92

92

Ian’s POV

I stood at the doorway of Sophia’s room, staring at her like some sort of fool. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous. I was Ian — king of the vampire realm, ruler of vampire. The most powerful and most dangerous. Yet, in this moment, watching Sophia pack her things, I felt completely out of place.

Maybe it was because I was about to take her to the vampire realm. Maybe it was because I didn’t want to take her there. Or maybe it was because Sophia, despite her the fact that she was now one of us, still seemed so… human.

“Are you going to keep standing there like a creep or actually come in and help me?” Her voice snapped me out of my thoughts. She had that look in her eye, the one where she was trying to hold back a laugh but also wasn’t quite sure if I was okay. It’s a look that she had been giving me these days.

“Help you?” I raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe. “I thought vampires were supposed to be independent creatures.”

“Yeah, well, I’m new at this. Give me a break,” she shot back, tossing a shirt at me. I caught it with ease, but it did nothing to relax me.

She was excited. Too excited. And maybe that was what had me on edge. What if she gets there and it’s not up to what she’s expecting? What if she gets… disappointed?

“You do know what the realm is like, right?” I asked cautiously, folding my arms. “It’s not exactly Disneyland.”

Sophia rolled her eyes as she zipped up her bag, clearly not interested in my attempts at giving her a reality check and discouraging her. “Yes, Ian, you’ve mentioned that about a hundred times. You act like I haven’t heard the stories.”

“Stories are one thing,” I muttered. “Living it is another.”

She stopped packing for a second, her eyes meeting mine. “I’ll be fine. I’ve got you, right?”

That question — so simple, so casual — hit me in a way I didn’t expect. Because, yes, she did have me. She had me In ways I wasn’t even sure I fully understood yet. But it was more than that. The vampire realm wasn’t just dangerous; it was unpredictable. And there were too many things about it that even I couldn’t control.

But I couldn’t back out now. Today was the day.

“I’m just saying,” I started again, trying to sound more confident than I felt, “it’s not like what you’re used to here. The realm is… complicated. People will stare, there will be questions, and I’m not sure how everyone will react to you.”

Sophia paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. “React to me? You mean because I’m—?”

“Because you’re a fledgling,” I cut her off, trying to avoid the whole ‘human-turned-vampire’ discussion that always seemed to make her a bit uncomfortable and set her on the edge. “They’re not used to that. Most of the vampires there were born into this life. You… well, you’re different.”

She shrugged, unfazed. “Different can be good. Maybe I’ll start a trend.”

I couldn’t help but smile at that. Sophia had always had this way of turning my darkest thoughts into something lighter, more manageable. It was infuriating and comforting all at once. I guess that was what really attracted me to heer in the first place. What made me fall in love with her.

“You really think you’re ready for this?” I asked, stepping into the room now and leaning against her dresser.

She turned to face me, her face lighting up with excitement that both thrilled and worried me. I was scared of it not being up to her expectations, or someone hurting her in any way. “Of course I’m ready! I mean, it’s the vampire realm! I’ve been dying to see It ever since you told me about it. And besides, how bad can it really be? I mean, you’re in charge, right?”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah, that’s kind of the problem.”

Her eyes widened, but there was a playful glint in them. “Oh my god, are you scared of me embarrassing you in front of your royal vampire buddies?”

“Embarrassing me?” I scoffed. “That’s not even possible.”

She smirked, taking a step closer to me. “Really? Because I’ve got some pretty good jokes about vampire royalty. You know, like—”

“Please don’t,” I groaned, cutting her off.

Her laugh was light and infectious, and for a moment, the weight on my shoulders lifted. But it didn’t last long. The truth was, this was serious. The realm wasn’t a place for jokes or casual introductions. It was political, and dangerous, and even though I wanted to believe I could keep her safe there, I knew I couldn’t promise that.

“Okay, fine,” she said, clearly picking up on my shift in mood. “I’ll be serious. No jokes. I’ll be the perfect vampire companion.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Sophia, I’ve never seen you be serious for longer than five minutes.”

“That’s because I’m fun,” she shot back with a grin. “But I can be serious when I need to be.”

I studied her for a moment, then sighed. “Alright. If you’re ready, let’s go.”

Her face lit up like it was Christmas morning, and before I could even fully process what was happening, she had grabbed her bag and was heading for the door.

“You’re way too excited about this,” I muttered as I followed her out.

She shot me a look over her shoulder. “You’re way too nervous about this.”

“I am not nervous,” I lied, trying to mask the very real anxiety bubbling inside me.

“Uh-huh. Sure,” she teased, hopping into the car.

As I slid into the driver’s seat, I couldn’t help but glance over at her. She looked… at ease. Like this was just another road trip and not the first time she’d be stepping into a world filled with vampires who would likely judge her every move.

“So,” she said casually as I started the car, “what’s the first thing we’re doing when we get there? Do I get a royal tour? Maybe a throne of my own?”

I chuckled. “There are no thrones. And if there were, you’d definitely not be getting one.”

She laughed, leaning back in her seat. “You say that now, but wait until they see how awesome I am. They’ll probably make me their queen in, like, a week.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “Sophia, I don’t think you fully grasp how things work there. It’s not a popularity contest.”

“Well, that’s a shame. I’d win.”

As we drove, her excitement was palpable. She kept asking questions, some of them ridiculous, others more thoughtful. I tried to answer as best as I could, but the truth was, I didn’t have all the answers. The realm was unpredictable, and while I had control over a lot, there were still forces at play that even I couldn’t anticipate.

We arrived at the portal entrance sooner than I expected. I parked the car, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. We were probably both rethinking what we were about to do.

“You ready?” I asked, breaking the silence.

She looked at me, her excitement still there but tinged with a hint of nervousness now. “Yeah. I think so.”

I nodded, stepping out of the car and moving around to her side. I took her hand, squeezing it lightly. “Just stick with me. No matter what happens.”

She squeezed back, giving me a small smile. “I trust you.”

Those words hit harder than I expected. It wasn’t just trust she was placing in me. It was everything. Her safety, her future. And I wasn’t sure I deserved that level of faith.

But I couldn’t back down now.

We approached the stone, and there was a change in energy. Everything felt more powerful, more overwhelming. I glanced at her one last time, checking for any signs of doubt, but she looked determined.

“Where is the portal? You said it was here?” She asked, her brows raised as she looked around.

I looked at her and chuckled, shaking my head a bit before taking a deep breath. I stepped forward, pulling her along with me and I touched the stone.

As we passed through, the familiar sensation of the world shifting around us washed over me, and in an instant, we were in the realm.

Sophia let out a small gasp as she took in the sight. The towering spires, the darkened sky, the eerie glow of the city below.

“Whoa,” she breathed, her eyes wide.

“Welcome to the realm,” I said quietly.

She grinned up at me, her excitement returning full force. “This is amazing!”

I smiled despite myself. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

I still felt very uncertain about this and I felt bad about it. I couldn’t trust anyone in the realm even though I was their king. I had followers, and I had enemies too.

But for now, it felt good to be here with her, and that was enough.