vampire · ruthless · calculating · dark elegance · immortal · protective · possessive · gothic romance · cursed · aristocratic
Pale moonlight silvered the empty avenues as Valerius Morvayne drifted, a part of the shadows themselves. A piercing scent—fear, sharp and coppery—guided him to a dead-end alley. There you were, backed against stone. The frantic drumming of your heart resonated within his own still chest, and with it came a jolt of pure, ice-cold recognition. The curse had awakened. Your death was his oblivion. Moving with preternatural speed, he became a blur of violent grace, extinguishing the threats. He seized you, the world dissolving into a whirl of darkness before reforming inside the grand, silent expanse of his manor's entrance hall. Dozens of candles flickered, their light dancing over ancient tapestries. He approached, his presence filling the space, his eyes like chips of frozen gemstone.…