Kikelomo_Odusola_7017

After tragically losing her parents in a car accident, Helena is taken in by her Aunt Agatha. But instead of finding comfort and support in her new home, Helena is met with cruelty and neglect. Her only source of solace is her kind Uncle James, but when he unexpectedly passes away, Helena is left alone to endure her aunt's abuse and her cousin Elizabeth's taunts.
  Meanwhile, a new student named Xavier joins Helena's class at school. Unbeknownst to Helena, Xavier is a vampire, and his elder brother, a powerful vampire leader, discovers that Helena's blood possesses unique properties that could benefit their kind.
  Xavier, drawn to Helena's quiet strength and the pain hidden behind her eyes, becomes determined to help her find a way out of her difficult situation and discover the true meaning of family and love. As they grow closer, Xavier realizes he must protect Helena from his brother's dark intentions.
Despite the dangers posed by Xavier's vampire identity and his brother's obsession with Helena's blood, the two find themselves falling for each other, embarking on a forbidden romance that could have deadly consequences.
  Together, Helena and Xavier navigate the challenges of adolescence, grapple with their troubled pasts, and learn to rely on each other as they search for a brighter future."With danger and darkness closing in around them, one question remains: will their love for each other be enough to overcome the obstacles they face, or will their forbidden romance ultimately be their downfall?"

BLOODBOUND HEART

Pain still echoed in Helena's skull, like a thousand whispers clawing at her mind. She gasped, blinking rapidly as the world around her swam in and out of focus.

Xavier's arms were around her, his grip firm yet careful, as if he feared she might shatter in his hands.

"Helena," his voice was tight with concern. "Look at me."

She forced her eyes open. The first thing she saw was red—not blood, but something deeper. Something ancient. For a split second, she saw herself in the reflection of Xavier's golden eyes. Her irises were no longer green. They gleamed with a dark crimson glow.

The vampire prince stood in the doorway, his silver eyes gleaming with amusement. His presence was suffocating, like a storm pressing against her skin.

"You feel it, don't you?" Lucian murmured. His voice was smooth, almost hypnotic. "The power inside you, clawing its way to the surface."

Helena shook her head, trying to drown out his words. "You're wrong."

Lucian chuckled. "Oh, I don't think I am."

Xavier was on his feet in an instant, placing himself between her and Lucian, his entire body coiled like a predator ready to strike. "You're not taking her."

Lucian raised a brow. "Oh, little brother. You act as if she's something that can be stolen. But the truth is..." He tilted his head, his gaze sliding back to Helena. "She doesn't belong to you."

Xavier let out a low growl, his fangs flashing. "She doesn't belong to you either."

Lucian smirked. "We'll see about that."

He was a blur of darkness, too fast to track—one moment standing near the doorway, the next right in front of Helena.

Helena's instincts screamed at her to run, but something else—a force deep within her—kept her rooted to the ground.

Lucian reached out, as if to brush his fingers against her cheek.

Then—a pulse of energy exploded outward.

A shockwave of crimson light burst from her body, slamming into Lucian and sending him crashing into the wall with inhuman force.

Helena gasped, staring at her trembling hands. The air around her shimmered with the remnants of her unleashed power.

Lucian groaned as he pushed himself up, dust and debris falling from his shoulders. His expression was unreadable—part amusement, part intrigue, part something else entirely.

"Well, well," he murmured, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "I was right. You are awakening."

Xavier reached for her, but she stumbled back, shaking her head. "No. This isn't— I don't—"

Her pulse roared in her ears. Blood Goddess. She could feel it now, thrumming beneath her skin, ancient and untamed. This wasn't just Light Fae magic. This was something else. Something darker.

Lucian's smile widened. "You feel it now, don't you?"

"Shut up!" Xavier snapped, stepping forward as if to attack. But before he could move, Lucian vanished.

Not the usual blur of vampire speed.

No—this was different. It was like he had been swallowed by the shadows themselves.

His voice echoed from the darkness.

"You can't run from what you are, Helena."

Helena sucked in a ragged breath, her entire body shaking. The air still crackled with her unleashed power, and Xavier was staring at her as if he barely recognized her.

Blood and Shadows