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GAIDA

Waking up slowly, my head pounds as if it’s been used as a drum in some ancient ritual. The first thing I see when I open my eyes is Luke’s concerned face hovering over mine. Behind him, I can make out Dante and Felix, both wearing expressions that range somewhere between worry and horror.

“What happened?” I croak, trying to sit up. I’m lying on the couch in Luke’s office, and my entire body feels like it’s been through a meat grinder.

“You passed out,” Luke says, his voice carefully neutral. “After the compulsion.”

“Oh gods,” I whisper, covering my face with my hands. “What did I say?”

“Nothing good,” Felix mutters.

The silence from the other two is so thick I could cut it with a knife.

Finally, Dante speaks, his voice strained. “You said Draken was your mate.”

I drop my hands and stare at him, then at Luke, then at Felix. “That’s impossible. I’ve never even met him.”

“Not in this lifetime,” Luke says quietly.

“What does that mean?” I demand, pushing myself up to a sitting position despite the wave of dizziness that follows.

Luke sits beside me, his expression grave. “It means that the Blood Queen’s connection to Draken might transcend physical meetings. It’s a mystical bond, perhaps even predating your birth.”

“So what, I’m destined to be with some ancient vampire psycho who wants to merge all the worlds?” I jump to my feet, ignoring the vertigo that threatens to topple me. “No. Absolutely not. I choose who I’m with, not some mystical destiny bullshit!”

“Gaida—” Dante starts, but I cut him off with a wave of my hand.

“No! I’ve had enough of people telling me who I am and what I’m supposed to do!” The anger feels good, grounding me when everything else seems to be spinning out of control. “I don’t care what I said under compulsion. I am not mated to some ancient vampire I’ve never even met.”

Luke rises slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. “The compulsion revealed what’s in your blood, Gaida. Not necessarily what’s in your heart.”

“Then fix it!” I snap, my voice breaking slightly. “You said my Blood Rights were burned away. So what’s left is just the Blood Queen part, right? The part that wants to merge the worlds and apparently hook up with Draken?”

Felix steps forward, his expression thoughtful. “If your Blood Rights were transferred during the blood exchange with Luke, then theoretically, Luke could have them.”

“Huh?” I scrunch up my nose. “Is that possible?”

Luke looks thoughtful. “It’s possible, but not probable.”

“So we compel you to find out,” Dante grits out.

“None of you are strong enough to compel me,” Luke states.

“So we get Constantine here and he will compel you,” Dante argues.

“There is another way,” I say, shaking my head and pointing at where the sword vanished. “Those with the Blood Rights can touch the sword.”

“We don’t know where it went,” Felix says.

“So we find it and see if Luke can touch it now.”

“And if he can?” Dante asks.

I catch Luke’s eye. “Then it’s not up to me to save these worlds.”

Luke’s intense blue eyes bore into mine, his expression unreadable. “That’s a dangerous assumption, Gaida. Even if I somehow absorbed your Blood Rights during our exchange, I’m not from this world. The consequences could be unpredictable.”

“Or more stable.”

Dante moves closer, his hand finding mine. “We need to find the sword first. Then we can test the theory.”

“It can’t have gone far,” Felix says, already moving toward the door. “It’s bound to Gaida. It will return to her eventually.”

Luke nods, his decision made. “Felix is right. The sword is drawn to you. It will appear again soon.”

“But what if I don’t want it to?” I ask, suddenly feeling exhausted. “What if I just want to be normal? Or at least, as normal as a pureblood vampire can be.”

“That’s not an option anymore,” Luke says gently, his hand coming to rest on my waist. “The moment the sword chose you, your path was set.”

I shrug off his touch, not ready for comfort yet. “My whole life has been about other people’s plans for me. My parents bred me for this without telling me. The sword chose me without asking. And now I’m supposedly mystically mated to some ancient vampire monster creep that I’ve never even met? When do I get to choose?”

Dante moves to my side, his presence steady and warm. “You chose us,” he says quietly. “That was your choice.”

I want to believe him, but at this point, I’m not even sure about that now.

“Did I?” I whisper, doubt creeping into my voice. “Or was that predetermined, too? Some cosmic joke where I think I’m making choices when everything’s already been decided?”

The silence that follows is heavy with implications none of us wants to face. I move to the window, staring out at the moonlit grounds of MistHallow. Students wander between buildings, laughing and chatting, completely unaware that their world could end because of me.

“I need some air,” I announce, turning abruptly toward the door.

“Gaida—” Luke says, but I cut him off with a sharp look.

“Alone. I need to be alone.”

Felix steps aside, allowing me to pass, but his grey eyes are troubled. “The sword will find you,” he warns softly.

“Let it try,” I mutter, pushing past him into the hallway.

I stride through the academy, ignoring the curious glances from students who quickly move out of my way. My reputation has clearly preceded me, or perhaps it’s just the thunderous expression on my face.

Outside, the night air is cool against my skin. I inhale deeply, trying to clear my head. The gardens stretch before me, paths winding between carefully manicured hedges and ancient statues. I choose one at random and walk, letting my feet carry me where they will.

“Fucking destiny,” I mutter, kicking at a loose stone. It skitters across the path and disappears into a nearby flowerbed. The night is peaceful, which seems like a cruel joke given the chaos in my head.

I find myself at the edge of the reflecting pool, its still surface mirroring the stars above. My reflection stares back at me, and I hardly recognise myself anymore. Who am I? The Blood Queen destined to destroy everything? The girl who’s supposedly mated to an ancient monster? Or just Gaida, who wants to make her own choices?

“Enjoying the view?” a voice asks from behind me.

I spin around, heart racing, to find Constantine standing there, his imposing figure barely illuminated by the moonlight.

“What are you doing here?” I demand, taking an instinctive step back.

“Someone took my timestone,” he says, dryly. “I want it back.”

“Is Lucius with you?”

“No, Lucius is no threat to you.”

“Did you kill him?”

He chuckles. “That’s none of your concern. Just know you don’t need to fear him.”

“Yeah, I’ve got bigger problems.”

“Luke?”

“He’s part of it. Why did you come to me and not him?”

“You severed his bond with that sword you kept pointing at me.”

“Do you know what that sword is?”

“No. Nor do I want to. If he hasn’t already, Luke will fall.”

“He is doing fine. We found a temporary solution.”

“Temporary isn’t good enough. He needs a sire bond.”

“You offering?”

He blinks. “That’s an option?”

“Yes.”

“Has he mentioned this to you?”

“No, I mentioned it to him. Question is, would you do it?”

“Forthright, aren’t you? Do you know what it is like to have a charge?”

“No, I’ve never sired anyone and I won’t.”

“I promised my wife I would never sire anyone again.”

“Well, your wife might need to look the other way on this one. I won’t lose him.”

Constantine’s laugh is cold and hollow, sending a chill down my spine. “You speak of him as if he’s yours to keep.”

“He is,” I say without hesitation. “As I am his.”

“You know nothing of what he is.” Constantine moves closer, his ancient eyes reflecting the starlight. “Luke Blackthorn is not what you think he is.”

“I know exactly what he is,” I counter, standing my ground despite the overwhelming presence of this ancient vampire. “He’s dying without a sire bond.”

“And you think I should step in and save him?” Constantine’s voice carries notes of both amusement and incredulity. “Do you understand what you’re asking? A sire bond isn’t just a magickal fix. It’s eternal subservience.”

“He wouldn’t be subservient to you. He would be here, away from you.”

“And you think that would be better? All charges are subservient to their sires. It’s the natural order.”

“Luke isn’t a newbie. He’s ancient by all standards.”

“Not by mine.” Constantine circles me slowly, his movements fluid and predatory. “Why would I take on such a burden? What’s in it for me?”

“What do you want?” I ask boldly.

He stops directly in front of me, towering over my smaller frame. “The timestone, for starters. And assurance that this world remains intact.”

“The second part might be more complicated than you think, but I’m working on it. I don’t particularly want the worlds to crash into each other and merge so we all die.”

Constantine’s eyebrow arches elegantly. “Explain.”

I sigh. “It’s complicated. Very complicated. I’m apparently the Blood Queen, destined to merge all the worlds together using a sword that contains an ancient being called Mashtar and a chalice that contains his son Draken.”

“So it is you who will save the worlds?”

“Seems that way.”

“And you need Luke at full strength to do this?”

“Yep.”

“So it’s not all about being selfish?”

“How can I answer that? I love him. I don’t want him to turn full feral. He doesn’t want me as his sire. What else am I supposed to do? Who else can I turn to who knows him, knows who he is at his core?”

“I see your dilemma.”

“Then help me help him,” I plead. “Please. Go to your wife, explain. Make her understand. Luke won’t need you. It will be a way to stabilise him, nothing more. You won’t need to care for him.”

Constantine studies me with ancient eyes that have seen millennia pass. “You truly care for him,” he says, not a question but an observation.

“I do. More than I can express.” I wrap my arms around myself, suddenly vulnerable before this primordial vampire. “If there was any other way...”

“There isn’t.” He turns away, gazing across the reflecting pool. “A sire bond is necessary. Your temporary solution will fail, and when it does, he will become something you cannot control or save.”

“Will you help him?” I press.

Constantine remains silent for so long, I wonder if he’s forgotten I’m here. Finally, he speaks, his voice distant. “My wife will not be pleased.”

Hope flickers in my chest. “But?”

“But I’ve lived long enough to recognise when fate is at work.” He turns back to me, his expression unreadable. “Bring me the timestone, and I will consider it.”

“That’s not good enough,” I say, finding my courage. “I need more than consideration.”

His lips quirk in what might be respect. “You have fire, Gaida Aragon. He will be connected to me forever. While I won’t exert control, I could. That power will always exist between us.”

“I get that. Will you speak to Luke about it? Offer to become his sire?”

“I will speak to my wife first.”

“Fair enough.” It’s not what I hoped for, but it’s a start. “I’ll ask Luke for the timestone.”

“No need. I’ll get it myself.”

“But you said?—”

“I will get it myself.” His tone leaves no room for argument, so I quickly zip it. I don’t want to get on his bad side when I’ve asked him to sacrifice a lot to help Luke. “Good night, Miss Aragon.”

“Good night, sir.”

He smiles briefly at the title and then vanishes from sight, leaving me with my hands shaking and my heart hammering.

I take a moment to collect myself, letting the night air cool my flushed cheeks. The encounter with Constantine has left me shaken, but I feel a glimmer of hope that Luke might have a chance at survival. Whether he’ll forgive me for going behind his back is another matter entirely.

The reflection pool ripples suddenly, though there’s no wind. I step back instinctively as the water begins to swirl, creating a vortex in the middle. Something rises from the depths… the sword, dripping and gleaming under the moonlight.

“Seriously?” I mutter, backing away. “Can’t you give me five minutes of peace?”

The sword hovers above the pool, rotating slowly, its blade catching the starlight. I could swear it’s watching me, waiting for me to take it.

“I don’t want you,” I say firmly, continuing to back away. “Find someone else to be your Blood Queen.”

The sword trembles, and then shoots toward me with frightening speed. I dodge, but it changes direction mid-air, following me like a heat-seeking missile. Before I can run, it stops abruptly, suspended in the air mere inches from my face.

“Gaida!” Luke’s voice cuts through the night.

I turn to see him striding across the courtyard, Felix and Dante close behind. The sword quivers, seemingly torn between attacking me and retreating.

“Don’t move,” Luke commands. In a flash of vampire speed, he is next to me. “The sword is trying to bond with you.”

I can’t tear my eyes away from the gleaming metal hovering before me. “I don’t want it,” I whisper, but even as I say the words, my hand rises, fingers stretching toward the hilt.

“Gaida, don’t touch it!” Felix shouts, but his warning comes too late.

My fingers close around the hilt, and a jolt of energy surges through me. The world shifts, reality bending around me as images flood my mind—ancient battles, the splitting of worlds, a man with eyes like voids raising the sword against a backdrop of cosmic chaos.

“Mashtar,” I whisper, the name falling from my lips without conscious thought.

The sword shakes in response, and I feel something inside me awakening, unfurling like a flower of darkness. Power courses through my veins, intoxicating and terrifying.

Luke’s hand closes over mine on the sword’s hilt. The moment he touches it, the world stills.

Where I expected to see pain, burning flesh, or rejection, there is nothing but calm acceptance. The sword glows softly beneath our joined hands, neither fighting nor burning him.

“You can touch it,” I whisper.

Luke’s eyes meet mine. “The Blood Rights,” he murmurs. “They transferred to me during our exchange.”

The sword vibrates between us, acknowledging his words.

Dante approaches cautiously, his eyes fixed on the sword. “This changes everything.”

“Does it?” Felix asks, his voice tight with scepticism.

The sword suddenly twists in our grip, pulling away from me to hover before Luke. He releases my hand, and the sword floats into his palm completely, settling there as if it has found its rightful place. The glow subsides to a gentle shimmer.

“I believe that answers your question,” Luke says quietly.

My emotions are a tangled mess. Relief that I might not be responsible for sealing the worlds, fear about what this means for Luke, and a strange sense of loss. The Blood Rights were part of my heritage, my birthright, and now they’re gone, even if I didn’t know they were there for so long.

“So what now?” I ask, wrapping my arms around myself. “If you have the Blood Rights, and I’m still the Blood Queen, where does that leave us?”

“At an impasse,” Luke admits. “The Blood Queen seeks to merge the worlds. The Blood Rights exist to prevent that from happening.”

“Which means we’re on opposite sides,” I breathe.

Luke’s expression softens. “Not necessarily. We’re on the same side—the side that wants to survive. The Blood Queen aspect within you may desire world-merging, but you, Gaida, do not.”

“But what if I can’t control it?” My voice cracks slightly. “What if that part of me gets stronger?”

Felix steps forward. “Then we find a way to strengthen the real you.”

Dante takes my hand, his touch grounding me. “We can fight this, Gaida.”

“Constantine was here,” I say suddenly, needing to get that out of the way.

Luke’s gaze snaps up from the sword. “When?”

“Just before you arrived. He wants the timestone back.”

“Of course he does,” Luke mutters, gripping the sword tighter. “Why did he come to you?”

“I’m not sure.” I hesitate, knowing I have to tell him. “I asked him to consider becoming your sire.”

The temperature around us drops several degrees. Luke’s expression hardens into something dangerous and cold. “You did what?”

“You need a sire bond, Luke. The potion is temporary, and we all know it.”

“That wasn’t your decision to make,” he says, his voice deadly quiet.

“No, it wasn’t. But he was there, and it was an option on the table. I took the opportunity to ask him if he would consider it, not if he would do it. That is between you two.”

It takes him a few moments, but he visibly calms himself, and I breathe out slowly, feeling slightly lightheaded. I thought he was going to use that sword to remove my head.

“Did he agree?” Luke asks after a moment, his voice carefully neutral.

“He said he’d talk to his wife first,” I reply, still watching him warily. “Apparently, he promised her he wouldn’t sire anyone else.”

Luke laughs, one full of amusement, which intrigues me. “Hmm. Yes. I’m more concerned about Aefre. She was always the only one who could get him to do anything.”

“Will she be amenable?” Dante asks.

“Possibly. She is a compassionate woman, if not brutally savage when she wants to be. If she knows Constantine wouldn’t actually have any sire type emotions towards me, she might be more inclined to agree.”

Felix moves closer, his eyes on the sword. “As fascinating as Constantine’s marital dynamics are, we have more pressing concerns. Like what we do now that you apparently have the Blood Rights.”

“We need to find the chalice,” Luke says decisively.

“My parents have it,” I remind him. “And they’re not exactly going to hand it over, especially not to me.”

“They might to me,” Luke says, his expression thoughtful. “Especially if they believe I now possess the Blood Rights.”

“And how are you going to explain that one, vamp daddy?” Dante asks with a smirk. “Tell them what you and Gaida did? Something tells me you might prefer to go feral than face her father’s wrath.”

“He’s not wrong,” I mutter. “We need another plan.”

“Yeah, we do,” Dante says, quite coldly all of a sudden. “One that doesn’t bring you within a thousand feet of that chalice.”

“Agreed,” Felix says quietly. “If he’s truly your... mate... then bringing you near the chalice might trigger something we can’t control.”

I bristle at the mention of this supposed mystical connection. “I am not Draken’s mate. I don’t care what came out when I was under compulsion. It’s not real.”

The silence that follows is uncomfortable. Luke, Dante, and Felix exchange glances that make my skin crawl.

“What?” I demand. “Why are you all looking at each other like that?”

“Compulsion reveals truth,” Luke says carefully. “Not necessarily a truth you’re conscious of, but truth nonetheless.”

“So what?” I throw my hands up in frustration. “I’ve never even met Draken! How can I be mated to someone I’ve never met?”

Felix steps closer, his expression thoughtful. “Soul bonds can transcend physical meetings, especially when they’re forged in blood magick. If Draken is Mashtar’s son, and you are the Blood Queen...”

“No,” I cut him off firmly. “I refuse to accept that. I choose who I’m with. I choose the three of you.” My voice breaks slightly on the last words, and I hate the vulnerability it reveals.

Dante moves to my side, his arm sliding around my waist. “And we choose you,” he says softly. “Whatever this means, we’re not letting you go off into the sunset with some hideous vampire monster that is older than dirt.”

Luke remains silent, the sword still glowing faintly in his grip. His expression is unreadable, but I can sense the turmoil beneath his controlled exterior. “No,” he says. “That isn’t going to happen. I’ll speak to Constantine and Aefre. You’re right about this potion being temporary. I won’t let arrogance stand in the way of what could be between us.”

“Could be?” I croak.

“We have to survive what’s coming first.”

His words leave a chill in the air that we all feel. Goosebumps skitter over my skin, and I move into his arms. The sword vanishes, allowing him to wrap his arms around me. I rest my head on his chest, listening to the thump of his heart. It’s steady, but who knows for how much longer?

“We will,” I say softly. “I’m not letting any of you go. I will do whatever it takes to make sure this is forever.”