Bride Of The Night

Chapter 12

### **Chapter 12: Blood Ties**

Lana stood in the aftermath of the confrontation, her heart still rattling in her chest as the last remnants of Morpheus's presence slipped away like smoke. The mansion was eerily quiet now, the only sound the soft crackling of the fire in the grand fireplace. She had barely spoken a word after he left, but the silence that followed his departure felt heavier than any words could express.

Ian had stayed close, his presence a steady, calming force that seemed to tether her to this reality, this life she was still trying to figure out. There was still so much she didn't understand—about herself, about Morpheus, about what it meant to be a vampire—but for now, the silence between them was welcome. She needed time to process everything, to let the weight of her choices sink in.

Ian didn't push her to speak, and for that, Lana was grateful. His silence was just as respectful as his calm words earlier, allowing her to collect herself without feeling the pressure of conversation. She wasn't ready to talk yet.

Not about what had just happened. Not about what Morpheus had said.

"I didn't think he would leave so easily," Lana finally said, breaking the silence. Her voice felt hollow like it was coming from a place distant from her body. But it was something. She had to speak—had to let something out.

Ian's gaze didn't leave her, but there was something unreadable in his eyes. "He won't. Not for long. But we'll have time, Lana. You'll have time to make your own choices, but it won't be easy. Not with him watching."

Lana's throat tightened. She could already feel it—like a weight, an anchor around her heart. Morpheus wasn't going to give up on her. He couldn't.

"Do you think I can control it?" she asked, the words slipping from her lips before she could stop them. "This... hunger. The bond."

Ian's gaze softened, and for a moment, she saw the vulnerability behind his steady composure. "I don't know, Lana. I don't know if any of us can control it entirely. But you have more power than you realize. You just have to be willing to trust yourself."

She could feel her pulse quicken as she thought of the darkness that lived within her now—the way it thrummed beneath her skin like a second heartbeat. It was undeniable, the hunger, the pull toward blood and power. Every day, it became harder to resist, harder to ignore the pull of it. But there was something else now too—a fire, a sense of defiance that had awakened in her since that night with Morpheus.

She wasn't going to let him have control over her. Not now. Not ever.

"I don't want to lose myself," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I don't want to become a monster."

Ian's hand, warm and firm, rested on her arm, grounding her. "You won't. But you have to learn how to live with what you are now. And that means learning to control the power inside you."

A flicker of something dark and primal stirred inside her at his words. The hunger flared again, a sharp, insistent ache that tightened her stomach. She could feel it, the need, the thirst for life. For blood.

She clenched her fists, trying to suppress it, to push it down. But it was a constant presence now, always waiting beneath the surface, ready to burst forth at the slightest provocation.

"You can fight it," Ian said, his voice gentle but firm. "But it's not about denying it. It's about learning to use it. To *choose* when and how to unleash it."

Lana didn't respond. She couldn't. Not yet. The weight of her new reality was still too much to comprehend fully. But she could feel it, deep in her bones—the promise of what she could become if she let go of the fear.

"Where are we going from here?" she asked, looking up at Ian.

"Wherever you want," he said simply, his eyes unwavering. "You're not bound to anyone, Lana. Not to Morpheus. Not to anyone. You are your own person, and you have the power to shape your own future."

His words were a balm to her aching mind, but there was a part of her that didn't know if she could ever fully believe them. Morpheus's words echoed in her head, like a dark warning. *You are mine.*

Lana closed her eyes, exhaling slowly, trying to push the doubts away. She needed to focus. She needed to *become* something.

"I want to learn," she said quietly, finally finding some resolve. "I want to learn how to control this. To make the power mine."

Ian smiled, a quiet expression of approval. "Good. I'll help you. But remember, it won't be easy. The more you learn, the more you'll be tempted. And temptation isn't always something you can fight."

She nodded, feeling the weight of his words settle deep in her chest. She understood that now. She had already felt the lure of the darkness, felt the way it whispered promises of power, of freedom. It was seductive, and it was powerful. But it was also dangerous.

"Do you think Morpheus will leave us alone?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ian didn't immediately answer, his gaze far away, as if considering her question. When he spoke, his voice was lower, more guarded. "Morpheus has his plans. He's a king, Lana. Kings don't give up easily. But you have something that he doesn't understand—free will. And that's the one thing he can't control."

Lana's mind raced at his words. Morpheus had claimed her as his, but Ian was right. She wasn't bound to him in the way that Morpheus believed. She was bound to herself.

And with that thought came something else: the strength she needed to break free.

"I'll fight him," Lana said, her voice stronger now, a quiet but resolute promise. "I'll fight this bond. I'll learn to control it."

Ian gave a small nod, his face a mixture of approval and concern. "I know you will. And when you're ready, you won't be alone. I'll help you fight him. Emma too."

Lana's heart clenched at the mention of Emma. She hadn't seen her much since that night in the forest. She had been quiet, staying in the background, and Lana hadn't yet figured out how to approach her. There were still so many things left unsaid, so many questions hanging in the air. But she was here now, with Ian, and she had a purpose. She wasn't going to let fear control her. She wasn't going to be a pawn in Morpheus's game. Not anymore.

Her gaze flicked to the window, where the moonlight bathed the landscape in pale, silvery light. A dark world stretched out before her.

And in it, she would find her place. She would carve out her own path, no matter the cost.

Lana turned back to Ian, her eyes steady now. "Let's begin."

He smiled, the warmth in his eyes never wavering. "Right now, all that matters is you. And you're not alone in this fight."

The words were simple, but in them, Lana found the strength to take the first step.

She wasn't sure what the future held. The hunger still clawed at her, a constant companion, and Morpheus would always be there, watching, waiting.

But for the first time, she felt like she could control her own destiny. She had power now. Not just in her blood, but in her heart.

And that was a power Morpheus could never take from her.

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