LOGINKira’s POVThe hall buzzed with energy, but my mind was no longer in it. Victoria’s urgent mindlink kept replaying like a drumbeat in my skull. I exhaled slowly, the sound heavier than I meant it to be. Disappointment crashed over me like cold water.It can’t be Adrian. If it was him, I would’ve felt something…anything. A pull. A spark. That familiar warmth in my chest that always came when he was close. But there was nothing. Just silence.I pushed the thought aside and rose to my feet, voice carrying across the room with finality. “If there’s nothing more pressing, I’ll end the meeting here. We’ve covered the important points. Keep the search parties doubled. Update me the moment anything changes with Ariston and his wife. The rest can wait until tomorrow.”Chairs scraped back immediately. Every elder and council member stood, bowing low with genuine respect. “Your Majesty,” they murmured in unison. I gave them a nod and turned, the heavy royal gown swishing around my legs like it
Kira’s POVThe heavy doors had barely closed behind the vampires when Levi scrambled to his feet and bolted from the hall like his tail was on fire.“Thank you! Thank you!” he shouted, voice cracking with hope and desperation as he disappeared down the corridor. “Caroline! Where’s Caroline? Where’s my son?” I heard him yelling down the hall.A stunned beat of silence followed. Then the entire hall exploded.“Thank the Goddess it’s over!” Elder Marcus burst out, slumping back into his chair with a loud exhale. The old man looked like he’d aged ten years in the last hour and lost them all at once.One of the younger council members actually clapped. “That could’ve been a bloodbath. Literally. And you just… handled it, your majesty. Like it was a Tuesday morning budget meeting.”Thomas crossed his arms, but I caught the proud grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I’m still not over the perfume line. ‘Midnight Seduction’? Really, your highness?”I shrugged, leaning back in the queen’s
Kira’s POVThe hall went dead silent, like someone had sucked all the air out of it. I gulped hard…visibly, my throat bobbing like I’d swallowed a whole damn orange…but I didn’t step back. My spine stayed straight, shoulders squared, even as Leah paced restlessly under my skin, ready to rip free if things went south.King Valerian stared at me for one long beat… then threw his head back and laughed.A deep, rich belly laugh that echoed off the stone walls. His vampire entourage stayed frozen, faces like marble statues. My own elders looked like they’d been slapped with a frozen fish. Thomas’s hand hovered near his side, probably itching for a weapon that wasn’t there.“Oh, come on,” the Vampire King said, still chuckling as he wiped a nonexistent tear from the corner of his eye. “Look at all your faces! So serious. Do you really think I crossed territories just to demand the queen’s blood like some cheap horror story? Relax, little queen. I’m old, not barbaric.”I let out a slow,
Kira’s POVThe Vampire King regarded me with open curiosity, then inclined his head in return, his voice smooth as aged wine and carrying the same formal cadence. “Well met, young Queen. The honor is ours.”The vampire king and I exchanged a brief, cool handshake. His skin was like polished stone…cold, flawless, like it was carefully crafted.I gestured gracefully. “Please, have a seat.”Thomas’s mouth was hanging slightly open as he couldn’t believe what was happening. I almost smirked. Guess all those late-night vampire movies had finally paid off.Once everyone was seated, I didn’t wait for him to speak. I already knew why they were here. “Welcome once more,” I said, voice steady and queenly. “We know why you have come and we apologize for not making the move to approach you first."Before the King could respond, his son…the prince…cut in, tone dripping with taunting venom. “Then where the hell is my sister? Why have we heard nothing for over a week? Your silence reeks of treach
Kira’s POVMy thoughts drifted further while the council murmured. Back in LA, reporters were having a field day with the fake Summers family. Last I checked the news, they were in absolute ruins. Corporate lawsuits piling up, employees suing for abuse, even their own staff turning on them.The empire Frederick stole by killing my mother and me, was crumbling like wet cardboard right in front of him.He can’t fix their ruin.I remembered one clip that made me snort-laugh in the middle of breakfast. Frederick screaming at some reporter, red-faced and wild-eyed… “This is not our end! We will recover! Adrian Draven has our back!” The desperation in his voice was chef’s kiss hilarious.Especially because two days ago, Frederick had texted Adrian’s phone. The message had been needy and demanding. I’d been the one to read it, sitting on the throne while pretending to listen to tax reports.‘Mr Adrian, when are you stepping in like you promised? We held up our end. The media is killing u
Kira’s POVAnd then, there was Levi.He got off easier, in a way. Demoted to nothing, stripped of rank. I’d locked him in the same room as his unconscious fiancée, Princess Loretta. “You’re still her fiancé,” I told him coldly during our last conversation.“Take care of her. Feed her blood to keep her alive longer. Wipe her brow. Empty the damn bedpan if you have to. Maybe you’ll finally learn to be your own person.” The guilt eating him alive was visible, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.His baby mama and their son are under tight supervision, waiting for Adrian’s decision when he comes back.Then there was Liana. Just the thought of her made Leah sigh tiredly now. That one still gave me chills.I’d gone down to the cells myself, expecting screams or defiance. Instead I got pure disgust. Her twisted, obsessive love for Abby had driven her to madness. “I did it all for you, my princess,” she’d whispered, eyes shining like a true believer. “For us. I love you more than l
Kira’s POV Nightmare. The day I died. It never plays out the same. My brain kept remixing it, making it worse every time, like it’s punishing me for surviving…or for not seeing it coming. First version…the one that felt almost real. I’m standing on the roof of the Summers Group skyscraper,
Kira’s POV The knock came again…three sharp raps that made my heart slam against my ribs. Liana’s face went ghost-white, her fingers still pressed to her lips like she could suck the whole conversation back in.I grabbed her wrist before she could bolt. “We’re not done,” I hissed, low enough that
Kira’s POVMorning came too fast and too bright. Sunlight stabbed through the heavy curtains like it personally wanted to punish me for last night. I sat on the edge of the bed, toes curled tight into the fluffy rug, hands clamped between my knees, eyes glued to the floor like a kid waiting for th
Kira’s POVI froze with the coat still over my arm, the casual vibe in the room suddenly gone ice-cold. Victoria’s voice had dropped to this whisper, like she was about to spill state secrets or confess to murder.“It’s about your personal maid…”She trailed off. Just stood there, lips parted, eyes







