The Vampire Prince Arrives
750 Words
“Sometimes the most dangerous monsters wear the kindest smiles.”
⸻
Morning arrived, but peace did not.
The fishing village buzzed with frightened whispers.
No one could explain the shattered cottage, the claw marks carved into the earth, or the strange black fur left behind after the battle.
Some blamed wild animals.
Others spoke of demons.
Lyra remained silent.
She knew what she had seen.
A wolf.
A giant black wolf that had saved her life.
Yet she couldn’t understand why.
⸻
Miles away, Kael rode through the Blackwood Forest with Damon and six elite warriors.
The scent lingered on the morning breeze.
Saltwater.
Moonlight.
And…
Her.
Kael dismounted and knelt, pressing two fingers into the damp earth.
His wolf stirred.
“She’s close.”
Damon frowned.
“Should we bring her back to the kingdom?”
Kael’s expression hardened.
“I don’t know.”
“The prophecy calls her a threat.”
“But my instincts…” He looked toward the distant sea. “…say she’s the key to something far greater.”
Before Damon could answer, a raven landed nearby.
A scroll was tied to its leg.
Kael broke the seal.
His amber eyes darkened.
“The vampires are moving.”
⸻
At the same time…
A sleek black carriage rolled into the village.
Unlike the merchants’ wagons, this one was carved with silver roses and pulled by four midnight-black horses.
Villagers stopped to stare.
The carriage door opened.
A polished black boot touched the ground.
Then he stepped out.
Tall.
Elegant.
With jet-black hair and crimson eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses.
Prince Lucien Draven smiled as if he were simply another traveler.
“Such a charming village,” he said softly.
His advisor, Victor, leaned closer.
“Your Highness, the humans are watching.”
Lucien’s smile widened.
“Let them.”
“They’ll never guess who I really am.”
⸻
Lyra was repairing the broken fence outside her home when she felt it.
A strange chill.
She looked up.
A handsome stranger was walking toward her.
He wore a long black coat despite the summer heat.
His smile was warm.
His eyes…
Something about them felt ancient.
“Good morning,” he said.
“You must be Lyra.”
She frowned.
“Have we met?”
“No.”
“But I’ve spent a very long time looking for you.”
Lyra’s grip tightened on the hammer in her hand.
“Who are you?”
He bowed politely.
“My name is Lucien.”
“I was hoping… we could talk.”
⸻
Hidden in the forest, Kael watched from the shadows.
The moment he saw Lucien, his wolf snarled.
“Vampire.”
Kael’s fists clenched.
“What is he doing here?”
Damon stepped beside him.
“We attack?”
Kael’s gaze remained fixed on Lyra.
“No.”
“Not yet.”
“If we fight now…”
“We’ll only put her in danger.”
⸻
Back in the village, Lucien reached into his coat and produced a small silver locket.
“This belonged to your mother.”
Lyra froze.
“My… mother?”
“I believe you deserve to know the truth.”
Her heartbeat quickened.
She had spent her entire life wondering where she came from.
If this man knew the answers…
Should she trust him?
As she hesitated, Lucien extended the locket.
The moment her fingers brushed his…
A flash of blue light erupted between them.
Images flooded Lyra’s mind.
A woman singing beneath the ocean.
A baby wrapped in silver cloth.
A blood-red moon.
A king with glowing golden eyes.
And a voice that whispered:
“Choose carefully… because one will save your heart… and the other will break it.”
Lyra stumbled back, gasping.
The locket slipped from her hand.
Lucien caught it effortlessly.
His calm expression faltered for the first time.
“So…”
He murmured.
“The prophecy has begun.”
From the edge of the forest, Kael stepped forward, unable to stay hidden any longer.
His golden eyes locked onto Lucien’s crimson gaze.
For a long moment, neither man spoke.
Then Kael’s voice cut through the silence.
“Step away from her.”
Lucien smiled.
“I was wondering how long it would take you to appear, Alpha.”
The air crackled with tension.
Lyra looked from one man to the other.
Two strangers.
Two enemies.
Both claiming they knew the truth.
And somehow…
Both seemed to know her better than she knew herself.
- Writer
