Velvet ruin

Velvet ruin ( part - 2 )

*Velvet Ruin — Part 2*

The city of Ravenmoor had changed after the incident at Blackthorn Academy.

People no longer walked alone at night.

Parents locked their doors before sunset.

Rumors spread faster than the rain itself.

Some said a demon had attacked the school.

Others believed it was a government experiment.

But the most terrifying rumor of all whispered through the city like poison:

*A vampire lives among us.*

And hidden within the abandoned Vale mansion at the edge of Ravenmoor, Lucien stared silently out the window while the storm raged outside.

Selene slept peacefully on the couch behind him.

She had refused to leave.

Even after discovering what he truly was.

Even after watching him kill someone with his bare hands.

A normal person would’ve run.

But Selene stayed.

And that frightened Lucien more than anything.

Because now he had something to lose.

—

“You haven’t blinked in ten minutes.”

Lucien turned slightly.

Selene stood in the doorway wrapped in one of his dark coats, her hair messy from sleep.

“You should rest,” she said softly.

“I don’t need sleep.”

“That’s creepy.”

Lucien almost smiled.

Almost.

Selene walked beside him and looked out the rain-covered window.

The city lights glowed faintly in the distance.

“Are they hunting you?” she asked quietly.

“Yes.”

“The police?”

Lucien’s expression darkened.

“No.”

A cold silence filled the room.

Then Selene noticed it.

Fear.

Not for himself.

For her.

“Lucien,” she whispered carefully, “who exactly was Cassian?”

Lucien looked away from the window.

“He was part of the Crimson Court.”

“The what?”

“A clan of ancient vampires.”

Selene froze.

“There are more of you?”

“Thousands.”

Her heartbeat quickened slightly.

Lucien could hear every beat.

“They hide across the world,” he continued. “Most follow strict laws to survive among humans.”

“And Cassian?”

“He stopped caring about the laws centuries ago.”

Selene swallowed nervously.

“You killed him.”

“No,” Lucien said coldly. “I destroyed his body.”

Her eyes widened.

“That means—”

“He can return.”

The room fell silent.

Thunder shook the mansion.

And for the first time since meeting Lucien, Selene truly understood how dangerous his world was.

—

The next evening, Ravenmoor lost power completely.

The city drowned in darkness.

Lucien immediately sensed something wrong.

The air smelled different.

Blood.

Smoke.

Death.

His eyes narrowed.

“They’re here.”

Before Selene could speak, the mansion windows exploded inward.

Shadow-like figures rushed through the darkness.

Vampires.

Five of them.

Fast. Silent. Deadly.

Selene screamed as one lunged toward her—

—but Lucien moved faster.

He snapped the attacker’s neck instantly before throwing another through a marble pillar hard enough to shatter it.

The mansion erupted into chaos.

One vampire smiled cruelly.

“The Court wants the girl alive.”

Lucien’s crimson eyes glowed violently.

“Touch her,” he hissed, “and you die.”

The vampires attacked together.

Lucien fought like a nightmare brought to life.

Bones cracked.

Blood splattered across velvet walls.

His movements were inhumanly beautiful and horrifying at the same time.

Selene watched in shock.

This wasn’t the calm boy from the academy anymore.

This was the predator hidden beneath his skin.

And he was terrifying.

Within seconds, four vampires lay motionless across the ruined mansion floor.

The last attacker backed away nervously.

“You’ve become weak,” he spat. “Protecting humans—”

Lucien grabbed him by the throat instantly.

“You came for her,” Lucien said coldly.

The vampire smirked despite choking.

“She belongs to the Court now.”

Lucien’s expression darkened.

“What does that mean?”

The vampire laughed weakly.

“You really don’t know…”

Suddenly, he pulled a silver blade from his sleeve and stabbed himself through the heart.

Lucien released him immediately.

The body collapsed lifelessly.

Selene stared in horror.

“They killed themselves?”

“To avoid interrogation.”

Lucien looked toward the shattered windows.

His jaw tightened.

“This is bad.”

“Why are they after me?”

Lucien stayed silent.

Which meant he already feared the answer.

—

Later that night, Lucien searched through ancient books hidden beneath the mansion library while Selene sat nearby wrapped in blankets.

Candles flickered across dusty pages.

“You’ve lived for centuries,” Selene said quietly.

Lucien didn’t look up.

“Yes.”

“How old are you really?”

A pause.

“Two hundred and thirty-four.”

Selene blinked.

“That’s insane.”

“It feels longer.”

She studied him carefully.

For someone immortal, Lucien looked exhausted all the time.

Not physically.

Emotionally.

“Were you always a vampire?”

Lucien finally closed the book slowly.

“No.”

The pain in his voice surprised her.

“I was turned during the Black Plague.”

Selene’s eyes widened.

“That long ago?”

“My family died first.”

For a moment, his expression looked distant.

Broken.

“I was sixteen,” he whispered. “I begged to survive.”

Selene stayed silent.

“And a monster answered.”

The room became painfully quiet.

Lucien rarely spoke about himself.

But tonight felt different.

Maybe because he knew things were getting worse.

Or maybe because deep down, he was tired of carrying centuries alone.

Selene moved closer carefully.

“Do you regret surviving?”

Lucien looked directly at her.

Every candle reflected crimson in his eyes.

“Every day.”

Her chest tightened painfully.

Before she could answer, Lucien suddenly froze.

His expression changed instantly.

Danger.

“What is it?”

Lucien stood up sharply.

“There’s someone outside.”

A voice echoed from the darkness beyond the mansion.

“Lucien Vale.”

Deep.

Elegant.

Ancient.

Selene felt fear crawl down her spine immediately.

Lucien’s face turned cold.

“He’s here.”

“Who?”

Lucien’s voice lowered dangerously.

“The king of the Crimson Court.”

—

The mansion doors opened slowly on their own.

A tall man entered wearing a black coat lined with dark red velvet.

His silver hair reflected moonlight, and his crimson eyes carried enough power to suffocate the room itself.

Behind him stood dozens of vampires.

Silent soldiers.

Selene’s heartbeat accelerated instantly.

The man smiled faintly when he noticed her.

“So this is the girl.”

Lucien stepped protectively in front of her.

“Leave.”

The man chuckled softly.

“Still emotional after all these years.”

Selene stared nervously.

The stranger looked young.

But something about him felt ancient.

Dangerously ancient.

“Who are you?” she whispered.

The man bowed slightly.

“Magnus Draven.”

The name alone made the other vampires lower their heads respectfully.

Lucien’s voice sharpened.

“What do you want?”

Magnus looked amused.

“You disappeared from the Court for over a century.” His eyes shifted toward Selene. “Then suddenly you reveal yourself because of a human girl.”

Silence.

Magnus smiled slowly.

“How disappointing.”

“She’s not involved in this.”

“Oh, but she is.”

Magnus stepped closer.

And Selene suddenly felt dizzy.

A strange burning sensation spread through her chest.

Lucien noticed instantly.

“What did you do?”

Magnus tilted his head slightly.

“You still haven’t told her?”

Lucien’s expression darkened dangerously.

Tension filled the room.

Then Magnus finally looked directly at Selene.

“You’re not entirely human.”

Everything stopped.

Selene stared at him speechlessly.

“What?”

Magnus smiled faintly.

“Your mother hid you well.”

Lucien clenched his fists.

“Enough.”

But Magnus ignored him.

“Your blood carries the mark of the first vampire bloodline.”

Selene backed away slightly.

“No…”

“You are half-vampire, Selene.”

The world seemed to collapse around her.

Lucien watched silently, unable to deny it.

Because deep down…

He already suspected.

“That’s impossible,” Selene whispered shakily.

Magnus looked almost sympathetic.

“You’ve wondered your whole life why you healed faster than others. Why you could sense emotions. Why your eyes changed color when angry.”

Selene’s breathing became uneven.

Memories flashed through her mind.

All the strange things she ignored for years.

Lucien stepped toward her carefully.

“Selene—”

“You knew?”

His silence answered everything.

Pain filled her expression instantly.

“You knew,” she repeated softly.

“I wasn’t certain.”

“But you suspected.”

“Yes.”

The betrayal in her eyes hurt more than any weapon Lucien had ever faced.

Magnus smiled slightly, enjoying the tension.

“The Court has searched centuries for someone like her,” he said calmly. “A pure hybrid.”

Lucien’s voice turned deadly.

“You’re not taking her.”

Magnus sighed.

“You always were difficult.”

Suddenly, the entire mansion shook violently.

Every vampire in the room moved instantly.

Lucien grabbed Selene protectively as shadows burst through the ceiling above.

More attackers.

But these weren’t from the Crimson Court.

Their eyes glowed golden instead of red.

Magnus narrowed his eyes.

“Hm,” he murmured. “Hunters.”

The ceiling exploded apart completely as armed figures dropped into the mansion.

Human vampire hunters.

One pointed directly at Lucien.

“Kill them all!”

Chaos erupted instantly.

Gunfire echoed.

Silver blades flashed.

Vampires screamed.

Selene ducked as bullets shattered walls around her.

Lucien fought viciously beside Magnus despite clearly hating him.

Because both sides now wanted Selene.

And neither intended to let her escape.

A hunter lunged toward her—

—but Selene reacted instinctively.

Faster than humanly possible.

Her hand struck the attacker’s chest hard enough to send him flying across the room.

Everyone froze.

Including Selene herself.

Golden-red energy pulsed briefly through her veins beneath her skin.

Magnus smiled darkly.

“There it is.”

Selene stared at her trembling hands in horror.

Lucien moved toward her immediately.

But before he could reach her, a silver chain wrapped violently around his throat, dragging him backward.

He crashed through a pillar as hunters surrounded him.

“Lucien!” Selene screamed.

Magnus slaughtered several hunters effortlessly nearby, but more kept arriving.

The mansion became a battlefield.

Fire spread across broken velvet curtains.

Smoke filled the air.

And in the middle of the chaos, Selene realized the terrifying truth.

Her life would never be normal again.

Not after tonight.

Not after discovering what she truly was.

A hunter grabbed her arm suddenly.

“We found the hybrid!”

Lucien’s eyes widened violently.

“No!”

Selene struggled desperately as more hunters surrounded her with silver weapons.

Magnus watched carefully from across the burning mansion.

Waiting.

Calculating.

Then Lucien finally snapped.

The air itself seemed to tremble.

His eyes glowed brighter than ever before.

Veins darkened beneath his skin.

And the monster he spent centuries suppressing finally emerged completely.

Every light inside the mansion shattered instantly.

The hunters froze in fear.

Even the vampires stepped back nervously.

Lucien rose slowly from the rubble surrounded by darkness itself.

Ancient.

Terrifying.

Beautiful.

No longer pretending to be human.

And when he spoke, his voice no longer sounded human either.

“Let.”

One hunter collapsed choking before Lucien even touched him.

“The.”

Another slammed violently into the ceiling.

“Girl.”

The room shook harder.

“GO.”

Silence.

Pure fear spread through everyone present.

Selene stared at Lucien in shock.

Because the boy she loved was far more dangerous than she ever imagined.

And somewhere deep inside herself…

A part of her wasn’t afraid anymore.