Serendipity had been locked away in a solitary cell by the Dark World, bound in chains-a clear indication of her importance to them. Now that she had escaped, it was certain the Dark World would send people after her.
However, Chris didn’t fully trust Serendipity’s words. His only priority was rescuing Susan, and he had no time to concern himself with Serendipity’s plight.
“Thornfield Castle, the Martin family’s estate, is surrounded by a protective barrier,” Serendipity said. “To enter, you’ll need to break through it.”
Chris frowned at this.
Austin Paige had once told him that even the Radiant Faith Chapel couldn’t penetrate the castle’s defenses. If this barrier truly existed, it would pose a significant problem. Without access to the castle, he wouldn’t be able to rescue his mother-in-law, Susan.
—
Meanwhile, inside the castle, a pale, strikingly handsome young man sat on a sofa in the grand hall. His face was shadowed with gloom, and an ominous aura emanated from his entire being. This man was none other than Nicolas Martin, the current vampire Sovereign of the Martin family.
Nicolas held a wine glass filled with vibrant, crimson blood. He took a sip, and immediately, a surge of dark, malevolent energy erupted from within him. Black Demon Spirits spread throughout the hall, saturating the space with their presence.
It was nearly an hour before the swirling darkness finally began to dissipate.
A faint smile played on Nicolas’s lips as he muttered, “Blood Lord Cassian’s blood truly holds immense power.”
This single drop of blood, left behind by the Blood Clan Patriarch Blood Lord Cassian, was a source of unparalleled strength. For Nicolas, the most talented vampire Sovereign in the Martin family’s thousand-year history, drinking this blood would elevate his power to unprecedented heights.
Suddenly, a figure appeared before him.
It was an elderly man, frail in appearance, but his demeanor exuded respect and deference. He was the Martin family’s steward.
“What is it?” Nicolas asked indifferently, his cold gaze fixed on the steward.
The old man bowed deeply. “Sovereign, the woman you brought back is causing a commotion.”
Nicolas frowned as he stood and made his way toward the depths of the castle.
Arriving at a disheveled room, he pushed the door open to find a chaotic scene. A middle-aged woman, around fifty, was wildly smashing furniture and hurling objects.
This woman was none other than Susan, Esther’s mother, who had been imprisoned here since her capture.
“What are you doing?” Nicolas demanded, his tone icy.
Susan turned to face him, her eyes blazing with fury. “What the hell do you want from me? Let me go! My son-in-law, Chris, is the revered Amerosia Primus. If he finds out I’ve been taken, he’ll come for me-and when he does, all of you are finished!”
Despite her captivity, Susan’s fiery temper remained intact.
Nicolas sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. “Do you know why I brought you here? To lure your son-in-law, Chris. He ruined Lord Peter Gordon’s plan to descend upon this world. You’ll stay here quietly, and if you must blame someone, blame him.”
“You’re insane!” Susan shouted. “If you’re after Chris, why drag me into this? Let me go!”
Though she had been kidnapped, Susan hadn’t suffered any mistreatment. In fact, she had been fed and cared for well. To Nicolas, she was nothing more than bait-a means to draw Chris into his grasp.
Chris’s interference in Peter Gordon’s plans had earned him the enmity of the dark forces. Peter Gordon had issued a command to all dark races: capture Chris and be handsomely rewarded.
For Nicolas, who was already the Blood Clan Sovereign, this was an opportunity to ascend even higher. He craved power beyond his current status, dreaming of becoming a true Dark Lord.
—
Susan continued her rampage, smashing more furniture.
The steward, observing from the doorway, hesitated before stepping forward. “Sovereign-”
Nicolas raised a hand to silence him. “Let her destroy it. Replace everything once she’s done.”
For the Martin family, whose wealth spanned millennia, replacing furniture was inconsequential.
As night fell, darkness enveloped the land. Inside Thornfield Castle, the lights burned brightly.
Nicolas sat once more in the grand hall, swirling fresh blood in his glass. For him, as a Sovereign of the Blood Clan, the daily consumption of fresh blood was essential. It was the most exquisite delicacy in his existence.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the hall.
Without turning, Nicolas knew it was Susan.
She stood before him, her composure shattered. No matter how much she screamed, cursed, or destroyed, Nicolas remained unmoved. Even when she wrecked her room, he simply ordered the furniture replaced.
For the first time in her life, Susan felt powerless. Her usual tactics of tantrums and theatrics had failed.
Taking a deep breath, she said, “Can we talk? You’re after Chris. He’s my son-in-law, but we’re not close. Capturing me won’t accomplish anything. He won’t come for me.”
Nicolas shook his head, a sinister smile curling his lips. “That doesn’t matter. If he doesn’t come to save you, I’ll simply turn you into a vampire.”
“What?”
Susan’s face drained of color. The thought of becoming a vampire was more horrifying than death itself. She couldn’t imagine living in eternal darkness, surviving only on fresh blood. The mere thought made her stomach churn.
Nicolas chuckled darkly. “The Martin family’s Blood Clan heritage is noble. Once you become one of us, you’ll live for centuries. Isn’t that tempting?”
For many, the promise of a long life was irresistible.
But for Susan, the idea of becoming something inhuman was unbearable.
Seeing her silence, Nicolas continued, as if speaking to himself. “Do you know what my dream has always been? To lead the Martin family to become the strongest in the Blood Clan. I will surpass even Blood Lord Cassian. And to achieve this, I must capture Chris. Only then will I earn Lord Blackthorn’s favor and the power he bestows. When that happens, no one in the Blood Clan will rival me.”
Hearing this, Susan’s face turned pale, and she instinctively took several steps back.