Arora and The Vampire Prince

Chapter 7- A Heart Torn Between Fate and Freedom

Lucas, I was seriously worried! Where have you been?” Mom’s voice trembled, a mix of relief and frustration, as she caught sight of me. “Camilla has been waiting for you since! You know the curse keeps consuming you. I don’t want you out there alone again.”

I looked away, letting the shadow of my thoughts mask my face. “I’m fine now, Mom. I just needed time to think.”

The queen mother’s icy tone sliced through the tension. “Lucas, why must you involve yourself with fish of all things?” Her disdain was palpable, every syllable laced with judgment. “You are the prince of this kingdom, destined for greatness. With all the blood you can consume to quench your thirst, why stoop so low as to feast on fish?”

“Mom, stop it!” I snapped, my crimson eyes flashing in irritation. “I wasn’t hunting. I was at the shore... thinking about everything. But then—” I hesitated, the vulnerability in my voice betraying me. “I suddenly passed out. Thank God a friend saved me.”

Her eyes narrowed, sharp and calculating. “A friend?” she repeated slowly, her words heavy with suspicion. “And what kind of friend could possess the strength to help you in that state?”

I sighed, lowering my gaze. “I thought she was human, Mom. But no human could have such power. In the process of saving me... I drew from her life force. I drained her.”

Her eyes flared, a mix of disbelief and fury. “Lucas, what do you mean? Who is she?”

I stepped forward, desperate now. “Mom, I need to go after her. I need to ask her questions. Maybe she’s one of us—or something else entirely. She might be the only one who can save me from this curse.”

Her sharp gaze turned cold as steel. “Stop it, Lucas,” she commanded, her tone absolute. “I forbid you to pursue this any further. Camilla is your salvation, and you know it. You need to accept your role and fall in love with her. She is the only one who can heal you, and no one else.”

My jaw tightened, frustration boiling beneath the surface. “Mother, you don’t understand. Camilla may be the princess, but she is not the one who saved me. This girl—this human, or whatever she is—has power unlike anything I’ve ever felt. She might be the only one who can break this curse.”

“Enough!” The queen mother’s voice reverberated through the chamber, chilling the air. “You are the prince of this kingdom. Our traditions are clear, and your path is set. Camilla is your betrothed by destiny. She is your salvation, and you will not defy this path.”

I couldn’t hold back any longer. “But what if she’s not?” My voice rose, defiance burning through the tension. “What if you’re wrong? For centuries, we’ve clung to old prophecies and rituals, but the curse only grows stronger. I need to find this girl. I have to know why her power resonates with me.”

Her expression darkened, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. “You speak as if you’ve already chosen her over your duty. I forbid you to seek her out. If you leave, Lucas, you risk exposing us—our kingdom, our legacy—to outsiders. Do you understand the consequences?”

“I understand,” I said, my voice steady but resolute. “But I can’t ignore what’s right in front of me. This is my curse, and I will find my own way to break it.”

Before she could respond, I turned sharply and stormed out of the hall, my cloak swirling behind me. My heart pounded with determination, the weight of the curse and my mother’s words pressing against my chest. But I knew one thing for certain: I couldn’t let Arora slip away without answers.