Chapter 1 – The Hollow Crown
The roar of the stadium was deafening.
Flares lit the night sky crimson, chants of thousands echoing like a war cry. Cameras followed his every step, but to Iyan Blackwood, the noise was only an empty storm.
He raised his hands in victory, sweat dripping down his jawline, his name blazing on giant screens across the world. To the world, he was a god of the field—unstoppable, untouchable.
But inside, he felt nothing.
Later that night, when the city slept, Iyan sat alone on the rooftop of his penthouse, staring into the restless dark. His trophies glittered behind glass, but they did not warm him. Fame was supposed to mean everything. Yet, in the silence, he felt like a ghost in his own life.
Then came the storm.
Rain lashed against the city, lightning slicing the horizon. From his rooftop, Iyan noticed a figure staggering in the street below—barefoot, drenched, her hair a wild curtain of silver against the black rain. She looked fragile, yet there was something terrifyingly ancient in the way she carried herself.
Drawn by an impulse he couldn't name, Iyan rushed down, ignoring the thunder.
When he reached her, she collapsed against him. For a fleeting second, her golden eyes met his—eyes that did not belong to any human he had ever known. They burned like molten fire, fierce and broken, carrying the weight of centuries.
"I… have fallen too far," she whispered, her voice cracked like shattered glass.
Before he could ask her name, she fainted in his arms.
Iyan held her close, heart pounding with a fear he could not explain. He had saved strangers before—but this one felt different. This one felt like destiny.
And in that rain-soaked night, the story of the Dragon Queen and the broken star began.
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Chapter 2 – The Stranger in the Storm
Iyan carried the unconscious woman through the rain, her weight strangely light, as if she were made of mist. The storm drowned the streets, but he didn't care. Something about her—the fire in her eyes, the broken strength in her whisper—compelled him.
Inside his penthouse, he laid her on the leather couch. Water pooled beneath her, her silver hair clinging to her skin like threads of moonlight. Her lips trembled as though she fought an invisible battle, even in sleep.
He fetched a blanket, but as he touched her wrist, he froze. Her pulse wasn't right—too slow, too powerful, as if it echoed like the beating of war drums.
Her skin was fever-hot, but not with sickness. It was the heat of something… unnatural.
Lightning flashed through the glass windows, illuminating her face. She was beautiful, yes, but not in any way that felt human. Her features were sharp, timeless, carved with a regal elegance that seemed out of place in his modern world.
Suddenly, her golden eyes shot open.
Iyan staggered back. The glow in them was faint, like embers struggling against ash, but it was enough to still his breath.
"Where… am I?" she whispered, her voice both fragile and commanding.
"You collapsed," he answered carefully. "I brought you here. You were—"
"You should not have," she cut him off, her gaze burning into his. "Mortals who touch me never keep their peace."
Iyan blinked, thinking he'd misheard. Mortals?
"You're hurt," he said instead. "At least let me help."
Her eyes softened, just for a heartbeat. Then she looked away, whispering almost to herself, "Help? No one can help what has already fallen."
And then she spoke her name.
"Vensi."
The sound of it curled through the air like an incantation, heavy with forgotten power.
Iyan didn't know why, but in that moment, he knew his life had just changed forever.
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Chapter 3 – The Ashes of a Queen
The sound of rain.
The faint hum of mortal life.
It was all too fragile, too fleeting.
Vensi sat wrapped in a blanket, golden eyes dimmed, staring at the strange city lights beyond the glass walls. So much metal, so much noise, and yet… so little soul.
Once, she had ruled skies that blazed with dragonfire. Once, her name had bent armies to their knees. Vensi Fair, Dragon Queen of the Emberthrone.
Now? She was nothing but a shadow.
Her chest still ached where the betrayal had cut deepest. A dagger of dragonsteel, driven not by an enemy—but by one she had called kin. Her wings had been torn from her, her fire locked away in chains of cursed silver. Cast out from her realm, she had fallen into this frail world of mortals, stripped of everything that made her queen.
And yet… when she had collapsed in the storm, this human had carried her.
Her gaze flicked toward him now—Iyan Blackwood. He moved through the apartment with careless grace, muscles shifting beneath his shirt as he poured her water. She knew his type: mortals who bathed in adoration, who believed themselves gods because the world screamed their names.
But this one was… different. There was a hollowness in him she recognized. A loneliness that mirrored her own.
He set the glass down before her. "You should drink," he said softly, careful not to startle her.
Vensi's lips curled in the faintest trace of a smile—bitter, sad. If he knew what I truly was, he would not offer me water. He would run from me.
Still, her fingers brushed his as she took the glass. The moment their skin touched, heat surged through her veins, startling her. A human should not be able to stir the remnants of her dragonfire… yet here he was, unknowingly fanning the embers of what she had lost.
"Why did you help me?" she asked, her voice low, dangerous.
Iyan shrugged lightly. "Because you looked like you needed saving."
A laugh slipped from her throat, sharp as broken glass. "No one can save me, mortal."
But even as she said it, her eyes betrayed her—burning with a question she dared not ask.
Could this human be different?
Could he see her not as a monster, nor a queen, but simply as… Vensi?
For the first time in centuries, the thought made her heart ache.
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Chapter 4 – The Fragile Masquerade
The storm had passed, leaving the city wrapped in a damp hush. Inside the penthouse, silence stretched between them.
Iyan leaned against the kitchen counter, studying her. Vensi sat curled on the couch, pale against the blanket, her golden eyes dulled but still carrying a strange glow. She looked like she belonged in a painting, not in his living room.
He had seen beauty before—models, actresses, the endless parade of perfection that followed fame. But this was different. Her beauty felt… dangerous. Like fire. Like something that could either warm him or burn him to ash.
"You don't talk much," he finally said, breaking the quiet.
Vensi tilted her head, her silver hair slipping over her shoulder. "And you talk too much, mortal."
Iyan chuckled, surprised by the sharpness in her tone. "You keep calling me that. Mortal. What does that make you?"
The question hung heavy. For a flicker of a moment, her eyes sharpened—like twin embers flaring back to life. His heart skipped.
But then she looked away, her voice cool as steel. "It makes me someone you should forget."
Iyan frowned. "I can't just forget. You collapsed in the rain, half-dead. You expect me to throw you back out there?"
Her gaze snapped to his, fierce. "Yes. Because kindness has a price you cannot pay."
For a long moment, neither spoke. Thunder still murmured far off in the night.
Finally, Iyan crossed the room, crouching in front of her. He reached out, hesitated, then brushed a damp strand of silver hair from her cheek. She stiffened at the touch, her breath sharp, as though the intimacy was more dangerous than any blade.
"You don't have to tell me everything," he said quietly. "But don't expect me to look away, either."
Her heart twisted—because in his eyes, she saw no greed, no hunger for power. Just stubborn concern. Just… human warmth.
It was dangerous. It was foolish. And still, it pulled her in like gravity.
Vensi swallowed, forcing her mask back on. "Your world is not mine, Iyan Blackwood."
But even as she said it, she felt the crack in her resolve. Because the moment he spoke her name—her true name—her chest burned with an ache she had long forgotten
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Chapter 5 – Embers in the Dark
The rain-slick city had finally quieted, but Iyan couldn't sleep. He found himself pacing, restless, his mind trapped between questions. Who was she? Why did she speak as though she didn't belong here? And why did her eyes—those molten golden eyes—feel like they were burning into his very soul?
On the couch, Vensi pretended to rest. In truth, her body throbbed with the ache of her broken bond to the Emberthrone. Every hour spent in this fragile world was torment. Her veins, once flooded with fire, now carried only faint echoes of power. And yet, there was something about this mortal that stirred the embers inside her. Dangerous. Unforgivable.
She shifted beneath the blanket. The glass of water on the table wobbled, then cracked—spiderweb fractures spreading across its surface. Heat curled around her fingertips, faint but undeniable.
No… control yourself, she thought sharply. She had promised herself she would not reveal the beast she once was.
But Iyan saw it.
The faint shimmer in the air. The steam rising from her skin. The way the water hissed as though boiling.
He froze. "What… was that?"
Vensi's head snapped toward him, her golden eyes flashing. For a heartbeat, the dragon within surged through—her pupils narrowing, fire flickering in the depths.
Iyan's breath caught. It wasn't possible, it wasn't human.
"I told you," she whispered, her voice trembling with fury and despair. "Kindness has a price you cannot pay."
The blanket slipped from her shoulders, and he saw it—etched faintly across her collarbone, glowing like embers under skin. Scales.
Iyan staggered back, heart pounding. Shock, disbelief, fear—all at once. But even then, instead of running, he whispered the only words that came to him.
"What are you?"
Vensi closed her eyes. She could have lied. Could have hidden behind silence. But instead, for the first time, she let truth slip like smoke into the air.
"I am what your kind has forgotten. I am fire bound in flesh. I am… the fallen queen of dragons."
The room went deathly silent.
And in that moment, their fates twisted tighter, a knot neither could ever untangle.
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Chapter 6 – The Mortal's Choice
Iyan stared at her, his mind scrambling to deny it, to reason it away. He thought maybe he was overtired, may be hallucinating. or may be the storm or the lights, his own exhaustion had tricked him. But the scales glowing faintly on her skin weren't tricks. The heat radiating from her wasn't a dream. And those eyes… no human eyes could burn like that.
Vensi turned away, shame carving shadows across her face. "Now you see. This is why you should have left me in the storm not trying to help me "
Her words were sharp, but they trembled. She expected fear, disgust, the mortal's instinct to flee. She had seen it before—long ago, in another age, when men raised their spears at her to kill them and called them monsters
But instead of fear and agony , silence stretched.
Then Iyan's voice broke it, steady but low with a smrink on his face . "You think I'm afraid of you?"
Her gaze snapped to him, startled. "You should be."
"Maybe." He swallowed hard, forcing his heart to steady. "But I've lived in crowds my whole life, surrounded by people who claim to know me, cheer for me, worship me—and I've never felt more alone. Then you show up, like you've stepped out of a nightmare and a dream at the same time, and for the first time in years I don't feel… empty."
Vensi's breath caught. He spoke with such raw honesty it cut through her like a blade which caused a sudden ache in for stone heart.
"You don't understand," she whispered, shaking her head. "If you stay near me, you'll burn trning into ashes and be seen nowhere."
"Then let me burn," Iyan said.
The words struck her harder than any sword. For a heartbeat, the fire in her veins flared, answering him, craving him. She turned away quickly, afraid he would see how much his defiance shook her.
But deep down, something shifted. For centuries she had been hunted, feared, betrayed. Yet this mortal—a man of flesh and bone, bound to a fragile world—looked at her and chose not fear, but her.
It was dangerous. Reckless. Impossible.
And it was the beginning of everything.
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Chapter 7 – Shadows Stir
The city had the illusion of peace, but Vensi felt it—an itch beneath her skin, the pull of old magic threading through the night air. Something had crossed the veil. Something that should not be here. She can sense the presence of danger that's approaching
She stood by the penthouse window, her bare feet silent against the glass floor. Below, neon lights painted the streets, but behind them, in the alleys where mortals never looked, shadows were moving.
Her eyes narrowed. They've found me.
Iyan came up behind her, his voice breaking the silence. "You've been staring out there for an hour. What are you looking for?"
Vensi didn't answer. She didn't dare. But her hand twitched as if yearning for a weapon she no longer possessed. Without her wings, without her fire, she was exposed. Vulnerable.
Then, faint but clear, a sound carried up through the rain-damp night. A shriek. Not human.
Iyan stiffened. "What the hell was that?"
Vensi's chest tightened. Memories surged—the hunters, cloaked in steel forged to kill her kind, their eyes hollow, their blades dripping with dragon blood. Her exile hadn't ended their hunt. It had only made her easier prey.
"They're here," she whispered.
Iyan frowned. "Who?"
Before she could answer, the lights in the penthouse flickered, then died. Darkness swallowed the room. Dead silent fille all over the room
Iyan cursed, reaching for his phone. But Vensi didn't move. She could feel the weight of their presence pressing against the glass, like wolves circling prey.
Then a whisper slid through the night, carried on a voice that made her blood run cold.
"Fallen Queen… we have found you."
The glass cracked, thin lines spreading across the window like veins.
Iyan spun toward her, panic flashing in his eyes. "What the hell is going on, Vensi?"
Her gaze burned, golden fire flaring faintly in the dark. "You wanted to know what I am, mortal?" Open your eyes wide and come to yor senses an see who really I am.
She turned to face the window, her voice low and deadly.
"Then watch. And remember—there are worse things than dragons."
The glass shattered inward.
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Chapter 8 – Fire in the Rain
Glass crunched beneath their feet as shards fell like rain onto the penthouse floor. The shadows had entered, slipping past the city's mortal defenses as easily as smoke.
Iyan's heart pounded, adrenaline sharpening his senses. "Vensi—what are they?"
"They are hunters," she said, voice tight, eyes flaring gold. "Sent to end me… and anyone who stays by my side will be killed too."
Before he could react, a figure lunged through the broken window—a dark silhouette, moving with unnatural speed. Iyan barely had time to grab a fallen lamp, swinging it blindly. The attacker yelped, staggering back, but it wasn't enough.
Vensi stepped forward, and the air around her shimmered, faint sparks curling at her fingertips. Even without her full power, her presence was dangerous—electric, alive.
"You should not have come near me, You should have left be there by myself", she said coldly. But her eyes softened for a brief instant as she glanced at Iyan.
"I'm not leaving your side," he said, voice steady despite the chaos. "Not now. Not ever."
A second shadow lunged, and Vensi reacted instinctively. Her hand brushed the air, and a wave of heat radiated outward. The shadow screamed as it was thrown backward, leaving a burn mark on the carpet.
Iyan's mouth went dry. "You… you're—" trying to understand what's happening but....he couldn't
"Not human," she finished for him, her gaze fixed on the broken glass and the storm outside.
Another figure appeared, faster, stronger. Iyan tried to fight, but his strength was nothing against them. One grabbed him, slamming him into a wall. Pain shot through his ribs, but he refused to scream. Felt as if he was loosing himself but tried not showing.
Vensi's hands glowed brighter, golden light spilling from her eyes and fingertips. "I warned you," she hissed. Fire licked the edges of her hair as she unleashed a pulse of power that sent the attackers tumbling into shards of glass and debris.
Iyan staggered to his feet, staring at her in awe and fear. "How… how are you still alive?"
Vensi's expression softened for a heartbeat. "Because I choose to be… for now."
The shadows retreated into the night, melting back into the storm. Silence fell, broken only by the dripping rain and Iyan's ragged breathing.
He finally stepped toward her. "You're… incredible and...."
She turned her gaze on him, golden eyes both dangerous and vulnerable. "Incredible… yes. But dangerous to anyone who stands too close. You will die". Vensi was hesitated for a moment.
Iyan swallowed, determination flaring in his chest , words slipped from his mouth unknowingly . "Then I'll stand anyway, what ever happens.
And for the first time, Vensi let herself imagine what it might be like to have a mortal fight by her side—not run, not fear, but stay. An unknown feeling tingled . For the first time in all the decades of her life she felt ease by mortal being her side.
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Chapter 9 – Memories of Fire
The storm had finally passed, leaving the city wet and quiet. Broken glass glittered across the penthouse floor like frozen stars. Iyan's muscles ached, ribs bruised, but the adrenaline still hummed in his veins.
Vensi sat on the couch, her hands resting on her knees, eyes staring into nothing. The glow of her golden eyes had faded, leaving only the weight of centuries of grief.
Iyan crouched beside her. "You don't have to explain, but… I want to understand. Who sent those things? Who are you, really?" What happens after by caught you
Vensi's gaze flicked to him, wary. "You saw them… the hunters. They come from a world you cannot imagine. A world where dragons ruled, and I was… queen. I had power over fire, over life and death. And I lost it all."
She closed her eyes, the memory flashing behind her lids. Castles of molten rock, armies of dragons, skies aflame with battle. The betrayal—the dagger in her back by those she trusted most. The fall to the mortal world.
"I was exiled, stripped of my wings, my fire locked away. I have wandered for centuries, powerless, invisible… until now. Feared by the people, no one by my side."
Iyan's hand hovered over hers, unsure. "That… sounds impossible. But I saw it tonight. I saw you fight. You're not powerless. You are way more than that "
A faint smile tugged at her lips, bitter and soft. "I am… less than I was. But even a fallen dragon carries embers that can burn a mortal world."
He leaned closer, his voice low. "Then let me see those embers. Let me stand by you, even if the world burns around us."
Her heart fluttered, dangerous and forbidden. She had long believed that love, for her, was impossible. No mortal could survive her world—and no mortal should. And yet… here he was. Not running. Not fearing. Not abandoning her. Just a safe feeling .
"Iyan Blackwood," she whispered, voice trembling, "you don't know what you're asking. You are making your own death note "
"I do," he said. "And I don't care."
The silence that followed was heavier than fire. She wanted to push him away, to vanish and leave him safe. But a flicker of something long-dead stirred in her chest—HOPE, maybe. Or DESIRE. Or both.
And in that moment, the storm outside seemed to echo the one inside them—wild, unstoppable, and just beginning.
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Chapter 10 – Flames Between Shadows
The city had finally quieted after the storm, but inside Iyan's penthouse, the air still crackled with tension.
Vensi moved with a grace that seemed almost unreal, despite the exhaustion etched across her features. Iyan watched her, heart pounding, torn between awe and fear. Every motion she made carried the weight of power, even in this diminished state by carrying a tough aura around her.
"You shouldn't stay here," she said softly, breaking the silence. "Tomorrow… they will come again and..."
"I'll stay," he said, stepping closer breaking her words between. "I can't just leave you to face them alone."
Her eyes flared, golden and dangerous. "Do you understand what you're saying? That if they come—"
"I do," he interrupted again. "And I don't care. I want to face it with you no matter what."
The air between them thickened, charged with something neither of them could name. She had spent centuries among fire and fury, but never had anyone looked at her with such raw resolve—not fear, not desire, just unyielding choice. The way he looke at her, she never felt that before.
Vensi's chest ached. How could a mortal dare to stay? Yet she couldn't push him away. The warmth of his presence seeped into her like sunlight through smoke, like a ray of light in a pitch dark
Without thinking, she reached out, brushing a strand of wet silver hair from his face. Iyan's eyes caught hers, golden flickers mirrored in his stunned expression.
"You're… not like anyone I've ever known," he whispered.
"And you're not like anyone I've ever trusted," she replied, voice soft but edged with warning.
For a heartbeat, the world fell away—the shattered penthouse, the storm outside, the lurking shadows beyond the city. There was only them. Only fire and human warmth, mingling, dangerous, and impossible. Time flooded like a race.
Then a faint sound—a whisper in the distance, almost drowned by the city's hum—made them both freeze.
Vensi's eyes narrowed. "They're close. Coming again for us.
Iyan nodded, his hand brushing hers in a silent promise. "Then we'll face them… together." She is fearless yet she felt like a whole army behind her back .
The golden glow of her eyes pulsed, faint embers rising in the shadows. She was fire. He was human. And somehow, in the fragile darkness between them, they had found a spark neither could ignore.
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Chapter 11 – The Hunt Begins
Night had fallen again, but the city's lights offered little comfort. Vensi moved silently across the penthouse, every sense alert. Iyan followed close behind, tense but unflinching.
"They're coming," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the hum of electricity from the city below. "Sooner than I feared."
Iyan gritted his teeth by holding a sharp knife in his hand. "Then we prepare. Tell me what to do."
Her golden eyes softened for the briefest moment. "You cannot fight them as you are. They are not mere mortals, Iyan. They hunt dragons. And anyone who stands near one. You are like already a dead meat to them. "
Before he could respond, a shadow slammed through the shattered window, landing on the floor with the grace of a predator. Vensi reacted instantly, hands flaring with faint golden light, sending the attacker crashing into the wall.
Iyan, heart pounding, drew himself up, ready to face the next one. Another shadow leapt through the opening, faster, stronger than any human he had ever seen. This time, it lunged directly at him.
Instinct took over. He ducked, grabbed a broken chair, and swung, striking the figure across the shoulder. Pain exploded in his arm, but he refused to yield.
"Stay behind me!" Vensi shouted, fire flaring along her fingertips. Her power surged, glowing brighter than it had since her exile. The shadows hissed and recoiled, but there were too many of them, relentless, unnatural.
Iyan's breath came in ragged bursts. "Vensi… you can't—"
"I won't let them touch you!" she snapped, her eyes blazing. Flames licked the air around her as she sent a pulse of energy that threw the attackers against the walls.
But even as she fought, Iyan realized the truth of her warning: this was a danger no mortal could survive alone. And yet… he would not leave her side. Everything was like a dream , an unrealistic dream but its was real.
The shadows retreated for now, melting into the night. But their whispers lingered, taunting: The fallen queen… your death will follow.
Iyan sank to the floor, chest heaving, bruises forming across his arms. "Why… why them? Why are they after you?"
Vensi knelt beside him, her golden eyes softening despite the battle-worn fury in her expression. "Because I am more than I appear. And because anyone who dares to love me becomes a target."
He stared at her, determination and fear mingling in his gaze. "Then let them come. I'll face it… for you."
For the first time in centuries, Vensi felt the ember of hope ignite—not for herself, but for this mortal who dared to stand with her against a world that hunted her.
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Chapter 12 – Ashes of the Past
The city was quiet again, but the penthouse felt smaller, tighter, as if the walls themselves held the echoes of the attack. Broken glass glittered like frozen stars on the floor. Iyan sat against the couch, bruised but alert, watching Vensi holding the pain of the bruises as she moved with a strange, restrained elegance.
"You shouldn't have come near me , you shouldn't have saved me there ," she said softly, voice tinged with both anger and regret. "I put your life in danger."
"I know," he replied, wincing as he flexed his bruised ribs. "But I couldn't just leave you. Not after everything happened and I am not going to leave you alone to go with everything on your own "
Her golden eyes softened. "Iyan… you don't understand. There are powers in me that even I cannot fully control. Fire that can burn the cities, wings that could shatter mountains… and a heart that has been broken for centuries, the rage that can consume the entire mortals "
Iyan leaned closer, curiosity and awe mixing in his gaze. "Tell me. I want to understand. All of it."
Vensi hesitated. Centuries of betrayal had taught her to trust no one, yet something about him closer and closer —his determination, his humanity, his refusal to flee—made her want to share her story.
"I was a queen once," she began, her voice low and almost musical, carrying the weight of lost realms. "Dragon kind ruled the skies, and I ruled among them. My fire was feared, my name respected… until I was betrayed. Those I trusted most cast me down, stripped me of my wings, bound my fire, and sent me into this world as a shadow of myself . I was wandering among the world for centauries ."
Iyan listened, silent, absorbing the weight of her words. "And the hunters?" he asked.
"They are remnants of that betrayal," she said, her gaze distant. "Sent to ensure I never regain what was mine. They will not stop. They will never stop. And anyone who stands near me becomes their target."
He reached out, placing a hand over hers. The heat from her skin pulsed faintly beneath his palm, a reminder of the power she still carried. "Then let me stand by you anyway," he said, voice steady. "I don't care about the danger. I care about you."
Her breath hitched. No mortal had ever spoken like that to her. No mortal had ever dared to choose her despite the danger. The ember of something long-dormant stirred within her chest—hope, or perhaps longing.
For the first time since her fall, Vensi allowed herself to imagine a world where she could fight, love, and live—not just survive.
And in the quiet aftermath of the storm, amidst the broken glass and shadows, their bond grew—fragile, dangerous, and real.
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Chapter 13 – The Hunter's Return
Night fell again, heavier than before, pressing against the penthouse windows. The city lights flickered faintly, but the calm was only an illusion. Vensi felt it first—a shift in the air, subtle but unmistakable. She noticed a sense of danger that coming again.
"They're coming ," she whispered, voice tight.
Iyan looked up from where he sat, watching her every movement. "Again? How do you know?"
Vensi's golden eyes glimmered in the dim light. "I feel them. Shadows that move like smoke, faster than any human can run. They've learned. They've adapted."
Before he could respond, a chilling sound cut through the night—the soft, metallic clink of armor on stone. The broken window shattered again, and shadows poured into the room, sleek, dangerous, and alive. A dangerous light emitted that a human eyes cannot bear to look at .
Iyan sprang to his feet, instincts taking over. "Vensi, get back!"
But she was already moving. Hands alight with faint golden fire, she met the attackers head-on. The shadows hissed as she sent pulses of energy through the air, knocking several back into walls.
Iyan tried to help, swinging a chair at a shadow that lunged for him. Pain seared his arm, but he refused to fall. He couldn't—not while she fought beside him.
The shadows regrouped, faster this time, and one leapt directly at Vensi. With a flick of her hand, a wave of heat erupted, sending the figure skidding across the floor. Yet even as she fought, her energy waned, the faint embers of her power flickering in exhaustion. The reforcing of the shadows happening with a strong energy.
Iyan saw it then: even diminished, she was more than he could ever imagine. But she was mortal now, fragile in ways she refused to admit.
"Vensi!" he shouted. "You can't keep doing this alone!"
Her eyes softened for a heartbeat. "Then don't. Stand with me!"
And he did. Heart pounding, ribs aching, Iyan faced the hunters head-on. Together, they fought—not just for survival, but for the fragile bond growing between them. An unkown energy spotted that the shadows has to accept defeat this time.
When the shadows finally retreated into the night, leaving destruction in their wake, Vensi sank to her knees. Exhaustion etched across her face, but there was a spark in her eyes, brighter than before.
Iyan knelt beside her, pressing a hand to hers. "You're incredible."
She allowed herself a small, weary smile. "And you're too reckless."
"I'm human," he said softly, voice full of quiet resolve. "But I choose to stand by you anyway."
For the first time in centuries, Vensi felt something dangerous awaken—not power, not revenge, but hope.
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Chapter 14 – Ash and Intimacy
The penthouse was a wreck. Shattered glass glittered like frozen stars across the floor, scorch marks marred the walls, and the faint smell of ozone lingered in the air. But amidst the chaos, a fragile calm settled over Vensi and Iyan.
Vensi sank onto the couch, exhausted, golden eyes dimming to their usual warm glow. She flexed her fingers, feeling the lingering heat of her fire flicker and fade. Even in her weakened state, her presence was commanding, almost hypnotic.
Iyan knelt beside her, brushing shards of glass from her hair. "Are you… okay?" he asked softly, worry etched across his face.
"I will survive," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "Always."
He smiled faintly, shaking his head. "You're incredible. But you're not invincible. You don't have to face all of it alone. I may be a Human like a mortal in your terms but remember I am always there for you Vensi."
Vensi's gaze lingered on him, searching, as if trying to measure how much trust she could afford. "And yet… you choose to stand by me. Why?"
Iyan hesitated, then answered honestly. "Because you're more than power or danger. You're… you. And I won't run from that. I don't know but there is a connection between us that I can feel which is not from now a days. Its kind of deep . I can feel it.
For a long moment, silence fell, heavy but comforting. Then, almost imperceptibly, Vensi leaned closer, letting her shoulder brush his. It was a small gesture, fragile and dangerous, yet it sent a warmth through her chest she hadn't felt in centuries.
"Iyan," she whispered, voice trembling. "If anyone—if the hunters—ever take you…"
He placed a finger gently over her lips. "I'm not going anywhere. Not without you."
Her eyes softened, and for the first time, she allowed herself to feel something besides anger or grief. Desire, perhaps. Or hope. Or both.
She is most angerous and feared by everyone , but she is like a dandelion seed.
Iyan leaned closer, hesitating, as if waiting for permission. She didn't pull away. Their faces were inches apart, the storm of their emotions mirrored in the quiet aftermath of chaos.
And then, just a whisper, a breath, a fleeting touch of lips against lips—not a kiss of passion, but a tentative promise that could hold them together.
The ember of trust, of connection, sparked between them. Dangerous. Forbidden. Yet unavoidable.
For the first time since her fall, Vensi allowed herself to imagine a life where fire and human warmth could coexist.
And in that fragile, quiet moment, they were no longer hunter and hunted, queen and mortal—they were just two hearts, burning cautiously together.
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Chapter 15 – Flames Rekindled
The quiet of the night was a lie. The city's hum, the distant sirens, even the shattered penthouse—it all hid the approach of something darker.
Vensi sat on the couch, still trembling slightly from their last encounter, her golden eyes scanning the streets below. She knew it before Iyan did: the hunters weren't done. They never were.
"They're coming again," she whispered, voice tight.
Iyan rose from the floor, brushing dust and glass from his clothes. "Then we face them. Together."
Vensi turned toward him, a small, wry smile touching her lips. "You're reckless, mortal. Do you know what you're risking?"
"I do," he said simply. "And I don't care."
The first shadow moved through the broken window, sleek and silent. Then another. And another. This time, they were faster, coordinated, and far more dangerous.
Iyan grabbed a piece of broken metal, standing shoulder to shoulder with Vensi. She flared her golden light, heat radiating from her fingers, and together, they faced the attackers.
The room erupted into chaos. Shadows collided with bursts of fire, shattering glass, and flying debris. Iyan fought with desperation, every swing of the metal weapon driven by fear for her safety.
One shadow leapt directly at Vensi, faster than any human could move. She barely had time to flare her fire, sending it sprawling across the room. The heat licked Iyan's skin, but he didn't falter.
Through the chaos, their eyes met—gold and dark brown, human and dragon—holding each other steady amidst the storm. In that instant, words weren't needed. They were a single force, mortal and immortal, fragile and powerful.
Finally, the shadows recoiled and vanished into the night, leaving the penthouse scarred, but the two of them alive. Iyan sank to his knees, breathing hard, looking at her with awe.
"You're… incredible," he said, voice shaking.
Vensi allowed herself a weary smile, exhaustion etching lines on her face. "And you're still alive… more stubborn than I thought."
Iyan reached for her hand. "As long as I'm with you, I'll fight. Always."
For the first time since centuries of exile, Vensi allowed herself to hope—not just for survival, but for something more. Something dangerous. Something human. Something… love.
The embers of her power had flared again, but now another flame burned: one she could not ignore.
And as they sat together amidst the ruin, both knew the battles were only beginning—but so was something far more perilous: their hearts.