?”“Yeah,” Gabriel answered, holding a small case made of obsidian and bone. “She said we have to destroy the bulb now, before any trace of Tzareth seeps back into your essence.”“I can still feel him,” Elias admitted quietly. “A pressure behind my ribs. Like he’s pacing.”Dorian came to his side, kn