Chapter 69: The Vampire Queen Awakens
The night split open like a wound.
The earth trembled beneath my feet as the last vestiges of moonlight bled into crimson, staining the valley of Aeloria in a haunting glow. The air itself pulsed with something ancient—something far older and far darker than even Lucien’s thirst for power. I could feel it crawling beneath my skin, whispering through the marrow of my bones.
Something… someone… was waking up.
Lyra stood a few feet from me, her daggers drawn, the sharp scent of silver and blood tangling in the air. Her chest heaved with shallow breaths, eyes darting between the trees. Kaelen was beside her, his wolf half showing through—eyes glowing gold, claws digging into the soil. The three of us had seen enough battle to know when silence was dead
