BOUND BY MIDNIGHT

Elliot's POV

The past two months had been an unbearable storm of restraint. I buried myself in work, sealing my mind from unnecessary distractions—including her. The girl with intoxicating blood and defiant eyes. I refused to acknowledge her existence, refused to let my thoughts drift to the memory of her taste, the heat of her skin, the way she had trembled in my grasp.

Instead, I focused on matters that actually required my attention: the growing tension at the borders. The hunters had been pressing harder, testing our defenses. It was nothing unusual—they had always despised our kind. But this time, something felt different. The attacks were becoming more frequent, more calculated. And today, Jack had delivered news that made my blood boil.

I sat in my office, leaning back in my chair, fingers pressed together as I stared at the heavy wooden door. The silence stretched until a firm knock echoed through the room.

"Enter," I commanded.

Jack stepped in, his usual composed expression slightly troubled. "We have a problem."

I exhaled sharply, already anticipating his words. "Speak."

"The hunters have been spotted near the eastern border. They're attempting to break through the barrier." His golden eyes darkened. "We've contained them for now, but they're getting bolder."

I clenched my jaw. "How many?"

"Close to thirty," Jack answered. "Armed, well-trained. Not just common mercenaries. These are professionals, Elliot."

I tapped my fingers against my desk, my mind calculating. The hunters wouldn't stop. They wanted my kind extinct, wanted my head on a silver platter. But I had spent too many years building this empire, strengthening my people. I wouldn't let them take a single step further.

"Summon the head chief and Amara," I ordered. "We need to reinforce the borders immediately."

Jack gave a curt nod before vanishing.

I stood, walking toward the large window of my office. The city stretched before me, my kingdom. The kingdom I had built from the ashes of my past. My fists tightened. Twelve years ago, the hunters had taken everything from me. My family. My childhood. My peace.

And I had vowed to make them pay.

The door opened again, and Jack returned with Amara and the head chief trailing behind him.

Amara bowed slightly. "You called for me, my king?"

"Strengthen the border spells," I commanded without preamble. "The hunters are pushing harder. I want them met with death if they dare step foot into my land."

A slow smirk curled on Amara's lips. "With pleasure."

The head chief, an older vampire with centuries of wisdom, stepped forward. "We should consider a counterattack. They're getting too confident."

I turned to him, my gaze sharp. "No. Not yet. We hold our ground for now. But if they break through—" My voice lowered to something deadly. "There will be no mercy."

The room fell into silence, the air thick with tension. Then, after a moment, the head chief nodded. "As you command."

Jack crossed his arms. "What's our next step?"

I looked at them all, my most trusted people, and declared, "We make sure the hunters never step past that border. We send them a message they won't forget."

As they left to carry out their orders, I turned back to the window, my fingers curling into fists.

This was just the beginning.

And I would make sure every last hunter paid in blood.

The war room was filled with the low murmur of voices, a mix of tension and determination thickening the air. My generals and warriors—handpicked for their strength and loyalty—stood before me, waiting. The large obsidian table stretched between us, maps and reports scattered across its polished surface.

Jack stood to my right, arms crossed, his expression sharp as a blade. Across from him, the head chief and my leading warriors—men and women who had served the clan for decades—watched me closely.

"We cannot afford weakness," I said, my voice slicing through the room's murmurs. "The hunters have been spotted, and this time, they came prepared. We will not wait for them to strike first."

One of my generals, Viktor, a battle-scarred warrior with centuries of experience, leaned forward. "If they return in greater numbers, we should be prepared to send a warning—a show of force."

I met his gaze, my fingers tapping lightly against the table. "Agreed. Amara is already strengthening our magical defenses. But brute strength will not be enough. We need strategy."

Another warrior, Darius, spoke up. "We should deploy scouts beyond the border to track their movements. If they are planning something larger, we need to know."

Jack nodded. "I can have my best men on it by sundown."

I inclined my head. "Do it."

My gaze swept over the room. "All patrols will double in shifts, and every warrior must be battle-ready. I want our defenses impenetrable."

The warriors pounded their fists against their chests in unison. "Yes, my king!"

The meeting lasted another hour, filled with battle strategies, patrol assignments, and defensive reinforcements. By the time it ended, I was satisfied with our plan.

But there was still one more matter to address.

By nightfall, I stood on the highest balcony of the grand hall, looking over the thousands of vampires gathered below. My people. My responsibility.

Their eyes gleamed in the moonlight, waiting for me to speak. The sheer power of their presence—150,000 strong—was a force unlike any other.

"The hunters have been sighted near our borders," I announced, my voice carrying through the silent night. "They seek to weaken us, to drive us into fear." I paused, my sharp gaze sweeping across the vast crowd. "But we do not fear. We do not break. We do not bow."

A murmur of agreement spread through the clan, low but growing.

"Our warriors stand ready, our defenses stronger than ever. But I warn you all—be vigilant. Do not wander beyond the protected lands. If you see anything suspicious, report it immediately."

The murmurs grew into a collective chant, my people vowing their loyalty, their readiness for battle.

I lifted a hand, silencing them. "The hunters think they can challenge us. They will learn that to stand against this clan is to face death itself."

A roar of agreement thundered through the land.

Satisfied, I turned away, knowing my message had been received.

Now, all that was left was to prepare for the inevitable.

I walked into my chambers, removing my jacket, when I sensed it—the scent of perfume.

My gaze snapped to the bed, and there she was.

Clara.

Naked, sprawled across my silk sheets like she belonged there.

I felt my anger coil, sharp and immediate. "What the hell are you doing in my bed?"

She smirked, stretching her limbs like a satisfied cat. "Waiting for you."

I took a slow, measured breath. "I don't recall inviting you."

Clara stood, her bare skin glowing under the dim candlelight. "You've been so tense lately, my king." She walked toward me, her hips swaying. "I thought I could help."

I should have thrown her out.

But my mind was exhausted. My body tense from days of restraint, from holding back every urge, every unwanted thought.

I should have said no.

But I didn't.

When she pressed herself against me, when her lips brushed my jaw, whispering, "Take me," I let myself believe that maybe, for just one night, I needed a distraction.

And so, I gave in.