Her fingers traced the ancient symbols on the page, the candlelight flickering with each breath of wind from the open balcony. Shadows danced across the stone walls, the golden strands of her hair catching the light like woven metal.
"Vampires, elves, and the forgotten creatures of old."
The words whispered to her, pulling her deeper into their forbidden world. The book smelled of dust and ink, its edges frayed with time. She had read many historical records, but this one felt different—like a secret waiting to be unraveled.
Her father would scoff if he saw her now, nose buried in a book instead of listening to his endless tales of war and strategy. Not that it mattered. He had never wanted a daughter in the first place. The only reason he kept her around was the hope of securing a political marriage, that was all she'd been hearing about since she turned 20. A son, a true heir—he had sought one from every concubine he took, but none had borne children. Frustrated, he began grooming one of her cousins instead.
She flipped another page, her pulse quickening as she read of the vampire king whose eyes glowed like embers in the dark. He was ruthless, yet his people worshipped him as if he were divine. Strange. She had always been fascinated by myths and the unknown, but this—this felt like something else entirely.
A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.
"My lady," a voice called softly.
She exhaled, reluctantly closing the book. "Yes?"
Dressed in the simple attire of a handmaiden, her maid stood at the doorway, hands neatly folded. "Dusk has come. The banquet will begin soon, and your presence is required."
She stifled a groan. These war banquets were always the same—men boasting about their conquests, guzzling wine, and making grand speeches about their inevitable victory over some distant enemy. But this time, there was an unsettling rumor circulating the castle. Her father had invited a special guest—one he had been considering as her future husband.
She smoothed out her garments, placed the book back in its hidden compartment, and followed the maid toward the banquet hall.
As they approached, the sound of music, laughter, and clinking goblets filled the corridor. The heavy doors opened, revealing a room bathed in golden candlelight. Dancers swayed at the center, their hips moving in hypnotic rhythm as men cheered and slammed their mugs against the table. The long banquet table was filled with roasted meats, golden fruits, and spiced wine.
She moved to take her usual seat—two chairs away from her father, with his heir and general in between—but tonight was different. A servant subtly guided her to sit just one seat away from him, separated only by her cousin, his chosen heir. The shift in placement made her uneasy. And then she saw him.
A stranger sat at the opposite end of the table. He had the sharp features of a southern foreigner, with deep brown curls and dark eyes that gleamed under the candlelight. He wasn't bad-looking, but she already knew why he was here. She averted her gaze.
The banquet carried on, filled with drunken boasting and empty praises. Her father, still young and strong, finally stood, raising his goblet high. The room fell silent.
"We have found ways to take down the vile creatures in the far north," he declared, his voice proud. "A discovery made by the brave and wise men of our kingdom. The very beings our ancestors feared—we will eradicate them. And with the help of our new partner," he gestured toward the unfamiliar man, "King Cedric, first of his name, we will prosper!"
A chorus of cheers erupted, men rising to raise their glasses. "To victory!" they roared. Wine splashed as they clinked their goblets together.
She clenched her jaw. Another war. Another fight for dominance. She had no love for the creatures of the north, but something about this announcement unsettled her. The ease with which her father spoke of extermination—of destroying entire civilizations—made her stomach turn.
As the banquet continued, she forced herself to sip her drink, eyes scanning the room. The usual chaos ensued—men calling for more dancers, jesters tumbling across the floor, drunken lords slurring their words. But then she noticed something odd.
Strangers.
Men she didn't recognize sat among the guests, their eyes darting too quickly, their hands resting too carefully on their weapons. A cold prickle ran down her spine.
Her heart pounded as she excused herself, slipping away from the hall. She just needed a moment to think, to breathe—
A scream tore through the air.
The castle erupted into chaos.
Flames burst from the windows, the scent of burning wood and flesh filling the air. The heavy doors of the banquet hall slammed shut, trapping those inside. Blood seeped from beneath the cracks.
Her breath hitched. An ambush.
She turned on her heel and ran. Servants and guards dashed through the corridors, some screaming, others falling to the ground before they could react. The invaders moved swiftly, their blades merciless.
Reaching for the small dagger strapped beneath her gown, she lunged at the first enemy she saw, plunging the blade into his skull before he could strike a fleeing maid. He crumpled at her feet. She barely registered the blood splattered across her hands as she grabbed his sword.
She had killed before. It wasn't the first time.
There was no time for fear.
She fought her way through the halls, striking down invaders wherever she could, dodging attacks as her heartbeat thundered in her ears. The bodies of her people littered the floor, lifeless eyes staring into nothingness.
And then— A heavy blow struck her from behind.
She stumbled, gasping as pain exploded through her skull. Strong hands gripped her hair, yanking her up. She twisted, trying to stab at her attacker, but he slammed her to the ground.
"Well, well," he sneered. "Pretty little princess playing warrior."
She struggled, but he was stronger, pinning her wrists. His breath was foul, his grin full of cruel intent.
"Bet you taste real good," he murmured, fingers tugging at her robes.
Panic clawed at her throat. She thrashed, but he only laughed—
A blade pierced through his chest too quick for her to process
His body jolted, the blood draining from his lips as the tip of a sword stopped inches from her own. And then, just as quickly, the blade was gone, retracting with a slick sound. The man collapsed beside her, lifeless.
She gasped, her eyes locking onto the figure standing over them.
Tall. Broad. Cloaked in the scent of blood and steel. His red eyes glowed like burning embers, sharp against the moonlit backdrop.
Her mind barely had time to register the truth before his voice cut through the silence, deep and commanding.
"Seize her."
Before she could react, chains clamped around her wrists. Hands gripped her arms, yanking her to her feet. She fought against the pull, her struggle met with nothing but tightening restraints. The iron bit into her skin, cold and unyielding, a cruel reminder that she was no longer free. Her captors barely acknowledged her resistance, dragging her forward without pause.
Ahead of her, the man who had given the order to seize her walked with an unhurried pace, his broad back cutting through the sea of bodies littering the courtyard. Even with the chaos of battle still lingering in the air—the stench of blood, smoke curling from distant fires, the occasional groan of the dying—his presence was the most suffocating thing here.
Her breath hitched as she finally placed what he was.
Eyes as red as blood. Presence more suppressing than smoke. A creature that walks between shadows and silence.
She had read too many books not to recognize him.
He's a vampire.
But what was a vampire doing here? They had not interfered in human affairs for years—long enough for some to believe them nothing but myths. Yet, here one stood, not just present but commanding, his very presence dictating the battlefield.
Her stomach twisted as her gaze swept over the remains of the fight. Hundreds of bodies sprawled across the castle grounds—most bore the insignia of the invading kingdom, their armor bloodstained and broken. But among them, she saw soldiers of her own, their lifeless eyes staring at nothing. How had this happened?
Something else gnawed at her mind. The absence.
Where are the women?
A pit formed in her stomach as her lips parted, voice sharp despite the rawness in her throat. "What have you done to the women?"
Silence.
None of her captors answered. They barely even looked at her. She yanked harder at the chains, her panic rising. "I asked a question!"
The vampire finally turned.
His red gaze settled on her, unreadable and unwavering. His voice, when he spoke, was as cold as the steel wrapped around her wrists.
"They have been sent back to their homes." A pause. Then, as if answering the unspoken question, he added, "It is the men who pose a threat."
Then he turned away, dismissing her entirely as he resumed issuing orders.