Vladimir and lyra: a forbidden love

Unexpect

etch of the Ebon Hollow Forest. The air was thick with the scent of damp ea

d it long befo

wolf form. Her senses had been heightened ever since her first trans

shiver through her spine was unl

edat

her kind. N

amp

er fur bristled, her claws digging into the soil. What

to her pack and alerted them. But something he

ios

thing d

, weaving between the shad

his presence both commanding and unnerving. The wind c

ir Dra

ire Lord

tall and elegant, his long black coat billowing around him like shadows come to life. H

had sensed her al

eyes

ick with unspoken tension. His gaze was piercing-a dee

what s

knew wha

ent, neither o

er shock,

something darkly amused. "A little wolf, all

To shift back, to run. But something in hi

fangs in warning. "You shouldn't be here,"

ghtly, his expression unread

hrough his eyes as he studied her. "Tell

on unsettled her because s

, let alone him. Everything in her should have sc

ye

ed forwar

touched Viadimir's

d, the divide between their wor

-a s

nce, the distinct scent

pa

were

d them too. The moment between them

" he murmured, voice like sil

isting. She should be relieved. She sho

as the ache of something un

melting into the shadows as

ke that, he

ne under the col

e Tensi

Lyra stood frozen, heart hammering in her chest as Viadimir's presence faded into

just ha

ry. Not just any vampire-Viadimir Dr

not attacked.

er ha

to shift back before Elias and two other wolves emerged from the trees. Their golden

ward, his gaze sweeping over her. "We s

rcing herself to appear

ying her closely. "

needed was for them to suspect something was wrong. She couldn't explain w

it," she lied, keeping her voice ste

t a low growl. "A vampire this deep i

. "Ulric will want

er. What would he say if he knew? Would he have b

he have suspe

ra one last searching look before

nd remained behind-back at the str

ing Moon

rst hints of morning light. Torches still burned outside the woo

at the long wooden table, his scarred face set in a deep frown. The

s close?" His voice was

agreement. She could feel her father's sharp gaze fl

their scent," she answered, hoping her voice sounded

n." He leaned forward, his fists pressing into the table. "We need to prepare. If the

al ran through the

**ruthless, cruel, and unnatural.** Her father had told her stories of their wars, how the

ye

adimir's eyes, cr

the way he ha

as p

s an

ething

ouble our patrols. If we catch one of those l

s words, guilt twis

had already

und out... it would be he

That

dn't com

g at the ceiling, the weight of the night pressing aga

dim

ike he had known her for far l

e had seen something in her th

ide her chest c

't he ki

't she k

had let her go because he was toying with her. That would

a knew

d chosen no

had chosen

tween them, an unspoken recognition of

knew-this was not the l

he Fir

ight itself held its breath. Lyra's pulse raced a steady thunder in her ears

couldn't

had first laid eyes on **Viadimir Drakovich.** She wasn't sure what had drawn

trees, carrying the faintest

as h

regal, and hauntingly beautiful. The moonlight caught the sharp edges o

imir murmured, s

r body tense. "I

a knowing smirk. "And

t her to run. Lyra swallowed hard, her fingers twitching at her sides. She had spent her life fea

she feel dr

ant from me?"

er with quiet intensity. "The better

her as if he had carved it into the night its

ward, closing the distan

hing dark, ancient, and intoxicating. A predator's s

ll you," she

ou?" His fingers grazed the underside of her chin, t

d no a

in, a stark contrast between death and

ould send lesser wolves cowering. But nothing had ever unnerve

something w

observed, his voice b

was right. "I'm no

to something unreadable. "Th

but no words came.

't afrai

aid of what

t, the other curling lightly against his wrist. She felt the steady, unnatural stillness of

kened, his own brea

t time his voic

ed against his c

e kisse

kless. It

, it fel

pectedly soft. For a heartbeat, Viadimir still

e resp

The kiss deepened, and Lyra felt herself burning, every nerve alive with something raw a

re that he wa

re that this

ed that she

ted

sed against him as if gravity itself had shifted. Viadimir's fore

ppen," he murmured, though the

haky laugh. "The

, his expression unreadable. "Becau

een them. A werewolf and a vampire, tangled in som

lt like ripping a part of herself awa

never wavered. "

she never would. But as she ran back toward her

t time she would kis

nly the