There are many ways to make four vampire queens angry.
Staying overnight inside the headquarters of the holy organisation designed to kill monsters ranked surprisingly high on that list.
Possibly number one.
I stood at the entrance of the Crimson Church cathedral while the tribunal members disappeared into their expensive moral superiority and the hunters returned to their elegant judgement positions.
And around me—
danger.
Not from Heaven.
From the women, I intended to survive tonight.
Seraphina stood first.
Arms crossed.
Crimson eyes are calm.
Too calm.
The kind of calm that usually preceded beautifully organised violence.
Beside her, Selene looked like moonlight preparing for legal murder.
Valeria was smiling.
Which, historically, meant property damage.
And Lilith—
Lilith simply looked at me like a queen deciding whether forgiveness was politically useful.
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
I adjusted my collar.
Again.
At this point, it deserved compensation.
Valeria spoke first.
"Let me understand."
Her voice was bright.
Dangerously bright.
"You are voluntarily staying inside holy enemy territory…"
She stepped closer.
"…with a beautiful saint who may or may not want to kill you?"
I nodded carefully.
"Yes."
She smiled wider.
"That sounds like cheating."
Fair.
Very fair.
Seraphina finally spoke.
Cold.
Precise.
"If she touches you again, I will burn their stained glass first."
I appreciated her priorities.
Selene added softly—
"I already mapped the exits."
Of course she did.
Lilith stepped forward.
Close enough that breathing became royal diplomacy.
Her fingers adjusted my tie.
Again.
Her favourite form of emotional warfare.
"Do not confuse curiosity with trust."
Her crimson eyes held mine.
"Elena Voss is not harmless."
I smiled faintly.
"Neither are you."
That almost made her smile.
Victory.
Tiny.
Important.
She whispered—
"Correct answer."
Good.
Survival remained possible.
Maybe.
Valeria crossed her arms.
"I still object."
Seraphina nodded.
"Strongly."
Selene looked at me.
"You are going anyway."
Not a question.
I answered honestly.
"Yes."
Silence.
Then—
because apparently I enjoyed danger—
I added:
"If she knows something about the First King…"
I touched the mark near my neck.
"…I need answers."
That changed the room.
Less jealousy.
More understanding.
Because beneath all the romance, all the blood, all the impossible women—
This still mattered.
Who was I?
What had awakened inside me?
Why did blood remember things my mind did not?
Lilith sighed softly.
Rare.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
"Then get answers."
She stepped closer.
And kissed me.
Warm.
Controlled.
Royal.
Like permission signed with a warning attached.
When she stepped back, she said—
"Return."
Not a request.
Order.
Queen behaviour.
I respected it.
Seraphina came next.
No speeches.
No elegant philosophy.
She grabbed my collar and kissed me like violence translated into affection.
Sharp.
Certain.
Possessive.
When she pulled away—
"If Heaven annoys you…"
Her voice was low.
"…call me."
Amazing woman.
Terrible for peace.
Perfect.
Selene stepped forward.
Moonlight.
Patience.
Quiet things that hurt more.
She touched my wrist.
The blood bond pulsed softly.
Then she kissed me.
Cool.
Soft.
Steady.
Like trust whispered under moonlight.
She rested her forehead briefly against mine.
And said—
"Do not make me worry inelegantly."
I smiled.
"No promises."
She narrowed her eyes.
Fair.
Very fair.
Finally—
Valeria.
She walked forward like a disaster in heels.
Red hair.
Red lips.
Bad intentions.
Perfect.
She pulled me close.
"Try not to fall in love with a saint."
Then she kissed me like she was making sure Heaven remembered who got there first.
6
Fire.
Chaos.
Beautiful trouble.
Exactly as expected.
When she stepped back, she smiled.
"If she flirts, flirt better."
Honestly?
Reasonable advice.
I looked at all four of them.
Four queens.
Four bonds.
Four reasons I could no longer pretend this was only about survival.
And for the first time—
I understood something dangerous.
I did not want to lose any of them.
That realisation was worse than holy judgement.
Because enemies were simple.
Love was a strategy without rules.
Perfect.
Terrible.
Mine.
I smiled.
Slowly.
Honestly.
"I'll come back."
Seraphina crossed her arms.
"You'd better."
Lilith opened the car door.
"Go before Valeria starts a war for entertainment."
Too late.
Probably.
I turned and walked back toward the cathedral.
Toward Heaven.
Towards answers.
Toward the beautiful saint waiting inside.
The guest chamber was absurdly elegant for a place dedicated to moral judgement.
White marble.
Silver candles.
Books older than governments.
A balcony overlooking the cathedral gardens.
Very luxurious for professional monster hunters.
I approved reluctantly.
I stood by the window when the door opened.
No knock.
Of course.
Elena Voss entered like moonlight had decided religion was optional.
White silk instead of ceremonial robes.
Silver hair loose over her shoulders.
No throne.
No tribunal.
Just the woman.
Somehow more dangerous.
She closed the door behind her.
And for a moment—
We simply looked at each other.
No performance.
No audience.
Only truth.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
She walked closer.
Calm.
Graceful.
And said—
"My hunters are convinced you will destroy the world."
I folded my arms.
"Your hunters seem dramatic."
She smiled faintly.
"They learned from me."
Honest.
Good.
I preferred honest monsters.
She stopped in front of me.
Close enough to feel the strange contradiction in her presence.
Holy.
Ancient.
Lonely.
And something else.
Familiar.
Her crimson eyes held mine.
"Tell me something, Aarav."
Her voice lowered.
"If I gave you power enough to rule everything…"
A pause.
Soft.
Dangerous.
"…what would you protect first?"
Not kingdoms.
Not politics.
The real question.
Always the real question.
I answered without thinking.
"My home."
She watched me.
I continued.
"My family."
"My people."
"The ones who stay when power disappears."
Silence.
Heavy.
Beautiful.
Elena smiled.
Sad this time.
Real.
"That is why you frighten me."
Interesting.
"Because I answered correctly?"
She shook her head.
"No."
Her fingers lightly touched the silver ring Father had given me.
Because every dangerous woman in my life apparently respected symbolism.
"Because men like you make people want to believe in kings again."
That—
felt heavier than judgement.
I looked at her.
And quietly asked—
"Who are you really?"
Silence.
Then—
for the first time—
The saint looked tired.
Ancient and tired.
The kind carried it for centuries.
She whispered—
"I am the woman who failed the first Vampire King."
And just like that—
the night inside Heaven
became far more dangerous than war.