Chapter 134 Back To You.

Chapter 134 Back To You.
KARINA’S P.O.V.

The transition from the supernatural realm back to the human world was always jarring. In the vampire kingdom, the air was thick with the scent of ancient stone, damp earth, and the faint, metallic tang of blood that seemed to permeate every corridor. It was a world of sharp edges and cold shadows. But as I stepped through the portal and onto the familiar, cracked pavement of the human suburbs, the air changed. It was lighter, scented with blooming jasmine, car exhaust, and the distant salt of the ocean. It felt fragile. It felt like Sarah.

I adjusted the collar of my coat, feeling the weight of the last few weeks pressing down on my shoulders. I had walked away from a council seat. I had seen prince Domenic choose a human life, and I had watched princess Camille ascend to a throne that rightfully belongs to her. Now, I was home. Or, at least, I was at the place I wanted to call home.

As I approached the apartment Josh had gifted us, I saw a flickering light in the living room window. My vampire senses, sharper than any human could comprehend, picked up the sounds from within. I heard a soft, melodic laugh that made my heart stutter, followed by a deeper, masculine voice.

I froze. My pupils dilated, and the beast that lived beneath my skin began to pace. Every instinct I possessed as a high-born vampire screamed at me. Someone was with her. A man was in there with her, in her space, sharing a moment that belonged only to
me. Jealousy, cold and sharp as an icicle, pierced through my relief.

I didn't think; I moved. In a blur of motion that no human eye could track, I was at the front door. I didn't knock. I turned the handle and stepped inside, my expression a mask of frozen fury.

Sarah was sitting on the sofa, a glass of wine in her hand. She looks different like she was not the Sarah I knew. She was wearing a beautiful red dress and she had makeup on.

Sarah looks beautiful and powerful. Damn, I felt my heart stutter just by looking at her. She no longer held that innocent messy blond hair and blue eyes, but I loved it.

Opposite her sat a man I recognized—Adrian, Josh’s close human friend. They weren't touching, but they were close.

Sarah's eyes suddenly found mine by the door. "Karina!" Sarah gasped, nearly dropping her glass as she stood up. Her eyes went wide, reflecting a mixture of shock and pure, unadulterated joy.

I didn't answer immediately. My gaze moved to Adrian, my eyes likely glowing with a faint, predatory light. He stood up slowly, looking awkward and more than a little intimidated. He knew what I was, even if he still didn't fully understand the depth of my power.

"You’re back," Adrian said, his voice hovering somewhere between a greeting and a question.

"I am," I replied, my voice coming out like a low, dangerous hum. "And I find you this close to what's mine, Adrian. Explain yourself."

"Karina, calm down," Sarah said, stepping toward me, her hand reaching out to touch my arm. Her warmth was an immediate balm to my frayed nerves, but I remained stiff. "He’s been coming by every day to check on me. He’s been worried sick, just like I have."

Adrian cleared his throat, looking down at his feet. "I... I just wanted to make sure shes okay." He looked behind me. "What about Josh and Camille? Didn't they come with you?"

The jealousy in my chest didn't vanish, but it softened into a dull ache. I took a deep breath, trying to push the predatory instincts back into the dark corners of my mind. "Josh is okay," I said, my tone leveling out. "He is currently the King of the Vampire Nation."

Adrian’s jaw dropped. "King? Josh? Oh fuck, this shit is real!" He whispered the last part to himself.

I reached into my inner pocket and pulled out the cream-colored envelope Josh had handed me before I left. "He asked me to give this to you. It’s a letter. He said it would explain everything."

Adrian took the letter with trembling fingers, his eyes fixed on the familiar handwriting on the front. He looked at me, then at Sarah, realizing that he was intruding on a reunion that was long overdue. "Thank you, Karina. Really. I’ll... I’ll go read this. I’ll give you two some space."

He didn't wait for a reply. He practically bolted for the door, clutching the letter to his chest like it was a holy relic. As the door clicked shut behind him, the silence in the room felt heavy, charged with all the things we hadn't said.

I turned back to Sarah, my mask finally cracking. "I’m sorry," I whispered. "I shouldn't have snapped at him. It’s just... seeing him here, with you..."

"You were jealous," Sarah said, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. Before I could argue, she stepped into my space and threw her arms around my neck, pulling me down into a fierce hug.

I buried my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent—vanilla, old books, and a hint of the rain that had started to fall outside. The tension that had been coiled in my spine for weeks finally snapped. I held her so tightly I feared I might break her, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she tilted her head back and kissed me.

It was a kiss that tasted like forgiveness and homecoming. It washed away the memories of the battlefield. When we finally broke apart, we were both breathless.

"Come have a seat," Sarah said softly, leading me over to the sofa. "Tell me everything. I’ve been living on rumors and prayers for far too long."

We sat close together, our legs tangled, her hand never leaving mine. I told her everything—the final stand against the shadow monsters, the way Kate had shown a strength that had surprised even me, and the alliance with Lord Khaos. I told her about the coronation and the wedding.

"They’re actually married?" Sarah asked, her eyes bright with wonder. "Josh and and princess Camille?"

"They are," I said, a faint smile touching my lips. "It’s a strange union, a human turned vampire and a princess of the blood, but it works. They have the support of the Beast, and for now, the kingdom is at peace. Giron is still in rage, but he won't dare move against them while Lord Khaos is watching."

She nodded looking really pleased. "What about Prince Domenic and Kate? It's been so long since I saw them."

I shrugged, "last I heard they wanted to also live in the human world. I think they are somewhere here too."

"I would like to visit them someday."

I smiled, "I'm sure we will." I paused, looking around the opulent room Josh had provided for us. "And Josh gave us all his assets, Sarah. He has signed over the majority of his human assets to us. He wanted to make sure we never had to worry about a thing."

Sarah shook her head in disbelief. "It’s too much, Karina. We don't need all of that."

"We don't," I agreed, leaning my forehead against hers. "But it is disrespectful to refuse a gift from a King."

I took a shaky breath, the confession I had been harboring finally rising to the surface. It was time to let it out. "Sarah, I didn't just come back to see you. I’ve stepped down from the council. I’ve renounced my titles. I don't want to go back to that world."

I looked deep into her eyes, my heart racing in a way that felt entirely too human. "I want to stay here. With you. I want to live a life that has an end. I want to see the sun rise and set every day, even if I have to watch it from the shadows. I want to be yours, Sarah, and nothing else."

Sarah’s expression turned solemn, a flicker of worry crossing her beautiful face. "Are you sure, Karina? Truly sure? You’re talking about giving up your title, your heritage... your immortality is a long time to spend in one world."

"But Im happy now more than ever. Even the Vampire nation is now at peace," I said firmly. "All I want now is you."

I reached out, cupping her face in my hands. "The supernatural world is a place of 'forever,' Sarah. But 'forever' is empty without you. I would rather have fifty years of a human life at your side than a thousand years of solitude in the vampire courts. I am sure. More sure than I have ever been of anything in my life."

Tears shimmered in Sarah's eyes, but they weren't tears of sadness. She leaned forward, closing the distance between us once more. "Then stay," she whispered against my lips. "Stay, and let's see what kind of life we can build."

As we kissed again, the rain drummed a peaceful rhythm against the windowpanes. For the first time in my existence, the future didn't look like a long, dark tunnel of duty. It looked like a sunny morning in a house filled with laughter. I was no longer a Lady of the Council. I was just Karina, and for the first time, that was more than enough.

We stayed like that for hours, talking and planning, our happiness a bright, unbreakable shield against the rest of the world. I had found my kingdom, and it wasn't made of stone and blood. It was made of silk, jasmine, and the woman holding me tight.