**🌙 EPISODE 14 — "The Awakening Night: Desire, Fire, and a New Power"**
The air between them crackled—alive, electric—after the blood bond sealed.
Lucian held Isha against him, arms wrapped tight around her waist as if his body responded on instinct… like letting go wasn't an option anymore.
Isha's heartbeat wasn't her own anymore.
It thumped in rhythm with his—a perfect, terrifying, intoxicating synchronization.
Her lips still tingled from where they'd touched his blood.
Her skin buzzed.
Her eyes sensed the world differently—the shadows, the heartbeat of insects in the grass, even the storm humming in the clouds.
"What's happening to me?" Isha whispered, gripping Lucian's shirt.
"The bond," he said, voice shaking.
"It's awakening inside you."
He swallowed, eyes locked on hers—filled with awe and desire and fear all at once.
"Isha… do you feel lightheaded?"
"A little."
"And warm?"
She nodded.
He exhaled shakily, brushing a thumb across her cheek.
"That's my energy inside you. My strength. My senses. My instinct."
His voice dipped lower—rough and breathless.
"And my desire."
Her breath hitched.
Lucian stiffened, eyes widening as if he hadn't meant to say that out loud.
He looked away quickly, jaw clenching.
"I'm sorry— I shouldn't have— this isn't—"
"Lucian," Isha whispered, stepping closer.
His breath caught.
"Look at me."
He did.
And gods… his eyes glowed an impossible shade of red—hungry, protective, reverent all at the same time.
"You're not scaring me," she said softly.
"You're… overwhelming, yes. But not frightening."
He closed his eyes, almost in pain.
"You have no idea how hard it is to control myself right now."
She stepped closer.
Their bodies brushed.
His reaction was instant—
He inhaled sharply, fingers curling into fists as if resisting an invisible pull.
"Isha," he breathed.
"You're testing my limits."
"Maybe," she whispered.
"Or maybe I want to understand what this bond really means."
Her hand slid to his jaw.
Lucian's breathing stuttered.
He grabbed her wrist gently—but firmly.
"If I kiss you now…"
His forehead pressed against hers.
"…I won't be able to stop."
Isha's heart fluttered.
Her lips parted.
"Then don't."
A dangerous silence.
Then—
Lucian growled.
A soft, low, breathtaking sound as he pinned her gently—but urgently—against the wall behind her, hands braced on both sides of her head.
Her breath left her in a rush.
His eyes searched hers.
"Tell me to stop."
"I won't."
"Tell me you're sure."
"I am."
Lucian inhaled sharply—
But just as his lips brushed hers—
A BOOM rattled the windows.
The ground vibrated.
Lucian's head snapped toward the sound, instincts turning sharp and predatory.
"They found us."
His voice had changed.
Harder.
Colder.
The same deep, lethal tone she'd heard when he fought Kael.
He grabbed her hand.
"Stay behind me."
Before she could answer, glass shattered—
A black, massive shape crashed through the living room window, landing with a sickening thud.
It wasn't a rogue vampire this time.
It was a *hunter.*
A trained, armored hunter marked with anti-vampire sigils and armed with silver weapons that burned like fire.
Lucian snarled, pushing Isha behind him.
"You dare enter my territory?"
The hunter raised a silver crossbow.
"Lucian Vale," he hissed.
"You broke the pact. A human bonded with immortal blood is forbidden."
Lucian laughed—dark, vicious.
"The pact died the day your kind tried to kill her."
The hunter fired the arrow straight at Isha—
—Lucian moved faster than the wind.
He grabbed the arrow mid-air—
It burned his palm, sizzling his flesh—
He didn't even flinch—
He hurled it back with bone-breaking force.
The hunter crashed into the wall.
Isha gasped.
"Lucian—you're hurt!"
His hand was smoking.
Silver poison eating through his skin.
"I'll heal," he said through gritted teeth.
But he wasn't healing.
Not fast enough.
Because the bond was still settling…
And his energy was flowing into **her**.
More hunters climbed through the broken window.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Lucian snarled, eyes glowing like wildfire.
"Come any closer—"
His voice dropped to a death whisper.
"—and I'll rip your hearts out."
The hunters surrounded them.
One lunged toward Isha.
Lucian roared.
He moved with lethal fury, tossing one through a table, snapping a blade with his bare hands, knocking another unconscious with a single hit.
But the silver poison had slowed him.
His movements faltered.
Isha saw it.
Her chest tightened.
"Lucian!" she cried.
He stumbled.
A hunter aimed a silver dagger straight at his heart.
Without thinking—without fear—Isha ran.
"Isha, NO!"
She shoved Lucian aside—
The dagger sliced across her shoulder.
She screamed.
Lucian froze—
Time froze—
His eyes turned a blazing, demonic red.
He caught her before she fell, his voice breaking.
"No. No, no, no— Isha, look at me—"
She trembled, blood pooling at her side.
Lucian's hands shook violently as he pressed her wound.
Everything in him cracked.
"You protected me…" he whispered, voice breaking like glass.
"…even though I should be the one protecting you."
She touched his cheek, weakly smiling.
"I guess the bond works both ways."
Lucian let out a breathless, shattered laugh.
Then rage filled him.
He stood slowly.
Deadly.
A monster unleashed.
"You touched my mate," he growled at the hunters.
"You die for that."
And then—
Lucian became something else.
Something terrifying.
Something unstoppable.
In seconds—
Every hunter lay defeated.
He didn't stop until Isha whispered weakly,
"Lucian… I'm okay… please…"
He turned to her immediately.
He cradled her in his arms, lowering them both to the floor.
"You shouldn't have saved me," he whispered in agony.
She cupped his face with a trembling hand.
"You're worth saving."
Lucian's eyes softened—emotion overwhelming him.
"Isha…"
He leaned closer, voice breaking.
"…don't you ever risk your life for me again."
She smiled faintly.
"Too late."
His lips brushed her forehead.
"I'm never letting you go."
"And I swear—on blood and eternity—"
"—no one will ever touch you again."
Isha's eyes fluttered.
The world blurred.
But she heard him whisper one last thing before her vision went dark—
"I love you."
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**EPISODE 14 COMPLETE**