LOGINShare
Chapter 4
Last Updated:
2024-11-19 15:55:54Chapter 4: The Feast of Shadows
Karina’s heart hammered in her chest as the vampire’s words echoed in her mind. *The Third Prince of Zorana*. A bloodline. A kingdom. She wasn’t just some ordinary orphan—she was part of a story far darker and more complex than anything she could have ever imagined.
Her body trembled, not just from fear, but from the anger that was beginning to build inside her. She had spent years scraping by, surviving, only to find out that she had been a pawn in a game she hadn’t even known existed. And now, it seemed that her blood—the very thing she had to struggle to keep in her body—was the key to something even more monstrous.
The vampire’s gaze was unwavering, cold, like a predator sizing up its prey. But something in her didn’t cower beneath his scrutiny anymore. She had been broken, yes—*drained*—but she hadn’t given up. Not yet. Not as long as her heart still beat.
"I won't be part of this," Karina said through gritted teeth, the words tasting bitter in her mouth.
The vampire chuckled, a sound that was part amusement, part menace. "You think you have a choice?" His voice was like velvet, smooth and suffocating. "You're already caught in this web, Karina. Your parents—your blood—are too deeply entangled for you to simply walk away."
Her pulse quickened as the realization hit her—*entangled*. Her parents hadn't just died because of debts. They had been part of this web, too. They had been involved with the vampires, perhaps even with Zorana's royal line. She was a thread in that tangled knot, and if what he said was true, there was no escape.
Before she could voice her thoughts, the door to the chamber opened with a creak, and another vampire stepped inside. This one was taller than the first, more imposing, his features sharp and regal. He wore dark robes that seemed to shimmer with a strange, otherworldly light, and his eyes—though red—had a different intensity than the vampire who had drained her blood.
“Is she ready?” the newcomer asked, his voice rich and commanding. Karina couldn’t help but shiver at the authority that emanated from him.
The first vampire didn’t immediately respond. His gaze lingered on Karina for a moment longer before he spoke. “Not yet. She’s still fighting it.”
The second vampire studied her carefully, his gaze appraising, almost clinical. Karina felt exposed under his scrutiny, as if he were peering into her very soul.
"She's strong," he said after a long silence, almost to himself. "Stronger than the others we’ve chosen. But that will only make the transition harder for her. She's resisting the blood, the awakening."
Karina felt a shiver run down her spine at his words. The *awakening*. The prince. She was supposed to be some kind of vessel for this creature, this ancient heir who would bring forth a new era of darkness.
"Her bloodline is pure," the first vampire said, his voice low, almost reverent. "It’s all in her veins, waiting to be unlocked. The prince will be reborn through her. It’s only a matter of time."
Reborn. The phrase made Karina’s stomach churn. She wasn’t a *vessel*. She was a sacrifice. A tool. She had never been more disgusted in her life.
“I won’t let you,” Karina said, her voice sharp with the sudden resolve that surged through her. Her hands were still bound to the chaise lounge, but in her mind, she had already broken free.
The taller vampire's lips curved into a slight smile. "It’s not about letting us, child. It’s about accepting fate. You were chosen. This is who you are. Who you will always be."
"Chosen?!" Karina spat, her voice thick with contempt. "I was just some girl trying to survive—*to live*—and you made me part of this nightmare! You think I’ll just let you use me?"
The vampire stepped closer, his movements graceful but predatory. “You have no choice in the matter. The ritual must be completed. The Third Prince needs you.”
Karina’s thoughts raced. The ritual. The blood. The prince. She needed to break free, and quickly. Her blood was the key to something far more dangerous than even she could understand, but if she allowed them to complete whatever twisted plan they had for her, she would be as good as dead.
The second vampire, the one who had been silent until now, stepped forward, his eyes glowing with a feral hunger. "Enough with the defiance. You will come to understand. All of you—*all of this*—is for the greater good of our kind."
The words were laced with such chilling certainty that they sent a jolt of fear through Karina’s chest. They didn’t see her as a person. They didn’t see her as anything but a necessary part of their scheme.
Her thoughts raced. The only way out was to escape—and to do that, she needed to gain control over the situation. She couldn’t wait for some miracle. She needed to act.
She closed her eyes for a moment, her breath steadying. She felt the faint echo of the blood magic coursing through her veins, the dark power that the vampire had imbued in her when he drained her blood. A whisper of energy, ancient and oppressive, curled at the edges of her senses. She could feel it, like a weight pressing on her, but also… something else. *A door*, waiting to be unlocked.
*It’s not just the prince’s power you hold within you,* she realized. *It’s my own.*
She didn’t know how or why, but in that moment, something in her shifted. Karina wasn’t just a victim here. She had something they wanted. She had power of her own, even if she didn’t fully understand it yet. She had to find a way to use that power, to turn it against them.
But she couldn’t do it alone. She needed information. She needed allies.
Suddenly, her mind focused on the smaller vampire—the one who had drained her blood earlier. He had shown interest in her strength. *He* might be her way out.
The taller vampire spoke again, his words pulling Karina from her thoughts. “Prepare her for the ritual. The Third Prince is close to awakening.”
“No,” Karina said sharply, her voice clear and strong, more forceful than before. “I won’t be your *sacrifice*.”
The vampire’s eyes narrowed. "You’ll learn, Karina. You will *accept* your fate."
With that, he stepped back, signaling to the other vampire to prepare her. But Karina wasn’t listening anymore. She wasn’t helpless. She wasn’t just a tool for their plans.
*She was the key.*
And she would find a way to use that key to break free.
Related chapters
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 5
Chapter 5: Unseen PathsThe vampire’s cold laugh reverberated in the stone chamber, but Karina’s resolve only hardened. Her mind was a storm of confusion and fury, but beneath the chaos, there was a single, undeniable truth—*they were underestimating her.*They thought she was just a girl—broken, terrified, a tool to be used. But she wasn’t just some vessel. The power in her blood, the strange connection to Zorana's royal line, had awakened something deep inside her. Something primal. It pulsed like a distant drumbeat, urging her to fight.The taller vampire—he seemed to be the leader of this twisted circus—stepped back, his golden eyes gleaming with satisfaction, like a predator savoring a meal it had yet to consume. His presence was suffocating, like the weight of centuries pressing down on her. He had been waiting for her to break. But Karina wasn’t about to give him that satisfaction.“I won’t be part of your rituals,” she said again, her voice stronger this time. “You don’t contro
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 6
Chapter 6: The Price of PowerKarina stood at the center of the dimly lit chamber, the weight of the moment pressing on her chest. Her fingers tingled with the strange, foreign power that surged beneath her skin. The bloodline—her blood—was the key to something far darker than she had imagined. But the deeper she felt into it, the clearer it became: this wasn’t just a ritual. This was a war—one that would cost her everything, but one she could win.The vampires hadn’t anticipated her strength, and for the first time since she’d been brought to this place, she wasn’t the prey. She wasn’t helpless. The power in her veins, dark and ancient, was hers to control… *if she could figure out how.*The room around her seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy, as if the walls themselves were alive, waiting for something—or someone. The symbols carved into the stone seemed to shift and writhe in her peripheral vision, their meaning lost to her, but the sensation they gave off was undeniable. They
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 7
Chapter 7: The Choice of the DamnedThe room had fallen into an eerie stillness. The air was thick with tension, and the power inside Karina thrummed with a deafening intensity. The ancient magic that had awakened in her veins was still a storm waiting to burst free, and she could feel its pulse—stronger, hotter, darker—surging through her, threatening to overwhelm her.She was no longer the scared, helpless girl who had stumbled into this world of vampires, bloodlines, and ancient rituals. No longer the pawn in someone else’s game. She had seen what was at stake. She knew the power she held, and she had made her choice.Her heart pounded in her chest as she stood there, the room humming with the magic of the Third Prince’s rising, waiting for her to unleash it. The vampires who stood before her—the ones who had thought her weak, who had treated her like an expendable tool—were now nothing more than obstacles in her path. And yet, as the power swelled within her, Karina felt a flicker
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 8
Chapter 8: Unspoken WordsThe air in the stone chamber felt heavy—laden with power and tension—and Karina could hardly breathe as she stood there, her body still humming with the unnatural force she had unleashed. The prince's power stirred inside her, pulling at her insides, like an unrelenting tide. She had made her choice, but with it came a new weight, a new responsibility that she wasn’t entirely sure she was prepared for.As the dust settled, and the room calmed, her mind tried to focus on the reality of what she had done. There was no going back. The prince—whatever he was now, whatever she had unleashed inside herself—was connected to her. And that would change everything.But there was something else that tugged at her attention, something she couldn’t fully escape. Something *or someone*.Caden.He was standing a few paces away, watching her with those glowing amber eyes, his expression unreadable. His silence was both comforting and maddening at the same time. The feeling be
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 9
Chapter 9: The Breaking PointThe night was thick with the kind of darkness that only existed in places forgotten by the sun. The air was heavy, saturated with the scent of blood and old stone, and the shadows seemed to stretch forever in the vast corridors of the underground castle. Karina stood at the edge of the chamber, her fists clenched by her sides, trying to breathe past the tension that coiled in her chest.She had come to a realization—something both simple and terrifying. The prince was waking, but in a way that felt almost wrong. She had felt the first stirrings of his power deep inside her, like a second heartbeat, slow and constant. And with it, there was an undeniable pull, an invisible thread that connected her to him in ways that felt both primal and unsettling. But it wasn’t just the prince she felt tugging at her.*It was Caden.*The vampire who had bound her with his blood, who had made her feel both powerless and powerful at once. He was everywhere now—his presence
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 10
Chapter 10: The UnravelingThe cold stone walls of the underground castle seemed to close in on Karina as she walked deeper into the heart of the darkened labyrinth. Her footsteps echoed softly, but the silence that followed felt heavier, oppressive. The air was thick with the scent of dampness and ancient decay. Each corner she rounded brought her closer to the truth, but the closer she got, the less she wanted to know. Her mind churned, swirling with the aftermath of what had transpired. The awakening of the prince. The bond that tied her to him. To them.Caden’s words echoed in her mind: *You don’t have to do this alone.* But how could she trust anyone now? Especially him? The vampire who had done nothing but confuse her, push her, test her resolve. What game was he playing? She didn’t know where his loyalties lay, but one thing was for certain: he wasn’t offering a way out. He was offering *something*—something she couldn’t yet name. And it terrified her.The deeper she went, the
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 11
Chapter 11: Tangled EmotionsThe night air was thick with tension as Karina stood just outside the castle’s massive gates, her breath forming faint clouds in the cool darkness. She hadn't realized how much she'd been holding in until the cool breeze hit her skin, cooling the heat that had been building inside her chest ever since the prince's confrontation. The feeling of Caden's hand in hers still lingered, as if the spark from his touch hadn't quite faded. She wasn’t sure what to make of it yet—of *him*. Everything had happened so quickly, and yet there was a depth to what they’d shared in those fleeting moments. A connection that was undeniable. But she couldn’t let herself be distracted. Not now. *Focus,* she reminded herself. She had bigger things to deal with—things that weren’t about her confusing feelings for Caden. Not yet, anyway. Her eyes scanned the courtyard, the flickering torchlight casting shadows across the stone walkway. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the princ
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Fractured LoyaltiesThe silence between Karina and Caden was thick, heavy with unspoken words. She hadn’t realized how much time had passed until Caden spoke, his voice a quiet whisper that seemed to echo in the stillness of the courtyard."Karina... you don't have to worry about her."Karina swallowed, the words lingering in her throat like a bitter taste. "I’m not worried," she said, too quickly, trying to mask the uneasy flutter in her chest. "I just... don’t understand why she came back now. After all this time."Caden glanced at her, his expression unreadable, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of something—uncertainty, maybe? Or was it guilt? It was hard to tell. "She’s always been like that," he said after a pause, his voice hardening just slightly. "Coming and going, whenever she feels like it. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is—" He stopped mid-sentence, his jaw tightening. Karina turned away before she could stop herself, staring at the stone pathway beneath
Latest chapter
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 40
Chapter 40: A New DawnThe first thing Caden noticed when he woke was the warmth of the sunlight spilling through the thick curtains, casting soft golden rays across the room. It felt like a strange comfort after the cold darkness that had gripped him for so long. His body was still heavy with fatigue, his muscles aching, but there was a new kind of peace surrounding him. The panic, the fear, the doubt that had plagued him in his final moments—before everything had gone black—were gone.His eyes fluttered open, taking in the sight before him.Luka and Silas were sprawled across the bed, their little bodies pressed up against his own, one with his head on Caden’s chest, the other curled up against his side. The twins looked like two miniature versions of him, their dark hair tousled from sleep, their peaceful expressions a world away from the chaos they had faced. It was a rare moment of serenity—one that he had never thought he woul
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 39
Chapter 39: The Edge of HopeThe castle was a place of silence now, a silence that felt heavier than any battle, more suffocating than any chaos that had once stormed through its halls. The sounds of war had faded, replaced by the steady drip of blood, the low hum of magic, and the frantic whispers of those who had witnessed Zorana's near destruction.Caden was unconscious.Karina sat by his side, her hand resting on his chest, her eyes fixed on his face, willing him to wake. She had seen him fight with all the fury of his vampire lineage, watched as he gave everything to save the kingdom—and the twins—but now he lay still, his body ravaged by the toll of his heroism.She couldn’t understand it. He had survived so much, faced so many enemies, but this—this felt different. There was no strength left in him. No energy to reach back to her.Hours turned into days, and still, there was no sign of him stirring.She r
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 38
Chapter 38: The Heart of ChaosThe storm had come.The kingdom of Zorana, once a place of quiet power and ancient beauty, was now a sprawling battlefield, its towering spires and royal halls echoing with the sounds of war. The earth seemed to tremble beneath the weight of the chaos, and every street in the city was filled with the sounds of clashing steel, cries of pain, and the unmistakable growl of vampires hungry for blood.Lena had set everything into motion.Her treachery, her desire to claim Zorana for herself, had not only destabilized the kingdom but had awakened a faction of vampires long thought dormant—the ancient bloodline of Zorana that had been sealed away by Caden’s ancestors. And now, with the veil of secrecy torn away, the kingdom was fractured and at war.Caden had never felt the weight of responsibility so heavily on his shoulders. As he stood at the palace gates, overlooking the battlefield, his heart pounded in his
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 37
Chapter 37: Unveiling the TruthThe days had been slow, but steady. For Karina, it was a battle of trust—her heart still sore from the wounds that Lena’s betrayal had left, and the distance that had grown between her and Caden over the years. But Caden was trying. She could see it in the way he looked at her now, the quiet tenderness in his eyes, the way he reached for her hand when no one was watching, the effort he put into rebuilding their connection.Still, there was a part of her that hesitated. She had loved him once with all of her heart, but could she truly open herself to him again? Could she trust him not to slip back into the same mistakes? Could she trust him with her heart when he had once shattered it?As the sun set behind the mountains, casting a warm glow across the palace grounds, Karina stood at the balcony overlooking the courtyard. Her twins, Luka and Silas, were playing with Cael, their younger half-brother, who had begun to war
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 36
Chapter 36: Rebuilding the BrokenThe grand halls of the palace, once filled with tension and deceit, were now quiet, the air thick with a sense of cautious hope. The revelation of Lena’s betrayal had left scars on everyone involved, but there was a strange peace beginning to settle, like the calm after a storm. Yet, for all the progress, a deeper wound remained, one that neither time nor actions could easily heal.Caden stood by the window of his chambers, staring out at the sprawling grounds below. The kingdom of Zorana had been shaken to its core, and the palace was no exception. Lena’s treachery had poisoned every corner of their lives, and the aftermath was still raw. His eyes flickered briefly to the door as he heard the soft click of footsteps approaching—Karina’s footsteps.She had been avoiding him, as she had every day since the truth about Lena came to light. Karina was still here in the palace, still by his side for the sake o
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 35
Chapter 35: The Unraveling of DeceitThe tension in the palace had reached a breaking point. For years, Lena had carefully woven a web of lies, manipulating those around her, pulling strings from the shadows to achieve her ultimate goal: to see her son Cael crowned as the King of Zorana, and to rid herself of all threats to her power. But now, with each passing day, that web had started to unravel.Luka and Silas, though still young, had unknowingly become the center of a deadly game—a game that Lena had played with ruthless precision. She had used them as pawns, trying to erase any trace of their true heritage, to force Caden’s heart and mind to believe that they weren’t his children. But no amount of manipulation, no number of schemes, could keep the truth buried forever.The revelation had come unexpectedly, triggered by a series of events that no one could have predicted. Caden had believed Lena’s lies, had trusted her—just as K
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 34
Chapter 34: The Tides of BetrayalThe sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the palace grounds. In the garden, the vibrant flowers bloomed in defiance of the encroaching darkness, their colors vivid and bright. But despite the beauty of the world around them, a sense of unease hung in the air. A storm was coming—one that Caden couldn’t yet see but could feel in his bones.Luka and Silas played in the garden, their laughter echoing against the stone walls. Their innocence, their unguarded joy, was a stark contrast to the growing tension inside the palace. Caden watched from the window of his study, his eyes flicking between the twins as they ran, their faces lit with the pure, untarnished joy of childhood. For a moment, everything felt right. But that moment was fleeting.A shadow loomed at the edge of the garden, unnoticed by the children but impossible to ignore to anyone who had learned to recognize the signs of danger. And that shad
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 33
Chapter 33: The Mirror of TruthThe castle was eerily quiet, as if it too had learned to hold its breath. The noise of the bustling court, the clash of swords, and the murmurs of servants all seemed distant to Caden as he stood alone in the royal library, staring into the mirror that had once belonged to his mother, Queen Aurelia.His reflection gazed back at him, but it was not the same man he had seen six years ago. He was different now—grief had reshaped him, as had the betrayals, the wars, and the many heartaches. But the most startling change was the one that had come with the appearance of Luka and Silas—the twins.They were so young—only six years old—but there was no denying the resemblance. When Caden first laid eyes on them, he had brushed off the strange connection he felt, telling himself they were just children, just a consequence of his tumultuous past. Yet, the more time he spent with them, the more undeniable the tru
The Prince of Zorana Chapter 32
Chapter 32: Unseen BondsThe palace was a cold, lifeless place now. The halls that once echoed with joy, laughter, and the soft steps of loved ones now reverberated with the heavy silence of confinement, of punishment, and of memories that no longer held warmth.Karina’s heart was heavy with anger as she paced back and forth outside the palace prison, her fists clenched at her sides. The guards had barely let her step foot past the outer gates before they had refused her access to the twins. Luka and Silas, her boys, her flesh and blood, had been imprisoned without trial, without cause. Her sons were being treated like criminals, and it burned her to the core. She could hear their voices echoing in her mind—innocent, confused, and afraid—and it made her blood boil to think of them locked away in those cold, stone cells.She couldn’t—*wouldn’t*—stand for it.Karina had fought for the twins' safety for years, hidden
