Lost In The Dark

The days stretched long, each second feeling heavier than the last. Three days had passed, and Aiden had not returned.

At first, Seraphina convinced herself it didn't matter. He walked away in anger—that was his choice. She told herself she wasn't going to chase after him. She wasn't going to beg him to come back.

But as the hours bled into days, a hollow feeling settled in her chest. The house felt too quiet. At night, she lay awake, her back still turned to the empty space where Aiden should have been. She had gotten used to his warmth beside her, the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing. Now, there was nothing but silence.

By the second night, worry gnawed at her. Aiden was strong, but he was not invincible. His power had grown, but so had his recklessness. What if his anger had consumed him? What if he had lost control again—only this time, there was no one to stop him?

A nightmare woke her on the third night, sweat clinging to her skin. Aiden stood in the darkness, his golden eyes glowing like embers. Blood dripped from his hands, his face contorted with pain. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out—only a low, guttural growl. Then, he vanished, swallowed by the shadows.

Seraphina bolted upright, her breath ragged. It was just a dream. Or was it something more? A warning? A vision?

Her hands trembled as she gripped the edge of the bed. She couldn't ignore it anymore. Something was wrong. Aiden had never been gone this long before.

Was he avoiding her? Or was he in danger?

For the first time since their fight, fear outweighed her pride. And as the moon hung high in the sky, Seraphina made a decision.

She was going to find him.

Seraphina stormed into the grand halls of the Vampire Palace, her heart pounding as her eyes scanned the familiar yet unwelcoming corridors. The guards barely had time to react to her sudden arrival before their eyes widened in shock.

"She's pregnant…" one of them muttered under his breath.

But none of them dared to stop her. She was the Vampire King's daughter, and no one—not even the highest-ranking warriors—could question her presence.

Ignoring their stares, Seraphina marched forward, her cloak billowing behind her as she made her way straight to the throne room. Her father sat upon his dark, obsidian throne, his piercing gaze landing on her the moment she entered.

She didn't hesitate. "What have you done to Aiden this time?!" she shouted, her voice shaking with frustration and desperation.

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Her father, the Vampire King, rose slowly from his seat, stepping down with measured grace until he stood just before her. His crimson eyes flickered with something unreadable as they settled on her stomach.

The moment stretched painfully before he finally spoke, his voice low and laced with disgust.

"That werewolf got you pregnant?"

Seraphina lifted her chin. "Yes."

Her father's lips curled into a sneer. "And now he's nowhere to be found."

Seraphina swallowed hard. She hated that he was right. Aiden had disappeared. Two months had passed, and she had no clue where he was.

The Vampire King let out a bitter chuckle. "Obviously, he ran away. Do you know why?" His voice turned sharper, harsher. "Because your child is cursed."

Seraphina's breath hitched.

"Cursed!" he repeated, his voice echoing through the hall. "Doomed from the start, just like the last time. And yet, you're willing to risk your life for this?" His gaze darkened, his fangs slightly visible as he leaned in. "You want to die for this thing?"

Seraphina's hands instinctively went to her stomach. She knew what he meant—the prophecy, the fate that awaited her, the warnings of death and destruction.

But she clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. "I don't care what you think," she spat. "I won't abandon my child. And I won't let you speak about Aiden like that. He didn't run away!"

Her father scoffed. "Then where is he?"

Seraphina opened her mouth, but no words came. She had no answer. And that was the worst part.

Her father shook his head. "You're a fool, Seraphina. And fools meet tragic ends."

Her chest ached, but she refused to back down.

"If Aiden is gone, I'll find him myself," she declared, turning on her heels.

But as she walked away, her father's final words echoed behind her.

"If you continue down this path, you will lose everything."

Seraphina didn't look back. But deep down, a part of her feared he might be right.

Seraphina barely made it past the throne room doors when her father's cold voice rang out behind her.

"Seize her."

Before she could react, the guards surged forward, their movements swift and calculated. Strong hands grabbed her arms, yanking her backward as she struggled.

"Let me go!" she screamed, thrashing against their grip.

Her father watched with an unreadable expression as she fought against his men. "You are blinded by emotion, Seraphina," he said. "You don't see the danger you're bringing upon yourself and this kingdom."

Terror shot through her as realization dawned. "What are you going to do?"

He stepped closer, his voice eerily calm. "You will stay here, under my watch. And by tomorrow, that cursed child will be removed."

Her blood ran cold.

"No—NO! You can't do this!" she shouted, but the guards dragged her down the dimly lit corridors, ignoring her screams. She kicked and struggled, but she was outnumbered, her strength no match for the power restraining her.

They threw open the door to a dark chamber and shoved her inside. The heavy door slammed shut, the lock clicking into place.

Seraphina pounded against the wooden barrier. "LET ME OUT!"

No response.

Her breaths came in short gasps as she turned around, her back pressed against the door. The room was small, suffocating.

She slid down to the cold floor, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

They were going to take her baby.

A child born of both vampire and werewolf blood—a cursed existence, as they called it.

Maybe they were right. Maybe this child was doomed from the start. Maybe—

She shook her head violently, pushing the thoughts away.

"No," she whispered. "No, I won't let this happen."

But fear crept in, sinking its claws into her heart.

What could she do? There was no escape. No one to save her.

And Aiden… he was still gone.

The next morning, as the sun barely touched the sky, Seraphina was dragged out of her room. The guards held her arms tightly, their cold hands like iron shackles around her wrists. She struggled, kicked, and screamed, but it was useless.

They took her deep into the palace, through darkened corridors where no sunlight ever reached. The air grew heavier, thick with the scent of blood and decay. This was no ordinary room—this was a chamber of death, a place where unwanted souls were erased before they could take their first breath.

Thick black smoke curled from the torches on the walls, casting eerie shadows that moved like ghosts. The stone floor was stained with dried blood, and the air carried a metallic tang that made her stomach turn. In the center of the room stood a stone altar, cracked with age, its surface covered in ancient symbols.

Seraphina's heart pounded. This was where they would take her baby.

Her father stood there, watching coldly. "This is for your own good," he said. "For all of our good."

A dark-robed figure approached, their face hidden beneath a hood. They whispered incantations, their voice slithering through the air like poison. As they raised their hands, a silver dagger glowed under the dim torchlight.

"No! Please!" Seraphina screamed, thrashing against the guards holding her down.

The robed figure placed a cold hand on her stomach. A sharp pain shot through her body, like icy needles piercing her flesh. She gasped, feeling something inside her tighten—her child, her baby.

And then, the air shifted.

A pulse. A tremor.

A golden light erupted from Seraphina's stomach, blasting through the room like a raging storm. The robed figure screamed as they were flung backward, crashing into the wall. The torches flickered violently, then burst into blue flames. The guards staggered, their grip on her weakening. Even her father took a step back, eyes widening in shock.

The stone altar cracked down the middle, splitting apart as if struck by a divine force.

And then, a voice. A whisper, yet so powerful it shook the air.

"I will not die."

Seraphina's breath hitched. That voice… it came from inside her. From her child.

Her father looked at her with horror. "This… this child…" His voice trembled for the first time. "It's not cursed… it's…"

He didn't finish his sentence.

Because at that moment, the palace trembled as if the heavens themselves were watching.

The entire palace trembled, the walls groaning as if an unseen force was pushing against them. The torches flickered violently, their flames turning a deep blue. The golden light pulsing from Seraphina's stomach spread outward, making the air crackle with energy.

The guards staggered back, fear flashing in their eyes. Even the robed figure who had attempted the ritual scrambled to their feet, horror twisting their face.

Seraphina gasped, clutching her stomach. The power had drained her, leaving her breathless. She could feel her child's presence, strong and unyielding, a force greater than anything she had ever known.

Then, the temperature in the room dropped.

The torches blew out, plunging everything into darkness. A cold wind howled through the chamber, sending shivers down her spine. Her father turned sharply toward the entrance, his eyes narrowing.

A shadow moved in the doorway. Slow. Deadly.

A deep growl filled the silence, low and menacing.

Aiden.

His silhouette was barely visible against the flickering blue flames, but Seraphina knew that form, that presence. He stepped forward, the sound of his boots against the stone echoing through the chamber.

"You made a grave mistake," his voice was dangerously low, his tone laced with rage.

The guards scrambled into position, swords drawn, but before they could react, Aiden was gone—just a blur of movement.

Then chaos erupted.

In the blink of an eye, one guard was flung against the stone wall, another sent crashing through the wooden doors. A third barely had time to scream before Aiden's claws tore through his chest. Blood splattered across the chamber, mixing with the ancient markings on the floor.

The robed figure tried to chant another spell, but Aiden was faster. He grabbed them by the throat, lifting them off the ground effortlessly. With a sickening crack, he tossed them aside like they were nothing.

Seraphina's father watched, his expression unreadable. But when Aiden turned to him, his eyes glowing a fierce gold, the vampire king finally showed something Seraphina had never seen before.

Fear.

"This ends now," Aiden growled. His voice was no longer just his own—it was deeper, layered with something ancient and powerful.

Seraphina's father took a step back, but Aiden didn't give him the chance to speak. In a flash, he was in front of him, his claws hovering just inches from his throat.

"You tried to kill my child." His voice shook with fury.

Seraphina watched, breathless, as Aiden's entire form trembled. He was barely holding himself back. If she didn't stop him…

"Aiden," she called softly.

His ears twitched, and he turned to her, eyes still burning with rage.

"I'm okay," she whispered, though she could barely stand. "Take me home."

His expression softened—just slightly. He exhaled sharply, then turned back to the vampire king.

"This is the only warning you'll get," Aiden said coldly. "Come near her again, and I won't stop myself next time."

With that, he scooped Seraphina into his arms and disappeared into the night, leaving the palace in ruins behind them.

When Seraphina and Aiden arrived home, everything felt different. The air was thick with unspoken words, unhealed wounds, and a tension neither of them knew how to break.

Aiden, trying to act normal, brushed his fingers through his hair and glanced at her. "Are you okay?"

Seraphina barely looked at him. "Yeah. I'm fine." Her voice was distant, hollow.

But she wasn't fine.

She couldn't forget the moment in that dark chamber, the smell of blood, the cold hands gripping her, the sinister chant of the ritual. She had been moments away from losing her child. And then—the power. That overwhelming force that surged from within her, stopping the ritual in its tracks. It wasn't normal.

What kind of child was she carrying?

Why did her father call it cursed?

The questions swirled in her head, but she couldn't bring herself to say them out loud.

Aiden tried to talk to her, but she gave him nothing. Short answers. Forced smiles. No real conversations.

At night, she turned her back to him in bed, wrapping her arms around herself, as if protecting herself from him.

The truth was, she didn't just fear the baby—she feared Aiden too.

He left her. For two months, he disappeared without a word. She suffered alone, trapped in a place where they wanted to take her child. And now, he just expected things to go back to normal?

One evening, as Aiden sat on the edge of the bed, he reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

He sighed. "Seraphina, I know you're mad at me. I know I should have never left. But please, just talk to me."

She finally looked at him. Her eyes weren't angry. They were empty. Tired.

"Talk to you?" she repeated softly. "Where were you for two months, Aiden?"

Silence.

Aiden clenched his jaw, his hands tightening into fists. He had reasons—reasons he wasn't ready to tell her.

But Seraphina wasn't going to beg for answers.

She got up from the bed and grabbed a pillow. "I need space." She walked across the room and settled onto the wooden couch instead.

Aiden ran a hand over his face, frustration creeping into his voice. "You can't keep running away from me, Phina."

She closed her eyes. "Good night, Aiden."

And just like that, the silence between them grew heavier, and the fear inside her heart deepened.

Because the truth was, she wasn't sure if she would ever look at Aiden the same way again.

That night, as Seraphina lay on the couch, she placed a hand over her stomach.

The baby inside her stirred, sending a strange warmth through her body.

And then… she heard a whisper.

A voice, faint but chilling, speaking inside her mind.

"Mother… why do you fear me?"

Seraphina's eyes snapped open.

Her breath hitched, her body frozen as a cold shiver ran down her spine.

That voice.

It wasn't a dream.

It wasn't her imagination.

"Mother… why do you fear me?"

The words echoed inside her skull, soft yet terrifying. An unnatural presence filled the room, wrapping around her like an unseen force. She sat up abruptly, her pulse hammering in her ears. The air felt thick. Wrong.

Her hands instinctively went to her stomach, pressing against it as if she could silence whatever… whoever had spoken to her.

"No… no, no, no," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. This wasn't real. It couldn't be.

Her baby—an unborn child—had just spoken to her.

Her breathing grew ragged, panic creeping up her throat. Her heart pounded so violently she thought it might burst. What was inside of her?

Was her father right?

Was this child… cursed?

Aiden shifted in the bed, his body stirring as if sensing something was wrong.

Seraphina squeezed her eyes shut, gripping the edge of the couch as her mind spiraled into fear. If she told Aiden, would he believe her? Or would he confirm her worst fears?

The room suddenly felt too small, too suffocating. She needed air. She needed to get away.

She forced herself to breathe, biting her lower lip hard enough to taste blood. This can't be happening.

But deep down, she knew.

It was.

And this was only the beginning.