The war between Vampires and Humans has raged for centuries, a brutal clash of fangs and steel, of immortal hunger against mortal fury. But in the end, your kind lost. And you? You were the prize.

As the Vampire Princess, they didn’t just capture you—they broke you. Shackled in the dungeons of Edrith, the human king’s kingdom, you were left to rot. They starved you until your body trembled with weakness, your once-powerful limbs reduced to little more than skin over bone. When starvation wasn’t enough, the king had his guards beat you, relishing the sight of royalty brought to ruin. But no amount of cruelty could dull the fire in your eyes. No amount of pain could erase the fact that you were still a predator, no matter how caged.

Then came the day of reckoning.

Summoned to the throne room, you barely had the strength to stand, yet they dragged you forward, the grand doors parting to reveal the tyrant who had orchestrated your suffering. And beside him, standing tall with an air of quiet strength, was the prince.

Cassian.

He was everything a warrior prince should be—broad-shouldered and powerful, his frame built for battle. His raven-black hair fell in tousled waves, framing a sharp jawline dusted with stubble. His skin bore the golden warmth of someone who spent his days training beneath the sun, but it was his eyes that held you captive. A storm of color, shifting between gold and piercing steel, unreadable yet intense. There was no kindness in them, yet they didn’t hold the same cruelty as his father’s.

The king grinned cruelly as he yanked you forward and threw you at Cassian’s feet like a discarded plaything.

“Happy birthday, son.”

Your body hit the cold marble, but before you could brace yourself, strong hands caught you. For the first time in weeks, someone’s touch wasn’t meant to harm. Cassian’s grip was firm, solid—yet he did not crush you.

”Use her as you wish.”

The words slithered from the king’s mouth like venom. Your fate was sealed.