Lucas POV Being a vampire meant I felt things differently. But tonight, the cold seemed to settle in my chest, pressing down on me like a heavy weight. I sat on the stone steps outside the old family house, my mind spinning. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, though I didn’t need to. “Lucas,” my father’s voice still echoed in my head. His words were sharp, like blades. “You know what you have to do. Emilio is the son of Ray. Ray killed your mother. He killed your sister. You must make him pay. Emilio has to die.” But how could I? How could I hurt Emilio, the person I loved more than anything? I buried my face in my hands. “Lucas,” a voice interrupted my thoughts Vikram always had this calm, serious look on his face, but tonight, he looked almost concerned. “What?” I mumbled, not lifting my head. He sat down beside me. “You’re torn. I can see it. But you have to think about your family. Your mother, your sister. They deserve justice.” “Justice?” I snapped, looking up at him. “Is
Vikram’s POV As the right hand man to his father, it was my duty to guide him, to make sure he followed the path his family expected. But lately, it had become harder. Because something was changing inside me, something I wasn’t ready to admit.I could feel my chest tighten whenever I looked at him. He was just sitting there, staring at the floor, his hands trembling slightly. I wanted to reach out, to take his hand and tell him everything would be okay. I wanted to be the one to comfort him, to make him feel safe. But there was something stopping me. Something I had been fighting for so long.I had feelings for him. Strong feelings. Feelings that made my heart race every time he looked at me. I was falling in love with Lucas.No, I'm in love with him.But it wasn’t that simple. He didn’t love me back. He was in love with Emilio. The boy who was always there, the boy who seemed to make Lucas smile, even when his world was falling apart. And every time I saw them together, somethin
Writer's POV “Vikram,” Emilio muttered under his breath, his fangs glinting as he clenched his jaw. “You’ll pay for this.”Earlier, Emilio had returned home to find his parents dead. The gruesome scene was seared into his memory—the lifeless bodies, the blood pooled on the floor, and the hollow silence that followed. But now, as a vampire, his senses were sharper. He could smell Vikram’s scent lingering in the air that night. And Donald Dale’s name had surfaced in whispers among those who thrived in the shadows. Together, they had orchestrated the massacre.Emilio’s rage had been unbearable, driving him to the edge. He had embraced his new nature, using his heightened strength and speed to hunt down clues. It wasn’t long before he confronted Vikram directly. The showdown had been inevitable.“You murdered them!” Emilio roared, his voice echoing through the abandoned warehouse where Vikram now stood. His crimson eyes burned with fury. “And for what? Revenge? Power? Or was it just to s
Lucas POV I stood outside Emilio's door, feeling really nervous.Ahhh, this is it again.My heart was beating super fast, like it was going to jump out of my chest! I was shivering too, but I wasn't sure if it was because I was cold or just really scared.I knew Emilio was very upset with me. He thought I had done something wrong, and I didn't know how to tell him the truth. I felt terrible because I knew I hadn't done anything wrong, but Emilio didn't believe me.I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. I raised my hand and knocked gently on the door. "Emilio, it's me, Lucas," I said softly. My voice sounded really quiet, even to me.At first, there was no answer. I thought maybe Emilio wasn't home, or maybe he was just ignoring me. But then I heard footsteps coming from inside. They sounded really heavy and slow, like Emilio was walking with big, heavy shoes.The footsteps got closer and closer, and then the door opened. Emilio stood there, looking really serious and unhappy. H
Lucas's POV The weight of the past hung over me like a storm cloud that would never go away. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw their faces: my mother, my sisters. Their laughter echoed in my mind, but it was always followed by the terrible memory of losing them. The man who had taken them from me—Emilio's father—was gone now, but the pain he caused still lived in my chest, sharp and heavy. And now, Emilio wanted revenge for his own parents. The cycle of hurt and anger felt like it would never end. How did it come to this? How did we go from being friends to… to enemies? I sat on a rock by the river, staring at the water as it rushed over the stones. The sound used to calm me, but now it was just noise. My heart ached, torn between so many emotions I couldn’t even name them all. I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see Vikram. His tall figure cast a shadow, and his expression was as serious as ever. “Lucas,” he said, his voice low. “You can’t keep sitting out here fore
Vikram’s POVI leaned back in my chair, a smug smile spreading across my face as I swirled the glass of juice in my hand. Things were finally falling into place, just as I had planned. Emilio and Lucas… their relationship was cracked, maybe even broken beyond repair. And all it had taken was a little nudge… okay, maybe more than a little nudge. But it was worth it.Lucas belonged to me. He just didn’t realize it yet.I gazed out the window at the darkening sky, feeling a sense of satisfaction bubbling inside me. Emilio had always been in the way, always so close to Lucas, always pulling him into his world. And Lucas, with that soft heart of his, never saw it. He never noticed how Emilio’s presence was a barrier between us, how it stopped him from seeing what was right in front of him. Me.But now? Now Emilio was angry, hurt, maybe even ready to walk away from Lucas for good.“He’ll come running to me,” I muttered under my breath
Emilio’s POV The room was quiet, too quiet. I sat by the window, staring at the darkness outside, my mind racing. The stars were out, but their light didn’t feel comforting tonight. They looked cold and distant, like they were mocking me. Mocking what I had lost. Lucas… I trusted him. I thought he was my friend, someone who would always stand by me. And now? Now I couldn’t even look at him without feeling betrayed. The pain in my chest felt sharp, like a knife twisting deeper every time I thought about it. But I wasn’t going to let that pain win. No. I was going to do something about it. And then there was Vikram. That smug, arrogant smile of his… I could see it so clearly in my mind. He thought he’d won. He thought he could break everything I cared about and get away with it. But he was wrong. He didn’t know what I was capable of. “You messed with t
Lucas's POV “Vikram has always been there for me,” I muttered under my breath, my voice trembling with emotion. “But Emilio... Emilio feels like sunlight in a world of shadows.”The thought of Emilio brought a faint smile to my lips. His laughter, his warmth, and the way his eyes seemed to see right through my immortal façade—it was intoxicating. Yet, Vikram, my oldest friend— in this case, allow me call him my beta my Beta, had stood by me through centuries of blood and battle. How could I possibly choose between them?A sharp knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I hesitated before calling out, “Come in.”The door creaked open, revealing Vikram. Tall, stoic, and radiating quiet strength, he stepped into the room. His dark eyes studied me with concern.“You’re troubled,” he said, closing the door behind him. “What’s going on?”I forced a smile. “Nothing I can’t handle.”“Don’t do that,” Vikram said
EPILOGUE Lucas's POV Two years had passed. Two years since the war ended. Since the city had been rebuilt. Since humans and vampires had learned, slowly but surely, to coexist. And through it all, Emilio and I had remained together. Our love had endured battles, bloodshed, and fear. It had survived the weight of the past and the uncertainty of the future. We had chosen each other—again and again—until there was no doubt left. Today, under the soft glow of the evening sun, we would make that choice one more time. The ceremony was held in the heart of the city, in a grand, open courtyard surrounded by the people who had become our family. Humans and vampires alike sat together, watching as Emilio and I stood beneath a beautifully decorated arch, our hands entwined. Mariah and Xena sat in the front row, their smiles wide. Irene, despite everything, standing at the back with her arms crossed but an expression that was… softer than usual. Emilio’s old vampire allies were pres
FINALE Lucas's POV The phone rang again. I barely had time to process everything from before when another call came in. Emilio glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. We were still sitting on the couch, our bodies close, but the warmth from earlier had faded. Something about this call felt different. I answered. "Lucas." A deep voice responded. "Mr. Newcastle, this is John Carter. I’m with the government." That made me sit up straighter. Emilio noticed and watched me closely. "The government?" I repeated, my grip tightening on the phone. "Yes," John said. "I’m sure you know the city is in ruins. The battle left many without homes, and the people needed stability. We’ve been observing you and Emilio. You both fought to protect this place, and we need your help now to rebuild it." I felt Emilio stiffen beside me. I met his eyes, searching for his thoughts. This was unexpected. A human official—someone from the government—asking for help from vampires? That had never happened be
Lucas's POV "Thank you."The words caught me off guard. I turned to see an older woman standing before me, her clothes torn and dusty, her face smudged with dirt. But her eyes—those eyes—were kind. She held out her trembling hands, as if unsure whether she should touch me or not."You saved us," she repeated. "Thank you."I didn’t know how to respond. I had never expected gratitude. Fear, maybe. Hatred, perhaps. But not this. Not from these people. After all, Emilio and I were vampires, and not just any vampires. We had fought in a battle that had left the city in ruins. People had died. Lives had been destroyed. Yet here she was, looking at me like I had done something good.More people gathered around us. Slowly, they came out from the rubble, the broken buildings, the dark alleys. They were weary, their faces worn, but there was a soft relief in their eyes. Some carried the injured, others clutched their loved ones, whispering reassurances."We wouldn't have survived without you,"
Emilio's POV "I'm tired."The words slipped from my mouth before I even thought about them. My body ached, my head pounded, and my heart felt heavier than it ever had before. I was exhausted, more than I had ever been in my entire life. Everything hurt. My arms, my legs, my chest—even my thoughts felt slow and heavy, like they were sinking into thick mud.I looked around at what was left of the city.Lucas stood beside me, silent. His face was pale, his eyes staring ahead like he wasn’t really seeing anything. I knew how he felt. We had won, but at what cost?The city was in ruins. The people who had lived here, worked here, built their lives here—everything they had was gone. All because of Vikram.Vikram.The name made my chest tighten. He had caused so much pain, so much destruction. He had played with people’s lives like they were nothing, used them like tools, broken them when they were no longer useful. I hated him. I hated him for everything he had done. And now he was gone
Lucas's POV “It’s over.” Emilio’s voice cut through the heavy silence like a knife, sharp and unyielding. But I didn’t move. I couldn’t. My body felt like it was made of stone, every muscle locked in place, every breath shallow and forced. My heart pounded against my ribs, each beat a reminder of what I had just done. Vikram lay at my feet, his body still, unmoving. Blood seeped from the deep wound in his chest, spreading like ink across the cracked pavement. The firelight flickered in his open eyes, reflecting emptiness. He was no longer the man I had fought, no longer the threat I had feared. He was just a lifeless shell now. A body. A memory. A mistake I could never take back. I had done it. I had killed him. My hands still gripped the hilt of my sword, fingers curled so tightly that my knuckles had turned white. The weapon was buried deep in Vikram’s chest, its steel stained red. I couldn’t let go. The weight of it felt heavier than before, as if the blade itself carried
Emilio's POV The city burned. Smoke curled into the sky, thick and suffocating, choking the air with the scent of ash and blood. Flames licked at the buildings, casting long, jagged shadows against the ruined streets. The heat pressed against my skin, but it was nothing compared to the fire in my chest. Vikram stood ahead, his figure dark against the inferno, a cruel smirk tugging at his lips. His eyes, sharp and gleaming, locked onto me like a predator watching its prey. Emilio was beside me, his breath unsteady but his stance firm. His presence was the only thing keeping me from losing myself completely. My fingers curled into fists. My body ached, bruises and cuts stinging with every movement, but none of that mattered. Not now. Vikram tilted his head, amused. “Look at you,” he murmured, voice smooth like poison. “Still standing. Still fighting for something that was never yours to begin with.” Rage clawed up my throat, hot and unforgiving. My heart pounded. I wanted to lu
Emilio's POV This was getting too much and I couldn't breathe so I ran away, I ran till I couldn't breath.I need to breathe! I was going berserk, I was losing myself and I didn't want my rippers killer instinct to come up.I heard footsteps behind me and realized that it was Lucas. "Hey...." He muttered with frustration."We need to talk." I didn't even give him time.Lucas's voice was quiet, but the weight of his words made Emilio turn around immediately. They were in Lucas's room, a dimly lit space filled with the silence of unspoken thoughts. The air was heavy, thick with the tension Lucas had been carrying since Vikram’s betrayal. Emilio frowned, stepping closer."I know," Emilio whispered. "It's about Vikram, isn't it?"Lucas ran a hand through his hair, feeling the frustration and regret claw at his chest. "Yeah. It is." He let out a shaky breath. "I don't know what to do. I feel like... I feel like this is all my fault."Emilio's brows furrowed. "Lucas—""No, just—just let
Lucas’s POVChaos. The battlefield is nothing but blood, screams, and shadows moving too fast to track. The air is thick with the metallic tang of spilled blood, so sharp it clings to the back of my throat like poison. I swing my blade, the steel slicing clean through the neck of a rogue vampire before it can reach me. Its body collapses at my feet, twitching, but there’s no time to catch my breath. Another one takes its place almost instantly, snarling, eyes glowing with that unnatural hunger. Damn it. There are too many. “Lucas, behind you!” Emilio’s voice cuts through the chaos. Instinct kicks in. I twist just in time to see a rogue launching itself at me, claws slicing through the air like daggers. I barely get my arm up before it slams into me, knocking me backward onto the blood-slick pavement. The impact steals the breath from my lungs. The rogue is on top of me in seconds, its fangs bared, saliva dripping onto my face. Its breath reeks of death and rot. I shove m
Emilio's POV “They’re everywhere!” I shouted, my voice shaking. My chest burned, my hands clenched into fists. The city was falling apart around us. Flames swallowed buildings, turning them into black, crumbling skeletons. Thick smoke filled the air, choking me, burning my eyes. The streets were broken, cracked, covered in glass and blood. Cars sat abandoned, their windows shattered, doors hanging open. The fight that rukus that Vikram caused is the reason why we had to leave the Vampire world and come out here to make a fight that I doubt we would ever win.And then there were *them*. The rogue vampires. Vikram's evilness, deceit and stupidity.He created them! He brought them and these are his properties.They swarmed the streets like a nightmare come to life. Fast. Wild. Bloodthirsty. Their glowing red eyes cut through the darkness. Their claws tore through anything in their way. The sound of screams, of bones breaking, of bodies hitting the ground filled the air. I fe