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Elena burst into her room, slamming the door shut behind her. Her breath was shallow, her heart thundering in her chest, and her cheeks burned as if fire licked her skin. The memory of Darius's voice—low, smooth, laced with wicked amusement—played over and over in her head. The way he'd leaned in, how his hand had wrapped around her waist, the scent of him...
She pressed a hand over her heart.
"Why would he say something like that?" she whispered aloud. "Does he... does he think of me that way?"
She shook her head and turned, her eyes falling on the letter she had tossed earlier on her bed—the one Liam had given her.
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up again.
"Don't trust them. Especially the red-eyed man."
Red eyes.
Her thoughts spiraled. The man in question—the one she should fear—was the very man who had just pressed himself so close to her she could barely breathe.
Back in duskmore, her small home village nestled between forests and fog, night creatures were mostly myths whispered in candlelit kitchens. Vampires rarely made their way there. Once, long ago, there had been a murder that stirred rumors of one. That was it. The villagers obeyed one law above all: No ordinary vampire may walk among humans.
But that didn't apply to the elites.
She had always thought those who did cross into the human world were powerful lords or nobles—untouchable, unreachable.
So how had Liam found her? Did word really travel that fast? And more importantly—where was he that day?
"Was Liam aware of something I'm not?" she muttered, pacing.
Her bare feet moved restlessly across the polished stone floor. NoShe couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was happening—something buried deep beneath every look Darius gave her and every warning that echoed in her mind.
As her eyes scanned the room, something caught her attention. A small slip of parchment, half-tucked beneath the bedstand. Her breath hitched as she bent down and retrieved it.
A second letter.
The wax seal was already broken.
"Meet me on the other side of the manor. I'll be waiting. I don't have much time—just come. I'll explain everything.
I miss you.
Love, L."
Her hand clutched the letter tightly to her chest.
He was here.
In this place ruled by shadows and secrets—Liam had found her.
"I need to see him," she whispered.
But how?
The manor was heavily guarded, and Darius had warned her about venturing too far. She couldn't risk being caught… but she had to try.
Because if anyone could give her answers—it was Liam.
---
---
The dark stone chamber hummed with tension as the council gathered around a long, obsidian table. Torches flickered against the high ceilings, casting long shadows across the room. Darius sat at the head, dressed in a midnight-black cloak, his grey eyes unreadable. A golden seal glimmered beneath his collarbone—mark of the true vampire king.
Lucan stood beside him, arms folded, his expression sharp and guarded.
"We've lost three border towns in the past fortnight," Lord Verrick said, slamming a crimson crystal on the table. "Drained. Bodies turned inside out. This isn't a rogue clan—it's something older."
"Something ancient," Lady Mirela whispered. Her lavender eyes glinted with worry.
Darius remained still. "What of the witnesses?"
"They speak of smoke. Wings. Eyes like burning coal," Lucan replied, tossing a report onto the table. "They didn't survive long."
Silence fell. The council exchanged worried glances.
"The blood trace… it didn't match any known clan," Verrick added. "Whatever it is, it's not from our time."
"They're testing us," Darius said, his voice low but commanding. "Pushing boundaries, searching for weakness."
"Should we activate the hidden guards?" asked Lady Mirela.
"No," Darius answered sharply. "That will cause more panic than control. If they want a war—they'll have to earn it."
The doors creaked open. A hooded messenger approached and handed Lucan a sealed scroll. Lucan read it silently, his expression darkening.
"What is it?" Darius asked.
"It's from the northern mountains," Lucan said, voice tight. "The sealed tombs… one of them has been disturbed."
A hush fell. Even Darius leaned forward slightly.
"That's impossible," Mirela whispered. "Those tombs were cursed and locked by the first generation."
"Apparently not well enough," Lucan replied.
Darius stood slowly. "Send our best scouts. No one else goes near that place unless I say so. This... changes everything."
As the council murmured among themselves, Darius walked to the window, gazing out at the stretching lands of his kingdom.
Whatever's awakening... it's not done yet.
---
Great! Here's a full draft of Chapter 21 from Elena's POV, with emotional buildup, suspense, and drama—all structured to meet web novel standards:
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Elena's heart pounded as she quietly slipped through the shadows of the manor. The night air was cold, brushing against her skin like a silent warning, but she pushed the thought away. She clutched Liam's letter tightly in her hand, the ink now slightly smudged from how many times she'd read it.
He was here. Waiting.
The back gardens were eerily quiet. Every crunch of gravel beneath her slippers made her flinch, afraid someone would hear. But she pressed on, past the hedges, past the rows of moonlit statues, until finally—there he was.
"Liam!" she called in a whisper, and the moment he turned, she ran into his arms.
"I've missed you so much," he breathed, burying his face in her shoulder.
"How did you find me? Where were you that day?" Her voice cracked with emotion. "I waited... but you never came."
"I know. And I'm so sorry." He cupped her cheeks, making her look at him. His hands were rougher now, his eyes heavier with things unspoken. "Your stepmother and Lilith... they tried to have me killed. They said anything that made you happy had no place in this world. But I escaped. I survived—for us."
Elena's breath hitched. She didn't know what to say. The pain in her chest swelled.
"That day, Elena... I found something," Liam continued, lowering his voice. "Something they never wanted you to see. Something they kept hidden from you all your life."
Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
But before he could answer, a loud clatter broke the silence. Carriages. Multiple.
They both turned to the noise.
"I don't have much time," he said, his voice urgent now. "You have to leave this place. It's not safe. They'll come for you."
"What are you talking about? Who will come for me?"
"I'll explain everything—tomorrow. Same place." He gave her hands one last squeeze. "Promise me you'll come."
Before she could reply, he disappeared into the shadows, vanishing just as quickly as he had come.
Elena stood there, breathless, confused, and shaken.
---
As she made her way back toward the manor, still haunted by Liam's words, her path was suddenly blocked.
"Out for a little midnight stroll?" Vivian's voice slithered through the dark like poison.
Elena froze.
Vivian stepped out from the shadows, arms crossed over her chest, her red eyes gleaming faintly under the moonlight. "You're bold for someone so... disposable."
"I don't have time for this," Elena muttered, attempting to walk past her.
But Vivian stepped in her path again. "Stay away from him."
Elena narrowed her eyes. "From who?"
Vivian's lips curved into a cruel smile. "Don't play dumb. We both know who. Darius is mine. You're just a momentary distraction. And if you don't step carefully, I might decide to show you just how dangerous I can be."
Elena's hands balled into fists, but she said nothing. Her silence only seemed to fuel Vivian's hatred.
"You think you matter to him? You're a pet. A fleeting curiosity. Nothing more."
With that, Vivian turned sharply and vanished down the corridor, her heels clicking like war drums.
---
Back in her room, Elena stood frozen by the door, Liam's letter still clutched in her hand.
Was it all true?
She glanced toward the window, wondering what secrets the night still held—and if she'd survive long enough to find them out.
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