LOVE ME LIKE A CURSE
Inside, what remained of a Nosferatu lord’s marrow—liquid preserved, glimmering faintly like oil on black water.
“Drink,” she commanded the acolytes.
Their eyes widened. Mira’s lips parted, but Seraphine’s gaze silenced her protest. They took the vial in trembling hands, tilting drops of the thick ichor onto their tongues. Both gagged, but they swallowed. Their pupils dilated instantly, a sheen of hunger overtaking fear.
The chamber recognized the offering.
Runes carved into the floor ignited, not with light but with shadow, each stroke blacker than void. The marks writhed, bending against stone as though unwilling to be still. The air turned heavy, pressing down on their lungs until every b