The air around us crackled with tension, thick with the scent of the earth and the unmistakable metallic tang of blood. The vampires were closing in. I could hear their whispers carried on the wind, low and menacing. Kieran growled deep in his chest, his body tensing as he prepared for the inevitable fight. I could sense his worry, his need to protect me, but I wasn’t that same defenseless princess anymore.
Something inside me had shifted, my powers surging again like a tidal wave rising to meet the threat. I could feel the earth beneath my feet responding to my emotions, trembling slightly, ready to unleash its fury at my command.
The vampires emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming red in the darkness, their fangs glinting in the moonlight. There were five of them this time, mov
