The Crimson Gardevoir Novels & Stories

That night, Anthony's mother, the ever-so-sweet Camila Morentti, held my hand and asked with a warm smile, "Sweetie, this is your home now. What would you like for a wedding present? You name it, and it's yours." Before I could even think of an answer, Anthony chimed in, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he gazed at me, "Mom, let's give Isabella the hot spring retreat up on the mountain! She can't stand the cold, and it'll be the perfect cozy spot for her in the winter. Plus, it's great for her health." Camila agreed without a second thought. Anthony remembered how much I hated the cold. Sebastian remembered, too. That was why, in what felt like a previous life, he used my deepest fear in

~~ The Warden was already moving, shouting orders, Keepers falling into formation around the chamber's perimeter with a speed that told Alvar exactly how badly this had just gone from concerning to catastrophic. "Crimson," the Warden said, tight, urgent. "Every account I have ever read describes gold at this stage of the Trial. Crimson has no place in it. Crimson means something else has entered the ritual." He turned toward his Keepers. "Defensive formation. Now. If whatever this is decides to reach beyond that boy, I want every blade in this chamber ready before it does." ~~ Alvar reached for the bond, desperate, pressing everything he had toward whatever thread still connected him to Caie

Crimson eyes, ancient and unreadable, watched the chamber below with effortless authority. She wore a fitted black gown embroidered with dark crimson patterns that resembled flowing blood. A long cloak draped behind her, disappearing over the steps of the throne. Beautiful. Elegant. Terrifying. She did not command through fear alone. She commanded because every vampire present knew she had survived long enough to earn it.

Fifty-six minutes remained before the final sweep. He pulled his heavy black coat tighter around his massive shoulders, his face returning to that unyielding, terrifying mask of stone. He had successfully penetrated the absolute center of the empire, but as he stepped out of the gatehouse and into the freezing downpour, he knew he wasn't going back to the light unchanged. The Ghost had finally taken the throne, and the throne was made of bone.

A recognition that lived below thought. The woman's eyes opened fully. Crimson. Not human. Deep glowing red lit from somewhere inside, burning steady and old and alive. Tyra stepped back. "Who are you." "You already know," the woman said. Her voice was warm and cracked at the edges like something that had been through fire and come out the other side. She moved forward, each step soundless on the black soil. Her crimson eyes moved over Tyra's face with a desperation that was almost physical. Like someone who had been kept from something for so long that seeing it again hurt. "You have always known."

"She'll fight us." "Then we'll fight her," Thelma said grimly. We moved out within the hour. ++++++++++ Crimson Dawn's new headquarters was a converted military base, massive and heavily fortified. Hundreds of Ascended soldiers patrolled the perimeter, their enhanced senses making stealth nearly impossible. Nearly. I channeled Morgana's magic, weaving an invisibility field around our team. It wouldn't last long, but it gave us the opening we needed. Riley led us through the defenses, her hybrid senses detecting patrol patterns before we encountered them. "Three guards ahead, rotating every two minutes. Window in forty seconds."

He activated the crimson circle. The giant Blood Mirror above me glowed. A dark red beam pierced my veins. Agony shot through me like a million silver needles. It was pulling out my memories. The Crimson Trial drains a vampire's blood to project their past. It shreds the soul. It feels like burning under the noon sun. It is the cruelest punishment for traitors. I felt the mirror sucking my life away. But I didn't fight it. Instead, I felt a weird, perfect peace.

As he inhaled her soft scent, a sense of calm washed over him. The world outside faded away, leaving only the two of them in this moment. Azrael gazed at Zafira and his voice was low and filled with emotion. "I waited ten years for this moment, Crimson. The first time I saw you, you were wearing a crimson dress, holding a bunch of red roses. Your hair danced in the breeze, and you were smiling brightly, wrapped in the embrace of your boyfriend, ex-husband now. My heart burned with desire, but I controlled myself because you were just a little girl then- my little one".

Opening it, he revealed a slender choker made of interlocking black diamonds, centered with a flawless, teardrop-shaped crimson ruby. "A gift," Alexander rasped, his eyes locking onto hers with unshielded possessiveness. "To match the crown you're taking back tonight." He stepped behind her, brushing her hair aside. The cool touch of the black diamonds rested against her warm collarbone before he fastened the clasp. His lips lightly brushed the sensitive skin just below her ear, sending a intoxicating spark coursing straight down her spine. "Let's go buy what's yours, Victoria," Alexander murmured near her ear

"The local garrisons surrendered their weapons the moment they saw the starlight signature on our vanguard banners. They are currently being disarmed and confined to their barracks. But the secondary gate... it is a different matter. The Emperor has deployed the Crimson Guard—his personal elite purebloods. They have sealed the iron gates and are prepared for a siege." Natalia steered her charger toward the massive, arched iron gateway that separated the outer ring from the residential quarters of the high nobility. The Crimson Guard stood in flawless, unyielding formations along the top of the ramparts. They wore long, structured cloaks of deep crimson wool over black-iron plate armor, their