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It was true. Vampires, with their dark, menacing silhouettes, were attacking our castle.
The realization struck me like a physical blow, and I felt a wave of fear. We were all in grave danger, and I immediately thought of Cass.
Adrian turned to me, his eyes deep and dark. His hands gripped my shoulders, almost as if to keep me in an upright position.
“You have to go get Cass,” he instructed in a grave voice. “Bring her back here. You will be safe here. I won’t let them get inside, I promise.”
Before I could say anything, he cupped my face and kissed my forehead. I watched him as he put on his clothes quickly, rushing out of our bedroom. With my back turned to the window and the chaos that reigned outside, my maternal instincts kicked in instantly. I knew that my first priority was to ensure Cass’ safety.
Hastily, I rushed to Cass’s bedroom. I opened the door, relieved to see her asleep in her bed, her dreams untouched by the night’s disturbance. With trembling hands, I picked her up, cradling her in my arms and I whispered soothing words, to ensure that she remained undisturbed by the tumult outside.
“Mommy?” she whispered to me, her voice surprised.
“Shhh, baby,” I told her gently. “Just go back to sleep, okay?”
“Where are we going?” The curious little thing always needed to know everything.
“Mommy is just taking you to her room, baby. There’s nothing wrong. Just… it’s too cold in your room.”
“Mhm…” she murmured softly, then closed her eyes and allowed sleep to take over again. Her small, peaceful face, framed by her tousled hair, served as a poignant reminder of what we all held most dear in this world. I couldn’t let anything happen to her.
As I carried Cass to the safety of our room, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of determination. The responsibilities of being a parent were now intertwined with the responsibilities of being a ruler’s wife, and the well-being of our family rested heavily on my shoulders.
I laid Cass in the king-sized bed where Adrian and I were sleeping mere minutes ago. I tucked her in with care and kissed her forehead. I made sure that the doors were locked. The echoes of fighting and the looming presence of vampires outside were a grim reminder that they could enter at any moment. I had to be prepared for the worst.
After locking the doors, I began to search for something that could serve as a makeshift weapon, a means to defend my family in the event that the vampires breached the castle's defenses. My hands trembling, I settled on a sturdy iron candlestick, its weight offering some assurance in the face of danger.
Gripping the candlestick firmly, I returned to the window. The shadows outside seemed to deepen, as the night was fraught with uncertainty. I watched behind the curtain as the night came alive with a fierce struggle between the castle guards, led by Adrian, and the encroaching vampires. The battleground was illuminated by torchlights, casting eerie flickering shadows on everyone’s faces.
Adrian, my steadfast protector, stood at the forefront of the defense, with Leopold by his side. I could see them both clearly. Adrian’s trusty sword was glinting in the torchlights as he faced the vampires with unwavering resolve. I always wondered why he simply didn’t resort to guns, but he explained that his silver sword was a special weapon, a much more effective one. But whoever used it had to be very skilled.
I watched as his commanding presence inspired courage in the guards who fought alongside him. He moved with a grace and strength that had been honed over years of training, his every action a testament to his commitment to our kingdom, to our family. He parried attacks with precision and countered with strikes that proved his skill.
The guards, resolute and loyal, formed a united front, their weapons flashing as they engaged the vampires. Their faces were a mixture of determination and fear, but they fought valiantly to defend their home and loved ones. Their armor gleamed in the light of the moon and the torches, their resolve unwavering. The clang of weapons against vampire flesh exploded in the night.
The vampires, with their supernatural speed and strength, were absolutely frightening. I had never seen them this ferocious, even that night at the cemetery. Their crimson eyes gleamed malevolently as they lunged and snarled, their inhuman agility making them frightening opponents. Yet, the guards did not falter, facing the threat with unwavering courage.
The sounds of battle filled the night, punctuated by the shouts and cries of combat. It was a fight for the very heart of our kingdom, a struggle between the darkness of the vampire assailants and the steadfast resolve of our defenders.
I had no idea how long the battle lasted. It felt like forever, when finally the first rays of the morning sun started to appear. I knew this was our salvation. The rays of the sun cast a golden radiance upon the reddened battlefield, and the vampires started to hiss and retreat, their inhuman strength waning in the face of a more powerful enemy.
The guards and Adrian, emboldened by the arrival of dawn, pressed their advantage, driving the vampires back further. With every step they took, the menacing figures of the vampire assailants seemed to shrink and falter, their dark forms dissolving like shadows retreating from the light. As the first beams of sunlight fell upon the courtyard, the vampires, unable to withstand its touch, fled from the castle’s grounds in a desperate scramble for safety. Their crimson eyes were consumed by the brilliance of the morning sun, and they disappeared into the surrounding darkness, retreating to the shadows from which they had emerged.
Adrian, still on the battlefield below, looked up at that moment, at the window where I stood, sensing my eyes on him. We locked gazes, and a wave of relief and gratitude washed over me. I raised my hand and waved, a silent gesture that conveyed everything: my well-being, my gratitude, my love. He nodded in response, his expression a mixture of exhaustion and determination. We both knew that the battle was far from over, but at least we’d won this one.
About half an hour later, we were both sitting in the library, while I carefully tended to his wounds. He sat with his shirt removed, his exposed torso bearing marks of an intense battle. He had scratches, bloody marks, cuts with dried as well as fresh blood. I suppressed a gasp upon seeing him like this. I gently dabbed at the surface wounds with a damp cloth, my touch as delicate as I could manage, while he winced and occasionally took in a sharp breath.
“Does it hurt much?” I asked, concern evident in my voice. It didn’t look like he was seriously injured, but I couldn’t tell upon such a quick inspection. And even if he were seriously injured, I doubt he would show me how painful it really was.
Adrian managed a half-smile, his eyes meeting mine. “It stings a bit, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ve had worse.”
I nodded, but my worry didn’t go away. “I’m just relieved that you are safe and unharmed. The sunlight came to our rescue today.”
Adrian’s gaze softened. We both knew that he had his human parents to thank for being a vampire who had the power to withstand the rays of the sun. He still had to be careful and not overdo it, but the cream worked miracles. His skin had adapted. It changed, and that was only part of why everyone seemed so frightened of him. He didn’t belong to either world fully. He was not a human, and not quite a vampire. I knew that made him question where he belonged, but I was always here to remind him that his place was by my and Cass’ side. Nowhere else. And that we loved him just as he was.
His gaze softened as he watched me take care of his wounds. “You and Cass were safe inside these formidable walls. That is all that matters.”
“We were safe because of you, not because of these walls,” I reminded him.
