Sword of Vengeance (Bjorn and Zyro #2)[COMPLETED]

8: Old Flames

Zyro took the stairs two at a time, the anticipation building as he neared the rooftop of the Fullybooked building. He pushed open the heavy door, greeted by the cool night breeze and the sprawling cityscape of Taguig before him. The twinkling lights of the buildings below felt like a constellation of hopes and dreams, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Violet stood at the edge of the rooftop, her silhouette framed against the vibrant night sky. The moment she turned to face him, a soft smile broke across her face, easing the tension in Zyro's chest.

"Hey," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, yet it carried the weight of their shared history.

"Hey," Zyro replied, taking a moment to catch his breath. "I'm glad you could meet me up here. It's... peaceful."

"Yeah, it is," she said, her gaze drifting back to the horizon. "Just like old times, right?"

He nodded, memories flooding back—late-night conversations, laughter echoing across the rooftops of Barotac Nuevo, and stolen glances that had lingered a moment too long. "I miss those days. When everything felt... simpler. Before all of this." He gestured vaguely, indicating the chaos surrounding their lives now.

Violet Evangelista was born into a world of privilege and expectation. As the daughter of a prominent council member within the vampire elite, her life was predetermined from the moment she drew her first breath. Tragically, her mother passed away during childbirth, leaving Violet to grow up without a maternal figure. This loss cast a long shadow over her early years, shaping her identity and emotional landscape.

Violet turned to him, her expression turning serious. "I miss it too. We were close back then—like nothing could come between us. It's hard seeing everything we had unravel."

Zyro stepped closer, the distance between them shrinking as he recalled the warmth of her presence. "You know, I always felt like we had something special. Something more than just friendship. But then everything changed."

Zyro knew that Violet often felt isolated and out of place. While her father held significant power and influence, he was emotionally distant, preoccupied with his duties and the expectations of the council. In her father's eyes, Violet was a legacy, a symbol of his status, rather than a beloved daughter. This lack of familial warmth left her vulnerable to the harsh realities of her environment.

At school and within vampire society, Violet became the target of relentless bullying. Other young vampires, eager to assert their dominance in a world where strength and superiority were prized, often ridiculed her for her perceived weaknesses. They taunted her for her mother's absence, and her inability to fully conform to the rigid expectations of their society. The cruel jokes and scornful laughter echoed in her mind, forging a deep-seated determination to rise above her circumstances.

Instead of allowing the bullying to define her, Violet found solace in her studies and her family's legacy. She excelled in combat training and education, determined to become a formidable vampire in her own right. Her dedication paid off as she became a skilled fighter, gaining the respect of her peers.

She looked away, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I had to focus on the coven, on my duties, you know I'm a princess. It felt like we were being pulled apart by forces beyond our control."

"But we're not just victims of circumstance," Zyro insisted, frustration creeping into his voice. "We chose our paths. I chose to be a hunter, to protect our people. You chose your responsibilities. Why does it feel like we're both fighting against each other instead of together?"

Violet sighed, a flicker of pain crossing her features. "I don't want to fight against you, Zyro. I care about you. I always have. But I can't abandon my people. I need to find a way to balance it all."

He searched her eyes, hoping to find the connection they once shared. "And what if I told you that maybe we can find a way to combine our strengths? To fight for both our people together?"

A small smile appeared on her lips, but it didn't reach her eyes. "You're still the idealist, aren't you? It's not that simple. There are too many factions at play, and not everyone will accept our alliance."

Zyro stepped closer, determined. "Then we'll make them accept it. We're stronger together, Violet. We always were. Don't let the past dictate our future."

She studied him for a moment, the tension between them palpable. "What if we fail?"

"Then at least we'll know we tried. Together."

For a heartbeat, the air around them thickened with unspoken emotions, a mixture of hope and uncertainty. Zyro reached out, gently taking her hand. "Let's not let our past hold us back any longer."

Violet hesitated, but then she squeezed his hand, the warmth of her touch igniting a spark of possibility. "Okay. Let's see what we can do together."

As they stood there, two souls intertwined under the vast expanse of the night sky, Zyro felt a renewed sense of purpose. Whatever challenges awaited them, they would face them side by side, rekindling the flame of their bond amid the chaos surrounding them.

In that moment, Zyro leaned closer, heart racing as he searched Violet's gaze for any sign of hesitation. Finding none, he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against hers. The kiss was tentative at first, a gentle exploration of familiar territory, but it quickly deepened, fueled by the emotions they had both suppressed for far too long.

Violet responded eagerly, her hands tangling in his hair as she pulled him closer, their bodies melting into one another. The world around them faded away; there was only the taste of each other and the warmth of their connection. Zyro's heart soared as he kissed her, feeling the weight of their past slip away, replaced by a fierce determination to embrace whatever came next together.

As they finally broke apart, both breathless, Zyro rested his forehead against hers, a smile playing on his lips. "I think we can make this work."

Violet chuckled softly, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and excitement. "Yeah, I think we can too."

 Violet's past shaped her into a complex individual, grappling with the expectations placed upon her while fiercely protecting her own identity. Beneath her poised exterior lies a simmering anger at the injustices of her past and a longing for acceptance. Her experiences have made her both resilient and empathetic, allowing her to form genuine connections with those who see beyond her lineage.

That was why Zyro was and would always be in love with a woman who can be strong and vulnerable, a woman who knows self-respect and power.