Page 28 of House of Darkness
I buried my other fist in his mane, holding his head steady as I snarled down at him. “Yield or die.”
He bared his thickened fangs at me. I grimaced; his breath smelled like rotten meat. “I said yield. I will not ask again.”
“Yield, Father. It doesn’t matter how big your head is if it isn’tattached to your shoulders.”
Above me stood Alexander’s only daughter, Mia—the only one of his children I respected. Killing the longest reigning count wouldn’t do me any favors, but Mia was right. I would remove his head if needed. I curled my fingers deeper into his golden fur, just enough to make him attempt to scream again. “Listen to your daughter, or you won’t be around to watch her replace you.”
Finally, he went limp in my hands, and he shriveled up like an exsanguinated body until only his humanoid form remained. I mercilessly ripped my talons from his throat in a shower of blood that sprayed over me, him, and Mia in a fine shower of rubies. Mia crossed her arms, unfazed. “Get up, Father.”
I stood and allowed the count to crawl to his knees. A waterfall of blood poured from the rapidly stitching holes, staining the shredded remnants of his shirt. I grimaced at the sight. My talons retracted into my fingertips like thick splinters, taking the darkness with them. Even with his wounds, Alexander dipped forward until his head touched the floor smeared with his fluids, his golden hair sprawling across the ground.
“I thank you for your mercy, Your Highness. I yield as your humble servant.” His words were stiff with humiliation, but he didn’t waver. At least he still clung to that insufferable pride.
“Good boy.” I smirked as his jaw clenched. Rubbing his nose in his errors was necessary to deter future attempts. It helped that I enjoyed watching him squirm. He was everything wrong with vampire-kind—a self-serving, arrogant prick too stuck in ancient history to see the world falling apart around him.
“We will have a grand dinner in honor of your arrival tonight,” he continued, his words strained.
“No. I’d prefer dinner served in a private wing for my cabinet.”
It took a moment for him to work back his own incredulity to respond. “Of course, Your Majesty. I will also have one of our best rooms prepared for you.”
I hummed thoughtfully, stepping forward until the tips of my shoes brushed his hair. “I’d prefer your room.”
He sat up, indignation flashing across his face, his mouth already opening to argue. I narrowed my eyes. My demand had nothing to do with the room and everything to do with humiliating him in front of his people. Never had I expected Alexander to actually challenge me. He was more concerned with his own gluttony than warfare. Now that he had, he would need to heel to keep his head.
He must have reconsidered his argument because he dipped his head once more. “Of course, sir.”
“Make sure to have the bedsheets changed, and if someone could bring a wash basin and some towels to my cabinet’s wing.” I held up my fingers still smeared with his blood.
His jaw clenched. “Tatiana! Please show our guests to their wing. Get the others to carry their luggage.”
A blonde acolyte entered the hall, adorned in a short red slip and a gold neck cuff. My stomach twisted at the sight. Her resemblance to Estrella was uncanny, right down to the K scorched into the back of her clenched hand. Since the Kulta Academy was within Levis borders, it was no surprise that the Levis House frequently purchased their acolytes, with Alexander being one of their most frequent patrons. The fact that his own daughter, Mia, looked so much like Estrella they could be twins was no coincidence. The thought of him having offspring even remotely related to Estrella made my stomach churn.
I turned to Estrella. Her eyes widened as she took in the other acolyte. Tatiana was older, but that didn’t mean they didn’t know each other. Tatiana’s mask was impeccable as she moved past Estrellawithout a second glance. They weren’t supposed to acknowledge each other in any way. I couldn’t imagine having a loved one torn away like that—well, actually, I could. I extended my clean hand, tucking the bloodied one behind me. “Come, doll.”
She approached with her head bowed, sliding her hand into mine. I struggled not to shiver at the jolt of heat and life seeping from her skin like embers.Are you alright?
Her head snapped up, and her eyes widened to saucers. I hadn’t shown this part of my powers yet, but my need for some form of reassurance was overwhelming. She had witnessed my monstrous side once again, but now in a new, unsettling place surrounded by predators and abandoned family. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought her.
Yet as quickly as that thought crossed my mind, the blue fire ignited in her eyes.I’m doing just fine, Roman.
Chapter 16
ESTRELLA
My cousin, now called Tatiana, walked past us without even a glance my way. She had been a mother figure to Solaris and me in our youth, nurturing us when we needed it most. But now, she treated me as if I were invisible.
My mind felt like it was collapsing under the weight of everything that had transpired in the past hour. I had been excited to see the Levis Palace, but now I longed to curl up in a ball and disappear. Roman’s hand, warm and firm around mine, provided an unexpected comfort, even though it made little sense—especially after witnessing him nearly murder someone with those very hands. Yet that warmth felt like the eye of a storm: strangely serene amid chaos.
He remained shirtless, his undershirt and jacket draped over my arm—a reality I was acutely aware of. A raven tattoo stretched across his chiseled chest, its wings curling gracefully up to his shoulders. House tattoos were commonplace in vampire culture, but his was enormous—a true commitment to the House that had betrayed him and left him with an abusive father. I couldn’t help but admire his rippling muscles and toned arms, still smeared with blood that wasn’t his own. It should have disturbed me, but I had far too many other worries to deal with than my master’s brutality.
His two other generals flanked us like menacing guard dogs. Even though Enso had retracted his beast form, I remained keenly aware of his presence with every step we took. He belonged to the Ryujin House—the House of Dragons. I had never fully grasped the accuracy of that title until I saw the flickering embers in his eyes and the scarlet aura that swirled around him like a raging inferno.
Tatiana led us into a stunning room adorned with gold and crystal. Despite the gravity of our situation, I found myself in awe of the beauty surrounding me. A gold table with a glass top sat at the center, flanked by extravagant white and black chairs and loveseats. Above us hung a crystal chandelier wider than Roman’s wingspan. Flickering torches cast dazzling yellow light off the crystals, creating a dance of reflections across the gilded walls.
Turning to us, Tatiana curtsied. “Let me know if you need anything at all, Your Majesty.”
Her eyes met mine for a fleeting moment, and my breath caught. Her expression was flat, devoid of life, as if her soul had been siphoned away by her master’s fangs. How many times had she been fed from? How many children had she borne for a monster? I longed to wrap her in a hug, to show her that I still loved her, but I knew I couldn’t. I hoped my expression conveyed what my words could not.
