Prologue

Zachary knew Dianne's love for him vanished. She was only staying because of their seven-year-old son, Calvin. For vampires who were not soulmates, it was amazing that they stayed for almost a century. And even had a child. 

"Dianne," he started. He wanted to hold her and embraced her while feeling her warmth but he held back. Her back was on him. They were in bed but they were not sleeping. It was nighttime but none of them wanted to succumb to sleep. Their child was on the other side of the room, sleeping. Peacefully. 

When a vampire reaches the age of eighteen, their body starts to transition to become an immortal. Some lives but some also died. It depends on the individual's body. If his body survives the changes. 

"What?" she spat. She inched closer at the edge of the bed. She did not do it before. Dianne loved to cuddle with him. Then Zachary would sniff her hair. She would smell of oranges, pleasing to his nose. 

"Do we have a problem?" he whispered. He knew she could hear him. Vampires had excellent hearing. 

He wanted to fix this relationship. He loved her so much that it would kill him if she left him. He would be devastated.

"Stop whining, Zach. You're not even my mate. Who gives you the right?" she said in anger.

"Please lower your voice. Our child may hear us. It's not good for the children’s mental development if they hear their parents fight. I want Calvin to experience a happy childhood."

She faced him. Finally. But the intensity of her hatred towards him bores his soul. It felt like tiny pieces of knives stabbed his heart. It was not alive. It will only pump some blood if he found his mate. But Zachary did not want that to happen. He wanted nothing but Dianne and Calvin alone.

She was not like this. Dianne was the most lovable vampire he knew. That's why he courted her. He brought her tulips, which was her favorite flower every single day. Without missing any day.  Which was taboo. Vampires have one soulmate in a lifetime. Their other half. They should wait for their arrival. But he didn't. He pursued Dianne. Mate or not. 

Maybe that was a bad decision? But no. He did not regret anything. Calvin and Dianne was the most beautiful that happened in his life.

Dianne loved him for once, right? She had loved him, right?

"Enough with your preaching. It doesn't suit you. Maybe I should tell you now. I found my mate. He’s name is Gregory."

Zachary's world stopped. No, no, no!

"Don't leave me, Dianne. I loved you so much. His mark was still not found on you. You're heart is still not beating."

She jumped out of bed. He went after her. 

Every male vampire marks their mates by biting them on the chest. That would ward off any males around their females. That was a sign of marking their territories. A silent proclamation that whoever dares to approach their mates will result in death. 

"That's the tragic part. I couldn't. Not without Calvin. But my mate would kill me if he found out I already had a child. He would do the same to you."

"I will defend both of you," he proudly said. 

He was a warrior serving Datu Humalik, the chieftain of their tribe. He was a human who possessed powers that a simple human shouldn't have. He did enormous training. They were trained to serve, protect, and kill enemies depending on the necessity of the situations. Side by side, he served together with Datu Humalik's son, Kidlat. 

This time, he will kill whoever threatened his woman and his child. 

"I want to be with him, Zach! Don't you understand? He is my mate! You wouldn't understand. 'Cause you don't have one."

"You're my mate!" 

She laughed bitterly. "Oh come on. Stop your delusions. You're not. If you are, you should have already left your mark on me. You tried countless times but you failed. I will try to make Gregory understand. I will tell him about my son." 

“He’s not only your son. He’s also mine.”

Zachary wanted to reason out with her but it looked like she did not want to listen anymore. She was blinded by her soulmate.

“Calvin goes with me,” she declared.

“Oh you wouldn’t try,” he insisted. Over his dead body.

Dianne opened her eyes but closed when they sniffed the smell of the air. It was an intruder! Who else could that be?

Dianne’s eyes lit. “That’s my mate. I know it! Gregory!”

She ran towards the door and they were greeted by a man. He stood 6 feet tall. There were no strands of hair on his hairline. The veins on his biceps were visible. He bared his fangs upon landing his eyes on Zachary. “Mine!” he declared. His eyes fixated on Dianne. 

The intruder charged! 

Zachary tried to protect Dianne as much as possible from the man’s attack but it was difficult. He was hit in every part of his body. The woman was not helping when she scratched and bit his arms. But his hold on her only tightened even more. He will never let her go. Mate or not. Dianne belonged to them. They were her family. Not this man! Not this Gregory. 

Gregory punched him on his stomach with so much force making him breathless. Zachary arched his back when he landed on the floor. He cried in agony. He took all of the force just to protect his wife. But alas. Dianne used that opportunity to break away from him and ran towards Gregory.

He felt betrayed.

He shook his head. His vision darkened but he mustn’t succumb to the darkness. 

The man smiled at the damage he caused on his body. What’s worse was that his wife’s worry was addressed to Gregory, not him! She inspected for any damages. It was him who was bleeding. It was him whose body was dying from the pain. 

What hurts more was not the physical wound but the affection that his wife was giving to the man. He should be the one who would receive all of that!

Zachary slowly stood on his feet. Never will he allow this man to get his wife. He charged and punched him with all his might. He was able to dodge the attack and counterattack. The man brought out his knife and stabbed him a couple of times. With his remaining strength, he used it and punched Gregory in the stomach. He succeeded. The intruder writhed in pain. Using the chance, Zachary kicked his knife away from him and punched him on the face.

He did not hear the cries of his wife in the background.

Kill. Kill. Kill.

He only stopped when small hands tugged his clothes. It was Calvin. “D-daddy?”

His hands shook. 

Zachary pushed away the monster inside him who was awakened. He was still seeing red and wanted to kill the man but the fear in his child’s eye calmed him slowly. He wanted to tear away Gregory’s  heart. 

A tear escaped from his eyes. “I'm sorry, Calvin. It was wrong to see me like this.”

There was blood all over his eyes. It was nearly numb from the pain. Some furniture in their home was broken. The paintings on the wall fall. Some part of the wall cracked. 

“Stay away from the child, you murderer!” Dianne cried. She snatched Calvin away from him and covered his eyes. “You nearly killed my mate! I will not forgive you. Don’t ever dare step closer or else, I will kill myself.”

“It was merely self-defense, Dianne! You know that. If I do not protect myself, your so-called mate will kill me. What the heck am I supposed to do? Wait for my death?”

“I’m never gonna listen to all your excuses. Get out of this house before you will regret something for the rest of your life.”

Zachary stared at Gregory. He was still breathing. But slowly. Vampires heals fast but based on his wound, it will take a lot of time. He will need to consume a lot of blood. 

“You are not even concerned about my wounds? All you care is that man? You're pathetic, Dianne.”

“Enough! I said. Get out!”

 Calvin whimpered. 

He sighed, defeated. For his son, he will leave this place. He wanted to kiss him one last time but the knife on his wife’s hand told him she was not joking about her threats. 

He stepped back.

“Take care of our child,” he said then went out. He went back the next day but her wife and child were nowhere to be seen. All that was left were the ashes of their house. He bellowed in agony.