Chapter 3: Bound by Shadows
The cart jolted along the uneven forest path, rattling Leona's chains. Every thud against the wooden floor made her wrists burn, but she refused to scream. Panic would only give them satisfaction.
Her captors laughed among themselves, careless and cruel. "Pretty thing like you shouldn't be running off, eh?" one sneered, tightening the ropes around her wrists.
Leona's eyes darted to the edges of the forest. The shadows seemed alive. She could feel it—someone was watching. He was near.
The Vampire King.
Her pulse quickened, a mix of fear and curiosity. She had caught glimpses of him when they passed in the night, his silver eyes cutting through the darkness. Now, though, she realized she was entirely at his mercy—if he chose to intervene.
The cart stopped abruptly. The slave sellers began unloading their goods, preparing to take their catch to the market. Leona strained against her bonds, but it was no use.
Then, a cold wind swept through the clearing, and the men froze. From the forest's edge, a shadow detached itself. The air grew colder, heavier, charged with a presence that made Leona shiver.
"You have something that doesn't belong to you," a deep, commanding voice rumbled.
The men spun around, but it was too late. In an instant, the world seemed to bend—the ropes on Leona's wrists snapped as if cut by invisible blades, and the men were hurled back as if struck by a powerful force.
Leona fell to her knees, stunned. Before her, the Vampire King stood, eyes glowing in the dim moonlight, tall and unyielding.
"Who… who are you?" she whispered, awe and fear tangled together.
"I am the one who will decide your fate," he said, voice low and steady. "And I think… I want to know more about you."
For the first time since her escape, Leona realized she was no longer running. She was being watched, chosen, and her life was about to change forever