"I have no son," Hector replied sharply. "No wife either."
He turned his eyes away from Lora, unable, or unwilling, to et her gaze.
Lora released a slow, quiet breath. Relief loosened the tight knot in her chest. So, he hadn’t taken any woman by force or deception. Sowhere in that twisted journey, he had clung to a shred of morality. He hadn’t forgotten who he was.
"Why do you ask?" Hector added, his frown returning.
The King kept his voice even. "Just curious. You lived a life outside this kingdom... didn’t you?"
But it wasn’t just a question, it was a test.
Twelve vampire lords existed. Ten of them were male. The females were sterile, but the males could sire children.
"Hmm," Hector humd, voice laced with sarcasm. "I had a life far different from yours."
The jab was ant to sting, and it did.
Kai’s lips curled in a cold snort. "Watch your tone," he said, stepping forward slightly. "We didn’t even know you existed. We’re not the ones who abandoned you. We owe you nothing, but you don’t get to spit poison at everyone who didn’t lie to you."
Hector’s gaze darkened, but Kai pressed on, voice like a blade sheathed in velvet.
"I don’t know what my brother fed your mind with, but that woman, the Witch Saint, can’t set foot in this world again. Not to kill more people. Not to rule. That’s not sothing we’ll allow, not for anyone. Even you."
Silence hung in the air, charged and thick. Kai’s words didn’t just defend Benkin, they drew a line in the sand.
This man, this vampire prince, was many things, but his cruelty toward Benkin hit differently, but Kai was certain of one truth about the King: he had wanted children. Kai had seen it before, in n like him, those who lost everything often clung to the dream of family, even in the darkest ways. But he didn’t choose that path.
"I’m not arguing with you," Hector muttered. "I didn’t side with the Witch Saint to help her return and murder innocents. I was there for one reason, to avenge the slaughter of my people. And now... I have nothing left."
He looked up, eyes cold. "You can execute . I’m ready."
The King studied him silently. Then he spoke with quiet finality.
"I won’t kill you. You’ll live. In the North."
Hector blinked, caught off guard. "The North?" he echoed, a voice dipped in disbelief.
"I could make an army," he said slowly, testing their fear. "Vampires. You do realize that, don’t you? I could rise and march to your heir... claim your precious Ruby Throne and turn her as well."
"No, you won’t," Ren said softly, her voice firm, unshaken.
"You don’t know that," Hector replied, eting her gaze. His eyes searched hers, not for weakness, but for reason.
Ren held his stare. "If you ever wanted the throne, you would have co long before becoming a vampire. You were never afraid of death."
A flicker of a smile ghosted across Hector’s lips. "True enough," he admitted. "This throne ans nothing to . It’s a golden cage soaked in blood."
Kai stepped forward again, expression tight. "What about the others?"
Hector raised a brow. "Yes, the vampires. What would you do with them?" Hector asked, voice asured.
"That depends," Ren added. "We can’t allow them to feed on humans or mutate. If they pose a threat, we have no choice."
Kai’s gaze sharpened. "Can you summon them?"
A test. One last test, to gauge whether Hector was truly lost... or not.
Hector paused, weighing the room. Then he shook his head with a bitter laugh. "That’s rich. You want to use my link, summon every vampire that ever followed us, just so you can slaughter them while they’re standing still."
Kai raised a brow and shrugged, nonchalantly. "Do you see them as your children... or just your discarded guild?"
"I never turned anyone, I’m the only lord who doesn’t have a guild." Hector snapped. "They aren’t mine. I don’t care what happens to them. They were never my subordinates."
Then, his voice dropped slightly. His tone was calculated and cool. "But what are you planning to do with the hybrids?"
The room froze.
"Hybrids?" the King repeated, his tone dripping with amusent. "Why are you telling us this now?"
"You already know," Hector declared coolly, "Don’t act surprised. We noticed shifters sniffing around. One of your packs was investigating."
Kai chuckled under his breath, eyes narrowing. "Seems we underestimated you." Then, louder, "So tell , if it were you, what would you do?"
"I’d make them into weapons," Hector said without hesitation. "They’re emotional but resilient. Strangely strong. You can’t hunt them, they are madly smart. They’ll rember it. If you kill even a few, they’ll co back stronger, united by vengeance. Another war would be inevitable. So if it were , I’d give them a place, one they could call their own. Because unlike us, they can walk in daylight. Which ans... you’ll never be safe if you threaten them. They might not be pure blood, but they are even better."
Ren pinched the bridge of her nose, her headache flaring again. She was sick of this ga, of using children as political leverage, even though vampire ones.
"I’m not a child killer," she said quietly, but the steel in her voice silenced the room.
"And I won’t let anyone harm them, not the mothers, not the unborn. I’ll bring them to Thegara. They can grow there. Learn. They’re no match for shifters, not yet. But when they’re older... if they commit cris, if they cross the line, or grow mad, then I’ll be the one to lock them away."
Her words were final. Not a plea, she just made a law.
Hector narrowed his eyes, voice low and cynical. "So... you want to keep the children and slaughter the rest of the vampires?"
"Yes," Ren answered without hesitation. Her tone was firm, but her eyes glinted with sothing deeper, pain, resolved identity. "And rember, as your sister, I am a hybrid too. The Fae community calls a demon. Do you believe that? Am I truly a demon? By the way, those vampires are killers. Their lust for blood had consud them."
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