Chapter 3

At Bridgeport Corp, Samuel greeted her with concern. She tried to smile, tried to pretend everything was fine, but her heart felt heavy. They left early that day, hoping a quiet evening together would help her breathe again. As they walked toward the parking lot, a familiar figure appeared in their path. The Queen. Her presence was elegant and commanding, her smile warm in a way that felt practiced. She greeted Bloom with a softness that made Bloom uneasy.

Samuel excused himself to retrieve the car, leaving Bloom alone with the Queen. The Queen stepped closer, her eyes sharp despite her gentle tone.

“You should not be seeing someone else while engaged to another man,” she said.

Bloom blinked, confused. “I think you have mistaken me for someone else.”

The Queen’s smile widened, but it did not reach her eyes. Bloom felt a chill crawl up her spine. She opened her mouth to ask what the Queen meant, but Samuel pulled up with the car, and the moment slipped away. Bloom climbed inside, her heart pounding.

Damon had not set foot on Earth in months.

The underworld demanded his full attention. A demon in one of the noble houses had gone rabid and slaughtered his entire family, leaving the court in chaos. Ministers were being replaced, alliances were shifting, and Damon spent his days and nights hunting for moles who might have helped orchestrate the attack. The throne was never safe, not even for him.

While he managed the unrest below, his mother, Queen Rebecca, handled their affairs on Earth. Bridgeport Corp was nothing more than a polished mask, a human-facing name for the empire they ran behind the scenes. They worked with world leaders, supernatural councils, and ancient bloodlines to maintain balance. Their wealth was unmatched, their influence unquestioned.

And their true purpose was simple. Keep humans safe from the supernatural. Keep the supernatural hidden from humans. Keep the realms from collapsing into war.

Damon trusted his mother to manage it. She had always been ruthless, efficient, and terrifyingly perceptive. But even she could not control everything.

In the underworld, Damon sat on his obsidian throne, listening to yet another report about the rabid demon’s surviving allies. His jaw tightened. His patience was thin. His ministers trembled when he spoke. Every demoness in the court watched him with hungry eyes. They adored him, feared him, worshipped him. Lily was the worst of them. She hovered near him constantly, her voice sweet, her smile poisonous. She was beautiful in a sharp, dangerous way, with silver hair and eyes that glowed faintly from her fallen angel heritage. Her father had been a fallen angel, a master of hypnosis. Only demons of high authority could resist his influence. Lily inherited a diluted version of his power, enough to sway weaker minds. Damon had warned her countless times not to interfere in his affairs, but she never listened. She believed she was destined to stand beside him.

The throne room doors opened, and Queen Rebecca entered with the confidence of someone who owned every shadow in the room. Damon rose from his throne, surprised to see her here in person.

“Mother. I did not expect you.”

“Everything is sorted,” she said with a serene smile. “It is time.”

Damon frowned. “Time for what?”

The Queen turned to the gathered court. Her voice carried through the hall, smooth and commanding.

“On the next blood red moon, which also happens to be a full lunar eclipse, my son will be married.”

A ripple of excitement swept through the demonesses. Lily’s eyes widened with triumph. She lifted her chin, already imagining the crown on her head. She moved closer to Damon, her smile radiant.

“I knew it,” she whispered. “I knew you would choose me.”

The Queen’s expression did not change.

“Damon will leave to meet the blood bride.”

Silence fell. Lily’s smile froze. Her face drained of color. The court murmured in shock. She knew what the blood bride means, and she knew she was not the one choosen. Damon stepped forward, his voice sharp.

“I will not marry anyone.”

The Queen looked at him with calm certainty.

“You will. The relams demand it.”

Damon’s eyes darkened. “I do not care.”

“You will care,” she said softly, “when you meet her.”

Damon felt something shift in the air, a pull he could not explain. A whisper of fate brushing against his skin. He did not know her name. He did not know her face. But somewhere on Earth, the girl he was destined to marry was already being drawn into his world. And she had no idea her life was about to end. Or begin.