Chapter 3

I almost laughed at the greed twisting Julia’s face.

Exile me? Expose my "crimes"?

Ignorance truly is bliss.

I am a pureblood descendant of House Valerius. I was already planning to leave this disgusting place and let them fend for themselves in the darkness without my protection.

But just as I was about to tell her to get lost, my eyes locked onto the necklace around her throat. A pigeon's blood ruby.

The pure red stone shimmered in the dim light.

My pupils contracted.

That was mine. I had sealed a drop of my own heart's blood inside that ruby to create a protective amulet.

I had placed it around Joseph's neck myself, telling him it could ward off a hunter's fatal blow.

I thought it was a symbol of our love.

And now, it was hanging around the neck of this fledgling, this turned blood servant.

I finally understood. Why she was so brazen, why Joseph was so quick to side with her.

They were already sharing a bed.

The bitter irony was that just last night, Joseph had been kissing my forehead, whispering sweet nothings.

"Elizabeth, after we defeat the hunters, after my power is truly secure, we will be formally mated. I want the whole world to know you're mine."

Lies. All of it, a complete lie.

He used me as a shield against swords and bullets, only to turn around and give the treasures I bled for to his new plaything in the shadows.

Leave?

No. I was staying.

I would give this pair a lesson in pain they would never, ever forget.

I quickly buried the murder in my eyes, replacing it with a look of defeated compromise.

"Fine," I said, dropping my gaze and biting my lip as if in reluctant surrender. "I agree. You can have the blood bank."

Seeing me yield so easily, the arrogance in Julia's eyes practically overflowed.

"See? That wasn't so hard," she laughed. "Oh, and I almost forgot to announce something important."

She sauntered over to my desk, her finger tracing over the stacks of official documents.

"As of today, I am the new Deputy Advisor to the Nightwood Clan. And by the Earl's command, any requests you have—even your daily blood rations—must be personally approved by me."

She turned, her eyes raking over me with extreme disdain.

"Also, pack your things and get out of this room. I'll be living here now."

I glanced around the room.

It was in the heart of the castle, inscribed with a moonlight matrix that amplified one’s power, and it was the closest chamber to Joseph’s own.

She wanted to mark her territory.

"Fine," I said, without a single wasted word.

I went to my wardrobe, grabbed a few changes of clothes and some personal items, and threw them into a suitcase.

"Hurry up! And don't you dare damage my furniture!" Julia barked like an overseer.

I zipped up the suitcase, walked past her with a blank expression, and left the room I had lived in for a hundred years.

The door slammed shut behind me.

I walked straight to the most remote guest room at the end of the hall.

The moment the door closed, the look of defeat vanished from my face, replaced by a glacial cold.

I immediately made a secret call to the Lawkeeper of House Valerius.

"I need some clarification on vampire law. Does an Earl have the right to seize another's private blood bank?"

The reply was swift and respectful. "Absolutely not, Your Highness. Such an act would be met with severe punishment from the Elders. Prince Valerius would never allow harm to come to you."

After cutting the connection, I pulled out a yellowed parchment: a land deed.

A hundred years ago, Joseph had the title of Earl but no real power. To protect his fragile ego, I had concealed my identity and anonymously "rented" him this castle—a subsidiary property of House Valerius—for the laughably low price of three crates of common blood a month.

This ancient fortress, with its own built-in defensive wards, was worth at least twenty-five crates of the finest rare bloods per month on the open market.

He had lived here for free for so long, he'd actually started to believe it was his.

I let out a cold laugh and put the deed away.

Just then, a commotion started in the hallway.

I opened the door a crack.

Julia was directing a dozen blood servants, loudly moving her tacky belongings into my former room.

She was bragging about how much Joseph adored her, her face a mask of greed and pride.

I raised my communication stone and activated the recording feature.

Enjoy it while you can, Julia.

I hope you sleep well in that bed.