Chapter Five: The Hunter in the Dark
1249 Words
The throne room fell silent after Lucien’s words.
He came for you.
The sentence echoed inside my head like a stone dropped into deep water.
“That’s impossible,” I said quickly.
Lucien didn’t respond.
He was watching me.
Carefully.
As if studying every flicker of emotion that crossed my face.
“You think I know him?” I asked.
Lucien’s crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
“I think,” he said slowly, “that nothing about you is what it seems.”
Another distant explosion rattled the castle walls.
Dust drifted from the high stone ceiling.
One of Lucien’s brothers cursed under his breath.
“That’s the third barrier he’s broken tonight.”
The silver-haired sibling looked toward the doors.
“If Davies reached the inner grounds, he didn’t come alone.”
Lucien remained calm.
Almost amused.
“Of course he didn’t.”
He stepped down from the throne again.
The candlelight followed him across the black marble floor like shadows bowing to their king.
My heart was still racing.
“You really think that hunter came here for me?” I asked.
Lucien stopped a few feet away.
His expression held something unreadable.
“I don’t think.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s the truth.”
Another boom echoed through the castle.
This one closer.
The scarred vampire near the door cracked his knuckles.
“Permission to rip the hunter apart?”
Lucien didn’t answer immediately.
His gaze remained on me.
“Tell me something, Lira Vale.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Before tonight… had you ever seen a human hunter?”
“No.”
“Had you ever heard the name Davies?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
Lucien studied my face carefully.
Searching.
Testing.
Then he nodded once.
“Interesting.”
“That’s the second time you’ve said that,” I muttered.
He ignored the comment.
Behind him, the female vampire sighed.
“Lucien, we can debate the mystery girl later. Right now there’s a hunter destroying half the castle.”
The twin brother who had been stabbed earlier stood up slowly, rolling his shoulders.
“I vote we tear him apart.”
Lucien finally turned toward them.
“No.”
The word cut through the room like a blade.
Five pairs of crimson eyes stared at him.
“You’re letting him walk in here?” the silver-haired brother asked.
Lucien smiled faintly.
“Davies has spent ten years trying to reach me.”
His voice carried something dangerous now.
“Tonight he finally succeeded.”
The twin frowned.
“So?”
“So I’d like to hear what he has to say.”
My pulse jumped.
“You’re serious?”
Lucien glanced back at me.
“Completely.”
“That’s insane.”
The scarred vampire snorted.
“You’re new here.”
Lucien raised one finger.
Instant silence.
Then he looked toward the doors.
“Bring him to the courtyard.”
The guard bowed quickly and disappeared.
Lucien turned back toward the room.
“We’re going outside.”
The female vampire raised an eyebrow.
“Because?”
Lucien’s smile sharpened.
“Because I’d rather not redecorate my throne room with hunter blood.”
My stomach dropped.
“You’re planning to kill him.”
Lucien looked almost amused by the question.
“Davies has tried to kill me twelve times.”
“That tends to create hostility.”
I stared at him.
“Maybe he has a reason.”
The room went still.
Lucien’s siblings exchanged glances.
Then Lucien walked toward me slowly.
Dangerously.
The distance between us disappeared in seconds.
“You’re defending him.”
His voice was quiet.
Too quiet.
“I’m saying maybe you deserve it.”
A ripple of tension spread through the room.
Lucien studied my face again.
Longer this time.
Then he laughed softly.
“You’re brave.”
“I’m honest.”
“That too.”
He stepped past me toward the doors.
“Come,” he said.
I blinked.
“What?”
“You’re part of this now.”
“I didn’t agree to that.”
Lucien paused at the doorway.
Then he looked over his shoulder.
“You’re the reason he came.”
His crimson eyes gleamed.
“So you should probably see what happens next.”
The courtyard was enormous.
Cold moonlight spilled across the stone ground, illuminating tall black walls and twisted iron gates.
Dozens of vampires lined the edges of the courtyard like silent statues.
Watching.
Waiting.
In the center stood a man.
Human.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and covered in dust and blood.
A long dark coat hung from his frame, torn in several places.
Silver weapons glinted across his belt.
But the most striking thing about him…
Were his eyes.
Sharp.
Focused.
Burning with purpose.
Davies.
Even surrounded by dozens of vampires, he didn’t look afraid.
He looked ready.
Lucien stepped into the courtyard.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Every vampire bowed their head.
Every shadow seemed to bend toward him.
The hunter’s gaze locked onto Lucien immediately.
“So,” Davies said.
His voice was rough but steady.
“The famous hybrid king.”
Lucien’s smile was polite.
“Davies.”
The hunter tilted his head slightly.
“I’ve been trying to meet you for a long time.”
Lucien clasped his hands behind his back.
“And yet every time we get close, you run away.”
Davies chuckled.
“I prefer strategic retreats.”
Lucien’s siblings spread out along the courtyard edges.
Quietly.
Blocking every exit.
Davies noticed.
But he didn’t react.
Instead, his gaze shifted.
Searching the courtyard.
Until—
His eyes landed on me.
Everything changed.
Shock flashed across his face.
Real shock.
For the first time since I’d seen him, the hunter looked shaken.
“Lira?”
The sound of my name hit me like lightning.
My breath caught.
“You know me?”
Lucien’s entire posture went still.
Slowly…
Very slowly…
He turned his head toward me.
Then back toward Davies.
“Explain,” Lucien said softly.
Davies’s jaw tightened.
“You don’t know?”
Lucien’s voice dropped several degrees colder.
“Know what?”
The hunter’s eyes flicked back to me again.
And something like relief crossed his face.
“You’re alive,” he said quietly.
My heart began to pound harder.
“What are you talking about?”
Davies took a slow step forward.
Vampires immediately shifted closer.
Ready to strike.
But Lucien raised a hand.
No one moved.
Davies looked directly at the hybrid king.
“You’ve been searching for hybrids.”
Lucien didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
Davies nodded toward me.
“Then congratulations.”
My stomach twisted.
“Stop talking like I’m not here.”
Davies ignored me.
His voice turned deadly serious.
“The girl standing behind you…”
Lucien’s crimson eyes darkened.
“…is the reason hybrids exist.”
Silence swallowed the courtyard.
Lucien didn’t move.
“Careful,” he said quietly.
Davies held his gaze.
“You think you’re the first hybrid.”
Lucien’s expression didn’t change.
“Am I not?”
Davies shook his head slowly.
“No.”
Then he said the words that made the world tilt beneath my feet.
“You’re the second.”
My heart stopped.
Lucien’s gaze snapped toward me again.
Slow.
Dangerous.
Because suddenly the truth felt closer than ever.
And whatever that truth was…
It was powerful enough to make both a hunter and a king cross the world to find me
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