Chapter Three: Bound by Blood
Aria's mind raced as Lucien's words echoed in her ears. They'll come for you.
Her pulse hammered against her ribs. She had no idea who they were, but the way Lucien said it—with something close to regret—told her it was bad. Really bad.
"I don't even know what you are," she whispered, her voice barely carrying over the distant hum of the city.
Lucien exhaled, his silver eyes unreadable. "You already know."
Aria's throat went dry. The way he moved, the way he had appeared out of nowhere, the way his touch sent unnatural heat through her veins—she had been trying to ignore the impossible.
"You're a vampire." The words left her lips before she could stop them.
Lucien's smirk returned, though this time it was colder. "And now you're finally catching up."
Aria took a step back, her body screaming at her to run. But deep down, she knew—running wouldn't save her. Not from him.
"Why me?" she demanded. "Why did you mark me?"
Lucien's gaze flickered to her wrist, where the mark pulsed faintly. "Because I was dying," he admitted. "And you were the only one who could save me."
Her breath hitched. "Save you? I don't even know you!"
Lucien's expression darkened. "That doesn't matter anymore. The bond is sealed. Your blood called to me… and I answered."
Aria's stomach twisted. "What does that mean?"
Lucien's jaw tightened. "It means that from this moment on, your life is tied to mine. If you die, I die."
Silence stretched between them.
Aria stared at him, horror creeping up her spine. She barely knew this man—this vampire—and yet, he had bound her to him in ways she didn't understand.
"And what happens if you die?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucien's lips curved into a humorless smile. "Then you'll wish you had died with me."