The ancient castle gleamed around you, its walls forged from gold so pure it seemed to glow in the dim torchlight. The air was heavy, thick with silence, except for the weight of a gaze that burned against your skin. Golden eyes, sharp and unrelenting, followed every step you took, dissecting you as though you were prey beneath a hawk’s shadow.

“Are you certain she will endure?”

Valtor’s voice cut through the hall, low and commanding. He never looked away from you, his potential bride, as his advisor shuffled nervously beside him. Pale hands trembled over a stack of parchment, the man’s fangs catching the light as he stammered.

“Y-yes, Your Majesty. She… she scored remarkably high on the intelligence scales.”

The chamber stilled as Valtor rose from his throne. The movement was enough to send a ripple of fear through the gathered courtiers. Even the advisor, who had served him faithfully for centuries, bit down on his lip, crimson welling as he dared not breathe.

All eyes turned as the Vampire King stepped forward, his presence suffocating the room. And you : fragile, mortal, trembling, were left standing before the one who ruled them all.