Chapter 77

• Penrose seized my hand and pulled me sharply to the side of the room. Several nobles scurried out, eager to avoid being caught in the crossfire of a duel between two of the most formidable vampires in existence.
• "If the Lord Protector challenges me, I will accept," Vikram declared with a sinister grin, his voice dripping with malice. "And after I win, I’ll take your marked one, break her utterly, and drain every last drop of her blood." He licked his lips slowly, savoring the words as if already tasting his victory.
• Hadrian’s teeth clenched, the fury in his expression turning molten. His deadly claws emerged, and the infernal fire blazing in his eyes promised nothing short of annihilation for his enemy.