Zane observed the field. Elana still wasn't out.
Cara and Diana sat on the stone bench away from the fountain.
Diana looked uncomfortable, almost losing herself in Cara's arms.
The identical men weren't in the field—at least, not to his human eyes.
He gritted his teeth. It was nearly noon, and Elana hadn't appeared. He hadn't seen her at breakfast either.
The worry twisted tighter in his chest, worsened by the absence of that monster as well.
He couldn't wait to leave this unsettling place. And when he did, Elana would be leaving with him.
"The more you look, the less you see."
Eira's voice came from beside him, startling him.
Clenching his jaw to hide the reaction, he said, "Good morning, Eira."
She chuckled. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of her—lips painted red today, nails the same shade.
Her beauty was unapologetic, dangerous. Black leather pants clung to her legs as she crossed them, perched on the fountain beside him.
"I figured coming to you would be best," Eira said, her voice laced with feigned sweetness. "The situation at hand is…slightly out of control."
"I'm not sure what you mean," Zane replied, masking his unease.
"Oh, but you do, Zane." She tilted her head. "I'm sure you've noticed Azael's fleeting infatuation with Elana."
Zane exhaled. He had to be clever with Eira, given she was unpredictable and possibly dangerous. He wasn't sure how well that might affect Elana.
"As you said," he replied carefully, "he's your man. You should know him better than the rest of us."
"Don't start games you can't finish," Eira said, bitterness slipping through her tone despite the smile. "I only mean well for Elana. And I see you care enough to protect her—just like from that night."
Zane's fists tightened. The humiliation of that night still gnawed at his pride.
"Yes," he said quietly. "I care enough to protect her with every fiber of my being."
"That's the spirit," Eira leaned closer, her voice brushing his ear.
He turned to look at her. Her eyes—dangerously beautiful—bored into him, as though she could read every thought he tried to hide.
"Azael is dangerous," she continued. "He's a vampire like the rest of us with pale skin but far stronger. He replenishes himself with the blood of innocent, suspecting girls like Elana. He toys with them. Then he destroys them."
Zane's fury surged, he thought vampires were myths.
"He said she could leave with us."
Eira scoffed, rolling her eyes as she looked away. "Then make it more urgent that you and your friends leave. Staying longer will hurt Elana even more."
"But why—" Zane pressed, now staring intently at her. "Why hasn't he killed us? Drained our blood? Aren't we prey to you too?"
Irritation flickered across her face before she smoothed it into a forced smile.
"Bold of you to assume vampires drain the blood of any human they encounter."
Her crimson gaze locked with his, heavy with intimidation.
"Besides," she added softly, "The hunt is more fun when the prey is unsuspecting."
Zane swallowed, looking away as he steadied his breath.
"I have no craving for you or your friends," Eira said. "Elana is a nice girl. She deserves better than being fed on… every now and then."
His head snapped toward her.
"He's been feeding on her?" he asked, anger barely restrained.
Eira laughed lightly, inspecting her manicured nails.
"Anger and helplessness don't speak well of a man's ego."
Zane clenched his fists. Even if Azael was feeding on Elana—what could he do? He couldn't even fight for his own life against him. He'd had to beg.
"It is pathetic," Eira sighed, her voice taking on a lethal calm. "But you could be stronger. Strong enough to protect her. Even a little supernatural strength might be enough to resist a predator like Azael."
Zane met her gaze. "I don't want to be a vampire, I'd much rather die a human—with honor."
She leaned closer.
"Not a vampire, Zane," she whispered. "The one thing that has one of what it takes to weaken him."
Her lips hovered near his ear.
"A wolf."
Zane's eyes widened—images of the beasts in the forest flashing through his mind.
"I don't think even the wolves can…"
"Take it from me," Eira cut in, standing.
Her curves with deliberate intent, temptation woven into every step.
"Your only chance of protecting what's yours is upgrading that pathetic human strength. If not—"
She bent, lowering her face to his.
"He will swat you like a fly and drain Elana's blood until she's dead."
"Hi Eira."
Caesar's voice broke the tension.
She smirked, straightening to greet him.
Zane's heart twisted violently.
Was he really ready to cross that line—to become something else—to protect Elana from Azael?
**
"It is almost time, my king."
Syrus said, the outline of his grin visible beneath his cloak.
King Victor shifted in his chair inside the palace study. Something about the land they were meant to claim felt wrong.
The enemy awaiting them was unlike any he had ever led his army against.
Their search of the forest had yielded nothing—no Cara, no soldiers, or the blind girl.
Worse still, the forest itself had grown more hostile with each passing day. Men were going missing.
Reports surfaced of man-sized wolves attacking—and abducting—humans.
Inside Victor, his thirst for power felt heavier than ever. Cara had warned him. But he had silenced her with authority. Dismissing her fear.
She had been right.
The war had created an imbalance, and now he's meant to walk straight into its abyss.
"Have you uncovered more information about the lands we're to invade?" Victor asked, carefully masking his unease. His father's voice echoed in his mind—a king must never waver.
"Yes my king," Syrus answered. "Though I still can't say exactly what we're facing. But our numbers should be enough to overwhelm this…ancient."
"Tell me what you discovered," Victor demanded.
"Brace yourself, my king," Syrus said smoothly. "This is rather delicious."
"Speak," Victor said, resisting the urge to inhale deeply as his curiosity peaked.
"I spotted the Ancient," Syrus said. "A vampire."
Victor stiffened. "Impossible, Vampires don't exist. They're a myth."
Syrus laughed. "Before our ancestors migrated here, there was a fallen kingdom. Ruins without a record of conquest. No sign of the Royal castle."
"I'm aware of history, Syrus," Victor said. "The castle was destroyed,"
"But it wasn't," Syrus countered. "It's hidden in those lands we're invading and the being probably responsible for conquering the kingdom now resides in it as his lair."
Victor drew a slow breath, fear clawing at his composure.
"Do not be troubled," Syrus said, sensing his discomfort. "We have numbers. Better weapons than centuries ago. And there is more."
"Proceed."
"The blind girl," Syrus continued. "She has an intimate relationship with this vampire in the form of a man."
Victor leaned forward sharply. If Syrus had seen the blind girl then he also might have an idea where Cara was.
"You saw this?" he asked, no longer hiding the edge in his voice.
"Saw it manifest with intense action, my lord," Syrus replied. "The exact way a human male behaves when utterly obsessed with a woman."
Victor swallowed. Syrus was reading him—reading his thoughts of using this as a means to locate Cara.
He reclined back in his chair.
"So the soldiers that escaped," Victor hesitated, "Is there a possibility that they could also…?"
"I don't have concrete evidence that they are within the castle, my king," Syrus said. "But there is a strong possibility since they escaped together with her."
"Have you found a way that we can access these lands, given that they're protected?" Victor asked.
"Before the cavalry is fully prepared," Syrus said. "I should be able to crack the spiritual cast protecting it."
Victor nodded, hope stirring at the possibility that Cara still lived.
**
Cara gently smoothed Diana's hair as the girl rested her head in her lap.
The grey sky above the castle had darkened unnaturally, almost night. Elana still hadn't returned.
Cara had wanted to speak to her—to soothe her own ache over Caesar's growing indifference—but instead she'd met Diana trembling, half-frightened, whispering about the twins.
"I'm scared," Diana murmured. "I don't know what they'd do to me tonight. I didn't imagine they'd be so…inappropriate."
"There, there," Cara soothed. "Maybe you could plead with them to lay off on you a little."
Diana lifted her head, blonde hair slightly disheveled, green eyes heavy.
"They took my kingdom. My freedom. Now they want to break my body too by confusing it."
She sobbed into her hands.
Poor girl. Cara wished she could help her. She wasn't exactly giving details of what the twins did to her either but Cara figured it was best not to ask.
They were dangerous, like Azael, and that was all she needed to know to mind her own business.
Zane approached them. Cara had seen him speaking with Eira earlier; at least he was obviously as unsettled as she was around that bitch.
Eira had then left, Caesar following behind her.
Zane stood beside the bench. "I'm worried about Elana, Cara."
Cara sighed, preparing to speak before she heard Diana's yelp beside her.
The white-haired twin—whom Diana had said was Evren—grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet.
"You've been out here breaking rules, Diana." his sleek voice said.
Diana blushed. That wasn't a frightened reaction. It was more like…flustered.
Given how she had been whining about the twins, Cara had expected fear.
"What happened to your place at the fountain, boy?" the other twin's voice said from behind Zane—the one with dark hair. Thorne, she believed.
Cara observed Zane's clenched fists as he faced Thorne. She grabbed his hand, silently begging him to remain calm.
The idiot spoke anyway, "What? I'm not allowed to move around anymore now?"
"Actually," Evren said from where he stood with Diana, "you aren't supposed to be breathing."
"He came to speak to me," Cara interrupted, hoping to calm the tension.
"We'll forgive his ignorance only because you are visitors of lord Azael," Thorne said, looking down his nose at Zane.
"When Diana is out in the field with your friend here. Do not speak or come close until she's gone."
Cara could read the anger in Zane's body language as he held his tongue against the intimidating presence of the twins.
"He understands, good sirs," she said for him.
Evren pulled Diana away, leading her out of the field, with Thorne following behind.
"I can't wait to get out of this place, Cara," Zane whispered fiercely before punching the stone bench in anger.
Cara had been thinking about when they would eventually leave.
Perhaps she would start a happier life without Caesar—and without the lingering memory of the affection she once shared with the king.