Alexander hated this place. It reeked of everything he despised-power, manipulation, and betrayal. But here he was, willingly stepping into the lair of the one creature who had torn him apart in ways even centuries of life hadn't mended.
Lilith Conrad.
He could already feel her presence, that cloying energy that always seemed to curl around him like smoke, choking the air from his lungs. His jaw tightened as he climbed the stone steps to the castle's entrance, his boots echoing against the unforgiving stone. The guards didn't stop him; they didn't need to. They knew who he was and why he was here.
Alexander had played this game long enough to know the rules, but this time, the stakes were higher. This time, he wasn't here for himself.
The grand hall was dark and oppressive, with massive chandeliers dripping with blood-red crystals. Flames danced in sconces along the walls, casting shadows that seemed to twist and writhe like living things. The scent of roses and death permeated the air, a combination that was uniquely hers.
But it wasn't her that drew his attention first.
A human man knelt before her, his arms shackled to the floor with iron chains. His shirt hung in tatters from his gaunt frame, and his head lolled to one side, revealing the fresh puncture wounds on his neck. Blood dripped slowly from the wounds, staining his collarbone crimson.
Lilith's fingers trailed idly along the man's jaw as she turned her piercing gaze to Alexander. Her lips, painted a deep red, curved into a knowing smile as her fangs glistened with the man's blood.
"I was beginning to think you wouldn't come." She purred, her voice as smooth as velvet.
Alexander stopped a few feet from her, his posture rigid. "You got what you wanted." He said flatly. "I'm here."
"You're so cold." She said, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Not even a greeting for your bride-to-be."
He stopped a few feet from her, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I'm not here for pleasantries, Lilith." He forced himself to ignore the chained human, though the faint groans of pain sent a flicker of anger through him. "You wanted my answer, and you have it. I'll agree to your proposal."
"Such devotion." Lilith said, rising gracefully from her throne. She moved like a predator, each step deliberate and measured, her bare feet silent against the cold stone floor. "And here I thought you'd forgotten how to care for someone."
"This isn't about devotion." Alexander snapped. "It's about protecting her. You made it perfectly clear that if I don't agree to this...arrangement, you'll make her life a living hell."
Lilith tilted her head, feigning innocence. "I simply wanted to remind you of what's at stake. But don't worry, darling. Your little human is of no interest to me...as long as you keep your end of the bargain."
He growled, the urge to strike her barely contained. "You will leave her alone after this marriage is done."
Lilith tilted her head, studying him with an almost childlike curiosity. "Oh Alex." She said softly, her fingers brushing against the chained man's shoulder. The human flinched, his shallow breathing hitching as she trailed her nails along his skin. "Do you think she would love you as much if she knew what you were sacrificing for her?"
His jaw tightened, but he refused to rise to her bait. "Leave her out of this." He said coldly. "This is between you and me."
"But it's not, is it?" Lilith countered, her smile turning wicked. "Your precious little human is the reason you're here, the reason you've dragged yourself back to me after all these years. You'd do anything to protect her, wouldn't you? Even if it means chaining yourself to me for eternity."
Alexander's chest tightened, but he kept his expression carefully neutral. "What do you want from me, Lilith?" He asked, his voice low and dangerous. "You've already won. Just tell me what you need to hear so we can get this over with."
Lilith moved closer, her hand brushing against his chest as she leaned in, her voice a whisper against his ear. "I want you to say it." She murmured. "Say the words. Make it real."
He clenched his fists at his sides, his instincts screaming at him to strike, to rip her apart and end this nightmare. But he couldn't. Not with the human girl's life hanging in the balance.
Alexander's jaw tightened, his fangs glinting briefly as his mouth formed a snarl. "I'll marry you, but I meant what I said, you will leave Jane alone. You will never go near her again. Ever."
Lilith leaned back, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "You're in no position to make demands. You, however..."
Her fingers traced the line of his jaw, and he caught her wrist in an iron grip, his fangs bared in warning. "Don't push me, Lilith."
Her smile widened, and she pulled her hand free with an infuriating ease. "I wouldn't dream of it." She said sweetly.
"Then, say it. You will leave her alone. Forever." He growled, his voice trembling with rage.
"Forever is such a long time." Lilith said, her smile turning sly. "But I suppose I can agree to that...as long as you remain faithful to me."
Alexander's stomach churned at the thought, but he forced himself to nod. "Fine."
She stepped closer, her fingers trailing along the edge of Alexander's jaw. He flinched at the touch but didn't move away. "You used to look at me with such passion." She said softly, her voice laced with mock sadness. "Do you really hate me now?"
"I loathe you." He said coldly, his eyes narrowing.
Her smile didn't waver, though a flicker of something darker passed through her gaze. "Hate is such a waste of energy, but no matter. You'll come around. You always do."
Alexander took a step back, putting distance between them. "Don't mistake this for anything other than what it is, Lilith. A deal. Nothing more."
She laughed then, a low, melodic sound that sent chills down his spine. "You're so dramatic." She said, turning away from him and ascending the steps to her throne. "But very well. If this is a deal, then let's make it official."
She snapped her fingers, and Vladislaus appeared, carrying a scroll and a quill. The parchment gleamed faintly in the dim light, its words written in a language older than time.
"This." Lilith said, gesturing to the scroll. "Is our contract. Your name, written in your blood, will seal it. Once signed, there will be no going back."
Alexander's chest tightened as he stared at the parchment. He knew what this meant-binding himself to her in every way, sacrificing his freedom, his future, for the sake of the girl he loved.
But he didn't hesitate.
The vows were spoken, the union sealed as was custom among their kind. Then, Alexander took the quill from the Vladislaus, pricking his finger on its sharp tip. Blood welled up instantly, and he pressed the quill to the parchment, scrawling his name in bold, red strokes.
Lilith watched him with a satisfied smile, her eyes gleaming with victory. "There. Was that so difficult?"
Alexander's jaw tightened. He wanted nothing more than to destroy her, to rip her power apart and end her reign of terror. But he couldn't risk it-not with Jane's life hanging in the balance.
"And now, my darling." She said, her voice dripping with mockery. "It's time to complete the bond. Shall we retire?"
********************
The chamber they entered was both opulent and suffocating. Heavy curtains of blood-red velvet draped the walls, and a massive bed dominated the centre of the space, its black silk sheets shimmering faintly in the candlelight.
Alexander halted just inside the door, his shoulders rigid, his gaze fixed on the floor. Lilith turned to face him, her expression softening into a mockery of tenderness.
"Still brooding over your little human?" She said, reaching up to trace a finger along his jawline. "You'll find this much easier if you stop fighting it."
"I will never stop fighting you." Alexander said, his voice low and dangerous.
Her smile widened, a glint of amusement flickering in her silver eyes. "Oh, my love, you can fight me all you like. It won't change a thing. The bond must be consummated tonight, or it will not hold. And I will not allow anything to jeopardise my plans."
Alexander's hands clenched into fists. "This isn't a marriage. It's a prison sentence."
Lilith's laughter was sharp and cold. She stepped closer, her fingers trailing down his chest, her touch light but commanding. "Call it what you will, but tonight, you are mine. The sooner you accept that, the sooner we can both move on."
Alexander glared at her, his defiance blazing despite the chains of magic that bound him. But when she gestured toward the bed, the spell tightened around him, forcing his body to move. He hated the way his limbs betrayed him, the way the magic sapped his will and replaced it with obedience.
He sat on the edge of the bed, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached. Lilith stood before him, her gown slipping from her shoulders in a whisper of fabric. She climbed onto the bed, her movements slow and deliberate, her smile never wavering.
"This could be enjoyable, you know." She said, her voice silk-soft as she straddled him. "If only you'd stop resisting."
Alexander hands gripped the edge of the bed, his body stiff with tension. "You disgust me." He growled.
Lilith's smile faltered for a fraction of a second before she regained her composure. "Disgust or desire-does it really matter? The bond requires only one thing, and that is completion. Your feelings are irrelevant."
She leaned closer, her lips brushing against his neck. Alexander flinched, his entire body recoiling from her touch, but the magic kept him in place. Her fangs grazed his skin, sending a shiver of revulsion through him.
"Do it." Alexander said through gritted teeth. "Get it over with."
Lilith's eyes glittered with triumph as she sank her fangs into his neck. The pain was sharp, fleeting, before it was overtaken by the heat of the magic binding them. Alexander's breath hitched as the ritual's power surged through him, amplifying every sensation.
Lilith's hands moved over him, her touch possessive as she fed from him, their blood mingling and sealing the bond. When she finally pulled back, her lips were stained crimson, her eyes glowing with dark satisfaction.
"Your turn." She murmured, baring her neck to him.
Alexander hesitated, his instincts screaming against what he was being forced to do. But the spell left him no choice. His fangs extended, and he bit down, drawing her blood into his mouth. It burned as it slid down his throat, a toxic mixture of power and corruption.
"There's my good husband." Lilith purred, stroking his hair as he drank.
When she finally pulled away, Alexander's eyes blazed with fury. His lips were stained with her blood, the taste of it lingering like poison in his mouth.
"Do you think of her even now? Her warm, soft hands, her fragile little heartbeat? Such a shame she'll never feel this..." Her hand trailed lower, the possessive touch enough to make him flinch.
"Enough." He snarled, his voice a low growl. "You've gotten what you wanted, Lilith. Don't push me further."
Her laughter was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade. "Oh, Alex, you misunderstand. I haven't gotten what I wanted-not yet. And as much as you might loathe me, as much as you might fight this, you will give me what I am owed."
Her eyes glinted with dark power, and Alexander's stomach churned. He had underestimated her cruelty before, but now he realised the depths she was willing to sink to.
"I mean, seriously, did you really believe she could replace me?" Lilith purred, her fingers brushed against his jaw, forcing him to look at her.
"You're not her." Alexander growled, his voice thick with barely restrained fury. "And you never will be."
"No, I am not her." She whispered, her voice laced with dark amusement. "But tonight, you will belong to me."
Suddenly, Alexander loomed above her, grabbed her hands and pinned them next to her head. "My soul belongs to her. No ritual will ever change that."
Her hand traced down his abdomen, her nails scraping against his skin, leaving faint red marks in their wake. "Lie with me, Alex. Let us complete the ritual and claim the power that is rightfully ours."
He shifted his hips and in one brutal thrust, he plunged into her, filling her so suddenly she cried out in shock. Still holding her hands pinned, Alexander's gaze remained fixed ahead as he performed his duty. Lilith's gaze was fixed on his as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, closer.
Suddenly, Alexander grabbed her under the knees and raised her hips for deeper access. His thrusts were ruthless now as he slammed into her over and over. Their bodies slapped together, luscious and wet. Lilith's cries grew louder, more desperate, as the pleasure mounted.
Without a word, Alexander flipped her over, positioning her on her hands and knees in the middle of the bed. Then, he plunged into her, steadying her with hands gripping her hips. He wrapped her long hair around his fist and gently tugged her head back. She followed his lead rising up to her knees to meet his mouth in a firm kiss.
Finally he released her, placing her hands back on the bed. He slammed into her sheath so hard she fell forward onto her elbows. Alexander closed his eyes, his mind retreating thoughts of Jane-the warmth of her smile, the sound of her laughter, the way her touch had made him feel alive again. He clung to those memories like a lifeline, even as Lilith's hands roamed over him, her movements growing more insistent.
When it was over, Alexander lay motionless, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. Lilith curled beside him, her hand tracing idle patterns on his skin, her smile one of utter victory. "You belong to me now, Alexander. In every way that matters."
Alexander lay still, his body tense and his mind swirling with rage, revulsion, and despair. The bond's magic pulsed faintly around them, a constant reminder of what had just transpired.
But even in the depths of his despair, Alexander's resolve burned like a single flame in the darkness. Lilith may have claimed his body, his blood, and his magic, but she would never have his soul. For Jane's sake-for his own-he would find a way to break free.
One day, he promised himself. One day, I will destroy her.