Chapter 8: The Queen of Shadows
271 Words
The crystal erupted in brilliant light.
Before them appeared the ghostly figure of a beautiful woman dressed in flowing silver robes. Her eyes shimmered like the moonlight.
Devin immediately dropped to one knee.
"Your Majesty..."
Nina looked between them in confusion.
"You know her?"
The spirit smiled.
"I am Queen Seraphina."
"The first vampire."
"I created your bloodline, Devin."
She turned toward Nina.
"And yours."
"What?"
"You are not simply descended from Evelyn Hawthorne."
"You descended from my human sister."
Nina's knees nearly gave out.
"My family..."
"...has always protected this town."
Seraphina nodded.
"Humans and vampires once lived in peace."
"What happened?"
The Queen's expression darkened.
"A betrayal."
She looked toward the crypt entrance.
"And the traitor is almost here."
The temperature plummeted.
The candles extinguished themselves.
Footsteps echoed through the crypt.
Slow.
Confident.
The Crimson-eyed vampire entered alone.
He smiled as though greeting old friends.
"Hello, Seraphina."
The Queen's face hardened.
"Lucien."
"You should have stayed dead."
He laughed.
"I tried."
Lucien's gaze settled on Devin.
"You look so much like your father."
The words struck Devin like a knife.
"You murdered him."
"I did."
"He refused to surrender the Moon Crystal."
Lucien walked toward the glowing crusta in the center of the chamber.
"With its power..."
"... I won't merely rule vampires."
"I'll rule death itself."
Before anyone could react, he drew an ancient dagger and plunged it into the crystal.
The entire crypt shook violently.
Cracks spread across every wall.
Queen Seraphina cried out in horror.
"You fool."
"You've awakened him."
"Awakened who?" Nina asked.
No one answered.
Because something beneath the crystal had begun to breathe.
- Writer
