Phoenix lingered in the shadows and leaned casually against the cold stone wall of the gallery, overlooking the great hall. The alcove where he stood was shrouded in darkness, hidden from the flickering firelight that danced across the grand chamber below. It was the perfect vantage point, offering him a clear view of the confrontation between Alexander and the human.
"Is. It. True?" The human asked, her voice rising with the anger she'd been holding back.
"Who told you?" Phoenix heard Alexander ask.
From his perch, Phoenix watched the human girl he had come to both loathe and crave pace toward Alexander, her brown hair catching the firelight as her voice rose in anger. Jane was beautiful when she was furious, her passion turning her into something fierce and untouchable. But there was also fragility in her movements, a tremor in her voice that betrayed the deep hurt she carried.
"Does it matter?" Jane demanded, taking a step closer to Alexander. "How could you do this to me?"
"Jane-"
Phoenix smirked to himself, his fangs glinting faintly in the dim light. This was it-the moment he had engineered, the culmination of weeks of carefully planted whispers and subtle manipulations. He had been the one to tell Jane about the engagement, feeding her just enough information to ignite the firestorm now raging below.
Jane stared at him. "Would you have ever told me?"
Alexander stared at her. "About your father? Never."
Phoenix chuckled. The plan had worked perfectly-better than Phoenix had dared to hope.
"What are you talking about?" Jane asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"He died...by my hand."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Phoenix's brow arched. Well, well. This was a delightful turn of events. He hadn't anticipated Alexander's guilt to spill out like this, but it was delicious nonetheless.
"You killed my father." Jane whispered. "And now you're marrying her. The woman who killed my mother."
Alexander flinched. "You know of my marriage?"
"It was my sole purpose for coming here." Jane uttered. "To ask you if it was true or not."
Phoenix crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the stone. He could practically feel the threads of their bond unraveling, the trust between them disintegrating with every word.
"I'm not marrying her because I want to." Alexander said, his voice raw. "I'm doing it to protect you."
Phoenix leaned forward slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. This was everything he had anticipated-and more. He had stoked the flames carefully, planting doubts in Jane's mind about Alexander's intentions, feeding her just enough truth to let her spiral into conclusions of her own. And now, as her accusations echoed through the chamber, Phoenix felt a dark satisfaction settle over him.
"Protect me?" Jane repeated. "You've done nothing but destroy me, Alexander. You killed my father, and now you're choosing her over me."
"I'm not choosing her." Alexander said, his voice breaking. "Jane, please-"
"Don't." Jane hissed, stepping back. "Don't you dare say my name like that."
Alexander had always been too sure of himself, too confident in the strength of the bond he thought he shared with Jane. But now, that bond was fraying, unraveling with every anguished word.
Suddenly, Alexander's gaze flicked upward, sharp and searching, his dark eyes locking onto Phoenix' hiding spot with unnerving precision.
"Phoenix." Alexander called, his voice echoing through the hall. "Why don't you come down and join me? Unless, of course, you prefer lurking in the dark like the coward you are."
Phoenix sighed dramatically as he stepped out of the shadows with deliberate slowness, his smirk returning as he descended the curved staircase. His boots clicked against the marble, the sound sharp and deliberate.
"You." Alexander said, his voice a low growl. "I should have known."
Phoenix spread his hands in mock innocence as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "What can I say? I do have a knack for showing up at just the right time."
Alexander's expression darkened, the air in the hall seeming to grow heavier with his barely restrained anger. "How long have you been lurking in the shadows?"
"Long enough." Phoenix replied smoothly. He tilted his head, his smirk unwavering. "Though I must say, you handled that rather poorly. I expected better from you, Alexander."
Alexander crossed the room in a blur of movement, his speed a reminder of the predator he was. He stopped mere inches from Phoenix, his towering presence brimming with menace. "Was this your plan all along?" He demanded, his voice sharp as a blade. "To poison Jane against me? To drive a wedge between us?"
Phoenix didn't flinch. Instead, he met Alexander's glare with an amused, almost bored expression. "My plan? Oh, Alex, don't flatter yourself. I didn't have to poison her against you. You managed that all on your own."
Alexander's jaw tightened, his fangs glinting as his lips curled back in a snarl. "Don't play games with me, Phoenix. I know you've been whispering in her ear, feeding her lies."
"Lies?" Phoenix arched a brow, feigning offence. "I only told her what she had a right to know. The truth about your engagement with Lilith. If you wanted to keep her trust, you should have told her yourself, or better yet, not go through with the wedding. But the murdering part? No, that was all you, friend."
"You don't know anything about why I've made the choices I've made." Alexander said, his voice cold and dangerous.
"Oh, I know enough." Phoenix said, stepping closer, his smirk turning sharper. "I know that you're willing to sacrifice her happiness for your own ambitions. And I know that, deep down, you're terrified that she'll never forgive you for it."
Alexander's hands clenched into fists at his sides, his restraint visibly fraying. "You think you've won, don't you? That you can manipulate her into turning to you?"
Phoenix's smile widened, his fangs glinting in the firelight. "Won?" He echoed, his tone mocking. "Alex, I'm not playing a game. But if I were..." He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "It looks like I'm several moves ahead of you."
Alexander's composure finally broke. He grabbed Phoenix by the collar, lifting him off the ground with effortless strength.
"You think this is a victory?" Alexander growled, his voice deadly quiet. "You've done nothing but sow chaos. But it won't last. Jane will see through you eventually. She'll realise what you are-a parasite, feeding off the pain of others."
Phoenix didn't struggle. Instead, he laughed softly, the sound echoing through the hall. "Perhaps." He said, his voice calm despite the steel grip around his throat. "But by the time she does, it will be too late. She'll already be mine."
Alexander's eyes blazed with fury, his grip tightening before he abruptly released Phoenix, shoving him back with enough force to send him stumbling.
"Why her?" Alexander demanded. "Why Jane? Why pursue her when you know that her family's amulet killed your brother?"
Phoenix's easy demeanour slipped, replaced by a flicker of something darker, something far more dangerous. "Does it matter?"
"Yes." Alexander growled. "She carries the weapon that ended his life. And yet you chase her as if none of that matters. Why?"
Phoenix straightened his coat, brushing off the imaginary dust with a casual flick of his fingers. "My brother died because he was a fool. He underestimated the strength of mortals. He thought his immortality made him untouchable, and it cost him everything."
Alexander's eyes narrowed. "So, you don't blame her?"
"Oh, I blame her." Phoenix said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I blame her for carrying that cursed amulet, for wielding it like a weapon without knowing the lives it would claim. But you see, Alex, blame is a funny thing. It doesn't stop me from wanting her."
"You're lying." Alexander spat. "You don't want her. You want to destroy her. You're using her to avenge your brother."
Phoenix laughed, the sound low and bitter. "Destroy her? No, you misunderstand me. I don't want to destroy her. I want to own her. I want to consume every part of her-the fire in her spirit, the pain in her eyes, the light she so desperately clings to. That's how you break someone like Jane. Not with vengeance, but with possession."
"You're sick." Alexander said, his voice dripping with disgust. "You think she'll let you? That she'll fall for your lies and manipulation? She's stronger than you think."
Phoenix's expression darkened, his smirk vanishing entirely. "Stronger? Perhaps. But strength can be twisted, bent until it breaks. You should know that better than anyone."
"If you think I'll let you have her, you're a bigger fool than your brother ever was." Alexander snarled.
Phoenix didn't flinch, his own voice matching Alexander's intensity. "And if you think you can stop me, you're more naive than I thought. You've already lost her, Alexander. You pushed her away with your lies, your secrets. You made her doubt you. And now? Now she's mine."
"She'll never be yours." Alexander growled, his fangs bared. "She's not some pawn in your games, Phoenix. She's not some trophy for you to claim."
Phoenix' lips curled into a dangerous smile. "We'll see about that, won't we?"
Alexander's glare could have melted steel, but Phoenix merely smirked and turned toward the stairs.
"Good luck repairing the damage." Phoenix called over his shoulder as he ascended. "Though I imagine it'll be quite the challenge. She looked rather...devastated, don't you think?"
Alexander didn't respond, but Phoenix didn't need him to. He could feel the other vampire's rage simmering behind him, and it only added to his satisfaction.
As Phoenix disappeared into the shadows, he allowed himself a quiet chuckle. The game was far from over, but tonight, he had won this round. And with each passing day, Jane was slipping further from Alexander's grasp and closer to his.