93

93

Sophia’s POV

I could hardly contain my excitement. As Ian and I stepped through the portal, it felt like I was being transported into a completely different universe. I still couldn’t believe that the portal to the vampire realm was a stone in the middle of the forest. One second, we were standing on the edge of a quiet forest, and the next, we were in the vampire realm.

And it was more than I could have ever imagined.

“Whoa,” I breathed, spinning slowly as I took in the towering spires that pierced the dark sky. Everything had this strange, otherworldly glow. The buildings were sleek and elegant, made of materials I couldn’t even begin to identify. There was a hum in the air, like the whole realm was alive, thrumming with energy.

I felt like a kid at a theme park, overwhelmed but in the best possible way.

“This is amazing!” I turned to Ian, grinning like a fool.

He smiled back, though his expression was a little more cautious, like he was holding something back. “It’s a lot to take in, I know.”

“A lot? This is incredible! Why didn’t we come here sooner?” I asked, still turning my head to try and absorb every detail. I could feel the excitement bubbling inside me like a shaken soda can, ready to burst.

Ian chuckled, but his eyes flickered with something I couldn’t quite place. “Because it’s… complicated.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. ‘The realm isn’t a playground,’” I mimicked his serious tone, waving him off. “But you’ve gotta admit, this place is pretty cool.”

Ian’s lips twitched into a smirk. “I suppose that’s one way to put it.”

I bounced on my heels, eager to explore. The city stretched out in front of us, and I wanted to dive into every corner, see what kind of secrets it held. But Ian seemed more hesitant, glancing around like he was waiting for something — or someone — to show up.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, my excitement dimming slightly.

“Nothing.” He shook his head quickly, forcing a smile. “I just… there’s a lot to consider now that we’re here.” I frowned, wondering what was really going through his head.

Before I could ask what he meant, a group of figures emerged from the shadows ahead of us. They moved quickly and quietly. They had an air of authority about them, their movements sharp, their gazes piercing.

“Ah, here we go,” Ian muttered under his breath. His whole demeanor shifted, tensing up as the group approached.

I instinctively moved a little closer to him, feeling comfortable under all their stares. The tallest one — a man with stark white hair and cold, calculating eyes — stepped forward, his gaze locking onto Ian.

“Ian,” he said in a deep, commanding voice, “we’ve been expecting you.”

I felt Ian stiffen beside me. He dipped his head slightly in greeting but didn’t step forward to meet them. “I wasn’t aware there was a formal welcome planned, Viktor.”

Viktor, the white-haired leader, flicked his eyes to me briefly, then back to Ian. “The council wishes to see you and your… companion.”

There it was. The council. The big, bad vampires in charge of advicing Ian.

Excitement buzzed in my chest as I digested this. The council! I was about to meet the vampire council. This was huge. Maybe I’d get a glimpse of how their world really worked. Maybe they’d be impressed by me. Maybe—

“No,” Ian said firmly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

Viktor raised an eyebrow. “No?” just at the same time I echoed a confused, “No?”

I glanced at Ian, confused. Why was he shutting this down so quickly?

“We’ve just arrived,” Ian continued, his voice low and controlled. “There’s no need for any meetings right now.”

“But the council insists,” Viktor pressed. “They were quite clear that they wished to meet your fledgling.”

I felt a jolt at the word ‘fledgling.’ That’s what I was to them, wasn’t I? A baby vampire. Something to be inspected, judged, measured. My excitement tampered down instantly, replaced by a lot of nerves that just hit me all of a sudden.

“Ian,” I whispered, tugging on his sleeve. “It’s okay. I can handle it.”

He shook his head, his expression hardening. “No, you don’t have to handle anything.”

Viktor’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You know as well as I do, Ian, that the council’s authority is not to be disregarded.”

“And you know as well as I do that I am your king and I can disregard your authority as long as I want to. But I’m not,” Ian replied calmly, though I could hear the tension in his voice. “I’m simply saying that now is not the time.”

I looked between them, feeling a little out of place. This was Ian’s world, and I wasn’t entirely sure what the protocol was here. But I didn’t want to cause any trouble. If the council wanted to see me, then why not? I was curious about them, and it wasn’t like I was scared or anything.

“Ian,” I said softly, trying again, “really, it’s fine. I’m not worried.”

But Ian wasn’t having any of it. His hand gripped mine a little tighter, and he turned back to Viktor with a cold, unyielding look. “I’ll bring her to the council when I decide she’s ready.”

Viktor didn’t seem pleased with that answer, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he held Ian’s gaze for a long moment before finally giving a curt nod. “Very well. But the council will not wait forever.”

With that, Viktor and his entourage disappeared back into the shadows as quickly as they had come, leaving Ian and me standing there in a suddenly heavy silence.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “Well, that was… intense.”

Ian sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry. I didn’t want you to have to deal with that so soon.”

I frowned, feeling a little guilty now. “But Ian, you didn’t have to refuse like that. I mean, I get it, you’re trying to protect me, but… what’s the big deal?”

He glanced at me, his eyes dark and serious. “The council isn’t just some formality, Sophia. They don’t take kindly to newcomers, especially not fledglings. They’ll ask questions. Test you. And if they don’t like what they see, things could get… complicated.”

Complicated. There was that word again. It seemed like everything in this world was complicated.

“I can handle questions,” I said, crossing my arms. “I’m not afraid of them.”

Ian shook his head. “It’s not about being afraid. It’s about control. Once they have you in that room, they have all the power. It doesn’t matter that I’m the king. And I don’t trust them to treat you fairly.”

His protectiveness was sweet, really, but it was starting to feel a little stifling. I wanted to experience this world, not be shielded from it at every turn.

“I appreciate that you’re looking out for me,” I said, stepping closer to him, “but I’m not fragile, Ian. I can handle myself.”

He looked down at me, his expression softening just a little. “I know you can. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you walk into something like that unprepared.”

“I’m never going to be prepared if you keep holding me back,” I countered, feeling my frustration building up. “You’ve been saying how dangerous this world is, how different it is from what I’m used to. But how am I supposed to adjust if you won’t even let me meet the people in charge?”

Ian’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might argue. But then he let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair.

“I’m not trying to hold you back,” he said quietly. “I’m trying to keep you safe.”

“And I appreciate that,” I said, my voice softening too. “But I’m in this world now, Ian. I’m a part of it, whether we like it or not. You can’t protect me from everything.”

He looked at me, so many emotions swirling in his eyes. Finally, he nodded. “You’re right. I just… I need to do this at my own pace. I need to make sure you’re ready.”

I sighed, stepping closer and taking his hand in mine. “Okay. But promise me that when you think I’m ready, you’ll let me face whatever’s coming. I don’t want to hide.”

Ian squeezed my hand, his gaze steady. “I promise.”

And with that, I felt a little better. I wrapped an arm around his neck, not caring that there might be a bunch of other vampires lurking in the shadows and watching us.

“Now, relax, will you?” I murmured, rising to my toes so our lips were brushing against his. Even though it was barely. “We’re here to have fun…not worrying about everything.”

“I can’t help it,” he murmured back and I brushed my lips against it again. “I love you.”

I smiled which slowly turned into a full blown giggle. “And I love you more.”