Chapter 20: The Frozen Kingdom

“Antarctica?” I stared at her. “Why Antarctica of all places? That’s just a giant frozen desert.”

Juliet didn’t even blink. “What makes you say that? Have you been there before?”

“No. But I watch documentaries. It’s penguins, whales, ice… and more ice.”

She leaned back in her seat, calm as ever. “I suppose it’s time you learn a valuable lesson.”

“And what lesson is that?”

“Patience, Daniel. Patience.”

I exhaled. “Fine. How long is this flight anyway?”

“Thirteen to fourteen hours.”

“Damn. That’s long. What if I get hungry?”

A faint smile curved her lips. “That won’t be a problem. There are flight attendants on board. They’d gladly offer themselves.”

I raised a brow. “Did you hypnotize them too?”

“Not exactly. They want this.”

“Want what?”

“To be turned. To be part of our world. They would do almost anything for the opportunity.”

I stared at her. “Anything?”

She didn’t flinch. “They’re what you’d call Renfields. Blood servants. Loyal. Devoted. Some of the staff at my hotel are the same.”

“That’s… disturbing.”

“Most great systems are,” she replied smoothly.

“Do you ever turn them?”

“Sometimes. But not with my blood. Tunde handles most of that.”

There was something different in her voice when she said his name. A softness. Or maybe regret.

“Who’s Tunde?” I asked.

She looked at me. “The man who was with me the night I turned you.”

A flash of memory hit me instantly.

The bar restroom.

Juliet cornering me.

The tall man who walked in afterward.

That was him.

“So where is he now?”

“He’s gone home.”

A flicker of panic rose in me. “Won’t he tell your family about me?”

Juliet’s eyes sharpened slightly. “Daniel, you have nothing to worry about. Tunde is loyal. To me.”

I nodded slowly. “I hope so.”

I stood up and walked toward the small bar built into the side of the cabin. Crystal glasses. Polished wood. Bottles arranged like artwork.

I poured myself a drink.

“This is going to be a long night,” I muttered before taking a sip.

“And we didn’t even bring our coffins,” I added dramatically. “I need my beauty sleep.”

Juliet laughed softly.

“If you walk two cabins forward,” she said, “you’ll see something interesting.”

I set my drink down immediately.

I stepped into the next cabin.

It was dimly lit, lined with cream leather seats, soft golden lights glowing along the walls. A small lounge area. Nothing unusual.

I moved forward again into the second cabin.

And froze.

Two coffins.

Side by side.

Sleek. Black. Custom-built. Strapped securely to the floor as if they belonged there more than the seats did.

I stepped closer, running my fingers over the smooth surface.

She had planned everything.

I walked back to her cabin slowly, shaking my head in disbelief.

I clapped once.

“Wow,” I said. “Okay. Now I officially accept that you are ridiculously rich.”

Juliet smirked. “I prefer prepared.”

“Prepared?” I scoffed. “Most people prepare snacks. You prepare portable coffins.”

She laughed again.

I dropped into the seat across from her.

“You know what’s funny?” I said. “I’ve always wanted to fly on a plane. Ever since I was a kid. I used to look up whenever I heard one in the sky.”

I glanced around the cabin.

“And now I’m not just on a plane… I’m on a private jet flying to Antarctica. And I don’t feel… anything.”

She studied me quietly.

“I always wanted to be a vampire too,” I continued. “Even when I thought vampires weren’t real. I wanted to be stronger. Different. More.”

Juliet tilted her head slightly.

“If you want something wholeheartedly,” she said, “the universe has a way of aligning itself to deliver it.”

I chuckled. “That sounds like something from a self-help book.”

She smiled faintly but didn’t deny it.

“And now that I am a vampire,” I went on, “it feels normal. Like I’ve always been this way.”

I leaned back in my seat.

“You know how people say wanting something is exciting… but once you get it, it’s not as magical?”

Juliet’s eyes softened.

“You’re not disappointed,” she said quietly.

“No,” I admitted. “Just… surprised. I thought it would feel bigger.”

She leaned forward slightly.

“It will,” she said. “You’ve only just begun to understand what you are.”

The engines hummed steadily around us.

Outside, the world was nothing but dark sky and endless clouds.

And somewhere ahead of us—

Antarctica waited.The next few hours crawled by.

Inside the jet, the world felt suspended—high above clouds, detached from consequence. We fed quietly on the skinny flight attendants who would never be remembered, washing the metallic warmth of blood down with sharp shots of alcohol. The cabin lights were dim, the windows shuttered. It felt less like travel and more like migration.

When daybreak threatened the horizon, I retreated into my coffin. The lid shut, sealing me in darkness. I only slept a few hours.

“Daniel.”

Juliet’s voice pulled me back. The coffin opened.

“We’ve arrived.”

I stepped out—and the cold hit me instantly.

Even inside the jet hangar carved into ice, the air felt razor-sharp, slicing into my lungs though I didn’t need to breathe. We wore heavy black parkas, thick gloves, boots reinforced with steel grips. When we descended from the jet, the world outside looked unreal.

Antarctica.

Endless white stretched in every direction—snowfields like frozen oceans, jagged mountains rising like ancient teeth. The sky was pale blue, almost silver, and the wind howled across the land with a lonely, violent sound. The cold wasn’t just temperature—it was presence. It pressed against skin like a living force.

And somehow… Juliet had a private landing space here.

I was still trying to process that when a man in a bright orange parka approached us, striding confidently across the snow. His face lit up the moment he saw her.

“Juliet!”

They embraced like old comrades—tight, familiar, passionate.

“How long has it been?” he asked, pulling back slightly.

“Over a century, I think,” Juliet replied casually.

Over a century.

My mind stalled.

The man turned to me. His eyes were sharp, ancient.

“And who’s your friend here?”

“I’m Daniel,” I said, stretching out my hand.

He stared at it for a second… then ignored it and pulled me into a strong hug.

“Any friend of Juliet is a friend of mine.”

He released me and stepped back.

“So… are you ready?”

“What about the crew and the plane?” I asked Juliet.

“Don’t worry about that,” she said. “They’ll head back to Europe. We can contact them when we’re done.”

“Right.”

“Then let’s move,” the man said.

We followed him toward a massive rocky mountain that cut into the sky like a blade.

As we climbed, he and Juliet talked like generals reviewing war plans.

“If you came here for vacation,” he said dryly, “you picked the wrong time.”

“Why?” Juliet asked.

“The Braves have broken the treaty you helped create. They’ve been raiding us for months. There’s only so much I can do.”

Juliet went silent for a moment.

“I’m here now,” she said. “We’ll figure something out. Together.”

He nodded but looked troubled.

“Our spirit warriors are getting weaker. We don’t know why. Even weakened, they’re stronger than the Braves’ warriors—but the Braves have adapted. Their strategy is smarter. Coordinated.”

“And now you have two more vampires,” Juliet said. “That changes the equation.”

He glanced at me again, studying.

“We’re just going over this mountain,” he said. “Once we do… you’ll see how beautiful Antarctica truly is.”

I was exhausted from the slow climb. The snow crunched beneath our boots.

“Why don’t we just use our speed?” I suggested. “We’re vampires.”

Juliet frowned. “It’s icy.”

“We’ll be fine.”

I convinced her.

And that’s when I discovered something unexpected.

The man smiled.

“You first,” he said.

Then he vanished.

Not vanished—moved. Faster than the eye could track.

Juliet smirked at my confusion… and then she disappeared too.

Vampire speed.

He was a vampire.

I grinned and launched forward.

The mountain blurred beneath my feet. Ice shattered behind me. The air tore past my face. It felt like freedom—like racing gravity itself. For a moment it became a competition.

They were ahead.

I pushed harder.

But when I reached the summit, breathless though I didn’t need breath, they were already standing there waiting.

I lost.

And then I saw it.

Beyond the mountain lay a hidden valley stretching for miles—a vast icy civilization carved into the white earth. Towers of sculpted ice shimmered like crystal under the pale sun. Bridges arched between frozen structures. Blue light pulsed from within the buildings, glowing through translucent walls. Massive ice pillars circled the perimeter like ancient guardians.

It was alive.

People moved below—figures against the snow. Children running. Warriors training.

An entire community.

Hidden from the world.

Juliet stepped beside me.

“I told you, Daniel,” she said softly. “I told you I would teach you a life lesson.”

I looked at her.

“A lesson about ignorance.”

We descended into the valley.

As we entered the community, I noticed them clearly.

Dark-skinned men, women, and children—yet their hair was white as snow. Their eyes glowed an unnatural blue. Their ears were slightly elongated, elegant, almost elven. They radiated something spiritual… ancient.

They rushed toward Juliet warmly. She had clearly been here many times before.

But before we could settle—

A scream tore through the air.

Then another.

In the distance, I saw them.

Another group charging down from the far ridge—similar in build, but dressed differently. Their armor was darker, rougher. And running with them—

Wolves.

Not normal wolves.

Giant wolves.

Twenty… maybe twenty-five of them.

“There they are!” the man in orange roared. “Get ready!”

He turned to Juliet. “I’ll meet you out there.”

Then he vanished into motion, racing toward the enemy.

Suddenly a pack of the giant wolves stormed past me at terrifying speed. One brushed my side and the impact knocked me hard onto the frozen ground.

The earth cracked beneath me.

Juliet appeared beside me instantly, lifting me up with one hand.

“Hey,” she said sharply, eyes glowing. “There’s a battle going on. And we are going to fight.”

“Are those werewolves?” I asked, shaken.

“Yes.”

Her expression shifted—fierce, hungry.

“Daniel… this is your time. Show me what kind of vampire you are.”

She leaned closer, whispering with a dark smile.

“Go berserk. Feed on them. Oh my God, their blood tastes amazing. Don’t let me down.”

And then she was gone—racing toward the chaos.

The valley erupted into war.

warriors clashed warriors. Ice shattering. Wolves leapt through the air. Screams echoed against frozen mountains.

I steadied myself.

This is it.

My first real war.

My eyes burned crimson.

Okay.

This is the time to lash out.