The moment Sophia crossed through the portal, heat surged across her skin like liquid flame. It wasn't painful—it was powerful. The air shifted, heavier than before, laced with ancient magic and thick with the scent of ash, roses, and something darker. They were in the vampire kingdom now—Lucian's true dominion.
The world beyond the arch shimmered with twilight. Crimson-leafed trees loomed overhead, their roots glowing faintly with blood magic. Black mountains stood like sentinels in the distance, veiled in fog, and far beneath them, nestled between obsidian cliffs, was a massive citadel pulsing with life.
Lucian's kingdom.
Sophia stumbled as the wave of power pressed against her chest. Lucian caught her quickly.
"Are you alright?" he asked, eyes locked on her.
"I don't know," she whispered, looking around. "It feels like this land… it doesn't reject me. It knows me."
Selene appeared beside them, her cloak rustling. "The vampire kingdom thrives on intensity. Blood. Desire. Loyalty. Power. And Sophia now carries all of that within her."
Sophia blinked. "What do you mean?"
Selene gave her a small smile. "You're not just fae anymore. You're becoming everything."
Lucian's jaw tightened slightly. "And that's exactly why we need to be careful. News of her awakening is already spreading. My court will want answers. And enemies… they'll want her power."
As if summoned by his words, a howl pierced the air.
Not of pain—but of welcome.
From the dark forest around them, Lucian's soldiers emerged—wolves in human form, many shirtless, their eyes glowing with pack loyalty. They dropped to one knee the moment they saw him.
"Alpha," they chorused.
The captain stepped forward, his gaze flickering to Sophia before returning to Lucian. "We felt the magic shift. We followed it. The entire realm is stirring."
Lucian nodded. "Prepare a secure camp. We rest here before entering the capital."
The soldiers moved without hesitation, spreading out to guard the area while others began setting up tents and lighting enchanted fires. Sophia watched them, stunned by how easily they obeyed him.
"They love you," she murmured.
Lucian turned to her. "They follow strength. But you… you're more than strength. They'll follow you too. You're their future queen."
Sophia's heart pounded. "Am I really ready for that?"
He brushed her cheek with a tenderness that contradicted the storm in his eyes. "You were born for it."
That night, under the blood-red moon, the camp came alive. Fires flickered, weapons were cleaned, guards rotated in perfect rhythm. And Sophia—still half-recovering from her transformation—stood among them like a glowing flame.
Selene approached her after dark with a bundle of herbs and a polished mirror. "You need to see yourself."
Sophia took the mirror reluctantly. When she saw her reflection, she gasped.
Her once auburn hair was now longer, cascading past her waist like silk spun from sunlight and dusk. Her golden eyes glowed faintly, rimmed with flecks of violet. Her skin shimmered subtly, and behind her—two small but forming wings, wrapped in light, bone, and softness.
"I'm changing," she whispered.
Selene touched her shoulder. "You're becoming what you were always meant to be."
From across the firelight, Lucian watched her.
And he knew—this was only the beginning.
Because deep within the vampire citadel, others were watching too.
And not all of them would welcome a queen with wings.