The Lost Vampire Princess

n the floor beside her. Her room still smelled faintly of ozone, like the aftermath of a

't even do anything. It just... happened." Kael looked at her then, really looked at her. "Because you were never meant to be bound. That spell-the one that's kept you hidden-it's weakening. You're waking up, Zahra." She flinched at the name. "Don't call me that." "It's who you are." "It's a stranger," she snapped. "I don't know her. I barely know me." A long silence followed. The kind that stretched and pulled at the heart. Kael reached into his coat and pulled out a small, dark crystal. "This belonged to your mother. Meira. She gave it to Amari the night she sent you away." Mia stared at the crystal, her fingers trembling as she took it. "She loved you. They both did," Kael said

efore slipping out into the night. "Tomorrow's going to be a lot." And with that,

ing his sharp features in silver. He'd felt the disturbance from miles away-a sur

xactly where

i

lready gone. The light, the magic, the sce

a

n her room?" Kairos snarled, his voice low and trembling with barely contained rage. Kael didn't flinch. "Easy, dog. I wasn't there for that." "Then what were you there for, bloodsucker?" His eyes glowed faintly gold beneath his furrowed brow. "You don't get to creep into her life and twist it for your own gain." Kael's icy blue gaze narrowed. "I was helping her. Something you weren't there to do."

eavy. "I'm warning you," Kairos growled. "Stay out of her room. Stay out of her head. Or next time, I won't stop at a shove." Kael's smile was cold. "I'd like to see you try." And with

K

al-laughter, chatter, trays clattering-bu

ights a little too bright. The smells too

ng casually against the wall like he didn't just vanish from her bedroom window last night. Kairos sat nea

o a bar fight in a high school drama? Tariq nudged her

kly, eyes darting between the

er without asking. "Can we talk later?" Before she could answer, Kairos dropped into the seat on her other side like a thunderclap. "Funny, I was just about to ask the same thing." Their eyes met above her head-pure, unfiltered hostility. "Seriously?" she muttered, looking between them. "Are you guys actually doing this right now?" Neither of them said anything. But th

.. she felt him. "Hey," he said softly, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. "Didn't mean to scare you." "You didn't," she said, still looking stra

. different. Vulnerable. "I didn't come to fight," he said. "I came to say I'm sorry." She looked at him, arms cr

d. "Both." That surprised her. She blink

er this time. "Neither d

o make it better?" "No," he said gently. "But I don't want you to think this is a game

ent. When he finally spoke, h

drawn to you. In a way I've never experience

don't know what's happening either. Everything's weird l

ough that she could feel the warmth radiating off him. "But

, trying to read the truth in his e

ka

mile crossed h

re thing..." He l

, I will throat-punch you both." Kael laughed-gen

ng anyone-but of course, fate had other plans. "Knew I'd find you here," Kairos's voice came from behind her, low and warm. She turned to see him leaning ag

ther face-off," Mia said, he

into the gym. "Not with Kael. Not with you."

with you," he

from her. His scent-earthy, piney, almost like r

etrayal-none of it rattled me. But you? You do. I feel... pulled to you

thing." "Yeah, well... maybe there's a reason for that," he muttered, loo

ething in me recognizes you. And when I saw Kael near you... it

it was fear, confusion, or som

ded, his voice gentler now. "I've got rough edges. But I'd

st beneath the surface, restrained but present. "You

him. Then: "You've been there since

ated girls with powerful destinies." She laughed softly, shaking he

"Maybe not. But I'm