The Vampire King and the Mafia Princess

Secrets and Shadows

Tension descended upon the room like a shroud the moment Aurora walked out. The guests had left shortly after, what was the point of staying when the party had ended before it began. The warm, golden light of the mansion's paintings seemed to dull as if the very joy had been sucked out of them. Coldness seeped from the white walls, leaving a chill in the air. The empty seat beside Leonardo served as a poignant reminder that Aurora had left without goodbyes, yet again. Leonardo's jaws clenched at the thought of his failure. His mind running in miles on steps to take to ensure his family emerge out of this situation unscathed, but no plan was plausible. His blue eyes dimmed and he grinded his teeth in frustration. Then and now he had failed his sister.

Louisa's gaze drifted to the untouched plates of delicacies on the table, the remnants of a conversation that had never reached its conclusion. Her mind wandered to the fear that had driven her sister away – the fear of consequences, of repercussions for her actions. Louisa knew her sister better than anyone, having practically raised her during their mother's prolonged postpartum depression. Louisa's fingers twitched as she struggled to stay put, she knew it was not the time to question her father's decision and her father had never been one to make an impromptu decision

Memories of those trying times flooded Louisa's mind as she walked along the hallway, the portraits on the walls telling the tale of a family's struggles and of triumphs albeit it came with so much endurance, pain, and sacrifices. Louisa's golden eyes glistened in pain, her golden eyes unsettled like a molten volcano. If anyone deserved to be happy it would be her elder sister Aurora. Being everything everyone needed was exhausting, there was never a person there to be who her sister needed. And a canceled engagement was not it. As Louisa walked along the hallway of their home, flashes of their childhood displayed in her mind. These walls had not always held the fingerprints of happy children, but her sisters had repainted those walls and had their palms pressed against them to create fingerprints of the beginning of newly found memories. The portraits told the tales that made their family. Their mother, once a vibrant and loving presence, had become a shadow of her former self after Dahlia's birth. The children had borne the brunt of her pain, but Aurora had been the rock that held them together.

These pictures told the stories of how her sister had put smiles on their faces and lost hers.

As Louisa delved deeper into the past, the sound of her father's voice broke the spell. "Leonardo, please join me in my office," he called out, his tone firm but laced with a hint of worry. The weight of the family's secrets and lies threatened to crush them all.

But where the hell was Dahlia, she hadn't uttered a word, other than this is f****d up.

Leonardo followed his father into the office but didn't bother to take the seat his father had offered. Signor Lucieno sighed helplessly before slumping weakly against the backrest. He could have stopped it, he would if he had a choice.

Seeing the helpless look on his father's face, Leonardo decided to take the seat being offered. Signor Lucieno looked into the striking blue eyes of his son a semblance of his own. It was piercing and promised wrath if the reasons didn't justify the actions.

Signor Lucieno brushed his palm down his face, he seemed to have aged in a day. Grey hair saddled in between his black locks now more than ever.

Leonardo didn't speak, he waited for him to gather his thoughts after all he was never impatient.

"The Dmitri burnt down the ancestral home", His eyes glistened with tears as though the weight of it had just been let loose on his shoulders. That home held all his childhood memories, the ones he created with his parents. Leonardo's eyes turned slightly sympathetic.

" I thought it was only the base in Niveria", Leonardo's brows furrowed in confusion. The Dmtiri had dealt them a huge blow, but he knew they never had the gut when they were working alone.

"I thought so too until I heard nothing from any of the men over there. So, I sent a man to check. There was nothing, nothing left of such a mansion that housed over two hundred men", Signor Lucieno brushed his fingers through his black hair. The fine lines of aging seemed to have added another to his face. The ancestral housing had undergone several modifications over the centuries, it was the signature of the beginning of their familia.

Leornado's heart stuttered in mortification.

" They burnt them all", He whispered as his eyes looked into the distant images his mind envisaged.

"More like bombed. You know what petrified me", Signor Lucieno walked toward the window, his back to his son who waited for him to complete his sentence. His father's fear was palpable, a new emotion on the man who never showed weakness.

Signor Lucieno continued " It could have been us, and we would not have known how we died", He folded his arms behind him as he took in a shaky breath.

"This engagement as to take place", He commanded. It was as if they were served free food on a platter of gold. Mr. Luther was the perfect man, he would give protection in exchange for marriage. Life of thousands depended on this decision, but Leonardo wished his sister had a chance to choose. Leonardo's eyes lowered to the table in deep thought.

"That man has what we need, money and power. He came of his own free will to help, we would be fools not to take it", Signor Lucieno looked back at his eldest son whose mind was in turmoil. The decision had been made for them already, what was the point of thinking.

" Then he must know something if he is offering what we need, then what do we have that he wants. Aurora? Why does he want her", Leonardo pondered aloud, but he did not see the look of guilt that flashed in his father's eyes. Leonardo knew there was more to it than meets the eye, and he was determined to get to its bottom. Signor Lucieno's eyes darted around the office in guilt before his eyes stopped on the family portrait on the wall, a self-degrading smile passed his lips.

The first time Viktor Luther saw Aurora Luciano, he thought he hadn't seen such a beautiful human in a long time. He could not help but take another glance at her as his business partner shook his hand. He was not listening to any of the business jargon Mr. Parker was saying, the red-headed beautify had absorbed all his senses and all he could do was nod as Mr Parker spoke.

Mr. Parker's excited voice pulled him out of his reverie

"Happy cooperation? Mr. Parker gestured his hand for a handshake as he asked. His smile was so wide he could almost count the muscles that pulled his cheeks to form the smile. Whatever, it wasn't his conglomerate after all.

Viktor had been so quick to shake his hand, anything to have Mr Parker leave his sight, or he would be having his blood for dinner. By the time he looked back towards the entrance, she was gone.

The next time he saw her was on television undertaking an interview. She was far more beautiful than he had thought, it almost felt unreal. He found out that her name was Aurora Fiorella Luciano. Numerous times had he found himself whispering her name and he could not lie about the countless times he had closed his eyes just to envision her face. He knew he was spirally down a path bordering addiction. Too many times had he thought of sucking her dry just to end the insanity. Then, a message came from his brother the King, Viktor was to propose a marriage to the Lucienos, asking for their daughter's hand on behalf of the King. He had specified the one he was proposing marriage to, it was Aurora Fiorella Luciano. His addiction. Viktor had laughed at the irony of it all, he was lusting after his brother's beloved. He could not stop, so he decided to propose marriage pretending to be his brother King Danilo Lorenzo Luther. After all, his brother the king was far away in another land fighting a losing battle. He had to help his good brother marry his woman on his behalf, and if he happened to return, the wedding would have been held.

Viktor had visited the Lucieno's home and met his bride-to-be and it had been devastating having to hold back. He knew there was no bond between them, the attraction he felt was purely because she was his brother's beloved. Aurora was a sight to behold, likened to a fresh breath of air, a morning sun after a long time in the abyss, of darkness. Aurora had not even spared him a look, as though Viktor was unbefitting of her glance. She was ice cold, unwavering at the sight of the storm that would melt her away. She had been so calm, unbothered even in the face of chaos just like a queen. His queen.