---- spot.
As his body was seized and swallowed into the depths of the earth, bing a part of the very castle itself, Merkall still couldn''t grasp the truthno one fully owns their fate, and he had merely done what was always destined.
sek Cami raced through thebyrinthine corridors of the castle, the sound of her boots echoing off the ancient stone walls.
She knew the way through Celines memories, and the pull of her beloved''s blood called to her soul.
Her heart recognized him as her mate; she would never be confused like Celhis was her man.
She arrived in front of the heavy wooden door and shoved it open without hesitation.
Her crimson pupils narrowed as she saw her prince, d in tattered rags hanging from his hips, sitting on the floor with his arms resting over his bent knees.
Suddenly, he lifted his head, his dark hair falling over his shoulders, and gazed at her through the darknessfull of love.
She was his light, the brightest and most beautiful thing in his world.
"T''ve been waiting for you, my love...
I''ve been waiting for you for far too many centuries."" ---- breaking apart and rebuilding itselfstronger, sharper, crueler, and more resolute.
Zareks eyes gleamed with satisfaction, sensing the change in his mates aura.
The wild essence of roses that had always driven him mad now turned bloodier and more primal, sending shivers of anticipation through him.
Celine''s hair lengthened, streaked with golden highlights like the sun.
Her canines sharpened into deadly fangs, grazing against her parted crimson lips, and her pupils glowed crimson atst.
"Cami," Zarek rumbled, calling out the name of his vampiric mate.
She had whispered it to him once in secret, through the bars of his prison, without Celines knowledge.
The enchanting embodiment of Celine''s vampire half smiled seductively, bringing the dagger''s tip to her lips and licking the blood from her mates chest.
Zarek gazed at her, entranced, the fire of desire roaring in his veins as he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to the back of her hand, like a devoted servant.
When he straightened, Camis predatory gaze locked onto the rat cowering in the corner.
"Hes a gift for you, my love," Zarek said sinisterly.
In an instant, Merkall saw the shadow of death closing in on him.
He couldnt even track her movement with his eyes.
The woman he thought he controlled lowered the dagger, leaning over him without mercy, and began driving it into his flesh again and again.
---- In Zarek''s domain, he no longer controlled Celineshe had been a prisoner of her own fears and demons.
Blood sttered onto the stone, and Merkall''s agonized screams echoed through the cemetery grounds, driving the creatures below into a frenzy.
He struggled onest time to summon his magic, to activate his teleportation artifact, but nothing worked; he waspletely blocked.
Through his agony, he could only watch in horror as the murderous woman above him, seemingly someone else entirely, reveled in his blood, mutting him piece by piece.
Suddenly, a pair of hands wrapped around Camis bloodied ones, anda strong body loomed over her, whispering into her ear.
"Not the heart, my love, not yet.
That would be too easy for this bastard who tortured our Celine.
Leave him to me.
Later, Ill show you a puppet show you''ll love." Merkalls terrified eyes darted between the two of them, watching in horror as they calmly plotted his torture like they were discussing the weather, smiling at each other, full of wicked delight.
They were monsters, abominationsand he finally realized he had willingly walked into theirir.
That''s why the Goddess had imprisoned him, and he had been such a fool to think he could control the uncontroble.
As his body was hurled through the air toward the pack waiting below, tears of blood streamed from Merkalls eyes.
Perhaps that prophecy had been meant to save his life, warning him that if he ever found the woman with the crimson seed on the inside of her thigh, he should either flee a thousand leagues away or kill her on the