Bloodlines of the Night

Chapter 2: Shadows in the Throne Room

  Chapter 2

Kaelan

Prince Kaelan sat in the vast throne room, his fingers drumming absently on the arm of the black marble throne. His dark eyes were fixed on the stain glass windows that cast eerie patterns of light across the floor, but his thoughts were far from the cold beauty of the room. There was something palpable and unsettling, and it had been festering for weeks.

He could feel it creeping in the corridors of his castle-the discontent among the noble houses, the growing resistance in the human enclaves, and the ever-present weight of his father's legacy passing down on him.

Kaelan was no fool. He had been groomed to rule, to carry the weight of the vampire empire on his shoulders, but there were days when expectations felt more like a chain than a crown. His father, King Soren, had ruled with an iron fist, keeping the vampire aristocracy in line with cold precision and keeping humans subjugated without mercy. And now, as the heir, it was Kaelan's responsibility to ensure that the balance of power remained intact.

But there was a growing unease, whispers of change on the wind. Some of his own people were becoming restless. The humans, long kept in their place, had started to push back in ways that were more than just annoying. Some even dared to fight back.

Like the girl.

The thought made Kaelan's hand pause mid-drum on the throne. Elira. The human girl from the northern enclave. The one who had done the unthinkable.

A low growl escaped his throat as he remembered the reports. One of his finest scouts, one of his personal soldiers, killed by a human. Not just any human, but a girl-a mere slip of a thing, they said, it had caused quite a stir at the court, a mix of outrage and curiosity rippling through noble ranks.

Killing a vampire, especially one with noble blood, was a crime punishable by death. Normally, Kaelan would have sent an executioner to deal with the matter swiftly. But this one, she intrigued him.

"She's arrived your highness," came a smooth voice from the doorway. Raelis, Raelan's loyal second-in-command, stood with a hand on the hilt of his sword. "The girl is being held in the dungeons as you requested. What are your orders?"

Kaelan's eyes narrowed. There was no point in waiting. He needed to see this human for himself, to understand what kind of mortal could kill one if his own. But there was something deeper beneath his curiosity. There was a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach, as if this moment, this meeting, was more significant than it appeared. "Bring her to me," Lucian said, his voice cold as ice.

Raelis bowed and disappeared from the room.

As Kaelan rose from the throne, his black cloak swept across the floor behind him, the soft rustle echoing through the chamber. His boots clicked sharply against the stone as he made his way to the raised dais at the far end of the room. It was where his father had held court for centuries, where judgment had been passed on countless enemies of the crown. Lucian had never found comfort in it, but it was necessary. The throne, the castle, the cold ritual of power—it was what kept their kind in control.

Kaelan waited in silence as the doors creaked open, his sharp senses alert to every sound. Two guards entered, flanking a small figure between them.

Elira.

She looked nothing like the fearsome human he had imagined. Her clothes were rough and travel-worn, dirt smudged across her pale face, and her hair, tangled from days in the wild, framed eyes that were bright with defiance. There was no fear in her gaze as she was forced to her knees in front of him, her hands bound by iron shackles. Instead, she glared up at him, unblinking.

Kaelan's curiosity deepened. There was something fierce about her, something raw and untamed. Most humans trembled in the presence of a vampire prince, knowing full well the kind of power he wielded. But not her.

He circled her slowly, his eyes scanning her form with a mix of disdain and fascination.

"You're Elira," he said, his voice smooth and dark, though his words were more of a statement than a question.

"And you're the vampire prince," she spat, not bothering to hide the hatred in her voice. "Kaelan."

A flicker of amusement crossed his features. This was no groveling peasant begging for mercy. This was a girl who had killed without hesitation. He knelt slightly, bringing his face level with hers, his gaze boring into her.

"You killed one of my men," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Do you know what that means?"

"I know what it means," she snapped, her chin lifting defiantly. "It means I'll be dead by the end of the week. I've heard the stories."

Kaelan tilted his head, intrigued. There was something refreshing about her lack of fear. It was dangerous, of course, but in a way, it was almost admirable. Most humans would have begged for their lives by now, sobbing and pleading, but Elira was different. She was proud, even in the face of death.

"Perhaps," Kaelan mused, standing to his full height again. "But perhaps not."

Her brow furrowed at that, confusion replacing the fury for just a moment.

"I could have you executed," he said, his tone cold and indifferent. "And no one would bat an eye. Your village would remain untouched, and the world would go on."

"Then do it," Elira said sharply. "I won't beg." Kaelan's eyes narrowed. "Or..." He let the word hang in the air, savoring the tension. "You could serve me."

Elira blinked, clearly taken aback by the offer. "What?"

"You heard me." He turned his back to her, pacing slowly across the dais. "You could serve me in the palace. I have use for someone with your... skills."

"I'm not some servant," she snapped, her voice rising. "I'm not going to help a monster like you."

Kaelan's hand stopped mid-pace. He turned back to her, his expression darkening. "You don't have a choice. Serve me, or die. Those are your options."

For a long moment, the room was silent. Elira's breath came in shallow gasps, her bound hands shaking slightly. Her hatred was palpable, a fire burning just beneath her skin, and yet, Lucian could see the conflict in her eyes.

Finally, she spoke, her voice low and strained. "If I do this... you leave my people alone?"

Kaelan's lips curved into a smile, though it held no warmth. "Your people will be safe. For now."

Elira glared at him, but she didn't argue. She knew as well as he did that this was her only way out.

Kaelan stepped closer, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "Good. Because if you try to defy me, if you betray me even once... I will burn your village to the ground. Do you understand?"

Her eyes met his, filled with unspoken rage. "I understand."

"Excellent," he said, stepping back. "Welcome to your new life, Elira."

As Raelis came forward to take her away, Kaelan watched her go with an odd sense of satisfaction. She was a challenge, no doubt. But something told him that keeping her alive would be far more interesting than watching her die.

He had plans for Elira.

And she had no idea just how deeply her fate was intertwined with his.