Pact of Blood
"
His tone was a warning.
As he stood to leave, the sharp scent of stale, metallic blood clung to his coat—a sickening reminder of where he spent his nights.
That afternoon, driven by an uncharacteristic urge for defiance, Laura slipped past the guards, heading toward the bustling market.
She needed to feel like a person again, not a prize.
As she navigated the stalls, she felt a strange shift in the atmosphere.
Suddenly, a voice cut through the noise, warm and startlingly familiar.
"Laura?
Is that really you?"
She turned to see Vlad.
He looked exactly as she remembered—unabashed, confident, and untouched by the dark cloud hovering over the kingdom.
For the first time in years, La