Chapter 16: The Intruder.
585 Words
The air in the chamber was wrong.
Nora could feel it—the faint trace of something cold and metallic, lingering like smoke after fire. Her instincts screamed danger. She pressed her back against the stone wall, her wolf bristling beneath her skin.
“Who’s there?” she demanded, her voice stronger than she felt.
No answer. Only silence.
Her heart pounded, her hands trembling as she scanned the shadows. She knew she had locked the door, yet the scent was undeniable. A vampire had been here. Someone from the council had crossed into Blade’s chambers, where she was supposed to remain hidden.
The bond flared in her chest suddenly, hot and demanding. Then the chamber doors slammed open.
Blade stormed inside in a blur of black, his crimson eyes burning like fire, his aura filling every corner of the room. Shadows clung to him like armor, his fury palpable.
“Nora!” His voice was sharp, almost feral.
Her breath hitched, the bond pulling tight as his gaze locked onto her. She was still trembling, still pressing herself against the wall, but the instant he crossed the threshold, safety and fear collided inside her.
“There was someone here,” she whispered. “I—I felt it. I smelled it.”
Blade froze. The shadows thickened around him, vibrating with his rage. His jaw tightened, his fangs bared.
“Which of them dared—” He cut himself off, moving so swiftly she barely saw him until his hands were on her shoulders, grounding her with his touch.
“Did they touch you?” His voice was low, trembling with restrained violence.
“No.” She shook her head quickly. “But they were here. They saw me.”
Blade’s hands slid from her shoulders to her face, cradling it gently despite the storm raging in his body. “Then the council has signed their own death warrant.”
Her pulse raced beneath his fingers. “You can’t kill them all. They’re your council.”
“I am their king,” he growled, his eyes glowing. “And you are my mate. They should have remembered both before stepping into this room.”
The obsession in his voice made her chest ache, torn between fear and an undeniable pull. She should have pushed him away, told him she wanted no part of this dangerous world. Yet instead, her hands found his wrists, clinging to him as though he was the only anchor she had.
“You’ll start a war,” she whispered.
“Then let it burn,” Blade said darkly, leaning closer until his lips brushed her forehead. “I have endured a thousand years of silence, Nora. I will not endure one day of losing you.”
The bond surged, heat rushing through her veins. She felt his fury, his devotion, his desperation—it was overwhelming.
Before she could speak, his mouth was on hers, claiming her with a ferocity that stole her breath. The kiss was not tender—it was a vow, a promise, a warning to the world.
Her body melted against him, the fear dissolving into heat. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her flush against his chest as if to fuse them together.
“You are mine,” he whispered against her lips, his voice hoarse. “And I will kill gods before I let them take you.”
The words terrified her. The words thrilled her.
Because deep down, she knew they were true.
- Writer
