Charis's butler announced the visitor, "Lord Valentin has arrived, sir."
Charis's eyes narrowed slightly, "Send him in."
Valentin entered with a sly smile, "Ah, Charis, I see you're...indisposed." His gaze flicked to Nita, who was still flushed from their passionate kiss.
Charis's expression turned cold, "What do you want, Valentin?"
"I came to offer my congratulations on your new queen," Valentin said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I see you're still enthralled by the mermaid."
Nita's eyes flashed with anger, but Charis's hand on her arm calmed her. "Leave, Valentin," Charis warned.
Valentin chuckled, "Oh, I'll leave. But know this, Charis: your heart may be frozen, but Nita's is not. And I'll be waiting for her when you inevitably break hers."
With that, he vanished, leaving Charis and Nita in an uncomfortable silence.
Nita lay in bed, her mind replaying the passionate kiss with Charis. But her thoughts were interrupted by a figure appearing on her balcony. It was Valentin, his eyes burning with intensity.
"Nita," he whispered, his voice low and husky. "I've been in love with you from the moment I saw you. And I'm not ready to let you go."
Nita's heart raced as she sat up, her eyes locked on Valentin's. She had feelings for him too, but her heart was also drawn to Charis.
"Valentin, I...I don't know what to say," she stammered.
Valentin stepped closer, his eyes pleading. "Don't say anything, Nita. Just listen. I know Charis has a hold on you, but I can offer you something he can't: love, true love. Not the cold, calculating love of a vampire, but the warm, passionate love of a man who burns for you alone."
Nita's heart was torn, her emotions in turmoil. She didn't know what to do, or who to choose.
Nita's mind raced with Valentin's words, her heart torn between the two brothers. She had feelings for both, but in different ways. Charis's cold exterior hid a deep pain, and she longed to heal his heart. But Valentin's passionate declaration stirred a fire within her, a desire for love and connection.
As she pondered her dilemma, a soft knock on the door broke the silence. It was Charis, his eyes searching hers. "Nita, may I enter?"
Nita's heart skipped a beat. How could she choose between these two men, both of whom had claimed a piece of her heart?