CRIMSOM HEARTS

The Vampire who shouldn't Exist

The howl echoed through Valemont Castle like a warning from hell itself.

Elena Hart felt the sound deep inside her chest.

Another scream followed somewhere in the distant halls.

Then silence.

Heavy.

Wrong.

Both Lucien Valemont and Kael Draven had gone completely still.

Predators sensing danger.

Lucien gently removed Elena’s hand from his arm before stepping away from her.

“Lock the doors behind us,” he ordered.

Kael’s playful expression had vanished entirely now.

“That thing shouldn’t be inside the castle.”

Elena’s pulse quickened. “What thing?”

Neither answered immediately.

Lucien moved toward the doors with supernatural speed while Kael glanced toward the dark windows overlooking the storm.

Then another howl split through the castle.

Closer this time.

The sound barely resembled anything human.

Kael cursed softly beneath his breath.

“Elena,” Lucien said coldly, “stay in this room no matter what happens.”

“I’m tired of people saying things like that.”

“This isn’t negotiable.”

Fear finally snapped into anger.

“Nothing about tonight makes sense! First monsters attack me, then you drag me into a vampire castle, and now something is apparently hunting vampires too?”

Kael looked toward her quietly.

“Yes.”

That single word silenced the room.

Elena stared at him.

“What could possibly hunt vampires?”

Kael’s silver eyes darkened slightly.

“Nightmares.”

Before she could respond, a violent crash exploded somewhere nearby.

The entire castle shook.

Books tumbled from shelves.

Glass shattered in the distant halls.

Lucien’s expression turned deadly.

“It breached the lower corridors.”

Kael sighed. “Well. This night officially sucks.”

Then both vampires vanished.

One blink.

Gone.

Wind rushed through the room from the speed of their movement.

Elena stood frozen alone beside the fireplace.

Silence returned.

Only thunder and rain remained.

For several seconds, she didn’t move.

Then another scream echoed from somewhere below.

Fear twisted violently inside her chest.

Stay in this room.

Right.

Because staying alone in a haunted vampire castle while monsters screamed outside sounded perfectly reasonable.

She paced anxiously instead.

Her thoughts spiraled endlessly.

The Crimson Mark burned faintly beneath her skin.

Every few moments she touched the side of her neck, hoping the symbol would disappear.

It never did.

A soft growl suddenly echoed outside the room.

Elena froze instantly.

Slow footsteps approached the doors.

Not human footsteps.

Too heavy.

Too slow.

The growling deepened.

Her breathing became uneven.

Then—

Scratch.

Claws dragged slowly across the other side of the doors.

Elena backed away immediately.

Another scratch followed.

The creature sniffed loudly.

Like it could smell her.

Terror flooded her body.

The handle slowly began turning.

Locked.

Thank God.

The growling grew louder.

Then suddenly—

Silence.

Complete silence.

Elena stared at the doors, barely breathing.

A soft voice suddenly spoke behind her.

“You smell like ancient blood.”

She screamed and spun around.

A man stood near the windows.

Tall.

Pale.

Beautiful in a terrifying way.

Unlike Lucien and Kael, this vampire looked almost ghostlike. Long black hair framed a dangerously calm face while silver scars stretched across one side of his neck.

But his eyes—

His eyes were completely black.

No red.

No silver.

Pure darkness.

Elena stumbled backward immediately.

“How did you get in here?!”

The stranger tilted his head slightly.

“The same way shadows enter rooms.”

That did not answer the question at all.

Fear crawled beneath her skin.

Something about this vampire felt wrong.

Different.

Older.

The darkness around him almost seemed alive.

He studied her silently for several long seconds.

Then his gaze shifted toward the mark on her neck.

Everything about him became still.

“That mark…” he murmured softly.

Elena backed farther away.

“Stay away from me.”

The vampire ignored the warning completely.

“You awakened it early.”

“What are you talking about?”

His black eyes lifted toward hers again.

“You should not exist.”

Cold spread through her chest instantly.

Before she could respond—

The doors burst open violently.

Lucien appeared instantly between Elena and the stranger.

Pure fury radiated from him.

“You.”

The dark-haired vampire remained calm.

“It’s been a while, Lucien.”

Kael entered a second later, then immediately froze.

For the first time since meeting him, Elena saw genuine shock on his face.

“Well,” Kael whispered, “that’s impossible.”

The stranger smiled faintly.

“People keep saying that tonight.”

Lucien’s crimson eyes glowed dangerously bright.

“You were banished.”

“Yes.”

“You should be dead.”

“Also yes.”

Elena looked between them desperately.

“Can somebody please explain what’s happening?!”

Silence filled the room.

Then Kael laughed once.

But there was no humor in it.

“Oh, this just became catastrophic.”

The stranger finally stepped away from the windows.

Moonlight illuminated his face fully now.

He looked young.

Maybe early twenties.

Yet ancient exhaustion hid inside those black eyes.

“Elena,” he said softly, “my name is Adrian Nightbane.”

The name visibly affected both Lucien and Kael.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Adrian’s gaze remained fixed on her.

“And unfortunately for all of us,” he continued quietly, “you’re the beginning of a war.”

Elena stared at him.

“No offense, but every vampire I meet keeps saying terrifying things for no reason.”

Something unexpected flickered briefly across Adrian’s face.

Amusement.

“You’re braver than I expected.”

Lucien stepped slightly closer to Elena protectively.

“You don’t belong here, Adrian.”

“I know.”

“Then leave.”

Adrian ignored him completely.

Instead, his eyes returned to the Crimson Mark glowing faintly on Elena’s neck.

Darkness seemed to flicker around him unnaturally.

“When did the mark appear?”

“Tonight,” Lucien answered coldly.

Adrian became very still.

“That’s too early.”

Kael folded his arms. “You know something.”

“Yes.”

“Then start talking.”

Adrian remained silent for a moment before speaking quietly.

“The creatures attacking tonight aren’t random hunters.”

Lucien’s jaw tightened slightly.

“You recognized them.”

“I created them.”

The room froze.

Even the storm outside suddenly felt quieter.

Elena blinked.

“I’m sorry, WHAT?”

Kael stared at Adrian sharply. “You swore they were destroyed.”

“So did I.”

Fear twisted through Elena again.

“What creatures?”

Adrian’s black eyes met hers.

“Failed vampires.”

A chill ran through her body.

“What does that mean?”

His expression darkened slightly.

“Vampires transformed incorrectly. Their minds decay. Their hunger mutates.”

The scratching outside the doors suddenly started again.

Louder this time.

Growling followed.

Adrian glanced toward the sound calmly.

“They found your scent quickly.”

Elena hated the way he said scent.

Like she was prey.

Lucien moved toward the doors again.

“You brought them here.”

“No,” Adrian replied quietly. “They followed the mark.”

Kael looked toward Elena seriously now.

“That symbol on your neck acts like a beacon.”

Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

Elena rubbed her temples shakily.

“So let me summarize this insanity.”

She pointed toward Lucien.

“You’re a vampire prince.”

Then Kael.

“You’re another vampire prince.”

Then Adrian.

“And you apparently create nightmare monsters.”

Adrian actually looked mildly offended.

“That’s an oversimplification.”

“You think?!”

Kael laughed softly again.

Lucien still looked seconds away from murder.

Thunder exploded overhead.

Then suddenly—

The castle lights died.

Darkness swallowed the room instantly.

The growling outside became louder.

Closer.

Elena’s breathing quickened.

She couldn’t see anything.

Then crimson eyes appeared beside her in the dark.

Lucien.

“Stay behind me.”

Silver eyes appeared near the doors.

Kael.

And finally—

Black eyes opened near the windows like shadows awakening.

Adrian.

Another violent crash shook the castle.

The doors splintered slightly inward.

Something huge slammed against them from outside.

Again.

Again.

Wood cracked loudly.

Elena’s heart pounded painfully.

“They’re breaking in,” she whispered.

Lucien’s voice remained terrifyingly calm.

“Yes.”

Kael cracked his neck slowly.

“I hate these things.”

Another slam.

The doors finally burst open.

Three monstrous creatures rushed inside.

Twisted bodies.

Glowing mouths full of blood-stained teeth.

Eyes burning with madness.

Elena screamed.

Lucien moved first.

He tore through the nearest monster with horrifying speed, blood spraying across the walls.

Kael caught another creature midair before slamming it through a marble table.

Bones shattered instantly.

But the third creature lunged directly toward Elena.

She froze.

Too fast.

Too close—

Then shadows exploded across the room.

Darkness wrapped violently around the monster before crushing it in midair.

The creature screamed horribly as its body twisted unnaturally.

And Adrian—

Adrian never moved.

His black eyes glowed faintly as shadows obeyed him like living creatures.

The monster collapsed lifelessly at Elena’s feet.

Silence followed.

Heavy breathing filled the ruined room.

Elena stared at Adrian in horror.

“That’s impossible.”

Adrian looked toward her quietly.

“Yes,” he said softly.

“That’s why they call me the vampire who shouldn’t exist.”