Crimson Desires: The Alpha’s Forbidden Blood

Chapter 9 | The Elixir of Life and Unsettling Revelations

Seraphine’s POV

“Can’t you go ahead of me and then, once you’ve arrived, I’ll follow?” I asked, my voice laced with exasperation as I rolled my eyes at Vesperus. We stood just at the edge of Lucian’s territory, where the air shifted—thicker, heavier. The kind of air that whispered secrets and dared you to step forward.

“Where’s the thrill in that? After all, I am your fiancé,” he replied, that familiar glint of mischief lighting up his amber eyes.

“Ex-fiancé,” I corrected sharply, the word feeling both like armor and a wound. “How many times must I remind you?”

He laughed, soft and full of something I didn’t want to name. “None, my love. As long as I’m beside you, and you beside me”—his voice lowered, his breath teasing the shell of my ear—“I will always be your fiancé.”

“Please, don’t make me laugh,” I muttered, brushing him away as I took my first step across the threshold. The moment I did, it was like the forest held its breath. My vampire essence rippled through the trees like a beacon, no doubt alerting every werewolf hiding in the shadows. Including Lucian.

Behind me, I felt Vesperus’ gaze trail over me like a protective spell—or maybe a curse. His usual playfulness dimmed, replaced with something heavier. Concern. But he didn’t stop me. He never did.

The deeper I moved into the forest, the more alive it felt. The scent of damp moss mixed with old bark and the ghost of rain. Moonlight trickled through the branches in silver ribbons, illuminating a path that felt chosen just for me. Each step throbbed with tension, like walking a tightrope between predator and prey.

Then, suddenly, the trees opened up into a moonlit clearing that took my breath away.

Crystals—dozens, maybe hundreds—hovered and floated like stars plucked from the night sky. Crystal balls shimmered midair, their surfaces swirling with colors and hidden meanings. A dreamcatcher spun lazily above the center, casting fractured shadows across the yard. It was beautiful. Too beautiful. A place that sang in the voice of magic and deception.

My dress caught the light, and for a moment, I could have been mistaken for something celestial. The mid-length black fabric clung to me in all the right places, etched with swirling designs of oracles and tarot symbols, silver threads weaving through it like stardust. Every step made them shimmer. My shoes matched, stitched with runes that felt like protection—or maybe temptation. My hair was pulled into a sleek bun, a few dark strands escaping to frame my face, softening the sharpness in my features.

And of course, Vesperus followed, like a shadow I couldn’t shake. His smirk was lazy, calculated, as he leaned in and said—loudly enough for every supernatural ear to hear—“Did I mention how exquisitely beautiful you look tonight?”

I didn’t even bother answering. My eyes scanned the crowd, desperately seeking an escape. That’s when I saw him.

Lucian.

He stood tall, dressed down in dark jeans and a loose shirt that somehow made him even more magnetic. He was leaning casually against one of the crystal tables, a drink in hand, completely unaware—or maybe very aware—of the chaos he stirred within me. And just like that, his gaze lifted. Met mine.

The world paused.

In that second, I was pulled back to the memory of our conversation in the restroom, the words we’d whispered, the breathless proximity we’d shared. I looked away quickly, my heart pounding louder than the music.

And found myself face to face with Past, Present, and Future.

“Phoenix. Vesperus. We’re thrilled you could join us,” they said in eerie unison, their voices like velvet and ice all at once.

“Thank you for the invitation,” I replied, managing a polite smile.

Vesperus dipped his head. “We’re honored.”

Just like that, they drifted into the crowd—like smoke, like ghosts—leaving us alone amid the spellwork of the evening.

I reached for Vesperus’ hand and pulled him through the crowd, weaving toward a table positioned perfectly across the room from Lucian. From here, I could watch everything. See everything. Be unseen.

“I’ll get us drinks,” Vesperus offered, his voice light but his eyes sharp.

“Sure,” I said, already distracted, already feeling the weight of too many stares. My eyes swept the room. There wasn’t a single mortal in sight. Every soul here pulsed with power—witches, seers, shifters, and things I didn’t have names for. The trio had curated their guest list with ruthless precision.

But I only had eyes for one.

Lucian.

The way he stood. The way the shadows curled around him like they knew his name. The air around him shimmered with barely contained tension. He was deep in conversation with another werewolf, but something in the set of his jaw told me his attention was split.

I leaned closer, pretending to be immersed in the scene around me, but really just straining to hear them.

“Do you know what they’re after?” the werewolf asked, his voice low.

Lucian didn’t hesitate. “I do.”

The pause that followed was heavier than steel. Charged.

“And do you realize she’s been captivated by you since the moment she arrived?” he added, voice dipped in curiosity and mockery.

Lucian didn’t reply—but he didn’t have to. His eyes slid to me again, locking on like a command. My lips curled into a slow, silent smirk. I didn’t look away.

Then Vesperus returned, offering me a glass filled with crimson liquid that shimmered like rubies under candlelight. Blood. Perfectly tailored to my craving. Of course. The trio didn’t miss details.

I accepted it, my fingers brushing his, and brought it to my lips. The taste was sharp and intoxicating—more than sustenance, it was a call. It sang through me, lighting something ancient and dangerous inside my veins.

And then everything shattered.

The sound was immediate and unmistakable—glass exploding, sharp fragments scattering like deadly snowflakes. My eyes snapped toward the source.

Lucian.

His hand had crumpled around the glass. Blood poured freely from the gashes, bright red and beautiful. The scent hit me like a storm, curling through the air and crashing straight into me.

Vesperus inhaled, his pupils dilating into nothingness, the glass in his hand trembling. His face shifted, all softness gone, replaced by something dark. Primal. Predatory.

I struggled to breathe. Lucian’s blood smelled like magic and ruin. My body tensed, a thousand instincts warring inside me—hunger, horror, need.

I had to move.

Without a second thought, I pushed forward, the crowd fading into silence as I reached him. The fragments of glass glittered at his feet like cursed stars. I gathered him into my arms, careful but fast, ignoring the startled glances, the whispers.

And I ran.

Into the trees, away from the enchantment and danger of the party. Into the dark—where secrets could breathe and the truth could bleed.