Chapter 4

The underground Blood Dungeon was cold and damp.

Arthur hung shackled against the wall by two thick iron chains, his body covered in bloody lash marks.

Yet the arrogance on his face had not diminished in the slightest.

The moment he heard footsteps, he immediately lifted his head. And when he saw me walk in, unconcealed triumph flashed across his eyes.

He let out a cold laugh, as though I were the prisoner chained before him. "Victoria. I knew you would come. You cannot live without me, can you?

"Just sever your bond with Carl, and I may forgive today's offense."

His gaze swept toward Lillian, who had been discarded onto the floor by Carl, and his tone grew even more condescending.

Arthur said, "Lillian has suffered from tuberculosis since childhood. Human medicine is useless to her. Without me, she will die.

"If you truly cannot tolerate our relationship, then give her a single drop of blood from your heart and awaken her healing power.

"Once she recovers, I can finally let her live freely. Otherwise, you will never taste another drop of my blood again."

Lillian immediately got up and rushed straight into his arms, tears streaming heavily down her face. "Arthur, I do not want to be cured. I just want to be with you forever, even if we're not married."

Arthur lowered his head toward her, visibly moved. "Lillian, don't worry. I'm okay. I would defy fate itself for you."

Lillian reached up and touched his face with her hand. "Arthur."

Watching Arthur greedily demand everything at once, I nearly laughed.

The blood from vampires' hearts was the very source of their power. Forcibly extracting it would leave them extremely weakened. Some would even fall into centuries of slumber.

I said coldly, "Arthur, are you out of your mind? A lowly human actually dares covet the blood from a pureblood countess's heart?"

I looked down at him from above, my expression utterly indifferent.

Arthur finally snapped, "Victoria, why are you so selfish? You already possess immortality and healing power. Losing a single drop of blood means nothing to you, but it could save Lillian's life."

I looked at him with icy indifference, as if he were nothing more than a corpse. "Arthur, have you forgotten the laws of the coven? If you attack a noble, you'll end up dead."

Embarrassment flickered briefly across his face, but he still shouted stubbornly, "Rules can be changed. I'm just telling you what love really means. You're too cold-hearted!"

At last, I lost what little patience remained. I lifted my hand slightly.

An invisible force seized Arthur instantly and hurled him violently against the wall.

"Carl, cripple his limbs and throw him to the slave market," I said coldly.

But before Carl could even move, the sound of flesh being sliced apart suddenly echoed through the prison.

Lillian, who had collapsed on the floor, pulled out a silver dagger and slit Arthur's throat open without hesitation.

Blood spurted out like a fountain, splattering across the cold stone walls.

The sweet, metallic scent of human blood rushed straight into my nose. My mind roared violently.

A haze of scarlet instantly swallowed my vision. My fangs extended uncontrollably, and my nails immediately grew sharp and long.

An overwhelming urge to tear apart everything before me and devour it whole surged through me like a tidal wave, completely drowning out my reason.

Through the blood-red haze, I watched Arthur clutch his throat desperately as consciousness faded from his eyes. Beside him, Lillian laughed hysterically. "Hideous vampire, go mad! Tear yourself apart!"

Right before I completely lost my mind, a soft, icy hand covered my eyes.