A heart of the vampire

Chapter 14

Lucian stood in the dim light of the room, his expression unreadable as he looked down at Serena. She had known the truth from the very beginning—about Amara, about her love for Lucian, and about the curse that still bound them all. From the moment she entered his world, she had been aware that her connection to him wasn't entirely her own, that it was intertwined with the soul of a woman who had loved him centuries ago.

"Tell me why," Serena said softly, her gaze steady as she looked into Lucian's eyes.

Vampire exhaled slowly, his jaw tightening as he leaned against the wall, his hand resting on the edge of the table. "Vlad knows what you carry," he said, his voice low and rough. "He knows that Amara's soul is inside you, and he believes that by taking you, he can control her spirit—and me."

Serena nodded, not surprised. "He wants to use her against you."

"Yes," Lucian replied, his gray eyes darkening with the weight of it all. "He thinks if he takes you, he can break me. He wants to destroy everything I've built"

"But it's not just about her, is it?" She asked, her voice steady but her heart racing. "He knows that if someone else loves you, someone other than Amara, her soul will find peace. She'll finally be free."

Lucian's gaze softened, and for a brief moment, the hardness in his expression faltered. He looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come. "It's true," he said after a pause. "That's the only way her spirit will rest. Someone else has to love me the way Amara did."

Serena clenched her fists at her sides. She had known this, too—had known it from the moment Lucian explained the curse to her. Amara's soul had been trapped inside her, but the key to setting it free was something far more complex, far more painful. It wasn't just about power or fate—it was about love.

And Serena wasn't sure she was ready for that.

"I understand why you didn't tell me everything at first," she said, her voice calm. "I know why you needed me close. But Lucian," she continued, her voice trembling slightly, "how can I ever know what's real between us? How can I know it's me you want and not just some part of her? I'm still afraid."

Lucian pushed away from the wall and crossed the room toward her. His steps were slow, deliberate, and when he stood before her, he placed a cool hand under her chin, lifting her gaze to meet his. "I'm not going to lie to you, Serena," he said softly, his voice rough with emotion. "At first, it was about her. I was furious, because she choose little human girl to carry her soul. I felt her presence in you, and it drew me to you. But what we have now... it's not about Amara now. It's about *us*."

Serena's breath hitched as his fingers traced the line of her jaw, sending a shiver through her. She wanted to believe him. She had felt the connection growing between them, a bond that seemed to go beyond the curse, beyond Amara's lingering spirit.

"And Vlad?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "He'll never stop, will he?"

"No," Lucian admitted, his eyes darkening. "He won't. He'll keep coming for you, for us. He believes that by taking you, he can control me, force me to do his bidding. But I won't let that happen. I won't let him take you."

She nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. "I hate him, Lucian. I hate Vlad for everything he's done to you."

Lucian's hand slid from her chin to her shoulder, his touch firm but gentle. "And I won't let him take you from me. You are mine."

For a moment, they stood there in silence, the weight of their shared burden hanging between them. Serena had known from the beginning that her connection to Lucian was complicated, that it was tied to a centuries-old curse and the spirit of a woman who had loved him with everything she had.