CHAPTER 51

**SOPHIA**

The prince's body is still pressed against mine, and my heart beats so loudly I can almost hear it echoing in my ears.

I feel the weight of the dagger in my hand, the blade pressed against his chest, but my fingers tremble, uncertain.

Tears start to form in my eyes as my mind battles itself.

I should do this. I should drive the dagger into his heart and try to escape.

Come on, Sophia. Do it. End it now.

But something stops me.

He’s right.

I know he’s right. This dagger won’t kill him, and if I try, I won’t have time to run. He’ll find me, and then there will be no mercy.

His voice cuts through the silence, a cold, dangerous whisper near my ear.

“If you do this, I want you to run, Sophia. Run fast, because if I find you...”, the threat lingers in the air, clear and full of meaning.

My hand lowers, giving up, knowing that now isn’t the right time.

Not with this dagger.

A sigh escapes my lips without me realizing it, wavering between relief and frustration.

“Good girl...”, he murmurs, his lips brushing my ear.

A shiver runs down my spine, and before I can react, I feel his lips slowly moving toward my neck. My entire body goes rigid, as if caught between fear and something else, something I can’t explain.

“Now get out of this room before I lose control, little prey.”

His words are a mix of warning and promise.

My gaze falls involuntarily to his lips, and, for a second, I am immersed in his face, in the power he has over me, in the danger he represents.

I can’t deny the chaos he causes inside me, and that scares me even more.

Then, suddenly, the prince steps back, his eyes narrowing as he hears footsteps approaching.

Vampire guards enter the room, interrupting the moment.

I take advantage of the distraction, stepping back. My heart is still racing as I look at the dagger in my hands.

Without thinking twice, I turn and run out of the room, feeling the weight of everything that just happened.

The cold air of the corridors hits me, and I run without looking back, trying to push away the conflicting emotions that overwhelm me.

When I’m finally far enough, I lean against a wall and close my eyes, trying to catch my breath.

My body trembles, and the tears I had held back now stream down my face.

“What is happening to me?”, I whisper, barely recognizing my own voice.

His proximity, the danger—it all awakened something inside me.

Something that shouldn’t be there.

I slowly open my eyes and see the vampires extinguishing the last remnants of fire in the castle. Their movements are quick and efficient.

They’re organizing everything and regaining control. The battle is definitely lost for the humans, and the victory belongs to the vampires. Yet, this realization brings me no relief.

My legs are still shaky as I run back to my room.

Each step feels heavier than the last, as if the emotional burden of the night is crushing me.

When I finally enter my room, I slam the door shut and take a deep breath. The silence envelops me, but my mind is still in chaos.

I quickly change my torn clothes, the fabric dirty and stained with blood, falling apart between my fingers.

I need to get rid of every trace of last night.

I need clarity. Every movement is quick and desperate, as if I could erase what happened just by changing clothes.

When I’m done, I walk to the window.

The morning sun is already rising, and its rays are gently touching my skin.

I close my eyes and feel the warmth of the sun on my face. The contrast between the cold of the castle and the warmth of the sun makes me feel alive again, but my body is still tense. I can’t stop thinking about the prince—about the way he approached me and the way he looked at me.

Something inside me has changed.

I should hate him, I should fear him. And, in a way, I do fear him.

But fear isn’t the only thing I feel when I’m near him. That’s the most disturbing part of all.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm my thoughts.

“Why does he make me feel like this?”, I murmured to myself, still unable to find a clear answer.

The feeling of his body pressing against mine, the way he spoke to me, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking...

It all keeps replaying in my mind over and over again.

I look at the dagger Adam gave me, now resting in my hand.

Should I have tried? He said it wouldn’t kill him, but was that just a taunt? I can’t fully trust the prince’s words, but, at the same time, doubt consumes me.

My mind drifts back to the symbol on the sword that pierced the king’s heart.

Something was off there. The symbol seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place where I had seen it before.

Does it have some connection to the dagger I carry? Or perhaps something deeper—something I have yet to discover?

Frustration builds within me, but it’s soon overshadowed by exhaustion.

I close my eyes, feeling the tears return. I wish I were stronger and braver. But here I am, torn between the desire to fight and the fear of what he might do to me.

The prince confuses me.

He’s cruel and cold, but at the same time, he saved me. Even though he said he’d never do it again, I can’t forget the moment he appeared to save me from that man.

Why did he save me? Why does he care enough to taunt me, to test my limits, but not enough to be kind?

These questions keep swirling in my head, unanswered. I move away from the window and walk to the bed, emotionally drained.

I still feel my head aching and my lips swollen, but I’m sure a few hours of rest will make me feel better than I do now.

I lie down, holding the dagger close to me as if it’s my only safety.

I don’t know what will happen next. I don’t know what I’ll do or how I’ll face the prince again.

But one thing is certain: he awakens something in me, and that scares me more than any threat he could make.

I close my eyes, trying to block out everything about him and me, but my mind keeps screaming the same thing over and over.

He’s a vampire, and vampires are not good.

Vampires are cruel.