Chapter 36 Brought To Her Knees
As Ella stared into those eyes, a chill ran through her, yet she couldn’t look away, even as her heartbeat thundered in her ears..
"Oh, moon goddess, those crimson eyes," she thought, mesmerized and paralyzed at once. . It was as if a magnetic force held her in place, pulling her in, even as every instinct screamed for her to flee. She didn’t know if that was his true eye color or if this was his vampire form.
Her emotions were a chaotic mix of fear and something else, something dangerously close to longing. He was big. No—massive. His muscular frame radiating a restrained strength that made her feel both small and hot, an unfamiliar warmth coiling within her. She could barely understand what was happening or why her own body seemed to betray her with this strange, simmering heat. "What is this? What kind of power does he have?" she wondered.
Before she could process the beautiful and lethal creature before her, his lips pulled back into a growl that sent a fresh surge of goosebumps along her skin. His fangs gleamed in the dim light, and his eyes glowed with something almost primal. She heard his deep, cold voice resonate with a command that felt like a blade slicing through the air.
"Leave!" he barked, his voice layered with raw, menacing power.
Her heart skipped a beat. She stood, rooted to the spot, too stunned to move. It wasn’t just shock—her feet felt heavy, as if some unseen weight held them in place.
"I said... leave!" he repeated, his tone laced with a palpable authority that made her legs feel even heavier, as if shackled by chains.
That flash of power. A power so menacing so raw and all consuming It pulsed from him like an aura that seemed to darken the room itself. The aura was so intense that even if her mind urged her to flee, her body refused to obey, her feet feeling impossibly heavy, she remained frozen, she couldn't bring herself to move,her feet were rooted. She stared at him, mouth dry, heart racing, yet unable to tear herself away.
In that moment, Dorian entered the room, likely drawn by the sound of his master’s command. Upon stepping in,He faltered, stopping short as the overpowering atmosphere struck him like a physical blow. The moment he entered, Dorian bowed his head, overwhelmed, barely able to withstand the force emanating from his master. He had encountered Valen’s powers before, but not like this. Gathering his composure, he approached Ella and, with a trembling hand, reached for her arm to pull her away from the suffocating presence.
"Come," he whispered urgently, though his own hand trembled slightly as he pulled her toward the door. Ella felt the trembling in his grip and realized that even Dorian was struggling to resist the oppressive power. It was clear the aura was overwhelming for him, too. Dorian’s face was tense, his jaw clenched, his gaze flicking nervously from Ella to Valen, as if fearing that one wrong move might set his master off further.
He guided her out of the study, and once they were safely outside, she finally let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She still felt the weight of the strange power pressing down on her mind, her legs shaky.
"What was that? What kind of power does he possess?" she wondered, struggling to shake off the lingering sensation. Her entire body seemed to hum with residual tension. She had faced strong opponents before, but this was something else entirely. She was certain that if she had been human, she’d have crumpled to her knees under its weight.
Dorian gave her a cautious, scrutinizing glance that seemed to ask, "What did you do to trigger him?" She shook her head, confused; she hadn’t said a single word since entering his study, much less done anything. Did her mere presence provoke him that much? The thought alone sent a fresh shiver down her spine. With such terrifying power, he could easily crush her with a single gesture.
Dorian was summoned back to the study as his name was called. He took a deep breath and entered cautiously, relieved to find the atmosphere had returned to normal, the oppressive tension gone.
He bowed before Valen, addressing him formally, "Master."
Valen’s eyes were a calmer shade now, though an intensity lingered in his expression. “Take her to one of the empty rooms downstairs. I won’t be seeing her today.”
“Yes, my Lord,” Dorian replied, turning to carry out his orders.
Valen’s voice stopped him. “And have one of the servants deliver her dinner. I want her alive.” He paused, almost as if catching himself, his expression shifting. Clearing his throat, he added, “I want her alive. I don’t want her dying from starvation, and if she must die…” His voice trailed off before he finished quietly, “It must be by my hands.”
He felt an unfamiliar tightness in his chest, a discomfort he hadn’t expected. The idea of her dying sent a strange ripple through him.
Clearing his throat, he dismissed Dorian with a curt nod. "You may leave."
Dorian bowed again, though confusion flickered across his face. Something was definitely off with his master. There was something undeniably strange about the way his master had reacted to Ella’s presence, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Shaking his head, he left to carry out Valen’s orders, but his curiosity only grew stronger.
Ella, meanwhile, was led to her room, her mind still racing. She had witnessed power before, but nothing like this. The weight of Valen’s presence, the raw danger that radiated from him—it had left her shaken, yet somehow drawn in a way she couldn’t explain. Without Lila she felt powerless, she only hope she doesn't die in the hands of Vampires. Yet, despite the danger, she couldn’t shake the feeling that her path was bound to that man in the study in some strange, irreversible way.