Page 5

F or what felt like hours, we stared at each other across the room in silence. Thankfully, no one else was present, or I didn’t think there was.

“Please, come in,” Kaelen broke the silence, clearing his throat nervously. I moved slowly towards him, taking in the vastness of the room with every step. When I finally reached him, only a few feet between us, I couldn’t deny his beauty, his smile, oh Gods, that smile.

“I’m sorry, Kaelen,” I say, my voice steady.

“I apologise for my rudeness last night and for leaving abruptly at the meeting. It was a lot to process, both giving and receiving. I hope you can forgive me?” My gaze remained locked with his, letting him see the sincerity in my eyes, even as I twisted uncomfortably at the thought of marrying him.

“Elara, there’s no need to apologise.” He takes a step closer. “Last night was a lot for all of us. I don’t understand why Azrael had his say in the matter. He made it worse than it needed to

be.”

He was inches away now. I could feel his breath on my

skin, the warmth of his proximity making my heart race, even though, as a vampire, my heart didn’t technically beat. My body froze.

Do I move away?

Do I move closer?

His presence was like a magnetic force pulling me in. My

vampiric instincts screamed to close the distance and touch him.

Was this the bond?

What was happening to me?

“It’s the right thing to do, Kaelen,” I manage to say, my voice

trembling as my body hummed with an unfamiliar desire. This can’t be happening. I’m supposed to be here to apologise, not feel this way. But it was hard to ignore the electric tension that seemed to bind us.

“Kaelen?” I ask, my voice uncertain.

“Yes? What’s wrong?” his eyes were full of concern, a soft vulnerability in them I hadn’t seen before. This wasn’t the cold, calculating gaze of the Vampire Lord. No, this was something... different. Worry, mixed with something deeper. Love?

“I... I don’t know what’s happening to me,” I confess, my breath coming in shallow gasps. My body was betraying me, aching with a need I couldn’t control. This must be the bond. It has to be.

Kaelen looks at me with a mixture of tenderness and understanding. “Don’t worry, Elara. This is normal; it happened with my parents and probably with yours, although I don’t know much about your family...”

“This isn’t the time to talk about my parents, Kaelen!” My voice snaps, impatience rising within me. Bigger things are at play right now, much bigger than my lineage.

I step back, trying to calm the chaotic storm within me. “It feels like my heart is racing, but it hasn’t beat since the day I was born. Could this be the bond?”

He steps closer again, his gaze steady but knowing. “Not

exactly. That’s part of it. But the other part is that there are two of the same. Drawn to each other. For females, this happens as we near the mating process. For the males...” his eyes flickered downward, and his meaning was clear.

“Oh.” I blush deeply. So, the hot flushes are happening to me, and the... arousal is happening to him? My fingers twisted in my hair nervously, and I tried to focus on anything but the tension crackling between us.

“Elara, what are you thinking right now?” Kaelen asks his voice low, almost a growl.

I couldn’t stop staring at him. Gods, what is happening to me? My body is screaming for him, and my mind is still torn between desire and duty. I couldn’t suppress the impulse.

He takes a breath, his voice husky. “If I touch you, I won’t stop.”

The words hit me like lightning. Raw. Honest. Dangerous. “I need you, Kaelen,” I whisper. “I want you.”

Before I knew it, Kaelen pressed me against the cold stone

wall, his body stiff and firm against mine. My breath caught in my throat at the sensation of the chill against my skin, but there was a fire burning inside me, uncontrollable, primal. His lips hovered near mine, his cool breath mingling with mine, and I couldn’t help but moan softly.

“Elara,” Kaelen whispered my name like a prayer, his fingers grazing my jaw. Every inch of his body screamed power, yet his touch was soft, tender. Like he was afraid I might break under the weight of his desire. But I didn’t want tenderness. I wanted... more.

His lips finally crash into mine, a collision of centuries of hunger, cold meeting cold in a passionate kiss that made my fangs ache.

Gods, the taste of him , dark, intoxicating, the taste of centuries-old magic and blood that I burn with need.

I respond, pulling him closer. Tangling my fingers in his silvery white hair, the world around us ceased to exist as my body pressed harder against his.

The only thing that mattered was the raw, unfiltered connection between us .

His hand trailed up my throat, a predator’s touch that sent shivers down my spine. When he pulled back, his lips barely left mine, and his words came in a low, husky whisper.

“You’re mine, Elara.”

Those words, You’re mine, unleashed something deep within me. I was his, I would be his Queen, and he would be my King. The thought of it sent waves of heat through my body, but before I could respond, I gasped.

“Take me to your chambers, Kaelen,” I say, breathlessly, my voice thick with lust.

He steps back, severing the connection, shaking his head slightly. “Elara, I can’t. It’s not right.”

I stare at him, confused. “What? Why? Are you not enjoying yourself?”

He sighs, his expression darkening. “It’s not that...” he hesitates. I can’t let it happen without knowing how you truly feel.”

Oh no, not now.

He exhales, his voice soft but filled with emotion.

“From the moment we met, I knew there was something extraordinary about you. Your laughter lights up my darkest days. You inspire me to be a better man. I’ve tried to deny it, but I can’t anymore.

I’m in love with you, Elara. I need to know if you feel the same. Will you take this leap with me?”

My body ached for him. I place my hand upon his cheek, gently guiding his gaze to meet mine.

“Kaelen, I need to be honest... I’m not in love with you.

Not yet. But there’s something here, something I can’t ignore.

I want to see where this could go, but it’s complicated. I’m still figuring things out.”

He nods slowly, his eyes shadowed with unspoken sorrow. “I understand. I will wait, Elara. I will wait as long as it takes.” I need to explain more, but the words won’t come. Instead,

my stomach growls loudly. “Ugh, I’m starving...”

“What would you like to eat? Blood? Meat? Veg?” Kaelen

asks, with a slight chuckle.

I hesitate, my cheeks flushing. “I’ve never had blood before .

Only supplements.” I lower my gaze, embarrassment sets in. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but... I’ve never thought about what it means to be a vampire until now.”

Kaelen lifts my chin gently, his gaze soft. “I’m not judging you, Elara. I would never.” His smile is warm and reassuring.

“Come with me.”

He leads me through the castle halls, his hand holding mine

as if we shared a secret. The light from the kitchen cast a soft glow on us. Kaelen scans through the many cupboards. He eventually took out a bottle, its contents glowing faintly in the dim light.

“This... is the best blood you’ll ever taste,” He says, almost reverent. “It’s the first blood I ever drank when I came of age. It’s pure.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Is it still OK to drink?”

He chuckles. “Of course. It’s preserved perfectly. Here, take asip.”

I grab the bottle, hesitantly bringing it to my lips.

I sip, the warmth flooding my senses, awakening something deep inside me.

The blood was like nothing I had ever experienced.

It was more than nourishment, it was life.

Power surged through me, a rebirth that made me feel alive, powerful and undeniably connected to the darkness of this world.