Chapter 2

I felt totally drained.

Silas, the healer, was pulling silver shrapnel from my back with tweezers. Every piece brought out a gush of blood.

"Stay with me, Ms. Vance," he said, sweating heavily. "You need to stay awake."

I bit down hard on a folded gauze. I swallowed every scream.

Heavy doses of blood replenishers were forced down my throat. The metallic taste made me gag.

Lucius stood by the operating table.

The absolute tyrant had a rare, turbulent look in his eyes.

"Pull through, and I swear you will get everything you deserve," his voice was low. "The child you carry will be protected under my ancient bloodline. I've sent for Julian. Hold on."

Pale as a ghost, I managed a weak smile.

Protection? Too late.

The warm blood flowing between my legs took my last shred of hope.

I knew it clearly. This baby needed pure vital energy to survive. And it was already dead inside me.

I also knew its father, Julian, was never going to show up.

A second later, the doors burst open.

The guard sent for Julian stumbled in. He was drenched in cold sweat.

"Where is Julian?" Lucius shot him a lethal glare.

The guard dropped to his knees, shaking. "Progenitor... Captain Julian refuses to return."

The air froze.

"Give me his exact words. Word for word." Lucius's voice was pure ice.

The guard gulped and stuttered, "The Captain was frantic at first. But then he said... faking an injury is a cheap stunt. With the Lady's healing ability, she couldn't possibly be hurt unless she took a direct silver hit."

"He also said... tell the Lady to stop faking weakness for attention just because she's jealous. Lilah is in danger at the ball and needs protection..."

The guard kept his head bowed to his chest. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

I knew Julian's real words were way more brutal. The guard just didn't dare repeat them perfectly.

After all, Lilah had been trashing my name for ages. And now, Julian's deep-rooted insecurities made him firmly believe my pain was just a show to get his attention.

In my last life, when I begged him to spare me, he accused me of chasing power. He said I never loved him.

Now, when the Progenitor himself ordered him back to save my life, he called me a fake.

If Lilah was all he cared about...

Why did he relentlessly chase me back then? Why did he force me into this damn mate bond?!

Massive grief and rage twisted like a knife in my chest, shredding my heart.

I turned my head and threw up a huge mouthful of black blood.

"Damn it!" Silas yelled in panic. "The silver poison is destroying her heart! She has zero will to live!"

The Progenitor's eyes locked onto my pale face.

The ancient vampire king was absolutely furious.

He ripped the black bone ring off his finger—the ultimate symbol of power—and threw it hard at the guard's face, leaving a bloody cut.

"Take this and get your ass back to Julian!"

Lucius's eyes burned bloody red. "Nobody in the Syndicate fails to recognize my token. If he dares to refuse again... strip him of his heir status and his Captain rank! Execute him on the spot for treason!"

The Progenitor was truly pissed this time.

He was normally heavily guarded. But in that critical moment, not a single elite guard was with him.

Then I risked my life to save his, and he couldn't even get my mate to show up.

It was a blatant slap in the face to his supreme authority.

The guard scrambled to his feet and ran.

I was quickly moved to the Syndicate's private ward.

Cold blood transfusions dripped into my veins. My consciousness drifted in and out.

I don't know how long it took, but the door finally opened.

"Progenitor Nightshade, the Captain still refuses. But... he sent Miss Lilah's human blood servant."

I forced my eyes open. I saw Lilah's personal blood servant, Ana.

Ana used to be mine.

In my past life, Lilah bought her off. Ana secretly laced my daily blood supply with a lethal dose of Deadblood venom.

It severely compromised my heart. It almost rotted my veins from the inside out. Luckily, the clan healers arrived in time, and I barely survived.

I never wanted to forgive the traitor. But just as I was about to punish her, Lilah stepped in.

I remember that day like it was yesterday.

Lilah linked her arms through Julian's, calling me out with righteous anger.

"How can you be so unreasonable, Elena?" Lilah's voice was sickly sweet, but every word was venom. "Ana is just a simple blood servant. How would she even know how to acquire and handle such a rare poison?"

"You can't convince me you didn't stage this accident. Even if you want to risk your life to win Julian's attention back, you shouldn't drag Ana into it!"

Julian looked at Lilah with pure adoration in his eyes. He let her pin all the blame on me.

Then, Lilah turned to Julian, her voice soft and sugary.

"Julian, why don't you let Ana be my personal servant? I'd never throw a fit at her over some ridiculous reasons like some people do."