LOGINKira’s POVHis eyes widened as soon as the questions left my mouth. “No, Your Highness! I just… I don’t want you to misunderstand the king. Whatever happened then, it was in the past. He didn’t know better. He loves you deeply…that’s all that matters now.”I rolled my eyes as Leah snarled inside my head. ‘He’s just covering for his bestie. That’s all. Pathetic.’I hissed through my teeth. “Misunderstanding or not, Adrian will still answer for himself when he comes back from his trip. Trust me, I’ll be waiting.” I waved a hand. “Victoria, go on.”Victoria straightened like a soldier giving a report. Her voice stayed steady, but I saw her fingers twitch. “She made the servants insult you…back when you didn’t have a place in the palace. Called you worthless every single time, a fake princess, a charity case the king kept around for amusement. She ordered the servants to beat you when no one important was watching. Small things at first…tripping you in the halls, spilling hot soup on you
Kira’s POVI raised an eyebrow, confused but curious, and let her pull me further in as she kept muttering about what she caught. Thomas followed at a respectful distance, hand resting casually behind his back.She kept pulling me forward before I could even question her properly, looking entirely too proud of herself.Meanwhile, suspicion was already rising in me.Because why was she this excited?What trap? And why is she setting traps? I thought we have warriors for that?We rounded the corner into the holding chamber, and there she was…a girl kneeling on the cold stone floor, wrists bound tightly with silver chains that left angry red marks on her skin. She was battered…face bruised, lip split, clothes torn and filthy. Her short brunette hair looked like it hadn’t been washed in weeks, matted with dirt and leaves.Is she the meat Victoria’s trap caught? They eat humans too?!I eyed the prisoner curiously, then turned to Victoria. “Who is she supposed to be? And why is she chaine
Kira’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
Adrian’s POVThe same bloody curse.It wasn’t some ancient fairy tale whispered around campfires to scare pups. It was real, carved into my bloodline like a scar that never healed. I’d lived with it my whole life, but I’d never truly understood the monster it could turn me into until that one night
Kira’s POVThe so-called Dark Zone should be a piece of cake. She’s probably overreacting to scare me.I cleared my throat and crossed my arm. “Tell me more about this Dark Zone,” I said.Victoria crossed her arms, that smug little smile still plastered on her face, but her eyes had this gleam…like
Kira’s POVI stumbled out of the bathroom twenty minutes later, legs still shaky, cheeks burning like I’d run a marathon. My reflection in the mirror looked guilty as hell…flushed skin, messy hair, eyes too bright. I was utterly disgusted with myself.Not once. Twice.I’d come twice in there. The f
Adrian’s POVThe forest was still black with night when a low, vibrating growl ripped out of my chest and cut through the frost.“Liana?”I stepped out from the shadows of the pines, moonlight sliding over the steam rising from my skin. I had only shifted back seconds ago when Derek caught the scen







