Their eyes locked for a moment—two worlds colliding in complete silence—before the fine blonde with piercing grey orbs cleared his throat.
"That was fast. Only members of royal bloodlines are capable of that level of skill," he said, his voice deep and velvet-smooth.
The sound sent a subtle tremor down Issabel's spine. She had seen handsome men before—countless, in fact. But there was something different about this one. He had a quiet command about him, like winter in motion—still, sharp, and beautiful. Her heart thundered in her chest, threatening to burst through her ribcage.
And in that split second, she knew.
Her spirit whispered with certainty.
He's the one. My mate.
"I'm Princess Issabel Grey, sister of King Damien, ruler of Persia."
The handsome man nodded thoughtfully, studying her with a gaze that made her feel both seen and unraveled. "An honor, Princess. You may outrank me by title, but not by courage," he said with a teasing edge. "I'm Crown Prince Lokki of Wintercrest. It's a pleasure to meet you—and welcome to our lands."
"Thank you, Your Highness," she replied with a soft smile, trying to hide the whirlwind inside her.
"The pleasure is all mine." He stepped forward, lifted her hand, and placed the gentlest kiss upon it.
That simple gesture sent heat blooming through her cheeks. Her heartbeat skipped again.
"If I may ask," he continued, "are you here on official business… or visiting someone?"
She hesitated only a moment. "Let's just say I was riding by and decided to stop. I heard Wintercrest was beautiful—and now, I know they were right."
He chuckled softly. "They were indeed. Especially today."
Later that Evening…
"Ahhhhhhhhhh! Damien, you won't believe what happened today!" Issabel burst into the chamber, nearly bouncing with excitement.
Damien looked up, one brow raised. "Relax, Issabel. You're vibrating. What happened?"
"I finally met my mate!" she beamed, eyes gleaming with joy.
Damien squinted suspiciously. "Which unlucky man is that?" he teased with a smirk.
"Damien!" She folded her arms and pouted dramatically.
"Alright, alright—I'm sorry," he laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "Tell me. Who is he?"
"He's a crown prince."
"Whoa," Damien sat up straighter. "So that means… you're going to become Queen someday? Is he… a vampire prince?"
She shook her head. "No, he's human."
"A human?" Damien's tone dropped with a hint of warning. "That's… interesting. I don't have a problem with it, but your father? Issabel, did you forget who he is?"
"But—"
"No but's, Issabel. You just met him today. That doesn't mean anything. You'll get over him."
"Damien…" her voice softened, filled with disappointment.
"Give me back the necklace."
Her breath caught. "What?"
"You heard me. You're not allowed to go out again—not without my permission."
Her fingers trembled as she reached up and unfastened the necklace. The second it left her skin, the daylight warmth she'd felt earlier seemed to vanish.
She placed it in his palm… and ran.
"Issabel—! Wait!"
But she was gone, her sobs echoing down the corridor. Damien sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and slumped onto the edge of his bed.
Two Days Later…
It had been two days since Issabel locked herself in her chamber. I'd tried everything—gentle coaxing, knocking, even bribing her with her favorite blood-orange elixir—but my little sister could be unbelievably stubborn. Sometimes I feared she'd inherited my worst traits.
Now, I stood outside her door, fists pounding hard against the wood.
"Issabel! Come on. This is ridiculous! At least talk to me—"
Silence.
No footsteps. No rustle. Not even a breath.
I clenched my jaw. "Fine. You brought this on yourself."
With one solid kick, I forced the door open, the hinges snapping violently. I stepped in, heart pounding—
But the room was empty.
Completely empty.
"Damn it!" I growled.
I spun on my heels and barked at the nearest servant in the corridor. "Dishon! I want to see your sister—now!"
"Of course, Damien," the trembling servant stammered and ran off.
I looked around the empty room, her presence already fading. She had left, taking nothing with her but her stubborn heart.
Issabel… what have you done?