Escaping From His Love

Five years ago, I offered up my neck to Kieran, the Shadow Lord. After that night of insatiable hunger, he didn't drain me dry. Instead, he sank his fangs deep into my veins. At the zenith of pleasure, he whispered repeatedly into my ear, "You are mine." Just as I mistakenly believed this twisted possession was love, his so-called "savior," Seraphina, returned. To appease her, Kieran demanded my heart's blood every night. He callously tossed my mother's only keepsake into an auction. Worse still, to quell her jealousy, he personally locked me away in a prison bristling with silver torture devices... When I finally broke the blood pact and, my heart shattered, fled to Los Angeles to marry his sworn enemy, Lucian, Kieran descended into complete madness. Chapter 1 I was in my fifth year of a secret affair with Lord Kieran, and everyone noticed he treated me differently. By day, I'd dismiss any talk of our relationship with a simple, "I'm just the Lord's blood perfumer." No one knew that each night, he would hold me possessively, his lips tracing my neck as he murmured, "You are mine." On our last night together, he held me so tightly, it felt as though he wanted to crush me into his very being. "Aurora, your blood smells like roses that have begun to rot." Kieran's voice was low as his fingers clamped around my wrist in the dark. His touch was unnervingly cold, even for a creature of the night. Usually, I would have instinctively wrapped my arms around him. But this time, a bitter ache blooming in my chest, I simply pulled my hand away. "If that is how you feel, then you should let me go, my Lord." He didn't. Instead, he leaned in, his fangs brushing against my carotid artery, sending a shiver of pain through me. "Don't move, Moonlight," he rasped, using the private, ancient nickname we shared. "You know I can't resist your scent." I closed my eyes, surrendering to the last vestiges of my affection, and embraced him once more. He had no idea I was about to marry someone else. The next evening, the grand hall of Nocturne Castle blazed with light. I managed a faint smile. Only yesterday, I was his secret lover, the only "antidote" he ever spoke of. But now, everything had changed. In the center of the hall, the crystal chandelier's light converged on two figures. One was Kieran. The other was Seraphina. That girl, with her half-human blood and dress of faded white, trembled like a porcelain doll. She wasn't even a noble, merely a low-ranking hybrid. But Kieran did something that silenced the entire room. He unclasped his black and gold velvet cloak, a symbol of the Nocturne family's highest authority, and gently, almost reverently, draped it over Seraphina's shoulders. "That's the token of every mistress…" a gasp rippled through the crowd. I stood in the shadows, my knuckles white, clutching a glass of crimson liquid. Beside me, my father, Magnus Thorne, was ashen-faced. "Aurora, if you had only tried a little harder, that cloak would be on your shoulders right now." I let out a humorless laugh. Five years ago, the first time I met Kieran, I fell for him instantly. To win him over, I worked tirelessly, eventually creating a scent that eased his family's hereditary manic depression. The price? My blood, every month. After he received the perfume, Kieran treated me with respect, but no affection. No matter how hard I tried, all I received was a simple, "You've worked hard." Unwilling to let my first love end like this, during a test of a new formula, I added something to my own blood. That night, Kieran lost control in a way I'd never witnessed. He was so moved, it was as if he intended to drain me dry. At the last moment, he stopped, burying his head against my neck, and softly called me Moonlight. From that day on, outwardly, we maintained a purely professional relationship. But in private, he was incredibly tender with me. Only when he wanted something did he become all-consuming, leaving me with the feeling he might devour me. I thought I had conquered Kieran. For the next five years, we maintained this dynamic. Until my birthday. He said he had a surprise for me. I heard he'd been preparing for this day for years. A proposal? I waited from morning till night, brimming with anticipation. But I didn't receive a diamond ring, nor flowers or gifts. Only the news that he had brought a human girl back to the estate. That night, he held me gently. "Happy? You won't have to give blood anymore." "My antidote has returned." After that day, our relationship continued as usual. Kieran still stayed with me at night, but each morning as the sun rose, he'd return to that girl. He'd say, "She is too fragile; she cannot be without me. I have to look after her." He paused when he said it, likely seeing the look on my face. He tried to comfort me, "If you remain good, we can still be as we were. Nothing will change." But I no longer wanted to wait around for him. "It's more than just a cloak, Father." I stared at Kieran in the center of the ballroom, now lowering his head to speak to Seraphina with a tenderness he'd never shown me. "He is declaring his claim to everyone." At that moment, an elder from the Ashford family beside me whispered, "I heard Lord Kieran fell into a deep slumber a hundred years ago, all to use some forbidden magic to keep a dying human girl alive. That girl… was Seraphina, wasn't she?" "He slept for a century for her? Gods, what kind of devotion is that." In that instant, my blood ran cold. I had been with Kieran for five years. I thought I was special. I thought I was the one who could calm him. But compared to a century, five years felt like a mere joke. So, I was just a replacement. A useful vessel to keep him company while he waited for his true love to awaken. On the dance floor, Seraphina looked up at Kieran, tears welling in her eyes. "Kieran, this is too precious. I can't…" "You are the only one worthy of it." Kieran's voice wasn't loud, but it cut through to me like a rusty saw scraping my eardrums. I placed my wine glass on a passing waiter's tray. The glass clinked. "I am leaving this place," I said to Magnus, turning to him. "You dare!" Magnus hissed, his voice low and furious. "Kieran is about to announce the arranged marriage. If you walk out now, you will shame the Nocturne family!" "He will announce a marriage, but the bride won't be me." I met Magnus's eyes, not backing down for the first time. "Since you want power so badly, sell me to the Ashford family in Los Angeles. Hasn't Lucian Ashford been proposing for ages?" Magnus froze, then a glint flashed in his eyes. "Are you serious? Lucian doesn't have Kieran's influence, but he has just inherited the Los Angeles territory…" Amidst his ecstatic expression, I nodded. "I am serious. You can contact him." The next second, I hitched up my skirt and strode through the crowd. I moved through the long corridors, towards Kieran's private chambers in the east wing of the castle. I had access. It was a "privilege" he'd granted me, so I could bring him his medicine anytime. The door opened. The chambers were dark, but I could see in the gloom. Shelves lined the walls, filled with the blood perfumes I'd crafted for him over the past five years. Each bottle contained my heart and soul. But at the deepest part of the shelf, in a temperature-controlled compartment, I saw a row of crystal vials I didn't recognize. I walked over and picked one up, my hand trembling. The label, written in ancient script, read: Seraphina, 1925. The next: Seraphina, 1926. A full hundred bottles. Before he fell into his slumber, he had collected a blood sample from her every year. Even in his sleep, he had used his family's power to preserve these, cherishing them. And my blood? I glanced at the trash can nearby. There lay the latest batch of perfumes I'd brought him not long ago. I'd excitedly handed them to Kieran, telling him it was a new formula I'd spent half a year developing to relieve his headaches. But now, these perfumes, unopened, were simply discarded. Because Seraphina was back, and he no longer needed a replacement. A burning rage, unlike anything I had ever felt, consumed me. For him, I had endured five years of painful bloodletting, refused Lucian's proposals, and faced cold glances from within my own family. And he had tossed my sincerity aside like garbage. "Screw you, Moonlight." I grabbed the row of precious Seraphina blood samples. "Aurora, what are you doing?" Kieran's voice came from the doorway. He sensed my intrusion. I turned, looking at the man still in his formal wear, breathtakingly handsome. Seeing me holding his treasures, a flicker of panic flashed in his eyes. I smiled. "I am cleaning up your mess, Kieran." The next second, I raised my hand and smashed the crystal vials to the ground. The crisp sound of shattering glass echoed through the chamber. The dark crimson liquid splattered everywhere, flooding the floor. That cloying sweet scent instantly filled the entire room. Chapter 2 Kieran looked at me with a coldness I'd never seen before. "Get out." His voice was frighteningly low. "I'll leave on my own. You don't need to tell me to." I brushed glass shards from my hands. My palm was cut, but I couldn't feel the pain. Before walking out the door, I turned to look at Kieran. He was on his knees, trying to gather the dark red liquid soaking into the carpet in his hands. That was Seraphina's blood. To him, it was sacred. To me, it was just a reminder of my humiliation. Brushing the mess off the floor, I walked out of the secret room without looking back. When I returned to my rooms, my luggage was already in the hallway. Several servants were carrying in white lilies—Seraphina's favorite flower. Seraphina stood at the doorway, wearing that black and gold cloak that used to be mine. She was petite, and the oversized cloak made her look a little awkward. "Sister," she said timidly, twisting the hem of her dress. "Kieran said I have a serious blood disorder and need to stay in the Moon Tower to recover, where the moonlight is strongest. I'm sorry about this…" "Don't call me Sister," I sneered. "We're not related. Besides, this tower was left to me by my mother. By what right do you move in?" "It's Nocturne family property now," my father, Magnus, stepped out from the shadows. He said calmly, "Lord Kieran visited me this morning and asked for it. I agreed. I've also adopted Seraphina as my daughter. Aurora, she's younger than you. As an older sister, you should be more generous." "So you're giving my mother's room to a half-breed?" "Watch your tongue!" Magnus raised his hand as if to strike me. I dodged. Looking at his cold expression, I was deeply disappointed. Everyone was like this. As long as Seraphina was involved, I was the one who had to back down. "I've made up my mind, Father. Since you already have a daughter and clearly don't consider me one anymore, we'll do things by bloodline rules." I bit my finger and flicked a drop of blood into the air. "I, Aurora, hereby declare that I sever all blood pacts with the Thorne family. From this day forward, I am an independent individual, no longer under your protection or control." A crisp sound, like a snapped bowstring, echoed in the air. Magnus's face changed drastically. He clutched his chest and stumbled back two steps. "You're crazy! Without the family's protection, you won't last three days out there! The demon hunters will tear you apart!" "That's my problem." I turned and left, taking only my black card. It was my first step of revenge. This card was linked to the Nocturne family's liquid assets. Kieran had given me unlimited overdraft as a gesture of generosity, a payment for the blood perfumes I provided. He probably thought I'd never use it, or wouldn't dare to. I'll make him regret it. For the next two hours, I swept through the underground black market like a hurricane. "I want that two-hundred-year-old Siren's Tear." "Pack all the Dragon's Blood Grass." "And that Mithril Alchemy Station, I'll take it too." Swipe. Swipe. Swipe. Each transaction was astronomical. My phone buzzed non-stop with deduction notifications from the bank. I bought enough rare alchemy materials to assemble a small army. Just as I was about to bid on the final item—a top-grade ruby—the cashier looked at me awkwardly. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Your card has been frozen." So fast? I glanced at my phone. Kieran had finally reacted. "It seems the Nocturne family isn't as rich as legend has it," I said with a mocking smile, turning and walking out of the black market. The moment I stepped out the door, a chill shot up my spine. It was late at night now, and the streets were empty. But I could hear faint mechanical noises—the sound of demon hunters cocking their crossbows. My access was frozen, which meant I'd lost the protection of the family's territorial barrier. My location had been exposed. The next second, a silver bolt whizzed past my cheek, embedding itself in the brick wall beside me with a hiss. "Target acquired! It's a pureblood!" Three demon hunters in tactical gear leaped from the rooftop, their silver swords glinting with deadly light. Damn it. I was good at making perfumes, not close combat. I took a step back, trying to pull a newly bought poison mist bottle from my bag, but my movements were too slow. One of the demon hunters had already charged at me, his silver sword aimed straight for my heart. "Die, vampire!" I closed my eyes, waiting for the searing pain of death. But the pain didn't come. The world around me suddenly fell silent. I opened my eyes. And found myself standing in a pitch-black void. The demon hunters were frozen, as if time had stopped, maintaining their charging stances in the darkness. That was the "Shadow Domain." A power only the highest-ranking vampire lords could wield. A long, pale hand reached out from the darkness and wrapped around my waist. That familiar scent, of cedar and blood, enveloped me. "Had enough, Aurora?" Kieran's voice sounded in my ear, filled with suppressed anger. The next second, the world spun. When we landed again, I wasn't in the dingy alley anymore, but in the penthouse suite overlooking the city center of Manhattan. Kieran's most private sanctuary. He released me and looked at me coldly, his eyes complex. "You'd rather die by the hands of demon hunters than bow to me?" Chapter 3 "Bowing to you feels almost as bad as dying, Kieran," I said. I tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, forcing a composed look. My heart was still pounding, not just from the near-death experience, but because he had saved me again, damn it. This whole hero-saves-damsel act just made me feel more humiliated. Kieran tugged at his tie, annoyance flashing across his face. "Your card depleted five years of the family's liquid assets. Had I not intervened, the elders would have already marked you for death." "That's my payment for services rendered," I said, walking to the floor-to-ceiling window to watch the traffic below. "After five years serving a bastard like you, that's what I'm worth." "Bastard?" Kieran narrowed his eyes, teleporting in front of me. He trapped me between him and the glass. "For five years, I gave you immense status, everything you could have ever wanted. And just because I took care of your life-saver, you're acting this hysterical?" "Took care of?" I let out a laugh that bordered on tears. "You put her in my room, draped your cloak over her, and even got angry at me over a drop of her blood. Kieran, don't try to sell me on this 'benefactor' story. The way you look at her, it's like you found a treasure you thought was lost forever." Kieran fell silent. He didn't deny it. The air around us grew suddenly still. His silence stung more than any words could have. "Where will you sleep?" he suddenly changed the subject. "The master bedroom is off-limits this time…" "The guest room," I cut him off. "If there's no guest room, I'll sleep on the sofa. Or in the dungeon, whichever suits you." "Don't be difficult. Seraphina is weak. She needs the blood pool in the master bedroom to recover. It's the most energetically potent spot on the entire estate," Kieran's voice was matter-of-fact as he laid out the arrangements. "You'll sleep in the guest room." I scoffed. If there was a place for her to stay, why did she need to snatch my Moon Tower? I had always thought Kieran's logic was strictly cold and pragmatic. But when it came to someone he cherished, he lost all reason, wanting only to give her the best of everything. "Fine," I conceded, not arguing further. The next evening, the estate hosted a small "welcome back" dinner. Officially, it was to celebrate Seraphina's recovery. In reality, it was Kieran's maneuver to get his New York inner circle to accept her. I had no intention of attending, but Kieran threatened to throw away all the alchemical materials I'd purchased if I didn't. Considering some of those materials had been delivered to the estate by default, I relented. I descended the stairs in a simple black evening gown. Jazz music flowed through the hall. Seraphina sat at the center of the sofa, wearing the white silk gown Kieran had originally custom-made for me. The dress was a little long on her, but as she gathered the hem, she looked almost fragilely beautiful. Several vampire nobles surrounded her, showering her with praise. "Lord Kieran is so thoughtful towards you." Ignoring the chatter, I headed to the bar, wanting a glass of blood. Suddenly, a peculiar scent wafted to me. It was vanilla, iron, and a certain intoxicating sweetness. The Saint Blood. It was a blood type so rare, whispered to exist in only one in a million souls. A century ago, Kieran risked everything to save her. He’d turned her, binding them with half his essence, and even used forbidden magic to guarantee she got their family's last Saint Blood Grass. From that moment on, Seraphina's blood became a treasure, a source of deadly allure for vampires and a wellspring of incredible healing. No wonder Kieran was so captivated by her. It wasn't just gratitude for saving his life; she was also a prime source of "food" and "medicine." I turned, and there was Kieran, behind the bar, shaking a cocktail shaker himself. He was mixing a "Crimson Velvet." It was an incredibly complex cocktail, requiring precise temperature and ratio control. In the past, I had begged him countless times, and he had only made it once for me, on our anniversary. But now, he poured the liquid into a stemmed glass and walked directly toward me. I instinctively reached out to take it. But Kieran didn't even glance at me. He walked past me toward Seraphina on the sofa. "Try it, specially made for you," his voice was so gentle it could drip. My hand froze in mid-air, feeling utterly foolish. Seraphina took the glass, took a shy sip, then cast a triumphant glance my way. There was no trace of timidity in her eyes now, only the smugness of a victor. In the center of the hall, the crowd began to stir for a game of "Eternal Vow." It was an ancient vampire game where enchanted cards posed questions. You had to tell the truth, or be consumed by the flames of the vow. Kieran was ushered to the center. Seraphina drew a card and read the question aloud: "If a silver sword were to stab at you right now, and you could only save one person, who would it be? Your blood-bound mate Aurora, or... me?" The entire room fell silent. This was a no-win situation. Everyone knew that while Kieran and I weren't officially married, we had a binding blood pact. Kieran sat in his leather chair, fingers lightly tapping the armrest. His gaze flickered between Seraphina and me. I held my breath. Even with a one-in-a-million chance, I hoped he would lie, just to preserve my dignity. Even a lie would have been better. Three seconds later, Kieran spoke. "Seraphina." Since it was the truth, the magic flames did not punish him. Instead, due to his honesty, the flames bloomed in the air, forming the shape of a red rose. "Because she has no way to protect herself," he added, as if explaining it to me. But in that moment, his explanation didn't matter. I felt as if my heart had been brutally crushed by an icy hand. My face burned with humiliation. Watching Seraphina melt into Kieran's arms, I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. I turned and fled to the terrace. I couldn't cry here. Absolutely not. Chapter 4 The cold wind sliced across the terrace like a knife, and I brushed a tear from the corner of my eye. Cheers erupted from the hall behind me. Another game, I surmised. Kieran, without a second thought, chose Seraphina again. "This is your fate, Aurora," I told myself. "Even if you gave him your heart, it wouldn't be as precious to him as that porcelain doll, with all her 'royal blood'." I pulled myself together, ready to go back inside, when suddenly, the air shimmered. Years of ingrained caution made me freeze. A man in a servant's uniform darted from the shadows, a jet-black dagger clutched in his hand. My eyes widened. It was a demon hunter's blade, coated in enchanted poison. "Die, vampire!" He was coming for me. I dodged awkwardly, the dagger slicing my arm. My clothes ripped, and blood gushed out instantly. The searing pain made me gasp. "Kieran!" The name just slipped out. For the past five years, whenever I was in danger, he was always the first one to arrive. The doors at the end of the hall flew open. Kieran burst out, moving like a black streak of lightning. He'd heard my cry. My heart leaped. He still cared about me… "Ah!" At the same time, a delicate shriek echoed. Seraphina was right behind him, stumbling as if she'd tripped on a rug and tumbling toward the stairs. From that distance, she would have barely scraped herself if she fell. But facing me was death, dagger in hand. In that split second, Kieran stopped his charge toward me. He spun around, catching Seraphina as she "fell," holding her protectively. Time seemed to stop. I watched Kieran's concerned gaze as he checked Seraphina's ankle. All the while, the assassin, grinning, raised his dagger again, aiming for my throat. My heart shattered. Despair turned into a strange, wild strength. I didn't try to dodge again. Instead, I grabbed a pure silver candelabra from a nearby table. The silver seared my palm, sending up acrid smoke. But I needed this pain. This pain made me feel alive. With all my might, I swung the heavy candelabra at the assassin's head. He hadn't expected me to grab silver barehanded and stumbled back. The next second, the manor guards finally arrived, pinning the assassin to the ground. I leaned against the wall, my hand a bloody mess, blood dripping from my fingertips onto the expensive rug. Kieran finally looked up and saw me, covered in blood. His pupils contracted sharply. "Aurora…" He started to move toward me. "Don't," I croaked. Seraphina, trembling in his arms, whimpered, "Oh, Aurora, you're bleeding so much. But I suppose it's okay since your blood isn't as precious as mine, right?" Tears of innocence streamed down her face, but her words dripped with pure cruelty. "Oh, and," she added, as if remembering something delightful, "I found a ruby necklace in your vanity. It looked so old-fashioned, I thought it would suit my cat much better, so I put it around his neck. I'm sure you don't mind?" The last thread of my sanity snapped. It was the Blood Moon ruby necklace my mother had given me. My last connection to her. Ignoring the vampire doctor tending to my wound, I lunged for the fruit platter and grabbed a silver fruit knife. "Aurora, stop!" Kieran's voice boomed. Too late. I stood before Seraphina. She hadn't expected me to actually do it and stared with wide, frightened eyes. I wasn't going to kill her. That would be too easy. My hand moved like a flash, and I plunged the knife deep into her wrist – the wrist that flowed with that so-called "noble blood." "This is what you get for touching my mother's things!" Blood splattered. Seraphina let out a piercing scream. Chapter 5 The guards dragged me into the holding cell. No warm bed tonight. Just the dim, cramped space. Special silver chains bound my wrists and ankles. With every second that passed, my skin burned. It was the cruellest punishment for vampires. But I didn't cry out. Compared to the hollowness inside me, this physical pain felt almost like a mercy. After an unknown amount of time, the small door creaked open. It wasn't Kieran who entered, but an elderly vampire in a white coat—Dr. Vane, Kieran's private physician. "His Highness sent me to tend to your wounds," Vane sighed, opening his medical kit. "You were too impulsive this time, Miss Aurora. Miss Seraphina is the future mistress of this household." I didn't respond. Seeing my silence, Vane applied ointment to my injuries, speaking as if making casual conversation. "His Highness just bought out the entire top floor of the medical tower for her. Do you know how fragile that holy blood is? Even a minor injury requires the best blood therapy. His Highness has been at her bedside, never leaving." I closed my eyes. While I was injured and locked away in this dark, cold place, he was with her. "And," Vane lowered his voice, "the assassin has been identified. They were sent by the Ashford family. His Highness is furious, but he feels… you brought this trouble upon yourself, that you startled Miss Seraphina." I let out a small, dry laugh, finding the situation deeply ironic. "Then let him punish me properly." Two days later, Kieran finally appeared. He wore a black turtleneck sweater, his face pale, with dark circles under his eyes. He clearly hadn't slept well these past two days—no doubt, he'd been caring for his precious one. He opened the door and looked down at me. "Are you insane?" was his first question. "That was a silver knife. If it had gone a little lower, you would have crippled her hand." "She wore my necklace on an animal," I said calmly, meeting his gaze. "If I had to do it again, I would have gone for her throat." "It was just a joke!" Kieran roared, his voice echoing in the narrow corridor. "Seraphina said she just wanted to see the necklace's quality. She never actually put it on the cat! She was just jealous of your jewelry, trying to make you angry. How could you attack her over something so trivial?" "Trivial?" I looked at the man I had loved for five years. Suddenly, he seemed like a stranger. "That assassin's knife was less than an inch from my throat that day. And she only pretended to trip," I said, pointing to the fading bloodstain on my neck. "But you chose to save her." Kieran's eyes flickered with guilt. But he quickly regained his composure and spoke with indignation. "She has no way to protect herself! You are a powerful pureblood, you could have dodged, couldn't you? Besides, you weren't seriously injured!" "So, I'm guilty for being strong, and she's right for being weak?" "I don't want to argue about this," Kieran said, rubbing his temples, his tone softening. "Miss Seraphina's holy blood is very unstable. This injury has severely depleted her energy. You will reflect here for a few days. When she is stable, I will let you out." He turned to leave. "Kieran." I stopped him. "Did you ever truly love me?" He paused, his back to me. There was a moment of hesitation, but then he finally spoke. "I…" "No need to say it. I understand." I gently cut him off. Kieran's posture stiffened. He turned around, looking at me with suspicion. "Understand what?" Leaning against the cold wall, I managed a faint smile. "You are right. For her, anything is worth doing." This wasn't something I would have said before. The old me would have been hysterical, demanding promises. But now, I simply offered my understanding. Kieran looked at my eyes, as calm as a stagnant pool, and for the first time, genuine unease showed on his face. He opened his mouth, as if to explain something. But at that moment, his assistant rushed in. "My Lord, Miss Seraphina is awake!" He merely frowned, then turned to me. "You understand." "I have something to attend to. I'll see you later." He then swiftly followed his assistant out of the holding cell. I watched his back disappear, a hint of irony in my smile. It's always like this. Whenever Seraphina is involved, I'm always the one left behind. But that's alright. He doesn't know that when a woman stops arguing, it means she's ready to walk away. Chapter 6 A week later, I was released. Not because Kieran had a change of heart, but because Seraphina was out of the hospital, and he was in good spirits. The sunlight was blinding the moment I stepped out of the detention cell. The butler handed me an itemized bill. "Miss Aurora, this is for your treatment, food, and lodging during your time in the dungeon. Lord Kieran has already settled it for you." Looking at the astronomical figure, all I could do was laugh. He imprisons and tortures me, then expects gratitude? "Tell him I'll repay it." I returned to Moonlight Tower one last time and found most of my things were gone. That room had been completely transformed into Seraphina's "recovery suite." Without pausing, I went straight to Christie's auction house in the city center. During my treatment, Dr. Vane had let slip a crucial piece of information: to fund Seraphina's rare supplements and to punish my "disobedience," Magnus had decided to auction off a collection of family heirlooms. Among them was the true Blood Moon ruby necklace. So Seraphina had lied that day. The necklace wasn't with her but with Magnus, who was solely driven by profit. The auction house was opulent, a hub for New York's elite. I sat in a corner, wearing sunglasses. Before coming, I'd sold off all my assets, raising fifty million. It should have been enough. I had to get my mother's last possession back. "Next, we have lot number 8, from the ancient Nocturne family, the legendary Blood Moon ruby…" The auctioneer's voice boomed with excitement. The necklace lay in its black velvet box, like a drop of solidified blood, radiating a mournful glow. It was the only heirloom my mother had left me. "Starting bid, five million dollars." "Ten million," someone called out. "Twenty million." The price kept climbing. I gripped the armrests of my seat, my fingernails digging in. Finally, I raised my paddle: "Fifty million." But someone immediately countered: "Sixty million." A familiar voice echoed from the VIP box on the second floor. I looked up. Kieran was seated there, a wine glass in his hand, appearing utterly at ease. Seraphina was beside him, playing the role of the demure woman. He was buying the necklace? A faint, almost absurd flicker of hope ignited within me. Perhaps… he was buying it to give back to me? As an apology? After all, it was my mother's heirloom. "Lord Kieran bids sixty million! Are there any higher offers?" The hall erupted in murmurs. Sixty million dollars for a necklace. It was an exorbitant sum. "Sixty million, going once, sixty million, going twice… Sold!" The auction hammer fell. My heart sank with it. A server carried the packaged necklace up to the second-floor box. I removed my sunglasses, staring intently at the box. I saw it all too clearly. Kieran took the box, opened it, and removed the red necklace. Without even glancing down at the crowd, he turned and gently fastened the necklace around Seraphina's neck. "This is a get-well gift for you." Though I couldn't hear his voice, I read his lips. Seraphina shrieked with delight, throwing herself into his arms for a kiss. I felt as though I was plunging into an ice cellar. Something inside me shattered completely. He knew perfectly well it was my mother's heirloom, yet he bought it without hesitation and then hung it like a mere trinket around the neck of the woman who had ruined my life. I stood up and pulled out my phone, dialing the number I had sworn never to call again. "Lucian," I said into the receiver, my voice eerily calm. Lucian's concerned voice came from the other end, "What is it, my little fiancée calling me out of the blue?" "Come pick me up in a few days. Once I've settled things here, we'll get married," I said, looking at the embracing couple on the second floor, speaking each word with deliberate precision. Chapter 7 After the auction, I found them near the VIP exit. "Name your price, Kieran," I said, blocking their luxury car. My voice was cool and businesslike. "I want that necklace." Seraphina, nestled in his arms, flinched. She clutched the large ruby at her throat, as if I might snatch it away. Kieran frowned. "You don’t have money, Aurora. Your accounts are frozen." I met his gaze, playing my last card. "I’ll sign a lifelong contract. I’ll be the Nocturne family’s exclusive perfumer. Just give me back my mother’s necklace." Within their bloodlines, a lifelong contract was practically servitude. Even with different terms, it was a deeply agonizing commitment. For a noble pureblood, it was a grave insult. But I didn’t care anymore. Kieran paused, a flicker of complex emotion crossing his eyes. Then Seraphina tugged his sleeve, her voice soft. "Since the necklace was purchased, it’s now family property. I want to wear it. How about this? Once I’m done with it, I’ll give it back to my sister, alright?" Kieran glanced at me, a hint of hesitation in his expression, then finally nodded. But that afternoon, when Seraphina reappeared, the necklace was gone. I waited a moment, then finally spoke. "…Where is the necklace?" Seraphina gasped. "Oh! I was playing with Snowball and let him try it on. I completely forgot to take it off him." Snowball was the pet cat she kept in the back garden. As she spoke, she blew a whistle from around her neck. A pure white cat sprinted over instantly, my mother’s necklace dangling from its fur. "The red looks so good with his fur, doesn’t it?" Seraphina smiled, lowering her head to stroke the cat’s fur. My sanity shattered in that instant. I didn’t think. My body moved faster than my brain, lunging directly at Seraphina. I didn’t care about the consequences. I just wanted to sever the hand that desecrated my mother’s memory. But the next second, my dagger never reached her. A surge of immense shadow power slammed into my chest. I was flung backward, crashing hard against a pillar in the corner of the garden. The crack of breaking bones was sharp and sickeningly clear. "Enough!" Kieran’s furious voice boomed. He stood before Seraphina, dark mist swirling around him. He looked down at me, sprawled on the ground and coughing blood, his eyes devoid of pity, filled only with disappointment and disgust. "I gave you a chance, Aurora. But you’ve disappointed me far too much, trying to harm Seraphina twice over a mere trinket." "That… that was my mother…" I struggled to rise, but the searing pain in my ribs sent me crashing back down. Kieran turned away coldly, issuing his command to the guards behind him. "Take her to the ‘Cell of Silence.’ No one is to visit without my express orders." The Cell of Silence. It was a place reserved for those who committed the gravest offenses, a hundred times more brutal than any previous confinement. Two burly bloodline guards roughly hoisted me up. Seraphina stood by the car, looking down at me, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips. She mouthed the words: He’s mine now. I was dragged into darkness. This time, there were no doctors. No medicine. Only specially forged silver chains piercing my collarbones. Every so often, someone would drive a silver dagger into my palm. As the burning agony pushed me to the brink of unconsciousness, the lead guard crouched down and patted my face. "Don’t blame us for being harsh, Miss Aurora," he sneered. "Lord Kieran specifically instructed that you need a proper lesson. Learn what obedience means." Chapter 8 In this torment, time seemed to lose all meaning. I don't know how long I was there. The silver chains bit into my flesh, and I suffered from bouts of fever and chills. Countless times in my dreams, I called out Kieran's name, only to wake to the heavy silence of the dark. There was no response. No one came to see me. Until one day, the guard unlocked my chains. "You can go. Lord Kieran said if you behave, you can return to the Moon Tower to continue your work." I was thrown out of the prison gates as if I were discarded refuse. It was raining heavily. Injured all over, I stumbled along the muddy road. A black car stopped in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing Kieran's handsome but impassive face. "Get in," he said. "If you kneel and apologize to Seraphina now, I can pretend none of this ever happened." I looked at him, feeling like I was looking at a stranger. My spirit had broken, and even hate felt like too much effort. "No need." I walked around the car and continued forward. Kieran didn’t follow. He probably thought I was playing hard to get. Back at the manor, I went straight to my perfumery lab to pack my things. "Want to know how he and I met?" Seraphina was leaning against the doorway, unseen by me. I said flatly, "Not interested. That has nothing to do with me." But she started talking anyway: "A hundred years ago, I happened to save Kieran from a demon hunter. Because of that, I only had a few years left to live. Just before I died, Kieran found me. He promised he would repay me with his entire life, that no one would ever separate us." "But I never expected you to appear before I was fully recovered!" "Even though Kieran promised me that the only person he truly loves is me, I can tell he cares about you… How could you take Kieran’s love from me!" She suddenly gave a wicked smile. "So, the assassin… I was the one who hired him." "It's a shame he didn't succeed in killing you." I listened to her entire plan, feeling a strange sense of resolution I’d never known before. "I won’t compete with you for Kieran, don’t worry." "Of course I know that. What makes you think you're worthy of competing with me?" "By the way, that day I said I felt insecure, guess what special gift Kieran gave me?" Seraphina dangled a black USB drive in her hand. "This is highly amusing," she said with a smile, walking into the room and plugging the drive into my computer. "Kieran personally showed this to me. He said it was so I could understand how you ‘serve’ him." The screen lit up. My pupils instantly dilated. It was a video. The footage showed the scene of Kieran and me performing the blood contract ritual in the secret room. It was our most private, most sacred moment. Not only that, she swiped with two fingers, revealing folder abbreviations. Every moment I had spent with Kieran for the past five years was meticulously recorded! My blood ran cold. "Kieran said that during the assassination attempt back then, your mother's family was implicated. As her daughter, he felt you were deserving of punishment for her involvement." "He said this was just a way to tame a wild beast," Seraphina whispered into my ear, her voice venomous. "He also said locking you up in the Cell of Silence this time was to keep me happy. He didn’t care if your legs were broken, as long as I was satisfied." "He never loved you, not from beginning to end." She kept talking, but her words became a blur. At this moment, on this cold, rainy night, all the love, all the fantasies, all the grievances from the past five years turned to ashes. "Is it true?" I asked softly, my fingers tracing the foolish, love-struck version of myself on the screen. "Of course. Don't believe me? Go check his study’s secret room. The original recordings are in the safe. The code is my birthday." I pushed her aside and rushed to Kieran’s study. Just as she said, the code to the secret room had been changed. 0915. Without hesitation, I entered Seraphina’s birthday. Beep. The door opened. In the safe, a box of video tapes lay quietly. The label read: Aurora – Taming Record. "Hahahaha…" I burst into laughter, tears mixing with the rain and flowing into my mouth, tasting incredibly bitter. Taming Record. So in his eyes, I was just a pet used to vent hatred and desire. I grabbed the lighter from the table. Beside it was Kieran’s most cherished thermostatic cabinet, used to preserve Seraphina’s blood samples. And those priceless ancient books, land deeds. "Kieran, since you like ‘fiery’ lessons…" I lit the curtains. Flames quickly licked at the dry books and wooden furniture. The place was filled with flammable alchemical materials. Blue flames shot up instantly, devouring everything. Chapter 9 Flames climbed into the sky. Alarms wailed across Manhattan. I stood on the lawn outside the manor, watching the mansion that symbolized Kieran's power and our past succumb to the inferno. My phone buzzed. It was a furious message from Magnus. "Aurora! What are you doing? Seraphina called in a panic, saying you're burning the house down! Are you trying to get the entire Thorne clan killed?" I called him back, my voice unsettlingly calm. "I have just one question for you. If you lie to me, I'll turn myself in and take the entire Thorne family down with me." Magnus was startled by my tone. "You... go ahead and ask." "Did Kieran truly suggest putting me in the Cell of Silence?" There was a pause on the other end of the line, then Magnus's tired voice came through: "...Yes. The elders only suggested house arrest. Kieran insisted on the Cell of Silence. He said you needed that kind of pain to learn, to learn respect for Seraphina." "Thank you." I hung up. The last bit of hesitation vanished. I took off the ring from my finger and threw it into the fire before me. Then, I tossed Kieran's black card, house keys, and car keys onto the lawn. "We're even." I turned and flagged down a taxi. "To the airport." Forty minutes later, I stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows in the departure lounge. The radio was broadcasting breaking news: "A massive fire has broken out at a prominent Manhattan mansion, reported to be property of the Nocturne family..." My phone vibrated non-stop. Dozens of missed calls, all from Kieran. I pictured him right now. Angry? Shocked? Or finally starting to panic? What would his expression be when he saw the pile of ashes, the empty safe, the ring I left behind? It didn't matter anymore. "Flight to Los Angeles is now boarding..." I grabbed my suitcase and headed for the gate. Just then, a commotion erupted at the entrance of the hall. That familiar tall figure rushed in. Kieran was searching frantically through the crowd. He used vampire speed, moving like a blur. He was looking for me. Through the bustling crowd, his gaze seemed to sweep over me. For a split second, my heart instinctively clutched. Five years of habit. It was a reaction etched into my very bones. I knew if I turned around, he would rush over, maybe embrace me, maybe lock me up again. But I didn't stop. I gripped my boarding pass, my knuckles turning white. Goodbye, Lord of Shadows. Goodbye, that foolish Aurora. I stepped into the boarding tunnel, not looking back. Outside the glass window behind me, the massive silver bird was waiting to carry me to freedom, to the man who had been waiting for me in Los Angeles—Lucian Ashford. Whether it's hell or heaven, as long as Kieran isn't there, anywhere is fine.